New Sports Era: Good, Bad, Ugly

Thousands of ADs and department personnel weighed in on the House settlement benefits and drawbacks at the NACDA convention.

June 13, 2025

The Road Ahead After the NCAA Settlement Comes With Risk, Reward and Warnings
“The best thing is clarity,” UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond said. “The best thing about July 1 is we now have clarity on the rules of engagement, what we’re allowed to do, how we can move forward. Does it solve everything? No, it doesn’t. But when you have clarity, you can operate more efficiently and effectively.”

“There are definitely going to be legal challenges related to this revenue-sharing model. I always tell my clients, look, your student athletes’ perceptions are their reality. If they think that they are not being treated equally, they will raise those concerns,” [Montoya] Ho-Song, [an attorney for Ackerman LLP], said.
^{AP News}

FanDuel Pushing into MMA With PFL Pact
FanDuel has finalized a deal to become the official U.S. sports betting partner of the Professional Fighters League, with assets to include logos in and around the PFL Smartcage, rights to use PFL’s logo and marks in advertising and promotions, social/digital content, and providing betting odds during broadcasts. The arrangement started with the PFL World Tournament Semifinals at Nashville Municipal Auditorium.
^{Sports Business Journal}

Airbnb Inks Major Deal for FIFA World Cup Tourneys
Airbnb and FIFA have struck a major partnership spanning three tournaments, where Airbnb will serve as an Official Partner for the 2025 Club World Cup, an Official Supporter for the 2026 World Cup and an Official Supporter for the 2027 Women’s World Cup. Additionally, Airbnb will offer Official Fan Accommodation on its platform for the three tournaments. In addition, Airbnb will implement the Airbnb Host City Impact Program, a separate, targeted $5M investment for the 2026 World Cup that will involve collaborating with Host Cities to fund select initiatives that foster economic growth and enhance the event experience for residents and visitors (FIFA).
^{Sports Business Journal}

Border Patrol Will Be at the Club World Cup, Says it’s Routine to Provide Security for Such EventsMatt Elliott to be named Wendy Hensel's pick as new Hawaii athletic directorMatt Elliott to be named Wendy Hensel's pick as new Hawaii athletic directorMatt Elliott to be named Wendy Hensel's pick as new Hawaii athletic directorMatt Elliott to be named Wendy Hensel's pick as new Hawaii athletic director
“U.S. Customs and Border Protection is committed to working with our local and federal partners to ensure the FIFA Club World Cup 26 is safe for everyone involved, as we do with every major sporting event, including the Super Bowl. Our mission remains unchanged,” the agency said Thursday in response to an inquiry by The Associated Press.
^{Reuters via Sports Business Journal}

$2.4B Browns Stadium Plan Clears Hurdle With $600M State Backing
FOS’ Eric Fisher reports: “After weeks of debate, the Ohio Senate passed a $60 billion state budget for the next two years that includes the Browns funding, arriving in the form of a ‘performance grant’ from an account of unclaimed state funds that would be paid back to the state through future tax revenues. That senate move follows a prior approval by the House that instead provides the funding in the form of state-backed bonds.”
^{Front Office Sports}

Royals, Chiefs Noncommittal on Staying in Missouri After Stadium Bill Approved
The Royals and Chiefs “saluted the Missouri House” yesterday after approval of a stadium-incentives package, but “neither organization committed to remaining” in the state, according to Blair Kerkhoff of the K.C. STAR via SBJ. The Royals are “seeking an entirely new stadium.” The Chiefs on the other hand have said that they “could remain” at the complex in “an improved GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium ... or relocate.”
^{K.C. Star via Sports Business Journal}

Knicks Coaching Search Currently Focused on Mike Brown, Taylor Jenkins: Sources
The Athletic’s Sam Amick writes, “As the New York Knicks continue their search for a new head coach after firing Tom Thibodeau — and after being denied permission to speak to another team’s head coach at least five times — league sources say they are focused on two names in particular who don’t require permission to pursue: Mike Brown (last with the Sacramento Kings) and Taylor Jenkins (formerly of the Memphis Grizzlies).”
^{The Athletic}

Looking to fill an open position with top talent in the sports media industry? Advertise in the Sport & Story Daily to reach over 25,000 senior-level executives and professionals—and connect your job opportunity with the right audience.

Tennessee Star Zakai Zeigler Has NCAA Fifth-Year Bid Blocked
Sportico’s Michael McCann writes, “A federal judge on Thursday denied former University of Tennessee basketball star Zakai Zeigler a preliminary injunction that would have allowed the two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year to play a fifth season as a graduate student in 2025-26.

“The main problem for Zeigler, as [U.S. District Judge Katherine A.] Crytzer saw it, is that the NCAA ‘does not control who receives NIL compensation’ and thus Zeigler losing out on—he claims—up to $4 million in NIL deals does not show the NCAA is legally responsible. As the judge explained, NIL deals are between athletes and third parties, while the NCAA does not ‘enjoy the power to set [NIL] wager’ in the labor market for college athletes.”
^Sportico

House v. NCAA May Be Settled, But Congress Is Not
Sportico’s Daniel Libit reports: “In the first Congressional hearing since the House v. NCAA settlement was approved, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce convened to debate a Republican-led proposal aimed at granting broad but ill-defined ‘liability protections’ to the NCAA, conferences and schools in an effort to bring greater stability to college athletics. The hearing, titled ‘Winning Off the Field,’ centered on draft legislation introduced this week by committee chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) and Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.).

“While the House settlement may represent a turning point in the political debate over college sports, Thursday’s hearing suggested it has done little to foster bipartisan consensus in Congress, where Republicans currently hold a narrow eight-seat majority in the House.”
^Sportico

Thanks for reading!

Sport & Story Daily is the sports industry’s daily resource for business news. In addition to serving up exclusive trends, Q&As, and columns, the newsletter connects readers to top platforms and stories from across the sports landscape.

Place your brand in front of the Sport & Story Daily audience and connect with the most influential people in sports.

Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here!

Feel free to read our Privacy Policy