More concessions to the NFL’s long-standing policies on team ownership structures appear to be on the way as rising franchise values make it increasingly difficult to acquire clubs and fund operations.

The NFL owners’ finance committee may soon suggest upping the allowed debt for an incoming owner from $1.1 billion to $1.6 billion, according to Forbes. Josh Harris’ group used $1 billion in debt to facilitate the $6.05 billion purchase of the Washington Commanders.

Additionally, the amount of debt existing owners could have against their team may increase from $600 million to $1 billion. 

The new rules, which would require approval from 24 of the NFL’s 32 owners, would be the latest in the league’s evolving approach to ownership framework. 

Earlier this month, a new NFL finance committee was created to explore the possibility of letting private equity firms and other investment funds take minority ownership stakes in franchises, as is allowed in other major U.S. sports.

Harris’ acquisition of the Commanders — a record price for an NFL franchise — and the $4.65 billion sale of the Denver Broncos to the Walton-Penner family group have shown just how expensive and difficult it will be for any future buyers interested in NFL teams.

All the recent moves appear to be part of team owners’ strategy to make sure the money can keep flowing into the league — and that interest in acquiring franchises remains at an all-time high.

ESPN has been in the news a lot this year, with most of the items pointing to a cloudy future for the Disney-owned sports network — a trend that won’t stop after more revelations about the company’s plans.

The network has reportedly decided to close its Seaport studios in New York by 2025 and will likely do the same for its Los Angeles studios that reside in the same complex as Crypto.com Arena, according to Puck News.

Current ESPN shows filmed and produced at the Seaport facility include:

• “First Take”
• “Get Up”
• “NBA Countdown”
• “Around The Horn”

Those shows will need new homes, and staff based at the Seaport facility will move to a new ABC building in Hudson Square. Should the L.A. studios close, those employees could work remotely or relocate.

This summer, ESPN completed a round of layoffs, severing ties with longtime on-air talent like Jeff Van Gundy and Steve Young. While the Puck News report doesn’t specifically suggest more layoffs are coming, the eventual downsizing could make it difficult to retain every employee currently working at those studios.

Latest Change For ESPN

Beyond the layoffs earlier this year, Disney has started to look for a potential partner to buy equity in ESPN. Several leagues have had discussions about buying a portion of ESPN, and reports have also linked technology giants like Amazon and Verizon.

At the start of the current NFL and college football seasons, a carriage dispute with Charter Spectrum kept ESPN channels out of 14 million homes as Disney sought to retain its high rights fees for ESPN.

More than three years after shedding their former nickname, the Washington Commanders are still facing legal hurdles in connection with it. 

The Native American Guardian’s Association — a nonprofit organization aimed at advancing cultural and ethnic awareness — has filed a defamation lawsuit against the team in U.S. District Court in North Dakota, claiming a “coordinated and willful effort” by the team to defame and delegitimize the organization both verbally and in writing. 

NAGA previously started a Change.org petition seeking to restore the Redskins name — partly a response to what it perceived as cancel culture — that gained more than 132,000 signatures. 

The group is seeking $1.6 million in monetary damages. A key part of the lawsuit stems from a prior comment by Commanders sales manager Matthew Laux, who allegedly said in a text message that NAGA was “fake.” The lawsuit names the Commanders, Laux, team owner Josh Harris, and the National Congress of American Indians as defendants.

“NAGA’s members were huge Redskin fans precisely because they were the Redskins,” the lawsuit reads in part. “It was the only team in the NFL to honor an actual Native American. They were proud to watch professional football players engage in a different kind of battle, with the stoic face of Chief White Calf on their helmets.”

The Commanders said they “believe the complaint is without merit, and we will address the matter in court.”

Despite a home drubbing on Sunday to Buffalo, the Commanders remain in the midst of an organizational renaissance under Harris, with a wide range of commercial possibilities and potential facilities open to the franchise.

The Oakland A’s now appear ready to leave Oakland for Las Vegas as soon as possible. 

The team might not play another game at the Coliseum after the current lease expires following the 2024 season, as the already-strained relationship between the city of Oakland and MLB has now reached an unprecedented level of toxicity. 

Speaking with the San Francisco Chronicle, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred accused Oakland mayor Sheng Thao of misrepresenting the substance of a July meeting between the two and failing to deliver a truly substantive stadium proposal to keep the A’s.

“I understand that is a rough time for Mayor Thao,” Manfred said. “It looks like she’s going to lose yet another franchise from the Bay Area. That’s unfortunate. That’s a tough spot to be in. But I think we’ve kind of gotten to the point where we need to point out that she’s not telling people the truth. All of this is about covering your ass at this point.”

Unsurprisingly, the mayor’s office strongly disputed Manfred’s characterization. Thao’s chief of staff, Leigh Hanson, told the Chronicle, “We will leave it to the fans to decide who’s telling the truth, Mayor Thao or Manfred. At this point, their reputations speak for themselves.”

Interim Impacts

The deteriorating relationship between the league and city could diminish the likelihood of Oakland returning to the Coliseum to play for the 2025-27 seasons while the team’s planned Las Vegas stadium is developed. 

MLB and the A’s are also considering the neighboring Oracle Park and Las Vegas Ballpark, the home of the A’s Triple-A minor league affiliate, with the league driving the selection process.

The disagreement between Manfred and Thao also extends to a proposed Coliseum lease extension. Thao’s office said it was absolutely discussed at the July meeting, while Manfred said the session was entirely about the city’s push to keep the A’s permanently.

The A’s finished their 2023 home schedule on Sunday with a final attendance of 832,352 — up by 5.6% from a year ago, but still by far the lowest in the league.