SBJ Unpacks: How Steve Cohen has made the Mets a powerhouse

MLB Preview: Mets are talk of the town

Fresh off a joyous and unexpected run to the NLCS, owner Steve Cohen and the Mets signed Juan Soto to the largest contract in professional sports history: 15 years, $765 million.

Last year, the Mets rebounded from a slow start and embarked on a joyride fueled in part by a McDonald’s mascot (Grimace, who threw out the first pitch at Citi Field just as the team embarked on a winning streak) and a hit pop song from infielder Jose Iglesias (“OMG”). Dramatic home runs from cornerstones Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso got them into and then pushed them through the playoffs, where they ultimately fell to the Dodgers in the NLCS.

The signing of Soto away from the rival Yankees represented more than just the next step for the franchise. It was a “seminal, transformational moment,” according to M. Scott Havens, Mets president of business operations. And it has made the Mets the toast of the town heading into the 2025 season, as SBJ’s Mike Mazzeo reports in this week’s cover story.

SBJ’s MLB season preview also includes:

• Previewing the business season ahead for all 30 MLB teams
• Five for ’25: Key developments at the league level to keep an eye one
• A major test for the A’s and Rays

Silver Lake completes acquisition of Endeavor, forms WME Group

Endeavor’s stretch as a public company came to an end today after nearly four years, with Silver Lake and its partners acquiring 100% of Endeavor’s outstanding shares, reports SBJ’s Chris Smith.

The Endeavor brand will cease to be used publicly, with the company’s representation businesses now consolidated under WME Group. That portfolio includes talent agency WME, creative agency 160over90, licensing firm IMG Licensing and content business Pantheon Media Group. Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel will be WME Group’s executive chairman, while Mark Shapiro will be the company’s president and managing partner. He will lead day-to-day operations alongside WME Group co-chairmen Christian Muirhead and Richard Weitz, who previously served as co-chairs of WME. Emanuel, Shapiro and former Endeavor executive chairman Patrick Whitesell have rolled over equity positions in the company.

Whitesell will now lead a new sports and media business backed with $250 million from Silver Lake. He is also expected to acquire WME’s football division in a separate deal. WME is no longer able to represent active NFL players or coaches due to conflict-of-interest concerns following Silver Lake co-CEO and managing partner Egon Durban acquiring a 7.5% stake in the Raiders.

Here’s how the Hollywood press and business trades covered today’s Silver Lake/Endeavor deal today:

• L.A. Times
• Variety
• Bloomberg
• Deadline
• Financial Times
• Hollywood Reporter
• The Wrap

ESPN’s Van Pelt moving on-site for TGL’s finale

Host Scott Van Pelt will move on-site to Palm Beach Gardens for TGL’s best-of-three season finale that tees off at 9pm ET today on ESPN2, reports SBJ’s Josh Carpenter. Van Pelt will host his “SportsCenter” live from the venue following each night of matches.

Van Pelt has served as ESPN’s TGL host throughout the season but has done so from his D.C. studio.

Tonight, he’ll be on-site for the Atlanta Drive GC-New York Golf Club matchup ahead of Game 2 tomorrow and a potential Game 3 later on Tuesday. ESPN’s other talent for TGL -- play-by-play man Matt Barrie and reporter Marty Smith -- have been on site at the SoFi Center all season.

Can March Madness jump-start ESPN Bet?

After fans submitted their March Madness brackets this year in ESPN’s tournament challenge, they received an invitation for ESPN Bet. It’s the sort of promotional integration that execs from ESPN and sportsbook operator Penn envisioned when they hooked up shortly before the 2023 football season. And as SBJ’s Bill King reports, this NCAA Tournament could be mission critical to ESPN Bet, which has fallen short of the expectations of both Penn and ESPN.

The most recent SBJ Betting newsletter also covers:

• Sportradar confident it can turn profit on rights it got from IMG
• End of football takes expected toll on sports betting handles in February

Op-ed: How can CrossFit rebuild its reputation -- and what other brands can learn

Tonight’s op-ed is from Managing Director Meghan Tisinger of communications firm Leidar on the rise and fall of CrossFit.

“For other brands, CrossFit’s journey offers valuable lessons. The importance of strong leadership, the ability to adapt to changing consumer preferences and the power of community-driven branding are all critical takeaways. Companies must recognize that even the most successful brands can falter without evolution and careful reputation management.”

Read the full submission.