Sport & Story Daily May 17, 2024

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May 17, 2024

Good morning! Jets-Heavy Broadcast Uproar

NFL Executive Explains Jets-Heavy Early Prime-Time Schedule
The New York Jets landed a record number of prime-time games over the first three months of the 2024 season because the appeal of four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers was too great to ignore, the NFL acknowledged Thursday. The Jets have six night games in the first 11 weeks—the most for any team since the 1970 merger, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

"Yes, it's an awful lot of prime-time games early in the season, but, obviously, I feel like Jets kind of owe us one," Mike North, the NFL's vice president of broadcast planning, said on a video conference with reporters.
^ESPN

Cuts and Layoffs Coming at Under Armour As Sales Keep Dropping
FOS’ Alex Schiffer writes, “The company [Under Armour] announced a restructuring Thursday that would include a significant number of layoffs after North American revenue dropped 10% to $772 million this quarter, the latest sign of turbulence in the sports apparel industry. Analysts had forecast $780 million in revenue for the company’s largest market. It’s unknown how many jobs will be impacted. Kevin Plank, the company’s CEO and founder, blamed the sales on a number of factors and forecasted the struggles will continue for the rest of the year.”
^{Front Office Sports}

Speed Dating for NFL Players and Brands—Inside This Week’s Rookie Premiere Event
“We’re making some bets of who are going to be future stars and most marketable down the road,” said Matt Curtin, president of NFL Players Inc. the marketing arm of the NFLPA.
^{Ad Age}

Inter Miami's Messi Tops MLS Highest-Paid List at $20.4M
Per ESPN, Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi is Major League Soccer's highest-paid player with a total guaranteed compensation of $20.45 million, according to data released by the MLS Players Association. And according to Sportico, Messi stands to earn up to $150 million over the life of the 2½-year contract he signed with Miami and MLS last year.
^ESPN

Report: Georgia Tech, Adidas Ink Two-Year Extension
Georgia Tech athletics and Adidas have "agreed to terms on a new two-year contract," according to sources. Tech’s previous deal with the shoe and apparel company "was to expire this summer," and the new agreement "will run until 2026." Signed in 2018 during former Tech AD Todd Stansbury’s tenure, Tech’s previous deal stipulated Tech receive $3.11M annually in cash and product from Adidas. Financial details of the new contract between Adidas and Tech "are not yet known."
^{Sports Business Journal}

What Roku is Paying MLB to Stream Sunday Baseball Games
Major League Baseball’s Sunday morning package on Roku, called “Sunday Leadoff,” is worth a total of $30 million over three years, a person briefed on the deal told The Athletic, a significant cut from what Peacock had paid previously. MLB is to be paid $8 million in the first year, $10 million in the second year and $12 million in the final year of the deal.
^{NY Times/The Athletic}

Caitlin Clark’s Fever Schedule Front-Loaded With Marquee Games
Per Sportico, when Caitlin Clark made her Indiana Fever home debut Thursday night against the New York Liberty on Amazon Prime Video, she kicked off a two-week stretch of games on five national networks with multiple marquee opponents along the way.
^Sportico

Donovan Mitchell Had a Fiery Response to the Reports About His Cavaliers Frustrations
USA Today’s Robert Zeglinski writes, “The Cleveland Cavaliers’ season only just ended and they’re already seemingly facing some bizarre drama with franchise player Donovan Mitchell.

“The elite scoring guard has just two years left (one being a player option) on his current contract with Cleveland, leading to rumors swirling about the Cavaliers potentially trading Mitchell away this summer before losing him for nothing. As the Cavaliers simultaneously try to reconcile with their five-game second-round exit to the Boston Celtics, a new report from Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor claims Mitchell wasn’t happy with how his teammates responded to playoff adversity and intensity this spring.”
^{Cleveland.com via USA Today}

Nashville SC Fires Coach Gary Smith, Rumba Munthali to Serve as Interim: Why Now?
The Athletic’s Tom Bogert writes, “Nashville SC has fired coach Gary Smith after seven seasons in charge between USL and MLS, the club announced Thursday. Smith is the only head coach the club has had since its inception.”

Smith led Nashville to a 2-0 win over Toronto FC on Wednesday night. The following morning, he was let go. Assistant coach Steve Guppy will also depart the club. 
^{NY Times/The Athletic}

Tom McMillen Stepping Down as Head of LEAD1
SBJ’s Ben Portnoy reports: Tom McMillen’s almost nine-year run at LEAD1 is nearing its end. The organization, which represents ADs at the FBS level, announced today that he is stepping down in September to pursue other opportunities. McMillen, a former congressman and All-American college basketball player at Maryland, spent 11 years in the NBA after his undergraduate years.
^{Sports Business Journal}

USTA Names Former NFL Exec Kevin Flaherty CFO
The USTA has named former NFL SVP/Club Finance Kevin Flaherty its new CFO, replacing the retiring Ed Neppl, who held the role since 2012. Flaherty will be based in N.Y., report to USTA CEO & Exec Dir Lew Sherr and lead financial management strategy.
^{Sports Business Journal}

'College Football 25' Cover Will Feature Travis Hunter, Quinn Ewers and Donovan Edwards in Return on July 19
As Yahoo! Sports’ Ross Dellenger writes, “Electronic Arts plans to launch its long-anticipated college football video game on that date. But two months before the reintroduction of one of the most popular sports games ever, another historic moment unfolded Thursday: the release of the game’s cover.

“Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, Michigan running back Donovan Edwards and Colorado wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter are on the cover together fully in uniform, splashed across the front of the game’s historic return cover.”
^{Yahoo! Sports}

ESPN’s Pete Thamel Reports on Pac-12 Vote in the House v. NCAA Settlement
Sources: For the voting to approve the House v NCAA settlement next week, the Pac-12 presidents and chancellors will vote as a 12-member conference. They were part of the lawsuit as a 12-member league, and the league will vote that way next week.
^Twitter

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