Closing Bell

Scripps Sports has scored local rights to its first NBA team, as the Pistons will air games over-the-air with the company beginning with the 2026-27 season. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Games will air in the Detroit DMA, surrounding areas and across the state of Michigan.

The move to Scripps comes after the team had long been on FanDuel Sports Network Detroit, which folded following the season. This will mark the first time local Pistons games will primarily be on free TV since 2005.

Scripps-owned WMYD TV20 Detroit will be the home for the Pistons, producing and airing all non-national TV games. The station had aired five Pistons games previously. Scripps also owns WXYZ-ABC in the market, and will use that affiliate’s news team to develop coverage of the Pistons. Scripps will engage its other Michigan stations in the coming months to create a broader distribution network.

Both sides will also collaborate on a DTC app, with more details expected in the coming months.

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Netflix at its upfront Wednesday afternoon confirmed it is extending its deal with the NFL through the 2029-30 season, matching the expiration of current rights deals with outlets like Fox, CBS, Prime Video and NBC (ESPN has an extra year).

The company also announced Packers-Rams will be the game on Thanksgiving Eve, as the NFL debuts in that window. Other windows on Christmas were also confirmed, as was the return of “Quarterback” Season 3, which SBJ first reported back in December. Elle Duncan led a special “Netflix Sports Halftime show” at the event for most of the sports announcements.

Earlier, Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria at the start of the presentation said that while other media companies are spending more of their budgets on sports vs. other entertainment, “we’re not.” That reflects what sources have told SBJ about Netflix turning down a full season package of Sunday morning games from the NFL.

Other sports news at the Upfront included the formal announcement of “The 99ers” documentary and a new Will Ferrell scripted pro golf comedy. MLB and the Women’s World Cup in 2027 were highlighted too.

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ESPN has named SVP/Sports Studio & Entertainment Mike Foss to succeed retiring EVP and Exec Editor/Sports News & Entertainment David Roberts, with the promotion effective immediately. Roberts recently announced he would be retiring at the end of August. Foss had been expected to assume a larger role following Roberts’ exit. Both will work together on the transition of the role in the coming months. Foss, an SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree in 2025, will report to President of Content Burke Magnus. Foss will oversee ESPN’s news operation including sports news and coverage, investigative and enterprise journalism, research and digital editorial. He also will begin oversight of the creative content unit and studio enhancement team. Foss will continue collaborating closely with “The Pat McAfee Show” while the remainder of his previous role will be posted, with the new hire reporting to Foss (ESPN).

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. -- New PGA of America CEO Terry Clark indicated Wednesday the association has no plans to move the PGA Championship back to its former August date.

The PGA moved to the current May date in 2019 as the golf calendar shifted along with the sport’s return to the Olympics in the late summer. And the PGA has been bullish around that move, from its cadence following the Masters to promoting its spot ahead of the full opening of the recreational golf season.

“I really think we’ve got a strong position in May,” Clark said. “Certainly, I’m always going to look at what could make us better, but not actively looking at should we look and move this to later or back to August.”

Some in golf circles have suggested the tournament has lost its former identity. For years when it hosted the final major championship of the year, the PGA billed the event as “Glory’s Last Shot.” And the move to May and cooler temperatures has presented more challenges with hosting tournaments in the North and Midwest.

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UFC President and CEO Dana White has sent a letter to President Trump “asking him to help reverse” the 90% limit on gambling loss deductions for U.S. taxpayers that became law in 2025. Previously, taxpayers could deduct 100% of their losses against their winnings. The change to the tax code made via the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in 2025 only allows taxpayers to deduct 90% of their losses, meaning “they could end up with a bigger tax bill and paying taxes on money they never actually won.” White in the letter said, “The change has knock-on effects for businesses like mine. The UFC supports a healthy, legal sports betting market to drive fan engagement, broadcast value, and sponsorships. When legal betting is discouraged, it hurts the ecosystem we’ve spent years building in partnership with state regulators and licensed operators.” The correspondence, which was written on official UFC letterhead, comes ahead of the UFC Freedom 250 event on the White House’s South Lawn on June 14 (THE CLOSING LINE, 5/13).

NASCAR is “making progress toward bringing back a race in downtown Chicago” for its Cup Series, according to sources cited by THE ATHLETIC. There is “no finalized deal between the league and the city yet.” But the sources said that there is “growing optimism that the Chicago Street Course will be included in NASCAR’s 2027 schedule.” NASCAR staged a race on a temporary course around Grant Park from 2023-2025. In the lead-up to last year’s race, NASCAR and Chicago leaders “sought to continue the relationship after a 2026 pause.” One of the key discussion points “centered around finding a more advantageous date.” Sources noted that “hurdles remain to finalizing a deal,” and such negotiations “are always fluid.” Still, NASCAR’s goal of racing again in downtown Chicago is “now closer to reality than ever” (THE ATHLETIC, 5/13).

The Univ. of North Carolina is slated to unveil a handful of improvements and initiatives ahead of the 100th season at Kenan Stadium.

The school is expected to announce a $10M project that will include two new Daktronics video boards on the east and west sides of the stadium this fall. Nine LED ribbon boards will also be installed around the full seating bowl.

UNC is also in the process of renovating its press box to include upgraded furnishings, modernized flooring and enhanced dining areas. Graphics highlighting the top moments in Kenan Stadium’s 100-year history will also be featured prominently.

In addition to the stadium enhancements, UNC will debut a new specialty logo for the season, along with a throwback jersey honoring the 1980 ACC Championship squad. The game the Tar Heels will wear the uniform is TBD.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, who in March threatened potential civil action against the NFL over the Rooney Rule, has “issued an investigative subpoena to the league.” In a new letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Uthmeier noted that the NFL “altered the language on its website after receiving his initial warning letter.” He wrote the league had “capitulated on some of their discriminatory hiring quotas.” Uthmeier argued that the revisions “raise additional questions about the policy.” While Uthmeier’s original letter focused on the Rooney Rule, his subpoena “expands that scope to many of the NFL’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.” Uthmeier said he commended the league’s efforts in updating the NFL’s website “to strike many references to your unlawful ‘inclusive hiring’ policies.” But he argued that the changes “could raise concerns under Florida’s deceptive and unfair trade practices laws” (ESPN.com, 5/13).

Spurs Sports & Entertainment announced a group of firms that will lead aspects of the team’s downtown arena and district. The list includes:

• Marquee Development (district development)
• Sasaki (master district planning)
• Overland International (arena architect)
• Pape-Dawson (civil engineering)
• CAA Icon (project management)
• Stafford Sports (advisory and strategic planning)
• Goldman Sachs (financial advisory)
• Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP (legal counsel)
• Jorge Rodriguez Financial Consulting (financial consultant) (Spurs Sports & Entertainment).