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Home Team Sports’ Sloan: Sports TV advertising market in midst of broad redefinition
Craig Sloan, executive vice-president of Home Team Sports, the Fox Sports-owned sales unit serving dozens of regional sports networks, details historic changes coming to advertising on sports television.
49ers ready to help Leeds United become “more of a global force”
NFL team the San Francisco 49ers are ready to play an active role in helping Leeds United become a Premier League force both on and off the field following the club's promotion to English soccer's top flight. SportBusiness speaks to 49ers Enterprises president Paraag Marathe.
SoFi Stadium looks to break new ground with massive videoboard
With its both unprecedented size and unique design, the videoboard at the forthcoming SoFi Stadium in Southern California seeks to break new ground in the industry technologically and redefine fan engagement
First LA, then the world – NWSL’s Angel City sets sights on becoming global brand
Natalie Portman and Serena Williams are among the 33-strong, female-led ownership group of the NWSL's latest expansion team, which has high hopes that "the world will pay attention" to its efforts on and off the field. Bob Williams reports
Pro Football Hall of Fame looks to overcome $5m hit with “Super Bowl-like” event in 2021
Pro Football Hall of Fame president David Baker tells SportBusiness how the iconic facility in Canton, Ohio, is looking to overcome calling off Hall of Fame Game and postponing its centennial enshrinement ceremony this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic
Big Ten, Pac-12 pull plug on fall college football seasons
The Big Ten and Pac-12 conferences have both voted to postpone all fall sports seasons, including college football, in the wake of the global Covid-19 pandemic, with hopes of playing in spring 2021
LCS strikes multiyear partnership with Buffalo Wild Wings
Riot Games’ League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) has struck a multiyear partnership with restaurant chain Buffalo Wild Wings, which has been designated the esports competition's official sports b…
Nascar strikes multiyear sports betting partnership with BetMGM
US stock car racing series Nascar has struck a multiyear sports betting partnership with online gaming company BetMGM, which has been designated an authorized gaming operator of the organization.
Spire Motorsports completes Leavine Family Racing purchase
North Carolina-based auto racing organization Spire Motorsports has completed an agreement to purchase the assets of Nascar Cup Series team Leavine Family Racing
MLB looks to get aggressive with virtual advertising
Faced with the loss of nearly two-thirds of the regular season due to the Covid-19 pandemic, MLB and its clubs are significantly expanding the frequency and locations for virtual advertising this season.
Robert Weisbein, Gregory Marino, and Emily Ostreich | Has a trademark Hog muddied the Washington Football Team’s name change plans?
A trio from Foley & Lardner LLP look at the complex trademark issues surrounding the pending name change for the Washington Football Team.
US college sports face critical juncture as Covid-19 cancellations mount
Months after Covid-19 wiped out the entire spring season in US college sports, still-growing virus case rates now imperil the fall season and escalate economic tension around the country
How Kevin Durant and Philadelphia Union both stand to benefit from NBA player’s minority stake
Philadelphia Union majority owner Jay Sugarman and Durant's business manager Rick Kleiman tell SportBusiness why Brooklyn Nets forward's investment in MLS team will be mutually beneficial and explain how the deal came about.
Michael Bapis | Changing the game – the Covid-19 impact on industry expectations
Michael Bapis, managing director with Vios Advisors at Rockefeller Capital Management, explores how the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed expectations across the sports industry, but also what has remained intact
RSNs look to MLB intrasquad games as key source of new content, preparation for upcoming season
What previously were just MLB practice sessions unseen by fans have become an important source of content for clubs and their regional sports networks, and have helped broadcast production crews prepare for the regular season
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
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.