The NBA is Looking for a Home

The NBA playoffs are officially underway, but there are still questions regarding the NBA’s upcoming streaming rights. ESPN and TNT had a deal with the NBA starting in the 2003 season that was worth $24 billion. CNBC estimates that NBA would be seeking $75 billion in the new media deal set to begin in the 2025-26 season. The NBA hoped there would be an agreement in place by the end of this year’s regular season, but the NBA’s high price tag is likely stalling companies from pulling the trigger. If all goes well, they hope that some agreement will take place by the start of next year’s season.

There are suitors to take on the NBA’s media rights, but no one is willing to take on sole media rights for the NBA, due to the whopping $75 billion price tag. ESPN, TNT, Amazon Prime, and NBC are the front runners and most likely companies that will be involved in the deal. Netflix has even been rumored to be interested in a portion of the deal, as they have recently been attempting to grow their presence into live sports. Most fans are okay with any of the above options, but they, like MLB fans are hoping for the end of local blacked out broadcasts.

While the NBA will hear out Netflix and even Apple TV, the clear favorite among streaming platforms is Amazon Prime Video. Amazon is only interested in an NBA deal if it can secure a regular season and postseason package of “high-level” games. Amazon believes they deserve to get this as well as their partnership with the NFL and Thursday Night Football has proven to be a successful one. According to Nielsen, TNF on Prime Video registered a +24% increase among total viewers over the previous season (11.86 million vs. 9.58 million).

The Two Most Dominant Athletes

Everyone knows about Scottie Scheffler and his unbelievable dominance over the last 5 weeks, but there is actually someone who has been MORE dominant in the world of golf. That would be LPGA star, Nelly Korda. On Sunday, Korda won the Chevron Championship, the first women’s major of the year, and her fifth tournament in a row, a feat not accomplished since Annika Sorenstam in 2005. This type of dominance from two golfers at the same time isn’t something we have ever seen before.

Scheffler is unsurprisingly soaring past Korda’s earnings so far on the LPGA, but the two-time women’s major champion is actually outpacing her competition at a more impressive rate. Scheffler’s $18.69 million in prize money this year is roughly double that of his closest foe, Wyndham Clark at $9.13 million. Korda’s $2.42 million is nearly triple the LPGA’s second-highest earner, Maja Stark with $815,380.

There then becomes a question as to whether this dominance is good for the sport of golf. After the Masters, which saw its final-round audience drop 20% to 9.589 million viewers, Front Office Sports media reporter Michael McCarthy wrote that golf may have a “Scottie Scheffler problem.” People love to watch greatness, but when it comes at the expense of competition, they will lose interest.

The Most Interesting Man in Sports

Ryan Smith is the 45 year old billionaire who just purchased the hockey team, Arizona Coyotes. He also is the most interesting and unique owner in sports. Ryan Smith also owns the Utah Jazz of the NBA, Real Salt Lake of the MLS, and the Utah Current of the NWSL. Smith spent at least $3 billion for his share of the four sports teams he owns all or part of, and already they’re worth roughly $5.5 billion. It also rumored that he is behind the efforts of bringing the Oakland Athletics to Salt Lake City. Smith was recently asked if he was interested in trying to bring a WNBA team to Salt Lake City, but said “he had a full plate right now” Ryan Smith is everywhere.

Smith said that he plans to rename the team and wants to have a bracket that allows fans to vote on their favorite name. Since the middle of April, multiple trademark applications for team nicknames related to Utah have been filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Those nicknames include Utah Blizzard, Utah Venom, Utah Fury, Utah HC, Utah Hockey Club, Utah Yetis, and Utah Outlaws. Fans are assuming that these were filed by Ryan Smith and Company and that would allow one additional name to be added to his list of 8 names he wants to be included on the bracket. Many fans are not thrilled by the options of the names, but Ryan Smith has neither confirmed or denied his involvement in those particular names.

Quick Reads

• A report uncovered that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for doping before the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo—and some won gold medals.

• LPGA golfer, Nelly Korda, won her 5th consecutive start, tying Annika Sorestam and Nancy Lopez as the only golfers to win 5 starts in a row.

• David Beckham is suing Mark Wahlberg’s fitness company, F45, for $10.5 million.

• The Department of Justice has reportedly agreed to a $100M settlement that will be split among about 100 victims of Larry Nassar, the former US women’s gymnastics team doctor.

• The Kansas City Current announced plans to expand on their the first purpose-built women’s professional sports stadium in the world. They are investing an additional $200 million into the project that will include a stadium district with retail and residential opportunities.

Job Openings in Sports

• Summer Intern: Lacrosse Operations - Philadelphia Wings (Philadelphia, PA)

• Community Relations Coordinator - Philadelphia Eagles (Philadelphia, PA)

• Data Scientist - Pittsburgh Pirates (Open to Remote)

• Systems Administrator - Inter Miami (Miami, FL)

• Executive Assistant - Texas Rangers (Arlington,TX)

Games of the Week

• Philadelphia 76ers vs New York Knicks - Thursday @ 7:30 PM EST

• Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics - Wednesday @ 7:00 PM EST

• Zurich Classic - (Thursday-Sunday)

• New York Yankees vs Milwaukee Brewers (Friday-Sunday)

• Las Vegas Knights vs Dallas Stars @ 9:30 PM EST

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