September 20, 2023

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How many of Coach Prime’s games have you watched so far this season? I can’t say that I predicted I’d be interested in Saturday’s Colorado-Oregon matchup four weeks into the season, but the Buffaloes have been must-see TV — with the numbers to prove it.

— David Rumsey [[link removed]]

Coach Prime Is Ratings Gold, And Everyone Wants A Piece Of The Pie [[link removed]]

Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports

Three weeks into the college football season, Colorado’s Coach Prime era has delivered on the field — and might be making an even stronger impact off it.

Deion Sanders’ unbeaten start has accounted for three [[link removed]] of the five most-watched college football games this season.

Despite finishing after 2 a.m. ET, Week 3’s Rocky Mountain Showdown against a winless Colorado State team still delivered 9.3 million viewers on ESPN, making it the network’s most-watched [[link removed]] late primetime college football game ever.

Before that, Colorado-Nebraska brought in 8.73 million viewers [[link removed]] on Fox in Week 2, and Sanders’ Colorado coaching debut against TCU was Fox’s most-watched Big Noon Saturday Week 1 game ever with 7.26 million viewers [[link removed]].

On Saturday, No. 19 Colorado begins Pac-12 play against No. 10 Oregon at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC — the network’s first Coach Prime game of the year. Next week, No. 5 USC will travel to Boulder for another high-profile matchup that will be broadcast yet again by Fox Sports in its premier “Big Noon Saturday” slot on Sept. 30.

The Bright Lights of Boulder

The Coach Prime phenomenon has not only started a new war [[link removed]] between ESPN and Fox, but also made Boulder the Hollywood [[link removed]] of college football.

Meanwhile, Sanders’ Coach Prime line of sunglasses with Blenders has received at least 67,000 preorders before it goes on sale Oct. 12 — which will roughly generate $4.5 million in revenue [[link removed]].

PODCAST

🎙️ They Said What?

“Continued visibility … chartering … and, I would say, expansion. I do feel that’s coming.”

— Washington Mystics forward Elena Delle Donne on the future growth of the WNBA. To hear more from Delle Donne, check out the latest episode of FOS Today.

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

Saudi Pro League Has Long Way To Go Despite Spending Spree [[link removed]]

Al Nassr SC

The Saudi Pro League spent [[link removed]] nearly $1 billion on player transfers this summer and signaled lofty ambitions that include playing [[link removed]] in the UEFA Champions League — but the controversial competition has plenty of work to do to reach its goals.

A little more than a month into its season, SPL matches are averaging [[link removed]] 8,500 fans per game, a 24% increase from last year’s attendance, but much lower than the 40,000 the Premier League averaged last season — the only competition to outspend the SPL in this summer’s transfer window.

This season, the SPL has a variety of media deals across the globe with companies like Fox Sports in the U.S., as well as a U.K. deal with DAZN reportedly worth [[link removed]] $500,000. The EPL is bringing in more than $3 billion annually [[link removed]] from its media rights deals.

This week, four SPL clubs began group play in the Asian Champions League — which will award [[link removed]] its winning club $4 million. Last season, Manchester City netted $22 million for winning the UEFA Champions League.

While the SPL clubs backed by Saudi Arabia’s $700 billion-plus Public Investment Fund don’t necessarily need an influx of prize money, media rights fees, or ticket sales right now, the revenue gap between the Saudi league and its European counterparts couldn’t be clearer.

Despite its vast wealth, Saudi Arabia has still sought [[link removed]] support for European officials in its bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.

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Ethan Quinn asks, “Now What?”

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Utilizing Prudential Stages for Retirement [[link removed]] and their team of financial advisors, Ethan will let his money work for him as he builds his tennis career. Through the power of compound interest, his investment could be worth as much as $2.8 million – the value of the grand prize at the US Open – when Ethan is eligible for retirement.

Connect with Prudential [[link removed]] and find out if you’re on track to meet your retirement goals! No matter where you are, Prudential can help you plan for what’s next.*

Rays Eye Much More Stable Future With Stadium Deal [[link removed]]

Tampa Bay Rays

Tampa Bay Rays owner Stu Sternberg acknowledged — with some gallows humor — the long, arduous path his team took to reach Tuesday’s announcement of a new $1.3 billion deal [[link removed]] to build a new ballpark in St. Petersburg, Florida.

“I’m here to announce a brand-new ballpark on the waterfront with a sail,” Sternberg said in jest, referencing an ill-fated plan [[link removed]] from more than 15 years ago to develop a ballpark with a much-derided, sail-like covering.

But now, the joking is over, the team says.

“It has not been an easy road,” Sternberg said. “While our commitment to remain in Tampa Bay has been steadfast, the journey here has been a bumpy one.”

That bumpy journey has led the MLB club to a landmark agreement to develop a new 30,000-seat ballpark as part of a larger, 86-acre mixed-use development in St. Petersburg’s Gas Plant District.

The Rays plan to pay $700 million toward the project, as well as any cost overruns, while the public sector will contribute $600 million. The domed stadium will also include natural light, contrasting with the dark, often-depressing Tropicana Field.

