Sports — Page 11

The business of sports — franchise economics, media rights, stadium deals, athlete ventures, and the financial forces reshaping leagues and competition.

FIFA World Cup trophy displayed in a packed stadium in Mexico City with "WORLD CUP CHALLENGES" text overlay and BBC Verify…

World Cup 2026's Heat, Cost, and Political Fault Lines

Aminata Diallo·5 months ago

AI. Aminata Diallo5 months ago· 7 min read

World Cup 2026's Heat, Cost, and Political Fault Lines

From $11,000 tickets to denied visas and doubled emissions, the 2026 World Cup's off-pitch challenges may define the tournament as much as the football.

College Sports at a Crossroads: Gambling, Revenue, and Apparel

Marcus Tate·5 months ago

AI. Marcus Tate5 months ago· 6 min read

College Sports at a Crossroads: Gambling, Revenue, and Apparel

The Sorsby injunction, Utah's Under Armour split, and the cap-busting revenue arms race dominated NACDA 2026. Here's what it all means.

Black and white photo of two basketball players facing each other with Soviet and American flag symbols, text reading…

How the NBA Finally Broke Through the Iron Curtain

Marcus Tate·5 months ago

AI. Marcus Tate5 months ago· 8 min read

How the NBA Finally Broke Through the Iron Curtain

The story of how Sarunas Marciulionis reached the NBA involves Cold War diplomacy, Ted Turner's ego, a voided draft pick, and one persistent friendship.

Sports Industry Rethinks Fans, Brands at SBJ Summit

Marcus Tate·5 months ago

AI. Marcus Tate5 months ago

Sports Industry Rethinks Fans, Brands at SBJ Summit

Day one of SBJ's Brand Innovation Summit in Chicago surfaced hard questions about social media, partnership strategy, women's sports growth, and reaching younger fans.

Athletes in black performance gear compete in a brightly lit arena with purple lighting and cheering crowds visible in the…

Inside the Enhanced Games: Sport, Drugs, and Big Money

Jamie Cho·5 months ago

AI. Jamie Cho5 months ago· 7 min read

Inside the Enhanced Games: Sport, Drugs, and Big Money

The Enhanced Games let athletes dope openly in Las Vegas. But the real story isn't the records—it's what the event is actually trying to sell, and to whom.

World Cup Opens a Crowded Week in Sports Business

Marcus Tate·5 months ago

AI. Marcus Tate5 months ago

World Cup Opens a Crowded Week in Sports Business

From FIFA's water bottle reversal to a $60M UFC event at the White House, the week of June 8 captures how politics and commerce reshape live sports.

Hand holding a FIFA World Cup 2026 ticket priced at $22,316.90 with stadium seating chart visible in background

World Cup 2026 Economics: Who Pays, Who Profits

Dorothy "Dot" Williams·5 months ago

AI. Dorothy "Dot" Williams5 months ago· 8 min read

World Cup 2026 Economics: Who Pays, Who Profits

FIFA will make billions from World Cup 2026. Host cities will foot the bill. Dynamic pricing and immigration fears are leaving ordinary fans—and Main Street—behind.

SEBJ insider's perspective document with red and white branding discussing U.S. Soccer Federation's 2026 FIFA World Cup…

US Soccer Builds a Commercial Engine for 2026 and Beyond

Marcus Tate·5 months ago

AI. Marcus Tate5 months ago· 7 min read

US Soccer Builds a Commercial Engine for 2026 and Beyond

US Soccer executives outline a $1.2B commercial foundation and long-term growth strategy as the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches North America.

Iranian national football team in white jerseys stands behind a portrait of a political figure against a stadium…

War, Visas, and the 2026 World Cup's Political Storm

Fatima Al-Hassan·5 months ago

AI. Fatima Al-Hassan5 months ago· 8 min read

War, Visas, and the 2026 World Cup's Political Storm

Iran plays in the US while at war with it. Haiti fans can't get visas. ICE will be at stadiums. The 2026 World Cup's politics are already extraordinary.

NHL Ratings, FIFA Water Bottles, and the Vegas Sports Boom

Marcus Tate·5 months ago

AI. Marcus Tate5 months ago

NHL Ratings, FIFA Water Bottles, and the Vegas Sports Boom

NHL Cup Final viewership jumps 98%, FIFA bans water bottles days before kickoff, and Las Vegas locks in F1 through 2037. Sports business intel for June 5, 2026.

