• Representatives for the Denver Broncos last month interviewed potential sell-side bankers, according to multiple people familiar with the meetings, the latest indication that the team is moving closer to an ownership change. While there are still several complicating factors, including disagreement among the children of late Broncos owner Pat Bowlen about whether the team should be sold, it is believed the NFL team would fetch a record-breaking sum for an American sports franchise. (Sportico)
• The NFL suspended two Tampa Bay Buccaneers players – wide receiver Antonio Brown and safety Mike Edwards – and free agent wide receiver John Franklin III for three games each after determining that they had misrepresented their COVID-19 vaccination status. A person familiar with the review said the players submitted fake vaccination cards and that they have since been vaccinated. (The Washington Post)
• The Arizona Coyotes denied a report that the team was for sale with the idea of the buyer moving the team to a new arena in Houston, saying in a statement that they are “100 percent committed to playing in Arizona.” The team submitted a bid for land in Tempe in September, which it plans to develop into a new arena and entertainment district, and it remains unclear where the team will play next season following the expiration of its lease at Gila River Arena in Glendale. (Arizona Republic)

Allstate leads college football ad spenders with nearly $15 million

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NBA viewership up 8% from two years ago

Sports Media Watch

NBA viewership is trending above two years ago thanks in large part to the resurgent Golden State Warriors. NBA regular season games are averaging 1.55 million viewers so far this season, up 8% from the comparable point two years ago.

ABC’s NHL return is most-watched Black Friday game since ’16

Sports Media Watch

Airing an NHL game for the first time since 2004, ABC averaged a 0.7 rating and 1.23 million viewers for last Friday’s Rangers-Bruins NHL Thanksgiving Showdown — the largest audience for the annual Black Friday game since 2016 (Rangers-Flyers: 1.33M). Compared to the previous edition of the game two years ago, which featured the same two teams on NBC, ratings actually fell a tick (vs. 0.8) but viewership increased 3% (from 1.20M).

NFL wins again in Raiders relocation suit. So why did St. Louis go the other way?

Daniel Kaplan, The Athletic

In California, the league is now 3-0 in relocation lawsuit decisions. A panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday affirmed a lower court’s ruling to toss the city of Oakland’s lawsuit over the relocation of the Raiders to Las Vegas. Combined with a state court dismissal of an Oakland lawsuit, the NFL is undefeated on the West Coast.

L.A. to be coming out party for new-look On Location

Ben Fischer, Sports Business Journal

This year in L.A. — finally — On Location gets to show off what a new, deep-pocketed owner means for the business of enhancing Super Bowl tickets with premium parties, food, booze and entertainment. New for On Location’s plans this year: Its first off-site hospitality house open during the week before the game, the On Location House at the downtown Omni.

LeBron James cleared to play after ‘fishy’ COVID protocol stint

Ryan Glasspiegel, New York Post

LeBron James implied in a tweet that it was “fishy” he had to miss four games over a 10-day stretch in the NBA’s COVID-19 protocol, and he appears to have been vindicated. James has been cleared to return for the Lakers, the NBA announced Thursday, one day before a game with the crosstown Clippers.

‘Radical’ differences in way Rob Manfred, MLBPA describe the path to a lockout

Evan Drellich, The Athletic

“We made a proposal yesterday that I believe if it had been accepted, would have provided a pretty clear path to make an agreement,” commissioner Rob Manfred said Thursday. But the union’s lead negotiator, Bruce Meyer, said that the union didn’t view Manfred’s offer from Wednesday as even an actual proposal.

MLB team sites, scrubbed of headshots and player news, look different during the lockout

Scott Allen, The Washington Post

As MLB.com reporter Mark Feinsand tweeted early Thursday, “in order to comply with federal labor law during the lockout, MLB is making every effort to not use players’ names, images or likenesses (NIL) for promotional, advertising or other commercial purposes.” Team roster pages now feature generic gray silhouettes where headshots of players used to be.

