January 29, 2023

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FOS is teaming up with the Pac-12 to give you the VIP experience at the Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Tournament in Las Vegas from March 8-11. One lucky winner gets two all-tournament passes with club access, a four-night stay at an MGM Resorts hotel, $300 in food and beverage vouchers, and two tickets to Cirque du Soleil’s Mad Apple. Find out more details here [[link removed]].

Leagues Phoenix Expects $600M Windfall From Eagles-Chiefs Super Bowl [[link removed]]

Alex Gould / USA TODAY NETWORK

Phoenix is preparing to bring in hundreds of millions of dollars when the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium on Feb. 12 — but still not as much as the Super Bowl did eight years ago.

While Super Bowl XLIX in 2015 attracted [[link removed]] more than 121,000 visitors to the Phoenix area and brought in around $720 million in economic impact to Arizona, Visit Phoenix — a nonprofit marketing organization — only expects around $600 million for the 2023 edition.

Anthony Evans, senior researcher at Arizona State’s Seidman Research Institute, expects [[link removed]] that 80% to 90% of around 100,000 people who attend Super Bowl events will be from out of town. The research doesn’t account for what local residents spend.

One distinction from the 2015 edition is the Pro Bowl. This year, the game will be held at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, whereas it was also held in Phoenix with the Super Bowl in 2015.

Game Day Decisions

The Phoenix City Council amended [[link removed]] its “clean zone” ordinance, which required businesses, property owners, and residents to get approval from the Super Bowl Host Committee and the NFL to post temporary signs before and after the game.

The city council removed the league and the committee from the decision-making process after a lawsuit [[link removed]] from Bramley Paulin argued that the ordinance violated free speech.

Deals JPMorgan Eyes $1B Investment in Serie A Media Unit [[link removed]]

Serie A TIM

A New York-based financial services company is looking to bolster the media arm of Italy’s top soccer league.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. has reportedly [[link removed]] expressed “preliminary interest” in financing Serie A’s media business with between $761 million and $1.1 billion in bank financing. Italy’s top domestic league is preparing to sell domestic and international media rights in 2024.

JPMorgan’s potential investment follows a plan by Serie A to spin off an upcoming media unit to boost revenue after the league failed to sell a 10% stake worth $2 billion to three investors in 2021. In October 2022, Serie A began the formal process of creating the media unit.

Private equity firm Searchlight Capital has expressed interest in the media business. Apollo Global Management has also considered an investment. On Feb. 24, all of Serie A’s 20 clubs will meet to evaluate JPMorgan’s proposal.

In 2022, Serie A announced [[link removed]] plans to triple its international media rights revenue by 2030. The league is set to pocket $658 million from international media rights between 2021 and 2024.

Serie A generated $2.4 billion in total revenue during the 2020-21 season, per Deloitte.

Under Fire

Two Serie A clubs have recently been shrouded in controversy.

Earlier this month, Italy’s soccer federation penalized [[link removed]] Juventus with a 15-point reduction for fixing balance sheets with false gains from player transfers, while AC Milan is being investigated [[link removed]] for alleged embezzlement following the $1.3 billion sale of the club to RedBird Capital Partners.

SPONSORED BY WENDY'S

Start Your Day With a Better Breakfast

Wendy’s Homestyle French Toast Sticks [[link removed]] are so good, some are saying they’re better than their Mom’s French Toast.

They are perfectly crispy on the outside. Perfectly fluffy on the inside. And perfectly perfect in every way. Wendy’s Homestyle French Toast Sticks might be the best thing to ever happen to breakfast.

You’re going to want to set your alarm a little earlier. Tell your boss you’re going to be a little late. Move a little closer to your nearest Wendy’s. Whatever it takes to start your day the right way with these sweet and crispy delights.

The bar for breakfast hasn’t just been raised, it’s been completely replaced. Choose wisely. Choose Wendy’s Homestyle French Toast Sticks [[link removed]] today.

Available during breakfast hours only, until 10:30 a.m.

Media Formula 1 Strikes Media Deal Covering Southeast Asia, Other Territories [[link removed]]

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Formula 1 has struck a new media rights deal to grow its reach across Asia.

The global racing series is linking [[link removed]] up with BeIN Sports to broadcast every F1 race across 10 territories. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The deal begins this year and runs through 2025. It covers Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Philippines, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. BeIN’s television channels and streaming network, BeIN SPORTS CONNECT are included.

