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When Michael Jordan and his right-hand man, Curtis Polk, bought a NASCAR team in 2020 with the driver Denny Hamlin, they were prepared to endure short-term losses. The Next Generation cars that were introduced in 2022 would cost top teams about $18 million a year to run before paying a driver, and their team, 23xi, had two. But they believed they’d make that money back over time because NASCAR had a lot of room to grow. Sponsorships, the lifeblood of every race team, were still in demand, especially for a team owned by a basketball legend like Jordan. The main reason, they said, is NASCAR’s reluctance to share more of its growing revenue with 23xi and the 15 other racing teams in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Persons: Michael Jordan, Curtis Polk, Denny Hamlin, Jordan Organizations: NASCAR, Fox, NBC, Amazon, Warner Bros .
N.F.L. Draft Is Like Super Bowl for City of Detroit
  + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Ken Belson | ) www.nytimes.com   time to read: +1 min
took its college draft on the road a decade ago, its first stops were Chicago, Philadelphia and Dallas, three of the league’s biggest markets. Unlike the N.F.L.’s marquee event, the Super Bowl, the draft does not require extensive public subsidies, hotels and security. in recent years to award the draft to Cleveland, Kansas City, Mo., and other cities that have never, and may never, host a Super Bowl. Detroit hosted the Super Bowl in 2006, as a reward to the Lions for moving into a new stadium. They also hope the three days of exposure on television showcases the city to fans who might not otherwise visit.
Organizations: Detroit, Lions Locations: Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, Manhattan, Cleveland , Kansas City, Mo, Detroit
Protests at Columbia University have attracted national headlines, prompted congressional hearings and led to the arrest of more than 100 students. This week, the New England Patriots owner, Robert K. Kraft, one of the school’s most famous and wealthiest graduates, stepped into the fray. Mr. Kraft, who graduated from Columbia in 1963 and has donated millions of dollars to the university, said he would stop giving money to the school until it took action to curtail the hate speech that had been directed at some students and staff members. “I am no longer confident that Columbia can protect its students and staff, and I am not comfortable supporting the university until corrective action is taken,” Mr. Kraft said in a statement on Monday. Protests have roiled the campus in Upper Manhattan this month, with students arrested after refusing to leave a pro-Palestinian encampment and crowds of protesters outside the school gates at times harassing Jewish students or shouting antisemitic comments.
Persons: Robert K, Kraft, , ” Mr Organizations: Columbia University, New England Patriots, Columbia Locations: Columbia, Upper Manhattan
Aaron Rodgers, perhaps the most gifted N.F.L. quarterback of his generation, spent a week last month in Costa Rica with a handful of fellow pro football players in search of transformation. First, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the independent candidate for president, said that he was considering making Mr. Rodgers his running mate, a partnership that did not ultimately materialize. The next day, CNN reported that Mr. Rodgers had suggested in 2013 that the massacre of 20 children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., was a hoax or an inside government job. Mr. Rodgers responded on social media, saying that he had “never been of the opinion that the events did not take place.”
Persons: Aaron Rodgers, N.F.L, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Rodgers, Organizations: CNN, Sandy Hook Elementary Locations: Costa Rica, Newtown, Conn
On a recent Wednesday afternoon, Dan Perkin and Scott Bissmeyer, work buddies on vacation, sat on metal bleachers watching the Portland Timbers play the San Jose Earthquakes in the first of four preseason Major League Soccer games that day. Self-described “M.L.S. road trippers,” they have visited numerous M.L.S. stadiums, and have watched teams in Tucson, Ariz., where as many as 11 clubs came together for preseason training in the past. teams — along with two from the United Soccer League and four from the National Women’s Soccer League — gathered at a 1,000-acre property outside Palm Springs, Calif., for preseason training, Mr. Perkin and Mr. Bissmeyer decided to check it out.
Persons: Dan Perkin, Scott Bissmeyer, Perkin, Bissmeyer Organizations: Portland Timbers, San Jose Earthquakes, Major League Soccer, United Soccer League, National Women’s Soccer League — Locations: , Tucson, Ariz, Palm Springs, Calif
Every Super Bowl Sunday, thousands of gamblers head to the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino, the largest of its kind in northern Nevada, to bet on the big game and party with fellow football fans. High rollers dine on all-you-can-eat buffets and the champagne flows in V.I.P. Some of the fans considered traveling to Las Vegas, where the Super Bowl was played for the first time this year. But they did not want to battle the crowds only to pay daunting prices for hotels and meals. Reno may lack the buzz of Las Vegas, they said, but the self-proclaimed Biggest Little City in the World had the benefit of being affordable and convenient, roughly a four-hour drive from the Bay Area.
