Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters said that the company is approaching the Christmas Day NFL games it is set to air as a “singular event, rather than something with a more regular cadence.” Peters, during an appearance at the Financial Times Business of Entertainment Summit on Friday, hinted that Netflix has “plans to approach NFL games a bit differently than other rightsholders.” Peters said, “We plan to Netflix-ify them a little bit. So we’ll plan to have a little bit of stuff around the games with our talent, stuff like that, that’ll hopefully make it super fun.” Peters did “not dismiss the potential of Netflix expanding its sports portfolio” (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 9/20).

Peters on Netflix's future with live sports said, “Having Thursday Night Football or the NBA or things like that, we’d love to do those things. It would be amazing. We also want to do it in a way that works for the business and those have been typically challenging deals to go and do and make it work for the business.” But Peters noted that with most major media rights locked up for several more years, there is "not really the opportunity for quite some time” (DEADLINE, 9/20).

The NHL and Fanatics on Saturday began selling jerseys at retail for the first time since the retailer became the league’s official outfitter under a 10-year deal. The jerseys range in price from $120 for practice jerseys to $425 for Authentic Pro jerseys, which are the exact same Canadian-made uniforms worn on the ice by players. The league’s previous jersey manufacturer, Adidas, did not sell the on-ice editions of its uniforms at retail.

The Fanatics Premium jersey, which retail for $180 without a name and number or $230 with a name and number, are said to be comparable to the “authentic” jerseys offered at retail by Adidas. Fanatics is also continuing to offer its Breakaway jerseys, a more affordable replica edition featuring heat pressed crests for $135 without a name and number or $175 with a name and number.

Quebec-based SP Apparel, which manufactured the Adidas-branded jerseys worn by players on the ice, is now producing Fanatics' Authentic Pro jerseys offered at retail in addition to the ones worn by players on the ice.

Warner Bros. Discovery filed a sweeping memorandum with the New York Supreme Court late Friday afternoon, reaffirming that the NBA negotiated its $77 billion media rights deal in "bad faith" and asking the court to deny the league’s motion to dismiss WBD’s matching rights lawsuit.

At the heart of WBD’s argument today is its claim that TBS’ matching rights are "far broader than the NBA misleadingly asserts," and that the court should refuse to throw out the lawsuit at this early stage of the proceedings. 

"These multi-billion-dollar issues cannot be resolved on a motion to dismiss," the memorandum said. "Unsurprisingly, the NBA fails to cite a single case where a breach of matching rights claim was dismissed at the pleading stage. In fact, all of the relevant cases, including those the NBA relies upon, were decided on an evidentiary record. This case is no different."

According to scheduling documents, the NBA is bound to reply to today's WBD memo by Oct. 2. Sources believe that if Judge Joel Cohen sides with the plaintiffs and does not dismiss, there will be a push from both sides to negotiate a settlement. As it stands, both parties have already agreed to an expedited resolution of the matter with a tentative trial date set for early April.

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UNLV and Utah State are the “top expansion targets” for the Pac-12 if the league “decides to add schools in its geographical footprint," according to sources. UNLV and Utah State would give the Pac-12 six former Mountain West schools to join Oregon State and Washington State for the 2026 season, following the conference's expansion move earlier this month. While the conference is “also considering a combination of Memphis, Tulane, USF and UTSA from the AAC,” it is “weighing all options that include adding schools in its backyard or expanding the league across the country.” Sources said that UNLV and Utah State “both have gained momentum due to their competitive, revenue and viewership stats being on the rise” (ACTION NETWORK, 9/21). 

FIFA President Gianni Infantino promised global broadcasters in a video call on Friday that venues in the U.S. for the FIFA Club World Cup next June and July “will be announced by the end of September." That increases the "pressure on his organisation to finalise negotiations with stadiums and cities across the country within 10 days.” Infantino called the emergency briefing with broadcasters as he “sought to persuade them of the merits of the tournament.” Broadcasters have been “reluctant to get anywhere near FIFA’s demands” for the 32-team tournament. Venues, training bases, sponsors and broadcasters are "yet to be announced" (THE ATHLETIC, 9/20).

