Closing Bell

The NFL and the NFL Referees Association on Friday reached an agreement on a seven-year CBA that will run through the 2032 season. The deal was approved by the NFLRA BOD and was ratified with a vote of NFLRA membership. The deal covers a wide range of issues such as economics, performance and accountability (NFL). The agreement includes “increased access to officials in the offseason, development of a ‘bench’ of officials and a new formal training program” (X, 5/8). NFL.com cited a source as saying officials “voted 116-4 to approve the deal” -- an “overwhelming majority backing a joint plan to invest more in officiating” (X, 5/8).

The prior CBA was set to expire on May 31, and the NFL had been "laying the groundwork" to use replacement officials -- from both the recruitment process and rule modifications for the upcoming season which would have allowed for more involvement from the league office to preside over games remotely. But another lockout of the officials “was evidently a road neither side wanted to go down again after the largely disastrous performance of replacement officials in 2012” (USA TODAY, 5/8).

Leagues Cup will continue to be held in late summer when MLS adopts its new summer-to-spring calendar in 2027, according to tournament Exec Dir Tom Mayo. The decision means the annual competition involving teams from MLS and Liga MX will fall shortly after the start of the MLS season rather than in the middle of it.

“We’re going to stay in the same window in ’27,” Mayo said. “For most clubs, it’ll be the fourth or fifth game in their calendar. We’re starting to build a strong foothold in August, and that sort of consistency breeds support.”

MLS next year will change its calendar to roughly align with top European leagues and FIFA’s international calendar for the first time in its history. The league will begin its first season following the switch in mid-to-late July 2027 and conclude with MLS Cup in May 2028. It will also take a winter break from mid-December through early February.

The fourth annual Leagues Cup is scheduled to take place this year from Aug. 4 to Sept. 6, shortly after MLS returns from its seven-week break for the FIFA World Cup and holds its All-Star Game in Charlotte on July 29. After its first two editions included all MLS clubs and prompted a monthlong pause in the regular season, the tournament was restructured in 2025 to run in parallel with league play and feature 18 MLS clubs alongside all 18 Liga MX teams.

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FIFA is “planning to hold opening ceremonies at each of the first games of the World Cup featuring host nations this summer, as well as special ceremonies to mark America’s 250th anniversary at games” on July 4, according to sources cited by THE ATHLETIC. Sources noted FIFA has “lined up a catalog of artists to perform ahead of kick-off at the opening games.” The opening match of the tournament will feature Mexico at Azteca Stadium on June 11, which will feature performances from bands Mana and Los Angeles Azules, as well as singers Alejandro Fernandez, Belinda and Tyla. Canadian singers Michael Buble, Alanis Morissette and Alessia Cara are “signed up and expected to star at Canada’s first group stage match” on June 12 in Toronto, while singer Katy Perry “is lined up as the headliner” for the USMNT’s opener at SoFi Stadium that same day. FIFA will also “pay tribute” to the 250th anniversary of the U.S. on July 4. Two Round of 16 games -- one in Philadelphia and one in Houston -- “each will have a 250th-themed tribute ahead of the game.” But “it remains to be seen how, exactly, FIFA will tell the story of America’s history” (THE ATHLETIC, 5/8).

The largest renovation in Delta Center’s 35-year history will resume this offseason with continued emphasis on reshaping its seating bowl to accommodate basketball and hockey, the addition of gondolas high over the court and ice, and the completion of an appended parking structure.

Last offseason’s initial phase of the project -- which will cost in the high nine figures and includes a $525M public contribution -- focused on lengthening the seating bowl and making it more flexible for two sports, after Smith Entertainment Group launched its NHL expansion team, the Mammoth, during the summer of 2024. SCI Architects designed the renovations, Okland Construction is the builder, and CAA Icon is shepherding the project.

This summer, the seating bowl’s north end will be reshaped with terrace-style ledges that, in part, enable clearer views of both sports. Suspended gondolas, similar to ones found at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena and Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena, will be added along both Delta Center sidelines, providing a premium hospitality space and a bird’s eye view for up to 200 fans. The gondolas will host fans during hockey matches, and the media, broadcast teams and executives during basketball games.

The 450-parking structure on the southwest corner of the arena will also be completed heading into the 2026-27 NBA and NHL seasons, providing VIP parking for mostly premium ticketholders with direct access to the arena. And, lastly, a refresh of the suite level will begin, with completion expected before the 2027-28 seasons. By that time, the Delta Center’s seating bowl will have been completely restructured, including the extension of the south end seating bowl structure into one contiguous structure stretching into the upper deck for a more intimidating fan energy-focused section, as well as the replacement of every seat.

