Latest news with #Sporticast
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Sporticast 454: How To Monetize Your Third Straight Stanley Cup
On the latest Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams speak with Shawn Thornton, chief revenue officer of the Florida Panthers, about the team's return to the Stanley Cup Final and what it means for various different revenue streams. The Panthers face the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of the Finals on Wednesday. It's a rematch of last year's final, which the Panthers won in seven games, and the third straight Stanley Cup Final appearance for the Florida team. Advertisement More from Thornton talks about what that multiyear success means for the team. He discusses ticket renewals, sponsorship sales, and ticket pricing. He jokes that while he doesn't get a ton of inbound sales calls, the conversations are easier now. He also gave his thoughts on the team's local media partnership. The Panthers used to be on one of the Bally's RSN networks, but last summer moved to a broadcast deal with Scripps, a setup similar to a handful of other NBA, NHL and MLB teams caught in the Diamond Sports bankruptcy. While he declined to provide specifics on the economics, he did say game viewership is up more than 2x in some cases, and that helps the team in its broader partnership conversations. The trio discusses the Tkachuk brothers–Matthew is one of the Panthers' stars–who boosted their popularity during the Four Nations Face-Off earlier this year. That bleeds into a conversation about NHL players and their relationship with fame and marketing deals. For years, many marketing executives felt the culture of the sport made stars less likely to market themselves. Now, however, a fresh crop of young NHL stars seems to be changing that narrative, with a boost from new media and the league itself. Advertisement Thornton also talks about his personal journey from professional hockey player to team revenue boss. He played in the NHL for the Blackhawks, Ducks, Bruins and Panthers. At each stop, he said he gravitated to the business office. He arrived at the Panthers shortly after Vinny Viola bought the team in 2013 for $250 million, and the role grew from there. (You can subscribe to Sporticast through Apple, Google, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever else you get your podcasts.) Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sporticast 451: Will NFL Players Dominate Olympic Flag Football?
On the latest Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including the latest with the NFL and flag football's inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics. NFL owners voted this week to allow active players to take place in the sport's Olympic debut in Los Angeles. It opens the door for a maximum of one player from each team to play in the team representing the U.S. It's part of a push by the NFL to make the flag version of football a more viable commercial entity, and a more viable participation sport. That's especially true among young women and international populations, two growth areas for the world's richest sports league. Advertisement More from The hosts talk about whether NFL players would be the best performers in flag football. The Olympics 3×3 basketball did not use active NBA players, and many felt the U.S. team, which did not reach the knockout round in the 2024 Olympics, would have been better if it had. On the other hand, the two best singles tennis players in the world almost certainly wouldn't be the best doubles team at the Olympics. Regardless, NFL participation will be a big marketing boost for the sport. Before that, the hosts discuss TGL expansion. The golf league launched last year by Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and TMRW Sports just added an expansion team in Detroit, backed by the owners of the Lions and the Broncos. The group paid more than $70 million for the team, Sportico reported this week. Teams that made their debut last year were sold in the $30-$35 million range. The hosts also talk about the Fanatics Games, a blend of Pros vs. Joes and MrBeast's YouTube channel; the good (big ratings) and bad (social race-baiting) about the WNBA's opening weekend; and the sale of LiveBarn, the youth sports streaming platform whose backers include Susquehanna and Ares. Advertisement (You can subscribe to Sporticast through Apple, Google, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever else you get your podcasts.) Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sporticast 444: You Are Not An NFL Scout