FSG’s Werner bullish on growth around Penguins

David Rumsey, Sports Business Journal

Fenway Sports Group Chair Tom Werner cited opportunities to grow revenue within the Penguins as a main attraction for the company’s impending purchase of the NHL franchise. The growth opportunities he sees come in the form of real estate around PPG Arena, creating more hospitality spaces in the venue and holding more events at the facility.

Smashville vs Bolts! 2022 Winter Classic Uniforms Unveiled

Chris Creamer, SportsLogos.net

As always, the NHL’s annual outdoor Stadium Series game shoves aside the thinking that a hockey sweater’s design must be steeped in tradition, forcing us to try something new even if it makes us feel a little uncomfortable.

New bowl game approved for this season by NCAA Football Oversight Committee: Sources

Stewart Mandel and Nicole Auerbach, The Athletic

The NCAA Football Oversight Committee on Thursday approved a waiver that will allow for a hastily arranged 42nd FBS bowl game this season, ensuring no bowl-eligible team is left out, sources confirmed to The Athletic. With 83 teams having finished the regular season with at least a 6-6 record, one eligible team from the MAC, Conference USA or Mountain West would have been left without a berth.

So Close, Yet So Far: Why CFP Expansion Was Stalled Yet Again

Ross Dellenger, Sports Illustrated

While the committee appears to be inching toward a finish line that isn’t there, the main obstacle still exists: They don’t have the needed unanimous consent on a particular format, spending hours Wednesday arguing over the number of teams (eight vs. 12) and the role of automatic qualifiers (no AQs vs. some AQs vs. AQs for Power 5 champions).

The latest on the Miami Hurricanes search for an athletic director. It’s complicated

Michelle Kaufman and Susan Miller Degnan, Miami Herald

Everyone is wondering what is going on with the University of Miami athletic director search, why it is taking so long, and what is the fate of Hurricanes football coach Manny Diaz. Answer: It is complicated. Several sources familiar with the negotiations say there are differing opinions within the inner circle of decision-makers about which direction to go and what the priority should be.

WWE Turns to College Athletes Via NIL Talent Search Program

Eric Jackson, Sportico

The wrestling giant is launching a new NIL program geared toward recruiting and developing college athletes from different backgrounds. The “Next in Line” program will not only feature various partnerships with athletes, but perhaps more importantly, it will provide a clearer path for standouts to make the leap directly to the WWE.

UPenn transgender swimmer sparks outrage by shattering women’s records

Ryan Glasspiegel, New York Post

Lia Thomas, a 22-year old transgender swimmer at the University of Pennsylvania, has been shattering women’s records at the school. Before her transition, she competed for three years at Penn as a man, named Will Thomas.

Real Madrid and Barcelona seek to thwart CVC’s €2bn La Liga deal

Samuel Agini and Arash Massoudi, Financial Times

Real Madrid and Barcelona have launched a late bid to thwart private equity group CVC’s €2bn cash injection into Spanish football, with a counter-offer they claim is economically superior. Spain’s two most successful clubs, along with Athletic Bilbao, have written to the heads of the 39 other teams in the first and second divisions of Spanish football, urging them to reject the CVC deal and back their alternative.

A Year Out, Qatar World Cup Shaping Up to Be Most Costly to Attend

Asli Pelit, Sportico

Despite FIFA’s official ticket prices ranging from $105 to $210 for Group Stage matches (Final tickets run from $455 to $1,100) those who want to experience the first World Cup held in the Middle East are expected to spend a huge amount on flights, accommodations and food. The smallest country ever to host, Qatar will also be the first to consolidate all eight venues into a 35-mile radius around its capital, Doha.

Hooters extends deal with Hendrick, Chase Elliott

Adam Stern, Sports Business Journal

Hooters is extending its sponsorship of Hendrick Motorsports and Chase Elliott for three more years. Financial terms are not being revealed, but HMS typically asks mid six figures per race for Elliott, NASCAR’s most popular active driver.

