August 30, 2023

Read in Browser [[link removed]]

POWERED BY

We’re 24 hours away from five straight days of college football, but the biggest storylines still focus on conference realignment — and today, its impact on the College Football Playoff.

In pro sports, the Royals hit a speed bump amid new stadium planning and Stan Kroenke’s sports real estate prowess continues — this time in Denver.

— David Rumsey [[link removed]]

College Football Playoff Uncertainties Take Center Stage As Season Begins [[link removed]]

Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

On the eve of nearly a dozen college football kickoff games, the sport’s leaders are gathering to lay out — and maybe drastically alter — how a lucrative and expanded postseason will work in 2024 and beyond.

Conference commissioners and other key power brokers of the College Football Playoff are meeting in Dallas on Wednesday amid unprecedented realignment — a phenomena that has made top executives rethink [[link removed]] what the 12-team playoff should look like come next season.

Originally, the expanded CFP was set to include the six highest-ranked conference champions — to ensure each of the Power Five conferences and one Group of Five school were represented — and the remaining six highest-ranked teams. This season, conferences will earn $6 million for each team they have in the playoff, a figure that could be even higher next year.

With the Pac-12 dissolving, a simple playoff change could be a move to the five highest-ranked conference champions and seven at-large entries. But it may not be that simple — at least one report [[link removed]] claims no official vote will be taken Wednesday.

Leaders could be waiting to see where [[link removed]] Stanford, California, Oregon State, and Washington State end up before making any final decisions.

Get Your Popcorn

This season’s CFP contests will be among 75 college football games that ESPN will broadcast from movie theaters.

This weekend, the Virginia-Tennessee, North Carolina-South Carolina, LSU-Florida State, and Clemson-Duke matchups will be available to watch on the big screen. Financial details of ESPN’s new deal with Theater Sports Network are unknown, while ticket pricing to watch the games varies by location.

PODCAST

🎙️ They Said What?

“Knowing that I motivate the youth … I didn’t want to be the reason some kids didn’t finish school.”

— Sauce Gardner, New York Jets cornerback, on why he went back and finished his degree at the University of Cincinnati after his rookie season in the NFL. To hear more about Gardner’s journey through the NFL, download the latest episode of FOS Today.

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

Royals’ Current Lease Could Have Huge Impact On New Stadium Plans [[link removed]]

Kansas City Royals

There’s already a major possible hiccup in the Kansas City Royals’ attempt to pursue an Atlanta Braves-type mixed-use development.

Just days after the MLB club unveiled [[link removed]] the two candidate sites for the projected $2 billion project, officials in Missouri’s Jackson County need much more information from the Royals before any formal agreement on a new stadium is reached.

Additionally, the county is insisting on a finalized lease extension with the Royals before introducing a ballot question that would extend a current stadium sales tax levy and help fund a new venue.

“To put [the sales tax] on the ballot without executed leases would put the county in a very bad position, so that’s kind of our stance as we stand right now,” said Shawn Foster, chairman of the Jackson County Sports Complex Authority.

The Royals are deciding between a 27-acre site in downtown Kansas City in Jackson County and a 90-acre tract in neighboring Clay County, with a final selection due next month. Timing is critical, as the Royals would like the sales tax extension on an April 2024 ballot if they stay in Jackson County, with a December deadline to make that happen.

The choice will also have significant ramifications [[link removed]] on the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, who also play in the current sports complex and are looking to renovate Arrowhead Stadium.

The Royals’ current lease for Kauffman Stadium doesn’t expire until 2031, but the team is targeting a 2028 opening for its new ballpark.

Brewers’ Hope

The Milwaukee Brewers are also seeking a significant facility upgrade, and are now conveying a more hopeful tone in ongoing discussions with Wisconsin leaders about renovations to American Family Field. Prior reports suggested [[link removed]] a potential relocation if a renovation deal wasn’t completed, but team ownership is now much more optimistic.

“We very much want to stay [in Milwaukee],” said Brewers owner Mark Attanasio. “That’s all I’ve considered at this point.”

SPONSORED BY SPLASH SPORTS

Claim Your Shot at $100K

Time is running out for your chance to play in the Splash Sports Season Long Survivor [[link removed]] for your shot at winning $100,000.

What is Splash Sports [[link removed]]? Splash Sports is from the owners of RunYourPool and OfficefootballPool.com. They let you play Survivor, PickX and DFS without having to collect entry fees, keep spreadsheets, and payout winners.

Splash does all the work for you. Just set up the contest and Splash does the rest.

When players join, Splash will give them the option to enter the contest via debit or credit card, ACH, Paypal or Venmo. Splash pays out winners and rewards you.

They will hold the prize pot, score the contest and pay out winners quickly and securely. AND, you get rewarded for running your contests.

Join the action [[link removed]] now.*

Nielsen’s Amazon Streaming Data Deal Stirs Bias Concerns [[link removed]]

Amazon

Amazon’s path to fund its growing sports streaming ambitions will likely get a sizable boost — but is angering some of its linear rivals in the process.

Nielsen is planning to include first-party streaming data in its audience measurements, supplementing its traditional independent research, and is finalizing an effort to gain approval of the plan from the Media Rating Council, which sets industry measurement standards.

