House V. NCAA Reaches Olympics

Dozens of Olympic sports have been cut in the wake of the House v. NCAA settlement

June 20, 2025

Dozens of Olympic Sports Have Been Cut in Wake of House v. NCAA Settlement
FOS’ Amanda Christovich reports: “The latest cuts came Tuesday, when the University of Louisiana Monroe announced it would slash women’s tennis, and Washington State announced it would consolidate its track and field program. Just last May, American Volleyball Coaches Association executive officer Jaime Gordon said during a Knight Commission panel that 32 Division I Olympic sports programs have been cut since the House settlement was announced. In addition, St. Francis, decided to move 22 of its D-I programs to D-III because it couldn’t afford the settlement terms.”
^{Yahoo! Sports}

ATP, Emirates Partnership Renewal Hikes Revenue 70%
The ATP and Emirates have extended their sponsorship agreement through 2030, and the Dubai-based airliner will pay 70% more than it did under their previous pact, according to the tennis tour. With the renewal, Emirates remains the official airline partner of the ATP, and its branding will be placed on-site at nearly 60 ATP events, including on court nets.

Emirates, a global airline that primarily brings passengers to the Middle East, began to sponsor ATP events in 2013 and has twice renewed the partnership. The fresh extension begins in 2026, at which point Emirates’ financial commitment to the ATP rises from the previous sponsorship cycle of 2020-2025, according to the ATP.
^Sportico

Panthers-Oilers Among Least-Watched Stanley Cup Final Yet on U.S. Airwaves
Panthers-Oilers on TNT/truTV was the least-watched Stanley Cup Final on U.S. airwaves since the pandemic Lightning-Stars series in the fall of 2020, and excluding that, it’s the NHL’s least-watched Cup Final since Ducks-Senators in 2007. The six-game Panthers-Oilers series averaged 2.5 million viewers, down 40% from the same matchup last year on ABC, which had the benefit of seven games as well (this year had the benefit of expanded out-of-home metrics).
^{Sports Business Journal}

Mark Walter Just Bought the Lakers At a $10B Valuation. Who Is He?
FOS’ Ben Horney writes, “Walter is actually a very prominent figure in the world of sports ownership, but his role has mostly been behind the scenes. Before Wednesday night’s stunning announcement, Walter already owned a 26% stake in the Lakers; he’s been a stakeholder since 2021. A spokesperson for Walter tells Front Office Sports that he is indeed entering into an agreement “to acquire additional interests” in the Lakers. Sources familiar with the matter confirm the $10 billion valuation is accurate, and a source familiar with the agreement tells FOS the investment is being “driven by Walter,” as opposed to TWG.”
^{Front Office Sports}

As NBA Plans For New Pro League in Europe Progress, EuroLeague Re-Enters the Conversation
“It was really the first time that all three parties, including the clubs, had sat down together to talk about what the future of European basketball should look like,” [deputy commissioner Mark] Tatum said. “So I’d say there was a really productive, good conversations there. Out of that came several conversations directly with clubs, but I think everyone is of that mindset that there’s a bigger opportunity for us to grow the game of basketball in Europe, and now it’s just about figuring out what the right model is to do that.”
^{The Athletic}

Fanatics Fest Looks to Build on 2024 Debut This Weekend
SBJ’s Mike Mazzeo writes, “This year’s Fanatics Fest is critical as it pertains to the future, says Fanatics Events CEO Lance Fensterman. Fanatics could look to expand in the events space, but it may end up being satisfied with one extravaganza per year.

“Fensterman said there is approximately 40% more square footage to accommodate increased activations. Leagues and governing bodies like F1, the USTA, FIFA and the Premier League are new to the show. And there will be 650 exclusive products and collaborations in the merchandise village, up from a handful in 2024. Brands like Nike and Lego will also make their Fanatics Fest debuts.”
^{Sports Business Journal}

Fanatics Opening Qatar Office in Move to Expand Middle East Profile
Fanatics is opening its first Middle East office in Doha, Qatar, as part of its aim to establish a presence in the region. The company hopes to partner with global sports brands seeking to grow their businesses and reach fans through the company’s offerings in fan gear, collectibles and live events.
^{Sports Business Journal}

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Sources: Pac-12 Reps Heading to Capitol Hill
SBJ’s Ben Portnoy writes, “The Pac-12 continues to rebuild following it’s functional dissolution during the latest swath of conference realignment. The league continues to near the conclusion of its media rights negotiations for 2026 and beyond after recently wrapping up a one-year stopgap for the 2025 football season. The San Jose Mercury News is reporting the deal could be announced as soon as this week.

“The Pac-12 also remains in the hunt for an eighth football-playing member that is required in order to maintain varying FBS standards for conferencedom.”
^{Sports Business Journal}

What's Holding Up CFP Expansion? SEC and Big Ten Are at a Potential Impasse on These Key Issues
Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger writes, “The Big Ten wants a playoff where access is more like the NFL structure, determined through automatic qualifiers based on conference standings to limit the subjectivity of the selection committee. And the league also supports all four leagues — including the SEC and ACC — to play nine conference games as the Big Ten and Big 12 do.

“The SEC moved away from such a playoff format after its coaches publicly pushed back against it three weeks ago during the conference’s spring meetings, instead now working toward a format that provides a bigger at-large pool, such as a 16-team model with five automatic qualifiers for conference champions and 11 at-large selections (5+11).”
^{Yahoo! Sports}

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