Lewis Hamilton does not feel comfortable racing in Saudi Arabia

Laurence Edmondson, ESPN

Lewis Hamilton says he does not feel comfortable racing at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix this weekend, saying Formula One is “duty bound” to raise awareness about human rights concerns in the country. Saudi Arabia will host its first F1 race this weekend at a new circuit in the coastal city of Jeddah.

Chinese partner asks WTA to remove logo from website

Bret McCormick, Sports Business Journal

The logo of Beijing-based streaming service iQiyi is no longer displayed under the Global Partners section on the WTA’s website, the first sign of a reaction from China since the tour suspended events in the country over the Peng Shuai issue. A WTA spokesperson said the tour’s 10-year deal with the Chinese platform, worth a reported $120 million, is still in place, but iQiyi requested to have the logo taken down late last week.

Adam Scott, UNIQLO to host AJGA tournament in Los Angeles in 2022

Adam Woodard, Golfweek

A handful of the world’s best junior golfers will be bound for Los Angeles in 2022 for a new tournament hosted by a PGA Tour star. On Tuesday it was announced that apparel retailer UNIQLO and the American Junior Golf Association would hold the UNIQLO Adam Scott Junior Golf Championship at River Ridge Golf Club in Los Angeles, Feb. 18-21, 2022.

100 Thieves secures funding to the tune of $60M

Jason McMaster, VentureBeat

100 Thieves, gaming brand and lifestyle company, announced that it has received $60 million in Series C funding. The new round of funding, led by Green Bay Ventures, brings the company’s valuation up to $460 million.

From the Worlds stage to agent, YellOwStaR says player representation in esports is ‘just at the beginning’

Jacob Wolf, Dot Esports

A player employs an agent to represent them to procure deals with teams and sponsors and to help guide that career, whether it’s directly in matters like public relations or indirectly in providing an ear for feedback. Agency work is still nascent in esports and YellOwStaR isn’t the first player or professional from another career within esports to make the jump.

Sources – Gennadiy Golovkin-Ryota Murata postponed due to new COVID restrictions in Japan

Mike Coppinger, ESPN

Gennadiy Golovkin’s wait to become a two-time unified champion will have to last a little longer. Golovkin was slated to meet Ryota Murata in a middleweight title unification on Dec. 29 in Saitama, but the fight is now postponed, sources tell ESPN, due to new COVID restrictions that prohibit foreigners from visiting Japan.

Toronto to host Premier Hockey Federation All-Star Showcase

Sportsnet

The Toronto Six will host the annual Premier Hockey Federation All-Star Showcase on Jan. 29, the league announced on Thursday. The first All-Star event outside of the United States will feature a revised format, where the players will compete on three teams in a round-robin.

Palm Scanners Have Some Up In Arms

James Zoltak, VenuesNow

Amazon has made a splash at sports and entertainment venues with its Just Walk Out frictionless retail outlets, but the use of its palm scanning technology at Red Rocks Amphitheatre has garnered backlash from activists and artists concerned about the privacy and surveillance implications. In October, Amazon One debuted at new NHL arenas in Seattle and New York as part of Delaware North Sportservice’s concessions operation.

Companies Cling to Libor as Key Deadline Nears

Mark Maurer and Sebastian Pellejero, The Wall Street Journal

Lenders have increasingly come under pressure from regulators to wind down their own and their clients’ exposure to Libor. Still, in recent weeks, businesses such as sports-apparel retailer Fanatics Inc. have launched new leveraged-loan deals using Libor.

Legends hires Brian Killingsworth as CMO

Mark J. Burns, Sports Business Journal

Legends has hired a new CMO in Brian Killingsworth, who previously held the same position with the Vegas Golden Knights, spearheading the brand launch of the expansion franchise in ’17. He’s had prior stints at the Buccaneers, Rams and Rays.