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WNBA prepares to add three $250M expansion teams
The league will vote by April 9 on adding franchises in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia, each requiring a $250 million expansion fee. Cleveland and Detroit have already secured outside capital at post‑money valuations of $290 million and $325 million respectively, backed by owners Dan Gilbert and Tom Gores.
All‑Pro nose tackle Dexter Lawrence has formally requested a trade from the New York Giants, according to ESPN. The 28‑year‑old, who is under a four‑year, $87.5 million contract through 2027, will still attend the team’s offseason workouts while negotiations stall. Lawrence’s production plummeted last season, dropping from a career‑high nine sacks in 2024 to just half a sack and 31 tackles. The request adds another layer to the Giants’ busy offseason reshaping under new head coach Brian Daboll.
The 2026 Masters Tournament kicks off Thursday, April 9 and runs through Sunday, April 12. While ESPN, CBS, Paramount+ and Amazon Prime Video will stream the event in HD, 4K coverage is exclusive to DIRECTV, which will broadcast the iconic Amen Corner...
The WNBA is set to add three new franchises in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia, with votes due by April 9 and approval expected. Each team carries a $250 million expansion fee, but Cleveland and Detroit have secured outside capital at post‑money valuations...
Australian cycling accessories maker Knog announced new North American distribution agreements, adding BTI and QBP as its United States partners and Live To Play Sports as its Canadian distributor. The change ends an eight‑year exclusive relationship with Selle Royale USA,...
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) has ended its $100,000‑per‑player sponsorship with the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces after two seasons. The deal, announced in May 2024, was scrutinized for potentially circumventing the league’s salary cap, prompting a second...
Main Street Sports, owner of the FanDuel Sports Network, will shut down its regional sports network (RSN) at the end of the current NBA and NHL seasons, freeing the broadcast rights for 13 NBA and 7 NHL teams. The leagues...
The Tampa Bay Rays are back at Tropicana Field for their 2026 home opener after a $60 million, year‑long renovation that added a new roof, upgraded suites, turf, video board and locker rooms. The upgrades, praised by CEO Ken Babby, leave...
The NCAA Division I Cabinet is considering a rule that would permanently bar pre‑college athletes who enter a professional draft and do not withdraw from competing in college sports. The proposal, slated for a 2026 rollout, targets basketball, baseball and...
🆙 Episode #44 of The Bundle is now available. The monthly walk-through with @UnffclPrtnr and @MurrayBarnett, trading facts, insights, and opinions at the intersection of #sports, #streaming, and #media — this time including but not limited to: • 🏈 NFL's media...
Reminder: Sportico is bringing Invest in Sports to San Francisco May 6. Great lineup of speakers, including: @warriors owner Joe Lacob @AcrewCapital's Theresia Gouw @SacramentoKings owner Vivek Ranadive @ThornsFC/@theportlandfire owner Alex Bhathal https://t.co/BtKMcy5za7
The Masters Tournament’s ticket lottery draws over 2 million applicants, with odds roughly 1 in 200. 2026 ticket prices start at $125 for practice rounds and rise to $160 for tournament days, a $20 increase from the prior year. While resale...
If you add up the value of all the teams in the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL, Berkshire Hathaway has more than double that sitting in cash right now.
Here's what each of the 31 @NCAA DI conferences will make in units from this year's women's basketball tournament. Payments spread across three years, starting in 2027. 📈: @Sportico, @LevAkabas https://t.co/AH6zhbWGun
The Seattle Mariners have locked up top prospect Colt Emerson on an eight‑year, $95 million contract, the largest deal ever for a player without MLB service time. The agreement includes a $25 million club option for 2034, escalators for awards and a...
