June 21, 2022

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Are you ready for some EA College Football? EA Sports is reportedly [[link removed]] contacting schools to gather stadium assets for the return of its popular college football video game. This time around, schools will be profiting from the game based on AP Top 25 finishes over a 10-year period. Tier 1 schools will make $104,900, followed by Tier 2 ($62,900), Tier 3 ($41,900), and Tier 4 ($10,400).

Soccer Ascendant in U.S. with World Cup on Horizon [[link removed]]

FIFA

The U.S.-hosted 1994 World Cup helped lay the groundwork for Major League Soccer to launch two years later. The 2026 World Cup could take the sport and league to even greater heights.

“By 2026, soccer or football will be the No. 1 sport in this part of the world,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said [[link removed]] at FIFA’s event announcing the 2026 North American host cities.

While that’s a heavy lift, there are signs that “the beautiful game” is on the rise in the U.S.

Apple is paying MLS $2.5 billion for 10 years of exclusive streaming rights.A November survey of U.S. sports fans by Ampere Analysis found that 49% like soccer behind only football (70%), basketball (61%), and baseball (57%).

Ted Segal, who bought the Houston Dynamo and Dash for an estimated $400 million, told Front Office Sports last year that the World Cup will bring a “step change in enthusiasm [for U.S. soccer] that accrues to the benefit of MLS and NWSL.”

Segal contributed to Houston’s successful bid to be a host city.

American Dollars Hop the Pond

Once Los Angeles Dodgers, Lakers, and Sparks co-owner Todd Boehly completes [[link removed]] his acquisition of Chelsea FC, American backers will have significant stakes in over half the Premier League’s 20 clubs.

And it’s not just billionaires who are bullish on the league. Comcast secured U.S. broadcasting rights to the Premier League for $2.7 billion over six years, more than double the previous $1.1 billion deal.

Olympics Could Provide Billion-Dollar Boost to LA’s Infrastructure [[link removed]]

LA 2028

Legislation to improve Los Angeles’ transportation infrastructure was introduced on Wednesday, a plan that would help the city’s traffic during the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Sen. Alex Padilla, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, and three representatives introduced [[link removed]] the Transportation Assistance for Olympic Cities Act with guidance from LA28, the event’s organizing committee.

Padilla’s office says the bill would allow the U.S. Department of Transportation to give the city priority access to federal transportation grants for Olympic-related projects and allow the DOT to help fund temporary facilities, equipment, and more.

The bill could also help fund additional buses and a $1.4 billion automated “people mover” that Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts Jr. pitched [[link removed]] to legislators, as well as a metro task force to help support the Games.

Planners estimate that the 1.8-mile people-mover line could see 29,000 passengers on SoFi Stadium game days or other events.Inglewood has secured $350 million for the project.

“We may be leveraging the Olympic Games,” Padilla said [[link removed]]. “But this is all infrastructure investment. That will benefit the region for years and years and years to come.”

The task force identified more than 200 other projects that would help prepare for the event, including an extension of the C Line, a rail line, new bike lanes, and more bike-sharing programs.

Project Price

The request for funding might be necessary — LA28 claims the Games will cost $6.9 billion without infrastructure improvements. Similar legislation was passed for the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.

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Angel Stadium Sale Fallout Could Change California Law [[link removed]]

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

A deal to purchase land around the Anaheim Angels’ stadium collapsed under regulatory scrutiny and an FBI investigation — and now the saga may end up changing California law.

State Sen. Tom Umberg introduced legislation that would allow California’s Department of Housing and Community Development to block projects that violate the state’s Surplus Land Act, instead of only being able to levy fines.

In 2020, the city of Anaheim agreed to sell Angel Stadium and its surrounding parking lots to team owner Arte Moreno in a $320 million deal. Moreno agreed to develop housing and commerce in the area and keep the team in Anaheim through 2050.In December, California Attorney General Rob Bonta deemed that the sale illegally circumvented a law that required the city to open the land for bidding, prioritizing affordable housing.The city, faced with a choice to pay a $96 million fine or reopen the bidding, chose to end the sale. The Anaheim Cabal

An FBI probe [[link removed]] into the moneyed interests influencing city politics is ongoing.

“The FBI learned that the City of Anaheim was tightly controlled by a small cadre of individuals, including a member of the city’s Chamber of Commerce and mayor Harry Sidhu, FBI special agent Brian Adkins wrote in a May affidavit [[link removed]] supporting a search warrant on Sidhu.

Sidhu resigned shortly thereafter on May 23.

Coyotes Plan to Privately Fund $1.9B Project [[link removed]]

Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports

The Arizona Coyotes plan to privately finance a new $1.9 billion entertainment district around a new 16,000-seat arena.

“We’re going to pay for all of this,” Coyotes team president and CEO Xavier A. Gutierrez told [[link removed]] ESPN. “We have [been met with] some skepticism about that, but that truly is what we’re proposing.”

The willingness to privately finance a new entertainment district and stadium comes after the Tempe city council voted [[link removed]] 5-2 to continue negotiations with the team about the project earlier this month. No deal is imminent, but the vote allows both sides to progress in negotiations.

The 46-acre project includes retail stores, restaurants, a hotel, and 1,680 housing units.It will also house the team’s headquarters and practice rink. A previous financial plan [[link removed]] called for $200 million from taxpayers to help fund the project.

In December 2021, it was revealed that the team had $1.3 million in unpaid [[link removed]] taxes and arena charges related to its lease at Gila River Arena, which expires June 30. As a result, the team will be playing its home games for the next three seasons in a 5,000-seat venue at Arizona State.

The Coyotes were valued [[link removed]] at $400 million in December 2021, ranking last in the NHL.

Making Things Right

The Coyotes have until [[link removed]] Dec. 20 to settle their outstanding debt, which includes $250,000 owed to the city of Glendale.

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Each session will feature top sports venture capitalists and founders who are investing and building within sportstech categories. The VC’s include Ian Doody at PowerHouse VC and Edward King at Acies, among others. Founders include Jeremy Levine at Underdog, Khalil Zahar at Fight Camp, NBA All-Star and entrepreneur Baron Davis and more.

The summit will also include the 2022 Techstars Sports Accelerator [[link removed]] Demo Day, powered by Indy. Each ticket includes access to panels, fireside chats, demo day pitches, VIP networking sessions, food, and drinks.

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Conversation Starters On Friday, WWE announced [[link removed]] that Vince McMahon would step aside as chairman and CEO pending the results of an investigation into sexual misconduct against him and John Laurinaitis, WWE’s head of talent relations. After laying off 21 employees in 2020 in anticipation of revenue shortfalls, University of Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said [[link removed]] there would be balanced budgets for the current year and the 2022-23 fiscal year. This year, Steph Curry won [[link removed]] his first NBA Finals MVP, Western Conference Finals MVP, All-Star MVP, and broke the league record for most 3-pointers, all while finishing fifth on Forbes’ Highest-Paid Athlete list with $92.8 million in total earnings. From the U.S. Open to Wimbledon, Atmosphere Sports is bringing sports back to the center. Learn more [[link removed]].*

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Question Of The Day

Do you regularly watch soccer?

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

Friday’s Answer

48% of respondents live in a World Cup city.

DISCLAIMER

**Some properties are shown for illustrative purposes only. Potential investors are encouraged to consult with professional tax, legal, and financial advisors before making any investment into a securities offering. This investment may not be suitable for all investors. Distributions and liquidity not guaranteed. Property performance and performance of property tenants not guaranteed. Diversification does not eliminate the risk of experiencing investment loss. All investment services are offered by LEX Markets LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC

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

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