10 To Watch : Mayor’s Edition

RICK HORROW’S TOP 10 SPORTS/BIZ/TECH/PHILANTHROPY ISSUES FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 20 : MAYOR’S EDITION

with Jacob Aere 

Brands spent $4.48 billion on TV advertising during 2019 regular season NFL broadcasts, according to iSpot.tv data shared by Broadcasting & Cable. The figure is up nearly 14% on 2018, as the number of ad airings during NFL broadcasts climbed more than 7% to more than 32,000. According to the data, the ads scored 157.8 billion impressions, an uptick of 11% from the previous year. Verizon, also an NFL sponsor, was the top-spending company, shelling out an estimated $150.6 million to advertise during NFL games. Insurance firms Geico, Progressive, and State Farm also spent more than $100 million on ad spots. Most money came from the automotive industry, as Toyota, Hyundai, and others reportedly spent $605.2 million on commercials, while electronics and communication firms spent an estimated $351 million. The study comes ahead of Super Bowl LIV, which has seen brands pay FOX as much as $5.6 million for a single 30-second ad slot during the game. We assume that State Farm is disappointed to see spokesman Aaron Rodgers’ Packers fall to the 49ers and miss out on a “Super State Farm Bowl” against fellow pitchman Patrick Mahomes.

Lots of familiar ESPN faces, U.S. females populate the Australian Open. The Australian Open gets underway on Monday, replete with many very familiar faces reporting from Melbourne against the backdrop of bushfires that have commanded headlines, donations, and on-the-ground aid personnel from across the world. In the broadcast booths at Rod Laver Arena and around the vast tennis complex, James Blake has joined ESPN’s tennis team, with the company announcing a bevy of new contracts for its veterans as well. Longtime ESPN tennis stalwarts with new contracts include Darren Cahill (2007, the year he joined ESPN); Chris Evert (2011); Mary Joe Fernandez, marking 20 years (2000); Brad Gilbert (2004); John McEnroe (2009); Patrick McEnroe, celebrating 25 years (1995); Chris McKendry (1996); and Pam Shriver, marking her 30th year with the network (1990). Additionally, there are 22 American women in this year’s Australian Open main draw, the most at a Slam other than the U.S. Open since the 1999 Australian Open. The first round pitted the oldest, 39 year old Venus Williams, against the youngest, 15 year old Coco Gauff (the winner).

NHL All-Star Game takes the ice and the streets in St. Louis. The NHL has lined up its roster of activations for the 2020 NHL Fan Fair, the official fan festival of the2020 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend, running January 23-26 in St. Louis. Partners gearing up for the event include Enterprise, Honda, New Amsterdam Vodka, Truly, Discover, Dunkin’, Bud Light, GEICO, Great Clips, MassMutual, and SAP. Highlights of the four-day, family-friendly festival include autograph sessions featuring former and current NHL All-Stars; a Hockey Hall of Fame exhibit featuring the St. Louis Blues; NHL memorabilia and trophy displays, including the Stanley Cup; and the sixth annual NHL Mascot Showdown featuring all 29 NHL Mascots. Additionally, the NHL and Green Day will build on their multiyear partnership with the band’s headlining performance at the 2020 Honda NHL All-Star Game on January 25. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees will perform outside Enterprise Center shortly before they take the stage inside during the second intermission presented by Ticketmaster. The performance – as always, aimed at expanding hockey’s demographic reach – will be televised as part of the live All-Star Game broadcast on NBC and throughout Canada.

The WNBA and its players' union have come to terms on a new eight-year collective bargaining agreement that includes higher salaries, improved family benefits, and better travel accommodations. This represents a turning point for women's basketball and could ultimately lead to a substantial shift in how female athletes — across all sports — are compensated. The average WNBA cash compensation will reach nearly $130,000, and top players will be able to earn upwards of $500,000. Players will also receive a full salary while on maternity leave, and an annual child care stipend of $5,000. WNBA teams, which provide housing, will now guarantee two-bedroom apartments for players with children. And while players will still have to fly commercial, they'll finally get their own individual hotel rooms. "We believe it's a groundbreaking and historic deal. I'm proud of the players; they bargained hard, they unified, they brought attention to so many important topics," said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. The implications of this agreement reach beyond basketball into the larger workplace, at a time when women are demanding increased pay and benefits, on their merit and as a challenge to historically unequal pay.

Looking beyond the Super Bowl, sports books nationwide are preparing for XFL bets. While sports fans have been focused on picking NFL playoff teams to bet on, or marshaling their cash for the Super Bowl, yet another opportunity to wager on football is right around the corner: the XFL. Several states have already authorized bets on the second incarnation of the upstart football league, which begins its season in February, shortly after the NFL season concludes with the Super Bowl. Others are considering doing so, and bookmakers say they have requested that regulators add the league to lists of approved betting events. On the sports betting front, helped by a surge in sports betting, Atlantic City's casinos won $3.29 billion from gamblers in 2019, an increase of over 15% from 2018 — and a huge boon for a city that's still recovering from a mid-decade meltdown that saw five casinos close.

The Super Bowl is two weeks away, but Pepsi is already making Miami Ground Zero. Pepsi has announced that Harry Styles will headline the Pepsi Zero Sugar Super Bowl party on January 31 at Meridian Island in Miami. Planet Pepsi Zero Sugar “will see an out-of-this world build out, transporting fans to a transcendent audio-visual experience unlike anything else at Super Bowl LIV,” according to the announcement. Pepsi also promises a free Pepsi Zero Sugar to everyone in the U.S. if either the San Francisco 49ers or the Kansas City Chiefs’ final score ends in zero. The company said that if such a score results, it will refund the price of the drink, up to $2.50, to anyone in the U.S. who purchases it from February 2-4. It said that in 25% of previous Super Bowl games, at least one team finished with a score ending in zero. Pepsi will also award the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year winner for the 17th straight year. This year’s winner will receive a custom matte black Pepsi Zero Sugar trophy as the highest fan-voted honor for NFL Rookies.

Nike begins the 2020s where it began the 2010s: as the number one sportswear brand on the planet. Nike’s Q4 earnings in 2019 grew to $10.2 billion; its income for the last completed financial year was $39.1 billion. All the same, the Portland-based giant faces significant change. It begins 2020 under only its fourth chief executive. John Donahoe, former eBay chief executive, joined Nike in January. Donahoe arrives after an awkward end to Mark Parker’s 13-year tenure. The high-profile Oregon Project closed amid reports that Parker had known uncomfortable details about the activities of banned distance-running coach Alberto Salazar. Strategically, Nike has other decisions to make that will be pertinent to the wider industry. Nike acquired consumer data analytics firm Zodiac in March 2018 and then bought Celect, a “predictive analytics and demand sensing” specialist, in August 2019. That same month it launched Adventure Club, a three-tier trainer subscription service for children. A full-scale version, perhaps based on the Nike+ membership and training scheme, could be a useful source of recurring revenue. Running a $143 billion corporation brings its rewards. Donahoe collects $45 million in cash and stock on arrival, then stands to earn up to $18.5 million a year.

The NBA tipped off league-wide activities honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. NBA teams playing January 16–20 are wearing custom Nike MLK Day warmup shirts designed in collaboration with the NBPA, MLK Foundation, and Martin Luther King III. The Dri-FIT T-shirt features words from MLK’s timeless speech on August 28, 1963: “We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.”  The NBA has long been a leader in race relations and community outreach activities centered on diversity, and its annual MLK Day celebrations – which lead into the league’s month-long celebration of Black History Month every February – serve as a tentpole moment for this activism each year. 

The Fritz Pollard Alliance released a pointed statement decrying the last two NFL hiring seasons. The Athletic reports that the alliance, which was founded in 2003 to promote diversity hiring, “called on the league to...take tangible steps to develop plans to increase the hiring of people of color in leadership positions.” Of five NFL openings this offseason, only one was filled by a minority — Ron Rivera at Washington. In the last two hiring seasons, only one African-American was hired to fill the 13 openings (Brian Flores in Miami), with five African-Americans fired. Four of 32 NFL teams have a minority coach: Washington, Miami, Pittsburgh (Mike Tomlin), and the Chargers (Anthony Lynn). 70% of the NFL’s players are men of color compared with 12.5% of head coaches. The alliance points out that in 100 years the NFL has gone from Pollard as the first African-American coach in 1921 to four coaches of color in 2020; the league has only one African-American GM and no African-American team presidents. This despite the presence of the Rooney Rule, enacted in 2002, which requires that teams interview at least one minority candidate.

Barstool Sports is close to selling to little-known casino company Penn National. According to Recode, the Chernin Group, which currently owns Barstool, is in advanced talks to sell a majority stake in the company to Penn National Gaming, a publicly traded, regional gambling company that operates 41 properties in 19 states. Barstool was last valued at more than $100 million, but a potential purchase price could be much higher, and might create the biggest media-gambling tie-up in the U.S. since the Supreme Court legalized sports betting in 2018. The deal would tie Barstool, a well-known company with a passionate audience, to a casino company you may have never heard of and use Barstool’s brand to transition into online sports betting. This potential move looks like a positive for Barstool, which can't find a home with sports leagues due to its brash approach to sports and pop culture coverage, and Penn National, which needs to compete in the move to online sports betting.

I’m not that good at playing in front of a camera at events. The photographer wanted me to jump up and down, and the old fogey inside of me won’t let me. Oh well - I’ll leave the goofiness to the animators at Nick.#variety #nickelodeon #animation #10towatch #reinvention #specialevent #selfietime #teenagemutantninjaturtles #nick #disney #pixar

Great insight into #VictoriaBC business scene with past winners of @douglasmagazine #10toWatch panel at @sohovictoria http://ift.tt/2nekqI4

When @sterling_social transforms the stage into a modern minimalist dream! 📷: @scottclarkphoto #10ToWatch #EventProduction via Instagram http://ift.tt/2lah7D0

On Sunday after @variety #10towatch #actorstowatch , my father @hsu7769 and I gave @gemma_chan a copy of his book #chasingthemodern that my father spent the last 10 years writing. Can’t wait to hear what you think of my #greatgrandfather #xuzhimo, his poetry, and his life and work. Funny that he’s mentioned in @kevinkwanbooks @crazyrichasians second book #chinarichgirlfriend. According to @theeconomist, he is the reason why so many people from China visit Kings College in @cambridgeuniversity #secondfarewell #cambridge (at The Resort At Pelican Hill) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqIvAVrB1Ea/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1uieyx2lk24ps

#10toWatch in 2016 // Jump Into Limbo Recommends

Jump Into Limbo’s annual round-up megapost is here! Continuing our #10toWatch post from last year, we’re bringing you our predictions for the best breakthrough musicians who’ve had a rad 2015, and are definitely on our radar for the coming year. Curating this list has been a huge effort of discussion and disagreement among the editors, but we think we’ve finally to a consensus. 

Here we go, in no order of awesomeness: 

#10 Eryn Allen Kane 

Multi-potentialite Eryn Allen Kane was first brought to our attention by local rapper THELIONCITYBOY, who enthused in an interview with us about her crisp, intensely unbridled vocals. Apart from releasing her EP, Aviary - Act 1, to much acclaim this year, she has lent her vocals to Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment’s lighthearted, exploratory but ultimately stellar dance-friendly (sans electronic) album, Surf. Perhaps best of all, is her featured spot in one of the hottest underground tracks of 2015: Heaven Only Knows with Towkio, Chance The Rapper and Lido. 

#9 PLS&TY 

PLS&TY, pronounced ‘please and thank you’, in case you were wondering, has had a particularly prolific year. Their releases of re-imagined and re-interpreted remixes of tracks run the gamut in genres, both in production styles from 8-bit-inspired to trap, and original track selection. Their Christmas release, Phonat’s Fire featuring Jolie and The Key was done with Jesse Slayter and released on OWSLA. If those aren’t indications that these guys are headed somewhere big, I don’t know what is. 

#8 Nina Las Vegas

Nina Las Vegas needs no introduction to our Australian readers, who probably recognise her from her decade-long reign at radio station triple j where she introduced us to the likes of Australian greats like Wave Racer, Flight Facilities, Flume, Alison Wonderland... Since leaving her post as music taste-maker on the airwaves, she has started her own record label, NLV Records, signing the dnb-esque Swick, grimey Strict Face and tropical house-leaning Lewis Cancut. Her own original, Contagious, featuring Snappy Jit on hyped vocals, is a straight up *alarm sounds*-go-get-it-*alarm sounds* song that could arguably be more motivating than Shia Labeouf. 

#7 Felix Jaehn 

21-year-old German producer Felix Jaehn has been around since 2013, but we think that he’s really hit the big time this year with the success of his collaboration with Jasmine Thompson, Ain’t Nobody (Loves Me Better), and his long-awaited song with Singaporean singer-songwriter Linying, Eagle Eyes. 

#6 Graves

Hawaii evokes images of palm trees - tropical house right? Nope. Graves’ music spits fire like active volcanoes, less smooth-flowing lava than bombastic pyroclastic flows. So far, Graves has been releasing collaborations with other producers, including Singaporean MYRNE who’s also on our radar, so we can’t quite discern what his own original style is, but hey - it’s all experimental when you’re a young producer. 

#6 Anne-Marie

How on earth does British singer-songwriter Anne-Marie have only 6k followers on her Soundcloud? We’ve been big fans of her work since she toured with Rudimental and guested vocals with Will Heard on Rumour Mill. Her song Gemini, off her debut EP Karate, is a deftly-spun love song with tentative falsettos and earnest truths. 

#5 Said The Sky 

It has been a mere few months since April, when Denver producer Said The Sky appeared in our inbox as a tropical house producer teaming up with Missio, a band that we’ve talked about often on Jump Into Limbo. At that time, we expressed our concerns that the tropical house vibe was starting to get a little overdone (looking at you, Kygo). But what a surprise it has been since his latest releases - an impeccable remix of Fireflies by Owl City, and now a stunning original with Diamond Eyes that doesn’t resort to typical melodic house tropes. Can we award him a “Most Improved” badge? 

