October 7, 2024

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Sunday was the longest day in NFL history, with games from London to Pittsburgh taking more than 15 hours to complete. A thunderstorm played a key role, but with the league planning on many more international games—and in new locales—could a schedule of this length become less of an outlier?

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

Longest Day in NFL History Might Become League’s New Normal [[link removed]]

Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Sunday was the longest day in NFL history, thanks to an international game and a prime-time weather delay, but it may not be long before the newly set record gets broken again.

The Vikings and Jets kicked off at 9:32 a.m. ET from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, with Minnesota prevailing 23–17 to remain unbeaten on the season, and New York falling to 2–3. Eleven games—and 15 hours and 27 minutes—later, the Cowboys rallied for a dramatic 20–17 win over the Steelers, as Dak Prescott found Jalen Tolbert in the end zone with just 20 seconds left in regulation. The game in Pittsburgh was delayed 90 minutes due to inclement weather around Acrisure Stadium, including lightning and a hailstorm, and finished at 12:59 a.m. ET Monday morning.

The league’s research department confirmed that made Sunday the longest day of NFL football since at least the 1970 AFL-NFL merger (and likely of all time).

Time Travel

Sunday morning kickoffs from Europe have become a staple of the NFL’s international games, and, of course, weather will always remain unpredictable, but there are other factors at play that could make for an even longer day of NFL action in the near future.

NFL owners are serious about wanting to play as many as 16 games outside the U.S. each season [[link removed]], according to commissioner Roger Goodell, and with that will come even more new locations—and time zones.

In May, NFL executive Peter O’Reilly confirmed Australia was under consideration to host a regular-season game [[link removed]]. Sydney and Melbourne are 15 hours ahead of the East Coast. That would bring a variety of kickoff-time options for U.S. viewers, ranging from the middle of the night Stateside to a prime-time broadcast for a game happening a day ahead Down Under.

Meanwhile, the NFL is said to have already conducted a site visit to Abu Dhabi [[link removed]], CBS Sports reported Sunday. The United Arab Emirates city is eight hours ahead of the East Coast, a slightly bigger difference than the five-hour gap with London and the six-hour gap with German cities the league has played in (Frankfurt and Munich).

As the NFL continues to try to become as popular globally as it is in the U.S., would 24 hours of football surprise anyone?

TUNED IN

ESPN and Shams Charania Agree to Deal

Shams Charania is joining ESPN to become the network’s new senior NBA insider, as first reported by Front Office Sports senior writer Michael McCarthy. The 30-year-old will replace the recently retired Adrian Wojnarowski, who is joining his alma mater, St. Bonaventure University. Early Monday, McCarthy reported Charania and ESPN were nearing a deal, with negotiations on the “5-yard line.”

Read more of McCarthy’s story here [[link removed]].

You can also subscribe to our new “Tuned In” sports media newsletter here [[link removed]], which will arrive in your inbox twice weekly.

A’s Expect Payroll to Increase, but Face Tough Sell in Sacramento [[link removed]]

D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

The A’s are looking to open their wallets—at least somewhat—in their new home market, but will any MLB free agents actually be interested?

Days after the A’s played their final game at the Oakland Coliseum [[link removed]], GM David Forst said the team intends to increase its payroll in 2025, marking a potentially major step after the club ranked last in Major League Baseball this year at $63.4 million [[link removed]]. The figure was 26% below the No. 29 team, the Pirates, and solidified the A’s as the league’s lowest-spending team for the second straight year.

“We do expect our payroll to increase,” Forst said. “We do expect to be active in free agency.”

More than a generation ago, the A’s were a top-spending club and actually led the league in payroll in 1991. But under the current ownership regime led by the embattled and unpopular John Fisher, the club has tightened its spending considerably. A $66 million contract with former third baseman Eric Chavez signed in 2004 remains the largest player deal in franchise history [[link removed]], a figure now just a mere fraction of top MLB player deals that now extend well into nine figures.

Despite the ambition of the A’s, the 2025 payroll figure will dip before it potentially goes back up, as the team has more than $25 million coming off its books with the expiration of contracts for pending free agents Scott Alexander, Trevor Gott, T.J. McFarland, Ross Stripling, and Alex Wood. The bulk of the A’s roster is made up of younger players still under team control.

