February 24, 2023

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A minor league franchise rarely becomes the center of attention [[link removed]], but following Mac McClung’s NBA Slam Dunk title, the G League’s Delaware Blue Coats have been “overwhelmed” by interview requests.

Deals Jeff Bezos Hires Firm to Explore Bid for Washington Commanders [[link removed]]

Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

The first true signal Jeff Bezos has an interest in the Washington Commanders went up on Thursday.

The Amazon founder has hired Allen & Company — one of the top investment banking firms in sports — to explore a potential bid for the Commanders more than three months after owner Dan Snyder announced he’d explore a franchise sale, according [[link removed]] to The Washington Post.

A representative for Allen & Company declined to comment.

It doesn’t necessarily mean Bezos will enter the bidding process, but executives and owners around the NFL expected him to explore an acquisition.

Front Office Sports reported [[link removed]] last month that Bezos wasn’t among the early bidders for the team that saw bids top out at $6.3 billion.

Bezos is the world’s third-richest person, with an estimated [[link removed]] net worth of $119 billion. He explored [[link removed]] a minority stake in the Commanders years ago.

Snyder is seeking [[link removed]] as much as $7 billion for the franchise he purchased for $800 million in 1999. At the same time, Snyder hasn’t expressed that he would sell all or even a chunk of the team; all signs — including at the team’s headquarters Thursday, where Eric Bieniemy was introduced [[link removed]] as the new offensive coordinator and assistant head coach — pointed to Snyder selling.

In recent weeks, multiple potential buyers have paid visits to the team’s headquarters in Ashburn, Virginia, including Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment co-founder Josh Harris [[link removed]].

Allen & Company handled many of the largest franchise transactions in recent years, including the last two NFL teams to change hands (Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers) and the MLB-record purchase of the New York Mets.

Leagues Newest MLS Team to Make Historical Season Debut [[link removed]]

Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

St. Louis City SC has already made history ahead of its first MLS game on Saturday.

The league’s 29th team is the only [[link removed]] MLS club with a woman as a founding owner and president, Carolyn Kindle, and is the only majority-female ownership group in the league.

The local ownership group has nine people, including Enterprise chief executive Andy Taylor and members of his family.

The team, which paid a $200 million expansion fee to join the league, will play its first home game on March 4 at the 22,500-capacity CITYPARK. Its new $461 million venue [[link removed]] was originally called Centene Stadium as part of a 15-year naming rights deal, but the club announced [[link removed]] the name change in October after agreeing to “reshape” the partnership with Centene.

League Only Getting Bigger

St. Louis City SC was the only expansion team for the 2023 season, but MLS commissioner Don Garber said [[link removed]] on Wednesday that he wants to announce a 30th team by the end of the year, which would triple the 10 teams it had in 2004.

“I think San Diego and Las Vegas are the most likely opportunities for 30,” he said, mentioning Detroit, Phoenix, Sacramento, and Tampa as other possible expansion sites.

The league is expanding [[link removed]] its playoff format as it kicks off its 28th season and, earlier this week, it announced three major deals with Adidas, Audi, and RBC Wealth management. Adidas, which plans to help the MLS grow [[link removed]] its U.S. audience, agreed to a multiyear extension worth $830 million.

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Introducing Driven with Michelle Wie West [[link removed]], a new video series from Front Office Sports in partnership with PitchBook, where the former golf pro sits down with some of her favorite athletes to discuss their journeys as investors and what it takes to win.

In the second of three episodes, Michelle sits down with fellow Stanford graduate, 5x Olympian, 3x Gold Medalist, 1x Bronze Medalist, mother of three, and co-founder of p1440, Kerri Walsh Jennings [[link removed]].

Learn how the beach volleyball star became an entrepreneur, the challenges she faced as a first-time CEO, and the importance of the relationships she made along the way.

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Media Netflix Tackles the NFL With Its Next Sports Docuseries [[link removed]]

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Netflix is teaming up with a champion QB.

The streaming giant’s coming series “Quarterback” will feature [[link removed]] reigning MVP and Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, and Atlanta Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota.

The three wore microphones throughout the most recent NFL season and were also filmed at home.

The series is being produced by Mahomes’ 2PM Productions, with help from NFL Films and Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions.

“From welcoming home a new baby in the middle of the season to welcoming the Lombardi Trophy back to Kansas City, our crew was there for it all,” said Mahomes.

The docuseries is the latest move by Netflix in its ongoing commitment to behind-the-scenes sports programming. After the breakout success of the Formula 1-focused “Drive to Survive,” Netflix has collaborated with Box to Box on similar series on tennis, “Break Point,” and golf, “Full Swing.”

The company currently has at least 42 sports documentaries.

The streaming giant has still never broadcast live sports, though it remains open to the idea, should an opportunity it deems profitable come along.

Netflix reportedly bid on Formula 1 rights, which were ultimately retained by Disney in the most recent negotiations, and looked into buying the World Surf League.

Teams Knicks Reportedly Want $30M Annually For Jersey Patch [[link removed]]

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The number of NBA teams without jersey patch deals could drop to three.

The New York Knicks are reportedly [[link removed]] looking for a jersey ad deal worth around $30 million annually — a significant jump from its previous patch agreement with Squarespace, which ran from 2017 through last season. That deal also paid $15 million to $16 million annually, half of which was going to the New York Rangers and other MSG-owned teams and assets.

“They’re looking for Rakuten money,” a team marketer told [[link removed]] Sports Business Journal, referencing the Golden State Warriors’ patch deal signed in 2017 reportedly worth $20 million annually — a record at the time.

The Knicks could also be holding out for a deal similar to their neighbors, the Brooklyn Nets, who signed a deal with Webull in 2021 reportedly [[link removed]] worth $30 million annually.

The Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, Memphis Grizzlies, and Washington Wizards are currently the only NBA teams without a jersey patch deal, but nine other teams’ jersey patch deals come due at the end of the season.

“We know there’s a lot (of patch inventory) out there, but we feel this asset for us is global, considering the visibility of our players and the social media reach that we have,” said Amy Brooks, NBA president of team marketing and business operations, adding that jersey patch revenues are currently more than double the original projections.

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Conversation Starters The PGA Tour and LPGA Tour announced [[link removed]] plans for the Grant Thornton Invitational, a new, mixed-team tournament featuring 16 golfers from each tour competing for a $4 million purse. As Fanatics expands into betting and beyond, the company’s NYC office has been upgraded. Take a look [[link removed]]. According to a university master plan, Tennessee plans [[link removed]] to build a “Neyland Stadium hotel” in the next five years. Front Office Sports Today They Said What?

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

“The World Cup will be here in 2026 … By 2026, we will have 30 teams, so when you think about the rocket fuel of the World Cup, it’s an opportunity for us to take this sport and embed it throughout communities in our country and Canada.”

— MLS commissioner Don Garber on using the 2026 World Cup to boost the popularity of soccer across North America in an interview with CNBC. For more on the MLS as it prepares to kick off its 28th season, check out the latest episode of Front Office Sports Today.

Listen and subscribe on Apple [[link removed]], Google [[link removed]], and Spotify [[link removed]].

Today's Action

MLB

12:35 PM

Giants (-180) at Pirates (+155)

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NBA

08:40 PM

Spurs (+750) at Mavericks (-1150)

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MLB

03:07 PM

Royals (-145) at Athletics (+125)

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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

How many times a month do you or does someone in your household grill?

0 [[link removed]] 1-3 [[link removed]] 4+ [[link removed]]

Thursday’s Answer

29% of respondents buy food/drinks from gas stations 1-2 times a week; 5% buy food/drinks from gas stations 3+ times a week.

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