Closing Bell

Klutch Sports Group is deepening its presence in racing with a major new assignment from NASCAR Holdings: Serving as the racing circuit’s exclusive sales agency in finding a fresh title sponsor for the Xfinity Series. The agency run by Rich Paul has been working quietly with NASCAR over the last several years on things like merchandise collaborations and bringing influencers to races. But Klutch is getting into a higher gear now with the Xfinity Series sales role, and it’s already been in the market in recent weeks to start speaking with brands interested in the asset. The terms NASCAR is seeking include $10M annually for rights fees plus a mid seven-figure commitment to activation that would take a brand’s per-annum spend to at least around $15M, according to people familiar with the matter. When Xfinity signed on as title sponsor to replace Nationwide in 2015, it agreed to a deal valued around $200M total over a decade, or $20M annually, according to SBJ’s reporting at the time. When NASCAR originally went to market in 2014, it sought $12M-15M annually in rights fees plus activation commitments that would have brought in $25M annually, SBJ previously reported.

New NASCAR CCO Craig Stimmel said that he and his team spoke with several agencies before landing on Klutch. Terms of the deal have not been learned, but agreements of this type often involve a base retainer fee paid to the agency plus the possibility of commission based on hitting certain objectives. Stimmel said that after NASCAR saw Klutch diversifying its business and moving in motorsports, including signing IndyCar driver Josef Newgarden, “it was pretty clear they’d be a great fit not only with what they do day to day, but (also) culturally with us and how we approach the business.” Stimmel said Klutch will be the exclusive agency helping NASCAR sell the Xfinity Series asset. On top of the Xfinity Series opening, NASCAR has room for another premier partner or two after Geico exited that position last year. The three remaining premier partners are Coca-Cola, Busch Beer and Xfinity.

While sponsorship has been an ongoing concern in NASCAR since the 2008 financial crisis, there’s been some signs this year of blue-chip brands giving new or renewed looks at getting into the series. Red Bull returned to NASCAR in 2025 after having been out of the sport entirely since it shut down its eponymous team in 2011. Chipotle, Robinhood and Cracker Barrel are among other well-known consumer-facing brands that have gotten into racing newly or again this season. Klutch Head of Global Partnerships Andrew Feinberg said: “(Racing) is something Klutch has been interested in getting into and sinking our teeth in; motorsports has become incredibly popular, particularly over the last couple years with some of the content that’s come out, but it’s been a no-brainer for us to want to partner with Craig and NASCAR because of how partner forward this league has been historically, and it’s probably one of the more passionate fanbases that we’ve seen in sports to this day and will continue to be so.”

Xfinity is remaining in NASCAR as a premier partner for several seasons to come, after it signed an extension earlier this year with the sanctioning body. That deal included a one-year renewal of the Xfinity Series asset to help give NASCAR time to find a replacement. That will take Xfinity’s tenure as title sponsor up to 11 years after the 2025 season.

The Pelicans have fired EVP David Griffin after six seasons as the “head of basketball operations” for the franchise. The Pelicans went 209-263 under Griffin’s leadership, with “two postseason appearances during that span.” The Pelicans finished this season at 21-61 -- the fourth-worst record in the league, ahead of only the Jazz (17-65), Wizards (18-64) and Hornets (19-63). Griffin’s “tenure was marked by” the trade of F Anthony Davis to the Lakers in 2019 and the drafting of F Zion Williamson in 2019 with the No. 1 overall pick (ESPN.com, 4/14).

Basketball HOFer Joe Dumars is a “serious frontrunner” to take over the role of “lead basketball executive” with the Pelicans, according to sources. Dumars, the 2003 NBA Executive of the Year and 2004 championship exec with the Pistons, currently serves as the NBA’s EVP & Head of Basketball Operations. Sources said that the Pelicans and Dumars are “expected to engage in conversations to finalize a deal by the end of the week” (X, 4/14).

Former Univ. of Miami QB Cam Ward has “chosen Under Armour as his apparel sponsor” ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft, according to sources. Ward, considered the “presumptive No. 1 overall pick” in the draft, could mark “the first No. 1 pick for Under Armour since Cam Newton in 2011″ (SI, 4/14). Ward is one of five standout college players signed by Under Armour on Monday, joining former Missouri WR Luther Burden III, former South Carolina S Nick Emmanwori, former Texas WR Matthew Golden and former Alabama G Tyler Booker (WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, 4/14). Ward had previously signed with Adidas in October (SBJ).

