NFL salary cap is over $300 million

NFL salary cap is over $300 million

March 2, 2025

NFL salary cap hits milestone at $301.2 million for 2026
The NFL salary cap has topped $300 million for the first time, landing at $301.2 million in 2026. That is a $22 million increase from last year. The cap has increased 40% in just five years, since it dropped coming off the pandemic-altered 2020 season, when few or no fans were allowed to attend games. The teams must be under the salary cap by March 11, the first day of the new league year.
^ESPN

World Cup funding delays test U.S. democracy’s major event playbook
There is a delayed distribution of $625 million in federal funding to host cities to cover security costs for the FIFA World Cup. FIFA and the cities collectively lobbied hard to have included in the “Big Beautiful Bill” passed by Congress last summer. The COO of Miami’s World Cup host committee and the deputy chief of the Kansas City Missouri Police Department appeared before the House Committee on Homeland Security to say they urgently need clarity and access to those funds to execute their plans.
^{Sports Business Journal}

WNBA players make minor revenue share, housing concessions in CBA talks
The WNBPA made additional concessions in the latest CBA proposal it submitted to the WNBA. The union submitted a counterproposal in response to the WNBA’s requested 25% gross revenue in the first year, increasing over the life of the agreement to an average of roughly 26%. The union’s proposed salary cap remains under $9.5 million. This is a reduction from a previous proposal where the WNBPA requested 25% gross revenue in the first year, increasing over the life of the agreement to an average of 27.5%.
^{USA Today}

History suggests NHL won’t see Olympic viewership bump
Following historic viewership for the men’s ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics, it is tempting to assume the NHL is about to enjoy a ratings bump. The gold medal game had 18.6 million viewers. But historically, the NHL doens’t usually get an increase in viewership after the Winter Olympics. For example, last year, the Canada-United States final in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament drew a historic U.S. audience. However, the first games after the 4 Nations Tournament pulled an average number of viewers.
^{Awful Announcing}

Jaguars confirm EverBank Stadium capacity for 2026 season
The Jacksonville Jaguars provided an update on the ongoing renovation work at EverBank Stadium. The facility is to operate at a reduced capacity of 42,507 during the 2026 season. The capacity will include 1,260 standing room only tickets. Some 27,637 seats will be unavailable during the 2026 season, 22,005 of which will be located in the upper bowl. Once complete, the seating bowl flexibility will provide for a base capacity of 62,000 with expansion capabilities up to 71,500 for college football, and more for concerts. The current fixed-seat capacity of EverBank Stadium is 68,000.
^{The Stadium Business}

Most owners thrive in NFLPA report cards; these seven do not
Fourteen NFL teams make the playoffs each year, but NFL owners got an A grade in the NFLPA report cards. Most players seem to think their owners are doing a good job. This year, 25 of 32 teams received at least a B- in the “team ownership” category. This is up from 20 out of 32 last year. The owners at the bottom of the list are starting to look like severe outliers, in particular the Cardinals’ Michael Bidwill (the only F) and the Steelers’ Art Rooney II (the only D-).
^{Sports Business Journal}

Drew Brees explores joining a bid for the San Diego Padres
Drew Brees has partnered with Vuori founder Joe Kudla to explore the possibility of joining one of the groups that have submitted an initial bid for the San Diego Padres. The deadline for the first round of bids was Wednesday last week. Five groups made bids before the deadline. The Padres were put on the market in November 2025. A sale could happen by the start of the 2026 MLB season.
^{NBC Sports}

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St. John's cancels final "One Piece" promotion amid security concerns
St. John's has canceled its final "One Piece" promotion, which was supposed to take place Saturday at Madison Square Garden vs Villanova. An email was sent out to all attendees to the game Tuesday afternoon, stating the following: Dear Ticket Holder: Please be advised that the "One Piece" promotional giveaway that St. John's had previously announced for the St. John's vs. Villanova Men's Basketball game on Saturday, February 28 will no longer take place. Please note that the game itself will proceed as scheduled. Security issues were the reason behind the cancellation because “One Piece” cards were stolen.
^{Yahoo Sports}

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