• FaZe Clan Inc., a Los Angeles-based entertainment business known for its professional esports teams, is nearing a $1 billion deal to go public by merging with a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC), according to people familiar with the matter. The company, which has partnerships with large brands chasing young consumers such as McDonald’s Corp. and General Mills Inc.’s Totino’s Pizza Rolls, reportedly expects this year’s sales of roughly $50 million to grow rapidly in the years ahead. (The Wall Street Journal)
• Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen edged Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton at Formula 1’s U.S. Grand Prix, which drew a record-setting crowd of more than 140,000 fans to Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas on race day. (Austin American-Statesman) Meanwhile, Nevada Gov. Stephen Sisolak confirmed he has spoken with F1 about the possibility of bringing a race to Las Vegas, while a delegation representing the city reportedly met with series execs over the weekend in Austin. (Sports Business Journal)
• The Seattle Kraken played their first home game at the recently opened Climate Pledge Arena before a sellout crowd of 17,151, losing 4-2 to the Vancouver Canucks. (The Seattle Times) Tickets for the game were the most expensive of the last five NHL arena openings, according to TicketIQ, with the cheapest seat on the secondary market listed for $339. (The Seattle Times)

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Creditors don’t want to see Sinclair’s RSN group go into bankruptcy

John Ourand, Sports Business Journal

In interviews with several executives who own some of Diamond’s debt, all of them said they believe multiple options exist that would fund the declining regional sports network business before it would head into bankruptcy. The debt holders believe that the leagues will have to figure out a way to work with Sinclair on launching a direct-to-consumer app rather than trying to regain the rights through bankruptcy proceedings.

YES Network launching new app efforts around Nets broadcasts

Joe Perez, Sports Business Journal

YES Network launched two new elements in its app that the RSN believes puts it ahead of competition locally and nationally. Users who stream Nets games on mobile, tablet or on the web will have access to the YES Edge feature called “Live Stats” that allows fans to follow along with real-time stats synched with gameplay.

Gambling Ads Become the New Normal for American Sports

Katherine Sayre, The Wall Street Journal

The gambling industry’s deluge of sports-betting ads and free-money offers on television, radio and online, is beginning to concern regulators. Online gambling operators, such as DraftKings Inc. and FanDuel Group, are spending hundreds of millions of dollars, and large shares of their revenues, on marketing, putting sports wagering in front of the American consumer.

WWE releases pay-per-view schedule for next year

David Bourne, Sports Business Journal

For the first time, WWE has released its entire domestic pay-per-view schedule in advance, highlighting a 2022 that will again see a two-night WrestleMania and the most stadium shows in the company’s history. Nick Khan, WWE president and chief revenue officer, said that since the company returned to live in-person events this past July, fans have shown a strong appetite for the shows, so the company wanted to make the 2022 PPV schedule available as those fans make their plans for next year.

NFL sent pointed message to underperforming clubs

Ben Fischer, Sports Business Journal

During a presentation from Bobby Gallo, NFL senior vice president of club business development, five logos appeared on the screen: those of the Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets and the Washington Football Team. To some league veterans, the slide spoke volumes — it was interpreted as Commissioner Roger Goodell calling out certain owners in front of their peers for business underperformance.

Source: NFL still hasn’t decided whether Deshaun Watson will be placed on paid leave if traded

Mike Florio, ProFootballTalk

The NFL has yet to decide whether it will or won’t place Watson on paid leave, if he’s traded. The Texans have placed Watson on paid leave, which keeps the league from having to make a decision. It won’t make a decision until it has to make a decision.

Buccaneers had to retrieve Tom Brady’s 600th career TD ball after Mike Evans gives it to fan

Dan Rorabaugh, Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson clarified that the Bucs gave the fan a different game ball and a signed jersey. The fan later identified as Byron Kennedy, 29, of St. Petersburg, Florida – also will receive a $1,000 gift card to their team store.

Group protesting vaccine mandate shows Kyrie Irving support ahead of Brooklyn Nets’ home opener

Ohm Youngmisuk, ESPN

A group of protesters gathered outside Barclays Center waving flags and signs while chanting, “No vaccine mandate, stand with Kyrie” before the Brooklyn Nets lost their home opener to Charlotte Hornets 111-95 on Sunday. Around 100 people stood in the plaza outside the arena and on the street blocking traffic on Flatbush Avenue, many showing their support for Nets point guard Kyrie Irving’s decision not to comply with New York City’s mandate in order to play home games.

Phoenix Suns team owner Robert Sarver ‘wholly shocked’ by allegations of racism, sexism in upcoming story

Duane Rankin, Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver on Friday strongly denied allegations of  “racism, sexism and sexual harassment” by him or his organization planned for an upcoming ESPN story. Jordan Schultz, who hosts PullUpPod, tweeted Friday, “The NBA is preparing for a massive story accusing Suns owner Robert Sarver of racism, sexism and sexual harassment in a series of incidents, sources say.”

Mark Cuban-Owned Company Launches Pharmacy-Benefit Manager

Joseph Walker, The Wall Street Journal

A pair of new companies are being launched to tackle high drug costs, the latest sign of employer frustration with the middlemen, known as PBMs, whose job it is to keep down the spending. The Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company PBC and the Purchaser Business Group on Health, a nonprofit coalition of nearly 40 large public and private employers, said they are each starting new pharmacy-benefit management companies.

Another ‘Bird of a feather’: Cardinals set to announce Oliver Marmol as next manager

Derrick Goold and Ben Frederickson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Oliver Marmol will be introduced Monday morning as the 51st manager in Cardinals history, multiple sources confirmed to the Post-Dispatch on Sunday night. Marmol, 35, spent the past three seasons as the team’s bench coach and trusted aide of previous manager Mike Shildt.

