Sports Business Journal - May 11, 2020

MAY 11-17, 2020
VOLUME 23 ISSUE 6 • $7.95

NORTH STARS

With optimism at a record low, executives offer
leadership lessons to get to brighter days ahead.

PGA Tour events face Properties exploring Next best thing: Smith: The day I asked
rough stretch without new tech solutions to Colleges get creative Michael Jordan about
key revenue drivers. real world problems. with virtual content.
his gambling debts.
PAGE 6 PAGE 10 PAGE 11
PAGE 13

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STATE OF PLAY

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

JULY
25

The Premier Lacrosse League
is scheduled to start a two-week,
20-game, quarantined tournament that
will serve as its second season.

Grass Roots INTERNATIONAL INTRIGUE

The Boston Red Sox and Fenway Park had a message for health care workers on National Nurses Day last ESPN began airing games
from the KBO league, with
Wednesday. Even the socks from the logo are observing appropriate social-distancing measures.
the first one on May 5 at
1 millionCASHONLY 1 a.m. ET drawing a 13%
increase for the time slot.
$
THE METER
Amount pledged by Churchill Downs to match bets on
a virtual Kentucky Derby race on May 2 featuring the INTERNATIONAL INTRIGUE
past 13 Triple Crown winners. All money goes toward
The NFL’s 2020 schedule will
COVID-19 relief efforts. Secretariat won the race. not include any games

outside the United States.
Five had been scheduled,
including four in London.

1 0 , 0 0 0TAKING ATTENDANCE
Tickets for the 2020-21 season donated by
New Jersey Devils to frontline health care workers
from RWJBarnabas Health, a team sponsor.

Getty Images (3) “ MONEY TALKS

Uninformed commentary that speculates on
how individual clubs or the league will address
a range of hypothetical contingencies serves—NFLCommissionerROGERGOODELLinaletter

to team CEOs and club presidents advising them

no constructive purpos”e. not to speculate on scenarios of returning to play
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 M AY 11-17, 2020 | 3

FORUM Sports will lead.
Here’s how
ABRAHAM MADKOUR
A FEW consistent themes that I’m keep- come. We’re into mid-May and we can say the
PUBLISHER AND ing top of mind as we grind through road ahead isn’t very clear or entirely encour-
EXECUTIVE EDITOR this strange and challenging time. aging. But we must endure. In a recent inter-
view, Learfield IMG College President and CEO
THIS WEEK COMMUNICATION, CONNECTIONS Cole Gahagan said he is highly optimistic The entire contents
RACING that not only is the sports business going to of this magazine are
AND COMMUNITY come back, but it will return with an energy copyrighted by Street &
9 TRACK UPDATES FIRST, COMMUNICATION. I know it’s trite, but and fervor unlike anything we’ve ever seen in Smith’s Sports Business
After a series of layoffs effective communication is hard, and you have our careers. It will take some time, and won’t Journal 2020 with all rights
at its headquarters and to be relentless at it, which leads to successful happen overnight. But how satisfying will it reserved. Street & Smith’s
tracks, a leaner NASCAR overcommunication. There are many great be to be a part of that? So, in these long, con- is a registered trademark
returns to racing this examples I’ve picked up on. Golden State War- fusing days, let that be your North Star. of Leaders Group Holdings
week at Darlington. riors President and COO Rick Welts has been LLC. Reproduction or use,
doing virtual town halls with staff with out- While we’re on that journey, please let’s without permission, of
By Adam Stern side speakers, and he and Heat President Eric take care of ourselves. I have heard count- editorial or graphic content
Woolworth have been writing staff nightly less stories of friends and associates not in any manner is prohibited.
MEDIA emails on organizational updates. At the Uni- sleeping and a stress-induced 24/7 schedule. Street & Smith’s Sports
12 A NEW APPROACH versity of Illinois, Athletic Director Josh We are all working harder than ever. But I Business Journal (ISSN-
Whitman has a series of weekly calls with appreciated Cathy Engelbert’s message of 1098-5972) is published
The lack of live sports staff members and athletes, including one a offering “SMOR: Small Moments Of Recov- weekly, with the exception
has led to more creativ- week with the entire athletic department staff ery.” I don’t always follow that advice, but of the first week of July
ity from networks and and another for student athletes and their let’s try. We’re working so hard to maintain and the last two weeks of
leagues. families. Remember that WNBA Commis- business, some momentum, some normalcy December, for $306 a year
By John Ourand sioner Cathy Engelbert stressed that you and comfort for colleagues and staff. Here’s by Street & Smith’s Sports
need to articulate your points 10 to 12 times hoping we’re smart enough to take our own Business Journal, at 120
MEDIA before people really remember and absorb a small moments of recovery. West Morehead Street, Suite
13 T HE REST message. So, while it takes time and energy, 310, Charlotte, NC 28202.
consistent communication and messaging is LEADERSHIP In Canada $371 per year,
OF THE STORY crucial during these anxious days. SPORTS HAS been and must remain a leader includes GST and all other
How a small-town during this crisis. So many people, athletes countries $471, includes
N.C. newspaper had When it comes to community, connection and organizations in sports are doing amaz- a one-year subscription
the scoop on Michael and belonging, I took a page from Bill King’s ing work and leading initiatives to inform and expedited air delivery
Jordan’s gambling look at leadership in this issue (see Pages 18- the world, improve public health and help (GST#139794580).
debts. 22). Retired U.S. Army Gen. Martin Dempsey those less fortunate. From the NFL raising Periodicals postage paid at
acknowledged that so many of us are experi- more than $100 million for COVID-19 relief Charlotte, NC, and additional
By Michael Smith encing fear, and the one antidote to fear is a as part of its draft, to what Michael Rubin mailing offices. Street &
sense of belonging. Sports organizations can is doing with his All In Challenge, to the “Real Smith’s Sports Business
MARKETING be that connector. At our CAA World Congress Heroes Project” support by so many leagues Journal is a publication of
14 THE LEFTON Comes To You, SSRS founder Rich Luker that honored front-line medical workers, the Leaders Group Holdings
warned sports organizations “don’t be out efforts are important and powerful. I’ve heard LLC. Street & Smith’s Sports
REPORT of sight and out of mind” during this time. from so many creative leaders who are brain- Business Journal is an equal
Octagon’s Rick Dudley Connect directly with your fans, partners and storming ways a “Live Aid of Sports” will opportunity employer.
and John Shea address clients in a real, human way. There are so galvanize the country and raise hundreds
questions of uncertainty many examples: More than 10,000 fans partici- of millions for relief. We must keep leading. POSTMASTER: Please
and opportunity. pated in a Los Angeles Dodgers Zoom event send address changes
to share stories with players, coaches and Finally, I need to mention, again, executive to Street & Smith’s
By Terry Lefton alumni. A Milwaukee Brewers happy hour leadership. For our leaders in sport — you Sports Business Journal —
with prominent club personalities drew 1,000. know who you are — as Martin Dempsey Subscriber Services,
LABOR And on a smaller scale, I loved what the Pitts- said, you will need big shoulders, as you are P.O. Box 36637,
15 BUILDING UP burgh Penguins did when players and staff carrying a lot on them. Charlotte, NC 28236-6637
made personal phone calls to season-ticket
Chafie Fields brings big holders and corporate sponsors — 15 to 20 Please keep leading with humility. Don’t FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE CALL
deals to Wasserman’s calls to brighten some spirits and stay con- be afraid to say “I don’t know.” Because at 1-800-829-9839
NFL representation nected. Keep asking how your organization this time, we don’t know, and that’s OK. Lead
portfolio. can connect and offer a sense of belonging. with humanity and empathy, and let’s hope For article reprints, please
By Liz Mullen this perilous time brings out the best in all of contact celebrate@
us and especially the people leading sports. sportsbusinessjournal.com
OPINION. . . . . . . . . . 23 Let’s trust in them to do the right thing. or call customer service at
CAREERS.. . . . . . . . . 25 1-800-829-9839.
CLOSING SHOT. . . . 26 Abraham Madkour can be reached at
PATIENCE WITH A SENSE OF OPTIMISM [email protected].
Cover image by Getty Images LET’S TRY to be patient while remaining hope-
ful and optimistic. These are hard days, and
4 | M AY 11-17, 2020 in fact, I believe our hardest days are yet to

SBJ/SBD FIRST LOOK & BUZZCAST

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upfront

This year’s version of
the Charles Schwab
Challenge, scheduled
for June 11-14, will have
a totally different vibe
as fans are kept away.

For the latest developments
with the coronavirus,

and how the sports industry
is responding, SBJ has you

covered with our
daily COVID-19 newsletter,
daily podcasts with insight

from industry insiders,
executives, health care
experts and SBJ reporters,
and live daily coverage at
sportsbusinessjournal.com.

Golf’s big adjustment includes 52 groups with each foursome priced at $32,000, gener-
ating nearly $2 million. The Monday pro-am includes 28 groups
Fanless events mean no hospitality revenue and the pro-ams priced at $13,000 per foursome for an additional $364,000. The
remaining $3 million to $4 million is generated by the suite and
that raise millions for charities. BY JOHN LOMBARDO other on-course hospitality products.
T
HE PGA TOUR’S plans to restart next month with no fans Not this year, however, as the pandemic changes the econom-
and no hospitality upends its tournament business ic equation. In an effort to maintain at least a portion of lost
model and affects charitable donations tied to the events. revenue, tournament executive director Michael Tothe has cre-
ated a replacement slate of offerings including digital and social
Tournaments have been busy crafting everything media branding. He also plans to hold a pro-am sometime in the
fall at host Colonial Country Club.
from added digital branding to virtual pro-ams to maintain at
“The model is for us to sell the hospitality, and that revenue
least a small portion of that revenue. They’ve also been working stream is gone,” Tothe said. “In this COVID environment, it is
what we have to deal with but we have seen a lot of companies
with sponsors to still make donations to some of the many char- support the tournament and they want to keep some dollars in
the tournament. We want to retain about 10% of our corporate
ities that their tournaments support. hospitality sales.”

The first four tour events begin with the Charles Schwab Chal- Last year, the tournament gave $14 million to charity, a figure
that will be affected by the loss of revenue, though sponsors are
lenge set for June 11-14, followed by the RBC Heritage, the Trav- expected to still contribute some level of donations. “I don’t have
any feel for the charity number,” Tothe said. “It will be impact-
elers Championship, and then the Rocket Mortgage Classic ed slightly but people give when they need to.”

ending July 5. By now, there would be a rush to finish the hospitality build-out
at The Travelers Championship set for late June near Hartford,
A PGA Tour event generally draws on hospitality, sponsorship, Conn. Instead, tournament executives are working with the tour

