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15 TO WATCH/5 SPORTS TECH/POWER OF SPORTS 5: RICK HORROW’S TOP SPORTS/BIZ/TECH/PHILANTHROPY ISSUES FOR THE WEEK OF SEPT. 17

with Jamie Swimmer & Jacob Aere

Florence is not a sports fan. While the destruction and loss of life caused by Tropical Storm Florence has thankfully not reached the level of Hurricanes Harvey and Katrina, sports entities in the Carolinas and beyond have felt Flo’s impact. The chaos caused by Florence saw a half-dozen college football games in Mid-Atlantic seaboard states canceled or moved, with many decisions made by bottom line implications. Clemson’s 38-7 home win over Georgia Southern came in the face of a reported $2 million loss by canceling the contest, and Virginia chose to move its home game against Ohio 500 miles northwest to Nashville rather than forfeiting a “home game” opportunity. On the NFL front, the Panthers, playing out of harm’s way in Atlanta, are taking a "multi-pronged approach to relief efforts that includes first making contacts with nonprofits," many of whom owner David Tepper and the team have "worked with in the past,” according to the Charlotte Observer. Meanwhile, NBA Hornets owner and North Carolina native Michael Jordan is "urging the team's fans to donate to relief funds in response to the impact of Hurricane Florence." As always, sports teams, leagues, and athletes are there to help in the wake of disaster, providing much needed morale boosters and dollars.

As the postseason nears, MLB continues its September celebration of Hispanic heritage. Major League Baseball once again commemorates Hispanic Heritage Month with a slate of events and efforts designed to spotlight the contributions to baseball by Hispanic and Latino players throughout the month of September. According to Cynopsis Sports, initiatives include “The Bronx Stickball Classic” – a new youth-focused Stickball tournament in the shadow of Yankee Stadium – special MLB Network vignettes highlighting Latino stars in the game today, social and digital content across MLB’s bilingual platforms, and in-park Club celebrations. MLB has also debuted new media platforms designed to provide real-time, quality content to the Spanish-speaking Hispanic and Latino audience, including @Corte4 and Corte4.com. In parallel, however, baseball’s minor league players – a significant number of whom are Latinx – are considering aligning with the United Steelworkers for union representation and bargaining for a reasonable living wage. Stay tuned.

The SEC continues its dominance on the field and on the balance sheet. According to Forbes’ annual college football program valuation, the SEC currently boasts five of the country’s top 10 most-valuable programs from a financial perspective, led by Texas A&M. The Aggies had revenues of $148 million and a profit of $107 million last year. Despite not being the conference’s most successful program, A&M’s rise to the top has been fueled by its move to the SEC in 2012 and contributions for massive renovations and expansion of Kyle Field. The other SEC schools are Alabama (No. 4 — $127 million in revenue), Auburn (No. 8 — $112 million in revenue), LSU (No. 9 — $112 million in revenue) and Florida (No. 10 — $111 in revenue). Texas was second on the list, Michigan came in at third, and Ohio State rounded out the top five. Moving into Week Four, the SEC continues to dominate on the field as well as the balance sheet, with four of the Associated Press’ Top Ten – Alabama (No. 1), Georgia (No. 2), LSU (No. 6), and Auburn (No. 9) hailing from the SEC.

The NFL has been struggling to combat a drop in TV ratings over the past few years and Wall Street has taken notice. According to SportsBusiness Journal, the league’s ratings are being closely observed and scrutinized by financial analysts in the country’s financial capital. “We continue to believe the NFL is the single biggest swing factor for media earnings and valuation,” read a research note from MoffettNathanson. “Any sign of continued NFL ratings weakness could pose a long-term risk for broadcasters who may be forced to bid up for rights.” Broadcast industry analysts have cited that numerous media rights packages are currently overvalued, which could have a direct impact on the next wave of negotiations between the league and its broadcast partners if ratings continue to decline this season. Disney’s (ESPN) current “Monday Night Football” package has “a cost/rating point ratio that is 260% to 400% more expensive than any other package.” CBS, FOX, and NBC each spend about $1 billion annually in rights fees, while ESPN spends a reported $1.9 billion for “Monday Night Football.”

