April 2, 2024

Read in Browser [[link removed]]

POWERED BY

The Caitlin Clark show continues and big viewership numbers likely will, too. … For the first time, two schools have made both the men’s and women’s Final Four. … Formula One owner Liberty Media just spent nearly $4 billion on another racing league. … The NWSL could be the subject of the next reality TV hit. … And we go back in time to the introduction of two staples in college basketball.

— Eric Fisher [[link removed]] and David Rumsey [[link removed]]

Clark, Hawkeyes Advance to Final Four: ESPN Wins Big, Too [[link removed]]

Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

The biggest star of the women’s NCAA tournament was able to survive the bracket’s toughest region, setting up a Final Four straight from Hollywood. On Monday night, No. 1 Iowa got revenge on No. 3 LSU, the team that beat them in last year’s national championship game.

Now, the Caitlin Clark show continues. The NCAA men’s and women’s all-time scoring leader showed her must-see firepower once again Monday night with nine made three-point baskets—which tied a tournament record. Clark likely cemented her status as the presumed No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft (the Indiana Fever, who currently hold that top pick, may even have those No. 22 Clark jerseys ready to hit the shelves) and now has potentially two more games to showcase her stardom to basketball fans and potential brand partners alike.

The NCAA and ESPN are also big winners, with Iowa’s strong ratings making the Hawkeyes a can’t-miss attraction this weekend. Clark is undeniably the major factor for much of the hype around the women’s tournament. The Hawkeyes have delivered [[link removed]] the most-watched games of women’s March Madness reported thus far, including an audience of 4.9 million for their second-round victory over West Virginia, and 3.2 million viewers for the opening win over Holy Cross.

McCarthy: Tourney Dodged A Bullet

In what has been a banner year for women’s college basketball, that momentum continues with Clark and the Hawkeyes advancing. We asked Front Office Sports media expert Michael McCarthy what an early Iowa exit would have meant for the networks.

“The loss of Clark and Iowa would likely have hurt Final Four viewership,” says McCarthy. “But with a ratings-maker like Paige Bueckers still in the tournament, the audience drop shouldn’t have been so bad given the sport’s momentum.” Now, March Madness viewers will still get to watch both Clark and Bueckers.

So, how long will the Clark train keep rolling? ESPN platforms had their most-watched regular season of women’s college basketball since 2008–09, and that was with Iowa playing all of its conference games on other networks. Now, the allure of Clark trying to end her collegiate career with a title has had experts predicting [[link removed]] a potentially huge title-game viewership increase, over last year’s record 9.9 million, for one involving Iowa, which is now just one more victory away from that chance. The idea of the women’s final outdrawing the men’s has even become a more feasible scenario to some.

The women’s Final Four begins Friday in Cleveland, and ESPN executives, advertisers, and other stakeholders in the sport are likely grinning ear to ear at the thought of Clark and the Hawkeyes getting to Ohio.

Half of the Final Four Is Controlled by UConn and NC State [[link removed]]

Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

For the first time in NCAA history, both the men’s and women’s teams for two schools have made their respective Final Fours: UConn and NC State.

On Sunday, the NC State women beat Texas to secure their first Final Four appearance since 1998 (a thrilling upset that was marred [[link removed]] by the discovery of unequal three-point lines). About two hours [[link removed]] later, their men’s team did the same, upsetting Duke. “Seeing the girls have success definitely motivates us,” NC State’s DJ Horne told reporters after the win.

Fans of UConn, on the other hand, had to wait a full two days in between their men’s and women’s teams cutting down the nets. Paige Bueckers led the Huskies to an 80-73 win over Southern Cal on Monday night with 28 points and 10 rebounds. But while the two schools have achieved the same feat, their basketball budgets could not be more different.

The NC State men’s team spent $14.5 million between its men’s and women’s programs during the 2021–22 season, according to U.S. Department of Education data. The men’s program spent $10 million, and the women’s program spent just under $5 million.