Wrote a little bit this morning about AI in media and college sports administration...as well as values, service, and how to get fans (and readers) to trust you again. https://t.co/3aG47EVBNr
Banger @WNBA scoop here from @kbadenhausen. The league's three expansion teams are paying $250M fees, but they're already raising at much higher valuations. Detroit - $325M Cleveland - $290M Also, Will Smith is an investor in Philadelphia. https://t.co/VB2gTICRjE
New Era unveiled its 2026 NFL Draft Cap Collection, featuring reflective liquid‑chrome treatments that highlight each team’s logo. The lineup includes the iconic 9Fifty snap‑back along with 59Fifty, 9Seventy Stretch‑Snap, 39Thirty M‑Crown, 9Forty M‑Crown and Casual Classic styles, all offered...
SCOOP: NBA & WNBA governors are finally voting this week on W expansion in CLE, DET & PHI, per memo sent to teams. Cleveland ($290M) & Detroit ($325M) have raised $ at higher prices than $250M expansion. W team governor...
Trading DL Dexter Lawrence New Team Acquires 2026: $20M 2027: $19.5M #Giants Dead Cap $13.9M ($13M savings) https://t.co/4OLQwpacVw
CardVault, the sports‑card retailer co‑founded by Tom Brady, opened its 14th U.S. location at Ballpark Village in St. Louis, directly across from Busch Stadium. The store carries graded cards, singles, sealed products from Topps, Panini, Upper Deck, Pokémon and Fanatics Authentic, and...
Additional nuggets in ESPN/NFLN deal 1) While almost all NFL Media TV talents became ESPN employees, Scott Hanson did not 2) ESPN plans to eventually populate NFLN with some digital shows (similar to what it's been doing on E2) + possible...
Which Companies Will Next Carry FanDuel’s NBA And NHL Teams? (Amazon, Apple, ESPN?) https://t.co/k4dzzdTNfO via @TVAnswerMan
Alabama announced a contract extension for head coach Nate Oats through the 2031‑32 season, elevating his compensation to over $6 million annually and placing him among the five highest‑paid men’s basketball coaches. The deal follows Oats guiding the Crimson Tide to...
Michael Jordan is the highest-paid athlete of all-time by far He earned $275 million in 2025, mostly from Nike, to bring his lifetime inflation-adjusted earnings up to $4.5 billion, per @Sportico https://t.co/B2kON527ow
The NCAA is considering new eligibility rules that would impact pre-college players and pro draft participation. Expect antitrust litigation should those rules go into effect. I look at potential legal fallout in my weekly @Sportico sports law column: https://t.co/kXWgyni3L7.
NBC acquired Sunday Night Baseball rights but scheduled the St. Louis‑Detroit game exclusively on Peacock due to a conflicting NBA double‑header on the broadcast network. The streaming‑only approach forces viewers without Peacock to miss the game, sparking social‑media complaints. NBC announced...
State sovereignty vs federal regulations is going to determine a lot about the future of the sports betting biz
Tomorrow’s @POF_POD with @kevinhunterday ⚽️EFL losses ⚽️Fines and PSR ⚽️Tax and player income ⚽️Klopp £9.6m bonus ⚽️College programmes v academies ⚽️Wage caps https://t.co/K5aI4Fkbq9
Axar Patel, captain of the Delhi Capitals, has joined the Rotoris Circle, the premium watch brand’s curated network of athletes, entrepreneurs and cultural figures. Rotoris is shifting from traditional endorsements to a storytelling‑led community that emphasizes ambition, discipline and progression....
Upcoming #WNBA Dates April 6-7: Offer/Core Designation Period April 8-10: Negotiation Period April 11th: Free Agency Commences April 13th: Draft
My article examining public subsidies going to minor league baseball stadiums is now published in Economic Inquiry. See next post for ungated link https://t.co/5HpMbUDxVX
Fast&Up India has signed a deal to become the official hydration partner of Odisha FC for the Indian Super League 2025‑26 season. The agreement supplies the club with electrolyte tablets, energy boosters and recovery formulations aimed at boosting stamina and...
