June 6, 2024

Read in Browser [[link removed]]

POWERED BY

The NFL and the expanded College Football Playoff are set for a first-time head-to-head matchup in December, creating a high-stakes battle for viewers. … The Browns have developing options for a new or renovated stadium. … The Paris Olympics draw closer. … Plus: More on the NWSL, the Colts, Paris Saint-Germain, and Good Morning Football.

Meanwhile, Doris Burke is set to make history [[link removed]] as the first woman to announce any major U.S. men’s championship on TV when she calls the NBA Finals. She joined Front Office Sports Today [[link removed]] last year to talk about her career as an analyst.

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

CFP and NFL Will Play on the Same Day: Breaking Down the TV Schedule [[link removed]]

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

This year, College Football Playoff games for the first time will go head-to-head with the NFL.

The CFP has announced its broadcast schedule for the expanded, 12-team postseason, setting up a Saturday clash in late December that will feature five major, overlapping football telecasts. With three first-round CFP games and two NFL Week 16 matchups, here’s the slate for Dec. 21 (all Eastern Time):

Noon: CFP Round 1, TNT Sports 1 p.m.: Texans-Chiefs, NBC 4 p.m.: CFP Round 1, TNT Sports 4:30 p.m.: Steelers-Ravens, Fox 8 p.m.: CFP Round 1, ABC/ESPN A New Approach

Until this season, CFP semifinal and championship games had fallen on days without NFL games. But the expansion to 12 teams, and the addition of a quarterfinals and first round, made it impossible not to overlap with the NFL, which is seemingly on a mission [[link removed]] to overtake as many game broadcast windows as it can.

Previously, the NFL was said to have been trying to convince the CFP committee to move one of its three Saturday games to Friday, Dec. 20, according to Puck [[link removed]]. Clearly, whatever efforts the NFL made weren’t enough. In 2025, the CFP has the same first-round schedule planned: one game Friday night, Dec. 19, and three games Saturday, Dec. 20, which is also the NFL schedule’s Week 16—a spot the league will no doubt continue to want to play games on Monday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday.

By the Numbers

Last year, the NFL’s Week 16 slate included a late-afternoon and prime-time matchup that were the most-watched [[link removed]] sports telecasts of the day. The Steelers-Bengals game at 4:30 p.m. ET drew 14.29 million viewers on NBC, before the Bill-Chargers at 8 p.m. ET attracted a streaming audience of 7.33 million on Peacock. There are no CFP games to compare that against, but Utah-Northwestern in the Las Vegas Bowl did draw 3.09 million viewers on ABC that same Saturday night.

It should be noted that the two NFL games will be on broadcast TV, while the first two CFP games will be on cable. After Round 1, the CFP will have exclusive game windows on ESPN in the quarterfinals, semifinals, and final that won’t face viewer competition from the NFL.

Where Will the Browns Play Next? Team Has Viable Stadium Options [[link removed]]

Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

The Browns have one of the NFL’s more tortured on-field histories. But when it comes to developing a new or upgraded stadium, the team can boast multiple options that are rapidly growing more serious.

Just one of four teams to never play in a Super Bowl (Jaguars, Lions, and Texans are the others), the Browns for months have made clear their desire to upgrade their stadium situation beyond the lakefront Cleveland Browns Stadium that is nearly 25 years old. That consideration has involved two main choices [[link removed]]: renovating the current facility as part of a broader downtown revamp, or building a new stadium in suburban Brook Park, Ohio, where Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam have an option to purchase 176 acres of land near Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

Now, both of those potential outcomes are gaining additional weight. The Brook Park City Council recently passed unanimously a resolution “encouraging the Haslam Sports Group to strongly consider” the parcel—formerly the site of two Ford Motor Company plants—as the location for a new domed stadium and entertainment district. Brook Park mayor Edward Orcutt then signed the resolution.

The city of Cleveland, meanwhile, is pushing forward, too. Officials there have applied for a $260 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to help pay for a $440 million renovation of downtown. The pursuit of federal funds is independent of what the Browns decide to do. But it nonetheless enhances the broader potential of the area, particularly as the city’s redevelopment plan seeks to better connect the lakefront near the current stadium and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the rest of downtown Cleveland.

The option of a renovated Cleveland Browns Stadium is estimated at about $1 billion, while building in Brook Park would cost $2.4 billion. The Browns have steadily insisted they are not playing the two jurisdictions off each other in search of a better deal, and, as of now, a 50-50 split between private and public funding in either situation has been contemplated. But it’s becoming more likely the team will have solid possibilities in either scenario, and the Brook Park consideration has even included a release [[link removed]] of early-stage stadium renderings.

