Morning Buzz

Longtime Yankees radio play-by-play voice John Sterling has died at age 87 (X, 5/4). Sterling, who worked as the team’s radio voice from 1989-2024, called more than 5,000 regular-season games in a row for the team. He retired in 2024, but returned to call the Yankees’ 2024 playoff run (SBJ). THE ATHLETIC’s Andrew Marchand writes Sterling “had a legendary career and life,” and while he is “always hesitant to say” there will never be another like him, “in this case, I think it is true” (X, 5/4). SI’s Jimmy Traina writes this is “as sad as a day as it’s going to get for Yankees fans.” Sterling was the “voice of so many summers, a true character and part of the team’s fabric.” He was “a true New York legend” (X, 5/4).

MLB Network Radio’s Steve Phillips said Sterling’s death is a “tough one for so many Yankees fans.” Phillips: “An iconic broadcaster and a guy that many people learned baseball from by listening to … for many years” (“The Leadoff Spot,” MLB Network Radio, 5/4).

NBC’s great weekend on the track at Churchill Downs was also felt on the airwaves, as the network drew 19.6 million viewers for the Kentucky Derby, marking the race’s best audience since 1983 on ABC (before the people meter era). It’s easily NBC’s best audience yet for the race, dating back to when it acquired rights in 2001, and also up 11% from last year’s event, which did not have the benefit of Big Data and full out-of-home measurement. Nielsen records dating back to 1975 show this to be the eighth-best Derby TV audience since that time.

Saturday’s race peaked at 24.4 million viewers from 7-7:15pm ET, as Golden Tempo edged out Renegade, and also includes the Winner’s Circle presentation with trainer Cherie DeVaux, who became the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner in the event’s 152-year history. The 24.4 million who watched during those final moments of the telecast marked NBC’s best peak audience yet for a Derby telecast.

Peacock itself claims it drew an average minute audience of 1.3 million viewers, which is its best yet for a horse racing event.

Meanwhile, NBC drew 2.4 million viewers for the debut of the Kentucky Oaks in primetime on Friday. The race, which also dates back to 1875 like the Derby, had always been run in the afternoon. The Oaks’ move to primetime was 74% better than the 1.38 million viewers that “Grosse Pointe Garden Society” drew in the same 8-9pm ET Friday window in 2025. That average of 2.4 million viewers is essentially what Fox drew for its Friday night college football games on the broadcast network this past season.

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The Miami Grand Prix “delivered the expected and unexpected” on Sunday from the Miami International Autodrome at Hard Rock Stadium, capping off the “most highly anticipated” F1 race of the season with a win from Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli. The race “had its biggest Friday attendance of the past three years, its lowest Saturday attendance of the past three years for reasons no one could figure out, and perhaps half as many Sunday fans as expected due to the threat of inclement weather,” though the race was “sold out in advance.” Organizers said the three-day 2026 crowd “was similar to the 275,000 three-day total of 2025.” In a “major victory,” traffic “flowed much better every day this year than previous years.” Among the stars at the race were Inter Miami F Lionel Messi, Heat F Bam Adebayo, former tennis player Rafael Nadal, entertainer Jimmy Fallon, LIV golfer Jon Rahm and influencer Alix Earle (SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL, 5/3).

McLaren driver Lando Norris “didn’t have the most glowing review of the new regulations” after his second-place finish on Sunday. Norris has “long been critical of the new regulations and how they hamper his instincts as a driver.” Norris on Sunday “praised the regulation changes and the racing,” but “admitted that there were still some glaring issues that needed to be addressed.” Norris: “So-so. It was still good. I still enjoyed the racing, honestly. Things have improved. Some things are the same. But today was about who can make the least mistakes. ... It looked good.” (F1 OVERSTEER, 5/3).

The Maple Leafs are bringing in Hockey HOFer and former team captain Mats Sundin as a “senior executive adviser in hockey operations,” while former Coyotes GM John Chayka will take over as the team’s GM. Sundin’s role will be to “rebuild the brand and change the culture in the room” of a team that has “become a laughingstock for its inability to succeed in the playoffs.” The team said that Chayka brings a “comprehensive strategic and analytical skill set and diverse experience” to the role. Those were the traits Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment President & CEO Keith Pelley “said he was looking for when he began the search to replace” former GM Brad Treliving (TORONTO STAR, 5/3).

The GLOBE & MAIL’s Cathal Kelly wrote the Leafs “keep reminding us that they are the greatest organization in hockey,” so “why do they hire like they’re selling untaxed cigarettes out of Ed Rogers’ garage?" Until Sundin and Chayka were hired, “neither had a job in hockey.” Kelly noted while these hires are “bold,” the Leafs “are always at their most visionary just before they spin out.” Kelly: “The problem is that neither is big enough, experienced enough or battle-tested enough to get their arms around the monster that is the Toronto Maple Leafs” (GLOBE & MAIL, 5/3).

