Front Office Sports Today

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The Risks and Rewards of Las Vegas’s Huge Sports Investment Feb 12, 2024

Show notes

Sin City saw its rise as a sports city come to fruition with Sunday’s Super Bowl, but more and more economists are questioning the value of hosting major sporting events. The city is also learning the quirks of Oakland A’s owner John Fisher, as he seeks funding for a new stadium on the Las Vegas Strip.

FOS contributor Dan Kaplan and The Athletic columnist Tim Kawakami join the show to discuss the perils and profits that the city has felt as a high-profile sports destination.

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NFL Hits Jackpot with Las Vegas Super Bowl Feb 09, 2024

Show notes

The spectacle that is Super Bowl week is reaching new heights in Las Vegas. Long before kickoff, NFL players, media personnel, celebrities, and brands flooded the city for both business and pleasure. Ahead of the game, our writers on the scene join for a roundtable talk on the wild week.

Plus, a development firm put out ambitious renderings for a new Chicago White Sox stadium, the NBA is embracing the flow of money from the Middle East, and Patrick Beverly broke the news of his own trade.

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ESPN’s Streaming Future is Here Feb 08, 2024

Show notes

Disney’s quarterly earnings showed strength at ESPN and narrow losses from its streaming services. This week, ESPN announced both a joint streaming venture with Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery, and a separate standalone product that will put the ESPN cable channel on a streaming service along with ESPN Bet integration and other features. We dive into how the network is shaping its cord-cutting strategy.

Plus, Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, and Phil Simms chime in from Radio Row, we have exclusive data on whether fans would pay to watch the Super Bowl, and the Boston Red Sox are getting the “Hard Knocks” treatment.

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Are College Athletes Employees? Feb 07, 2024

Show notes

A ruling by the National Labor Relations Board puts college athletes on the path to becoming employees of their schools. While appeals are expected, the NCAA could face an equally tough audience from the Supreme Court, should the case progress that far.

Plus, the mayor of Las Vegas responds to the reaction from her interview on this show, ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery are launching a sports-focused streaming service, and we look back on the NFL season and ahead to the NFL draft with ESPN’s Matt Miller.

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Las Vegas Mayor: A’s Plans ‘Don’t Make Sense’ Feb 06, 2024

Show notes

Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman applauds the city’s rise as a sports destination with one exception: the Oakland A’s. Mayor Goodman told Front Office Sports that she believes the team’s plans at the Tropicana site don’t make sense and that the team ought to stay in Oakland. She also discussed a potential NBA team there, and how the city will adjust in future years hosting Formula 1 to mitigate harm to small businesses.

Plus, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell held his annual Super Bowl press conference, FIFA announced the World Cup final host, Inter Miami’s international tour has disappointed Lionel Messi fans, and the Kansas City Royals made one of the biggest signings in baseball history.

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NFL Gambling Rules Make Las Vegas a Danger Zone for Players Feb 05, 2024

Show notes

The NFL has embraced sports betting with its first Super Bowl in Las Vegas, but the league’s gambling by-laws present a maze of potential hazards for the hundreds of players that will be in Sin City for the week. Players on NFL rosters have to navigate detailed regulations on casino events and the rules around sportsbook locations. The situation is primed for rule breaking, whether intentional or accidental.

Plus, Kylian Mbappe has reportedly picked a new team, NHL players will participate in the next two Winter Olympics, and we dive into the strange world of Super Bowl ads with USA Today’s Rick Suter.

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Big East Basketball Chaos: A Fan-Made Documentary's Fallout Feb 02, 2024

Show notes

A documentary film on Providence and its former head basketball coach Ed Cooley from an anonymous social media user known as “Blue Demon Degenerate” caused a huge stir. The project raises questions about creator content and journalistic ethics. The doc has rippled throughout sports media and prompted an apology from writer Jeff Goodman over messages he sent to the filmmaker.

Plus, a University of Tennessee lawsuit against the NCAA presents another threat to amateurism, and Lewis Hamilton is leaving Mercedes for Ferrari.

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Orioles Sale Brings New Era to Baltimore Feb 01, 2024

Show notes

Peter Angelos has agreed to sell the Baltimore Orioles after owning them for 31 years. The new ownership group is led by private equity executive and Baltimore native David Rubenstein. It includes Hall of Famers Cal Ripken Jr. and Grant Hill, as well as former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, and prompts questions on how this will alter team operations and whether it will lead to the sale of the Washington Nationals. Sam Dingman, co-host of the Orioles podcast The Rumor, joins the show to discuss what this means for the team and their fans.

Plus, the PGA Tour has secured a $1.5 billion investment that could rise to $3 billion as it continues to negotiate with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. The deal bolsters the future of the leading golf organization as it works to determine the future of the sport.

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Unveiled Court Documents Reveal Shocking Goodell Testimony Jan 31, 2024

Show notes

Newly released deposition transcripts revealed insensitive statements by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. In one instance Goodell referred to former NFL players who committed suicide and left notes asking for their brains to be studied, saying, “I think players who want to participate in the research necessary to advance science is a positive thing for us.”

Plus: the second half of our conversation with Tom Brady, in which he discusses how he's preparing to take over as Fox’s lead color commentator and why he wants to own an NFL team.

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Tom Brady On the Major Merger of Brady Brand and TB12 with NOBULL Jan 30, 2024

Show notes

Tom Brady joins the show to tell us why he is merging his wellness company, TB12, and apparel company, Brady Brand with the footwear and apparel company NOBULL. Brady and NOBULL owner Mike Repole discuss the deal, and the shared vision they are bringing to the venture. The merger is set to be one of the defining moves of Brady’s post-playing career.

Plus: With two popular teams, the spectacle of Las Vegas, and a possible Taylor Swift appearance, Super Bowl LVIII is shaping up to be one of the most-watched and expensive sporting events ever.

This episode is sponsored by:

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