Sport & Story Daily September 11, 2023

Stay Ahead of the Game

September 11, 2023

Good morning! The NFL season got off to a red-hot start as the Lions victory of the Chiefs reeled in big audience spikes for NBC Sports…

🦁 NBC roars as Lions’ win lands 27 million viewers
The Detroit Lions’ 21-20 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in the opening game of the NFL season Thursday night on NBC/Peacock handed the platforms with nearly 27 million viewers, and landed as media’s most-watched show since Super Bowl LVII on FOX in February. The matchup registered a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) average of 26.8 million viewers across NBC, Peacock, NBC Sports Digital, and NFL Digital platforms – up 24% from last year’s opener and ranking as the second-largest NFL Kickoff Game audience since Steelers-Patriots in 2015. Read more here.

📈 NWSL scores all-time best attendance record as league looks to expand
When the San Diego Wave FC welcomed nearly 25,000 fans to Snapdragon Stadium for the club’s Sunday match against the Houston Dash, it pushed the NWSL to a new attendance mark of 1,060,978. The new record, which marks the second-straight regular season to host over a million fans, comes with four weeks of play remaining in the season ahead of the 2023 NWSL Playoffs, presented by Bud Light. Meanwhile, Commissioner Jessica Berman reiterated Friday that the NWSL will begin an expansion process later this year to add two more teams in 2026. Read more here.

🚨 Spain federation president Rubiales resigns amid kiss fallout
After drawing headlines and criticism worldwide after his conduct at the Women’s World Cup, Luis Rubiales, the president of Spain’s soccer federation, will resign from his role for kissing player Jennifer Hermoso in an interaction she says was nonconsensual. "I have handed in my resignation to the acting president, Pedro Rocha," Rubiales confirmed in an open letter published on Sunday. Read more here.

🎾 AXS TV to air 2023 Major League Pickleball season 2 live events
AXS TV locked in a broadcast agreement with Major League Pickleball to serve up live coverage of the league’s 2023 Season 2 events on the network beginning Friday, September 22 at 10 a.m. ET. AXS TV is slated to broadcast all three Season 2 tournaments beginning with live coverage of MLP Atlanta, Friday, September 22 through Sunday, September 24. Coverage of MLP Los Angeles will follow, Friday, November 3 to Sunday, November 5; and Season 2 coverage on AXS will conclude with MLP SoCal from Friday, December 8 through Sunday, December 10. Read more here.

🏝 Virgin Islands make big play with Cubs
The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism are booking tickets to Chicago, announcing an expansion of its sports collaborations with the launch of a new multi-year partnership with the Chicago Cubs in a move to “reach deep into the Midwest market and connect with a broad range of potential travelers.” Read more here.

Disney-Charter Standoff Unlikely to Destroy Pay TV Ecosystem, But Will Leave Lasting Impact

The Walt Disney Company channels remain blacked out on Charter Spectrum cable systems. The ongoing carriage dispute threatens to leave some portion of nearly 15 million people without access to Aaron Rodgers’ New York debut. Tonight’s game is going to be broadcast by ESPN and simulcast on ABC.

“It’s definitely a seminal day [in the negotiations],” Bob Thompson (former president, Fox Sports Networks) said.

While the two sides may appear to be far apart in negotiations, both should be motivated to work through their differences–if not necessarily in time for kickoff of Jets-Bills.

“If Disney loses Charter, it probably loses everybody [within reason]; or at the very least, sees its terms with other Pay TV distributors altered over time [as those entities will leverage their perceived increase in value to Disney in future negotiations],” media consultant Patrick Crakes said.

And Charter knows its lucrative broadband service is sold most effectively when bundled together with other products and/or services.

So, the now weeklong standoff doesn’t seem likely to spur the feared apocalypse. But this negotiation is likely to leave a lasting impact on the sports media business.

Read the rest of this story on JohnWallStreet.

