Media
TV Networks Bet on Golf to Lure Sports Audiences Back to the Screen Brian Steinberg, Variety
NBC Sports is hoping viewership of its Sunday broadcast of a charity match between Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler and Matthew Wolff is indicative of interest in a range of golf games set to be played in June and over the summer – some of the first live sports telecasts to surface since the pandemic scuttled most outdoor events.
Fox Sports is eyeing their next ESPN personality coup Andrew Marchand, New York Post
After signing both Adam Amin and Emmanuel Acho from ESPN, Fox Sports is high on Jon Vilma as a game analyst, according to sources. That said, ESPN wants to keep Vilma, where he has been a college football studio analyst on ABC’s top show.
Disney Returns Ad Sales Division to Media Networks Group Following Kevin Mayer’s Exit Jason Lynch, Adweek
Disney streaming head Kevin Mayer’s surprise exit on Monday to become TikTok’s new CEO continues to have ripple effects at his now former company. Following the departure of Mayer, who had been chairman of Disney’s direct-to-consumer and international (DTCI) segment since 2018, the company has opted to shift its ad sales and media distribution divisions from DTCI to its Media Networks group, effective immediately.
Drahi Seeks Money Back for Halted Champions League Games Angelina Rascouet, Bloomberg
Billionaire Patrick Drahi wants his soccer money back. The media and telecom mogul said Altice Europe NV — the group he controls — is seeking to recover money the company paid for soccer games from the Union of European Football Associations Champions League that have been postponed since mid-March because of the coronavirus.
Apple Sets ‘Greatness Code’ Docuseries About World’s Greatest Athletes Will Thorne, Variety
Hot on the heels of ESPN’s “Last Dance” series about Michael Jordan, a new docuseries which aims to find out what makes athletes like LeBron James, Tom Brady and Alex Morgan among the greatest at their individual sports, is coming to Apple. The streamer has greenlit “Greatness Code,” a seven-episode short-form series that spotlights untold stories and pivotal moments that defined each athlete’s career.
All-Star Athletes Filming Documentary About Coronavirus Sports Shutdown From Chris Paul, Brian Grazer, Antoine Fuqua Matt Donnelly, Variety
The project was conceived by Chris Paul, a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder and the president of the NBA players union, and producer Brian Grazer. Titled “The Day That Sports Stood Still,” the feature is being directed by Antoine Fuqua and produced by Imagine Documentaries.
‘SNL’ Comes to NBC Sports’ Rescue Brian Steinberg, Variety
NBCSN, the company’s sports-cable network, will fill next week’s primetime schedule with “SNL” repeats featuring prominent athletes as hosts. It’s just the latest programming maneuver by sports-media outlets to get something on the air for audiences at a time when the coronavirus pandemic has scuttled the majority of professional sports matches.
NFL
Saints exploring Superdome naming rights options The Associated Press
The New Orleans Saints are preparing to look for a new naming rights holder for the Superdome. Mercedez-Benz has held naming rights under a 10-year agreement that expires in July 2021 and Saints have said this week that the German automaker does not intend to extend the deal.
NFL taking baby steps toward reopenings Barry Wilner, The Associated Press
There are so many issues that must be addressed with the opening of team facilities across the nation. Just because a handful of clubs returned executives and other staff — no coaches or players — to their complexes on Tuesday does not foreshadow a quick return to business as usual. Or close to it.
N.F.L. Player Sues United Airlines, Saying Woman Sexually Assaulted Him on a Flight Neil Vigdor, The New York Times
A National Football League player contends in a lawsuit filed Wednesday against United Airlines that he was sexually assaulted by a female passenger on a redeye flight in February from Los Angeles International Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport. The football player and a second plaintiff did not give their names in the lawsuit, which was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
NBA
Sources: NBA teams expecting guidelines around June 1 for players’ return Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe, ESPN
NBA teams are expecting the league office will issue guidelines around June 1 that will allow franchises to start recalling players who’ve left their markets as a first step toward a formal ramp-up for the season’s resumption, sources told ESPN. Teams expect a similar timeline from the league on when they’ll be allowed to expand individual workouts already underway with in-market players to include more team personnel, sources said.
