Rev-Sharing Secrecy a "Scandal"?

Sportico writes, “In the wake of the House v. NCAA settlement, schools can sign agreements to pay their athletes directly. Yet those agreements are just as shrouded from public view … that were once used to justify withholding third-party NIL deals.”

September 23, 2025

College Sports Rev-Share Secrecy Undermines Public Records Laws
Sportico’s Daniel Libit writes, “Though I consider myself a committed transparency zealot, I was fairly agnostic when it came to this sunlight debate. After all, records held by public institutions aren’t always public by default—and I sympathized with concerns that college athletes, long marginalized, shouldn’t face new privacy intrusions just as their publicity rights were gaining recognition. 

“But that was then. 

“Now, in the wake of the House v. NCAA settlement, schools can sign agreements to pay their athletes directly. Yet those agreements are just as shrouded from public view, shielded by the same exemptions—FERPA, trade secrets—that were once used to justify withholding third-party NIL deals. In light of that, this is no longer a debate. It’s a scandal, one that undermines the core purpose of public records laws: ensuring that taxpayers can see how public institutions spend public money.”
^Sportico

Driven by Deion: Ford’s CU Deal Downshifts If Sanders Departs
According to a copy of the agreement obtained by Sportico, the regional Ford dealer association will pay BSP approximately $5 million over seven years, beginning with a $665,000 payment for 2025-26, with annual increases thereafter. However, the deal includes a specific “football coach departure” provision: If Sanders leaves the program before the end of the deal, the association’s financial obligation is capped at $665,00 per year for the remainder of the term.
^Sportico

PrizePicks Valued at $2.5 Billion in Sale as Gaming Lines Blur
Sportico’s Eben Novy-Williams writes, “Swiss gaming giant Allwyn has reached an agreement to buy a majority stake in PrizePicks in a deal that values the daily fantasy platform at $2.5 billion. The move comes with the U.S. gaming industry in chaos; it’s become harder and harder to define what sports gambling is, or how it should be regulated.

“Prediction marketplace Kalshi is advertising that it ‘makes legal sports betting possible in all 50 states,’ operating outside of the industry’s traditional regulation and tax structures. Competitor Polymarket is launching soon in America. Operators that were traditional fantasy sports brands are trying their hand at more traditional gaming, and also planning prediction markets of their own. Online lotteries are spreading.”
^Sportico

Minnesota Lynx's Cheryl Reeve, Knox, Invest in Minnesota Aurora
ESPN’s Jeff Kassouf writes, “Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve and president of business operations Carley Knox are the newest investors in Minnesota Aurora FC, the community-owned amateur women's soccer team that hopes to join the NWSL.

“Aurora FC is one of the most unique success stories in American soccer. It has 5,337 investors through its community ownership model, and it was an immediate commercial success upon launch in 2022, playing near- or at-capacity crowds at its 6,000-seat venue -- averaging better attendance than some struggling NWSL teams in recent years.”
^ESPN

MLB Owners Approve Rays Sale
The group led by Jacksonville real estate developer Patrick Zalupski went through “an extensive and expensive process to get approved” by MLB today as the new owners of the Rays. The $1.7B sale is “expected to become official when the deal is formally closed later this week.” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said, “It’s good to go.” The group “formally takes control after the Sunday season finale” and is “expected to hold a news conference in the near future to share its initial plans.”
^{Tampa Bay Times via Sports Business Journal}

ESPN Top Executive Wants Pat McAfee to Stay at Network Past Current Contract
The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch writes, “Pat McAfee’s deal with ESPN will run another three years, but the top content person at ESPN has already made up his mind. Burke Magnus, ESPN’s president of content, wants McAfee to stay with ESPN beyond his current contract, a five-year, $85 million-plus licensing agreement that McAfee signed with ESPN in the spring of 2023.”
^{The Athletic}

Netflix Strikes Global Marketing Deal With Beverage Giant AB Inbev (Exclusive)
THR’s Alex Weprin writes, “In what the companies are calling a first-of-its-kind deal, Netflix and beverage giant AB InBev say they have inked a global marketing partnership: one that will make its beer brands title sponsors of Netflix programming and live events, while bringing Netflix IP to live activations and packaging around the world.