tickets and pro-ams to drive revenue. On-course TV signage is

reserved for title sponsors. Getty Images

Typically, the Schwab Challenge generates between $5 million

and $6 million from its hospitality and two pro-am offerings, two

of an event’s major revenue streams. The Wednesday pro-am

6 | M AY 11-17, 2020 WWW.SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM

SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL

as they consider offering revenue-saving options Fan revenue big slice of tennis pie
such as a virtual pro-am that would replace the real
Getty Images Wednesday pro-am that generates at least $1 million. BY BRET McCORMICK The globalism of tennis, and the  If tennis resumes
Organizers would not disclose how much revenue health challenges that poses, is the wthout fans, non-Slam
hospitality it typically generates for the event. DURING A mid-April conference call No. 1 obstacle to the sport resuming events will miss as much
with reporters, U.S. Tennis Asso- play, with or without fans. Players as 75% or more of their
No plans are complete, but tournament director ciation CEO Mike Dowse said it was from 47 countries populate the ATP revenue stream.
Nathan Grube is considering offering participants “highly unlikely” that the organiza- and WTA’s top 100 rankings. But the
some type of virtual pro-am that could include a tion’s crown jewel, the U.S. Open, financial challenges for pro tennis’ THE PANDEMIC’S
teleconference between each pro-am group and their would be played without spectators. non-Slam events are another sub- ONGOING IMPACT
assigned PGA pro along with autographed mer- stantial hurdle to playing without
chandise. Typical of how quickly things are fans, and the tours haven’t yet made ON PRO TENNIS
changing during the COVID-19 pan- official decisions, leaving individ-
“It is being fleshed out and players are support- demic, that opinion had shifted less ual tournaments with the challenge 37 Total ATP, WTA
ive,” Grube said, adding that he is considering of- than two weeks later. Chris Wid- of considering options for poten- or combined pro
fering a Zoom call where the three amateurs can maier, USTA managing director of tially proceeding without a major- tennis tournaments
get time with the pro in place of the actual pro-am. corporate communications, told ity of their revenue streams. affected so far, either
Sports Business Journal that “it’s canceled, postponed
“Getting to spend time and access to the players not an absolute that we must have According to an ATP Tour spokes- or suspended.
is the core essence of a pro-am, and there are so fans for our event. It’s by far what man, “The tour is still considering
many ideas on the table now,” Grube said. “It is, how we are hoping. But we are modeling all options at this time and doesn’t $84.5
do we capture that essence into a virtual format?” scenarios now that involve a broad have an official position for, or million
spectrum of possibilities.” against, holding tournaments with-
Last year, the tournament contributed $2.2 mil- out spectators.” And the WTA said Total purse
lion to charity and Grube is hoping to get close to The USTA’s openness to a U.S. in a statement that “of course there commitment from
matching that figure this year through sponsor Open without fans illustrates how are significant unknowns to still tournaments
donations and other forms of giving. different the financial reality of ten- navigate, such as government, med- suspended but not
nis’ four Grand Slam tournaments ical guidelines, international trav- yet rescheduled.
“We are laying out for our partners that 2020 is is compared to the other 122 total el restrictions, and does the business
unique, and they know we have charitable partners events on the currently suspended model work?” 16 Number of
and that proceeds go to charity,” he said. “We are ATP and WTA tours. countries and
calling every partner to make a donation, roll over The broadcast piece principalities where
their investment or get a refund. There is still a “The Grand Slam events would tournaments have
significant number going to charity.” typically have a much larger broad- WHILE THE REVENUE LINES around all either been canceled
cast line of business than you would sports events are generally consis- or postponed.
Organizers of the Rocket Mortgage Classic are see for those other events,” said tent — gate receipts, media deals,
following a similar strategy. USTA Chief Revenue Officer Lew sponsorship, merchandising and 4 Events affected by
Sherr. “So, when you look at sce- other related elements —­ longtime local or national
“For ticket buyers, we are providing them flex- narios that include playing with no media executive Ed Dessler said by government bans
ible offerings to donate, defer or receive a refund,” fans, which equates to no ticket looking at how the percentages vary on large gatherings
said Jason Langwell, executive director of the revenue, no hospitality revenue, I by league or tour “you can kind of extending beyond the
Rocket Mortgage Classic. “Those who donate get a think it’s a much more viable prop- determine the sports that are better current ATP and WTA
number of benefits, including locking in their 2020 osition for the Slams than it might candidates for playing without suspensions through
Rocket Mortgage Classic ticket price for two years, be for smaller tennis events that fans.” July 13 (WTA — Ladies
discounts on select tournament merchandise and don’t have significant broadcast Open Lausanne and
discounts on select concessions options at the 2021 deals in place.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 the Rogers Cup; ATP
Rocket Mortgage Classic.” — Hamburg European
Open and Swiss Open
The tournament in 2019 generated more than $1 Gstaad).
million in charity in its first year on the PGA Tour
schedule. Source: Sports Business
Journal research
“For our corporate sponsors, we are getting cre-
ative and in the process of finalizing virtual offer- M AY 11-17, 2020 | 7
ings during tournament week for sponsors and the
community to benefit from during tournament
week,” he said. “We’re also looking for ways to cre-
ate alternate events and RMC experiences in the
fall that can create value for sponsors and our com-
munity. We’re also working with our title sponsor,
Rocket Mortgage, to create other unique giving
strategies that could be featured in-broadcast.”

Last year, the PGA Tour generated more than $200
million in overall in charitable contributions. That
number will be less this year with a slate of tourna-
ments already canceled and the next four events
taking place without hospitality or fans, but the tour
is looking to drive donations in local markets.

At least one title sponsor, Zurich, which sponsors
the Zurich Classic in New Orleans that was canceled
due to the pandemic, still honored its charitable
contribution by matching last year’s donation of
more than $1.5 million given to local charities.

“There is no doubt about the impact,” said Tom
Alter, vice president of editorial development for
the tour. “We look for ways even when revenue is
not coming to at least shine the light on stories in
the local markets.”

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

UPFRONT

Legends rolls out hygiene and
safety consultancy services

LEGENDS IS adding a venue safety con- protocol partners include Venue Solutions Group

sultancy to its suite of hospitality, and Environmental Infection Prevention. On the

concessions, project management and cashless and contactless payment front, vendors

merchandise sales services. include FreedomPay, Square, Ingenico, Clover, Apply

It’s the latest move in the sports Pay, Google Pay, Tap to Pay, Zippin, ReadyCredit,

venue industry to expand hygiene Tapin2 and Appetize.

BY KARN programs and provide The move to develop structure and resources across
best practices to ease
venue safety has understandably accelerated in the

DHINGRA the concerns of fans past eight weeks. Tim Leiweke’s Oak View Group has
and employees once
plans for a new division to make certain that venues

they are allowed to re- are sanitized properly. ASM Global also has launched

turn to live events. a similar initiative and the Houston Texans have

The Legends Venue Reintegration posted a position for a facility  Yankee Stadium is
hygiene coordinator. among the venues
Platform offers the company’s clients that will use the new
The Legends platform has platform.
and the sports industry as a whole a two phases.

comprehensive program that will help

protect guests and employees, said “There’s an initial assess- preparation for the eventual return of live sports. He declined
to reveal how the service will be priced for other clients.
Legends President and CEO Shervin ment and planning portion, which we call phase
Some of the hypothetical recommendations Legends may make
Mirhashemi. Legends will offer the one of the analysis, that’s a two-to-four week process, include providing branded personal protective equipment to
fans, a revised ticketing and manifest process, a policy address-
same program to nonsports facilities which is very customized and involves over 150 ing season-ticket holders if venues have to reduce capacity, a
plan for a contactless and cashless environment, an app-managed
such as office and retail buildings. checklist items to assess and ultimately provide a safety checklist for employees, and revised food and beverage
and merchandising operations.
Along with medical and government plan of what that venue or event needs to safely
“We’re addressing that entire journey, for both the employee
experts, Legends’ platform will bring conduct business in this new COVID environment,” as well as the fan, from the time they leave their home, to the
time they return, which includes egress, ingress changes to
in hospital-grade hygiene experts, pro- Mirhashemi said. “The second phase is based on the event and venue, and new hospital-grade cleaning and hy-
giene options on how they need to go about cleaning that venue
fessional vendors and operational ex- those recommendations, we have solutions with or that event,” Mirhashemi said.

pertise to assess a venue’s readiness to various different vendor options, with different

host fans and other guests. paths that will address each one of those over 150

Platform partners include the Inter- checklist items.”

national Association of Venue Manag- Mirhashemi noted the Dallas Cowboys and New

ers, Centers for Disease Control and York Yankees — which own Legends — along with

Prevention. Some of the assessment the Sacramento Kings were using the platform in

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 The FAN REVENUE and Truist, “because they use our event save hundreds of thousands of dollars. Getty Images
for such premium VIP hospitality. It But it’s not yet clear how to make a
About 70% of each NFL team’s rev- sponsorship pieces helps them deepen their client rela- venue 100% safe in the midst of a pan-
enue comes from national deals, a tionships. That’s what our event does demic, nor how much that would ne-
majority of that from TV contracts. BECAUSE BROADCAST REVENUE is lower so well, the intimate setting; there is gate savings.
For NBA teams, the percentage of and tournaments last for a week, some- not a bad seat in the house, and for us
revenue from TV is about half, Dess- times two, and draw hundreds of thou- to give that up I don’t think would be Regardless of the revenue situation,
er said. Sports that lean on TV money sands of fans for the biggest non-Slam worth the trade-off.” the logistical and financial challenges
are more incentivized to play without stops, in-venue receipts — including to hosting an event without fans will
fans because they can offset some of ticket and merchandise sales — and One reason to try be immense. French sports minister
the pandemic-inflicted financial dam- hospitality-focused sponsorship can Roxana Maracineanu has already ruled
age by satisfying TV contracts. Sherr make up 75% or more of an event’s DESPITE THE REVENUE CHALLENGES, one out the possibility of the rescheduled
said that tennis’ Grand Slams fall into revenue pie. of the reasons organizers have con- French Open being played in Septem-
that category, in large part because sidered holding tournaments without ber without fans. But that doesn’t mean
of their global TV audiences. “When you talk to the promoters, fans is to support players. As indepen- other events won’t still try.
many of them say they would lose dent contractors, ATP and WTA pros
But on average, the percentage of money because a lot of their revenue don’t get paid unless they compete in “Could it be done? Absolutely,” said
revenue that tennis tournaments draw is coming through ticket sales,” said tournaments. According to SBJ re- Ryan. “I would be an advocate for it
from TV is far lower than either the David Egdes, Tennis Channel senior search, roughly $96 million of financial if that helped get our athletes back
Slams or major American-based sports vice president. “A lot of their revenue purse commitment that would have into the space they want to be in,
leagues. According to official 2017 ATP is coming through sponsorships and gone to players in 2020 already has been which is competitive tennis. But it’s
Tour figures provided to SBJ by a if two of those buckets are no longer lost through canceled tour events, got to make sense for the tournaments,
source, Masters 1000-level tournaments there, it’s challenging for them to though the sport’s major stakeholders too. We’re a business. It’s got to make
drew an average of 22% of their revenue make money only on the TV side of unveiled a $6 million fund last week sense for the sponsors, who of course
from TV, midlevel 500 tournaments get things.” to help lower-ranked players. want to be socially responsible and
about 16% of theirs from TV and 250s, not only endorse and support the
the lowest level, about 13%. Tennis sponsors activate somewhat Holding tournaments without fans events but support a safe and healthy
differently than in most American would create some cost savings for atmosphere.
“Our TV rights aren’t big enough sports because activation is more the events, though, especially in in-
for us to consider” playing without geared toward hospitality and less frastructure. Winston-Salem Open “If that can all come together, what
fans as an option, said Eddie Gonzalez, toward signage and brand placement. tournament director Jeff Ryan said I would call a temporary fanless time
tournament director of the Truist that not erecting a grandstand would period, to get us back up and running,
Atlanta Open, an ATP 250 tournament. Gonzalez said he hasn’t raised the absolutely.”
possibility of playing the Atlanta
Open without fans with title sponsor

8 | M AY 11-17, 2020 WWW.SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM

SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL

A leaner NASCAR gets ers to more senior business staffers. But it appeared
ready to return to racing that few to no C-suite executives were affected dur-
ing the most recent cuts.

Even with a conservative estimate that the aver-
age salary for 100 laid off employees was $50,000
annually, NASCAR would have shaved $5 million

out of its budget.

NASCAR RETURNS TO ACTION this week as a leaner rumors in the industry persist. A couple of weeks after the first round of layoffs,

industry, as the pandemic has accelerated plans to This comes as NASCAR also plans out a new era NASCAR sent a note to remaining employees say-

streamline all of its operations, from staffing to for where it will race starting in 2021, including ing that it was introducing a voluntary departure

scheduling. the possibility of non-NASCAR owned venues and program with enhanced severance packages for

The Cup Series is scheduled to return even street circuits, after years of large- those with 10 or more years of consecutive tenure

to action, minus fans, on May 17, at Dar- BY ADAM ly racing at its own oval circuits and road at NASCAR or ISC. This appeared to suggest that
lington Raceway in South Carolina. STERN courses. France felt he needed to cut out more of the budget.

Since April, the sanctioning body has NASCAR had been considering for While it was unclear how many employees took

shed at least 140 jobs. Sources told Sports years a plan to hold midweek races and the voluntary package, the second round of layoffs

Business Journal that the first round was looking to do so in 2021, but the pan- came just a few weeks later.

involved 69 positions and the second round, an- demic pushed that concept to 2020 so that the sport Similar to NASCAR, Speedway Motorsports has

nounced last week, was even larger. could hold more events. NASCAR will hold two laid off 180 people during the shutdown, with all

Some of those layoffs had already been expected midweek Cup Series races this month, the first being of its eight venues affected. In comparison, NASCAR

following last year’s $2 billion merger

of NASCAR and track operator Inter-

national Speedway Corp. But the shut-

down brought by the current outbreak

pushed those plans further and height-

ened NASCAR’s need to decrease its

budget.

