The NBA Goes to Europe?

NBA owners are set to convene this week to discuss a plan to launch a pro basketball league in Europe.

March 26, 2025

NBA Owners to Review Proposed European League
Sportico’s Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams write, “NBA owners are set to review this week on a plan to launch a pro basketball league in Europe, one that would help expand the sport’s presence across the continent and give the NBA a chance to share more directly in the economics of that growth.

“League owners are considering a new league with eight to 10 franchises, according to someone directly familiar with the plans. It’s a ‘semi-open’ proposal, the person said, meaning there would be up to four spots for the best teams in the EuroLeague—the continent’s top circuit with teams like Real Madrid in Spain and Greece’s Olympiacos—to compete in the NBA’s European league the following year. The franchises in places like London or Paris could sell for at least $500 million, according to the proposal.”
^Sportico

World Athletics to Require Chromosome Testing of Athletes in Women’s Track and Field
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said Tuesday that the track and field’s governing body has approved the introduction of cheek swabs and dry blood-spot tests for female athletes in order to maintain “the integrity of competition.”

The planned changes include reinstating a version of chromosome testing that was discontinued in the 1990s, requiring athletes who compete in the female category to submit to a cheek swab or dry blood-spot test for the presence of a gene that indicates whether the athlete has a “Y” chromosome present in males.
^{AP News}

Can the NBA Fix Tanking? Why It's Worse This Season, Plus 5 Solutions
ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Kevin Pelton write, “That system, which the NBA last changed in 2019, rewards teams with a sliding scale of odds to land one of the top four spots in the draft based on its annual lottery in May. The three teams with the worst records each receive a 14% chance of landing the top pick in the draft and a 52.1% chance of getting one of the top four. (Those odds slide down to the lottery team with the best record, which has a 0.5% chance of winning the top pick in the draft and a 2.1% chance of landing a top-four selection.)
^ESPN

Under Armour Signs New Non-Exclusive NFL Pact
Under Armour has returned to the NFL fold four years after a companywide marketing retrenchment, signing a new long-term, on-field licensing deal to allow players to wear Under Armour branded gloves and shoes while playing. In the new deal, Under Armour joins Nike and Adidas as “official footwear and glove” sponsors.
^{Sports Business Journal}

SBJ weighed in on the uber-successful media numbers for both MBB and WBB:

⛹🏽‍♀️ : Women’s Tourney Sees Second-Best First Found
🏀 : NCAA Men’s Tournament Pacing for Best Viewership in 32 Years Through Second Round

Stanford Fires Football Coach Troy Taylor After Report Detailing Workplace Behavior
The school made the decision after a report by ESPN chronicled Taylor’s workplace behavior in his two seasons as the Cardinal’s coach.
^{Yahoo! Sports}

Fire Tap Ted Glick For Ticketing, New Venue
Ted Glick is set to join the Fire as their Chief Ticketing Officer and SVP/Stadium Programming & Events on April 1. Glick, who will report to Fire President of Business Operations Dave Baldwin, is being brought on with an eye toward the team’s planned move to a to-be-announced new stadium. Glick -- a 2020 SBJ New Voices Under 30 honoree -- will lead hospitality sales and event programming at the privately funded venue, plans for which are still in the works.
^{Sports Business Journal}

Sacramento State Hires Former NBA Star Mike Bibby as New Basketball Coach
Former Sacramento Kings star Mike Bibby was hired to take over the struggling basketball team at Sacramento State. Athletic director Mark Orr announced the move on Tuesday, saying he believed that Bibby can help generate excitement for the program.
^{AP News}

McNeese Hires Former Baylor Basketball Assistant Bill Armstrong to Replace Will Wade
The Athletic’s Justin Williams reports: “The Cowboys named former Baylor assistant Bill Armstrong as the new men’s basketball coach Tuesday, two days after Wade was officially announced as the new head coach at NC State. Wade, who spent two seasons in charge of the Cowboys, led the program to its first NCAA Tournament win — a 69-67 upset of Clemson — last week. McNeese was then bounced by Purdue in the round of 32.”
^{The Athletic}

Official ‘Cautiously Optimistic’ on $8B Metropolitan Park Project
SBJ’s Mike Mazzeo writes, “Mets owner Steve Cohen’s long-term vision goes beyond his team and its Citi Field home. Cohen is hoping to land one of three downstate New York casino licenses, enabling him to transform the surrounding area via the privately funded $8 billion Metropolitan Park project.

“The project would turn 50 acres of asphalt parking lots around the ballpark into a Hard Rock Hotel and Casino adjacent to Citi Field, 25 acres of new public park space, a Queens Food Hall with 20 local vendors, a 5,000-seat indoor concert venue and a renovated transportation hub.”
^{Sports Business Journal}

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App State Athletics and Playfly Sports Enter Multimedia Rights Partnership
App State Athletics and Playfly Sports, the leading revenue maximizer of the sports industry, today announced a multimedia rights agreement, marking a new era of innovation, collaboration, and growth for Mountaineers Athletics. This partnership will bring enhanced revenue opportunities, elevated fan engagement, and a revamped corporate sponsorship program to one of the most passionate collegiate fan bases in the country.

SBJ also covered the story here.
^{Playfly Sports, Sports Business Journal}

Azzi Fudd to Return to UConn With Richer, New WNBA CBA in the Works
Staying at UConn is not a surprising move for Fudd, who looks to put together a fully healthy campaign after being hampered by an ACL tear and other injuries since arriving in 2021. Additionally, it positions Fudd to reap the benefits of a new WNBA collective bargaining agreement, which is being negotiated between the players union and the league.
^Sportico

March Madness 2025: St. Francis (PA) Announces It's Dropping From Division I to Division III a Week After First Four Loss
"This was not an easy nor a quick decision for the Board of Trustees," school chairman Rev. Joseph Lehman said in a statement. "The governance associated with intercollegiate athletics has always been complicated and is only growing in complexity based on realities like the transfer portal, pay-for-play, and other shifts that move athletics away from love of the game. For that reason, as a Board, we aim to best provide resources and support to our student-athletes in this changing environment that aligns with our mission, Catholic institution, and our community's expectations."
^{Yahoo! Sports}

Deion Sanders’ Push For NFL-Style Intersquad Scrimmages at College Level Gains Momentum With Coaches
Colorado coach Deion Sanders recently suggested a school be allowed to host a team from another school for a few days of joint practices before they play an exhibition game, possibly as a replacement for the traditional intrasquad spring game. Syracuse coach Fran Brown, in response to Sanders, said in a social media post he would be willing to take his team to Colorado for a three-day visit.
^{AP News}

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