August 2, 2022

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Dolphins owner Stephen Ross was fined [[link removed]] $1.5 million and suspended through mid-October for “tampering violations of unprecedented scope and severity.” But he actually might’ve gotten off easy — the independent investigation led by former SEC chair Mary Jo White failed to corroborate allegations of tanking during the 2019 season.

Amazon, DirecTV Reportedly Close to ‘TNF’ Deal [[link removed]]

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Starting next season, “Thursday Night Football” can be seen exclusively on Amazon Prime — and possibly at your local bar.

Amazon is reportedly in advanced talks with DirecTV on a deal that would allow “TNF” to be played in bars and restaurants, according [[link removed]] to Sports Business Journal.

The move would save countless establishments from having to either upgrade video systems to show streaming services or not show NFL games on Thursdays.Some large chains, including [[link removed]] Buffalo Wild Wings (which has 1,227 U.S. locations), are not equipped to handle streaming video.

Amazon is paying $1 billion per season for “Thursday Night Football” from the upcoming season through 2033. It will be the first time NFL games will be shown exclusively on a streaming service.

The company is partnering with YouTube channel Dude Perfect on alternate game broadcasts.

Sunday Ticket Next?

The deal could provide a precedent for a similar arrangement with NFL Sunday Ticket. The league is targeting a streaming service for the out-of-market games package, seeking a price tag of $2.5 billion per season.

Amazon is competing with Apple, Google, and Disney for the property. Sunday Ticket is currently held by DirecTV in a deal that expires after this season. DirecTV has said [[link removed]] it is willing to partner with whichever network acquires the package.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell intends to select a winner of that bidding process by the fall.

Ferrari Races to Record $1.3B Quarter [[link removed]]

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Ferrari continues to benefit from Formula 1’s popularity, judging by the Italian automaker’s latest earnings report.

The iconic car brand generated [[link removed]*amhw2d*_ga*NDIxNTMzODU5LjE2NTk0NTY5NTA.*_ga_JM1HT9B412*MTY1OTQ1Njk0OS4xLjEuMTY1OTQ1Njk3OS4w] a quarterly record $1.3 billion in revenue in Q2 2022 — a 24.9% increase year-over-year — surpassing Wall Street analysts’ estimates of $1 billion in revenue.

Ferrari shipped 3,455 vehicles in Q2 2022, a 28.7% increase year-over-year.The brand wasn’t hindered by supply chain constraints due to small sales volumes.Sponsorship, commercial, and brand revenue reached $119 million, up 29.5% year-over-year.The segment benefited from the popularity of the Scuderia Ferrari F1 team.

With its impressive quarter, Ferrari has raised [[link removed]] its full-year revenue guidance to $5 billion in revenue for FY2022, up from the $4.9 billion in revenue projected for the year.

Trouble on the Track

Ferrari is the all-time winningest F1 team but hasn’t won a Constructors’ Championship since 2008. Despite four wins this season, Ferrari has been marred [[link removed]] by glaring mechanical and strategic issues, failing to meet the needs of drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.

The duo will be with the Prancing Horse through the 2024 season, with Leclerc on a reported [[link removed]] $12 million annual salary, while Sainz pockets $10 million per year.

Following the Hungarian Grand Prix on July 31, Ferrari is ranked second in the Constructors’ standings, with Leclerc and Sainz ranking second and fifth among drivers, respectively.

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Activision Blizzard Revenue Falls to $1.64B [[link removed]]

Tarcil Tarcil

Activision Blizzard reported second-quarter net revenues of $1.64 billion, beating analysts’ estimates of $1.59 billion but representing a steep decline from the $2.3 billion for the same period last year.

The company recorded a 15% year-over-year decline in adjusted sales, primarily attributed to [[link removed]] a soft “Call of Duty” launch last fall. The gaming industry is slowing [[link removed]] down as lockdowns lift — Activision Blizzard recorded [[link removed]] a fall in active users from 372 million in the first quarter to 361 million in the second.

Activision Blizzard still reported some wins.

The company launched “Diablo Immortal” in June and claims that more than half of the game’s player accounts to date are new to Blizzard.The company’s King segment recorded a 6% year-over-year increase in net bookings and a 20% year-over-year increase for its advertising business. “Candy Crush” was the top-grossing game franchise in U.S. app stores for the 20th successive quarter.

“Even in a challenging economic environment, with so many companies announcing hiring freezes and layoffs, our development headcount grew 25% year-over-year as of the end of the second quarter,” Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick said.

Blizzard’s Activation

Microsoft is set to acquire [[link removed]] Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion, pending regulatory review.

Activision Blizzard has several releases planned for the second half of 2022, including “World of Warcraft,” “Call of Duty,” and “Modern Warfare II” — the sequel to the most successful “Call of Duty” title to date.

Conversation Starters In The Leadoff, TikTok eyes the $200 billion gaming market, the Los Angeles Rams face a lawsuit over personal seat licenses at SoFi Stadium, the 2022 UEFA Women’s Euro smashes viewership and attendance marks, and Jazzercise reports $73 million in revenue in 2021. Click here to listen [[link removed]]. Amazon has secured [[link removed]] a deal with Auburn quarterback T.J. Finley allowing the 20-year-old to sell custom merchandise on Amazon Fashion’s platform. The Big Ten is the first [[link removed]] conference to host official volleyball media days — particularly significant given that this type of event is usually reserved for football and basketball.

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Market Movers

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

MCRI [[link removed]]

Monarch Casino & Resort, Inc.

[[link removed]]

$64.97

[[link removed]]

+1.03%

[[link removed]] PTON [[link removed]]

Peloton Interactive Inc

[[link removed]]

$10.71

[[link removed]]

+12.62%

[[link removed]] LULU [[link removed]]

Lululemon Athletica inc.

[[link removed]]

$305.72

[[link removed]]

-0.57%

[[link removed]] NKE [[link removed]]

Nike, Inc.

[[link removed]]

$111.73

[[link removed]]

-1.08%

[[link removed]] AESE [[link removed]]

Allied Esports Entertainment Inc

[[link removed]]

$1.55

[[link removed]]

-1.27%

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

Dicks Sporting Goods, Inc.

[[link removed]]

$93.59

[[link removed]]

-1.43%

[[link removed]] (Note: All as of market close on 8/2/22) What to Watch

The Dallas Wings (13-16) face the Chicago Sky (23-7) on Tuesday night at Wintrust Arena.

How to Watch: 9 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network

Betting Odds: Sky -8 || ML -345 || O/U 169.5

Pick: Expect the Sky to build on their two-game win streak. Take Chicago to cover.

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

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