Closing Bell

With a host of blowouts across NFL Wild Card weekend, none of the TV windows saw gains. Fox led the way with 35.9 million viewers for Eagles-Packers in the late Sunday afternoon window, but that was down 11% from Packers-Cowboys in the same window last year (40.2 million). But Eagles-Packers did top Giants-Vikings in the same window two seasons ago (33.2 million). Eagles-Packers is Fox's second-best Wild Card game since 2017, and it peaked at 39.5 million viewers from 7:00-7:15pm ET.

The early Sunday window on CBS, Bills-Broncos, drew 31.1 million viewers, essentially flat with what CBS drew for Bills-Steelers last year, which had to be moved to Monday afternoon due to inclement weather in Western New York. Two years ago, Bills-Dolphins the Sunday early afternoon drew 30.9 million. On Saturday in the late afternoon window, CBS/Nickelodeon drew 26 million, down from 29 million for Browns-Texans on NBC last year in the same window (no alt-cast for NBC in 2024).

Amazon Prime Video had its debut NFL playoff game on Saturday night, averaging 22.1 million viewers for Ravens-Steelers (where Baltimore ran out to a 21-0 halftime lead). While that is easily Prime Video’s best audience mark ever (besting the 17.3 million for Packers-Lions during the 2024 regular season), the Wild Card stream is down from 23 million for Peacock’s Chiefs-Dolphins game in the same window last year (the NFL’s first playoff game to be streamed). Ravens-Steelers peaked at 24.7 million from 9:00-9:15pm.

On Sunday night, NBC drew 29 million viewers for Commanders-Buccaneers, down sharply from 36 million for Rams-Lions last year in the same window. It’s the least-watched Wild Card game in the Sunday night window since Steelers-Browns in January 2021 drew 26 million.

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Saudi Arabia is "close to acquiring up to a 10 percent stake" in DAZN, according to sources. The deal, which will lead Saudi Arabia to spend "more than a billion dollars," has been "under discussion for at least a year." As part of the investment, Saudi Arabia will get a "partner with a large footprint across multiple continents" that will help to "provide a platform for live sports and other sports-based programming" and "act as a billboard" for Saudi Arabia. One of the plans is for DAZN to "broadcast content from Saudi Arabia for free." For Saudi Arabia, financial success "matters less than the increased visibility for the sports properties it owns, including its top soccer league" (N.Y. TIMES, 1/14).

RELATED: FIFA sells global media rights for Club World Cup to DAZN

MLB EVP/Strategy & Development Brian Stedman has left to pursue other opportunities.

Stedman was hired by MLB in 2021 in a new position reporting to Chief Operations & Strategy Officer Chris Marinak. A release by the league announcing Stedman’s hire said his job was to “lead the newly created strategy and development department in collaboration with internal MLB departments, clubs, and partners to create a strategic vision in important areas including media, ticketing, international, and marketing, among other disciplines.”

Stedman arrived at MLB from WWE, where he was serving as EVP/Global Strategy. It wasn’t immediately clear how MLB will re-align following his departure.

The league office has seen other changes this offseason. Uzma Rawn was named CMO, succeeding Karin Timpone, who recently left after spending more than three years at MLB. Rawn, a two-time SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree in 2020 and 2024, will continue to serve as SVP/Global Corporate Partnerships. Also, Ed Weber replaced Bob Starkey as CFO, with Starkey moving to a senior advisor role under MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred.

Bank of America has signed a long-term partnership with U.S. Soccer that will see the bank sponsor the U.S. Soccer House during the FIFA men’s World Cup in 2026. Similar to the Team USA House at the Olympics, it will "give U.S. fans a central place to gather, watch games and relax" during the five-week tournament. Soccer House will be located in L.A., where the USMNT will kick off the World Cup on June 12, 2026. The partnership with Bank of America is a "broad one," supporting all 27 national teams, including the USMNT and USWNT, "as well as the grass-roots game." As part of the deal, Bank of America will sponsor "an annual Fan Appreciation Match as well as Play it Forward community clinics" (USA TODAY, 1/14).

