October 24, 2022

Read in Browser [[link removed]]

POWERED BY

We’re on top of some big plot twists in today’s Leadoff: The Big 12 is reportedly close to a new media deal, NFL owners vote on who covers legal bills for the Rams’ move, Serie A looks to expand its overseas reach, and Jon Gruden’s lawsuit against the NFL survives another challenge. Click here to listen [[link removed]].

Magic Johnson Is Exploring Raiders Ownership [[link removed]]

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Earvin “Magic” Johnson is looking to add to his growing portfolio of teams.

The NBA legend and entrepreneur is reportedly in talks [[link removed]] to acquire a minority stake in the Las Vegas Raiders in a deal that could value the team at $6.5 billion — a record for an NFL franchise.

A potential sale comes after Raiders owner Mark Davis — who inherited the team from his father in 2011 — received [[link removed]] an undisclosed offer in August for a stake in the team. Now, Johnson is putting together a group of investors to make their own bid.

No deal is imminent, as talks could dissolve.As of August 2022, the Raiders were valued [[link removed]] at $5.1 billion — ninth in the NFL.

The Raiders would be Johnson’s first NFL team investment. In 2012, the five-time NBA Champion was part [[link removed]] of Guggenheim Baseball Management’s purchase of the Los Angeles Dodgers for $2 billion.

[[link removed]] Executives [[link removed]] | by Justin Byers [[link removed]] Magic Johnson’s Illustrious Business Career [[link removed]] NBA legend and mogul Earvin “Magic” Johnson is once again making big… March 4, 2021

Johnson also owns an undisclosed stake in his former team — the Los Angeles Lakers. He acquired his stake in 2014 when Guggenheim Partners purchased a 27% stake in the team.

The Hall of Famer also owns part of the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks and MLS’ Los Angeles FC.

Trying Again

In June, a group led by Walmart heir Rob Walton purchased [[link removed]] the Denver Broncos for $4.65 billion — a new record for NFL franchises. Before that deal, Johnson had teamed up with Philadelphia 76ers co-owner Josh Harris for a separate bid.

Formula 1, ESPN Agree to Extension Reportedly Worth $255M [[link removed]]

John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Formula 1 has found an increasingly passionate U.S. audience, and now it’s committing even more to its American media partners.

Disney and F1 struck a deal that will keep F1 on its networks through 2025.

ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2 will carry at least 16 races annually. ESPN Deportes will remain the series’ Spanish-language broadcaster.The networks will continue their commercial-free presentation. The three-year deal reportedly [[link removed]] carries an $85 million annual price tag, a 17-fold increase from the network’s $5 million-per-year deal ending this season.The deal expands [[link removed]] ESPN’s direct-to-consumer rights. The network, whose ESPN+ streaming service had 22.8 million subscribers as of July 2, said it would release details at a future date.

ESPN has teamed with Sky Sports on their broadcasts of races, practices, and qualifying sessions.

Races this year are averaging 1.2 million viewers across ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2, per Nielsen, a 26% year-over-year increase.

American in the Driver’s Seat

Next season will also likely bring a much-discussed asset to F1: an American driver.

The Williams racing team announced that F2 driver Logan Sargeant will join its F1 team next year, provided he finishes the year with enough superlicense points, which he is on pace to do.

A Harris poll [[link removed]] from May found that 16% of all U.S. adults and 35% of those interested in F1 would be more drawn to the series if it included an American driver.

SPONSORED BY ODDSCHECKER

Hey Maryland! Claim $200 FREE Today

The launch of online sports betting in Maryland is edging closer, which means the time you have to claim DraftKings Sportsbook [[link removed]]free $200 promotion is running out.

DraftKings Maryland is giving away a free $200 to anyone who signs up today. All you have to do is sign-up [[link removed]] and you will score yourself $200. There’s no catch to this promotion, you don’t even need to deposit.

To claim your free $200, just click this here [[link removed]] and follow the simple steps we’ve outlined. This promotion is for a limited time only.

World Cup Puts Qatar’s Human Rights Abuses in Spotlight [[link removed]]

FIFA

The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar is less than four weeks out, and the country’s alleged human rights abuses remain at the forefront of the discussion.

On Monday, Human Rights Watch reported [[link removed]] that as recently as last month, security forces in the country — where homosexuality is illegal — arbitrarily arrested and abused Qataris in the LGBT community, according to Reuters. Six reported being detained between 2019 and 2022.

A Qatari official claimed that the allegations “contain information that is categorically and unequivocally false.”

Organizers of the tournament, which runs from Nov. 20 to Dec. 18, have retained their stance that everyone is welcome, though they also warned against public displays of affection.