NASCAR said it has “worked for

several months following the merger

to centralize its operations as part of

an evolved model that will position

the sport for long-term growth.” It said

its “commitment to this process, par-

ticularly during these incredibly chal-

lenging times, has required that

difficult near-term decisions be made

in the interest of the future long-term

health and success of the sport.”

After years of building up an in-

creasingly large workforce well into

the hundreds of people, NASCAR

Chairman and CEO Jim France is

starting to dial back that structure and

turn the sport into more of a nimble

operation, albeit one that executives

believe can operate just as well.

Departments such as ticketing and

social media are largely being central-

ized — meaning that the people selling

fans tickets and sending messages to NASCAR had been considering midweek racing for 2021, but has pushed the concept to this season.

them on platforms like Twitter and FAST BUT FANLESS owns 14 tracks.
Facebook will now be people based at NASCAR’s While SMI’s exact
central headquarters. Those who did such tasks at NASCAR is set to get back in action at Darlington and Charlotte with a schedule that includes
its tracks were either laid off or reassigned. midweek racing. streamlining plan is un-

With the realization that some of its tracks will Date Track Series Distance Network Time (ET) clear, it is also going
start to be used less than ever for NASCAR racing, Sun., May 17 Darlington Cup 400 miles Fox 3:30 p.m. through a period of de-
the sanctioning body has also gutted the staffs at Tue., May 19 Darlington 200 miles FS1 termining which tracks
a couple of venues. Xfinity 8 p.m. have a long-term future

Nearly all employees at Iowa Speedway and Chi- Wed., May 20 Darlington Cup 500 km FS1 7:30 p.m. in NASCAR.

cagoland Speedway were let go during the latest Sun., May 24 Charlotte Cup 600 miles Fox 6 p.m. There are also more

layoffs, and the plan is to have workers from near- Mon., May 25 Charlotte Xfinity 300 miles FS1 7:30 p.m. short-term concerns in
by Kansas Speedway help run Iowa’s facility on Tue., May 26 Charlotte Gander 200 miles FS1 8 p.m. mind. For example, So-
race days. Chicagoland’s future was less clear, as Wed., May 27 Charlotte FS1 8 p.m. noma Raceway may go
it has been mentioned for more than a year as a Cup 500 km all of 2020 without a

venue that NASCAR may eventually stop going to major racing event be-

as part of a land sale. Wednesday night, May 20, on FS1 from Darlington, cause it no longer hosts IndyCar Series races and

Getty Images As reported by SBJ in March, NASCAR signed a and the other being the following Wednesday, May its annual NASCAR weekend in June is in serious

deal with Hillwood to redevelop surplus land across 27, from Charlotte Motor Speedway. doubt due to the pandemic and restrictions in

its 13,000 owned acres. NASCAR insists that the In the first round of layoffs, the jobs that NASCAR California. That has decreased the need for staffing

deal is not about selling the tracks themselves, but eliminated spanned the gamut from low-level work- at that location.

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 M AY 11-17, 2020 | 9

UPFRONT

a lot of nuance in terms of what that crowd and

how that crowd is reacting.”

In order to make it more authentic, different

sounds would need to come from different parts of

the venue to mimic what the actual audience expe-

rience is like. A baseline murmur of the crowd also

needs to exist. Davies said it would be a manual

process, adding that Fox is en-

Companies are gaged in discussions now on the

exploring how audio concepts.
to fill seats using Brandon Schneider, CRO for
technology, not
just with cardboard the Golden State Warriors, said
cutouts, though that all of this technology is al-
nothing can ready emerging but that the un-

replace real fans. precedented circumstances

surrounding the pandemic will

only accelerate its impact. Sara Zuckert, the NBA’s

senior director of domestic programming and con-

tent strategy, echoed that sentiment, adding that

she is aware of mixed reality-powered concepts

involving virtually covering empty seating with

digitalized fans, signage or even with an extension

of the stadium’s architecture.

“We’re having discussions about every idea right

now,” Zuckert said, explaining that the league is

engaged in concept-driven discussions with sev-

eral technology companies about what will make

sense for the NBA audience. “The most important

Virtual experience gets a thing for us is that it’s a good experience and feels
real chance to stand out like a genuine experience.”

Zuckert said interaction between players and fans
is also important, and that the NBA is exploring
possibilities to achieve that. The NBA is consider-
ing ways through audio and/or visual elements to
allow fans to visually cheer for their team through

online interaction. The players may be able to hear

the cheering as well at times because it would be

WHEN ANY OF THE MAJOR U.S. pro sports leagues you can bring the fans into the arena and make seen in venue and on the telecast.

resume play, fans will more than likely be absent. them feel like they are really there — their voices, There are also broadcast-based solutions that

That’s led broadcasters, properties, technology their faces, their presence.” are geared toward the home viewer. In Taiwan’s

companies and consulting shops to come to terms Virtual tickets could provide teams the ability Chinese Professional Baseball League, cardboard

with the new reality and strategize how to bring to expand their fan base and produce new revenue cutouts of fans are currently used in the stands.

consumers even closer to the field of play. streams. Large video screens near the tunnel en- Davies said that a similar practice is under consid-

“You have to focus on technologies BY MARK J. BURNS trance would allow players to interact eration in the Bundesliga. Fans would purchase
that will enhance the viewing fan ex- with individuals in real-time, mimick- the ability to send in their photo and have a card-

perience or enhance the experience AND ERIC PRISBELL ing a virtual fan zone. And even larger board cutout in the stands, so they can say they
for the athletes,” said Elizabeth Lind- screens inside the playing venue could virtually attended the match.

sey, president of brands and properties also offer fans unique camera angles. “An empty stadium is something that I don’t think

at talent representation and corporate “These are the types of solutions that anyone likes to see whether or not we were in the

marketing agency Wasserman. “Of course, we have you’re going to see in the next few months,” Slusser post-COVID world or not,” Davies said.

to be creative in how we replicate as close to an said, adding that the concept could live beyond the Using mixed reality, The Famous Group can put

experience as possible in what is an unprecedent- COVID-19 pandemic. virtual fans into the seats to make the stands look

ed situation.” The team at Nexus Studios is also assessing how packed. The complication is that from a distance, they

One company reimagining the connection be- to make empty stadiums feel busier. “There just look real, but as you move closer, the digital characters

tween fans and sports itself is The Famous Group, aren’t many technologies right now that make more look odd. One of the ideas the company has talked to

a Culver City, Calif.-based fan experience and tech- sense than augmented reality to see the game from leagues about is not to implement a digitized crowd

nology firm. Owner and partner Jon Slusser said ways you’ve never seen it before,” said Luke Ritchie, but instead, to cover up the seats with virtual signage.

he is in talks with almost every major sports league head of XR and interactive arts at the Los Angeles- Another option being discussed is to make it ap-

and television network about using mixed reality based animation and film company. pear as if those seats aren’t even there, Slusser

to virtually bring fans into venues in meaningful There are numerous paths to explore around audio said. He stressed that when sports return, likely

ways. What is being discussed involves visual com- capabilities for a fanless game, according to Michael in fanless venues initially, the home viewing audi-

ponents and audio elements for broadcast-based Davies, senior vice president of field and technical ence will still see empty seats in venues.

solutions, and also interaction between select fans operations at Fox Sports. He said the technology “I don’t think everyone can afford to cover up all

and athletes for a premium experience. and the know-how exists to pump crowd noise into the seats all the time [virtually],” he said. “It’s ex-

“When you see events that don’t have fans, you either just the television broadcast for at-home pensive. But every team and league will need a

really understand what is missing,” Slusser said. viewers or also the stadium for players, coaches solution on how to bring fans into the stadium. …

“It’s an incredible realization of how important and staff in a nuanced fashion that accounts for The most important thing is that the fan feels like Getty Images

fans and that energy are to live events, and what game circumstances. He said someone would need they are there. If they feel like their voice, their

makes live events special and gives it the energy, to score the game, adding that “it wouldn’t just be presence and their face are in that venue, then you

gravity, importance and life. … It’s really about how crowd on, crowd off. It’s not a laugh track. There’s win. All the rest is icing.”

1 0 | M AY 11-17, 2020 WWW.SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM

SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL

Trending up: Colleges find new digital
outreach a huge virtual success with fans

BY MICHAEL SMITH with three musical acts per-

forming for the Red Raiders’

FANS CAN’T GO to college events right Facebook and Twitter chan-

now, so the schools are taking their nels on April 30.

events to them. The “Wreck ’Em” Tour is

Schools are producing online vir- normally the name of Texas

tual tailgates, awards shows, concerts Tech’s spring tour, in which

and meet-and-greets with coaches, AD Kirby Hocutt and coaches

creating digital content like never visit with booster groups

before to fill the void during the coro- around the state.

navirus pandemic. With the pandemic-induced

The power and huge reach of this shutdown, Tech reimagined

new approach was evident when Texas the tour into a night of musical

produced a daylong series of events acts — all three performers

and videos on were country singers who went

May 1 tagged to Texas Tech — and video mes-

#MyTexas Tail- sages from Hocutt and the

gate, generating The all-sport #MyTexas Tailgate was trending on Twitter, featuring div- football, baseball and men’s
50 million impres- ing (Matt Scoggin), baseball (David Piece, left) and 20 music videos. basketball coaches.
sions that day
Tech’s senior associate AD,

with the hashtag le ge football — name of the spring game — by sync- Robert Giovannetti, said the

trending on Twit- t h a t ’ s w h e r e ing the SEC Network replay of Geor- Raiders also are looking to bring back

ter by 11 a.m. schools make most gia vs. Notre Dame in 2019 with former athletes to give commentary

Some of the off- of their money on analysis from football coach Kirby on classic games.

the-wall content media rights, tick- Smart and announcer Scott Howard. “These events allow fans to connect

included diving et sales and dona- Smart and Howard were on Facebook wherever they are,” said Jack Patter-

coach Matt Scog- t i o n s — b u t Live providing insight on each play. son, a Learfield IMG College vice

gin providing blue-chip schools Over the course of the day, Georgia’s president who works with many of

commentary of a with massive fan team, athletic department and uni- the company’s 200 college clients on

football game and baseball coach bases like Georgia, Nebraska, Penn versity social channels were digital and so-

David Pierce shooting a video from State, Texas and many others have running complementary con- cial media ini-

home about his superstitions, some- utilized their reach on social to engage tent, such as game highlights tiatives.

thing for which baseball coaches and with millions more fans than the ones and workouts with strength “Spring games

players are notorious. typically in stadiums on Saturdays. coach Scott Sinclair, tagged are a mostly

More than 100 videos were shot spe- “When you’ve got all those channels #VirtualGDay. local event and

cifically for #MyTexas Tailgate rep- uniting, that’s a pretty big bullhorn Bulldogs corporate partner what these vir-

resenting all of the Longhorns’ sports, from which to shout,” said Georgia Piedmont Healthcare title tual produc-

and 20 musical acts submitted videos Assistant AD Mike Bilbow, who over- sponsored virtual G-Day, tions have done

of song performances, which helped sees digital production. “It really has which generated more than is to allow these

Texas create a Longhorns City Limits become a great way to get the word a million impressions, 89% fan bases to

virtual concert. With the exception out and just stay in touch with the fan of which came from mobile. participate in

of the content that was In most cases, spon- Nebraska’s virtual game had something that
submitted, all of the pro- sors who already had lots of the usual pageantry. they would
gramming and editing bought into the spring have never nor-

was done in-house by the game rolled those buys mally gone to.

Longhorns’ team of five into the virtual content, so it So when you see millions of impres-

videographers over the was not an additional expense sions, it simply shows how much fans

course of two weeks. for them to be involved. are looking for content and ways to

Drew Martin, Texas’ Nebraska’s virtual spring engage.”

executive senior associ- game was presented by First Georgia’s Bilbow credited CBS’s

ate athletic director who National Bank, the Cornhusk- replay of the 2019 Masters with Jim

coordinated the effort, ers’ official partner in that cat- Nantz and winner Tiger Woods for

said the content ran Kirby Smart called a classic game as part of digital “G-Day.” egory, and featured much of the inspiring a new wave of content that

across close to 50 social usual game-day pageantry such doesn’t require the highest standards

channels, spanning university, team base.” as performances by the school’s of production.

and coaches accounts. Georgia is one of several schools marching band. “There used to be a sense that, ‘Oh,

“We started out talking about what using virtual content to replace its Nebraska created 29 posts for its we can’t do that because that’s not

we should do to replace the spring spring football game, which typically social channels and wound up with really broadcast quality,’” Bilbow said.

football game and then we decided to draws in excess of 50,000 red-clad fans more than 3 million impressions for “But when we saw Jim Nantz and

involve all of the sports and make it but was canceled last month because the week leading up to the virtual Tiger on laptop cameras, that was a

for everyone,” said Martin, who added of the virus. spring game. breakthrough.

that 20 sponsors took part. To take its place, the Bulldogs pro- Outside of the realm of spring foot- “Fans just want to hear from the

Game days might be sacred in col- duced their own virtual “G-Day” — the ball, Texas Tech held a virtual concert people they’re cheering for.”

