April 24, 2024

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Reggie Bush is celebrating the long-awaited return of the Heisman Trophy he won nearly two decades ago, but the reasoning behind—and ramifications of—the decision are still being understood. … It’s a similarly mixed sentiment in Chicago as the Bears’ vision for a new lakefront stadium contains plenty of ambition but also lots of funding questions. … Tiger Woods is being handsomely rewarded for his loyalty to the PGA Tour. … Greg Norman signals a potential change in the LIV Golf competitive format. … Plus: More on the Dallas Wings, the NHL in Utah, Good Morning Football, and Everton.

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

Reggie Bush’s Heisman Return: A Symbolic Win, but NCAA Battle Looms [[link removed]]

Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

News of Reggie Bush getting his Heisman Trophy back [[link removed]] Wednesday was widely celebrated across social media and sports talk shows alike. And it’s not surprising, given the general public sentiment toward college sports these days: Why should one of the greatest college football players this century continue to be exiled for taking a reported $300,000 in benefits nearly two decades ago, while today’s top stars get millions in name, image, and likeness deals for simply choosing to play at a new school?

As of Wednesday afternoon, the NCAA has stayed quiet on the matter, and it’s unclear what this move means beyond Bush and USC getting their hardware back and the retired athlete being able to take part in official ceremonies in the future.

We asked Front Office Sports college sports reporter Amanda Christovich what she thinks it means: “The Heisman Trust’s decision to give Bush his trophy back does not represent a change of heart for the NCAA,” she says. “The Heisman Trust has previously said that it would be willing to give Bush his trophy back if the governing body reversed its own infractions decision deeming him ineligible, and deeming his records uncountable. But on Wednesday, the trust appears to have gone ahead with the decision without the NCAA’s blessing.”

What’s Next?

There are still legal matters to sort out. More from Christovich: “While the NCAA did not respond to a request for comment from FOS, a source told The Dan Patrick Show that the Heisman Trust’s decision was completely separate from the NCAA. Separately, Bush is still involved in a defamation lawsuit against the NCAA over comments made about the Heisman situation.”

Bush is the only Heisman winner to have the award retroactively taken away, so there are no similar situations for the trust and NCAA to deal with. USC welcomed Bush back [[link removed]] to campus Wednesday, as the school’s relationship with its former player had been severely damaged due to the controversy that also saw the Trojans stripped of their 2004 BCS national championship.

Chicago Wants Super Bowls and Final Fours. The Price? Nearly $5 Billion [[link removed]]

Chicago Bears

The Bears, of course, are a football team, but to borrow terminology from basketball events they now hope to host, the team is now putting on a full-court press to advance their vision of a new, domed lakefront stadium.

As expected [[link removed]], the Bears on Wednesday unveiled a detailed vision for a new stadium just south of the existing Soldier Field, building materially from the team’s initially stated intent [[link removed]] last month to remain in the city of Chicago. Armed with an extensive deck of new renderings [[link removed]] and a splashy hype video [[link removed]], team officials and Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson sought to rally support behind what would be one of the largest developments in the city’s long history.

“This is not an easy project, but Chicago doesn’t like it easy,” Bears president Kevin Warren said. “We like to do the difficult things. We like to do the things that resonate with people for generations to come. It’s time for us to do something special together.”

The proposed publicly owned stadium—which would at last give the third-largest media market in the U.S. an opportunity to host major events such as the Super Bowl, College Football Playoff, and the Final Four—seeks to honor the existing character of the Chicago museum campus, including a preservation of the historic Soldier Field colonnades while also building a next-generation stadium, complete with a translucent roof (above) not unlike the ones at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Sticker Shock

Despite the extensive scale of the team’s ambition, there remain serious questions about how the stadium will be funded. The total price tag is slightly higher than previously projected, now coming in at $3.2 billion, with at least $325 million and as much as $1.5 billion in additional infrastructure requirements. The Bears have pledged $2 billion in direct contributions, along with another $300 million in financing through the NFL. The team is asking for $900 million in public bonding, funded through the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority and backed by an existing hotel tax, while financial support for three planned phases of infrastructure improvements around the stadium is particularly undetermined.

“There are dollars that we believe exist at the state level, maybe the federal level, and potentially the city level,” Warren said.

Johnson, however, reiterated “this project will result in no new taxes on the residents of Chicago.” Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker was not part of the Bears’ event Wednesday; he said he “remains skeptical” about the team’s proposal, adding that “I’m not sure this is among the highest priorities for taxpayers.”

Super Dreams

The prospect of hosting a Super Bowl at the new venue was a particular part of Warren’s pitch, and he cited the stadium’s location within walking distance of top-tier downtown restaurants and hotels, as well as the availability of two large-scale airports.

