Morning Buzz

NFL owners are gathering on Monday and Tuesday in Phoenix for their annual meeting, where they expect to approve a new succession plan for the Raiders, award the 2029 Super Bowl to Las Vegas and open up local preseason game rights to streamers.

Owners will also hear an update on the Paul G. Allen Trust’s efforts to sell the Seahawks, the latest on NFL preliminary negotiations over new media rights deals with Paramount and others, including a five-game mini-package that would take effect this year, and financial and international updates.

One thing to watch: It’s possible the owners extend Roger Goodell’s contract at this meeting. The powerful compensation committee was scheduled to meet on Sunday, and his current deal is set to expire in a year, in March 2027, though there is zero doubt around the league Goodell has the job as long as he wants it.

Also on the agenda are sales of small limited-partner stakes in the Dolphins and Steelers, and a proposed change to a scheduling policy that limits teams to two “short weeks” per year, which today mostly works to restrict the number of Thursday night games for any given team.

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N.Y. Giants co-owner John Mara “is on the scene” at the NFL’s annual league meeting in Phoenix, a “noteworthy” sign as Mara continues his cancer treatments. That Mara, 71, made it here “should not be taken for granted, considering his health concerns.” John’s brother Chris Mara “is also representing Giants ownership at this meeting.” The Giants’ other co-owner, Steve Tisch, “was also a regular at these meetings but he will not be in attendance” amid continued fallout over his appearance in the Epstein files. He and his siblings are transferring an equity stake in the team to their children, “a process that must be approved by the other NFL owners” (N.Y. POST, 3/29).

Mara’s “presence seemed to brighten the humdrum gatherings even more than the desert sun” on Sunday. Those close to him said “there was no way Mara was going to miss this.” At one point on Sunday, Mara “sat in a competition committee meeting, walked through the lobby of the hotel where the events are taking place, stopped to chat with Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and then ducked into a restaurant for a late lunch." It “was almost business as usual” (NEWSDAY, 3/30).

The quartet of teams “left standing” after the first two weeks of the NCAA tournament “are all juggernauts” for the second consecutive year, as Michigan, Arizona, UConn and Illinois will be heading to Indianapolis for the Final Four. There may only be a pair of No. 1 seeds in this year’s Final Four compared to four the previous year, “but the quality of the teams is not terribly different.” The makeup of this year’s Final Four “won’t surprise anyone who has been paying attention to how top-heavy college basketball has become the past few years” (YAHOO SPORTS, 3/29).

In “a sign of the times,” the Illini “will pass for something resembling Cinderella.” The fact that Illinois “feels most like this year’s out-of-nowhere underdog speaks more about the current state of college hoops than the Illini themselves.” They are a No. 3 seed -- the highest number at the Final Four in two years (AP, 3/29).

This is “a fever dream of a Final Four for Arizona fans,” and it is “a pinch-me moment for Illinois fans, too.” Arizona is “finally back among the sport’s elite,” while Illinois “finally has a chance to win its first title.” The Big Ten also “may finally have a team that can cut down those nets on Monday night” (NBCSPORTS.com, 3/29).

After the rows of empty seats at the West Regional men’s basketball semifinals at SAP Center in San Jose drew attention Thursday, a slightly larger crowd attended Saturday’s regional final. Arizona’s victory against Purdue drew an announced crowd of 15,854, which represents tickets sold. Thursday’s semifinal doubleheader was announced at 15,431. In comparison, the South Regional final Saturday drew 17,010 at Toyota Center for Illinois’s win over Iowa. On Sunday, the Midwest Regional final attracted 20,410 to the United Center for Michigan’s win against Tennessee and the East Regional final drew 19,502 at Capital One Arena for UConn’s victory over Duke (SBJ).

The Univ. of North Carolina has “suspended discussions about the future of the Smith Center” until the school hires its next men’s basketball coach and that coach “has had time to develop his program.” UNC is “targeting some of the biggest names in the sport” to replace Hubert Davis and “doesn’t want the contentious arena debate hanging over the search or the new coach,” according to UNC Vice Chancellor/Communications Dean Stoyer. Stoyer cited a “need to remove any potential distractions during a critical time for the program.” The debate over a new arena “erupted into public view” during basketball season, and it “created a divide between the administration, who preferred to build new at Carolina North, and some supporters of the program, who favor renovating the Smith Center at its current location” (WRAL.com, 3/29).

The Professional Bull Riders Teams Series is moving into its next phase of growth after team owners approved a plan to expand the league to 12 teams for the 2027 season. Owners of the 5-on-5 bull riding league approved the expansion unanimously over the weekend.

