Major League Baseball (MLB)
MLB draws best Division Series domestic audience since 2017
Viewership boost meaningfully contrasts from declines seen during regular season
Sohrob Farudi on redefining the level of control in the fan experience
In this week’s episode, podcast co-hosts Eric Fisher and Chris Russo interview Sohrob Farudi, co-founder and chief executive of Fan Controlled Sports & Entertainment. Fisher and Russo also discuss rising athlete investment activity in emerging entities such as Major League Pickleball and Gym Class VR, renewed calls to expand college basketball’s March Madness, the ongoing sexual abuse scandal in the National Women’s Soccer League, the National Football League’s upcoming Fall Meetings, and Major League Baseball's trailblazing sponsorship deal with consumer cannabidiol (CBD) producer Charlotte’s Web.
MLB signs CBD agreement with Charlotte’s Web in industry first
Deal marks new territory among major North American stick-and-ball properties
Sage enters US sponsorship market with MLB deal
Major League Baseball has signed up global accounting, finance, human resources, and payroll company Sage to its sponsorship portfolio, representing the company's first North American sports partnership
Bilibili and Kuaishou join broadcaster line-up for MLB postseason in China
Major League Baseball agreed media rights deals with Chinese digital platforms Bilibili and Kuaishou for this year's ongoing postseason games
Sandra Douglass Morgan on the emergence of Las Vegas as a major sports industry market
In this week’s episode, podcast co-hosts Eric Fisher and Chris Russo interview Sandra Douglass Morgan, the new president of the National Football League’s Las Vegas Raiders. Fisher and Russo also preview the 2022-23 National Basketball Association season, including accelerating media change with the debut of the newly redesigned official NBA mobile app, developments in the forthcoming sale of the Phoenix Suns, and the New York Knicks seeking a new jersey patch partner. They additionally discuss the newly expanded Major League Baseball postseason, and the latest commercial implications surrounding the new American League single-season home run record for New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge.
Twitter to offer live look-ins of every 2022 MLB postseason game
Social media platform to aid in fan engagement around playoff contests
MLB generates another set of consumption records for MLB.TV
Adoption continues to grow for league's out-of-market streaming service
MLB hits a 25-year low in unrestricted attendance
League continues to battle impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, fan apathy surrounding rebuilding clubs
Historic Judge home run ball immediately worth millions
Future status of ball caught by Texas-based fan undetermined
MLB sees late surge in 2022 regular-season attendance
League continues to trail pre-pandemic totals
Arne Rees on establishing a new sports investment entity
In this week’s episode, podcast co-hosts Eric Fisher and Chris Russo interview Arne Rees, co-founder of the newly formed Velocity Capital Management. Fisher and Russo also discuss the $30m (€31.2m) round of funding for Athletes Unlimited, continued change and turbulence in United States college sports, the National Football League’s accelerating push for greater internationalization, collector impacts surrounding the historic home run chase of Major League Baseball superstar Aaron Judge, and heightened legal friction between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.
BBC strikes five-year MLB deal
Major League Baseball has agreed a five-year media rights deal with the BBC, the UK public broadcaster
MLB employs ‘virtual idol’ to promote World Series in China
Marketing in China for this year's Major League Baseball World Series will include appearances by 'virtual idol' Leah, as the American baseball league aims to reach young audiences in the country
Judge’s history-making HR chase driving ticket market surge
Demand spikes to see star Yankees outfielder pursue AL record
Mets president Alderson to step down
Search underway to find new day-to-day leader for MLB club
MiLB players complete unionization process
MLBPA to represent minor leaguers as collective bargaining to begin
MLB plans to voluntarily recognize MiLB unionization
MiLB players to gain ability to collectively bargain for the first time