August 23, 2023
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During the pandemic, consumers flocked to buy sports equipment, shoes, and apparel. Now, the dynamic has dramatically flipped, and grim news from prominent retailer Foot Locker is dragging down many other companies with it.
Plus, the Kansas City Royals now face a potentially franchise-altering choice of where to build a new stadium, and planning has started for the 2027 Women’s World Cup just days after the 2023 final.
— Eric Fisher [[link removed]]
FIFA Seeks 2027 Women’s World Cup Host and Media Partners [[link removed]]
Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
Despite steep viewership drops for Fox Sports’ U.S. coverage of the tournament, interest is still high in future FIFA Women’s World Cups.
English-language broadcasts of the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand averaged [[link removed]] 669,000 viewers across Fox and FS1, down 60% from 2019 in France (1.66 million) and the smallest audience for the event since 2007 in China.
But the U.S. remains among several nations vying [[link removed]] for hosting duties of the 2027 Women’s World Cup, along with Brazil, South Africa, and a potential joint bid from Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. Mexico is interested in co-hosting with the U.S., as it will for the 2026 men’s edition.
The 2023 event broke all kinds of records, with a total attendance [[link removed]] just shy of 2 million fans. The Spain-England final broke viewership records [[link removed]] in those nations, and co-host Australia’s semifinal defeat was the most-watched TV program [[link removed]] on record in the country.
Fox actually scored its most-watched group-stage for games involving the USWNT, but the Americans’ surprising exit in the first round of the knockout stage left Fox without its home team for the remainder of the tournament.
Formal bids for the 2027 Women’s World Cup are due in December, and FIFA would like to pick a host by May 2024.
Once FIFA determines a host country for 2027, it will go to market with the tournament’s media rights — which would no doubt be more valuable to U.S. networks if the event is on home soil.
Royals’ Crucial Decision: Urban Charm vs. Expansive Ballpark Development [[link removed]]
Kansas City Royals
As expected, the Kansas City Royals have revealed their two site options for a new ballpark development. Now, the MLB club faces the potentially franchise-altering choice of how big it wants the project to be.
One option is the East Village site, a 27-acre plot in downtown Kansas City. Located near the city’s popular Power & Light District and the T-Mobile Center, the site would more directly resemble many other urban MLB ballpark developments, including successful ones in Washington, Pittsburgh, San Diego, and St. Louis.
The other option is a 90-acre site in neighboring Clay County to the north of downtown. In that instance, the Royals would have even more available land for mixed-use development than the roughly 60 acres at The Battery, the Atlanta Braves’ complex that now serves as an industry model [[link removed]]. In this case, residential units would become more of a focus.
Either way, the core ballpark development would cost about $2 billion, with the Royals looking for about $350 million in public funds. The team aims to be in the new venue by the start of the 2028 season.
“We knew we were engaged in a generational decision,” said Brooks Sherman, Royals president of business operations. “It’s actually incredible that we have these two locations to even consider as a future home and sustain ourselves as a major league city.”
A final site selection is expected [[link removed]] in September. While openly advocating [[link removed]] to replace Kauffman Stadium and keep up with economic trends across baseball, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred didn’t state a preference.
“We’ve got work to do on a number of fronts to get to our decision on this,” Sherman said.
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The Influence of Technology on Niche Sports
In just a couple of years, pickleball has gone from being a relatively unknown pastime to a national obsession; ‘picklers’ are playing the game everywhere you go. But how did this once obscure activity become so popular – and in such a short time?
The evolution of digital media consumption has reshaped how audiences are watching sports, and technology plays a huge part in fueling the popularity of niche sports [[link removed]]. However, its influence extends far beyond pickleball.
The emergence of high-profile niche sports leagues like Big3 and 3ICE prompts questions about audience demographics and what their potential interests might be. Who is the niche sports fan, and what criteria [[link removed]] defines them?
Read more [[link removed]].
Sports Retailers, Brands Struggle As Consumer Habits Shift [[link removed]]
Foot Locker Inc.
The stock market isn’t being so kind to fitness and athletic brands this week, as more companies continue reporting less-than-stellar financial results.
Foot Locker’s stock was down around 30% to just over $16 a share on Wednesday, and its $1.86 billion in quarterly sales was less [[link removed]] than expected, down 9.9% year-over-year. The company cited “ongoing consumer softness” for the poor results.
In the wake of the report, Nike, Adidas, and Puma all saw their stock prices dip [[link removed]] slightly, though none more than 5%.
Foot Locker’s news follows Dick’s Sporting Goods’ worst [[link removed]] financial quarter since before the pandemic. As of Wednesday, Dick’s stock was still down about 25% from before its earnings report.
And the downward trend doesn’t stop there — Peloton’s stock slipped more than 20% to just over $5 a share on Wednesday after its earnings report disclosed [[link removed]] that a recent product recall cost $40 million, pausing around 20,000 monthly subscriptions while customers waited for a replacement seat post.
Post-Pandemic Reality
The fitness category couldn’t have been hotter during the pandemic as more consumers leaned into exercise and more active habits. But with the world seemingly back to pre-pandemic form, retailers appear to be paying a steep price — and will adjust expectations accordingly.
Conversation Starters ESPN signed Chris Fowler to a multiyear contract extension [[link removed]]. In addition to covering five NFL games, the CFP National Championship, and Grand Slam tennis, he’ll also be the voice of “Saturday Night Football.” WNBA champ and MVP A’ja Wilson got it done this year — on and off the court. Check out [[link removed]] her long list of accomplishments. Football docs are dominating [[link removed]] streaming, from Netflix’s “Quarterback” and “Untold” series on Johnny Manziel and Urban Meyer’s Florida teams to HBO’s “Hard Knocks” and “BS High.” Which was your favorite?
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My Other Passion: J.K. Dobbins
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As one of football’s best young running backs, J.K. Dobbins is mostly known for his work on the field. But like many professional athletes – J.K has his own passions off the field.
In our new series, My Other Passion, presented by Chevrolet, we hit the outdoors [[link removed]] with some of the most recognizable athletes in sports to explore their interests outside the arena.
Learn how J.K. Dobbins grew up fishing in Texas, how it helps him practice patience on and off the field, the importance of family, his thoughts on the upcoming season and more.
Watch episode one [[link removed]] now.
Editor's Picks Reggie Bush to File Defamation Lawsuit Against NCAA [[link removed]]by Andrew Cohen [[link removed]]NCAA's 2021 statement "irreparably damaged his reputation,” Bush’s lawyers said. Shannon Sharpe Is Crafting Future Beyond Fox With Own Platform [[link removed]]by Michael McCarthy [[link removed]]Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay joins Colin Cowherd's podcast network. The Loophole That Could Cause The Next Bishop Sycamore [[link removed]]by Andrew Cohen [[link removed]]FOS spoke with BS High's director and main investigator. Careers in Sports
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