Morning Buzz

Comcast said Monday it “plans to separate its media and technology businesses into two publicly traded companies” as it “looks to better compete in a media landscape increasingly characterized by ‌pressure from streaming rivals and consolidation.” The separation, which “will happen via a tax-free spinoff of NBCUniversal and Sky,” is “expected to be completed in about one year.” Comcast co-CEO Mike Cavanagh “will become CEO of NBCUniversal,” while former Comcast CFO Michael Angelakis “will become CEO of Comcast.” Comcast’s other co-CEO and chair, Brian Roberts, will “continue to be actively involved in the leadership of both Comcast and NBCUniversal.” Comcast said it “expects to retain a stake of up to 19.9% ownership position in NBCUniversal for up to one year after the transaction is completed,” which it “intends to tax-efficiently monetize over time” (CNBC.com, 6/29).

The split “will help the two companies focus on separate strategic priorities as the telecommunications business diverges from entertainment.” NBCUniversal will “hold the theme parks division, Universal film and television studios, NBC and Telemundo networks, Peacock, and Bravo as well as the European media business, Sky.” The remaining Comcast will “hold the company’s broadband, wireless and cable TV business” (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 6/29).

Atlanta-based PrizePicks has signed on as the first pick ‘em and prediction market operator to sponsor an NBA team, striking a comprehensive deal with the Hawks that includes broadcast integrations, arena signs and a branded party deck at State Farm Arena.

The NBA cleared the way for the deal in April when it blessed PrizePicks, known best for a popular parlay-only player prop offering, as an official Daily Fantasy Sports operator. PrizePicks added team picks to its menu through prediction markets exchange Kalshi in November. The deal precludes it from promoting those through the Hawks -- though they live side-by-side on the PrizePicks app.

PrizePicks has been a Braves sponsor since 2020.

The “FIFA World Cup Pregame” show averaged 2.4 million viewers across Fox, FS1 and Tubi through the group stage, up 117% from the show four years ago (1.11 million viewers). Looking across other pregame shows, that average is just under what ESPN/ESPNU averaged for “College GameDay” this past season (2.7 million), but above the 1.8 million that “Big Noon Kickoff” averaged on Fox during the college football regular season. “FIFA World Cup Pregame” is also around 1 million more than what “Fox NFL Kickoff” averaged during the regular season (1.4 million) and “Inside the NBA” on ESPN (1. 3 million during the regular season).

Fox, FS1 and Tubi also were averaging 5.62 million viewers entering the third leg of the group stage matches, keeping the tourney on pace for the best World Cup average yet. Audience numbers through the full group stage should be available Tuesday afternoon.

K.C. continues to lead all markets for World Cup games, followed by Boston, Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth and San Diego. Rounding out the top 10 are S.F.-Oakland-San Jose, Atlanta, Richmond, D.C. and St. Louis.

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The three Round of 32 World Cup matches on Monday have all experienced notable price dips, and there are over 1,700 tickets available for two matches. Brazil-Japan in Houston has a get-in price of $738, which is down 54% from three days ago, 66% from seven days ago and 12% since the start of the tournament, according to TicketData.com. There are also 856 tickets available. Germany-Paraguay is the cheapest match of the day, as the Boston showdown has a get-in price of $487, down 47% over the past three days, 69% over the past seven and 33% since the tournament began with 908 tickets still available. Netherlands-Morocco in Monterrey features a get-in price of $707 and has seen dips of 44% over the past three days, 69% over the past seven and 29% since the tournament started. SBJ has partnered with TicketData.com to track get-in prices and trends for upcoming games. For additional information on games, visit the World Cup page at TicketData.com.

