November 21, 2023

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Taylor Swift wasn’t at last night’s Chiefs-Eagles Kelce Bowl. But if the analysis on my TikTok feed of her relationship with Kansas City’s star tight end is any indication of its seriousness, I expect to see her attend at least one more game this season.

— David Rumsey [[link removed]]

Amazon Wants Playoff Games As Part Of Potential NBA Deal [[link removed]]

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Amazon is gearing up for what could be its biggest sports media week of the year with Prime Video’s exclusive, free stream of the first-ever NFL Black Friday game — but another league is on its radar, too.

As almost every major media company explores potential bids for the NBA’s next set of media rights deals, Amazon isn’t being shy about its interest and exactly what it wants: postseason games. “Would something like the playoffs be an important part of [our bid]? Yes, I think that’s fair to say,” Amazon Global Head of Sports Jay Marine told [[link removed]] Sports Business Journal.

Sources previously told Front Office Sports that Amazon was eying [[link removed]] a specific package of NBA regular-season games on either Tuesday or Thursday nights. The idea was to mimic the success it has had with “Thursday Night Football” — which has seen big viewership increases in its second season.

But adding playoff games would be a new evolution for Amazon’s sports efforts. While the NFL plans to stream a wild-card game exclusively on Peacock in January, Amazon doesn’t have any postseason rights. It is, however, among the companies interested [[link removed]] in acquiring some College Football Playoff rights.

Not So Fast

Another streamer being discussed as a potential NBA rights bidder may not be as interested as previously thought.

Last week, a report linked Netflix as a suitor [[link removed]] for the rights to the NBA In-Season Tournament, which will likely be sold as its own package. But now, Bloomberg reports [[link removed]] that while Netflix remains intrigued with filming an NBA-related docuseries, the company says it isn’t interested in live game rights.

PODCAST

🎙️ They Said What?

“It’s up to [universities] to provide that protection for their athletes — because it’s in the school’s best interest to protect their prestige.”

— UCLA quarterback Chase Griffin on why schools should protect student-athletes from malicious NIL deals. To hear more from Griffin about NIL and building his brand, check out the latest episode of FOS Today.

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

Las Vegas GP Smashes Records For Sportsbooks [[link removed]]

Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports

Though it divided locals, had a rocky [[link removed]] beginning, and is still facing legal fallout [[link removed]], the Las Vegas Grand Prix ultimately provided a historic windfall for sportsbooks.

Even as Max Verstappen continued his Formula 1 dominance with his 16th win in 17 races, Caesars Sportsbooks set a new company record for total betting handle on any motorsports event, while rival entity BetMGM and the local Station Casinos, Westgate SuperBook, and Red Rock Resort similarly reported record handle for an F1 Race.

“It was three times Daytona’s numbers,” Craig Mucklow, Caesars vice president of trading, told [[link removed]] the Las Vegas Review Journal, referencing the high-profile NASCAR event. “It was well over seven figures.”

BetMGM said it tripled the number of bets for any prior F1 event during the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

The full impact of the race on sportsbooks will be more fully understood next month, when the Nevada Gaming Control Board releases its monthly report for November.

Late-Night Starts

The 10 p.m. local start time of the race — 1 a.m. on the East Coast — remains the subject of debate, and efforts are already in motion to ensure an earlier start. That time was chosen in part to minimize the disruption to local citizens, who already endured months of headaches due to the extended track construction.

But several drivers and team executives are also pushing for an earlier start to aid their own time-zone acclimation traveling from Europe, as F1 continues to show growing pains in becoming a truly global sport.

“In the past, we had no issue because F1 was just for the European people, and we had to stick to the European timing, and it was okay,” said [[link removed]] Fred Vasseur, Ferrari team principal, to ESPN. “Now it’s a worldwide project, and it’s much more difficult to find something fitting with the expectations of the 24-hour zone.”

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Paris Olympics Problems Continue With Price-Gouging Claims [[link removed]]

Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

The troubled runup to next year’s Paris Olympics has spread to a new sector: hotel prices.

A new report from Paris tourism showed that hotel prices will rise 314% between the summer of 2023 and next summer’s Games, somewhat similar to price hikes seen [[link removed]] for prior Olympics and World Cups. Average prices are projected to rise from $185 per night to $765.

