April 26, 2023
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Ken Goldin, founder and CEO of Goldin collectibles market, stops by Front Office Sports Today to discuss how he snagged a handful of rare baseball cards for a dollar each, his take on today’s market, and his new Netflix show, “King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch.”
Listen and subscribe on Apple [[link removed]], Google [[link removed]], and Spotify [[link removed]].
Nashville Passes $2.1B Titans Stadium, Sets Record for Public Funding [[link removed]]
Tennessee Titans/MANICA
The Tennessee Titans have the green light for their new stadium.
Nashville’s Metro Council passed a $2.1 billion proposal early Wednesday morning to build a new domed stadium slated to open in time for the 2027 season.
The deal — the largest in Nashville’s history — will use at least $1.26 billion [[link removed]] in public funding, making it the biggest public subsidy for a stadium in U.S. history. The previous record belonged to the Buffalo Bills [[link removed]], who recently secured $850 million in public funding for their new stadium.
Nashville’s city council met for five hours on Tuesday night before approving the stadium with a 26-12 final vote.
The new 60,000-seat stadium will be built on 15 acres along the east bank of the Cumberland River and boast a translucent roof. It will be a potential host for the Super Bowl, College Football Playoffs, and NCAA Final Four games.
While Nashville residents will fund most of the new stadium through tax dollars, the Titans will pay about $840 million via NFL loans and Personal Seat License sales.
As part of the deal, the Titans have agreed to waive the $32 million the city owes in maintenance fees over the past four years at their current home, Nissan Stadium.
AWARDS
Rising 25 is back, and it’s time to nominate an up-and-coming young professional changing the game in the business of sports!
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. To date, we’ve honored 150 individuals and we’re looking for our next group of young stars.
Nominations are open NOW through May 2. Winners will be announced in June.
Nominate [[link removed]] today!
Microsoft’s $69B Acquisition of Activision Blizzard Blocked in U.K. [[link removed]]
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The U.K.’s antitrust watchdog has vetoed the biggest gaming deal in history.
Microsoft Corp.’s planned takeover of Activision Blizzard Inc. for $69 billion was blocked [[link removed]] by the government’s Competition and Markets Authority on Wednesday, a major setback for the tech giant.
Microsoft is planning to appeal [[link removed]] the decision. Activision Blizzard shares were down 10% in pre-market trading.
Activision Blizzard, one of the world’s largest video game makers, has developed games such as “World of Warcraft,” “Call of Duty,” and “Overwatch.” The company recorded [[link removed]] $2.33 billion in revenue in Q4 of 2022. Microsoft owns Xbox, as well as Xbox Cloud Gaming.
The U.K. government said Microsoft already controls about 60-70% of global cloud computing infrastructure, and that its attempted Activision Blizzard acquisition would lead “to reduced innovation and less choice for U.K. gamers over the years to come.”
The regulator argues Microsoft could make Activision’s games exclusive to its own platforms and then raise the cost of its Xbox Game Pass service, which has more than 25 million subscribers.
In the U.S., the FTC sued [[link removed]] to block Microsoft’s Activation takeover in December 2022, with a hearing scheduled for August. Microsoft announced its agreement [[link removed]] to buy Activision Blizzard in January 2022 and originally aimed for a July 2023 target date to close the deal.
SPONSORED BY CISCO
Drafting Success
NFL Draft night – one of the biggest nights in football. A night that determines the fate of teams, families, and players alike.
You see the bright lights, big names, and boundless pressure. But what you don’t see is the behind-the-scenes partnerships that help make it all possible.
As an Official Technology and Cybersecurity Partner of the NFL, Cisco [[link removed]] ensures the league is always connected and protected – especially on Draft night.
From securing split-second Draft choices to powering the Countdown Clock, Cisco technology plays an integral role in everyone’s Draft experience.
Read the full story here [[link removed]].
Flames Strike Deal for New $880M Arena, District [[link removed]]
Dialog
The Calgary Flames have struck a deal with their city to develop a new arena — and much more.
The team, city, and province of Alberta reached an agreement on a $880 million project that includes an arena, a smaller community rink for amateur games and Flames practices, and a “suite of public amenities and public infrastructure” in the surrounding area, officials said.
“It’s not a single venue or a single building,” said city councilmember Sonya Sharp, who chaired the committee on reaching a new deal. “The completed district will attract new people, more events and greater investment.”
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said that the rink would be put into the hosting rotation for future All-Star Games and drafts.
The arena is expected to cost $587 million of the total sum. Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation, which owns the Flames, will contribute $261.3 million over 35 years, including $29.4 million up front.
The development will also house CSEC’s other properties: the Calgary Wranglers of the American Hockey League, Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League, and Calgary Roughnecks of the National Lacrosse League.
Alberta plans to spend $220.3 million on public transit, road improvements, and other infrastructure projects in the surrounding area, as well as another $22 million to cover half the cost of the community rink.
The Flames currently play in the 40-year-old Scotiabank Saddledome.
Conversation Starters After Tottenham lost 6-1 away to Newcastle — the worst [[link removed]] defeat in club history — Spurs players announced they’ll refund the 3,000 fans who traveled five hours to see the game. The NBA’s early playoff TV ratings are setting [[link removed]] viewership records. That’s good news for the league as it prepares to begin negotiations for its next long-term cycle of media rights. Deion Sanders continues to overhaul [[link removed]] the roster for Colorado’s football team. To date, 51 Colorado players have entered the transfer portal. The most transfers any other program has lost in that same time is 29.
FRONT OFFICE SPORTS LEARNING
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Front Office Sports Learning [[link removed]] is a series of complimentary, interactive courses designed to help professionals stay on top of today’s ever-changing sports landscape.
Each course includes video lessons followed by a brief quiz and provides a deep understanding from top brands and experts in the field across various subjects. Upon completion, you’ll earn a digitally verified badge to share on social media.
Check out the current course lineup, which includes:
Metaverse Essentials: Building the Future [[link removed]] Crypto in Sports Essentials [[link removed]] Modern Ticketing Essentials: Beyond the Ticket [[link removed]] Athlete Marketing Essentials: NIL Certification [[link removed]] Sports Marketing Essentials [[link removed]]
With online learning, you can manage lessons at your own pace, on your own time.
Enroll now [[link removed]].
What to Watch
The Golden State Warriors take on the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night at Golden 1 Center in Game 5 of their first-round NBA playoff series.
How to watch: 10 p.m. ET, TNT
Gambling odds: Warriors -1.5 || ML Warriors -120 || O/U 234.5
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