June 29, 2022

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MLB commissioner Rob Manfred is a big hit with team owners. Under him, franchise values have quadrupled, the minor league system was reorganized, and Manfred says he wants to expand [[link removed]] to 32 teams. Manfred’s $17.5 million annual contract ($25M with bonuses) is up after the 2024 campaign — and he should have a lot of leverage in negotiations.

Qatar World Cup Sells 1.8M Tickets and Counting [[link removed]]

Shutterstock

This year’s World Cup in Qatar has sold 1.8 million tickets so far.

Qatar residents have purchased [[link removed]] the most tickets, with Canada, England, France, Germany, India, Saudi Arabia, Spain, the UAE, and the U.S. following. With all 32 teams now confirmed for the tournament, the next phase of tickets for the November event go on sale Tuesday.

FIFA plans to offer a total [[link removed]] of 3 million tickets over all buying rounds but has received more than 23 million requests. Qatar hopes [[link removed]] to attract 1.2 million fans.

Fans interested in attending have a few ticket options, with prices ranging [[link removed].] from roughly $69 for a Category 3 group-stage match and north of $1,600 for a final ticket.

Tickets for individual matches are available across four price categories, with Category 4 tickets reserved for Qatar residents.Fans can purchase up to six tickets per match, but no more than 60 over the course of the tournament.In line with match compatibility rules, attendees may have opportunities to attend more than one group game on the same day toward the beginning of the tournament. Payment Process

The purchase period will be open until Aug. 16 but will be offered [[link removed]] on a first-come, first-served basis. FIFA says a queue management system will apply if there is high demand.

There will also be a third [[link removed].], “last-minute” sales phase.

Investor Wants to Block $1.3B AC Milan Sale [[link removed]]

AC Milan

A minority investor in AC Milan is attempting to block the sale of the Italian soccer club to New York-based private investment firm RedBird Capital Partners, according to Bloomberg.

Blue Skye Financial Partners claims American investment firm Elliott Management held talks “behind closed doors” about the deal, which valued AC Milan at $1.3 billion. Milan has been under Elliot’s ownership since 2018.

To date, the firm has poured [[link removed]] as much as $838 million into the club.

In May, RedBird, which has $6 billion in assets under management, agreed [[link removed]] to purchase Milan from Elliott.

The sale is now under fire because Blue Skye’s claims are a breach of minority rights.

Blue Skye has asked a U.S. court for documents regarding the deal.This comes before imminent legal action to annul the sale or receive damages.Blue Skype hopes to prove Elliot “operated with malice or deceit.”

Despite the controversy, Milan has found success on and off the pitch.

The club won its 19th Serie A title in the 2021-222 season and has generated $257 million in revenue in 2022, up from $165 million in 2021.

Doubled Down

No matter who ends up with a majority stake, the club will maintain its famous red-and-black look. On Wednesday, Milan extended its kit sponsorship deal with sportswear brand Puma.

Germany-based Puma will reportedly pay [[link removed]] $31.5 million per year under a five-year contract.

SPONSORED BY COINBASE

The Benefits Crypto Provides Athletes

Crypto at its core is grounded in the idea of empowering the individual through a decentralized currency, providing everyone the freedom to buy, sell and trade without intermediaries.

As professional sports teams and leagues have begun to adopt crypto in recent years, athletes have capitalized on the freedom and opportunities it provides as well.

In the final lesson of Crypto in Sports Essentials [[link removed]], WNBA star, Jewell Loyd of the Seattle Storm shares her view on crypto, how she utilizes it to create content, engage in communities and start meaningful conversations. Plus, what the future holds for athletes who are getting involved in crypto at both the professional and collegiate level.

Sign up [[link removed]] for the course today to learn more.

Agency Landscape Down to ‘Big Three’ After Merger [[link removed]]

CAA

A major transaction is bringing Cristiano Ronaldo onto the same team as Kyler Murray — and Tom Hanks.

Creative Artists Agency acquired [[link removed]] ICM Partners, completing a seismic shift in the agency landscape.