#4 Kiiara

Out of nowhere this year came Kiiara, whose debut EP Meet Me In the Cornfield quickly ensured that her Soundcloud became the almost default Autocomplete on our address search bars. Her glitter-alcohol-infused pop magic is partly courtesy of Felix Snow, superstar producer, but we have reason to believe that she’s got more where that came from. That’s probably why her hair’s so big - it’s full of secrets. 

#3 3LAU 

Justin Blau, better known as 3LAU, is the reigning king of mash-ups. He’s released some of our best-loved songs posted and reviewed on Jump Into Limbo this year, including a Shawn Mendes remix, a few originals with Bright Lights and of course, Roses x $ave Dat Money by rap-comedian Lil Dicky. 

#2  Mura Masa 

Mura Masa is a name that that just rolls off your tongue. What it doesn’t tell you is that 19-year-old Alex Crossan is the person behind Mura Masa, having released a 7-track debut EP full of minimalist, chill vibey melodic tunes that remind us of Cashmere Cat. Firefly and Lovesick Fuck immediately got mixed into a gabillion other artists’ mixes. 

#1 Oh Wonder  

We’ve heard Oh Wonder being introduced to us from all parts of the globe - from Canada to Australia, and of course Singapore, Oh Wonder’s music was sent to us by readers the most. Josephine Vander Gucht and Anthony West of this London indie pop group merges the trendiness of Years & Years with a mellower version of XYLØ to bring us earworm lines like “I'm kicking up stones without you/Can't pick up the phone without you/I'm a little bit lost without you/Without you” in

. 

10 To Watch : Mayor’s Edition 11320

RICK HORROW’S TOP SPORTS/BIZ/TECH/PHILANTHROPY ISSUES FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 13 : MAYOR’S EDITION

with Jacob Aere

Heading into its conference championship weekend, NFL viewership is up, which should affect media rights negotiations. The NFL averaged 16.5 million viewers per game during the 2019 regular season, up from 15.8 million in 2018 — the league's second consecutive annual increase of 5%. The rebound in viewership from the previous two years, according to Axios Sports, will give the NFL higher leverage when negotiating new distribution deals with media partners. Currently, the NFL gets around $1 billion annually from each the three broadcast networks that air Sunday games (CBS, FOX, and NBC), over $1 billion from ESPN to air Monday night games, and around $1.5 billion from AT&T's DirecTV to distribute its Sunday Ticket package. Among predictions about where NFL rights will land in the future, SportsBusiness Journal posits that global streaming service DAZN come close to picking up rights to NFL Sunday Ticket. And Lightshed Partners predicts that CBS will lose Sunday afternoon NFL rights to either NBC or ABC, given price increases, and that FOX will retain its rights. Most of the NFL's current media deals expire in 2022 or sooner, and experts predict that prices will go up significantly in the next round of deals.

Two-thirds of Americans support college players being allowed to earn money through endorsements according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. As the NCAA mulls new rules about athlete endorsement and Name, Image, and Likeness compensation, the study found that support for the NCAA allowing college athletes to cash in on their names, images, and likenesses is particularly high among young adults, as well as black Americans and Hispanics. “The opinions of the public in general are very important because they are reflected in the attitudes of universities, who are the ones that actually make the rules,” NCAA President Mark Emmert told the Associated Press. Another interpretation of Emmert’s comments and a peek into the crystal ball on the issue: if two-thirds of Americans support the proposed rules, that likely means two-thirds of college and university boosters, the influential lifeblood of athletic departments, do as well.

Topgolf’s IPO could value the company at over $4 billion. Topgolf International Inc., an operator of driving ranges with a party atmosphere, has selected banks for an initial public offering that could value the company at about $4 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. The Dallas-based company is reportedly working with banks including Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Bank of America. Its IPO could come as soon as this year. The company’s driving ranges, which “bring the spirit of a bowling alley to the golf course,” have bays that can accommodate up to six players who can track their balls electronically while ordering food and drinks. Some venues feature rooftop bars, restaurants, shops, pools, and concert halls. The company has locations in the U.S., the U.K. and Australia, with others opening soon in Canada, Mexico, and the United Arab Emirates, according to its website. The company’s backers also have included Callaway Golf Co., which acquired a minority stake with other investors in a deal completed in 2017.

Just hours after news broke that Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg was spending $10 million on a Super Bowl ad, word came that President Trump would do the same. “President Trump made the unprecedented decision to keep the campaign open following his first election, which allows us to do things like buying a Super Bowl ad,” Tim Murtaugh, a spokesman for the Trump campaign, was quoted in the New York Times. Super Bowl ads are rarely deployed in presidential politics due to the high cost and inefficiencies of paying to reach a national audience rather than focusing on key states. The buy highlights Bloomberg's massive spending power. And it’s just the start of what's likely to be a huge spending year for Trump. Bloomberg has already spent $170 million on ads this election cycle, while the Republican National Committee just announced that it raised $463 million in 2019 and has nearly $200 million cash on hand. It's worth noting that the Super Bowl lands just one day before the Iowa caucuses.

In an era in which legislation such as California’s newly minted Assembly Bill 5 aims to correct inequalities in the workplace, Sports Illustrated staffers announced their intention to unionize, seeking better workplace protections amid turmoil at the legacy brand. The union, according to CNN, represents about 80 staffers in print, digital, and video. Sports Illustrated's magazine staffers were already a part of the NewsGuild of New York, but digital staffers were not. Now, both print and digital will be included in the new union that is also with the NewsGuild. In October, Seattle-based startup Maven took ownership of Sports Illustrated from magazine conglomerate Meredith Corporation and immediately laid off about 40 staffers. Of the roughly 80 staffers eligible for the bargaining unit, more than 90% "signed a petition supporting the union drive." Their effort to join the NewsGuild "comes at a time of turmoil for the magazine." In a letter to management, staffers requested a "pay-equity study; an increased focus on minority hiring; clarity for workers on extended temporary contracts; and clear protocols for handling harassment.”

Tensions surrounding the Middle East continue to loom over the European Tour’s “Desert Swing.” Concerns are "growing" over the European Tour's "Desert Swing" over the next three weeks after Iran "threatened to 'unleash Hezbollah' across the Gulf as military tensions build." The Abu Dhabi Golf Championship is set to take place this week, followed by the Dubai Desert Classic and Saudi Arabia International. The European Tour, according to the London Telegraph, was "confident at the start of the week that its schedule would not be affected by the conflict." Several U.S. golfers are "due to play in Abu Dhabi," and the region is "vital for the Tour’s ongoing prosperity and officials will be loath to cancel or even postpone.” In the U.S., Phil Mickelson and others will be skipping next month’s Waste Management Open to play in the lucrative Saudi Arabia tourney. Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth is now a factor for sport and sports events, whatever the controversy. In the near future, it seems likely that a very big golf name is going to align itself with the kingdom – or take a stand by turning its money down.

In conjunction with the Protect the Pitch program, which continues to lead the industry in stadium sustainability and clean energy efforts, LA’s Dignity Health Sports Park has installed 12 new Volta electric vehicle charging stations that will be available to guests free of charge at all events. Volta designs electric vehicle charging networks for forward-thinking businesses seeking to provide seamless, simple and free charging. Volta designed Dignity Health Sports Park’s charging network as a foundation for further expansion to match the park’s rising electric vehicle demands. Projecting out based on the average Volta station impact in Los Angeles, Dignity Health Sport Park’s 12 stations will offset an estimated 250,000 pounds of CO2annually. The MLS LA Galaxy and Dignity Health Sports Park have launched numerous sustainability efforts to reduce carbon footprint and become more sustainable through the Protect the Pitch initiative. As increasing numbers of Galaxy fans drive electric cars, Dignity Health Sports Park’s partnership with Volta is a perfect complement to the club’s Protect the Pitch sustainability initiative.

Soccer stars from around the globe will play a bushfire charity match. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the head of Melbourne-based agency Tribal Sports Group, Lou Sticca, took to Twitter last Sunday to flag plans for a star-studded charity soccer match, which could raise huge sums to help alleviate the suffering of people and communities whose lives have been devastated by blazes scorching Australia. The game is likely to be played at Sydney's ANZ Stadium in May. Many top European and South American players will be in action at the European Championships and Copa America, but big names who are no longer internationals could be lured to Australia to help raise funds. The charity match is one of a number of fundraising efforts being made on behalf of football in Australia to assist those affected by the bushfires. Currently, the next two rounds of the A-League and W-League will be dedicated to raising funds and showing gratitude to emergency services. And the Australian players' union, Professional Footballers Australia, also used its “Footballers Trust” to donate $1000 for every goal scored in the A-League and W-League over the weekend of January 11-12.

Megan Rapinoe is working with Budweiser to change the perspective on branding the NWSL. According to Yahoo Sports, the NWSL looks to shift from surviving to thriving with a target fan base that needs to change from children to young adults. And there may be a shift on the horizon, thanks in part to Budweiser. With help from U.S. Soccer and Soccer United Marketing, who helped broker the deal, Budweiser signed a multi-year sponsorship with the NWSL as the league's biggest sponsor to date. Budweiser's campaign is less of the soft and fuzzy approach the NWSL has seen in the past. Budweiser's current campaign is a call-out of other brands who claim they care about female empowerment to actually put their money where their corporate mouths are. The ironic campaign features Rapinoe enjoying products from future official sponsors of the NWSL – eating a generic hamburger that could be a fast food chain sponsor or sporting a generic watch that could become the official timepiece of the NWSL. Budweiser is simultaneously supporting women’s sports leagues and proving themselves to be a consistent sports sponsor and beverage – regardless of league or gender.

The Atlanta Hawks’ Trae Young cancels $1 million in medical debt for locals. According to ABC 7 and other news outlets, the 21-year-old star donated $10,000 to a medical debt erasure agency that relieved over $1 million in debt for local residents. Through the Trae Young Foundation, Young donated the money to RIP Medical Debt, an organization that buys and forgives medical debt in the United States, according to a news release. The nonprofit was started in 2014 by two former debt collectors. They use donated funds to buy debt portfolios for those in need. Media reports said the average amount of dissolved debt is $1,858 for about 570 people. Although he didn’t contribute the $1 million himself, Young expanded what his money could do and positively financially impacted hundreds of Atlanta residents.

10 To Watch : Mayor’s Edition 1620

RICK HORROW’S TOP 10 SPORTS/BIZ/TECH/PHILANTHROPY ISSUES FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 6 : MAYOR’S EDITION

with Jacob Aere



The sports world and beyond remembers David Stern. Former Commissioner David Stern took the NBA into the modern era over the course of his 30 years as Commissioner after he assumed the role in 1984. By the time he left the Commissioner’s office in 2014, a league that had once struggled for a foothold had grown into a more than $5 billion-a-year industry. The NBA's longest-serving commissioner, Stern was credited with transforming the NBA into the global powerhouse it is today, overseeing major uplifts in commercial revenue and media coverage, domestic and international expansion, and a surge in global popularity. Under Stern, the NBA added seven new franchises, including two in Canada, and grew into a commercial behemoth. It also created the WNBA in 1997 and a developmental league, now known as the G League, in 2001. Thanks largely to Stern, the NBA is now revered as a sports industry pioneer and innovator. Rick had the privilege to work with Commissioner Stern on the formation of the Miami Heat and the eventual Oklahoma City Thunder, as well as interviewing him numerous times. He will be greatly missed.

Endeavor acquired majority equity ownership stake in experiential hospitality leader On Location Experiences from existing investors. Last week, Beverly-Hills based agency giant Endeavor announced that it had acquired On Location Experiences. The reported $660 million deal will give Endeavor a majority stake in the hospitality and live events company, which works with the NFL, the NCAA, and the PGA Tour, among other entities. The NFL, through its strategic investment arm, 32 Equity, will continue to be a minority shareholder and retain its seat on the Company’s Board of Directors. On Location will seek to enhance its existing sports and entertainment offerings, including its long-term relationship with the NFL, by leveraging Endeavor’s access to content and experiences across entertainment, sports and fashion. The deal will also help to strengthen Endeavor properties, including the UFC, which it acquired in 2016 for $4 billion. Former Bloomberg, Westwood One, and Time Inc. executive, Paul Caine, will lead the newly integrated entity. The deal is the latest in a flurry of acquisitions by major Hollywood talent agencies as they expand into other entertainment disciplines, particularly music and sports. 

Tennis Australia announces a charity match to support bushfire relief. According to The Guardian, Australian tennis player Nick Krygios’ plans for a massive fundraising effort for bushfire victims has resulted in a tennis exhibition match set to feature some of the world’s top players. Kyrgios kicked off a flood of donations to the fundraising campaign from sporting names around Australia, including American basketballer LaMelo Ball. After Krygios’ initial push, Tennis Australia announced “Rally For Relief,” an exhibition match on Rod Laver Arena January 15. It will also grant $1 million for communities to rebuild tennis facilities. Kyrgios has also pledged $200 for each ace he serves across the Australian summer of tennis. Fellow Australian players Alex de Minaur, John Millman, and Samantha Stosur, among others, also vowed to donate money from their aces while the new ATP Cup got on board. The tournament announced that $100 would be donated to the Australian Red Cross for every ace served over the next 10 days, with the final figure expected to surpass $150,000. Much of Australia is up in flames and sports figures are here to help inspire seismic change across the globe for charitable donations.

In the wake of record low ratings for their annual New Year’s Day outdoor game, no progress is yet evident on discussions of NHL Olympic participation. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said that there is "really nothing new" on possible Olympic participation at the moment, but there will be "further discussion in the near future," according to The Athletic. Daly said, "I imagine it will be discussed further with the NHLPA in connection with any resumption of talks relating to a potential CBA extension. But, we and the NHLPA will also need to get a better understanding from the IIHF and/or IOC regarding the conditions on which NHL players would be invited to the Olympics. That remains a question as to which we do not have a lot of clarity at this point." NHLPA Executive Director Don Fehr said the players have "made it clear that they want to participate" in the Olympics. He said, "We want to find a way to do that." More discussions are expected before the end of the month, between the league, the NHLPA, and the IIHF.

