College Sports in Her Hands

“For [U.S. District Court Judge Claudia] Wilken, 75, her decision to give the final go-ahead could very well be her last chance to shape the future of the college sports industry, a subject she knew little about when it first landed on her docket 16 years ago.” - Sportico

April 4, 2025

The NCAA’s Judicial Game-Changer Readies Her Final Shot
Sportico’s Daniel Libit and Michael McCann write, “In the months since, the settlement has faced a wave of objections from athletes, schools and other stakeholders. They have urged the judge to either reject it entirely or at least delay its implementation. At the same time, the college sports industry has aggressively moved forward with the expectation the settlement will soon take effect. Numerous college athletes have already signed agreements with schools outlining their terms of payment for the 2025-26 academic year.

“For [U.S. District Court Judge Claudia] Wilken, 75, her decision to give the final go-ahead could very well be her last chance to shape the future of the college sports industry, a subject she knew little about when it first landed on her docket 16 years ago.” 
^Sportico

NFL leadership Promises it Won’t Budge on DEI
Roger Goodell and four senior NFL owners all reaffirmed the league’s commitment to their diversity policies at the annual meeting, which comes amid the Trump administration’s onslaught against efforts to promote diverse workforces, including at longtime NFL outside law firm Paul, Weiss.

“We have to stay with the diversity and have it be merit-based as well,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft said. “Most of ownership is committed to that -- I know we are committed to this diversity.”
^{Sports Business Journal}

Trump Again Says He Wants to See PGA Tour, LIV Golf Merged
“Ultimately, hopefully, the two tours are going to merge. That’ll be good. I’m involved in that too,” Trump told reporters on the flight to Miami. “But hopefully we’re going to get the two tours to merge. You have the PGA Tour and the LIV Tour. And I think having them merge would be a great thing.”
^{AP News}

Grant Hill Extends With TNT Sports, Expands Role
TNT Sports has reached a long-term extension with Basketball HOFer Grant Hill that will see him continue to be a lead game analyst on TNT Sports and CBS Sports’ collective coverage of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. He will also expand the scope of his contributions to TNT Sports, including its coverage of Big East and Big 12 basketball, with both set to begin during the 2025-26 season. Hill joined TNT Sports in 2013 and will call his 10th NCAA title game on Monday (TNT Sports via SBJ).
^{TNT Sports via Sports Business Journal}

St. Petersburg Approves Funds to Fix Trop’s Roof
St. Petersburg City Council members voted Thursday to “approve replacing Tropicana Field’s roof.” The city will spend $22.5M “for a new teflon-coated fiberglass roof, made of the same material as the original.” It’s “about half of the total estimated cost to fix the stadium,” tallied in November at $55.7M. The vote “represents a major step toward readying the dome” for the Rays’ return “in time for the 2026 season.”
^{Tampa Bay Times via Sports Business Journal}

Bills Aiming to Land 2029 NFL Draft Around New Stadium
Bills COO Pete Guelli said that the organization is “likely to focus” on holding the 2029 NFL Draft after last summer announcing their intentions to bid for the 2028 event, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the BUFFALO NEWS. The club will send a “contingent to Green Bay for this month’s draft (April 24-26) to observe how a smaller market hosts the event.” The new Highmark Stadium is scheduled to open in 2026, and the property that the team’s current stadium sits on will be “the focal point” of the draft festivities.
^{Buffalo News via Sports Business Journal}

Texans Looking to Build New Team Headquarters
The Texans are “seeking a space to build a new team headquarters” that would “likely house practice fields, weight rooms, meeting spaces and offices,” according to Jonathan Alexander of the HOUSTON CHRONICLE. Team owners Cal and Hannah McNair did not specify where they “would build a new headquarters or when,” but they “indicated that something could be on the horizon in the near future.”
^{Houston Chronicle via Sports Business Journal}

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The Crown Fills Broadcasting Spots For Fox Sports and Provides NIL Incentives for Players
“We’re trying to provide an additional experience that those high-profile universities feel like they can participate from both financial and a brand standpoint,” said Jordan Bazant, who is in charge of the tournament for Fox Sports.. “But at the same time, that opens up other opportunities for mid-majors and low Division I majors to participate in these other events. So we think we’re just adding to the potential opportunities for student-athletes, not taking away from anyone.
^{AP News}

Women’s March Madness Has a Portal Problem. Can GMs Solve It?
FOS’ Annie Costabile writes, “Timing is everything. And at the women’s Final Four, the timing of the transfer portal opening is everything but easy to manage for the four teams still playing.

Coaches and their staffs are pulling double duty, preparing their teams for games Friday and fielding calls from portal players. It’s a role South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said they’re accustomed to. What if they didn’t have to be?”
^{Front Office Sports}

Women’s Hoops Keeps Climbing: Clark’s Boom to Bueckers’s Moment
FOS’ Colin Salao writes, “The 2025 women’s March Madness tournament was never going to surpass the heights of last year. The Caitlin Clark Effect is unlike anything ever seen in sports.

“However, this year’s tournament has shown significant increases among key business metrics that indicate a level of retention in fan interest from last year.”
^{Front Office Sports}

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