The increases were even steeper for better accommodations, with average prices rising 475% for three-star hotels.

“We want popular Games, but it can’t be popular Games at 700 euros a night,” Frederic Hocquard, Paris’ deputy mayor for tourism and nightlife, told [[link removed]] Reuters. “You can’t triple the price of the rooms. Maybe you can allow a 10, 15% increase, but tripling the prices won’t work.”

The lodging issue follows several months of conflict for the Paris Olympics and its organizers, including local rioting [[link removed]], budget concerns [[link removed]], bed-bug infestations [[link removed]], serious corruption allegations [[link removed]], and controversy over alcohol restrictions [[link removed]] — plus issues [[link removed]] surrounding high ticket prices, ambitious event logistics, and the city’s planned treatment of its homeless during the Games.

Local officials also expect many fans to commute into Paris from various surrounding towns due to the hotel prices.

Airbnb Issues

Hocquard said the hotel price increases also will help “feed the Airbnb beast.” But the French government is expected to impose a series of new sanctions to help control that market.

Among the anticipated measures will be a new taxation structure on owners who rent their homes and heightened enforcement on the city’s 120-day-limit per year for residents renting their properties.

Messi Set To Challenge For Another Off-Pitch Record [[link removed]]

Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports

Lionel Messi’s heroics at last year’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar helped the Argentinian win a record eighth Ballon d’Or award — and might now set even more records in the memorabilia market.

Six jerseys Messi wore during World Cup matches — including the final in which he scored two goals and converted a penalty-shootout kick — are being put up for auction by Sotheby’s, a multinational collectibles broker.

With demand for Messi booming after the World Cup and his subsequent move to MLS, Sotheby’s predicts [[link removed]] that the collection could end up being sold at a record price of more than $10 million. Sotheby’s was responsible for selling the current most expensive piece of game-worn sports memorabilia — a Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan jersey from the 1998 NBA Finals, which netted $10.1 million in 2022.

The six Messi jerseys — all featuring Argentina’s iconic light-blue-and-white stripes — were worn by the legend during the first half of matches throughout the group stage, Round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and final in Qatar. They are being sold together, unavailable to be purchased individually — meaning any record price would be for a sports memorabilia collection, not an individual item.

Pretty In Pink

After joining MLS in July, Messi’s new Inter Miami kit became the top-selling MLS jersey [[link removed]] in 2023.

This year, many soccer retailers and manufacturers have struggled [[link removed]] to keep up with the immense demand for Messi jerseys, with some orders still in the works and not scheduled to ship until December.

Conversation Starters The NBA has threatened to fine Hornets All-Star guard LaMelo Ball if he doesn’t cover a tattoo below his left ear with the initials “LF,” short for “LaFrance” — his middle name, and now, his clothing brand. Find out why [[link removed]]. In six years, the Eagles have raised [[link removed]] over $20 million for the autism community — including a record $6.2 million from over 27,000 donors this year. The top fundraiser: Jason Kelce, who helped bring in $110,000 himself. Vikings quarterback Josh Dobbs stayed patient, bounced around the NFL for nearly a decade, and is now thriving in Minnesota. Follow his journey [[link removed]]. Shop FOS Merch!

Rep your favorite newsletter with a new hoodie, water bottle, coffee mug, or more! Shop our new store here [[link removed]] and use “FOS10” promo code at checkout for 10% off your order.

Editor's Picks PFL Completes Acquisition of Bellator, Readies to Challenge UFC [[link removed]]by A.J. Perez [[link removed]]“Today, the MMA market changed,” PFL Founder Donn Davis said. ESPN Treads Lightly with Promoting Its Own ESPN Bet [[link removed]]by A.J. Perez [[link removed]]The much-anticipated first weekend didn't lead to over-the-top promotion. NBC Sports Drops Paul Azinger As Lead Golf Analyst [[link removed]]by Michael McCarthy [[link removed]]Justin Leonard among list of contenders to succeed Paul Azinger at NBC. Question Of The Day

About how many concerts / live music events do you attend a year?

0 [[link removed]] 1-2 [[link removed]] 3-4 [[link removed]] 5+ [[link removed]]

Monday’s Answer

31% of respondents watched the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

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