Go to Source Author: Daniel Myrick The Kansas City Royals are looking for a new home to replace Kaufman Stadium. We get the latest on the sites they have in mind, how much it will cost, and what will be there other than a stadium. Plus, we hear from MLB legend Tino Martinez on his work with the PBX pickleball league and his thoughts on MLB today and the state of the New York teams. Related StoriesRoyals Will Pick New Ballpark Site This Summer Royals Narrow List of Potential Sites For New $2B Stadium Royals to Welcome Public Feedback on Proposed New StadiumFor more on how sports impacts business and culture, subscribe to the Front Office Sports Today podcast. The post Kansas City Royals Plan New $2B

Go to Source Author: Michael McCarthy The NBA released its full schedule for the 2023-2024 season. The coming regular season will tip off on October 24 and end on April 14. The NBA Playoffs are scheduled to begin on April 20, with Game 1 of the NBA Finals slated for June 6.This will be a pivotal campaign for the Association and its two national TV partners: Warner Bros. Discovery Sports’ TNT and the Walt Disney Co.’s ESPN/ABC.Their media rights expire after the 2024-2025 season. But the league will begin negotiations later this year to score $50 billion to $75 billion for its next long-term cycle of rights fees. Suppose the two incumbents can’t close the deal during an exclusive negotiating window. In that case,

Go to Source Author: David Rumsey Conference realignment in college sports is at an impasse, as schools with the most at stake have very different visions for the future.Oregon State appears intent on keeping the remaining four Pac-12 schools together. Rebuilding the conference is something the Beavers’ athletic director Scott Barnes says he wants to start happening within “days.”But key to that scenario is commitments from California and Stanford — both of which could have potentially already bolted for the ACC if not for opposition from the conference’s top schools.A Stanford move has even reportedly gotten backing from former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, a longtime university professor and key supporter. Rice has reached out to the ACC to vie for

Go to Source Author: David Rumsey Lionel Messi continues to pay off big for Inter Miami in the Leagues Cup, scoring nine goals in his first six games and leading the club to the final — and in the process, opening doors that were locked shut before his arrival by the team’s league-worst MLS record. Beyond the potential $2 million prize for winning the Leagues Cup — a new competition featuring MLS and Liga MX squads — Inter Miami’s performance has already secured the club a slot in next year’s Concacaf Champions Cup. That competition will provide a crucial opportunity to qualify for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup — which is expanding to 32 teams and will be held in the U.S.Inter

Go to Source Author: David Rumsey The Women’s World Cup host nations are so enthused by the success of the 2023 tournament that they’re setting their sights on an even more lucrative gig: a men’s World Cup.Amid record-breaking attendance and the Australian women’s national team’s run to the semifinals, this Women’s World Cup is projected to bring in $300 million from sponsorship revenue, $100 million from media rights, and nearly $50 million from ticket sales.FIFA says the 2022 men’s World Cup in Qatar generated more than $6 billion in revenue, including nearly $1 billion in ticket sales alone. Host country Qatar reportedly reaped $1.56 billion.It’s easy to see why Women’s World Cup countries would be interested in further FIFA hosting duties. The heads

Go to Source Author: Andrew Cohen The Big Ten has discussed hosting its championship football game in Las Vegas at Allegiant Stadium, home of the NFL’s Raiders.Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority President and CEO Steve Hill said the talks are in “early stages,” according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The Big Ten’s championship football game has been played at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis since 2011, and the conference’s hosting contract with the Indianapolis Colts expires after the 2024 championship.“The Big 10 has asked us to submit proposals,” Hill told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “I’m sure they have asked a number of cities. We are certainly interested, will put our best foot forward, and know there is no better place for

Go to Source Author: Eric Fisher The exact number of subscribers that MLS and Apple have generated for their new MLS Season Pass remains one of the industry’s most guarded secrets. But Inter Miami’s managing owner, Jorge Mas, says the count has more than doubled since Lionel Messi’s heralded arrival at the club.Mas posted Thursday what had long been expected and seen elsewhere in league and club business: Messi has drawing power like no one else.“The Messi Effect is real!” Mas added on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Also, Spanish-language viewership on MLS Season Pass has surpassed 50% for Messi matches, and continues to rise. How exciting for a truly global fan base!” MLS officials haven’t confirmed Mas’ statement, and the exact subscriber count

Go to Source Author: David Rumsey FC Barcelona completed a crucial funding deal on Friday to help address lingering questions about the club’s finances heading into the new La Liga season.The Spanish club is creating a new company, Barca Media, which will be valued at $1 billion and listed on the U.S. stock market. Several steps were taken to facilitate the move. Barca is merging its digital content units with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) called Mountain & Co. I Acquisition Corp to form Barca Media in a deal expected to close by the end of the year. The team also announced new investors in Barca Vision (previously known as Barca Studios) — which comprises the club’s Web3, blockchain, and metaverse efforts

Go to Source Author: Andrew Cohen NFL insider Dianna Russini is leaving ESPN for The Athletic, according to The New York Post. She would be the latest big-name employee to leave ESPN after around 20 on-air employees were laid off in June.Russini will write NFL stories and make video and podcast contributions for The Athletic, which The New York Times acquired for $550 million in January 2022. The Post reports that ESPN wanted to keep Russini and offered her a raise to stay. She joined ESPN in 2015 and has been a lead NFL reporter for NFL Live, Sunday NFL Countdown, Fantasy Football Now, Get Up, SportsCenter, and ESPN Radio. At ESPN, Russini started as a SportsCenter anchor before she moved to NFL,

Go to Source Author: Andrew Cohen Golfer Phil Mickelson has bet $1 billion on sports over the past three decades, according to a new autobiography from sports gambler Billy Walters.Mickelson, the former PGA Tour star who joined LIV Golf in 2022, had a gambling partnership with Walters from 2010 to 2014, Walters wrote in an excerpt of his Gambler: Secrets from a Life at Risk book. Mickelson is said to have lost nearly $100 million on gambling, and he allegedly asked Walters to place a $400,000 for him in 2012 on Team USA to win the Ryder Cup, but Walters refused to place the bet for Mickelson since he played in the tournament.Between his PGA Tour earnings and LIV Golf payday, Mickelson