Sport & Story Daily March 11, 2024

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March 11, 2024

Good morning! NBA Negotiations Begin

For the ‘Spulu’ Super-Streamer: Lots of Questions, No Good Answers
As FOS’ Michael McCarthy reports—during Super Bowl week, ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery announced a project of a scope befitting both their size and the occasion—a sports-focused streaming service. As McCarthy writes, “The catch was that this was less a deal than an agreement to make a deal—and, other than a press release Feb. 6 about the three-headed monster (code-named “Raptor,” according to the WSJ), information has been scarce. More than a month later, with the proposed launch date of the service rapidly approaching, there is still no deal.”
^{frontofficesports.com}

Matthew McConaughey in Back of Police Car: Day 1 of SXSW Sports
As Sportico’s Eric Jackson reports, “September, University of Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte got a phone call. Matthew McConaughey was on the line. The Hollywood actor and diehard Longhorn fan needed some help–an unusual amount of air traffic made the Tuscaloosa National Airport too congested to land. Del Conte buzzed University of Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne, who assured him if McConaughey could land in Birmingham, he’d send local police there to escort him to the big-time matchup.”
^sportico.com

New In-Season Men’s College Basketball Tournament to Offer $2M in NIL Deals
Per Front Office Sports, a first-of-its-kind men’s college basketball tournament launching this fall will offer up to $2 million in name, image, and likeness deals to participating teams. Dubbed Players Era, the tournament will host eight teams this fall at MGM Arena in Las Vegas and 16 teams starting in 2025. The event will be operated by EverWonder Studio (created by former Time president Ian Orefice and backed by RedBird IMI and Jeff Zucker) and AND1 CEO of Basketball Seth Berger.
^{frontofficesports.com}

Chiefs, Chris Jones Agree to Record 5-year Deal That Includes $60 Million Guaranteed: Source
One of the best defensive players in the NFL during the past couple of years is staying put with the Kansas City Chiefs. Per The Athletic, Chris Jones and the Chiefs have finalized a five-year, $158.75 million contract, including $60 million fully guaranteed. He is expected to sign the deal, which will reportedly make him NFL’s highest-paid defensive tackle, on Monday.
^{theathletic.com}

Netflix Ends Production of 'Break Point' After Two Seasons and Low Ratings
Despite featuring stars such as Coco Gauff, Netflix's “Break Point” drew poor ratings. Netflix has stopped production of the “Break Point” tennis docu-series after only two seasons because of “poor ratings and concerns over access to the sport’s leading athletes…”
^{sportsbusinessjournal.com}

NBA Opens Exclusive Window with Disney, Turner
As SBJ’s Tom Friend writes, “The NBA opened its exclusive media rights negotiations with Disney and Turner on Saturday, a window that runs through April 22, and sources said Friday they believe the three sides entered talks roughly 75% in agreement on a deal based on their preliminary discussions over the past several months.”
^{sportsbusinessjournal.com}

2024 NFL Free-Agency Rankings: Danielle Hunter, Saquon Barkley Lead Updated Top 150
As The Athletic’s Randy Muller writes before sharing his rankings, “NFL free agency is practically here, and with the franchise-tag window behind us, we have a clearer picture of the market. Tags and re-signings thinned out the top of the market, especially among wide receivers and edge defenders. Four of the top eight players and six of the top 16 from my initial rankings were tagged. However, several quality players have joined the free-agent pool after being released.”
^{theathletic.com}

Report: Kisner Returning to NBC Booth at Players
Kevin Kisner (c) made his analyst debut at The Sentry at the start of the PGA Tour season nbc sports Kevin Kisner will "share lead analyst duties" next week for NBC and Golf Channel at the Players Championship, according to sources.eek, the Commanders hired him as their chief partnerships officer.
^{sportsbusinessjournal.com}

What Would Paying Student Athletes Look Like?
ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas, who is a vocal critic of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, recently said, “It’s not impossible to have a union of college athletes, but it would be difficult.” Bilas, a vocal critic of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, was referring to the news on Tuesday that the Dartmouth College men’s basketball team had voted 13 to 2 to form a union. As The New York Times’s Joe Nocera and Ephrat Livni write, “He was skeptical that this latest shot across the N.C.A.A.’s bow would lead anywhere. Still, it was the latest example of the pressure the association is under to finally abandon ‘amateurism’ — the N.C.A.A.’s long-held dogma that prevents college athletes from being paid.”
^nytimes.com

Greg Sankey Explains 'Frustration' Over College Football Playoff Discussions
“We have a reality for the College Football Playoff that says we need to be in conversations,” Sankey said ahead of Friday’s SEC women’s basketball tournament game between Auburn and LSU. “And it’s been a four-year work project for me that others decided to just put on the shelf for basically two years.”
^on3.com

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