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Morning Edition

December 5, 2024

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How much will teams pay for a 26-year-old superstar outfielder? We may find out very soon.

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

Juan Soto’s $600M Free-Agent Saga Nears Endgame: The Finalists? [[link removed]]

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

There’s no white smoke yet for Juan Soto’s free-agent decision, but the closely watched deliberation that will almost certainly make sports history now appears to be approaching an endgame.

Soto’s agent, the powerful Scott Boras, said the star outfielder is now in the midst of trimming his list of potential clubs. There is still no firm timetable for Soto to make a choice, but a deal of some sort is widely expected during or near baseball’s upcoming winter meetings, set for Dec. 9–12 in Dallas.

“He’s begun the process of eliminating teams and doing things,” Boras said following the introductory press conference that the Dodgers held for free-agent acquisition Blake Snell [[link removed]]. “Juan is a very methodical thinker, so we’ll see.”

All eyes in the sports world have been fixed on Soto for more than a month as he is still expected to sign a pact for more than $600 million [[link removed]], representing at least the second-largest player contract in North American pro sports history, and perhaps beating Shohei Ohtani’s 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers in present-day value depending on the amount of deferrals involved.

Soto is believed to have received at least five contract offers, with the Blue Jays, Dodgers, Mets, Red Sox, and Yankees reportedly at the top of the list of suitors for the 26-year-old outfielder.

Recent days, however, have shown a wildly divergent mix of supposed leanings of Soto’s sentiment. The Blue Jays—backed by arguably the most powerful ownership group in pro sports [[link removed]] and recently boosted by an extended visit from Taylor Swift [[link removed]]—have been thought to be unrivaled [[link removed]] in their initial offer to Soto.

The Mets, backed by MLB’s richest team owner in Steve Cohen [[link removed]], are still seen as the prohibitive favorite to land Soto [[link removed]], though. The Red Sox, boasting four titles in the team’s current John Henry–led era, have pulled back their spending in recent years, but are also thought to be potentially roaring back to power [[link removed]] with a Soto signing.

The Dodgers, meanwhile, boast the league’s most recent World Series title [[link removed]] and league-leading attendance [[link removed]], and they have their own penchant for bold, unprecedented free-agent moves. The Yankees were Soto’s last team, a place where he both starred and enjoyed himself, and managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner recently said of the chase to retain him [[link removed]], “I’ve got ears. I know what’s expected of me.”

Market Moves

Beyond just Soto, the overall MLB free-agent market this offseason is already starting to develop faster than a year ago, and it could hit a further crescendo at the winter meetings. Boras suggested the heightened activity could owe in part to more clarity existing now with teams’ local media rights. Even as several clubs have taken reduced rights fees for 2025, the recent resolution of Diamond Sports Group’s bankruptcy [[link removed]] gives a greater dose of certainty in this critical revenue stream, at least in the short term.

“This streaming thing that they have going on is very viable, very profitable,” Boras said of MLB clubs. “I don’t think they like to say that, but obviously the markets indicate that there is a different attitude about what it is.

“Who’s in the market has a lot to do with things, too. You have major-market franchises, you have a generational talent in the market [in Soto],” he said.

76ers Sweeten Arena Deal, Offer More Benefits Despite Fierce Opposition [[link removed]]

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The 76ers are so devoted to their push to build a $1.55 billion downtown arena, that they are now willing to increase how much they pay in community benefits.

David Gould, the team’s corporate affairs officer, told the Philadelphia City Council this week that they are open to raising the $50 million in a proposed community benefits agreement (CBA) that would be part of the arena project. Those benefits would be used to aid local businesses impacted by the arena’s construction, enhanced security and street cleaning in the area, and other related civic needs.

“We are in conversations with the council president about the overall CBA number,” Gould told the council. “We are considering adjustment.”

The long-discussed arena in Philadelphia’s Center City has always been premised on being privately financed, led by the 76ers’ ownership, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment. The project, however, has been highly combative on multiple fronts, particularly with the neighboring Chinatown neighborhood fearful of potential gentrification and the forcing out of incumbent ethnic communities. Wells Fargo Center owner Comcast Spectacor, meanwhile, would like to keep the 76ers [[link removed]] in the South Philadelphia sports complex.

The 76ers had previously sought to pay no more than $50 million in CBA funds. But the team is eagerly seeking to get city council approval before a Dec. 19 winter recess. Mayor Cherelle Parker is an ardent supporter of the arena [[link removed]], but sentiment on the 17-member council is likely to be more divided.

“The minimum has to be another $10 million, if you want to be realistic, but I think we need more than that,” said councilmember Mark Squilla, whose district includes the proposed arena site, referring to the CBA money. “I don’t think we as a body would support anything less than that, so there has to be some give.”

Other councilmembers, meanwhile, bristled at the broader prospect of considering such a massive project in the next two weeks.

“This timeline is not fair,” said councilmember Rue Landau. “It is not respectful, it’s wrong, and we want answers to our questions.”

More Concerns

The ongoing arena drama is the latest turn in what has already been an ugly 2024–2025 season for the 76ers. The team had a 5–14 record entering Wednesday’s home game against the Magic, the second-worst in the Eastern Conference.

The team’s defining on-court storyline, meanwhile, has been the ongoing game absences, a three-game suspension, and the load-management debate [[link removed]] surrounding star center Joel Embiid. The 2022–23 NBA MVP has appeared in just four games so far this season.

