SEPTEMBER 20-26, 2021
VOLUME 24 ISSUE 24 • $10.95
AsCHAMPIONS 2021
Good
As It
Gets
Why everybody in football
looks up to Tony Dungy.
PAGEs 14-23
How the new NIL Q&A: Big 12’s Bowlsby Sportsbooks make In-Depth: A year-by-
landscape is rocking on next moves to get a fundamental shift year look at the World
with national strategy.
college athletics. beyond ‘betrayal.’ Congress of Sports.
PAGE 9
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SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL
STATE OF PLAY
Clone Wars
Fans were not allowed for NFL games at either SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles or Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas during their debut seasons in 2020, but
crowds are just a phantom menace no longer. Both venues hosted their first regular-season games with fans during Week 1. In L.A. on Sept. 12, a crowd
of 70,445, including one horned stormtrooper, saw the Rams’ imperious 34-14 win over the Chicago Bears. In Vegas the next day, “Darth Raider” was
among 61,756 in attendance as the silver and black marched past the Baltimore Ravens in overtime on “Monday Night Football.”
YOU’RE HIRED CLASH FASHION SENSE
LISA BYINGTON NASCAR’s preseason event will SIMONE BILES
was tapped by the be held next Feb. 6 on a quarter- wore a three-
Milwaukee Bucks to mile oval track — the shortest in part dress
be the play-by-play featuring 88
voice on Bally Sports the modern era — inside the pounds of
Wisconsin, making 98-year-old Los Angeles Coliseum. crystals at the
her the first
woman to hold THE METER Met Gala, which
that position for also included
a major men’s CLASH
pro team. athletes such as
The USWNT Players Stephen Curry
Association and the U.S. Soccer
Federation accused each other and Serena
of engaging in publicity stunts Williams.
as their CBA talks heat up.
Getty Images (3); NBAE / Getty Images; @leylahannietennis Instagram SOCIAL STATUS
298k Instagram followers for LEYLAH FERNANDEZ, SEPTEMBER 20-26, 2021 | 3
who had just 16,393 before the start of the
U.S. Open, where she finished as the
runner-up to Emma Raducanu.
W W W . S P O R T S B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L . C O M
FORUM
Join us for our full It’s these relationships, developed over the years at so many SBJ/SBD
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POSTMASTER: Please
CONNECTICUT Come on, you missed this. It’s Westport! Lefton about his hometown of Greenwich … HA! send address changes
CONTROVERSY! Westport, Conn., is clearly the “epicenter” New Canaan is a follower. It was only a to Street & Smith’s
for sports. Obviously, even dismissing my own Sports Business Journal —
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thing light and fun to read. Really well done.
THIS WEEK
OPINION. . . . . . . . . . 33 OLYMPICS MARKETING MEDIA LABOR CLOSING SHOT
CLOSING SHOT. . . . 34
7 N EXT STEPS 10 T HE LEFTON 11 “ NFL TODAY” 12 SEEKING A SHARE 34 RED HOT
Cover image by Amy Pezzicara / REPORT IMPACT
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as it refines and defines in sports marketing came to join the crew on athletes’ NIL and a share Ryder Cup tees off this
how the Games will look. making a comeback. the popular CBS show. of TV money. week in Wisconsin.
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4 | S E P T E M B E R 20-26, 2021 WWW.SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM
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Louisville quaterback
Malik Cunningham
stars on the field for
the Cardinals and also
represents Planet Fitness
on a billboard wearing
school marks.
Campus Mayhem “You’ve got a marketing return-on-investment, but you also Getty Images
have a recruiting return-on-investment,” said Blake Lawrence,
The new NIL marketplace is already influencing recruiting CEO and co-founder of NIL specialist Opendorse, who estimates
tactics and changing the stakes for schools. BY MICHAEL SMITH that the NIL marketplace will grow into a $1 billion industry.
W HEN ALABAMA’S NICK SABAN publicly shared last “The athletes are winning and if the trend continues, there’s
month that his starting quarterback, Bryce Young, going to be a lot more spending in the NIL market than we ever
already had $1 million in endorsement income could have expected or predicted,” Lawrence said.
before he had played his first football game, the
wily old coach was sending out a beacon to every recruit about Likewise, schools that have been most aggressive and creative
how much money he potentially can make from name, image and in pushing the envelope with NIL deals “are winning,” he said.
likeness rights while playing for the Crimson Tide. “Miami is winning NIL, BYU is winning NIL, Alabama is winning,
Kentucky is winning.”
What the NCAA and many college leaders had hoped to avoid
— players choosing a school based on income potential or being When NIL deals leak into recruiting or pay-for-play, though,
paid for their performance — is already happening just 11 weeks that’s the aspect of the budding athlete endorsement market that
into the NIL era. has college leaders wringing their hands as they try to determine
how to govern themselves — or seek an advantage over the com-
Memphis’ enterprising basketball coach, Penny Hardaway, petition — within the quickly evolving marketplace.
credited the new rules and the promise of NIL deals with Memphis-
based FedEx for helping him recruit the nation’s top-ranked 2021 The distinction with college athletics is that there are deals to
class. market products and deals that enhance brands, like any other
professional setting, but there also are deals that are constructed
Deep-pocketed supporters of BYU, Michigan State and Miami, to aid in recruiting. That’s where this NIL movement strays from
among others, have made sweeping financial commitments to traditional athlete marketing.
entire football and basketball teams.
“Schools have shifted from being compliance-driven to more of
This is the new competitive battleground in collegiate recruit- a coach-driven mindset, and a lot of that comes from the schools
ing. being able to make up their own rules,” said Jim Cavale, CEO and
founder of INFLCR, an NIL agency. “Coaches are like, ‘What the
heck, I’ve got to recruit.’ So, with that comes mayhem inside the
schools.”
6 | S E P T E M B E R 20-26, 2021 WWW.SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM
SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL
TCU football coach Gary TRANSACTIONS “There’s no time to get a LA28 CEO Carter: ‘We are
where we need to be’
Patterson, who has become July 1 to Aug. 31 job, so it’s complicated for
known for his candor over n Average transaction: $1,049 (deals range from these guys. We looked at WHEN KATHY CARTER was promoted to CEO of
21 seasons at the school, $0 cash value to six figures) ‘How can we help solve that
backed that up in com- for them?’ We can help LA28 last week, it was a formal indication that the
ments to The Star-Telegram n Median transaction: $38 ($25 in July; $51 in them.”
August)
n 58% of transactions came from sports outside
last week. football, men’s and women’s basketball The lack of an NIL play- organizing committee is entering its next phase
“The rules have changed. n Football and men’s basketball accounted for book, however, has created of preparations. Carter, who had been LA28’s
There is no wrong any- 45% of all transactions in July, 33% in August some unique case studies,
more,” Patterson said while like the Gorilla Glue pro- chief revenue officer, has now added oversight
urging the Horned Frogs’ n Most common categories: Social media and motion. Partnered with
corporate community to get camps/lessons media personality Rich for the operational delivery of those Summer
more involved with NIL Eisen, Gorilla Glue plans
deals lest TCU start losing Source: INFLCR data from 91 schools to give a weekly award Olympics to her commercial responsibilities.
players to schools that can called “Toughest Player on
offer more opportunity. RANKINGS Planet Earth.” The Week 1 According to LA28 chairperson Casey
winner, Georgia defensive
Many of the restrictions Opendorse’s NIL value rankings are based on a Wasserman, Carter has been in line for the role
formula using an individual’s total social media fol-
lowers (listed below) and fan engagement. Clemson ever since joining the
and Ohio State lead all schools with four players
each in the top 25. Alabama and LSU are the only BY CHRIS SMITH organization in 2018. “There
was a reason we didn’t fill
the role for a long time,
that were outlined in the other schools with more than one player on the list. tackle Jordan Davis, re- because I really believed we needed to get to the
NCAA’s proposed NIL leg- Rank/Name School Followers ceived an NIL deal from right time, which was always going to be after
islation provided guard- 1 Spencer Rattler Oklahoma 445,691 “The Rich Eisen Show” that
rails against the kind of 2 Justin Flowe Oregon 256,966 paid $1,000 in cash. Tokyo,” said Wasserman. “And Kathy should
NIL deals that could influ- Jackson
ence recruiting. That failed 3 Shedeur Sanders State 388,002 In the 11 weeks since the have every opportunity to have that job, and
legislation, which took two Clemson NIL era began on July 1,
years to draft, never even 4 Braden Galloway 161,964 group licensing, which that’s always what I had in mind from the day we
would not have been per-
hired her.”
To date, LA28 has used its
unusually long 11-year runway to
made it to a vote. The 5 Kade Neely Louisville 259,150 mitted under the NCAA’s move aggressively on commer-
NCAA scrapped it and in- 6 Brendan Radley- Washington 237,580 legislation, has emerged as cial partnerships. Carter’s team
stead told schools to figure Hiles a reality through Wesley
has thus far landed sponsorships
it out for themselves, if they 7 D.J. Uiagalelei Clemson 198,756 Haynes’ agency, The Bran- Carter with Comcast, Deloitte, Delta and
Salesforce. In June, LA28 and
weren’t in a state that al- 8 Derek Stingley Jr. LSU 185,161 dr Group. Brandr has gone
ready had an NIL law. 9 Chris Olave Ohio State 163,345 school-to-school to estab- organizing committees for the upcoming
Schools essentially have 10 Quinn Ewers Ohio State 133,000 lish group licensing pro-
11 Bryan Bresee Clemson 155,398 grams, starting with North Olympics and Paralympics in France (2024) and
been left with three guide- Carolina.
lines: Don’t pay players for Italy (2026) agreed to the first-ever multi-Games
hospitality partner in Endeavor, which will pay at
performance or recruiting 12 Bijan Robinson Texas 99,667 Athletes also are rou- least $1.3 billion across the three events.
purposes; don’t play match- 13 Bryce Young Alabama 105,692 tinely using school colors Neither Wasserman nor Carter would comment
maker with athletes and 14 Garrett Wilson Ohio State 130,836 and marks in their com- on how far along LA28 is toward meeting its goal
their sponsors; keep a log 15 Bo Nix Auburn 123,411 mercial endeavors, anoth-
of all NIL deals. 16 JT Daniels Georgia 94,648 er no-no had NCAA rules of $2.5 billion in commercial revenue, though
been in effect. Without the
Here’s the rub: Athletic Carter noted with a laugh that the four-year head
start puts the team ahead of any other OCOG in
departments are in the 17 Justyn Ross Clemson 112,288 NCAA, athletes are seeking history. “We feel like we are where we need to be
business of helping their 18 Taulia Tagovailoa Maryland 165,597 permission and often get- and feel very good about the targets we have,”
college athletes, but they’re 19 Julian Fleming Ohio State 94,309 ting it from the multimedia said Carter. LA28’s founding partnerships, which
not supposed to aid them 20 Dorian Thompson- UCLA 117,564 rights holder and/or the
in their commercial ac- Robinson North 81,420 school to wear school gear include the Delta and Comcast deals, are believed
tivities beyond education. Carolina in promotions.
Some states don’t even 21 Sam Howell to have a price tag of some $200 million.
A Planet Fitness bill-
In her new role, Carter’s near-term focus will be
on foundational elements of Games operations.
allow schools to share an 22 Journey Brown Penn State 32,425 board in Louisville con- “In Beijing in 2022, our core sports program will
athlete’s contact informa- 23 John Metchie III Alabama 79,001 tains an image of Cardinals
tion with a prospective 24 Ryan Cameron FAU 114,754 starting quarterback Malik be solidified with the IOC. We’ll really start talking
sponsor. Cunningham in his red No.
more openly about a preferred plan for the Games,
the locations,” said Carter. “All of it was in the bid,
One school, Texas, dug 25 Jordan Toles LSU 103,062 3 game jersey. Planet Fit- but we’ve been working our way towards how we
into its state law and deter- Source: Opendorse as Sept. 1. ness had a sponsorship continue to refine and define what that will look
mined that, if the athlete with the school, so it al-
like as we head towards ’28.”
provided permission, the school could share an ready had rights to use the Cardinals’ marks. Other priorities include the continued support
athlete’s contacts for a potential business deal. In Louisiana, state law permits athletes to use for youth sports in L.A. — earlier this year, LA28
Not only does that help the athlete, it also rep- school marks in certain circumstances. A baseball made its second annual grant as part of a broader
resents a recruiting advantage that the Longhorns player putting on a camp can identify himself as $160 million commitment from the OCOG and
can tout with recruits. an LSU player and use a photo of himself in action the IOC — and the “radical reuse” plans to
“Drilling down into the state law and just trying on marketing materials. leverage the city’s existing sports infrastructure.
to navigate it so that we’re maximizing the op- As long as the use of the marks elevates the ath- Undergirding it all is a need to be flexible and
portunities for the student athletes is really fas- lete’s brand, the school is OK with it, LSU Deputy adaptable, a lesson driven home by the pandem-
cinating,” said Drew Martin, Texas’ executive AD Stephanie Rempe said. But if the school marks ic’s impact on the Tokyo Games and informing
senior associate AD. are used to promote the facility where the camp is the organization’s plans to scale up operational
Earlier this month, former Michigan State bas- being held, “that’s when we have to say no,” Rempe staff. “The best learning we can take away is that
ketball player Mat Ishbia, now CEO of United said. “Every single deal is different and that’s how while you can have plans and backup plans, you
Wholesale Mortgages, pledged $500 per month for things get complicated really fast,” she said. also have to have an organization that is highly
133 football and men’s basketball athletes. With recruiting becoming even more of a mo- capable of adapting to a quickly changing
“I was a student athlete once and you’re playing tivation in these deals, it seems athletes are hear- environment,” said Wasserman.
a sport and going to school full time,” Ishbia said. ing “no” a lot less often.