The country expects 1.2 million foreign visitors during the World Cup.

Protest Plans

FIFA prohibits teams from wearing their own armband designs at the World Cup, but England will reportedly [[link removed]] wear the “OneLove” anti-discrimination armband regardless of the rules and is ready to face punishment for doing so.

Manufacturer Hummel has designed [[link removed]] Denmark’s kits with the logos barely visible, protesting Qatar’s treatment of migrant workers who have built the World Cup stadiums, including an all-black kit, which signifies the “color of mourning.”

Previous reports claimed [[link removed]] that more than 6,000 people have died building infrastructure for the tournament. FIFA has been criticized for failing [[link removed]] to create a fund for the workers despite backing from the American, French, and English football associations and support from World Cup sponsors including Adidas.

Qatar is also receiving criticism for requiring [[link removed]] visitors to download apps that could be considered spyware.

Conversation Starters Pickleball is exploding in popularity, and the Front Office Sports team digs into the phenomenon in the latest episode of the Newsroom. Thomas Shields, founder of pickleball media site The Dink, joined the show to delve into the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. Listen on Apple [[link removed]], Spotify [[link removed]] and YouTube [[link removed]]. The lawyer for ESPN’s Sage Steele asked for an extension [[link removed]] in the aftermath of a judge’s decision to dismiss Walt Disney Co. from the anchor’s lawsuit that alleged that ESPN and Disney violated her free-speech rights after her COVID-19 comments. Apple’s new F1 movie will star [[link removed]] Brad Pitt and be produced by Mercedes-AMG Petronas driver and seven-time World Drivers’ champion Lewis Hamilton.

SPONSORED BY KORE

Learn How Engagement Marketing is Changing

Twitch. Snapchat. E-Sports.

A decade or two ago, terms like these would mean nothing to us…but now, they’re some of the biggest influences in the sports industry – as both engagement platforms, and areas ripe for sponsorship.

But with new opportunities come new challenges, and the sports and entertainment world is no exception. As sponsorship models have evolved over the years, so too have the tools that brands and rights holders use to manage them.

Join us on October 25 at 1 p.m. ET as Owen Poindexter, Editor at Front Office Sports, sits down with Marc Roots, Chief Product Officer at KORE, and Scott Tilton, Executive Vice President at KORE and Founder of HookIt, for a conversation about The Evolution of Technology in Sponsorship [[link removed]].

Register [[link removed]] for the webinar today!

Market Movers

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

MTN [[link removed]]

Vail Resorts Inc.

[[link removed]]

$214.70

[[link removed]]

+0.56%

[[link removed]] T [[link removed]]

AT&T, Inc.

[[link removed]]

$17.50

[[link removed]]

+0.95%

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

MGM Resorts International

[[link removed]]

$34.04

[[link removed]]

+1.67%

[[link removed]] UA [[link removed]]

Under Armour Inc

[[link removed]]

$6.33

[[link removed]]

+4.20%

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

Lululemon Athletica inc.

[[link removed]]

$297.78

[[link removed]]

-0.65%

[[link removed]] PLNT [[link removed]]

Planet Fitness Inc

[[link removed]]

$57.42

[[link removed]]

-0.86%

[[link removed]] (Note: All as of market close on 10/24/22) What to Watch

The Chicago Bears (2-4) face the New England Patriots (3-3) on “Monday Night Football” at Gillette Stadium.

How to Watch: 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN

Betting Odds: Patriots -8 || ML -380 || O/U 40

Pick: Check out the expert betting pick on OddsChecker [[link removed]].*

Refer Friends to Score Your Favorite Team’s Jersey

SPONSORED BY

Front Office Sports is celebrating that Paramount+ is home to world-class soccer matches from around the globe by giving away five authentic official jerseys.

How can you score one? Refer your friends and colleagues to Front Office Sports. Copy and paste your unique link below and share it in an email or on your timeline.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter between October 24, 2022 @ 12:01 a.m. ET – December 18, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Open to US residents age 18+ only. 1 entry per person. Void where prohibited. See Official Rules [[link removed]] for details.

Your custom referral link:

[link removed] [[link removed]]

Or use these one-tap sharing methods:

Email [[link removed]] Twitter [[link removed]] Facebook [[link removed]]

Your referral count: 0

*Sponsored Content

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

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

Front Office Sports Learning [[link removed]] - Professional education at the speed of culture

Copyright © 2022 Front Office Sports. All rights reserved.

80 Pine Street Suite 3202 New York, NY 10005

Advertise [[link removed]] / Update your preferences [link removed] / Unsubscribe [link removed]