Morning Buzz

The members of the Vancouver Whitecaps’ ownership group believe the way that they are “looking at their future as owners has changed,” as co-owner Jeff Mallett admitted that signing MF Thomas Müller is a “major investment in the club’s playing fortunes.” Mallett said they “need a partner” and are “willing to stay and bring the knowledge base we have.” He noted that this is “different from how things were presented last December.” Then it was, “We’re looking to sell.” He said that things “have shifted.” It is “not often that exiting owners underwrite major investments.” And yet the Whitecaps’ quartet have “done just that” in signing Müller, the “biggest international signing this club has made since the 1979 addition of Alan Ball.” Now there is a “prospect for a new stadium and talks with the city about taking on the land at the PNE where the current Hastings Racecourse stands.” That is “where a new investor comes in.” Owners Greg Kerfoot, Steve Luczo, Steve Nash and Mallett “need help with building a stadium and funding the future of the club.” At the same time, lead investors Kerfoot and Luczo are “looking to reduce the financial burden of ownership” (Vancouver PROVINCE, 8/14).

Meanwhile, Müller had his press conference Thursday. The Whitecaps “put on a big show” for the media and their key sponsor, Telus, hosted Müller’s media debut at the Telus Garden building downtown. On the business end of things, the Whitecaps “find themselves in new territory.” Müller has the “natural instincts of a salesman,” and the Whitecaps have “lucked out in this regard.” They suddenly are a “name that fans in Germany will know.” Whitecaps CEO & Sporting Dir Axel Schuster said that during the press conference “jersey sales have surged.” No doubt a “portion of that is from new German fans.” Another twist here, “one that is perhaps unexpected: Müller’s fandom is in China, too.” According to Müller’s agency, by social media metrics, he is ”the No. 3 player in China,” behind Inter Miami F Lionel Messi and Al-Nassr F Cristiano Ronaldo. The Whitecaps are going to “have visibility in the biggest market there is” (Vancouver PROVINCE, 8/14).

The signing is a “message of intent for an organization seeking new ownership, and one which has had unheralded successes” in MLS and Concacaf Champions Cup play this season. It is also the “most significant swing” in Schuster’s career. Since being revealed, tickets for the rest of the season and Müller presumed debut on Aug. 17 vs. Houston Dynamo have “flown off shelves, the club has seen record kit sales, and its Instagram profile has gained more than 30,000 followers.” He is set to join his teammates for a single training session, before his “presumed” MLS debut on Sunday (SI, 8/14).

The NFLPA has put one of its lawyers on paid administrative leave Tuesday after “multiple employees filed complaints with the union’s human resources department,” according to sources. The sources said that NFLPA Associate General Counsel Heather McPhee was the subject of complaints “alleging her failure to follow supervisors’ directions as well as allegations of bullying colleagues and disrupting the union’s work environment.” The decision to put her on leave “comes months after her allegations helped prompt a federal investigation into the financial dealings” of the NFLPA and the MLBPA in relation to OneTeam Partners. Sources said that among those filing complaints about McPhee’s alleged workplace conduct was NFL Players Inc. Head Matt Curtin -- the licensing arm of the union, and a member of the OneTeam board. McPhee was an “outspoken and frequent critic” of recently departed NFLPA Exec Dir Lloyd Howell Jr. (ESPN.com, 8/14).

The NFL is “continuing its on-field social justice messaging” for a sixth straight season with all 32 teams featuring an end zone message of their choice at each home game throughout the season. Those messages include: “End Racism,” “Stop Hate,” “Choose Love,” or “Inspire Change.” Once again, “It Takes All of Us” will be stenciled in the opposite end zone for all games. The only change from 2024 is that “Inspire Change” replaces “Vote.” These messages will “complement the league’s other cause campaigns such as Salute to Service and Crucial Catch,” which will also appear in end zones during select weeks this season. The league will use “End Racism” along with “It Takes All of Us” in the back of end zones “for all international games for the second straight season.” The Eagles will feature “Choose Love” for their season opener against the Cowboys that kicks off the NFL schedule on Sept. 4. They will “rotate all four league-approved end zone messages throughout the season.” Players will have the option to “display one of the five messages on their helmets this season” (AP, 8/14).

