Sport & Story Daily September 23, 2024

History Made

September 23, 2024

Good morning! A’ja Wilson won WNBA MVP unanimously, Fanatics has four tiers of jerseys for fans and Shohei Ohtani hits 50 homers and steals 50 bases.

Las Vegas star A’ja Wilson is unanimous choice as WNBA MVP, winning the award for the third time
Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson was the unanimous choice as the WNBA MVP. The forward averaged 26.9 points and 11.8 rebounds this season. She’s the second player in league history to win the award unanimously, joining Cynthia Cooper of the Houston Comets in 1997. Wilson received all 67 first-place votes from the national media panel. She is a three-time award winner (2020 and 2022) and is the fourth player in WNBA history to reach that milestone.
^{AP Sports}

Geico to end NASCAR premier partnership after '24
Geico will end its premier partnership with NASCAR after this season. This is the first time the racing circuit will lose one of the top-tier sponsors from the system since it started in 2020. The Berkshire Hathaway-controlled insurer has been involved in the sport since at least 2009.
^{Sports Business Journal}

Fanatics Is the NHL’s Jersey Partner Now. What’s Changing?
Fanatics will have four tiers of hockey jerseys that will be sold to fans. The first will be Athletic Pro. These jerseys are made exactly like the ones the players wear. It will cost around $425. The Premium jersey is a lighter, more comfortable fit and similar to the highest level of jersey previously available to fans. It will cost around $180. Breakaway jerseys are a more lightweight model featuring flexible crests and will cost $135 for blank jerseys and $175 for pre-decorated jerseys. Practice jerseys are a redesigned retail version of the practice jerseys worn by all NHL teams that will cost $120.
^{Front Office Sports}

TBS, WBD Fight Back In Legal Battle To Telecast NBA Games
TBS and Warner Bros. Discovery contend the NBA has bricked its shot at dismissal of their breach of contract lawsuit over the loss of the right to telecast NBA games. The case centers on the NBA’s determination that TBS failed to match Amazon’s offer to broadcast games from 2025-26 through 2035-36.
^Sportico

Taurasi Making The Most Of What Could Be Her Last WNBA Days
Diana Taurasi is 42 years old. She plays on the Phoenix Mercury. The WNBA playoffs are in full action. She has played in the WNBA for 20 years, and it feels like the end is near. She will be a free agent at the end of playoffs and has said things like “I won’t be doing any farewell tours” and “When I go, I’ll just go. Don’t we always just go?” in a media conference.
^Sportico

Japan celebrates after Shohei Ohtani becomes first MLB player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases
Japan woke up to good news Friday as Shohei Ohtani became the first Major League Baseball player with at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season. Click the link to watch the video.
^{AP Sports}

A look at the NFL’s first matchup of two women team presidents
Sunday’s NFL game of the Las Vegas Raiders against the Panthers marked a milestone for the NFL’s front-office diversity efforts. It was the first time in league history that two teams with women presidents played each other.
^{Sports Business Journal}

It’s Complicated: How the Mountain West–Pac-12 Relationship Crumbled
The 108-year-old Pac-12 is the current star of realignment. The Pac-12 announced it will take four Mountain West schools in 2026: Boise State, San Diego State, Fresno State and Colorado State. The Mountain West now has $111 million coming its way from exit fees. New Mexico State and Sacramento State are two schools interested in the Mountain West.
^{Front Office Sports}

The New Era of College Sports Marketing: 6 Ways to Drive Marketing Value with Name, Image and Likeness
Six areas where markets can drive NIL value are influencer marketing, storytelling and content, enhancing existing campaigns, regional flexibility, local campaigns and athletes as creators. There are different platforms that help drive these NIL fulfillments, such as Open Sponsorship and Playfly Max.
^RollingStone

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