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Features
Gambling Americans
Rick Burton, the David B. Falk Professor of Sport Management at Syracuse University and former Commissioner of Australia’s National Basketball League asks whether gambling’s relationship with sport could switch a fan’s affinity for a sport, team or player to one of 50-50 outcomes
Las Vegas’s minor league teams confirm city’s place as major league sports town
The city of Las Vegas is not immediately recognizable for its reputation as a sports hub. Bob Williams looks at how it is transitioning "from the entertainment capital of the world to the sports and entertainment capital of the world".
NFL stadium designers look to social media, youth to guide next wave of new facilities
Stadium designers are increasingly turning toward psychological and anthropological research to guide the development the next generation of NFL facilities and create comfortable, as well as Instagram-able, venues. Randy Williams reports.
Women’s Super League title sponsorship reinforces Barclays’ status as ‘financial partner of football’
Barclays global head of sponsorships and media, Tom Corbett, tells Adam Nelson why the bank has stepped up its association with football by signing a record-breaking title partnership with the Women's Super League.
Ohio University: Gain a competitive edge in your career
In association with Ohio University
ESPN placing special editions of studio shows on Facebook Watch
One-year deal involves streaming exclusive versions of popular non-game ESPN programs such as College Game Day
NHL announces five-year Truly Hard Seltzer partnership
The National Hockey League has named the Boston Beer Company's Truly Hard Seltzer its official hard seltzer partner in a five-year deal
PGA Tour signs chat platform agreement with GameOn Technology
New PGA Tour Chatbot will allow fans to ask questions, gain instant access to tournament data
Australia’s NBL to stream games in US via Facebook Watch
New streaming agreement seeks to take advantage of two potential NBA Draft lottery picks playing in the league this season
Rights to beloved Phillie Phanatic mascot in dispute after more than 40 years
Legal battle revives tension that previously existed between the MLB club and the design firm that helped create iconic character.
USA Rugby pins hopes on hosting Rugby World Cup after dodging bankruptcy in 2018
After almost going bankrupt in 2018 following the collapse of for-profit subsidiary Rugby International Marketing (RIM), USA Rugby is pinning its hopes on being awarded the 2027 or 2031 Rugby World Cup. Bob Williams examines how the sport is growing in the States.
Fifa ruling shakes up compensation, development structures in US player market
The issue of solidarity payments for academies developing US soccer talent remains decidedly unsettled following a Fifa ruling in June
‘Brown as a bear’: Shock, awe and despair as prized autographs ruined by defective baseballs
Browning has marred thousands of once-valuable autographed baseballs, with the precise cause of the damage still unknown. Dennis Tuttle examines the impact on the baseball collectibles market
Mickey Mantle: In death, still king of the collectors’ world
Dead since 1995, the revered Hall of Famer still commands a lofty position among baseball memorabilia collectors
Washington Wizards seek to break the industry mould, find wins with new leadership structure
Struggling NBA team looks well outside basketball for new ideas and approaches in its senior leadership
Major League Rugby takes slow and steady approach in attempt to crack US market
Bob Williams looks at the development of Major League Rugby in the US, and how the league is looking to avoid the mistakes made by previous organisations' attempts to successfully break the sport in the US market.
PGA Tour Superstore revolutionizes sports retail sector as Home Depot of golf
Following the decline of a number of US sporting goods chains, Bob Williams talks to Dick Sullivan, president and chief executive of the PGA Tour Superstore, which has expanded from 10 stores in 2010 to 41 locations in 16 states, about what is behind the success of the chain.
Milwaukee Bucks get aggressive to avoid second-year letdown at Fiserv Forum
The Milwaukee Bucks are looking to host a range of events in the coming year, including multiple concerts and the 2020 Democratic National Convention. Eric Fisher talks to the Bucks president Peter Feigin about how the NBA team plans to leverage the Fiserv Forum as a venue for more than just basketball.
MLB aims to ‘democratize’ esports with inclusive push around Home Run Derby VR game
Major League Baseball's developing esports strategy, much more inclusive and based on a game title much simpler to play, veers heavily from other major US sports properties
Falcons and Rays go cashless to take fan experience ‘to an even higher level’
Cashless deployments in Atlanta, Tampa point the way toward likely broader adoption across the sport industry.
Minor League Baseball seeks to move national sales to “biggest levels in the market”
After more than three years of steady growth building a national sales operation, the affiliated minor leagues of baseball has growing ambitions
Liverpool goes it alone | Why an ‘independent’ US tour offered the club more than the ICC
Liverpool FC decided to arrange its own tour of the United States this summer, rather than compete in the pre-season International Champions Cup, because the club preferred to be "independent" and have more freedom to arrange opponents, dates and venues.
Ligue 1 stages US games to attract new investors and bridge gap to Serie A and the Bundesliga
As France's Ligue 1 is staging a four-team tournament in Washington DC this week, Bob Williams looks at how it aims to expand its reach into the US and improve overseas media-rights income.
In era of racing sponsor retreats, Chevrolet doubles down on activation
The North American auto industry’s increasing gravitation toward crossover sport utility vehicles, trucks, and electric vehicles has lessened the natural link between the “stock car” element of auto racing, making the sport now a more fertile sponsorship area for brands in other product sectors.
NBA uses Summer League to retain year-round relevance and extend its global footprint
Kim Bohuny, NBA senior vice-president of international basketball operations, spoke to Bob Williams about the Summer League's growing popularity and its increased role in the league's international expansion.
Two-site ballpark plan gives Oakland A’s new hope in long-running facility search
The MLB club's bold plan to solve its nearly generation-long search for a new facility not only has unusual architectural choices, but also involves redeveloping two separate parcels. Barry M. Bloom reports.
College sports carve out a commercial niche on OTT platforms
The Colonial Athletic Conference’s $4.5m streaming deal with FloSports is helping the conference to build audiences and close the gap on the Power 5. Eric Fisher reports.