Sport & Story Daily January 19, 2024

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January 19, 2024

Good morning! The PGA Tour is elevating the financial status of its top tournaments

FOS With: Jordan Spieth. ‘Big Year’ For PGA Tour’s Financial Future
As Front Office Sports’ David Rumsey writes, “Jordan Spieth started his 2024 PGA Tour season with a strong third-place finish worth $1.36 million in Maui at The Sentry, the first of eight signature events featuring $20 million purses. This is the second year in which the PGA Tour is elevating the financial status of its top tournaments, as the rival LIV Golf— which poached defending Masters champion Jon Rahm at the end of last year—continues to offer $25 million purses.” 
^{frontofficesports.com}

Bill Belichick to Interview With Falcons for Second Time, per Report
The Falcons have met with several coaching candidates thus far, but Belichick appears to be the primary focus of Atlanta’s search. Blank and Belichick’s second meeting will be a one-on-one interview, per Ian Rapoport, as the duo will likely discuss what a potential partnership would look like.

Reports circulated earlier this week that Belichick was looking for a talented roster that had yet to reach its potential, and the Falcons would certainly fit that description. Atlanta has plenty of skill position talent on both sides of the football, but has yet to find a franchise quarterback since Matt Ryan’s departure a couple of seasons ago.
^si.com

WBD Sports Rebranding to TNT Sports For All Productions, Content
TNT Sports Warner Bros. Discovery today is rolling out a rebrand of its U.S. sports division, WBD Sports, to TNT Sports for all productions and content.   It’s a move similar to the one WBD made over the summer for its BT Sports division in Great Britain and Ireland
^{sportsbusinessjournal.com}

Geotz Named UI’s Next Director Of Athletics
Iowa AD Beth Goetz has a five-year contract paying $850,000 annually with the opportunity for $175,000 in bonuses.
^{hawkeyesports.com and twitter.com}

‘No Such Thing as Control’: ESPN Talent Wields More Power Than Ever
As Front Office Sports notes, “Before ESPN allowed Pat McAfee, Stephen A. Smith, and Peyton Manning to produce their own content, there was The Decision.

In the summer of 2010, super agent Ari Emanuel pitched ESPN exec John Skipper on a TV special where LeBron James would announce where he was headed in NBA free agency. When the special aired that July, it took about 20 questions over 30 minutes for a dawdling Jim Gray to ask the one query fans wanted to know: Where was James headed after seven seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers?” 
^{frontofficesports.com}

Monumental’s Pending Move to Virginia Leaves Numerous Long-Term Venue Questions in D.C.
The proposed mixed-use development project at Potomac Yard would put major pro sports back in Virginia. Courtesy of MSA The state of Virginia hasn’t had a major pro sports team since the ABA’s Virginia Squires went bust in 1976, but a move to change that could be coming
^{sportsbusinessjournal.com}

Comstock Announces Retirement After 44 Years in College Athletics
Comstock's duties have included oversight of 84 NCAA championships, media coordination and statistics, playing rules, ticket operations and marketing, merchandise and licensing, and social and digital media. The Association's senior woman administrator recently played an integral role in the NCAA's new media rights agreement with ESPN.

Before her 17-year stint as a member of the NCAA executive team, Comstock spent 27 years on campus in a variety of roles, including athletics director, administrator, and coach.
^ncaa.org

How Purdue Men’s Basketball Coach Matt Painter Pioneered Offensive Coordinator Role
As SI.com’s Kevin Sweeney writes, “Step inside of an in-game huddle for the Purdue Boilermakers men’s basketball team, and the man with the clipboard diagramming the play the Boilermakers will run on their next offensive trip often isn’t coach Matt Painter.
^si.com

Florida Gators Athletic Director Says He's Not Going Anywhere
“The University of Florida is the best job in the country for college athletics,” Stricklin said. “It’s the best location. It’s the best school. We’ve got an awesome fanbase. I love being a Gator and I have no interest in working somewhere else at this time.”
^{gatorswire.usatoday.com}

ACC Claims Florida State Should Be Excluded From Conference Business in Amended Lawsuit
The Atlantic Coast Conference filed an amended lawsuit against Florida State on Wednesday, citing “serial breaches of critical legal promises and obligations,” as the league continues its proactive stance in a legal battle over a grant of media-revenue rights.
^si.com

Doubtful That Congress Will Come to a Consensus on Antitrust to the NCAA
As Ross Dellenger writes on Twitter, “The most noteworthy thing to emerge from the college sports hearing happened afterward when Rep. Lori Trahan (D-MA) said she doesn't believe Congress will come to a consensus on granting employment exemption & antitrust to the NCAA. ‘That is not going to pass both chambers,’ she said.”
^twitter.com

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