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 M AY 11-17, 2020 | 1 1

THE INSIDERS

Coverage of NFL Network
this year’s connects with
NFL draft in-home looks
showed how
programs can NETWORK EXECUTIVES have spent a lot of
be produced time over the past two months contemplat-
differently. ing how TV production will change when
live sports return. Last week’s schedule
SPORTS MEDIA release show on NFL Network revealed
one new programming strategy that will
Crisis breeds creativity as networks get some run: showing fans a behind-the-
rethink their approach scenes view of sports’ biggest stars.

A SILVER LINING from the coronavirus games in empty stadiums, networks Drawing on the popularity of the NFL
pandemic: The lack of live sports and leagues don’t have to worry about draft, which set ratings records in April,
has caused networks and leagues getting in the way of fans that have NFL Network told coaches and GMs to
keep the video technology in their homes
to be more creative, ESPN’s executive vice spent top dollar for tickets. for Thursday’s schedule release show.

president of programming and scheduling, “[The NFL draft] proved that things “We were thinking about this literally
after night one of the draft,” said Mark
Burke Magnus, told a Collegiate Sports As- can be done differently in a moment Quenzel, NFL Media’s senior vice presi-
dent of programming and production.
sociates panel recently. of crisis,” Magnus said. “You might “When some of the reactions came out
Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the first
As evidence, Magnus pointed to the NFL actually learn a few things. You might thing that we did was get a message to all
the coaches and GMs to say, ‘Don’t send
draft, which had to be moved from the Las be able to change some things that are this stuff back. Just hang on to it for now.’”

Vegas strip to an ESPN studio in Bristol, Conn. too entrenched. … We remain very Quenzel said he was surprised at how
much people liked seeing coaches and
“That’s a perfect example of how … expecta- BY JOHN OURAND optimistic about how people are going GMs in their homes during the draft, in-
tions have been completely altered by both to want to consume sports, and by as- teracting with their families. “Clearly it
struck a nerve with them. It was much
fans and by some of our partners in terms of sociation, how advertisers and spon- more intimate, much more authentic.”

what’s possible and what’s acceptable,” Mag- sors are going to want to monetize Quenzel said it’s easier for a program
like last week’s schedule release show to
nus said. “If we had said to the NFL a year ago, ‘Hey sports going forward.” mimic the NFL draft than other shows,
because they are both based on hope.
guys, we got an idea. We’re going to forget about what “That really was the first thing at scale that really
“A big part of the draft is about what’s
you’ve been doing as a live event. We’re going to take this tested a theory we have,” Magnus continued. “When going to happen in the future,” he said.
“The schedule release is the same. It gives
whole thing and stream it from people’s homes. We’re the time is right and things can be done, and maybe people something to look forward to or
hope for. ...
going to put the commissioner in his basement, and we’re even done differently, will people respond? How fast
“Historically, the schedule release has
going to do a bunch of video conferences. And we think are things going to be able to snap back? The NFL draft been us looking down from above at the
schedule. We turned that around and said,
that’s going to be better.’ They probably would have thrown proved that the appetite is insatiable. Sports is too big ‘Here’s what the schedule looks like to
the people on the ground who have to play
us out of the room and taken away our ‘Monday Night of a part of the American culture.” that schedule and make it work and get
ready for it.’ We took a much more team-
Football package’ just for fun.” centric approach, as personified by coach-
es and players and GMs.” — J.O.
Leagues have become more open to production in- John Ourand can be reached at

novations, Magnus said — from camera positions to [email protected].

the use of more microphones. With the prospect of Follow him on Twitter @Ourand_SBJ.

UFC shares insurance for athletes. One is death-and-injury insurance that would identify fighters with COVID-19 before they ESPN Images
structure as fights get is required by most athletic commissions. This arrived in Jacksonville. UFC had each fighter fill
underway in Jacksonville covers fighters who get injured in the octagon. out an extensive questionnaire about where
The second type of insurance covers athletes for they’ve traveled, who they’ve contacted and
THE UFC did not take out any new insurance to any injuries they suffer outside the ring. whether they’ve felt sick.
cover injuries that might result from the COVID-19
pandemic, company COO Lawrence Epstein said “Those policies are already in place, so there UFC followed the questionnaire with testing, both
last week. The UFC produced a pay-per-view hasn’t been any sort of effect or change with respect before and after the fighters arrived in Jacksonville.
event from Jacksonville on Saturday. It has two to COVID-19,” Epstein said. “An interesting question Quest Diagnostics administers the tests.
more planned from the same location later this is whether it qualifies as an acute injury or not.”
week. “That’s really the key — to make sure before
UFC lawyers have been looking into whether somebody enters, we’ve done enough testing to
The UFC already carried two types of insurance that second type of insurance would cover a give us an idea,” Epstein said. “There’s a variety of
fighter who caught COVID-19, Epstein said. checkpoints before they get to Jacksonville, all the
way to the event, and even after the event.” — J.O.
The UFC hopes it has a system in place that

1 2 | M AY 11-17, 2020 WWW.SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM

SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL

Calling Michael Jordan was easy. apartment, and the Chicago Bulls, looking for a sec-
Asking about gambling losses wasn’t
ond straight NBA title, were in Maryland to play the

Washington Bullets.

Knowing that a lot of teams stayed at the Green-

belt Marriott, I called the hotel and asked for Mi-

BY MICHAEL SMITH follow-up story three days later posed the headline, chael Jordan’s room. The call went through, even
“Err Jordan?” The newspaper ran a copy of one
MIDWAY THROUGH Episode 6 of ESPN’s “The Last of the checks with Jordan’s name, home address though it was common practice for players to reg-
Dance,” the highly rated documentary introduces just outside of Chicago, and his signature. The
Michael Jordan’s gambling losses to a convicted paper should have re- ister under an alias. Jordan answered the phone
felon, James “Slim” Bouler. The show characterized dacted his home ad-
Bouler as a golf hustler who worked his way into dress; call it a — I recognized his voice immediately. I introduced
Jordan’s inner circle and took tens of thousands rookie mistake.
of dollars, maybe more, off Jordan around 1991-92. myself and began asking questions about
After the checks
What “The Last Dance” left out was the rest of became public, the the three checks and the murdered
the story. NBA questioned
Jordan about his bondsman. My knees were shaking
The news of Jordan’s $108,000 in gambling losses gambling before
broke in a small-town newspaper outside of Char- deciding against under the kitchen table where I sat
lotte, The Gaston Gazette, where I was a sportswrit- any disciplinary
er at the time. The Gazette ran the story after a local action. with a pen and notepad as Jordan
bondsman was gunned down and robbed in his front
yard. Inside the briefcase of the slain man, Eddie I covered the denied all knowledge.
Dow, were three checks signed by Jordan to alleg- Charlotte Hornets
edly cover debts from losses playing cards and golf. for The Gazette at I knew I had to press him because
the time, and it was
The way I remember it, Dow was like the banker my job, as “the we had seen the checks. Finally, Jor-
for the golf and card games that included some of NBA guy,” to ques-
the most colorful characters in and around Monroe, tion Jordan about dan said, “You’re not listening to me.
N.C., another Charlotte suburb. the three checks
found in Dow’s pos- I don’t know what you’re talking
Months earlier, Jordan was questioned about a session. I was sit-
$57,000 check to Bouler in a separate investigation. ting in a Charlotte about.”

The Gaston Gazette story on March 19, 1992, de- We hung up, and I filed a paragraph
tailed the checks, all of which totaled $108,000. A
stating Jordan’s denial. The story broke

the next morning. By the time the big

papers in Chicago and

A young New York put their
Michael Smith spin on it, The Gazette,
in the days before the
was working for

a Gastonia, N.C., internet, lost credit for
newspaper in the story. But for a few
the early 1990s days, it was a thrill to
when he tracked be at the center of the
down Jordan in NBA world.
his hotel room.

NBPA’s Roberts on the day the
NBA season came to a halt

MICHELE ROBERTS, executive director of have more than one phone.
the National Basketball Players Associa- The one I answered was Chris Paul.
tion, was in an Uber on March 11 when
the NBA suspended the 2019-20 regular He asked me, “What’s going on?” Just
season. During SBJ’s CAA World moments earlier, the Thunder and Jazz
Congress Comes To You virtual event last were on the court, and the players were
week, I asked Roberts to talk about her told to return to their locker rooms.
reactions when she first heard that news. Obviously, I had no idea what was
going on.
Her response has been edited for
space and clarity: Adam was calling me on another one
of my phones. He said, “Turn the TV on.”
Coincidentally, my staff and I had a That’s when I learned that, in fact, one
of the players had tested positive. I
meeting with NBA Commissioner Adam didn’t know who it was at the time. But I
absolutely understood that we were
Silver and his staff that morning. Things going to stop that game.

were obviously not getting better, and The good news is that I didn’t have to
convince Adam, or Adam didn’t have to
we were trying to come to terms with convince me. It’s about safety first.

what we were going to do. It wasn’t that long after when it was
clear that we needed to just postpone
We came away understanding that the games. Because the players are
traveling, attempting to trace what
when, not if, a player tested positive for teams you had played — it became
ridiculous.
COVID-19, we needed to do something
I don’t know why at that time I
drastic like postpone the season and thought this would have lasted a couple
of weeks. I would not have imagined it
figure out what the next move would be. was going to take this long. But with
every day, it’s obvious that it has to take
That evening, I left the office early as long as it has until we can do this
again safely. — J.O.
because I wanted to go home and watch

the Oklahoma

City-Utah game.

ESPN Images Michele When I got out of the
Roberts was Uber, my phones
riding home were blowing up.
when calls Unfortunately in my
started blowing business, I have to
up her phones.

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 M AY 11-17, 2020 | 1 3

THE INSIDERS

MARKETING AND SPONSORSHIP

Direct Message

Octagon’s Rick Dudley and John Shea speak out during a time of uncertainty — and opportunity.

P REDICTIONS ARE as much a part of sports as Jersey ads are often
sticks and balls, but in the age of COVID-19, a rarity but might be
any crystal ball is opaque, and besides, a new opening for
marketers.
sportsbooks are shuttered. With no games since

mid-March, fans and sponsors have been on the

sidelines, while a documentary film has become back. But I will be

the most-discussed event in sports. ready and very

Charting a new course across sports for brand eager to get back.

clients including Allstate, Bank of America, BMW

and Mastercard is IPG’s Octagon. I discussed the Will the NFL play

state of sports marketing during a pandemic ear- a normal season?

lier this month with Global Chairman/CEO Rick n DUDLEY: I’m

Dudley and John Shea, going to put a stake

president of marketing in the ground and

and events. say they will play

at least 12 games.

These are times when They might start

clients lean on agencies. late, but there’s

What are they asking? flexibility there

nDUDLEY: Lots of ques- and maybe moving

tions, to which there are the Super Bowl

no clear answers. It’s a later, but I think

BY TERRY LEFTON time that’s very frustrat- they’ll get 12 or
ing and heartbreaking. maybe 16 games in.