Persons: William Hill Sportsbook Organizations: Sunday, Grand Sierra, Bowl, San Francisco 49ers, Little City Locations: Nevada, V.I.P, California, Las Vegas, Reno, Vegas, Bay
The history of Las Vegas has been marked by a relentless churn of hotels, casinos, theaters and restaurants. The Golden Knights of the National Hockey League were the first to start play here in 2017. The Aces of the Women’s National Basketball Association started in 2018, and the National Football League’s Raiders arrived from Oakland in 2020. Last year, Major League Baseball’s Athletics were given the go-ahead to make the same Oakland-to-Las Vegas move, and the National Basketball Association is expected to add a team in the coming years. Las Vegas’s transformation into a pro sports town reflects not just the leagues’ interest in the city and their general embrace of sports betting, but also the power of the region’s primary economic driver, tourism.
Organizations: Golden Knights, National Hockey League, Aces, National Basketball Association, National Football League’s Raiders, Major League Baseball’s Athletics, Allegiant, Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers Locations: Vegas, Oakland, United States
It was just after 4 p.m. on a recent weekday, and Oscar Goodman, the mob lawyer turned Las Vegas mayor turned civic cheerleader, was sipping perhaps his first Hizzoner of the day. The drink — made with Bombay Sapphire gin, more Bombay Sapphire gin and a slice of jalapeño pepper, served in a large martini glass — is not just Mr. Goodman’s favorite social lubricant. It’s a homage to a faded version of Las Vegas that he has spent decades celebrating and trying to keep alive. Mr. Goodman, 84, has no trouble dishing out bare-knuckle opinions about everything from graffiti and gambling to prostitution and the homeless situation. Mr. Goodman is more than merely an “only in Vegas” relic, however.
Persons: Oscar Goodman, , Goodman, Meyer Lansky, Tony Spilotro, . Goodman Organizations: Las Vegas Locations: Las, Bombay, Vegas, Las Vegas, Sin City
Hobby shops, though, remain the core of the card world, and shopkeepers are adjusting to Fanatics in different ways. Lately, he said, Panini, not Fanatics, has issued more cards that have been a hit with his customers. “Panini could have rolled over when Fanatics came in, but they care about the stores, the public,” he said. In the interim, Fanatics has issued cards with Mr. Wembanyama in street clothes, while Panini has issued unsigned Wembanyama cards. Mr. Calvanico added that Fanatics hadn’t provided enough information about its upcoming releases, which makes it hard for him to gauge customer demand.
Persons: Mike Calvanico, Panini, , , haven’t, Victor Wembanyama, Calvanico, hadn’t, We’re Organizations: Panini, Topps, San Antonio Spurs Locations: Lyndhurst , N.J
Cesar Ramirez, an assistant general manager at Harry’s, said the restaurant had record sales during the Lions’ first playoff win against the Rams. “We’ve definitely seen a huge uptick in our business,” he said, adding that the restaurant earned a little over $60,000 the day of the team’s first playoff win, up nearly $40,000 for a typical day’s earnings from the same period a year ago.
Persons: Cesar Ramirez, “ We’ve, Organizations: Lions, Rams Locations: Harry’s
The Baltimore Sun, the largest newspaper in Maryland, has been sold to David D. Smith, the executive chairman of the nationwide Sinclair network of television stations and other media. Mr. Smith, who grew up in Baltimore, bought Baltimore Sun Media, which includes The Sun, in a private deal from Alden Global Capital, an investment firm that has become the country’s second-largest newspaper operator. It was unclear how much Mr. Smith paid for Baltimore Sun Media. Triffon G. Alatzas, the publisher and editor in chief of The Sun, said in an email to the newsroom on Monday that Mr. Smith had bought The Sun “to support his hometown newspaper.” Mr. Alatzas said Mr. Smith would meet the staff at The Sun on Tuesday. In an interview with the paper, Mr. Smith said, “We have an absolute responsibility to serve the public interest,” adding, “I think the paper can be hugely profitable and successful and serve a greater public interest over time.”
Persons: David D, Smith, Triffon, Mr, Alatzas, , Organizations: Baltimore Sun, Sinclair, Baltimore Sun Media, Alden Global Capital, Sun Media, The Capital Gazette, The Locations: Maryland, Baltimore, Annapolis, Md
For years, professional sports organizations like the National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball prohibited liquor companies from buying advertising in locations in stadiums and arenas that could be seen on television, in deference to efforts to curb drunken driving. Suddenly, they began signing multimillion-dollar deals with companies that made rum, tequila, vodka and other hard liquor, and the advertising was displayed for all to see. It was a sign of how justifications can change seemingly overnight, especially when money is involved. (The purchase still needs to be approved by the league’s board of governors before becoming official.) “The Adelson and Dumont families are honored to have the opportunity to be stewards of this great franchise,” they said in a statement.