U.S. men's national soccer team cancels Qatar training camp amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. The USMNT is moving the team’s training camp out of Qatar back to the United States as a “precaution” given heightened tensions in the Middle East following the U.S. airstrike that killed Iranian General Qassem Suleimani last Thursday. According to the Los Angeles Times, the camp was scheduled to open Sunday in Doha, host city for the 2022 World Cup, but now will be staged in Bradenton, Florida. Though Doha is 950 miles from Baghdad -- the center of the current conflict -- “tensions in the region have escalated.” The Washington Post adds that U.S. outposts and personnel have “braced for retaliatory attacks.” The last thing the struggling USMNT needs at this point in time is to worry about a potentially life-threatening military conflict. USMNT officials did the right thing in moving the camp to Brandenton and out of harm’s way.

A lawsuit blaming Pop Warner for two fatalities is dismissed in federal court. According to the New York Times, a federal court judge has dismissed a lawsuit against Pop Warner, stating that the two women who sued the youth football organization had no proof that their sons’ deaths later in life were linked to any head trauma they had sustained over a decade earlier as youth football participants. The judge in the case, ruling for the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, said the mothers did not show sufficient links between any head trauma their sons may have suffered while playing Pop Warner football and their behavior later in life. The judge added that the plaintiffs had discounted other contributing factors, including the “social and biological.” The case, which was set to go to trial this month, was a benchmark for head-trauma related cases against sports organizations. Pop Warner, meanwhile, continues to refine and improve its football safety practices each year, with the constant input of renowned doctors as well as football experts, and remains the gold standard of youth football organizations nationwide.

The NBA G League secondary competition has announced the addition of Mexican professional men’s basketball team Capitanes next season, its first franchise based outside the U.S. and Canada. Established in 2016, the Mexico City outfit will become the NBA G League’s 29th team from the start of the 2020-2021 season, and will play their home games at the Gimnasio Juan de la Barrera, based in Mexico’s capital. The announcement was made during a press conference ahead of Dallas Mavericks 122-111 victory over the Detroit Pistons in Mexico City on December 12, the first of two regular-season games played in the Hispanic nation during the ongoing 2019-2020 season. NBA commissioner Adam Silver said: “Bringing an NBA G League team to Mexico City is a historic milestone for the NBA which demonstrates our commitment to basketball fans in Mexico and across Latin America. As the first G League franchise based outside of the US and Canada, we look forward to welcoming Capitanes to the NBA family.” The schedule for the 2020-2021 NBA G League season, which tips off next November, will be announced in August, 2020.

Sports teams using machine learning tech to drive sponsorship revenues. According to JohnWallStreet, the sports industry has begun to place a greater emphasis on data capture and analytics, particularly as it relates to on-field performance. But while sports has become big business, Adam Grossman, founder of Block Six Analytics (B6A), suggests “from an economic and financial perspective - in terms of understanding concepts like asset valuation, cash-flow and regression - it remains behind the times.” To help bring the industry up to speed, Grossman developed a sponsorship evaluation platform that values sports assets in the same manner “that venture capitalists, private equity firms and investment banks look at investment opportunities.” B6A's proprietary sponsorship model translates traditional fit and engagement benchmarks into probabilistic revenue growth metrics. Over the last 10 months, more than a dozen pro sports organizations have begun using Block Six technology to drive sponsorship revenues. Sports sponsorships sellers naturally seek brand partners that are demographically aligned. While most teams and media entities have managed to gather insights on their own, “the challenge has always been capturing the demographic data needed to ensure audience alignment, so that both parties can achieve their goals.”

Sony and Verizon are bringing 5G to sports broadcasting. According to Mobile Marketing Magazine, Sony and Verizon collaborated to demonstrate how 5G technology and streaming can be used in live sports broadcasting during the NFL’s Texans vs. New England Patriots game on December 1. A camera person from NBC Sports used Sony’s PXW-Z450 shoulder camcorder to capture the game and the video was sent through to a production room in the NRG Stadium in Houston with the help of Sony’s prototype transmitter box, Xperia 5G mm Wave device, and finally, Verizon’s 5G Ultra-Wideband network. The result was an almost real time broadcast sent to NBC producers without any hiccups. In the future, the same 5G-connected cameras could be used to transmit to remote production teams that aren’t located at the site of the sporting event. In the future, another advantage to 5G is the use of wireless connectivity, so cameras can use all angles and positions to capture the games.

David Stern passes away, but his legacy lives on through NBA Cares. David Stern was dedicated to public service, as is evidenced by NBA Cares, which he launched in 2005. Over its first five years, the program donated more than $100 million to charity. NBA Cares is the league’s global social responsibility program that builds on the NBA’s mission of addressing important social issues in the U.S. and around the world. Causes the platform supports include education, youth, and family development, and health, including Special Olympics, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, UNICEF, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Share Our Strength and GLSEN. NBA Cares programs and participants have provided more than five million hours of hands-on service, created more than 1,300 places where kids and families can live, learn or play, and engaged more than 51 million youth basketball programs in communities around the world. Internationally, NBA Cares has created more than 323 places where kids and families can live, learn, or play in 40 countries – largely thanks to Stern and his legacy.

20 for 20: The Year Ahead

RICK HORROW’S TOP SPORTS BUSINESS/LAW/TECH/PHILANTHROPY PREDICTIONS 

with Jacob Aere

Here are Rick Horrow’s 20 top happenings and predictions for the busy sports business year ahead. Enjoy, and Happy New Year!

The XFL is on its way as a serious competitor for professional football. After an unsuccessful XFL launch in 2001, WWE chairman Vince McMahon is making his second attempt to build a successful professional football league that will launch on February 8, 2020. According To Bleacher Report, this time around a slow and steady buildup has led to the creation of eight teams across the United States. Unlike the NFL, a focus will be put on a quicker-paced game as well as incorporating betting into normal football action. XFL CEO Oliver Luck noted that the league will not market itself using big names but instead plans to be a place to springboard names into the NFL, almost as stage upon which to showcase talent to the more established football league. There are 40 million people who crave more football after the Super Bowl, and if the XFL can find a younger age demographic than the ill-fated AAF, they will find success, as their price point of roughly $30-$40 for a pro football game is highly competitive, especially for younger, less affluent consumers.  

The Raiders, Chargers, and Rams will see new homes with the opening of Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas and SoFi Stadium in L.A. The Raiders’ new stadium comes with a change of scenery as the longtime Oakland franchise is moving out to Las Vegas and into the reported $2 billion stadium that aesthetically pays tribute to the “Black Hole,” a name assigned to the group of fans in the most intense section in the team’s previous home. Meanwhile, the Chargers and Rams will share news digs in Los Angeles, where construction is estimated to cost $10 billion including work on the surrounding 298-acre former Hollywood Park footprint. SoFi Stadium will be a beefy 70,000 person venue. By taking a more-than-football approach in Los Angeles, the stadium may find itself being filled by fans who prioritize “being seen” at the city’s new hot spot over on-field action. SoFi will open in July with an added boost from two Taylor Swift shows, which will hopefully drive L.A. consumers to the first new football stadium built in the city in nearly 100 years.

Tokyo 2020 brings six new sports to the Olympics. According to C|Net, the first of the six sports to debut is karate, which fittingly makes its Olympic debut in Tokyo, joining judo, taekwondo, and wrestling. Karate consists of two disciplines for both men and women: kata (forms) and kumite (sparring). Skateboarding and surfing will also be joining the Olympic fray, with park and street skateboarding and short board surfing. The other three new sports include sport climbing, which will consist of three disciplines: speed climbing, bouldering; and lead climbing; and baseball and softball make a return to the Olympics after having not been played during the last two summer Games. All of these sports will get a global popularity boost thanks to the influence and amazement of the Olympics.

Olympic ad sales are on pace to shatter their previous record of $1.2 billion. According to AdAge, NBC Sports announced that it has secured $1 billion in American ad sales for its coverage of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, putting it on pace to surpass the record $1.2 billion total it amassed three years ago during the Rio de Janeiro Games. While NBC hasn’t quite eclipsed the high-water mark set in 2016, the network still has eight months left to cut deals before the Olympic torch is lit in Tokyo’s New National Stadium. And more than half of the advertisers are newcomers to the quadrennial event. NBC Sports Group has worked up a single audience guarantee number for advertisers that is agnostic as to whether a particular viewer is watching the Olympics on a traditional TV set or via a streaming platform – meaning digital eyeballs will count toward advertising total reach figures this time around. Additionally, Japan Airlines is giving away 50,000 round-trip tickets ahead of the Tokyo Olympics to encourage international visitors to come out and watch the Games. 

Group1001 brings another women’s leadership and STEM-centric event to the LPGA Tour. Three weeks from now, the LPGA and Group1001 will kick off a new official LPGA Tour event in Boca Raton, Florida. The inaugural Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio will be held January 20-26 at Boca Rio Golf Club and feature a 108-player field competing for a $2 million purse. As a key part of tournament week, the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio will host the Women’s Leadership Summit presented by Versant Health with top female leaders from a variety of industries, creating a space to empower women, develop and strengthen skills, build networks, and inspire change. The summit will feature a panel headlined by female business leaders, a fireside chat with an LPGA Tour professional, as well as inspirational stories and presentations from pioneering women. The Boca Raton event is a bookend of sorts to the Group1001-sponsored Indy Women in Tech LPGA tournament held in Indianapolis late summer, which also features multiple educational and networking events for women looking to reengage or advance careers in STEM and business/leadership fields. 

Name, Image, and Likeness will dominate collegiate sports conversations in 2020. No matter which Tigers win the CFP National Championship on January 13, regardless of whether a blue chip team or an underdog ignites the Final Four, primary conversations around NCAA events will center on looming Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) legislation in California and 21 other states. The NCAA is under the gun to come up with a policy that’s acceptable to athletes and its member institutions alike before California’s Fair Pay to Play bill takes effect in 2023. On the issue of when an NCAA NIL policy will go into effect, NCAA President Emmert has said that 2021 is the goal, but could be impacted by what happens at the state level, emphasizing that we can’t have a model where multiple states have different rules. Congress and state legislators are now firmly vested in the process as well, looking to preserve the rights of student athletes as well as the Title IX structure and other anti-discrimination measures. Look for Emmert to produce a draft national NIL solution by year end – one that will be intensely debated and breathlessly revised in 2021.

The 2022 Qatar World Cup is forging ahead in the desert, with major milestones within the country and decisions outside of it to come in 2020. According to ESPN, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is less than three years away and the tiny Gulf state has now staged its first-ever major football tournament, having hosted the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup earlier in December, won by Liverpool. There will be an eight stadium rotation within the 2022 World Cup footprint, and Qatar is debuting a new metro system that will link the majority of the eight stadiums along a 46-mile path. Although the country looks to build its hotel industry to host a substantial number of World Cup fans, the number of rooms available at current count will fall well short of the likely 3 million incoming fans. And in 2020, qualifying countries that abhor Qatar’s poor human rights record will have hard philosophical choices to make about sending a national team. Another obstacle to overcome will be the country’s anti-liquor laws, which will push drinking into mainly hotel bars. The country, however, is likely to relax their tough alcohol rules to make the soccer masses happy and the World Cup a financial success.

HSBC Rugby Sevens Series takes a “leap” of faith. After a successful long run in Vegas, the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2020 returns to Los Angeles – on Leap Day. The USA Sevens, a key part of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2020, returns to Los Angeles for the 2020 edition of the World Rugby Sevens Series in the United States. World Rugby has confirmed that 2020 will be its biggest season to date. In the year just ending, the Series has seen record-breaking audience engagement figures, with over 198 million video views in 2019. After a decade of action in Las Vegas, U.S. tournament organizers have gambled on a return to the West Coast. Dignity Health Sports Park -- until last weekend the temporary home of the NFL Los Angeles Chargers -- is slated to host the fifth leg of the 2019-2020 World Series, with the U.S. event taking place February 29–March 1, 2020. The HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2020 also serves as crucial build-up for the Tokyo Olympic Games.

New Collective Bargaining Agreements are on the horizon for the WNBA and MLS in 2020. The WNBA players’ association is looking for powers that be to “bet on women,” and a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the league and new Commissioner Cathy Engelbert is expected to be announced by January 15. According to Swish Appeal, new provisions would take effect quickly, with free agency expected to begin on time on February 1 with players hoping to get paid more for their efforts. Meanwhile, January 31 is the date that the existing CBA between MLS and the MLS Players Association will expire. The hope is that a new deal will be hashed out, and the now 26-team league will keep growing as according to Forbes, the average valuation of MLS teams has increased by 30% from 2017 to a current average of $313 million. Both the WNBA and MLS have shown strong signs of growth in recent years, and players should expect to reap salary benefits from these positive changes.

Legal U.S. sports gambling and media platforms continue to grow. According to Digiday, sports media will rush to embrace gambling in 2020 in order to boost ad revenues, following the path of ESPN’s popular “Daily Wager” show that launched in 2019. Currently, sports betting is legal in just 11 states, but seven more states are preparing to take the sports betting plunge in the near future. Research published recently by the consultancy Gambling Compliance projects that 40 U.S. states will have legalized sports betting by 2024. That rush of legalization, encompassing an estimated $150 billion industry, is expected to attract the attention of almost every kind of mainstream sports publisher. Over the past year, both Vox Media (with DraftKings) and Bleacher Report (with Caesars Palace) signed long-term deals to create wide varieties of content designed to build interest in sports betting. The potential for multiple income streams from sports betting – via related ads and the bets themselves – will be a cash cow for sports media companies.

Baseball’s new marijuana policy will spark change in NBA and NFL rules. Earlier this month, Major League Baseball and its players’ association announced that the league would drop punishments for positive tests of “substances of abuse” such as marijuana and cocaine, treating those violations the same as alcohol-related situations, with players facing voluntary treatment rather than suspensions and fines. The change in MLB policy could be a short term trigger for similar changes within the NBA and NFL. According to a study done by ESPN last spring, 82% of teams over the four major pro North American sports leagues play in states or provinces where recreational and/or medical marijuana use is legal.  The NFL and NBA put players who test positive in a substance abuse program before fines and suspensions for subsequent positives. The NHL, the pathfinder in this area, recommends treatment for “abnormally high levels” of THC but does not punish players. The NHL and MLB are now treating their athletes more like ordinary people. This will likely give the NFL and NBA precedent to change their respective recreational drug policies.