Eastern Michigan Univ. has named Raiders DE Maxx Crosby Assistant GM “for its football program.” While Crosby “will continue his playing career,” he now has “an official position” at his alma mater. Crosby will “assist in evaluating high school and transfer portal prospects, help manage the team’s NIL/revenue share budget, and assist the program in fundraising, alumni relations, and student-athlete support.” While several former players have taken on GM roles at their colleges, Crosby is “the first active” NFLer to do so (PROFOOTBALLTALK, 4/14). Warriors G Stephen Curry was recently named assistant GM of the Davidson basketball program (SBJ).

Lakers G Luka Doncic finished the 2024-25 NBA season as the league’s No. 1 player for jersey sales based on sales from NBAStore.com. Doncic’s teammate, F LeBron James, was No. 3, making the Lakers the only team with multiple players in the top 10. Warriors G Stephen Curry, Celtics F Jayson Tatum and Knicks G Jalen Brunson rounded out the top five at Nos. 2, 4 and 5, respectively. The Lakers were also the top-selling team for merchandise sales (NBA). Doncic, who was traded midseason from the Mavericks to the Lakers, broke “the long reign” of James and Curry at the top, as no other NBA player has “topped the list since the 2012-13 season” when then-Knicks F Carmelo Anthony led the league in jersey sales. The NBA and NBPA said that Doncic became the “first international player” to have the top-selling jersey (THE ATHLETIC, 4/14).

Tennis great Serena Williams is “set to executive produce” the new Netflix series “Carrie Soto is Back,” an “adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s tennis-themed bestselling novel." Williams and Caroline Currier will executive produce via Nine Two Six Productions alongside Picturestart, Reid as well as Brad Mendelsohn via Circle Management + Production. Fifth Season and Picturestart will serve as co-studios. While the series “is not based on” Williams, the character “evokes the 23-time Grand Slam winner, and Reid has spoken of the Williams sisters’ influence on the book.” The series is “expected to be loosely inspired by Serena Williams’ story” (DEADLINE, 4/14).

Kenny Albert will “replace Sam Rosen as the Rangers’ play-by-play announcer" after the longtime MSG broadcaster retires at the end of the season. The expectation is that Alex Faust will “fill in for Albert when he’s not available.” Albert has been the Rangers’ primary radio voice, the lead NHL play-by-play announcer on Turner Sports and an NFL play-by-play broadcaster on Fox. He is “the only play-by-play broadcaster to call all four major sports over the last decade” (N.Y. POST, 4/14).

The torches that “will carry the Olympic flame” for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics and Paralympics were unveiled on Monday in Milan and at a parallel event in the Italian pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. Made from recycled aluminum, the torches have been “styled in two different versions, blue-coloured for the Olympics and bronze for the Paralympics.” Styled by Turin-based Carlo Ratti Associati, the “surface of each torch is intended to reflect the landscape it will cross during its relay,” and to “put the Olympic flame itself in the spotlight.” The torch “will be lit at Greece’s ancient Olympia” on Nov. 26 and “is scheduled to arrive in Rome at the beginning of December and will continue its relay across Italy” (REUTERS, 4/14).

April 14, 1910 -- President William Howard Taft begins tradition of throwing ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day of baseball season. Taft threw out the first pitch at the Griffith Stadium ballpark in D.C., while the Nationals took on the Philadelphia Athletics in their first game of the season. Taft made history that day by becoming the first sitting U.S. president to throw out the ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day -- a tradition that has been carried on by every U.S. president except Jimmy Carter, Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

Also happening this week:

• April 14, 1968 -- The first NBA game is played at N.Y.’s iconic Madison Square Garden.
• April 15, 1997 -- Baseball honors Jackie Robinson by retiring No. 42 for all teams.
• April 15, 1958 -- In the first major league baseball game in California, the Giants defeat the Dodgers 8-0.
• April 16, 1929 -- The Yankees become the first MLB team to permanently feature numbers on backs of uniforms.