Media
Craig Carton in talks for MLB Network morning show
Andrew Marchand, New York Post
WFAN host Craig Carton is in talks with MLB Network to host a daily morning TV show, The Post has learned. Whether or not a deal goes through, Carton, who was released from federal prison last year following a conviction for fraud, would continue to do his afternoon drive-time show on WFAN with Evan Roberts.
Student-Run UNCUT Expands To Wisconsin; UCLA, Maryland Next
Michael Smith, Sports Business Journal
Can a college version of The Players’ Tribune work? An unaffiliated, student-led version of it is up and running in a handful of college towns now, telling athletes that their platform is a safe haven to tell their stories.
NFL
Expect Remote Draft For Teams/Players; In-Person For Fans
Ben Fischer, Sports Business Journal
Industry insiders say they expect a blended virtual/real-life event — where much of the actual business of the draft happens remotely for the second straight year, but Cleveland also hosts a socially distanced, live in-person event for fans. Officially, both the league and the host committee say it’s too early to talk specifics, and a lot can still change in the 2+ months before then depending on the pandemic.
Bengals unveil enhanced season-ticket options
Laurel Pfahler, Dayton Daily News
The team last month teased “new stripes” coming in the form of updated uniforms, set to be revealed this spring and marking the first change in jersey design since 2004. Now, it appears the campaign is about much more than that, as the Bengals are introducing new membership options with the addition of the Canopy Party Pass and the enhanced Club LUX.
NBA
Deep freeze in Texas knocks out games again for Mavs, Stars
The Associated Press
The Rockets’ home game against the Mavericks scheduled for Friday was postponed along with a meeting in Dallas between the Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning set for Saturday as the Lone Star State deals with frigid temperatures, power outages and issues with water supplies. The NBA said Thursday it was calling off the Dallas-Houston game because of a “government shutdown” of the Rockets’ arena in downtown Houston.
JPMorgan Chase signs naming rights deal for 76ers Fieldhouse in Wilmington
John George, Philadelphia Business Journal
The Delaware Blue Coats and JPMorgan Chase have entered into a multi-year deal that includes the financial services giant getting the naming rights for the 76ers Fieldhouse in Wilmington. The Blue Coats are the NBA G League affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers.
A Cavs fan podcast is now the Cavs’ podcast, as teams fill a content void
Ben Strauss, The Washington Post
It’s also an experiment in a franchise’s desire to produce its own content at a time when traditional media, especially radio and newspapers, are in decline and teams are trying to fill the gaps. And it’s another test of how teams will cover themselves amid those aspirations to grow as media companies.
MLB
Fernando Tatis Jr.’s $340 million deal with Padres sends shockwaves across MLB
Bob Nightengale, USA Today
The news of the San Deigo Padres signing Fernando Tatis Jr., who has played all of 143 games in his major-league career, to a 14-year, $340 million contract hit hard throughout baseball with players breathlessly texting one another, owners groaning and a handful of agents wildly celebrating. The Padres are in a smaller market yet have committed more than $800 million alone to their infield, and are the only team in baseball history to sign two players for at least $300 million.
Tatis Jr.’s $340 Million Will Be Shared With Fund That Owns A Cut Of His MLB Earnings
Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico
Big League Advance, which gives young prospects upfront cash in exchange for a cut of all their future MLB earnings, inked its deal with Tatis five years ago, when he was playing in Single-A. The shortstop was part of the fund’s first round of investments, $26 million that was distributed across 77 players.
If the MLB playoffs are expanded, Max Scherzer wants to try a round-robin format
Jesse Dougherty, The Washington Post
Max Scherzer, who is on the executive subcommittee of the players’ union and is a member of MLB’s rules committee, likes the current postseason format. But with all this talk of expanded playoffs, Scherzer has an idea of how to add spots and, in his view, not totally undermine the importance of a 162-game season.
Astros manager Dusty Baker receives COVID vaccine, hopes to convince those ‘on the fence’
Tom D’Angelo, Palm Beach Post
Dusty Baker understands there may be some people distrusting of the COVID-19 vaccine. His soon-to-be 90-year-old mother is one of those. Heck, he was one of those. It wasn’t until he heard a Black doctor guarantee this was not another “Tuskegee Experiment” that he was comfortable.
