Sport & Story Daily November 8, 2023

Stay Ahead of the Game

November 8, 2023

Good morning! The USL and WWE NXT found new homes as the two properties prepare to shift to CBS Sports and The CW respectively in 2024…

CBS Sports reaches multiyear rights deal with the United Soccer League
CBS Sports landed a multiyear rights agreement with the United Soccer League to carry 100 matches each season across CBS’ linear and digital properties. The deal spans through the 2027 USL Championship and League One seasons, and will feature five matches on CBS, including the USL Championship Final. It also includes 20 matches each season on the CBS Sports Network and an additional 75 streaming matches on CBS Sports Golazo Network. Read more here.

‘WWE NXT’ Moving to The CW From USA in 2024
The CW continues to shore up its sports offerings. The network’s latest move landed a deal with WWE that will see WWE NXT, the weekly program featuring up-and-coming wrestlers, move from USA Network to The CW in October 2024. Other recent additions for the broadcaster include ACC college football and basketball games, LIV Golf, Inside the NFL and, NASCAR’s Xfinity Series. Read more here.

Chiefs/Dolphins game sets morning record for NFL Network
A key matchup in a packed stadium in Germany paid dividends for NFL Network on Sunday. Nielsen reports that the Chiefs win over the Dolphins reeled in a 4.8 average rating and 9.18 million viewers for the telecast, which began at 9:30 a.m. ET. That ranks as the most-watched morning game ever broadcast on NFL Network. Read more here.

2025 NBA All-Star Game heading to Chase Center in San Francisco
The NBA confirmed that the 2025 NBA All-Star Game is destined for San Francisco at the Chase Center. "It has been 25 years since the NBA All-Star Game was played in the San Francisco Bay Area, and we are delighted to bring the NBA's marquee event to Chase Center in 2025," said Warriors Co-Executive Chairman and CEO Joe Lacob. Read more here.

Tiger Woods, David Blitzer announced a owners of sixth team in TGL Golf League
The roster of teams for the debut season of TGL is complete. The league announced that Tiger Woods would serve as co-owner of the sixth and final club, which will be known as Jupiter Links Golf Club, will be led by Woods’ TGR Ventures and David Blitzer, who already owns piece of teams in all five major U.S. leagues. Read more here.

Legends announces acquisition of ASM Global
Legends and ASM Global announced the signing of a definitive agreement under which Legends will acquire ASM Global to create a premium live events company dedicated to providing outstanding experiences for fans around the world. The acquisition of ASM Global’s venue management capabilities will enhance Legends’ services portfolio, positioning Legends to meet the expanding needs of sports organizations, entertainment venues, convention centers, and attractions globally while supporting its vision to deliver exceptional live experiences for fans in the digital age.
businesswire.com

Amazon sells out slots for ‘Black Friday’ football ads
Black Friday sales are already opening hot for Amazon. Amazon’s Prime Video sold out all commercial inventory for the new “Black Friday” Game, according to Variety. Ther eport says that Amazon has also sold out of ad inventory in the “Thursday Night Football” games slated for November 16 and November 30.
variety.com

Vivid Seats announces acquisition of Vegas.com
Vivid Seats Inc. announced its acquisition of Vegas.com, the leading entertainment marketplace for consumers exploring Las Vegas, in a cash and stock transaction valued at approximately $240 million. The move comes as Las Vegas grows into a sports destination.
globenewswire.com

Concacaf seeks new official ball partner following Nike expiration
Concacaf, the governing body for soccer in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, has launched an RFP process to find a new partner in the match ball, equipment and sports apparel category following the expiration of its deal with Nike.
sportsbusinessjournal.com

NBA In-Season Tournament Debut Averages 1.7M Viewers
The NBA’s In-Season Tournament experiment got off to a solid — if unspectacular — start in terms of television viewership. ESPN’s presentation of the first-ever In-Season Tournament game between the New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks averaged 1.644 million viewers, while the late game of the doubleheader between the Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets averaged 1.796 million viewers.
frontofficesports.com

World Series 9-inning games averaged 3 hours, 1 minute — fastest since 1996
If you think the World Series sped by, it did. Nine-inning games averaged 3 hours, 1 minute, the fastest since 1996, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The first postseason of the pitch clock also included defensive shift limits and larger bases, leading to increased stolen bases and appearing to contribute to higher batting averages.
apnews.com

EA Sports FC partners with Whisper to deliver esports events
Game publisher Electronic Arts (EA) partnered with broadcast production agency Whisper to deliver event and broadcast services for EA Sports FC professional tournaments. Whisper highlights that the agency’s responsibilities will include location sourcing, set/lighting design, audience and player management as well as live broadcasting duties.
esportsinsider.com

Rachel Nichols and DeMarcus Cousins launch NBA podcast for Showtime Basketball
Rachel Nichols and DeMarcus Cousins launched an NBA podcast this week under the All the Smoke banner for Showtime Basketball. Both hosts announced the launch of Bully Ball on their Instagram pages. The show comes after Cousins worked as a guest panelist on various Showtime podcasts this year.
awfulannouncing.com

Steve Cohen to partner with Hard Rock on bid for $8 billion casino next to NY Mets Stadium
New York Mets owner Steve Cohen is partnering with Hard Rock International on a proposal to build an $8 billion casino and entertainment complex on a 50-acre parking lot in Queens next to the Citi Field baseball stadium. The hedge fund billionaire is vying with nearly a dozen other applicants for one of only three coveted state licenses to build a full-scale casino in downstate New York.
bloomberg.com

Nevada judge tosses teachers union-backed petition to put A’s stadium funding on 2024 ballot
A Nevada judge threw out a proposed ballot referendum backed by a statewide teachers union that would give voters the final say on whether to give $380 million in public funding for a proposed $1.5 billion Oakland Athletics stadium on the Las Vegas Strip. The Monday ruling from Carson City District Court Judge James Russell sided with two lobbyists affiliated with trade unions that favor the public financing for the A’s stadium.
apnews.com

Carolyn Tisch Blodgett joins NWSL’s Gotham FC ownership
Carolyn Tisch Blodgett, the CEO of Next 3 Ventures and a strategic advisor to the Tisch Ownership Group of the New York Giants, is nearing an agreement to join the ownership group of the NWSL’s NJ/NY Gotham FC, according to people familiar with the matter.
yahoo.com

Arda Öcal extended at ESPN
ESPN inked SportsCenter anchor Arda Öcal to a new multi-year deal. He will continue to bring his talents to multiple ESPN platforms, including serving as studio host of NHL on ESPN and The Point.
twitter.com

Wagenheim named North America CEO of Footballco
Jason Wagenheim is leaving BDG Media, the parent company of Bustle and a slew of other female-focused lifestyle brands, to lead the expansion of Footballco as its first-ever CEO of North America. Footballco owns a stable of digital soccer websites primarily serving fans in Europe and the Middle East. Wagenheim has been hired to fuel the company's growth in North America ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
axios.com

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Sport & Story Daily and Sports & Story College are the sport industry’s daily resource for business news. In addition to serving up exclusive trends, Q&As, and columns, the newsletter connects reads to top platforms and stories from across the sports landscape.

Chris Pursell is the founder of staple industry events such as the Cynopsis Sports Business Awards, the Esports Business Summit, the CMO Exchange, the Tempest Awards, and the Esports Newfronts. He was previously a reporter and editor for publications such as Variety and The Los Angeles Times and launched leading business publications for Cynopsis and PromaxBDA.

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