Bolstered by support from Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, the fate of 42 Minor League Baseball franchises will become a solid rallying point during the 2020 U.S. presidential elections. The current dispute between MLB and MiLB became public in October, when Baseball America reported that MLB had offered a plan to eliminate as many as 42 minor-league teams after the 2020 season, when the Professional Baseball Agreement between MLB and MiLB expires. In November, the New York Times released a list of the 42 teams that would be cut. "Suddenly," Sporting News noted, "we knew what towns could potentially lose teams, which communities — some significant to the sport's history — could be without baseball. That made it much more real." Politicians coast to coast have rightfully joined the effort to save grass roots pro baseball at its best. Democratic presidential candidate Sanders has been the loudest voice. He's met with MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, and in mid-December, Sanders also met with people representing minor league baseball in Burlington, Iowa. Not coincidentally, that's one of the towns on the elimination list. Expect other presidential would-be hopefuls to join the charge to save the MiLB teams as well.

Zion Williamson will finally play in 2020 and he will have a big impact on the NBA market. According to Forbes, season-ticket sales calls for the New Orleans Pelicans reached historic levels after the team won the NBA lottery with Williamson. But a couple of lawsuits are going to delay many off-court endorsement options. Currently, most of the money being made from Zion's likeness is unlicensed merchandise. All of the different styles of street market shirts, posters, and even rosary candles are not Zion blessed products. Williamson is so good that he’s even reviving the basketball card industry single-handedly and is sure to raise ticket prices when he’s on the road just due to his presence. Williamson will eventually get a huge shoe deal, and will net a huge raise once he hits the NBA open market as a free agent, perhaps becoming even more marketable than LeBron James within the next two years. If LeBron is the NBA’s current most marketable basketball player, Zion is the future.

The Athletic is vying to become a billion dollar sports media company through online subscriptions. According to Awful Announcing, the company is currently valued at over $300 million with a subscriber count north of 600,000. They also have expanded into the UK and are beginning to dabble in video content while still expanding their coverage zone. On the upper end of the spectrum, The Athletic could battle ESPN + as the largest online sports publisher and end up being valued at greater than $1 billion. The Athletic seems to have no rigid beliefs that they have to limit their content to just sports, and are leaving competitors behind as they continue to add award-winning veteran sports journalists to their roster. The Athletic’s deep bench of established writers with loyal fans allows them to grow at their own pace and could showcase an example of thriving journalism in the new decade.

Streaming service Quibi sells out of its $150 million in first-year advertisement inventory. The mobile only streaming service (short for Quick Bites) debuts in April, 2020 and will be a sort of Netflix for the mobile era, where higher-quality content is chopped up into smaller bites. According to The Wrap, Quibi content will only be available on mobile devices, with each episode running no longer than 10 minutes. The app will cost viewers $4.99 per month for ad-supported viewing, or run $7.99 for ad-free viewing when it debuts next spring. On Quibi’s sports content front, ESPN will post a daily sports show on the platform to cover game highlights. ESPN’s daily show will clearly be a pathway for more sports shows in Quibi’s future.

Tech wearables will be even bigger business in pro sports. According to Tech Radar, spending on wearables will hit $51.5 billion next year, with smartwatches leading the pack. Wearable tech is only going to keep growing, and in 2020 there will be several major new devices from key players in this space. Look for Google and Samsung to enter as serious competitors in the smartwatch race alongside Apple. Additionally, look to Oculus Go, Quest, and Rift S to provide virtual reality sports upgrades, while the North Focals 2.0, a pair of augmented reality glasses, may add to the sports viewing experience in the next few years.

Augmented and virtual reality offer all sports leagues and teams a new revenue stream. According to Front Office Sports, there is ample opportunity for teams to grow revenue streams by selling advertising around augmented reality activations. But to do that, more clubs and pro sports leagues have to embrace the technology first. The AR market in sports remains largely underpenetrated, even as more examples of franchises using augmented and mixed reality pop up. In fact, the NHL Los Angeles Kings remain one of the few pro teams to be utilizing the technology to date, offering their fans interactive player cards and videos. Companies like Teslasuit are also providing full biometric feedback through bodysuits that could be applied to simulate highly accurate stadium realities for fans, or game-like situations for players who want a different way to practice.

Look for women in philanthropy to give back to women in sport. According to Axios, women are taking the lead on donating to women’s collegiate sports teams, as former female athletes are donating millions of dollars to build facilities, endow scholarships, and support coaching positions at their alma maters. The New York Times reports that participation in women’s college sports teams is at an all-time high, outnumbering men's sports for more than 20 years now. And yet, marketing and sponsorships opportunities and support from benefactors for female collegiate teams has caught on slower than men's sports. Turnout for national women's sports grew at an average of almost 40% since 2013, according to a study by sports marketing agency Two Circles. Now, 51% of personal wealth in the U.S. comes from women, based on data from 2015, and is expected to keep growing, so assume that more female benefactors will be there to push for more coverage and opportunities for gender equality in sports.

Esports looks to build on a successful 2019 with more tournaments, teams, and leagues. According to Esports Insider, Intel has announced the Intel World Open, a July 22-24 esports tournament that will take place in the lead up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan. The tournament will feature Japan-based title Street Fighter V and Rocket League, with a total prize pool of $500,000. The tournament’s timing, held just days before the Games commence, will ensure excellent worldwide exposure. Esports teams continue to receive their very own stadiums, while esports players could earn nearly as much as NFL salaries in the near future, according to FaZe Clan president Greg Selkoe. The audience for esports is on pace to nearly double over a six-year period, as the 2017 audience stood at 335 million and the 2023 estimates are around 646 million fans. Expect more esports advertisements and major new investments in the industry in 2020.

MLB looks for a new business plan featuring jersey sponsors and robot umpires. According to the Associated Press, umpires agreed to cooperate with Major League Baseball in the development and testing of an automated ball-strike system as part of a five-year labor contract. MLB has discussed installing the system at the Class A Florida State League for 2020. If that test goes well, computer umpires could be used at Triple A games in 2021 as further debugging prior to a big league call-up. Meanwhile, Nike has taken over as MLB’s official outfitter for the next 10 years; the company now has their logo on the front of every MLB jersey. MLB Executive Vice President Noah Garden has also stated that it's "inevitable" that jersey patch sponsorships are coming. It's believed that jersey ad patches could arrive as soon as 2022, when the league enters a new labor deal with the MLBPA.

10 To Watch : Mayor’s Edition 112519

RICK HORROW’S TOP 10 SPORTS/BIZ/TECH/PHILANTHROPY ISSUES FOR THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 25 : MAYOR’S EDITION

with Jacob Aere

Millions of Americans are counting on Airbnb this holiday season. So is the IOC. The International Olympic Committee booked a reported $500 million, nine-year, five-Games partnership with Airbnb, designed to create “a new standard for hosting that will be a win for host cities, a win for spectators and fans, and a win for athletes.” According to SportsPro, the agreement includes accommodation provisions that will reduce costs for Olympic Games organizers and stakeholders, decrease the need for construction of new accommodation infrastructure for the Olympic Games period, and generate direct revenue for local hosts and communities. The IOC and Airbnb will launch Airbnb Olympian Experiences to provide direct earning opportunities for athletes in addition to making at least $28 million worth of Airbnb accommodations available over the course of the partnership to athletes competing at the Olympic and Paralympic Games for competition and training related travel. The Olympian Experiences also encourage current and former Olympic athletes to sell personal experiences and access to their training regimes to fans via Airbnb, establishing a new revenue stream for them.

The NBA is reportedly eyeing big changes. According to ESPN, the NBA is "engaged in serious discussions" with the NBPA and broadcast partners on "sweeping, dramatic changes to the league calendar that would include a reseeding of the four conference finalists, a 30-team in-season tournament and a postseason play-in.” Sources said that these scenarios "would come with the shortening of the regular season to a minimum of 78 games." They added that discussions are "progressing with hopes of bringing a vote to the April meeting" of the league's BOG that "would introduce some -- if not all -- of these proposals into the NBA's 75th anniversary season" in 2021-2022. The NBA "still has work to do coordinating with constituents on the myriad implications involving the proposed changes." Commissioner Adam Silver has been "driving this agenda of change -- especially the in-season tournament cup modeled after European soccer -- for years.” The NBA has long been at the forefront of innovation – expect these novel ideas, championed by Silver, to hold the attention of owners, broadcast partners, and the players’ association.

After a $31 million opening weekend debut, "Ford v Ferrari" retains its Number One box office position and aims for $120 million total prize. “Ford v Ferrari,” perhaps the best thing to happen to motor sports marketing this calendar year, tells the remarkable true story of American car designer Carroll Shelby, played by Matt Damon, and British-born driver Ken Miles, portrayed by Christian Bale). Together, Shelby and Miles built a revolutionary race car for Ford Motor Company and took on Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966. Car and Driver notes, "The 24 Hours of Le Mans is auto racing's Boston Marathon, a brutal test of endurance where competitors race stunningly fast cars for 24 straight hours at speeds that can exceed 200 mph." Movie review service Rotten Tomatoes gave “Ford v Ferrari” a high 91% approval rating, which bodes well for its box office success (unlike most other motor sports movies). November not only ushers in the holidays, but also Academy Awards season – “Ford v Ferrari” gives a sport-themed picture a solid pole position in the Oscars race.

On the menu this Thanksgiving week: football and…Pop-Tarts. According to Crain’s Chicago Business, the Kellogg Co. brand is slated to air its first Super Bowl commercial as it looks to position the breakfast pastry as a game-day snack. Kellogg reportedly worked with New York-based creative agency MRY on the 30-second spot, which will run right before the two-minute warning in the first half of the NFL championship game. "As a beloved brand known for bold marketing, the big game provides an opportunity for Pop-Tarts to share our story and exciting product portfolio with a massive audience," Philipp Schaffer, senior director of marketing at Pop-Tarts, said in a statement. "Advertising during the big game is a natural next step for the Pop-Tarts brand, which is always looking for new ways (and craveable flavors) to excite our fans." Fox Sports has sold 60 of 77 available Super Bowl LIV spots, “pacing well ahead” of plans, Seth Winter, Fox’s EVP for sports sales, told Bloomberg. The price for one 30-second spot is a record $5.6 million, with a possible price hike for the last few slots. To paraphrase “Ghost Busters,” that’s a big Pop Tart.

U.S. Representatives’ letter to MLB opposed contraction of baseball’s minors. Last week, several members of the U.S. Congress signed a letter to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred stating their "firm opposition" to the league's "radical proposal to eliminate numerous Minor League Baseball clubs." According to the Daytona Beach News-Journal, the letter argued that the "demise of dozens of minor league teams would undermine talent development and fan loyalty, and take away an affordable form of entertainment in areas far from professional sports teams." The letter also threatened the withdrawal of the "long-term support that Congress has always afforded our national pastime on a wide variety of legislative initiatives.” Elsewhere, the league announced that the MLB minimum salary will rise to $563,500 next season, an increase of $8,500 from last year‘s $555,000. In the minors, the minimum for a player’s first contract jumps from $45,300 to $46,000, while the minimum for a player's second or later deal jumps from $90,400 to $91,800. Baseball’s winter meetings convene in San Diego in two weeks, and the congressional support for the good work minor league teams do in American communities should bolster MiLB’s case for keeping their structure intact.

Minor League Baseball has announced the continued long-term commitment to its U.S. Hispanic fans and communities with the return of the 2020 Copa de la Diversion campaign and event series. Next season, each of the 92 participating MiLB teams covering 34 U.S. states will transform its on-field brand to a culturally-relevant Hispanic persona, representing an extension of the team’s and community’s identity. MiLB’s Copa-specific website features each team’s unique identity, including the story behind its Hispanic on-field persona, and links for fans to purchase available apparel for select Copa teams. As the New York Times noted, “the local embrace of a professional baseball team is ingrained in American culture.” MiLB performs critical community outreach through programs such as building youth sports facilities and sponsoring creative initiatives in schools. As American communities continue to become more diverse, events like the Copa de la Diversion campaign only serve to cement MiLB’s role as communal centerpiece across the nation.

The top 100 most valuable U.S. brands are worth a total of $3.81 trillion dollars, more than the GDP of Germany, according to WPP and Kantar’s 2020 BrandZ ranking. Among the fastest risers were Instagram, at $28.88 billion, which grew 98% in brand value, followed by Pinterest, Salesforce, Chipotle, and Cisco. The U.S. leads all other markets on innovation, with 36% of all U.S. brands ranking highly on this measure; the most innovative brand is Uber, followed by Amazon, Netflix, Disney, and FedEx. According to consumers, Uber, FedEx, Pampers, UPS, and Amazon provide the best customer experience. What’s the takeaway for U.S. advertisers? Victoria Sakal, Associate Director, Kantar, told Cynopsis, “Mattering more to consumers comes from being more relevant – meaningfully different – to them through greater insight on the things they care about, and also from playing a more active yet strategic role in more aspects of consumers’ lives: in advertising, on the retail shelf, and in our daily regimens.” According to related data analysis, total brand spend on U.S. sports sponsorship will grow 5.4% year-on-year to hit $15.5 billion in 2020. This represents an increase on the previous year’s growth of 3.5%.

LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan confirmed that he has signed a long-term contract extension. Whan is "completing his tenth year as the LPGA’s leader, the longest tenure of any commissioner in tour history," according to Golf Channel. During his tenure, Whan has "rebuilt the LPGA with a healthy, diversified foundation, with 33 events" and more than $70 million in total prize money.” When Whan was named LPGA Commissioner, the organization had only 23 events on the 2011 schedule in his first year. “Ten years ago, I’m not sure many of us would have been bold enough to predict where we are our today,” he wrote in an update to members. “Events like the KPMG Women’s PGA, Race to the CME Globe, UL International Crown and Founders Cup weren’t even an idea back then. In fact, 19 of the 33 official events on the 2020 LPGA Tour Schedule weren’t on the LPGA Tour just 10 years ago! Now we have an official team event, five strong majors, multiple events played with men, exciting season-long competitions, events staged in 12 different regions of the world, and TV coverage in over 160 countries.” Well done, Mike – we are proud to call you a friend.