Facility Concerns

Beyond the spending issues—both real and perceived—perhaps the biggest obstacle the A’s will face this offseason will be convincing players to sign up for playing at Sacramento’s Sutter Health Park [[link removed]], the team’s home for the next three seasons. The A’s will share the facility with the Triple-A River Cats, the top minor-league affiliate of the Giants, and an artificial turf field will likely be used to help deal with that heavy game schedule.

That field, however, is expected to exacerbate challenging playing conditions in which Sacramento summers routinely reach triple-digit temperatures. Already, the MLB Players Association is in conversation with the league about mitigating those issues where possible.

“We do have to sell it,” Forst said of attracting free-agent players to play in a minor league facility. “I’d be lying if I told you I knew what the answers were going to be on the other side, once we start that process.”

That said, the A’s were two games above .500 in the final three months of the 2024 season and finished fourth in the AL West, ahead of the struggling Angels [[link removed]].

“I do have an outstanding manager [Mark Kotsay] to play for, and we have a really good team, an improving team on the field that I would hope players want to be a part of,” Forst said. “We’re going to have the sell the situation and the ballpark as much as we can.”

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Hurricane Milton Forcing Florida Teams to Scramble As Storm Nears [[link removed]]

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Several professional and college sports teams are likely to be impacted by Hurricane Milton, which intensified to a Category 5 storm Monday.

A projected path has it making landfall in the Tampa Bay area Wednesday, leading to evacuation orders by local and state officials.

The NFL’s Buccaneers announced they would leave Tampa on Tuesday morning to travel to New Orleans, where they will stay for the remainder of the week, ahead of Sunday afternoon’s game against the Saints. Coaches and players’ media availability will be conducted virtually.

The University of South Florida, which plays its home games at Tampa Bay’s Raymond James Stadium, is scheduled to host Memphis on Friday night. The Bulls had not released a football-specific update as of Monday afternoon, but the school’s campuses are already closed through at least Thursday. One men’s soccer game scheduled for Tuesday night has been postponed.

The NHL’s Lightning’s final preseason game against the Predators, scheduled for Monday night in Nashville, was canceled Sunday. Tampa Bay opens its NHL season Friday night at Carolina, and is scheduled to host the Hurricanes back in Florida on Saturday night.

Last week, the ownership groups of the Buccaneers and Lightning donated $1 million and $2 million [[link removed]], respectively, to relief efforts surrounding damage from Hurricane Helene.

Impact Outside of Tampa

Jacksonville could also be hit by Hurricane Milton. The NFL’s Jaguars are still scheduled to depart Thursday evening to London for a 10-day trip and a pair of games in the U.K., but they are monitoring the situation, head coach Doug Pederson said Monday. FBS program Jacksonville State is scheduled to host New Mexico State on Wednesday evening.

Miami is not in the direct projected hurricane path, and the Dolphins are on a bye week. The University of Miami also has an off week.

The University of Central Florida is scheduled to host Cincinnati in Orlando on Saturday afternoon. The football team’s X account said they were “actively tracking Hurricane Milton and its possible effects on this weekend’s matchup.” In the SEC, Florida is scheduled to play at Tennessee on Saturday.

Aces’ Failed Three-Peat Bid Caps Team’s Chaotic WNBA Season [[link removed]]

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

It’s extremely difficult to three-peat in professional sports. The last team to win three consecutive championships across all major U.S. sports was the NBA’s Lakers from 2000 to 2002.

The Las Vegas Aces learned that lesson Sunday when they were eliminated in four games in the best-of-five semifinals of the WNBA playoffs by the New York Liberty, the same team—with the same core group of stars—the Aces beat to win last year’s title.

The Aces also brought back the same core of players. A’ja Wilson led the way and had arguably the best season of her career, and she was flanked by Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, and Chelsea Gray—all multiple-time All-Stars. Head coach Becky Hammon has been steering the ship from the sidelines since 2022 and hadn’t lost a playoff series until now.

The team’s biggest loss was Candace Parker, who retired, but she was injured during their championship run last year. Still, the Aces finished with a 27–13 regular-season mark and clinched a No. 4 seed.

However, the Aces dealt with issues on and off the court that led to a different result at the end of the season.

Legal Woes

The Aces are embroiled in two ongoing investigations.

Last season, former Aces forward Dearica Hamby, who was a part of the team’s 2022 championship roster, filed a complaint with the WNBA claiming she was discriminated against and eventually traded to the Los Angeles Sparks after she announced her pregnancy in 2022. The investigation led to the Aces losing their 2025 first-round pick and a two-game suspension for Hammon.

