MLK Jr. Legacy Aligns With WBB

The Inaugural Event is First Time King Family Name Licensed For Sporting Event

January 20, 2025

MLK Jr. Estate Jumps Into Hoops With Coretta Scott King Classic
Sportico’s Eric Roberts writes, “Coretta Scott King wasn’t much of a women’s college basketball fan, but the fresh momentum behind the sport is being used to drive attention to her legacy.

“The Coretta Scott King Classic, named after the late civil rights leader and widow of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., will be played at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on Monday, Jan. 20, which is being observed as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day this year. The inaugural holiday event, which features women’s programs from UCLA, Maryland, Baylor and Texas, is the first time the names of the King family have been licensed for a sporting event. It’s not only a chance to generate cash for the King estate, a for-profit corporation that controls its name, image and likeness, but also introduces the family’s legacy to a new demographic and subset of followers.”
^Sportico

Unrivaled Enjoys ‘Triumphant’ Debut in Miami
New 3-on-3 women’s basketball league Unrivaled made a “triumphant debut” Friday night in front of sold-out crowd at Wayfair Arena in Miami. The games on Friday “provided a unique brand of excitement from tip-off.” The "fast-paced nature" of the game "had a lot to do with this." In a facility that sits just 870 people, the energy in the building "far surpassed that of just an inaugural game." The fans themselves, which included everyone from Basketball HOFer Steve Nash to former soccer player Alex Morgan, “acted as if they had the hottest ticket in town.”
^{Miami Herald via Sports Business Journal}

Goodell: Adding 18th NFL Game 'Logical' Next Step
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said that adding an 18th game to the regular season schedule is the "logical" next step for the league. If the NFL were to make that move -- which Goodell acknowledged "would need the approval of the players," per the CBA -- it "would reduce the preseason to two matchups." Goodell, who is in his 19th year as commissioner, said, "We would keep within that 20-game framework." Goodell: "We went to 16 and four, and now 17 and three. So 18 and two is a logical step." The league had a 16-game schedule for more than four decades before moving to 17 games in 2021.
^{BLOOMBERG NEWS via Sport Business Journal}

NFLPA Investigating Own Role in OneTeam Amid Corruption Allegations
FOS’ Daniel Kaplan writes, “The NFL Players Association is formally investigating its own role in how OneTeam—a lucrative joint licensing venture between several major athlete unions—is run, Front Office Sports has learned. The review follows a National Labor Relations Board charge from a MLBPA whistleblower alleging corruption in the baseball union’s dealings with OneTeam.”
^{Front Office Sports}

Bears Interview Tennessee State’s Eddie George For Head-Coaching Job
George will serve as the third candidate to interview in person this week as Chicago continues ramping up its search. Chicago recently contacted the Pittsburgh Steelers, inquiring about longtime coach Mike Tomlin, but the Steelers shut down the request. The Bears completed in-person interviews with former Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy and former Washington Commanders and Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera.
^{The Athletic}

Raiders to Interview General Manager Candidate With Ties to Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn
SI’s Mike Kadlick writes, In the midst of a complete overhaul after firing both Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco earlier this month, the Las Vegas Raiders are set to interview an intriguing candidate to join their front office.

“According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, they're set to meet with Commanders assistant GM Lance Newmark on Sunday for their general manager position. The long-time NFL executive is in his first season with Washington and helped them reach the NFC championship game for the first time since 1991.”
^{ESPN via Sports Illustrated}

Report: Patriots EVP Robyn Glaser to Depart Team
Patriots EVP/Football Business Robyn Glaser “plans to resign from the team,” according to a source. Glaser leaves after 18 seasons with the franchise, serving initially as an advisor to ownership in 2007. In 2022, she was promoted to SVP/Business Affairs & Chief Administrative Officer of Football. Then-Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo last season “chose to add Glaser as a personal advisor” and she “continued to work closely with ownership.”
^{Boston Herald via Sport Business Journal}

Jets Interview Commanders Defensive Coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. For Their Head Coach Job
AP News’ Dennis Waszak reports: “The New York Jets interviewed Washington Commanders defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. on Sunday for their head coach vacancy.

“Whitt is in his first season leading the defense for the Commanders, who forced five turnovers in their stunning 45-31 win over the Detroit Lions on Saturday night to advance to the NFC championship for the first time in 33 years.

“Whitt is the 16th coaching candidate to meet with the Jets, who have also conducted 15 interviews for their general manager job.”
^{AP News}

Wisconsin Says Disclosing Athlete NIL Deals Would Harm School, State
“In the ultra-competitive landscape of Division I intercollegiate athletics, your request would force disclosure of information that allows the university to be competitive in the Big Ten Conference and at the national level,” UW’s public records custodian wrote in an email this week.
^Sportico

Inside a Big Ten Athlete Revenue Sharing Agreement 
Sportico’s Daniel Libit, Eben Novy-Williams, and Michael McCann write, “Big Ten schools are asking athletes to sign over their NIL rights, permit universities to sublicense the rights to ‘any and all third parties,’ and surrender any legal claim to employee status as part of the planned revenue-sharing structure, according to a copy of an agreement that was viewed by Sportico.

“The seven-page memorandum of understanding includes language that says schools will be reimbursed for some revenue already paid should an athlete transfer to a different school–or even enter the transfer portal–and allows the school to adjust the payment up or down as a reflection of the athlete’s performance.”
^Sportico

CFP National Title Game Meetings Conclude With Few Answers, Plenty of Questions
The CFP Management Committee, which is composed of the 10 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua, concluded their joint meeting with the university presidents on the Board of Managers on Sunday with few headlines and plenty of questions as to what the sports’ postseason might look like moving forward.

“We hit a lot of really important issues,” CFP Exec Director Rich Clark said. “But setting the stage for some decisions that we have to make coming very soon.”
^{Sports Business Journal}

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