January 30, 2024

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A newly unsealed deposition transcript gives a rare look into NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s concussion deliberations. … A potentially transformative effort to reshape the top end of pro tennis moves a key step closer to reality. … France is offering bonuses to police officers willing to work during the Paris Olympics … Plus: More on Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Clippers fans, jet-setters looking to attend Super Bowl LVIII, and the lengths to which students will have to go to attend Kansas football games.

— Eric Fisher [[link removed]]

EXCLUSIVE Deposition Reveals Roger Goodell’s Doubts on Concussion Link

Jeremy Reper-USA TODAY Sports

Eighteen months ago, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell questioned whether there is a link between concussions and long-term neurological damage, according to a recently unsealed transcript of a 2022 deposition taken in a lawsuit tied to the league’s head injury settlement, which has thus far paid out over $1.3 billion to thousands of ex-players who allege their brain maladies were caused by football.

The following excerpts are from a Front Office Sports [[link removed]] exclusive [[link removed]], reported by Dan Kaplan [[link removed]], on the nearly nine-hour deposition from July 13, 2022, which was sealed until Saturday, when it appeared on a court docket:

To the question of whether Goodell believes there is a connection between concussions and long-term brain injuries, Goodell said, “I think there’s still a great deal of uncertainty about the causation issue, if that’s what you’re referring to.” The commissioner appeared to be contradicted by his own general counsel, Jeff Pash, who when asked the same question in his deposition answered, “I think we’ve said that there ​​can be long-term effects.” Goodell said that there was a positive for the league when a player leaves his brain to science after committing suicide. He compared the risks associated with playing contact sports to walking down the street, and he expressed great frustration with the media’s coverage of head injuries, saying, “They misstate, they misrepresent things, and when they do that, they add to a narrative that I think is unfair and unfounded.” Goodell testified that he was unaware the players’ lawsuits alleged that the league knew about the dangers of head injuries and covered it up. Also deposed: former NFL commissioner Paul Taglaibue, who testified that he has not seen the 2015 movie Concussion. (But the NFL was concerned enough about that film’s reception, according to the deposition, that it hired Republican pollster Frank Luntz to conduct focus groups on the movie.)

Read Kaplan’s entire story here [[link removed]].

Creation of History-making Premium Tour in Tennis Gathers Steam [[link removed]]

Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports

The prospect of a premium-level tour in pro tennis, including the four Grand Slams and other top men’s and women’s tournaments, is moving closer to reality after key stakeholders were briefed on the effort at the recently concluded Australian Open.

Advancing a discussion held [[link removed]] back in the fall regarding the potentially transformative notion, Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley and U.S. Open tournament director Stacey Allaster briefed top players during the tournament, according to The Telegraph [[link removed]] in London, and the WTA is said to be particularly receptive to the idea.

The effort, somewhat resembling how Formula 1 operates, seeks to achieve several goals. Perhaps foremost among them is the creation of an aggregated set of media and sponsorship rights that could garner more revenue than the ATP and WTA do separately. Additionally, the creation of a new tour would represent another major move for gender equality in pro sports while also creating a more streamlined schedule that is easier for both players and fans.

A premier tour working group is now due to report to tennis leaders at the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells in March. But there are still obstacles, including synchronizing commercial contracts across the sport and getting buy-in from both the ATP and WTA to downgrade some events into a lesser, developmental tour.

“All the stakeholders in tennis have been working on a solution for the game. And it’s a journey to get to that point,” Tiley told The Telegraph. “The Slams are united in their resolve, but it’s a complex problem to solve. If it wasn’t complicated, it would have been solved already. These ideas aren’t new, but what may be new is the motivation to give it a go, and see if there’s that opportunity.”

G’Day, Mate

There was more history at the two-week Australian Open that ended Sunday as the first Grand Slam of 2024 finished with a total attendance of 1.02 million, beating the prior tournament record of 839,192, set last year, by a whopping 22%. Despite initial player concerns [[link removed]] about match scheduling and new tournament offerings to attendees, such as a two-story courtside bar, Tiley hailed the event and its appeal to fans.

