September 21, 2023

Read in Browser [[link removed]]

POWERED BY

Who would have thought college football could be the first major American sport to seriously consider promotion and relegation? That’s exactly what my colleague Amanda Christovich reports in her exclusive [[link removed]]. If it happens with the Pac-12 leftovers, Mountain West, and others, I’d certainly watch.

— David Rumsey [[link removed]]

Fanatics Nabbing WWE Rights In Latest Win Over Panini [[link removed]]

Fanatics

Fanatics strikes again.

Michael Rubin’s $31 billion sports memorabilia behemoth has earned another key victory in its battle with longtime trading card company Panini.

Fanatics is set to start its WWE trading card licensing deal several years early — immediately taking over the rights held by Panini until now. WWE — which already had an apparel deal with Fanatics — has reportedly ended [[link removed]] its Panini deal, which was set to expire in 2026, due to breach of contract. Specific details are unclear.

It’s the second time in as many months that Fanatics has undercut Panini and convinced a partner to start a deal early. In August, the NFLPA opted to immediately begin [[link removed]] its 20-year trading card partnership with Fanatics, also set to start in 2026.

Before the NFLPA situation, Panini had filed an antitrust suit against Fanatics claiming [[link removed]] the company violated federal law with its dominant entry into the trading card business.

Fanatics Not Slowing Down

Since acquiring [[link removed]] Topps in 2022, Fanatics has been on a laser-focused mission to control the sports collectibles space.

It also has trading card deals with the NBA and MLB and those leagues’ players associations, and is set to take over the league-wide NFL rights in 2026. And that’s on top of the company’s apparel deals with the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS, among others.

Fanatics is also becoming a player in sports betting, recently acquiring [[link removed]] the U.S. operations of PointsBet for $225 million.

PODCAST

🎙️ They Said What?

“There is now a three-way race between Virginia, D.C., and Maryland.”

— A.J. Perez, Front Office Sports senior reporter, on potential landing spots for the Washington Commanders. To hear more about the Commanders’ future, check out the latest episode of FOS Today.

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

Royals Miss Self-Imposed Deadline To Select Stadium Site [[link removed]]

William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Royals acknowledged that they will miss their intended late-September target to name the site of their proposed $2 billion new stadium, throwing an early wrench into the facility development’s plans.

Less than a month after unveiling [[link removed]] the two candidate sites for the proposed project, the Royals have quickly walked back from an intended plan [[link removed]] to disclose the final choice by the end of the month.

The key sticking point is finalizing a lease extension with Missouri’s Jackson County, where the Royals’ current home, Kauffman Stadium, is located. The county is insisting [[link removed]] on a finalized lease extension with the Royals before introducing a ballot question that would extend its stadium sales tax levy and help fund a new venue.

The Royals still plan to put a funding measure on local ballots in April 2024, with a goal of opening the new stadium in 2028.

The club is deciding between a 27-acre site in downtown Kansas City, in Jackson County, and a larger 90-acre tract in neighboring Clay County. In either instance, the Royals would seek an Atlanta Braves-type mixed-use development — but part of the decision also rests on the location of the urban site versus the more expansive possibilities of the suburban site.

“Leaders in both counties know a critical piece of the evaluation process will be negotiated lease terms so that the Royals, our future partner, and most importantly the voters can know what to expect,” the Royals said. “We take our responsibilities very seriously to act in the best interests of both the Royals and our region, and we will continue our work to make sure this project is done right.”

The decision — which doesn’t have a new projected timetable — will also have ripple effects [[link removed]] on the neighboring Kansas City Chiefs.

Currently one of MLB’s worst-attended, lowest-spending, and poorest-performing clubs, the Royals are eyeing the new stadium development as a key mechanism to improve its fortunes both on and off the field.

SPONSORED BY ISOS CAPITAL MANAGEMENT

The Sports Equity Shift

Sports has quickly evolved from a conversation about athleticism to one that encompasses concepts of equity and ownership [[link removed]] with equal levels of intrigue. Just a few years into the 2020s and we’ve already witnessed a tremendous shift.

From the rise of streaming and its effect on media deals and team valuations to the explosion of women’s sports and niche sports like pickleball and lacrosse, the sports industry as a whole continues to present new opportunities.

Join Front Office Sports on September 27 at 1 p.m. ET for The Future of Sports: Equity [[link removed]]. Sponsored by ISOS Capital Management, this virtual summit will feature speakers from ESPN, Warner Bros. Discovery, NWSL, Roku, and more of the most influential businesses in the space.

Register now [[link removed]]!