W W W . S P O R T S B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L . C O M SEPTEMBER 20-26, 2021 | 7
UPFRONT
Big 12’s Bowlsby: Hurt feelings able revenue, which right now is
and burned bridges can’t stand in between $35 million and $40 million
way of moving forward, rebuilding a year. The other governance docu-
ment is a grant of rights. Texas and
BY MICHAEL SMITH Oklahoma and our other eight con-
tinuing schools have all granted their
IN THE TWO MONTHS since news broke media rights through June 30, 2025.
that Texas and Oklahoma intended We own those rights as a collective
to leave the Big 12 and join the SEC, entity through June 30, 2025. OU and
Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby Texas have stated that they intend to
has been in overdrive attempting to stay through then and the SEC has
salvage a home for the conference’s admitted them for July 1, 2025. Every-
eight remaining schools. The stealth, body is saying that they’re going to
secretive movements by the Long- stay that long. Whether or not that
horns and Sooners burned bridges, happens remains to be seen.
including some with Bowlsby, who
n For that not to be the case, they
told Sports Business
would have to negotiate out of that?
Q A Journal he felt an ele-
ment of betrayal from Bowlsby: I suppose it’s possible
the breakaway because
he had such deep relationships at the there could be some negotiations, but
two schools.
that would be more
But Bowlsby and the league have
dusted themselves off and appear to Bob Bowlsby is on the exit fees
have a conference built to last with no longer com- than on the grant
the additions of Cincinnati, Houston
and UCF from the AAC as well as in- menting about of rights. The
dependent BYU. Just as the Big 12 did ESPN’s role in grant of rights is
in 2010 when it nearly folded, the con- the latest con- quite clear that we
ference will begin the process of re- ference moves. own those rights
building. Bowlsby looked back and
gazed ahead in this conversation with and I suppose it’s
SBJ. Some of the answers have been
lightly edited for clarity and brevity. theoretically possible to buy one’s way
out of that, but it would be hundreds
of millions of dollars.
n Personally and professionally, than at any point during the past 10 and attempt to do some of those n What are you telling your
what toll has this taken on long-term years. And, similarly, that the ADs were things.
relationships and friendships you’ve aligned. Yet a week later, two of our schools about the potential impact
had as you’ve worked to build the flagship members were leaving. It be- n Was there any particular reason
Big 12 over the past decade? came obvious that they had been talk- that adding four, as opposed to six on current and future TV revenue?
ing about it with the SEC for many or eight, was the best way to go? Bowlsby: That [Big 12 media rights]
Bowlsby: I would say perhaps the months, so, there were just some ele-
most challenging aspect of any of this ments of it that were difficult to accept. Bowlsby: We spent more time talk- are only worth what anybody will pay
is making sure that you don’t deal with ing about two versus four rather than us for them. You can have all the con-
it at a personal level. There are per- n The conference office and the four versus some larger number. We sultants you want, but in the end, the
sonal components to it that have been eight remaining schools seemed to did have and continue to have conver- market will determine what they’re
difficult, but you have to stay focused have figured out a path forward. sations about whether or not 12 will worth. And we aren’t going to know
on what’s best for the eight continuing What’s been the key to holding ev- be the right number once OU and that until we begin those discussions
schools and what the collective options eryone together? Texas leave. We certainly have been on our two contracts with Fox and
are. And, you have to live your life forthright in saying this may not be ESPN. They both have negotiation
above the circumstances. There’s no Bowlsby: It involved a lot of com- the last addition that we make, but dates built into them and all parties
question that there was a sense of munication. We spent a lot of time we feel like this was the right thing have an obligation to engage in con-
betrayal. But that’s a different process with our directors of athletics and at the right time, and we need to be versations in March of 2024.
than the ones that go with the business with our board, just talking about the vigilant and look for opportunities.
decisions. collective need versus the individual n Are you still working with media
institutional needs. You understand n On the Oklahoma-Texas front,
n Over the last decade, the Big 12 that institutions have to look out for whose move is it? What’s going to consultant Chris Bevilacqua on
has gone from being really fragile to their own singular best interest, but be the next trigger?
a much different position before OU there’s also a collective interest. We media issues?
and Texas opted out. Is that why ev- got to the point where we understood Bowlsby: There are two governing Bowlsby: Yeah, they’re not cur-
eryone was so surprised when the that the collective interest was strong documents for our league. One is the
news leaked? and that we could do some things to bylaws our members, including Okla- rently under contract, but that’s who
strengthen it. So, the [conference’s] homa and Texas, signed on for 99 years we continue to use.
Bowlsby: If we talked on football board authorized me to go forward in 1996. In the bylaws, we are obli-
media day (in July), I would have told gated to pay for 52 years of distribut- n You have obviously had some
you that our board was better aligned very strong thoughts on ESPN’s role
in this round of conference realign-
ment. What do you think is the end
game there? And did you accomplish
what you wanted to accomplish?
Bowlsby: I’ve agreed to not escalate
that publicly, so I think I’ll just pass
on answering that question.
n Do you expect them to come Getty Images
back to the negotiating table for the
next media deal?
Bowlsby: I don’t want to get into
any aspect of that.
8 | S E P T E M B E R 20-26, 2021 WWW.SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM
SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL
National spots help sportsbooks connect with
bettors, build their brands for future growth
WHEN SPORTSBOOK BETMGM began conversations for 30 seconds. career in marketing
with NBC ahead of the May advertising upfronts, “When you’re at ESPN, likened the
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With only 30% of U.S. adults able to bet legally and are in it for the Caesar interacting
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It could spend aggressively in De- said Sharon Otter- work’s popular “This
BY BILL KING troit, Phoenix, metro D.C. and man, CMO of Cae- is Sports Center”
elsewhere while avoiding waste sars Sports. “We’re promos, which kept
in some of the nation’s larger mar- out there telling a fans laughing for
kets, where viewers still can’t bet legally online. story, and we’re more than two de-
That was the thinking of most, if not all, sports- entertaining. These cades.
books last spring. national spots are “We talk a lot
And yet, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers opened not direct response about spots and cost,
the season against the Dallas Cowboys on NBC, there for us. We can do but it’s all about ROI
was Jamie Foxx, conjuring pyrotechnics on behalf direct response on versus cost,” Otter-
of BetMGM. This followed spots featuring a DraftK- channels that make man said. “At the end
ings offer of the Bucs +73 points and Caesar hyping sense to do direct of the day, brands are
a betting app to a throng of Roman subjects. response. This is emotional connec-
Viewers in California, Florida, New York and telling our story. tions. And if we can
Texas, who combine for 34% of over-21 adults, saw And even if all the truly build an emo-
all those spots, but could not act on them legally. population can’t tional connection
“It’s the first time that we have accepted the fact act on it today, we and a proposition
that we are reaching an audience — and, frankly, know that a dollar and differentiation,
spending to reach an audience — that will not be invested today is Comedian J.B. Smoove is part of Caesars’ national campaign to then you invest in
able to directly transact with our brands,” said Matt going to help us in support their sportsbooks in ads airing during NFL games. telling a story. I was
Prevost, chief revenue officer at BetMGM, which the long run. And lucky enough to be
plans 13 more spots during NBC games, as well as we want to be a winner in the long run.” part of “This is Sports Center’ for a very long time.
some on CBS. “This has been a fundamental shift Under NFL guidelines, networks can sell the cat- Same thing. You invest in being able to tell a story
for us. It is something that marks a bit of an inflec- egory to seven league-approved sportsbooks: Official- and that story resonates over time. From early signs,
tion point in our brand and our advertising strat- status sponsors FanDuel, DraftKings and Caesars, our story is resonat-
egy to some extent, in that we as well as well as authorized ing, so we want to
start to take a strategy that is Does haste make waste? operators BetMGM, PointsBet, keep telling sto-
of a national brand versus a WynnBet and Fox Bet. Net- ries.”
local, spot-by-spot brand.” BetMGM, Caesars and DraftKings were first- works and affiliates can sell
movers on national spots promoting their both national and local spots, For BetMGM, the
The availability of commer- sportsbook apps during the NFL’s season SNF plunge is a
cial spots and pregame show opener on NBC, spending to reach the masses so long as viewers of a game test. Prevost thinks
integrations has forced the even though only 30% of U.S. adults over 21 don’t see more than six. the spots could
leading sportsbooks to recon- can bet legally from home. Here are the num- prompt more users
sider budgets and media plans. ber of TV households in the top 10 U.S. TV mar- The Caesars spots, which to open the app dur-
Arizona sportsbooks opened kets. Only three, which are in bold, are in states are part of an episodic cam- ing games, driving
in time for the NFL season. that have legalized betting. paign that features comics adoption of in-play
Those in Connecticut, Louisi- Patton Oswalt and J.B. wagering. The
ana and Maryland are not far Households Smoove, will run across all spots could drive
behind. Viewers in New York New York* four networks that air NFL signups in legal-
games, both nationally and
7,452,620
Los Angeles
5,735,230
could be betting by the Super Chicago through local buys in legal- ized states and
Bowl. 3,471,560 ized states in which Caesars should raise aware-
Together, those would bring Philadelphia operates. ness in states that
the addressable U.S. online “We start from the bottom have not yet opened.
market to 41%, or about the 2,997,360
point at which sportsbook ex- up,” Otterman said. “We know While the national
ecutives say a national buy Dallas-Fort Worth what we have to do in each of play will expose the brand, the core strategy for all
could be cost-effective. the legalized markets to make the books remains local. The NFL now has a dozen
2,962,520 sure that people are enter- teams playing in legalized states: The Bears, Bron-
With that moment ap- tained by our message and cos, Cardinals, Eagles, Giants, Jets, Lions, Raiders,
San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose
2,653,270
Atlanta
2,648,970
proaching, and six spots now Houston they get to see it. And we’re Ravens, Saints, Steelers and Washington. BetMGM
available per game in the na- 2,569,900 able to drive downloads. And sponsors eight of them.
tion’s most heavily bet league, Washington, D.C. on top of that, we feel like the “In the end, we will measure performance on those
BetMGM, Caesars and DraftK- 2,565,580 national media helps us. individual days and those time blocks in which we’re
Courtesy of Ceasers ings, chose to go national Boston “It’s kind of like why you investing [nationally] and we’ll make a decision as
rather than wait, buying spots put some money into savings to whether we take a similar strategy next year,”
on the most expensive real 2,489,620 and some into other invest- Prevost said. “But with the prospect of another 60
estate in sports television, ments.” million people on the horizon, I think we’ll in all
priced at more than $700,000 * Includes some households in New Jersey, likelihood come back to broadcast television.”
where online sports betting is legal. Otterman, who began her
Source: SBJ Research
W W W . S P O R T S B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L . C O M SEPTEMBER 20-26, 2021 | 9
THE INSIDERS
MARKETING AND SPONSORSHIP
even on the most divisive of issues. Now it’s a re-
quirement by consumers and employees that brands
have social consciousness and spend against it —
especially for DEI issues.
“It’s expected now,” said Mike Fedele, BodyAr-
mor vice president, marketing, whose company is
planning its biggest cause-related program ever
for 2022. “For any meaningful consumer brand now,
it’s that line about great power coming with
Fans are once great responsibility. … But trying to track
again packing that to purchase intent or sales is impos-
stadiums, but not sible. You just have to make it a brand com-
in every part of the mitment.”
country.
“Brands are more intentional than ever
about social impact,” said Tony Schiller,
partner at Paragon Marketing, which
advises clients including Gatorade, PNC Bank and
PPG Industries. “Its priority has been elevated,
and, as we come out of COVID, we’re all realizing
the huge mental health impact it had on all of us.
We’re more aware of those issues and social impact.
So, you wonder if there are going to be more dom-
inant brands in that mental health area that will
eventually be meaningful across sports and enter-
tainment.”
Three factors helping make sense 3. NOT DEAD YET: Make-goods kept some agencies
of whether sports marketing is back occupied, if not solvent, last year. Surely there’s
A S A CARTOGRAPHER of the sports marketing far less now, but Tigris’ Yonan says, “We’re still
landscape, which COVID has rendered a bit they are spending to capture and support crowds negotiating contracts over COVID make-goods and
alien, we’re on a mission to distinguish the at events, the brands sponsoring events are still we can’t be the only ones doing that.”
largely locked down from traveling and mostly out
Specificity on the pandemic’s long-term industry
post-pandemic (if that’s indeed where we are) from of their offices. When is that changing? Even in impact is still elusive, and will be until its effect
on media consumption is better understood. Still,
the ante-pandemic, at least when it comes to sports this age of widespread legalized sports betting, there are those who believe it will be considered a
net gain.
marketing. there’s no Vegas line on that.
“COVID was extraordinarily disruptive to sports
Variants, boosters, restrictions, and mandates have “Current partners we are seeing at events, like and ultimately extraordinarily reinforcing,” said
former ESPN President John Skipper, now the
obscured our vista. Even with fans back in the stands, [at the season opener] in Tampa, they can justify CEO of Meadowlark Media. “People really didn’t
like being without sports. That produced a signifi-
an overall industry perspective is that easily, but when it comes to the cant economic boom, where you see evaluations of
companies like Sportradar ($8 billion valuation)
somewhere between opaque and mud- business development side and pro- or DraftKings ($25 billion). In many areas sports
emerged as a more premium asset than ever.”
died. Outside of the most decimated spective partners, it’s still phone calls
■ SCREEN PLAY: Best Buy has quietly renewed its
sponsor categories, like hotels and and Zoom calls,” said Nana-Yaw Asa- NFL corporate sponsorship rights, converting what
was a one-year deal completed during the pandem-
airlines, marketing budgets are back. moah, NFL vice president, business ic lockdown into a three-year pact.
There’s still a fair amount of wait- development, who was on the road for Designed to push sales of big-screen TVs, the
consumer retailer’s rights include broadcast en-
and-see, but even with longer and more the first NFL game in Tampa on Sept. hancements on NFL broadcast rights holders, so-
cial/digital inventory and sponsorship of a custom
complex approval required from many 9 and will be at the upcoming Eagles- content series on NFL.com, along with being des-
ignated as the NFL’s “Official Home Entertainment
brands, MKTG consulting head Doug Cowboys “Monday Night Football” Retailer.”
Hall is just one of the executives not- affair on Sept. 27. Publicis Sport & Entertainment negotiated
the deal for Best Buy, a rare retailer activating with
ing the resurgence of marketing BY TERRY LEFTON “We’re traveling, but maybe 10% or sports outside of the holiday shopping period.
spending, even beyond pre-COVID 15% of our clients are allowed to,” said
Along with activation around kickoff and the
levels in some cases. Matt Yonan, whose Tigris Sponsor- opening weeks of the season, the retailer hopes to
activate those rights between Christmas and mid-
Why? ship and Marketing counts Phillips February, when the Super Bowl drives sales of big-
screen televisions.