Coco Gauff made $3 Million with her U.S. Open win. The real riches will soon follow
Coco Gauff found herself compared to Serena Williams before she was even a teenager, and just as companies once did with the GOAT, a long list of brands has followed her development as a tennis and marketing star with great interest. They watched as the American prodigy reached the top of the world junior rankings at 14, and as she won her first pro tournament title a year later.
forbes.com

YouTube Is betting $14 billion on reviving NFL Sunday Ticket
Since its 1994 launch, NFL Sunday Ticket has been available exclusively on DirecTV, which meant subscribing to the satellite provider and putting a dish on your roof. But starting this season, millions of football fans will be treated to a revamped experience when the league’s out-of-market broadcast package debuts on YouTube and YouTube TV.
frontofficesports.com

Skechers nets partnership with IOA for Asian Games 2022
The American multinational brand, Skechers has unveiled a new partnership with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) for the upcoming Asian Games 2022. Following the association, Skechers has been named the official sports footwear partner of the Indian contingent that will be competing in the marquee tournament, happening in Hangzhou.
sportsmintmedia.com

Ganten extends Fiba Global Partner role to 2027 Basketball World Cup
Ganten, the Chinese mineral water brand, is to stay on as a top-tier Global Partner of the International Basketball Federation (Fiba) for another World Cup cycle, striking a new deal to 2027.
fiba.basketball

IndyCar to run $1 million all-star race at The Thermal Club in 2024
IndyCar will hold an all-star race next year at the Thermal Club in Southern California, with $1 million guaranteed to the winner of the made-for-TV exhibition. The $1 Million Challenge will be held on March 24 and air on NBC, with practice and qualifying the previous two days.
apnews.com

Stephen Curry replicates iconic golf shots in new show on Golf Channel And NBC
NBC Sports and Unanimous Media have announced Niiice Shot with Stephen Curry Presented by Genesis, a new four-part series featuring four-time NBA champion and scratch golfer Stephen Curry as he attempts to replicate memorable shots in recent golf history by Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy.
nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com

Jay Williams to launch new media project with ESPN
What is Jay Williams doing after ESPN? He is going into business with ESPN. He made the announcement Friday on social media. Williams did not have details to offer. He thanked Burke Magnus and Jimmy Pitaro as well as his own team for getting a deal done.
barrettsportsmedia.com

Overwatch League mulls outside organizers
Overwatch League’s future structure remains uncertain after a report by GGRecon revealed that Activision Blizzard is discussing options with third-party tournament organizers about the esports competition in 2024. Sources said that ESL FACEIT Group is one of the companies that the publisher has spoken to regarding the running of its circuit in North America and Europe. Meanwhile, a continued partnership with WDG Esports for its Asian operations is being discussed.
esportsinsider.com

Seattle Seahawks announce multi-year partnership with T-Mobile
As the team's Exclusive 5G Wireless Partner, T-Mobile branding will be visible in-venue at Lumen Field beginning with the team's regular season home opener on September 10. T-Mobile will also partner closely with the Seahawks to enhance the already incredible fan experience at Lumen Field, in addition to rolling out network upgrades to boost connectivity for Un-carrier customers at events year-round.
seahawks.com

A’s funding for Las Vegas stadium faces new challenge
Schools Over Stadiums, an advocacy group linked to the Nevada State Education Association, has filed a referendum petition seeking to put the previously approved $380 million in public funding for the stadium on a statewide public ballot. The group will need more than 102,000 valid signatures by July 2024 to qualify for the ballot in November of that year. But if successful, the A’s issue would go before Nevada voters at a time when voter support for private sports projects is often tenuous at best.
fronofficesports.com

OVG, MSG Entertainment launch venue partnership agency led by ex-PGA Tour exec
US venue development, advisory and investment company Oak View Group has teamed up with MSG Entertainment and Sphere Entertainment Company to launch a new entity that will manage sponsorships for sports and entertainment brands and venues around the world.
sportbusiness.com

John Scott to join Blackhawks broadcast team
Former Hawks enforcer John Scott will be in the studio for pre- and post-game shows during the upcoming campaign. Scott announced the news on a recent episode of his "Dropping the Gloves" podcast.
ontapsportsnet.com

Michael Irvin resumes NFL Network duties after lengthy suspension
Michael Irvin returned to the NFL Network set on Sunday as his indefinite suspension that began days before February’s Super Bowl was lifted. “Good to be back,” Irvin said on NFL Gameday Morning. Irvin suspended the NFL-owned outlet after a Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel employee accused the Hall of Fame receiver of harassment. Irvin settled the lawsuit he filed against Marriott, the Dallas Morning News reported on Sunday.
frontofficesports.com

XFL names Nish Mehta SVP of Sponsorships & Business Development
The XFL announced that Nish Mehta has joined the League as SVP of sponsorships & business development, as part of the league’s commercial team under the direction of chief commercial officer Josh Cella. Mehta joins the XFL from Twitter, where he oversaw numerous industry verticals. Under his leadership, the team was responsible for building strategic partnerships with brands to help them leverage Twitter’s audience and platform solutions.
xfl.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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