Sport & Story Daily March 20, 2024

Sport & Story Daily March 20, 2024

Stay Ahead of the Game

March 20, 2024

Good morning! Media Madness is More Like It

Report: NBA Has Younger, More Diverse Fan Base Than NFL, MLB, NHL
As the NBA continues its exclusive media rights negotiations with Disney and Turner, the league has been further buoyed by a new Fan Score report from Playfly Sports and Vision Insights that confirms it has the youngest and most diverse fanbase of the four major U.S. sports.

The soon-to-be-released details reveal that 56% of the league’s fans were under 44-years-old during the 2022-23 season and 40% were non-white. The NHL had the next youngest fanbase under age 44 (at 54%), while MLB’s fans were the second most diverse (at 39%).
sportsbusinessjournal.com

NCAA Launches Draw the Line to Address Sports Betting
"Sports betting is everywhere — especially on college campuses — so it's critical student-athletes get the real story about how it can impact them and their ability to play," NCAA President Charlie Baker said. "We know some bettors are harassing student-athletes and officials, so that's why we are advocating for policy changes at the state level and launching monitoring tools around championships to refer serious threats to law enforcement. The NCAA is doing more than ever to protect the integrity of the game and arm student-athletes with the truth about sports betting."
ncaa.org

Another Wall Street Giant Wants a Piece of Sports
Per FOX, Another financial services giant can’t get enough of sports, and it is also expanding its operation to have a much larger presence in the industry.

Six months after Goldman Sachs created a unit devoted to sports franchises, Wall Street rival JPMorgan Chase is forming its own investment banking team focused on sports. The new “sports investment banking coverage group” will also provide advisory and financing solutions for efforts such as buying into teams. 
frontofficesports.com

Carlyle Group Out As T-Wolves Purchase Deadline Nears
Sportico reports: “Timberwolves majority owner Glen Taylor said on Tuesday there’s been issues surrounding $300 million of financing for the latest funding round. The deadline for the payment, which will give the duo another 40% bringing them to 80% of the team, is due at the end of March.”
sportico.com

Big East MBB Championship Breaks Record
As Fox Sports PR tweeted, “Saturday’s Big East Men’s Basketball Championship scored 1,676,000 viewers on FOX - the most watched BIG EAST Men’s Basketball Final in network history. The 2024 Big East Men’s Basketball Tournament was the most-watched in FOX Sports history - averaging 577,000 and up +61% year-over-year.
twitter.com

WNBA Could Seek Its Own Media Deal
As FOS reports: “A wild card has emerged in the multibillion-dollar negotiations for NBA media rights: the WNBA.

The NBA and WNBA are jointly negotiating an extension of their current media-rights deals with the Walt Disney Co.’s ABC and ESPN. But the WNBA’s media rights are rising in value as Iowa’s Caitlin Clark prepares to join the league—and women’s sports reach new levels of popularity.”
frontofficesports.com

Monumental Sports & Entertainment Opens New HQ, Studio for RSN
In an indistinguishable office building adjacent to Capital One Arena, Monumental Sports & Entertainment has opened a new headquarters and studio for its regional sports network. MSE bought the network from NBCUniversal in August 2022, rebranded it to Monumental Sports Network, launched a direct-to-consumer streaming option and now opened the multi-million-dollar facility.

MSE President of Media and New Enterprises Zach Leonsis said a majority of Monumental’s fans -- Wizards, Capitals, Mystics and G League Capital City Go-Go supporters -- interact with the company and its teams through linear television, which is why they felt it important to invest heavily in the studio.
sportsbusinessjournal.com

ESPN Officially Signs 6-year, $7.8B CFP Extension
Per SBJ, ESPN has officially signed a 6-year extension worth $7.8B to "remain the sole TV partner" of the College Football Playoff. ESPN Chair Jimmy Pitaro confirmed the details today during Axios' What's Next Summit. The new deal keeps the CFP on ESPN through the 2031-32 season. The network's current agreement was set to expire after the 2026 final. Maintaining the TV rights to the "highly lucrative tournament is essential for ESPN as it transitions to a streaming-first future."
sportsbusinessjournal.com

PHOTO BY CHUNG SUNG-JUN/GETTY IMAGES

ESPN Embraces South Korea Games to Begin 2024 MLB Campaign
As Sportico’s Jacob Feldman reports, “Halfway around the globe, ESPN MLB broadcasters Karl Ravech and Eduardo Pérez are experiencing a full circle moment this week. 

Four years ago this spring, they called Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) games from their homes, bringing some of the first live sporting events back to ESPN during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now the duo is in Seoul to call the first two games of the 2024 MLB regular season, featuring the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers playing in the Gocheok Sky Dome.”
sportico.com

Pete Guelli Named COO of Bills, Sabres
Pete Guelli has been named the new COO of the Bills and Sabres. He will "oversee the business operations" for both teams. Guelli will be joining the Bills for his second stint, as he was SVP/Business Ventures from 1998-2009. He returns to Buffalo after a five-year tenure as the Chief business Officer of the N.Y. Giants.
sportsbusinessjournal.com

Clemson Files Lawsuit Against ACC Over 'Exorbitant' Exit Fees
As ESPN’s Pete Thamel reports, “In a significant move that could continue to alter the rapidly shifting landscape of college sports, Clemson filed a lawsuit against the ACC on Tuesday that portends its exit from the league…calling the withdrawal penalty ‘unconscionable’ and ‘unenforceable.’

Clemson also wants the ACC exit fee -- three times the ACC operating budget, an estimated $140 million -- ruled as ‘an unenforceable penalty in violation of public policy.’"
espn.com

These College Basketball Stars are Playing in 2024 March Madness After Hitting the Transfer Portal
As USA Today’s Brian Kalbrosky writes, “Before the season began, we knew that many big names were transferring to new programs. With postseason play right around the corner, though, we can finally see which players have settled in as the best fits in their new homes.

Here are some notable names who made the tournament last season, changed schools and have made the tournament again…”
ftw.usatoday.com

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