That issue spilled into this season after Hamby filed a federal lawsuit [[link removed]] against the league and the Aces in August. Hammon has continued to deny any mistreatment of Hamby [[link removed]]—but the situation grew to the point that the three-time All-Star was booed by fans in Las Vegas [[link removed]] when the Sparks faced the Aces last month.

In May, the WNBA also launched an investigation against the Aces [[link removed]] regarding a pledge made by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority to pay each player $100,000 for two seasons in exchange for promoting the city.

The agreement would violate the league’s CBA if the Aces organization were involved in the negotiation. The team claims it had no knowledge of the LVCVA’s plans despite the public announcement of the deal [[link removed]] taking place in the team’s facility.

Changes Coming

While Wilson had a historic campaign, the team’s offensive rating fell by nearly seven points [[link removed]] this season. Plum, Gray, and Young all saw their field goal percentages drop by at least 5% versus last year—and the latter two had their three-point percentages fall by 9% and 11%, respectively.

Following the team’s elimination, Hammon admitted [[link removed]] the Aces expect to make roster changes before next season.

“It’s not going to be the same group probably next year. It just won’t,” Hammon said.

STATUS REPORT Three Up, One Push

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Puma ⬆ The sneaker brand signed a multiyear deal with two-time NBA All-Star Tyrese Haliburton [[link removed]], according to media personality Nick DePaula. Haliburton, who was a part of Team USA’s gold-medal-winning team at the Paris Olympics, had been with Nike since joining the NBA in 2020. During the Pacers’ media day last week, Haliburton went viral for wearing loafers and flipping over his socks [[link removed]] to hide the Swoosh logo.

Cleveland ⬆ Leadership of Cleveland Metroparks agreed to purchase nearly 14 acres of land for $4.2 million [[link removed]] to build a stadium for an NWSL expansion team. Cleveland Soccer Group has proposed a $150 million stadium, which it will lease from Cleveland Metroparks, if the NWSL approves its expansion pitch. The league’s decision is expected in the coming months.

Bruins ⬆ Jeremy Swayman signed an eight-year, $66 million deal with the franchise, ending a holdout that saw the goalkeeper miss all of training camp. The 25-year-old’s contract has an average annual value of $8.25 million, which ties him with the Islanders’ Ilya Sorokin for the fourth highest of any goalie.

Panthers ⬆⬇ The reigning Stanley Cup champions canceled a public ring ceremony [[link removed]] scheduled for Monday night due to concerns about Hurricane Milton, which was raised to a Category 5 hurricane [[link removed]] Monday morning. The players will receive their rings in a private ceremony instead.

FRONT OFFICE SPORTS EVENTS

The Rise of Women’s Athletics

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This four-part virtual event will unpack how teams, brands, leagues, and properties are shaping the future of women’s sports, fostering innovation, and championing a new era of inclusivity and excellence.

Register now [[link removed]].

Conversation Starters Vanderbilt will be fined $100,000 for fans storming the field [[link removed]] after Saturday’s upset win over Alabama. The school is now auctioning off items from the game such as pieces of the uprights and personalized game helmets. Check out the list [[link removed]]. Bears defensive end Montez Sweat told Front Office Sports Today the team is “happy” that the film crew for HBO’s Hard Knocks is no longer around their locker room. Watch it here [[link removed]]. Sacramento State released renderings of its proposed 25,000-seat football stadium. Take a look [[link removed]]. Editors’ Picks Manchester City and Premier League Both Claim Victory in Major Panel Ruling [[link removed]]by Dennis Young [[link removed]]A panel found some Premier League financial rules were “unlawful.” Where Is the Dang Game? Fragmentation Is Worse Than Ever [[link removed]]by Daniel Roberts [[link removed]]A correction is coming in the increasingly confusing landscape of live sports. Stephen A. Smith’s Potential $100M Deal ‘Incredible’: Matt Barnes [[link removed]]by Colin Salao [[link removed]]Barnes believes there’s plenty of space for people across sports media to thrive. Advertise [[link removed]] Awards [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Events [[link removed]] Video [[link removed]] Podcast [[link removed]] Written by David Rumsey [[link removed]], Eric Fisher [[link removed]], Colin Salao [[link removed]] Edited by Matthew Tabeek [[link removed]], Or Moyal [[link removed]], Catherine Chen [[link removed]]

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