Closing Bell

Qatar's sovereign wealth fund the Qatari Investment Authority is "close to buying a stake in Monumental Sports and Entertainment," according to sources. A source said that it is a "small stake" being bought. The deal valued Monumental at roughly $4B. This would be the first time there is a direct investment into a team in either the NBA or NHL by a "wealth fund representing the government of another country." The deal "must still be approved by the NBA’s Board of Governors" (THE ATHLETIC, 6/22).

Diamond Sports filed in bankruptcy court a request to "reject the current television contract it has" with the D-backs to air its games on Bally Sports Arizona. The motion will "go to a June 29 hearing and is requested to be effective June 30." Diamond's next rights fee payment is "due July 1." If approved, the D-backs would either "need to renegotiate a deal to remain on Bally Sports Arizona," or game broadcasts "could be taken over" by MLB, which has already taken broadcast control over Padres games. The current D-backs deal "continues through 2035" (ARIZONASPORTS.com, 6/22).

Renault SA is "in talks with RedBird Capital Partners over a possible investment in its Alpine Formula 1 team." RedBird is "considering buying a minority stake" in the U.K. operations of Alpine, and the companies "could announce a deal as soon as June 26." However, sources said that an agreement "isn’t yet signed" and there is "no certainty the talks will lead to a deal." RedBird could "potentially co-invest with other partners" in the deal (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 6/22). SBJ reported last week that RedBird's Gerry Cardinale was one of the major luminaries at F1's race in Miamiin May.  

With the 2023 NBA Draft set for 8pm ET, a number of brands have continued to activate with players in the lead-up to the event -- starting with presenting sponsor State Farm. As part of the State Farm Assist Tracker Program, NBA Draft prospects Jarace Walker, Cam Whitmore and Jett Howard helped unveil a renovated elementary school STEM classroom in Harlem. Fellow draft prospects Bilal Coulibaly and Victor Wembanyama, as well as former WNBAer Taj McWilliams Franklin and a number of State Farm execs, were also in attendance.

Other activations around the 2023 NBA Draft include: 

• Scoot Henderson has teamed up with AT&T to tell his "My First Connection" story of how he credits his sister Moochie for inspiring him on the court growing up.

• Kia will develop an "Inside a Kia" social content series that will be shared on NBA social channels featuring twins Amen and Ausar Thompson.

• During the Draft, Starry will capture custom content with their correspondent Kayce Kirihara, who will interview draftees including the Thompsons, Jordan Hawkins, Keyonte George and Taylor Hendricks.

• Tissot is partnering with the Thompsons, who will wear Tissot watches on Draft night and create exclusive pre-Draft content -- including a partnership with Hypebeast. Also during the Draft, an NBA draftee will participate in "TISSOT :24", a rapid-fire trivia game where the draftee will answer a series of questions with 24 seconds on the clock (NBA).

Meanwhile, beginning at at 8pm House of Highlights' NBA podcast -- Through The Wire -- is hosting a 2023 NBA Draft Show. Recording live from the Through The Wire podcast studio in Chicago, the TTW team will react to all 30 picks in the first round (House of Highlights).

The Pac-12 named USOPC CFO Morane Kerek to the same position, with her being responsible for driving the overall strategic financial vision for the conference. Kerek will report directly to Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoffand start her new role on August 9. Her role will include establishing the internal infrastructure to connect financial performance to the Pac-12's overall strategic plan. At the USOPC, Kerek is credited with helping to ensure the long-term financial stability of the organization, and she played a key role in negotiations with LA28 to determine the commercial revenue joint venture financial structure and collaboration of fundraising rights through 2028. She was an  SBJ Game Changers honoree in 2017 (Pac-12).

UFC has landed a couple new sponsor deals with challenger brands, bringing in Slate Milk and Kudo Snacks as official partners. Slate, which sells high-protein chocolate milks and lattes, will get branding in the UFC Octagon during select PPVs and Fight Nights plus all episodes of “Dana White’s Contender Series” this summer and all episodes of “The Ultimate Fighter” Season No. 32 next year. It also will get ad integration during certain UFC broadcasts and on the Endeavor-owned fighting property’s digital and social channels. UFC President Dana White in a statement said that he was introduced to Slate from a friend of his, “started using the product, fell in love with it, and now they are an official UFC partner.” Slate, whose products don’t require refrigeration, launched in 2019 and says that it has raised more than $20M in funding. That has helped it grow to having its products sold in more than 12,000 retail locations across the U.S.

Kudo Snacks is partnering with both UFC and Power Slap League. Kudo, which sells kettle-popped protein popcorn, has started getting branding in the UFC Octagon in recent weeks, and it will also have a presence at UFC fan experience events and UFC social’s media platforms. UFC SVP/Global Partnerships Grant Norris-Jones helped set up the deal.

Pocono Raceway has sent its jet dryer to assist the crew working to reopen a damaged section of I-95 in Philadelphia by helping "dry the highway and keep plans on schedule." The jet dryer consists of a "Chevy Silverado with a helicopter turbine retrofitted into the truck bed." After a Pennsylvania State Police "escort down to the construction site" this morning, the jet dryer started the work of "keeping the newly laid asphalt dry so construction crews can paint the lines on top of it." With this help, contractors should be able to "work on the roadway through the rain, preparing for traffic to flow on I-95 this weekend as hoped" (BILLYPENN.com, 6/22).

TicketManager has been named the Official Corporate Ticket Management Partner of the Braves -- the third MLB team brought on as an official partner (TWITTER, 6/22).

Lexus has become the Official Automotive Partner and Platinum Partner of the ATP Tour in a multiyear deal beginning this year (Lexus). 

Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium will undergo long-awaited upgrades to its facilities beginning July 10, meaning the Palm Beach Cardinals and Jupiter Hammerheads of the Florida State League will be temporarily moved to The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches (Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium).

Peanuts is teaming up with FOCO for a new collection of limited-edition bobbleheads featuring Charlie Brown dressed in all 30 MLB team's signature colors and logos, complete with a baseball bat and team hat (FOCO). 

“People are realizing there’s a lot of talent and a lot of different places and to just look at one place is kind of ignorant” -- Overtime Elite City Reapers G/F Ausar Thompson, on projections that more than half of the top ten picks in tonight’s NBA Draft will come from non-NCAA pathways ( “Today,” NBC, 6/22).

“This is an important hurdle for Microsoft to get through to be able to acquire Activision, but not the only one” -- CNBC’s David Faber , on Microsoft and Activision execs testifying in an FTC hearing over Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision ( “Squawk on the Street,” CNBC, 6/22 ).

Ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, USWNT coach Vlatko Andonovski called up U.S. soccer stars to let them know they made the World Cup squad in "The Call presented by AT&T."

5.7 million  -- The number of engaged followers across Fox Sports NFL sideline reporter Erin Andrews' social media platforms -- Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube (TWITTER, 6/22).