September 26, 2024

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Hurricane Helene will hit the southeastern U.S. this weekend, leading MLB to postpone a series between the Braves and Mets, whose records are a game apart. From doubleheaders to cross-country travel, the ramifications are vast. What’s in play, and why wasn’t action taken earlier? We break down the situation.

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

Hurricane Disrupts Wild Card Race, Forces Mets-Braves Doubleheader [[link removed]]

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Hurricane Helene is making a mess of the end of Major League Baseball’s regular season, and the league is facing no shortage of criticism from fans and pundits regarding how it’s handled the situation. But the speed and rapid intensification of the storm created a set of unique circumstances for the league—in turn, adding another layer of drama to the final days before the postseason.

The storm, projected to make landfall Thursday night in Florida’s Big Bend region as at least a Category 3 hurricane, is forecast to produce heavy rainfall and tropical-force winds throughout much of the Southeast over the next 24 to 36 hours. Because of that, MLB postponed the final two games of a Mets-Braves series at Truist Park late Wednesday.

The two teams, each battling for Wild Card position in the National League playoff chase, are now scheduled to play a straight doubleheader on Monday, otherwise an off day for MLB between Sunday’s end of the regular season and Tuesday’s postseason start. The Mets-Braves makeup games, however, will not be played if they are not needed to determine playoff eligibility.

But should the games be played, the Braves or Mets are facing a potential cross-country trip right after the doubleheader to face the Padres or Dodgers—and with a pitching staff depleted from the doubleheader. As a result, the competitive landscape of the postseason could be significantly altered.

Not Always Like This

MLB has had a long history of being proactive in responding to hurricanes toward the end of the regular season—when there are fewer available dates to reschedule games. For example, the approach of Hurricane Irma in 2017 prompted MLB to shift a Rays-Yankees series from Tropicana Field to Citi Field in New York. Just last year, Hurricane Hilary—a rare tropical storm to hit Southern California—similarly led the league to reschedule a Rays-Angels series in Anaheim.

MLB sources, however, tell Front Office Sports there were some key differences in the situation surrounding Hurricane Helene. The system was not a named tropical storm by the National Hurricane Center until Tuesday morning, and before then had been thought to be a far smaller storm not as likely to impact the Atlanta area significantly.

Though Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency Tuesday afternoon, MLB and its weather advisors thought as recently as early Wednesday there still could be a window that evening to play—hopes that were dashed a few hours later.

Because of the swift acceleration of Hurricane Helene, there was essentially no window to consider shifting any of the games to a neutral site. Such a move not only requires approval of the teams and MLB Players Association—something that might have been difficult to obtain given the competitive implications—but also a minimum of 24 hours’ notice to prepare another ballpark operationally.

“I’ve never seen a hurricane intensify so quickly and in the way that Helene has here,” a league source tells FOS.

More problems are possible over the weekend as the Royals—also fighting for playoff position—are due to travel to Atlanta on Thursday after completing a series in Washington. Depending on the extent of the storm damage in Georgia, though, there may be schedule alterations to the Royals-Braves games.

Growing Fan Tensions Cast a Dark Shadow on WNBA’s Record Season

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Caitlin Clark’s first season in the WNBA brought viewership, attendance, and merchandise records [[link removed]]. But at the same time, the league and its players are also facing a more insidious problem.

The first-round series between the Indiana Fever and Connecticut Sun highlighted the growing tension between players and fans, which has spilled from social media trolling to the arenas. On Thursday night, shortly after the Fever were eliminated from the playoffs, the WNBA released a statement denouncing the actions of some fans.

“While we welcome a growing fan base, the WNBA will not tolerate racist, derogatory, or threatening comments made about players, teams, and anyone affiliated with the league,” the statement read.

Several Sun players claimed after the game that racial comments were hurled at them [[link removed]] throughout the series—despite playing at home in the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

“I think in my 11-year career, I’ve never experienced the racial comments from the Indiana Fever fan base. … Basketball is headed in a great direction, but we don’t want fans that are going to degrade us and call us racial things,” five-time All-Star Alyssa Thomas said.

