Sports
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Essential sports industry news & intel to start your day.
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March 7, 2023
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Today’s Top News
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NBA legend Michael Jordan has earned an estimated and inflation-adjusted $3.3 billion in his career, making him the highest-paid athlete of all time, according to an analysis by Sportico of the world’s 50 highest-paid players. Fifteen-time major champion Tiger Woods has earned $2.5 billion, while fellow golfer Arnold Palmer has been paid $1.7 billion in his career to round out the top three of the list, which featured athletes across nine sports and 17 countries who have combined to earn $45.9 billion in their careers. (Sportico)
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Former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr signed a four-year deal with the New Orleans Saints, reportedly worth up to $150 million. (The Associated Press) Meanwhile, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith, who played on a one-year, $3.5 million deal in 2022, agreed to a new three-year contract reportedly worth $105 million, including $52 million in the first season. (ESPN)
- The Glendale, Colo., police department is investigating the weekend incident involving Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant to see if the point guard violated any state gun laws after he brandished a gun on Instagram Live at a reported local gentlemen’s club. While Colorado is an open-carry state, it is illegal to carry a firearm while under the influence of alcohol, though it’s unclear if Morant had been drinking at the time of the video, and the NBA prohibits players from having a firearm while traveling with teams. (ESPN)
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| A MESSAGE FROM MORNING CONSULT |
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What Else You Need to Know
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YouTube Is Swallowing The Sports Podcast Star
Jacob Feldman, Sportico
New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce lived up to its name in its first season. Before the brothers faced off in the Super Bowl, their show reached No. 2 overall on Apple’s charts.
How Mark Quenzel elevated production quality at NFL Network
John Ourand, Sports Business Journal
During his nearly 13-year career with the league, Quenzel earned a reputation for helping the league build up its signature events into marquee television productions.
Jay Wright will be part of NCAA Tournament Selection Show
Joe Lucia, Awful Announcing
Former Villanova head coach Jay Wright will be joining Sunday’s NCAA Tournament Selection Show, airing on CBS. Per a release, Wright will be joining host Greg Gumbel and analysts Seth Davis and Clark Kellogg on the hour-long show, which begins at 6 PM ET this Sunday, March 12th.
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MLB shift limits raising batter spirits and averages so far
Alanis Thames, The Associated Press
It’s too early in spring training to draw conclusions from the numbers, but key statistics are trending in a promising direction for hitters. Batting averages through the first 10 days of spring training are up to .263 in 2023 from .259 last season.
Braves plan to cut off sale of season tickets before opener
The Associated Press
The Atlanta Braves plan to stop the sale of season tickets to preserve the availability of single-game tickets. Braves president Derek Schiller says this is the first time in team history season ticket sales have been cut off before the first game.
Can a Czech Firefighter Compete With M.L.B.’s Biggest Stars?
David Waldstein, The New York Times
The World Baseball Classic is a battle of the game’s top professional players. A scrappy Czech Republic team, full of guys with regular jobs, just might win your heart.
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Napoli owner says Serie A should keep hold of media business
Alvise Armellini, Reuters
The owner of Italian league leaders Napoli has become the latest senior figure in Serie A to speak out against plans to allow external investors to invest in its media business.
Saudi sponsorship won’t align with vision for women’s World Cup, says Football Australia chief
Rohith Nair, Reuters
Football Australia (FA) and its stakeholders have reached an “overwhelming consensus” that a reported Saudi Arabia sponsorship deal does not align with their vision for the women’s World Cup, FA chief executive James Johnson said on Monday.
NWSL players, clubs to be in EA Sports FIFA for the first time
ESPN
National Women’s Soccer League players and clubs will be added to an EA Sports FIFA game for the first time ahead of the start of the new season, EA announced Monday.
PSG’s Neymar to undergo ankle surgery, ruled out for rest of season
Rohith Nair, Reuters
Paris St Germain forward Neymar is to undergo surgery to repair ankle ligaments, which will keep the Brazil international out for the rest of the season, the Ligue 1 club said on Monday.
UEFA to refund Liverpool fans for Paris Champions League final chaos
Rohith Nair, Reuters
UEFA will refund Liverpool fans who attended last year’s Champions League final in Paris, Europe’s soccer governing body said on Tuesday after an independent report said they were responsible for the chaos outside the stadium.
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How Tennis and Djokovic Are Pushing Against the U.S. Covid Vaccine Rule
Matthew Futterman, The New York Times
Djokovic, the world No. 1, who is unvaccinated against Covid-19, has lobbied the Biden administration for an exemption so he can play at Indian Wells and the Miami Open. So far, he has come up short.
LIV Golf executive explains delay in reporting Mayakoba viewership, why early reports were ‘incomplete’
Adam Woodard, Golfweek
LIV Golf made eyes squint and ears perk up when it reported an audience of 3.2 million viewers for its season-opening event, especially after some early, unflattering reports.
Golf brands try new course for fan engagement
Wes Sanderson, Sports Business Journal
Traditional golf brands are using nontraditional media platforms to engage with consumers. Checking the scorecard since the start of the year, three of the largest golf original equipment manufacturers now have key partnerships with some of the leaders in the new golf media landscape.
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Red Bull’s Horner Likens F1’s TV Fame to ‘Kardashians on Wheels’
Giles Turner, Bloomberg
TV’s depiction of Formula One is “like the Kardashians on wheels at times,” according to Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner, referring to the sport’s popularity following Netflix Inc.’s wildly successful Drive to Survive documentary series.
IndyCar bullish on 2023 season, new docuseries
Adam Stern, Sports Business Journal
IndyCar faced criticism from some stakeholders over the offseason for the perception that it wasn’t being aggressive enough in the face of rising competition, but CEO Mark Miles thinks that’s set to quickly subside as the series shows off its plans for growth in 2023.
Why the esports industry is up in arms about the Olympic Esports Series
Alexander Lee, Digiday
On March 1, the International Olympic Committee announced its first worldwide esports competition, only to be criticized by the esports establishment for its lack of popular titles. But the IOC’s alternative definition for esports is still good news for the competitive gaming scene — and the brands looking to play in it.
‘Creed III’ Has Knockout $100M+ Global Opening
Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline
MGM’s Creed III is enjoying a knockout opening weekend, punching up $100.4M globally. Of that, $41.8M is from 75 international box office markets.
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Opinions, Perspectives and Research
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