“The good news is there’s pent-up demand for a 66, Western Union and Xcel Energy among its cli-
Terry Lefton can be reached at
return to normalcy, even with some nagging fears ents. “When you aren’t back in offices yet — and
[email protected].
of another shutdown,” said Hall. Mixed signals are most aren’t — there just isn’t any corporate comfort
a theme we’ve heard frequently. “You see big college in letting employees get on planes.”
football programs in the Midwest filling their sta-
diums and on the West Coast, some empty,” he said. 2. A GREATER CAUSE: Nearly every sports sponsor-
Make sense out of that. ship included some cause-related element, long
Without a lot of surety, here are some concerns before the NBA’s infamous Rudy Gobert game on
and observations industry folk are expressing when March 11, 2020. With the George Floyd killing
we speak with them. catalyzing nationwide protests, that became even
more important, especially to those pushing diver- Getty Images
1. CALLED FOR TRAVELING? Depends on where you sity and inclusion. Consumers, particularly Gen X
work. Properties, agencies and media sales-types and younger, had increasingly been requiring the
are back to their pre-pandemic travel routines. While brands with which they did business to take a stand,
1 0 | S E P T E M B E R 20-26, 2021 WWW.SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM
SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL
New book examinesSPORTS MEDIA the powerful
influence of “The NFL Today” on sports TV
Rich Podolsky has been a writer job, she still didn’t have it until the
and reporter since the 1970s, when
he covered the Miami Dolphins and Southern affiliates said, “Okay.” It had
wrote for “The NFL Today.” Podol-
sky also has written for The Phila- to be agonizing.
delphia Daily News, The Palm Beach
Post, The Wilmington News-Jour- “Absolutely,” she said. “And then
nal, TV Guide and ESPN.
they only gave me a six-week contract.
His new book, “You Are Looking
Live! How The NFL Today Revolu- I had to prove myself all over again
tionized Sports Broadcasting,” is
set to be released Oct. 4. The follow- in the studio. My second weekend I
ing excerpts (copyright 2021 by Rich
Podolsky) chronicle how Jayne Ken- was in the studio on Friday and I over-
nedy came to join the on-air team:
heard them talking. They had to get
B ACKINNEWYORK,PhyllisGeorge
surprised everyone when she an interview with [Muhammad] Ali
notified the brass in early 1978
that she wanted off the show. She had for CBS Sports Spectacular the day
just married Robert Evans on December
12, and the marriage was not going well. after his fight that
CBS didn’t know if this was going to
be temporary or permanent, but they Friday night in
had to find a suitable replacement fast.
The network sent the word out to all Perseverance New Orleans with
the top talent agencies to submit the paid off for Leon Spinks [Sep-
names of their best women to replace Jayne Kennedy tember 15, 1978],
Phyllis. in landing a spot but Ali’s lawyers
on “The NFL
CBS Sports publicist Carroll “Beano”
Cook, who was the master on the one- Today.” were giving them
liner, said, “It was the greatest talent
hunt since Scarlett O’Hara.” a hard time. I
---------- jumped in and
There were three parts to the live said, ‘Hey, I can get you the interview.’
audition. The first part was five minutes
of repartee with Brent Musburger. The I don’t know why they believed me. I
second part was five minutes reading
material off the TelePromp-Ter. The had only been there two weeks.
third part was a live five-minute inter-
view with a New York Giant football “I had been a friend of Ali since
player, whose identity was withheld
from those auditioning until right be- 1973-74. Leon and I were with him in
fore the session. The NFL Today pro-
ducer Michael Pearl ran the auditions. Manila for the Thrilla in Manila [vs.
CBS actually brought in three players
to interview. Joe Frazier, October 1, 1975]. We had
“In the makeup room a lot of the become very good friends. I said, ‘If
girls were clamoring around the ath-
letes they brought in, trying to get you get me a private plane and a crew,
notes to use,” said Jayne. “There was
a backgammon game in the corner of I will get the interview, and I will bring
the room, and while I waited for my
turn, I asked this guy I was going to it back.’ So they did it. I called Ali and
interview if he wanted to play. He did,
and by the time I got to the set, we told him what I needed. He said, ‘I’ll
were old friends.
leave a key to my suite for you at the
“There were sixteen of us [audition-
ing] and I was maybe number four- front desk. After
teen. So I did my thing with Brent on
the fight I need
you to go straight
to the room and
get set up, be-
cause I have to be
at ABC for a post-
fight after this.’
“The crew was
camera and the five-minute athlete affiliates and asked set up when he
interview, and after I was done Brent what they thought.
stood up and said, ‘That’s it. It’s either CBS was afraid it walked in the
Jayne or nobody.’ He didn’t even stay would be a problem
to interview the other two girls. He because now they door. He still had
just left the studio.” would have two
Blacks and one his robe on. His
Everyone — director Bob Fishman, white on the set.
Mike Pearl, Kevin O’Malley, and Frank That’s when they hands were still
Smith, agreed that Jayne was their decided to put
choice. “It was unanimous,” said Jimmy The Greek bandaged. He
O’Malley, “and I remember Fishman on the set too. That
saying, ‘You couldn’t make her look way they had two said, ‘I’d only do
any less gorgeous if you tried.’” Blacks and two whites [to satisfy the
Southern affiliates].” this for my
She thought the job was hers. Then
she was told she had to wait for one After overcoming ICM not putting friend Jayne.’ So
final approval. her on their submission list three dif-
ferent times, doing her own network- I got the inter-
“They couldn’t hire me,” Jayne said, ing to get a meeting, and then finally
still dealing with racism, “for fear of getting an audition and winning the view. I jumped on
the Southern affiliates walking. They
sent my audition tape to the Southern a plane and went
back to New
York. They put a part of it on Sports
Spectacular on Saturday and gave me
a feature piece to do Sunday morning
CBS Sports on The NFL Today.
“Monday morning I got a call that
CBS had picked up my contract for
the whole year.”
W W W . S P O R T S B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L . C O M SEPTEMBER 20-26, 2021 | 11
THE INSIDERS
LABOR AND AGENTS There is no timetable for the case,
but Kessler said the next big milestone
Kessler updates case seeking would be class certification, which
reparations for past restraints would likely occur in 2022 and a trial
on NIL, share of TV revenue would likely occur in 2023.
C
OLLEGE STUDENT ATHLETES lege athletes throughout the U.S. in an Arizona State swimmer; Oregon The case also seeks to strike down
are seeking a share of televi- all sports and competing in all the women’s basketball player Sedona the remaining restrictions in the in-
sion and other revenue, in- divisions covered by NCAA rules. Prince; and University of Illinois terim policy the NCAA adopted in late
June as 12 different NIL state laws
cluding money they would have But in addition to NIL fee damages, defensive tackle Tymir Oliver. were set to go into effect. The interim
rules govern all the other states that
received in payments for use of their the lawsuit seeks group licensing Wilken is the same judge who over- do not have laws in effect.
name, image and likeness over the money for Division I college football saw the O’Bannon case and the Alston The lawsuit also seeks an injunction
to strike down some of the restrictions
past four years, in a block- and basketball athletes case, both against the NCAA and both in the interim NCAA NIL rules and
alleges some of the restrictions the
buster case slowly ad- whose names, images of which alleged it violated federal NCAA still has, such as bonuses tied
to performance, are illegal.
vancing in federal court and likenesses were used antitrust law. Wilken has ruled in
“Even under its interim policy, the
in Northern California. to help secure multibil- favor of the student athletes. NCAA has not suspended enforcement
of critical aspects of its NIL re-
As college athletes all lion-dollar television Kessler and Steve Berman were straints, including those restraints
prohibiting NCAA institutions from
over the country are cash- contracts, according to both lead co-counsels on the Alston compensating student-athletes for use
of their NILs, as well as restraints
ing in on new NIL rights, the lawsuit. “Plaintiffs case, in which the Supreme Court prohibiting NIL compensation from
being contingent upon athletic par-
Jeffrey Kessler, a lead- seek the share of group ruled 9-0 in favor of the student ath- ticipation or performance, or enroll-
ment at a particular school,” the
ing athlete rights attor- licensing revenues, in- letes on June 21. On June 24, Wilken lawsuit states. “All of Defendants’
NCAA NIL restraints are unreason-
ney, has joined the case, cluding but not limited denied the NCAA’s motion to dismiss able restraints of trade, are unjusti-
fied, and should be enjoined.”
House v. NCAA, which to game telecast group the House case.
Kessler, asked what they would do
seeks reparations for the BY LIZ MULLEN licensing, that members Shortly after that, Kessler and Ber- if the NCAA tried to take away the
past restraints on NIL. rights already allowed, said, “Steve
of the Sub-Class would man joined the House case and filed Berman, my co-counsel, and I would
have to assess what to do at the time.
“What we have is a real- have received absent De- an amended complaint in July. But seeking a preliminary injunction
would be an option to consider.”
life situation where we are seeing all fendants’ unlawful conduct.” The NCAA has not yet filed an an-
Kessler would not quantify or say
this NIL money that is being paid out Asked what percentage “share” the swer to the case, but in a declaration if the damages could be in the bil-
lions if the plaintiffs got everything
to players in all the different sports athletes were seeking, Kessler said, asking for more time, NCAA attorney they are asking for in the lawsuit.
But he said, “We will have expert
— so that is going to really give us an “We will be submitting expert testi- Rakesh Kilaru noted that the amend- testimony on the amount of dam-
ages so we do not have a number yet,
incredibly strong basis to establish mony on this point later in the case.” ed complaint “is 112 pages and includes but we certainly expect the dam-
ages number to be quite substantial
what the damages would have been The House case was filed in federal new allegations not encompassed in in light of the explosion of NIL deals
that competition has already re-
the last four years had these rights judge Claudia Wilken’s Oakland the original pleadings.” vealed this year.”
been permitted to be used then,” Kes- courtroom over a year ago. The named The NCAA offered no further com- ■ WME REPS BOTH OPEN CHAMPS:
WME Sports represents both sur-
sler said in an interview with Sports athletes in the case are Grant House, ment. prise winners of this year’s U.S. Open
— Daniil Medvedev and Emma Ra-
Business Journal. ducanu.
The lawsuit seeks to Medvedev is represented by WME
Sports agent Olivier van Lindonk
certify two classes of stu- and has Lacoste, Tecnifibre, Tinkoff,
Bovet, BMW and HyperX as sponsors.
dent athletes as it relates Raducanu is represented by Max
Eisenbud and has a clean slate.
to NIL: those who are cur-
Liz Mullen can be reached at
rently in school, but had
[email protected].
been restricted the last
Follow her on Twitter @SBJLizMullen.
four years from NIL
deals; and another class
of players, like former
Duke and current New
Orleans Pelicans forward
Zion Williamson and
former Clemson and now
Jacksonville Jaguars
quarterback Trevor
Lawrence, who missed
out on NIL payments over
the past four years be-
cause NCAA rules pro-
hibited such deals.
“Four years is our stat-
ute of limitations — so
we can’t go back more
than four years,” Kessler
said of the time frame.
Plaintiffs’ attorneys are Getty Images
seeking treble damages
— allowed under federal
antitrust law — for col- Illinois defensive tackle Tymir Oliver is one of the athletes named in the case.
1 2 | S E P T E M B E R 20-26, 2021 WWW.SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM
SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL
PORTFOLIO GAME CHANGERS
Recognition reinforces ‘Why not me?’
In the weeks leading to the Game Changers conference on Oct. 20, Sports Business Journal
will catch up with members of the past 10 classes of “Game Changers: Women in Sports Business.”
CLASS OF 2015
Benita Fitzgerald Mosley
THEN: Chief of Organizational Excellence, own destiny more so than ever before. And
I’m just thrilled about it.”
U.S. Olympic Committee
At LeagueApps, Fitzgerald Mosley has
NOW: Head of Community and Impact, shifted her focus from her previous roles that
were centered around competitive excellence.
LeagueApps “It’s really where my passion lies, which is
this idea of sport for all, this idea of using
THE SPORTS industry has seen an influx of sport as a tool for social change,” she ex-
change since 2015, when Sports Business Jour- plained. “So, to have the opportunity to stay
nal first honored Benita Fitzgerald Mosley as in the sports arena, working for a company
a Game Changer. There may have been as much that’s as passionate as I am about using what
change around athletes and sports in the past God has gifted us with, either personally or
six years as there was in the nearly three de- as a corporation, to spread the wealth, if you
cades between her gold medal in the 100 meter will, [is] really important to me.”
hurdles at the 1984 Olympics and her joining
the U.S. Olympic Committee in 2013. Looking at this year’s Game Changers class,
and women as a whole in the industry, Fitzger-
“Athletes are showing a lot of courage in ald Mosley is encouraged by what she’s noticed.
coming forward with the challenges that “One common thread that I see and something
they’re having behind the scenes,” said Fitzger- I’ve been talking about for the last couple of
ald Mosley, an executive at LeagueApps, a youth months is this idea of ‘Why not me?’ And I
sports online signup platform. “And I think think these women have put themselves in the
it’s incumbent upon those of us in the sports position to not only ask, but answer that ques-
industry to make accommodations for that.” tion for themselves, challenging themselves
to do things that other women may not have
Athletes today are “more in the driver’s been able to do, to forge ahead through un-
seat than they ever have been,” she said. charted territory.” — David Rumsey
“They’re exercising their voice and they’re
more in a position of power and ability to
affect their own outcome and affect their
Courtesy of Benita Fitzgerald Mosley; Jeremy Freeman / Turner Sports Tina Shah CLASS OF 2016
THEN: Senior Vice President and Associate companies face in finding “new and different ways
General Counsel at Turner Sports to continue to engage with fans.”