“It was the best Australian Open ever,” Tiley said, somewhat echoing a common Olympics refrain from former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch. “All of our metrics show that, from player feedback to fan experience.”

SPONSORED BY SAILGP

The Surge of SailGP

If you haven’t heard of SailGP [[link removed]], now’s the time to tune in.

Founded by five-time America’s Cup winner Sir Russel Coutts and billionaire Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, SailGP is a leading competitive sail racing league featuring world-class athletes and thrilling races at iconic global venues.

In November, the league announced its biggest news yet [[link removed]]—the record-breaking acquisition of its U.S. team by tech investor and founding Uber engineer Ryan McKillen, Margaret McKillen, and two-time world champion sailor Mike Buckley.

SailGP is now setting sights on the world’s largest media market, the U.S., with upcoming 2024 events in Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, and New York.

Learn more here [[link removed]] about the acquisition, SailGP’s remarkable growth, and how you can join the excitement.

ONE BIG FIG Merci, Paris

Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

$2,060

Amount of bonus money Parisian police officers can receive for working during the upcoming Olympic Games, per a letter posted [[link removed]] on X by France’s interior ministry. That comes after two days of protests and strike threats by police unions in hopes of increasing pay. The one-time payout (1,900 euros) matches the maximum amount an officer can receive, which will vary individually.

STATUS REPORT Two Up, Two Down

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

STEELERS FANS ⬆ Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II said the team is looking to make upgrades [[link removed]] to its stadium. Don’t expect a dome, he said, but count on [[link removed]] the Steelers running more.

CLIPPERS FANS ⬆ Forget “ The Wall [[link removed]].” The Clippers faithful are being spoiled rotten with their new arena, which will have more than 1,000 toilets [[link removed]]. That’s about one toilet for every 15 seats, a ratio about double that of most other NBA stadiums.

KANSAS STUDENTS ⬇ Budding Jayhawks [[link removed]]will have to drive roughly 45 minutes to see home football games, which have been moved in part to Arrowhead Stadium during the university’s construction on a new permanent home. A second temporary location, at Children’s Mercy Park, is half an hour away from campus.

SUPER BOWL JET SETTERS ⬇ Las Vegas is all out of private jet [[link removed]] parking during Super Bowl weekend. Both Harry Reid International Airport and the two closest executive strips are booked up, in part due to the LIV Golf tournament and the NFL taking up spots.

Conversation Starters A lot of people tuned in for the Kansas City Chiefs-Baltimore Ravens game on CBS—55.47 million to be exact, making it the most-watched [[link removed]] AFC Championship Game ever. Nike has gotten into the pillow business. There’s a catch: The Swoosh-shaped pillows are apparently hard to come by. See [[link removed]] how you can get your hands on one. Pat McAfee is returning [[link removed]] to WWE on a full-time basis, officially becoming the lead color commentator on Monday Night Raw. Editor’s Picks Kansas Football Will Host Big 12 Games at Arrowhead Stadium [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]Jayhawks need a temporary home while the main stadium undergoes $448 million renovations. Sports Illustrated Union Files NLRB Complaint, Alleges Union-Busting [[link removed]]by A.J. Perez [[link removed]]The SI Union alleges Arena’s mass layoffs amounted to union-busting. Here Comes the Great Chinese Pickleball Revolution. The Goal Is Olympic Supremacy [[link removed]]by John Walters [[link removed]]A country with over 1 billion people wants to dominate the sport. Win A Vegas VIP Hoops Package

Front Office Sports has teamed up with the Pac-12 Conference to provide a VIP experience [[link removed]] to the Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Tournament in Las Vegas from March 13 to March 16, 2024.

One lucky winner will receive two (2) all tournament passes with club access to the tournament at T-Mobile Arena. The winner will also receive a hotel room for four (4) nights in Las Vegas, a food and beverage voucher, and two (2) tickets to a Cirque du Soleil show. For more information on the Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Tournament, visit Pac-12.com. Deadline for entry is February 25, 2024. See Official Rules [[link removed]] for details.

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