THE ATHLETIC’s Jonas Siegel writes with the “most important decision of his tenure, at a crucial pivot point for the franchise, the best Pelley could do” was hire Chayka and Sundin. Siegel: “This is not a serious hockey team. That’s what this decision suggests. A serious team, determined to win the franchise’s first Stanley Cup title in almost 60 years at any cost, with the biggest financial muscles in the sport, would have pursued and landed the most credentialed front-office talent possible. This is not that” (THE ATHLETIC, 5/4).

Warriors F Draymond Green will be making three upcoming appearances on “Inside the NBA” on ESPN, filling in for Kenny Smith starting on Wednesday. Green, who is repped on the media side by WIN Sports’ Josh Pyatt, will be doing so as a TNT employee, similar to the other members of the show. His other appearances for the postseason will come later this month, including during the conference finals.

Green first came aboard as a playoff guest analyst for TNT starting in 2021, and then struck a more formal, multiyear role with the network in 2022 for exclusive appearances during the regular season. He worked the NBA All-Star Game alt-cast in 2023, as well as the 2024 Mavericks-T’Wolves Western Conference Finals. Last year, Green was a guest analyst during the first two games of the Pacers-Knicks Eastern Conference Finals.

Fanatics and the Argentine Football Association have reached a long-term, exclusive trading-card, sticker and trading card games licensing deal, which begins immediately and covers the next four World Cups. The AFA had previously entered a long-term deal with Fanatics in October 2023 to manage their official online merchandise store. In this new deal, Fanatics-owned Topps will produce a wide range of collectibles for the men’s, women’s and youth national teams, having the rights to use the Argentine Football logos and crests that appear on player shirts as well as exclusive collective player rights. This also includes autograph and match-used memorabilia that will be inserted into cards. It was reported last week that Fanatics/Topps was close to striking new, exclusive deals with other major federations in England, Brazil, Germany and Italy, but the Argentina deal is a new and separate deal from those reports. The Germany deal was confirmed by the German FA last week (Fanatics).

Genius Sports has signed a wide-ranging, multiyear deal with Liga MX, providing a suite of technology that will touch advertising, broadcasting, coaching and officiating for the league and its 18 teams.

The company will leverage its various offerings to enhance all areas of Lig MX matchups, with GeniusIQ as a significant vehicle of this AI and tech enhancement:

• GeniusIQ will power the alternative broadcasts as well as its Semi-Automated Offside Technology. Because of this, the product is installed in every Liga MX stadium.
• Genius Sports’ Moment Engine will allow for reactive advertising campaigns (spanning broadcast and digital) to game action.
• Performance Studio, another Genius product, will boost the performance and analysis for players and coaches at the Liga MX clubs.

The two sides negotiated the deal without help from outside agencies. Financial terms were not shared with SBJ.

Moment Engine is used in the NBA and NFL, two other leagues that work with Genius Sports. The SAOT product is used in the Premier League and Belgian Pro League.

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What’s on Ben Gumpert’s Mind? Elevate’s Chief Strategy & Growth Officer discusses significant infrastructure projects and the continued growth opportunities around them.

In this week’s issue:

• John Henry’s thoughtful approach to business has led to a $14B sports empire. SBJ’s Bill King takes a deep dive into the inner workings of our Lifetime Achievement Award honoree.
• Sacramento Republic FC opted for a go-big-or-go-home mentality in nearly tripling its stadium project to $450M. SBJ’s Bret McCormick has the details.
• The Sabres are making the most of their playoff opportunity by advancing their business ambitions. SBJ’s Alex Silverman outlines how the team in cashing in.
• As the WNBA rolls into its 30th season, SBJ’s Tom Friend maps out some of the highs and lows of how the league got to where it is today.
• Inner Circle Sports’ Maddie Winslow has become one of the leading deal advisors across women’s sports. SBJ’s Chris Smith follows her path from hockey player to financial strategist.
• In the run-up to the World Cup, SBJ’s Ethan Joyce examines ticket pricing and demand, and why clarity on attendance may not be clear until the opening kickoff.

The Athletics are looking for a Manager/Corporate Communications & Publicity. The Las Vegas-based position is responsible for leading business PR efforts, including development of press releases, media pitches and talking points (Athletics).

Watkins Glen International Speedway is looking for a Manager/Group Sales. The Watkins Glen-based position is responsible for leading the group ticket sales team and driving revenue growth through strategic prospecting, relationship development and innovative group sales programs (Watkins Glen International Speedway).

The Earthquakes are looking for a Senior Dir/Partnership Marketing. The San Jose-based position is responsible for managing the activation/execution, relationship management and renewal/upselling of all Earthquakes’ corporate partnerships (Earthquakes).

MLV NorCal is looking for a Dir/Revenue. The Northern California-based position is responsible for leading strategy, development and execution of all core revenue streams for MLV NorCal, including ticket sales, group and premium sales, and corporate partnerships (MLV NorCal).

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“The name of this fruit commemorates an Australian gardener who died in her 70s in the 19th century.”