December 16, 2022

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You already know NFL star J.J. Watt from his accomplishments on the field, but he has so much more to say about life and business. We spoke with the five-time Pro Bowler about the investments he’s most proud of, the NFL’s popularity overseas, philanthropy, and why he could see himself owning part of a soccer team one day.

Listen or watch now on Apple [[link removed]], Spotify [[link removed]], and YouTube [[link removed]].

NFL: Two Games in Germany Possible With Mexico Out [[link removed]]

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Last month, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said he “wouldn’t be surprised” if the league played more than four games in Germany through 2025 — and it seems it will happen sooner than later.

The league announced that due to renovations ahead of the 2026 World Cup, an NFL game will not be staged at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City next year as originally planned.

Peter O’Reilly, NFL executive VP of club business and league events, said [[link removed]] the league is looking at moving that game to Germany, which would be the country’s second in 2023.

Germany held its first NFL regular-season game in November between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Seattle Seahawks.

Nearly 70,000 fans were in attendance. DAZN Germany and ProSieben recorded [[link removed]] their most-viewed NFL game behind the Super Bowl. Fanatics had record game-day merchandise sales at Allianz Arena for an NFL International Series game. In the U.S., it was the NFL Network’s most-watched international game on record.

Frankfurt and Munich will host the NFL games in Germany through 2025. The NFL also held three games in London this year.

Joining Germany

Following the game in Munich, Brett Gosper, NFL head of the U.K. and Europe, said [[link removed]] that the league’s analysis of fan growth and commercial potential puts Spain and France on its “radar.”

Goodell has also hinted [[link removed]] at a possible European division with “multiple locations in Europe.”

WNBA Passes on 2024 Expansion, Shooting for 2025 [[link removed]]

Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports

The WNBA has faced delays in its plans to expand, but it remains committed to a long-term plan.

League commissioner Cathy Engelbert acknowledged [[link removed]] to The Athletic that there would be no announcement on a new expansion site this year, as previously hoped, but maintained that the WNBA is on a growth trajectory.

While there had been hope that a new team could enter the league in 2024, the following year now appears more realistic. Engelbert said that a new team would need around 18 to 24 months to hire coaches and executives and bring on players through an expansion draft, among other preparations. Both the pandemic and Brittney Griner’s imprisonment in Russia added challenges to meeting a more aggressive timeline, per Engelbert.

“I’m a big, big believer in: let’s transform the economics and then we’ll expand, not expand and then hope that economics transform,” she said. “We want to bring new owners in that are going to be successful in standing up a franchise that can compete for a championship.”

Ten Options

The 12-team league has received ample interest across North America for new locations.

Engelbert said she is in touch with 10 investor groups on topics including a team’s potential arena, practice facility, season ticket market, and prospective corporate partners.

The WNBPA suggested [[link removed]] Toronto, Nashville, and the Bay Area (both Oakland and San Francisco are considered contenders) as expansion sites. Columbia, S.C., and Philadelphia could also be options.

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Ford Revs Up Plans to Join F1 with Red Bull [[link removed]]

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Porsche’s stalled negotiations to enter Formula 1 with Red Bull have created an opening for a surprise name.

Ford is reportedly exploring [[link removed]] a deal with Red Bull to enter the series in 2026.

It’s unclear what form the collaboration would take: Red Bull’s powertrains are currently supplied by Honda, but it plans to supply its own power units when its current deal expires at the end of 2025. Red Bull principal Christian Horner has stressed the value of having the team manufacture both its power unit and chassis, but has also expressed openness to working with another auto manufacturer in some capacity. Porsche was reportedly close to purchasing half of the Red Bull team in 2026, but the F1 champions nixed [[link removed]] the deal over concerns it would lose too much control of its operations.

Ford raced in F1 with Jaguar from 2000 to 2004, eventually selling the team to Red Bull.

Andretti Closing In?

Meanwhile, a name with a storied F1 history could be nearing [[link removed]] a return to the track. Michael Andretti, a former F1 driver and son of F1 champion Mario Andretti, said his group could be nearing approval to join the series as an 11th team.

The Andretti family would finance an F1 entrance with help from the 1001 Group, which includes Los Angeles Dodgers principal owner Guggenheim Baseball Management. The series requires a $200 million entry fee to help offset revenue dilution for other teams.

Andretti Autosport already has teams in IndyCar, Formula E, Extreme E, and several other series.

NFL, NBA Stars Betting On New Cycling League Becoming Spectator Sport [[link removed]]

NCL Racing

A startup league is looking to make one of the most popular fitness activities into a popular spectator sport.

The National Cycling League announced [[link removed]] a $7.5 million seed round on Thursday to fund its short-form, technology-forward racing league.

The round was led by Will Ventures, co-founded by retired NFL player Isaiah Kacyvenski, and included investments from NBA star Bradley Beal, NFL players Jalen Ramsey, Derwin James, Kevin Byard, and Casey Hayward. Teams will race on closed-circuit street tracks in Miami Beach, Atlanta, Denver, and Washington, D.C., with an overall champion announced at the end of the season. Men and women will race on the same courses and will win equal prize money.

“We will field two, co-ed city-based teams, bringing together world-class domestic and international racing talent,” said NCL CEO Paris Wallace. “The goal is for our teams to instantly become the top teams in U.S. pro racing next year.”

Heart Racing

The NCL is emphasizing its technology platform as it works to grow an audience. The league will track cyclists’ biometrics while they race and plans to allow fans to compare their own performance to the racers’ through a metaverse platform.

The league will have a unique scoring system designed to catalyze drama and lead changes in which teams are awarded points after each lap.

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Conversation Starters The NCAA announced that Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker will replace [[link removed]] Mark Emmert as president in March 2023. The Court of Justice of the European Union published [[link removed]] an opinion from advocate general Athanasios Rantos rejecting the European Super League’s claim that FIFA and UEFA engaged in anticompetitive behavior when they said any participating clubs would be “expelled” from competitions organized by the federations. Premier Rugby Sevens announced [[link removed]] it is expanding to eight franchises for its 2023 season. Question Of The Day

Are you responsible for hiring in your company?

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Thursday’s Answer

50% of respondents collect or own sports cards.

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