Thomas’s teammate, DiJonai Carrington, faced most of the backlash from fans and media following Game 1—when she hit Clark in the eye in the first quarter—claiming the poke was done on purpose. Some claimed Carrington used her fingernail extensions to intentionally hurt Clark [[link removed]].

While Carrington and Clark denied the poke was intentional [[link removed]], Carrington wrote in a now-deleted post on X [[link removed]] she received death threats and racist comments via email. NaLyssa Smith, Carrington’s girlfriend who also happens to be Clark’s teammate, confirmed that Carrington had received death threats [[link removed]] and claimed she was even followed.

During Game 2 in Mohegan Sun Arena on Wednesday, posts circulated on social media about fans mocking Carrington, with one wearing fake nail extensions and a shirt [[link removed]] that read, “Ban Nails.”

Clark also faced her share of vitriol from fans in attendance. During the first quarter, she asked game officials to have a fan temporarily removed [[link removed]] from his courtside seat. It was unclear what prompted Clark to raise the issue, but NBA players like LeBron James [[link removed]] and Russell Westbrook [[link removed]] have done the same in recent years.

Fans spewing racial comments at players isn’t new in pro sports. Last year, Celtics star Jaylen Brown said [[link removed]] that it was about a “problematic” portion of the Boston fan base. The father of Grizzlies star Ja Morant also claimed fans made vulgar remarks at him [[link removed]] back in 2021. And in 2017, then-Orioles outfielder Adam Jones said a bag of peanuts was thrown at him and was also the target of racial slurs [[link removed]] at Boston’s Fenway Park.

Editors’ note: Read Front Office Sports reporter Colin Salao’s entire story here [[link removed]].

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Join the Mastercard Small Business Community

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Guacamole by Freddie recently participated in Foodies & Fairways [[link removed]], a program in collaboration with Capital One Business that allows local food businesses to sell their signature meals at golf tournaments across the country and receive other tools and benefits. Sign up for the Mastercard Small Business Community [[link removed]] to access the latest resources and support to protect, manage, and grow your own business.

College Football’s Chaotic Week: Realignment, Redshirts, and NIL [[link removed]]

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As college football heads into a pivotal weekend on the field, including a monumental SEC matchup when No. 2 Georgia visits No. 4 Alabama on Saturday night, chaos off the field has dominated discussion around the sport all week.

From conference realignment to the transfer portal to the evolving impact of NIL (name, image, and likeness), the shifting college landscape keeps leading to firsts across the sport.

Selection Service

The Pac-12 has been at the center of realignment among non-Power 4 conferences. It’s already successfully poached five schools from the Mountain Wes [[link removed]]t: Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and most recently, Utah State [[link removed]].

However, the Mountain West has notched a significant win, with six of its seven remaining football-playing members agreeing to keep the conference together [[link removed]], despite interest from rival leagues, according to The Athletic and other reports. The Pac-12 was said to be interested in UNLV, while Air Force had interest from the American Athletic Conference, which announced a long-term commitment from its current 15 teams [[link removed]] this week.

That would leave both the Mountain West and Pac-12 with seven football programs, beginning in 2026. The Pac-12 needs one more member to retain its FBS status, and the Mountain West two more, as Hawaii is not a full-time member.

There’s Always Next Year

As many schools are figuring out which conference they will play in moving forward, athletes are utilizing new policies to keep their playing options open, too.

In April, the NCAA removed its one-time limit on allowing undergraduates to transfer and be immediately eligible to play the following season. Now, there is no cap. And that’s leading to several players cutting their seasons short for a variety of reasons.

UNLV quarterback Matthew Sluka is redshirting after three games [[link removed]] due to an NIL dispute. This would have been his last year of eligibility, but now he’ll be able to transfer and play—perhaps for more money—somewhere else in 2025.

Football players can redshirt so long as they have played in less than four games that season. As most programs enter their fourth or fifth week, that opportunity is being taken advantage of.

On Wednesday, UNLV running back Michael Allen and USC defensive tackle Bear Alexander both announced decisions to sit out the remainder of the season and redshirt, due to a lack of playing time opportunities.

AWARD

Whether it’s great leadership; focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion; or commitment to employee well-being, the Front Office Sports Best Employers in Sports Award [[link removed]] recognizes organizations that do right by their employees.