Boxer Daniel Dubois defeated Anthony Joshua in front of a “record-breaking British crowd” of 96,000 at Wembley Stadium on Saturday. A “bold, dominant and destructive” Dubois produced a “display that was akin to an homage to his hero Mike Tyson.” The scale of the fight had “already broken records.” It was an “unprecedented night in British boxing, both in size and the fact it formed part of Riyadh Season, Saudi Arabia’s sports and cultural programme." As Saudi Arabia continues to fund big boxing matches, Dubois has the opportunity to “feast on the Saudi fortune flooding the sport.” Notable figures in the crowd were Emma Bunton, Roberto Duran, Liam Gallagher, Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury  (London TIMES, 9/21).

RELATED: Joshua-Dubois fight at Wembley set to be culmination of Saudi investment efforts

In London, Tom Kershaw writes under header, “Saudis put on show of soft power as Wembley turns green and white.” There was “barely a surface inside Wembley that was not adorned with a logo for Riyadh Season” -- the brand under which the Saudis market their boxing output. The big screens above the ring played “tourism promos in between each bout for destinations such as Diriyah and the Red Sea” (London TIMES, 9/22).

NYCFC tied Inter Miami 1-1 with a late stoppage-time goal before 44,738 fans at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, the “second-largest crowd in club history." In part due to the presence of Inter Miami F Lionel Messi, the upper deck of the ballpark, "usually closed for NYCFC matches, was opened in anticipation of the larger-than-usual fan presence.” Messi was playing in N.Y. for the first time since he made the jump to MLS (N.Y. POST, 9/21). Fans at a packed Yankee Stadium "cheered loudly" for Messi. But NYCFC fans before the match "crowded the Inter Miami team bus with middle fingers and chants upon arrival to the stadium" (USA TODAY, 9/21).

The Univ. of Washington defeated Northwestern 24-5 before 69,788 fans at Husky Stadium on Saturday in its first conference game since joining the Big Ten this summer (SEATTLE TIMES, 9/21). Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti was in attendance for his first Washington football game after “scheduling issues forced him to postpone an earlier trip.” UW AD Pat Chun said, “This being technically our first Big Ten Conference game, the market is reacting to it, which has been impressive.” Chun said that “for the most part, integrating the Huskies into the Big Ten has gone smoothly.” Travel logistics have "generally provided the biggest challenge,” but even those have been "smaller issues simply stemming from a lack of familiarity with some of the new Big Ten locations.” Chun said that UW’s attendance for its first two football games of the season “overshot initial forecasts” (SEATTLE TIMES, 9/20).

The Arizona State-Texas Tech game on Saturday was broadcast on FS1 and the announcers were broadcasting remotely, leading to displeasure from viewers. ASU football fans were "not happy with the decision” to not have the broadcasters for the game on site, “slamming FS1's coverage of the game, which included misidentifying several players in the game and erroneous initial calls on plays.” This is "nothing new for FS1," which has "chosen to use remote announcers more and more often since the COVID-19 pandemic." ASU has been "impacted by this strategy several times" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 9/21).

The N.Y. Liberty, the big market antithesis to Caitlin Clark’s homespun Indiana Fever, are releasing a high-end hype video ahead of today’s playoff opener against the Atlanta Dream at Barclays Center intended to remind the rest of the WNBA how “intimidating" and omnipresent their fanbase is.

While the Fever obliterated the rest of the league in every attendance metric -- averaging 16,084 fans in its 40 regular season games home and away -- the Liberty finished second at 10,875, while also averaging a second-best 12,730 fans at home for a 64% increase over last year.

As the No. 1 seed headed into the postseason, the Liberty front office wanted to punctuate the gains with today’s pregame video. Narrated by Alicia Keys and directed in-house by the Liberty’s lead videographer/editor Elvin Feratovic, the project relies on nuanced scenes from the streets of N.Y. and a 90-second script that contains lines such as “If they can’t handle the pace, we're in their face."

