Closing Bell

Incoming PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp said today that one of his goals in his new role is to “innovate and increase the attractiveness” of the tour’s TV product and “to increase our digital footprint in all sorts of ways.” Rolapp in an appearance on CBNC’s “Squawk Box” said, “I imagine a big priority of mine ... is to increase our digital footprint in all sorts of ways that could include the tour events themselves, but it also includes everything in between the tour events, and tell the stories of these golfers and tell the stories of the sport, which I think is underrepresented in media.” Rolapp also called negotiations with the Saudi PIF about the reunification of golf “a complex situation,” though he did note “there’s been a lot of discussion.” Rolapp: “Everything is a blank sheet of paper” (“Squawk Box,” CNBC, 7/11).

The Ryder Cup begins in 77 days on Long Island, and the PGA of America on Friday gave a sneak peek at what the buildout will look like at Bethpage Black. It’s been known that the 18th green and nearby first tee would be wrapped by one grandstand, but the Ryder Cup delivered an exact replica on Friday with new renderings.

The first tee was moved forward about 40 yards to allow for the grandstand. Ryder Cup Championship Director Bryan Karns said Friday morning that about 3,300 seats are available to general admission tickets for the structure, with around 200 more for corporate buyers. Included near the top of the structure are drink rails for standing.

Along the right side of the 18th fairway, the Ryder Cup has double-decker hospitality, but it’s pulled back from the rope line to allow room for fans on the ground, Karns said. Across the golf course, more than 1.5 million square feet of tenting will be installed for the matches, he said.

FIFA “has already lowered prices” for the Club World Cup final “in an effort to attract more fans to attend the match” on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. The “cheapest standard admission ticket” to see Paris Saint-Germain face Chelsea “has dropped” from $312.20 to $249.75 two days before the final. Some seats “in the back of the 100 sections” were initially in the $440-$546 range, lowered to $334.50 to $473.90. However, premium club seats “remained the same prices from Wednesday to Friday.” Seats in the East Club remain $1,644.65, while seats in the EY Coaches Club are still $4,348.50. FIFA “has been criticized for high initial prices for tickets,” but “has adjusted pricing, taking supply and demand into account” (USA TODAY, 7/11).

Top-ranked women’s boxers Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano will “collide in a highly anticipated trilogy fight, headlining an all-women’s boxing card” at Madison Square Garden on Friday. The card, which will be streamed live on Netflix, is an “opportunity for women’s boxing to step into the mainstream as the sport pursues equal exposure and pay to its male counterpart.” Taylor and Serrano represent the “first true rivalry between championship-caliber fighters in women’s boxing.” As of Wednesday, the event “is trending toward a sellout.” Most Valuable Promotions Head of Finance and Strategy Mitch Glaser said the event will “achieve double the ticket sales revenue of the first Taylor-Serrano event” (ESPN.com, 7/9).

While Jake Paul has been “sparring with fans and profanely promoting” his fights, he “more tactfully has elevated women’s boxing through” MVP, which he and Nakisa Bidarian co-founded. He has also used his relationship with Netflix “to provide their global platform for the all-women’s boxing card” (USA TODAY, 7/10). Friday’s card will be “free for all Netflix subscribers,” which “goes against the grain of more traditional pay-per-view models for bouts of this magnitude.” MVP is “meeting the new generation where it is” (N.Y. POST, 7/11).

Tonight, NESN will finish up its “Monster Week” programming event with the Red Sox, with anchor Tom Caron calling the game against the Rays live from Fenway Park’s iconic Green Monster.

It’s the final event of the week, which started Monday evening when the entire broadcast team called the game from atop the Green Monster. “It’s one of the most iconic landmarks in sports, and it really makes for a fun thing to really focus on for an entire week,” said NESN COO Matt Volk.

Caron was also at the Monster for the full game on Tuesday, and then called batting practice live on Wednesday. Kasey Hudson took over Thursday for an “Unobstructed Views” broadcast. Tuesday marked the first time the network had someone calling a full game from atop the Monster.

“It started with one day where we would telecast with our broadcast team from atop the Monster, and now it’s a five-day event where we’re taking it from different angles and different approaches,” said Volk.

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MLB will host the third annual HBCU Swingman Classic tonight at 7pm ET at Truist Park, the first event of MLB All-Star Week.

Baseball HOFer Ken Griffey Jr. helps lead the effort with his “Swingman” brand attached to the event name. He also serves on the selection committee to choose fifty of the top baseball players currently playing for Historically Black Colleges and Universities to participate in the game.

MLB SVP/Baseball Development Del Matthews described Griffey’s involvement in the event, saying, “Ken Griffey Jr. has lent his name, has been a participant and has rolled up his sleeves to really make this happen. It’s just a great opportunity for the kids.”

Matthews also expressed particular excitement for this year’s event taking place in Atlanta, where he believes they will be able to connect culturally to a city rich in civil rights tradition.

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With Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez’s acquisition of the T’Wolves and Lynx finally completed, the group has announced a new relationship with Jump, making the startup the organizations’ exclusive fan experience and ticketing provider.

Jump was founded by Lore, Rodriguez, and Jordy Leiser, who is the CEO. The company, which offers an end-to-end, direct-to-consumer commerce platform, is providing similar commerce services, including ticketing, for the North Carolina Football Club, including its NWSL team, the Courage. The T’Wolves/Lynx deal represents Jump’s first business in the biggest North American pro sports leagues and its largest stage on which to show its capabilities.

Jump’s partnership with the T’Wolves will kick off when tickets go on sale for the upcoming 2025-2026 season, while its work with the Lynx will commence with the 2026 season. Tickets to other events at Target Center will continue to be serviced by AXS.

Through Jump’s white-labeled platform, fans will be able to purchase and manage tickets, download a dynamic new team mobile app, and access a new and improved ticketing website, all with one seamless T’Wolves (and Lynx) login.

UEFA “demoted Crystal Palace to the third-tier Conference League” from the Europa League on Friday because of the club’s “ownership ties to French club Lyon through American businessman John Textor.” Textor’s 43% minority stake in Palace -- “even though he had limited decision-making influence there” -- while he owned Lyon outright, “conflicted with UEFA rules on multi-club ownership designed to protect the integrity of its competitions.” UEFA said its club finance panel “accepted Lyon’s entry into the second-tier Europa League instead.” Lyon qualified on merit by placing sixth in Ligue 1 this season, but “its entry was in jeopardy because of persistent financial turmoil.” The decision “follows the financially troubled club being reprieved this week from demotion to Ligue 2.” Palace “can challenge the UEFA ruling” at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (AP, 7/11).