October 29, 2024

Read in Browser [[link removed]]

POWERED BY

The Dodgers have jumped out to a 3–0 lead in the World Series. Their fans are understandably riding high and set merchandise sales records in Dodger Stadium, which has 62 years of history.

Perhaps more noteworthy, however: Despite the deficit, Yankees fans followed suit, setting a record in the Bronx. We explore the surge, as well as how ticket prices have reacted to the Dodgers moving into position to win the series.

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

World Series Merch Hits Record Highs Despite Dominant Dodgers [[link removed]]

Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The World Series is not turning out to be the closely matched competition that Major League Baseball hoped for [[link removed]], with the Dodgers rushing out to a three-games-to-none lead and in line to complete the sweep Tuesday night. But fans are still buying event-related merchandise at unprecedented levels.

League officials said that a single-day merchandise sales record was set at Dodger Stadium for Game 1 on Oct. 25, and then another venue-specific mark was established at Yankee Stadium for Game 3 on Monday. Specific revenue figures were not released, but both venues had lines to get into team shops hundreds of fans long, including well after the first pitch of those games. The new sales marks also carry no shortage of history behind them, as Yankee Stadium opened in 2009 and Dodger Stadium did so in 1962.

“It was a record day [Monday] following record days in L.A.,” MLB deputy commissioner Noah Garden tells Front Office Sports. “There are lines for the [MLB Flagship] Store [in Manhattan] around the block before it opens now, too, and it’s all indicative of the excitement and how everyone wants to be a part of the moment and commemorate this event.”

A series of other MLB merchandise records and sales increases have been set in recent days, including a new high-water mark for MLBShop.com sales through the first four days of a World Series, beating the prior high—the celebrated 2016 clash between the Cubs and Cleveland—by 117%. Additionally, all playoff-related sales on the league-controlled site are up by 62% compared to a year ago, sales of clinch-specific items are up by 185%, and October sales at the MLB Flagship Store are up by 68% compared to this month in 2023.

Not surprisingly, player jerseys have been a key driver in the World Series merchandise activity, particularly given this year’s event features the No. 1 (Shohei Ohtani), No. 3 (Aaron Judge), No. 4 (Mookie Betts), and No. 7 (Juan Soto) players in 2024 regular-season sales [[link removed]]. But other commemorative products such as pins, baseballs, and bobbleheads have also been popular—mirroring a broader boom still unfolding in the sports memorabilia business.

“There are items that are certainly breaking through this year, pieces that you can put behind your desk, on your desk, on your nightstand, and so on,” Garden says. “This type of event lends itself well to those kinds of items, and fans are leaning in to it. Cards, too. Baseball cards are on fire right now.”

Ticket Market Crashes Further

Only one MLB team has recovered from a 3–0 deficit in a best-of-seven postseason series: the 2004 Red Sox. Because of that and the Yankees’ anemic World Series performance on the field—as seen by the team’s collective .186 batting average against the Dodgers—the ticket resale market continues to plummet.

Low-end, get-in tickets that a week ago started at about $1,200 each [[link removed]] can now be had for as little as $475 for Game 4, with further drops possible Tuesday afternoon.

Fox’s Late-Night CFB Game Draws 2 Million Viewers After World Series [[link removed]]

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The results are in from Fox’s experiment of parlaying World Series viewers into a late-night college football matchup.

USC’s 42–20 victory over Rutgers, which kicked off at 11:01 p.m. ET Friday night [[link removed]], averaged just over two million viewers on Fox. The game broadcast began on FS1, as the Dodgers needed a 10th inning to beat the Yankees 6–3 in Game 1 of the Fall Classic.

The first game of the Fall Classic was watched by 15.2 million people—the most for World Series Game 1 since 2017—but the vast majority didn’t stick around for the conference-realignment-enabled Big Ten football clash.

The Rutgers-USC rating is 69% higher than the average viewership for other late-night college football broadcasts on Fox Sports platforms this season. But the audience is also down 27% from the average number of viewers for the network’s previous five Friday night football games this fall, which is 2.74 million.

Fox has four more Friday night college football games [[link removed]] this season, with either 8 or 9 p.m. ET kickoffs.

Big Ten Edges Out SEC

In what was a less chaotic weekend for college football than many others this season, Fox had the top game audience of Week 9 action with 5.95 million viewers for Ohio State’s 21–17 win over Nebraska on Saturday afternoon. ABC wasn’t far behind, drawing 5.7 million viewers for Alabama’s 34–0 rout of Missouri.

The most-watched game of the season remains Georgia-Texas [[link removed]], which 13.2 million people tuned in to ABC for earlier this month.

SPONSORED BY U.S. BANK

Bank Smarter. Live Bigger.

U.S. Bank has been making greatness happen since 1863. But not alone. We know above all else that there’s nothing we can’t do together. From buying a home to kick-starting a career, U.S. Bank [[link removed]] is there to support you every step of the way.

We’re dedicated to powering your financial future and, as a result, our collective future. We’ve been doing it since the beginning and are committed to continuing this legacy, and yours.

