Milwaukee’s nearly seven-decade run as an MLB market could end unless there’s a dramatic turnaround in ongoing stadium negotiations, according to a new report. 

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported the Brewers could begin exploration of a relocation by this fall if a deal isn’t reached to improve American Family Field as part of a lease extension.

For months, the Brewers have detailed $448 million worth of needed renovations, work that currently falls to the state’s Southeast Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has similarly pressed state officials to honor their obligations.

Prior rumors of the Brewers’ potential relocation have been dismissed as overblown brinkmanship, but efforts by Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers to secure $290 million in funding for stadium improvements continue to run into political resistance. 

The Brewers’ lease runs through the end of 2030, but the team has been pressing for immediate facility improvements.

The Atlanta Braves played for 13 seasons in Milwaukee before relocating to Georgia in 1966, and the Brewers have been a Wisconsin fixture since 1970, regularly surpassing its market size in attendance and local TV ratings. 

Possible Landing Spot

Should relocation become a serious option, Nashville would likely be among the top candidates, as it is already home to the NFL’s Titans, NHL’s Predators, and MLS’ Nashville SC, as well as the Brewers’ Triple-A affiliate.

“We will keep working with both sides of the aisle to find a creative solution to ensure the stadium district can meet its obligations and sign a generational lease extension at American Family Field,” said Rick Schlesinger, Brewers president of business operations.

The exact number of subscribers that MLS and Apple have generated for their new MLS Season Pass remains one of the industry’s most guarded secrets. 

But Inter Miami’s managing owner, Jorge Mas, says the count has more than doubled since Lionel Messi’s heralded arrival at the club.

Mas posted Thursday what had long been expected and seen elsewhere in league and club business: Messi has drawing power like no one else.

“The Messi Effect is real!” Mas added on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Also, Spanish-language viewership on MLS Season Pass has surpassed 50% for Messi matches, and continues to rise. How exciting for a truly global fan base!” 

MLS officials haven’t confirmed Mas’ statement, and the exact subscriber count for MLS League Pass hasn’t been publicly disclosed. But Apple CEO Tim Cook shared Mas’ post on his feed.

The New York Post reported in late July that the MLS Season Pass count reached 800,000 prior to Messi’s arrival, but MLS hasn’t confirmed that figure. Any sort of meaningful subscriber lift, however, represents a key step forward for a league that has embraced direct-to-consumer distribution like no other major U.S. sports league and is helping reshape the sports media landscape.

Messi’s contract reportedly entails that the Argentinian superstar is sharing in revenue from new subscriptions to MLS Season Pass.

Subscriptions to MLS Season Pass have also been granted to fans through season-ticket purchases to MLS clubs, as well as through a subscriber promotion offered by wireless carrier T-Mobile.

FC Barcelona completed a crucial funding deal on Friday to help address lingering questions about the club’s finances heading into the new La Liga season.

The Spanish club is creating a new company, Barca Media, which will be valued at $1 billion and listed on the U.S. stock market. 

Several steps were taken to facilitate the move. Barca is merging its digital content units with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) called Mountain & Co. I Acquisition Corp to form Barca Media in a deal expected to close by the end of the year. The team also announced new investors in Barca Vision (previously known as Barca Studios) — which comprises the club’s Web3, blockchain, and metaverse efforts — after uncertainty about the effort.

LIBERO football finance AG and private investors advised by NIPA Capital B.V. have acquired 29.5% of Bridgeburg Invest, the holding company of Barca Vision, for $131.5 million. LIBERO says its stake is 9.8%, meaning NIPA’s would be 19.7%. 

Socios.com and Orpheus Media had originally agreed to acquire 49.5% of Barca Vision for $109 million each. A source told Front Office Sports that the two companies paid about $11 million upon signing the deal and agreed to pay $32.8 million annually from 2023-25. 

Barcelona isn’t allowed to sell more than 49.5% of Barca Vision under club guidelines, so the new investors are buying portions of these stakes. Socios is selling a 7.13% stake (equivalent to the scheduled 2023 payment) and retaining about a 17% stake, according to the source.

That means Orpheus is likely selling most of its 24.75% stake in Barca Vision, potentially keeping about a 3% stake.