On the latest Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including Shedeur Sanders' shocking NFL Draft slide. The Colorado quarterback, whose father is Deion Sanders, was projected by some to be an early first round pick. Instead, he was taken on Saturday in the fifth round by the Cleveland Browns. It is by far the biggest draft slide of any top prospect in modern NFL history, and it became the enduring story of the three-day event. It also cost him tens of millions of dollars in rookie salary. Advertisement More from The hosts talk about the real reason behind the disconnect between where Sanders was projected to be drafted, and where he was ultimately selected. Media 'experts' like ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. work off of many of the same data points as NFL evaluators–game tape, pro day performance, advanced analytics–but there are some proprietary inputs, such as a player's performance in pre-draft interviews. In the case of Sanders, the proprietary inputs likely steered teams in a different direction. They also discuss the main goal of experts like Kiper, whose mock drafts are viewed by millions of fans in the run-up to the draft. Is he trying to do just his own analysis, or also trying to filter in the analysis of NFL experts. They discuss the draft ratings, which will be strong thanks in part to the rounds-long mystery surrounding Sanders' future home. They also talk about the Jacksonville Jaguars making the other surprise of the draft, trading a bunch of future draft capital to select Travis Hunter, Sanders' college teammate. They also talk about the $3 billion stadium project that will see the Washington Commanders return to D.C. The team has a deal in place that includes $850 million in public money, one of the largest public subsidies ever given to a U.S. stadium project. Advertisement The episode wraps with an eyebrow-raising deal between the NCAA and Genius Sports. (You can subscribe to Sporticast through Apple, Google, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever else you get your podcasts.) Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
This Stock's Slide Is an Omen for Sports Teams
Thursday's market-wide selloff in the wake of Donald Trump's tariffs announcement will have wide-ranging impacts for sports teams, their fans and their owners. But regarding the most basic lifeblood of the industry—people paying money to see live entertainment—one stock in particular shows the market's current concerns. Ticket marketplace Vivid Seats (Nasdaq: SEAT) was down as much as 10% is the first few hours of Thursday trading. It's close to an all-time low for the company, which went public via a SPAC deal in late 2021. More from Nike, Under Armour Headline Sports Stocks Crushed by Trump Tariffs Nike's Vietnam Manufacturing Shift Puts It in Trump's Tariff Crosshairs Nike, Bulls Quiet as Trump Admin Links Apparel to Gangs Vivid is one of the many stocks falling not because its imports face new, elevated tariffs, but rather because of concerns that a wider economic slowdown—further inflation, recession, etc.—could reduce discretionary spending by Americans. And sports is a major beneficiary of non-essential consumer spending. There is evidence, however, that sports teams can weather market-wide economic downturns. Many investors turn to sports specifically because the assets are relatively uncorrelated to the broader market. During both the Great Recession of 2008 and the more recent COVID-19 pandemic, franchise valuations continued their upward growth. 'To show you how special these assets are, there were seven control sales done during the Great Recession, and six of them were for record prices,' sports banker Sal Galatioto said last month on the Sporticast podcast. 'What other asset class can you say that about in highly distressed economic times? You can't.' Vivid Seats is a relatively small public company, even by sports standards. Its current market cap is about $587 million, as compared to $84 billion for Nike, $15.6 billion for DraftKings and $1.2 billion for Topgolf Callaway, to name a few other sports stocks that fell on Thursday. That said, Vivid's entire business is inextricably linked to demand for live events, either as a resale marketplace or as a broker. The first item listed in the risks section of its most recent 10-K filing is, 'We are adversely affected by decreases in the supply of and/or demand for live concert, sporting and theater events.' The company reported $775 million in revenue last year. Its broker work accounted for just 16% of that total, or $127.7 million. The other 84%, or $648 million, was from its marketplace unit, serving as an intermediary between ticket buyers and sellers. Sports represented 31% of that $648 million, according to the filing, or $202.2 million. Concerts were the biggest segment at 43% ($283.2 million), while theater was a distant third at 21% ($137.7 million). Year-over-year, sports revenue grew 1%, while concert revenue fell 8%. The new tariffs threaten to buck a strong tailwind for in-person sporting attendance. In its annual 'global sports outlook,' published in December, Fitch highlighted demand for live events as an improving metric. It also referenced price changes as a response to inflation in 2024. 'In the current landscape, [contractually obligated income] is expected to improve as sports remain a favored leisure activity and a popular venue for live entertainment,' the Fitch report said. 'The strong demand for premium seating, along with the repricing of expired contracts after a high inflationary period, is expected to positively impact [contractually obligated income] renewals.' U.S. leagues also vary widely in their financial reliance on live events. Only 17% of NFL revenue is money that teams keep from ticket sales, according to Sportico's accounting. That grows to 26% in the NBA, 31% in MLB, 39% in MLS and 44% in NHL. Stocks tied directly to sports team ownership saw smaller dips than Vivid Seats. Atlanta Braves Holdings (Nasdaq: BATRA) was down 3% as of noon ET. MSG Sports (NYSE: MSGS), which holds the New York Rangers and New York Knicks, was also down about 3%. Best of The 100 Most Valuable Sports Teams in the World NFL Private Equity Ownership Rules: PE Can Now Own Stakes in Teams Most Expensive Sports Memorabilia and Collectibles in History Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ovechkin Has Collected Hundreds of His Own Pucks and Sticks