Baseball, Popular but No Longer Dominant, Seeks to Reclaim Its Cool

David Waldstein, The New York Times

Baseball, for all its storied past, no longer occupies a central role in the national consciousness, based on measures like game attendance in recent years and social media relevance. Just as concerning for the game is that many young people believe it is not cool — that it is the exclusive domain of nostalgic old men and data geeks.

Chicago Blackhawks’ consecutive sellout streak ends at 535 games

Scott Powers and Mark Lazerus, The Athletic

The Chicago Blackhawks’ sellout streak has officially ended at 535 games, ending a 13-year run that started March 8, 2008, against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Chicago has led the league in attendance for the past 11 seasons and averaged 21,441 fans for their 34 home games at the United Center in 2019-20, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic that forced teams to play without fans in attendance.

‘I got a beer in 8 seconds’: Testing Amazon’s cashierless tech at an NHL game inside Climate Pledge Arena

Taylor Soper, GeekWire

Amazon’s cashierless technology made its debut this week inside the new Climate Pledge Arena. We had a chance to test out the tech Saturday during the inaugural Seattle Kraken home game, and it worked seamlessly. Other fans found it similarly easy and convenient.

Conference USA future in doubt with four teams expected to join Sun Belt next week

Dennis Dodd, CBS Sports

Concern has emerged that the future viability of Conference USA is “hanging on by a thread” as college football conference realignment continues to play out, sources tell CBS Sports. Southern Miss accepted a Sun Belt invitation on Friday, while Marshall and Old Dominion have yet to formally decide.

NLRB general counsel discusses memo that has the attention of college sports

Liz Mullen, Sports Business Journal

Jennifer Abruzzo, the new general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board, made it a priority to issue a memo declaring certain college athletes “employees” for several reasons, including recent legal developments involving the NCAA. Abruzzo, who took over the job in July, issued the memo in September and it received a lot of press, as it could be the first step for college football players, and potentially other team sport athletes, toward unionizing.

Cut The Cards: First big bets down in the college betting space; odds are high on more deals soon

Bill King and Michael Smith, Sports Business Journal

Sportsbooks want to sponsor college programs for the same reason they sponsor pro teams: Because college sports fans, and in this case alumni, are their consumers. As sure as they drink beer and soft drinks, buy cars and choose insurance providers, many place bets.

L.S.U., Led by Exiting Orgeron, Tumbling Out of SEC Prominence

Alanis Thames, The New York Times

Many wondered how the Tigers would respond a week after the program and Ed Orgeron, L.S.U.’s head coach since midway through the 2016 season, agreed to part ways. Saturday’s 31-17 loss to Ole Miss provided a dismal answer as L.S.U. dropped its fourth game of the season in a contest that was even more of a blowout than the final score indicated.

Amazon, Microsoft execs join effort to promote Seattle’s 2026 World Cup bid

Alex Halverson, Puget Sound Business Journal

Top executives from Microsoft Corp. and Amazon.com Inc. are a part of SEA 2026, an executive committee lobbying for Seattle to serve as a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will take place in North America that year. SEA 2026 is trying to use Seattle’s reputation as a city in which professional soccer has flourished and the noise produced over the years at Lumen Field.

Super League football clubs accuse Uefa and Fifa of breaking EU competition rules

Javier Espinoza et al., Financial Times

Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Juventus — the three clubs behind the Super League — are taking legal action against Uefa and Fifa in an effort to fundamentally reorganise the running of the sport. A victory in the landmark case could allow them to take more control over the finances of the competitions they play in.

NASCAR looks a decade ahead at schedule changes

Adam Stern, Sports Business Journal

During a recent interview with Sports Business Journal, Kennedy declined to share the exact specifics of the mock 2031 slate. But its mere existence, which the senior vice president of strategy and innovation revealed publicly for the first time, shows just how long into the future NASCAR is starting to think about where it will race.

Potential backflip on vaccination stance for Australian Open

The Associated Press

A potential backflip on border entry requirements for the Australian Open may allow unvaccinated players to compete at the first tennis major of 2022 after undergoing 14 days in quarantine. Last week, high-ranking federal and state government political leaders said players who hadn’t received two doses of a recognized COVID-19 vaccine were unlikely to get visas for the Jan. 17-30 tournament at Melbourne Park.

CSL Esports announces five new sponsors for NACE Starleague

Tom Daniels, Esports Insider

Collegiate esports tournament organiser CSL Esports has announced a series of partnerships for the NACE Starleague. Peripherals firm CORSAIR, glasses manufacturer GUNNAR Optiks, gaming chair firm MAVIX, coaching platform Metafy and fitness company Future will all serve as sponsors of the collegiate esports league.

Daily COVID-19 testing among countermeasures outlined in first Beijing 2022 playbooks for Winter Olympics

Geoff Berkeley, InsideTheGames.biz

The first editions of the Beijing 2022 playbooks have been published, providing guidelines to athletes and officials to ensure next year’s Winter Olympics can be delivered safely during the coronavirus pandemic. The International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the Beijing 2022 Organising Committee have published the playbooks with a little more than three months until the Games are due to open in the Chinese capital.

Overtime Elite rolls out its pathway to the pros

John Lombardo, Sports Business Journal

Backed by $80 million in funding and a bold vision, the Overtime Elite basketball league launches this month, positioning itself as a new pathway to the pros for elite high school players. The league, based in Atlanta and operated by the Overtime digital sports media company, was announced in March and will begin play on Oct. 29.