November 15, 2022

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The 2022 World Cup starts this weekend, and Front Office Sports is going beyond the pitch to bring you inside the making of the ultimate sports spectacle.

Join us on Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET for a virtual summit [[link removed]] featuring soccer analysts, former athletes, and broadcasters. More info below. ⤵️

NFL Looks to Spain, France for Expansion [[link removed]]

Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

Spain and France have reached the top of the NFL’s European bucket list.

Following the success of the NFL’s first regular-season game played in Germany this past Sunday, Brett Gosper, NFL head of the U.K. and Europe, told [[link removed]] the Associated Press that the league’s analysis of fan growth and commercial potential puts France and Spain on its “radar.”

“We need to do our homework to make sure that there is the possibility of a place to land any games in those markets, gauge interest of the host stadia, gauge interest of the host city, even the government, as to their enthusiasm to help us bring a game,” Gosper said.

Spain may have a better shot at landing games since it already has an NFL presence.

The Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins have “home marketing” rights in the country.The Barcelona Dragons were an NFL Europe and WLAF franchise between 1991-2003.France has no teams with marketing rights.

Gosper indicated that the Nordic markets would be next, “Sweden in particular.”

Goodell’s Game Plan

The NFL aims to grow its international business to $1 billion annually.

Commissioner Roger Goodell said [[link removed]] he “wouldn’t be surprised” if its current four-game Germany deal “expanded beyond that at some point soon.” Germany surpassed the U.K. as the NFL’s largest European market despite London hosting regular-season games since 2007.

Goodell has also hinted at a possible European division.

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO: We Don’t Need the NBA [[link removed]]

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Imagine Turner Sports’ “Inside the NBA” studio show — with no live games to analyze.

That was the possibility dangled by David Zaslav, chief executive officer of Turner parent Warner Bros. Discovery during an investor conference in New York on Tuesday.

The NBA’s current media rights deals with TNT and Disney’s ESPN — worth [[link removed]] a combined $24 billion — expire after the 2024-25 season. The league will be seeking a mammoth, long-term rights package worth as much as $75 billion.

With the U.S. ad market still weak, Zaslav will bring a “ disciplined [[link removed]]” approach to NBA negotiations, claiming [[link removed]], “We don’t have to have the NBA.” The company has deals with Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League.Any deal would likely have to include streaming. Front Office Sports [[link removed]] previously reported the NBA will likely split off an exclusive package of streaming-only games — Zaslav suggested [[link removed]] HBO Max as a platform. Balancing Act

Facing deep-pocketed challengers like Amazon Prime Video and Apple, TNT and ESPN can’t promise to break the bank — or they’ll lose their leverage in negotiations.

TNT recently finalized contract extensions with the cast of “Inside the NBA,” including Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson — a clear signal that Zaslav is prepared to go to the mat for NBA rights.

SPONSORED BY WSC SPORTS

NASCAR's Investment in New Content

“WSC helps us instantly create content for each of our social channels and specifically tailor it to how users want to ingest it,” Amy Anderson, Head of Content Strategy at NASCAR Studios said. Read the full interview [[link removed]] to learn how NASCAR is utilizing WSC Sports.

You can’t provide the best experience without automation. Your most creative people need time to craft stories for fans.

WSC Sports [[link removed]] automates the instant creation and distribution of video highlights by giving you access to sport-specific machine learning technology for over 20+ sports.

In addition to NASCAR, over 250 partners, including the NBA, NHL, ESPN, WarnerMedia, and YouTube TV, rely on WSC Sports to build the premier modern fan experience. Stay ahead of the curve and click here [[link removed]] to learn more.

Carolina Hurricanes Owner Sued for Pro Football League’s Demise [[link removed]]

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The now-defunct Alliance of American Football continues to be dogged by legal disputes.

Former AAF owner Tom Dundon — who also owns the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes — has been sued [[link removed]] for at least $184 million by the U.S. trustee overseeing the startup league’s bankruptcy.

