Closing Bell

A group led by Silver Lake co-CEO and Managing Partner Egon Durban “is acquiring” 25% of the Raiders, which would put the group’s total stake in the franchise at “close to 40%,” according to sources cited by BLOOMBERG NEWS. Sources said that the equity being sold “is from minority investors and not controlling owner Mark Davis.” Sources said that the transaction “values the Raiders” at $9.9B. In 2024, Durban and Discovery Land Co. founder and Chair Michael Meldman -- who is also part of the consortium -- “each agreed” to buy 7.5% of the team at a $6.5B valuation. Then in March of this year, NFL owners approved a succession plan that would allow Durban to “buy a majority stake in the team if or when Davis or his potential heirs decide to sell the team.” At that time, Durban’s group “agreed to buy an additional 3.5%.” Sources noted that the NFL’s finance committee has “already approved the deal” and other owners are “set to vote on the matter next week” (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 5/14).

The Bills will “host Kansas City on Thanksgiving night on NBC” to cap the league’s 2026 holiday tripleheader, per multiple reports. Kickoff is at 8:20pm ET. The matchup will be the Bills’ “first-ever Thanksgiving home game.” They have played each other in the regular season the previous six years, with all of them being “ratings monsters, usually for CBS.” This year, NBC will be the “lucky network.” The matchup is “another national showcase for new Highmark Stadium” as Buffalo will host the Lions in Week 2 in the venue’s first regular-season game on Amazon Prime (ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT & CHRONICLE, 5/14). With the game set for late November, Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes' recovery from a torn ACL “should no longer be an issue” (PRO FOOTBALL TALK, 5/14).

Even with their name not officially trademarked, the Houston Comets made their reincarnation official Thursday, in a giddy press conference that also revealed the Sun’s front office staff will move with the players from Connecticut.

Seated side by side, Rockets alternate governor Patrick Fertitta (son of owner Tilman Fertitta) and President of Business Operations Gretchen Sheirr (who sold Comets tickets back in 2001) laid out the immediate plans for the franchise -- which included a full merger with Sun executives after the 2026 season and renderings of a new Toyota Center practice facility that will go under construction pronto.

“As soon as everyone leaves here today, I’m not kidding, walls are coming down,” Sheirr said. “...We are adding locker rooms, training area for them all on the surface level behind us. Those plans are underway. The permits are filed. So that when their season is over and they start to move here in the offseason their facilities will be ready.”

Sheirr said meetings with Sun executives will commence next week “to see who is eager and excited to come to Houston...hopefully everybody.” But she mentioned team President Jennifer Rizzotti (once a fourth-round pick of the Comets) and GM Morgan Tuck will definitely join former ESPN reporter Kevin Pelton (the Comets’ first executive hire in Houston) in a new intertwined front office.

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Sports outlets have become increasingly fond of current athletes serving in a contributor role on broadcasts -- and Prime Video has added another well-known athlete to that growing subset. The company will announce Thursday that Sparks G Kelsey Plum will join WNBA on Prime as a player contributor. Plum, a four-time WNBA All-Star who won gold medals in 3x3 basketball at the 2020 Olympics and 5x5 basketball at the 2024 Olympics, will make select appearances during the 2026 WNBA season. Prime Video used Pacers G Tyrese Haliburton as a player contributor this season for its NBA coverage.

As part of Amazon’s long-term deal with the NBA/WNBA, Prime Video will exclusively air 30 WNBA regular-season games each season worldwide, including the Championship Game of the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup. Prime Video now has exclusive WNBA postseason games, including one first-round series each year, plus seven semifinal series, and three WNBA Finals over the course of the 11-year deal. Previously, ESPN aired the entirety of the league’s postseason.

The WNBA on Prime tips off Thursday night with a doubleheader featuring the Lynx and the Wings at 8pm ET, followed by the Liberty and the Fire at 10pm.

Prime Video said Plum will join the WNBA on Prime studio team -- featuring studio host Allie Clifton and analysts Swin Cash, Cynthia Cooper, Lindsey Harding, Candace Parker, Teresea Weatherspoon and Ty Young. The streamer will air a 30-minute show prior to every game live from Amazon’s studios in Culver City, Calif., as well as a WNBA Nightcap postgame. On doubleheader nights, Prime will bridge games with live coverage from the studio.

This week marks the return of the WNBA to NBC Sports for the first time since 2002. Seven regular season games will air on NBC and Peacock with the remaining 15 on Peacock and NBCSN. The debut comes this Sunday with a doubleheader starting with the Aces and Dream at 1:30pm ET on NBC and Peacock followed by the Fever hosting the Storm at 6 pm ET on Peacock and NBCSN.

As part of bringing the property back to the company, NBC Sports has made significant investments in studio talent featuring Naismith Basketball Hall of Famers Sue Bird and Cheryl Miller as analysts as well as Maria Taylor and LaChina Robinson as studio hosts. Zora Stephenson, Noah Eagle and Michael Grady will call games with LaChina Robinson and Sarah Kustok as game analysts. Ashley ShahAhmadi, Jordan Cornette and Caroline Pineda are the courtside reporters.

NBC Sports said it will stream 12 Monday matchups and three weekend games during the regular season. Its Sunday lineup on NBC will feature high-profile teams including Dallas, Indiana, and Las Vegas.

During a conference call on Thursday afternoon to promote its coverage, SBJ asked new analysts Bird and Miller about a topic that has been percolating lately in WNBA media circles -- how the league should be covered in 2026 when it comes to advocacy and journalism, and how to think about both in the coverage. Here’s what they had to say:

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Professional Sports Authenticator parent company Collectors is investing $200M into the company to “expand operations over the next 18 months.” PSA will use the funding to “grow the company’s physical footprint, develop and deploy new technology and hire for 1,000 open and planned positions through 2026.” Collectors President Ryan Hoge said new technology will be deployed “by integrating proprietary AI and Machine Learning into our workflows.” Collectors previously raised $100M in 2021 at a $4.3B valuation with financing from investors D1 Capital Partners, Cohen Private Ventures and The Chernin Group. Collectors and PSA have “rapidly expanded since.” It is “unclear how much additional investment will be made in grading companies SGC or Beckett,” which are both under the Collectors umbrella as well (THE ATHLETIC, 5/14).

SBJ’s Josh Carpenter takes you behind the scenes of Patina Group’s massive food and beverage operation at the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club. From feeding thousands of fans to executing premium hospitality experiences, get an inside look at the scale, logistics, and precision behind one of golf’s biggest events.

On this week’s Sports Media Podcast, SBJ’s Austin Karp and Josh Carpenter discuss how the Upfronts have evolved -- what used to be entertainment-focused is now centered around sports.