NOW: Executive Vice President and
General Manager at Turner Sports Shah noted part of that challenge is that the “pace
of change is faster than it’s ever been” around the
TINA SHAH has gone through an evolu- sports landscape. She noted much of that change
tion in her role with Turner Sports as it relates to sports media is in the “variety of
since 2016. Then, her focus was the content that fans are interested in and consuming”
legal side as general counsel, but now, and “who’s creating content.” She has seen growth
she is in “a far more business and and shifts in both since her Game Changers recog-
operational role” as general manager. nition, and her position now allows her to be a big
“I’m essentially responsible for the part in how Turner faces those changes.
business functions of Turner Sports
and Bleacher Report,” Shah said. “It’s But beyond the business functions that Shah has
more end-to-end management of our taken on, there is one aspect to having a larger
sports businesses and portfolio.” operational role that might be the most impor-
tant to her. “It’s really given me an opportunity
Shah went through an exhaustive to connect and work with and help develop more
list of areas with which she is now leaders throughout our organization,” Shah said.
involved, including business strategy, It also gives Shah a chance to work directly with
development and operations; league more women and “empower, develop, connect,
partnerships; growth and innovation; mentor” them.
marketing; and data and insights. This
gives her the opportunity to be more That goes into how she felt about being named
involved in what she referred to as to Game Changers. Shah noted how the honor could
“both the challenge and also the excit- be meaningful for women starting out or moving
ing opportunity” that sports media up in the sports industry, as it shows them the “va-
riety of female leaders that exist” and “the variety
of sports careers you can have.” Shah emphasized
the “representation piece is particularly important
to me” and being in her role “does reinforce ‘If you
can see it, you can be it.’” — Mike Boylan
W W W . S P O R T S B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L . C O M SEPTEMBER 20-26, 2021 | 13
SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL
The Conscience
of the NFL
TONY DUNGY made history as a Hall of Fame coach and now
serves as the respected voice of the entire league.
BY BEN FISCHER
I T’S A SUNDAY IN EARLY AUGUST, and the Cleve- they grew up watching him, and The Champions searches. Senior league execu-
land Browns are supposed to be practicing they know what he’s meant to tives seek out his expertise on
at FirstEnergy Stadium in front of about his teams and the league,” said Below is the scheduled month leadership. Coaches and players
30,000 fans. But a pop-up thunderstorm has Stefanski, who met Dungy for each profile honoring the ask for his guidance on their
through his old boss in Minne- Champions class of 2021: careers.
kept them off the field for an extra hour.
Taking in the scene from a tunnel near the sota, Leslie Frazier, who him- Date Champion Often that advice is not about
self was an assistant to Dungy April Jean Afterman football. It’s about fatherhood,
locker room is Tony Dungy, who is in Ohio for the in Indianapolis. “I think he faith or leadership questions.
Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremonies
60 miles away in Canton. His presence was re- brings a huge amount of cred- May Tom Wilson On Sept. 9, the opening day of
quested by head coach Kevin Stefanski, one of ibility when he’s standing there July Larry Lucchino the season, Dungy spoke to the
talking to your team.” August Bill Hancock Dallas Cowboys’ chapel session
countless people around the game who considers in the morning and was on NBC
More than a decade after
Dungy a mentor.
The line of well-wishers greeting Dungy includes Dungy last ran an NFL team, September Tony Dungy providing analysis of their
wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., whose wide smile he still commands the respect October Harlan Stone game in Tampa against the de-
and attention of the entire fending champion Buccaneers
matches his diamond necklace, and quarterback
Baker Mayfield, both of whom record a video for league. He spent 28 years on the that night.
Dungy’s son Justin. sidelines in the NFL, including the last 13 as a head “Tony is a very, very, very special and unusual
Defensive backs coach Jeff Howard pulls out his coach. He built the Tampa Bay Buccaneers into a individual when it comes to leadership,” said In-
phone to show Dungy pictures of his young children. consistent contender, coached the Colts to a Super dianapolis owner Jim Irsay. “He was born that way,
A young Black PR staffer, Dom Page, introduces Bowl title and earned enshrinement in Canton in he was raised that way by his parents, he was men-
himself to Dungy. 2016. He’s now in his 13th season as an NBC Sports tored to be that way by people like [longtime Steel-
At one point, the man who employs everyone in analyst and an elder statesman of professional foot- ers head coach] Chuck Noll and others. He just has
the stadium stood patiently while an aide introduced ball, respected and beloved throughout the sport. a special component.”
him to Dungy. Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and No matter the subject, football people want to Whether the subject is Colin Kaepernick and the
Dungy spoke quietly for 10 minutes amid the din, national anthem, concus-
with Dungy dispensing the wisdom that has made “Tony is a very, very, very sions, gambling or opportu-
nities for minority coaches,
him what one executive called “the voice of reason the opinion of the 65-year-old
in the NFL.”
“I told him that he has to make sure this team is special and unusual individual Dungy is always sought and
always respected.
Amy Pezzicara / Pezz Photo not what fans want, or what the media wants,”
Dungy recounts later. “He needs to make sure this when it comes to leadership.” “He is the social conscience
of the league,” said Sam
is the team he wants.” Flood, executive producer
Dungy at his home After practice ended, and president of production
in Tampa, which he Stefanski turned to Dungy
shares with his wife and asked him to make for NBC Sports. “I think the
and eight of their some final remarks.
children. know what Dungy thinks. NFL Commissioner Roger league office looks to him, and I look to him.”
“They all know him,
Goodell asks him to counsel owners in coaching CONTINUED ON PAGE 16
W W W . S P O R T S B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L . C O M SEPTEMBER 20-26, 2021 | 15
CHAMPIONS: TONY DUNGY
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 Dungy led the 1978 Steelers
with six interceptions.
nnnn
Dungy grew up in Jackson, Mich., the son of a your heart. He challenges you
personally — what are you
mother, Cleomae, who was a high school teacher and doing to be part of the solu-
tion?”
a father, Wilbur, who had served in the famed Tuske-
nnnn
gee Airmen during World War II before becoming a
college professor. His dad also shaped who Dungy
became as a coach. “He loved me, and he showed me
that he really cared about me, and that he knew what
he was doing and I could trust him,” Dungy once Stung by the quiet phone on
said of the leadership style he inherited. “I didn’t draft day, Dungy entertained
want to let my dad down, and I wanted to do what- an offer from Marv Levy to
ever he said. We had that type of relationship, and come play for the CFL’s Mon-
that’s what I’m going to do with my players.” treal Alouettes. He instead
agreed to try different positions
After spending four years as the starting quar-
terback at Minnesota and leaving as the school’s for the Pittsburgh Steelers as
career leader in passing yards, completions and an undrafted free agent. First
wide receiver, then safety.
touchdowns, Dungy eagerly awaited the 1977 NFL
draft. He sat in “I wanted to try to play with
the very best,” he said.
TONY DUNGY his apartment in
Minneapolis all His playing career was
n Birthdate: Oct. 6, 1955 day, waiting for brief. As a Steelers rookie in
n College: University of a phone call tell- 1977, his most memorable mo-
Minnesota ing him where ment came when he was
n Playing career: he’d been picked.
Surely it was pressed into service at quar-
Pittsburgh Steelers (1977- only a matter of
78); San Francisco 49ers terback because of injuries,
(1979)
completing three of eight pass
n Head coaching time. He had attempts in a loss to the Hous-
career: Tampa Bay talked to scouts.
He had been a ton Oilers. The next season
Buccaneers (1996- four-year starter
in the Big Ten. If he started two games in the
2001); Indianapolis Colts
defensive backfield, racking
(2002-2008)
n Record: 139-69; 6 divi- up a team-high six intercep-
tions and helping Pittsburgh
sion titles, 1 conference nothing else he’d
get a look in win its third Super Bowl. He
title; 1 Super Bowl camp for a back-
n Current role: Analyst, up role. was traded to the San Fran-
cisco 49ers before the 1979
NBC “Football Night in “It’s getting to
season, and then joined the
America” (2009-present)
Family:
n Wife: Lauren (married be like 10 o’clock “Through his historical perspective, through New York Giants before being cut in training camp
1982); 11 children at night, and we these he’s personally experienced and done, he got
everyone in the room — club ownership, Commis- in 1980. The phone stopped ringing.
sioner Goodell, [Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
call the AP and Committee] Chairman [Art] Rooney — to listen,” He went back to Minnesota to volunteer as an
said Troy Vincent Sr., the NFL’s executive vice assistant coach at his alma mater, but a few months
ask them what president of football operations. “It really pierces
round it’s in, and they told me it was over,” Dungy later Noll offered him a job as a defensive backs
recalls. “I said, ‘It can’t be over.’” assistant. Dungy was just 25 years old. Today, wun-
But in 1977, for a Black quarterback, it was. One derkind coaches are common. Not then, and cer-
year later, the same thing would happen to tainly not on Noll’s staff.
“That was an outlier, clearly,” said current team
future Hall of Famer Warren Moon, who
needed to win five consecutive Canadian president Art Rooney II. “Tony was special, and
Football League titles before the NFL gave you could see that from the start. Chuck obviously
recognized that pretty quickly.”
him a chance. To this day, Dungy doesn’t
blame racism directly — he attributes it to Dungy rarely goes long without mentioning Noll’s
a risk-averse culture among owners and influence on his life. The Hall of Fame coach’s ad-
coaches who were afraid to look beyond their monition — “Don’t make football your life’s work;
own preconceptions of what that role looked if you do, it’s bound to end in disappointment” — is
a bedrock to his approach. So is Noll’s example that
like, a scenario he would see play out repeat-
edly decades later when it came to hiring you can run a successful team while still leaving
minority coaches. the office in time for family dinner, or at least to
“It’s kind of the same thing we’re talking see your family before bedtime.
about back then — 30 years ago, this is what By age 25, Dungy also left his playing
Dungy had days with something more than
we thought about quarterbacks,” Dungy started his good advice: an enhanced faith.
NFL coaching He joined a Bible study led by
said. “And if we still thought that way, we career. teammate Donnie Shell, and
wouldn’t have Russell Wilson, Lamar Jack-
son or Patrick Mahomes now. We’re now
thinking the same way, that there’s a cook- when his playing career ended,
his faith had grown so much that he was at peace
ie cutter for the coach, and he’s got to fit
in it.” with what for many would be an anxious time. Getty Images (2)
Dungy expressed the very same viewpoint “By that time, my faith had gotten to a point where
I didn’t know what was next, but I wasn’t worried
in a closed-door meeting of top NFL execu-
tives and owners at the NFL combine in or concerned,” he said.
Indianapolis in 2019. CONTINUED ON PAGE 18
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CHAMPIONS: TONY DUNGY
TONY’S TAKES On the longer season:
Dungy discusses NFL issues “We’re going to 17
games. We’ll get to 18
On coaching searches: On owners over-thinking hiring: games quick. We can
talk about player safety
“[Philadelphia Eagles owner] Jeffrey Lurie “It’s amazing to me. They have confi- all we want, but if they
didn’t hire me, but he told me exactly what dence picking a CEO for a $2 billion cor- would fit 20 games in
he was looking for, and we stayed in con- poration, but when I say, ‘Why don’t you they could, and player
tact. I have seen him sometimes hire coach- just do it the same way? Get your blue- safety would be out
es that reminded me of what he told me he print in your mind of what you want, and the window if it means
wanted, and sometimes he hired coaches search for that guy,” They say: ‘Oh, but this much more
that didn’t. Where on the other hand, [Pitts- this is different. I don’t know, it’s so pub- money.”
burgh Steelers owner] Dan Rooney, every lic and everybody’s scrutinizing every
time out of the box, he had a formula and he move…’ I think, ‘Gosh, you know what
stuck to it. Sticking to your formula, sticking you’re doing. You know what you want,
to your guns is worth it.” you know what’s been successful.’”
On the increase in gambling references in the NFL broadcasts: On the NFL’s leadership role on making
gambling more acceptable:
“That’s going to be the one thing that drives me out of this. We are getting
“We have so many guys with gambling addictions in
so much pressure — and we’ve got to do these things for sponsors, No. 1. the NFL, so I worry about that. I worry about that for
the country. I don’t think it’s good to promote that. I re-
We have a segment powered by Microsoft, and we tell our story, but we’ve ally think we’re encouraging the wrong thing.”
got to do it on a Microsoft tablet instead of a regular video. I get that. They’re On loud/demeaning coaches:
sponsoring us, and we’ve got the Toyota halftime show. But now we’ve got “We’ve glorified it with ‘Hard Knocks’ and other
things. I was never asked in 13 years to be on Hard
to do 2 or 3 segments about fantasy football, and gambling. Knocks. They want to see sensationalism that’s going
to sell to the public. So then you get these younger
I want to talk about the game, and I don’t want to talk about how many coaches who think that must be what you have to do
to be successful, because that’s what you see at the
yards Nick Chubb is going to have tonight. highest level. They’re not going to put on Leslie Fra-
zier or Jim Caldwell or even Mike Tomlin, guys like that
That might be part of the story, and — who are not going to do it that way. It’s sad. We’ve
got so many people getting indoctrinated into think-
[NBC Sports executive producer] ing this is the way it has to be, and it doesn’t.”
“My son’s death taughtOn work/life balance: Sam [Flood] is always saying, — Ben Fischer
‘Weave that in.’ I’d like to just
tell that story, rather than say ‘I
me a lesson. You can’t think Nick Chubb is going to
get 75 yards, so make sure
take half your life away you click there and dial that
for 30 years and just up so you can make a million
assume it will be there dollars.’ I’m very frustrated
by that. I think it’s going to
nose its way into our busi-
when you’re done.” ness, and I don’t think it’s
good.”
