NCAA: Ball's in Congress' Court

NCAA to Dole Out $1.2M to Help Pay for House Settlement, But Asks For Help

January 15, 2025

NCAA to Dole Out $1.2M to Help Pay for House Settlement. Its President Asks For Congress to Step In
Stressing his own organization’s ability to pay out $1.2 billion over 10 years to help settle an industry-changing lawsuit, NCAA President Charlie Baker also urged Congress to pass legislation that could put college sports on a better path.

“When I took this job, the message I heard from Congress was clear — fix what you control first,” Baker said Tuesday in his speech at the NCAA’s annual convention. “Since then, we have modernized college sports to meet the needs of today’s student-athletes. But we can’t solve every threat we face alone.”
^{AP News}

Endeavor’s Next Big Move
SBJ’s Chris Smith writes, “Endeavor’s share price has floundered since the company went public in 2021, even while the broader market has rallied. 

“In April, control owner Silver Lake finalized plans to take Endeavor private once more. That deal, which will include investments from Mubadala Investment Company, Michael Dell’s DFO Management family office, Lexington Partners and Goldman Sachs Asset Management, gives Endeavor a $13 billion equity value. As a result, the Endeavor empire is now being pulled apart. 

“Some assets are being offloaded to TKO; others have been, or are being sold, to external buyers; and still more remain up for sale. The whirlwind of M&A activity has left many observers wondering what, exactly, will be left of Endeavor once the dust settles.”
^{Sports Business Journal}

A World Cup Party: US Soccer House Part of Bank of America Sponsorship Deal
USA Today’s Nancy Armour reports: “As part of a long-term partnership announced Tuesday morning, Bank of America will sponsor U.S. Soccer House during the men’s World Cup in 2026. Similar to the popular Team USA House at the Olympics, it will give U.S. fans a central place to gather, watch games and relax during the five-week tournament. Soccer House will be located in Los Angeles, where the U.S. men will kick off the World Cup on June 12, 2026.”
^{USA Today}

DirecTV Launches MySports Streaming Package
DirecTV is launching a "sports-streaming package" that will include networks "carrying most major-league events." The offering, MySports, will launch in 24 markets Tuesday, featuring content from the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL and collegiate sports. The service will cost $69.99 a month, though "early adopters" who sign up before Feb. 28 will get a promotional rate of $49.99 a month for three months. The package will offer "a suite of channels" from Warner Bros. Discovery, Fox and Disney.
^{Wall Street Journal via Sports Business Journal}

The CW Hires Alexander, McMurray, Kligerman for New NASCAR Booth Roles
The CW today is announcing the talent for its new-look NASCAR broadcasting team that starts this year, led by a three-man booth of Adam Alexander, Jamie McMurray and Parker Kligerman. Nexstar Media Group’s flagship channel is picking up full-season Xfinity Series rights from 2025 through 2031 for $115M a year, a significant increase in the value that NASCAR received for the secondary series from its prior media rights agreements with Fox Sports and NBC Sports.
^{Sports Business Journal}

NFL Wild Card Weekend Audience Sees Decline
With a host of blowouts across NFL Wild Card weekend, none of the TV windows saw gains (ESPN’s Rams-Vikings audience TBD). Fox led the way with 35.6 million viewers for Eagles-Packers in the late Sunday afternoon window, but that was down 11% from Packers-Cowboys in the same window last year (40.2 million).
^{Sports Business Journal}

ESPN Radio Unveils New National Lineup of Shows
ESPN on Tuesday unveiled its new national ESPN Radio lineup that will debut on Feb. 10 from 6am-1pm ET, headlined by a pair of new shows. ESPN columnist and commentator Clinton Yates will host Clinton & Friends, airing weekdays from 10am-12pm, alongside a rotating group of regular guests. Following Clinton & Friends will be the debut of Joe & Q from 12pm-3pm. The show pairs sports betting expert Joe Fortenbaugh with Vegas-based co-host Q Myers.
^{Sports Business Journal}

Kevin Harlan Nearing Deal to Call NBA Games for Amazon Prime Video: Sources
Amazon Prime Video is closing in on a deal to make Kevin Harlan its No. 2 NBA play-by-player when it begins coverage of the league later this year, sources briefed on the discussion told The Athletic.

With the expected addition of Harlan, Amazon will have a one-two play-by-play punch of Ian Eagle and Harlan. Amazon and Eagle are already in agreement for him to call the top games. Amazon has also already announced its studio shows will include host Taylor Rooks and analysts Dirk Nowitzki and Blake Griffin.
^{The Athletic}

Further Details Surface About Proposed United Center Development Plan
United Center owners the Reinsdorf and Wirtz families have “lifted the hood further on their vision" to spend $7B redeveloping the area around the arena, according to Danny Ecker of CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS via SBJ. The approval by city planning officials is a “key step toward final City Council sign-off for a 14 million-square-foot development" surrounding the United Center. The initial phase, which would include a "6,000-seat, theater-style music hall built on a parking lot next to the arena's southwest corner," would “tentatively be completed by 2028.”
^{CRAIN’s CHICAGO BUSINESS via SBJ}

Matthew Sluka Transfers to JMU After Leaving UNLV Over $100K NIL Dispute
Yahoo Sports’ Jack Baer reports: “According to Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger, Sluka's agent Marcus Cromartie claimed a UNLV assistant coach had promised his client, one of the transfer portal's top quarterbacks, $100,000 to come to Las Vegas. When he arrived on campus, however, he received only $3,000 from the school's NIL collective, which was supposed to be a monthly payment.

“The school, however, released a statement alleging Cromartie made financial demands it interpreted as a violation of the NCAA rule prohibiting pay-for-play. Without much legal leverage, Sluka opted to withdraw and use his remaining year of eligibility elsewhere.”
^{Yahoo! Sports}

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