“The deal will see AB InBev brands, which include Budweiser, Stella Artois and Corona, become title sponsors of Netflix shows in markets around the globe, and see them launch co-branded campaigns around Netflix live events like boxing matches, the NFL Christmas Day games and the upcoming Women’s World Cup.”
^{The Hollywood Reporter}

Alex Faust Will Succeed Bob Costas as TNT’s Play-by-Play Voice for MLB Playoffs: Sources
The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand reports: “Costas retired from MLB play-by-play after calling the New York Yankees-Kansas City Royals’ four-game American League Division Series last year. Faust, 36, has already broadcast events for TNT Sports, as he is part of their NFL coverage and was on the call for French Open matches. He calls Friday Night MLB games for Apple TV+. He is also the radio voice of the New York Rangers.”
^{The Athletic}

Dublin Braces for Influx of Americans as Steelers-Vikings Play Ireland’s 1st Regular-Season NFL Game
AP News’ Ken Maguire writes, “The Steelers-Vikings matchup at Croke Park in Dublin is expected to draw a larger-than-usual chunk of U.S.-based fans compared to other international games. It will be the first regular-season NFL game in Ireland, and all sides are hopeful it could lead to more. That would be good news for fans in the States, who have shown massive interest in this one.”
^{AP News}

Ohio’s Two Low-Budget Cinderella Teams Crash MLB’s Postseason Race
FOS’ Eric Fisher writes, “Two low-budget Major League Baseball teams from Ohio are trying to crash the sport’s postseason party and complete historic collapses by larger-spending opponents. Entering the final week of the 2025 regular season, the Reds and Guardians are both looking to complete unexpected ascents to the playoffs—despite Cincinnati’s luxury-tax payroll standing at No. 22 in MLB at $140.9 million and Cleveland’s ranking No. 25 at $121.4 million.”
^{Front Office Sports}

Enterprise Center Gets WiFi Upgrade for NHL Season
Verizon Business has completed a major converged network (Wi-Fi) solution refresh at Enterprise Center in St. Louis. Working alongside the Blues and Wi-Fi provider Extreme Networks, Verizon’s integrated network solutions and services will provide wireless connectivity for everyone from athletes and staff to fans.
^{Sports Business Journal}

Bruce Pearl, Winningest Men’s Basketball Coach in Auburn History, Announces Retirement
Auburn coach Bruce Pearl announced his retirement Monday less than six months after finishing the Tigers’ best season in program history with another trip to the Final Four.

Pearl’s 38-year-old son Steven Pearl, who has been on his father’s coaching staff for all 11 seasons at Auburn, will take over as coach.

“I just feel when I can’t give 100% it’s time to pass the torch,” Bruce Pearl said in a 14-minute video posted on social media.

Pearl, 65, is the school’s winningest men’s coach and took the Tigers to their only two Final Four appearances. He will move into an ambassador role as an assistant to Auburn’s athletic director, and isn’t going into politics after rumors had circulated about a potential Senate run.
^{AP News}

Kara Lawson is Named Head Coach of the US Women’s Basketball Team for the 2028 LA Olympics
AP News’ Doug Feinberg reports: “Kara Lawson helped the U.S. women’s basketball team win an Olympic gold medal as a player 17 years ago. Now she’ll have a chance to lead it to another as the coach in the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Lawson was announced as the head coach for the women’s team for the next four years by USA Basketball on Monday.”
^{AP News}

Utah State Taps Tennessee Exec as New AD
Utah State has named Tennessee Senior Deputy AD & Chief Strategy Officer Cameron Walker as the school’s new AD. He “will begin at USU on Oct. 6” and replaces Diana Sabau, who left in July to accept a new position at Maryland. Utah State worked with search firm Collegiate Sports Associates Executive Search & Consulting on the hire. Walker, who had been in his role at Tennessee since November 2024, “will be introduced” by Utah State during a press conference this week.
^{Deseret News via Sports Business Journal}

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SEC Annual Opponents Revealed: Alabama-LSU Will No Longer Be Yearly in Nine-Game Schedule
The Athletic’s Seth Emerson reports: “The SEC has set the three opponents each team will play annually beginning with the conference’s new nine-game schedule format in 2026, putting an emphasis on traditional and geographic rivalries. That means a temporary end to Alabama and LSU playing every year, in favor of Alabama playing Mississippi State each year. But this set of annual opponents will only be applied for a four-year cycle over the 2026 to 2029 seasons and will be revisited for the 2030 schedule and beyond.”
^{The Athletic}

ACC Moving to 9 League Games, Aligning With Rest of Power 4
ESPN’s Andrea Adelson reports: “ACC athletic directors agreed Monday to move to a nine-game conference schedule after meetings in Charlotte, North Carolina, joining the other Power 4 leagues in going to nine conference games. As part of the new scheduling model, league teams will now be required to play 10 Power 4 games. Most teams will begin playing nine conference games plus one Power 4 game in 2026.”
^ESPN

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