August 16, 2023

Read in Browser [[link removed]]

POWERED BY

I’ll admit I was rooting for Australia to reach the FIFA Women’s World Cup, but the Matildas couldn’t squeak past England on their home turf. Congrats to the British squad — whose supporters back home have been putting their money into the tournament in more ways than one.

Plus, we’re covering a few more surprises — like Kansas betting big on football and the once-iconic Starter brand looking to revive its cool factor — and one big question for the future of live sports.

— David Rumsey [[link removed]]

England’s World Cup Run Boosts Betting, Fueled by Women Bettors [[link removed]]

Fox Soccer/Twitter

England’s run to its first appearance in the FIFA Women’s World Cup final appears to be stoking increased sports betting interest in the U.K.

One British bookmaker has seen a higher number of bets placed [[link removed]] than at previous Women’s World Cups, and a new report [[link removed]] shows women bettors have been responsible for 21% of the bets placed this summer.

England will face [[link removed]] Spain in the Women’s World Cup final on Sunday at 6 a.m. ET on Fox and Telemundo in the U.S. Its quarterfinal win over Columbia averaged [[link removed]'s%202-1%20victory%20over,air%20(FTA)%20broadcaster%20ITV.] 7.2 million viewers in the U.K. — and the forthcoming numbers for the Lionesses’ 3-1 thriller over Australia on Wednesday will likely be even higher.

Back Across The Pond

Women’s sports in general have seen a recent rise [[link removed]] in sports betting interest and viewership.

DraftKings tells Front Office Sports that the Women’s World Cup has been its third-most bet-on league/sport behind MLB and UFC since the tournament began on July 20. That’s impressive when considering that the same time period has also included Lionel Messi and Inter Miami’s run [[link removed]] through the Leagues Cup, preseason NFL games, and the beginning of the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Playoffs.

No specific figures are available, but more American bettors potentially could’ve been waiting to bet on the USWNT in the later rounds of the tournament, before the U.S. crashed out [[link removed]] in the Round of 16.

PODCAST

🎙️ They Said What?

“[The Touhy Family] has no intention of fighting to maintain its conservatorship … but that doesn’t resolve the question about [whether he is] owed money from [“The Blind Side”]. That could itself — and probably will — be the subject of litigation.”

— Attorney Nick Soltman on Michael Oher’s fight against his conservatorship by the Touhy family. To hear more on Oher, check out the latest episode of FOS Today.

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

Starter Is Cool Again, And Aims for Revival with New Sports Deals [[link removed]]

Starter

One of the most popular and influential sports-related apparel brands of the 1990s is readying a large-scale comeback more than a generation later.

Starter — whose satin jackets were once a fixture of both pro team sidelines and music videos — is prepping a set of deals aimed at returning the brand to the summit of pop culture.

Owned by Iconix Brand Group Inc. and licensed to G-III Apparel Group Ltd. — whose sports efforts are led by New York Giants legend Carl Banks — the company is reportedly [[link removed]] negotiating on-field licensing deals with the Fox Sports-controlled USFL and the Arena Football League.

Those will add to existing fan-directed licensing pacts with the NFL, MLB, NBA, several college programs, an NHL collection set for release this fall, and a 20% rise in sales this year.

Last month, the MLB pact saw the licensed rerelease [[link removed]] of the famous Bronx Bubble jacket, celebrated with a high-profile event at the league’s flagship store in New York. “Some of hip-hop’s greatest pioneers wore this jacket,” Banks said.

The upswing marks a high point in what has been a turbulent run for the brand over the past two-plus decades.

After filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 1999 amid a marked sales downturn, Starter has bounced between several different ownership and operating structures. Nike bought the company in 2004, only to sell it to Iconix three years later in a $60 million deal. G-III then arrived in 2012.

Now, Starter is looking to upstart leagues, and potentially Europe, as a way to sidestep long-term exclusive pacts for on-field rights held by rival companies such as Nike.

SPONSORED BY CELSIUS®

CELSIUS® Partners with MLS

Major League Soccer (MLS) and CELSIUS® [[link removed]], Essential Energy, maker of lifestyle energy drink, announced an agreement that designates CELSIUS as the official energy drink of MLS in the U.S. through the 2026 season and marks the drink’s first professional, national and traditional sports partnership.

CELSIUS will tap into the spirited passion of soccer fandom with this partnership [[link removed]], which allows the brand to help forge a deeper connection with soccer’s engaged millennial and multicultural fan base by creating unique experiences that focus on healthy lifestyles.