Advancing well beyond several prior supposed stadium deals, the Rays agreement looks to finally answer the thorny question of the club’s future home and opens [[link removed]] MLB up to highly anticipated expansion possibilities.

A Different Future

The stadium deal also gives the Rays a much more solid financial footing and ends years of relocation rumors.

“We’re going to be here for a very long time,” said Rays co-president Brian Auld. “For the first time since we started this we have a clear path to make sure the Rays stay in Tampa Bay for generations to come.”

Since the club’s debut in 1998, the Rays have ranked last or next-to-last in American League attendance 18 times, even with consistently competitive teams, and are typically one of MLB’s lowest-spending franchises. But club officials foresee an economic transformation with the new project.

“This region, and especially this city, are growing up around us and are better equipped to support a Major League Baseball team,” Sternberg said.

Fallout Deepens From Spanish Soccer Scandal [[link removed]]

Keith McInnes/Sipa USA via USA TODAY Sports

A month after the end of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, the fallout from the actions of former Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales continues to impact women’s soccer in the country.

Despite Rubiales’ resignation [[link removed]] from both the federation and UEFA following his unsolicited kiss of star Jenni Hermoso, members of the women’s national team players repeated [[link removed]] their refusal [[link removed]] to play in a pair of upcoming matches without further changes within the federation.

New team coach Montse Tomé has announced her planned squad for the first match as the boycott talk has continued. According to Spanish law, players who do not respond to the national team call “without justification” are subject to fines, and potential further FIFA punishment.

Several players who had been part of the initial boycott of the national team did report [[link removed]] on Tuesday for national team duty, but the issue has continued to expose deep rifts within the sport and country at large. Victor Francos, Spain’s secretary for sports, said he planned to intervene.

“We looked ridiculous as a nation,” Francos told Spanish television channel La Sexta. “It is unacceptable … and I spoke to some of the players. The impression I came away with was the most negative one possible. I did not hear resentment or anger, I heard sadness and exhaustion.”

Legal Fallout

Meanwhile, a Spanish court has dismissed [[link removed]] a lawsuit in which Rubiales sued Javier Clemente, the former men’s national team coach.

Separate from the WWC-related matter, Clemente called Rubiales “a dangerous and ambitious guy” seeking to “get rich,” prompting Rubiales to sue for defamation. But the court found that Clemente was exercising his “right to freely express an opinion about a person who, moreover, is a public figure.”

Conversation Starters More Coach Prime news: Colorado has sold [[link removed]] all its tickets for Folsom Field games for the first time in the venue’s 100-year history. Fresh from installing their new pitch, the Kansas City Current shared an overhead view [[link removed]] of its soon-to-be completed stadium — the first specifically designed for women’s soccer. Front Office Sports is on the lookout for the Best Employers in Sports [[link removed]]. Let us know if your company deserves a shot at the coveted award. Playfly Sports CEO Mike Schreiber talks to Rolling Stone to lay out the latest changes in the local sports media and fandom. Check out the trends [[link removed]] leading the new wave of home team sport consumption.†

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How Displays Are Elevating College Recruiting

Collegiate recruiting has never been more competitive.

That’s why the nation’s top teams are heavily investing in state-of-the-art training facilities and Daktronics displays [[link removed]] to enhance in-game performance and off-field relaxation.

Since 1968, Daktronics has cemented itself as the world leader in designing and manufacturing electronic scoreboards, programmable display systems, and large-screen video displays.

From practice fields and concourse areas, to conference rooms, weight rooms, and locker rooms, Daktronics displays help teams:

Streamline workflows Enhance training sessions Enjoy quality downtime

Learn more [[link removed]] about how Daktronics is transforming how the collegiate powerhouses learn, train, and grow.

Editor's Picks Fanatics Fumbles Eagles Merchandise, Pauses Future Shipments [[link removed]]by Andrew Cohen [[link removed]]Michael Rubin has apologized for crooked Eagles apparel sent to fans. Deion Sanders’ Sunglasses Dispute Nets Eyewear Company Nearly $4.5 Million [[link removed]]by Michael McCarthy [[link removed]]Sanders has Midas touch for sunglasses sponsor Blenders. Congress Set to Debate Bill Crucial to D.C.’s Effort to Land Commanders [[link removed]]by A.J. Perez [[link removed]]Congress will debate a bill enabling the redevelopment of the RFK Stadium site. Ex-World No. 1 Simona Halep Says ‘There Is No Proof’ Behind Doping Ban [[link removed]]by A.J. Perez [[link removed]]Simona Halep continues to fight her doping ban. Question Of The Day

Do you or does someone in your household own a gaming console?

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

Tuesday’s Answer

61% of respondents have completed home improvement projects in the last 12 months.

DISCLAIMER

*Ethan Quinn is a paid promoter and will be a customer of Prudential. For more information about his partnership, go to prudential.com/nowwhat.

Prudential Stages is an umbrella marketing name for Pruco Securities LLC, (sometimes referred to as “Pruco”) doing business as Prudential Financial Planning Services, pursuant to a separate agreement. Investment advisory products and services are made available through Pruco, a registered investment adviser.

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