Introducing Roster Do-Overs

AP News’ Eddie Pells writes, “Those ‘Designated Student-Athletes,’ as they’re called in the new legal filing, can be invited back to compete for roster spots — no guarantees — or go to new schools.”

May 8, 2025

NCAA Settlement Plan for Roster Limits Gets Do-Over to Save Players Who Lost Spots on Teams
AP News’ Eddie Pells reports: “Under court order to come up with an updated plan, the attorneys in court filings suggested that schools compile lists of all the players they cut in anticipation of the settlement being approved — a number that certainly could be in the hundreds and perhaps far more.

“Those ‘Designated Student-Athletes,’ as they’re called in the new legal filing, can be invited back to compete for roster spots — no guarantees — or go to new schools.

“Either way, those athletes they won’t count against the new roster limits that are coming under the plan unveiled last fall and given initial approval by U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken last October.”
^{AP News}

🚨 IN BREAKING NEWS 👇🏼

F1 Team Part-Owned by Mahomes, Kelce Makes Changes Amid Struggle
FOS’ Colin Salao reports: “Less than two years ago, Alpine, whose principal owner is French automotive company Renault, sold a 24% stake in the team worth around $210 million to an investment group led by Otro Capital and RedBird Capital Partners. Celebrities Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney, and Michael B. Jordan were included in the investment.

“Months later, it was announced that several star athletes were added to the investor list: NFL stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, golfer Rory McIlroy, boxing great Anthony Joshua, and newly crowned EPL champion Trent Alexander-Arnold. While Alpine’s poor performance could be costly, the high-profile investments may still bear fruit should the sport continue to grow worldwide.”
^{Front Office Sports}

Caz Sees a Private Equity Angle for Smaller Investors in Team Sales
Sportico’s Brendan Coffey reports: “Caz Investments, one of the world’s larger asset allocators into private equity funds, inked a deal Tuesday with a fintech platform, iCapital Marketplace, to streamline access for financial advisors looking to get their clients into professional sports team ownership.

“Caz’s arrangement with iCapital is significant, because it formalizes the fact that the opening to private equity money hasn’t been all about tapping institutional funds—it’s become a backdoor for mom and pop investors to get a slice of a pro franchise.”
^Sportico

ESPN Income Down As Subscribers Fall, but Flagship Launch Looms
FOS’ Eric Fisher writes, “ESPN parent company Disney has plenty of optimism for the next year, despite rising economic headwinds, but the near term is still somewhat choppy for the sports media giant.

Disney said Wednesday that it grew revenue 7% to $23.6 billion in its second fiscal quarter that ended March 29, and increased its operating income by 15% to $4.4 billion. Perhaps more importantly, the company also said it is raising its guidance for fiscal 2025, with adjusted earnings projected to rise 16%, and by 18% within its sports operations.
^{Front Office Sports}

Longtime NBA Coach Mike Woodson Joining Kings Staff as an Assistant After Split With Indiana
Yahoo Sports’ Ryan Young reports: “The Sacramento Kings struck a deal to bring in the longtime NBA coach and former Indiana Hoosiers coach as an assistant under Doug Christie on Wednesday afternoon, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

“Woodson has spent decades coaching throughout the league. He spent six seasons as the Atlanta Hawks’ head coach from 2004-10, and then he has a three-year run as the New York Knicks’ head coach from 2011-14.”
^{ESPN, Yahoo! Sports}

Sabres Add Eric Staal to Front Office, Retain Kevyn Adams as General Manager
Staal, who played 32 games for the Sabres during the 2020-21 season, appeared in more than 1,300 NHL games, had 1,063 points and won a Stanley Cup as a teammate of Adams with the Carolina Hurricanes. Staal was one of the first players Adams acquired after becoming general manager in 2020.
^{The Athletic}

Utah NHL Team Picks Mammoth as Permanent Name: How We Got Here, and What the New Gear Looks Like
“From Day 1, we committed that this team would be built with and for the people of Utah,” said Ryan and Ashley Smith, owners of the club. “The community chose the Utah Mammoth brand, and it stands as a symbol of who we are, where we came from and the unstoppable force we’re building together.”

The team played its inaugural season as Utah Hockey Club, or Utah HC. That was selected as a temporary name in April 2024 after Ryan and Ashley Smith purchased and relocated the Arizona Coyotes on very short notice.
^{The Athletic}

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ESPN Reportedly Willing to Increase Payments to SEC if Conference Goes to a 9-Game Schedule
According to The Athletic via Yahoo Sports, the network would be willing to add money to its media rights deal with the conference if the SEC adds a league game to its schedule.

Big Ten Backs Message Portal Secrecy in Illinois FOIA Case
The Big Ten Conference has told an Illinois state court that it would suffer “competitive harm” if communications exchanged by its Council of Presidents and Chancellors (COP/C) through a third-party software system were subjected to state open records laws.
^Sportico

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