February 28, 2023
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The NCAA has started to crack down on NIL with a first-of-its-kind infraction for the University of Miami women’s basketball team. On the latest episode of Front Office Sports Today, reporter Amanda Christovich joins the show to break down what it means for the future of NIL regulation.
Listen and subscribe on Apple [[link removed]], Google [[link removed]], and Spotify [[link removed]].
Deals Push to Remove Dan Snyder Picks Up Steam [[link removed]]
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Dan Snyder’s grasp on the Washington Commanders may not depend on his decision to sell the franchise.
Front Office Sports confirmed that the push to remove Snyder — an effort that was put on hold when Snyder announced he was exploring a sale of the team in November — has been renewed, according to the latest reports from The Washington Post and ESPN.
The federal investigation that FOS reported [[link removed]] last week — which led to at least one subpoena — was thoroughly detailed [[link removed]] by ESPN on Tuesday:
Snyder allegedly took out a $55 million line of credit without the knowledge or approval of the team’s three co-owners in 2019. A source told the network that the co-owners alleged Snyder “possibly committed bank fraud” in NFL arbitration. That loan has become the focus of the federal probe led by the FBI and IRS.
A deal was worked out in 2021 in arbitration, and the NFL approved a debt waiver that cleared the way for him to purchase [[link removed]] the 40% combined stake held by Frederick Smith, Robert Rothman, and Dwight Schar for $875 million.
On Monday night, The Washington Post reported [[link removed]] that Snyder had requested that a potential new owner of the team take on the financial liability for the multiple investigations and lawsuits the team currently faces.
The Commanders pushed back on the reporting of both stories.
“The requested records only relate to customer security deposits and the team’s ticket sales and revenue,” John Brownlee, counsel for the Commanders, said in a statement. “The team will continue to cooperate with this investigation.”
Law Michael Irvin’s Hunt for Video Footage Could Move to New Venue [[link removed]]
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Former Dallas Cowboys great Michael Irvin could be headed for a third court hearing in a quest to obtain the video of the alleged incident that led to his suspension from NFL Network.
Marriott filed [[link removed]] a motion to dismiss the $100 million lawsuit in Texas federal court on Monday, although it will more likely lead to another shift in venue for the case.
“There is absolutely no reason Marriott can’t produce the video and other basic information upon which they based their decision to start this unnecessary drama. No court order is required to do so,” Levi G. McCathern, Irvin’s attorney, said in a statement.
On Feb. 5, Irvin was accused of misconduct [[link removed]] by a Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel employee. Irvin was in town for the Super Bowl LVII and was staying at the Marriott property.
Irvin first sued [[link removed]] in a Texas state court before Marriott successfully moved the case to federal court, a shift that halted [[link removed]] a judge’s order for Marriott to turn the video over to Irvin.
“They say they were upset about it enough to ban Michael Irvin from the hotel and get him taken off the air, but they won’t show him the tape or give him any details about what the allegations are — not who, not what, not when, not even exactly where in the hotel.”
In Monday’s filing, lawyers for the hotel chain requested a dismissal on jurisdictional grounds or to “transfer the case to the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona.”
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After 20 years of playing beach volleyball professionally, Kerri Walsh Jennings [[link removed]] stepped away from the pro tour in 2019. Not because the five-time Olympian and three-time gold medalist lost a love for the game, but rather because she thought it needed changing.
Walsh Jennings wanted to broaden the game and bring more people to the sport by highlighting all it encompasses – nutrition, wellness routines, and the overall lifestyle. That’s why in 2019, she and her husband launched p1440, a company dedicated to providing resources for aspiring athletes, coaches, and all interested in living a life of intention.
In the latest episode of Driven with Michelle Wie West [[link removed]], in partnership with PitchBook, learn more about Walsh Jennings’ journey to becoming an entrepreneur, the importance of the people around you, and more.
Watch the full episode [[link removed]].
Leagues NBA and Players Association Reportedly ‘Close’ To New CBA [[link removed]]
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
After extending their mutual opt-out deadline, the NBA and its players association are reportedly making significant progress on a new collective bargaining agreement.
The two parties have a March 31 deadline to either reach a new agreement, have one side opt out, or extend the process again. Their current seven-year CBA expires after the 2023-24 season.
The NBPA has informed the NBA it intends to complete a deal in March, according [[link removed]] to The Athletic.
“We want to finish this deal soon and certainly want this wrapped up before the (March 31) deadline,” one source told The Athletic. “It’s close — we need to dot the I’s and cross the T’s.”
The pair are negotiating new luxury-tax tiers and rates. The tax rate is currently $1.50 for every dollar between $0 and $4,999,999 over the cap and $1.75 for every dollar between $5 million and $9,999,999 over the cap.
They’re also discussing lowering the age eligibility for the draft to 18 years old, with the union reportedly pushing “for conditions that would facilitate veteran players providing tutelage and orientation to the high schoolers entering the league,” according to The Athletic.
Other topics of discussion include increasing contract extension limits and adjusting the process of how the salary cap rises.
Conversation Starters LIV Golf averaged [[link removed]] nearly 300,000 viewers over the weekend in its season debut on The CW, which was reportedly seen by 85% fewer viewers than the PGA Tour’s broadcast network coverage of the Honda Classic on NBC. The new “NBA Rewind with Ahmad Rashad” debuted [[link removed]] exclusively on the NBA app on Tuesday. Oklahoma State unveiled [[link removed]] plans for a massive, $325 million Athletic Village with facility upgrades across seven sports.
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With the rise of digital ownership and Web3, NFTs have become the talk of the town.
But how will they impact the sports industry?
To answer this question, look no further than Metaverse Essentials: Building the Future, our latest free course [[link removed]], together with Meta, which breaks down the ever-evolving connection between sports and the metaverse.
The five-lesson course includes Pushing Culture Forward with Digital Collectibles, where Meta’s Emerging Sports Industries Lead, Omar Wilson, is joined by digital collectible execs from Dibbs, Dapper Labs, OneFootball, HEIR, and New Game Labs to discuss how the blockchain and NFTs will reshape both physical and digital collectibles [[link removed]] experiences for creators, brands, and fans across the globe.
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What to Watch
The Texas Tech Red Raiders (16-13) take on the Kansas Jayhawks (24-5) on Tuesday at Allen Fieldhouse.
How to Watch: 9 p.m. ET on ESPN
Betting Odds: Jayhawks -9 || ML -450 || O/U 146.5
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