April 10, 2023

Read in Browser [[link removed]]

POWERED BY

Robot umpires are working Triple-A baseball games — and could be coming to the majors soon. Sports Illustrated’s Emma Baccellieri joins Front Office Sports Today to discuss the potential implications, as well as what constitutes the “perfect strike zone.”

Listen and subscribe on Apple [[link removed]], Google [[link removed]], and Spotify [[link removed]].

Leagues WNBA Draft a Major Moment in League’s Growth Trajectory [[link removed]]

Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

The WNBA arrives on the coattails of a thrilling women’s March Madness — but its eligibility rules won’t allow the league to extend the tournament’s most popular narratives.

The Indiana Fever hold the first pick in tonight’s WNBA Draft and are expected to pick South Carolina superstar Aliyah Boston. But in many ways, the draft will be equally notable for the stars who won’t be there: Iowa’s Caitlin Clark and LSU’s Angel Reese aren’t eligible and will be returning to school.

Unlike the NBA — which allows players who will be at least 19 during the draft’s calendar year to enter — the WNBA requires players to be at least 22 or set to graduate from a four-year institution.

Salaries for rookie players are predetermined by draft position.

The top four picks receive $72,141 each in their first years. Nos. 5-8 earn $69,224. The final four in the 12-pick first round earn $66,306. All players selected in the second round earn $63,389. Third-round and undrafted players earn $60,471 as rookies.

Asked on the Front Office Sports Today [[link removed]] podcast what the biggest steps were to grow the league, New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu insisted on the importance of a smoother pipeline from college to the pros.

“Paying players more, more teams. There are only 12 teams … there needs to be expansion, and the opportunity for more players coming out of college to play at the professional level.”

AWARDS

The Front Office Sports Rising 25 Award [[link removed]], presented by Anheuser-Busch, celebrates the careers of the brightest young stars in the business of sports. Established in 2017, the Rising 25 Award has become one of the most competitive and prestigious awards in the industry.

Know someone who deserves to be recognized? Nominate [[link removed]] them today! Nominations are open NOW through Tuesday, May 2. Winners will be announced in June.

Leagues Top German Soccer Leagues Report $4.8B in Revenue for 2021-22 [[link removed]]

DFL

Germany’s top soccer leagues are slowly but surely recovering from the effects of COVID.

The Deutsche Fußball Liga, the governing body of the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2, reported [[link removed]] revenues of $4.86 billion for the 2021-22 season — a 10.5% increase from the season before.

It’s the first time the DFL has seen a revenue increase since the start of the pandemic, but it’s still lagging behind pre-pandemic numbers — the organization generated $5.21 billion in revenue in the 2018-19 season.

“In the light of these figures, it is possible to talk about a slight economic recovery, but it is not time to give the all-clear just yet, because the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 are still a long way off the pre-coronavirus level overall,” DFL executive committee speaker Hans-Joachim Watzke said.

The 18 Bundesliga clubs generated $3.92 billion — a 3.9% increase from the previous season, while Bundesliga 2 notched a league-record $941.6 million for the 2021-22 campaign.

The DFL chalks up many of the weakened figures to lingering effects from the pandemic.

Due to in-person restrictions, match revenue — namely from ticket sales — reached just $436.1 million in 2021-22, as opposed to $705.1 million in 2018-19. The leagues are also dealing with slightly undervalued TV contracts that run through 2024-25 and average $1.19 billion per season, as opposed to $1.26 billion in previous seasons.

The organization also notes that it paid $1.52 billion in taxes for the most recent period.

SPONSORED BY MAGNIFI

Join the Conversation Tomorrow!

In today’s modern media age, consumers demand content 24/7. Sports fans want — and expect — engaging content from their favorite teams, leagues, brands and players across platforms all year long.

Join Front Office Sports [[link removed]] tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET for an inside look at how teams, leagues, conferences and broadcasters utilize technology to create compelling content that attracts new viewers, reaches younger audiences and increases fan engagement.

The virtual summit [[link removed]] includes discussion with representatives from organizations across the sports industry, including the NBA, San Francisco 49ers, New Jersey Devils, Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, ACC and the University of Miami.