Take the survey [[link removed]] by Nov. 6 for a chance to recognize your company as one of the best in the business.

TUNED IN TelevisaUnivision Dishes on Hispanic Sports TV Market Growth

FOS illustration

TelevisaUnivision president of advertising sales and marketing Donna Speciale sat down with Eric Fisher at the Front Office Sports Tuned In [[link removed]?] summit to discuss the growth of the Hispanic media market in the U.S., the impact of soccer, and partnering with CBS for the most recent Super Bowl.

Watch the full interview here [[link removed]].

STATUS REPORT Three Up, One Down

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Amazon ⬆ The Cowboys visit the Giants on Thursday Night Football, which is likely to give Prime Video its first year-over-year weekly viewership gain compared to the 2023 NFL season. Despite TNF’s 14.17 million viewership average through two weeks being 20% above last year’s full-season average of 11.86 million, both game audiences (for two AFC East blowouts) have been slightly lower than their comparable weeks in 2023. Meanwhile, Dallas has been featured in two of the five most-watched NFL games [[link removed]] so far this season.

Concacaf Gold Cup ⬆ The international soccer competition—won seven times by the U.S. men’s national team—announced 14 venues for its 2025 edition [[link removed]], including seven NFL stadiums in Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Phoenix, and Santa Clara (San Francisco/Bay Area).

Inter Milan ⬆ The Serie A club said its new owner, U.S.-based investment fund Oaktree Capital Management, has injected more than $52 million of new capital into the team since taking it over in May [[link removed]].

Celtics sale ⬇ Team owner Wyc Grousbeck announced his intent to sell the defending NBA champions [[link removed]] in July, saying at the time he wanted to do so “fairly soon.” However, the process remains in its early stages, according to The Boston Globe, and a league source said it is unlikely that a deal will be completed [[link removed]] before the end of this year.

SPONSORED BY MASTERCARD

Tee Off With Taste at the TOUR Championship

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This year’s TOUR Championship in Atlanta wasn’t just about world-class golf—it was also a celebration of local flavors [[link removed]].

Mastercard’s Foodies & Fairways [[link removed]] program in partnership with Capital One Business highlights the city’s dynamic culinary scene, featuring small businesses like Guacamole by Freddie and T’s Coffee & Brews. This unique experience offered fans a chance to savor the city’s best while witnessing top golfers in action.

With mentorships and $10,000 grants on the line, these businesses showcased their creations at The Landing, adding a delicious twist to the championship experience. Plus, get the scoop on other local East Lake staples like Poor Hendrix.

Learn more [[link removed]] about Mastercard’s Foodies & Fairways and the fusion of sport and cuisine by signing up for the Mastercard Small Business Community [[link removed]] to access the latest resources and support to protect, manage, and grow your business.

Conversation Starters Nike dropped a tribute for Diana Taurasi after the Phoenix Mercury were eliminated from the playoffs Wednesday in what may have been the final game for the 11-time WNBA All-Star. Take a look [[link removed]]. Mets owner Steve Cohen revealed new renderings for a proposed casino and entertainment complex next to Citi Field which will cost $8 billion. Check it out [[link removed]]. A grounds crew member for the Athletics was handing fans bottles of dirt [[link removed]] from the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum during the team’s final home series in Oakland. Editors’ Picks Settlement in NCAA’s House Case Wouldn’t Prevent Future Matt Slukas [[link removed]]by Amanda Christovich [[link removed]]Situations like the UNLV mess may become even more common. UFC Antitrust Settlement Grows to $375 Million After Judge Rejected First Deal [[link removed]]by A.J. Perez [[link removed]]UFC has agreed to $375 million in compensation—a $40 million increase from the original deal. Premier League’s Legal Costs Explode to $66 Million [[link removed]]by Margaret Fleming [[link removed]]Cases for Manchester City, Chelsea, and three others have been expensive. Advertise [[link removed]] Awards [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Video [[link removed]] Podcast [[link removed]] Written by Eric Fisher [[link removed]], David Rumsey [[link removed]], Colin Salao [[link removed]] Edited by Matthew Tabeek [[link removed]], Or Moyal [[link removed]]

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