Front Office Sports Today

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Manchester United Sale Saga Comes to a Close Oct 16, 2023

Show notes

British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe is buying a 25% stake in Manchester United, allowing Joel and Avram Glazer to retain a controlling interest in the club. Ratcliffe will have influence over roster-building decisions and could seek full control of the club. We also discuss the NFL, and commissioner Roger Goodell revealing that the league is mulling the idea of a London Super Bowl in the future.

Plus, we explore the international baseball landscape with reporter Shawn Spradling, in light of the IOC approving it for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, and highly touted Japanese slugger Rintaro Sasaki is making the unprecedented move of forgoing Nippon Professional Baseball to play in college in the U.S.

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MLB Out of Patience with Diamond Sports Group Oct 13, 2023

Show notes

Major League Baseball has made legal filings to compel Diamond Sports Group to declare which of the 12 teams for whom it has local broadcast rights it intends to broadcast in the 2024 season. MLB wants more time to prepare its media landscape after having to scramble when DSG dropped its broadcasts of the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks mid-season in 2023. We also look into the intrigue around Endeavor bidding for a piece of the PGA Tour, the sports talk morning show wars, and the Connor Bedard effect on ratings.

Later, Ben Pickman, staff writer for The Athletic, joins to discuss the WNBA finals and the state of the league as it looks toward, expansion, its next set of media deals, and the potential for new CBA negotiations in 2025.

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Brett Favre in Legal Jeopardy Oct 12, 2023

Show notes

Brett Favre has been preventing Mississippi authorities from accessing his tax returns. Favre is under investigation for allegations that he purposefully directed funds intended for needy families to a volleyball facility at the University of Southern Mississippi. Senior reporter AJ Perez joins to discuss the latest in the legal drama.

Plus, we hear from the founder of Moolah Kicks, Natalie White. White started the sneaker company after realizing that many women’s basketball shoes were actually smaller versions of men’s shoes and don’t account for differences in women’s bodies.

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L.A. Kings Owner's Record-Breaking Revenue Oct 11, 2023

Show notes

AEG Global Partnerships' co-COOs join us to talk about their big year, new partners, and the multimillion renovations at Crypto.com Arena.

Plus, newsletter co-author Eric Fisher discusses dips in MLB postseason viewership — and why there's a debate around the format of the playoffs.

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NHL Drops the Puck, feat. Eddie Olczyk Oct 10, 2023

Show notes

The NHL begins its 2023-24 season amid signs of growth for the league, including a rising salary cap and talk of expansion. Veteran player and broadcaster Eddie Olczyk joins the show to discuss the state of the league.

Plus, State Farm CMO Kristyn Cook gives us an exclusive announcement on the sports-aligned brand’s next long-term athlete deal. The star will join Patrick Mahomes and Chris Paul as key players in State Farm’s advertising.

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PGA Tour-Saudi Deal on Shaky Ground Oct 09, 2023

Show notes

The deal that stands to upend the golf world is running into trouble, and now seems likely to miss a deadline at the end of the year. We delve into what it means for the future of the sport.

Plus, Zaire Wade, son of NBA legend Dwyane Wade, joins to discuss his path in professional basketball, through the Basketball Africa League and the G League, which he hopes lands him in the NBA.

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WNBA Expands to San Francisco, Portland Oct 06, 2023

Show notes

The WNBA will be adding teams in San Francisco and, pending final approvals, Portland in 2025. The announcement signals the ongoing strength of the league and women’s sports generally.

Plus, baseball play-by-play announcer Brian Anderson joins to discuss the MLB playoffs and the state of sports broadcasting ahead of the National League Division Series between the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies, which he will be calling.

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Apple, Amazon Aim for Top-Shelf College Rights, Join CFP Bidding Oct 05, 2023

Show notes

FIFA has made the unprecedented move to start the 2030 World Cup in South America before the action moves to Spain, Portugal, and Morocco.

Plus, reporter Amanda Christovich joins to discuss her exclusive report on big tech companies joining the race for College Football Playoff rights. Later, NFL All-Pro Marcellus Wiley join us to talk about the NFL, the Deion Sanders phenomenon, and his foundation work.

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New Case Could Make College Athletes Employees Oct 04, 2023

Show notes

A complaint presented to the National Labor Relations Board challenges the NCAA’s amateurism model — and could lead to college athletes becoming employees. Front Office Sports reporter Amanda Christovich discusses the complaint and its chances of success.

Plus, ESPN NBA Front Office Insider Bobby Marks joins to preview a high-stakes NBA season that will debut the midseason tournament and new rules to keep stars on the court, as the league negotiates its largest set of media deals in history.

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NBC Could Get In On College Football Playoffs Oct 03, 2023

Show notes

NBC is exploring whether to obtain the rights to broadcast a slice of the expanded College Football Playoff in 2026. Senior Writer Michael McCarthy and newsletter co-author Eric Fisher discuss the news, along with their takeaways from Sunday's "Toy Story" NFL broadcast and Taylor Swift's appearance on "Sunday Night Football."

Plus, Dallas Stars president and CEO Brad Alberts speaks with senior writer Owen Poindexter about last season's run to the Western Conference Final, growing hockey in the southern U.S., and why NHL expansion teams are so successful.

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