We remind them that it’s ably has changed forever, but when we talk to any

Q A not our future. The [East clients, the most important thing now is finding How willing are the big sports properties to en-
and West] coasts will probably be the right tonality for their messaging. When it comes gage in discussions about make goods, before

the last to open up. … There’s a back, our brand partners need to be authentic. We’re they know the fate of their seasons?

bit of competition among the leagues over who can spending a lot of time on that. How does the spon- n DUDLEY: Our models have gone from measuring

do it safely, of course, but whichever league does sor enhance the participation of fans, physically the value of those assets to measuring their lost

it first will get the most attention. or virtually? We need to understand how this crisis value. We’re applying good science to all of that.

has or will change that. How that all applies, in terms of conversations with

How are you reading the industry’s mood properties? We haven’t gotten there yet.

at the moment? Other than an event, like the NFL

n DUDLEY: Even though there’s movement draft, how will you know the right time How much residual impact will Octagon or any

toward opening things up, things are perhaps for that messaging? agency feel from everyone working at home?

at their darkest, as far as number of deaths, n SHEA: It’ll vary by sector, but if sports n SHEA: We’ve learned to be more connected. This

number of cases and the people wanting to fans are looking to be entertained, in an industry was used to working remotely, but we’ve

get outside and see their favorite teams. Even Dudley appropriate away and people can opt in, taken it to another level. … The next challenge will

games without fans will be a pretty big turn- you have a great chance for your messag- be not slipping back. Work from home will be part

ing point. ing to be well received. of the new normal, but we also have people craving

to get back together. There’s pent-up camaraderie.

Sports without fans will mean something How are the psyches of consumers n DUDLEY: There are implications across [office/

different for sponsors. changing? commercial] real estate. The push to get more

n DUDLEY: There’s unique value about being n DUDLEY: There’s not a topic we have people into a smaller office space was there. I’ve

associated with any sport that’s returning, Shea talked more about. Most of the research heard this word “densification.” Another is “hotel-
but they’ll be missing painted faces, fans going I’ve seen says the vast majority of people ing” — you sit wherever there’s an empty office or

crazy and crowd shots. Sponsors will have to are not going back to games until there’s desk. Who will want to do that now, and who will

be really creative — what can you do with those a vaccine. Is that going to change? I believe it will. want to sit 3 feet from someone else?

empty seats? … These times probably give cover When there’s better therapeutic ways of dealing

for sponsors to do things they couldn’t do before, with it, and if people under 40 are proved not to be Give us a reason to be optimistic …

whether that’s a [uniform] ad patch, or whatever. as at risk, will they go to games? I think so. n DUDLEY: When I worked at the NFL in the 1980s,

When we can start laughing again is going to be the commissioner was Pete Rozelle; he felt the league

an important marker. When we can start cheering What about you? should go dark after the Super Bowl. His theory was

again will also be huge; that George Bush first pitch n DUDLEY: That’s a good question. I’m in that “at- that by going dark, you built tremendous anticipa-

of the [2001] World Series at Yankee Stadium was risk” sector, so I probably won’t be the first to go tion and demand. That worked for him and the NFL.

so big. Can we find that sort of moment with all “When we talk to any clients, the most If you apply that to now, the return to
sports after being dark this long should
that cultural impact?

Health care is providing us with new heroes. important thing is finding the right be incredible. We just have to get there. Getty Images
How much has marketing there changed? tonality for their message. . . . Our
partners need to be authentic.” Terry Lefton can be reached at
n SHEA: I’d say that health care marketing prob- [email protected].

1 4 | M AY 11-17, 2020 WWW.SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM

SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL

LABOR AND AGENTS

Fields adds deals to Wasserman’s NFL portfolio

D ALLAS COWBOYS wide receiver Amari Coo- eral public, he had a low profile. Wasserman has a
per could have received a more lucrative major NBA and MLB player practice, but got into
deal than the five-year, $100 million contract the NFL in a big way when it hired Hendrickson
he signed in March, but he wanted to stay in Dallas, in April 2018.

according to his agent, Chafie Fields, co-head of “When I went to Wasserman, I knew we needed
another A-List, top-level agent to come on board
Wasserman’s NFL player and be partners with us,” Hendrickson said. “And
ultimately that led to me talking to Casey [Was-
division. serman] about Chafie. This guy is a rock star.”

“In fact, he had more Fields said Wasserman, Hendrickson and LaBoy
have been very supportive since he joined. Both
money on the table else- Fields and Hendrickson have represented multiple
first-round draft picks, but Fields joined in the
where,” Fields said. “He middle of the recruiting season last fall and did
not have one this year.
wanted to be a Cowboy. He
The agency did represent three second-round NFL
loves the organization. He draft picks this year: safety Antoine Winfield Jr.,
who was selected No. 45 by the Tampa Bay Bucca-
likes the way he is treated neers; cornerback Jaylon Johnson, who was taken
No. 50 by the Chicago Bears; and cornerback Kris-
there. He’s excited about tian Fulton, who was taken No. 61 by the Tennes-
see Titans.
the new coach [Mike Mc-
Fields said he and Hendrickson are committed
Carthy].” to building Wasserman into an even bigger power-
house NFL player representation business. “We
BY LIZ MULLEN Wasser man’s football are going to definitely communicate with each other
division has negotiated and figure out how we can help each other and de-
termine how we can be best in class,” Fields said.
player free-agent and con- “Because our intention is to be the best agency in
the business.”
tract extensions worth up
■ CAA SIGNS LAUER: CAA Sports has signed Mil-
to $422,930,000, which includes $241,623,618 in guar- waukee Brewers pitcher Eric Lauer for represen-
tation. CAA Baseball agents Matt Brownstein and
anteed money, since last fall. Fields joined the firm, Ryan Hamill will lead the team representing him.
He was formerly represented by Meister Sports
which is headed up by prominent NFL agent Doug Management. Lauer was a first-round MLB draft
pick by the San Diego Padres in 2016, after posting
Hendrickson and his longtime partner C.J. LaBoy, Chafie Fields (right) negotiated Amari Cooper’s a 0.69 ERA, the lowest in college baseball since 1979.
$100 million deal to remain with the Cowboys. Lauer made his major league debut for the Padres
in November. in 2018 and was traded to the Brewers this past
“So here’s the thing, and this is something a lot offseason.
Those contract dollar amounts include deals for of people don’t know and weren’t aware of,” Fields
said. “I was never an employee of Lagardère.” Liz Mullen can be reached at
Wasserman’s existing clients, like Baltimore Ravens
Instead, Fields had his own company and part- [email protected].
cornerback Marcus Peters and Carolina Panthers nered with and co-represented players with Segal.
“We had a partnership agreement and a profit- Follow her on Twitter @SBJLizMullen.
linebacker Shaq Thompson, as well as players sharing agreement, me and Joel, not me and La-
gardère,” Fields said.
Fields brought to the firm, including Cooper; vet-
Fields and Segal were co-representing many top
eran cornerback Chris Harris Jr., who left the players when Fields left. As reported last fall in
Sports Business Journal, those players had to choose
Denver Broncos to join the Los Angeles Chargers; between one agent or the other. That process in-
volved the players firing both agents and re-signing
and San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Arik with one of them.

Armstead, who stayed with the 49ers. Fields said he has no hard feelings about leaving
the partnership with Segal but wanted to do some-
Armstead also received interest from other thing different. “It was just time,” Fields said. “It
was time for me to spread my wings and get out
teams, Fields said. “But you know Arik is from there on my own.”

Sacramento, so he is from the [Northern Califor- People in the NFL all know Fields, but to the gen-

nia] area; that is where his family is. He is heav-

ily, heavily ingrained in the community. He was

like, ‘If San Francisco comes to the table and shows

me respect, then I’ll stay.’ And they did and he

did.”

Fields is a former college and NFL player who

became an NFL Players Association-certified agent

in 2005. He was the longtime partner of prominent

NFL agent Joel Segal at Lagardère Sports.

Wasserman / Chafie Fields

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 M AY 11-17, 2020 | 1 5

PORTFOLIO RESEARCH

Sports outlook hits all-time low in March, April

SPORTS BUSINESS leaders’ outlook index on their four straight months including 84% in January each of the four presidential elections (2004, 2008,
and 83% in February. 2012, 2016) during the study’s existence but has
own industry has hit an all-time low of almost zero, quickly recovered after each of them except 2008.
The previous low of 8% occurred in November
according to the MarketCast Sports Poll, a month- 2008, a month that saw the election of Barack The national anthem protests that became com-
Obama as president and a U.S. unemployment rate monplace in late 2017 generated no significant
ly survey covering more than 2,000 senior-level that had risen to 6.7%, up from 4.9% at the begin- movement among the respondents, according to
ning of the year. It took exactly one year for the Haynes Hendrickson, MarketCast’s senior vice
BY DAVID sports executives. metric to get back to the more typical 70% levels. president of sports and live events.
The survey’s “net optimism” index
July 2007 was the highest level ever for optimism, “The metric zig-zagged a bit but didn’t fall below
BROUGHTON — the percent of respondents who at 89%. At that time in sports, Barry Bonds was 70%,” he said.
about to break Hank Aaron’s career home-run
feel optimistic minus those who are record and, shortly after, the economy and opti- The survey was called Turnkey Sports Poll from
mism were about to start unraveling. its launch in 2003 until Turnkey was acquired by
pessimistic — plummeted to 2% in MarketCast in 2018. Survey results are published
Optimism has faded right around the time of frequently in Sports Business Journal.
March and was 5% in April. It’s the first time in

the survey’s 17-year history that the industry has

seen back-to-back single-digit results and imme-

diately follows one of the study’s strongest-ever

periods when the optimism level topped 80% for

90% ONGOING COVID-19 CRISIS
OPTIMISTIC
73% 72% 76% 82% 81%
80% Aug. ‘19 Sept. ‘19 Oct. ‘19 Nov. ‘19 Dec. ‘19

70%

60%

50% 72% 76% 78% 84% 83% 2%
NET 70% Jan. ‘20
5%
40%

30%

20%

10% May ‘19 June ‘19 July ‘19 Feb. ‘20 March ‘20 April ‘20
PESSIMISTIC
April ‘19

90% 77% 69% 71% 68% 2011 NFL AND NBA LOCKOUTS 80% 79% 79% 79%
80% May ‘11 Jan. ‘12
70% 57% 61% 56% 56% 73%
60% Aug. ‘11 Sept. ‘11 Oct. ‘11 Nov. ‘11 Dec. ‘11
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%

April ‘11 June ‘11 July ‘11 Feb. ‘12 March ‘12 April ‘12

2007-’09 RECESSION

90%

80%

70%

60%

50% 71% 61% 77% 60% 46% 59% 22% 8% 25% 23% 28% 25% 35%
40%

30%

20%

10%

April ‘08 May ‘08 June ‘08 July ‘08 Aug. ‘08 Sept. ‘08 Oct. ‘08 Nov. ‘08 Dec. ‘08 Jan. ‘09 Feb. ‘09 March ‘09 April ‘09
Notes: The NFL’s lockout ran from March 11, 2011 - July 25, 2011; the NBA’s lockout was July 1, 2011 and ended December 8, 2011. Barack Obama was first elected president in November 2008.

1 6 | M AY 11-17, 2020 WWW.SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM

SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL

At the Panthers’ Bank of America Stadium and throughout league operations, the NFL offers the best combined value of sponsor promotion and connection in fan rankings.

NFL offers top value, women’s soccer
most connection in sponsor rankings

U.S. SPORTS FANS believe the NFL promotes its cor- 1,000 fans ages 18+ in each country attitudinal and Darren Marshall, rEvolution’s chief of staff, said

porate partners better than any other behavioral questions about sports prop- that most properties typically score high in one

property, but they feel more connected BY DAVID erties and the brands that sponsor them. category and not the other.
to — and appreciative of — brands aligned BROUGHTON A “sponsor friendliness” index was
with women’s soccer, according to a new “The best value is the optimal combination of
created for each country using survey
the two — which in this case is the NFL,” he said.

study conducted by rEvolution. The results, such as the impact of the spon- “So if you’re a Ford or GM and you want total mass

Chicago-based company fielded a series sorship on brand opinion. That was paired reach, then the NFL is the best bet. If you’re a more

of four online surveys in the U.S. and the United with data that measured the interest, or “reach,” niche brand with a female target but want a lot of

Kingdom from December through March that asked of each sport to determine an overall ranking. bang for your buck, then women’s soccer looks like

a good buy at a lower cost.”

