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Morning Edition

January 17, 2025

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Should an NFL part-owner be calling playoff games featuring two coaches his franchise may hire? That’s the question circling Tom Brady this weekend.

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

‘Brady Rules’ Tested As He Calls Game Featuring Raiders Coach Targets [[link removed]]

Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Tom Brady is calling Fox’s broadcast of the Commanders-Lions NFC divisional-round playoff game Saturday night. He’s also considering Detroit’s two coordinators for the Raiders’ head coach position—maybe even trying to lure one of them.

Is that a conflict of interest?

The “Brady Rules” that were created when the seven-time Super Bowl champion became a part-owner of the Raiders [[link removed]] on top of his $375 million gig [[link removed]] with Fox’s No. 1 NFL team haven’t slowed down the future Hall of Famer on TV, but they are coming under the biggest spotlight yet this postseason.

Brady can’t take part in traditional announcer perks like attending production meetings and team practices or entering team facilities. However, nothing is preventing him from speaking to other teams’ coaches on his own, which he has done.

The Raiders have already conducted virtual interviews with Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. Raiders majority owner Mark Davis previously said Brady would have a “huge” say [[link removed]] in the future direction of the team—and he is reported to be heavily involved in both the coach and GM search.

This week, Johnson said the only time he has ever met Brady in person was at Lambeau Field during pregame warmups before the Lions-Packers Week 6 game, which Brady called for Fox.

Brady could reach out to Johnson—rumored to be the top candidate for Las Vegas—or Glenn again ahead of Saturday’s game and certainly could cross paths with them before kickoff at Ford Field.

What Will Brady Say?

It will be interesting to see whether Brady addresses Johnson’s or Glenn’s interviews with the Raiders.

When Fox aired the Eagles-Buccaneers game in Week 4, Brady gave his thoughts [[link removed]] on some comments Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield had made about Brady’s leadership style while playing for the Bucs. This situation is very different, though.

Brady did not call a Raiders game this year, but he did work a game involving the AFC West rival Chiefs and conducted a sit-down interview with star quarterback Patrick Mahomes [[link removed]].

To close out his first season at Fox, Brady will call the NFC championship game and Super Bowl LIX.

MLB History Repeating? Free-Agent Stars Risk ‘Boras Four’ Fate [[link removed]]

Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

After a frenetic, record-setting beginning to MLB’s offseason hot-stove period, the free-agency market has slowed considerably to a near-crawl as several big names are still looking for new professional homes.

The first six weeks of the offseason included a massive run of deals that included the historic, $765 million contract between the Mets and Juan Soto [[link removed]], a flurry of moves by the Yankees to help counter that superstar’s departure, [[link removed]] the Dodgers continuing to flex their financial and competitive might [[link removed]] with a $182 million pact for pitcher Blake Snell [[link removed]], and even a surprising, $210 million agreement between the Diamondbacks and star pitcher Corbin Burnes [[link removed]].

Recent weeks, however, have revealed a much more cautious cadence, leaving former All-Stars such as Pete Alonso, Alex Bregman, Anthony Santander, and Tanner Scott still unsigned. The changing mood of the current free-agent market arrives as teams have upcoming arbitration hearings for eligible players who haven’t reached deals with their clubs, and franchises are now looking to finalize player payrolls for the upcoming 2025 season.

Spring training camps, meanwhile, open in less than a month [[link removed]] for all 30 clubs.

The elongated timetable for the collection of still-unsigned star free agents recalls the “Boras Four” of the 2023–2024 offseason, a group of players represented by top agent Scott Boras and including Snell, fellow pitcher Jordan Montgomery, outfielder Cody Bellinger, and third-baseman Matt Chapman. Each of the quartet signed late in last year’s cycle with contracts below initial expectations, and then often struggled on the field—particularly in the early part of the 2024 season.

Snell since recovered to sign his big deal with the Dodgers, the former National League MVP Bellinger is now part of the Yankees’ recent retooling and is eyed for a big comeback in 2025, Montgomery returned to the Diamondbacks [[link removed]] after being a target of criticism by team owner Ken Kendrick, and Chapman signed a six-year, $151 million extension with the Giants in September.

Boras represents Alonso and Bregman, with the former perhaps now considering a shorter-term contract [[link removed]] with opt-outs in a situation said to be growing more urgent [[link removed]], and the latter reportedly less inclined to abandon a long-term agreement [[link removed]].

