Good afternoon, here’s what we’re following at SBJ Today:
- U.S. Soccer’s business overhaul paying off in World Cup year
- Big Ten, SEC say meeting with Cruz on college sports bill ‘productive’
- Telemundo will not be using World Cup hydration breaks to cut to commercials
- Plus: Casey Wasserman not resigning from LA28; FIFA seeking payments after free ticket glitch; Fox One adds features for the World Cup; and more.
Start your morning with Buzzcast with Austin Karp: The Stanley Cup Final starts hot; Gianni Infantino takes away fans’ empty water bottles; F1 is staying in Vegas for another decade; and Casey Wasserman says he isn’t going anywhere. Listen >>
THE BIG STORY
Opens in new windowU.S. Soccer’s business overhaul paying off in World Cup year
U.S. Soccer could receive upward of $100 million from FIFA for co-hosting and participating in this summer’s FIFA World Cup. A decade ago, that would have been a game-changing haul for the nonprofit federation, SBJ’s Alex Silverman writes.
Today, however, it represents only part of a much larger business opportunity.
Excitement about hosting the World Cup has undoubtedly been a major driver of business momentum for U.S. Soccer. But the federation wouldn’t have been positioned to seize the moment without a complete overhaul of its commercial and fundraising functions over the past several years.
5 STORIES WE’RE WATCHING
1. Big Ten, SEC say meeting with Cruz on college sports bill ‘productive’: The Big Ten and SEC released a joint statement after meeting with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) about the Protect College Sports Act on Thursday, saying it was a “productive conversation.”
2. Telemundo will not be using World Cup hydration breaks to cut to commercials: Telemundo will not be cutting away to commercials during FIFA World Cup hydration break, which are being used for the first time.
3. Casey Wasserman won’t resign as LA28 chair despite push by mayor: LA28 Chair Casey Wasserman has not “considered resigning” from the role over his appearance in the Jeffrey Epstein files despite L.A. Mayor Karen Bass "urging him to quit."
4. FIFA seeks payment after glitch leads to free World Cup tickets: Around 60 fans secured World Cup tickets for $0 following a checkout error. FIFA in a statement said it is expecting payments for those tickets.
5. Fox One adds new tech, viewing features ahead of World Cup: Fox One, Fox Corp.’s flagship streaming service that launched last August, is preparing for its largest product moment to date with the upcoming World Cup.
ON THE MOVE
- The Chiefs promoted EVP/Arrowhead Operations and Events Matt Kenny to EVP & COO and VP/Stadium Operations and Facilities Brandon Hamilton to Project Exec/Facilities Development (Irving Mejia-Hilario, SBJ).
- Oregon State has hired Ohio State Associate VP/Brand Engagement, Services & Partnerships and Associate AD/Business Strategy Kevin Griffin as the school’s new AD, effective July 6 (Portland Oregonian).
- Walt Disney’s creative agency Main Street has launched with ESPN SVP & Head of ESPN Creative Studio Carrie Brzezinski-Hsu as its Head of Creative Execution. She will also “continue to oversee ESPN’s Creative Studio” (Deadline).
NAMES IN THE NEWS
- Netflix hosted a special screening of the first episode from the newly released 4-part documentary, “Rafa”, at The Whitby Hotel in N.Y. Former tennis player Rafeal Nadal joined director Zachary Heinzerling for a post-screening Q&A moderated by International Tennis HOFer Andy Roddick (Netflix).
- The Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco, West Province, known formally as the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, are “arguably the most visible” Spurs fans of the team’s playoff run, “having gone viral” for praying over players and cheering on San Antonio courtside” (The Athletic).
- Celtics F Jaylen Brown is putting his Fort Point penthouse back on the market for $4.9M, this time “with a twist.” The sale includes the adjacent studio residence, which Brown “used while living there.” Together, the 3,500-square-foot combination is on the market for $4,995,000 (Boston Globe).
HOT READS
The N.Y. POST went with the header, “US Soccer’s new 200-acre training facility world class in every respect.” U.S. Soccer’s National Training Center in Atlanta is as “impressive a soccer facility as there is” in the U.S., and “arguably the world.” Until now, there has been “no such thing as a home base for U.S. Soccer.”
Also:
- ESPN.com’s Buster Olney writes that the Padres’ sale completes Peter Seidler’s legacy.
- As Angels fans urge Arte Moreno to sell the team, the least he can do is try to win.
- The quest to get perfect grass into 16 World Cup stadiums.