The 2020 MLS All-Star Game presented by Target is heading to Los Angeles where, for the first time, the MLS All-Stars will face the Liga MX All-Stars on July 29 at Banc of California Stadium. The match will be broadcast on ESPN and Univision networks in the U.S., TSN, and TVA Sports in Canada, as well as on ESPN throughout Mexico and Latin America. “We are so pleased to bring the 2020 MLS All-Star Game presented by Target to Los Angeles, one of the great soccer markets in North America,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber in a statement. “As we celebrate our 25th season, we wanted to deliver a unique and unprecedented format for our annual All-Star Game. Our first ever game between the best of MLS and Liga MX’s top players is the perfect way to build on the growing relationship between the two top soccer leagues in the region.” The MLS All-Star Game will unfold in the same timeframe that SoFi Stadium, the new home of the Rams and the Chargers, will roll out inaugural concerts before it hosts its first official NFL games. Next summer, it seems, all eyes will be on LaLa Land.

A $50 million soccer fund has been put aside by the U.S. for the 2026 World Cup. According to Bloomberg, part-owner of the Philadelphia Union, Richie Graham, is leading a $50 million investment in the sport. Graham and a team of former executives from Adidas AG, ESPN, U.S. Soccer, and soccer-focused digital media company Copa90 have established For Soccer Ventures, a $50 million investment fund focused on growing the game in North America. The ultimate goal is to create a one-stop platform where those invested in U.S. soccer -- including kids, parents, casual fans, professional players, and coaches -- can reach the sport and its culture. Graham said the world’s most popular sport is benefiting in the U.S. from a rising Hispanic population and a tech-savvy, millennial, and Gen Z fan base. The venture will comprise two principal components: the Soccer Collective, a multimedia content producer aimed at promoting the culture of American soccer, and the Soccer Alliance, meant to build on Graham’s existing holdings through a network of clubs, leagues, and tournaments. For Soccer Ventures will be part of a larger initiative to spur further interest in soccer across the U.S. while a number of marquee international teams, featuring such icons as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Neymar, are also staging exhibitions in the U.S. for the same reason

10 To Watch : Mayor’s Edition 111819

 RICK HORROW’S TOP 10 SPORTS/BIZ/TECH/PHILANTHROPY ISSUES FOR THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 18 : MAYOR’S EDITION

with Jacob Aere

 A draft agreement between Miami-Dade County and the Dolphins would "pay the team at least" $2.5 million a year for bringing a F1 race to Miami Gardens. According to the Miami Herald, the subsidy is "tied to an existing agreement" from 2014 that pays Hard Rock Stadium up to $5.75 million annually for big events. The drafted F1 agreement would "boost that cap" to $7 million, a 20% increase. However, Miami-Dade Deputy Mayor Jennifer Moon affirmed the Dolphins "dropped the request for the higher cap." Even without the higher cap, the proposed F1 agreement would make the 2014 agreement a "more reliable source of county revenue" for Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross. The Dolphins "already are allowed" a $1 million payment for the Miami Open tennis tournament. International soccer matches “qualify for a $750,000 payment, while a college football championship brings in $3 million. An annual F1 race would let Ross lock in another $2.5 million more for the yearly allocation allowed under the 2014 agreement.

In a new poll commissioned by the Oakland Chamber of Commerce, 77% of voters are for keeping the A's. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, building a privately financed ballpark at the Port of Oakland's Howard Terminal "got the support of 68% of the voters, even if it means setting up a special tax district to pay for infrastructure." The poll also shows that 44% of voters believe the city should “drop its lawsuit over the Coliseum land sale,” compared with 28% who support the lawsuit and 28% with no opinion on the matter." Analytics firm FM3 took a poll of 601 registered voters October 29-November 1 as part of the chamber's annual Pulse of Oakland survey. The poll, "which has a margin of error of plus or minus 4%, came as the clock ticked down" on the deadline Major League Baseball set for the city to "drop the suit or risk the A's relocating to another city.” Since the city has lost the Warriors and soon, the Raiders, it’s not surprising that a majority of voters would back keeping its one remaining pro sports team.

 EverFi chants “Let’s Go Lightning.” Last Friday, the Tampa Bay Lightning invited 5,000 middle schoolers from the area to practice as part of their partnership with the Future Goals program from EverFi. The NHL and NHLPA are sponsoring the program that brings hockey into the classroom to explore STEM topics through sports. Future Goals features computer modules aimed at students in third through eighth grades on various topics. “We actually tried to use math and science in our ball hockey stuff,” Vice President of Community Hockey Development Jay Feaster shared with the Tampa Bay Times. “We show angles. If you pass off the boards here, or the different angles in the openings around a goalie.” While some of the students attending the Friday practice were hockey players, EverFi‘s NHL partnership recognizes that even those who don’t play the game have a better time absorbing STEM information through the lens of the sport.

 Black News Channel, the brainchild of former football and political star J.C. Watts, has moved its launch date from November 15 to January 6. The Tallahassee, FL-based network co-founded by former Oklahoma congressman J.C. Watts and TV exec Bob Brillante made the date change to take advantage of new distribution platforms. “If we have the opportunity to include the largest African American audience possible from day one, then that should be our top priority,” said Watts. The network, which offers 24/7 news serving African American viewers, has carriage deals set with Comcast, Charter, and Dish Network, and will be available in TV markets including New York, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. Watts entered the national conversation as a star quarterback for the University of Oklahoma in 1979 and later made a name for himself on Capitol Hill both as a congressman and a lobbyist backing diversity and economic issues still resonating in sports — and elsewhere — today.

WWE and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy have announced that WrestleMania 35 generated $165.4 million in economic impact for the New York/New Jersey region last April, according to a study conducted by the Enigma Research Corporation. This marks a more than 60 percent increase from the $101.2 million generated for WrestleMania 29 in New York and New Jersey and the eighth consecutive year that WrestleMania generated more than $100 million in economic impact for its host region. Over the past 13 years, WrestleMania has now generated more than $1.3 billion in cumulative economic impact for the cities that have hosted the event. WrestleMania 35 also generated approximately $27.1 million in federal, state, and local taxes. A sold-out crowd of 82,265 fans from all 50 states and 68 countries attended WWE’s pop-culture extravaganza this past April, making it the highest-grossing entertainment event in the history of MetLife Stadium. Next year, WrestleMania 36 will take place Sunday, April 5, from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay and looks to positively impact a hurting sports industry in Tampa Bay.

The National Women’s Hockey League announced that it had closed a new round of equity funding that ensures continued growth for the league for many years to come. According to Cynopsis, the financing was led by insurance and IT entrepreneur Andy Scurto, who now joins a group of more than 20 NWHL investors. The funding round is another boost for a league whose existence was in doubt after a tumultuous summer. According to Sports Business, the five-team, U.S. based NWHL is continuing to operate despite the fact that more than 200 of the world’s top female ice hockey players pledged to not compete in North America this season in an attempt to gain better pay and working conditions. The NWHL also recently signed a partnership with athlete marketing platform Opendorse in an attempt to increase its players’ presence and engagement on social media. If the players can have their salary wishes met, this league has a chance to become equally prominent to the NHL in 10 years’ time.

The shift is here: more fans are streaming sports than paying for TV packages. According to SportsPro, fans are watching more live sport on their smartphones and connected devices than they do on TV, despite the majority of sports media rights being held by linear broadcasters, according to new research by cloud video specialists Grabyo. While more than 50% of fans watch sport via a satellite or pay-TV subscription, Grabyo’s OTT Video Trends Report claims that more than 60% view sports content via either an OTT or premium social media service. Overall, Grabyo’s research found that the global market penetration of OTT services has hit 38%, with DAZN and Kayo Sports cited as the most popular dedicated sports streaming platforms used by fans. Furthermore, Grabyo links a growth in short-form video, real-time highlights, and viral video consumption with the widespread adoption of social media use on smartphones as social media platforms such as Facebook Watch, Twitter, and YouTube TV capitalize on a growing demand for streaming options.

The NHL’s Washington Capitals owners launch Caps Gaming Brand. Monumental Sports and Entertainment (MSE), the owners of the Washington Capitals NHL franchise, has launched an esports division called Caps Gaming, which will host a 32-team EA Sports NHL 20 competition. The Caps Gaming Showcase, a six-versus-six ice hockey esports tournament, which will launch on Xbox One, will feature an eight-week regular-season beginning in early December, with the top 16 teams advancing to a postseason stage held in late February, competing for a $15,000 prize pool. As part of Monumental’s gaming expansion, the esports division has also signed up professional NHL gamer John Casagranda, who is also known as “JohnWayne” and joins the Caps Gaming organization as an official streamer on the Caps Gaming Twitch channel until the end of June. In addition to being 2018 NHL Stanley Cup champions, Monumental owns and operates pro sports franchises based in the U.S. capital, including the NBA’s Washington Wizards and the WNBA champion Washington Mystics. By investing heavily in esports, MSE and the Capitals have kept themselves at the forefront of innovation across the NHL and are primed to cash-in on the rise of esports.

John Cena confronts veteran suicide through charity.  Cena has partnered with the FitOps Foundation, a nonprofit committed to training and certifying veterans as personal trainers as the suicide rate among U.S. veterans continues to increase. According to Sports Illustrated, FitOps runs camps for its training sessions, providing a recognizable feeling for the veterans who attend. In addition to raising awareness about the needs of vets, Cena is also raising funds to expand the FitOps program. A number that really jumped out to Cena to inspire change was that roughly 20 veterans a day commit suicide. In a fundraising effort for FitOps, Cena pledged to match all donations up to $1 million through Veterans Day, as well as offer a VIP meet-and-greet with Cena to one lucky donor. Fittingly, on Veterans Day, the project crossed the $1 million threshold. An integral part of FitOps is rebuilding the sense of community and purpose that many veterans lose when returning to civilian life. While Cena has always showed his appreciation for the military, his current actions have him involved directly. 

All-electric racing series Formula E sees BBC extension to include two races on FTA television. According to SportsPro, the Marrakesh ePrix on February 29 and the Rome ePrix on April 4 are the two races that have been chosen for the BBC’s television coverage, although it is not yet confirmed which channels will air the events. The extension will also see the BBC continue to show every Formula E race across its online platforms, including the BBC iPlayer and its website. Coverage of select races will also be available via the BBC red button. The expanded deal comes ahead of Formula E’s return to the UK, with a double-header race through London’s ExCel exhibition center and along the waterfront on the streets of the Royal Docks set to close the 2019/20 season on July 25-26. Formula E, which debuted on the BBC last season, will also be broadcast in the UK this season on Discovery-owned channel Eurosport, with select events also being shown live on free-to-air network Quest. This is an eco-friendly racing league that allows for the same excitement as non-electric racing with the benefit of no negative carbon emissions and could set an example for NASCAR in the U.S.

10 To Watch : Mayor’s Edition 111119

RICK HORROW’S TOP 10 SPORTS/BIZ/TECH/PHILANTHROPY ISSUES FOR THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 11 : Mayor’s Edition

with Jacob Aere

Sports investor Bruin Sports Capital received $600 million more to spend. According to the New York Times, Bruin Sports Capital is a sports investment and management company that invests in the technologies of media, marketing, and data surrounding sports. After raising $600 million from two even larger investors – CVC Capital Partners and the Jordan Company – Bruin Sports will be able to expand its portfolio of investments, which already include data analytics, media and streaming companies, and a fledgling drone-racing league. Currently, Bruin, led by Sport Business Handbook contributor George Pyne, has nearly $1 billion invested, including significant stakes in six companies across the modern sports landscape, from sports media start-ups such as The Athletic to a live-event provider selling high-end trips to events like the Super Bowl and the NFL draft. Overall, Bruin Sports Capital’s guiding philosophy is that people under 40 watch and consume sports and media in radically different ways from their parents – and this is likely how the strategic company will invest its newly-acquired $600 million: toward attracting future generations of sports and tech fans.

As “Ford v Ferrari” prepares to open nationwide, with Oscar in its sights, the Raiders have announced Desert Ford Dealers Las Vegas as founding partner of their new Allegiant Stadium. The tie-up also sees Ford, which has five dealerships across Las Vegas, named as the official vehicle of the Raiders. The deal gives Ford a year-round presence throughout Allegiant Stadium including pre-game tailgate activations and naming rights on the north gate entry. Construction on the $1.8 billion stadium is due for completion July 21. Said Raiders president Marc Badain, “We are excited to add another world-wide brand to the Raider family and for the annual activation and tailgating experiences this partnership will provide to our fans.” Set to open this Friday, “Ford v Ferrari” focuses on the relationship between visionary car designer Carroll Shelby (played by Matt Damon) and British driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale) as they worked to develop the Ford GT-40 car that swept the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans. In case you’re wondering, the original cars sold and licensed by Ford in the 1960s have great value. A 1965 GT-40 roadster prototype was sold in August at a Monterey, CA auction for $7.65 million.

While the majority of America's top high school basketball talent chose to spend the year in college where they will earn $0 in wages, LaMelo Ball and R.J. Hampton chose to spend the year in Australia's National Basketball League, where they will earn $68,400. Ball was unlikely to be NCAA eligible anyway after playing professionally in Lithuania, but Hampton had full eligibility at an American college. Instead, he chose the path he thought would best prepare him for the NBA. Hampton's decision embodies the modern challenge facing college basketball, but fears over this becoming the new normal are exaggerated. After all, thanks to a new collective bargaining agreement on the horizon, the "one-and-done" era will likely end soon. And when it does, these alternative paths will be moot. We've seen international prospects make noise before, but we've never seen two young Americans — both active on social media with big followings: Ball has five million Instagram followers while RJ has 430,000 – playing  overseas while their former classmates play on campuses. Should be a fun storyline to follow this college basketball season and into next year’s NBA Draft.

