February 11, 2022

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The Seattle Kraken made their debut as the NHL’s 32nd franchise this season, and they’re set for another first. On Feb. 17, Everett Fitzhugh and J.T. Brown will become the first all-Black broadcasting booth in NHL history when they call the Kraken’s game against the Winnipeg Jets.

Super Bowl Could Move to London in 2026

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports/Design: Alex Brooks

Two days before Sunday’s Big Game, the locations for the next three Super Bowls are set. However, the host city for 2026 — or even the continent — remains unknown.

London-based Premier League team Tottenham Hotspur is hoping [[link removed]] to make history as the first non-U.S. host for the Super Bowl.

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium hosts two NFL regular-season games per year, after the team and league inked a 10-year, $54.5 million deal in 2015.In addition to the fee for using the stadium, the team collects concession, food, and drink revenue during the NFL games. Fans may purchase alcohol at any point during NFL games, whereas they are restricted to halftime for Premier League matches.The team is still looking for a 20-year, $544.7 million naming rights deal for the $1.6 billion stadium, which opened in April 2019.

A game in London could necessitate an unusual kickoff time, as the city is five hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time in the U.S.

Bundesliga Jumping In

Munich will host Germany’s first NFL game next season, the NFL announced [[link removed]] Wednesday. Allianz Arena, home to FC Bayern Munich, will host a regular-season game, then alternate with Eintracht Frankfurt’s Deutsche Bank Park over the next three seasons.

Mexico will also host a game, and there will be an additional game in London at Wembley Stadium.

Labor Case Asserts College Athletes Should Be Employees

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY/Design: Alex Brooks

The National College Players Association recently filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board accusing USC, UCLA, the Pac-12, and the NCAA of misclassifying some athletes as amateurs, not employees.

The charge aims to “affirm college athlete employee status” for all Division I basketball and FBS football players, the NCPA said. It’s the second [[link removed]] complaint filed since NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo released a pro-athlete employment memo [[link removed]] in September.

A victory would only be the first step to getting athletes salaries, however. It would give athletes the right to unionize, attorney Joshua Frieser and Boise State law professor Sam Ehrlich told Front Office Sports. Then, collective bargaining for wages and other labor protections could begin.

The process could take up to a year or more, experts said:

First, a regional office will investigate whether the charge is worth pursuing.If it isn’t thrown out, it’ll be heard at the regional and potentially even national level.

USC stated [[link removed]] that it is “aware of the charge and are reviewing it.” The NCAA, Pac-12, and UCLA did not comment.

NCPA Strategy

The NCPA’s goal hinges on whether the NLRB, which only has jurisdiction over the private sector, claims power over public school athletes.

The NLRB likely won’t claim authority over UCLA, experts agreed. So it would have to consider the Pac-12 or NCAA private sector entities who employ athletes alongside schools.

The charge’s strength could also lie in the allegations against the chosen schools — and whether the schools’ players support it, Ehrlich said.

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Bankers See Chargers As Next Team To Hit Open Market

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports/Design: Alex Brooks

The Denver Broncos will hit the market after the Super Bowl, and the jockeying among the uber-rich is already underway [[link removed]].

Investment bankers interviewed by Front Office Sports are now looking at the next team to potentially hit the market. The consensus is the L.A. team not playing for a championship on Sunday: the Chargers.

The main reason why there is renewed scrutiny of controlling owner Dean Spanos’ grasp of the franchise is the family legal battles being played out in multiple California courts, along with other cases.

Dea Spanos Berberian, Dean’s sister, filed a petition [[link removed]] in April in an attempt to force a sale. Berberian claimed in a filing that the family trust has “debts in excess of $435 million.” Dean Spanos’ attorneys have disputed those claims. Berberian’s sons, Dimitri and Lex Economou, filed their own petition on Jan. 22 over alleged misuse of funds in the trust. Dea and Dean are actually on the same side in one legal battle: a petition [[link removed]] in U.S. Tax Court on Jan. 10 to challenge $5.8 million in back taxes and penalties. Former San Diego city attorney Michael Aguirre [[link removed]] filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit last month against the NFL and all 32 clubs over the Chargers’ relocation. Might Not Be Sold

Even with unfavorable rulings, it’s still unlikely Dean Spanos would be forced to put the team on the market as long as his two other siblings remain on his side.

Between the trust and their individual ownership of the Chargers, the three control 72% of the team and are willing to buy out Berberian.

Jaguar Will Power Envision Racing in Formula E

Envision Racing/Design: Alex Brooks

British luxury car manufacturer Jaguar has signed a multiyear agreement with Envision Racing to provide powertrains for the Formula E team.

The collaboration comes after Audi made its decision in November 2020 to withdraw as an entrant in Formula E prior to the 2022 season, which started last month.

Audi had provided Envision Racing with powertrains since 2018, but Formula E’s switch to the Gen3 car caused the German carmaker to pivot. Making their debut this spring, Gen3 models will be the world’s most efficient racing cars, with 40% of energy coming from regeneration.

Envision Racing has 10 wins and 25 podiums in Formula E. The team collected four of those wins during its time working with Audi.

Formula E turned a profit for the first time in 2019 with $220.5 million in revenue. The series is also gaining popularity, as race viewership [[link removed]] increased by 125% in key overseas markets during its seventh season, which took place between February and August of 2021.

Formula E saw 25% year-over-year audience growth in the U.S. during that same span.

Room for Improvement

Formula E will impose [[link removed]] new financial regulations approved by the FIA World Motor Sport Council for Season 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship on Oct. 1, 2022.

The regulations enhance the long-term financial sustainability of Formula E by monitoring and controlling the spending levels of teams and their manufacturers.

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Conversation Starters NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said [[link removed]] on Wednesday that a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills is a high priority for the league. The University of Texas was fined [[link removed]] $25,000 by the Big 12 after fans stormed the court on Monday following the Longhorns’ win over the University of Kansas. The conference also issued a public reprimand to Texas. AT&T and Discovery have been granted approval [[link removed]] by the Justice Department to complete Discovery’s takeover of WarnerMedia. A deal would be finalized after a vote by Discovery shareholders. Free, ad-supported video on-demand is set to outpace their subscription-based counterparts. According to Tubi’s latest report [[link removed]], in 2021, AVOD viewership grew twice as fast as SVOD.*

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Today's Action

NHL

10:08 PM

Kraken (+130) at Ducks (-150)

Bet Now [[link removed]]

NHL

09:08 PM

Islanders (+125) at Oilers (-145)

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NHL

09:38 PM

Lightning (-310) at Coyotes (+245)

Bet Now [[link removed]]

*All times are EST unless otherwise noted.

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

Question Of The Day

Would you like to see an overseas Super Bowl?

Yes [[link removed]] No [[link removed]]

Thursday’s Answer

42% of respondents are Formula 1 fans.

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

MORE FROM FOS:

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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