The $750 million deal values the combined agency at $5 billion.The deal was initially agreed to in September but was held up by investigations from the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission.The combined company boasts more than 3,200 employees, but 105 of ICM’s 425 staffers will reportedly be let go.

With the closing of the deal, the “big four” U.S. agencies became the “big three,” alongside Endeavor-owned WME and United Talent Agency.

All three have been on an expansion path, with Endeavor acquiring sports betting company OpenBet and nine minor league baseball teams in the last year.

Super Team

CAA represents more than 2,000 athletes including [[link removed]] Ronaldo, Aaron Rodgers, Shohei Ohtani, Chris Paul, and Dwyane Wade.

ICM acquired NFL-focused agency Select Sports Group in July 2021, bringing in Kyler Murray, Andy Dalton, and Colin Kaepernick, among others. ICM Stellar Sports, which represents soccer talent including Jack Grealish, Eduardo Camavinga, and Yéremy Pino, was formed after ICM purchased Stellar in October 2020.

Conversation Starters In The Leadoff, MLB could reportedly waive the Oakland A’s’ relocation fee, the 2022 Women’s Cricket World Cup generates record views, the Houston Texans are added as defendants to the civil suit against Deshaun Watson, and Congress scrutinizes MLB’s antitrust exemption. Click here to listen [[link removed]]. David Highhill — previously the NFL’s VP of strategy and analytics — has been named [[link removed]] the league’s first vice president and general manager of sports betting. Cincinnati Bengals running back Trayveon Williams will team up with sports attorney Alex Sinatra to co-teach [[link removed]] a class as an adjunct professor at Texas A&M University School of Law beginning in Spring 2023. Yahoo Sports’ Senior NBA Insider Chris Haynes is poised [[link removed]] to become a free agent around Labor Day, sources tell Front Office Sports.

FRONT OFFICE SPORTS LIVE

In Case You Missed It

Last week, Front Office Sports held a virtual summit [[link removed]] to celebrate 50 years since the passing of Title IX in 1972. The event featured intimate conversations with some of the most influential female athletes and business leaders, including:

What It Means to Be Bold and Brave with Allyson Felix – Olympian, Activist and Entrepreneur NIL and the Road to Equity for Women in College Sports with Jade-Li English of Klutch Sports Group Trailblazing Pros on Breaking Barriers with WWE Superstar Bianca Belair, Four-time Olympian, and Co-Founder/CEO of Sports Innovation Lab Angela Ruggiero The Collegiate Athlete Experience with UCLA’s Reilyn Turner In the Huddle with Bucs’ Coach Lo

Couldn’t make it? Register here [[link removed]] to access the replay.

Market Movers

U.S. stocks were mixed on Wednesday. Here’s a look at how sports-related stocks performed:

GOLF [[link removed]]

Acushnet Holdings Corp

[[link removed]]

$41.33

[[link removed]]

+0.88%

[[link removed]] ARMK [[link removed]]

Aramark

[[link removed]]

$30.67

[[link removed]]

-0.32%

[[link removed]] MTN [[link removed]]

Vail Resorts Inc.

[[link removed]]

$223.09

[[link removed]]

-0.53%

[[link removed]] MGM [[link removed]]

MGM Resorts International

[[link removed]]

$29.27

[[link removed]]

-1.31%

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

VF Corp.

[[link removed]]

$45.16

[[link removed]]

-2.10%

[[link removed]] (Note: All as of market close on 6/29/22) What to Watch

Wimbledon brings the best tennis players in the world to the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club in London.

Last year, Novak Djokovic won the men’s singles championship, while now-retired Ashleigh Barty took home the women’s singles title.

How to Watch: 6 a.m. ET on ESPN+ / Stream all of Wimbledon on ESPN+ [[link removed]]*

*Sponsored content.

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

MORE FROM FRONT OFFICE SPORTS:

The Leadoff [[link removed]] - Daily business of sports podcast

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

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