Closing Bell

Diamond Sports Group will now be known as Main Street Sports Group after emerging from its Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. 

A combined 29 NBA (13), MLB (8) and NHL (8) teams will play on Main Street’s 16 FanDuel-branded regional sportsnetworks in 2025. 

A Thursday news release stated that Main Street’s financial restructuring, which was confirmed by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas on Nov. 14, has “reduced approximately $9B of pre-petition debt to $200M and has a well-capitalized balance sheet.” 

The NBA teams that will play on FanDuel Sports Networks include the Hawks, Hornets, Cavaliers, Pistons, Pacers, Clippers, Grizzlies, Heat, Bucks, T'Wolves, Thunder, Magic and Spurs.

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Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said that there would "be an 'unprecedented' law enforcement presence" before today's Sugar Bowl as New Orleans reopens Bourbon Street to the public in the wake of the New Year's Day attack. Bourbon Street was reopened to the public at 3:30pm ET, ahead of the 4pm kickoff of the game between Notre Dame and Georgia at the Superdome. The Sugar Bowl was originally scheduled for Wednesday night, but was postponed following the attack. Numerous security officers around the stadium Thursday were "handling dogs trained to sniff for explosive devices." They "encircled cars entering the Superdome parking garage and, in some cases, sniffed bags and backpacks" (ESPN.com, 1/2). ESPN’s Molly McGrath said the Superdome “does feel like one of the safest places in the city right now.” Authorities have added “layers of security coming into the building,” and there is a “heightened police presence and security everywhere” ( “SportsCenter,” ESPN, 1/2).

While many traveling fans "extended their stay to attend the game," the postponement meant some would "not be able to attend because of travel plans that were deemed too expensive or logistically difficult to change." Numerous tickets were "listed for resale online at prices of $30 or less, some as low as $23" (AP, 1/2). Fans who bought tickets through Ticketmaster for the Sugar Bowl "can apply for a refund, but they have to do it prior to" kickoff (New Orleans ADVOCATE, 1/2).

Denver has secured the 16th NSWL franchise, submitting the first part of a $110M expansion fee on Tuesday -- the largest expansion fee in women's sports history. The bid, For Denver FC, is headed by IMA Financial Group CEO Robert Cohen. Previous reports stated the Denver club would begin play in 2026. Denver  beat out Cincinnati and Cleveland, the other finalists for the expansion. Sportico was first to report the news (Colorado Springs GAZETTE, 1/2).

VistaPrint will be the first jersey patch sponsor for Unrivaled, the new women’s three-on-three hoops league starting on Jan. 17, with its logo on the Mist Basketball Club that includes league co-founder Breanna Stewart. VistaPrint will also serve as presenting sponsor of the team -- another first for the league. The team is unveiling the upper left shoulder jersey patch tonight. Massachusetts-based VistaPrint also will become Unrivaled’s official print and design partner. The brand has a history with basketball jersey patch deals, having served as the Celtics’ sponsor through last season (VistaPrint stayed on with the Celtics as its community initiative partner). VistaPrint joins other sponsors like Ally Financial, Miller Lite, State Farm and Wilson as brand backers of Unrivaled in Year 1. Unrivaled negotiated the VistaPrint deal in-house. Excel Sports Management’s brand marketing division supported VistaPrint with negotiating and structuring the partnership.

Everton fans will be able to get "a first taste of the matchday experience" at the club's new stadium next month, as the Everton Under-18s will play the first-ever game at the venue in front of 10,000 spectators on Feb. 17. The match will be the first of three "test events" to be played before Everton opens the 2025-26 Premier League season there. The second event, "expected to take place in late March or early April," will see the Under-21s play in front of a capacity of 25,000. A third test event, "likely at full capacity, or close to it, is anticipated towards the end of this season" (LIVERPOOL ECHO, 1/2).

The UFL unveiled its complete 2025 game schedule, with the league's 43 games set to be carried by Fox, ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and FS1. The season will begin at 8pm ET on March 28 when the St. Louis Battlehawks will face the Houston Roughnecks during Fox Sports' debut of "Fox UFL Friday." Fox will also present San Antonio Brahmas-Arlington Renegades on opening weekend, with the game set to be carried at 4pm ET on March 29. ESPN will begin its 2025 UFL coverage with a March 30 doubleheader, starting with the Michigan Panthers at Memphis Showboats at noon ET and the Birmingham Stallions facing the D.C. Defenders at 3pm ET. The season ends with the 2025 UFL Championship Game on June 14, which will be on ABC. ESPN will handle 22 total UFL games between the regular season and playoffs and Fox Sports will cover 21 (United Football League).

Officials are "working to lock in a long-term deal" to keep tennis' Brisbane International in Queensland as it "closes in on the all-time-record crowd." The 2025 event has "already set several attendance records and is on track to eclipse" the 2014 event, which drew more than 105,000 spectators. This year's event has already drawn in more than 70,000 "with more huge crowds expected over the remaining three days." The three-year deal for the event to stay in Queensland "expires next year, with negotiations already under way to keep it in Brisbane for the foreseeable future." Queensland Tourism Minister Andrew Powell said that working with tournament director Cameron Pearson to secure the long-term deal "would be a priority as part of a push to grow the state's major events calendar" (Brisbane COURIER MAIL, 1/3).

SiriusXM has signed Patrick McEnroe to host a new weekly show dedicated to tennis and the larger world of racquet sports. The one-hour show, “Holding Court,” will debut this Saturday at 7am ET and air every Saturday morning throughout the year on SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio channel (SiriusXM).

Restaurant chain Cook Out will be the entitlement partner for NASCAR's Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium on Feb. 2. In addition, Cook Out will also entitle the Cook Out Madhouse Classic on Feb. 1, an invitation-only event that features the stars of Bowman Gray Stadium’s Modified Division (NASCAR).

Black Desert Resort has signed PGA Tour player Matt McCarty to a two-year agreement to represent the golf course and resort. McCarty will display the Black Desert Resort logo on his right sleeve (Black Desert Resort).

The English cricket team will "not boycott their match against Afghanistan" in the Champions Trophy, but the England and Wales Cricket Board "reiterated their stance that they will not schedule any bilateral series against the Afghanistan men's team because of the Taliban government's stance on women playing sport (London TIMES, 1/2).

Barcelona seven-a-side soccer league Kings League announced brand partners for the 2025 Kings World Cup Nations tournament, which takes place Jan. 1-12 in Milan and Turin. Those partners include McDonald's, Red Bull, Spotify, Air Asia, Adidas, Iren, Floki and the city of Turin (Kings League).

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Athletes First has collaborated with Experian to promote the Experian app in a campaign entitled “Tackling Life by Experian.” The campaign features Athletes First football clients Packers QB Jordan Love and 49ers LB Fred Warner and their significant others in a pair of spots.

32; 20million  -- NBC Sports delivered 32 shows in 2024 which topped 20 million viewers across multiple platforms (NBC Sports).