Morning Buzz

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Messi magic finally ran dry. After riding a series of dramatic wins to its second consecutive World Cup final, defending champion Argentina came up short Sunday at N.Y. N.J. Stadium, falling 1-0 to Spain in extra time. Despite Spain’s dominance throughout the match, it took a goal by substitute Ferran Torres in the 106th minute to clinch the country’s second World Cup title.

The final drew a largely pro-Argentina crowd of 80,663, marking the 70th sellout of the 104-match tournament. Approximately 16,000 individual hospitality packages were allocated by On Location for Sunday’s match, the most of any during the World Cup. That count included 12 on-the-pitch packages, which cost $1M apiece for access to all eight matches at N.Y. N.J. Stadium and other amenities. The get-in price settled at more than $7,000 in the hours before the game after reaching more than $10,000 in the final days.

While final numbers weren’t immediately available, Delaware North’s GM for the venue, Bill Lohr, said shortly after halftime that he expected the stadium to finish the day with about $3M in concessions revenue and another $3M in retail revenue. Factoring in premium services, he projected that total revenue would approach the venue’s single-event record of $11M, set during Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014.

Lohr added that per caps had been well into the triple digits throughout the World Cup, with the figure for the final expected to be significantly higher than those for the previous seven matches at the stadium.

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President Trump “refused to leave the stage for Spain’s World Cup trophy lift” amid “awkward scenes” with FIFA President Gianni Infantino following the conclusion of the World Cup final Sunday at N.Y. N.J. Stadium. Trump and Infantino had “jointly handed over the trophy” to Spain MF Rodri, but “just like he did when Chelsea won the Club World Cup last year, Trump stayed in view of the cameras for the celebrations and even found time to do his signature dance." As he “stayed on the edge of the stage alongside the players, Infantino jogged across to urge” Trump “to step away.” But Trump “ignored Infantino’s instructions” (London TELEGRAPH, 7/20).

Trump arrived at the stadium on Marine One, with the president’s helicopter “first flying over the stadium about 45 minutes before kick-off.” Trump was “briefly shown on the video screens at the stadium” after the U.S. national anthem was played. There were “scattered boos from some in the crowd but nothing like the hostile reception he has received at other sporting events during his presidency.” However, when Trump and Infantino came on to the field for the presentation after Spain clinched victory, “boos rang out around the stadium” (London GUARDIAN, 7/19).

Trump was asked for his World Cup final prediction during a Sunday pre-match interview with Fox’s Jenny Taft, to which he responded, “I hate to get involved, even though politically it doesn’t matter so much. The head of Argentina is a friend of mine, he’s done a terrific job. But I would say that it’s hard to bet against [Argentina F Lionel] Messi” (MEDIAITE, 7/19).

Long lines stretched around N.Y. N.J. Stadium “for hours” ahead of the World Cup final on Sunday “as ticket-scanning problems and heightened security tied to President Donald Trump’s visit slowed fans, journalists and stadium employees attempting to enter.” FIFA “had urged ticket holders to arrive as much as four hours before” the 3pm ET match, but “even those who arrived early reported long waits and confusion as crowds were redirected between entrances.” Some fans said FIFA’s digital ticketing system “was not scanning their passes, creating another bottleneck after they reached the front of the lines.” Security workers were also reporting “glitches with FIFA’s system” as long lines began forming four hours before kickoff (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 7/19).

Making his first appearance at this year’s World Cup, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were joined in their suite by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and wife Diana; King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain (their children Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia also attended the game), Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, White House World Cup Task Force Exec Dir Andrew Giuliani; Barron Trump; Eric Trump; Fox News host Brian Kilmeade; and Patriots owner Bob Kraft (POLITICO, 7/18).

Participants in the pregame ceremony included: Post Malone, Tom Cruise, Laura Pausini, Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams, IShowSpeed, Jennifer Hudson and Christopher Macchio.