The AAF ceased operations in April 2019 after filing for bankruptcy — at one point, it was unable to make $5 million worth of first-week player payments.

The trustee alleges Dundon shuttered the league despite financial alternatives.

In response to the suit, Dundon has sued Charlie Ebersol, the AAF’s founder, for $70 million.Dundon alleges that he was misled by Ebersol about the AAF’s finances.The Hurricanes owner pledged to invest $250 million in the AAF.

The complaint filed by the trustee also revealed that the NFL had agreed to a deal with the AAF in exchange for warrants worth 15% of the shuttered league.

Controversial Investor

In April, Reginald Fowler — a former investor in the AAF and Minnesota Vikings — pleaded [[link removed]] guilty to charges related to a $600 million cryptocurrency scheme in a Manhattan federal court.

Prosecutors alleged that Fowler — who attempted to buy a stake in the AAF using illegally obtained funds — facilitated unregulated transactions on behalf of crypto exchanges.

Fowler originally committed $170 million to the AAF in 2019 and later invested $28 million before it ceased operations, per [[link removed]] Action Network.

Conversation Starters In The Leadoff, Jeff Bezos doesn’t deny interest in the Washington Commanders, the Chicago Bears face a “multiyear” wait for a new stadium, the Los Angeles Angels could be on the hook for $300 million in repairs to Angel Stadium, and Liverpool FC could spark a bidding war between the world’s richest sports team owners. Click here to listen [[link removed]]. Former MLB right fielder Yasiel Puig is expected [[link removed]] to plead guilty in federal court to making false statements to investigators during an illegal sports gambling investigation. About 20.5 million American adults — or 8% of the population — plan to place at least one wager [[link removed]] on the 2022 FIFA World Cup, according to the American Gaming Association.

SPONSORED BY GLOBANT

The World’s Game Returns

The world’s attention turns to Qatar this weekend for the official start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Front Office Sports goes off the pitch with leading figures behind the ultimate sports spectacle in its latest virtual summit [[link removed]], Global Goals: The World Cup and Beyond, presenting by Globant.

Join us tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET to hear from soccer analysts, former athletes and broadcasters on the experience of building one of the most impactful business and cultural events in sports and its reverberation on U.S. soccer [[link removed]]. In this virtual event you will:

Hear from renowned journalist Grant Wahl on the ground in Qatar to get an insider’s look at how the World Cup extravaganza comes together. Listen to veteran USMNT Forward and ESPN Analyst Herc Gomez discuss his own World Cup experience and his second act. Discuss the growth of the game and its return to North American soil in 2026 with acclaimed broadcaster, podcaster, author, and co-founder of Men in Blazers Media Network, Roger Bennett.

Register now [[link removed]]!

Market Movers

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

FL [[link removed]]

Foot Locker Inc

[[link removed]]

$33.71

[[link removed]]

+0.90%

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

Madison Square Garden Sports Corp

[[link removed]]

$148.15

[[link removed]]

-0.44%

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

MGM Resorts International

[[link removed]]

$37.52

[[link removed]]

-0.62%

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

AT&T, Inc.

[[link removed]]

$19.02

[[link removed]]

-1.32%

[[link removed]] RCI [[link removed]]

Rogers Communications Inc.

[[link removed]]

$43.33

[[link removed]]

-1.46%

[[link removed]] (Note: All as of market close on 11/15/22) What to Watch

The fourth-ranked Kentucky Wildcats (2-0) face the Michigan State Spartans (1-1) on Tuesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for the State Farm Champions Classic.

How to Watch: 7 p.m. ET on ESPN

Betting Odds: Kentucky -7 || ML -280 || O/U 141

Pick: Expect coach Tom Izzo to have his Spartans prepared. Take Michigan State to cover.

Refer Friends, Score a Jersey

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Front Office Sports has teamed up with Paramount+, home of the UEFA Champions League, to celebrate the streaming of world-class soccer from around the globe.

Celebrate with us for a chance to win!

Five lucky winners will receive an authentic official soccer jersey – all you have to do is 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 18, 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.

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