Persons: Miriam Adelson, “ The Adelson, Dumont, Organizations: National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, Sands Corporation, Dallas Mavericks
Marcel Schwarzkopf, who runs sports sponsorships for DKB, an online bank that is the presenting sponsor of the N.F.L. games in Germany, said the N.F.L. DKB is also a partner of Football Bromance, which has helped turn Esume, Edebali, Werner and other former football players into celebrities that younger fans recognize. The league is sponsoring flag football leagues, which has helped boost participation in tackle football. There are more than 350 football clubs in Germany with about 50,000 players, up from 30,000 in 2006, according to Fuad Merdanovic, the president of the American Football Association of Germany.
Persons: Marcel Schwarzkopf, , DKB, Edebali, Werner, Fuad Merdanovic, ” Edebali Organizations: , Soccer, Football, American Football Association of Germany Locations: Germany
Days after Mat Ishbia reached a deal in December to buy majority stakes in the N.B.A.’s Phoenix Suns and the Phoenix Mercury of the W.N.B.A., he met with top executives to learn more about the teams’ business operations, including how local fans were able to watch their games on TV. The executives detailed three possibilities going forward, including sticking with Diamond Sports Group, which owned the regional sports network that for more than a decade had held the rights to show the teams’ games. It might cost the teams money in the short term, but the bet was that it would help them reach more fans, including those who dropped their cable subscriptions or, like many younger fans, never had one. “What was interesting was the amount of people that were reaching out to me on social media about how they couldn’t watch the Suns games,” Mr. Ishbia said in an interview, adding: “It’s their team. To not be able to watch your game wasn’t an option that we were interested in.”
Persons: Mat Ishbia, Ishbia, ” Mr, It’s, Organizations: Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury, Diamond Sports Group, Diamond Sports, Suns, Mercury
Mr. Goodell will be 68 when his current contract runs out. Mr. Goodell is the most powerful executive in American sports, and the N.F.L. Mr. Goodell will be older when his new deals ends than two predecessors were when they retired. “We’ll see what the future holds,” Mr. Goodell said about his plans after this current extension. “It’s a healthy discussion to have,” Mr. Goodell said in July.
Persons: Roger Goodell, Goodell, Art Rooney II, Goodell’s, , , Daniel Snyder, Josh Harris, Jerry Jones, Jones, Brian Rolapp, Kevin Warren, Pete Rozelle, Paul Tagliabue, ” Mr, I’m, Jim Irsay, Mr, It’s, I’ve Organizations: Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Carolina Panthers, Washington, Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears ’, Minnesota Vikings, Indianapolis Colts Locations: New York, Egan, Minn, Minneapolis
In his first six years in the league, Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes has pulled off a career’s worth of surprises, trick plays and comebacks. So with 2 minutes 37 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and his Chiefs trailing by just a point at home against the Detroit Lions, Mahomes seemed poised to mount yet another game-winning drive. But on Thursday night, Mahomes was playing under unusual circumstances. Three more incompletions and a penalty forced the Chiefs to hand over the ball on downs, allowing the Lions to hold on for a 21-20 upset victory in the N.F.L.’s season-opening game. “There were some good things on offense, but we have to be more consistent,” Chiefs Coach Andy Reid said.
Persons: Patrick Mahomes, Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Eric Bieniemy, Matt Nagy, Kadarius Toney, Skyy Moore, Andy Reid, Organizations: Kansas City, Chiefs, Detroit Lions, Lions,
Executives at the Hall, the league and the networks looked at ways to speed up the ceremony. None of the options were used, though, because they might embarrass the speakers, said Rich Desrosiers, a spokesman for the Hall. One solution was to enlist Jezra Kaye, a professional writing coach, in 2021 to work with inductees on improving — and shortening — their speeches. Kaye, a former jazz singer and romance novel writer living in Brooklyn, said it doesn’t matter that she knows next to nothing about football. “Anyone who doesn’t use a speech coach in this situation is an idiot,” he said.
