Shaq On 3s/NBA Ratings Decline

Shaq’s Theory on NBA Ratings Decline; FIFA and IOC’s Varying Views on Trump

November 11, 2024

Good morning! Shaq and others are pushing for changes to the NBA’s three-point line

NBA Ratings Are Dipping and One Legend Has a Theory Why
“I have a theory that [the ratings] are down because we’re looking at the same thing,” Shaquille O’Neal said on Thursday’s episode of The Big Podcast. “Everybody’s running the same plays. … I don’t mind Golden State back in the day shooting threes, but every team is not a three-point shooter.”

FOS’ Colin Salao writes, “O’Neal’s far from the only one who has pointed at three-point shooting as a problem in the NBA. The Ringer’s Kirk Goldsberry has been writing about the three-point revolution for a decade … Every other league on the planet that matters—the W, college basketball, FIBA—they’ve all moved the line back this century. The NBA’s the only one that hasn’t.”
^{Front Office Sports}

FIFA and IOC Hold Different Track Records With Trump Ahead of World Cup and Olympics in US
AP News’ Graham Dunbar writes, “Soccer body FIFA seems in a better place to resume warm relations with Trump from his first administration compared to the International Olympic Committee based on public reactions this week and previous interactions. FIFA President Gianni Infantino used his Instagram account to congratulate Trump even before the Electoral College win early Wednesday.”

In contrast, IOC President Bach was heard saying, “Pray for our world,” on a cellphone call later that day in Washington, D.C.
^{AP News}

Penske Could Again Try to Buy Long Beach GP
Penske Entertainment could make another run at trying to acquire a stake in the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, according to sources, including possibly buying the event outright. The owner of IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Penske Entertainment, reportedly made a bid to acquire a 50% stake in the race earlier this year at the same time as NASCAR was trying to buy it. It was later reported that former race team owner Gerald Forsythe, who already owned the other stake in the event, purchased the remaining equity available from the estate of the late Kevin Kalkhoven.
^{Sports Business Journal}

DraftKings Cut ‘24 Estimate After ‘Tough Start’ to Q4
DraftKings has cut its full-year estimate for 2024 revenue and profit, "citing a tough start" to 2024 Q4. The betting company announced sales will be between $4.85B and $4.95B, "below the peak" of $5.25B the company had forecast earlier and below the prediction by analysts of $5.13B. Profit "will also be lower than estimated previously," as DraftKings is expected to report 2024 earnings of $240M to $280M "before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization," which is less than the $340M to $420M "seen previously and also below Wall Street estimates."
^{Bloomberg via Sports Business Journal}

Paramount's Q3 Earnings Strong, But Still Below Analyst Revenue Expectations
According to SBJ, Paramount+ added 3.5M subscribers and posted 25% year-over-year revenue growth, which the company largely accredited to sports (mainly the return of the NFL and UEFA), as well as a strong slate of original content.

Advertising revenue in Q3 benefitted from record political spending and the return of the NFL and college football, for a total of $507M overall. That’s up from $430M in the same quarter last year. Total revenue reportedly came in at $6.73B, with net profit hitting $337M. Analyst estimates were $6.97B in revenue and $383M in profit, yet Paramount topped their estimates of 1-2M additional subscribers for Paramount+.
^{Sports Business Journal}

MLB Objects to Diamond’s Reorganization Plan 
MLB and the Braves formally objected to Diamond Sports Group’s proposed reorganization plan on Friday, claiming Diamond has yet to provide “a realistic roadmap to future operations" or demonstrated “plan feasibility" ahead of next Thursday’s final confirmation hearing in U.S. bankruptcy court. In a coinciding move, the Reds and the RSN group consensually terminated their joint venture contract, with the club selling back its 20% stake in Diamond’s Ohio network for $1, all while urgent negotiations continue with other joint venture teams such as the Marlins, Royals and Angels.
^{Sports Business Journal}

Dallas Wings Hire Longtime WNBA Head Coach Curt Miller as General Manager
The Dallas Wings announced on Friday that they have hired Curt Miller as their new Executive Vice President and General Manager. Miller joins the Wings after spending the last two years as the head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks. Before that, he spent seven years with the Connecticut Sun, serving as the GM and head coach.
^{The Dallas Morning News}

Phillies GM Sam Fuld Going Back to School Before Taking President of Business Role
SBJ’s Mike Mazzeo writes, “Sam Fuld is making the transition from baseball to business, and he’s returned to school to do it. The Phillies announced Friday that Fuld, who has been serving as the team’s VP/GM and is currently pursuing his MBA at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, will transition to becoming Philadelphia’s president of business operations upon graduation in May 2026, a role that the retiring David Buck holds right now.” 
^{Sports Business Journal}

NHL Promotes Several Longtime Top Business Execs
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman informed staff on Thursday that the league is promoting several of its top business executives, elevating Steve McArdle to COO; Keith Wachtel to President of NHL Business; Steve Mayer to President of NHL Content & Events; and Julie Grand to Chief of Staff for Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly.

According to SBJ, McArdle, who previously served as Exec VP/Digital Media and Strategic Planning, is the league’s first COO since the departure of now-Islanders Operating Partner John Collins in 2015.
^{Sports Business Journal}

NASCAR Hires Outgoing Stewart-Haas Exec Jess Smith to Oversee Branded Content
With Stewart-Haas Racing shutting down as a team after this weekend, NASCAR has hired outgoing SHR executive and well-known sports business thought leader JESS SMITH as its managing director of brand content. Smith, who has over 30,000 social media followers who look to her for opinions on the state of digital media and branding in sports, has prior stops at the Rangers, Yankees, and Under Armour, among others. Smith also runs her own website, SocialnSport.com.
^{Sports Business Journal}

MLS Gets Shock With Early Inter Miami Playoff Exit
Atlanta United stunned MLS and the soccer world by defeating Inter Miami 3-2 on Saturday at Chase Stadium, knocking F Lionel Messi’s team out of the playoffs. Atlanta United fired its manager and technical director and also sold two of its best players, but the club still “knocked out a team that included World Cup winners, Euro winners, some of the best players of their generation.”
^{Atlanta Journal-Constitution via Sports Business Journal}

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Says League Will Aim for 8 International Games Next Season
"We are definitely going to Spain; we announced that," Goodell said, speaking to NFL Network's Colleen Wolfe on NFL GameDay Kickoff. "We expect to return to Mexico City. We expect to return to Brazil. We will certainly be back in the U.K. And we're also looking at the potential of another game in the U.K. area in Ireland, possibly. That's a possibility. And we'll certainly be back here in Germany. So if that total's eight, that's what we're shooting for."
^{Yahoo! Sports}

Utah AD Mark Harlan Rips Officials, Big 12 After Holding Call Extends BYU’s Game-Winning Drive
After No. 9 BYU topped rival Utah 22-21 thanks to a last-second field goal Saturday night to remain unbeaten, Utes athletic director Mark Harlan approached the podium in Utah’s postgame press conference area.

“We were excited about being in the Big 12, but tonight I am not,” Harlan said. “We won this game. Someone else stole it from us…I will talk to the commissioner. This is not fair to our team. I am disgusted by the professionalism of the officiating crew tonight.”
^{The Athletic}

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