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16 than made up for any lack of histrionics on the family matters without guilt. Dungy’s offseason
sidelines. “Winning is going to solve all that any- practice regimen — a “less is more” concept —
Over the years, Dungy’s Christian faith mani- way,” he said. “If you win, whatever you do, your was so popular with players that the NFLPA later
fested itself as self-confidence that served him personality is going to be seen as a strength. Same negotiated to implement it in the union contract,
well as a coach. His faith meant he both believed thing, when you lose, it’s going to be a weakness then-Colts President Bill Polian said.
that God had a vision for him, and that his self- and the reason why you didn’t win.”
worth was not connected to football success, but “He taught me that you can be demanding with-
what he did to influence society with the platform In addition, Dungy’s faith allowed him to worry out being demeaning,” said retired Colts center
football provided. less about appearances and more about how his Jeff Saturday. “I learned a ton from that. To be
leadership would affect his own family, his play- encouraging and try to raise and elevate other
Later, it would keep Dungy even-keeled and ers, their families and his ability to influence people, without having to yell or intimidate, for
committed to his leadership philosophy. Coaches minds. the NFL at the time, that was kind of the opposite
have powerful incentives to sleep in the office and of what most coaches were doing.”
yell at their players — it looks like they’re trying Vincent never played for Dungy other than at
harder. But that’s not Dungy’s personality. His the Pro Bowl, but he says dozens of players have CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
intelligence, persistence and confidence more shared stories of Dungy giving them time off for
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SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL
Players, execs look to
Dungy for guidance
AFTER THE SUPER BOWL IN 2014, Troy Vincent was Dungy’s former play-
weighing an offer from Roger Goodell to become ers aren’t shy about seek-
the head of football operations for the NFL — a ing his counsel either.
demanding, high-profile job with plenty of room Former Indianapolis
for error. Colts center Jeff Satur-
It was a lot to consider. A five-time Pro Bowler day played for Dungy for
who started for three teams, seven years. When Satur-
BY BEN FISCHER Vincent surely had easier ways day agreed to become the
to make a living. He needed ad-
head coach of his son’s
vice, so he called Tony Dungy. high school team in Geor-
He had never played for Dungy, except at the Pro gia in 2017 — his first
Bowl after the 1999 season, but said, “When there coaching job of any kind
are major decisions personally in my life, profes- — he immediately
sionally in my life, he’s one of the four people I reached out to his old
reach out to. Why? I’m getting godly counsel. Two, leader.
I’m getting fatherly counsel. And he’s constantly “I called him just to Troy Vincent didn’t play for Tony Dungy but he still counts the coach as a mentor,
ask if I could steal all the reaching out for advice before becoming the NFL’s head of football operations.
reminding you of who you are, and why you were sayings he used to use,”
created.”
Dungy asked Vincent a series of questions, none Saturday said. “He says, ‘Take them all, put them Commissioner Roger Goodell. “There are people
directly about the job: 1. “Would God be pleased?” on posters, you’re going to be a great coach,’ and who are looking to him for leadership,” said Steel-
2. “Are you passionate about what you’re doing?” then he’s walking me through everything, how to ers owner Art Rooney II. “Not just people on our
3. “How does it affect your family?” 4. “Why not do it, all the things I needed to think about.” [diversity] committee, but coaches and people
you?” 5: “Can someone else do it better?” Dungy’s opinion and perspective is sought out throughout the league who feel like his leadership
Vincent took the job. at the highest ranks of the league, from owners to is important.”
Getty Images
W W W . S P O R T S B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L . C O M SEPTEMBER 20-26, 2021 | 19
CHAMPIONS: TONY DUNGY
The Bucs won the next week, beating the Vikings.
And though they then lost three more games in a
row, they closed the year by going 5-2. Suddenly,
everybody in the building couldn’t wait for 1997.
“We left that year absolutely knowing what was
coming,” said McKay.
What came next were four playoff berths in the
next five seasons, a foundation that resulted in the
franchise’s first Lombardi Trophy in 2003, the year
after Dungy’s departure.
nnnn
Despite taking over a franchise that had only been
to the playoffs three times in its first 20 seasons of
existence and topping that
Two years after total in his six years in charge,
making history Dungy was fired by the Glazer
as the first Black family after the 2001 season
coach to win a ended with a third straight
Super Bowl in playoff loss. Dungy says he’ll
2007 (left), Dungy
joined NBC Sports always be grateful to the Glaz-
as an analyst.
ers for giving him the oppor-
tunity, but admits some
lingering frustration. He promised consistent win-
ning and a franchise to be proud of, which he felt
he had delivered; also, Glazer wouldn’t release his
defensive assistants from their contracts to follow
Dungy.
He was unemployed for eight days.
Within hours of his dismissal, Irsay and Dungy
talked by phone. Polian recalls Dungy filling a
football need — the simple Tampa-2 defensive
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18 debut season, the long-suffering Bucs were winless scheme was perfect for a team that had made the
and looking more hopeless with each passing week.
nnnn Senior club leaders gathered after the Detroit Lions offensive talent a financial priority, and his teams
handed them a 27-0 indignity. “There was a sense
Dungy’s style cost him a head coaching job on at that we may never win a game, and the general tone played disciplined, low-penalty games.
least one occasion; an owner he declined to name of the meeting was: We gotta shake it up,” McKay
said he wanted more passion. In the early 1990s, it says. But Irsay and Dungy bonded philosophically too,
was becoming conspicuous that he hadn’t been of-
fered a head coaching position despite his success But then Dungy took the floor. “Tony gave a very sharing a goal of using football as a platform to
for four years as a defensive coordinator in Min- rare, very passionate speech,” McKay remembers.
nesota under Dennis Green, leading the NFL in “He said: ‘We’re just going to stay the course, we’re change the community. “And the bigger we win, the
total defense in 1993 and helping the Vikings reach going to stick with the way we set it up, keep teach-
the playoffs three times. ing it, and I don’t want to hear about it doing any- more we could affect the world for good,” Irsay said.
thing different.’”
In January 1996, Dungy “He said, and I quote, ‘I can fix it,’” Irsay remem-
interviewed for the head
coaching spot in Tampa Bay bers. “And I had no doubts. You knew that not only
(see sidebar). His under-
stated personality failed to was he saying it, he believed it. Not only that, but
impress general manager
Rich McKay, who remembers he had a plan to execute it and he would execute it.”
that Dungy “had absolutely
no sales pitch. He had a plan. Dungy guided the Colts to the playoffs in each of
He had a vision. It was pret-
ty clear and it was well-stat- his first three years, and they opened the 2005 sea-
ed. But it wasn’t
enthusiastic.” son as the best team in the league. With
Still, Dungy’s résumé was quarterback Peyton Manning in his
too much for McKay and
owner Malcolm Glazer to prime, Indianapolis started 14-0, win-
ignore. Tampa Bay an-
nounced Dungy as its new ning by an average of 15 points. Dungy
head coach that month, and
it wasn’t long before his faith still calls it the best team he ever
and confidence in the team
was infecting the entire or- coached.
ganization.
Even after a loss on Dec. 18, India-
Five weeks into Dungy’s
napolis remained a heavy favorite to
reach the Super Bowl. Dungy’s life
seemed to be full of optimism. Four
days later, however, everything
changed — his oldest son, James, was
found dead at age 18 from suicide in
his apartment near Tampa.
Irsay led the team’s contingent south
to mourn with the Dungys, and then
they tried to put the season back to-
gether. In their first round of the play-
offs, the shell-shocked Colts lost a
nail-biter to the Steelers. Getty Images (2)
Few knew at the time that Dungy
had considered retirement before the
season. But his son’s death, rather than
CONTINUED ON PAGE 23
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SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL
Dungy got a shot, then made sure others did
IN THE FINAL MINUTES before he interviewed for the Dungy got the job, but his system didn’t work right
away. As the losses piled up, Dungy withstood pres-
head coaching position with Tampa Bay, Tony Dungy sure to make strategic changes, and implored play-
ers to stick with his scheme’s fundamentals.
found himself on his knees of a Marriott parking
John Lynch, the Hall of Fame safety who starred
lot in Santa Clara, Calif. Dungy, whose deep faith is on Dungy’s teams in Tampa and is now the GM of
the San Francisco 49ers, said Dungy also had a way
well known, wasn’t seeking divine intervention. He of earning respect from players that felt more like
a parent than a coach.
was simply searching for the
“Every now and then, my parents raised their
BY BEN FISCHER screw to his eyeglasses that had voice, and it’s scary and uncomfortable, but it’s a
popped loose. lot worse when they just say they’re very disap-
pointed in you,” Lynch said. “And that was Tony’s
He never found it, suffering way. Or, just just a shake of the head like, ‘Hey, man,
I expected better from you.’ I had such immense
through the interview with broken glasses until respect for him, you just wanted to make him proud.”
Buccaneers general manager Rich McKay gently Long before he retired, Dungy became a powerful
voice advocating on behalf of minority coaches to
told him he wouldn’t be reading anything. get their chance. At the time he was hired by Tampa
Bay, he became just the third active Black head coach
Later, Dungy, then the Vikings defensive coordina- in the league. A quarter-century later, that number
is unchanged, far too few in a league in which two-
tor, called his wife, Lauren. thirds of the players are Black. One member of that
trio, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, last
“I bombed it,” he said. “We’ll be staying in Min- Tampa Bay reached four playoffs under Tony Dungy. season passed Dungy to become the winningest Black
coach in NFL history. True to form, Dungy was
nesota another year.” NFL. It said coordinator of the league’s best defense among the first to offer his congratulations.
in 1993.
A quarter-century later, McKay, now president of
“He didn’t win the Powerball,” McKay said. “He
the Atlanta Falcons, recalls a similar feeling on his did it himself. He earned it, at all levels.”
side of the table: “It was underwhelming,” he says. Something else stood out to McKay. The team had
asked those who had played for and coached with
Indeed, when McKay and others members of the Dungy for their takes; they had unanimously replied
with effusive praise for his intellect, consistency
Tampa brass gathered to evaluate their choices, and leadership. “When you look at those notes on
Tony compared to the others, it was literally Usain
Dungy was far down the list. But McKay looked again Bolt running against the rest,” he said.
at Dungy’s résumé. It said college quarterback who
changed positions and led the 1978 Super Bowl cham-
pions in interceptions. It said the youngest assistant
coach ever hired by legendary Steelers coach Chuck
Noll. It said first Black defensive coordinator in the
Getty Images C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S
W W W . S P O R T S B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L . C O M TONY DUNGY
for your impact on football as a coach,
analyst, mentor and leader.
SEPTEMBER 20-26, 2021 | 21
CHAMPIONS: TONY DUNGY
Fatherhood and foundation provide a path
NOT LONG AFTER TONY DUNGY arrived in Tampa, he expectation. days at MLB, NFL and NCAA stadiums.
That provided the spark for what would eventu-
met Abe Brown, a local high school football coach Dungy didn’t just apply those lessons to the three
ally become All Pro Dad, a Family First initiative
who had created a prison ministry program after headlined by Dungy that trains millions of fathers children he already had with his wife, Lauren. In
each year.
visiting a former player in jail. Dungy went along 2000, they were helping special teams coordinator
Today, All Pro Dad sends a daily email to 1.7 mil-
on some of those visits and lion subscribers with brief fatherhood tips. There Joe Marciano with adoption paperwork. Dungy was
are celebrity football spokesmen, local chapters in
BY BEN FISCHER learned that the common de- 46 states, and recurring “All Pro Dad Experience” explaining to the adoption coordinator that he’d
nominator for most prisoners
adapt Marciano’s workload to fatherhood when she
was a missing father. mentioned a shortage of Black adoptive parents.
“We can make a difference and tell these men “Lauren was all over it before that, but that kind
how important that is,” Dungy said. “I can try to of got me saying we might need to think
set the tone a little bit. I’ve got a high-profile job, about this,” Dungy said.
I’m busy, but not too busy to be a dad, and do what A month later, they brought home Jordan,
I need to do.” their oldest adopted son. Now 21 years old,
That reinforced Dungy’s belief in the importance Jordan has a serious congenital disease,
of fatherhood in the community. So in 1997, Dungy but the Dungys had health insurance and
and some of his Buccaneers assistants spent the a financial cushion to get him to world-class
morning at the nearby offices of the nonprofit Fam- doctors, and today he’s in college working
ily First. They wanted to get better at balancing to be a chef.
their parenting duties with the intense demands “We realized it was not an accident,”
of coaching in the NFL. Dungy said.
At that meeting, they decided to make a family Seven more adopted children followed
event out of an upcoming training camp practice. Jordan into their home.
They advertised it around Tampa as an outing for All-Pro Dad, Their eight kids still living
founded in at home range in age from
fathers and their families, doing what Dungy had 1997, now 6 to 21, and while Dungy
has chapters thinks they’re done adopt-
already done internally by opening the facility to in 46 states. ing, “I can never say never.”
players’ families on Fridays and Saturdays.
Four thousand people showed up, five times the
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20 the first Black head coach to win the Dungy joined NBC says make your point and get out —
Super Bowl, a deeply meaningful place colleagues Chris land your punch,” Dungy says 12 years
push him closer to retirement, made in history for the man who couldn’t Simms (left) and later.
him want to prove a point to the world. believe he wasn’t drafted 30 years Mike Tirico for some
earlier. preseason shop talk The turn toward broadcasting was
“As Christians, we talk about your at Foster’s, a Tampa unexpected, but it’s worked out per-
Christian faith and putting your trust Irsay said that season validated haircutter. fectly for Dungy. It’s kept him in the
in the Lord, not getting too high or Dungy’s decision to stay on the job public eye, allowing him to leverage
too low,” Dungy said. “And that’s great amid the tragedy of the prior year. accustomed to hav- his celebrity gravitas for his religious,
when you’re winning, and winning “Intuitively he knew that the best way ing a clicker in his parenting and coaching work, while
playoff games, but now there’s a major to heal himself and his family was to hand when he went leaving more time for his family than
death in the family. This is a down keep coaching, to do what God gave over game tape. So coaching ever could.
time. I just didn’t want to have anyone him the talents to do.” Flood called the
think my faith is cheap. So that was Colts and asked for After leaving Cleveland’s practice,
part of the driving force: That you face nnnn the actual clicker to Dungy called Justin. He couldn’t wait
tough times as well as the great times, make him feel more to tell his teenage son that he had got-
and you face them the same way.” After two more seasons, both of like a coach. It all ten him some cool stuff from his fa-
which included trips to the playoffs, c a m e t o g e t h e r. vorite team. Another crowd of
A year later, the Colts again won Dungy retired, looking forward to Dungy soon bonded well-wishers awaited in Canton,
the AFC South and reached the confer- spending time with his large family, with Rodney Harri- where he would see his longtime quar-
ence championship game. Down 21-3 which includes three biological chil- son and then-host terback from Indianapolis, Peyton
to the Patriots in the second quarter, dren with his wife of 39 years, Lau- Dan Patrick, know- Manning, get his own bust in Canton,
Indianapolis roared back to tie the ren, and eight children they’ve ing the importance before Dungy could return home to
score, then overcame three more New adopted since 2000. He planned of synchronicity in Tampa and the people who give him
England leads to win 38-34 in the big- church activities and more work a team environment. his greatest joy.
gest comeback ever in a conference with his nonprofit, All Pro Dad, a Dungy has evolved into a reliable
title game. Family First initiative that he helped cog in NBC’s dominant Sunday Night Inside their spacious house, Dungy
found in 1997. Football team, though like a coach, is just dad. Outside those walls, he is
The most memorable part of the day he knows his weaknesses. He still something like the NFL’s coach emer-
for Dungy came after it ended, when But NBC Sports executive Dick Eb- needs to work on being concise. “Sam itus, a leader whose wisdom is sought
he and his large contingent of sup- ersol pursued him for an analyst po- at all positions of the league’s hierar-
porters went to dinner at Palamino sition on “Football Night in America.” chy. As Flood says, “Most of all, Tony
in downtown Indianapolis and stayed Dungy demurred, pointing out his Dungy makes you want to be a better
late into the night. near-total lack of charisma. (“He could person.”
put you to sleep in a pregame speech,”
Amy Pezzicara / Pezz Photo “There were probably 30 of us,” he says Saturday.)
said. “It was my relatives, our family,
a couple close friends and they kept it That’s the point, Flood told him.
open for us, and staff stayed the whole “There was not one compelling
time. … We just talked about all the sound bite from him in all the year
disappointments and the near misses of coaching, because he was being
over the last 10 years, and how we were smart and making sure everything
behind by three scores and had to come he said didn’t come back to cause
back, and now we’re going to the Super chaos and discord in the locker room,”
Bowl. It was just incredible.” Flood said. “That’s who we wanted:
Tony Dungy, a leader of men.”
