Closing Bell

MLB’s automated ball-strike system debuted at the 2025 All-Star Game, with a much larger crowd in the stands than a typical spring training test. Now, halfway through its inaugural season, ABS has been met with a largely positive reception heading into Tuesday’s Midsummer Classic.

The first 5,839 challenge attempts have produced 53% overturns through July 9 games. Batters have a 48% overturn rate through 2,723 attempts. Catchers-pitchers have a 58% overturn rate through 3,116 attempts. Other ABS findings:

• The Astros have been the most successful ABS batting team on a percentage basis, winning 62% of their 110 challenges. The Braves rank 30th with a 35% win rate on 80 challenges (30th).
• The Rangers have been most successful with catchers/pitchers, winning 73% of their 100 challenges -- the Pirates the least successful with a 40% win rate on 78 challenges.
• Sal Stewart (Reds) has the most successful challenges among batters (23). Jose Altuve (Astros) is second (15).
• Tyler Stephenson (Reds) and William Contreras (Brewers) are tied for the most successful challenges among catchers with 58 each. Stephenson’s success rate is 73.4% compared to 52.7% for Contreras.
• The Reds are first in ESPN’s total success percentage, which combines batter and catcher-pitcher success rates (64.6%).
• Among umpires, Derek Thomas has an overturn rate of 33.3% across 48 challenges and 3,311 pitches (first among 91 umpires). CB Bucknor had an overturn rate of 77.8% across nine challenges and 674 pitches (last). Bucknor is among seven umpires that have accepted buyouts and are set to retire at season’s end, USA Today reported.

SBJ examined the business impact of ABS in May.

The Bucks have chosen an over-the-air template for the 2026-27 season, partnering with Rincon Broadcasting Group’s MY24 in Milwaukee in what sources called a one-year solution until the NBA launches its centralized hub two seasons from now.

The package -- which begins with Summer League games this week from Las Vegas -- is consistent with the one-year out clauses that the Pistons and Heat have inserted into their recent local deals, sources told SBJ Friday. The NBA is launching its own production branch, headed by Matt Volk, and it is expected the league and/or Mobile TV Group will produce Bucks broadcasts in conjunction with MY24.

MY24, a CW affiliate, last broadcasted Bucks games 31 seasons ago (from 1988-94), which makes Friday’s development an attractive and nostalgic move in the market. Games will be available on the majority of Milwaukee’s major cable services, as well as YouTube TV, while other statewide affiliates will be announced prior to the upcoming season.

Sources believe the Bucks will receive a rights fee at or below the typical OTA $8M range -- although unconfirmed -- and ad revenue will certainly increase the overall package. The Bucks said Good Karma Brands will oversee local media and advertising sales, in addition to bringing sponsors to the team’s statewide network. Playfly Sports will handle all national ad sales.

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There are almost 2,000 tickets for England’s World Cup quarterfinal against Norway up for sale on the official FIFA site, “raising the prospect of empty seats at Saturday’s game.” There are 1,822 matchday tickets being offered for resale on FIFA’s ticketing platform in the 24 hours before the match at Miami Stadium, with further tickets available on unofficial resale sites. The cheapest tickets are for sale at more than $2,000, half the minimum price asked for tickets of $4,000 for England’s Round of 16 showdown with Mexico (London TELEGRAPH, 7/10).

FIFA had nearly 1,200 category two tickets priced at $7,380 on sale Friday for the World Cup final on July 19 at N.Y. N.J. Stadium. FIFA’s last-minute tickets sales site had 1,178 seats available across five sections at the top deck along the sidelines. FIFA also is selling 68 front category one tickets in the lower deck with prices ranging from $19,995 to $32,970 “and had remaining hospitality tickets in its Trophy Lounge and Trophy Lounge+ sections” priced at $34,500 and $32,500 (AP, 7/10).

Iowa State AD Jamie Pollard is “retiring after more than two decades at the helm.” Pollard, the longest-tenured AD in school history, “plans to leave the role on June 30, 2027, or sooner if Iowa State hires his replacement before then.” Pollard began his tenure at Iowa State in 2005 and became the nation’s longest‑serving active Power Four AD. He oversaw “fundraising that grew from” just over $9M a year before his arrival to $53M in 2025-26 and also oversaw more than $400M “in new construction and facility upgrades in Ames, including the planned CyTown district.” He was twice honored as the FBS AD of the Year by NACDA, in 2019 and 2023. Pollard signed a five-year extension in early 2025 to remain AD through 2030. In June, he said that he “knew retirement was coming, but that even he didn’t know exactly when the right time would be” (DES MOINES REGISTER, 7/10).

The Univ. of Utah “ended its partnership with multimedia rights partner” JMI Sports. The sides inked a 10-year deal in April 2024, with JMI tasked with managing Utah’s multimedia rights -- “including licensing its games for radio broadcast and managing its corporate sponsorships.” Crimson Brand Partners, the athletic department’s new for-profit company that started as part of its private-equity deal with Otro Capital, “will now manage Utah’s multimedia rights.” Crimson Brand Partners CEO Matt Webb, who was previously VP/Corporate Sponsorships for the Saints and Pelicans, “will help lead the charge in securing sponsorships as the new company tries to increase Utah’s revenue” (DESERET NEWS, 7/10). The move “was pretty much expected given the new structure being created” with Utah’s Otro Capital deal (X, 7/10).

The Tempo will play their first games in Montreal this weekend, putting live WNBA games “before a whole new audience, with a realistic shot at setting an attendance record.” Toronto will play the Wings on Friday and the Liberty on Sunday. The Tempo get to “measure how strong the team’s national fan base really is, and take a shot at league history.” Bell Centre seats over 22,000, meaning a “full house could surpass the WNBA’s high mark, and even the broader attendance benchmark for women’s professional hoops.” The WNBA regular-season attendance record is 20,711, set in 2024 by the Mystics at Capital One Arena, while the playoff attendance record of 22,076 is shared by two WNBA finals Game 5s -- Shock-Sparks in 2003 and Shock-Mercury in 2007, both at the Palace of Auburn Hills (GLOBE & MAIL, 7/9).

Fenway Sports Group CEO of Football Michael Edwards “has quit his role” in a move that creates “further uncertainty behind the scenes” at Premier League club Liverpool. Edwards returned to the FSG fold two years ago, “lured back with the remit of heading a multi-club operation,” but that ended up being an avenue FSG was “ultimately unable to pursue.” FSG President Mike Gordon “will now once again assume greater day-to-day control of Liverpool, reprising a role he held for many years” (LIVERPOOL ECHO, 7/10).

Edwards, who “leaves with one year remaining” on his contract, “informed the FSG hierarchy of his decision last autumn.” FSG is “unlikely to recruit a replacement.” When Edwards agreed to return, “he made it clear that FSG’s commitment to embarking on a multi-club model had been crucial in convincing him to accept” the role. However, “despite leading an extensive search, with analysis conducted on around 25 clubs across Europe with a strong focus on Spain, Portugal and France, no proposal got the green light from the FSG board." FSG has since “effectively shelved plans to buy a second club,” with Edwards “left frustrated by the impasse” (THE ATHLETIC, 7/10).