North America
Features
United Soccer League ready to lay down “bold” marker with local market strategy
USL executive vice president Court Jeske speaks to SportBusiness about the opportunities and challenges of the USL Championship's return in home venues amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
MLB clubs look to reinvent fan experience in empty ballparks
With no attending fans for the upcoming start of the 2020 MLB season, many clubs are employing new tools to retain fan engagement and in-ballpark energy
Jim O’Connell: Covid-19 forces agencies to reinvent their value inside and out
Jim O’Connell, president of New York-based Athletes First Partners, explores the fast-changing role of agencies to the sports industry amid the Covid-19 pandemic
US ticket resale market eyes broad redefinition amid Covid-19
Sports are beginning to make their comeback from Covid-19, but generally with empty stadiums or with highly limited attendance, accelerating historic shifts for an already-battered ticket resale industry. US Editor Eric Fisher reports.
“It’s like having a Summer Olympics” | Orlando prepares for the arrival of NBA and MLS
Florida city ready to capitalize on its position as the epicenter of professional sports in the US this summer to rejuvenate its tourism industry and secure major sporting events. Bob Williams reports
MLBPA builds up asset base as labor tensions rise
Union accelerates historic practice of heightened saving at tail end of labor cycle
Major League Rugby could bring in Hawaii expansion team in 2021
Major League Rugby is poised to expand its geographical reach in a significant way after announcing it is in talks to bring in a Hawaii-based expansion team in 2021
Denver Broncos bring in BetMGM as latest sports betting partner
The National Football League's Denver Broncos have brought in US online gaming operator BetMGM as their latest sports betting partner in a multiyear deal
NFL extends Pluto TV programming partnership
The National Football League has extended its programming partnership with US streaming service Pluto TV in a multiyear deal
Jared Melzer | The real power of sponsorships – driving social activism
Having led sponsorships for major B2C and B2B brands in the US, Jared Melzer shares his perspectives around sponsorships and Black Lives Matter
Jarren Ginsburg | Rams jerseys point toward future NFL uniform ads
Jarren Ginsburg, associate and litigation lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP's sports and entertainment group, explores how the Los Angeles Rams' new uniforms are poised to help open an important new area of sports sponsorship
Wall Street embraces promise of US sports wagering
Despite ongoing turbulence in the US stock market due to Covid-19, sports gambling has been a high-performing sector with analysts expecting robust long-term growth
MLB looks for audience lift in reformatted Draft
The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic helped lead to a dramatic reduction in the number of rounds for the MLB Draft. But the league and its media partners are still hoping for lift among a competition-starved fan base
Charles Schwab ready to seize its moment in spotlight as PGA Tour makes return
Multi-national financial services company will gain huge reach as the title sponsor of the first event back on the PGA Tour in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, writes Bob Williams
Jason Thomas | How can sports engage fans now for a successful return
The arrival of Covid-19 has hit the events industry hard, but sports are poised to make a big comeback – with or without fans physically present.
World TeamTennis poised to set significant precedent for staging events in front of fans
Mixed-gender professional tennis league will hold its entire season at The Greenbrier in West Virginia this summer, becoming one of the first sports events in US to be held in front of limited spectators. Bob Williams reports.
James Fenn | Lessons from “The Last Dance”
James Fenn, content and publishing strategist at Hill + Knowlton Strategies, explains how the "The Last Dance" broke all the rules to become a streaming sensation.
Coca-Cola’s Ricardo Fort: Tokyo Olympics next year set to be “great sign of the recovery of the world”
Ricardo Fort, who as Coca-Cola vice-president of global sports partnerships oversees one of the largest sports sponsorship portfolios in the entire world, discusses the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the prospects of recovery.
Soccer in the United States report, 2020
In the latest interactive monthly data report, SportBusiness Media analyses the media-rights landscape for soccer in the United States.
Iconic Strat-O-Matic games find new lift during pandemic
Venerable maker of sports simulation games has seen a strong resurgence amid the Covid-19 outbreak. Eric Fisher reports.
USA Weightlifting’s woes paint familiar picture for Olympic NGBs
US Olympic national governing body has suffered declining revenues and membership numbers since the onset of the health crisis but large financial reserves coupled with a move to put competitions and coaching courses onto digital platforms have stemmed losses.
Carla Varriale-Barker – More than words: the business of sports, Covid-19, and force majeure clauses
Carla Varriale-Barker, shareholder in the New York office of Segal McCambridge Singer & Mahoney, Ltd. and the chair of the firm’s Sports, Recreation and Entertainment practice group, discusses the meaning of increasingly prominent force majeure clauses in the sports industry
Mitchell Ziets – Key elements of the Covid-19 recovery
Mitchell Sports, chief executive of boutique sports advisory firm Tipping Point Sports LLC, examines the key elements of the industry's recovery from the pandemic
Bruin Sports Capital’s Pyne: pandemic heightens importance of core business fundamentals
Head of prominent sports investment vehicle sees significantly opportunity ahead, even amid a currently challenged sports industry. He discusses the firm's ambitions with US Editor Eric Fisher
Chris Russo | Will merger and acquisitions deal-making return this year?
Chris Russo, chief executive of Fifth Generation Sports LLC, looks at the US market for sports-related M&A deals and their future prospects amid the Covid-19 pandemic
LA Chargers leverage huge reach with “Bolt Up Your Small Business” initiative
The National Football League's Los Angeles Chargers, by offering a free team sponsorship through a new sweepstakes, are looking to reach out in a very different way to a local business community battered by the Covid-19 pandemic
Education technology company Everfi sees growing opportunity in sports
A wide array of major sports properties, both in and out of the US, have relied on DC-based outfit to engage students of many ages. Everfi co-founder and president of global partnerships Jon Chapman speaks with US Editor Eric Fisher on the company's work with the sports industry and the new EduCup Challenge
Pair of small US towns suffer heavy blow from loss of marquee baseball events
The cancellation of the Baseball Hall of Fame's Induction Weekend and the Little League World Series this summer are leaving big economic holes in the small communities that play host to the marquee events.