Closing Bell

The NWSL has officially narrowed its expansion process to three prospective ownership groups seeking to bring teams to Cincinnati, Cleveland and Denver. Commissioner Jessica Berman broke the news during her state of the league press conference in K.C. today, saying the league would have more news to share in the coming weeks. The league's 16th franchise is expected to debut in 2026 alongside a previously rewarded franchise recently named BOS Nation FC.  

In addition to the news about the narrowing of the field, SBJ has identified previously unreported financial backers of the Cleveland and Denver bids. Multiple sources have said IMA Financial Group Chair & CEO Robert Cohen is the lead financial backer of the Denver bid. Rockefeller Foundation Exec VP of Programs Elizabeth Yeeis the majority investor in the Cleveland bid, according to additional sources. 

Here’s everything else SBJ knows about the three remaining bid groups, along with those that have been eliminated from contention: 

Cincinnati: The Cincinnati bid appeared to receive a significant boost last night with the news that WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark has joined as an investor. That bid effort is led by the owners of MLS’ FC Cincinnati and is the most turnkey of the three remaining bids. The NWSL club would have a ready-made home in TQL Stadium, where the MLS team has played since it opened in 2021. 

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The NFL has moved the Week 16 matchup from the Broncos-Chargers from the weekend to Thursday night "in a first-of-its-kind move." The NFL "can't force teams to play two Thursday night" road games, meaning the Broncos "signed off on the move." The Bengals and Browns were originally scheduled to play "Thursday Night Football" that week, but their game "gets moved out of that slot and to Sunday afternoon." It is the first time in NFL history "a Thursday night game has been the subject of flex spending." The Broncos and Chargers are currently sixth and seventh in the AFC wild-card race, while the Bengals are 4-7 and the Browns are 3-8 (DENVER POST, 11/22).

A dozen states are asking the North Carolina Supreme Court to "dismiss the ACC’s lawsuit against Florida State," because the attorneys general of those 12 states said that Florida State "never agreed to be sued outside of Florida." The argument "centers on sovereign immunity," the concept that "generally shields state entities (like public schools) from being sued in other states." The ACC contends Florida State and Clemson "waived that right by joining and remaining in the conference," which is based in North Carolina. If the ACC is correct, its lawsuits against Florida State and Clemson can proceed in the conference’s home courts in North Carolina -- "courts that, so far, have made favorable rulings for the league" (THE ATHLETIC, 11/22).

In April, MLB and Tickets.com opened a new, 17,500-square foot west coast office in El Segundo, Calif. The architecture work was done by Corgan.

MLB acquired online ticket seller Tickets.com nearly two decades ago for $66M. In 2025, they will sell tickets for 22 major-league teams, along with 78 minor-league baseball teams. Additionally, they have non-baseball events, including theater shows, other minor-league sports and Chelsea FC.

MLB continues to upgrade its MLB Ballpark app, trying to create a more seamless stadium experience for fans. Eight teams are also using Go-Ahead Entry, the league’s facial recognition program.

“For us to have that space is a good visualization of what we live everyday, which is our business strategy of creating a great fan experience when they come to the ballpark,” MLB Chief Operations & Strategy Officer Chris Marinak said. “And using that expertise that we have in creating what we think is the best fan experience in sports.”

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Mobile app developer YinzCam has steadily built out its capabilities for its now 200-plus pro sports connections, turning team apps into daily engagement hubs. And now, the company -- one of SBJ’s Power Players: Fan Experience Technology-- is adding a unique physical-world aspect to its digital ecosystem.

YinzCam announced a multi-year innovation partnership with apparel solutions company Avery Dennison last week. The unique goal: creating real-life jersey patches with NFC tags, allowing fans to scan for digital benefits through the app of their favorite team. 

Priya Narasimhan, YinzCam’s CEO, told SBJ that she sees sizeable potential for the scannable, which at a base level would populate a digital replica of the physical badge into a user’s collection on the team app (YinzCam rolled out a digital collection badge function earlier this year). These physical badges can house much more though, such as in-app deals and brand partner discounts.  

"A fan can essentially walk around wearing these patches, or the team can sell these patches or give them away to season ticket members, or a sponsor can come in and sell those,” Narasimhan said. "And essentially, the patch activates a digital experience sitting only inside the team mobile app.” 

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More than 200 people attended SBJ’s New Voices Under 30 celebration last night in N.Y., where the 2024 class honored the “new influencers,” whose fresh voices represent the generation next of sports business.

Cal Athletics has entered a sponsorship agreement with Troutman Amin, LLP. Ahead of tomorrow's game against Stanford Troutman Amin, LLP's logos will be painted on the 25-yard line at both ends of the field, across from the ACC logos. The new logos are expected to be on the field in time (Learfield).

The Southern League “will be back for a game at the nation’s oldest professional ballpark next year,” Rickwood Field. The Southern League teams announced Thursday, the Birmingham Barons and Rocket City Trash Pandas “will square off” on Jun 4 at Rickwood Field. The minor-league game at Rickwood Field in 2025 “again will feature specialty jerseys that salute the Negro Leagues” (AL.com, 11/21).

FIFA has released the second wave of potential Team Base Camps in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, bringing the total to 49 potential Team Base Camps. Further Team Base Camp options will be added throughout 2025 ahead of the tournament (FIFA).

Sony's India unit said on Friday it "had secured the media rights for all Asian Cricket Council" tournaments until 2031, "which a source with direct knowledge of the matter put the value" at $170M. Sources said frontrunners Disney and Reliance "did not bid on the rights" (REUTERS, 11/22).

Dick's Sporting Goods has released its latest ad spot, "House of Sport Texas Holiday Decor Showdown," where Texas sports legends Simone Biles, Dak Prescott, Quinn Ewers, Matthew McConaughey and Chris Paul compete in decorating their hometown Dick's store for the holidays.