• The WTA said it remains concerned about the “well-being” of Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai and her “ability to communicate without censorship or coercion” despite her appearance on a 30-minute video call with IOC president Thomas Bach, as well as in photos and videos published by Chinese state media. Peng had been missing since she alleged on Nov. 2 that a high-ranking Chinese official had sexually assaulted her, and WTA CEO Steve Simon wrote in a letter to China’s ambassador to the United States that the tour would no longer be able to hold events in China if it could not guarantee the safety of players in the country. (The New York Times)
• Oakland Athletics president Dave Kaval said the team has tendered an offer to buy an unspecified plot of land in the Las Vegas Valley where it could potentially build a $1 billion ballpark, adding that the final site could be announced at the beginning of 2022. (Las Vegas Review-Journal) News of the land offer came the same day that Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf announced the city is receiving federal funds aimed at improving infrastructure in Jack London Square, which is a key facet of negotiations with the Athletics over the team’s proposed waterfront ballpark development in the city. (San Francisco Chronicle)
• Activision Blizzard Inc. CEO Bobby Kotick told senior managers that he would consider stepping down if he is unable to quickly fix culture problems at the video game publisher, according to people familiar with his comments, but stopped short of saying he was set on leaving. The company, which operates the Overwatch League and Call of Duty League, has come under fire from investors, business partners and employees for its handling of sexual misconduct allegations. (The Wall Street Journal)

Buffalo Trumps NYC as NFL Finds Biggest Die-Hards in Smallest Markets

Sportico

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Judy Rankin to reduce her TV schedule in 2022 in what will be her last year of broadcasting

Kent Paisley, Golf Digest

The newly named head of the LPGA Tour, Mollie Marcoux Samaan, presented her first Commissioner’s Award at the Rolex Awards Dinner Thursday night to longtime golf broadcaster Judy Rankin. Yet as Rankin commanded the room during her 10-minute acceptance speech, the veteran commentator shared for the first time publicly that she’ll be phasing out of broadcasting in 2022.

Advertisers Handed Direct Access to NBCUniversal’s Peacock Through Yahoo Deal

Meseret Ambachew, Adweek

NBCUniversal has teamed up with Yahoo’s demand-side platform to give advertisers direct access to inventory from the network’s streaming service Peacock, which launched in 2020. The aim is to make the connected TV buying process easier for marketers for scatter and upfront buys.

NBC spices up Predictor game with $1 million recurring prize

Bill King, Sports Business Journal

Hoping to make hay while the NFL season still shines warm and bright, NBC will goose the jackpots in its “Sunday Night Football” free-to-play Predictor contest beginning with next week’s Ravens-Browns game, offering a $1 million payout each Sunday night over nine weeks. It’s not the first time a network has offered a seven-figure prize on its free-to-play prediction game, a popular tool that sportsbooks use to identify those with a taste for wagering and funnel them to their real-money betting sites.

Showtime winds down busy year in fight space

Adam Stern, Sports Business Journal

While UFC might be the most buzzworthy property in combat sports at the moment and is aligned with ESPN, ViacomCBS-owned Showtime has remained heavily active in the fighting space at a time when some of its competitors have dialed back. It’s on track to air 44 fighting events in 2021, the second most in its history in a single year.

Congress Isn’t Buying the NFL’s Claims to Withhold Documents on Washington Football Team

Louise Radnofsky and Andrew Beaton, The Wall Street Journal

The issue of whether the league can successfully withhold information about its investigation into workplace misconduct at the Washington Football Team under the guise of privilege is becoming a key point of contention with the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. “The NFL has no valid basis to withhold the documents the Committee is seeking,” a committee spokesperson said Friday.

FanDuel, Genius Sports Expand Partnership for NFL Products

Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico

FanDuel, the largest online sportsbook in the U.S., is expanding its relationship with Genius Sports to include access to official National Football League gambling products. Under the agreement, FanDuel will have access to the official NFL feed, media content and advertising inventory on league-owned digital properties like the NFL website and app.

Sacramento Kings fire coach Luke Walton just 17 games into 2021-22 NBA season

Jason Anderson, The Sacramento Bee

The Kings fired coach Luke Walton Sunday morning just 17 games into the 2021-22 NBA season. The Kings have churned through 10 coaches in 15 years since Rick Adelman left Sacramento in 2006.

LeBron James will not ‘give my energy’ to Enes Kanter’s criticism of him, Nike

The Athletic

LeBron James said Friday that he won’t “give my energy to” recent criticism from Celtics center Enes Kanter, who has used social media to take aim at James’ relationship with Nike and the company’s alleged forced labor practices in China. “I think if you know me you know I don’t really give too many people my energy and he’s definitely not someone I will give my energy to,” he said.

A’s put in offer on potential Las Vegas ballpark site

Mick Akers, Las Vegas Review-Journal

The Oakland Athletics have put in an offer on a plot of land in the Las Vegas Valley where they could potentially build a $1 billion ballpark, team president Dave Kaval said Friday. Kaval didn’t specify where the land is located, but noted the bid to try to secure a site signals things are getting more serious on the Southern Nevada stadium front.

Texas Rangers sign manager Chris Woodward to contract extension through 2023

The Athletic

The Rangers announced Friday that they have signed manager Chris Woodward to a contract extension through the 2023 season, with a club option for 2024. Woodward’s contract originally ran through the 2022 season. Woodward, 45, has a 160-224 record for the Rangers over three seasons, including a 60-102 mark in 2021. 

