May 25, 2022

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Adidas is giving a whole new meaning to the term “office.” The sneaker and athletic apparel giant officially unveiled its upgraded headquarters in Portland. The appropriately named Village includes a sustainable soccer pitch, new cafes and a coffee bar, performance zone with gym, rooftop lounge, green roof, and underground parking.

FIFA Expects 5B Viewers for Qatar World Cup [[link removed]]

FIFA

The 2022 World Cup in Qatar is expected to be watched by 5 billion people around the world, far surpassing the record 3.5 billion who tuned in to the 2018 edition in Russia.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino publicized the anticipated [[link removed]] number on Monday for the first World Cup in the Middle East. Fox purchased [[link removed]] the English broadcasting rights for the 2018 and 2022 tournament for $400 million.

The estimate comes amid criticism over the country’s human rights abuses and treatment of migrant workers.

Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani said while the state is “not perfect,” it has pushed reforms and development. New rules in the country include a higher minimum wage and more protections for workers.Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar, and some soccer players are concerned about LGBT+ and women traveling to watch the tournament.

Tournament organizers have clarified that everyone is welcome to the country, but have also warned to avoid public displays of affection.

At A Crossbar

The event is set to be just as popular in person as it is on screens. As of April, ticket sales to the 2022 World Cup were on the best [[link removed]] pace since 2014, but with the growing number comes growing concerns over accommodations.

Between January and March, FIFA sold more than 800,000 tickets, but Qatar’s Supreme Committee told the Associated Press that only about 90,000 rooms will be available to the public.

Commanders’ $3B Plan Includes Color-Changing Stadium [[link removed]]

Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders are designing a stadium that may be unlike any professional sports facility in the country.

The stadium’s exterior would be able to [[link removed]] change colors, according to The Richmond Times-Dispatch. Other features include:

A translucent roof that would allow both natural light and climate control.An eco-friendly “heavy timber” construction process.

In addition to the stadium itself, the Commanders are drawing up plans for a $3 billion “mini-city” which would include an amphitheater, restaurants, bars, office space, and a convention center.

The team recently acquired [[link removed]] the option to purchase 200 acres of land in Virginia’s Prince William County for $100 million. A bill providing an estimated $350 million in public funding for the project is expected to pass the state’s legislature within a month.

Snyder Out?

Commanders’ owner Dan Snyder could soon be forced [[link removed]] out of the league over allegations of sexual misconduct and financial impropriety.

Owners may hold a vote on removing him from his post following an investigation by former SEC chair Mary Jo White. NFL bylaws require 24 of 32 owners to pass a motion to remove an owner.

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Ever Heard of Fast Furniture?

As with fast fashion, ‘fast furniture’ has major environmental consequences; poorly made pieces end up in the landfill after only one season and a handful of uses. The EPA estimates that 9 million tons of furniture end up in landfills every year.

Not only does fast furniture rapidly deplete our planet’s natural resources, it also creates a huge waste problem.

Outer [[link removed]] is on a mission to fight fast furniture by using sustainable materials to build products that stand the test of time. Their outdoor eco-friendly [[link removed]] rugs are made from 100% post-consumer plastics and their sleek aluminum outdoor furniture is guaranteed to stand up to 10+ years of everyday use.

Fight fast furniture, shop sustainably [[link removed]] with Outer.

Tokyo Games Help IOC Generate $7.6B in Revenue [[link removed]]

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The International Olympic Committee generated $7.6 billion in revenue in the 2017 to 2020-21 cycle, compared to $5.7 billion in revenue for the previous Olympiad, according to the organization’s financial statements for FY2021.

The IOC reeled [[link removed]] in $4.2 billion in revenue in 2021 alone driven by the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Games.

Television broadcasting rights made up $3.1 billion of the revenue that year.Cash and cash equivalents hit $548.9 million in 2021, down from $866.6 million in 2020.Total assets as of Dec. 31, 2021, were $5.6 billion, down from $5.7 billion the year prior.

In addition to the IOC, the Olympics have deepened the pockets of broadcasters. Comcast, the owner of NBCUniversal, generated [[link removed]] $1.5 billion in revenue in Q1 2022 from the Beijing Winter Olympics and Super Bowl LVI, which collectively accounted for 21.6% of NBCUniversal’s media revenue in the quarter. The Beijing Games alone generated $963 million in revenue.

Digital Age

The Olympics have benefited from a digital age that continues to evolve. The IOC deemed Tokyo 2020 “the most digital Games ever,” behind the 3 billion unique viewers it garnered across linear TV and digital platforms for the 17-day event.

Discovery reported [[link removed]] that more than 372 million people in Europe watched coverage of the Games, a 10% increase compared to the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Anaheim Mayor Resigns Amid Angel Stadium Scandal [[link removed]]

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu has resigned amid a federal corruption investigation concerning the $320 million sale of Angel Stadium, the home field of the Los Angeles Angels since 1966.

Sidhu, who was elected as mayor of the Southern California city in 2018, has not been formally charged with any wrongdoing but is being accused of bribery, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering. Sidhu denies the allegations and resigned from his role “to continue to act in the best interests of Anaheim,” according to a statement by his attorney, Paul Meyer.

In a filed affidavit, an FBI special agent alleges [[link removed]] that Sidhu gave the Angels confidential information at least twice during the city’s negotiations with the team.It alleges that Sidhu sought a campaign donation worth $1 million from the Angels.Sidhu is also accused of obstructing a grand jury investigation into the transaction.

Last week, the sale of Angel Stadium to a company controlled by club owner Arte Moreno was put on hold [[link removed]] after a judge issued a 60-day stay amid the investigation into Sidhu. The deal was originally agreed to in 2019 before community leaders and California regulators alleged that the plan violated affordable housing law.

Anaheim’s city council was scheduled to vote on a reworked plan meant to address the housing concerns in June 2022.

Not Alone

Sidhu isn’t the only political figure to relinquish his role due to the controversial sale. Melahat Rafiei stepped [[link removed]] down as a member of the Democratic National Committee after charges of attempted bribery, which were later dismissed.

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Athletes Journey in Retirement

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]].

Conversation Starters When it comes to the business of sports, Front Office Sports has you covered — that’s why Digiday just named us a finalist for their Best Newsletter award. But we want your thoughts, too. All you have to do is take a quick reader survey here [[link removed]]. The best part? You have a chance to win some cool Front Office Sports merch or a $500 Visa gift card! The University of Georgia unveiled [[link removed]] the completed $80 million expansion and renovation to Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall, which features a new locker room, players’ lounge, nutrition bar, barbershop, and weightroom. University of Tennessee at Martin quarterback Dresser Winn has signed [[link removed]] a partnership to support the candidacy of Colin Johnson, who is running for District Attorney General for Tennessee’s 27th Judicial District. The deal is considered to be the first to support a political candidate. According to a Nielsen report, 71% of consumers trust advertising, opinions and product placements from influencers. See how influencers can grow your brand [[link removed]].*

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Question Of The Day

Do you plan to watch at least some of the 2022 World Cup?

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

Tuesday’s Answer

19% of respondents own an NFT.

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

Written by Abigail Gentrup [[link removed]], Owen Poindexter [[link removed]], Justin Byers [[link removed]] Edited by Matthew Tabeek [[link removed]]

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