Basketball Was Made to Be Played Indoors. Now That’s the Problem. Ben Cohen, The Wall Street Journal
When a team of Chinese researchers studied transmission of this coronavirus between Jan. 4 and Feb. 11, they identified 318 outbreaks with three or more cases, according to a report they posted to the preprint server medRxiv. Their most remarkable finding was how many of those 318 outbreaks were traced to outdoor environments: none. Every single one was the result of being inside.
NBA Players Becoming Virtual Coaches With Famer Deal Scott Soshnick, Variety
NBA players are taking all the training tips they learned from years of experience to mobile devices around the world. The union that represents NBA players has signed a global partnership with Famer, a mobile sports coaching and mentoring platform that in the coming months will enable the athletes and their trainers to share custom training videos with kids and their parents.
MLB
Sources: Cubs cutting pay across the company Patrick Mooney, The Athletic
The Cubs are instituting company-wide pay cuts while trying to weather Major League Baseball’s COVID-19 shutdown, sources told The Athletic. In Wednesday’s communications with employees, the Cubs also signaled that there would be no furloughs at this time.
NHL
Buffalo Sabres sue immigration officials over denial to grant green card for trainer Gary Craig, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
The owner of the Buffalo Sabres hockey franchise is suing federal immigration officials, saying they wrongly denied an immigration green card for a team trainer. Hockey Western New York LLC, which owns the Sabres, say immigration officials should grant a green card for Dr. Edward Anthony Gannon, a Brit who is the team’s head strength and conditioning coach.
College Sports
NCAA to lift moratorium on football, basketball workouts Steve Megargee, The Associated Press
The NCAA Division I Council voted Wednesday to lift a moratorium on voluntary workouts by football and basketball players effective June 1 as a growing number of college leaders expressed confidence that fall sports will be possible in some form despite concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. This decision clears the way for individual workouts by athletes, mostly on their own, subject to safety and health protocols decided by their schools or local health officials.
College football players could face coronavirus testing every two or three days upon return Dan Wolken, USA Today
Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said Wednesday he envisions college football players needing to be tested for COVID-19 “probably every two or three days” as a key component of bringing the sport back safely. Bowlsby’s comments came during a webinar with other college athletics officials hosted by the LEAD1 association, which represents athletics directors in the Bowl Subdivision.
University of California campuses will open in the fall, Napolitano says Jon Wilner, The San Jose Mercury News
University of California president Janet Napolitano said Wednesday that “every campus will be open and offering instruction” this fall despite the coronavirus outbreak that has shuttered most campus activity across the state. “The question will be how much of that instruction is in-person versus how much is done remotely,” Napolitano added during remarks to the UC Board of Regents.
Events with more than 2,500 people like ACL, UT football games doubtful for the rest of 2020 Daniel Salazar, Austin Business Journal
The return of mass events, which support many of these local businesses and the broader Central Texas economy, is more far-fetched as authorities try to contain Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. During a May 20 media briefing, interim Austin-Travis County Health Authority Mark Escott put cold water on the idea that gatherings such as Austin City Limits and University of Texas Longhorn football games will be allowed to proceed later this year with normal-sized crowds.
Soccer
How MLS’s Orlando tournament could impact current, future broadcast deals Sam Stejskal, The Athletic
According to multiple sources, ESPN, which is owned by Disney, has been heavily involved in discussions about the potential Orlando tournament, which, among other major hurdles, needs the approval of the MLS Players Association before it can become reality. The plan calls for all 26 teams to travel to Florida, where they would be quarantined together at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort.
Racing
Mark Miles Increasingly Optimistic On Fans For Brickyard Adam Stern, Sports Business Journal
Penske Entertainment CEO Mark Miles says he is increasingly optimistic that the Brickyard 400 weekend will be held with fans in July, setting that up as the likely first NASCAR race back with spectators in attendance. Miles, who oversees IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, told SBJ that the state of Indiana is currently heading toward a re-opening that could include allowing fans inside the Brickyard on July 4 weekend, when a NASCAR/IndyCar doubleheader is scheduled to be held.
Nascar Signs International Sports Betting Agreement With IMG; Deal Also Calls For Virtual Betting Game Scott Soshnick, Variety
Nascar has signed a long-term deal with IMG Arena that gives international sportsbook operators the right to live-stream races for the first time. Nascar is one of the few U.S. professional sports leagues staging events during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing it to take advantage of the dearth of live sports.