UConn, on the other hand, spent significantly more, with a combined expense report of $32.6 million. The men’s program spent $24 million (though $11 million of that was attributed to a settlement). The women’s program spent $8.5 million.

UConn also isn’t new to sending both its teams to the Big Dance’s grandest stage. In 2014, their programs not only made it to the Final Four but also won their respective championships. NC State has never sent both teams to the Final Four at the same time before now.

SPONSORED BY WSC SPORTS

April Nomination Period Now Open!

In the last decade, emerging technologies have transformed the sports media landscape, driving teams, leagues, and sports media organizations to continually evolve.

Front Office Sports and WSC Sports have joined forces to honor the remarkable work of content and product teams shaping the future of fan engagement with the 2024 Tech Playmakers Award [[link removed]]. Here’s how it works:

From March through September, we’ll gather nominations and recognize one winner per month. In October, the grand winner of the 2024 Tech Playmakers Award will be selected from the pool of monthly winners.

Learn more [[link removed]] about the award, last month’s winner–the NFL Channel–and how to nominate [[link removed]] your team today.

Liberty Media’s History of Revving Up Success Bodes Well for MotoGP [[link removed]]

Dustin Safranek-USA TODAY Sports

Motorcycle racing is hardly the most popular attraction for most fans, even among motor-sports enthusiasts. But Liberty Media—the owner of Formula One and still a significant factor [[link removed]] in the newly independent Atlanta Braves—believes its extensive resources and operational expertise can bring the sport to an entirely different level.

Liberty Media completed Monday an acquisition of Dorna Sports, the exclusive commercial rights holder to MotoGP, widely viewed as the world’s top motorcycle racing series. The deal places an equity value of $3.8 billion on the operation Liberty Media is acquiring from investment manager Bridgepoint and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. MotoGP will be 86% held by Liberty Media, with MotoGP management retaining the rest.

MotoGP, which is set to host 21 motorcycle races across 17 countries in its 2024 season, will be folding into Liberty Media’s Formula One Group tracking stock. Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta will remain in his position, as he has since 1994.

Liberty Media expects to close the deal by the end of calendar year 2024, subject to regulatory approvals. But once done, the company is aiming to achieve a similar business escalation for MotoGP, where riders can often exceed 220 miles per hour, as what has occurred in the last two years for F1. MotoGP generated $522 million in revenue last year and $192 million in adjusted earnings.

“Opportunities like this are difficult to find and are incredibly attractive,” Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei said in a conference call with financial analysts. “MotoGP is a perfect fit for Liberty Media. … This is a league-level asset, which means there are centralized commercial rights and generates control over the ecosystem and the potential for excellent profitability. We hope to leverage Liberty’s experience with F1, the Braves, and what’s evolving in the media landscape to accelerate the growth of MotoGP.”

The acquisition also adds to a broader Liberty Media portfolio that includes a 30% equity stake in Live Nation, majority control of satellite radio company SiriusXM, and full ownership of sports and entertainment ticket and hospitality company QuintEvents.

Regulatory approval of a combined F1-MotoGP holding, however, might not be a sure thing. Prior F1 owner CVC Capital Partners, who sold that property to Liberty Media in 2017, gained European Commission approval for its original purchase in ’06 on the condition that it sell Dorna.

Vegas Bump

Clark County, Nev., meanwhile, recently released [[link removed]] a report detailing some of the fiscal impacts from last November’s much-discussed debut of the Las Vegas Grand Prix. While economic impact studies from any sports event remain the subject of significant debate, the county said the race generated $77 million in tax revenues for state and local governments, net visitor spending of $501 million, and an average spend of more than $4,100 per incoming fan, a number more than triple the comparable figure for all Las Vegas visitors.

Numbers like this help demonstrate why Las Vegas is all but certain to remain a force on the F1 calendar, despite a significant disruption [[link removed]] to locals and millions in lost revenue to area businesses due to the race.

AWARDS

Every year, Front Office Sports’ awards program recognizes the best and most accomplished in the business of sports.

The 2024 Best Venues Award celebrates the venues that have met and exceeded the evolving demands of fans and that set the new industry standard for success.

