May 16, 2022

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The NFL’s 2022 regular-season schedule is out, and tickets for certain matchups are already in high demand — especially when they feature the Dallas Cowboys.

According to TickPick, the five highest-priced games are Packers-Cowboys ($690), Cowboys-Bucs ($510), 49ers-Raiders ($490), Cowboys-Texans ($482), and Bears-49ers ($478).

Crypto Crash Could Impact Pace of New Sports Deals

Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports

The skid that resulted in the wipeout of $270 billion of the cryptocurrency market’s value eased Friday — but industry insiders still expect the crash to have at least some impact on the sports world.

The big three crypto exchanges — Crypto.com, FTX, and Coinbase — have committed hundreds of millions of dollars to partnership deals with major sports leagues and teams over the last several months. The exchanges take a percentage of each trade, so when the price of a cryptocurrency dips, so does the cut made per transaction.

Industry experts interviewed by Front Office Sports don’t expect the sponsorship deals with the major exchanges to be in trouble. But the pace of new partnerships had slowed before the crash [[link removed]], and the volatility is expected to further hamper future deals.

Blockchain Sports Bonanza

Web3 — which includes NFTs like those traded on NBA Top Shot — has been a boon for sports.

Crypto.com signed a 20-year deal [[link removed]] worth $700 million to take over the naming rights of Los Angeles’ Staples Center in November. It also has long-term, nine-figure deals with the UFC and Formula 1. FTX agreed [[link removed]] to a 19-year, $135 million pact for the naming rights to the Miami Heat’s arena. Coinbase [[link removed].] inked a multiyear deal to become the exclusive cryptocurrency exchange of the NBA, WNBA, and NBA G League.

“Crypto.com remains fully committed to its sports sponsorships,” a company spokesperson told FOS. “We are well-financed, and these are multiyear contracts, which will continue to play a crucial role in our mission to accelerate the world’s transition to cryptocurrency.”

Qatar Faces Another Battle to Accommodate World Cup Fans

FIFA

Amid strong demand for tickets and looming questions about hotel capacity, Qatar’s discriminatory practices against the LGBTQ community are raising more issues ahead of the 2022 World Cup.

FIFA has required [[link removed]] that all hotels on its official list of recommended accommodations welcome guests in a “non-discriminatory manner,” or else risk the termination of their contracts with soccer’s world governing body.

This follows an ongoing investigation [[link removed]] by Wyndham Hotels & Resorts after a report by Norway’s NRK that revealed that the Wyndham Grand Regency in Doha was among three hotel on FIFA’s list that prevented journalists posing as gay newlyweds from booking a room.

No More Room

The Qatar World Cup, which begins on Nov. 21, is sure to have an eclectic crowd, as it is on pace to surpass [[link removed]] ticket sales for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, which was the best-attended edition in 25 years.

FIFA saw more than 800,000 tickets sold between January and March, with 17 million requests.Qatar hopes to attract 1.2 million fans for the event.

Qatar’s Supreme Committee told [[link removed]] the Associated Press that roughly 90,000 rooms will be available to the public, but officials project 850,000 overseas visitors will need rooms for the tournament.

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Thriving Beyond The Game

Ever wonder what your favorite players have been up to since retiring from their sport?

Find out in Second Acts [[link removed]], an exclusive interview series where Front Office Sports sits down with former athletes about everything they’ve accomplished in their sport, and how they are thriving after the game in their second act.

The first season, presented by Fidelity [[link removed]], episode lineup includes:

Rex Chapman [[link removed]]: 12-Season Former NBA Player Andrew Hawkins [[link removed]]: Former NFL Team Captain, Co-Founder StatusPRO, TV Personality Shawn Johson [[link removed]]: Olympian, Entrepreneur and Podcast Host Renee Montgomery [[link removed]]: 2x WNBA Champion and Co-Owner/VP of the Atlanta Dream Jalen Rose [[link removed]]: World-Famous Basketball Player and ABC/ESPN Analyst

Check out their inspiring second act stories here [[link removed]].

