April 17, 2024

Read in Browser [[link removed]]

POWERED BY

Complications are mounting around venues for an East Coast football team and a hockey franchise out West. … As local sports media rights continue to shift, a new player emerges in Chicago. … Soccer in the U.S. is still growing ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. … And the Paris Olympics are officially 100 days out.

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

To Sum Up Current Commanders, Coyotes Situations: It’s Complicated [[link removed]]

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

A pair of high-profile stadium and arena efforts are moving a step closer to reality, bringing much-discussed plans into sharper focus.

The Commanders have hired Kirtan Mehta, previously the chief of staff for Sen. John Hickenlooper (D., Colo.), as the club’s vice president of public affairs. The appointment of the political veteran arrives as the Josh Harris-owned team is still trying to close a stadium deal to develop a successor facility to Commanders Field, formerly known as FedEx Field.

Those stadium discussions, which are complex in any one jurisdiction, in this case involve three spanning possibilities in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Perhaps the leading and likely the most popular site option among fans—the area where the team’s former home in D.C., RFK Stadium, sits—remains under consideration by Capitol Hill. A bill [[link removed]] to turn federal control of that RFK Stadium land over to D.C., in turn allowing for the possibility of a new Commanders stadium being built there, could be taken up by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources in the next month, sources with knowledge of the legislation tell Front Office Sports.

As that proposed legislation progresses, the hire of Mehta marks a rising intent by the Commanders to deepen ties to political leaders in the area.

“The Commanders’ relationships with federal and local leaders are vital to our organization,” said Jason Wright, Commanders president. “We’re confident that Kirtan will partner powerfully with them to advance community and policy efforts that benefit our fans and the area at large.”

Desert Discussions

The impending move [[link removed]] of the NHL’s Coyotes to Salt Lake City, meanwhile, is expected to become official following the conclusion of the team’s regular season Wednesday, bringing a sense of closure after weeks of turbulence [[link removed]] surrounding the team.

Speaking Tuesday at the CAA World Congress of Sports in Los Angeles, organized by Sports Business Journal, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman did not confirm the anticipated timing or even the move to Utah at all. But he did acknowledge the rising challenges of the team’s current situation in Arizona, particularly playing in a 5,000-seat venue at Arizona State.

“Even under a best-case scenario, we’re looking at another three to five years [at Mullett Arena],” Bettman said. “We’re exploring options as to how to deal with that because, particularly for the players, it isn’t an ideal circumstance.”

Chicago’s Sports Media About to Experience a Major Shake-Up [[link removed]]

Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

A seismic and long-planned shift in the Chicago sports media market is now reportedly near.

White Sox and Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf (above) is closing in on a formal announcement of those teams’ local media rights, as well as for the NHL’s Blackhawks, moving to the multi-platform network Stadium as soon as this fall, according to a report in the Chicago Sun-Times [[link removed]]. The shift from current rightsholder NBC Sports Chicago would elevate Stadium from its current form into a full-fledged regional sports network, where it would seek distribution from various cable carriers.

The Chicago-based Stadium, which operates out of the Bulls’ United Center, currently offers a series of live games, particularly within college sports, as well as highlights and studio programming. Key on-air personalities include basketball insiders Shams Charania and Jeff Goodman. It is available through a series of digital, cable, and over-the-air platforms.

Why It’s Significant

Getting the local rights to three major pro teams would elevate Stadium to a much greater level of prominence. Such a move has been actively contemplated for nearly a year, since Reinsdorf acquired a controlling stake in Stadium that was previously held by Sinclair Inc., as first reported by Front Office Sports [[link removed]]. Reinsdorf has previously explored [[link removed]] starting his own network, and doing so here would allow him greater control over his local-media future in a time of accelerating disruption across the industry. In particular, Reinsdorf will look to avoid the debt-laden situation that has dogged Diamond Sports Group, the embattled Bally Sports parent that remains in bankruptcy protection and is continuing [[link removed]] reorganization efforts.

Stadium and the three Chicago teams have not yet commented substantively. But White Sox senior vice president of communications Scott Reifert told the Sun-Times, “The teams continue to have discussions and conversations about future broadcast plans and will have an announcement about those plans when appropriate.” FOS sources close to Stadium confirmed the ongoing discussions with the teams, but suggested a final deal was not necessarily imminent.

The White Sox, meanwhile, continue to pursue [[link removed]] a new ballpark near downtown Chicago, perhaps in some type of public financing partnership [[link removed]] with the Bears.

SPONSORED BY DURACELL

Buy and Play for Your Chance to Win Big

[[link removed]]

Duracell [[link removed]] challenges you to a game of skill where players have the chance to compete to win a weekend experience at the races and other prizes, including a framed Williams Racing jersey and Williams Racing apparel. Here’s how to participate:

Purchase Duracell batteries between April 15 and Sept. 27, and star/check the item(s) and the date on your receipt. Snap a clear photo of the entire receipt with your phone. Unlock gameplay for the Duracell Racing Game to compete for prizes.