Following today’s playoff opener, 15 and 30-second versions of the spot will be released over paid TV, as well as social media. Spike Lee previously directed a Liberty hype video when the team played in Madison Square Garden, but this is the first of its kind since the team moved to Brooklyn in 2021.

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Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca is "discussing a takeover" of French Ligue 2 club Red Star FC through his family office PagsGroup LLC. Red Star FC was bought in 2022 by 777 Partners, the U.S. investment firm who is under review by advisory firm Moelis & Co. Pagliuca, who already owns Serie A club Atalanta, said that he “saw opportunities to invest in French football, where lower broadcast revenue has left clubs in need of capital.” Red Star FC is a “small club with big history.” Pagliuca’s deliberations are "ongoing and there's no certainty they'll result in a deal" (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 9/17).

The Rangers today will honor EVP/Public Affairs John Blake as he prepares to “retire from full-time employment” on Nov. 1 after 46 years in baseball, 36 of which have been with the club. Blake is “expected to step back into a part-time and consulting role.” For nearly 40 years in Arlington -- usually a "bit disheveled, occasionally gruff, always prepared and exceptionally loyal to the franchise" -- it would be “hard to argue that anybody has had a bigger hand in how the Rangers’ brand has matured.” Blake has “overseen the casting of virtually every story involving the team” (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 9/21). 

Al McCoy, who was the radio voice of the Suns for more than a half-century, died on Saturday at 91. McCoy was the longest-tenured team broadcaster in NBA history, calling Suns games for 51 years. He is a member of the franchise’s Ring of Honor and a 2009 inductee into the Arizona Sports HOF (AP, 9/21). McCoy will “forever be known for his style, exuberant delivery and unforgettable catchphrases” such as “Shazam!” for a three-pointer, “Zing go the strings” for a basket and “Swisheroo for two” for a jump shot (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 9/21). In Phoenix, Bob McManaman wrote under the header, "I grew up listening to Al McCoy and now I'm going to honor him" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 9/21).

A one-of-a-kind Caitlin Clark WNBA Draft autograph card sold at auction for $84,000 on Thursday night, "breaking the record for the most expensive women’s basketball card." The card in this latest sale is the 1/1 “Blue Viper” variation of Clark’s 2024 Panini Instant WNBA Draft card (THE ATHLETIC, 9/20).

The K.C. Current beat the Washington Spirit 3-0 on Friday in front of an 11th straight sellout crowd at CPKC Stadium. Current co-owner and Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes and wife and fellow Current co-owner Brittany were in attendance (K.C. STAR, 9/21).

ESPN’s “College GameDay” will be in Tuscaloosa next Saturday for the Alabama-Georgia game (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 9/21).

The Nets will retire Vince Carter's jersey on Jan. 25 during their game against the Heat. Carter will be the seventh Net afforded that honor (N.Y. POST, 9/21).

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“I love Pittsburgh for the beauty of it and Camden Yards because it was the first retro ballpark. Old Yankee Stadium, not the new one, was a favorite. The new one is too antiseptic" -- Red Sox radio voice Joe Castiglione, who is set to retire after this season, on his favorite ballpark outside of Fenway Park (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/21).

The SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE goes with, "San Diego-based agent Tony Attanasio was family to Bruce Bochy, Dave Stewart and others." Attanasio died Aug. 30 at 84 at his home in San Diego following a long illness. Stewart said Attanasio "had street smarts, he had common sense -- and that combination of common sense, street smarts, and intelligence is dangerous." Stewart added, “He didn’t baby me, he didn’t coddle me. He was honest, and he didn’t tell me what I thought he should hear." Bochy said, “There’s nobody else you’d want in the bunker with you."

Also:

• Ron Green Sr. would make you put the newspaper down, shake your head and smile.

• Rivalries are the heart of college football. But many are going away.

• The secrets behind the rise of Fox’s top college football booth.

• Caitlin Clark is going to have to embrace her role as an icon.

• The NFL’s record-breaking QB contracts come with some cautionary tales.