As the WTA prepares to fly to Asia for its fall season, U.S. Open champion Naomi Osaka continues to bask in the glow of her shiny new Grand Slam trophy and numerous new endorsement deals. While the women’s final was tinged by the controversy surrounding the behavior of finalist Serena Williams, there was nothing questionable about Osaka’s play, and sponsors definitely took notice. Nissan Motor Co. has signed Osaka as its "next brand ambassador, tapping the tennis star's youth, drive and Japanese roots to appeal to younger customers." She will appear in "global promotions and advertising" under a three-year contract. And Osaka has signed a new clothing deal with Adidas worth an estimated $8.4 million annually, making it the biggest contract in women’s tennis according to the London Times. Additionally, due to her Grand Slam win, bonuses "will now be triggered" in some of Osaka's existing deals – she also currently endorses Yonex, Citizen, broadcaster Wowow, and Nissin Foods Group, among others. Asia’s Mumbrella notes Osaka "represents a unique opportunity for other brands looking to back her as well." With her cultural diversity and emotional honesty – not to mention the upcoming Japan Olympic Games – Osaka has the potential to be the face of global tennis for years to come.

The fallout from Serena Williams’ U.S. Open loss continues, having nothing to do with her defeat on the court. According to the London Times, umpires are now contemplating refusing to officiate matches that Williams is playing in after seeing how Carlos Ramos was treated following the final. Williams’ loss has since been overshadowed by the drama incited during the match when she went head-to-head with Ramos. The Women’s Tennis Association and United States Tennis Association supported Williams on her claims of sexism after she was handed a game penalty, while it took the ITF almost 48 hours to defend Ramos. Numerous umpires are citing the USTA’s lack of support for them, and have claimed that “Ramos was thrown to the wolves for simply doing his job and was not willing to be abused for it.” Like minor league baseball players fighting for a reasonable living wage, tennis umpires are now considering forming a union to defend themselves in future situations like this.

Major League Soccer All-Star Game heads to Orlando. MLS has formally announced that its 2019 All-Star Game "will be hosted at Orlando City Stadium," though an "opponent and exact date for the match are still to be determined,” according to the league. This will be the "second time in MLS history" Orlando will be the event site after it previously hosted in 1998 at "what was then known as the Citrus Bowl" (now Camping World Stadium). The 2018 game at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium drew a record crowd of 72,317. The 2019 edition "won’t draw anywhere near that large of a crowd because soccer-specific Orlando City Stadium has a maximum capacity of 25,500." MLS Commissioner Don Garber told Pro Soccer USA and assembled media that Camping World Stadium was "never" in consideration. The All-Star Game venue decision mimics the widespread trend of MLS clubs playing in “proper” soccer-sized stadia. Bigger isn’t always better.

Set to play its first season in 2020, Nashville’s expansion MLS franchise still lacks an official name. According to the Nashville Tennessean, bringing a new MLS team to fruition takes a significant amount of leg work and takes years in the making, but time is ticking for Tennessee’s first top-tier soccer franchise to finalize business. “We’re trying to be uniquely Nashville, be ourselves and build something that is right for the city and this league,” said Nashville MLS CEO Ian Ayre. The club is hoping to use the downtown Nissan Stadium, home of the NFL’s Titans, in its inaugural season while its soccer-specific stadium is being built. Many expect the club to be named Nashville SC, the current name of the city’s USL club, but that has not yet been confirmed. Entering the league in two years will also be an expensive venture for the ownership group, having to pay a $150 million expansion fee while also funding part of the new $275 million stadium.

Building a new stadium from scratch is not a cheap venture these days, but it is costing Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur significantly more than it ever expected. According to The Sun, Tottenham’s new $1.11 billion White Hart Lane is still behind schedule and the team is being forced to play games at Wembley Stadium until construction is complete. In order to expedite the already-delayed building process, Tottenham is paying construction workers as much as $5 million per week — “50% more than the club pays it players.” Just last month, at the peak of the building process, as many as 3,800 workers were at the site around the clock. Industry publication Construction Enquirer calculated that on average, workers at White Hart Lane were being paid $1,305 per week over a period in August. The construction of this facility also impacts the NFL, which has a long-term contract to play at least one game at the stadium going forward; just like Tottenham, the NFL will play those games at Wembley.