Minor leagues switch to 6-game series, common off day
Ronald Blum, The Associated Press
Baseball’s minor leagues will shift to regionalized six-game series with a common off day in an effort that cuts scheduled travel mileage by 28-56% and reduces expenses in their first season of operations under Major League Baseball. Each league will be off every Monday, except for Triple-A West, which will be off each Wednesday.
NHL
Bally’s signs up first sports league partner through NHL deal
Daniel O’Boyle, iGB North America
Bally’s Corporation has become an official sports betting partner of the National Hockey League (NHL) in what is a first agreement with a major league for the US gaming group. The NHL deal is the latest development at Bally’s in a busy few months in which major acquisitions and integrations have accelerated its status in the US B2C and B2B sports betting markets through its Bally’s Casinos and Bally’s Interactive divisions.
NHL moves up start of outdoor game to avoid bright sunshine
The Associated Press
The NHL has moved up the starting time of the outdoor game Sunday between Boston and Philadelphia at Lake Tahoe by one hour to avoid the bright sunshine forecast for later in the afternoon. The game at Edgewood Tahoe Resort will start at 11 a.m. PST instead of the originally scheduled noon local start.
College Sports
Selection committee chair Mitch Barnhart explains new NCAA Tournament bracketing process
Matt Norlander, CBS Sports
Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart, the chair of the Division I Men’s Basketball Committee, said, “[Conference] tournament participation is local decision making. I will tell you that we value participation and we encourage it.”
No Ivy League spring play due to COVID-19 issues
Heather Dinich, ESPN
The Ivy League will not have a conference spring sports season because of “rigorous limitations” that continue on its campuses during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Ivy League Council of Presidents made the decision in order to continue to comply with stringent restrictions on campus travel, visitors and gathering policies, and to follow the state guidelines governing each campus.
San Antonio’s Final Four preparation impacted by snowstorms
W. Scott Bailey, San Antonio Business Journal
Local officials, already working on a tight timeline to prepare for San Antonio’s hosting of the 2021 NCAA women’s Final Four, are feeling the impact of some of the most dangerous and damaging winter weather the region has experienced in decades. With many dealing with loss of power and increasing concerns about water and food supplies, the focus among Alamo City officials this week has been on more immediate challenges.
Soccer
Angel City FC signs deal with DoorDash as primary kit sponsor
Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times
Angel City FC, which will begin play in the National Women’s Soccer League in 2022, has signed food-delivery service DoorDash as its primary kit sponsor. DoorDash’s primary logo will appear at the mid-center position of Angel City’s home and away jerseys as well as on travel clothing and replica first-team jerseys available to fans.
Inter vs. Inter Is the Soccer Rivalry Trademark Lawyers Can Love
Leander Schaerlaeckens, The New York Times
While there is no danger that the dispute will force Inter Miami to change its name, an Inter Milan victory would complicate the Florida club’s branding, marketing and merchandising for years to come. If it ever used the word Inter as a separate moniker, for example, it could be sued for trademark infringement.
Leeds can benefit from 49ers ‘playbook’, says new vice-chairman
AFP
The San Francisco 49ers have a “blueprint” to share with Leeds United on how to revive a storied club, says Paraag Marathe — a man with a foot in both camps. Marathe is the new vice-chairman at Elland Road after the NFL franchise increased its stake in the three-time English champions to 37 percent last month.
Racing
Roush Fenway goes carbon neutral with Castrol
Kelly Crandall, RACER
Roush Fenway Racing announced Thursday that it had become the first carbon-neutral NASCAR team with the support of sponsor Castrol. The partnership is designed to help the organization manage its greenhouse gas emissions and offsetting the balance with high-quality carbon offsets.
Golf and Tennis
Australian Open projects financial hit topping $78M, tournament director says
Jake Michaels, ESPN
The Australian Open is expecting to record a loss of more than $78 million (AU$100 million) for running the tennis season’s first Grand Slam amid the COVID-19 pandemic, tournament director Craig Tiley said Friday. The government-imposed restrictions put in place to slow the spread of the virus meant Tennis Australia was already having to deal with a crowd cap of 30,000 spectators per day.