The deal unifies F1’s coverage under one broadcaster. Fox Sports Asia previously held rights in many of the territories covered by the deal with BeIN, but the Fox subsidiary closed in 2021.

Andretti Ready

The joint bid from Andretti Global and Cadillac is the only one to formally express [[link removed]] interest in joining F1 to date, per FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

The group has secured financial backing from Guggenheim Partners to cover the $200 million entry fee and help construct [[link removed]] a racing facility in Indiana.

Of the 10 F1 teams, only McLaren and Alpine support adding an additional team.

Oracle Red Bull principal Christian Horner told RACER that Andretti and Cadillac are “two phenomenal brands to have in the sport,” but how they will impact other teams’ finances is a point of contention.

“It ultimately boils down to, ‘Well, who’s going to pay for it?’ And you can assume that the teams, if they’re perceived to be the ones who are paying for it … of course it’s not going to sit that well.”

World Switzerland Faces Pushback Over FIFA Loans [[link removed]]

FIFA

A group of European officials no longer want FIFA’s money.

Swiss officials are reportedly [[link removed]] hesitant to borrow money from soccer’s international governing body after $2 billion worth of loans to capital city Bern drew criticism.

“The priority is to have low-risk and short-term investments to be able to fulfill our mandate, which is to develop football around the world,” said a FIFA spokesperson.

FIFA’s financial practices have drawn criticism following the 2015 corruption scandal, which saw 14 people indicted for allegations of wire fraud, racketeering, and money laundering.

Officials in Switzerland have proposed a motion that would require Bern to create and implement governance rules regarding borrowing practices.

FIFA lent Swiss local authorities $2 million in 2016. A year later, FIFA increased lending and the loans jumped to $447.2 million. The loans from FIFA are profits from media rights and sponsorship deals.

The Zurich-based organization has invested $5.3 billion in soccer over the last four-year cycle.

Growing Business

FIFA expects [[link removed]] to earn $11 billion for the 2023-26 commercial cycle — with nearly a 50% raise in income — thanks primarily to sponsorships and media deals for the men’s World Cup.

In 2026, FIFA will expand the World Cup from 32 teams to 48.

FIFA generated $7.5 billion in revenue for the 2019-22 cycle — $1 billion more than it budgeted.

SPONSORED BY WENDY'S

The Perfect Note of Nostalgia

Everyone has a sports memory that takes them back to their childhood. Front Office Sports and Wendy’s [[link removed]] teamed up to share some of their unforgettable sports memories.

SVP of Integrated Marketing Stephanie Connolly remembers the Big Game in 2008.

“I remember watching the Big Game as the final two minutes approached, nervous that Big Blue’s chance of another title was becoming a distant dream. Then, all of a sudden, Eli escaped three tackles and heaved the ball into the air.

“For what seemed like forever, [the play] ended with David Tyree making the incredible helmet catch to extend the possession! The next drive they scored the game-winning touchdown and the rest is history.”

Like unforgettable sports moments etched in our memories, Wendy’s Homestyle French Toast Sticks [[link removed]] make you feel like a kid again. Start your day with nostalgia and syrupy goodness!

Conversation Starters One tiny startup may be ripe to impact the sports ecosystem significantly. Nordensa — a platform on which fans can make a long-term bet on soccer players — plans [[link removed]] to change the world. Since his storybook 2019 season with LSU, Joe Burrow has taken [[link removed]] football by storm. From the on-field heroics that nearly brought the small-market Cincinnati Bengals to a second straight Super Bowl appearance, to the off-field charm that has fans and brands alike adoring him, there’s no denying how appealing the 26-year-old is to NFL audiences. The Naval Academy has unveiled [[link removed]] plans for a massive $22 million lacrosse center on the Yard, complete with new locker rooms, a theater, and 360-degree views of its campus. Today's Action

NHL

08:00 PM

Blues (+175) at Jets (-205)

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NBA

08:10 PM

Wizards (-200) at Spurs (+170)

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NBA

10:10 PM

Hawks (+115) at Trail Blazers (-135)

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*All times are EST unless otherwise noted.

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

Question Of The Day

Do you or does someone in your household play video games?

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Friday’s Answer

77% of respondents follow baseball.

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