Poland international soccer player Robert Lewandowski has “agreed to a deal with the Chicago Fire and will join the club this summer” on a two-year contract that will make him “one of MLS’s highest-paid players,” according to sources cited by THE ATHLETIC. Lewandowski is a free agent after his contract with LaLiga club Barcelona expired this summer. Lewandowski “will immediately become one of the league’s marquee stars” and will “arrive in a city with a proud Polish community.” The Fire are “trying to build up excitement around a winning team, but also with a star that can draw new fans” as the team looks “to sell tickets for the new stadium," McDonald’s Park, that will open in the South Loop area of the city in 2028 (THE ATHLETIC, 6/28).

The start of the Yankees-Red Sox game on NBC’s “Sunday Night Baseball” was “preempted” on Sunday night “due to a rain delay” at the PGA Tour’s Travelers Championship with star Scottie Scheffler in contention. The decision was “made in consultation with the PGA Tour and Major League Baseball to stick with coverage of the golf tournament once it resumed” at 7:20pm ET “until it finished or was suspended due to darkness.” The Yankees-Red Sox game was also streamed on Peacock. NBC picked up coverage at 8:28pm during the bottom of the fourth inning with the Red Sox leading 2-0. NBC viewers “still got to see the more interesting parts of the game,” as Red Sox P Sonny Gray “had a no-hitter through seven innings” (AP, 6/28).

Meanwhile, Scheffler and fellow PGA Tour player Viktor Hovland were still tied at 21-under after 18 holes when the Travelers was suspended due to darkness Sunday night. The two “will have their sudden-death playoff Monday” at 9am. It “will likely begin on hole No. 18 and will be broadcast on The Golf Channel.” Sunday tickets “will be honored for the playoff” (NEW HAVEN REGISTER, 6/28).

Serena Williams “is the star” at Wimbledon this year, and her “presence has been emanating” throughout the tournament as she prepares to play her first singles match at the event in four years Tuesday when she faces No. 53 Maya Joint in the first round (AP, 6/27). This is “some combination of Michael Jordan playing for the Wizards, Tom Brady unretiring and Mike Tyson still fighting." Wimbledon “could be a one-off” for Williams, “or it could be the start of another championship.” It is “gripping theater either way and will be the story of Wimbledon 2026 (at least for the opening week)” (SI, 6/26).

Williams says the “gruelling” nature of the anti-doping testing process almost stopped her from making a shock comeback. Williams: “It’s gruelling. That was a big reason why I didn’t want to come back either, because it’s just so hard. My life is busy, I run a [venture capital] company, I travel the world. I have children. It’s like I could be in so many different cities so many different times.” Those in the testing pool “must let the testers know where they will be for one hour of every single day.” A player who misses three competition tests “during that hour in a 12-month period is likely to be sanctioned.” But “a lot of players have voiced their concerns about the process, highlighting the stress which they say the system causes them” (BBC.com, 6/28).

Leading players at Wimbledon “will return to normal media duties” beginning Monday after ending their prize money protest following “constructive meetings” with the All England Club. Several star players had “planned to limit their contractual media commitments to a symbolic 15 minutes per match day during the first week of the tournament,” with the 15 minutes referring “to their prize money as a percentage of overall tournament revenue.” Wimbledon earlier this month unveiled the biggest ever uplift in prize money and increased the overall prize pool by 20%. But the players “estimated that their share of Wimbledon’s projected revenues for 2026” is 14.4% and said that ratio “is less than their share from 10 years ago.” ATP No. 1 Jannik Sinner, WTA No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and WTA No. 7 Coco Gauff all " timed their press conferences on Saturday, intending to keep them under 10 minutes." But “not all players joined in, suggesting a split within the leading stars” (London INDEPENDENT, 6/29).

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The NHL’s decentralized draft format appears likely to remain in place unless numerous clubs voice concern with the way this year’s event unfolded or develop a strong need to return in person.

“My sense is that decentralized is here for at least a while to stay,” NHL President of Content & Events Steve Mayer said Saturday during the waning rounds of the event, which saw front offices work remotely for the second year in a row.