That’s the power of us [[link removed]].

LOUD AND CLEAR Not Done Yet

Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

“I’ll answer it this way: My contract is through August of 2025.”

—LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman, when asked about a recent report that the league was looking to replace him with a new top executive. Norman, speaking to Sports Illustrated [[link removed]], said, “My commitment into the future is also unquestioned. Time will tell. Will there be a change in my role? My position and my role is to deliver 2025 and get our schedule done.”

The controversial tour has released only four international dates for its 2025 season. Negotiations between LIV’s financial backers at the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia and the PGA Tour remain ongoing. Earlier this month, Sports Business Journal reported the PIF had hired a search firm to find a new CEO [[link removed]].

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

NIL WATCH JuJu Scores Again

Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Front Office Sports keeps you updated on the latest NIL (name, image, and likeness) deals shaping college sports. Here’s who is cashing in now:

Athlete: JuJu Watkins Sport: Women’s basketball School: University of Southern California Brand: NYX Professional Makeup

The deal: NYX announced a partnership with the USC star Tuesday, making her the first women’s college basketball athlete to partner with a professional makeup brand. Watkins will participate in the brand’s “Make Them Look” campaign, which centers on female athlete empowerment. The brand first partnered with a female athlete in July through a partnership with professional gymnast Shilese Jones [[link removed]].

Last season, Watkins—who is sixth among women’s college basketball players according to On3’s NIL valuation [[link removed]] at $576,000—led the Trojans to the Elite Eight and a Pac-12 Conference championship. She agreed to deals with Gatorade and Nike earlier this month.

STATUS REPORT Two Up, One Down, One Push

Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Shaquille O’Neal ⬇ The NBA legend and president of Reebok Basketball is receiving backlash on social media [[link removed]] following comments he made about Angel Reese during an appearance on the Chicago Sky star’s podcast, Unapologetically Angel. O’Neal spoke about an outfit Reese, who is signed with Reebok, wore during an appearance on Wild ’n Out, calling them “little ass shorts.” The NBA legend, whom Reese referred to in the past as a “father figure,” insinuated the outfit would push sales of Reebok merchandise.

Adidas ⬆⬇ The sports apparel and sneaker giant announced during its Tuesday earnings that it reached an out-of-court settlement with rapper Ye (formerly known as Kanye West), officially ending their controversial partnership. Read more about the split [[link removed]] from Front Office Sports editorial director of news Lisa Scherzer and reporter Margaret Fleming.

Apple TV ⬆ Inter Miami’s 2–1 victory over Atlanta United in Game 1 of the MLS Cup playoffs Friday was the streamer’s “most widely viewed sporting event ever,” the company said. Specific ratings were not released. That was Lionel Messi’s first postseason game [[link removed]] since joining the league in 2023. Beyond MLS, Apple has had a package of MLB game broadcasts on Friday nights since 2022.

Jordan Brand ⬆ The brand released the Jordan Heir series [[link removed]], a line designed specifically for women. The series was designed with feedback from 15 of the brand’s women’s basketball ambassadors, including UCLA star guard Kiki Rice. It’s another sign that Nike, which owns Jordan Brand, is pushing its women’s basketball line—though Caitlin Clark’s much-anticipated signature shoe has yet to be announced.

SPONSORED BY CHEAT CODE

The Studio Taking Over Sports Media

In its first year, Cheat Code Agency has worked with some of the most iconic sports and entertainment brands in America. The group specializes in high-viewership content production, distribution, and brand growth strategy. Cheat Code is looking for sports and entertainment partners interested in game-changing social growth [[link removed]] and viewership.

Cofounders Grady Rains and Ben Gallagher have unparalleled experience running some of the most-viewed [[link removed]] entertainment brands on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube. They have amassed billions of views and millions of followers for the companies they’ve created and operated. Both Grady and Ben have been included on recent Forbes 30 Under 30 lists for their accomplishments as media executives.

Visit Cheat Code’s website [[link removed]] to request a meeting or customized capabilities deck.

Conversation Starters Disney and ESPN released teaser images for a Simpsons-themed alt-cast for Cowboys-Bengals on Dec. 9. Take a look [[link removed]]. Duke star Cooper Flagg, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft, is the first men’s college basketball player to sign an NIL deal with Gatorade [[link removed]]. Georgia Tech may have lost to Virginia Tech 21–6 in Blacksburg on Saturday, but that didn’t stop the Yellow Jackets from leaving their locker room at Lane Stadium nearly spotless. Take a look [[link removed]]. Editors’ Picks Trump, Harris, and Biden Can Be Tracked Through Secret Service Strava Users [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]A French newspaper discovered the movements of world leaders through their security. DraftKings Distances Itself From Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe After Trump Rally [[link removed]]by A.J. Perez [[link removed]]DraftKings says his jokes did not “reflect the views” of the company. NBA Opening Week Ratings Drop Due to Star Absences [[link removed]]by Colin Salao [[link removed]]The NBA season tipped off on Tuesday, Oct. 22. Advertise [[link removed]] Awards [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Events [[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]], 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