Two weeks later, the Colts pulled Some early tests went badly. Dungy
away from the Bears in the second was nervous. He told Flood he was
half to win Super Bowl XLI, the fran-
chise’s first title in 36 years. More
significantly, that win made Dungy
W W W . S P O R T S B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L . C O M SEPTEMBER 20-26, 2021 | 23
IN-DEPTH DFDFD
World Congress
of Sports at 20
The event is set to hit an important milestone in New York City as it again brings together the leaders in our industry and
drives the discussion on the issues of the day and what it will take to succeed in the future.
On the eve of this industry-leading gathering, we open the time capsule and review the topics that drove previous
events over the past two decades, the people who made headlines, and the prescient outlooks that garnered attention.
2002
Waldorf-Astoria, New York City
THE FIRST World Congress of Sports ON THE AGENDA: A PREDICTION: Getty Images; Tony Florez
kicked off with the goal of bringing
together the top executives to discuss “The Internet: Is there a future?” “I think there is
the key issues facing the industry Yes, that was the subject of one panel a very strong
— and it delivered. Eight commis- discussion. Executives discussed the
sioners participated in that inaugu- possible cannibalization of sports possibility the 2006
ral event, including the NFL’s Paul television viewers by the internet Super Bowl will be
Tagliabue, who delivered the key- and what the future could hold for here in the city of
note address. online video, which at the time was
largely still a choppy and limited New York at
Tagliabue discussed the increased experience. Giants Stadium.”
diversity and changing demograph-
ics of society and how that poses a NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman — Bob Tisch,
challenge to the sports industry. hinted that his league could survive then chairman and
“Our athletes need to be leaders,” a lockout once its labor agreement CEO of the Giants,
he said. “We need to be proactive in expired after the 2003-04 season. “We on the possibility of
encouraging them to become in- need a system where all teams can an outdoor Super
volved in the community. But the be competitive,” he said. The thought
good thing is that the best athletes became reality when the NHL locked Bowl in a cold-
today will do it on their own. They out players and scrapped the entire weather market.
recognize their role as a community 2004-05 season.
leader.” HOW IT PLAYED OUT:
In 2010, NFL owners awarded the 2014 Super Bowl to
MetLife Stadium, the new home of the Giants and Jets.
2 4 | S E P T E M B E R 20-26, 2021 WWW.SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM
SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL
2003 2004
Waldorf-Astoria, New York City JW Marriott, L.A. LIVE
TELEVISION DROVE much of the discussion at this year’s event, from media rights to the migration of sports to cable. WITH AN overall theme examining the
“We’re all dinosaurs up here to one degree in that we all grew up with ABC, NBC, CBS,” said Ross Greenburg, convergence of sports and entertain-
ment, the WCOS shifted to California
then HBO Sports president. “All of our kids do not differentiate to a large degree between the cable television for Year 3. The media landscape con-
universe and the networks. When they watch a television show, they don’t care what channel it’s on.” tinued to dominate much of the dis-
cussion as well, with panelists
ON THE AGENDA: A PREDICTION:HOT wondering if sports properties were
“The days of networks paying ever-escalating rights fees may be over.”TOPIC making short-sighted decisions to
Panelists weighed in shift games to cable.
on a media landscape — CBS President and CEO Les Moonves
that saw more league- “As you gravitate toward cable, you
owned networks, includ- HOW IT will get the money, but what is your
ing NFL Network, which PLAYED OUT: opportunity to reach the casual
launched that year on viewer and make that person a brand-
Nov. 4. Much of the dis- Rights fees ed lover of your sport? That is what
cussion centered on continued to is lost,” said Dick Ebersol, then
whether league net- skyrocket. In fact, chairman of NBC Sports & Olympics.
works would one day later that year, NBC
show live games, which agreed to pay $2.2 ON THE AGENDA:
indeed would prove to billion for rights to
be the case. the 2010 and 2012 Panelists discussed whether ESPN
Games — 30% more was right to pull the plug on its pop-
IOC President than it agreed to ular “Playmakers” series the previ-
Jacques Rogge used a pay for the 2006 ous year, after the NFL complained
keynote address to as- and 2008 Olympics. about how the series portrayed pro-
sure attendees that no fessional football players. “I think
anti-U.S. sentiment ex- LABOR: the real challenge is for the NFL to
isted at the organiza- realize that, at the end of the day,
tion. At the time, New “Fifty years from now, dramatic narrative and storytelling
York City had an active historians and fans will point is their business. They are in the
bid in play to host the to this period as a turning point.” emotional transportation business,”
2012 Olympics. The Big — MLB Commissioner Bud Selig, said Peter Guber, Mandalay Enter-
Apple would lose that discussing the league’s new labor deal
bid in 2005, then four (2003 WCOS) tainment Group chairman.
years later, Chicago
would lose its bid to play Some executives wondered if
host to the 2016 Games. China’s massive preparation for the
2008 Olympics could force the IOC
Headlines of the day from the first WCOS in 2002 to set spending limits. “In the Bei-
jing region, they’ll add more power
Getty Images MARCH 13 MARCH 14 than England has in existence today.
I feel sorry for the winning city in
After Ultra-Successful Run As SEC Commish, NFL Films Wants To Produce TV Spots, 2012,” said Mark Lewis, then vice
Kramer Steps Down Music Videos And Films president of General Electric’s
Olympics sponsorship division.
(SEC Commissioner Roy Kramer announces (The venture targets more non-football assignments.)
his retirement.) A PREDICTION:
MLB At A Crossroads, Day 129:
Off Solid Ratings, ESPN To Launch Talks On Fast Track To Nowhere “In the future, the stadium is
“Season On The Brink” On Video-On-Demand (The league and players union work to hash out worldwide. It means leagues and
sports teams can control the egress
(The movie’s success on cable leads to offering it a new labor deal.) that the public has to them, so the
on demand.) day will come — but it is not going to
Time Is Ticking On YES, Cablevision Deal happen in the next decade, in 20
Stern Insists Global Expansion Is Long-Term, As MLB Season Nears years — that everything will be [pay-
But London Wary per-view] and you will be buying a
(A lack of a deal threatens local carriage ticket and you will have a worldwide
(NBA Commissioner David Stern says the league of Yankees games.)
intends to expand internationally into London stadium.”
if suitable groups are found.) MN Senate Passes Ballpark Bill; — David Hill, then Fox Sports TV
Residents Like Private Funds
Wings To Move From Over-The-Air Group chairman
To Cable Full-Time In ’03-04 (The Minnesota Twins work to secure funding
to build a new ballpark.) HOW IT PLAYED OUT:
(The Detroit Red Wings will shift to FSN, replacing
WKBD, which has shown local games since 1965.) There’s still time left in Hill’s
prediction window, but so far PPV
primarily remains the domain
of the fight industry.
W W W . S P O R T S B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L . C O M SEPTEMBER 20-26, 2021 | 25
IN-DEPTH WCOS AT 20
2005 2006
Waldorf-Astoria, New York City The Pierre, New York City
IT WAS back to the Big Apple in 2005 with an overall theme of “The changing THE EVENT tried out new space in New York with a theme that focused on
face of consumers and sports consumption.” Technology drew much of the “The changing dynamics of sports business.” As the demographic and eth-
spotlight, including how areas overseas were using mobile technology. nic profile of the United States continued to change, executives outlined
how they were adjusting their marketing and the way they do business.
“One single medium in Europe is driving sports in the youth market, and
it is mobile,” said Michael Payne, then Formula One special adviser to ON THE AGENDA:
Bernie Ecclestone. “Television remains king, but in terms of driving audi-
ence, driving eyeballs today on your mobile phone throughout most of the Team executives dis-
European markets and the Japanese market, they are getting the 30-second cussed how they were
clips, the previews, the excitement of the event.” looking to develop land
near their stadiums to
ON THE AGENDA: generate additional rev-
enue. Mixed-use develop-
On a panel discussing digital tech- Executives took aim at the steroids ment around stadiums
nology, Carlos Silva, then AOL’s scandal rocking Major League Base- and arenas was still in its
senior vice president of news and ball. “From an advertising perspec- relative infancy at the
sports, said people should not buy into tive, the only reason you are time, but would quickly
technology that offers capabilities for sponsoring sports is to align with the drive most major facility
which people are more comfortable quality, integrity and image of these projects moving forward.
using their personal computers. (The sports,” said Tony Ponturo, then vice
arrival of Apple’s iPhone two years president of global media and sports David Levy, then
later would bring the smartphone to marketing at Anheuser-Busch. “When president of Turner
market and forever change the way that is jeopardized, you really have Sports, spoke about the
content is delivered.) to second-guess that commitment.” convergence of digital
technology. “We really
A PREDICTION: HOW IT PLAYED OUT: don’t care what devices HOW IT
they use. It’s about creat- PLAYED OUT:
“I do not think the The NHL would be the first team from the top ing touch points. Ulti-
NFL or MLB fits into four leagues to call Vegas home, launching the mately, brands will win Bimbo would strike
Vegas just in terms of across all technologies.” in 2011 with a jersey
demographics. I think Golden Knights in 2017. The NFL’s Raiders sponsorship of the
demographically, would relocate to the market in 2020. A PREDICTION: Philadelphia Union.
an arena with 41 “We just had Bimbo bread, which is one of the But before then,
hockey or basketball largest baked goods manufacturers in the former MLS club
games would be one world, spend time looking at opportunities Chivas USA would
sign consecutive
of the two.” here in the United States, looking at possibly jersey deals with
— Jerry Colangelo, buying the naming rights to one of our Mexico-based paint
then the CEO of the stadiums here in Los Angeles.” company Comex
Phoenix Suns, on the Group, convenience
potential of placing a — MLS Commissioner Don Garber, on rising store Extra and
professional sports interest in the league from Mexican companies beermaker Grupo
team in Las Vegas.
Modelo.
2007
The Pierre, New York City
THE NASCENT world of ON THE AGENDA: A PREDICTION: CELL PHONES HOT TOPIC
social media (Twitter AS PAYMENT
was only a year old) MLB Commissioner Bud Selig sat down for “I will wager in 10 years time there will be DEVICES: Getty Images (2)
garnered attention, as a one-on-one interview in which he addressed a dozen household Chinese brands in the U.S.
did the growing role his retirement plans, the potential sale of the “It’s inevitable —
China would play in Chicago Cubs, efforts to build a new ballpark and in Europe.” it’s the remote
global sports with the for the then Florida Marlins, and how to cele- — Michael Payne, then Formula One adviser. control of the
Beijing Games only one brate Barry Bonds’ record-breaking 756th career future.”
year away. home run, which would come that season. HOW IT PLAYED OUT:
— Michael Lynch,
“This creation of In a discussion on the next big thing in sports Apparel brand Li Ning, computer maker Lenovo then senior vice
communities and the and entertainment, marketers discussed efforts and appliance maker Haier already were gaining president of
discussion that takes to create their own content as opposed to spon- footholds in the U.S. at the time. Since then other partnership
place is the language of soring content. Becky Saeger, then vice president Chinese companies have stepped up their efforts
a new America,” said and CMO with Charles Schwab, highlighted in the U.S., including consumer electronics maker marketing at Visa
Dave Checketts, found- cellphone advertising: “We have to be where Huawei, apparel brand Anta Sports, e-commerce (2007 WCOS)
er of SCP Worldwide. [consumers] want to be. We’re gonna find a way
to do it, and it’s gonna happen fast.” site Alibaba, and events, media and marketing
company Wanda Sports Group.
2 6 | S E P T E M B E R 20-26, 2021 WWW.SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM
20TH ANNIVERSARY
The industry’s first major
gathering of leaders. Be a part of it.
7 LEAGUE COMMISSIONERS
WILL BE JOINED BY TEAM OWNERS,
MEDIA LEADERS, BRAND-SIDE
MARKETERS AND MORE.
OCTOBER 12-13, 2021
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IN-DEPTH WCOS AT 20
2008 2009
St. Regis Resort, Mandarin Oriental, Miami
Dana Point, Calif.
THE SPORTS INDUSTRY continued to face the harsh reality of the recession, so this year’s event provided a forum on
THE NATION was dealing with decision making and how to survive the fallout. As Tim Leiweke, then CEO with AEG, said, “We’ve never seen any-
a recession as the event kicked thing like this, and I pray that we never see anything like this again.”
off and attendees were confi-
dent in the industry’s ability ON THE AGENDA: A PREDICTION:
to weather the storm, but the
severity of the downturn in Boston Celtics owner Wyc Anxiety among consumers “The new Twitter-type news feed or
the months ahead would pro- Grousbeck said that, during had sponsors putting a great- Facebook-style profile update is the new way
vide a major test. the recession, franchise values er emphasis on communities people are going to find information on the Web
would hold up and it would be and activation programs that
“Traditionally, sports has individual investors making deliver value to consumers. because they’re no longer going to have to
been relatively inelastic, and the buys instead of hedge Coca-Cola, for example, rolled Google things anymore. They will just see what
the ups and downs of the econ- funds. “I think institutions are out a program that offered their friends are posting and that’s what they’re
omy haven’t had a significant more cautious than individuals families hot dog discounts and
effect in a consumer respect,” are, so for the next couple of soft drinks at games. going to read and that’s what they’re going
said MLS Commissioner Don years we’ll find individuals to find the most important.”