New Spatial Audio System Allows Low-Vision Tennis Fans to Better Follow Australian Open
Patrick Kulp, Adweek
A pioneering audio system debuting at the Australian Open this week seeks to translate live ball position data from tennis matches into spatial sound effects to make it easier for blind and low-vision fans to follow the action. The stream is called Action Audio, and it was developed through a partnership between digital agency AKQA, Tennis Australia and Monash University in Melbourne.
Esports
Team Liquid strikes partnership with Bud Light
Cody Luongo, Esports Insider
The agreement will see both entities collaborate on several new content pieces and fan activations, such as the Bud Light League Lounge, a weekly show featuring League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) professionals. The Bud Light League Lounge is expected to commence on February 21st and will be streamed on the official Bud Light Twitch channel.
WNBA champion Aerial Powers joins HyperX as brand ambassador
Cale Michael, Dot Esports
Powers launched her Twitch channel during the 2019 WNBA season, streaming under the username POWERzSURGE and playing games like Apex Legends, Call of Duty, and NBA 2K. And now, she’ll exclusively use HyperX headsets on stream.
Toronto Ultra enters exclusive partnership with Jack Link’s
Jonno Nicholson, Esports Insider
The deal will see the snack company become the ‘official meat partner’ of Toronto Ultra. Additionally, Jack Link’s will be featured on the franchise’s social media graphics alongside being the named partner of a tournament that will be broadcast on the Ultra’s YouTube channel.
FaZe Clan appoints Amit Bajaj as Chief Financial Officer
Jonno Nicholson, Esports Insider
North American esports organisation FaZe Clan has appointed former BIG3 CEO Amit Bajaj as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). In his new role, Bajaj will oversee corporate development alongside working with the rest of the team to seek expansion opportunities for the organisation.
General
UFC, TikTok Tag-Team to Produce Live Weekly Shows
Todd Spangler, Variety
MMA promoter UFC inked a multiyear partnership with TIkTok, under which UFC will produce live content on the social-video platform. The deal encompasses new weekly UFC shows on TikTok that will feature live footage from weigh-ins and press conferences, athlete interviews, arena tours, fighter training segments and more.
Athletes Unlimited signs Gatorade, Hyperice as sponsors and remains bullish on women’s sports leagues
Jabari Young, CNBC
Athletes Unlimited (AU) co-founder Jon Patricof told CNBC this week that Hyperice and Gatorade will sponsor its volleyball season, which starts on Feb. 27 in Dallas, Texas. Patricof said AU’s model has gained momentum after its softball season, which launched last August, and that brand partners gain more exposure to a unique fan base outside of traditional sports and access to global markets with AU’s media distribution deals.
Westgate Superbook Takes Aim At Barstool Sportsbook Trademark Infringement
Pat Evans, Legal Sports Report
A potential trademark battle is brewing between newcomer Barstool Sportsbook and stalwart Las Vegas operator Westgate SuperBook. Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy on Wednesday tweeted a cease-and-desist letter sent by Westgate Las Vegas legal representatives.
Professional Fighters League raises $65 million financing round to fuel international expansion and accelerate growth
Alan Dawson, Insider
Professional Fighters League (PFL) has added $65 million of financing as it looks to expand internationally and accelerate its growth. The PFL has completed two seasons to date, and restarts its live events business on Friday, April 23, having postponed its 2020 season because of the coronavirus pandemic.
YES Co-founder Leo Hindery Forms $425 Million Media-focused SPAC
Brendan Coffey, Sportico
Leo Hindery Jr., a telecom and media executive who co-founded the YES Network, has filed for a $425 million special purpose acquisition company. The SPAC, Trine II Acquisition, seeks to find a business in the technology, media, telecom sector, according to its prospectus, filed last night with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Opinions, Editorials, Perspectives and Research
NBA makes the wrong call on All-Star Game
Paul Newberry, The Associated Press
The NBA is trying to sell this as some sort of altruistic pursuit, joining the players’ union in pledging to donate more than $2.5 million to support historically black colleges and universities, as well as communities impacted by COVID-19. But the Pandemic All-Star Game is nothing more than a money grab, an attempt by the league to mitigate its financial losses amid the coronavirus pandemic.
China Is Preparing for Another Olympics in Beijing, Like It or Not
Steven Lee Myers, The New York Times
With the Winter Games less than a year away, a powerful and confident China is promising retaliation if any country boycotts the event over human rights.
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