REVOLUTION’S FAN SPONSOR RANKINGS INDEX On average, fans were more likely to express loy-
U.S. U.K.
alty to sponsors of emerging sports than tradi-

Sponsor Sponsor tional leagues because they recognize how vital
friendliness
Reach friendliness Combined Reach Combined those brands are to
index index index
Rank League index index index Rank League 6.1 8.1 the existence of the “If you’re a more
10 5.9 6.3 newer leagues. For niche brand with
1 NFL 10 5.7 7.8 1 Soccer 6.8 6.3 6.1 example, 47% of a female target
5.9 respondents think ... then women’s
2 MLB 7.4 5.5 6.4 2 Rugby 9.2 5.9 that the NBA would soccer looks like
2.5 6.1 5.8 fail without the
NWSL/ 2.1 10 6.1 3 Formula 5.5 10 5.7 contribution of
3 Women’s 3.2 8.7 5.9 One 1.4
8.8 5.7
soccer 4 Formula 2.5
E 5.8 5.6
4 MMA 5.5 8.3 5.3 sponsors compared a good buy at a
2.3
5 Esports 2.1 9.4 5.8 5 ATP/WTA 6.9 5 to a 63% rate for
3.2 both rugby and
6 NBA 5.4 6.2 5.8 6 Esports 8.5 4.8 lower cost.”
1.1
7 Rugby 1.6 9.6 5.6 NWSL/ women’s soccer.
1.9 9.4 5.6 7 Women’s
English Marshall also sees an upside for all returning
8 Premier soccer
sponsors coming out of the COVID-19 shutdown.
League 8 Cricket
He surmised that fans realize that many sponsors

9 NASCAR 3.2 8 5.6 9 American had to furlough workers, just like the teams did.
10 NHL 4.2 6.8 5.5 football
11 Lacrosse 1.2 9.7 5.4 “Think of the positive vibes a brand could get
12 MLS 2.5 8.1 5.3
PGA sponsoring an MLB club’s entire opening homestand
10 Tour/
or the return of an NBA or NHL team,” he said.
LPGA
In the U.K., similar to the NFL in the U.S., profes-
Getty Images PGA Tour/ 11 Baseball
13 LPGA 3.2 7.4 5.3 sional soccer is the highest-ranking sport because

14 ATP/WTA 2.5 7 4.7 Source: rEvolution of its strong reach, while esports have an extreme-

ly high level of sponsor friendliness.

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 M AY 11-17, 2020 | 1 7

AOFMTARTUTSETR Gutter Credit for all images goes here

Sports organizations are relying on the ‘strong shoulders’
of their leaders, who shared how they are guiding
employees through fear and uncertain times.

BY BILL KING

1 8 | M AY 11-17, 2020 WWW.SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM

SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL

W HEN THE former chairman of the Dempsey describes a tone of unwavering con- SARAH HIRSHLAND
Joint Chiefs of Staff delivers a fidence, supported by truth and candor, delivered
presentation on leadership, he consistently through a mindful increase in com- As CEO of the U.S. Olympic &
often pulls up a photo of a World munication at all levels. Paralympic Committee, Hirshland
has been guiding the organization
War II Marine charging furiously across a stretch “And in the end, the leaders themselves have to through the postponement of
have the strong shoulders,” Dempsey said. “They the Tokyo Games, all while she
of Okinawa known as the “Valley of Death.” really can’t afford to have a bad day, because and her entire organization —
everybody is looking to them to figure out how including the leadership team,
No sane person would cross that aptly named should I be acting right now. It is a really interest- athletes and national governing
ing time to be a leader. Obviously, more pressure. bodies — have been working
terrain, retired U.S. Army Gen. Martin Dempsey But more opportunity, I think.” remotely. She described what that
is like during an interview with
reminds his audience, were it not for the deepest BALANCING OPTIMISM WITH TRUTH staff writer Ben Fischer during
Part 3 of CAA World Congress
trust in those charged with leading them. The WHEN HE was struggling to find the balance between Comes to you on April 22.
his own natural, but conflicting, tendencies toward
photo conveys bravery. But it also acknowledges both optimism and blunt candor, the Atlanta Braves’ How has that work changed under
Derek Schiller turned to a friend, Wake Forest Ath- these circumstances?
fear. letic Director John Currie, who passed along a quote “The first thing is it really forces
from Dwight D. Eisenhower that reflected that com- you to focus on what matters
Fear complicates leadership. This pandemic mitment to a hopeful outlook, at least in the face most. … Knowing what I know
of others. now, knowing what I know today,
creates fear on more fronts than any living leader what matters most? … Right now,
“During these times, regardless of what the in- that is the health and safety of
has seen. formation is, you have to be ultimately optimistic our community. …
and leave whatever pessimism you have when you
“When you distill it all down, what people really put your head on the pillow for only yourself,” “The second is communicate.
said Schiller, Braves president of business opera- We’re doing much more frequent
are experiencing now is fear,” said Dempsey, who tions, paraphrasing Eisenhower. “I think of that scheduled calls. We have calls
quote all the time now.” with the NGB community more
after four years in the administration of Presi- than once a week. We have
One of the better pieces of advice that Mil- calls with the athletes advisory
dent Barack Obama now teaches leadership at waukee Bucks President Peter Feigin has gotten council once a week. We have
came from David Kohler, CEO of the Kohler Co., calls with our donors and our
Duke University and serves as chairman of USA an iconic Wisconsin employer. Kohler reminded board on a regular basis. We have
him that their role as leaders was to continue to a financial stability group that
Basketball. “They’re fearful that they’ll contract inspire in spite of the conditions, remaining opti- we’re working with. So it is a lot
mistic even when the news was at its worst. of communication and listening
the disease. They’re fearful that their loved ones and making sure that you
“I am an optimist, and it was a good reminder really are staying up with your
will contract the disease. Their parents. They’re that I need to show that,” Feigin said. “It can’t all stakeholders and they know and
be doom and gloom. It’s OK to have fears because are feeling transparency from
fearful about the economy. we all have the same fears. But we’ll persevere. you. You’ve got to be nimble and
That real dose of honesty is that we don’t have a adaptable. As you said, the world
“The only one antidote to fear is a sense of lot of the answers. I can’t show you a road map changes on a daily basis. And
because it doesn’t exist. But we’re going to build so we’re adapting and changing
belonging. Nobody wants to go through fear by it together.” with it.

themselves. It’s why we’re so afraid of dying. It’s CONTINUED ON PAGE 20 “And then the last and the
thing that I’ve said to our team,
one of the only activities where you can’t invite it’s the hardest to do, but it’s
critically important is to not be
someone along. So when leaders are looking at afraid to play offense. And to be
thinking not just about reacting
what they have to do in this time, they have to to what’s coming our way, but
being proactive about how we
help people deal with fear.” can help others. Oftentimes, the
greatest gifts come from helping
This may be the most bedeviling aspect of lead- others … that we’re really
being thoughtful about how we
ing during a crisis unlike any in living memory. can help others in this time as
opposed to just hunkering down
Complicated by the restriction of human contact and playing defense and reacting
to what’s coming our way. And I
and multiplied by the uncertain timeline of an think [that’s] where leadership
starts to emerge and where the
easing or an end, it raises all the worries of an collaboration starts to show up
and we really help each other get
economic calamity, but layers on the threat of ill- through this.”

ness or even death. M AY 11-17, 2020 | 1 9

For a business that relies on spectators, there

might not be a worse combination.

Denying that to employees would be foolhardy;

lingering on it demoralizing. So where, exactly, is

the curvy line between the light of yin and dark of

yang? And what is the best way to lead others to it?

Retired U.S. Army Gen.
Martin Dempsey uses the
photo of a U.S. Marine
charging into the “Valley
of Death” in Okinawa as
an example of the trust
in leadership required to
take such an action.

Getty Iamges far left clockwise: Chiefs of Staff (Getty Images) CEO, Boston Red Sox Business Journal)
Rick Welts, President and Jenny Storms, CMO and (Getty Images) Eric Woolworth, President
COO, Golden State Warriors executive vice president of Larry Baer, President and of business operations,
(NBAE/Getty Images) content strategy, NBC Sports CEO, San Francisco Giants Miami Heat (Courtesy of
Hugh Weber, President, Group (NBC Sports Group) (Todd Johnson/San Francisco the Miami Heat)
Harris Blitzer Sports & Cynthia Marshall, CEO, Dallas Business Times) Sarah Hirshland, CEO,
Entertainment (Getty Images) Mavericks (Getty Images) Micky Lawler, President, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic
Martin Dempsey, Chairman, Derek Schiller, President, WTA Tour (Getty Images) Committee (Getty Images)
USA Basketball, and retired business, Atlanta Braves Peter Feigin, President,
U.S. Army general who was (Getty Images) Milwaukee Bucks and Fiserv
chairman of the U.S. Joint Sam Kennedy, President and Forum (Kenny Yoo/Milwaukee

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 LEADERSHIP AMID CRISIS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 A CRISIS WITHOUT PRECEDENT to that of Welts, but without the trepidation. The
Heat was in a timeout with 4:13 remaining in a
It is worth pointing out that when San Francis- ON THE MORNING the day before all sports in North home loss to the Charlotte Hornets on March 11
cans opened windows and took to balconies to join America stopped on March 12, Golden State’s Welts when the league announced it was suspending
a recent livestream singalong with Tony Bennett, was in a 9 a.m. meeting with San Francisco Mayor play. The next day, Woolworth held a staff meet-
Giants President and CEO Larry Baer and Golden London Breed, toggling through the risks and al- ing and closed the office.
State Warriors President and COO Rick Welts both ternatives of playing a game the following night
joined in, captured on video and shared widely. at Chase Center. Before long, it was clear to them “I told everybody, ‘I don’t know how long it’s go-
both that with coronavirus cases mounting and the ing to be before we see each other,’” Woolworth
Baer was reminded of the role that sports tolerance for large gatherings declining, the only said. “In a work stoppage, you’re in the office ev-
played in the healing after the 1989 Bay Area way to play would be to do so without spectators. ery day. Even though there are no players, you’re
earthquake, and again in New York, and across still working with each other. And in the after-
the country, after 9/11. Both were fueled by an Hours later, Welts told players and coaches the math of a hurricane, I think the longest we’ve
outpouring of affection, with fans embracing at unimaginable news about no fans. It was never to been out is maybe two weeks. What are we on now
ballparks, stadiums and arenas. be. By that night, the season had been suspended. — Week 7? Week 8? We knew this was going to be
The Warriors’ offices would close the next day. a marathon and not a sprint and that made it dif-
Unable to play that specific role — at least in ferent from the beginning.”
the near term — Baer has encouraged the Gi- “My starting place is: ‘Oh my God, we’re go-
ants’ staff to focus on other ways the franchise ing to send 500 people home,’” Welts said. “‘We’re That absence of direct parallels to prior experi-
can play that role, be it through digital media or going to be this incredibly disconnected organi- ence has become apparent as the crisis has con-
charitable support. Amid so much uncertainty, zation. There is no way we can possibly be well tinued. Because the leaders interviewed for this
those are things they can control. functioning in this environment.’ story each had at least two decades in the busi-
ness, all had been through what they considered
“You’ve got to realize there are going to be “I could not have been more wrong.” to be at least one major crisis.
people who are scared,” Baer said. “There are go- With a week remaining in April, the Warriors’
ing to be people who are shocked by a dramatic front office had conducted more than 3,500 video Most had been through a labor stoppage or two.
change in what they thought was going to be their meetings, ranging from 300-person town halls to Milwaukee’s Feigin was a manager at Madison
day-to-day routine. There will be people forecast- one-on-one check-ins. NBA Commissioner Adam Square Garden during 9/11. Boston Red Sox CEO
ing forward about what this means to my career Silver attended one of the all-staff sessions. Welts Sam Kennedy was chief operating officer during
and my family’s future. And you have to be there said he has committed to connect with all employ- the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013. Baer wasn’t
to hear people and to empathize with them, even ees each day, crafting a daily email that includes with the Giants when an earthquake killed 63 and
if you don’t have all the answers. not only business updates, but advice from a injured thousands in the Bay Area during the 1989
range of people in his universe, from the director World Series, but he was at the game as an assis-
“Leadership in many ways is less talking and of the San Francisco airport to the executive who tant to then CBS Chairman Laurence Tisch.
more listening in times like this.” oversees sports betting at the NBA.
On a typical Tuesday recently, Welts was on Initially, most thought back to those as self-sup-
Because they had not yet begun their seasons wall-to-wall video calls from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with portive reminders that they’d led through a crisis.
and traditionally play 162 games, MLB clubs face only a half-hour break, beginning with a meet-
the most variables and the greatest time sensitivity. ing with owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber and “We all look toward precedent and how things
working his way through from there. It’s typical were handled in the past,” Kennedy said. “What
“The hardest part about leadership for all of us of the new work style of presidents across sports. were strategies that you used to get through
right now is the uncertainty,” the Braves’ Schiller “All of our standing meetings are taking place,” things or to tackle a business issue or a baseball
said. “In our particular case, are we going to play Welts said. “They’re all happening on time. No- ops issue or a personnel matter? All the rules
games this year? Will we have fans if we do play body is late. And I’d actually say the decorum of have sort of gone out the window.”
games? If we open the gates, will fans feel com- the people taking part has improved in this for-
fortable returning? Will I have a job tomorrow? mat. Maybe it’s because we crave the interaction Woolworth pointed to the scope of the current
Will my job be the same? When will we return to with other people. It’s working at least as well if crisis as a delineating factor.
some degree of normalcy? not better than the way we used to do it.”
In Miami, Eric Woolworth, Heat president of “When you’ve got a work stoppage, it’s just you
“A lot of the questions that everybody is facing business operations, has lived a timeline similar that’s suffering,” said Woolworth, who has been
all day long, we don’t have the answers to. One through two of them at the helm of the Heat’s busi-
of the most powerful ways to lead is to be able to ness side. “You can lean on your partners. You can
acknowledge that we don’t know everything. And lean on the folks you do business with, because
that’s OK right now.” they’re not going through it and they’re always
there to help. In a hurricane, it’s a regional situa-
MARKETCAST SPORTS POLL tion. The rest of the country is trying to help you.

