Sport & Story Daily February 9, 2024

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February 9, 2024

Good morning! SEC Commissioner announces revenue of $741M. That’s it. That’s the post.

SEC Announces 2022-23 Revenue Distribution
Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey on Thursday announced revenue distribution of $741.0 million to the SEC's 14 universities for the 2022-23 fiscal year, which ended August 31, 2023.

The total includes $718.0 million distributed directly from the conference office, and an additional $23.0 million retained by universities that participated in 2022-23 football bowl games.

The amount distributed from the conference office, excluding bowl expenses retained by participants, averaged $51.3 million per school.

"SEC member universities are proud to support thousands of student-athletes who participate in broad-based athletics programs across the league," Sankey said. "SEC universities are committed to providing a high-level experience for all of our participants through an impactful and life-changing college experience that includes world-class support in coaching, training, academic counseling, medical care, mental health support, nutrition, life-skills development and post-eligibility healthcare coverage for student-athletes."
^{secsports.com}

Emirates Takes on Title Sponsorship of NBA's IST
NBA Emirates has become the title sponsor of the NBA’s In-Season Tournament -- now known as the Emirates NBA Cup -- as part of a layered, multiyear marketing partnership that also makes Emirates the official global airline of the league and its first referee jersey patch partner.
^{sportsbusinessjournal.com}

Chiefs' Recent Success Transforms Team into a Global Brand
The NFL said that the Chiefs and Patriots are the “most popular teams in Germany now.” The Chiefs have transformed into a team that has “transcended traditional borders” and their traction toward becoming the “world’s team…”
^{sportsbusinessjournal.com}

Tom Brady’s Raiders Deal Revised Upwards to Match 2023 Transaction
Tom Brady’s pending investment into the Las Vegas Raiders, which has been held up for more than eight months, was recently revised to increase the valuation on the team, according to multiple people familiar with the matter.

The original agreement, announced last May, was met with resistance from some NFL owners who were concerned about the valuation, which the Washington Post reported was 70% below market value. Brady’s group includes Knighthead Capital co-founder Tom Wagner, who is coordinating financing and investing alongside the quarterback, sources said. They’re looking to buy a little more than 10% of the franchise, said the people, who were granted anonymity because the details are private. Of that, Brady would have about 7%.
^sportico.com

Westwood One Set for 51st Super Bowl Broadcast
Westwood One, the official network audio broadcast partner of the National Football League, will present comprehensive live coverage and play-by-play of Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. Super Bowl LVIII will be the 51st time Westwood One will broadcast America’s biggest sporting event.  

Kevin Harlan will handle play-by-play duties for the Super Bowl for the 14th straight year, with Super Bowl XXXIV MVP and Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner returning for the sixth consecutive year as lead analyst. Dean Blandino will also join the radio broadcast booth as rules analyst for this year’s Super Bowl. For the fifth time, Laura Okmin will patrol the sidelines, along with former defensive lineman Mike Golic, who returns for his third Super Bowl with Westwood One’s broadcast crew.  
^{barrettsportsmedia.com}

Manfred’s Patience Wearing Thin? Commish Makes Stance on A’s Clear
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has made it abundantly clear the Oakland A’s are on the clock. 

Speaking at the end of the owners’ meetings this week in Florida, Manfred reiterated his strong hope that the Oakland A’s maintain their target of opening a new ballpark in Las Vegas to open the 2028 season.
^{sportsbusinessjournal.com}

Browns Looking at Sites for Potential New Stadium
Several sources said that the Browns are acquiring 176 acres of this 210-acre property. Weston The Browns are looking at "additional sites in Northeast Ohio besides the downtown area for a potential new stadium."
_{sportsbusinessjournal.com}

Mike Zimmer Expected to Rejoin Cowboys as DC, Source Says
Eighteen years after he last served as the Dallas Cowboys' defensive coordinator, Mike Zimmer is expected to be back in that role, a source confirmed Thursday night.

Zimmer will replace Dan Quinn, who left to become the head coach of the Washington Commanders after a three-year run as the Cowboys' defensive coordinator.

Zimmer, 67, was a Cowboys assistant coach from 1994-2006, starting as a defensive assistant, moving to defensive backs in 1995, the last year Dallas won a Super Bowl, and serving as the coordinator from 2000-06 under two different head coaches, Dave Campo (2000-02) and Bill Parcells (2003-06).
^espn.com

For Oregon State, Wazzu and the Mountain West, Future Coming Into Focus after Pac-12 Chaos
As The Athletic’s Chris Vannini writes, “Pac-12 Network commentator Bill Walton yelled out. Beavers fans flooded the Gill Coliseum court. A top-10 upset pulled by their men’s basketball team on Jan. 25 was a rare moment of reprieve and celebration after the community weathered five hard months since the near-dissolution of the Pac-12, capped by football coach and alumnus Jonathan Smith leaving for Michigan State. Oregon State athletic director Scott Barnes, who was at the Arizona game, made sure to take in the moment.”
^{theathletic.com}

What We Learned as Greg Sankey Addresses Big Ten-SEC Advisory Group, College Football Playoff
“Both conferences have historical participation, historical linkage, historical investment,” Sankey said. “In the NCAA, we need a healthy national governing body. And to the extent we can contribute to that in any way — that explains more of what our focus will be.”
^on3.com

Ranking Dan Hurley, Hubert Davis and Other Men’s College Basketball Coach of the Year Candidates
Coach of the Year awards are notoriously difficult to hand out, especially in today’s college sports. There are so many different interpretations of the award.

Is it the coach whose team overachieved preseason expectations the most? The coach who built the best roster (after all, recruiting is a big part of the job)? The coach of the best team? Wherever you come down on the issue, these 10 coaches deserve commendation for the phenomenal jobs they’ve done with their respective teams.
^si.com

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