September 18, 2024

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Good morning. Would you pay an additional ticket fee to help your favorite college team recruit and retain players? If you’re a Tennessee fan, that’s a question you’ll answer very soon. And it has broad implications for college football and fandom at large.

— David Rumsey [[link removed]], Eric Fisher [[link removed]], and Colin Salao [[link removed]]

How Fans Could Be on the Hook for Player Pay in College Sports [[link removed]]

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The shifting landscape in college sports is putting more money in players’ pockets. It is also—perhaps not surprisingly—getting more expensive for fans.

With schools soon set to be allowed to pay athletes around $22 million per year if and when the House v. NCAA settlement is approved, Tennessee is planning to get a portion of that money from a 10% “talent fee” that will be added to tickets across all sports.

That money—like a tip on top of a bill at a restaurant—will go directly to paying athletes. If fans want, they can choose to give Tennessee additional talent fees beyond the 10% of their ticket costs. Volunteers athletic director Danny White told On3 he hopes to raise about $10 million from that initiative. Separately, Tennessee football tickets in 2025 will increase 4.5%.

Front Office Sports college reporter Amanda Christovich has more on that move here [[link removed]].

Friendly Fundraising?

Most successful football schools haven’t exactly been hurting for cash in recent years.

During fiscal year 2023, Tennessee’s athletic department reported more than $200 million in total operating revenue for the first time ($202 million, to be exact), resulting in an $11.1 million surplus [[link removed]]—its largest since 2015. Football was responsible for a record $134.9 million, helping fund many nonrevenue sports across the university.

But even still, with increasing NIL (name, image, and likeness) budgets for many football and basketball rosters, as well as the pending settlement to pay players directly, university leaders remain uneasy about funding the future.

This past spring, a congressional hearing dived into college athlete unionization efforts, and Sen. Ted Cruz hosted an NIL roundtable, highlighting the gravity of the situation. At the time, Alabama suggested Olympic sports could be cut [[link removed]] to keep up with the increased costs of football and basketball.

Money Games in Other States

Meanwhile, Georgia on Tuesday became the second state to prohibit the NCAA [[link removed]] or conferences from punishing in-state schools for “offering compensation, or compensating an intercollegiate student-athlete for the use of such student-athlete’s NIL.” An executive order from state Gov. Brian Kemp followed a similar law passed in Virginia over the summer.

Despite the laws, though, sources told ESPN that neither Georgia nor Georgia Tech have plans to start paying their players immediately—following the lead of Virginia and Virginia Tech—both of which also have not taken advantage of the legal loophole.

Champions League Begins: Bigger Prize, More Games, Player Backlash [[link removed]]

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Soccer’s Champions League is back—with an elevated prize pool, an expanded competitive format, and also no shortage of player unrest.

The UEFA-organized competition involving Europe’s top pro clubs began Tuesday, featuring a $2.71 billion prize pool, increased from a prior $2.2 billion. A revamped and expanded group stage—now known as the “league phase”—organizes the 36-team field in a single group before moving to knockout rounds. The new structure will feature four additional competing teams and 64 additional matches over the course of the tournament.

Real Madrid will seek to defend its title, won less than four months ago [[link removed]]. Premier League power Manchester City, meanwhile, is the betting favorite [[link removed]], even as it faces allegations of financial misconduct back home [[link removed]].

As action on the pitches begins, though, a growing number of players are questioning the wisdom of expanding this event along with a still-robust domestic club schedule, a new, 32-team Club World Cup [[link removed]] organized by FIFA, international friendlies, and a men’s World Cup that will grow to 48 teams in 2026.

Because of that, a players’ strike—something that is much more of a rarity in European sports than in North America—is increasingly possible.

“I think we are close to that,” Manchester City star midfielder Rodri said Tuesday. “It is easy to understand. If you ask any player that, he will say the same. It is not the opinion of [just] Rodri or whoever. It’s the general opinion of players. And if it keeps this way, there will be a moment when we have no other option, I really think. It’s something that worries us because we are the guys that suffer.”

Individual players and FIFPRO, the global soccer players’ union, have been sounding similar alarms [[link removed]] for months over the sport’s increasingly compressed schedule. In June, French superstar Kylian Mbappé, now playing professionally for Real Madrid, said European soccer is “getting closer to the NBA model,” [[link removed]] with seasons of 70 games—to the detriment of the sport.

Now, with UEFA’s showcase event unfolding, many of those same players and organizations are shining a new spotlight on the issue.

“We understand that we have the side of the media and TV, we have the side from UEFA, from FIFA, from the Premier League, and the other domestic competitions,” said Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker. “We are not stupid. We understand that people want more games. But the reasonable thing would be for all these sides that I mention and the people who are responsible for making the calendar to sit together and to listen to all the parts, including the players.”

Big Workload

High-performing teams such as Manchester City are firmly in line to play more than 60 matches per year. That figure is well above an optimal level in the minds of some players, such as Rodri, who point to diminishing returns from players after about 40 games played annually.

“Not everything is money or marketing. It is also the quality of the show,” Rodri said. “In my opinion, when I rest, when I’m not tired, I perform better. If people want to see better football, we need to rest.”

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Connecting With Hispanic Sports Fans

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Responsible for 71% of U.S. population growth between 2022 and 2023, Hispanics have tremendous influence on the U.S. economy and culture. Now, they’re changing the game [[link removed]] on how the U.S. engages with sports and sports media.

