November 29, 2023

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It looks like Miriam Adelson could be making a bold move [[link removed]] into pro sports after selling off around $2 billion worth of Las Vegas Sands Corp. stock. Adelson is reportedly eyeing a significant share of the Dallas Mavericks, but Mark Cuban is expected to retain [[link removed]] operational control. The massive transaction represents roughly 10% of the stake she inherited from her late husband, Sheldon, in 2021.

— David Rumsey [[link removed]]

ESPN Investors Not A Sure Thing, Disney CEO Says [[link removed]]

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The idea of Disney selling a stake in ESPN — or even the majority of the network — has been one of the hottest topics in sports media this year.

However, the move may not be as certain as previously thought.

ESPN has an estimated sale value [[link removed]] of $24 billion, and Disney has confirmed discussions with several entities about an equity partnership [[link removed]] in the sports channel. Sources previously told Front Office Sports that talks with the NFL and NBA as potential ESPN buyers [[link removed]] had been heating up.

During a companywide town hall on Tuesday, Disney CEO Bob Iger said that financial partners for ESPN’s future plans are not mandatory. “We could go at it alone,” Iger said [[link removed]]. “We are fully prepared to do that. It would be a little more challenging if we did.” Iger did reiterate that Disney has been speaking to sports leagues and tech companies.

Iger also took exception to the reaction and fallout from his comments [[link removed]] in July that he was open to selling major assets like ESPN, as well as other crucial parts of Disney’s business: “I did not think everyone would run with a story that everything is being sold, which is not the case.”

ESPN’s Streaming Future

Still in the works are plans to make the flagship ESPN channel available via a new direct-to-consumer streaming option no later than 2025.

“We don’t just want to flip the switch,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said [[link removed]]. “We don’t want to just move our networks over and make them available over the top without significant product enhancements.” Pitaro was referring to special features like advanced stats and fantasy sports and sports betting integrations.

A price point is still being determined, Iger said.

PODCAST

🎙️ They Said What?

“I think we’re going to see more [artificial intelligence] … but it’s unclear what doing a good job of AI in journalism would look like.”

— Futurism reporter Maggie Harrison on the allegations that Sports Illustrated published articles written by AI. To hear more about Harrison’s Sports Illustrated report, check out the latest episode of FOS Today.

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

Tennis Grand Slams Reportedly Want a Formula 1-Style Tour [[link removed]]

Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports

Tennis’s Grand Slam tournaments are mulling over a massive restructuring that could not only reshape the landscape of the major pro game, but create a windfall for the sport in the process.

Each of the four Grand Slams is looking to partner with other top tournaments to create a premium tour somewhat similar to that of Formula 1, according [[link removed]] to The Athletic. Such a move would represent perhaps the largest overhaul of the sport’s competitive structure since the formation of the ATP Tour in the early 1990s.

The move seeks to achieve several critical goals — and chief among them, unsurprisingly, is money. A more collective media rights package would allow a winning bidder to be the home of most, if not all, top-flight tennis and would almost certainly lead to more aggregate dollars than the currently divided rights. A similar dynamic would likely exist for sponsorship, too.

Such a radical shift, however, would require time to sync up the various rights, as well as striking agreements on revenue sharing among the tournaments and governing bodies. A plan could be ready for formal presentation to various stakeholders by the Australian Open in January.

A more streamlined competitive schedule would guard against player fatigue and be easier for fans to follow — a key consideration as leaders within the sport look to elevate top events outside the Grand Slams.

“We want to grow our premium product, and that’s a fact that we’ve been very vocal about,” Andrea Gaudenzi, ATP Tour CEO, told a group of journalists recently in Italy. “For the sport, closing the gap between the Masters and the Slams is good for everybody. Now, there is a very big gap.”

Lessons Learned

A large-scale commercial union within tennis is also designed to protect the sport from the type of disruption unfolding in golf, as seen with the still-unsettled merger [[link removed]] between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour.

The Saudi-backed PIF, however, could still be involved [[link removed]] in this new venture given its immense resources, though in this case such a deal would be pushed through more proactively than its golf counterpart.

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NHL Is Latest Pro League To Rethink Its All-Star Game [[link removed]]

Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

The NHL is the latest major U.S. sports property to recognize a growing problem with its midseason All-Star Game — and the league is doing something about it.

Closely following the NFL’s move to create [[link removed]] the Pro Bowl Games and the NBA’s shift [[link removed]] back to a traditional, conference-based All-Star Game, the NHL is scrapping the division-based All-Star format it has used since 2016.

In its place will be a player-led draft system previously used in 2011-12 and 2015.

