April 18, 2024

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Ryan Smith’s dream of the NHL in Utah is coming true, but it’s also creating a monster to-do list. … The Caitlin Clark economy continues to grow. … There was hardly any wasted time in last night’s Red Sox-Guardians game. … Plus: More on the NBA Play-In Tournament, female referees, DraftKings, and the return of some missing Masters merchandise.

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

Utah’s Long-Term Hockey Dream Is a Short-Term Logistical Nightmare [[link removed]]

Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

The worst-kept secret in pro sports is no longer a secret. Now comes the hard part for Utah.

As has been increasingly expected [[link removed]] for more than a week and capping a period of rising turbulence [[link removed]], the NHL is shifting the Coyotes to Salt Lake City beginning with the 2024–25 season. The league’s Board of Governors unanimously approved on Thursday a complex, two-stage transaction in which Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo will return the franchise back to the league for $1 billion. The NHL is then reselling the Coyotes to Ryan Smith (above), owner of the NBA’s Jazz and co-owner of two pro soccer teams in Utah, for $1.2 billion, with the difference split among other NHL team owners.

“As everyone knows, Utah is a vibrant and thriving state, and we are thrilled to be a part of it,” said NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

The move, designed in part to avoid a continued stay for the Coyotes at Arizona State’s 5,000-seat Mullett Arena, now sets in motion an extensive amount of preparations required for Smith to host NHL games starting this fall in Salt Lake City. Among the outstanding elements to be completed before training camp begins in September:

Delta Center upgrades: The home of the Jazz was not designed for hockey, and renovations are required. Specific work will include improving sightlines at the 32-year-old venue and the installation of infrastructure to support a full-time presence of hockey, which carries a rather different set of equipment and arena management needs than basketball. Team name: Meruelo is retaining the rights to the Coyotes brand as part of the larger deal with the NHL. Smith previously canvassed fans on X [[link removed]] for ideas on a new name, and now a team rebranding—in most other situations a deeply considered, multiyear effort—will happen in a matter of weeks. Practice facility: Like most other NHL teams, the plan for the relocation will involve identifying and preparing a separate practice facility for the franchise. That venue could be used not only for training camp but also in-season workouts, particularly when the Jazz or other events occupy the Delta Center. Ticket sales: The Jazz have sold out nearly 300 consecutive games, dating back to 2017, and Smith has spoken frequently of Salt Lake City’s ability to support pro sports at a level exceeding its No. 27 ranking among U.S. media markets. But an operation to support this critical revenue source for the NHL franchise will need to be set up immediately.

“There’s so much work to do,” Smith said Wednesday at the CAA World Congress of Sports, organized by Sports Business Journal. “You name it, we’ve got to do it. There’s nothing we don’t have to go do. We’ll find a way. If everyone’s in, we’ll find a way. We’ve done harder stuff.”

Back in Phoenix

Meruelo is keeping not only the Coyotes name but also the rest of the team’s intellectual property tied to the market, such as the Kachina jerseys [[link removed]], and the Arizona franchise is now rendered “inactive,” as opposed to nonexistent. He also gets a defined, five-year window to make a long-elusive arena project in the Phoenix market happen. If he succeeds, the Coyotes will be reborn as an expansion team.

The next key step in that process will be a June 27 land auction, where he intends to secure a 110-acre parcel of state-owned land in north Phoenix, initially appraised at $68.5 million.

“I agree with [Bettman and the NHL] that it is simply unfair to continue to have our players, coaches, hockey front office, and the NHL teams they compete against, spend several more years playing in an arena that is not suited for NHL hockey,” Meruelo said. “But this is not the end for NHL hockey in Arizona.”

Fever’s Still Running: Tickets, Jerseys, and the Caitlin Clark Economy [[link removed]]

Mykal McEldowney-USA TODAY NETWORK

March Madness has come and gone, the WNBA draft is over, every viewership record has been broken—and it’s still Caitlin Clark’s world. She won’t make her professional debut for several more weeks, but the demand for Clark keeps growing by the day.

On Thursday, the Washington Mystics announced they are moving their June 7 game against the Indiana Fever six miles down the road to the 20,000-seat Capital One Arena, due to unprecedented demand for tickets. The Mystics normally play home games at Entertainment and Sports Arena, which holds about 4,200 fans. Washington joins the Las Vegas Aces, who already moved their May 25 game against Indiana out of the 12,000-seat Michelob Ultra Arena and into T-Mobile Arena, which has a capacity of 20,000.

