Closing Bell

Prime Video drew around 2.6 million viewers for the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday night, which marked the first NASCAR Cup Series race to ever be offered exclusively on a streaming platform. That audience is down 16% from what Fox drew for the race last year (which was cut short by rain). The 2.6 million viewers is right around what the Cup Series averages on cable TV during the season (races on FS1 or USA).

When Nielsen’s Big Data numbers are released later this week, the race figure could rise closer to 3 million viewers.

Prime Video’s median age for the race was 56 years old, a figure six years younger than the median age for Cup races on linear TV outlets. For a comparison, Prime’s median age for the NFL’s “Thursday Night Football” package last season was 49 -- also around six years younger than NFL linear TV partners.

The Coke 600 on Prime Video beat out the 2.3 million on Sunday morning that ABC got for the F1 Monaco Grand Prix. But that was still good enough for the best live Monaco GP ever in the U.S. (a tape-delayed airing in 2002 drew 2.78 million on ABC). It’s also the fourth-best F1 audience of any kind on U.S. airwaves. Last year’s Monaco telecast on ABC drew 1.97 million viewers.

The Bengals announced their “intention to pursue a new lease agreement for Paycor Stadium without relying on state funding from Ohio.” Bengals Dir/Stadium & Event Operations Duane Haring said that while the team “would welcome state aid, they are prepared to move forward with Hamilton County independently.” The urgency stems from the Ohio state budget, which “may not be finalized before” the deadline at the end of June to “decide whether to extend the current deal” by two years. The current deal expires in June 2026. Haring “confirmed” that the Bengals are committing $120M toward the $830M renovation cost. The team and county are “reportedly close to agreeing on a 10-year lease, with potential extensions for another 10 years” (LOCAL12.com, 5/28).

The Broncos say single-game ticket sales are up 41% over 2024 since the schedules were released May 15, which executives believe is a reflection of a revamped ticket sales strategy and the team’s first playoff appearance in nine years.

Denver sold 7,000 tickets in the first 24 hours after the schedule release. Under SVP/Strategy & Business Insights Jesse Nading, the Broncos this year added live monitoring and dynamic pricing. They also sent more emails and other advance communications to potential buyers in the weeks leading up to the schedule release. The team declined to release actual revenue and price point data.

As required under its lease with the state-owned Metropolitan Football Stadium District, the Broncos have held back 2,000 tickets from general sales, to be released at half price in August.

The Broncos, long one of the best-drawing teams in the league, have the fourth-largest stadium capacity in the NFL at Empower Field at Mile High at 76,125, behind only AT&T Stadium, MetLife Stadium and Lambeau Field. The team has an active sellout streak that dates to 1970.

BetMGM has been named the exclusive online casino and sportsbook partner of the Las Vegas Aces in an agreement that runs through the 2027 season. The partnership includes signage at Michelob Ultra Arena and sponsorship across Aces social media platforms. BetMGM players also will have the opportunity for courtside access to pregame shootarounds and luxury seating for VIPs. This marks BetMGM’s first major partnership with a women’s professional sports franchise. BetMGM will also serve as an authorized gaming partner of the WNBA through the 2027 season. Under the agreement, BetMGM will receive commercial inventory on nationally televised games, WNBA tickets and experiences for its VIP players, the rights to co-branded content across BetMGM’s digital and social platforms, and articles on wnba.com/WNBABet. BetMGM also plans to release a WNBA-branded online slot game in the near future (Aces).

Reebok today officially unveiled Sky F Angel Reese’s signature logo on social media. In a “splashy 13-second video shared on social media,” Reese’s signature “AR” logo is “unveiled as a sheet is pulled off the metallic silver logo glistening against a blue backdrop.” The “swoopy logo combines Reese’s first and last name’s initials to complete a cursive ‘AR’ logo with a halo.” The logo unveiling follows Reese in October 2024 signing a multiyear contract extension with Reebok that included a future signature sneaker. The official launch of Reese’s signature basketball shoe is expected in 2026, though the brand has “collaborated with Reese on multiple footwear and apparel collections online at Reebok.com" (SI, 5/28).

Soccer great Ronaldo has “agreed to sell his stake” in Spanish La Liga 2 club Real Valladolid to Ignite, a consortium headed by businessman Gabriel Solares and comprised of investors from the U.S. and Mexico. The group will buy Ronaldo’s majority 88% stake in the club, which was relegated from La Liga this season. Tel Aviv-based investment fund Ben Oldman Partners “is also involved in the deal” and “would receive a percentage” of the 88% stake, “equal to the money the fund is still owed from helping finance the Brazilian’s initial takeover of the club” in September 2018. Ronaldo’s time in charge of Valladolid “has been turbulent,” with relegations from La Liga in 2021, 2023 and 2025, interspersed with promotions in 2022 and 2024 (THE ATHLETIC, 5/28).

Fanatics announced a partnership with Fulwell Entertainment’s “The Shop” at Fanatics Fest NYC. The partnership begins with “The Shop” consumer activation that runs the duration of the three-day festival, which runs from June 20-22, with fans getting treated to the true barbershop and manicure experience. On June 21, there will be a live taping of “The Shop” inside The Theatre at Fanatics Fest with hosts Paul Rivera, LeBron James and Maverick Carter, alongside guests Tom Brady, Victor Wembanyama and Kai Cenat. The taping will take place on the main stage at 1:30pm in front of an audience of 2,500. The taping is first-come, first served to all fans with festival credentials. The episode will launch on The Shop YouTube channel on June 26 (Fanatics).

Red Tiger Marketing, a specialist growth consultancy focusing on the commercial performance of sports teams, leagues and federations, announced its official launch. The company, co-founded by former Manchester United CEO Richard Arnold and Advantage Sports co-founder Laurence Miller, has delivered over US$27M in revenue for clients since beginning operations in October 2024. Arnold is the chairman of Red Tiger Marketing, while Miller as managing director will lead day-today operations (Red Tiger Marketing).