Closing Bell

The NHL has hired Sean Eggert as its new SEVP & CMO and Julie Yufe as EVP & Managing Director of International amid a major reorganization of its business staff. The restructuring, which was communicated to league staff Wednesday and clubs Friday afternoon, reduces the number of direct reports to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly from 14 to eight, consolidating revenue-generating functions under President of NHL Business Keith Wachtel and operational functions under COO Steve McArdle.

Direct reports to Bettman and Daly under the new structure include:

• Colin Campbell – SEVP, Dir of Hockey Operations
• Kim Davis – SEVP/Social Impact, Growth Initiatives & Legislative Affairs
• Joseph DeSousa – CFO
• Steve Mayer – President of Content & Events
• Steve McArdle – COO
• Keith Wachtel – President of NHL Business
• Jon Weinstein – SEVP, Chief Communications Officer
• David Zimmerman – Chief Legal Officer

Direct reports to Wachtel include:

• Sean Eggert – SEVP, CMO (new hire)
• Heidi Browning – SEVP, Chief Digital Officer
• Brian Jennings - SEVP, Chief Partnerships & Club Strategy Officer
• Kyle McMann – SVP, Global Business Development
• Julie Yufe – EVP, Managing Director, International (new hire)

Direct reports to McArdle include:

• Peter DelGiacco – SEVP, CTO
• Debbie Jordan – EVP, Administration & Human Resources
• Jared Maples – SEVP, Chief Security Officer
• David Proper – SEVP, Chief Media Officer

Read More >>>

Marlins owner Bruce Sherman is selling 15% of the team “to 2 unidentified families with residences in South Florida.” The deal, which was first reported by Sportico, brings the team’s group of owners to 15, though “nothing changes with regard to Sherman running the team” and he will remain the control person. It will help “pay off a portion of debt payment.” It also gives the team more money available “with portent of salary cap and floor in 2027.” The sale values the Marlins at $1.55B; Sherman bought the team in 2017 for $1.2B. However, Marlins execs “privately view team’s worth as higher because that number was based on purchasing a minority interest without decision-making power” (X, 5/29).

The IIHF “reversed its decision” to ban Russian national and club teams from 2026-27 competitions and will “now review the country’s eligibility on an event-by-event basis.” The move comes a day after the IIHF “reinstated Belarus” into three 2026-27 tournaments (REUTERS, 5/29). While the move does not automatically grant Russian teams status into the IIHF’s tournament schedule, it “does significantly open the door unless the Council can provide evidence to the contrary” (THE ATHLETIC, 5/29).

The Big 12 is creating a new centralized Replay Operations Center in Irving, Texas, that will support live audio feeds during replay reviews on Big 12 football broadcasts. The change makes the conference the second to allow for replay audio to be part of TV presentations, following the ACC’s adoption of the practice last year. The ROC will be in Williams Tower, which also is the Big 12 Conference’s headquarters. The facility will be a conference-controlled replay environment aimed to boost consistency, speed and accuracy of video review (Big 12).

The move to carry replay review conversation during select football games was “approved” by conference presidents on Friday. The Big 12 previously showed live video during the replay review process a few weeks into the 2025 football season, but the setup “couldn’t provide the audio” (THE ATHLETIC, 5/29).

The Pentagon is “moving to recruit hundreds of troops to appear as spectators” next month for the White House UFC fight, according to sources cited by the WASHINGTON POST. The sources noted that troops who attend will be required to “pay their own way and meet height and weight requirements.” The Defense Department in recent days has “solicited troops across the services” to attend the June 14 event. Messages note that officials are “seeking junior enlisted personnel and junior officers specifically” and made “clear travel will be ‘member-procured’” (WASHINGTON POST, 5/29).

President Trump purchased between $15,001 and $50,000 of stock of TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of UFC, on March 25 (HUFFINGTON POST, 5/29).

The Sun will “return to Hartford” for a WNBA game for the first time in 23 years with the goal of helping fans, and the state of Connecticut, “appreciate what it has” until the team’s planned relocation to Houston in 2027. Saturday’s clash with the Sparks marks the first of two games that will be played at PeoplesBank Arena this summer, the second being against the Wings and former UConn players Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd on July 2. This year’s Hartford games have “been in the works for just under a year,” even before news of the team’s relocation became official (CT INSIDER, 5/29). There is a “large festival planned for the day in downtown Hartford,” with live entertainment, local merchants, a Coca-Cola Fan Zone Truck, a Sun activation “celebrating the team’s legacy and fan connections” and more (HARTFORD COURANT, 5/27).

TNT Sports’ coverage of Day 1 and 2 of the French Open on Sunday and Monday was up 37% compared to last year’s Day 1 and 2 average audience. On HBO Max, total hours watched of the first two days were up 51% compared to 2025 and minutes watched per user. Female audience made up a majority of TNT audience on the first two days at 54% female viewership (TNT).