Garber. “It’s a very bullish buying teams. In the long term,
time in the industry.” there are institutional returns — Jeff Ma, co-founder, Citizen Sports
to be had here.”
ON THE AGENDA: HOW IT PLAYED OUT:
NFL owners were unhap- Social media is deeply embedded in how news
py with the current labor and other content is distributed.
deal, which would lead them
to opt out of it later that year. 2010
“We need to see beyond it,
what our options are,” said L.A. Live, Los Angeles
Steve Tisch, New York Gi-
ants co-owner. “Ro g er THE INDUSTRY met in one of the most active entertainment districts in the country. Executives looked to the months
[Goodell’s] going to have to ahead when Tiger Woods would return to competitive play, the World Cup would get underway in South Africa and
bring everyone together the nation’s top leagues would face tough labor negotiations.
with a united front.”
ON THE AGENDA: A PREDICTION:
Seattle Sounders found-
ing owner Joe Roth won- Speaking about labor talks, SCP Worldwide It was a team effort, but attendees were surveyed and 38%
dered if soccer would ever founder Dave Checketts said the big issue predicted ratings for that year’s World Cup would increase
be as prominent in the U.S. facing the top leagues was the change in own-
as it has been elsewhere in ership and players since recent work stop- significantly compared to the 2006 event.
the world. “It makes me pages. “These guys that are here now were
angry because it makes us not there in ’99 when [the NBA] lost half a HOW IT
look stupid,” he said. “It’s season,” he said. “They weren’t there in the PLAYED OUT:
not possible that we as a ’80s when we were at the table with players.
country are so different They don’t understand yet, in my view, how The 2010 FIFA
than everybody else. It just damaging [a work stoppage] can be.” World Cup
hasn’t been tapped in the
right way.” One panel saw no slowdown coming in media averaged a 2.1
revenue growth. “In the entire world of enter- U.S. rating and
A PREDICTION: tainment, what has the upside?” said Ken 3.261 million
Solomon, then chairman and CEO of Tennis
“The problems are coming. Channel. “I bet on sports over anything except viewers,
We’re not there yet. I’d be maybe $300 million motion pictures. I don’t think figures that
surprised if we’re not seeing the blush is off the rose in terms of exploiting were up 31%
some effects [of the economy the value of what we have.”
and $4 gasoline prices] and 41%,
beginning between July Fourth respectively,
from 2006.
and Labor Day.”
— Sports researcher Rich Luker MEDIA DISTRIBUTION:
on when the industry could feel
“At some point, you’re going to water
the effects of the recession. down the value of your network or major
television deals. At some point somebody’s
HOW IT PLAYED OUT: going to say, ‘Enough. We’re not going to pay
you what we pay you. Find other ways to get that
The recession saw sports revenue.’”
sponsors retrench and — Fox’s Ed Goren, on concerns about the launch of
league networks and online streaming of sports
produced layoffs throughout events (2010 WCOS)
the industry as revenue dipped HOT
TOPIC
in many sectors.
Getty Images
2 8 | S E P T E M B E R 20-26, 2021
WWW.SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM
SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL
2011 2012 What’s New?
Here is some
JW Marriott Marquis, Miami The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, Dana Point, Calif.
of the technology
HAVING LEFT the recession behind, sports executives faced a IT WAS back to the West Coast as attendees tackled issues such launched since our
new set of challenges, including labor unrest, the perils of as the changing face of college sports, the need to improve first World Congress
social media and the future of content distribution. “We’re the fan experience, ticketing, and the role of social media in of Sports in 2002:
out of the recessionary tunnel,” said NHL Deputy Commis- consumer engagement.
sioner Bill Daly. “As there are in any cycle, there are always LinkedIn (2003)
new issues to deal with, [and] those are the constant chal- ON THE AGENDA: Skype (2003)
lenges that we all have to address as we move forward.”
Industry executives said they were focused on improving Facebook (2004)
ON THE AGENDA: customer service by providing better premium packages, di- Google Maps (2005)
verse ticket prices and technology that makes it easier for
Marketers were grappling with consumers increasingly fans to do everything from park their car to order conces- YouTube (2005)
using social media platforms to influence opinions on prod- sions. “People talk about competing for the entertainment Twitter (2006)
ucts and services. “You can’t control it, you have to manage dollar, but I see it more as competing for the entertainment iPhone (2007)
that,” said Peter Moore, then running EA Sports. “We have hour,” said Larry Baer, San Francisco Giants president. “If Cryptocurrency
lost control of the conversation to the consumer.” you don’t get it at the ballpark, you’ll get it at the theme park
or movies or sailing on the bay or driving to the wine country.” (2009)
Executives also wondered if distributors had the right to League of Legends
stream channels to iPads, which had made their debut only The Los Angeles market continued to wait for the NFL to
a year earlier. “I think we’re going to stop the debate about return as panelists wondered what was taking so long for (2009)
screens and devices and get to a philosophy about content,” that to happen. At the time, seven different sites in the mar- Uber (2009)
said Tim Brosnan, then MLB’s executive vice president of ket had made stadium proposals. Instagram (2010)
business. “Live games get sold here in this fashion for all iPad (2010)
these purposes. [A content] library gets sold here in this A PREDICTION: Snapchat (2011)
fashion for those purposes. We’re going to look to extract Zoom (2011)
value on all of it.” “The way that college sports operates is under threat. There is TikTok (2016)
a groundswell right now. We’re getting to the tipping point
A PREDICTION:
where the model in place now, which is great for the colleges
MLS Commissioner Don Garber confidently predicted that — give a scholarship to a kid to play football for you, give a
MLS will see “multiple increases” when its media scholarship to a kid who plays basketball for you … and you
rights deals with ESPN and Univision expired in 2014. get to reap all the benefits — I think that’s coming to an end.”
— ESPN’s Jeremy Schaap
HOW IT PLAYED OUT:
HOW IT PLAYED OUT:
MLS would strike an eight-year, $720 million deal
across ESPN, Fox and Univision, which would be five times The Supreme Court blew up the model with a ruling this
year that cleared the way for college athletes to make
higher than the value of the deal set to lapse. money off their name, image and likeness.
Getty Images; Dylan Buell 2013 A PREDICTION:
The Ritz-Carlton, Naples, Fla. Rick Welts, then president and
COO of the Golden State Warriors,
THE FAN EXPERIENCE continued to drive the discussion as attendees were told not to disappoint their patrons. “If con-
nectivity is important to that fan, we better provide it,” said Eric Grubman, then NFL executive vice president. “If said it would be at least another
the RedZone and what’s happening with a rival team is important to that fan, it better be on [the video board].” year or two before NBA team
ON THE AGENDA: owners would approve placing ads
on game jerseys. “The problem is
Team owners discussed efforts to make the in-
game experience more valuable for fans than the that at a lot of levels, the local
at-home experience. “It is our job to make the pre- franchise levels, we are creating a
sentation of our product on the ice for the fans to
make them want to go there and be part of this disparity in revenue from big
community,” said Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff markets to small markets, and
Vinik. “It’s a very special bond with other people teams look at this as magnifying
that they’re not going to get at home.”
that [disparity] even more.”
Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts discussed
the $500 million plan to renovate Wrigley Field. HOW IT PLAYED OUT:
“We are going to do what needs to be done to make
sure that it’s there for the next generation of fans. The wait was longer than
The same park that your grandfather took you to, expected: NBA owners didn’t
you can take your grandkids to.” approve selling jersey advertising
until the 2017-18 season.
W W W . S P O R T S B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L . C O M SEPTEMBER 20-26, 2021 | 29
IN-DEPTH WORLD CONGRESS AT 20
2014 2015
St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort, JW Marriott, L.A. Live
Dana Point, Calif.
WALT DISNEY Executive Chairman Bob Iger said sports has to stay exciting, entertaining and engag-
THE FOCUS was on millennials at a time when ing to attract young people. “Pace is definitely an issue. It’s an issue, by the way, in movies and tele-
the greatest decline in avid sports fans in the vision shows, too. Length is also interesting.”
last decade was among 12- to 17-year-olds and
18- to 34-year-olds. That raised concerns about A PREDICTION: ON THE AGENDA:
whether those generations will take their chil-
dren to sports events the same way their par- “We’ve always had — between Nike, Jordan Brand and the NBA — The industry was com-
ents did. a great partnership. We work together with a focus on growing ing to grips with the rise
of legalized gaming. “We
ON THE AGENDA: the game of basketball, and I think the uniform deal is something want to be real careful
we’d absolutely be interested in.” here,” said Brian Burke,
Soccer was highlighted for its youthful demos then president of hockey
and was seen as having the upper hand in at- — Larry Miller, Jordan Brand president, on the possibility operations for the Calgary
tracting millennials. “We look at soccer, and of replacing Adidas as the NBA’s uniform provider. Flames. “We don’t sell
it’s the second-biggest fan sport … among 12- to heroin at our games, and
24-year olds [for site users],” said Ken Fuchs, HOW IT this, to me, is right on the
then a vice president with Yahoo Sports. PLAYED OUT: edge of that. … But this is
not a hypothetical. It plays
Lily Knowles, then vice president of prod- Two months later, global in terms of fixing
uct marketing for Vizio, said the younger the NBA matches in soccer. It’s hap-
generation’s behavior was changing even in pened in our lifetime in
respect to TV. “Sports has an interesting chal- announced an NCAA basketball. It’s not
lenge. It’s one of the last live events that brings eight-year deal a hypothetical, folks. It
everybody together, but the challenge is that with Nike worth scares me.”
the content is not as readily available and $1 billion.
engaging as other entertainment media when The efficacy of sports ad-
it comes to streaming. How does that affect vertising, and the costs to do
the effectiveness of live sports?” it well, were debated by a
panel of CMOs. “If you’re
A PREDICTION: not the biggest spender, and
we’re not, you have to find
“Over-the-top makes me nervous. Over-the- the hardest working assets,”
top makes all of us nervous. Our No. 1 said Matt Jauchius, then
with Nationwide. “We think
objective is to preserve, protect and defend sports can be one of the
the basic cable model against all enemies, hardest working assets in
our portfolio.”
foreign and domestic.”
— Jeff Krolik, then president of Fox Regional 2016 A PREDICTION:
Networks, on the growing number JW Marriott, L.A. LIVE Actress Gabrielle Union
of streaming services. said the idea of athletes
THE GROWING influence of China, and its deep pockets, had the full
HOW IT PLAYED OUT: attention of attendees. “They have an appetite for a lot more than just making social
physical sports,” said Todd Goldstein, AEG chief revenue officer. “It’s statements is “here to
Streaming services have contributed music. It’s fashion. The movie business. The No. 1 buyer of movie tickets stay.” Union: “We saw
to the decline in pay TV subscribers, will be China next year. They will surpass the United States. It’s nothing
short of incredible.” athletes in the ’40s,
but since then every sports media ’50s, ’60s who were
TV company has started a streaming service very, very politically
active. And they all paid
to get a piece of the action. for it dearly. … In this
day and age, the longer
REVENUE SHARING: you stay silent, that will
affect your bottom line.
“It’s amazing to see some Your fans want to know
of the richest people in the what side of history
world argue over revenue share you’re going to be on.”
in the NBA. I won’t name names.
There are so many issues that come
up that if the league can get the
ownership groups to take off their
individual city hats and team hats
[it can improve the game].”
— Josh Harris,
owner of the Philadelphia 76ers
(2014 WCOS)
HOT TOPIC ON THE AGENDA:
Getty Images
Toyota’s Jack Hollis, then mar- Bill McDermott, then CEO of
keting group VP, described the SAP, mixed in business and man-
automaker’s $835 million global agement principles during an on-
rights deal with the IOC as “a little stage conversation. Among the
scary.” Hollis: “It’s like, ‘Wow, what tips: “The highest form of respect
the heck are we doing?’ At the same is the truth. Sometimes don’t fire
time, it’s ‘Wow, look what we get them. Fire them up.”
to do.’”
3 0 | S E P T E M B E R 20-26, 2021 WWW.SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM
SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL
2017 2018
Monarch Beach Resort, Dana Point, Calif. JW Marriott, L.A. LIVE
ATTENDEES WERE TOLD it would take bold thinking in marketing, deal-making and EVERY SECTOR of the sports business was facing more competitive
the use of technology to attract the next generation of fans. Some executives saw a threats than they had seen in decades, so panelists used this year’s
gap between what the younger generation wants and what sports provide. event to tell how they’re handling, and exploiting, those changes
in doing business. “Disruption — it’s the word of the moment
“My son is a baseball fan — he plays baseball,” said Michael Levine, co-head of right now,” said Peter White, partner at the firm DLA Piper.
CAA Sports. “He comes to Yankee Stadium and has a great time. I don’t think he
and any of his buddies have ever sat down and watched a Yankee game from begin- ON THE AGENDA:
ning to end on TV, and that’s scary to me.”
Conversations about gender and racial diversity took on more
A PREDICTION: ON THE AGENDA: urgency as cases of sexual harassment affected multiple sports
companies. “A big part of inclusion is not saying we need a
A decision on the Panelists addressed the task of presenting sports to an woman of color or a woman at the table. It’s about putting the
local media rights for attention-span-challenged generation. “Digestible, short- right people at the table,” said Christy Haubegger, then an
the expansion NHL form content is here to stay,” said Andrew Judelson, agent with CAA and one of the architects behind the Time’s
then WME-IMG executive vice president of sales and Up campaign. “I never feel like I’m at the table because a box
Vegas Golden marketing. “Sports sets itself up well within that format, has been checked.”