The Milwaukee Bucks’ new arena is finally open to the public. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the $524 million Fiserv Forum highlights a complete transformation of the downtown Milwaukee arena and will hopefully act as a centerpiece for the city going forward. The grand concourses and “soaring spaces” give the stadium a unique and special feel, while a “21st-century digital aesthetic” shows off the future-oriented approach that architects took when designing the arena. The entire seating bowl is darkly colored, which makes it stand out like Madison Square Garden. The stadium was designed to be multi-purpose, as the $250 million in public funding is expected to be returned through the diverse set of shows, performances, and events that it attracts. This is the NBA’s newest arena and the only one that will open its doors in 2018, coming a year after Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena and two years after Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center came online.

11.South Korea is considering a bold plan to host the 2032 Summer Olympics: joining forces with North Korea. According to Yonhap, the Korean Peninsula has long since been an area plagued by war and tension, but a joint Olympic bid would go great lengths toward achieving “regional peace.” The proposal calls for Seoul, South Korea, and Pyongyang, North Korea, to host the summer’s events — the cities are separated by about 120 miles. The North and South intend on discussing the bid later this month at the third summit in the North Korean capital. If awarded the 2032 bid, it would mark yet another Games being held in the Asian Pacific; South Korea hosted this year’s Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, Tokyo is set to host the 2020 Summer Olympics, and Beijing is preparing for the 2022 Winter Games. In addition, Seoul Sports Minister Do Jong-Hwan noted the country’s interest in co-hosting the 2030 World Cup alongside China, North Korea, and Japan.

Elite French soccer side Paris Saint-Germain is teaming up with cryptocurrency platform socios.com to bring fans closer to the club. According to Le Parisien, the deal between PSG and socios is set to last five years, valued at $2.3 million per season. Apart from branding at Parc de Princes, the main outcome of this deal will be the development of a “coin” offered to fans. The coins, which will eventually be made available to purchase by fans, will give buyers “diverse benefits and voting rights for polls conducted by the club” — the more coins one buys, the more benefits and voting rights one receives. The coins are expected to be made available to the public in a year. PSG has already noted two potential projects for which it could start using the coins: choosing the colors for an alternative jersey and picking the location for a friendly match. This marks an innovative and fun way for one of Europe’s biggest soccer clubs to expand its fan base even more.

13.The Milwaukee Brewers are already looking toward October as they continue their quest for the playoffs. According to the Milwaukee Business Journal, the Brewers’ unexpectedly-good season thus far has left team executives anticipating a “banner year for merchandise sales, season-ticket renewals and keeping fans engaged.” The team’s attendance at Miller Park is set to exceed 2.8 million this season, up 200,000 from last year and the best figure since the club’s 2011 playoff appearance. Despite not having clinched a playoff spot yet, the Brewers have begun selling playoff tickets to “existing season ticket holders who renew for 2019 and to fans who sign up as new season ticket holders.” This year’s performance is that much more impressive when you take into account how strong the NL Central has been all season; the division is likely going to snag both of the NL’s Wild Card spots.

14.As Seattle inches closer to being awarded an NHL expansion franchise, city officials have stated that they will not allow the demolition of KeyArena to begin until they are guaranteed a team. According to the Seattle Times, the $700 million renovation of the iconic arena is expected to make the venue a “top-third” revenue producer for both the NHL and NBA, though the city wants to delay any construction at the site until the league’s executive committee signs off on the new team. December is currently being eyed as the start date for KeyArena’s total demolition, which is speculated to be the latest date possible to allow the renovation to be finished on time by October, 2020. “We are focused on and expect to be ready for the 2020-2021 season should approval be given,” said Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke. “Should that direction from the NHL change, we are prepared to move to 2021-2022.” Just like the American midterm elections, all should be known by early November.

15.Details regarding Calgary’s bid to host the 2026 Winter Olympics are finally coming to light. According to the Globe & Mail, the committee currently exploring a bid for the Canadian city is relying heavily on upgrading existing facilities to bring them up to Olympic standards instead of building from scratch. A few new venues will need to be built regardless, but current infrastructure in Calgary and other Canadian cities is expected to constitute the bulk of the facilities. The committee wants to keep the cost of hosting less than what Vancouver spent in 2010 — $7.7 billion (all figures Canadian). The Draft Hosting Plan Concept estimates a cost of $5.23 billion; organizers are predicting $2.23 billion in sponsorship revenue, ticket sales, and the International Olympic Committee’s pledge to contribute $1.2 billion in cash and services. To keep costs down, Calgary could use Whistler’s facilities to host the ski jump and Nordic combined and Edmonton’s Rogers Place for hockey and curling events. A bid has not yet been finalized or proposed, but this marks a big step forward for the city.