ESPN on Tuesday unveiled its new national ESPN Radio lineup that will debut on Feb. 10 from 6am-1pm ET, headlined by a pair of new shows. ESPN columnist and commentator Clinton Yates will host Clinton & Friends, airing weekdays from 10am-12pm, alongside a rotating group of regular guests. Following Clinton & Friends will be the debut of Joe & Q from 12pm-3pm. The show pairs sports betting expert Joe Fortenbaugh with Vegas-based co-host Q Myers. These additions will join established shows Unsportsmanlike, hosted by Evan Cohen, Chris Canty and Michelle Smallmon(6am-10am), Freddie & Harry, hosted by Freddie Coleman and Harry Douglas(3pm-7pm), Amber & Ian, hosted by Amber Wilson and Ian Fitzsimmons(7pm-10pm) and GameNight, hosted by a rotating crew of hosts that includes Emmett Golden, Victoria Arlen, Courtney Cronin, Myron Medcalf, Aaron Goldhammer and Gabe Neitzel (10pm-1am), to complete ESPN Radio's weekday lineup. Given Mike Greenberg’s expanded role across ESPN platforms, including "Get Up" and "NFL Sunday Countdown" he will no longer host "Greeny." However, he will remain part of ESPN Audio with hosting the First Draft podcast alongside Mel Kiper Jr. and Field Yates. Front Office Sports was first to report news of the new lineup (ESPN).

The House "passed legislation banning transgender girls and women from competing in women's sports in elementary school through college" today by a vote of 218-206. If the bill becomes law, schools that allow trans girls or women to compete "would lose federal education funding." Republicans "argued that female athletes face unfair competition and are not safe when transgender girls and women are allowed to participate in girls' sports," while Democrats called the bill "harmful to children, logistically impractical and distracting from more important matters." The bill received yes votes from all present Republicans and two Democrats. To pass the Senate, the bill will need 60 votes, meaning "at least seven Democrats would need to vote yes" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/14).

Former Sportradar deputy US president and sportsbook platform CEO Laila Mintas has joined sports tech focused venture capital firm Advantage as a venture partner. Mintas was an SBJ Game Changers selection in 2018 (Bill King, SBJ).

Four co-hosts behind Barstool Sports' "Spittin' Chiclets" podcast -- former NHLers Paul Bissonnette, Ryan Whitney and Keith Yandle as well as producer Mike Grinnell -- have "completed a purchase to become part owners" of the ECHL’s newest expansion franchise in Greensboro, N.C. The franchise, which is owned and operated by Zawyer Sports & Entertainment, has yet to reveal a name (DAILY FACEOFF, 1/14).

NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports announced a multi-year partnership with Suburban Propane naming the company as the Official Propane for both NASCAR and SMI-owned tracks. Suburban Propane will provide the propane for the new, propane-powered track dryers that NASCAR will add to its fleet starting this season (NASCAR).

SeatGeek has agreed to two new, multiyear partnerships with Breeders’ Cup World Championships and Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, making SeatGeek the Official Ticketing Partner of both the championship and the racetrack (SeatGeek).

Lyon's owner John Textor was "highly critical" of Paris Saint-Germain President Nasser Al Khelaifi and Ligue 1 President Vincent Labrune in an interview with French radio RMC on Monday, continuing a feud between Textor and Al Khelaifi that has been ongoing "since the summer." Textor considered the links between the two "unacceptable" because of the "conflict of interest" (ESPN.com, 1/13).

Premier League club Southampton Chair Henrik Kraft has "stepped down from his role" with the relegation-threatened club and been replaced by majority shareholder Dragan Solak. Kraft will remain a shareholder and on the board of club owner Sport Republic, which Solak is the lead investor of (AP, 1/14).

Everton appointed OCS to "provide integral facilities management services at the club's new stadium" on a five-year agreement. When fully operational, OCS will "deploy a team of up to 200 locally recruited people at Everton Stadium for matchday and core operations (LIVERPOOL ECHO, 1/14).

The first trailer for PGA Tour 2K25 was released today. The game is set to launch on Feb. 28.

$1.003B  -- The amount of action seen by Ohio's 19 mobile-betting apps in the month of November, accounting for the state's highest month in 2024 and highest overall since January 2023, the first month online sports betting was legal in the state (CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER, 1/13).