The following are results from the MarketCast Sports Poll taken in April. The poll includes more than 2,000 “This is different because everybody is going
senior-level sports industry professionals spanning pro and college sports, brands and agencies. through it.”

What are the most effective ways in which the sports industry Amid the pandemic, which of the Like Welts, Woolworth ends each day with an
(teams, leagues, sponsors, athletes) can step up to alleviate following leagues has displayed the email to staff. His sometimes includes drink reci-
the impact from the pandemic? (Select all that apply) most effective leadership across all pes and Netflix recommendations. A couple of
of its constituents (athletes, fans, weeks ago he included lyrics from the Grateful
Continue to pay the salaries Offer venues to use as makeshift partners, media)? Dead song “Touch of Grey,” emphasizing the re-
of their full-time and part-time hospitals or other public use frain “We will get by, we will survive.”
employees NBA 62%
52% While the Heat seems to be navigating business
79% MLB 8% effectively, Woolworth said he pines for the con-
Helping procure medical tact of the office, a sentiment that was unanimous
Continue to produce content supplies for professionals in NASCAR 6% among those interviewed.
and engage fans to provide their respective markets
an escape or distraction from NFL 4% “I’m an ADD crazy person,” Feigin said. “I’m a
reality 42% walker and a talker. I’m a big handshake person.
NHL 4% I love to serpentine the office and talk and catch
68% Provide financial assistance up and run the business. So it has been a complete
to local businesses MLS 1% 180 in how to adjust.”
Helping procure food and
household essentials to those 28% Not sure / No response “I want to get back in an office environment,”
in need in their respective Welts said. “I love walking around. I love talking
markets None of these 15% to people. I love having spontaneous conversa-
1% tions. But — this works.”
61% Source: MarketCast in conjunction with
Not sure / No response Sports Business Journal. MarketCast provides
1% research and analytics to fuel fandom for
brands and properties in sports media and
entertainment. Visit www.marketcast.com.

2 0 | M AY 11-17, 2020 WWW.SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM

SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL

PREPARATION IS KEY Sports played a big MICKY LAWLER
role in the recovery and
IN THE TWO BOOKS he has written since retiring from healing from previous As president of the WTA Tour
the military, Dempsey tried to reflect on experi- crises, including the since 2014, Lawler has helped drive
ences of his own — from West Point to the West terrorist attacks of the tour’s international growth
Wing, as he puts in the one released this year — that Sept. 11, 2001. strategy, including establishing a
would translate to others. tournament in Wuhan, China, which
“I think what is more important than what you was the epicenter for the coronavirus
“What makes for effective leadership is hard to are doing now is what you have been doing for the outbreak. She shared her takeaway
distill it into one word,” Dempsey said, “but if you last ‘X’ number of years,” said Woolworth, who is in on leadership during Part 3 of CAA
were to distill it to one word — it has to be trust.” his 19th season in his role. “If you’ve been leading World Congress Comes to You:
your organization, making sure you’ve got the right
Trust of leaders. And by leaders. structure in place, the right processes in place, the Is there any lesson you’ve taken
When the Heat scattered, Woolworth took sol- right people in place, then you’re probably doing from this experience so far?
ace in the infrastructure that they had built, pretty well in this crisis. To me it was more about “No. 1, that leadership and ego, they
investing in leadership training not only for what happened before than what happened now. do not do well together. Personally,
C-level executives, but for every manager with I’ve always thought that, but you
responsibility for others. Instituted as a way “If you’re prepared for it and you trust your can see it from leadership of
to get younger talent to stay even when there people and your people trust you, you’re prob- countries to leadership at every
wasn’t a clear path of advancement, Woolworth ably coming through OK. If you weren’t in a good level. You just have to admit that
said he’s now seeing dividends with department place with your organization or you weren’t in we’re humble people and you need
heads cut loose to manage on their own. a good place in terms of what leadership is all to lead with confidence, and the way
about, than you’re probably floundering a little you do that is just work very, very
bit and maybe making panicky decisions. hard. Prepare yourself and prepare
to adapt and to respond to different
“The organizations that are probably doing best situations. You need to be ready
through this, it’s not because there is any magic to accept absolutely anything and
pill that you can take to lead through a crisis.” just work with it and work with the
goodness of people.”

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 M AY 11-17, 2020 | 2 1

IN-DEPTH LEADERSHIP AMID CRISIS

Crises carry huge
community impact

WHEN LEADERS across sports talk about navigating these past

two months, they readily concede that nothing they’ve been

through compares to it. But Hugh Weber weathered something

BY BILL that offers striking similarities.

As president of the NBA’s New Orleans Hor-

KING nets during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Weber led
the franchise through a period of such utter dev-

astation it necessitated the temporary relocation

of the team for two seasons. It was days before Weber heard

from some of his employees, and there were nights when some

weren’t sure where they’d lay their heads.

Now president of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment,

owners of the New Jersey Devils and the Philadelphia 76ers,

Weber sees parallels to what he once thought was the most ex-

treme crisis through which he’d live.

“On first glance, you’d say this is a worldwide pandemic, and

that was a flood. How could they be the same?” Weber said.

“Well, whatever community you are in, right now we’re home-

bound. Our jobs and lives have changed dramatically. But we’re Weber said HBSE leaders are encouraging staff to focus on The damage from
how the franchises will have to emerge into a “new normal” in Hurricane Katrina in New
thinking of it through the lens of our community. And in that which spectators are easing back uncertainly through the gates. Orleans forced thou-
sands from their homes
way it’s very similar.” “We have to think about how the world has changed,” he and exacted a huge eco-
said, “and how we’re running toward it and adapting to it.” nomic toll on residents.
The breadth with which Katrina upended lives was over-
 Give employees a sense of greater purpose. “There’s a why For more on Hugh Weber’s
whelming, making large swaths of the city unlivable for and a reason for everything we do,” Weber said. “The mean- experiences after Hurricane
ing we have in our society and what we mean to the greater
months and unleashing an economic toll that lingered for inspiration and feelings of our community is an incredible op- Katrina listen the his
portunity but also a great obligation. So how are we using our podcast with Bill King at
years. While paralysis came suddenly, return and recovery content teams to think about where the collective psyche of sportsbusinessjournal.com.
our community will be?
played out uncertainly.
“Using our platforms for this greater good is a big part of
“People in that community at that time kept saying ‘I just leading a team through something like this.”

want things to go back to normal. I just want to have the same  Admit mistakes and adjust accordingly. “Everything we
do as an organization is about adaptability and being agile. So
old boring life I had before and I don’t have it,’” Weber said. sometimes we have to come clean as leaders. We are making
decisions based on what we know at the time. We start off with
“That’s something we hear now with the coronavirus and pan- the premise that we’re going to take some risk and do some-
thing that may not work out the way we want. So how are we
demic. I think part of why sports are so important is that they going to adapt and be agile?”

bring the sense of normality to people’s lives.”

With Katrina as a frame of reference, Weber pointed to three

approaches to embrace during chaotic times:

 Survive and advance. “In any chaotic period … oftentimes

our mind goes to just getting through this and surviving,” he

said. “In fact, leaders have to take a position that you’re run-

ning toward an opportunity. You have to create a vision of

where you’re going and why you’re going there.”

JENNY STORMS CYNTHIA MARSHALL Gety Images

In February 2019, Storms was promoted to chief marketing officer and The Dallas Mavericks CEO talked with SBJ Publisher and Executive
executive vice president of content strategy for NBC Sports Group, with Editor Abe Madkour during Part 2 of CAA World Congress Comes to
oversight of more than 100 employees. In a live interview with staff You about how sports business organizations can be supportive during
writer John Ourand for Part 3 of CAA World Congress Comes to You, the pandemic.
she shared how she manages staff when everyone is working remotely:
If you had to impart a message to [the sports industry], either a
How do you manage effectively that many people? message of hope or of inspiration, or just day to day, grinding it out,
“I’ve made a … personal commitment with myself that I’m trying to what would it be?
reach out to every single member of the team in some way, shape or “This is one of those times where it’s not about us. It’s not about you,
form during this time. … Just chat with them, talk to them, how are they it’s not about me. It’s about all those people out there who are trying
doing, are there any questions, is there anything I can help them with? to literally battle their way through this. Our health-care workers
and first responders, let’s love them. Let’s support them. We hung
“I think what’s incredible right now is that leadership definitely is a big banner on our buildings this week [in April], including the
tested in a time of crisis for sure, the sports world is the best at this. We American Airlines Center, just saying thank you to our health care
come together, we wrap our arms around each other and our people. And workers and first responders. Let’s be there for them. Let’s be there
leadership is definitely about the business, but right now leadership is for our local businesses. Let’s be there for the people who are really
about people. Leadership is about humans and ensuring that we’re taking struggling through this.”
care of people, and especially what their needs are at this time.”

2 2 | M AY 11-17, 2020 WWW.SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM

SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL

OPINION

Doubleheaders are a win-win for
MLB’s schedule strategy

Single-admission twin-bills, along with expanded rosters and smart Striding and landing on his artificial limb,
Shepard struck out George “Catfish” Metkovich
marketing, could be just the ticket for this unusual 2020 season to end the rally, earning a standing ovation from
the 13,000 fans. Amazingly, Shepard pitched the
T HOSE OF US of a certain age can still remem- baseball history, “You Gotta Have Heart,” I wrote rest of the game and gave up just one run in what
ber when single-admission doubleheaders about how the Washington Senators took the double- turned out to be his only big league appearance.
were a mainstay of the baseball calendar. header concept to extreme lengths 75 years ago. In The Senators went on to play nine more double-
Growing up in Queens, N.Y., I went to many “twi- 1945, they played 44 doubleheaders, including an in- headers that August, helping them cram 39 games
into a single month of baseball.
night” doubleheaders at old Shea Stadium, which sane stretch of five consecutive home twin-billers in
I’m not suggesting anything that drastic this year,
would often start at 5:10 p.m. in a nearly empty August. The Senators swept the first three, which but adding just one doubleheader a week would
ballpark, with Mets fans gradually fill- were mercifully played at night in the allow teams to play around 34 games a month, and
still schedule in an occasional off day.
ing in the seats as the sky turned from BY FREDERIC J. dog days of a D.C. summer. But the
blue to twilight to black. FROMMER fourth doubleheader took place in the Commissioner Rob Manfred has said that when
afternoon, and after winning the first the 2020 season finally gets underway, the “goal
In recent years, these types of dou- would be to get to as many regular-season games
as possible and think creatively about how we can
bleheaders have gone the way of a game against the Boston Red Sox — accomplish that goal.” Adding single-admission
doubleheaders certainly would do that.
game of pepper at the ballpark, in large Washington’s seventh straight — the
part as teams drew more fans and didn’t see the pitching staff finally wilted in the second contest. A few years ago, Manfred suggested the sport
might be open to a return to single admission twin-
need to entice them with two-for-one specials. But Down 14-2 in the fourth inning with no fresh arms bills, telling ESPN Radio in 2016 there are some
“real advantages to traditional doubleheaders …
with MLB looking to maximize the number of games in the bullpen, manager Ossie Bluege was so desper-
when the season finally gets underway this year, ate that he brought in a one-legged player-coach, Fans see them as a great
value.”
now is the time to bring back these double features. Bert Shepard, from the bullpen, to make his major
And there’s a certain ro-
Baseball has considered starting the season in league debut. The previous year, Shepard, a World mance associated with
late June or early July with no fans in attendance, War II fighter pilot, had had his right leg amputated them, from Ernie Banks’
famous line, “It’s a beauti-
and doubleheaders would help beef up the early under his knee after being shot down in Germany. ful day for a ballgame. Let’s
play two!” to Banner Day
part of the schedule. And then when fans are al- at Shea Stadium, where a
lowed back, hopefully later in the summer if it’s procession of fans would
display signs between
deemed safe to do so, the extra doubleheaders would games of a doubleheader.