The move, supported by the NFL, is likely to elevate ratings for Amazon’s “Thursday Night Football,” in turn allowing for higher ad rates during the games. Last year, Nielsen said “Thursday Night Football” games averaged 9.58 million viewers on Amazon Prime Video, though Amazon said its internal data showed a viewership average nearly 18% higher.

The new methodology — also available to other streaming entities for live programming — will likely be an eventual sales tool should Amazon land [[link removed]] other major live sports rights, as is its intention [[link removed]].

“We are making modifications for live streaming measurement to more accurately reflect the growing impact of streaming and first-party data” Nielsen said.

But the shift has quickly drawn rebukes from leaders at linear networks such as ESPN, CBS, and Fox, who argue Nielsen is abandoning its long-held independence.

“Nielsen is about to sacrifice its most valuable attribute — impartiality — to benefit one client, one program, and one content supplier,” said [[link removed]] Mike Mulvihill, Fox Sports president of insights and analytics.

Mulvihill called Nielsen’s decision “reckless, wrongheaded, and a slap in the face” to its clients and NFL partners.

Sports As Much About Real Estate As Titles for Stan Kroenke [[link removed]]

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

One of the most successful owners in all of U.S. pro sports is hoping to extend his real estate development magic to his other franchises.

Stan Kroenke, who owns the Los Angeles Rams and led the creation of SoFi Stadium in California, has begun preliminary efforts to upgrade Ball Arena, the downtown Denver home to the NBA champion Denver Nuggets, the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche, and the NLL’s Colorado Mammoth he also owns — as well as the area immediately around it.

Kroenke’s holding company, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, said it is beginning a multifaceted process this week to upgrade the 24-year-old Ball Arena.

The emerging, arena-focused effort adds to a broader plan [[link removed]] KSE introduced last year for a 55-acre, mixed-use development around the venue — which would include housing, downtown green space, pedestrian and bike lanes, offices, a hotel, and retail.

Kroenke also has a separate ongoing project [[link removed]] in Woodland Hills, California, that will create a new headquarters and practice complex for the Rams, as well as additional [[link removed]] potential real estate projects in suburban Denver and San Diego.

The owner has won [[link removed]] four major league titles since the start of the last year with the Rams, Nuggets, Avalanche, and Mammoth all claiming championships.

The New Stadium Trend

The overall vision KSE is advancing would be the latest in a fast-growing trend [[link removed]] of using sports facilities as the center of sports-centered mini-cities. Other such examples either in existence or in development can be found in locales such as Atlanta [[link removed]], Kansas City, [[link removed]] Phoenix [[link removed]], and Las Vegas [[link removed]].

Conversation Starters Tyson Bagent worked [[link removed]] his way up from a 0-star recruit at a Division II school to become the NCAA’s all-time leader in TD passes — and is now the Chicago Bears’ QB2 behind Justin Fields. The Chicago Bulls’ downtown headquarters [[link removed]] has been called a “basketball palace.” In addition to two full-sized courts, the space features hydro pools and the NBA’s first Gatorade Sports Fuel Bar. The Miami Marlins just celebrated their largest attendance [[link removed]] total for a three-game series in LoanDepot Park history! Behind the scenes, Event Dynamic activated their leading AI-ticketing technology, which uses thousands of variables for real-time, automated price adjustments.† With Prudential Stages for Retirement [[link removed]], you can unlock your Retirement Confidence Score and see if you’re on track to meet your goals, ensuring the best is yet to come.†

SPONSORED BY CHEVROLET

A Day on the Water With J.K. Dobbins

[[link removed]]

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 Little League World Series Sees Highest Viewership Since 2015 [[link removed]]by Andrew Cohen [[link removed]]Sunday’s championship on ABC peaked at 4 million viewers. Favre’s Attorneys Mount Challenge Over Text Messages in Welfare Funds Lawsuit [[link removed]]by A.J. Perez [[link removed]]Favre is among more than 40 defendants in the civil case. Michael Irvin Returns to TV As Legal Fight Continues [[link removed]]by Michael McCarthy [[link removed]] and A.J. Perez [[link removed]]Michael Irvin returned to TV on FS1's "Undisputed" Monday. [[link removed]] Saudi Arabia Eyes Bold Move To UEFA Champions League [[link removed]]by David Rumsey [[link removed]]The Saudi Pro League currently competes in the AFC Champions League. Question Of The Day

Are you interested in traveling to Australia?

I already have [[link removed]] Yes [[link removed]] No [[link removed]]

Tuesday’s Answer

24% of respondents have Comcast/Xfinity, 10% have Satelite (DirectTV/Dish), 6% have Fios, 22% have a different linear TV provider and 38% don’t have a TV provider/only stream.

DISCLAIMER

*If you or someone you know has a problem or needs immediate help, please call 1-800-GAMBLER. You must be 21 years of age or old in Massachusetts, Iowa, Arizona and Louisiana, 19 years of age or older in Alabama; or 18 years of age or older in all other states to enter into a paid fantasy contest.

†Sponsored Content

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