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Afternoon Edition

August 19, 2025

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Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte has signed an 11-year, $38.8 million contract extension. It’s a sign of the growing money in college sports—a trend moving forward with seemingly little resistance.

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

Texas AD Del Conte Signs $38M Deal, but Still Not Highest-Paid AD [[link removed]]

Ricardo B. Brazziell-Imagn Images

Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte has agreed to an 11-year, $38.8 million contract extension that will keep him in Austin as one of the highest-paid executives in college sports.

Del Conte’s new deal will pay him a $2.9 million base salary this fiscal year, a number that is set to escalate to $4.25 million by 2036, the final year of the extension. Del Conte’s average annual salary under the reworked 11-year pact will amount to nearly $3.53 million, although it’s likely he could receive another raise before the new expiration date—he most recently received an extension in 2023.

Still above Del Conte, though, is Tennessee AD Danny White, whose total compensation reached $3.35 million this past fiscal year. White, the former AD at Central Florida, was hired in Knoxville in 2021 and received an extension and raise last year.

Everything Is Bigger in Texas

During the 2023–24 fiscal year, Texas had record operating expenses and revenues [[link removed]] of $325 million and $331.9 million, respectively. That marked the first time a Division I public school reported more than $300 million in both revenues and expenses in the same year.

Texas has made the College Football Playoff semifinals each of the past two seasons and enters the 2025 season as the No. 1–ranked team in the nation.

“The popularity of the Texas Longhorns is at an all-time high,” football coach Steve Sarkisian said last month at SEC media days.

Texas is entering its second season in the SEC, after drawing huge TV ratings and big attendance numbers [[link removed]] during its debut campaign in the conference, which ended with a loss to Georgia in the SEC championship game.

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Front Office Sports and Gainbridge® go behind the scenes [[link removed]] of the inaugural 2024–25 season, capturing the energy, challenges, and triumphs of building a professional women’s soccer league from the ground up [[link removed]]. With perspectives from league president Amanda Vandervort, Gainbridge’s chief of sponsorships Mike Nichols, and players Addie McCain, Emina Ekić, and Jordyn Listro, the story explores how this league is redefining the sport and inspiring the next generation.

PGA Tour Will Return to Trump Doral for New $20M Signature Event [[link removed]]

John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

The PGA Tour will return to Trump National Doral next season after a 10-year absence, bringing a new big-money tournament to the South Florida course owned by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Doral last hosted a PGA Tour event in 2016, but in 2026, it will be the home of the Miami Championship, set to be played April 30 to May 3. It’s likely a sponsor will be brought on and added to the tournament’s official name. The event will take place the week before LIV Golf plays its first U.S. event of its 2026 season at Trump National Golf Club Washington D.C. [[link removed]] in Sterling, Va., on May 8–10.

The PGA Tour released its 2026 schedule Tuesday morning, confirming the addition of the Doral tournament, which will become the circuit’s ninth signature event, featuring an elevated field and $20 million purse. For the past three seasons, there have been eight signature events [[link removed]].

The Miami Championship is the only new tournament on the 2026 schedule. The Mexico Open, which was played in February this year, has been part of the PGA Tour since 2022, but it is no longer on the main season calendar. Several other tournaments will be played on different weeks of the year than they typically have, though.

Trump Back With PGA Tour

When Trump was re-elected in November, many players and other PGA Tour leaders anticipated his return to the White House helping push forward negotiations [[link removed]] with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, which financially backs LIV Golf.

“Those talks have been significantly bolstered by President Trump’s willingness to serve as a facilitator,” PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said in March [[link removed]], after a meeting at the White House [[link removed]] involving Monahan, Trump, Tiger Woods, Adam Scott, and PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan.

Before November’s election, Trump said he could [[link removed]] get a PGA Tour–PIF deal done in “the better part of 15 minutes.”

However, as the golf season ends this week with the Tour Championship in Atlanta and LIV’s team championship in Detroit, the rival tours still appear to remain far apart on any sort of merger or reintegration. LIV has not released its full 2026 schedule, but it has confirmed multiple dates for events next year.

EXCLUSIVE

New President of Cleveland’s WNBA Expansion Team Maps Out Future

Allison Howard, the new president of Cleveland’s WNBA expansion team, says the franchise is already studying rivals like the Golden State Valkyries while leveraging the Cavaliers’ resources to build its foundation. For more on Colin Salao’s exclusive interview with Howard, read here [[link removed]].

Rockies Are No Longer on Record-Setting Path to Rock Bottom [[link removed]]

Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Rockies’ march to ignominy has hit a bump in the road—in a rather positive way for the beleaguered MLB club.

The franchise, which earlier this season was well on pace [[link removed]] to post the worst single-season record in modern baseball history, is no longer on target for that ugly history. By winning its 36th game of the season Monday night against the Dodgers, and fourth straight overall, the Rockies are just six victories away from surpassing the win total of last year’s White Sox, the sport’s current standard-bearer for losing.

Colorado still has nearly six weeks and 37 games left in the regular season to get that 42nd win, but the way it is now surging, it appears poised to hit that with plenty of time to spare. The Rockies are 8–9 this month, and 14–15 since the All-Star break, measures that in both instances essentially match the division-leading Dodgers.

