- SBJ technology writer Joe Lemire examines how leagues and governing bodies decide whether and how much to deploy automated officiating. There’s a newfound emphasis in sports on using tech not to review decisions, but to automate binary calls: ball or strike, in or out, offside or not. Learn how various sports and leagues stand with the technology and what their plans are for the future.
- Changes in the College Football Playoff format have created a trickle-down impact on the bowl system, affecting sponsorship deals and conference affiliation agreements. SBJ college writer Ben Portnoy details how bowl organizations are diversifying their operations by bringing more and varied events to their markets to weather the seismic changes.
- Live Nation’s billion-dollar plan to build 18 music venues involves numerous projects within sports venue-anchored, mixed-use developments in cities such as Atlanta, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Raleigh and Salt Lake City. SBJ facilities writer Bret McCormick looks at these projects, including 5,000-seat MGM Music Hall next to Fenway Park in Boston, and how they will fill a capacity gap in those markets.
- Basketball writer Tom Friend’s profile of Lara Beth Seager, the business manager for Lakers G Luka Dončić, chronicles the unique role she plays -- part brand officer, part big sister, part shoulder to lean on -- and how she helped him navigate his tumultuous departure from Dallas. Dončić and past clients Mike Modano and Dirk Nowitzki are like family to Seager, who has no shortage of siblings.
- SC Holdings, founded by Jason Stein and Daniel Haimovic in 2018, has investments in nearly 20 companies across sports. SBJ finance writer Chris Smith describes how they are focused on backing what Stein calls “format innovations,” or the reimagining of existing sectors and business models.
This Week’s SBJ: Tech-aided officiating