As MLS once again crowned the Seattle Sounders as their champion, the average value of an MLS franchise has climbed 30% from $240 million to $313 million, according to Forbes. The year-on-year growth outpaces the rising team values in the NBA, which were up 13%, as well as the 11% increase in the NFL, an 8% rise in MLB, and a 6% climb in the NHL. Atlanta United remains the most valuable MLS franchise for the second straight year at $500 million, up from $330 million in last year’s rankings. The club’s revenue soared from $47 million to $78 million, resulting in an operating income of $7 million. Atlanta United are closely followed by the L.A. Galaxy ($480 million), with LAFC ($475 million), MLS Cup Champion Seattle Sounders ($405 million), and Toronto FC ($395 million) rounding off the top five. Despite the increase in team values, Forbes estimates that just seven of the league’s 24 teams turned a profit last season, with Toronto FC recording the biggest loss of $19 million. However, that has not stemmed the demand from investors looking to own an MLS franchise, even though expansion fees have soared to $200 million

In similar sports engagement news, a new study from Telemundo Deportes was welcome news for brands looking to engage with Hispanic fans. Telemundo Deportes, in partnership with Turnkey Intelligence-MarketCast, reports that Hispanic fans show 15% higher propensity to support sponsors on television and elsewhere than non-Hispanics, “by trying, buying, or recommending a product or service,” according to the study. Additionally, 57% of Hispanic sports fans who consume Spanish-language media would try, buy, or recommend a product or service — a 22% increase over non-Hispanics. Among the report’s other highlights, more than three-quarters of Spanish-language media consumers consider the FIFA Men’s World Cup a “can’t miss event.” 81% of Hispanic sports fans watch sports on television, predominantly at home, and were somewhat less likely than non-Hispanic fans to follow sports on other media platforms such as streaming services, social media, and online news sites. It’s never too early to prepare for the World Cup. Even though the 2022 event in Qatar is later than normal in the calendar due to brutal summer heat in that country – it kicks off in almost three years to the day – brand marketers should take note of this timely study.

The New York Knicks and New Jersey Devils broadcasts will soon feature FanDuel betting. According to Bloomberg, FanDuel will become an official sports gaming partner for broadcasts of the NBA’s Knicks, as well as the exclusive sports gambling partner for broadcasts of the NHL’s Devils. Also, New York Rangers hockey telecasts will include FanDuel commercials, but not betting-related content. Devils telecasts will have updated betting odds in a scrolling sidebar during each intermission. The partnership also will include a mix of in-game and halftime spots, branded content, and commercials. Prior to the Knicks halftime show, the network recently began showing a five-minute segment called “Inside the Lines,” devoting that time to look at the NBA betting landscape. A similar one-minute NHL-focused show will air leading into every Devils pregame show. Sports betting companies increasingly are signing deals with pro sports teams and media entities in places where betting on games is legal, and more teams will sign deals with betting partners as state by state legislation continues to relax on sports betting.

Privacy-focused messaging app Signal is making waves in the NBA, NFL, and NCAA. Tampering issues loom over professional sports and a widespread federal investigation still lingers over the NCAA landscape, meaning that the desire for privacy, encryption, and even disappearing messages has increased. For public schools in college sports, the app has emerged as an outlet to avoid jeopardy under Freedom of Information Act requests and to circumvent NCAA amateurism rules. In pro sports, Signal is used to combat the uptick in tampering enforcement. According to Yahoo! Sports, all the messages, photos, and documents passed back and forth are heavily encrypted on Signal. In the NBA and NFL, Signal spans every level from players to executives. In the wake of an NBA free agency period in which news of deals was broken prior to the formal start of the free agency round, NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced stricter enforcement of rules for tampering and salary-cap circumvention. While the Signal app was originally created for use in politics, the sports world has been using its security features to avoid legal repercussions for phone conversations or texts or, simply, an escape from stardom.

Total advertising on connected TV devices and platforms will grow 37.6% in 2019 to hit $6.94 billion, forecasts eMarketer – and surpass $10 billion by 2021. “When looking at ad revenues, YouTube, Hulu and Roku are the leaders in this market,” eMarketer lead analyst Eric Haggstrom shared with Cynopsis. “Users of these platforms are likely either cord-cutters or cord-shavers. That means some TV ad buyers are willing to pay a premium to reach users who are difficult to reach via traditional TV ads. These platforms are also bulking up their targeting, programmatic and attribution capabilities in order to attract buyers from the digital world.” While these numbers comprise all programming, including sports, major recent deals that pro sports leagues have done with the likes of Amazon and YouTube prove that they understand where the content consuming world is going and are already headed in that direction.

Boston Marathon Charity eclipses $100 million in donations for cancer over its 20 years. According to Tucson.com, Boston Marathon runners participating on behalf of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute since 1990 have surpassed the $100 million fundraising mark. The research center says more than $500,000 has already been raised by runners in next year's race, putting it over the threshold. Dana-Farber was one of the first charities allowed to use the Boston Marathon as a fundraiser. More than 500 runners are expected to take part in the 2020 race as part of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge. They are hoping to raise $6.25 million. 100% of the money raised from the team's Boston Marathon runners supports promising cancer research in its earliest stages. The Boston Marathon is the pinnacle of marathon and media coverage and the race will make positive headlines as multiple charities will be highlighted on the day of the event next year, April 20, 2020.

Phillies coach Charlie Manuel will sleep on the street for charity. According to Crossing Broad, Manuel will be sleeping outside on a Philly street along with Larry Bowa and Phillies executives to raise money for the Covenant House “Sleep Out” program, which supports homeless youth. Charlie went on Twitter to explain that his family had 11 kids and that he “grew up poor,” so it’s a cause he can relate to. As of Friday, $1,415 of the $5,000 goal had already been raised. The sleep out will take place on November 21 and is not about pretending to be homeless. It’s an act of solidarity with the 4.2 million young people who experience homelessness each year. It’s a decision that we can’t stay indoors while so many kids remain outside. The funds raised will be donated to Covenant House, a shelter for kids experiencing homelessness and trafficking. Covenant House offers these young people respect and unconditional love, and their continuum of care provides essential services to help kids transition from homelessness to independence. Manuel is raising awareness of homelessness in Philadelphia and speaking from a place of respect, as he too suffered financial struggles in his childhood.

10 To Watch : Mayor’s Edition 11419

RICK HORROW’S TOP 10 SPORTS/BIZ/TECH/PHILANTHROPY ISSUES FOR THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 4 : MAYOR’S EDITION

with Jacob Aere

Fully 14.8% of all World Series ads focused on giving back and corporate social responsibility. There were more advocacy and corporate social responsibility ads aired during the first four games of the World Series than any other type of ad outside of auto makers, according to data from Advertising Analytics, a strategy firm that specializes in political and issues advertising. The World Series attracted mostly defense, enterprise technology, and healthcare ads. While this was a departure from typical sports championships, in which consumer package goods and retail ads typically dominate, Axios noted World Series games in DC presented a juicy opportunity for brands to “reach Washington decision-makers in a casual environment. While many marquee advertisers sponsor events around Washington DC, there are few games that will have as high of an impact and as engaged of an audience as a World Series that includes a Washington team.” As the hyper-political environment in Washington becomes more contentious, companies are pressured to take a stand on more issues than they have in the past – and this is reflected in their marketing initiatives. Expect this trend to continue at least through the 2020 election cycle.

A college players' rights group has entered into a partnership with the NFL Players Association to explore how to maximize name, image, and likeness rights. A day before the NCAA announcement last week, the NFLPA and National College Players Association (NCPA) announced jointly that the partnership will "explore opportunities for" college athletes in merchandise, gaming, licensed products, and "how recent developments impact television broadcast revenues in pursuit of fairness." California's Fair Pay to Play Act granting college athletes in that state the ability to profit off their name, image, and likeness goes into effect in 2023. A similar bill has been proposed in Florida, but it would go into effect far sooner—July 1, 2020. A Pennsylvania bill is expected to be introduced soon. Were college players able to unionize in a similar fashion to the way NFL players are able to collectively bargain, it would put even more pressure on the NCAA to craft new rules that give student athletes the same rights that all their classmates on campus currently enjoy.

Premier League Primary Stars USA visits Austin elementary school for soccer-themed learning. On October 25, Austin, Texas elementary school students worked side-by-side with Premier League stars during a soccer-themed educational experience. Premier League, the top level of the English soccer league system and EVERFI, a leader in driving social change through technology and education, recently joined forces to bring an interactive soccer-themed education program to students at Perez Elementary School in Austin. The event was part of the Premier League Primary Stars USA program, an educational initiative focused on health and wellness and social and emotional learning skills. Representatives from the Premier League and associated pro soccer clubs led a digital learning session, a hands-on soccer skills clinic, and a school-wide assembly centered on areas of critical emotional development. Perez students also engaged with visiting soccer stars, met mascots from four Premier League clubs, and saw the iconic Premier League trophy. On hand for the event were Premier League star winger and ambassador Shaun Wright-Phillips, EVERFI Global CMO Brian Cooley, Congressman Lloyd Doggett, and youth coaches from clubs including Aston Villa, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Wolverhampton.

Kansas City, here we come. Our “Power of Sports” program heads to Kansas City this month, highlighting community outreach programs, culturally significant sites, and people who have made a difference through sports. This month, host Rick Horrow visits the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum to speak with President Bob Kendrick about the 100th anniversary of the formation of the Negro Leagues coming up next year and the museum’s role in the celebration and in the community. He also checks in on two of the Kansas City Royals’ youth outreach programs: Royalty Fields grants and a recurring Special Olympics clinic, and hears from James McGinnis, a high school football player from the KC Metro, who suffered a traumatic brain injury and used the Chiefs’ success last season to motivate his recovery. Our Game Changer segment features an interview with former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue filmed in early October at a Sport Business Handbook contributor symposium hosted by EVERFI at their Washington, DC headquarters

The Orlando Magic have "filed an updated master plan" for their downtown Orlando Sports + Entertainment District that is "expected to more than double" the original $200 million project budget. According to the Orlando Sentinel, the mixed-use district will be built "starting next year on 8.4 acres across from Amway Center." Magic Chief Communications Officer Joel Glass said the project will now cost "well over" $500 million. The district will "contain nearly 110,000 square feet of retail space, a conference center hotel with 80,000 square feet of event space, offices, apartments and a 2,500-space parking garage." The updated plan maintains the original concept from 2018 but "increases the number of hotel rooms by 50 and more than doubles the amount of office space from the original 200,000 square feet to 420,000 square feet." District Director Pat Gallagher said that the office tower "would now rise to 18 stories, which includes the ground-floor retail, multilevel parking structure and commercial office space." The Sentinel notes the Magic's new headquarters "would occupy 40,000 square feet in the office tower,” or close to 10%.

Unsung World Series winner this year:  Palm Beach County, FL.  The most publicized “first” this year involves the visiting team winning every World Series game.  However, maybe one of the most important economic “firsts” is the first time the World Series finalists shared a Spring Training facility:  the FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.  The 7,700-seat stadium also features six practice fields each for the Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros.  The 160-acre site also includes a 1.8 mile public walk trail and other facilities.  The Palm Beach County Sports Commission touts the facility as a major economic generator for the county, as it also hosts over 1,400 youth and tournament baseball games each year.  Look for a series of major announcements by the county and sports commission over the next two months.

San Diego State is now offering the city of San Diego $87.7 million for Mission Valley stadium site. San Diego State University is "now offering to pay" the city $19.5 million more than before to purchase the Mission Valley stadium property formerly occupied by the Chargers. According to the letter delivered last Monday to San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, SDSU's new offer is $87.7 million, which consists of a "revised purchase price" of $86.2 million for 135 acres of land, plus an estimated $1.5 million to "account for a portion of the site's appreciation" since 2017. In addition, SDSU is "proposing to take over the portion" of Murphy Canyon Creek immediately adjacent to the site "without requiring the city to pay for any past-due maintenance,” according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. The news comes as SDSU cracked the Associated Press college football Top 25 for the first time in many years (they are now #24), an achievement that should aid local enthusiasm for the SDSU West project, as a new football/soccer stadium is part of the master plan.

Parisian soccer club PSG goes green with Gaussin transport deal. According to SportsPro, French soccer giant Paris Saint-Germain has signed a strategic partnership with the Gaussin Group for the supply of self-driving, 100% electric vehicles for public transport and goods transport. The long-term agreement includes equipment for all of the Ligue 1 champions’ infrastructure, including their new training complex which will open its doors in 2022. The deal also falls in line with PSG’s ambition to utilize innovations in sustainable development and autonomous mobility, especially with regard to the practice facility as it bids to become the first recognized Smart City in sports. The Gaussin Group will initially undertake research to understand where to best deploy its autonomous and electric mobility solutions before rolling out its products where it best suits the needs of the club. This deal marks a movement for sports franchises to be more environmentally conscious of their off-field impacts.

Philadelphia 76ers’ Tobias Harris donates $1 million to charities. According to 247 Sports, Harris announced a combined donation of $1 million to assist nine different charities in Philadelphia. He announced the charities and the dollar amount for each during a community draft at a local elementary school. The benefitting organizations include the Center for Black Educator Development which received $300,000; Read by 4th was given $200,000; The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia, the Foundation for Orange County Public Schools, and Legends Academy were all given $100,000; World Literacy Foundation and True Love Missions each received $75,000; and both WUFSD Wynadanch Memorial High School and Team Up Philly were given $25,000. Although Harris was traded just eight months ago from the Los Angeles Clippers, the basketball star seems to be investing heavily in the youth of Philadelphia, a city facing a major teacher shortage and in which two-thirds of third graders can’t read at grade level.