Persons: Rich Desrosiers, Jezra Kaye, Kaye, ” Kaye, , ” Joe Thomas, Ken Riley, , Thomas, Organizations: Cleveland Browns, of Fame Locations: Brooklyn
Daniel Snyder was fined $60 million, by far the largest penalty ever levied against an N.F.L. team owner, after he was found to have sexually harassed a woman who was both a former cheerleader and a marketing employee for the Washington Commanders. According to the report, her account was supported by evidence and contemporaneous witnesses. The findings were reported by Mary Jo White, a former federal prosecutor and chairwoman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, who spent 17 months looking into allegations of widespread sexual harassment against executives at the team, including Snyder, as well as claims of financial improprieties. released White’s report immediately after the 31 other clubs unanimously approved the sale of the Commanders to an investment group led by Josh Harris for $6.05 billion, a record for an American pro sports team.
Persons: Daniel Snyder, Tiffani Johnston, Snyder, Mary Jo White, Josh Harris Organizations: Washington, Securities and Exchange Commission
When Jeffrey Vlk played running back in high school in the 1990s and then safety in college, he took and delivered countless tackles during full-contact football practices. So, starting in 2019, Vlk eliminated full-contact practices. Players wore shoulder pads once a week, on Wednesday, which he called contact day. That’s when they hit tackle bags and crash pads, and wrapped up teammates but did not throw them to the ground. Vlk said no starting player had been injured at his practices in four years.
Persons: Jeffrey Vlk, Vlk Organizations: Buffalo Grove High School Locations: Chicago
The Vegas Golden Knights, born out of trepidation, tragedy and ultimately triumph, won their first Stanley Cup in just their sixth season, beating the Florida Panthers, 9-3, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Tuesday. The Knights, the top seed in the Western Conference, used a high-speed, sharp-elbowed attack to overwhelm the Panthers, the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, in five games. The Knights were making their second appearance in the finals, the same as the Panthers. (The Oilers played seven seasons in the World Hockey Association before joining the N.H.L.) “This team has been unbelievable since the beginning.”
Persons: , Jonathan Marchessault, Organizations: Vegas Golden Knights, Stanley, Florida Panthers, Mobile, Knights, Western Conference, Panthers, Eastern Conference, Edmonton Oilers, Oilers, World Hockey Association, Vegas ’ Locations: Las Vegas, Vegas
His rushing records — most notably his 12,312 yards on the ground — were eventually broken by Payton, Barry Sanders, Emmitt Smith and others. His 104.3 rushing yards per game average still stands as a league record. awards, and owning the N.F.L.’s career rushing record. “There isn’t a man who played running back in the NFL who didn’t see Jim Brown as an iconic legend on and off the field,” Tony Dorsett, one of 10 running backs to surpass Brown’s total rushing yards, wrote on Twitter. As exceptional as he was on the field, Brown was far from a perfect human being.
The attorneys general of New York and California opened a joint investigation into allegations of workplace discrimination and pay inequities at the N.F.L. offices in both states in response to a report in The New York Times in February 2022 on the treatment of women who work for the league. employees who described a stifling and demoralizing corporate culture that drove some women to quit in frustration and which left many feeling brushed aside. “No matter how powerful or influential, no institution is above the law, and we will ensure the N.F.L. Bonta added: “We have serious concerns about the N.F.L.’s role in creating an extremely hostile and detrimental work environment.”
PinnedQuarterbacks, top-10 trades and a bull market for running backs headlined the first round of this year’s N.F.L. The Carolina Panthers chose Alabama quarterback Bryce Young at No. After the Texans picked Stroud, they struck again, leaping from pick No. One unexpected development was the move toward running backs, a position that has been devalued in the N.F.L. But teams picked other quarterbacks or filled other needs, this year’s reminder that pre-draft speculation is just that.
draft is a pinnacle for many players, most of whom have dreamed for years of hearing their names called by Commissioner Roger Goodell in front of millions of TV viewers. But in 2020, as players celebrated reaching the professional ranks, the broadcast zoomed in on their personal tragedies. Viewers learned, for example, that the sister of receiver Jerry Jeudy, whom the Denver Broncos selected 15th overall, had died while he was in high school. The package introducing Michael Pittman Jr., a receiver taken 34th by the Indianapolis Colts, revealed his stutter. Trevon Diggs, a cornerback picked 51st by the Dallas Cowboys, was noted to have lost his father to heart failure in 2008.
rushed to embrace a lucrative line of business it had denounced for decades as bad for the sport. The league on Friday handed down some of the strictest penalties it has ever issued, banning three players for at least the 2023 season for betting on N.F.L. games and suspending two others for six games for other violations of the league’s betting policy. The scale of the latest scandal and the terse verdict from the league rekindles questions about the precarious line the N.F.L. This week’s investigation ended with two more Lions players, receivers Stanley Berryhill and Jameson Williams, suspended for six games for lesser gambling violations that did not include betting on N.F.L.
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