January 13, 2023

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The building boom continues in college sports. The University of Pittsburgh has broken ground on Victory Heights, a $240 million series of state-of-the-art [[link removed]] facilities for use across its athletics programs, including a performance center and arena.

Athletes Lionel Messi Courted in Saudi Arabia, Paris, Miami [[link removed]]

Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports

Lionel Messi has at least three continents to choose for his next club destination.

The soccer superstar reportedly has an offer [[link removed]] from Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal that could be worth as much as $300 million per year. His father and agent Jorge Messi was rumored to have traveled to Riyadh to negotiate a deal.

Messi’s contract with Paris Saint-Germain, which pays him $54.2 million over two years on top of a $27.1 million signing bonus, expires this summer. PSG is owned by the state-run Qatar Sports Investment. Previous reports indicated that he had agreed to re-sign with the star-laden club, which have since been denied. Last May, Messi signed a deal to promote tourism in Saudi Arabia. PSG will travel to Saudi Arabia on Jan. 19 to play a squad made up of players from Al Hilal and Al-Nassr.

Cristiano Ronaldo signed with Al-Nassr for a reported $75 million per year. Saudi Arabia is looking to host the 2030 World Cup.

Messi in Miami?

Another possibility is that Messi could make good on a long-rumored prospect of playing in MLS.

Inter Miami, co-owned by David Beckham, remains interested in luring the star, and Messi has said previously that he’s interested in playing in the U.S. before his career is over.

Teams FSG Reinforces Commitment to Red Sox, No Plans to Sell [[link removed]]

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Red Sox are not for sale.

Team chairman Tom Werner has declared that Red Sox owner Fenway Sports Group has no plans to sell the team — the third-most-valuable MLB franchise at $3.9 billion, per [[link removed]] Forbes.

“People should know that not only are our brains into trying to fix the last-place finish, but our heart is with our fans,” said [[link removed]] Werner. “We have a desire to win many more World Series here.”

Werner and co-owner John Henry purchased [[link removed].] the Red Sox for $380 million in 2002. The franchise generated $479 million in revenue in 2022, up from $152 million in 2021. FSG also owns Liverpool and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The ownership’s commitment to the Red Sox comes after the club agreed [[link removed]] to one of the most expensive contracts in MLB history. On Jan. 4, Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers agreed to a 10-year, $313.5 million extension that will begin in 2024 — he’ll earn $17.5 million in 2023.

Valuable Portfolio

In November 2021, FSG agreed [[link removed]] to purchase a controlling stake in the Penguins for $900 million. As part of the deal, previous owners Ron Burkle and Mario Lemieux retained minority stakes in the team. Burkle and Lemieux purchased the Penguins in 1999 for $107 million.

FSG put Liverpool up for sale [[link removed]] in November 2022 but has yet to receive [[link removed]] a “compelling offer” at its $4.45 billion valuation — which makes it the fourth-most-valuable soccer team in the world.

The sports investment company bought Liverpool in 2010 for $353.4 million.

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What’s Next for Augmented Reality in Sports

AR adoption is booming with 700m people using AR effects across Meta platforms each month. Sports partners are leading the charge, with fun, interactive effects that engage fans and build community.

That’s why Front Office Sports has partnered with Meta to launch Metaverse Essentials: Building the Future, our latest free course [[link removed]] covering the ins and outs of metaverse-related technologies.

The five-lesson course includes a lesson on Building Expressions and Connections, where Meta’s Angel Gonzalez sits down with Sportsmanias CEO Vicente Fernandez and House of V CCO Justin Allen to discuss how augmented reality can unlock new immersive experiences [[link removed]] for athletes and fans alike.

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Teams Lewis Hamilton Could Join Bid For Manchester United [[link removed]]

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Lewis Hamilton could become a Premier League club owner.

The Formula 1 driver could join billionaire Jim Ratcliffe’s potential bid for Manchester United, according [[link removed]] to The Mirror — which wouldn’t be the first time the pair teamed up.

Ratcliffe — reportedly Britain’s richest man — owns French club OCG Nice and has a majority stake in the INEOS chemicals group, of which he’s chairman and CEO. INEOS is the principal sponsor of Hamilton’s Mercedes team, which Ratcliffe also co-owns.

Last year, Hamilton and Ratcliffe were in separate consortiums bidding to buy Chelsea FC, but both lost to a group led by Los Angeles Dodgers, Lakers, and Sparks owner Todd Boehly.

“I haven’t had a call from [Ratcliffe] asking if I want to be involved in [a United takeover bid] just yet, but I do want to get more and more involved in teams because I really do believe in Black ownership — there is a lack of it in sports — and Black equity,” Hamilton said.

Goodbye Glazers

The Glazer family announced in November it would explore a sale of the club, which Forbes last valued [[link removed]] at $4.6 billion.

Fans have protested the Glazers’ ownership for what they see as misguided management and a lack of investment in the teams and stadium.

The Glazers, who also own the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, are reportedly looking for a price above $7.2 billion.

Teams LAFC Wants More Money, Fewer Owners [[link removed]]

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles FC is condensing its ownership and looking for more money.

The team, which had around 30 investors at the beginning of 2022, spent a chunk of the past season buying out more than a half-dozen minority owners, according [[link removed]] to Sportico.

Mandalay Entertainment vice chairman Paul Schaeffer, Universal Tennis chairman Mark Leschly, and Golden State Warriors executive Kirk Lacob are reportedly among the owners who sold their stakes. Ares Management co-founder Bennett Rosenthal recently took over as the team’s official governor for the next four years, replacing Apollo Global Management senior partner Larry Berg. The pair are managing owners with Riot Games co-founder Brandon Beck.

LAFC is also reportedly raising funding at a valuation of nearly $900 million, making it the most valuable MLS franchise.

Rosenthal said he plans to prioritize international opportunities, and that the team is “putting the finishing touches” on a new stadium rights partnership for its $350 million venue.

In 2020, former stadium rights partner Banc of California paid [[link removed]] a $20.1 million fee to end its naming rights deal 12 years early.

Valuation Station

LAFC’s neighbors are also aiming for a lofty valuation.

Julie Uhrman, president of the NWSL’s Angel City FC, recently told [[link removed]] The Athletic, “we’re going to be the first women’s team to have a billion-dollar valuation in five years.”

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Conversation Starters Amazon said it has compensated [[link removed]] advertisers for lower-than-expected “Thursday Night Football” viewership this season. Three days after winning the national title, Georgia’s Stetson Bennett is once again surprising [[link removed]] fans at Raising Cane’s as part of an NIL deal. Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta has been selected [[link removed]] as the neutral site for a potential Buffalo Bills-Kansas City Chiefs AFC title game. Today's Action

NHL

08:00 PM

Flames (-170) at Blues (+145)

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NBA

10:10 PM

Cavaliers (-150) at Trail Blazers (+130)

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NHL

08:30 PM

Avalanche (-325) at Blackhawks (+270)

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*All times are EST unless otherwise noted.

*Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See [[link removed]] for details.

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Thursday’s Answer

42% of respondents watch NBA games sometimes; 23% of respondents watch NBA games often.

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