Even as Los Angeles has begun to reassert its competitive dominance [[link removed]] in recent days, the Rockies made a statement of their own, walking off the Dodgers on Monday with a dramatic, ninth-inning single by first baseman Warming Bernabel. The heroics gave the Rockies their first win of the season against the Dodgers.

“You definitely see flashes,” said Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman. “We’re a super-young team. But getting that learning experience and figuring out how to win at this level, and how to do it together as a team, has been pretty cool to watch the last month or so.”

The Rockies are on pace for a 47–115 record, which would match the performance of several recent teams, such as the 2018 Orioles and 2019 Tigers, that have since rebounded to become playoff entrants.

Still Plenty of Holes

Despite the recent on-field improvement, the Rockies still have plenty of issues. The team has by far the worst run differential in the league, more than doubling the negative margin of the next-worst team, the Nationals. There is currently little in the way of front-line talent for the Rockies, suggesting that the rebuilding effort still will be a multiyear effort. Top draft picks such as Ethan Holliday [[link removed]], the son of former Colorado star Matt Holliday, are likely years away from reaching the majors. A 100-loss season for the third year in a row remains quite likely.

The Monfort family, who owns the Rockies and has generated widespread criticism for its stewardship of the team, is likely to continue into another generation. The team promoted 38-year-old Walker Monfort, son of chairman and CEO Dick Monfort, to EVP in June, and beginning in January, he will lead the club’s day-to-day business operations. Younger brother Sterling Monfort is the club’s director of professional scouting operations.

Fans, meanwhile, are still taking something of a wait-and-see attitude regarding watching the Rockies at Coors Field. The club is now down 6% in attendance at 29,312 per game, 17th in MLB. That decline has accelerated from a 1.3% drop in early June.

FRONT OFFICE SPORTS TODAY Alcaraz vs. Sinner: Greatest Tennis Rivalry Ever?

FOS illustration

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz met head-to-head this week for the 14th time, with Sinner retiring early from the Cincinnati Open due to illness. Despite that, there’s a very real chance these two meet in the final for the U.S. Open, which begins next week. Giri Nathan, author of Changeover, explains where this rivalry ranks in the history of tennis and what to expect going forward.

Plus, Patriots legend Julian Edelman gives his assessment of new head coach Mike Vrabel and lets us know where things stand with the members of the New England dynasty as Tom Brady’s statue is unveiled.

Also, the NBA could restrict player props, YouTube finalizes its NFL crew for the Brazil game that will be livestreamed, and we have a record-setting transfer fee in the NWSL.

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

EVENT

Stephen A. Smith and Clay Travis will take the stage at Tuned In on Sept. 16 to debate sports, politics, and the business of both. They’re part of an absolutely stacked lineup for the biggest sports media event of the year. Register now before ticket prices increase [[link removed]].

STATUS REPORT Two Up, Two Down

David Butler II-Imagn Images

Indiana Fever ⬇ Sophie Cunningham will miss the rest of the 2025 season after sustaining a right knee injury in Sunday’s win over the Connecticut Sun, the team announced Tuesday. The Fever signed veteran guard Shey Peddy to a seven-day hardship deal while releasing Kyra Lambert, but they remain shorthanded, with star Caitlin Clark still sidelined since mid-July with a groin injury.

Daniel Jones ⬆ The Colts named Jones, who signed a one-year, $14 million deal [[link removed]] with Indianapolis this offseason, their starting quarterback for Week 1 against the Dolphins. Anthony Richardson, the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, will be the backup quarterback. Last season, the Giants cut Jones—the No. 6 overall pick in the 2019 draft—in November [[link removed]] after benching him. Had Jones been significantly injured while playing, $23 million of his 2025 salary would have been guaranteed.

Lizbeth Ovalle ⬆ The Orlando Pride are reportedly set to acquire the Mexican star from Liga MX’s Tigres Femenil for a transfer fee expected to break the women’s soccer record. ESPN reported it may be worth $1.5 million, while other outlets have reported the fee could be as high as $2 million. The current transfer-fee record is $1.34 million (£1 million), which Arsenal paid Liverpool for Olivia Smith.

Jannik Sinner ⬇ The Italian withdrew from the US Open mixed doubles [[link removed]] tournament Tuesday, just hours before the start of the competition. Sinner, who turned 24 on Saturday, retired [[link removed]] during the first set of his match against Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the Cincinnati Open on Monday due to illness. It’s still unclear whether Sinner, who is set to relinquish his world No. 1 ranking to Alcaraz, will be available for the US Open men’s singles competition next week.

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Editors’ Picks Full Celtics Ownership Picture Clearer As Chisholm Takes Over [[link removed]]by Ben Horney [[link removed]]Chisholm immediately takes over as lead governor. The Texas Oil Billionaire Leading the Newest College Sports Lobbying Effort [[link removed]]by Amanda Christovich [[link removed]]The Texas oil billionaire appears to have an ally in President Trump. Chase Daniel Joins ESPN As College Football Analyst [[link removed]]by Ryan Glasspiegel [[link removed]]Daniel had a 13-year NFL career and was most recently an FS1 host. DISCLAIMER

1. A.M. Best Company assigns ratings from A++ to S based on a company’s financial strength and ability to meet obligations to contract holders. A- (Excellent) is the 4th highest of 16 ratings. Visit www.ambest.com. Ratings are current as of August 13th, 2025, and subject to change.

2. Group 1001 assets under management as of March 31, 2025.

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