October 5, 2023

Read in Browser [[link removed]]

POWERED BY

Multi-game playoff series are always a bit of a gamble for television networks, and ESPN and parent company Disney definitely hit some bad luck with an MLB Wild Card round of four series sweeps and little drama. Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery are certainly looking for a better situation with baseball’s upcoming Division Series, which does feature four highly compelling matchups.

— Eric Fisher [[link removed]]

WNBA Growth Hits New Inflection Point With Bay Area, Portland Franchises [[link removed]]

Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

It was only a matter of time before the WNBA solidified its expansion plans.

On Thursday, the league confirmed the expected [[link removed]] news of an expansion franchise for California’s Bay Area with a large-scale presentation at San Francisco’s Chase Center, where the team will play.

The new team will be joined by a forthcoming franchise in Portland, according to multiple reports [[link removed]]. That decision has reached the league’s Board of Governors, with its own announcement expected soon.

The as-yet-unnamed Bay Area franchise will be led by Golden State Warriors owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber — and the Warriors will be the sixth NBA franchise to also have a WNBA team, joining similar situations in Brooklyn, Indiana, Minnesota, Phoenix, and Washington.

According to sources, the group is committing $50 million to enter the league. The ownership group for the Portland team, meanwhile, is reportedly [[link removed]] led by local billionaire Kirk Brown.

Starting with the 2025 season, the new franchises will bring the WNBA to 14 teams and could prompt a realignment to balance the Eastern and Western Conferences. This is also the league’s first expansion since 2008, though there have been multiple relocations.

“The right time, the right moment is today,” said WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “The San Francisco Bay Area has proven to well exceed the mark in our expansion criteria. The Bay Area is firmly aligned with our already strong base of diverse and engaged fans, and this is a hub for women’s sports.”

Wave Of Growth

The expansion announcement not only arrives in time with this weekend’s start of a highly touted Finals matchup between the New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces, but also follows a 2023 regular season with marked increases [[link removed]] in attendance, national TV viewership, and social media consumption.

“The league is ready. It’s gone through some tough times, as we all did during the pandemic, but the league is ready for this expansion. Women’s basketball, and women’s sports overall, is taking off,” Lacob said.

But there remains some friction around the idea of further league expansion — particularly as players continue to push for better benefits and working conditions, including additional charter flights for team travel.

ESPN Deal Should Push Tiger’s TGL Beyond Golf Fans [[link removed]]

Syndication: Palm Beach Post

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s virtual golf league has scored a major win by securing ESPN as its U.S. media rights partner [[link removed]] ahead of its January launch.

While financial details are unknown, ESPN had a first option for TGL’s rights, along with fellow PGA Tour broadcast partners CBS Sports and NBC Sports. The PGA Tour has a partnership with TGL parent company TMRW Sports.

But TGL also negotiated with other broadcast partners beyond those three, a source told Front Office Sports. Fox Sports previously had U.S. Open rights, and streaming companies like Amazon, Apple, and YouTube could have been fitting partners given TGL’s tech-forward approach.

In the end, ESPN won out, giving TGL a presence among mainstream sports fans that likely wouldn’t have developed otherwise. Golf Channel could have been an easy landing spot for TGL, but that network is available [[link removed]] in 61 million homes, compared to ESPN’s 72 million.

The deal expands ESPN’s golf presence, which already includes first- and second-round and early weekend coverage of the Masters and PGA Championship, as well as its PGA Tour Live product on ESPN+.

Gaining Momentum

Between TGL’s media and commercial deals and its team owners [[link removed]], it is clear the league is prioritizing top-tier stakeholders.

Earlier this week, TMRW Sports signed a wide-ranging deal [[link removed]] with SoFi, the digital finance company that’s paying $30 million a year to have its name on the home stadium of the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers. SoFi gets presenting sponsorship of TGL, and matches will be played at SoFi Center in Florida.

SPONSORED BY CHEVROLET

Hitting the Bike Trail With Zaire Wade

[[link removed]]

Zaire Wade is mostly known as one of basketball’s most promising young players and the son of a basketball legend. But like many professional athletes – Zaire has his own passions off the court.

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 bike riding helps Zaire Wade move forward, find peace off the court and gain the mental freedom he needs to succeed in pursuit of his dream.

Watch episode three [[link removed]] now.