The announcement between MLS and CELSIUS arrives during a period of incredible growth behind the sport of soccer in North America, as MLS’ 28th season is underway, the highly anticipated 2023 Leagues Cup is currently taking place through August 19 and as the 2026 World Cup hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico approaches.

Challenges Arise As Sports Streaming Surges in Shifting Media Landscape [[link removed]]

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

A long-expected tipping point has finally arrived for the media landscape, one that will significantly affect the business of sports.

Usage of traditional TV — broadcast and linear pay television — in the U.S. fell below 50% of all TV consumption for the first time in July, according to Nielsen data [[link removed]]. Streaming services, conversely, reached an all-time-high 38.7% share of TV use last month, while other uses such as video-on-demand, audio streaming, and DVD playback amounted to 11.6%.

Recent statistics illustrate an evolving trend, characterized by ongoing shifts in pay-TV subscribers and evident in significant sports rights deals like MLS’ pact [[link removed]] with Apple. Even the NFL moved “Thursday Night Football” from Fox to Amazon as streaming surpassed cable usage last year.

But while these numbers show a growing shift from consumers, the business models to support that activity haven’t kept up.

One need only look to the bankrupt [[link removed]] Diamond Sports Group, a Pac-12 conference in tatters [[link removed]], or the staunchly pro-linear [[link removed]] Fox Corp. to see how streaming revenue still hasn’t come close to the reach of its traditional counterpart.

“Even with this move to streaming, everybody is still figuring out the business model,” Chris Russo, CEO of sports advisory firm Fifth Generation Sports, told Front Office Sports. “The jury is still out on what the optimal model is, because we’re really still in the middle of the changeover.”

The next several months will provide a key litmus test for the durability of the streaming-first trend: Nielsen expects a sharp increase in broadcast and cable TV usage with the return of college and pro football.

As Big 12 Expands, A Basketball Power Spends Big On Football [[link removed]]

The University of Kansas

The Big 12 will expand to 16 teams next year — at which point it will only get more competitive and bring in more media revenue [[link removed]]. Now, one of its schools traditionally known as a basketball powerhouse is spending more money on the football field.

The University of Kansas has set an initial fundraising goal of $300 million to renovate its football stadium and bolster the surrounding area with a new conference center and multi-use facilities. New renderings show a transformed Gateway District with retail and dining amenities.

The first phase of the project, which will begin after this season, will see the building of new southwest, west, and north sides for David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. The venue will be reduced from its normal capacity of 47,000 for the 2024 season.

Additionally, the Anderson Family Football Complex — KU’s training facility — will be expanded and renovated with additions like a sports medicine center and 1,200-square-foot content studio to accommodate an increasing focus on NIL.

That $300 million figure is close to but not quite on par with recent renovations at traditional football schools like Florida, which is spending [[link removed]] $400 million to upgrade The Swamp.

The Jayhawks finished seventh in the Big 12 last season after finishing last in the conference the previous seven seasons — their 6-6 regular-season record was good enough for the school’s first bowl appearance since 2008.

In 2024, the College Football Playoff will expand to 12 teams, allowing more schools to bring in lucrative postseason revenue.

Conversation Starters TaylorMade is building a new luxury golf resort [[link removed]] next to PGA of America HQ in Frisco, Texas. Set to open in Spring 2025, the four-story Bays Golf Experience and Suites will feature hitting bays on each suite balcony, custom club fittings, and “the largest TV screen in North Texas.” As part of his Heisman campaign, Bo Nix has a billboard [[link removed]] in NYC. The Little League Baseball World Series begins Wednesday in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Every year, the iconic tournament [[link removed]] draws 30,000 fans, millions of viewers on TV and streaming, and commands $10 million-plus in broadcast rights. Editor's Picks House Committee Won’t Seek Criminal Referral of Dan Snyder [[link removed]]by A.J. Perez [[link removed]]Dan Snyder will not have to face the scrutiny of the U.S. House. Terence Crawford Takes Aim at Boxing Corruption, Wants to Start Union [[link removed]]by Andrew Cohen [[link removed]]Boxer Terence Crawford wants to start a union to protect fighters. Question Of The Day

Do you use any health / wellness apps on your phone?

Yes [[link removed]] No [[link removed]] Not yet but I would [[link removed]]

Wednesday’s Answer

44% of respondents read 1-2 newsletters a day, and 52% read more than 3 per day.

Advertise [[link removed]] Awards [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Video [[link removed]] Podcast [[link removed]] Sports Careers [[link removed]] Written by David Rumsey [[link removed]], Eric Fisher [[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