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Fan engagement technology firm The Famous Group announced it has “joined forces” under “unified ownership” with Minnesota-based production studio Elite Edge Productions. In an interview with SBJ, Famous Group co-founder & CEO Jon Slusser described the deal as a “phased transaction” that starts with a minority investment by Famous Group into Elite Edge and will eventually see Famous Group take majority ownership of the company. The intent, however, is for both companies to continue operating under their distinct brands.

“We love Elite Edge for what it is,” Slusser said. “I don’t want to mess with it. I just want to collaborate.”

Founded in 2007, Elite Edge specializes in fabrication (i.e., designing and building custom infrastructure for events), live-action video capture and post-production editing for clients in sports and live events. Ryan Semanko, Elite Edge’s owner and president, said the company works with nearly one-third of MLB clubs and a quarter of NFL teams, among others.

Famous Group, meanwhile, is best known for its software applications -- most notably its Vixi Suite of fan engagement tools, which are used in more than 500 venues worldwide and facilitate in-game activations like selfie photo/video streaming on in-venue videoboards. The use of its “mixed reality” graphics production system by the Ravens is a nominee for the “Best Technology Collaboration” category at this months 2026 SBA: Tech Awards.

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The 76ers are donating 500 tickets for each remaining home game against the Knicks in the second round of the playoffs to community groups. Friday, the 76ers organization will host 250 frontline medical personnel from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine and 250 local educators selected by Learn Fresh, Breakthrough of Greater Philadelphia, the School District of Philadelphia and Camden City School District. On Sunday, which is Mother’s Day, the team will host 500 moms and children selected by Uplift Center for Grieving Children, Boys and Girls Club of Philadelphia, La Liga del Barrio and Apologues (76ers).

The move is the club’s “latest attempt to keep more of their own fans in the building and avoid a New York takeover.” The Sixers’ previous strategy to ward off Knicks fans in the series was to try through Ticketmaster to geographically restrict sales to fans in the greater Philadelphia area (AP, 5/8).

Nike and the WNBA are debuting a set of WNBA Nike Rebel Edition uniforms designed in collaboration with the league’s 15 teams. The latest uniforms complement existing WNBA Nike Heroine Edition (white) and Explorer Edition (team color) uniforms (Nike). The uniforms are “essentially the W’s version of City Edition jerseys in the NBA.” Each uniform represents the “history of the city in which the team plays” (SOLE RETRIEVER, 5/8).

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California-based luxury watch retailer Fourtané Jewelers has signed the dominant NTT IndyCar Series champion Alex Palou to a new endorsement deal, looking to capitalize on the rising popularity that’s come with his vise grip around the circuit’s annual championship. After winning four of the last five driver championships heading into 2026, he’s once again in first place by 17 points as the month of May gets started with this weekend’s Sonsio Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

The deal is for multiple years and seven figures in total. Palou, who drives for Chip Ganassi Racing, will make appearances on behalf of Fourtané, which also has an endorsement deal with PGA Tour player Keith Mitchell. The appearances will help celebrate the company’s 75th anniversary year and include one during the season finale weekend in September at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, near one of the company’s stores.

Watch companies have a long history in racing, and Ganassi has a watch maker sponsor in Omologato. To kick off the deal, Fourtané has given the Spanish driver an engraved Rolex “Panda” Daytona and an engraved Tudor Black Bay 54. Palou is co represented by former IndyCar driver Roger Yasukawa and attorney Jonathan Hadaya.

Athletes Unlimited co-founder & CEO Jon Patricof is bullish on the AU Softball League ahead of its second season, with Opening Day set for June 9. This year, the league for the first time will feature six teams (Utah, Chicago, Carolina, Portland, Oklahoma City and Texas) playing home games in their respective markets.

“It’s been a whirlwind,” Patricof told SBJ Friday at AUSL Media Day from MLB headquarters in N.Y. “It’s been an awesome experience. (Commissioner) Kim (Ng) has been a huge part of this and an incredible leader. And I think really what we always come back to at AU is the partnership with the players.”

The AUSL will be featured on CBS Sports Network (20 exclusive games) and MLB Network (11 live games) in addition to ESPN platforms carrying more than 50 games, including ESPN Deportes for the first time in 2026, “a great step for us,” Patricof said.

Patricof added that ticket sales are off to a great start, with the Portland market, “coming out incredibly strong.” The three-game championship series in College Station, Texas, July 25-27 is nearly sold out.

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