Call of Duty League launches in January, 2020.  According to BusinessWire, Activision Blizzard Esports announced the inaugural season of the Call of Duty League will begin with the Call of Duty League Launch Weekend at the Minneapolis Armory January 24-26, 2020. The event will be hosted by Minnesota Røkkr, which is the Call of Duty League team operated by WISE Ventures Esports, under the ownership of the Minnesota Viking owner Wilf family and tech investor Gary Vaynerchuk. The league will feature all 12 of the professional Call of Duty League teams competing across three days, and the opening weekend will feature additional fan and player experiences to celebrate the launch of Activision Blizzard Esports’ highly anticipated new city-based league. In a concept that should appeal to traditional sports fans, the Call of Duty League follows a home-vs-away format with 5-versus-5 professional match play. Throughout the season, each team will host “Home Series” weekends in their market, with multiple pro teams competing at each which will draw in crowds to take part in the events and participate in one of the most far-reaching video game series ever created.

10 To Watch : Mayor’s Edition 102819

RICK HORROW’S TOP 10 SPORTS/BIZ/TECH/PHILANTHROPY ISSUES FOR THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 28 : MAYOR’S EDITION

with Jacob Aere

Under Armour and Nike announce CEO shifts on the same day. Last Tuesday, Under Armour announced that founder Kevin Plank was stepping down from his CEO role, just as Nike was letting the world know that Mark Parker, a 40-year Nike veteran, was likewise assuming a different role at the $40 billion company. While Under Armour struggled financially under Plank, Parker oversaw a profitable but controversial period for Nike. In Maryland, Plank will become Under Armour executive chairman and brand chief. The changes come as the company's North American sales are struggling. In Oregon, Parker led Nike through a period of tremendous growth but also saw his leadership challenged by a number of controversies. While Nike earnings are currently ahead of expectations, the company has also been plagued by recent scandals, including a doping accusation that saw Nike shutter its renowned track and field program, and a sexual misconduct and gender discrimination case. Plank will be replaced by COO Patrik Frisk, who will assume the CEO role on January 1. Parker will step down January 13 and be replaced by John Donahoe, CEO of ServiceNow Inc. and chairman of PayPal Holdings.

There’s no shortage of intrigue and excitement surrounding this year’s match up, as the Washington Nationals square off against the Houston Astros in the 115th World Series. As the Series enters its second week with the Astros leading the Nationals 3-2, WalletHub takes a closer look at everything that makes the Series such a special event. For starters, the number 53 marks the combined number of years of the Astros' and Nationals' World Series droughts. While the Astros won the Series in 2017, it's been 51 years since the team formerly known as the Montreal Expos won a championship. Forbes values the two teams at roughly the same number, $1.8 billion, and the two teams have roughly the same team salary allotment, in the $207-$208 million range. The projected ad revenue for FOX for each game beyond the minimum four to win the Series is $45.7 million. And finally, for the eventual winner, the "Commissioner's Trophy" crafted by Tiffany and Company has an estimated physical value of $19,000.

The San Francisco 49ers will include basic food and beverages in the cost of season tickets starting in 2020, marking a major shift in concessions strategy. According to 49ers President Al Guido, the all-inclusive approach will not extend to season tickets resold on the secondary market, or to single-game buyers. The undefeated 49ers have about 60,000 season-ticket holders in a stadium that seats 68,500. In market research, Guido said season-ticket holders “overwhelmingly” reported they are willing to pay more than what the stadium currently makes on each fan to get concessions included. The non-transferability of the food & beverage deal is possible under Ticketmaster’s mobile ticketing system that assigns unique barcodes to every user. Items that will be free include chicken tenders, beef and vegan hot dogs, hot links, nachos, fries, pretzels, popcorn, peanuts candies, water, coffee, and all Pepsi products. The 49ers and concessionaire Levy have reportedly been studying the change since Levy won Levi’s Stadium business in February, 2018. It took more than a year of research to determine whether it could be done without causing prohibitive financial or operational costs. 

The Green Bay Packers and Microsoft raised $25 million for their TitletownTech business innovation fund. The TitletownTech fund reached its goal of $25 million with the addition of a dozen Wisconsin-based investors, according to the Green Bay Press Gazette. The Packers and Microsoft each committed $5 million to the fund, which will invest in high-growth early-stage and existing businesses aligned with industries in northeastern Wisconsin. Other investors in the accelerator program include Boston Bruins alternative governor Jerry Jacobs, Jr. and New York Mets COO Jeff Wilpon, both of whom sit on the TitletownTech advisory board. TitletownTech, a technology and innovation-focused campus in the Packers' Titletown District development near Lambeau Field, includes an innovation lab, a business solutions space called a venture studio, and the venture fund's headquarters. Moving forward, its work will focus on five business silos: sports, media, and entertainment; digital health; agriculture, water, and environment; advanced manufacturing; and supply chain technology. The Packers-Microsoft partnership is just the latest example of how sports franchises are thinking way outside the mixed-use stadium district development box to benefit their communities. 

NFL Players Coalition, Meek Mill, and others host Philadelphia Town Hall event. On Monday, October 28, global music streaming and entertainment platform, TIDAL will be live streaming, for free, the NFL Players Coalition Town Hall Event in Philadelphia. The event, according to a TIDAL release, will feature rapper Meek Mill, co-founder of Players Coalition/NFL Player Malcolm Jenkins, and other influencers discussing what the city of Philadelphia wants in its next police commissioner. Players Coalition aims to make an impact on social justice and racial equality through advocacy, awareness, education, and allocation of resources. TIDAL’s support of key social justice issues has been a pillar of the streaming service’s mission since its inception, and it is committed to amplifying conversations through the platform that will lead to a better future globally. The Philadelphia town hall meeting, and others like it nationally, are testaments to the NFL’s commitment to support social justice issues important to its players, alumni, and fans. Time will tell if the Players Coalition, with the league’s support, will truly be able to influence grassroots issues in the cities in which its games are played. 

Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney and his $9.3 million annual salary have taken over the top spot in the annual USA Today coaches’ salary database. Rounding out the top five are Nick Saban ($8.9 million), Jim Harbaugh ($7.5 million), Jimbo Fisher ($7.5 million), and Kirby Smart ($6.9 million). Notably, the top 83 coaches included in the list of 130 schools earned more than $1 million annually in salary alone. Also, the average total pay for the 122 FBS coaches for whom USA TODAY Sports could obtain compensation figures is $2.67 million, up 9% compared to last season – the increase is the largest in four years. And, for the first time, there is a league in which all of the coaches are making at least $3 million. That league is the 14-school Southeastern Conference, in which the average total pay is $4.95 million. College football coaches have seen salaries sky rocket in the last 10 years, meanwhile college athlete compensation is set to kick off in California come 2023.

The NBA has confirmed that Salt Lake City will host the 2023 NBA All-Star Game. The 72nd   edition of the mid-season exhibition match, which sees teams selected by a combination of fan, player, and media voting, will be staged at Vivint Smart Home Arena, the home of the Utah Jazz, February 19 2023. The event will mark the 30th anniversary of the only previous time Utah’s capital city hosted the All-Star Game in 1993, when the Vivint Smart Home Arena was known as the Delta Center. The NBA’s 2023 All-Star festivities will kick off February 17 that year, featuring additional programming for fans at venues throughout Salt Lake City. The league also plans to run a full schedule of NBA Cares and Diversity & Inclusion events. “Along with a rich basketball tradition, Salt Lake City has proven to be a world-class destination for large-scale events and sports competitions,” said NBA commissioner Adam Silver. “I want to thank the Miller Family and the Utah Jazz organization for their commitment to hosting our All-Star festivities and to developing a program that will leave a lasting impact on the community.” Added Jazz owner Gail Miller, “The memory of John Stockton and Karl Malone sharing MVP honors 30 years ago remains strong.  We are excited to create new memories for this generation of NBA fans.” Next year’s All-Star Game is being held at Chicago’s United Center before heading to Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis in 2021.

National Women’s Soccer League inks an exclusive deal with Octagon for media rights and marketing consulting. According to Sports Video Group, Octagon will provide comprehensive media rights valuation, sales strategy services, and work directly with NWSL executives to secure and amplify new media distribution opportunities. In addition, Octagon’s Marketing division will assist the league with brand marketing, asset development, sponsorship valuation, and fan engagement insights to help generate increases in overall reach and revenue for the league and its teams. Featuring more than 200 of the world’s best professional soccer players, including U.S. Women’s National Team members and two-time World Cup Champions Megan Rapinoe, Carli Lloyd, and Alex Morgan, as well as international stars Marta, Christine Sinclair, and Sam Kerr, the NWSL is highlighted by 23 current FIFA Women’s World Cup Champions and 58 FIFA Women’s World Cup team members. Budwesier has also launched a campaign focused on finding the NWSL new sponsors as more money is being put into women’s soccer across the globe.

The sports world aims to tackle ocean plastic pollution. According to SportTechie, a research expedition embarked from the southwest coast of the U.K., on a two-year mission to sail westward around the world. The crew aboard the S.V. TravelEdge, a 73-foot floating laboratory, will travel 38,000-nautical-miles and cross all five of the world’s major ocean gyres, regions where rotating currents lead to the accumulation of floating plastic waste. The 300 women joining the all-female rotating team will investigate to find solutions to plastic pollution. The “eXXpedition Round The World” is being organized by sailor Emily Penn, who is among a growing group of athletes and people connected to the sports world that is advocating for and taking action to protect the environment. Another goal of Penn’s journey is to create a global network of ambassadors who can advocate to help solve the problem. She has been working with a larger environmental organization called 11th Hour Racing over the last few years to give talks and run workshops for other sailors to learn how they can play a role in tackling plastic pollution. By having athletes tackle environmental problems head on, they can use their social influence to be advocates for policy and lifestyle change.

Seven NFL dads partner with Pampers to install changing tables in their local communities. According to Business Wire, Pampers’ commitment to install 5,000 changing tables across North America by 2021 secured the help of seven hands-on NFL dads today. In honor of October 26’s National Make a Difference Day, Pampers is leading the installation of changing tables in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, Denver, Detroit and Charlotte so all parents can #LoveTheChange in public places. The seven players include Sterling Shepard of the New York Giants, Tevin Coleman of the San Francisco 49ers, Marvin Jones Jr. of the Detroit Lions, Brian Westbrook of the Philadelphia Eagles, Derek Wolfe of the Denver Broncos, Matt Forte of the Chicago Bears, and Dontari Poe of the Carolina Panthers. The changing tables help to address the changing table inequality for men who care for babies and by using seven NFL dads the topic will gain more limelight.

10 To Watch : Mayor’s Edition 102119

RICK HORROW’S TOP 10 SPORTS/BIZ/TECH/PHILANTHROPY ISSUES FOR THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 21 : MAYOR’S EDITION

with Jacob Aere

TV broadcasters and streamers invested $38 billion in sports rights in 2018, nearly double the $20 billion spent in 2012. Globally, TV broadcasters, and to a lesser degree, online streamers, fork out 26% of their total content spend on sports rights, according to a report published last Wednesday by Ampere Analysis and carried by the Hollywood Reporter. The market for sports rights has nearly doubled in the last six years, from $20 billion in 2012 to $38 billion last year. The U.S. remains the largest single market for sports rights, with a $19 billion annual spend, a figure likely to jump as new rights cycles kick in for the NFL, MLB, and the NBA. Ampere forecasts the top U.S. leagues generating $4 billion more per year in rights revenues by the end of the next six years. And in Europe, broadcasters and online players in Europe's big five markets – the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, and Spain – shelled out $11 billion for sports rights in 2018, double the amount from six years ago. European broadcasters and pay TV operators in the big five spend a third of their content budget, on average, on sports, compared to 26% in the U.S.

espnW and the U.S. Department of State are hosting the eighth year of the Global Sports Mentoring Program October 11-November 19. The program will see 16 emerging female leaders from around the world begin a month-long mentorship in the United States alongside top American female executives from some of the most influential organizations in sports and business. Including ESPN, executive mentors in the 2019 program represent: the Big East Conference; Creative Artists Agency (CAA); Google; LISC; Minnesota Lynx/ Timberwolves; the NCAA; New Balance; the NHL; Saatchi & Saatchi, Spurs Sports & Entertainment; the University of Connecticut; and the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA). The initiative joins such other events as this week’s espnW Women + Sports Summit in Newport Beach, CA and the recently-completed LPGA Indy Women in Tech Driven by Group1001 tournament and week-long symposium that promote women’s leadership, education, and advancement both in and out of sport.

MLS will officially award Sacramento an expansion franchise this week. According to the Sacramento Bee, MLS will hold a press conference and fan event in California’s capital city on Monday to announce that the United Soccer League’s Sacramento Republic FC will make the step up to become MLS’ 29th team. Sacramento has been attempting to secure an MLS expansion team since 2015, but its chances were improved at the beginning of this year when Ron Burkle, billionaire part-owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins, joined the Republic as lead investor. The Republic then received city council backing in April for a new $252 million, 20,000-seat stadium. Later that month, the Republic emerged as a front runner in the race to join MLS when the league announced it had been authorized to advance talks with the ownership groups of Sacramento and St Louis, which was officially awarded its own expansion team in August. If Sacramento is confirmed, it will pay a $200 million expansion fee to become the fourth MLS team in California. Confirmation would also mean that MLS has only one spot left to fill if it is to stick to its expansion target of 30 teams.

Tiger Woods has been the subject of countless articles, books, and TV segments, but for the first time, he will tell his story in his own words. Last Tuesday, Harper Collins announced Woods’ BACK, a memoir chronicling the golfer’s life from growing up a celebrated golfing prodigy to shattering racial barriers and rising to fame, then facing continuing injuries and personal scandal, to mounting a comeback at 43 years old culminating with the 2019 Masters. “I’ve been in the spotlight for a long time, and because of that, there have been books and articles and TV shows about me, most filled with errors, speculative and wrong,” Woods said in the statement. “This book is my definitive story.” No publication date has been announced; the release stated that BACK will be “the first and only account directly from Woods, with the full cooperation of his friends, family, and inner circle.” For the moment, however, Woods is focused on “The Challenge: Japan Skins,” a big money made-for-TV match with Rory McIlroy, Jason Day, and Hideki Matsuyama taking place at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, Japan.

