Morning Buzz

Texans owner Cal McNair said that the team and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo have “decided to make things work in Harris County” by staying at NRG Stadium. McNair said on Monday, “We’ll figure out a way to make it work and have everybody a winner in this thing.” In February 2025, the Texans began negotiating a new lease with Harris County and the Rodeo, and at the time, the team said that it “wanted to remain in the greater Houston area but not necessarily in Harris County.” McNair’s latest comments represent a “significant shift in their line of thinking.” Whereas other nearby counties were “thought to be viable candidates ... if it came to that, Harris County is now the sole focus.” Texans President Mike Tomon said the team has “not ruled out building a new stadium,” but is “focusing on renovating” NRG Stadium. The stadium is “said to be significantly behind on needed maintenance” and the facilities the Rodeo uses are “also in need of renovations.” A new lease agreement will “likely shift that responsibility to the Texans and the Rodeo.” The Texans’ current lease expires in 2032 (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 5/4).

The staff of the podcast “Pablo Torre Finds Out” on Monday received the 2026 Pulitzer Prize in Audio Reporting for its pioneering and entertaining form of live podcast journalism that investigated how the Clippers seemingly evaded the NBA’s salary cap rules by funneling money to F Kawhi Leonard through an environmental startup (Pulitzer Prize Board). The podcast won the award for four episodes in September that “probed the financial relationship” between Leonard and Aspiration, a now-defunct third-party company that Clippers owner Steve Ballmer had invested in. “PTFO” beat out podcasts from the N.Y. Times and the Wall Street Journal (YAHOO SPORTS, 5/4). The honor caps “a remarkable rise for the influential show.” Torre’s show -- which has three episodes each week -- has reported on “several major stories” since its debut in 2023. Torre’s podcast is produced by Meadowlark Media and licensed by The Athletic (AP, 5/4).

Extreme Networks is deploying the first WiFi 7 network in a college football stadium at the Univ. of Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, known colloquially as “The Swamp.” The upgraded network will be ready for the stadium’s 88,000 fans this fall. The new system builds on an existing network Extreme established for UF seven years ago.

“It’s a continuation in our investment of the fan experience at The Swamp,” said Deputy AD and Chief Commercial Officer Michael Ceilley. “When you have 88,000 fans, you want them to have great connectivity. It’ll increase speed for our fans and it’s a secure network. That’s why it was important.”

The project cost wasn’t disclosed. Extreme and the university agreed to a “network infrastructure as a service” deal structure, in which Florida pays essentially for its utilization of the network. That enables it to save during the six to eight-month offseason when The Swamp is used considerably less, and revenue is far lower, than during the fall college football season.

The upgrade is part of a larger trend Extreme is seeing in the college space, where updating aging stadiums is becoming more urgent. WiFi improvements not only enable fans to get online more easily during a game but support venue operations, including staff communication, security, digital signage, and any fan experience technologies that might be utilized.

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The Bulls made a “somewhat unexpected hire to lead the next rebuild,” naming Hawks SVP/Basketball Operations Bryson Graham as their EVP/Basketball Operations. Graham has been in his position with the Hawks for less than two years, after a long run working for the Pelicans. There was “heavy speculation in recent days” that T’Wolves GM Matt Lloyd “was the frontrunner” for the Bulls job (Chicago DAILY HERALD, 5/4). Graham reportedly “stole the show in the in-person interview process.” Graham comes to the Bulls “on a bit of a hot streak as far as front offices go,” as he “did a complete overhaul” to the Hawks’ front office. Graham’s hiring follows the Bulls’ firing of EVP/Basketball Operations Arturas Karnisovas and GM Marc Eversley last month (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 5/4).

The Bulls used search firm ZRG Turnkey to “help with the hiring process.” Now that the Bulls have hired Graham, “one of the biggest questions many league observers have” is whether Bulls President & CEO Michael Reinsdorf will “spend on the necessary infrastructure to surround Graham’s staff with elite talent.” Graham’s arrival gives Reinsdorf the “chance to not only give his front office a completely new look but to change the narrative that has dogged the organization for years about not spending at a high enough level to compete every year” (THE ATHLETIC, 5/4).

The upcoming X Games League has found its first team owner in investment firm UNA Sports Group. The firm has acquired the action sports league’s N.Y. teams for both summer and winter competitions. Financial details were not disclosed, though X Games CEO Jeremy Bloom told Sports Business Journal that the two teams were sold for an eight-figure sum apiece. The XGL team sale process is being managed by investment bank Moelis.

Andrew Thau, UNA Sports’ founder and partner, said his firm’s leadership believes the X Games’ new league structure will be more compelling for broadcasters, sponsors and host cities. He also pointed to the league’s exposure to women’s sports -- team rosters are evenly split between male and female competitors -- and the strong experience of X Games owner MSP Sports Capital, led by Jeff Moorad and Jahm Najafi.

“The idea of getting into something at the ground level is really interesting and compelling to us,” Thau said. “Having the opportunity to help build this and create that long-term value, that’s opportunistic for us. And we think the situation where we’re able to operate this team is a really strong match with the skillsets of the UNA partners.”

Thau, who will serve as governor of the X Games League teams, was formerly COO of United Talent Agency and co-head of UTA Sports. He’s joined at UNA Sports by CEO Del Wright and president David Rader, who previously led PwC’s sports advisory division. Thau noted UNA executives will ideally have an active role working with portfolio companies; Rader and UNA Sports VP Ted Andrews advised New York GM Steve Rodriguez during the XGL draft in March.

