November 30, 2023

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When I was interning for the Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2014, I can’t say I’d have ever predicted that NASCAR race broadcasts would end up on Amazon Prime Video, which hadn’t acquired any sports rights at the time. But the streamer is an influential part of a newly announced, landmark media rights deals for the circuit.

— David Rumsey [[link removed]]

NASCAR Secures $7.7B Media Rights Deals [[link removed]]

Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

NASCAR was hoping [[link removed]] to get close to $1 billion per year from negotiations for its next set of media rights deal. It got its wish — and then some.

The racing circuit has announced seven-year broadcast partnerships for its Cup Series with Fox Sports, NBC Sports, Amazon, and Warner Bros. Discovery, set to begin in 2025.

Along with the CW’s NASCAR Xfinity Series pact, the sum of all the new deals amounts to $7.7 billion, according to multiple reports — a 40% annual increase on what NASCAR is currently receiving from Fox and NBC.

Here’s how the race broadcasts will break down, in order, each season:

Fox Sports: 14 races (five on Fox, 9 on FS1) Amazon: 5 races on Prime Video WBD: 5 races on TNT and simulcast on Max’s sports tier NBC Sports: 14 races (four on NBC, 10 on USA Network)

Beyond the midseason package, Amazon and WBD will broadcast Cup Series practice and qualifying sessions — the first half of the season on Prime Video and the second half on TruTV and Max. Fox Sports retains rights to the NASCAR Truck Series.

Track Trends

The deals give NASCAR security for the rest of the decade and continues the evolution of top-tier sports leagues toward more exclusively streamed and simulcast broadcasts. Max gets more content for its sports tier, while Prime Video can build on its NFL success with another sports draw.

Notably, as Formula 1 continues to gain more fans [[link removed]] in the U.S., NASCAR’s new media deals are worth 13 times the reported value of F1’s U.S. deal [[link removed]] with ESPN, which runs through 2025.

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🎙️ They Said What?

“As a kid, I never had one idol … What is LeBron James doing? What is Kobe Bryant doing? Serena Williams? I always liked how there were just people who were successful in so many different walks of life, but they did it better than anybody ever.”

— North Carolina field hockey coach Erin Matson on where she looks for inspiration. To hear more about Matson’s impressive run of national championships, check out the latest episode of Front Office Sports Today.

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

PGA Tour’s $100M Incentive Program May Be On Thin Ice [[link removed]]

Syndication: The Commercial Appeal

Since 2021, the PGA Tour has been rewarding its most engaging stars with tens of millions of dollars in bonus money each year.

However, the lucrative Player Impact Program — which this year paid a record $100 million to 20 golfers — may not survive in the long run.

“Its goal was to help prevent players from accepting high-dollar Saudi offers, LIV offers,” three-time major champion Jordan Spieth said [[link removed]] ahead of this week’s Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. But the PIP program “doesn’t really do that,” he said.

Top PGA Tour stars like Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, and Brooks Koepka bolted for LIV Golf last year, and Jon Rahm is rumored to be considering a $600 million offer [[link removed]].

The PIP was originally launched by the PGA Tour to reward players who were making an impact off the course. The program used metrics like TV viewership and social media engagement to determine the most popular players — and therefore who got the biggest paychecks.

For the 2023 season, the top five [[link removed]] included Rory McIlroy ($15 million), Tiger Woods ($12 million), Rahm ($9 million), Spieth ($7.5 million), and Scottie Scheffler ($6 million).

It was recently confirmed [[link removed]] that players would receive equity in PGA Tour Enterprises, the commercial entity to be formed as part of the framework agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and the DP World Tour.

In 2024, the PIP will be cut in half to $50 million for 10 golfers, with the other $50 million going to other player bonus programs like the FedEx Cup.

“I’m not sure what that will look like after that,” Spieth said. “Hopefully, it won’t need to exist.”

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The Ticket-Buying Hack You Need to Know

Fun fact: Costco sells tickets to major sporting events all across the U.S. and Canada.

It’s true. The retailer is famous for treating its members like royalty — with insane deals on every product under the sun, including experiences.

Powered by FEVO [[link removed]]’s exclusive ticketing integrations, hundreds of teams from the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, and more offer ticket packages at Costco-member prices both in warehouse and online.

The best part? You don’t even have to be a Costco member to take advantage of these offers (though it’ll get you a sweeter deal).

Just in time for the holidays, there are currently dozens of live offers from the likes of the Atlanta Falcons [[link removed]], Detroit Pistons [[link removed]], Texas Rangers [[link removed]], Washington Nationals [[link removed]], and NY Yankees [[link removed]].