Sitting at Nobu Malibu, an upscale beachfront restaurant in Southern California, Washington Capitals left winger Alex Ovechkin interrogated fellow all-time hockey great Wayne Gretzky. The 2016 double date between the highest goal scorers in NHL history and their wives slowly morphed into a sit-down interview. Even though this was their first-ever extended get-together, Gretzky did not seem bothered by Ovechkin's probing questions. After all, Gretzky once pestered the late Gordie Howie in a similar manner. More from NHL's Bettman: Impact of Tariff Feud Will Hinge on Canadian Dollar Sporticast 429: College Sports Enters (Another) New Era Sporticast 428: Will the Washington Nationals Hit the Market Again? Gretzky told Ovechkin that he should preserve his game-used equipment like he did, especially in the twilight years of his career. Ovechkin took that advice to heart—and with each signature one-timer slammed in from the left side of the ice, his mementos have become more valuable. Ovechkin is now 10 goals away from breaking Gretzky's career record (894); he scored No. 885 at Madison Square Garden in an overtime win against the New York Rangers on Wednesday night. That puck will join a heap of others that the 39-year-old possesses; he has collected every puck scored over the last three years with help from league officiating crews and team officials. Capitals equipment staff know the drill. Pucks are immediately labeled with their date, opponent and goal number. The same process applies to each stick Ovechkin uses to score. Ovechkin takes the sticks to his Virginia home, while the pucks are delivered collectively to him at the end of the season. A large collection of Gretzky memorabilia is displayed at Studio 99 restaurant at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Canada. This also inspired Ovechkin, who plans to one day fill out a commemorative display in Washington, D.C. and build a museum in his hometown of Moscow. Some of his collected sticks are already back in Russia in preparation for the site, and he looks forward to his two children seeing the finished product. 'They're going to be part of the museum and part of my home,' Ovechkin said in an interview. 'I've been a hockey fan since I was young. I want to see all the little [equipment] things. When we went to Edmonton, I stopped by [Studio 99], I was very impressed.' Ovechkin also holds onto items obtained from current and former players who've taken the ice. Years ago, he first picked up a signed stick from former Pittsburgh Penguins icon Mario Lemieux, and the collection has since grown to more than 200 sticks with autographs from everyone from longtime rival Sidney Crosby to Connor McDavid. Ovechkin's teammates say that the third-longest tenured captain in league history has by far the largest memorabilia collection of anyone on the team. 'When I played in Winnipeg, one of the trainers once told me that Ovechkin wants a stick from me,' Capitals forward Pierre-Luc Dubois said in an interview. 'I thought, 'Wow, that's cool,' and then they [told] me that he asks like every guy.' This includes Capitals goalkeeper Charlie Lindgren, who accidently backhanded the puck into his own goal during a game against Tampa Bay last November. It's a reminder that Ovechkin's stick collection not only includes Hall of Famers but also oddballs and mementos of funny instances. Even as he gets closer to being immortalized as the NHL's goals leader, Ovechkin remains a hockey fan at heart. 'I've seen his stick rack at the rink, he definitely has a lot of sticks,' Capitals defensemen Matt Roy said in an interview. 'I threw mine in there as a joke. Not sure if he has seen it yet.' Ovechkin is the latest star athlete to intentionally collect on his way to a record. Former San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds, who holds the record for the most MLB home runs (762), had nearly everything he wore and used for each homer from 700 to 756 authenticated and stored in a warehouse in San Mateo, Calif. Bonds previously kept some of the major milestones on display in his home, similar to what Ovechkin plans to do. For the most important items to come for Ovechkin, such as the record-breaking puck and stick, the final resting spot has not been confirmed yet. The Capitals' parent company Monumental Sports & Entertainment recently partnered with collectibles media and marketing service Cllct, and it will want to show off some of the cherished items to display for fans. The Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto also wants in, so who borrows what and who keeps what continues to be sorted out. Ovechkin made at least one thing clear about the future of his milestone memorabilia. 'I'm not going to sell it.' Best of MLS Franchise Valuations Ranking List: From LAFC to CF Montréal Tennis Prize Money Tracker: Which Player Has Earned the Most in 2025? Who Is Josh Harris, the Washington Commanders' Owner?