🏆 Nominations are open through April 8. Submit your venue [[link removed]] now!

FRONT OFFICE SPORTS TODAY Inside Midge Purce and Alexis Ohanian’s New Docuseries

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

What happens when some of the NWSL’s best players move into one house to live together and train together? The answer can be found in the new series being produced by NJ/NY Gotham star Midge Purce (above) and Reddit cofounder, tech mogul, and investor Alexis Ohanian. Purce and Ohanian are on the pod today to reveal how this hybrid docuseries/reality show was born, and why they are more bullish than ever on the future of women’s sports.

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

TIME CAPSULE April 2, 1985 and 1986: Two New Days in College Basketball

Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

On this day 39 years ago: The NCAA’s rules committee adopted the use of a 45-second shot clock and, exactly a year later, implemented a uniform three-point line, set at 19 feet, 9 inches, after several individual conferences experimented with a long-range shot. The dramatic rule changes were designed to introduce more action and scoring in the game, and also matched to some degree shifts already made in the NBA, which had both of these elements for years by this point. The alterations to the college game, however, were not universally embraced, particularly the three-point shot. Even five-time national title winner Mike Krzyzewski (above) was among the early critics, and he argued, “You should have to work hard to get a basket.”

Now, the NCAA’s shot clock is 30 seconds, and the three-point line is 22 feet, 1¾ inches. Both changes indeed helped expand the college game to much greater heights of popularity among fans. But there still have been occasional issues. Most recently, a regional final in the women’s March Madness played between NC State and Texas featured [[link removed]] differing distances on the court at Portland’s Moda Center, with a tournament operations vendor said to be at fault. Rather than delaying the game to remeasure the line and retape the court, the teams agreed to play on, and the Wolfpack ultimately won, 76–66.

SPONSORED BY WSC SPORTS

Automate Content For Record Engagement

If you want hockey stick growth on all your content metrics, here’s the answer [[link removed]].

WSC Sports [[link removed]] automates the instant creation and distribution of content with features that give you the control. The platform is built on sport-specific AI technology for more than 30 sports—a must for every content strategy.

More than 430 partners around the world, including the NBA, Bleacher Report, LaLiga, New York Rangers, ACC Digital Network, University of Southern California, and YouTube TV, rely on WSC Sports for technology that enables more views, more formats, and more fans. Drive record results with AI.

Learn more [[link removed]].

Conversation Starters South Carolina, with Dawn Staley as one of women’s college basketball’s highest-paid coaches, is one win away [[link removed]] from another title game, having made four straight Final Four appearances while maintaining an undefeated record. Jung Hoo Lee signed with the Giants. This past weekend, he hit his first MLB home run, an unforgettable moment witnessed by his father in the stands. Watch and listen [[link removed]]. Years ago, Jayden Taylor once shared with his third-grade teacher his dream to play pro basketball. His teacher, Mrs. Wolfe, reminded him of that on social media as she watched the NC State guard help lead the Wolfpack to the Final Four. Take a look [[link removed]]. Editors’ Picks Little-Known NFL Pay System Doles Out Hundreds of Millions in Annual Bonuses [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]Lower-paid NFL players benefit the most from the bonus pool. NCAA Has No One to Blame for Latest Women’s March Madness Transgressions [[link removed]]by Amanda Christovich [[link removed]]NCAA is still making avoidable mistakes three years after a complete overhaul. Failure of Ted Leonsis’ Virginia Arena Gambit Could be Warning for Other Franchises [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]Why the Caps’ and Wizards’ failed moves could be just the beginning. 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]], Amanda Christovich [[link removed]], Eric Fisher [[link removed]] Edited by Matthew Tabeek [[link removed]], Catherine Chen [[link removed]]

If this email was forwarded to you, you can subscribe here [[link removed]].

Update your preferences [link removed] / Unsubscribe [link removed]

Copyright © 2024 Front Office Sports. All rights reserved.

460 Park Avenue South, 7th Floor, New York NY, 10016