Tech Top Five

XTECH Protective Equipment records huge sale increases in the football demographic amidst its record adoption among the pros, collegiate athletes, and high school players. According to JohnWallStreet, XTECH Protective Equipment has increased its sales by nearly +400% year over year as players including Odell Beckham, Khalil Mack, and Von Miller have embraced their lightweight, breathable, flexible, water-resistant, and comfortable protective padding. No player or team is paid to endorse the high-tech protective equipment, but the unrivaled quality of XTECH technology will have more than 70% of NFL players wearing their padding during the 2018 NFL season, as well as student-athletes on over 400 NCAA football teams and more than 500 high school football teams. Although they are known for shoulder pads, XTECH is helping college teams comply with a new NCAA rule which requires players to wear padding that covers the knee by introducing a line of thigh and knee inserts for the 2018 season.

MGM Resorts International and new professional football league, the Alliance of American Football, strike a massive transaction. According to Cynopsis Sports, MGM now has a stake in The Alliance and a three-year sponsorship that solidifies MGM Resorts as the league’s official sports betting sponsor and exclusive gaming partner. Since a federal ruling lifted the ban on U.S. sports betting in May, savvy businesspeople have been hungry to capitalize on the money to be made in sports gambling, which is exactly what this league is now doing. “We are excited to team with The Alliance on this unprecedented partnership, which allows us to fully engage with fans and revolutionize the fan experience,” said MGM Resorts Chairman and CEO Jim Murren. “We look forward to expanding our customer base into this exciting new league and sports betting opportunity.” As NFL ratings continue to decline, an Alliance season that begins directly after the Super Bowl is sure to cause a further ruckus in the football business.

Bobbleheads go digital in L.A. The Los Angeles Dodgers will hold their first-ever Digital Bobblehead Night on September 21 where fans will have the opportunity to download a Clayton Kershaw, Justin Turner, or Kenley Jansen Crypto token, the team announced. The promotion is the first of its kind in Major League Baseball, and believed to be the first Crypto giveaway in sports. The first 40,000 ticketed fans in attendance will receive a card with a unique code and directions to a website where a digital bobblehead can be unlocked and added to their Ethereum wallet. The Left Coast continues to be known for its innovation, and the Dodgers, with their solid, seasoned, ownership, are no exception.

The Sacramento Kings are now using RCS texting to send tickets and schedules to fans. The basketball team has teamed up with Zipwhip, a business text messaging company, to become the first pro sports club to use next-gen RCS texting. According to Engadget, the richer format texting allows the Kings to send tickets, schedules, and other rich info without using outside media such as email or using a specialized app. The club’s feature is available now through the Kings' toll-free number, but there's just one problem: since RCS is still a growing field, there's a good chance you may not be able to use the newly implemented technology. Unless you have an Android phone on a Sprint network, you won't get to see the power of RCS just yet. Nonetheless, this might be a peek at how sports teams operate in the future if RCS overtakes SMS messaging. Don’t panic, the Kings aren't about to give up on email or apps. The RCS messaging will act as an aid to transmit information for fans who'd rather not split their attention across multiple platforms.

As over the top (OTT) content grows, FloSports is ready to battle the transitioning sports media giants for coverage. FloSports has become successful by going all-in on niche sports and developing loyal fan bases. Embracing sports like wrestling, track, and gymnastics is a long term play that has brought the company a dedicated base of subscribers. According to Sports Video Group News, FloSports is celebrating a milestone, having netted its 150th unique-rights agreement of the calendar year. The deal covers thousands of live events, many more new subscribers, and exciting opportunities with USA Rugby, the Professional Bowlers Association, and the NBA Junior League, in addition to expanding its existing relationship with USA Wrestling. While ESPN has launched ESPN+ and the Champions League has moved mostly behind the paywall of B/R Live, FloSports co-founder and COO Mark Floreani believes that his organization has an advantage over the oncoming competition because of the loyalty that has been built around each sport’s OTT community.