Bigger Aspirations

Similar to the Bears’ stadium pursuit in Chicago [[link removed]], and developing efforts [[link removed]] for a new Chiefs stadium, building a domed stadium would open up Cleveland to bid for hosting large-scale indoor events (Super Bowl, Final Four, and College Football Playoff, for example) that it currently cannot.

The Browns’ stadium lease expires in 2028.

There is an extra layer to the emerging battle between Cleveland and Brook Park for the Browns. The city said Wednesday it will start deposing Brook Park residents in a seven-year-old lawsuit between the two jurisdictions stemming from a failed expansion of the airport. That dispute does not involve the Browns, but the political battling there is difficult to separate from the rising stadium issue.

SPONSORED BY DAKTRONICS

Daktronics Unveils COB LED Technology

The latest in flip-chip COB [[link removed]] (chip on board) LED technology from Daktronics has been released worldwide. It’s available in pixel pitches ranging from 1.8 millimeters to 0.9 millimeters.

This technology brings decreased power consumption for a lower cost of ownership along with increased durability and reliability, thanks to a specific encapsulant design that protects the components. This results in a product that is safe to handle for shipping and installation that also delivers a high-contrast, black matte finish for vibrant, crisp colors.

The COB cabinet is the thinnest in the marketplace today and the lightest weight available, making it perfect for club spaces, restaurant and bar areas, and other locations where displays are closer to the viewer.

Learn more [[link removed]] about this new technology from Daktronics.

ONE BIG FIG Final Countdown

Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

50

Number of days until the Paris Olympics start. With less than two months to go until the much-hyped opening ceremony [[link removed]] along the Seine river, uncertainty continues to surround the Games. This week, the Microsoft Threat Analysis Center released a report [[link removed]] claiming it has detected Russian campaigns set on disrupting the sporting events in Paris. Meanwhile, multiple international governing bodies of Olympic sports have pledged to award prize money [[link removed]] for gold medalists in Paris, in a break from IOC traditions.

STATUS REPORT Two Up, One Down, One Push

The Indianapolis Star

NWSL ⬆ Scripps Sports’ coverage of Saturday’s Bay FC–Chicago Red Stars match at Wrigley Field, which will be broadcast on the Ion network, will include live studio shows from the iconic MLB ballpark.

Colts ⬆ The NFL team has sold out of season tickets for the 2024 season. About 90% of tickets in 70,000-seat Lucas Oil Stadium are allotted to season-ticket sales, which also include suites and club seats.

Paris Saint-Germain ⬇ The French club still owes Kylian Mbappé, who just signed with Real Madrid [[link removed]] on a free transfer, a bonus and two months of wages, according to ESPN [[link removed]]. The superstar is seeking the back pay of $86 million in compensation for his final season with his previous club.

Good Morning Football ⬆⬇ More news is emerging about the future of the popular NFL Network show that is currently on a spring and summer hiatus [[link removed]], before moving from New York to Los Angeles. Kyle Brandt said [[link removed]] on social media that he will return to the program as a cohost. But The Athletic reports [[link removed]] that Brandt won’t be moving to L.A. to work in a full-time capacity and that Jason McCourty is not returning. Jamie Erdahl has already confirmed she will move to California and remain on the show; Peter Schrager has not confirmed his future status.

EVENT

Future of Sports Is Headed to Cannes

Join us June 19 for an afternoon of networking and creative conversations. As creatives in the communications and advertising fields gather for the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, we will celebrate sports media on a global level for an afternoon of engaging keynotes, discussion, and networking.

The exclusive event, hosted in partnership with Publicis Sports and NBC Sports, will unpack major topics in sports media today, including women’s sports equity, the evolution of sports partnerships, and the next decade of global sports.

Learn more [[link removed]] or request to attend this exclusive event, supported by our partners Relo Metrics and Footballco.

Conversation Starters Amazon Prime Video has announced a docuseries premiering this fall, offering access to the lives of 11 NHL players, including stars like Connor McDavid, Matthew Tkachuk, Jacob Trouba, and David Pastrnak. Watch the trailer [[link removed]]. For the first time, the 2024 Stanley Cup Final will feature an alternate broadcast [[link removed]] in American Sign Language, with live Deaf broadcasters available on ESPN+ and SportsNet+ for each game. The Celtics are back in the NBA Finals, pursuing a record 18th title, aided by their $76 million practice facility. Take a look [[link removed]]. Editors’ Picks Report: Michael Bloomberg Joins A-Rod, Lore Timberwolves Ownership Group [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]The former New York City mayor is worth roughly $106 billion. Buzzer Beater? TNT Is Negotiating for Fourth NBA Rights Package [[link removed]]by Michael McCarthy [[link removed]]Warner Bros. Discovery’s in talks to secure a possible fourth rights package. Report: Jeffrey Lurie Exploring Sale of Eagles Minority Stake [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]A sale would be based on a $7.5 billion team valuation. 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]]

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