DSG’s Rejection Of Coyotes Completes Phoenix Sports TV Transformation [[link removed]]

Jeff Le-USA TODAY Sports

Diamond Sports Group’s rejection of its regional rights to the Arizona Coyotes completes this year’s historic transformation of sports television in the 11th-largest U.S. media market.

On Thursday, the bankrupt parent of Bally Sports received approval from a U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Texas to reject the NHL’s team local rights. The move has been increasingly anticipated since DSG’s similar dismissal [[link removed]] of its Arizona Diamondbacks rights in July, leaving the Coyotes as the only remaining major pro team on Bally Sports Arizona.

“The debtors have concluded that the Coyotes agreement is not necessary to [its] business and is unlikely to provide a net benefit,” DSG said.

The NHL team’s situation closely follows not only MLB’s takeover of the Diamondbacks’ game production and distribution but a separate move by the Phoenix Suns and Mercury under new owner Mat Ishbia to walk away from the traditional regional sports network structure. The Suns and Mercury are now being aired locally on Gray Television and the Suns Live streaming platform — and have even been giving away [[link removed]] TV antennas to fans to help boost their local footprint.

The NHL team has unsurprisingly supported DSG’s effort, as the Coyotes now have an opportunity to part from the financially troubled company. The team had been under contract with DSG through the 2024-25 season with upcoming rights fee payments due on Nov. 1 and Dec. 1.

New Plans Developing

The Coyotes moved quickly to strike a new deal with Scripps Sports to show its games over-the-air locally on the company’s Antenna TV network.

“This is a major win for us to be able to increase our reach and continue to grow the great game of hockey in the desert,” said Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo.

The DSG issue arrives as the Coyotes continue to seek [[link removed]] a new arena and mixed-use development in the East Valley.

Bigger issues also continue to surround DSG: The company remains in pursuit of an extended deadline to file a formal reorganization plan. Originally due on Sept. 30, DSG has asked [[link removed]] for a new date of Nov. 29.

Conversation Starters For this year’s Chiefs-Dolphins game in Germany, the Chiefs will dock a boat [[link removed]] on the Main River in Frankfurt. The “ChampionShip” will host VIP events, fan ops, and a watch party. Utah’s Crimson Collective gave all 85 of its scholarship [[link removed]] football players a Dodge Ram 1500 — each retailing for about $60,000. Leases end when a player’s eligibility expires or they transfer. Check out [[link removed]] the reaction. In Milwaukee, you can golf from a suite [[link removed]] overlooking Brewers games.

SPONSORED BY WSC SPORTS

Content Personalization With Machine Learning

“WSC lets us really lean into the personalization and localization of our content. We can cut and filter our video content by key attributes, which is crucial in helping us expand the level of personalization that we deliver to our fans.” – Chris Foster, VP of Digital Business Development at the NHL in a recent interview [[link removed]] with Front Office Sports.

WSC Sports [[link removed]] automates the instant creation and distribution of video highlights by giving you access to sport-specific AI technology for over 20+ sports with robust editing capabilities.

In addition to the NHL, over 400 partners, including the NBA, NASCAR, LaLiga, MLS, and more rely on WSC Sports to build the premier modern fan experience.

You can’t provide the best experience without automation. Your most creative people need time to craft stories for fans. Stay ahead of the curve and click here [[link removed]] to learn more.

Editor's Picks Pat Fitzgerald Sues Northwestern $130M For Wrongful Termination [[link removed]]by Doug Greenberg [[link removed]]It covers $68M in owed salary and $62M in future lost income. Phoenix Suns, Mercury Invest $100M In New Downtown Headquarters [[link removed]]by Doug Greenberg [[link removed]]“It was a huge priority,” owner Mat Ishbia told FOS. Inter Miami Game Provides Short, Long-Term Gains for Chicago Fire [[link removed]]by Doug Greenberg [[link removed]]A record-breaking crowd packed Soldier Field despite Lionel Messi's absence. Get in on the Action

Front Office Sports is partnering with Splash Sports to bring you Weeks 6-8 Pick X Contest [[link removed]]!

Attempt to select the winner for 16 games per slate, and get one point for each correct selection. Select the most correct answers and be one of three winners to be awarded a cash prize! Deadline to sign up is October 15, 2023.

ENTER HERE [[link removed]]

Advertise [[link removed]] Awards [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Video [[link removed]] Podcast [[link removed]] Sports Careers [[link removed]] Written by Eric Fisher [[link removed]], David Rumsey [[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