Schools have flexibility in how they participate, but that flexibility isn’t unlimited. Can a school opt in to the House Settlement for some sports but not others? The full explanation is in my book NIL 101: The House Settlement Now 40% off https://t.co/yBVisUkFCL https://t.co/Go2YoYRqpE
India’s sports economy tops $2 billion, grows 13.4% in 2025: WPP Media https://t.co/GKTzRidH9t via @ETBrandEquity
boAt has renewed its role as the official audio partner of Royal Challengers Bengaluru for IPL 2026, marking the eighth consecutive season of collaboration. The deal is anchored by the "Champions Choose Champions" campaign, linking boAt’s audio‑wearable portfolio with RCB’s...
Since 2022, investments in women’s sports teams have grown about 227% annually, on average, according to McKinsey. https://t.co/cjb6n1YLaw via @MorningBrew
More on FIFA’s dodgy prediction partner deal from @uglygame and colleagues at - https://t.co/uujkC8CuJv https://t.co/BglWhZ5HEx
TV Media Blog released its weekly sports viewership report for the week of March 23, ranking the top 75-plus telecasts using Nielsen's Big Data methodology. The list reflects linear television audiences and deliberately omits viewership from streaming platforms such as...
Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and ESPN analyst Troy Aikman told a podcast that the Miami Dolphins hired him because he possesses league‑wide information that other teams cannot easily obtain. He admitted his consulting role creates a clear conflict of interest,...
Tom Brady, retired NFL quarterback, is in the third year of his ten‑year, $375 million broadcasting deal with Fox and continues as a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders. In a recent blog post, he reflected on the difficulty of...
Channel 4 aired the Boat Race for the first time on April 4, 2026, attracting a total reach of three million viewers. The men’s race peaked at two million viewers, delivering a 31.3% audience share, while the women’s race peaked at 1.4 million...
Wembley bound Southampton submit 24/25 accounts, when the Club finished 20th in the Premier League. 🔑 figures ⚽️Revenue £158m ⬆️ 86% ⚽️Wages £116m ⬆️ 43% ⚽️Wages 73% of revenue ⚽️Underlying loss £62m ⬇️29% ⚽️Player sale profits £29m ⚽️Pre tax loss £54m (profit £17m) ⚽️Total accumulated losses £197m ⚽️Player...
A women's basketball title won't solve UCLA's massive athletics deficit, but expect a commercial jump. The Bruins sold $313,000 in tickets in fiscal 2024, 34th among public FBS schools. UConn was at $3.25M; South Carolina $1.6M. More on UCLA's title👇 https://t.co/KFJlqHZdg0
The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) set a new attendance record by drawing 18,006 fans to a sold‑out Madison Square Garden showdown between the New York Sirens and Seattle Torrent. The milestone follows a 25% jump in average attendance after...
Nevada judge extends Kalshi ban, calls sports contracts 'indistinguishable' from gambling. Nevada is now the only state with a court-enforced, in-effect ban against the New York-based company. Via @TheBlockCo https://t.co/hfLZkUB79w
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is expanding his brand beyond football through his investment firm 888 Midas, which he launched before his NFL debut. His diversified portfolio spans a Peruvian berry farm, an NWSL franchise, and a stake in AI startup...
The traditional reach-versus-revenue trade-off between 📺 linear TV and 📲 OTT streaming may only apply to broadcast television anymore: As linear cable/satellite TV shrinks and streaming expands, their reach expectations have largely converged for the most-scaled pure-play streamers. Especially with Prime...
The NCAA has expanded its long‑standing "units" payout system to include the men’s and women’s championship games, adding $2 million for each team that reaches the title match and another $2 million for the winner. This change pushes total tournament‑related payouts beyond...
The Varsity * Robo umps are here. * Wapo hires some sports reporters. * Rupert's WSJ swipes at NFL's antitrust exemption. * Don't expect a lot of changes at NFL Network. * Passan: WBC shouldn't be more than every three years. Plus, I sat down with...
If the States had retained outside counsel and/or filed suit first in state court rather than sending C&D letters to Kalshi, there likely would not be any sports-event contracts today. The lessons of NV & NJ have not been heeded...
