Sport & Story Daily January 11, 2024

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January 11, 2024

Good morning! Nick Saban rocks college sports with retirement announcement; USA Today suggests 5 replacements

Who Will Replace Nick Saban? Five Candidates Alabama Should Consider
As USA Today’s Paul Myerberg writes, “Nick Saban’s replacement at Alabama will be expected to win national championships — and note the plural, indicating multiple, not just one.

Best of luck to the Crimson Tide’s future coach.

But the successor to the greatest coach in college football history will inherit a powerhouse program that, even during a so-called down year, relatively speaking, managed to snap Georgia’s long winning streak, win the SEC, and reach the College Football Playoff. The Crimson Tide also came within a snap of beating eventual national champion Michigan in the Rose Bowl.

The search will focus on coaches who can fulfill three non-negotiable factors…”
^usatoday.com

Twins, Rangers, Guardians Future in Limbo as Diamond Sports Bankruptcy Hearing Postponed: Source
A bankruptcy hearing Wednesday afternoon that likely would have brought some clarity around which MLB teams will be seen on Bally regional sports networks this season has been pushed back 10 days. As The Athletic’s Evan Drellich writes, “The delay appears a signal that the sides believe they have a chance to reach a deal on their own, if allowed extra time. But it also keeps three teams in particular — the Cleveland Guardians, Texas Rangers and Minnesota Twins — in a state of wondering about their TV revenue as free agency continues to unfold.”
^{theathletic.com}

Michigan’s Title Win Boasts 4-Year Ratings High, Earns ESPN $90 Million
The game generated nearly $90 million in total ad sales revenue for Bristol, as legacy CFP partners Allstate, AT&T, Geico, Taco Bell, Dr Pepper and Gatorade invested more than $800,000 for each 30-second in-game spot that aired Monday night.
^sportico.com

Erik Spoelstra Contract: Heat Coach Signs Record-Breaking $120 Million Deal, Per Report
As CBS Sports’ Brad Botkin writes, “Erik Spoelstra is widely considered to be one of the best coaches in the NBA, if not the best, and now he has a record-breaking contract to go with his lofty status. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Miami Heat have signed Spoelstra to an eight-year extension worth more than $120 million, which, per ESPN, is not just the highest amount of money that has ever been committed to an NBA coach, but any North American coach of any sport.”
^{cbssports.com}

Bruin Capital-Owned Marketer Two Circles Sold For $300 Million
“In a rapidly changing media landscape, sport has the potential to become more popular and valuable than ever before,” Charterhouse partner Chris Warren said. “We believe Two Circles is emerging as the first digitally native global sports group and will lead the next era for the sports industry to help its clients navigate the changes ahead and fulfill their potential.”
^sportico.com

B/R AM: Ohtani vs. Taxes
If Ohtani isn't living in California when his deferrals kick in, he could stand to save $98M on income tax, which Ca. State Controller Malia M. Cohen is essentially labeling unfair.

"The current tax system allows for unlimited deferrals for those fortunate enough to be in the highest tax brackets, creating a significant imbalance in the tax structure," she said on Monday
^{bleacherreport.com}

Your Vision Insights: Star Players Keep the Dodgers Fans Coming Back

In MLB, there are various reasons why fans are interested in their favorite teams. Across the board, MLB fans say that proximity to their residence (past/current) and parental influence are the primary factors.

However, there is some variability on a team-by-team basis when it comes to the reasons why fans tend to show allegiance to their favorite teams and what they care about.

Here, we take a look at the Dodgers and the leading factors that contribute most to their interest in the team. Apparently, the Dodgers got the memo!

Dodgers Continue Offseason Spending Spree, But At What Cost?
Over the weekend, the Los Angeles Dodgers made another free-agent signing, this time bringing in Seattle Mariners outfielder Teoscar Hernández on a one-year, $23.5 million deal.

The agreement pushes the team’s offseason spending commitments to more than $1.2 billion when including free-agent deals for two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani, pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Joe Kelly, a five-year contract extension for pitcher Tyler Glasnow, and several other smaller deals. And that’s not including the nearly $51 million posting fee also being paid to Yamamoto’s former Japanese team. The Dodgers’ offseason spending roughly equals that of the other 29 MLB teams combined.
^{frontofficesports.com}

NCAA Announces Deal With KAGR
NCAA President Charlie Baker speaks at the Intercollegiate Athletics Forum presented by Learfield in December NCAA President Charlie Baker announced a new business deal with KAGR (Kraft Analytics Group) today in Phoenix during his state of college sports address at the NCAA Convention.
^{sportsbusinessjournal.com}

Inside the Kansas City Chiefs’ Postseason Campaign — Featuring Hallmark Star Tyler Hynes, Taylor Swift Nods and Travis Kelce’s Mom
As Variety’s Emily Longaretta writes, “The Kansas City Chiefs are continuing to lean into romance. The team, which has made more headlines than ever this season thanks to tight end Travis Kelce’s relationship with Taylor Swift, is celebrating the playoffs season with a whole new campaign titled ‘Tis the Preseason. (Is that a nod to Swift’s ‘Tis the Damn Season’? You be the judge.)

Part of that campaign is a new trailer for a movie titled ‘Falling for Football.’ A spoof on all the cliches of a made-for-TV movie, while celebrating the Chiefs Kingdom, the video stars Hallmark Channel staples Tyler Hynes and Janel Parrish.”
^variety.com

2024 ESPN Sunday Night Baseball Early Season Schedule to Feature MLB’s Top Superstars and American League Championship Series Rematch 
ESPN today announced its first round of game selections for the 2024 season of Sunday Night Baseball the exclusive, marquee game franchise in Major League Baseball. The 2024 campaign will mark the 35^th consecutive season of Sunday Night Baseball and will feature many of MLB’s top superstars. The slate opens on March 31st as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Shohei Ohtani host the St. Louis Cardinals. Sunday Night Baseball airs at 7 p.m. ET throughout the season.

SDSU Hires Ayo Taylor-Dixon as Deputy AD
San Diego State Director of Athletics John David Wicker has announced the addition of Ayo Taylor-Dixon to SDSU's executive staff as the deputy athletic director for strategic communications and brand advancement.
 
"I'm excited to welcome Ayo to The Mesa," said Wicker. "He arrives at a dynamic time for the department, and I look forward to him leveraging his years of experience to capture the momentum of this moment and creatively turn it into something special for our student athletes, coaches, staff, alumni and fans."
^goaztecs.com

Iowa Closing In On New AD
Iowa would reportedly like to have its AD search completed before the month is out. Interim AD Beth Goetz is still considered the frontrunner and, per CollegeAD, has “garnered the support of numerous Hawkeye coaches and staff” while serving in the interim role.
^{collegead.com}

Focus Squarely on Reform Proposal During This Week's NCAA Convention
As the college sports industry continues to digest the NCAA’s potentially groundbreaking reform proposal unveiled early last month, the overarching question hovering over the association’s annual convention this week in Phoenix is how much, if at all, stakeholders can move the ball forward.
^on3.com

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