September 6, 2023

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Americans have reached the semifinals of both the men’s and women’s draws in the U.S. Open — and I’m not jealous of any of the remaining competitors amid New York’s heat wave. Officials mercifully closed part of the roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday to provide some shade during Novak Djokovic’s victory over Taylor Fritz, and temperatures are yet again projected to reach the mid-90s today and tomorrow.

— David Rumsey [[link removed]]

Euro Soccer Divided Over Saudis, Salah Could Be Next [[link removed]]

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Saudi Arabia is still crashing European club soccer’s party — and the situation is still dividing the sport’s leading figures.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp pushed back [[link removed]] on the notion that the Saudi Pro League isn’t a threat — a claim recently made [[link removed]] by UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin. The SPL has reportedly been exploring [[link removed]] potential entry into the UEFA Champions League as it signs more soccer stars.

“It feels rather like a threat or a concern than not because I can’t see how we really deny it,” Klopp said. Saudi club Al-Ittihad has been making escalating transfer bids [[link removed]] — the latest reportedly nearing $200 million — for Liverpool star Mohamed Salah, who is Muslim and captains the Egyptian national team.

Over the summer, Liverpool lost captain Jordan Henderson to Saudi side Al Ettifaq, which is reportedly paying [[link removed]] the English international at least $20 million a year. That’s more than double the 33-year-old’s previous contract at Liverpool.

“I strongly believe that me playing in Saudi Arabia is a positive thing,” Henderson said [[link removed]] in his first public comments since making the controversial move.

International Intrigue

The Saudis are also tussling with Europe over world soccer’s biggest event.

Saudi Arabia reportedly wants [[link removed]] Europe’s support in its efforts to bid for the 2034 FIFA World Cup. Additionally, Saudi Arabia’s new SRJ Sports Investments fund wants to bring [[link removed]] more international events to the Middle East.

PODCAST

🎙️ They Said What?

“Inside linebacker is like the quarterback of the defense, so to see them finally getting paid in a respective way lets me know that the game is progressing into the right direction.”

– Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick. To hear more from Reddick on the Eagles and the current state of NFL player pay, check out the latest episode of FOS Today.

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

Warner Bros. Discovery Cash Woes Could Hit Sports Rights [[link removed]]

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The ongoing Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes have already dealt a significant financial blow to Warner Bros. Discovery — and now could ultimately impact the company’s ability to acquire additional sports rights.

On Tuesday, the parent of networks such as TBS and TNT said [[link removed]] in a filing with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission that the tandem Hollywood strikes — the first such paired actions since 1960 — have negatively impacted its projected full-year adjusted earnings by about $300 million to $500 million.

“While WBD is hopeful that these strikes will be resolved soon, it cannot predict when the strikes will ultimately end,” the company said. “With both guilds still on strike today, the company now assumes the financial impact to WBD of these strikes will persist through the end of 2023.”

It is already a delicate period for WBD. Having gone through multiple waves of layoffs over the past 17 months, the company is now seeking [[link removed]] a new NBA rights deal to succeed the current one expiring in 2025, but with changes to reflect the transforming media landscape.

WBD officials have downplayed the potential impact on sports, and other major programmers face similar challenges due to the strikes. But some analysts have still conveyed concern regarding the company’s overall situation, in part due to its $47.8 billion in gross debt.

“The issue facing Warner Bros. is a scenario where the networks segment remains in decline and the [direct-to-consumer] segment collapses due to no original [entertainment] content for months,” said Stone Fox Capital. “At the same time, Netflix, Amazon, and Apple can all afford to absorb any losses and continue investing when the strikes end.”

WBD CEO David Zaslav will appear Wednesday at a Goldman Sachs investor conference in San Francisco — along with top executives from Charter [[link removed]], T-Mobile, Verizon, Paramount, and Comcast, among others — and is expected to discuss the strikes and their financial impact.

Meanwhile, WBD is preparing a formal announcement of its long-awaited sports tier [[link removed]] for Max, projected to debut around the start of the MLB playoffs next month.

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The Power of 5G in Professional Baseball

As consumer spending shifts from material goods to memorable moments, sports organizations are tasked with curating unforgettable experiences for fans.

That’s why T-Mobile and the MLB® turned the 2023 MLB® All-Star Week™ into a hotbed of tech innovation [[link removed]], all powered by T-Mobile 5G Advanced Network Solutions. The duo delighted fans on and off the field with:

Real-time pitch location tracking and challenges. 5G Batting Practice HD drone and catcher mask cameras delivering unprecedented close-up and birds-eye view perspectives of the game. The groundbreaking MLB NEXT APP, offering AR-powered 3D visualizations during live play.

Learn more [[link removed]] about how T-Mobile 5G innovations reimagined the 2023 MLB® All-Star Week™ Experience.

Latest NWSL Club Sale Will Show League’s Value [[link removed]]

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Laura Ricketts’ purchase of the NWSL’s Chicago Red Stars has grown into a larger transaction designed to jumpstart the franchise in one of the league’s key markets.