Among celebrities from sports and entertainment: Mick Jagger, Matt Damon and wife Luciana, Adrian Brody, Fanatics Chair & CEO Michael Rubin and Camille Fishel; Timothee Chalamet and Kylie Jenner; Tom Brady and son Benjamin; Dua Lipa; Penelope Cruz; Javier Bardem; Jung Ho-yeon; KC Current co-owner Angie Long; Harris Blitzer S&E co-founder David Blitzer; Drake; Jay-Z and Beyonce; Rihanna and A$AP Rocky; Travis Scott; Pharrell Williams; Machine Gun Kelly; Trevor Noah; Lindsey Vonn; Jalen Brunson and wife Ali; Jon Hamm; Tate McRae; Anya Taylor-Joy; Serena Williams and husband Alexis Ohanian; Richard Gere and Alejandra Silva; Shania Twain; Swae Lee; Kevin and Eniko Hart; Mike Tyson; Victor Wembanyama, Giannis Antetokounmpo; Karl-Anthony Towns; Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union; Draymond Green; Tyrese Haliburton and Jade Jones; Donovan Mitchell; James Harden; Pau Gasol; JJ and Kealia Watt; Rob Gronkowski and Camille Kostek; Patrick Mahomes; George Kittle; Jaxson Dart, Jameis Winston, Odell Beckham Jr., Tyrone Tracy and Jermaine Eluemunor from the N.Y. Giants; NHL stars Alex Ovechkin, Trevor Zegras and Cole Caufield; WWE performers Logan Paul, Finn Balor and Roman Reigns with wife Galina Anoa’i; Callum Turner; Robert Lewandowski; tech entrepreneur Elise Smith; Gayle King and son William Bumpus Jr.; U.S. figure skater Ilia Malinin; models Winnie Harlow and Julia Garner; CNN’s Bianna Golodryga; “Saturday Night Live’s” Marcello Hernandez; Vogue Head of Editorial Content Chloe Malle; and Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson with Thea Booysen.

Among the soccer royalty at the final: David and Victoria Beckham and their family; Brazilian stars Ronaldo Nazario and Ronaldinho; Spanish legends Sergio Ramos, Iker Casillas, Carles Puyol and Jesus Navas; three-time Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati, who presented the game ball; Italian soccer manager Marco Materazzi; incoming France manager Zinedine Zidane, among others (SBJ).

The NTT IndyCar Series was forced to postpone its race at Nashville Superspeedway Sunday night due to rain, missing a major opportunity of the event being scheduled to air right after the FIFA World Cup final.

The open-wheel racing series was set to hold the Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix at a tentatively scheduled 5:35pm ET on Fox following Spain-Argentina, but the match went into extra time and didn’t end until around 6pm. By that time, storms had appeared in the Nashville area, prompting an initial delay that got extended until IndyCar postponed the race around 9pm ET. It has been rescheduled for 3pm Monday.

While World Cup final viewership has yet to be announced and the postponement was solely the result of bad weather, it is no doubt a bitter blow for IndyCar and will be viewed as a significant missed opportunity for the series.

Will Buxton, Fox’s lead play-by-play announcer for IndyCar races, posted on X that he was “gutted.” Later, he added: “The World Cup final is the most watched sports event on earth. Leading in from it was an opportunity to reach a huge new audience. A regular time win would still have arrived with us in a lightning delay. Can’t control weather.”

The R&A confirmed the official attendance for the 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale this past week was 306,000 -- “a new record for golf’s oldest major” (X, 7/19). In 2025, the Royal Portrush edition "broke attendance records" for The Open held outside St Andrews in 2022, when 278,000 fans filed through the gates during the week. That historic week, 290,000 attended St Andrews, which set a record at the time (GOLF MONTHLY, 7/19).

New Zealand secured its fourth major golf champion after Ryan Fox captured the Claret Jug on Sunday, which “allowed him to join” Bob Charles, Michael Campbell and Lydia Ko as a major-winner from New Zealand (AP, 7/19). For “just the second time in men’s professional golf history, the four majors were won by players representing four different countries” (Rory McIlroy from Northern Ireland, Aaron Rai from England, Wyndham Clark from the U.S. and Fox from New Zealand). The only other time that happened was in 2010, when Phil Mickelson (U.S.), Graeme McDowell (Northern Ireland), Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa) and Martin Kaymer (Germany) “filled out the calendar of champions” (THE ATHLETIC, 7/19).

While “making his case against a two-stroke penalty” for violating the golf rule against improving one’s lie following Friday’s second round of the Open Championship, LIV golfer Bryson DeChambeau “asked rules officials to bring President Donald Trump into the chippy conversation,” according to sources cited by the QUADRILATERAL. Sources said DeChambeau “wanted the President to join a campaign against the eventual two-stroke penalty,” but the “request was denied.” On Saturday, R&A CEO Mark Darbon was asked by BBC Radio 5 if he had received a phone call from Trump over the situation, to which he responded, “No. I have not received a call from President Trump, and we’ll see what happens from here.” An “ardent supporter of Trump,” DeChambeau has represented Trump Golf and celebrated his 2024 U.S. Open victory with the Trump family (QUADRILATERAL, 7/19).