Peloton Is Ready To Row

Peloton

Peloton has officially teased its new rowing machine, adding to its lineup of bikes and treadmills.

The announcement comes one week after the fitness company released third-quarter earnings, reporting $964.3 million in revenue but missing analysts’ estimates of $972.9 million.

Official details [[link removed]] of the launch weren’t disclosed, only that the machine is “coming soon.”

Reports of a Peloton rowing machine have been surfacing [[link removed]] since 2018.

Peloton has been trying to turn its business around since CEO Barry McCarthy took over in February.

Earlier this month, the company signed an agreement with JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs — the companies that led Peloton’s IPO — to borrow [[link removed]] $750 million in long-term debt.Peloton announced [[link removed]] in April it would be raising its subscription prices in the U.S. and Canada while lowering its hardware prices.McCarthy also said during the company’s earnings call that third-party retailers would likely be in the mix soon. New Fitness Trend?

With the details of its new rowing machine, Peloton is dipping its toes into a space that could boast major financial potential.

Peloton joins Hydrow, for example, in the connected rowing space.

In March, Hydrow raised [[link removed]] $55 million in a Series D funding round led by Constitution Capital. The company now has more than $255 million in total funding.

Bills Explore Personal Seat License Costs for New Stadium

Mark Konezny-USA TODAY

Buffalo Bills fans now have an idea of what the team might be charging for for personal seat licenses in their new $1.4 billion stadium.

The PSLs could range from $500 to $16,500, according [[link removed]] to an email sent to fans obtained by The Buffalo News.

Reserved section seating, for example, could cost anywhere between $1,750 and $7,300, depending on the level of the stadium.The email did say, however, that the prices are “hypothetical” at this time.PSLs can reportedly [[link removed].] range from $500 in some NFL stadiums to more than $100,000 in markets like Dallas, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas.

The sales would reportedly help fund construction of the stadium.

The state of New York and Erie County previously pledged $850 million toward the project — though the announcement didn’t come without controversy [[link removed]]. Bills ownership allegedly [[link removed]] asked for public funding to cover the entire cost of the stadium.

Naming Rights

While Bills fans grapple with whether to pay top dollar for season tickets, Highmark Health Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York is mulling whether to sell the stadium’s naming rights, Front Office Sports previously reported. [[link removed]]

Highmark currently pays about $5 million per year for the 10-year deal [[link removed]] rights, according to one source.

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Wanamaker Pick Six Pool

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First place gets a signed Tiger Woods Sports Illustrated issue; and 2nd and 3rd will receive $350 and $150 Golf Galaxy gift cards, respectively.

Go for the green and sign up now [[link removed]]!

Conversation Starters Under Armour announced [[link removed]] plans for a global headquarters on its South Baltimore Port Covington campus, touting the future structure as “one of the region’s most environmentally sensitive and sustainable buildings.” Nike is wasting no time locking in one of women’s golf’s brightest young stars. Stanford’s Rachel Heck is signing with the sportswear giant to be its first NIL golf athlete, she announced [[link removed]] on her social pages. Ben Simmons is out and Nick Castellanos is in — and not just with their respective Philadelphia teams. Simmons has sold [[link removed]] his 10,500-square-foot mansion in Moorestown, New Jersey, to the Phillies’ new outfielder. Two years into its existence, LIFT Sports Management has scored [[link removed]] a potential superstar: The agency has signed projected No. 1 NBA draft pick Paolo Banchero. Question Of The Day

Have you ever invested in cryptocurrency?

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

Friday’s Answer

52% of respondents have considered talking to a mental health professional.

Disclaimer

*The “Contest” is open only to individuals who are at least 21 years old at the time of entry, and are legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia (excluding Washington and Nevada). Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

If this email was forwarded to you, you can subscribe here [[link removed]].

Written by A.J. Perez [[link removed]], Abigail Gentrup [[link removed]], Amanda Christovich [[link removed]], Justin Byers [[link removed]]

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

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Front Office Sports Learning [[link removed]] - Education at the speed of culture

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