The Dream and Storm play Friday night at Rogers Arena in Vancouver at 7pm, marking the “first time the WNBA has played a regular-season outside the United States.” Approximately 3,000 tickets were left for the game at the 19,700-seat arena as of Wednesday, with organizers expecting remaining tickets “to go quickly.” They start at $32, with the “majority of the remaining seats in the upper bowl.” The WNBA has played five games outside the U.S. which have all previously been exhibitions. There are nine months until the 2026 WNBA season starts, which “will mark the first campaign for the expansion” Toronto Tempo (Vancouver PROVINCE, 8/13).

There is an “increasing possibility” of moving the NASCAR All-Star Race to Dover Motor Speedway in Delaware as the league works to finalize its 2026 Cup Series schedule, according to sources. Dover hosting the All-Star Race would then “clear a spot” for North Wilkesboro Speedway to land a Cup points race, something the venerable North Carolina short track -- which has held the non-points All-Star since 2023 -- has not done since 1996. No decision is final on the location of the All-Star Race, but “such a move is under serious consideration.” NASCAR is “targeting next week to release the full 2026 Cup schedule.” Speedway Motorsports owns Dover and North Wilkesboro, “making a swap of the All-Star Race between the tracks fairly straightforward” (THE ATHLETIC, 8/14).

The latest episode of Chiefs TE Travis Kelce and former NFLer Jason Kelce’s podcast “‘New Heights’ exploded in popularity thanks to the duo’s in-depth interview” with singer Taylor Swift. The episode “racked up more than 10 million views on YouTube in less than 20 hours,” and is “already the most popular episode of the podcast ever.” This doesn’t count all the other ways a fan could consume the podcast. A representative for Spotify said that the episode “generated a 3,000 percent increase in new listeners for New Heights, and the number of female listeners jumped 618 percent.” The numbers also come despite the live stream “seemingly crashing near the end of the podcast around the time when Swift pulled out her new album cover to show her fans” (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 8/14).

The home of the 76ers and Flyers is “now officially Xfinity Mobile Arena,” and its “social media handle and branding were changed to reflect the new name.” Crews on Thursday were “affixing the new purple Xfinity Mobile Arena signage to the exterior of the building,” and the LED banners surrounding the site advertising concerts and events “referred to the building as Xfinity Mobile Arena, instead of the Wells Fargo Center, like they had a day earlier.” The Wells Fargo Center signage has “long been gone or covered from the external walls of the building.” Comcast Spectacor, the arena’s owner, originally announced in May that the venue’s name would “change to Xfinity Mobile Arena on Sept. 1.” Carroll notes a ceremony is “still planned for early September to officially unveil the new signage.” The new naming rights deal will “last through 2031, when a new shared” 76ers and Flyers arena is “set to open in South Philly” (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 8/14).

On this week’s Sports Media Podcast, host Austin Karp is joined by Keith Cossrow of NFL Films to discuss the many projects his group is leading.

The CFL is looking for a Manager/Global Partnerships. The Toronto-based position is responsible for developing and maintaining a year-round pipeline of qualified national prospects, with a strong focus on revenue generation and long-term strategic growth (CFL).

MKTG is looking for a Dir/NFL Sponsorship Consulting. The hybrid-based position is responsible for developing client solutions and presenting to client organizations and leading NFL activation programs (MKTG)

Zawyer Sports & Entertainment is looking for a Dir/Corporate Partnerships. The Jacksonville-based position is responsible for cultivating and maintaining sponsorships and corporate partnerships in both new and existing business (Zawyer Sports & Entertainment).

Major League Cricket is looking for a VP/Commercial. The Dallas-based position is responsible for leading revenue-generating activities, including global and domestic partnerships, media rights, licensing, and emerging live and non-live asset (Major League Cricket).

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