Knights was whether it’s highlights, recaps or whatever.”
approaching fast, Andrew Davis, then Coca-Cola’s global chief diversity and
said Evolution Media Despite those short attention spans, it doesn’t mean inclusion officer, said leaders in sports and entertainment
Capital partner Alan you can’t keep the attention of next-gen fans for longer. have a responsibility to be the bridge to unite the country.
Gold. “Hopefully, “If you put the right content in front of the right con- “People are wired to belong. If you find a sense of commu-
we’ll have a decision sumer, they’ll give you not only the 7 seconds, but up to nity, you give your best self.”
in the next few 2.5 minutes, and sometimes even more,” said Telisa Yancy,
weeks,” said Gold, then CMO of American Family Insurance, on her brand’s A PREDICTION:
use of longer-form digital videos.
who was If expanded sports betting becomes legal in the U.S.,
representing the Sara Slane, American Gaming Association senior vice
team in marketing its
local media rights. president of public affairs, said to expect a mix of
“brick-and-mortar experiences” and mobile platforms,
HOW IT
PLAYED OUT: which is a good “opening salvo.”
About a month later, HOW IT PLAYED OUT:
the Golden Knights
signed a multiyear The Supreme Court cleared the way for states to legalize sports
betting that May. Since then, 26 states and D.C. have legalized
deal with AT&T some form of sports betting, with 23 of those allowing online
Sports Networks,
securing their first sports betting. Laws in D.C., Arizona, Illinois, Maryland and
local TV partner. Virginia allow for sportsbooks in stadiums and arenas.
Getty Images (2); AP Images HOW IT DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION: HOT
PLAYED OUT: TOPIC
“We can decide on who’s hired, who gets to come
A year later, to the meeting. Use your power in the things you
quarterback can influence. Each of us has a role to play,
whether having a brunch or in hiring decisions.”
Colin — CAA Sports agent Lisa Joseph Metelus
Kaepernick (2018 WCOS)
would take a
knee during the SEPTEMBER 20-26, 2021 | 31
national anthem
to protest police
brutality and
social injustice.
It would be
another spark for
athlete activism,
which has been
widespread ever
since.
W W W . S P O R T S B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L . C O M
IN-DEPTH WORLD CONGRESS AT 20
2019 2020
Virtual series
Monarch Beach Resort, Dana Point, Calif.
THE PANDEMIC tested the chops of everyone throughout the sports business and SBJ was no dif-
PANELISTS LOOKED AHEAD to a future that held more ferent, as we shifted to a series of virtual presentations. It was a time when stakeholders learned
gambling, esports and new media. “Even with the new capabilities as they faced the unknown. As CAA Sports co-Head Howie Nuchow said, “This
reach and success of esports, it’s still one of the most is a time when you learn a lot about the people standing to the left and the right of you.”
underused advertising opportunities,” said Riot
Games co-chair and co-founder Marc Merrill. “But A PREDICTION: ON THE AGENDA:
we still believe we are in the leather-helmet days.
Imagine what the esports industry is going to look In a period of uncertainty, Geoff Reiss, Verizon Media vice president and Yahoo Sports
like in 2050 as technology continues to evolve.” predictions were in short GM, talked about sports’ eventual return: “There’s nothing I
supply. But Cole Gahagan, want more right now than to be able to go with my family to
ON THE AGENDA: president and CEO of Learfield a ballgame. That is like the North Star that for me is hanging
IMG College, was bullish on out in the distance. When can we go to a game together?”
college football’s return.
“I do think we’re going to see Bob Myers, Golden State Warriors president of basketball
something in the fall, for sure. operations and GM, compared the sports industry to being
I think that football in one form in the “first quarter of a tough game, and we’re down in this
or another is going to be game, but we can come back, and we will.”
back this fall.”
HOW IT PLAYED OUT:
College football did return in
the fall, but like its counterpart
in the NFL, did so in fanless
stadiums or with greatly
reduced capacities.
Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer
brought his energy to the event as he outlined the
transformation of the franchise. “Fans want to
know, ‘Who are we? What do we stand for?’ I love
what we stand for and what we mean,” he said.
Discovery President and CEO David Zaslav
was asked why he stayed on the sidelines when
the 21 Fox Sports-branded RSNs came on the
market the previous year. “We just felt like it’s
a very treacherous market,” he said.
A PREDICTION: 2021
“You see people saying, ‘I want this one and that SBJ HAS A major lineup in store for this year’s CAA waukee Bucks and chairman, CEO and co-founder Getty Images; Tony Florez
one’ and before you know it, you’re getting nine World Congress of Sports as we return to an in- of Avenue Capital Group; Shad Khan, owner of
new emails a day from your OTTs. People aren’t person event Oct. 12-13 at the New York Marriott the Jacksonville Jaguars and chairman of Fulham
Marquis in New York City. FC; and Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of ESPN and
willing to buy more than two or three or four sports content, The Walt Disney Company.
things. So, I think what you’re going to see in the A powerful slate of one-on-one interviews high-
lights the agenda, including chats with: NBA Com- Topics to be addressed by a deep roster of other
next three years is a winnowing down of the missioner Adam Silver; MLB Commissioner Rob speakers include: immersive experiences in sports
number of companies that play in this.” Manfred; NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman; MLS and entertainment, the new sponsorship game, the
— DAZN Group Executive Chairman John Commissioner Don Garber; NASCAR President changing dynamics of sports viewership and con-
Steve Phelps; WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engel- sumption; building brands through events, talent
Skipper,on the proliferation of streaming services. bert; NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird; Michael and more; and the future of sport betting.
Rubin, CEO of Fanatics and partner in the Phila-
HOW IT PLAYED OUT: delphia 76ers; Marc Lasry, co-owner of the Mil- To learn more about this event and to register,
visit www.WorldCongressofSports.com.
A UBS study in June 2021 suggested that
subscription fatigue is setting in, with
respondents subscribing to about 2.5 services,
an average that plateaued for the first time in
the survey’s history. Still, streaming options
continue to grow.
3 2 | S E P T E M B E R 20-26, 2021 WWW.SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM
SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL
OPINION
From the headlines
to your syllabus,
seven new topics
T
HIS MARKS MY SECOND CONSECUTIVE SEPTEMBER not being
in a classroom. For many of you it marks the first time
with in-class attendance and the opportunities for dis-
cussion in a face-to-face format. To that end, I have endeavored
to offer professors some topics sure to generate class involve-
ment; some activities that are timely, interest-
Sutton ing and will expose the class to developments
Impact that might not be top of mind. For students,
BY BILL SUTTON these areas offer opportunities to “eat some
class minutes” as well as to provide some deep
thinking and the ability to formulate opinions
and thoughts prior to those upcoming job interviews. Enjoy!
1. THE MOST RECENT ROUND OF EXPANSION will see the Big 12
actually consist of 12 teams, by adding three teams with sig-
nificant media markets and another with a national following.
Will there be more expansion, contraction and movement in the
next 12-24 months and what might that landscape look like? Does
this recent expansion and movement alter the expansion of the
College Football Playoff ? Does it pose a challenge to the NCAA
form of governance?
2. YOU ARE THE COMMISSIONER of (pick your league or confer-
ence) and concerned about revenue and fulfilling your contrac-
tual obligations to media and corporate partners. Members on
your executive board are torn between requiring all student
athletes to be vaccinated in order to play, thus minimizing the
chances of canceling or forfeiting games. You have teams in
states with the highest and lowest vaccination rates so there is episode with regard to how successful or not attract and retain younger fans. Critics point
great internal debate, but the membership is looking for you to you think it will be and the likelihood that out the need for baseball to have an alterna-
propose a policy. Proceed … other video game companies will follow suit. tive format that can accommodate fewer
3. YOU ARE AN ATHLETIC DIRECTOR and have received a propos- 6. MUCH HAS BEEN MADE ABOUT THE PROS participants in a nontraditional space (think
al from the student government and the faculty senate to form AND CONS OF NAME, IMAGE AND LIKENESS. smaller fields or alternative facilities). Bas-
a varsity esports team. The proposal originated in large part After reading my previous column (NIL: ketball has 3-on-3 leagues and soccer, crick-
asking that the student fees currently allocated to help fund the Panacea or Pandora’s box? Aug. 16, 2021), et, rugby and even football have adapted by
intercollegiate athletic programs include having sanctioned games with
esports, and that a recent survey indi- Choose one of the athletes you fewer than nine players per side.
cated that student interest in esports was interviewed … and construct an The manufacturers of baseball
ranked third behind only football and equipment have come together and
basketball. The position of your senior proposed a national contest to de-
leadership is that esports is an activity outline of an effective NIL campaign velop a successful alternative to
and not a sport. You have been asked to including social media, sponsorship the traditional format that would
respond to the editor of the student news- be attractive to consumers and
paper on this issue. Respond … participants and increase interest
in the game of baseball. Given the
opportunities and delivery of services.4. SPORTS BETTING IS UNDER REVIEW by
the state legislature. The opportunity large cash prize being offered, you
would be a windfall for your franchise and would more than interview three student athletes on your have decided to submit an entry. Proceed …
make up for the losses of playing an entire season without fans campus — male and female — one from the As with the offer I made last year, I’m happy
last year. There is, however, a significant lobby opposing the most popular sport on campus and two oth- to help out virtually either by lecturing, hav-
legislation because of the fear that the ease of placing recre- ers. Ask them about their level of awareness ing Q&A sessions or helping initiate discus-
ational bets as you enter the venue might not only increase the regarding NIL and what other athletes sion of these questions and activities. I
risk of gambling addiction but also might expose children to around the country have done to this point. understand the trials and tribulations of
the world of betting in a way that positions it as fun and enter- Ask if they have any plans for launching virtual teaching, and I’m hopeful that this
taining. You are scheduled to appear and present your position and managing their own NIL campaigns. academic year provides both students and
to support the legislation and explain how you and the organiza- Choose one of the athletes you interviewed faculty the opportunity to meet and have
tion will be addressing the concerns that have been raised. or a hypothetical athlete and construct an meaningful discourse in a traditional class-
5. THE SUCCESS OF THE MARVEL FRANCHISE — adapting comic outline of an effective NIL campaign includ- room setting.
book characters and stories to creating fresh content for the ing social media, sponsorship opportunities
theaters and streaming — has been significant. Riot Games, and delivery of services through lessons, Bill Sutton (billsuttonandassociates@gmail.
owner of the League of Legends franchise, is attempting a sim- clinics and camps. com) is director emeritus of the Vinik Graduate
ilar approach taking the characters from LoL and launching a 7. ONE OF THE CHALLENGES FACING BASE- Sport Business Program at USF and principal of
Netflix series called “Arcane” that will premier this fall. After BALL, and in particular Major League Base- Bill Sutton & Associates. Follow him on Twitter
the series is released, have the class view and critique the first ball, is an aging fan base and the need to @Sutton_ImpactU.
W W W . S P O R T S B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L . C O M SEPTEMBER 20-26, 2021 | 33
CLOSING SHOT
Brandt Snedeker and Dustin Johnson celebrate with the trophy as other Team USA members soak up their victory over the Europeans the last time
the Ryder Cup was held in the U.S. in 2016. The Europeans scored some revenge in 2018 by winning the event in France.
Seeing Red
After being a pandemic casualty last year, the biennial Ryder Cup tournament will have the
U.S. and European teams square off on the shores of Lake Michigan at Whistling Straits.
BY JOHN LOMBARDO
THE 43RD RYDER CUP rolls into Wiscon- Cup event. “We hope that there will be one-year delay on the Ryder Cup busi- function that projects results of the
sin a year delayed due to the pandemic a balance.” ness side: The PGA of America this matches, as well as a Ryder Cup fan-
and, while health and safety protocols year was able to sell two additional tasy game.
are in place, the biennial event is set The PGA of America won’t disclose sponsorships, in Rolex and RBC, as top-
for its typically fervent fan atmosphere. specific fan capacity but organizers level Ryder Cup worldwide partners. The Ryder Cup this year signed a deal
expect full crowds despite the surge of with data distributor IMG Arena to
Though masks are recommended, the coronavirus delta variant. Fans The two brands join BMW, Aon and offer live hole-by-hole betting on the
fans watching the U.S. battle the Euro- were offered ticket refunds following BP as five worldwide partners that will upcoming competition. Bettors will also
peans from Sept. 24-26 at Whistling last year’s postponement, but most fans have exclusive on-site branding, hos- be able to follow the tournament
Straits in Kohler, Wis., won’t be re- through real-time, shot-by-shot anima-
quired to wear face coverings outside “We are incredibly pleased to be essentially tion offered on participating sportsbook
the ropes lining the course located on sold out given what we had to jump through.” apps. The new initiatives are aimed at
the shores of Lake Michigan. Masks boosting fan engagement.
will be mandatory for fans in any en- held on to their tickets, Price said. pitality and media assets during the Getty Images
closed facilities such as the merchan- All of the Ryder Cup’s 44 chalets, Ryder Cup. Also new this year is a deal What won’t be different is the course
dise tent or hospitality chalets. with Tito’s Handmade Vodka that that will be heavily draped in the Amer-
priced between $225,000 and $1 million makes the brand the official vodka of icans’ signature Ryder Cup red colors
Loud crowds are expected, especial- for the week, are sold out, as are the 30 the Ryder Cup with on-site activation as the PGA of America looks to stoke
ly at the first tee, where amphitheater suites priced at $195,000 each. The 1927 to include a “Stillhouse Lounge” at the passion around one of golf ’s most
seating allows for boisterous cheers and Club, where tickets range between $800 Whistling Straits. electric events. The U.S. won the last
jeers aimed at the players at the start and $1,900, is sold out except for lim- time the Ryder Cup was stateside, in
of their matches. ited availability for practice rounds. The PGA of America this year also 2016 at Minnesota’s Hazeltine National
“We are incredibly pleased to be essen- created a new spectator app that allows Golf Club, while the Europeans won
“We fully anticipate full spectator tially sold out given what we had to fans to follow the action by pinpointing in 2018 in France.
involvement and anticipate European jump through,” Price said. player locations. Other new digital add-
and American fans,” said Jeff Price, ons include a live outcome probability “There’ll be red everywhere,” Price
chief commercial officer of the PGA There was also a silver lining to the said. “It’s momentum building on mo-
of America, which runs the U.S. Ryder mentum.”
3 4 | S E P T E M B E R 20-26, 2021 WWW.SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM
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CBS SPORTS
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