NHL’s total abandonment of series-style scheduling leaves road-weary players scratching their heads

Mark Lazerus, The Athletic

The complete abandonment of the popular series-style schedule was largely met with a shrug by fans who watch every game from the same couch. But a lot of players — the ones who reaped the physical and mental health benefits of the more leisurely pace — were left scratching their heads.

Dan Mullen fired as Florida football coach in fourth season with Gators

Zach Abolverdi, The Gainesville Sun

Florida coach Dan Mullen was fired Sunday following his team’s latest loss at Missouri. Mullen finishes with a 34-15 record in four seasons at UF. After starting out 29-6, he’s 5-9 since then and has defeated just two of his last 11 Power 5 opponents.

SJSU reaches $3.3 million settlement with student-athletes sexually harassed by sports trainer

Julia Prodis Sulek and Jason Green, The San Jose Mercury News

San Jose State and 15 former female student-athletes who were sexually harassed by a longtime sports trainer have reached a $3.3 million settlement, the latest reckoning for the school that largely ignored the decade-long threat to students. The settlement with victims of former Director of Sports Medicine Scott Shaw, which will be divided among some of his earliest victims dating back to 2009, is the second in two months.

MLS’ Mark Abbott stepping down at end of ’22

Mark J. Burns, Sports Business Journal

MLS President and Deputy Commissioner Mark Abbott is stepping down from his position at the end of his current contract on Dec. 31, 2022, according to a memo obtained by SBJ. The memo, sent by MLS Commissioner Don Garber and addressed today to the league’s BOG, said Abbott “would like to pursue a wide variety of new personal and professional opportunities.

L.A. World Cup in 2026? FIFA’s 21-member delegation wraps up SoCal tour

Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times

A 21-member FIFA delegation wrapped up a three-day visit to Southern California on Sunday in which it studied the region’s ability to play host to games and other events for the 2026 World Cup. FIFA is expected to choose the 16 finalists, 11 of which will be in the U.S., by the middle of next year.

Brazilian Super League Secures Investment as Backers Eye 2023 Launch

Asli Pelit, Sportico

A potential new league made up of Brazil’s top clubs—which would effectively replace the current top-flight Brazilian league, the Brasileirao—has secured financing and is in the due diligence stage of making it happen, according to people close to the deal. In July, Sportico reported on a U.S.-based private equity investment in the venture, which was said to be between $750 million and $1 billion. The investors are now taking their next steps.

U.K. Soccer Stadiums Design for Safer Standing at Games

Katie Deighton, The Wall Street Journal

British soccer teams are poised to begin a test that could allow passionate fans to once again stand up during matches without breaking the rules. The U.K. government is backing a trial of “safe standing” areas, in which new railings separate rows to prevent fans from falling forward.

Hamilton gains more ground in title race with Qatar GP win

Michael Lamonato, RACER

Lewis Hamilton trails Max Verstappen by just eight points in the championship standings after an easy victory at the first Qatar Grand Prix. Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso secured a sensational first podium of his F1 comeback after a sizzling start and a perfectly executed one-stop strategy.

Tiger Woods posts first swing video since car accident

Dan Rapaport, Golf Digest

Tiger Woods gave fans an early holiday present by posting a video of him hitting a golf shot on Sunday morning. It is the clearest sign yet that Woods, 45, is planning to at least attempt a return to golf after his traumatic single-car accident on Feb. 23.

Riot officially announces multi-city North American tour, venues for 2022 League of Legends World Championship

Tyler Esguerra, Dot Esports

Riot Games announced the host cities and venues for the 2022 World Championship, which will be held through a multi-city tour of North America. The event will take place across the four cities across the continent: Mexico City, New York, Toronto and San Francisco.

Placing esports on the same tier as games and entertainment, Riot Games is redefining its business

Trent Murray, Sports Business Journal

The esports industry has experienced massive growth over the last few years. Major non-endemic brands such as Mercedes-Benz and Mastercard are global partners for League of Legends, and organizations are investing millions for a spot in a professional league. It has become important for Riot to get more ambitious in its plans.

Unvaccinated pro athletes no longer able to enter Canada as of Jan. 15, says minister

CBC Sports

Unvaccinated professional and amateur athletes will no longer be able to travel to Canada as of January 15, minister of public safety Marco Mendicino said on Friday. Currently, NBA and NHL players who have yet to receive one of Canada’s approved COVID-19 vaccines are able to enter the country under a national interest exemption.

Premium Seats and Suites Boom Amid General Admission Ticket Slump

JohnWallStreet, Sportico

For all the trouble clubs are having with general admission seats, it has been a different experience selling premium seats, suites and boxes on the back-end of the sports hiatus. Utah Jazz chief revenue officer Chris Barney explained that the dichotomy stems from a variance in supply, the recent wealth accumulated by fans in the 18-34 demo, and the shifts in consumer priorities, routines and habits over the last 20 months.

New agency has the AIM to develop marketing opportunities for athletes

Liz Mullen, Sports Business Journal

Veteran marketing agent Bill Sanders, in partnership with The August Group, has launched a full-service agency, August Icon Marketing, which will exclusively focus on brand opportunities, social media, public relations and community philanthropy. The new firm, AIM for short, is a sister company to wealth adviser August Group Capital and August Lifestyle, a high-end lifestyle and concierge business that counts wealthy individuals including athletes as clients.

Omaha Lancers president on administrative leave; team to resume operations

Mike Patterson, Omaha World-Herald

The Omaha Lancers will resume team operations Monday — with the intent of playing next weekend’s home games — after players met virtually with United States Hockey League Commissioner Bill Robertson on Sunday morning. The decision, announced Sunday evening in a press release by the USHL, comes in the wake of the Lancers putting President Dave DeLuca on administrative leave.