Expansion teams could command prices north of $50M, a sharp increase from the roughly $3M entry point for the league’s inaugural franchises in 2022. Though the initial eight teams were sold for roughly $3M-$5M, subsequent franchise values have risen by more than 600%. Most recently, Avenue Capital Group Chair and former Bucks owner Marc Lasry purchased the N.Y. Mavericks, and golfer Talor Gooch acquired the Oklahoma Wildcatters. Each transaction was valued at approximately $22.5M.

The league already features a high-profile ownership roster, including Teton Ridge (Arizona Ridge Riders), Egon Durban and Michael Dell (Austin Gamblers) and Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris (Missouri Thunder). PBR CEO & Commissioner Sean Gleason said the league has received “strong interest from prospective ownership groups.”

Potential expansion markets include Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Edmonton, Southern California, Sacramento and Salt Lake City. Each of those markets has hosted at least one PBR event within the past five years. Denver is one of the tour’s most important stops because of its ties to the National Western Stock Show. In Southern California, Anaheim has already been selected as a neutral-site location for a PBR Teams event in September.

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Tommy Hilfiger has signed Chiefs TE Travis Kelce to a deal to make him a “global brand ambassador and creative collaborator.” Kelce will “participate in a series of ad campaigns and a design collaboration” with the brand as part of the agreement, which begins in the fall with an “ad campaign showing Kelce entering Hilfiger’s New York.” The campaign, which breaks in late August/September, will be “shot over two-and-a-half days at the end of April,” and will “continue into the spring 2027 campaign.” Kelce will wear Hilfiger clothing on the tunnel walk for 2026 and 2027 (WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, 3/30).

Fever G Caitlin Clark reprised her role as special contributor for NBC’s “Basketball Night in America” before Knicks-Thunder.

• On the new collective bargaining agreement between the WNBA and its players: “People put a lot of time and energy into it, took time away from their families. … Just really grateful and thankful."
• On the salary increase and revenue sharing components in the new CBA: “I think it sets a precedent for all of women’s sports going forward, not just women’s basketball. That we’re truly valued and the product that we put on the floor is valued.”
• On her role in the growth of women’s sports: “It was never my goal to change women’s sports. I show up, played, and I loved every single second. I feel a responsibility to show up and put a smile on everybody’s face that buys a ticket and comes to watch us play.”
• On Fever’s upcoming season: “We were trying to win it all last season. That’s what we’re trying to do this year. … There’s over 100 players in the league that are free agents. So we only really know about five people, or three people that are going to be on our team next year. But I feel like we have a great core” (“Basketball Night in America,” NBC, 3/29).

What’s on Mike Proman’s mind? The Scrum Ventures managing director and partner shares his insights on the sports industry’s potential for disruption.

In this week’s issue:

• Dwyane Wade admits to making some poor spending decisions after entering the NBA. Now he wants to help other athletes make better financial moves. Wade chairs a new nine-member Athletes Council started by JPMorganChase. SBJ’s Chris Smitih has the details.
• The upcoming World Cup could be the largest sporting event ever staged. In our latest Power Players installment, meet the key leaders, advisers and decision-makers responsible for putting the pieces together.
• Like other schools, West Virginia Univ. is focused on boosting revenue in an era of NIL and the House settlement. SBJ’s Bret McCormick reports on how a pair of facility projects will help WVU keep up to speed.
• In his 15 years with the USTA, Lew Sherr helped transform the U.S. Open into one of the most lucrative annual events in global sports. Now he’s taken those skills to baseball and the Mets. SBJ’s Mike Mazzeo details the transition.
• From Georgia Tech to the A-10, Bernadette McGlade left a lasting imprint on college sports. SBJ’s Ben Portnoy caught up with McGlade at the start of the NCAA tournament and shares some of her career reflections.

D.C. United is looking for a Dir/Grounds. The D.C.-based position is responsible for the maintenance of the playing surface at Audi Field, the Performance Complex and areas surrounding the stadium and training facility (D.C. United).

Major League Soccer is looking for a Senior Coordinator/Player Relations. The N.Y.-based position is responsible for supporting sporting-related processes, including player transactions and MLS Club roster and salary budget management (MLS).

PWHL is looking for a Project Manager/Creative Services. The remote-based position is responsible for overseeing the intake, prioritization and execution of creative work across the brand and marketing function (PWHL).

Playfly Sports are looking for a VP/Integrated Sales. The N.Y.-based position is responsible for driving revenue growth through fully integrated, multi-platform partnerships across digital, linear, sponsorship and emerging media (Playfly Sports).

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“In the title of a 2023 memoir, Dame Judi Dench calls him ‘the man who pays the rent.’”