Sport & Story Daily August 1, 2024

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August 1, 2024

Good morning! From Athlete to Entrepreneur

UFC’s $335 Million Settlement Rejected, Trial Date Set For October
UFC fighters were set to receive large payments, but U.S. District Judge Richard Boulware denied motions by UFC and fighters for preliminary approval in their $335 million settlement. It is alleged that UFC used anti-competitive tactics to suppress fighters’ compensation.
^Sportico

Sony headsets on NFL coaches will wait a year, but a tech sponsorship starts now
The NFL has signed Sony to a major tech sponsorship. The Japanese entertainment conglomerate will launch its branded coaches’ headsets in 2025. A tentative deal was first approved by NFL owners in March.
^{Sports Business Journal}

Phillies make Independence Blue Cross first patch sponsor
The Phillies have their first patch sponsor. Independence Blue Cross has been one of the Phillies’ most-tenured corporate sponsors. The team now has an IBX ad patch on their jerseys. They showed off the patches for the first time in their game against the Yankees last night.
^{Sports Business Journal}

Olympic Ad Boycotter Had No TV Spending As NBC Sales Hit Record
C Spire is a Mississippi-based telecommunications company that didn’t buy any commercial inventory for NBCUniversal’s Olympic Coverage, although they announced they were canceling their ads. C Spire announced that it was tearing up its Olympics marketing plan in light of a Paris Opening Ceremony tableau that it interpreted as a mockery of the Last Supper.
^Sportico

Bob Costas, Al Michaels Set to Appear on NBC Olympic Coverage
NBC Sports plans to bring back legendary broadcasters Bob Costas and Al Michaels for surprise on-air appearances during the 2024 Paris Olympics. Costas served for 12 Olympic Games from 1988-2016. He split with NBC in 2019, moved to Amazon Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football and is back to NBC. Costas agreed to let NBC also use an AI version of his voice.
^{Front Office Sports}

Olympic triathletes swim in Seine River after days of concerns about water quality
Olympic organizers declared the Seine River was safe for swimming, but athletes are concerned about elevated bacteria levels caused by heavy rains last week. There was $1.5 billion spent on infrastructure improvements to clean up the long-polluted Seine. The officials retested the water and it came back at a safe quality to continue the events.
^{AP Sports}

No world records have been set at the Olympic pool. Is it too shallow?
No world records have been set through the first four days of competition in the portable pool at La Defense Arena. The culprit for the slower-than-expected times appears to be a pool slightly shallower than optimal depth.
^{AP Sports}

TCU adds Dana Holgorsen, Todd Graham to staff as Horned Frogs recruit two more ex-coaches for rebound effort
Sonny Dykes recruited two ex-coaches on the 2024 football season staff. Dana Holgorsen and Todd Graham will have off-field roles as analysts and advanced scouts for TCU. Holgorsen knew Dykes when they worked together at Texas Tech. Graham knew Dykes going back to when he was a high school coach in Texas.
^{CBS Sports}

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