Sport & Story Daily May 9, 2024

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May 9, 2024

Good morning! From WNBA to Adidas WBB Prez

Retired WNBA Legend Candace Parker Named President of Adidas Women’s Basketball
A little over a week after announcing her retirement from the WNBA, Candace Parker is moving into a new role as president of Adidas women’s basketball.

According to Adidas, “Parker’s role will also involve overseeing the Adidas Women’s Basketball product line and spearheading further development of the brand’s storied women’s roster — which boasts all-stars like Aliyah Boston, Erica Wheeler, Sophie Cunningham, and Kahleah Copper, to name a few.”
^{Yahoo! Sports}

Rory McIlroy Will Not Rejoin PGA Tour Policy Board
“I think there was — there was a subset of people on the board that were maybe uncomfortable with me coming back on for some reason,” McIlroy said after a pro-am round at the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte. “I think the best course of action is if, you know, there’s some people on there that aren’t comfortable with me coming back on, then I think Webb just stays on and sees out his term…”
^{AP News}

Knicks Win Again as Judge Rejects Facial Recognition Lawsuit
As Sportico’s Michael McCann reports, “A case accusing Madison Square Garden Entertainment of illegally using biometric data collected from consumers to ‘systematically identify and remove any attorney’ who might be associated with litigation against the company from entering MSG venues was dismissed Tuesday.” The judge ruled the plaintiffs’ legal theory is “unpersuasive” because it fails to explain how MSG violated the language of the law.
^Sportico

Commissioners Grapple with Power Limits Amid Sports Betting Boom
As FOS’ Eric Fisher writes, “Several pro league commissioners, notably the NBA’s Adam Silver (above), were outspoken advocates for the broad legalization of sports betting before it became a reality in 2018. Now nearing the sixth anniversary of that momentous date on May 14, many of those same commissioners are acknowledging they are still struggling with the limits of their powers to manage the meteoric growth of the industry.” 
^{Front Office Sports}

UTSA and Playfly Sports Strike Multimedia Rights Deal
UTSA will receive $20.725M in royalty payments from Playfly Sports over the course of their 10-year multimedia rights deal, which began in September, according to CollegeAD. Playfly also paid the Roadrunners a $250K signing bonus and has agreed to spend another $750K in “various revenue-generating initiatives.”
^{CollegeAD via D1 Ticker}

NFL Close to Allowing Private Equity Investments
Per SBJ, Groups of private equity investors "may soon be allowed to buy as much as 30%" of NFL franchises, as a "special NFL committee is meeting to examine the league’s ownership rules."  Proposals under discussion would let buyout firms "individually acquire" as much as 10% of a team.
^{Sports Business Journal}

Please Save 'Inside the NBA'
As Yahoo! Sports’ Dan Wetzel writes, “In an era of media caution and control, you never knew what might be said — ridiculous, raunchy or politically incorrect. That was part of the charm. Even Barkley, indisputably a massive broadcasting talent, has never been as good on other shows or in other formats as he is with Smith, Shaq and Johnson pulling the best out of him.

“So, now what? No one knows.”
^{Yahoo! Sports}

ESPN Avoids Complete Disaster After Broadcast Snafu Late in Hurricanes-Rangers NHL Game
As USA Today’s Jace Evans reports via Yahoo! Sports, “With the score tied 3-3 with 49 seconds to go in Game 2 between the New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes, ESPN's broadcast suddenly cut to introductions for the Dallas Stars-Colorado Avalanche game — which was initially slated to kick off on ESPN but was beginning on other channels (ESPN2/ESPNU) with the Rangers-Hurricanes game running long.”
^{USA Today via Yahoo! Sports}

Indianapolis Star Bars Columnist Gregg Doyel From Covering Caitlin Clark, Fever After Inappropriate Exchange
The Indianapolis Star has barred sports columnist Gregg Doyel from covering Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever this summer following his exchange with the WNBA rookie in her introductory news conference. The Star confirmed the decision in an email to the Washington Post on Tuesday following a report by journalist and former Star columnist Bob Kravitz.
^{Yahoo! Sports}

A’ja Wilson, Becky Hammon and ‘Resilient’ Las Vegas Aces Favored to Win Third WNBA Title in a Row
As AP News’ Mark Anderson writes, “They [the two-time defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces] became the first team since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001-02 to win consecutive titles when they beat the New York Liberty in four games of last year’s WNBA Finals. Now the Aces are trying to become the first team to win three straight since the Houston Comets won the first four WNBA championships in league history in 1997-2000.

The Aces are plus-100 favorites to win it again, according to BetMGM.
^{AP News}

Auburn Athletics Director John Cohen Inks Two-Year Contract Extension, Now Set to Run Through 2029
Auburn athletics director John Cohen has inked a two-year contract extension which extends his contract through October 2029, according to an addendum to his initial employment contract, which AL.com received a copy of via public records request Tuesday.
^AL.com

A $237M Donation Draws Skepticism
As Inside Higher Ed’s Kathryn Palmer writes, “Saturday was a day of celebration at Florida A&M University, as a young entrepreneur punctuated commencement at the historically black university by presenting a ceremonial check for $237.75 million to the institution’s president. But the excitement has since been tinged by uncertainty and skepticism surrounding the donor and, by extension, the gift.

“But by the following day, skeptical observers began raising questions about Gerami, who last year backed out on his pledge to give Coastal Carolina University $95 million, citing disrespect and racism by the university.”
^{Inside Higher Ed}

Catching up With New James Madison AD Matt Roan
As SBJ’s Ben Portnoy reports, “[Jeff] Bourne spent 25 years building up JMU’s athletics profile, including overseeing its transition from FCS to FBS in recent years. Just in 2023-24, he helped the school surpass 5,000 annual donors for the first time, with records for $4.7 million for the annual fund and $6.3 million in total giving…

“What does that all mean for [Matt] Roan as he steps in for the man who’s spent a quarter century leading the department?”
^{Sports Business Journal}

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