September 27, 2023
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As someone with many ties to Western New York, I love how Josh Allen has energized the entire region, and I definitely know my way around a plate of hot wings. But I have to agree with the Buffalo Bills that Allen’s latest viral video [[link removed]] where he puts hot sauce in his Pepsi might be a bridge too far.
Drop me a line with thoughts about Allen and your favorite hot wing rituals.
— Eric Fisher [[link removed]]
Bay Area WNBA Expansion Latest Step In League Growth [[link removed]]
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
The WNBA’s quest to expand beyond the league’s current 12 teams appears to be off and running.
Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob is reportedly leading a group that’s set to bring [[link removed]] a new team to the Bay Area. The WNBA franchise would play at the Warriors’ Chase Center and have headquarters at the NBA team’s practice facility in Oakland. An announcement is expected in October.
WNBA expansion has been anticipated for some time now. Earlier this year, commissioner Cathy Engelbert said [[link removed].] the league was eyeing a short list of 10 cities for new teams and hoping to add multiple franchises by 2025.
In addition to the Bay Area, other cities likely still under consideration include Nashville, Toronto, Austin, Charlotte, Philadelphia, and Portland. Engelbert also visited [[link removed]] Denver over the summer to explore expansion opportunities there.
A Bay Area club would bring the WNBA to 13 teams and add a seventh to its Western Conference — making it all the more likely a 14th club could be on its way soon to make an even number.
Other Side Of The Story
While expansion has been a top priority for the WNBA’s leaders, its players are not completely sold on the idea.
In July, 2022 WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson told [[link removed]] Front Office Sports she would like to see the league’s current 144 players be better taken care of before adding new expansion clubs or growing teams’ roster sizes.
Magic Johnson Open To Knicks Minority Ownership Stake [[link removed]]
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Basketball Hall of Famer Magic Johnson’s expansive sports ownership portfolio already includes [[link removed]] stakes in the Washington Commanders, Los Angeles Dodgers, LAFC, Los Angeles Sparks, and esports company aXiomatic.
Now, he’s looking to return to NBA ownership — with a very specific team.
Thirteen years after shedding his previously held equity stake in the Los Angeles Lakers in pursuit of larger team ownership opportunities, Johnson told [[link removed]] the Associated Press that the New York Knicks are the “only team I would probably think about. Other than that, I would probably never think about ever being a part of another franchise.”
Johnson said he received potential ownership opportunities with the Golden State Warriors, Detroit Pistons, and Atlanta Hawks, but turned them all down instead of competing with the Lakers, where Johnson was also head coach in 1994 and president of basketball operations from 2017-19.
But to him, the Knicks offer a different kind of attraction. “That one, you would really have to think about,” he said.
Johnson acknowledged he hasn’t discussed the notion with Knicks owner and MSG executive chairman James Dolan, and the team is not formally for sale. In a recent New York Times profile [[link removed]] about Dolan and his other major project [[link removed]], the MSG Sphere in Las Vegas, he said the Knicks are “near and dear to my heart,” but added, “I don’t really like owning teams.”
SPONSORED BY CHEVROLET
A Day Outdoors With Elena Delle Donne
[[link removed]]
As one of the WNBA’s biggest stars in the last decade, Elena Delle Donne is mostly known for her work on the court. But like many professional athletes – Elena has her 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 hiking helps Elena Delle Donne find peace away from the court, the importance of always moving and staying active, and how her family inspires her to push through adversity.
Watch episode two [[link removed]] now.
French Soccer Club Lyon Seeking $300M Capital Raise [[link removed]]
OL
Last year, the $842 million sale [[link removed]] of Ligue 1 side Lyon set a record for French soccer clubs.
Now, the team’s new ownership group is looking to raise $315 million from the bond market and continue to sell off some of its biggest assets, according [[link removed]] to the Financial Times.
After acquiring the club, American businessman John Textor’s Eagle Football Holdings sold [[link removed]] Lyon’s French women’s club, reportedly valued at $54.4 million, to NWSL Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang.
Lyon is currently exploring a sale of OL Reign, the NWSL team it owns, based on a similar $50 million valuation. The club is also opening to selling full control of its LDLC arena, a new 16,000-seat, multipurpose venue due to be completed later this year that is separate from Parc Olympique Lyonnais, where Lyon plays its home matches.
The club has hired Goldman Sachs for bond sales that would be secured against the club’s stadium and used to refinance existing loans.
After finishing seventh in Ligue 1 last season, Lyon is currently in 17th place through six matches this year, and thus needing to move up several spots in the table by season’s end to avoid relegation.
Follow The Money
Lyon’s ambitions continue the trend of bringing on major investors into European soccer clubs.
This month, Premier League club Chelsea secured [[link removed]] $500 million in new investment, while Florida-based 777 Partners completed a deal [[link removed]] to acquire Everton after the EPL club lost [[link removed]] a potential investment of up to $190 million from U.S.-based investment group MSP Sports Capital.
Conversation Starters The Swift Effect continues for Travis Kelce. His TikTok teaser [[link removed]] for Wednesday’s podcast episode garnered 2 million views and a half-million likes after being up for one hour. There’s now a giant three-dimensional billboard in New York City’s Times Square featuring tennis legend Rafael Nadal. Check it out [[link removed]] At the biggest sportsbook in the world, you can place bets from a pool in front of a 143-foot TV. Check out [[link removed]] all the amenities.
SPONSORED BY DAKTRONICS
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 Warriors GM Feels ‘Targeted’ With NBA’s New Tax, Rest Rules [[link removed]]by Andrew Cohen [[link removed]]"They're making rules to prevent you from succeeding,” Mike Dunleavy said. The NFL’s $1B Battle Over Concussion Settlement Heats Up [[link removed]]by Daniel Kaplan [[link removed]]The NFL is seeking at least $1.2 billion from its risk carriers. Oregon State Projects 44% Athletics Revenue Loss From Pac-12 Realignment [[link removed]]by Doug Greenberg [[link removed]]Oregon St. officials reveal the potentially dire effects of Pac-12 realignment. FaceTime With Tony Reali
Win the chance to speak to and get a selfie with Around the Horn host and sports media personality Tony Reali!
We’re giving away TEN (10) chances 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]].
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