Power of Sports Five

With Hurricane Florence soaking the Carolinas, it begs the questions: What damages will arise and who will help? In past natural disasters such as Hurricane Harvey or Hurricane Katrina, many athletes and sports organizations have been great contributors. The NFL was the largest contributing sports league towards Katrina relief efforts with more than $21 million donated, or about 1% of its annual payroll. Personal mobilization efforts by NFL quarterback brothers Peyton and Eli Manning also delivered 30,000 pounds of water, Gatorade, infant formula, diapers, and pillows during the aftermath of the storm. After Harvey pounded the Gulf Coast, Houston Texans defensive end J.J Watt, began a page on YouCaring to fund money for victims which has raised over $32 million, including a $100,000 donation from Watt himself. As Florence-related storm damages are totaled, expect to see local sports teams and hometown athletes led by Michael Jordan and the Panthers’ owner Dave Tepper to reach out and help stitch the Carolinas back to their post-hurricane glory.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid has donated $85,000 to charity supporting indigenous children. According to CTV News, the NHL superstar and the Oilers’ community foundation announced last Tuesday that they will donate $85,000 over the next three years to support Canadian Tire’s Sport as a Platform for Resiliency program. More than just donating, McDavid stuck around and played floor hockey with the kids he’s helping at the Commonwealth Community Recreation Center. “He’s an incredible athlete and an incredible human being to do what he's doing today,” Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities President Scott Fraser said. “His love for sports and the benefits he's had — we hope we could pass those on to millions of other kids across Canada.” The Ever Active Schools initiative will help more than 7,000 Indigenous children play sports next year and Jumpstart has helped 1.7 million kids in Canada — including 135,000 in Edmonton — participate in sport since 2005.

Stiliyan Petrov and James Milner's “Match for Cancer” ended in an entertaining 3-3 draw between Celtic and Liverpool. This match saw Leukemia survivor Petrov and squad go head-to-head with Milner’s Liverpool mixed team. According to Sky Sports, both teams were formed by current managers Brendan Rodgers of Celtic and Jurgen Klopp, the Liverpool boss. Petrov and Milner were teammates at Aston Villa FC and the temporary squads were composed of current and former footballers, with an actor and a freestyler thrown in for extra excitement. All money being made at the game is going to the Celtic FC Foundation, the Stiliyan Petrov Foundation, and the James Milner Foundation, with the first two charities confirming that money will go towards Beatson Cancer Charity and the Schiehallion Ward through Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity. Celtic and Liverpool’s professional teams resumed action later on in the week and left the future possibility for charitable acts being integrated into pseudo-pro or professional soccer matches.

Sanlam Cape Town Marathon organizers plan to help more than 50 charities raise a total in excess of 2.5 million Rand. Designed to spur positive societal change for local and nationwide South African communities, the Run4Change Legacy Program focuses on five key pillars, including charity. The program’s philanthropic portion directs funds into South African areas that need a greater degree of awareness or grassroots assistance, with the main focus on children, community, education, environment, health, wildlife, and women. The other four areas of focus are personal health, environmental sustainability, community peace, and athlete development. According to IOL, the weekend-long festival of running has attracted top-flight international and elite local-athlete support, with countries including Ethiopia, Kenya, Australia, Namibia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and countries from the United Kingdom represented. South Africa’s top marathon runners Stephen Mokoka, Desmond Mokgobu, and Nolene Conrad will also take part in the festivities – which demonstrates how running can rally attention, athletes, and funds for social change.

In Dana Point, California, professional athletes, celebrities, and over 400 faithful supporters came together in support of Ryan Sheckler’s Gala and 11th Annual Golf Tournament. According to the Citizen Tribune, the two-day event held at the AAA 5-Diamond Award Winning Monarch Beach Resort and Golf Links hosted professional athletes like NBA All-Star Klay Thompson, Football Hall of Famer Andre Reed, and actor Cris Judd along with members of Linkin Park, Green Day, Of Mice and Men, and Avenged Sevenfold. This year’s record-breaking gala surpassed last year’s fundraising total as it raised $380,000 to benefit the Sheckler Foundation “Be the Change” initiative. The excitement kicked off Sunday with a Mardi Gras-fueled evening with music performed by New Orleans natives Kings of Brass and continued into Monday where celebrities, athletes, and loyal supporters of “Be the Change” arrived at the Fat Tuesday-themed golf tournament. Sheckler highlighted the intersection of sports, politics, and philanthropy and created waves of opportunity for other athletes to rise to the occasion and chair events as a means to give back to the communities around them.

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