Click here [[link removed]] to accept the challenge today.

FRONT OFFICE SPORTS TODAY MLS Growth and USMNT’s World Cup Prospects

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Charlie Davies (above, left), a former forward for the USMNT who now serves as a host and analyst for CBS’s Golazo Network, joins the podcast. He shares his insights on MLS’s potential for growth, the role of the USL in the broader soccer landscape, and the significance of a strong performance by the USMNT in the 2026 World Cup.

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

ONE BIG FIG Let the Countdown Begin

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

100

Number of days until the 2024 Paris Olympics begin. Even with several months to go before the opening ceremony, it’s already been a busy run up to the games:

Prize money is coming to runners [[link removed]] in an Olympic first. Organizers recently completed [[link removed]] a $2 billion Olympic Village. There’s drama [[link removed]] within USA Field Hockey that includes Erin Matson, the legendary North Carolina player and coach. Yes, Caitlin Clark could bring an Olympic viewership boost [[link removed]], too. NBC is expecting big results [[link removed]] from the games.

The opening ceremony is set for July 26 and will mark the first time the Games are held outside a stadium setting, with approximately 10,500 athletes [[link removed]] expected to parade through the French capital on boats along the River Seine.

TIME CAPSULE April 17, 1964: The First Play at Shea

RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports

On this day 60 years ago: Shea Stadium opened in Queens, giving New York its first new MLB ballpark in more than 40 years. Part of a larger wave of new facilities across the sport developed in the early 1960s (see also: RFK Stadium, Dodger Stadium, and the Astrodome), Shea opened five days before the 1964–65 New York World’s Fair held at the nearby Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. The Mets, who started as an expansion franchise two years earlier at the Polo Grounds, shared Shea with the Jets (originally of the AFL, and also Polo Grounds tenants) for 20 years, and though sightlines for both baseball and football were criticized, the multipurpose nature of the facility served as a key forerunner for the next generation of stadium design. The stadium also was an important marker of popularity for many major rock acts that played there, including the Beatles [[link removed]], the Police, and Billy Joel [[link removed]].

Shea Stadium was demolished in 2009 to serve as additional parking for the Mets’ current home, Citi Field. But the site is now eyed for a dramatic new chapter, as team owner Steve Cohen is aiming to use [[link removed]] much of that land for a $8 billion casino and entertainment complex that would include a gaming center, hotel, music venue, food hall, green space, a renovated mass-transit station, community athletic fields, and playgrounds.

FUTURE OF SPORTS

Sports Are Getting Greener

In recognition of Earth Day, we’ll be hosting conversations with a lineup of visionaries committed to eco-friendly initiatives and investments across the sports landscape.

Find out why green sports venues are one of the hottest trends in real estate, how sustainable efforts drive revenue and sponsorships, and learn insider details on motor sports’ zero-carbon future. The relationship between sports and environmental responsibility is stronger than ever.

Whether you’re looking to be entertained and inspired by success stories, learn about innovative green solutions, or gather insights on the economic benefits of adopting green practices in sports, Future of Sports: Sustainability has something for everyone. Join us [[link removed]] Monday, April 22 at 1 p.m. ET.

Conversation Starters The WNBA draft averaged [[link removed]] a record 2.45 million viewers on ESPN Monday night—by far the largest audience in its history. That’s quadruple last year’s broadcast and more than the last seven WNBA drafts combined. Raptors center Jontay Porter, who is at the center of an NBA gambling investigation, reportedly owned and operated a VIP FanDuel account in Colorado. See what [[link removed]] he was wagering on between 2021 and ’23. Know an up-and-coming young professional changing the game in the business of sports? Nominate them for the Front Office Sports Rising 25 Award [[link removed]]. Nominations now open through May 17. Editors’ Picks Mythical Knicks Pitch to LeBron James With ‘Sopranos,’ Trump, Weinstein Leaks 14 Years Later [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]Video shows Tony and Carmela Soprano recruiting LeBron James to the Knicks. O.J. Simpson Lawyer Says He Won’t Shield Estate From Goldman, Brown Families [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]The executor of Simpson's will had previously said the Goldmans would get 'zero.' Does Golf TV Have a Scottie Scheffler Problem? [[link removed]]by Michael McCarthy [[link removed]]Masters ratings were down 20% this year. Advertise [[link removed]] Awards [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Video [[link removed]] Podcast [[link removed]] Sports Careers [[link removed]] Written by Eric Fisher [[link removed]], David Rumsey [[link removed]] Edited by Matthew Tabeek [[link removed]], Adam Duerson [[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