Can Amazon Keep Up NFL Viewership Boost After Record Week 1? [[link removed]]

Syndication: The Record

Amazon’s hopes for NFL dominance are high after record-breaking viewership for last week’s 2023 season debut of “Thursday Night Football” on Prime Video.

Thursday’s streaming broadcast of the New York Giants at the San Francisco 49ers will look to retain the 15 million viewers who watched Philadelphia Eagles’ 34-28 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1 — officially the most-streamed NFL game ever.

The task won’t be easy. The first “TNF” game of 2022 — a Kansas City Chiefs win against the Los Angeles Chargers — drew a season-high 13 million viewers before audience numbers began dropping in later weeks. Amazon finished with an average [[link removed]] of 9.6 million viewers per game.

Staying above the 10 million average viewership mark this season would be a win for Amazon, which is paying $1 billion a year for the NFL deal and wants to add [[link removed]] more live sports to its streaming offerings.

The tech giant had been hoping audience measurement company Nielsen would incorporate its first-party streaming data this year — but Nielsen ultimately opted against [[link removed]] doing so. With that data, Amazon says Eagles-Vikings drew 16.6 million viewers.

Will Amazon Flex Its Muscles?

In its second year of exclusive NFL rights, Amazon has gained new scheduling flexibility previously unavailable for Thursday night games.

This season, the NFL can opt to switch up a “TNF” matchup between Weeks 13-17 with a four-week notice. That could be put to use this year in the wake of New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ season-ending injury.

The Jets are scheduled to visit the Cleveland Browns for the final Thursday night game of the season in Week 17. Games in the 1 p.m. ET window that week that could have stronger playoff implications include New England-Buffalo, New Orleans-Tampa Bay, and Miami-Baltimore.

As Sports Teams Exit Bay Area, Pro Soccer Gains Notable Win [[link removed]]

Oakland Roots

The outlook for pro sports in Oakland has seemed bleaker than any other American city for a while now.

The dire state of the Oakland Coliseum has pushed the A’s to join [[link removed]] the Raiders in fleeing the Bay Area in favor of Las Vegas, while the Golden State Warriors are now thriving in San Francisco after ditching their Oakland arena in 2019.

However, one pro sport is finally gaining momentum in the city. The Oakland Roots soccer club, which currently competes at the top level of the USL, has taken a key step toward building a soccer-specific stadium.

The team will enter an exclusive negotiating agreement [[link removed]] with the city and Alameda County that could result in a new 10,000-seat stadium on nearly 9 acres of parking lot property near the Coliseum. The stadium is targeted to open in 2025 and would also host the Oakland Soul — the Roots’ women’s club that plays in the USL W League.

Financial details are unknown, but the Roots recently raised [[link removed]] more than $2 million from a crowdfunding campaign offering fans equity in the team.

Future MLS Rival?

A new Oakland soccer stadium would also be a positive sign for the USL as the league seeks first-division status from U.S. Soccer, aiming to rivaling MLS with potential European-style promotion and relegation [[link removed]].

There is no MLS team in Oakland or San Francisco — the league’s San Jose Earthquakes represent the league’s only footprint near the Bay Area. NWSL expansion team Bay FC will play at the Earthquakes’ PayPal Park in its inaugural 2024 season.

GIVEAWAY

We’re giving away TEN (10) slots to ask Tony Reali a live one-on-one question and snap a selfie with him. Enter here to win [[link removed]]! The contest ends on October 4, 2023. See full contest terms and conditions here [[link removed]].

Conversation Starters Sports Illustrated is launching sports-themed resorts [[link removed]] in top college towns — starting with Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Set to open in late 2025, the property will offer a full-service hotel, vacation club, and residential condos. WWE is reportedly courting Ronaldo to make a guest appearance [[link removed]] at its upcoming Crown Jewel pay-per-view event in Saudi Arabia. In 2020, Portland Trail Blazers star CJ McCollum sold out [[link removed]] the first release of his McCollum Heritage 91 wine in an hour. Now, he has a 300-acre vineyard.

SPONSORED BY T-MOBILE

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.

Editor's Picks The First Official Proposal for Promotion-Relegation In College Football [[link removed]]by Amanda Christovich [[link removed]]Realignment is forcing Group of 5 schools to rethink their structure. Spain Women’s Soccer Players Agree to End National Team Boycott [[link removed]]by Doug Greenberg [[link removed]]The RFEF will make “immediate and profound” changes to its structure. Tiger Woods, Justin Timberlake Tee Off Sports Bar in NYC [[link removed]]by Andrew Cohen [[link removed]]T-Squared's Manhattan location includes a bowling alley and Full Swing simulators. Question Of The Day

Do you try to prioritize your mental health?

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

Wednesday’s Answer

63% of respondents own or has someone in their household who owns a gaming console.

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