January 7, 2022

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The NFL is still the king of U.S. sports. In 2021, 75 of the top 100 most-watched programs were NFL games. The majority were “Sunday Night Football” games, and 29 were in prime time.

Inter Miami CF Nears $1B Stadium Deal

Miami Freedom Park/Design: Alex Brooks

Miami is one City Commission vote away from a dedicated MLS soccer stadium.

Inter Miami CF and the city struck a deal [[link removed]] on a $1 billion project to redevelop the Melreese Golf Course and Country Club into a stadium and surrounding commerce area.

The deal, which has mayor Francis Suarez’s backing, must now go before a City Commission vote, which could happen later this month.

The project is designed around a roughly 27,000-seat soccer stadium.It would also include a shopping mall, hotel, and park. Team majority owner Jorge Mas said [[link removed]] in 2018 that the team would pick up the cost of the land, estimated at $35 million, and that the city would receive revenue from operations.

The team currently plays at DRV PNK stadium in Fort Lauderdale, which Mas said would host a second team and continue to act as a training facility. Mas, his brother Jose Mas, co-owner David Beckham, and others invested over $100 million to build “Drive Pink,” as it is often called.

Cash Infusion

In September, the team received [[link removed]] a $150 million investment from Ares Management. The funds were connected to the previous month’s buyout of Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son and International CEO Marcelo Claure, who collectively owned around 48% of the team.

Inter Miami was valued around $600 million to $650 million at the time of the buyout.

Playtech Delays $3.7B Takeover by Aristocrat

Playtech/Design: Alex Brooks

London-based gambling software development company Playtech has delayed a $3.7 billion takeover by slot machine maker Aristocrat.

The potential acquisition was announced in October, with plans for Australia-based Aristocrat to raise $964.2 million in a share sale to help fund the purchase.

Playtech is instead kickstarting a bidding war after Aristocrat’s rival JKO Play expressed interest in purchasing the business last November.

The U.K. Takeover Panel is giving JKO Play until Jan. 26 to make an offer to purchase Playtech.

Over the past year, Playtech has offloaded several properties.

In January 2021, the company completed the sale [[link removed]] of British software developer YoYo Games to Opera for $10 million.It sold its financial trading division Finalto to Gopher Investments in September in an all-cash deal valued at $250 million. Sports Betting Ties

In October 2020, Aristocrat CEO Trevor Crocker said the company was looking to either “buy or build” its way into sports betting.

The company wasted no time, participating in a $15 million financing round for sports betting technology startup Simplebet last March.

SPONSORED BY TAGGER MEDIA

How NASCAR Went Viral

When the pandemic forced pro sports to go virtual, no one was sure just how things would go – least of all something as fan-focused as NASCAR.

The good news? That concern is all but a speck in their rearview mirror now.

NASCAR’s virtual efforts were a huge hit [[link removed]], demonstrating impressive engagement and keeping fans entertained through one of the bleakest times in recent memory.

This article from Tagger – the experts [[link removed]] in influencer marketing – explores NASCAR’s pivot, as well as some of the key takeaways from their streaming success. It’s a must-read if you’re looking to dip your toes into the virtual sports (or influencer marketing) world this year.

Read [[link removed]] the article.

New Yorker Files $6B Lawsuit Against Giants, Jets

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports/Design: Alex Brooks

One of the New York NFL teams being sued by a Manhattan resident over the use of “New York” in their club’s name knocked the validity of the lawsuit filed in federal court this week.

Abdiell Suero seeks $6 billion in damages and for the New York Giants and New York Jets to return to a stadium in New York by the start of the 2026 season — or change their team names, according to the federal complaint. Both teams have played in New Jersey for decades and currently share MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

“This case has no merit, and we will defend it vigorously,” the Giants said in a statement. The Jets and the NFL declined comment.

The Giants have played in New Jersey since 1976, with the Jets joining them there in 1984.

The lawsuit, which seeks class-action status, alleges false advertising, deceptive practices and even interstate wire fraud.

New City, Same Name

The Jets and Giants aren’t the only NFL teams playing outside the city in their names.

The San Francisco 49ers relocated to Santa Clara’s Levi Stadium in 2014. Washington Football Team has headquarters in Ashburn, Virginia, and the team has played in Landover, Maryland, since 1997. The Dallas Cowboys haven’t competed in Dallas proper since 1971. The Buffalo Bills have played in Orchard Park, New York, since 1973.