Nielsen’s latest report [[link removed]] explores Hispanic media consumption trends, sports sponsorship insights within the community, and how they’re shifting broader sports fandom in the U.S.

To help brands, leagues, and media-rights holders connect with this critical audience, Nielsen’s playbook [[link removed]] outlines three essential insights: how Hispanic audiences are tuning in to live sports, how they show up for the brands that support the sports they care about, and how Hispanic athletes’ influence extends well beyond the field.

Messi, Inter Miami Dominate MLS Jersey Sales As Playoffs Draw Near [[link removed]]

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Inter Miami is heading into the final month of the MLS regular season with a huge lead atop the standings, and—to the surprise of no one—star striker Lionel Messi is yet again leading the league in jersey sales.

Messi returned to Miami’s starting lineup Saturday after a three-plus month absence in which he helped Argentina win Copa América [[link removed]] but also sustained an ankle injury. But his MLS squad has been humming along over the summer, and three of his teammates join Messi inside the top 15 of the league’s jersey sales list released Tuesday [[link removed]]: Luis Suárez (second), Sergio Busquets (11th), and Jordi Alba (15th). The popular international quartet previously played together at Barcelona.

Last year, Messi topped the list [[link removed]] in his debut MLS season, and he was joined in the top 25 by Miami teammates Busquets (13th) and Josef Martínez (21st). This year, LAFC’s Denis Bouanga, FC Cincinnati’s Luciano Acosta, and the Columbus Crew’s Cucho Hernández rounded out the top five MLS jersey sales.

Also benefiting from the Messi Mania are Adidas, MLS’s jersey provider, and Fanatics, which runs the league’s online store.

Building Blocks

While Inter Miami has been extremely successful on the pitch this year, there has been a setback off it.

In July, the club formally announced it was delaying the opening of its 25,000-seat, $350 million stadium [[link removed]] by one year to 2026. When Messi signed with Miami in 2023, he agreed to a three-year deal that allowed the MLS club to market a new venue opening in 2025 with the Argentine superstar on the field. Messi would be 38 at the new stadium opening date in 2026.

Last fall, Miami sold out of its 2024 season tickets [[link removed]] for its 19,000-seat Chase Stadium shortly after the previous season ended.

FRONT OFFICE SPORTS TODAY MLBPA Hits Sportsbooks Over NIL

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The MLB Players Association is suing multiple sportsbook operators for unauthorized use of baseball players’ NIL (name, image, and likeness) in their promotions. Front Office Sports contributor Jeff Benson joins the show to explain what we know so far and where things are headed in a potentially ugly saga.

Plus, we hear from American tennis star Ben Shelton about his performance in the US Open, controversy in the tennis world, and how he handles criticism. And Saints linebacker Demario Davis joins the show to discuss New Orleans’s strong start to the season and the work he is doing for youth experiencing homelessness in his community.

Watch, listen, and subscribe on Apple [[link removed]], Spotify [[link removed]], and YouTube [[link removed]].

AWARD

The Front Office Sports Most Impactful Award celebrates organizations that leverage their power and platform to create positive change beyond generating revenue and expanding their business.

Nominations are open through Oct. 6 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Prices increase after Sept. 22– nominate now [[link removed]] for the best rate.

ONE BIG FIG Dolphins Placing Tua on IR

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4

The minimum number of games Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will miss after being placed on injured reserve following his latest concussion sustained during a 31–10 loss to the Bills on Thursday night. Tagovailoa, who has now suffered four diagnosed concussions in the last five years, was set to meet with doctors [[link removed]] this week before deciding on the next steps. His situation has led to spirited discussions from current and former players and coaches about the safety of NFL players and the long-term impacts of head trauma.

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Get Your Football Scores in a Snap

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With the free Apple Sports app [[link removed]] for iPhone, you can access real-time football scores, a dynamic drive tracker, and live play-by-play, all delivered ultrafast. Plus, get team and player stats, standings, live betting odds, and more right at your fingertips.

Designed for speed and simplicity, the Apple Sports app is personalized and fans can follow games, leagues, conferences, and teams, and receive real-time updates on iPhone and Apple Watch Lock Screens with Live Activities.

Download Apple Sports [[link removed]] now in the App Store in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.*

Conversation Starters Conference realignment is far from over, thanks to the Pac-12 raiding the Mountain West. Take a look [[link removed]] at what some of the next steps may be. If Florida State fires coach Mike Norvell, which would cost the school $65 million, one college football insider says Deion Sanders could be a replacement option [[link removed]] for the Seminoles. The Maple Leafs are having some fun with two of their uniform sponsors: Milk and Oreo. Check it out [[link removed]]. Editors’ Picks NBC Chairman: Peacock ‘Added a Lot of Subs’ From Paris Olympics [[link removed]]by Daniel Roberts [[link removed]]Mark Lazarus wouldn’t disclose the number just yet. Springfield’s Wittenberg University Cancels Games As Threats Mount [[link removed]]by A.J. Perez [[link removed]]Wittenberg Athletics announced athletic contests had been canceled because of violent threats. ESPN Standing Up for Pat McAfee, Whose Show Is Reportedly Profitable [[link removed]]by Michael McCarthy [[link removed]]Pat McAfee has drawn his share of controversy, but ESPN remains supportive. Question of the Day

Would you pay more for tickets if it meant your favorite school was able to recruit better players?

YES [[link removed]] NO [[link removed]]

Monday’s result: 39% of respondents think the first NFL or major college football coach will get fired next week.

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