Closing Bell

NFL senior VP/communications Katie Hill, the league’s top day-to-day PR executive for the past five years, will leave her role for a similar position at the N.Y. Times, the Times and the league confirmed.

Hill will become the Times’ senior vice president and global head of communications and external affairs, a newly created role that will oversee all communications efforts for the Times’ news and opinion sections, as well as The Athletic, Games, Cooking, Audio and NYT Co. corporate matters. She will report to Chief Communications and Brand Officer David Rubin.

Hill first came to the NFL in May 2021, after nearly four years as the head of communications for former President Barack Obama. Prior to that, she held a variety of roles in the political world, culminating with a stint as assistant White House press secretary in the finals years of Obama’s term.

Hill reports to Jeff Miller, executive VP/public affairs, policy and player health & safety initiatives.

Read More >>>

The Mavericks have hired Masai Ujiri as team president in charge of basketball operations, rounding out the overhaul of its executive team since the Luka Doncic trade 15 months ago. Ujiri, the former Raptors president and architect of its 2019 championship roster, will have a similar role with the Mavericks -- overseeing the roster, player personnel, scouting and the franchise’s long-term vision. He will also serve as owner Patrick Dumont’s alternate governor and replaces former president of basketball operations Nico Harrison, who was fired nine months following the unpopular Doncic trade to the Lakers.

Ujiri joins a Mavericks’ front office that already includes Ethan Casson, who was hired last July to be the franchise’s president, focusing on the business side. Casson’s role will not be altered. With Casson’s hire, CEO Rick Welts was also freed up to prioritize Dumont’s pursuit of a new Dallas-area arena. And by adding Ujiri, the team now has what industry sources believe is one of the more elite, experienced and versatile C-suites in the NBA.

The move will not affect Ujiri’s philanthropic role with Giants of Africa, the nonprofit organization he founded to bring basketball and peace to the continent’s youth. He will also remain a principal owner of the WNBA’s Toronto Tempo.

“I’m honored to join the Dallas Mavericks and step into this role at such an important time for the organization,” said Ujiri. “This is a franchise with a proud history, passionate fans, and a commitment to winning. I look forward to working with our players, coaches, and leadership team to build something that reflects that standard and competes at the highest level. We will win in Dallas.”

Read More >>>

Fitch Ratings has upgraded the rating for Yankee Stadium’s PILOT and rental bonds this year from BBB+ to A-, suggesting a high credit quality. Fitch added that the Bronx ballpark’s rating outlook remains stable.

Yankee Stadium previously had a BBB+ (good credit quality) rating since at least June 2020.

“The upgrade reflects StadCo’s strengthened financial profile, including Major League Baseball’s solid economics and the New York Yankees’ robust historical franchise strength,” Fitch wrote in its analysis.

“StadCo’s credit profile benefits from the contractual assignment obligation of all ticket and license fee proceeds at Yankee Stadium by the New York Yankees Partnership (NYYP; the team) to StadCo, while NYYP retains responsibility for any refunds or credits. Ticket and license fee assigned proceeds benefit from solid levels of contractually obligated income (COI) through season-ticket and premium-seating contracts but remain vulnerable to fluctuations in attendance levels.”

Read More >>>

LIV Golf has retained Ducera Partners LLC as its investment banking advisor to guide the league in its efforts to secure long-term investment partners and support its transition into a multi-partner investment model. This follows LIV’s recently announced appointment of independent directors Gene Davis and Jon Zinman. The league will continue to work with its BOD, Ducera and others to identify long-term investment partners and evaluate other opportunities (LIV Golf).

LIV also has hired consulting firm AlixPartners to “help draw up a fresh business plan aimed at securing external investment.” Insiders said that AlixPartners’ engagement by LIV was “likely to be interpreted as a move to draw up contingency plans for a winding-down or insolvency process at the end of the year if new investors cannot be identified in the coming months.” A source said that the firm’s involvement was about devising “a well-developed, credible financial plan to potential investors,” while acknowledging that the company’s board would “evaluate all options for LIV” (SKYSPORTS.com, 5/2).

Millions of soccer fans in the world’s two most ​populous nations “may not be able to watch the World Cup” that starts next month, due to a “deadlock over broadcast rights in India and ‌no official decision in China,” according to sources cited by REUTERS. In India, a “Reliance-Disney joint venture has offered” $20M for 2026 World Cup broadcast rights, “a fraction of FIFA’s ask, which was not acceptable to soccer’s global governing body,” according to sources. A source said that Sony “held talks” but also decided “not to make an offer for FIFA rights for India.” There has also been no deal announcement ​for China, which FIFA says “accounted for 49.8% of all hours of viewing on digital and social platforms globally” during the 2022 World Cup. FIFA said in a statement that it has “concluded ​agreements with broadcasters in over 175 territories globally.” The lack of a confirmed broadcast agreement with India or China is “unusual at this stage.” Sources said that for India, “FIFA initially sought” $100M for broadcast rights for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups. One source said that FIFA had “significantly lowered its ​ask” from the $100M earlier but has ​“not been keen on” the $20M figure ⁠Reliance offered (REUTERS, 5/4).

Top tennis players including No. 1s Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka on Monday expressed “their deep disappointment” at the French Open prize money. The players added that “other demands have not been addressed by officials from the four Grand Slam tournaments, including better representation, health and pensions.” French Open organizers increased overall prize money “by about 10%” to $72.1M. However, the players claimed that they will receive a “smaller share of tournament revenues.” The players said, “Players’ share of Roland Garros tournament revenue has declined from 15.5% in 2024 to 14.9% projected in 2026.” They added at this year’s French Open, prize money as a “percentage of revenue will likely still be less than 15%, far short of the 22% that players have requested to bring the Grand Slams into line with the ATP and WTA Combined 1000 events” (AP, 5/4).

Hornets co-Chairs Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin, along with their 18 fellow investors, are “now kicking in” $150M for the team’s new training center, 25% more than previously planned. What was previously a $150M total -- $120M from the Hornets and $30M from the city government -- has “grown” to a $180M budget, with the city still providing $30M as part of a $275M commitment that included $245M worth of renovations at the Spectrum Center. The Hornets on Monday celebrated a topping-out ceremony at the club’s new training center (CHARLOTTE BUSINESS JOURNAL, 5/4).