“How many people would love to come to a Super Bowl in Chicago?” Warren asked. “Everyone.”

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ONE BIG FIG It’s Payday

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

$100 million

The amount of equity Tiger Woods will be eligible to receive in the newly formed PGA Tour Enterprises, according to The Telegraph [[link removed]]. In February, PGA Tour players received a memo detailing how an initial $930 million of equity from new investors would be distributed [[link removed]] after an initial $1.5 billion deal with the Strategic Sports Group. That included about 80% of the pot, or $750 million, being split among 36 top players, and this week they are set to start learning exactly how much they are getting, per The Telegraph.

Other high payouts include $50 million for Rory McIlroy and $30 million each for Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas. These are not cash payments but rather equity units that vest over time. Players will have the opportunity to earn even more equity in the future, but these payments are not as high as many top stars could have received by signing with LIV Golf, given that Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka are believed to have received deals well north of $100 million, and Jon Rahm is said to have cashed in for potentially $300 million or more.

LOUD AND CLEAR Big Pivot Coming for LIV?

LIV Golf

“We’re very open-minded about it.”

—LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman (above, left), on the tour shifting from 54-hole events to the standard 72 holes most other professional tournaments play and would be key for earning Official World Golf Ranking points, something LIV hasn’t yet been able to secure. Norman spoke with reporters in Adelaide, Australia, on Wednesday ahead of LIV’s event there this weekend alongside Jon Rahm (above, center), who is a proponent of the 72-hole format. “We will continue to have that conversation going forward,” Norman added. “But we sit back and say, what value do we get [by] putting [our product] on television on Thursday?”

STATUS REPORT Three Up, One Down

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Dallas Wings ⬆ Already enjoying a historic surge in ticket sales amid the WNBA’s larger, Caitlin Clark–fueled business boom [[link removed]], the team received on Wednesday approval from the Dallas City Council for a 15-year, $19 million deal to move from the 7,000-seat College Park Center at the University of Texas at Arlington campus to a renovated Dallas Memorial Auditorium, beginning in 2026. The Dallas venue, currently seating nearly 10,000, will be renovated as part of a larger project anchored by a new convention center. That ongoing remaking of downtown adds to a potential initiative [[link removed]] to develop an arena and casino complex that would succeed the American Airlines Center.

NHL in Utah ⬆ The potential choices for the nickname of the newly arrived NHL franchise in Utah likely grew by two as the same anonymous applicant who filed last week for trademark protections on seven other names also made similar entries this week for the Mammoth and the Ice. Those new names join the prior applications [[link removed]] for the Yetis, Venom, Fury, Blizzard, Outlaws, Utah Hockey Club, and Utah HC. The Mammoth name could possibly be problematic as that is also the name for the National Lacrosse League franchise in Colorado controlled by Stan Kroenke, additionally the owner of the NHL’s Avalanche. Utah team owner Ryan Smith has not confirmed these are the official candidate names, but earlier this week, he did say [[link removed]] on The Pat McAfee Show that the nickname will be determined by a bracket-style fan vote.

Good Morning Football ⬆ The hit NFL Network show, which is on a spring and summer hiatus [[link removed]] due to a production move from New York to Los Angeles, is making a brief return for the draft. Good Morning Football will air from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. ET on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday live from Detroit.

Everton ⬇ Advisers for the Premier League club have begun searching for an alternative buyer as the financial problems continue for U.S. private equity firm 777 Partners, which has a deal in place to take over the team, sources told The New York Times [[link removed]].

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Conversation Starters Now that Reggie Bush’s Heisman Trophy has been reinstated, we want to know: What should his first “Heisman House” commercial be? Let us know [[link removed]]. The Mavericks are tied 1–1 in their first-round playoff series with the Clippers, and Dallas superstar Luka Dončić has just signed a new endorsement deal with a top sports drink brand. Check it out [[link removed]]. What’s the best way for college athletes to navigate the complicated NIL era? Listen to the advice [[link removed]] that new Commanders running back Austin Ekeler gave on the FOS Today podcast. Editors’ Picks Saudi Arabia’s Latest Sports Ambassador Is Deshaun Watson [[link removed]]by Dennis Young [[link removed]]The quarterback was in Saudi Arabia to promote American football and meet with royalty. Mike Breen Explains the Beloved Call He Breaks Out Once a Year [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]There’s a method and madness behind the call Breen has made just six times. Caitlin Clark’s Nike Deal Reportedly Worth $28 Million Over Eight Years [[link removed]]by Margaret Fleming [[link removed]]The deal would become the largest for a women’s basketball player. 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]], Eric Fisher [[link removed]] Edited by Matthew Tabeek [[link removed]], Catherine Chen [[link removed]]

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