June 8, 2022

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If you’re impressed with some of these new stadiums and arenas, wait until you see the Los Angeles Clippers’ LED display [[link removed]] for the new Intuit Dome. The doubled-sided halo board — the largest in the NBA — will be 38,000 square feet with 233 million LEDs and feature 4K replays and breakdowns.

$4.6B Sale One of Many Changes Ahead for Broncos [[link removed]]

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Walmart heir Rob Walton won’t officially take over as the majority owner of the Denver Broncos until he wins approval from the NFL in the coming weeks.

But in the aftermath of Tuesday night’s announcement that his group agreed to purchase [[link removed]] the team for $4.65 billion — more than twice the amount paid for the Carolina Panthers in 2018 — the direction of the Broncos’ new regime is coming into focus.

The team sale is one of many significant changes in Denver.

Broncos President & CEO Joe Ellis intends to retire after the Walton group is approved by the NFL Finance Committee and then by 75% of NFL ownership. A vote will likely take place before the start of the season.

The Broncos acquired quarterback Russell Wilson from Seattle and will enter the 2022 season with a new head coach in former Green Bay Packers coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.

Walton’s son-in-law Greg Penner and daughter Carrie Walton-Penner are expected to run the day-to-day operations. The couple will also be co-owners. Investment executive and Starbucks board member Mellody Hobson, who is Black, will become one of the few non-white co-owners in the league. Ellis said in April [[link removed]] a new stadium to replace 21-year-old Empower Field at Mile High will “be the No. 1 decision the new owner will have to make.” Could the Broncos Have Sold for More?

Four groups submitted second-round bids by Monday’s deadline, including from Philadelphia 76ers co-owner Josh Harris. ProFootballTalk reported [[link removed]] that Harris would have paid $5 billion, but was not given assurance that Walton wouldn’t match.

Gymnasts Seek $1B from FBI for Failing to Stop Nassar [[link removed]]

Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Around 90 current and former gymnasts are seeking more than $1 billion from the FBI for failing to act on former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State doctor Larry Nassar’s sexual abuse.

Among the athletes are Olympic gold medalists Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, and McKayla Maroney.

The reports come weeks after the Justice Department decided [[link removed]] not to charge the two former FBI agents that allegedly mishandled the allegations.

Government agencies have six months to respond to tort claims, but the FBI was told [[link removed]] of some of Nassar’s acts in 2015 yet left him undisciplined for more than a year.

When Indianapolis-based gymnasts reported assaults in 2015, the FBI didn’t open a formal investigation or inform state or federal authorities, according to the DOJ’s inspector general.In 2016, Los Angeles FBI agents interviewed several survivors through a sexual tourism investigation against Nassar, but failed to notify Michigan authorities.Nassar was arrested in 2016 following an investigation by Michigan State police but didn’t plead guilty until 2017. He is now serving [[link removed]] a 60-year sentence in federal prison and has a 175-year sentence in Michigan.

No lawsuits have been filed — but could be depending on the FBI’s response.

Separate Settlements

Last year, around 500 Nassar victims reached a $380 million settlement with USA Gymnastics, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, and their insurers. In 2018, Michigan State University agreed to pay $500 million to 332 girls and women who were abused by Nassar during his time at the school.

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How Much is This Sponsorship Worth?

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Which sponsorship rights deliver the most value How sponsorship value composition varies by league, event, team, stadium and athlete Which brand categories are paying the most for IP or association rights Which apparel branding spots are the most valuable How much sponsorship value is delivered by social media

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Saudi PIF Levels Up, Make Second $1B Gaming Investment [[link removed]]

Embracer Group

The Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, will acquire 100 million shares in Embracer Group, marking its second $1 billion investment in Swedish gaming.

Savvy Gaming Group, a gaming company fully backed by the PIF, will make the acquisition.

The PIF will purchase [[link removed]] an 8.1% stake in Embracer.The stake is valued at $1.05 billion.

The pending acquisition by Savvy Gaming comes after it purchased Swedish esports tournament and league operators ESL and FACEIT in January 2022 for a combined [[link removed]] $1.5 billion.