Darren Heitner, founder of Heitner Legal and sports law professor at the University of Florida, told Front Office Sports that a “statute of limitations will be one of the numerous defenses made in a forthcoming motion to dismiss.”

Conversation Starters In The Leadoff, NCAA athletes cash in during the first six months of the NIL era, China looks to rebound after a $33 billion sports industry dip, the Drone Racing League plans a crypto-based video game, and Mojo Vision raises $45 million and partners with Adidas. Click here to listen [[link removed]]. The NFL will keep its plans in place for Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium on Feb. 13, despite a surge in COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles, per [[link removed]] spokesperson Brian McCarthy. ESPN plans to air a ManningCast-like broadcast [[link removed]] of “Sunday Night Baseball” with Alex Rodriguez and commentator Michael Kay. The eight broadcasts will be on ESPN2. “College GameDay” co-host Desmond Howard had a standout college career at Michigan and played 11 seasons in the NFL, winning the 1991 Heisman Trophy and Super Bowl XXI MVP. Sports Section sat down with Howard [[link removed]]to talk about Monday’s CFP championship, his career at Michigan, and that legendary punt return. Subscribe to Sports Section [[link removed]] for more conversations with figures from across the world of sports.

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All you need to do is pick a color that’s most you, then get ready for comfort you need to feel to believe — so treat yourself [[link removed]!] today.

Fanatics Goes All In on Collectibles

Find out exactly what’s happening in the private markets every week with highlights from our Front Office Sports Insights Deal Tracker.

We carefully monitor both public and private market data to capture a picture of what the sports landscape looks like.

Insights Deal Tracker Highlights This Week [[link removed]]:

The Atlanta Hawks had a 6% ownership stake purchased by Blue Owl Capital for an undisclosed amount. Zupee, the developer of a real-money gaming platform intended to offer quiz tournaments to users and help them earn cash online, raised a $102 million Series B from WestCap group. Topps, manufacturer of sports collectibles, confections, and other memorabilia, was acquired by Fanatics for a reported $500 million. Mojo Vision, an AR contact lens developer, raised a $45 million Series B round from Amazon Alexa Fund, PTC, Edge Investments, and HiJoJo Partners. Real Salt Lake, the MLS franchise based out of Salt Lake City, Utah, was acquired by David Blitzer and Arctos Sports partners for a reported $400 million. The Athletic, a subscription-based sports media platform, was acquired by the New York Times for a reported $550 million.

Try out the full Deal Tracker here [[link removed]].

Market Movers

U.S. stocks were mixed on Friday. Here’s a look at how sports-related stocks performed:

WWE [[link removed]]

World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.

[[link removed]]

$50.04

[[link removed]]

+1.58%

[[link removed]] T [[link removed]]

AT&T, Inc.

[[link removed]]

$26.37

[[link removed]]

+2.49%

[[link removed]] MANU [[link removed]]

Manchester United Plc.

[[link removed]]

$14.76

[[link removed]]

-0.81%

[[link removed]] VSTO [[link removed]]

Vista Outdoor Inc

[[link removed]]

$46.83

[[link removed]]

-2.44%

[[link removed]] NKE [[link removed]]

Nike, Inc.

[[link removed]]

$156.93

[[link removed]]

-2.58%

[[link removed]] (Note: All as of market close on 1/7/22) Sponsored by Learn More [[link removed]] Listing of securities is not a recommendation to trade. Sponsored by Learn More [[link removed]] Listing of securities is not a recommendation to trade. What to Watch

The Milwaukee Bucks (25-15) face the Brooklyn Nets (24-12) tonight at Barclays Center.

How to Watch: 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN

Betting Odds: Nets -5 || ML -195 || O/U 232* ( Bet on DraftKings [[link removed]])

Pick: Expect the Bucks to continue their dominance over the Nets. Take Milwaukee to cover.

Who ya got? Reply to this newsletter with your prediction for the Bucks-Nets winner and final score.

*Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook [[link removed]]for details.

Written by Owen Poindexter [[link removed]], Justin Byers [[link removed]], A.J. Perez [[link removed]]

MORE FROM FOS:

Sports Section [[link removed]] - Daily Sports Newsletter

The Leadoff [[link removed]] - Daily Business of Sports Podcast

Front Office Sports Insights [[link removed]] - The most promising opportunities where sports meets industry

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