The attorney for Arizona Cardinals Dir of College Scouting Ryan Gold, who was suspended indefinitely Friday for violating the NFL’s gambling policy, “called the league’s accusations ‘blatantly false’ and said his client is appealing his suspension.” The NFL on Friday said its investigation “determined that Gold provided confidential, nonpublic inside information regarding 2026 draft selections by the Cardinals before the picks were announced and that Gold also participated in parlay bets on NFL and college games.” Gold’s attorney Mike Caspino said that the gambling activity “was Gold’s wife making $10 weekly bets with a group of high school friends on parlays and that Gold was not involved.” He also said that Gold “could not have divulged the Cardinals draft picks because he didn’t know who they were picking” (ESPN.com, 7/19).

WWE will host watch parties at Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden for both nights of WrestleMania 43 in April with an “immersive live viewing experience” with LED screens, brand activations and merchandise. The venue also will host NXT “Stand & Deliver” and “Eternal Glory” from WWE-owned Mexican promotion AAA. WWE said it will announce watch parties in additional venues around the country, including select Cosm locations, and will partner with Fanatics for fan experiences and retail activations in N.Y. WrestleMania 43 is scheduled for Saudi Arabia, the first time the biggest event on WWE’s calendar will be held outside North America. The news comes on the heels of “Saturday Night’s Main Event,” at MSG, which drew an announced crowd of 15,361 and featured an Eli Manning-narrated video, “Kings of New York,” that preceded the introduction of NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson with Roman Reigns. The show ended with Reigns’ holding the Larry O’Brien Trophy and Brunson holding Reigns’ world championship belt and a custom Knicks championship belt.

Lids has extended its partnership with basketball skills trainer and influencer Chris Brickley through a new multiyear agreement, continuing a relationship that the retailer says will remain central to its marketing strategy across basketball, sports and culture. Financial terms of the extension were not disclosed.

Brickley, who has trained many of the NBA’s top players and built an Instagram following of 4 million through his work at the intersection of basketball, fashion and lifestyle, will collaborate with Lids on national marketing campaigns, product launches, content initiatives and brand activations tied to major moments on the sports calendar. The renewed agreement also expands Brickley’s involvement with the Lids Foundation.

The extension comes as Lids continues broadening its business beyond its traditional headwear roots. In recent years, the Indianapolis-based retailer has expanded into categories including trading cards, sports collectibles and WWE merchandise through exclusive products and collaborations designed to deepen engagement with sports fans and collectors.

Brickley has been one of the retailer’s most visible brand ambassadors since the two sides first partnered, appearing in campaigns promoting exclusive collections while helping connect the brand with athletes, creators and the basketball community.

What’s on Akshat Prakash’s mind? The co-founder and CTO of CAMB.AI breaks down why a clear AI strategy is the missing piece for organizations trying to implement practical solutions.

In this week’s issue:

• Mike and Paul Rabil have been competitive since their childhood growing up in the family’s Maryland townhome. SBJ’s Tom Friend details how the brothers’ can’t-lose attitude guided their decision to launch the Premier Lacrosse League.
• In the latest installment of SBJ’s Great Ideas series, Bret McCormick looks at how temporary and modular structures are redefining what a sports event has to offer. See how these structures are sparking new levels of creativity, from car races and cricket to football and F1.
• MLB has rolled out a campaign aimed at winning fan support for a salary cap in baseball as a new labor deal looms. SBJ’s Mike Mazzeo looks inside the effort and how the players union is pushing back.
• SBJ’s Joe Lemire offers a sneak peek into what’s in store for Unrivaled’s Season 3 and how sponsors are aligning their brands with the upstart basketball league. 
• Since becoming commissioner of the American Conference in 2024, Tim Pernetti has thrown the old business model out the window. SBJ’s Ben Portnoy breaks down the changes already made and what could come next in the drive for new revenue.

Allied Sports are looking for a Dir/Strategy. The N.Y.-based position is responsible for leading the development of sports partnership strategies, creative activations and client presentations while collaborating across teams to turn consumer insights into impactful brand and sponsorship solutions (Allied Sports).

U.S. Soccer is looking for a Dir/Business Ventures. The Atlanta-based position is responsible for leading strategic growth initiatives by identifying new business opportunities, developing and managing partnerships, overseeing revenue-driving ventures and using data-driven analysis to expand the federation’s commercial reach and value (U.S. Soccer).

The Colts are looking for a Business Solutions Manager. The Indianapolis-based position is responsible for the development, refinement and adoption of the sales processes, along with being a critical source of business intelligence (Colts).

The Patriots are looking for a Senior Video Producer. The Foxborough-based position is responsible for shooting, producing and editing video content to include both short-form and long-form segments, including interviewing players, storyboarding concepts, writing scripts, directing crews and approving final product (Patriots).

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“The main theme heard in this movie uses a motif that’s an alternating pattern of an E and an F, gradually becoming insistent.”