Embracer, a video game and media holding company, has a portfolio that includes more than 230 games. It generated [[link removed]] $534 million in revenue in fiscal Q4, a 117% increase year-over-year.

The holding company has made several acquisitions and mergers over the last few years.

In November 2020, Embracer purchased 12 game studios and a PR firm in a single day. Last February, it announced plans [[link removed]] to acquire mobile game maker Easybrain for $640 million.

Two months later, Embracer closed its merger with Gearbox Entertainment in a deal worth $1.3 billion. Last month, it agreed [[link removed]] to acquire development studios Crystal Dynamics, Eidos, and Square Enix Montreal for $300 million.

Committed to Gaming

The PIF, led by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, continues to expand its reach in a global gaming industry expected to hit [[link removed]] $222 billion in 2022, per Data.ai.

Last month, the fund acquired [[link removed]] a 5% stake in Nintendo for $3 billion. It also has investments [[link removed]] in Capcom, Activision Blizzard, EA, and others.

Conversation Starters In The Leadoff, sports franchises emerge as recession-proof assets, the NFL heads to Africa in search of fans and talent, FIFA opens media rights to the 2023 Women’s World Cup to France, and ByteDance is considering selling a minority stake in an online sneaker resale platform. Click here to listen [[link removed]]. Two-time Academy Award-winner Brad Pitt is set to star [[link removed]] in a film about Formula 1 after Apple Original Films acquired the project, according to Variety. On Tuesday, the Houston Astros’ Yordan Alvarez launched his 17th home run of the season [[link removed]] in a 4-1 win over the Seattle Mariners. Three of those 17 home runs arrived after Alvarez signed a six-year, $115 million extension with Houston. Subscribe to Scoreboard for more [[link removed]]. Want to stay at a resort in the mountains of Park City, Utah? Now is your chance! Enter to win [[link removed]] a grand-prize sweepstakes from Dollar Flight Club valued at $2,000. Official rules found here [[link removed]].*

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Crypto's Impact on Esports and Gaming

Over the last few years, esports and gaming has grown exponentially. What was once only considered a hobby is now a legitimate, competitive segment of the sports world that is constantly evolving.

The rise of blockchain technology [[link removed]] and cryptocurrencies have made a significant impact on the evolution of the esports industry.

In Lesson 3 of Crypto in Sports Essentials [[link removed]], Steve Arhancet, CEO & Owner of Team Liquid, sits down with Team Liquid member and professional gamer, Juan ‘Hungrybox’ DeBiedma, to discuss how the mainstream adoption of cryptocurrencies and NFTs is changing the landscape of the industry and improving the fan experience for all.

Sign up [[link removed]] for the course today.

Market Movers

U.S. stocks experienced declines across all three major indexes on Wednesday. Here’s a look at how sports-related stocks performed:

GOLF [[link removed]]

Acushnet Holdings Corp

[[link removed]]

$43.21

[[link removed]]

+0.47%

[[link removed]] VFC [[link removed]]

VF Corp.

[[link removed]]

$49.82

[[link removed]]

+0.61%

[[link removed]] DKS [[link removed]]

Dicks Sporting Goods, Inc.

[[link removed]]

$80.47

[[link removed]]

-0.31%

[[link removed]] MSGS [[link removed]]

Madison Square Garden Sports Corp

[[link removed]]

$162.41

[[link removed]]

-0.82%

[[link removed]] SIRI [[link removed]]

Sirius XM Holdings Inc

[[link removed]]

$6.21

[[link removed]]

-1.04%

[[link removed]] (Note: All as of market close on 6/8/22) What to Watch

UFC 275 marks another star-studded event for the promotion, and it’s sure to pack a punch.

In the main event, Glover Teixeira (33-7-0) faces Jiří Procházka (28-3-1) in a light heavyweight title bout.

How to Watch: Saturday at 10 p.m. on ESPN+ / Stream all of UFC 275 on ESPN+ [[link removed]]*

*Sponsored content. Fight availability differs by market, check your local listing.

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Written by A.J. Perez [[link removed]], Abigail Gentrup [[link removed]], Justin Byers [[link removed]] Edited by Matthew Tabeek [[link removed]]

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