serve a dual purpose by also encouraging people They’ve also made for
to come to the ballpark. historic moments, such as
Ted Williams refusing to
If the season resumes July 1 and baseball were protect his .400 average by
sitting out the final day of
to add one doubleheader a week for every ballclub, the 1941 season, instead
that would increase each team’s schedule by about going 6-for-8 in a season-
ending doubleheader to
13 games over the last three months of the season. finish with a .406 batting
average — baseball’s last
A bolder approach of two doubleheaders a week .400 hitter.
would yield an extra 26 games.
After waiting months
To offset the burden this would place on players, for baseball to return,
nine innings won’t be
major league rosters should be expanded from 26 enough for fans to get
to at least 31 players, which would provide 150 their fix. When it comes
to baseball, there’s never
extra high-paying jobs to those who would oth- too much of a good thing.

erwise be toiling away at low wages in the minor Frederic J. Frommer is
leagues.
author of “You Gotta Have
Not only would this make up for lost games, it
Heart: Washington
would also help the sport address one of its biggest
problems — an aging fan base — by attracting more Baseball from Walter

young families to the ballpark, assuming fans are Johnson to the 2019 World

allowed to attend games this season. With attendance Series Champion Nation-
trending down in recent years and older fans than
als,” and head of sports PR
in other sports, baseball should revive the tradition
at the Dewey Square
this year and make it a mainstay in future seasons,
which will be attractive to cost-sensitive families, Group in Washington, D.C.

especially in an economic downturn caused by the

coronavirus.
Nowadays, doubleheaders are almost always day-

night affairs, with a different ticket required for

each game, and they’re usually scheduled to make
up for rainouts. But for much of the 20th century,

teams had many single-admission doubleheaders

as a way to attract fans to the ballpark. That peaked

during World War II, when

Getty Images more than 40% of games took Hall of Famer
place during doubleheaders, Ernie Banks is
according to a Hardball Times famously aligned
piece by Chris Jaffe. with the cul-
ture of baseball
In my book on Washington doubleheaders.

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 M AY 11-17, 2020 | 2 3

OPINION

What will it take
for the next slate
of commissioners
to thrive?

I N SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL’S 2019 ranking of the 50 most
influential people in sports business, commissioners reigned
supreme, with the leaders of MLB, the NBA, NFL and NHL
all ranked in the top seven spots. (MLS Commissioner Don Gar-

ber came in at No. 18). The results aren’t all that surprising given

that, to varying degrees, the commissioners have each stew-

arded their respective leagues to become the economic power-

houses they are today.

Within a few years (between 2022 and 2024), however, all of the

five major league commissioners’ contracts will be up, and one

may speculate that one or two of them will retire. With that in

mind, let’s consider: What is the role of the

BY CAROLYNE commissioner and how might it change with
SAVINI the next generation of leaders?

The most critical role of a commissioner is

aligning team owners toward a common goal.

Next, a commissioner has three responsibili-

ties: chief negotiator and revenue generator, serve as the face

of the league, and dispute resolution. Those responsibilities

won’t change and will always be required of a commissioner.

What will change (and already has) is the way fans experience

and interact with the leagues and teams. This change will add

to the future commissioners’ role and focus. the media landscape is going and how to League (full disclosure: My firm led the search).

We can draw a parallel with the appointments of NBA Com- maximize media rights deals in advance of Baird is a marketing-focused executive with

missioner Adam Silver in 2014 and MLB Commissioner Robert the evolution. The candidate must be futur- a strong revenue background who held execu-

Manfred in 2015. Their respective predecessors — David Stern istic and an innovator. Someone who will tive positions in consumer marketing at IBM

(NBA commissioner from 1984 to 2014) and Bud Selig (MLB com- drive the league out of the comfort of con- and General Motors before moving to the NFL,

missioner from 1992 to 2014) — ruled during periods when there sistency and encourage a culture of creativ- where she was senior vice president of market-

were massive changes in the business of sports. They each had ity to challenge the status quo. ing and consumer products. She also served

to adapt to the growth of talk radio and television as CMO at New York Public

coverage and the advent of the internet, mobile, social Radio and the U.S. Olympic &
Paralympic Committee. Over her
The candidate … must drive themedia and digital platforms. Likewise, Silver and
Manfred had to adapt to cable-cutters and the arrival league out of the comfort of career, Baird cultivated an array
of OTT streaming services. consistency and encourage a of experiences that prepared her
culture of creativity to challenge to lead a burgeoning league.
Once again, the landscape is changing. Thanks to
the explosion of OTT distribution streams, fans now Granted, the NWSL and the
have a plethora of viewing options, including Amazon, NFL are on two different planes

YouTubeTV, Hulu, ESPN+, Facebook, Twitter and and have different needs given
their life cycles, but their end
the status quo.DAZN. As OTT continues to dominate and consumer
needs evolve, the focus of the commissioner must goal is the same: Increase fran-

evolve, too. I believe the next commissioner of every chise value for the owners.

Media rights deals will dominate major sports league should not only bring If the greatest jump in franchise value
experience from a league office, but more comes from media rights deals, the major

Ask any team owner what is most important to them (aside importantly, from outside a sports property. league offices need a commissioner who is

from winning championships) and franchise valuation will be The changing expectations and desires of futuristic and an innovator, who understands

in their top 10 responses. Therefore, a key measure of success fans, along with the constantly evolving how technology and content distributors will

of a commissioner is franchise valuations rising on his or her media landscape, mean that the next gen- continue to evolve, and how consumers will

watch. How does this happen in today’s sports landscape? Media eration of commissioners must bring pro- interact with live sports entertainment.

rights deals. fessional backgrounds from beyond the

When it comes time to replace the commissioners, the leagues leagues and/or law firms from which they Carolyne Savini is a partner and head of

will have two options in hiring: promote from within the league came. Without an outside perspective, own- North America at Nolan Partners. She has

or take a chance on an outsider. It’s worth noting that all five of ers risk maintaining a status quo that di- worked with some of the industry’s top

the current commissioners were promoted from “within” a major minishes fan bases, erodes media values, executives for organizations across the NFL,

league — I’m including Gary Bettman (who went from the NBA and, ultimately, causes franchise values to NBA, MLB, NHL, national governing bodies,

to the NHL) and Don Garber (who went from the NFL to MLS). plummet. motorsports, live event properties, college

So what kind of candidate will ensure the success for each Consider the recent hire of Lisa Baird as athletics, and vendors to the sports and

league beyond 2020? The answer is one who understands where commissioner of the National Women’s Soccer entertainment industry.

2 4 | M AY 11-17, 2020 WWW.SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM

SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL

CAREERS

On the Move The Sun Belt Conference named NANCY
YASHAROFF senior associate commissioner and
Changing places and chief communications and branding officer.
positions around the industry
Hockey
Baseball CLINKSCALE KULL JOHNSON
The Los Angeles Kings hired AUNISHA
The Class A Carolina League The University of California-Irvine LEFFRIDGE as a human resources assistant.
Fredericksburg Nationals hired ANDREW named ERICA MONTEABARO senior associate
HAINES as vice president of sales. Haines athletic director, student services, and senior Other
was vice president of business development woman administrator. Monteabaro was
and general manager of the Major Arena senior associate commissioner and senior Heritage Werks named JESSE RYBACK chief
Soccer League’s Orlando SeaWolves. woman administrator with the Big West revenue officer for its sports and
Conference. entertainment division.
Basketball
Fordham University promoted EDWARD Awards & Boards
The Portland Trail Blazers and the Rose KULL to athletic director after DAVID ROACH
Quarter hired ASHLEY CLINKSCALE as announced his retirement, effective July 1. The Fiesta Bowl named Fiesta Bowl Yellow
senior vice president of corporate Jacket Committee members BRIAN BEDNAR
communications. Clinkscale was director of Kansas State University promoted DAREN and DAVID DORWARD to its board of directors.
corporate communications with the KOUDELE to senior associate athletic
Oklahoma City Thunder. director, compliance. Gator Bowl Sports named JOHN DUCE as
chairman. Duce is senior vice president of
Colleges San Jose State University hired ROB middle market banking at Wells Fargo.
CLARK as deputy athletic director of
Austin Peay hired TIM KNAVEL as assistant development. Clark was executive senior The Orange Bowl Committee elected DR.
athletic director and chief financial officer. associate athletic director at Long Beach YVONNE TURNER JOHNSON as second vice
Knavel was assistant AD and chief finance State University. chair. Johnson is the chief medical officer of
and administrative officer at Ohio University. South Miami Hospital.

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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 M AY 11-17, 2020 | 2 5

CLOSING SHOT

Don Shula initially
resisted the idea of
putting his name
on a restaurant. But
after doing so, sales
rose significantly
and more restau-
rants opened across
several states.

Don Shula’s Lasting Legacy

The legendary coach led the Miami Dolphins to two Super Bowl titles in five appearances, including an
undefeated ‘72 season, even building a brand resonating in the hypercompetitive restaurant industry.

BY BEN FISCHER

DON SHULA didn’t invent coaching mously suggested early on that the were installed. By 1997, six more locations had
football, and he didn’t invent the con- menu be printed on a football. The business responded immedi- opened, including three under new
cept of a sportsman putting his name concepts aimed at different markets,
on a restaurant. He just did both bet- His biggest contribution was his ately. including Shula’s 347 Grill, a nod to
ter than almost anyone. name. Decades of winning, old-school “I resisted for quite a while,” Shula his win total.
stoicism with just a hint of wry
Shula died last week at age 90. He said in a 2012 interview with the South That year, his son David, the former
was eulogized as the winningest coach coach of the Cincinnati Bengals,
in NFL history and a beloved leader Shula’s namesake restaurants early on had began helping to run the chain. Mas-
of football players for nearly 40 years. menus printed on footballs and highlighted the sive growth followed, with more con-
But his signature off-the-field contri- coach’s career with pictures of players from the cepts and franchises popping up in
bution defied the odds to reach an many states over the next 15 years.
uncommon level of success, too. undefeated, 1972 Dolphins team.
Locations started to close late last
In a cutthroat industry littered with humor, and virtually zero reputation Florida Sun-Sentinel. “We tried it, and decade, and today there are 21. In early AP Images
failed athlete-fronted eateries, Don risk — a scandal never came close to the sales jumped immediately about 2019, Shula’s wife, Mary Anne, stepped
Shula’s Steak Houses Inc., later the Shula in his six decades of public life four times what it was. I said ‘This is down as CEO and four new senior
Shula’s Restaurant Group, grew and — made that invaluable. not a bad deal.’” executives were hired to engineer a
diversified into a national chain that brand refresh. The football menus
had 36 locations at its peak. It started in 1989, when two years The concept never strayed far from went away, and the white tablecloth
of lobbying by the Graham family Shula’s football legacy. The original scene changed in an attempt to keep
As a licensor and equity owner in convinced Shula to license his name steakhouse was adorned with black- up with the trendy dining industry.
some locations, Shula mostly left op- to their Legends restaurant in Miami and-white pictures of the ’72 perfect
erations to experts. But he appeared Gardens. Photos and memorabilia season, and chairs had brass name- But the Shula name still remains.
at openings well into the 2010s, advised reminding diners about Shula’s great- plates of the 53 players and seven Just as in football, that appears to be
on locations and menu items, and fa- ness and happy times for the Dolphins coaches on that team. timeless.

2 6 | M AY 11-17, 2020 WWW.SPORTSBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM

18 - 21 MAY 2020

A WEEK OF CONNECTION
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