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Full Day Productions and GSE Worldwide aim to break the record for the highest attendance at a volleyball game through a collaboration to host Spikes Under the Lights, a one-night showcase at AT&T Stadium. Set for Aug. 27, the event will feature Nebraska, Penn State, Florida and SMU competing in two semifinals matches followed by a championship match. The event is set to be hosted on a major national network to be announced in the coming weeks with a simulcast on cable.

GSE Worldwide and Full Day Productions, 50/50 partners in the property, are backing the concept with a $1M purse -- $800,000 of which will be set aside as appearance fees divided evenly among the four programs with $200,000 reserved as prize money, weighted toward the winner. Schools will determine how to distribute those dollars between athletes and teams budgets.

GSE Worldwide will oversee the live side of the event, managing in-venue production, stadium operations, marketing and ticket sales. Full Day Productions will lead the television operation, handling the broadcast production and integrating sponsor elements on air. Both companies will participate in sponsorship sales, with GSE Worldwide primarily activating partners on site at AT&T Stadium and Full Day focusing on the broadcast and studio components. While GSE Worldwide and Full Day are still finalizing the sponsorship lineup, endemic brands have already shown interest, said GSE Worldwide EVP and GSE Productions President Jon Venison.

The two chose AT&T Stadium thanks to its scale and flexibility. The venue’s retractable roof removes weather risk for a one-night event and a configuration that can stretch to roughly 100,000 fans gives it a realistic shot at surpassing the current volleyball attendance record of just over 92,000.

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Anheuser-Busch InBev “booked its first sales-volumes growth in three years, adding to signs of a rebound in the beer industry.” AB InBev posted a 0.8% “organic increase in total volumes” over the first three months of the year, “ending a period of sliding volumes dating to mid-2023.” AB InBev CEO Michel Doukeris said that the company “plans further investment behind its biggest brands in order to capture growth ahead.” Like other drinks makers, AB InBev is “eyeing a boost to sales this summer as sports fans gather” for the FIFA World Cup in the U.S., Canada and Mexico beginning next month (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 5/5).

In this episode of On Stage, Arthur M. Blank, Chairman of AMB Sports and Entertainment, joins Abe Madkour, Publisher & Executive Editor of Sports Business Journal, for a wide-ranging conversation on leadership, ownership, and the continued growth of soccer in the U.S.

Recorded on March 26, 2026, at SBJ’s Business of Soccer conference in Atlanta, the discussion offers a window into Blank’s philosophy as an owner across multiple properties, including the Falcons and Atlanta United, and how he approaches building organizations rooted in culture, community, and long-term vision.

Key themes include:

• Ownership with Purpose: Blank’s approach to leadership, culture, and empowering people across his organizations.  
• The Rise of Soccer in the U.S.: How Atlanta United became a model for fan engagement and what it signals about the sport’s future.  
• Fan-First Philosophy: Why experience, accessibility, and trust are central to sustained success.  
• Community Impact: The role sports organizations play beyond the field in driving civic pride and connection.  
• Leadership Lessons: Insights from a career spanning entrepreneurship, retail, and professional sports ownership.  

It’s a thoughtful, values-driven conversation with one of the most respected figures in sports business—offering lessons that extend far beyond the game.

This year’s Met Gala featured a “long list of fashion-minded athletes trading in their cleats and sneakers for something a little less comfortable.” Tennis player Venus Williams served as a co-chair for this year, while Aces C A’ja Wilson was on the host committee. Other sports figures who made appearances at the event included former tennis player Serena Williams, NFL free agent Russell Wilson, Gold Medal-winning freestyle skier Eileen Gu, Gold Medal-winning figure skater Alysa Liu, tennis player Naomi Osaka, Dream F Angel Reese, Wings G Paige Bueckers, Bengals QB Joe Burrow, Vikings WR Justin Jefferson, Warriors F Jimmy Butler, Basketball HOFer Dwyane Wade and Sacramento Kings G Russell Westbrook (THE ATHLETIC, 5/4).

Gold-Medal winning skier Lindsey Vonn “walked the 2026 Met Gala red carpet without her crutches, marking the first time she’s walked on her own since her horrific crash at the 2026 Winter Olympics.” She was “due to start walking without crutches this week,” and she “made doing it at the Met Gala one of her goals” (USA TODAY, 5/4). Meanwhile, NASCAR driver Carson Hocevar is “making strides as a trending athlete after taking to the Met Gala red carpet unexpectedly.” It was the first time that any NASCAR driver was at the event since 2010, when HOFer Jeff Gordon made an appearance. E!, which hosts the red-carpet broadcast, “interviewed Hocevar and posted it on its social feeds.” The “hope is that the young phenom could peak, gain interest, and pick up some steam with a newer, perhaps younger, audience” (ATHLON SPORTS, 5/4).

In a “bit of scheduling mayhem,” the Knicks also hosted the 76ers at Madison Square Garden on Monday night for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. NBA playoff games “often overlap with the Met Gala,” which is traditionally held on the first Monday in May. The Knicks last played a home game the night of the gala in 2024. The convergence of both events posed “a conundrum for high-profile Knicks fans” like director Spike Lee and actor Timothée Chalamet (N.Y. TIMES, 5/4).

“A famous list of this many items is found on the 1972 comedy album ‘Class Clown.’”