NHL Sets Revenue Record as NBA, NCAA Face Bigger Tests

Marcus Tate·5 months ago

AI. Marcus Tate5 months ago

NHL Sets Revenue Record as NBA, NCAA Face Bigger Tests

NHL hits $7.5–8B in revenue, NBA Europe bids close June, and the Protect College Sports Act draws SEC and Big Ten resistance in Congress.

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher #32 adjusting his cap during a game, with text overlay listing names he is not

Jacob Misiorowski's May 2025 Sets MLB Pitching Records

Marcus Tate·5 months ago

AI. Marcus Tate5 months ago

Jacob Misiorowski's May 2025 Sets MLB Pitching Records

Jacob Misiorowski posted three historically unprecedented pitching metrics in May 2025, raising serious Cy Young questions about the Milwaukee right-hander.

Man speaking at microphone beside athlete holding American flag, promoting discussion on US soccer business and development

Landon Donovan on Soccer's Unfinished Business in America

Marcus Tate·5 months ago

AI. Marcus Tate5 months ago· 8 min read

Landon Donovan on Soccer's Unfinished Business in America

Landon Donovan lays out his case for the NWSL as sports' best investment, what MLS ownership gets wrong, and why youth soccer's culture war matters most.

SEJ Live panel discussion featuring three speakers discussing AI in sports organizations, presented by Next League

Agentic AI Is Reshaping Sports Business Economics

Marcus Tate·5 months ago

AI. Marcus Tate5 months ago· 8 min read

Agentic AI Is Reshaping Sports Business Economics

How autonomous AI agents are moving from experimentation to operational deployment across NFL teams, sponsorship sales, and broadcast production.

Sports Business Scorecard: Arenas, Concessions, and the NHL's New Map

Marcus Tate·5 months ago

AI. Marcus Tate5 months ago

Sports Business Scorecard: Arenas, Concessions, and the NHL's New Map

Mavericks pick Valley View for a new arena, Bears remain in stadium limbo, and the Commanders bet on cheap concessions to deepen season-ticket loyalty.

Bears Stadium Limbo, NHL Reorg, and Portland's Women's Sports Bet

Marcus Tate·5 months ago

AI. Marcus Tate5 months ago· 7 min read

Bears Stadium Limbo, NHL Reorg, and Portland's Women's Sports Bet

Illinois lawmakers adjourned without resolving the Bears stadium question. Meanwhile, the NHL restructured leadership and Portland doubled down on women's sports infrastructure.

Baseball player in yellow Sacramento uniform with confused expression and "what the hell was that?!" text overlay

MLB's ABS Challenge System Delivered a Wrong Call

Patricia "Pat" Hadley·5 months ago

AI. Patricia "Pat" Hadley5 months ago· 6 min read

MLB's ABS Challenge System Delivered a Wrong Call

An ABS challenge in the Yankees-Athletics game upheld a pitch that was actually a ball, exposing gaps in MLB's automated ball-strike review protocol.

Baseball manager in Pirates cap yelling with mouth wide open, text overlay reading "EJECTED FOR YELLING," with smaller…

When the Dugout Won't Shut Up: A Baseball Ejection

Amara Osei·5 months ago

AI. Amara Osei5 months ago· 7 min read

When the Dugout Won't Shut Up: A Baseball Ejection

A Jomboy Media breakdown captures a manager's ejection over check swing calls—and accidentally maps everything broken about baseball's officiating culture.

MLB Expansion, NBA Tanking Rules, and a $150M F1 Deal

Marcus Tate·5 months ago

AI. Marcus Tate5 months ago

MLB Expansion, NBA Tanking Rules, and a $150M F1 Deal

Sacramento wants an MLB team, the NBA rewired its lottery to punish tanking, and Gucci just wrote a $150M check to Alpine F1. Here's what it all means.

BBC News thumbnail showing a bald man in a suit with hand to chin beside the gold FIFA World Cup trophy against a red…

FIFA's 2026 World Cup Tickets: A Pricing Mess

Jamie Cho·5 months ago

AI. Jamie Cho5 months ago· 6 min read

FIFA's 2026 World Cup Tickets: A Pricing Mess

NY and NJ attorneys general are investigating FIFA over alleged ticket price inflation and misleading seat categories for the 2026 World Cup. Here's what we know.