Grab your spot and register now [[link removed]]!

Athletes Steph Curry’s $75M Under Armour Extension Could Be a Lifetime Deal [[link removed]]

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry has further solidified his link with Under Armour.

The two-time MVP received 8.8 million restricted stock units of the company’s common stock on April 3 as part of his extended role as brand ambassador, a package valued at $75 million, as disclosed in a recent SEC filing.

Under Armour’s extended contract has the potential to be a lifetime deal for the NBA star if revenue goals are met.

Curry and Under Armour announced a long-term partnership extension in late March that named him president of the Curry Brand. The 34-year old has released 10 signature shoes with Under Armour since signing with the brand in 2013.

The $75 million stock compensation will vest in two installments planned for 2029 and 2032. Curry earned $48 million this season as the NBA’s highest-salaried [[link removed]] player as part of his Warriors contract that will pay him about $165 million through the 2025-26 season.

“There’s always been a continuation [in mind] with Stephen,” Under Armour founder and executive chairman Kevin Plank told ESPN [[link removed]]. “I couldn’t imagine Under Armour without Stephen, or Stephen without Under Armour.”

Octagon negotiated the extended deal with Under Armour on behalf of Curry.

The new deal is expected to focus on adding athletes as Curry Brand ambassadors. UConn women’s basketball star Azzi Fudd signed an NIL deal in 2021 to become a Curry Brand ambassador.

Conversation Starters Josh Harris is currently the only contender [[link removed]] for the Washington Commanders whose bid can survive owner Dan Snyder’s vetting process, writes FOS senior reporter A.J. Perez. Snyder appears content to wait to see if another bidder can push the price beyond $6 billion. The NBA set all-time [[link removed]] records for total attendance (22.2 million) and sellouts (791) this regular season. The WNBA is expanding [[link removed]] its chartered flights program for players this season, including service for all postseason games, the Commissioner’s Cup Championship, and select back-to-back regular-season games.

SPONSORED BY META

What’s Next for Augmented Reality in Sports

AR adoption is booming with 700 million people using AR effects across Meta platforms each month. Sports partners are leading the charge, with fun, interactive effects that engage fans and build community.

That’s why Front Office Sports has partnered with Meta to launch Metaverse Essentials: Building the Future, our latest free course [[link removed]] covering the ins and outs of metaverse-related technologies.

The four-lesson course includes a lesson on Building Expressions and Connections, where Meta’s Angel Gonzalez sits down with Sportsmanias CEO Vicente Fernandez and House of V CCO Justin Allen to discuss how augmented reality can unlock new immersive experiences [[link removed]] for athletes and fans alike.

Register now [[link removed]]!

What to Watch

The Minnesota Wild will take on the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center on Monday night.

How to watch: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN

Betting odds: Wild -1.5 || ML Wild -295 || O/U 6

Refer Friends, Win Merch

Ready to rep your favorite newsletter? Refer your friends and colleagues to Front Office Sports and you could win FOS merchandise.

It’s easy to spread the word. Copy and paste your unique link below and share it in an email or on your timeline.

Referral Count: 0

Copy your invite link: [link removed] [[link removed]]

Or share on social media: [mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20the%20Front%20Office%20Sports%20daily%20newsletter!&body=This%20newsletter%20from%20Front%20Office%20Sports%20summarizes%20the%20four%20biggest%20stories%20in%20the%20sports%20business%20world%20every%20weekday...all%20in%20five%20minutes%20or%20less.+[link removed]] Advertise [[link removed]] Awards [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Video [[link removed]] Podcast [[link removed]] Pro [[link removed]] Written by Owen Poindexter [[link removed]], Doug Greenberg [[link removed]], Andrew Cohen [[link removed]] Edited by Matthew Tabeek [[link removed]], Brian Krikorian [[link removed]]

If this email was forwarded to you, you can subscribe here [[link removed]].

Update your preferences [link removed] / Unsubscribe [link removed]

Copyright © 2023 Front Office Sports. All rights reserved.

80 Pine Street Suite 3202 New York, NY 10005