The deal, expected [[link removed]] for several weeks, includes a purchase price of up to $35.5 million, a record for an existing NWSL team — just edging out the $35 million Michele Kang paid last year for the Washington Spirit. But the Red Stars agreement also includes another $25 million to be invested directly into the club.

“To build the world-class organization that our fans deserve, we need to attract the world’s best players, coaches, and staff, as well as create an environment that fosters their success. We’re going to make that happen,” said Ricketts, who is heading an investor group of numerous local and international business leaders.

Ricketts is also part of the family ownership group of MLB’s Chicago Cubs and a minority owner of the WNBA’s Chicago Sky.

The final price Ricketts and her group will pay outgoing owner Arnim Whisler — who put the club up for sale late last year after he was found [[link removed]] to be part of a pattern of abuse and sexual misconduct within the league — will depend on factors including short-term business metrics such as sponsorship and ticket sales, and the size of the NWSL’s next media rights agreement. The current, three-year pact with CBS expires at the end of this season.

Stadium Challenges

Perhaps first on Ricketts’ Red Stars to-do list is determining the team’s long-term home.

The Red Stars currently play at SeatGeek Stadium in suburban Bridgeview, Illinois — a tough-to-reach venue not convenient for public transportation. The team is averaging [[link removed]] a league-worst 4,033 per game at the venue, and the current lease extends through 2025.

Ricketts describes [[link removed]] pursuing a facility upgrade as a “challenge-slash-opportunity.”

F1’s Cost Cap Controversy Under Control, Red Bull Still Dominating [[link removed]]

Red Bull Racing/Twitter

Cost controversy or not, Red Bull Racing continues to dominate Formula 1 — but finally, its supremacy has the official validation of the sport’s governing body.

After last year’s high-profile spending scandal — which resulted in a punishment for the defending champions and a $7 million fine [[link removed]] — the FIA announced all 10 F1 teams were under the $140 million cost cap for the 2022 season.

Last year, the FIA ruled that Red Bull had breached the 2021 cost cap by less than 5%, and some reports earlier this summer suggested [[link removed]] some unnamed teams had broken the rules yet again during the 2022 season.

There are eight races left this F1 season — but Red Bull could secure [[link removed]] its second straight constructors’ title as soon as the next grand prix in Singapore on Sept. 17, while Max Verstappen could seal [[link removed]] his third straight drivers’ championship later this month in Japan.

Red Bull’s Dutch superstar won his 10th consecutive race on Sunday, a new F1 record [[link removed]].

Stars Will Keep Shining

Red Bull and Verstappen are likely to have clinched their respective championships before F1 completes its North American swing — including the highly anticipated inaugural running [[link removed]] of the Las Vegas Grand Prix — but fans can still expect full effort when the grid visits this side of the Atlantic.

Last year, both the drivers’ and constructors’ titles were clinched with three races to go, but Verstappen and Red Bull still won two of the remaining events.

SPONSORED BY PRUDENTIAL

Serving Up the Next Chapter

No matter where you are in life, the next chapter is always one page away. For John Isner, this means moving into retirement after a 17-year-long professional tennis career and a plethora of notable achievements.

In our original series, Now What [[link removed]], presented by Prudential, we highlight stories of athletes across the tennis landscape that are having big moments. Whether you’re starting a family, building a business, or closing the book on your professional tennis career, Prudential is here to help you take your game to the next level.

Learn more [[link removed]] about John Isner’s story.

Conversation Starters The Pittsburgh Penguins have installed [[link removed]] their new 50-foot jumbotron — doubling the size of their previous video board. Air Force’s stadium hosts football games and U.S. Presidents — and it’s about to get a $270 million upgrade [[link removed]]. Northwestern’s practice facility sits right on Lake Michigan with views of downtown Chicago. Take a tour [[link removed]]. This report [[link removed]] on the Playfly Fan Score powered by Vision Insights unveils groundbreaking new data and fresh perspectives to understanding fandom, including the official Fan Score, which ranks teams based on 12 proprietary algorithms.* Editor's Picks What’s Behind Disney’s $2.2 Billion Carriage Dispute With Charter? [[link removed]]by Michael McCarthy [[link removed]]Charter victory could spell end of the disintegrating pay cable TV bundle. IOC Reportedly Will Make Cricket a New Olympic Sport [[link removed]]by Andrew Cohen [[link removed]]Olympic cricket appears likely to debut at LA 2028. Lionel Messi Is Driving Season Ticket Sales for Other MLS Teams [[link removed]]by Doug Greenberg [[link removed]]Messi Mania is getting fans to invest in their local MLS clubs. Expanded CFP Could Set the Stage for Next Media Rights Battle [[link removed]]by Amanda Christovich [[link removed]]ESPN and Fox are both interested in early-round CFP rights. Question Of The Day

Are you in the market for new golf gear (apparel, clubs, tech) in the next 6 months?

Yes [[link removed]] No [[link removed]]

Tuesday’s Answer

61% of respondents listen to country music.

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