The Caitlin Clark roadshow will likely end up being an expensive one, too. Here’s a snapshot of some median ticket prices for WNBA games with the Fever visiting, according to the secondary marketplace Gametime:

$615: Minnesota Lynx, July 14 $600: Chicago Sky, June 23 $583: Los Angeles Sparks, May 24 $530: Washington Mystics, June 7 (data pulled before move to Capital One Arena) $354: Las Vegas Aces, May 25 Supply and Demand

Beyond being the hottest ticket in every town the Fever visit, Clark is also the biggest story in sports apparel right now. She’s reportedly closing in on a deal [[link removed]] with Nike that will pay her at least $10 million and include a signature shoe. But hopefully the Swoosh will have a better rollout plan for that line than it did for its initial batch of Clark’s Fever jerseys, which are already sold out everywhere.

Online, Fanatics says that a standard Clark jersey ordered today “will be shipped no later than Wednesday, August 14, 2024.” And Dick’s Sporting Goods says a Clark jersey will ship “after Fri, Oct 25.” Nike, which manufactures WNBA jerseys, released a statement on Thursday about the high demand: “We planned for a significant number of jerseys to be available for the draft moment and they sold out due to extraordinary demand. More Caitlin Clark jerseys will be available at the start of the WNBA season.”

Can I Help You?

For the Fever, it’s been tricky keeping up with fans wondering about Clark jerseys, tickets, and everything else. The team, like many others in sports, uses an AI chatbot for inquiries on its website. On draft night, Indiana’s service, powered by a company called On, saw a 400% increase in activity compared to what they would typically average in the evenings. During the first two weeks of April, the Fever saw more overall interactions and inquiries than it had seen in the prior two months.

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ONE BIG FIG Blink and You’ll Miss It

Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

1:49

Amount of time required for the Red Sox and Guardians to complete their game Wednesday, marking MLB’s quickest nine-inning contest since 2010. It’s another sign of progress for MLB on average game times, which fell by 24 minutes last year to the lowest level since 1985, helping fuel a 9.6% surge [[link removed]] in attendance. But the pitch clock, a key factor in the reduction of game times, remains a source of tension, as the MLB Players Association recently pointed to the clock as a contributing factor in a rash [[link removed]] of pitcher injuries.

AWARD

Established in 2017, the Front Office Sports Rising 25 Award [[link removed]] celebrates the brightest young stars in the business of sports.

Know someone whose innate passion and tireless dedication is making an impact? Recognize them by nominating them for the award.

🏆 Nominations are open now through May 17.

STATUS REPORT Two Up, Two Down

Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

NBA Play-In Tournament ⬆ TNT’s coverage of Tuesday’s doubleheader was the most-watched opening night of the tournament’s four-year history. An average of four million viewers tuned in to Lakers-Pelicans and Kings-Warriors.

Female referees ⬆ Ashley Moyer-Gleich (above), a full-time NBA official since 2018, will become [[link removed]] the second woman to referee a playoff basketball game and the first to do so since Violet Palmer in 2012.

DraftKings ⬇ The company is facing [[link removed]] a class-action lawsuit over its promotional “risk-free” bets, which a plaintiff is calling “deceptive, misleading, fraudulent and unlawful.”

Masters merch ⬇ A man has been charged in Illinois federal court with the illegal transport of millions of dollars worth of Masters Tournament merchandise and memorabilia that was stolen from Augusta National Golf Club between 2009 and ’22, according to the AP [[link removed]].

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 More than just a shoe deal: Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is signing a multiyear contract extension [[link removed]] with Converse, where he will serve as the creative director and get his own signature shoe in 2025. The Clippers introduced a $1,299 seating promotion [[link removed]] that will offer first-come-first-serve access to a fan section in the Intuit Dome for all home games. Seat allocation will be based on arrival time, allowing early fans to sit as close as the third row. During what appears to be the Coyotes’ last game in Arizona on Wednesday night, fans at Arizona State’s Mullett Arena erupted into chants of “Salt Lake sucks.” Watch here [[link removed]]. Editors’ Picks NBA Media Rights Likely Headed for Open Market Next Week [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]The league is reportedly letting Monday's deadline pass without a deal. DOJ to Pay $100 Million to Gymnasts Over FBI Failures [[link removed]]by Margaret Fleming [[link removed]]The reported settlement brings victim payouts to nearly $1 billion. Warriors Missing Playoffs Has Big-Money Consequences [[link removed]]by Margaret Fleming [[link removed]]The NBA is losing one of its biggest postseason draws. 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]]

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