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Unrivaled Tips Off: New Women’s League Bets Big on WNBA Stars [[link removed]]

Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 professional women’s basketball league cofounded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, tips off Friday. The league’s launch comes at an opportune time in women’s basketball given the steep rise in viewership and attendance of the sport, both in the WNBA and NCAA.

But launching a new pro sports league is a risk. There are numerous examples of ambitious leagues that were unable to sustain their business—the XFL being the most prominent. Even the WNBA just recently found its footing after financial issues threatened its long-term existence.

Unlike other upstarts, Unrivaled’s pool of players have established fan bases since all 36 players in its inaugural season are from the WNBA. According to Horizon Sports and Experiences CEO David Levy, whose firm was one of the initial lead investors in Unrivaled, the player pool is the league’s secret sauce.

“Why I think this is going to be successful is because the names on the back of the jerseys are the best of the best,” Levy told Front Office Sports.

Levy, the former president of Turner who reportedly helped facilitate the league’s multiyear media-rights deal with TNT [[link removed]], said a base of WNBA stars not only helps in bringing viewership, but also in securing additional investors and brand partnerships such as Under Armour, Samsung Galaxy, and Sephora. Its slew of investors [[link removed]] includes athletes such as Alex Morgan and Giannis Antetokounmpo, as well as firms like Avenue Sports Fund and the Black Economic Alliance Venture Fund.

While Levy stayed mum on his target ROI date for the Unrivaled investment, he did make it clear it’s “way ahead” of the initial forecasts given by president Alex Bazzell in early 2024. Given the league’s increase to a 36-player pool from an original announcement of 30, it seems its budget has increased over the last few months.

Missing Piece

Noticeably absent from Unrivaled is Caitlin Clark, who, FOS reported in October, the league attempted to lure with “a Lionel Messi–like” deal [[link removed]]. Levy did not shy away from acknowledging Clark’s absence as he mentioned the importance of star power in the league’s success this year and moving forward.

“As Alex has said multiple times, if she’s interested, we’re interested,” Levy told FOS. “How could we not? I think she’ll add a lot to the league. But I also think the league is going to be very successful because the league is not built on one name.”

While Unrivaled has left the door open [[link removed]] for Clark to join in the future, it has already secured an investment from college star JuJu Watkins and signed NIL deals with Paige Bueckers and Flau’jae Johnson, all of whom are expected to join once they turn pro.

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Just one year ago, it was anyone’s guess how the new College Football Playoff format would actually work. But since then, the CFP has gone from a four-team, two-week event to a 12-team, monthlong extravaganza. It staged on-campus Playoff games for the first time in history, awarded more than $100 million to conferences and independent Notre Dame, and showcased the sport’s parity with several postseason newcomers.

After a long weekend of festivities in Atlanta, the event will culminate in the national championship game on Jan. 20, which will feature two historic college football juggernauts in Notre Dame and Ohio State.

Read the full article [[link removed]] and find all things college sports in our Business of College Sports [[link removed]] content hub.

Conversation Starters LeBron James admitted the NBA could not keep up with the NFL’s viewership on Christmas. “You guys kicked our ass,” James said on the New Heights podcast with Travis and Jason Kelce. Watch it here [[link removed]]. The Colts will be the first NFL team to host a regular-season game in Berlin [[link removed]]. Victor Wembanyama had a jersey swap with a young fan last month. The jersey he gave is now up for auction [[link removed]] with a starting price of $10,000. Editors’ Picks Angel Reese Raves About Unrivaled: ‘This Is What the Women Deserve’ [[link removed]]by Margaret Fleming [[link removed]]She said Thursday that the pressure is on the WNBA to step up its game. Australian Open Animating Matches on YouTube in Broadcast Loophole [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]The animated players have drawn comparisons to Wii Sports characters. USOPC, Prime Hydration Reach Settlement in Trademark Dispute [[link removed]]by A.J. Perez [[link removed]]Terms of the out-of-court settlement were not disclosed. Question of the Day

Do you think Tom Brady will return to the Fox broadcast booth next season?

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

Thursday’s result: Half of our respondents would pay $100 to stream their favorite MLB team’s games for a full season.

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