Sport & Story Daily December 15, 2023

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December 15, 2023

Good morning! Retiring AAC Commissioner says power struggle will succeed him

Retiring AAC Commissioner Says ‘Power’ Struggle Will Succeed Him
“I won’t look back,” Aresco told Sportico in a telephone interview.

Arguably, no other college sports executive has toiled as relentlessly as Aresco to bridge the widening chasm between college sports’ power conferences and the leagues that bear the Group of Five label Aresco so much despises.

“Maybe that is just not realistic, but you fight for it anyway,” Aresco said. “I hope my successor continues the big fight because it is worth it—it is worth it for these student-athletes.”
^sportico.com

Playfly Sports Launches New Verticals, Website
Playfly Sports has moved to unify its branding by creating four core divisions of business: Playfly Media, Playfly Sports Properties, Playfly Global Partnerships, and Playfly Tech. The new verticals are illustrated with a new website developed by Playfly partner WMT.

This move will turn the branding of acquired companies -- such as Home Team Sports, which Playfly bought as a three-division purchase from Fox Sports in 2021, and The Aspire Group, purchased earlier this year – into a unified offering.
^{sportsbusinessjournal.com}

How the Duke’s Mayo Bowl is Charting a Path for College Bowl Games in Playoff Expansion Era
“We see the sport’s changing underneath our feet, and like everything in the Playoff expansion, things are changing,” said Miller Yoho, communications and marketing director of the Charlotte Sports Foundation, which operates the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. “That’s where you have to differentiate yourself in fun ways and ways that college football fans relate to.
^{theathletic.com}

Panini Extends Decades-Long FIFA Deal Through '30
With an eye toward the 2026 tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S., Panini has extended its longtime FIFA World Cup rights through 2030. The renewal extends an agreement for Panini, which began the relationship with the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. The deal covers stickers, trading cards, trading…
sportsbusinessjournal.com

The NHL has announced a 12-player Skills Competition for All-Star Weekend with a $1 million winner-take-all prize.
Events include: • Fastest skater • Hardest shot • Stick handling • One timers • Passing challenge • Accuracy shooting • Shootout • Obstacle course
^twitter.com

PGA Tour Commish Monahan’s Comp Soars As Legal Fees Jump 10X
PGA Tour Inc.’s legal expenses jumped more than 10 times from 2021 to 2022—from $2 million to $20.7 million—according to its most recent tax return. This is a small glimpse into the mounting cost of the group’s protracted legal battle with Saudi-backed upstart LIV Golf. 
^sportico.com

Keegan-Michael Key Returns to Host NFL Honors Presented by Invisalign
Keegan-Michael Key, Emmy^®  and Peabody Award-winning actor, writer and producer, will return to the stage as host of NFL Honors presented by Invisalign, an Align Technology brand, on Thursday, Feb. 8 at the Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas.  The primetime awards special that recognizes the NFL's best players, performances and plays from the 2023 season will air live at 9 p.m. ET on the CBS Television Network and NFL Network and stream on Paramount+ and NFL+. 
^{nflcommunications.com}

Tickets to Super Bowl Experience Presented by Toyota, Super Bowl Opening Night Fueled by Gatorade Available Beginning Thursday, Dec. 14
The NFL announced that Super Bowl LXI will be hosted in Los Angeles in 2027, with the game played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.

The announcement was made today at the NFL Winter League Meeting in Dallas, following a review of the proposal by the Fan Engagement & Major Events Advisory Committee and a vote by full ownership.
^{nflcommunications.com}

Al Michaels Deserved Better From NBC
As I have stated here in this column on a number of occasions, Al Michaels deserves the benefit of all doubts. He’s earned the right to broadcast as long as he wants. Also, to call it quits on his terms. It’s being reported by the Post that there has been acrimony in the relationship between Michaels and NBC executives for “a while”, but it’s been hidden from public view. The tension in the relationship doesn’t make the decision to move on from Michaels the right call. If it’s in the deal, it should be honored.” - Andy Masure
^{barrettsportsmedia.com}

Ranking All 41 College Football Bowl Games: So Many Bowls, So Little Time
After ranking the top 10 college matchups of each weekend this past season, it’s only fair that we mark the end of a wild, chaotic, controversial, realignment- and scandal-infused year in proper fashion: ranking all 41 bowl games. Every bowl, first to last, save for the yet-to-be-decided national championship matchup. And unlike the College Football Playoff selection committee, there are no flaws in my formula.
^{theathletic.com}

Volleyball Proving to Be the Next Big Thing in Sports as NCAA Attendance, Ratings Soar
“There are so many things happening, and it’s a really, really exciting time for our sport. But you sense it’s just getting started,” said longtime Wisconsin coach Kelly Sheffield, whose Badgers are in the Final Four this week for the fourth time in five years.
^usatoday.com

Big Changes to U of Arizona’s Financial Oversight
The University of Arizona announced dramatic changes to its financial oversight Wednesday in the wake of last month’s embarrassing revelation that administrators had miscalculated the institution’s cash on hand by hundreds of millions of dollars.
^{insidehighered.com}

Mountain West in Discussions With Both Oregon State and Washington State to Join League For 2024-25 Basketball Season
The Mountain West is in discussions with both Oregon State and Washington State to join the league for the 2024-25 college basketball season, a source told College Hoops Today on Thursday.
^{collegehoops.today}

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