That echoed a comment from Commissioner Gary Bettman at the Stanley Cup Final: “Unless we hear from a lot of clubs that they want to make a change, which is how the change came about in the first place, I don’t see the need to poll every year,” he said. “If a bunch of clubs call Bill [Daly, the Deputy Commissioner] or me and say, ‘You know what, we’d like to go back,’ then we do that. But I don’t anticipate that. I think the clubs like the format.”

The league resolved most of the tech issues that plagued the decentralized draft in its first go-around, but the remote format is not universally beloved. Many still long for the in-person event.

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FlexWork Sports, which operates youth sports camps led by athletes like Saquon Barkley, Jordan Love and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., has acquired rival ProCamps. FlexWork founder & CEO Forrest West said his company will more than double its offerings to around 1,000 events annually. West wouldn’t disclose financial details, though a source familiar with the deal said it’s an eight-figure transaction. The acquisition of ProCamps doesn’t just expand the scale of FlexWork’s youth camp offerings, but it also includes ProCamps’ brand marketing agency, G3 Marketing.

“That helps with the brand activation side of things, which allows us to continue growing in more verticals,” West said. “So not just the traditional youth sports camp space, but more brand-led meet-and-greet opportunities and other brand activations across the board.”

Love raved about working with FlexWork on camps across Wisconsin, his hometown of Bakersfield, Calif., and even in Tokyo. Love said he’s excited by the prospect of doing more, especially abroad, and sees greater opportunities to involve brand sponsors.

“When I meet with some of these different brand partners, they’re always asking, ‘What can we do to help?’” Love said. “If you’ve got a Nike deal, it’s Nike being able to send gift bags or some stuff that the kids can walk away with. … Brands want to have an impact. If you’re doing good work in the community and for kids, they want to try and help.”

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What’s on Chris Hibbs’ mind? Legends Global’s president of partnerships emphasizes that driving innovative, integrated revenue growth for clients depends on breaking down silos across business areas.

In this week’s issue:

• As America celebrates its 250th birthday, an exclusive CivicScience/SBJ survey provides the fans’ take on sports, brands and patriotism. Who do fans view as America’s Team? Check out the results.
• FIFA struck deals that literally brought World Cup merchandise to the hometowns of fans across America. SBJ’s Alex Silverman reveals what fans can find in places like convenience stores, drugstores and airports.
• Tom Pohlad never saw himself as becoming the control owner of the Minnesota Twins, but since the family elevated him to the position, he’s been learning the business and making moves on and off the field. SBJ’s Mike Mazzeo has the story.
• ESPN made the most of access and technology in its coverage of the NHL Stanley Cup Final. Richard Deitsch takes you through the strategy and the big numbers it generated.
• SBJ’s Bill King aims to demystify prediction markets, answering questions consumers often have about this rising segment of sports betting. See how it all works and why the markets still generate plenty of debate.

Rock Entertainment Sports Network is looking for a Dir/Productions-Lead Game Producer. The Cleveland-based position is responsible for producing Cavaliers home and away telecasts, with developing game-day storylines, ensuring on-air talent is prepared and features are integrated (Rock Entertainment Sports Network).

X Games Club Park City & X Games Club L.A. are looking for a Team President & CCO. The remote-based position is responsible for the overall operation and commercial success of both clubs through corporate sponsorships, brand partnerships, naming rights, activations and in-market commercial opportunities (X Games Club Park City & X Games Club L.A.).

PGA of America is looking for a CMO. The Frisco-based position is responsible for marketing and communications activities for the organization to maximize assets and targeted growth against the organizational mission and its goals including member awareness, services, growth of the game and its Championships (PGA of America).

UFL is looking for a VP/Consumer Products. The White Plains-based position is responsible for leading the overall strategy, performance and evolution of the UFL’s consumer products and e-commerce business (UFL).

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“Norwegian Arne Peterssen was the last to pass through this location, which was then officially closed in 1954.”