Formula 1 eyes Miami to host its first-ever Grand Prix after reaching an agreement in principle to host a race at Hard Rock Stadium beginning in 2021. The proposed Formula One Miami Grand Prix would see F1 cars navigating a custom-built track around the stadium. Formula One had initially set its sights on a downtown track location, only to scrap the proposal in favor of Hard Rock Stadium, home to the Miami Dolphins, after local opposition. Concerns remain among residents over noise, traffic and pollution, though organizers insist this new location would reduce disruption compared to a downtown race. According to the Miami Herald, Dolphins and stadium owner Steve Ross will cover all race costs, including an expected $40 million custom track. It takes Formula One a step closer to holding a second U.S. race, a long-held ambition for the global motor racing series’ owners, Liberty Media. Since 2012, the sole F1 stop in the U.S. has been the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. A Miami F1 race would have an estimated annual impact of more than $400 million and 35,000 room nights.

ATP Media, the in-house rights agency for the global men’s tennis tour, saw revenues rise by 6.7% to $120.96 million in 2018. The UK-based production hub, which is also responsible for ATP Tour content creation, has registered gross profits of $13.57 million. The spike represents a 9.6% growth compared to the end of 2017. Broadcast rights sales, where ATP Media works alongside IMG, remain the dominant source of income. ATP Media also said it had benefitted from “favorable movements” on the euro and British pound exchange rates during last year. Broken up geographically, the UK operation generated $11.59 million in revenues at the end of 2018, while the rest of Europe raked in $31.91 million behind $77.45 million generated by ATP Media in other international territories. Among several of the media group’s high-profile broadcast deals, 2019 has already seen ATP Media secure an improved five-year agreement with Amazon Prime Video in the UK, which runs through the 2023 ATP season. In addition, deals were confirmed with Discovery-owned Eurosport in France and Sky Deutschland in Germany.

Finally, before a big game, it’s important for fans to get a Goodyear night’s sleep. The Goodyear Blimp has provided aerial coverage of college football games since 1955, and later this season will become the first non-player or coach to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Now, Forbes reports, fans will have the chance to stay in the iconic dirigible prior to the Notre Dame vs. Michigan game October 26. One-night stays can be booked through Airbnb for October 22, 23, and 24 in the blimp hangar in Mogadore, Ohio. Each night is priced at $150 (plus taxes and fees) to celebrate college football’s 150th anniversary. Guests "will have exclusive access to the Goodyear hangar, which is the size of 2.6 football fields, and a football lounge will be provided where guests can relax and watch some of the all-time best rivalry games in college football history.” Goodyear and Airbnb will also collectively donate $5,000 to the Cotton Bowl Foundation, which supports college football-related causes. While the blimp will remain on the ground, this takes “Air”bnb to a whole new level. 

FOX Bet becomes an MLB authorized gaming operator just days before the World Series.  According to Sports Handle, FOX Bet announced a multi-year partnership with Major League Baseball under which the online and mobile betting platform will become an Authorized Gaming Operator of MLB. The announcement came exactly a week before the scheduled first pitch of Game 1 of the 2019 World Series on October 22. FOX Sports, an MLB broadcast partner, has televised the World Series in every season since 2000. FOX Bet is the fourth sports betting entity to join MLB’s Authorized Gaming Operator program since the Supreme Court’s historic PASPA decision in May 2018, joining MGM Resorts International, DraftKings, and FanDuel as MLB official data licensees under the program. The partnership is the latest in a string of deals for the network’s nascent sports betting division. FOX is looking to go all in on sports betting – this partnership marks the third deal that FOX Bet has inked with a major U.S. pro sports league, including the NBA and a deal with the NFL through its Super 6 contest.

Ex-NFL star Warrick Dunn helps deliver 173rd home to single parent for charity. According to FOX Business, the former NFL running back helped surprise a single Florida mother with a new home Wednesday through his charity along with Habitat for Humanity and health care company Cigna. Warrick Dunn Charities, which is run by the former Pro Bowler, presented LaToya Reedy with a new home in St. Petersburg. It was the 173rd home the charity has given thanks to its “Home for the Holidays” campaign, which helps single parents achieve home ownership. Reedy told local media she had been working hard as a nursing assistant to provide a stable lifestyle for her 18-year-old son, but high rent prices and living paycheck to paycheck was getting difficult. Before Dunn became a pro football player, he was living with a single mother who worked very hard to provide for him and five other children, but his mother was killed before his 18th birthday and he helped raise his siblings while playing college football. Dunn sees his charity as a form of therapy to deal with his own traumas, taking comfort that he is helping others avoid similar housing and economic struggles.

Michael Jordan donates a huge sum to two Novant Health clinics in Charlotte, North Carolina. During a recent speech, Jordan teared up as he spoke about his $7.2 million donation to two Novant Health clinics in his area. According to the Charlotte Observer, The Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Clinic and a second facility expected to open soon nearby will serve at least 35,000 children and adults over the next five years. The clinics provide both primary health care services as well as access to social workers, behavioral health experts, oral health practitioners, and physical therapy. Jordan’s financial gift to Novant Health is the latest in his philanthropic giving in Charlotte and his home state of North Carolina. Jordan has significantly ramped up his charitable giving since he became the majority owner of the Charlotte Hornets in 2010. The Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic opened just over three weeks ago, and has already cared for more than 300 people. It is particularly important for Charlotte families to get the health care they deserve, as the city ranks last among major U.S. cities in enabling people to lift themselves out of poverty.

10 To Watch : Mayor’s Edition

RICK HORROW’S TOP 10 SPORTS/BIZ/TECH/PHILANTHROPY ISSUES FOR THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 14 : MAYOR’S EDITION

with Jacob Aere

A single tweet from Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey escalated into a geopolitical crisis, pitting the NBA's progressive brand against the influence of Chinese money. According to CNN Business, all of the NBA's official Chinese partners have now suspended ties with the league in the wake of Morey’s provocative (and soon deleted) tweet about Hong Kong freedom last week. And months after paying billions of dollars to extend its streaming deal with the NBA, Tencent Holdings has "suspended all reports/streaming of Houston Rockets." Notably, nearly 500 million people in China watched the NBA on Tencent last season. The New York Times further quoted a source who stated that “China’s punitive response could cost the Rockets around $25 million this season,” and Yahoo Sports last Wednesday reported that “at least five unnamed teams fear that the $116 million salary cap projected for the 2020-2021 season could drop by as much as 10-15%.” Obviously, the NBA has significant business interests in China. At the same time, it has positioned itself as the most progressive of mega American sports leagues by supporting social activism. Will those values be upheld now that the league's bottom line is at risk?

Elsewhere in MLS, DC United has ended their broadcast deal with subscription-based streaming service FloSports after less than a year. The four-year local media rights deal, which was only signed in January, was worth a reported $12 million, according to the Washington Post. The team’s final regular-season home game of the year, against FC Cincinnati on October 6, was made available to all fans for free through a live stream on DC United’s official website. The move brings to an end what proved to be a problematic deal for DC United. Fans of the franchise were initially unhappy at having to pay between $5.99 and $8.99 per month for FloSports, which was compounded when the streaming service suffered technical difficulties. DC United’s draw against New York City FC in March, for example, was marred by interruptions. The partnership never fully recovered and now the club is on the hunt for a new local media rights partner in time for next year.

The Los Angeles Chargers are struggling to sell personal seat licenses at SoFi Stadium. One high ranking team executive told JohnWallStreet that Dean Spanos’ organization is roughly $350 million short of their initial $400 million target. While it’s not uncommon for large scale construction projections to be slightly off, off by nearly 87.5% is an abnormally wide miss. An initial study conducted by Legends subsidiary CSL suggested that the market could support $1 billion worth of PSL sales (Rams: $600 million, Chargers: $400 million). When the Chargers stumbled with CSL’s suggested pricing, a second study was done and the team’s sales target was lowered to $150 million. But Spanos’ club isn’t even close to reaching that number. A source said that while the Rams are nearing $500 million in PSL sales, the Chargers have sold only $50 million worth. Rams owner Stan Kroenke is understandably upset about his tenant’s inability to move PSLs. Those revenues are supposed to go towards the new venues’ constructions costs (about $5 billion) and Kroenke is responsible for the difference. The Chargers’ second class citizen status in L.A. has also made it difficult for them to sell high-priced products.

A lawsuit is holding up redevelopment of the Oakland Coliseum site, and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred threatens relocation. According to JohnWallStreet, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf confirmed last Tuesday that MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has threatened relocation of the Oakland Athletics if the city fails to drop a lawsuit filed to prevent Alameda County from selling its stake in the land on which the Oakland Coliseum sits to the team; the city wants the county’s 50% share, but lacks the funding necessary to make the purchase. A’s owner John Fisher intends on redeveloping the 155-acre site to help pay for a new $850 million “privately financed” waterfront ballpark and mixed use space. It should be noted that “many people believe the most logical solution is to build a new ballpark - much less expensively - on the Coliseum site.” Manfred has made it clear, however, that construction of the Howard Terminal ballpark and the Coliseum redevelopment project (which does not include construction of a new sports venue) are a package deal. Unless the lawsuit goes away, the city risks losing the A’s to Las Vegas, just as it lost the Raiders.

U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee relaxes Rule 40 guidelines. The guidance relates to Rule 40 of the Olympic Charter, which restricts the use of athletes’ names and images for advertising purposes. U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes will be able to thank personal sponsors, appear in advertisements for those sponsors and receive congratulatory messages from them during next year’s Tokyo Games under guidance released last Tuesday by the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee. Official partners will maintain exclusive use of Team USA and Olympic Games logos and imagery, but athletes’ personal sponsors will be permitted to run generic ads. The same brands will no longer face a deadline to put a campaign into market prior to the Olympics and will have more freedom on social media. The loosening of marketing rules gives athletes more freedom to benefit from sponsors they deal with directly, rather than limiting advertising to official partner companies of the USOPC and IOC. Are you listening, NCAA?

AdWeek shows how the NFL connects television, advertising, and American culture. This month, AdWeek notes, network TV “returns once more with a shiny slate full of fall debuts. It’s an annual ritual of foreordained failure, with the vast majority of shows unlikely to survive to see a second season. Only one form of broadcast programming really matters anymore, economically for the media industry and existentially for American culture: sports, broadly—and the NFL, specifically.” Some of the metrics are obvious: 19 of the 20 highest-rated broadcasts in TV history have been Super Bowls. More than a billion people reportedly tuned in for the 2018 World Cup final. Other stats are more surprising: At peak, 93 of the top 100 rated shows in a single season were sports programs. Tellingly, through Week 5 of the 2019 season, over 142 million people tuned into an NFL game, with each game averaging 16.7 million viewers across TV and digital, a 6% increase over last year. Streaming is up 51%, and all 20 of the top 20 highest-rated TV programs this season are NFL games.

The Sacramento Kings will reward fans with CryptoTokens that contributes towards charity. According to CoinDesk, the Sacramento Kings are the first U.S. pro sports team to develop a crypto token for fan rewards. “Kings Token” will pair with a predictive gaming platform the team has developed in anticipation of the legalization of sports betting in California. Last year, the Kings became the first pro sports team to mine cryptocurrency, setting up a program called MiningForGood that donates the funds to charity and now they are even donating to loyal cryptocurrency to fans. Kings Tokens will exist within a token wallet added to the team’s Golden 1 Center app, which tracks the engagement and accumulated points. Fans can earn rewards through the predictive gaming platform and redeem those points for access to unique events, signed merchandise or courtside tickets. This initiative is getting fans involved with current tech advancements in crytocurrency while also helping the MiningForGood program which donates the funds to charity.

The NBA’s San Antonio Spurs Silver & Black Giveback program awards $180,000 to local nonprofits. According to News 4 San Antonio, the $180,000 in facility grants have been given to three local nonprofits whose programs serve the youth of San Antonio and support SBGB’s mission to empower youth through service and sports. Grant recipients include Rise Recovery, the San Antonio Zoo, and Good Samaritan Community Services. Rise Recovery aims to help teens, young adults, and families overcome the effects of drugs and alcohol while also partnering with the community in education and prevention and were granted $100,000 to provide furniture, fixtures, and equipment for the sport court and surrounding outdoor educational classroom at their new campus. Meanwhile, the San Antonio Zoo will use the $75,000 Operation Renovation facility grant to renovate the San Antonio Zoo Education Center, which hasn’t been renovated since it was first occupied in 1984. Lastly, Good Samaritan Community Services was awarded $8,222 to purchase two evaporative cooling units for outdoor basketball courts. The SBGB program will help to keep youth in San Antonio active, educated, and comforted.

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced a four-year deal with FIFA to promote healthy lifestyles through football globally. According to SportsPro, the agreement includes multiple areas of collaboration, including: Advocacy to promote a healthy lifestyle through football; Policy alignment to ensure tobacco-free environments at FIFA events; encouraging national football federations to adopt tobacco-free policies, including at stadiums; and enabling WHO to provide technical advice to FIFA on health matters; Building on FIFA events to institute lasting improvements in health and safety; Joint programs and initiatives to increase participation in physical activity through football, in line with WHO guidance, as well as working with national associations and networks of WHO goodwill ambassadors, football players, coaches, and volunteers to increase physical activity through football. While we continue to take smoke-free sporting environments and related health initiatives for granted in the U.S., that’s not the case in much of the rest of the world.The new WHO-FIFA tie up can make inroads in these policies that benefit all sports fans.

Merging Vets and Players (MVP) charity teams up with the Atlanta Falcons to reduce military and veteran suicides.  According to KOAM News, the MVP charity aims to bring together combat veterans and retired professional athletes to help them adjust to life outside their professions. The organization has set up chapters in four major U.S. cities, and the Atlanta branch is working closely with the Atlanta Falcons. MVP was founded by FOX's NFL insider, Jay Glazer, and Nate Boyer, U.S. Army Green Beret Veteran and former NFL athlete who played for the Seattle Seahawks in 2015. After recently running some physical activities as a group, MVP coaches run “The Huddle” – a 1:15 long support group where participants are coached to be proud of their scars. Some of MVP's ambassadors include former NFL players Michael Strahan, Olin Kreutz, and Chris Long, who have struggled with retirement. By crossing the interactions between NFL and combat veterans, both ex-players and veterans can help express their emotions and struggles in a positive way.