See all the available tickets here [[link removed]].

Disney, WBD Chiefs Lament New Sports Media Challenges [[link removed]]

Warner Bros. Discovery

ESPN parent Walt Disney Co. and Turner Sports parent Warner Bros. Discovery are two of the largest and most powerful players in sports media, each enjoying a pervasive presence.

But in the midst of unprecedented change and heightened programming costs across the entire media landscape, leaders of both companies are openly lamenting the economic challenges sports are placing on their respective operations.

Speaking separately on Wednesday at The New York Times’ DealBook Summit, Disney CEO Bob Iger and WBD CEO David Zaslav each acknowledged that managing their sports media operations has grown significantly more complex.

“I love the sports business,” Zaslav said. “But the only product that we rent at Warner Bros. Discovery is sports. And when you rent a product, it’s always hard. When we do something great with ‘Lord of the Rings,’ it belongs to us. When we do something great with sports, we get to enjoy it and benefit from that until the deal is up. And when the deal is up, you get new rent.”

Zaslav has previously balked [[link removed]] at the notion of extending at nearly any cost its NBA relationship of more than four decades, and was again measured on the subject as negotiations continue.

“We’re talking to Adam now,” Zaslav said, referring to NBA commissioner Adam Silver. “In the end, it has to make economic sense.”

Mouse House

Iger struck a somewhat similar tone as Disney continues pursuing efforts to sell a portion of ESPN to a strategic partner, a process carrying some uncertainty [[link removed]].

“People love sports, and we have an unbelievably unique position in the world of sports,” Iger said. “We want to stay in that business. It is a healthy business for us today, and it will continue to be … But like our other businesses, it has relied on a business model that is not as robust as it used to be.”

When questioned about the recent assessment of LightShed Partners analyst Rich Greenfield — who said that ESPN has an existential conflict of its programming costs rising faster than revenues — Iger flatly disagreed.

“I like him, but I’m not getting advice from him right now,” Iger said.

Celeb-Packed Group Makes Biggest Deal Ever For Sailing Team [[link removed]]

SailGP

Competitive sailing isn’t exactly the most popular spectator sport in the U.S. or a magnet for celebrity investment. But a group of prominent figures from sports, entertainment, and technology have combined to buy a team — and in the process set a new record for the sport.

The U.S. team of international sailing competition SailGP has been acquired by a group led by Uber Technologies Inc. executive Ryan McKillen and world champion sailor Mike Buckley.

But the pair are joined by former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry, pro boxer Deontay Wilder, former U.S. men’s national soccer team player Jozy Altidore, actress Issa Rae, serial tech entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk, and NFL players DeAndre Hopkins, Malik Jackson, and Roquan Smith.

Financial terms were not disclosed, but reports [[link removed]] suggest the deal far exceeds — and perhaps nearly doubles — the $40 million valuation placed on SailGP’s Great Britain team late last year.

The investment is designed to capitalize on the rising prominence [[link removed]] of SailGP, a global league centered on high-tech catamaran racing. Founded in 2019 by billionaire tech titan Larry Ellison, SailGP has since made a steady push toward mainstream acceptance, a process that should only accelerate with the new U.S ownership team.

“We recognize the growth trajectory of SailGP and how our U.S. SailGP team can introduce the future of on-water racing at the highest level,” McKillen said.

Conversation Starters Jimmy Butler has filed [[link removed]] a new trademark: “EMO JIMBO.” The filing indicates plans to sell ‘EMO-JIMBO’ branded clothing. In case you’re wondering: Mark Cuban says [[link removed]] he still has “no plans” to run for president in 2024. The Oakland B’s — a Pioneer League baseball team — will launch next year in what could be the A’s final year in the city. Find out more [[link removed]]. Editor's Picks The Philadelphia Eagles Continue To Be NFL’s Biggest Draw [[link removed]]by Doug Greenberg [[link removed]]Philadelphia was once again in one of the NFL's most-watched games. 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. Favre Welfare Case Hold-Up? “AG’s Office Has Not Expressed Interest In Pursuing” [[link removed]]by A.J. Perez [[link removed]]The DOJ interviewed Brett Favre in early 2020. Question Of The Day

How much do you typically spend on holiday gifts for friends and family?

Less than $500 [[link removed]] $501 - $1,000 [[link removed]] $1,001+ [[link removed]]

Wednesday’s Answer

84% of respondents listen to music daily, 13% listen weekly, and 3% listen monthly.

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