Notably, this player-based structure is very similar to what the NBA is now jettisoning. But in each instance, the leagues are looking to find a competitive format for midseason showcases that restores some lost excitement — and boosts broadly declining viewership.

The NHL actually saw [[link removed].] a 31% increase in its All-Star Game viewership on ESPN last season, but the game’s average audience of nearly 1.5 million viewers was still down by more than a third compared to 2017.

The new format for the 2024 NHL All-Star Game in Toronto is also part of a newly enlarged, three-day event weekend, one that will also include a 3-on-3 showcase of players from the newly formed PWHL, which the NHL is supporting [[link removed]].

“We had to make it bigger and better,” said [[link removed]] NHL chief content officer Steve Mayer to the Canadian Press. “We always had thoughts about doing other events.”

The 2024 NHL All-Star weekend is set for Feb. 1-3.

Sports Illustrated’s AI Controversy: What We Know, What’s Next [[link removed]]

Gary Cosby Jr via Imagn Content Services, LLC

The controversy [[link removed]] surrounding Sports Illustrated and its alleged use of artificial intelligence to develop content and writer profiles is heightening tensions with a key employee union, as well as creating new stress within the venerable outlet’s complex ownership structure.

A report from Futurism claims that SI routinely attributed the writing of articles to authors who don’t exist and used AI-generated pictures to give those fake authors a visual presence. The story strongly suggests that SI may have even used AI to generate articles.

SI was quick to dismiss the report as only relating to licensed content of product reviews — and insisted those articles were written and edited by humans. The company did, however, acknowledge that the AdVon Commerce-created content did use pseudonyms, and the partnership has now been terminated.

The Sports Illustrated Union, which represents the outlet’s writers, is pressing for answers, saying [[link removed]] it is demanding a full accounting from SI publisher Arena Group on what “exactly has been published under the SI name” using artificial intelligence, as well as a commitment to “adhering to basic journalistic standards, including not publishing computer-written stories by fake people.”

“It sucks. It f—ing sucks,” tweeted [[link removed]] former SI staffer and noted author Jeff Pearlman. “SI was the land of legends. Deford and Jenkins and Hoffer and Rushin. [Some] of the greatest sports writers of the past century. But this is what we’ve done with the continued corporatization of media. These companies don’t care about content. At all. It’s entirely clicks and ads and ads and clicks.”

Ownership Stress

For many years a flagship brand within the former Time Inc., SI now exists in a layered ownership and operating structure.

The brand is owned by Authentic Brands Group, a brand management company that also owns Reebok and many other entities, and actively partners with outside entities to license and merchandise those brands.

Arena Group, which also oversees brands such as The Hockey News and Athlon Sports, holds such a relationship with ABG for SI, and acts as the outlet’s publisher. Shares in Arena Group ended Tuesday trading down 27%, as investors were clearly alarmed by the claims. The stock has dropped 80% since the start of the year.

Even before this latest incident, a potential transfer in control of Arena Group has been the subject of repeated [[link removed]] rumors [[link removed]].

Conversation Starters After an internal investigation, the Chicago Blackhawks have determined [[link removed]] that Corey Perry “engaged in conduct that is unacceptable,” without providing further details. The team has placed the veteran winger on unconditional waivers and plans to terminate his contract, effective immediately. The College Football Playoff is looking at a chaos scenario if the right teams win their conference championships. Explore [[link removed]] all the possibilities. For the first time, ESPN and TNT will merge [[link removed]] their broadcast coverage teams during the semifinals of the NBA In-Season Tournament. Invesco QQQ ETF gives you access to the growth potential of some of the world’s greatest innovators, all in one investment. Learn more [[link removed]] about how you can become an Agent of Innovation with Invesco QQQ.* Playfly Sports CEO Mike Schreiber takes to Rolling Stone to spell out how MLB and baseball popularity is important for marketers to pay attention to. Check out the insights [[link removed]] and how valuable America’s favorite pastime is to advertising.* Editor's Picks Greg Olsen’s Coaching Ambitions Could Shake Up Fox Sports’ NFL Broadcasts [[link removed]]by Michael McCarthy [[link removed]]The current No. 1 analyst could be a candidate for a head coaching job with the Carolina Panthers. Oregon State, Washington State Make Contingency Plan as Lawsuit Delayed [[link removed]]by Amanda Christovich [[link removed]]It will take at least another month for a court decision. NASCAR Set To Add At Least One New Broadcast Partner [[link removed]]by Doug Greenberg [[link removed]]Previous reports suggest that NASCAR will lean into streaming. Question Of The Day

How often do you listen to music?

Daily [[link removed]] Weekly [[link removed]] Monthly [[link removed]] N/A [[link removed]]

Tuesday’s Answer

57% of respondents have tried non-alcoholic beer.

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]]

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