Golf and Tennis
LPGA, Symetra to merge 2020-21 seasons for eligibility, rankings Randall Mell, Golf Channel
The LPGA will merge its 2020 and ’21 seasons for the purposes of eligibility and priority rankings, but will keep those two seasons separate in its historical and official record. That was the news from the LPGA commissioner’s office Wednesday, as was the announcement that the Meijer Classic is being canceled with the tour continuing to adjust to life amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Golf with fans? Organizers from the Memorial and others are pressing for it Rob Oller, Columbus Dispatch
The Memorial Tournament and three other professional golf events in Ohio have gone on the offensive by requesting that Gov. Mike DeWine lift or ease a ban on large gatherings and allow fans to attend their summer tournaments. A letter addressed to DeWine and co-signed by the tournament directors of the Memorial, Marathon Classic in Toledo, Bridgestone Senior PGA Challenge in Akron and Nationwide Children’s Championship reads: “We appeal to you to permit the four Ohio professional tournaments to allow fans this coming July and August.”
ATP launches partnerships to help players with mental health, well-being Reuters
The men’s tennis tour has joined up with Sporting Chance and Headspace to help players and its staff deal with mental health problems and look after their well-being during the COVID-19 shutdown, the ATP said on Wednesday. The professional tennis season was halted in early March due to the pandemic and will remain suspended until at least the end of July, depriving lower-level players who depend solely on tournament winnings of the chance to earn a living.
Esports
Eastern Michigan University taps Gen.G for esports program Jonno Nicholson, Esports Insider
Multinational organisation Gen.G Esports has joined forces with the Eastern Michigan University to devise an esports program beginning in the autumn. The multi-year agreement will result in a program that supports academic enrollment goals.
General
UFC’s Dana White says May 30 Woodley-Burns fight ‘a go’ in Las Vegas Adam Hill, Las Vegas Review-Journal
UFC president Dana White indicated early Wednesday the organization will hold a May 30 event at its Apex Facility in southwest Las Vegas. “We are a go on the 30th,” White said in a text message. Former welterweight champion Tyron Woodley is scheduled to headline the card in his first fight since losing the belt in March 2019 to Kamaru Usman. Woodley will face Gilbert Burns.
David Levy Joins Arctos Sports Partners As Senior Adviser Scott Soshnick, Variety
Former Turner President David Levy told Sportico that he has joined Arctos Partners, a private equity firm that invests in professional sports, as a senior adviser. Arctos is led by former Madison Square Garden Chief Executive Officer Doc O’Connor and Ian Charles, a longtime private equity investor.
Sony ramps up VR efforts as demand for virtual events surges Kana Inagaki and Leo Lewis, Financial Times
Sony is intensifying efforts to perfect its virtual reality headset as the Japanese company bets that the demand for online-only concerts, crowd-free sports events and escapist games will finally push the technology into the home entertainment mainstream.
Coronavirus Shut Down the ‘Experience Economy.’ Can It Come Back? David Gelles, The New York Times
Beyond the immediate hardships created by sweeping job losses and stagnant businesses, the standstill in gatherings is already having a deeper impact on the national psyche. The business of events, however commercial it might be, is also central to our identities.
Opinions, Editorials, Perspectives and Research
With No Fans in the Seats, Do Sports Remain Must-Watch TV? Jeré Longman, The New York Times
Fallow stadiums would not signal a return to normalcy as states reopen. They would confirm that we remain in a time of dire abnormality, undercutting the appeal of sports as escape and distraction.
If MLB returns, the players’ health will be at stake. That should be worth something. John Feinstein, The Washington Post
It’s always easy to blame the “greedy millionaires.” But more often than not, the “greedy billionaires” are most at fault. That was the case in 1994. That’s the case now.
The NFL wants to make hiring equity a priority. It just has to convince its owners. Jerry Brewer, The Washington Post
The NFL is a very complicated business, with 32 different franchise personalities in addition to a league office. To have the greatest impact, you need the buy-in of the owners, many of whom are eccentric and don’t like having to answer to anyone.
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