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WNBA Expansion Draft Drama: Picks Will Be Revealed, Not Player Pool [[link removed]]

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The WNBA expansion draft for the Golden State Valkyries [[link removed]] is on Friday, but there will be a missing component come draft night.

The Valkyries may choose one player at most from each of the other 12 franchises, all of which had a Nov. 25 deadline to submit a list of six protected players to the WNBA. However, when the draft airs on ESPN on Friday night, the list of unprotected players—which is the pool the Valkyries can choose from—will not be revealed. Instead, only the players the Valkyries select will be shown to the public, a source confirmed to Front Office Sports.

It’s unclear why the WNBA has decided not to publicly declare the draft pool. Other professional sports leagues that have held expansion drafts this decade have revealed the list of each team’s unprotected players, including the NHL (2021), MLS (2022), and NWSL (2023).

However, the simple answer may be for the WNBA to safeguard the relationship between teams and players—particularly those unprotected but not selected by Golden State, who will then return to their original franchises knowing they were exposed in the draft.

There are already several teams dealing with player issues across the league. Last month, the Seattle Storm launched an investigation into their coaching staff [[link removed]] due to allegations of player mistreatment. On Wednesday, the team announced the investigation had not discovered any violations [[link removed]]. The Las Vegas Aces are also embroiled in a discrimination lawsuit [[link removed]] filed by former player Dearica Hamby, who is now on the Los Angeles Sparks.

A Successful Yet Tense Year

While the 2024 season drove record viewership [[link removed]] for the league, there was also a ton of tension among players, fans, and the media. The newfound attention brought by Caitlin Clark sparked accusations of mistreatment against her by peers, including when she received a body check from the Chicago Sky’s Chennedy Carter in June [[link removed]]. The Sky players claimed they were harassed [[link removed]] near their hotel in D.C. following the incident.

There were also underlying racial elements that were brought into the discussion of the rivalry between Clark and Sky rookie Angel Reese. In September, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert compared the rivalry to the one Larry Bird and Magic Johnson had in the NBA during the 1980s.

“But the one thing I know about sports, you need rivalry. That’s what makes people watch. They want to watch games of consequence between rivals. They don’t want everybody being nice to one another,” Engelbert said on CNBC’s Power Lunch.

Engelbert received backlash from WNBA stars and the WNBPA [[link removed]] for her statements due to a perception that she failed to defend those who have received hateful comments.

“There is absolutely no place in sport—or in life—for the vile hate, racist language, homophobic comments, and the misogynistic attacks our players are facing on social media,” WNBPA executive director Terri Jackson responded on X.

Weeks later, players from the Connecticut Sun, who eliminated Clark and the Indiana Fever in the playoffs, claimed they faced “racist” comments [[link removed]] throughout the two-game playoff run. The Fever’s NaLyssa Smith even claimed that her girlfriend, Sun guard DiJonai Carrington, received death threats [[link removed]] after she inadvertently poked Clark in the eye in Game 1.

ONE BIG FIG The Don of Commissioners

Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

28

The number of years Don Garber will have been commissioner of Major League Soccer at the conclusion of his most recent contract extension through 2027, which was announced this week. Garber, 67, took the reins of MLS on Sept. 1, 1999, when the league had 12 teams. In 2025, San Diego FC will become the 30th MLS franchise.

Garber’s 25 years at MLS thus far make him the second-longest-tenured commissioner of a top North American sports league, behind the NHL’s Gary Bettman (31 years). NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is third, having served for 18 years.

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The Eagles’ Super Bowl ambitions were bolstered by a 24–19 win over the Ravens. The winning combo of Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley delivered once again.

Hurts completed 11 of 19 passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns, one rushing and one passing. Barkley reinforced his case to become the first non-QB MVP since 2012 by rushing for 107 yards and one touchdown.

Get your own [[link removed]] Winning Combo of the Week at Wendy’s [[link removed]], and try the all-new Mushroom Bacon Cheeseburger with a Dr Pepper.

Conversation Starters Michigan and Ohio State drew 12.3 million viewers [[link removed]] Saturday on Fox, the second-most-watched college football game of the season. The Patriots are constructing a new football-exclusive training center in Foxborough, which will include a nutrition center, expanded weight rooms, and virtual reality rooms. Check out [[link removed]] the renderings. The NFL’s second Black Friday game between the Chiefs and Raiders averaged 13.5 million viewers [[link removed]], up 41% over last year’s game, but well below the 34.2 million average of the Thanksgiving Day tripleheader. Editors’ Picks Club World Cup Ends Up on DAZN After Apple Deal Falls Through [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]DAZN will stream all 63 tournament matches for free starting next June. Tulsa Football Players Say Fired Coach Promised NIL Cash That Never Materialized [[link removed]]by Margaret Fleming [[link removed]]Their now-fired coach says none of his players would get NIL money. The NFL’s Top Clichés: 10 Tired Broadcast Platitudes [[link removed]]by Michael McCarthy [[link removed]]Viewers must wade through a stream of clichés during games and studio shows. Question of the Day

Will the Sixers end up building a new arena in Philadelphia’s Chinatown neighborhood?

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

Wednesday’s result: 40% of respondents think the best 12 teams have been correctly identified by the College Football Playoff rankings.

Advertise [[link removed]] Awards [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Events [[link removed]] Video [[link removed]] Podcast [[link removed]] Written by Eric Fisher [[link removed]], Colin Salao [[link removed]], David Rumsey [[link removed]] Edited by Matthew Tabeek [[link removed]], Or Moyal [[link removed]], Catherine Chen [[link removed]]

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