SBJ Unpacks: NFL pushes more international games

Tonight in Unpacks: The NFL said it intends to add two more international matchups, and as SBJ’s Ben Fischer reports from the league meetings in New York City, this doesn’t mean Saudi Arabia is next on the schedule.

Also tonight:

• NBA Europe heading to market
• WNBA hits inflection point
• Dude, where’s my NBA game?
• Op-ed: Winning in the competitive arena of sports viewership

Listen to SBJ’s most popular podcast, Morning Buzzcast, where Abe Madkour discusses the Blue Jays’ thrilling ALCS Game 7 victory to reach the World Series, the new era of NBA broadcasting that dawns with Tuesday night’s tip-off of the regular season, the Women’s Professional Baseball League picking cities for its inaugural season and more.

The NFL intends to add up to two more international games to its schedule for 2026, league executives said Tuesday. However, that does not necessarily translate into paydirt for countries like Saudi Arabia that want to get in the mix for the first time.

For 2026, the league has already confirmed a game in Australia, and Commissioner Roger Goodell said they’re going back to Mexico City for the first time since 2022.

Those two countries on top of this year’s lineup (three in U.K., one each in Ireland, Germany, Spain and Brazil) would equal nine games -- the current maximum under a 2023 NFL resolution that permits up to eight league-operated games overseas in addition to the Jaguars’ annual London game.

“We have seven games this year, and six of those are league organized, and we do believe next year there will be more than that,” NFL SVP/Managing Director International Gerrit Meier said. “Whether that leads to the maximum of eight league organized game or not, we will see, but the definite idea is to get ourselves more to the maximum.”

Meier’s remarks come two days after Saudi General Entertainment Authority Chair Turki Alalshikh said he “wants to bring the NFL” to his country. A number of other countries have also expressed interest; the NFL has awarded marketing rights to teams in 21 different countries (Saudi Arabia is not one of them.)

A big question emerging in this calculus is whether Ireland stays in the rotation in 2026, sources said. Generally speaking, Meier said, the NFL wants to stay in markets once it’s made a splash there, but it’s possible Ireland would drop off, which could open up a new market.

The NFL has confirmed a return to Brazil in 2026, and it can be counted on to continue to play in the U.K. given its capital investment in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. If the Jaguars wanted to play a second game in London, the international schedule could expand to 10. But the league needs NFLPA approval to go beyond that.

If the NFL can get to its target 16 international annual schedule, it may start stacking up multiple games in one country like it does in London now. “For now, as we have limited inventory, we will spread those to the new markets,” Meier said.

The franchise fees for the proposed NBA Europe should crystalize over the next two months, after NBA Deputy Commissioner and COO Mark Tatum said in a call with international media Tuesday that the league is going to market in the “near, immediate future.”

Sources have said previously that the NBA would prefer franchise fees range between $500M to $1B, and after hiring JP Morgan and The Raine Group to “refine” their business template, the league is about to learn what the price floors and ceilings turn out to be. If the NBA does not receive what they believe is market value, sources said the league is willing to walk away from the project, though that appears unlikely.

“So yes, our goal is to launch in the next two years -- obviously, that’s pending NBA and FIBA Board approval,” Tatum said. “... We hired JP Morgan and Raine as our investment banker advisers. They’ve been working hard to continue to refine our model. And I would say in the near, immediate future, we’re going to start engaging in a meaningful way with potential investors in the league.

“And so, we’ve already had early conversations with many stakeholders in the marketplace, including potential investors or team owners, and those conversations have been very, very positive. But now we’re sort of going to the next step, and over the next, call it, eight weeks or so, I think we’ll have a really good sense of where we are in terms of the level of interest.”

A season that began with the Caitlin Clark Effect ends with the Cathy Englebert Effect.

That’s not progress, that’s a pause, at a time the league’s players are in financial talks with a commissioner they can’t (or won’t) look in the eye. But all is fair in love, war and CBA negotiations, which means the results could be (worst case) dire or (best case) an 11th hour kumbaya — all depending on who steps in, who steps away and who’s willing to take 2026 off. The likely scenarios are below, and those in the know are betting on some combination of Nos. 3 and 6:

1. A lockout.
2. A strike.
3. An extension of the Oct. 31 deadline.
4. Engelbert steps down as commissioner, expediting a CBA deal.
5. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver moves on from Engelbert as a nod to the players, enhancing a CBA deal.
6. Engelbert stays for now, but Silver plays peacemaker and the sides hammer out a deal.
7. No WNBA season in 2026.
8. They reach a deal before this story publishes (0.0000001% chance).

But don’t rule out Nos. 4 or 5. Few in the industry have ever seen players eviscerate a standing sports commissioner this way, kick-started by Napheesa Collier’s press conference that now rivals Allen Iverson’s “Practice, we’re talking about practice,” Jim Mora’s “Playoffs?” and Mike Gundy’s “I’m a man, I’m 40″ on the wow meter.

There’s no real turning back from Collier saying the WNBA “has the worst leadership in the world,” or from using phrases such as “tone deaf,” “negligence” and “self-sabotage,” or from portraying Engelbert as a narcissist who supposedly said: “Players should be on their knees thanking their lucky stars for the media rights deal that I got them.” Engelbert later inferred Collier’s comments were littered with “inaccuracies,” which led Colllier to cancel a face-to-face meeting--contentiousness galore.

Anyone who knows Silver understands this is everything he’s against. Silver learned at the foot of David Stern, who’s on the Mount Rushmore of sports commissioners for a reason. Stern cherished his relationship with his players and made regular pilgrimages to Jordan, Magic and Bird (and they to him) to see where everyone’s heads were.

Silver does exactly the same, and, according to one league governor, has a circle of players he leans on, led by Steph Curry, whom he’ll consult on the All-Star Game format, for instance. Considering Silver is Engelbert’s boss, this WNBA spat could ultimately be his problem to solve. Maybe he’ll call Collier the way he calls Curry.

Either way, sources have heard Silver describe Engelbert’s people skills as “a problem” for a while, which is why she was conceivably on her way out even before the Collier attack. As the Oct. 31 CBA deadline approaches, Engelbert and Collier (who is VP of the WNBPA) will possibly be sitting at the same negotiating table. If it’s a clear impediment to a deal, what does Silver do?

The last thing anyone involved wants is to sabotage the momentum the W’s gained these past few seasons with a work stoppage. Just in 2025 alone, the Aces-Mercury Finals featured the most-viewed Game 1 since the league’s debut season of 1997, the most-viewed post-season across all networks since 1999 and the most-watched regular-season/post-season/all-star game combined across ESPN networks.

In the arenas, the W also set a single-season attendance record of more than 2.5 million overall fans — all of this in a year Caitlin Clark was largely absent due to injuries. The context, at closer glance, is that every team played two extra home games, franchises like the Dream and Wings moved games to larger venues and the expansion Valkyries averaged a league-high 18,064 at Chase Center--all offsetting the lack of a Caitlin Clark Effect.

In fact, that Valkyries’ attendance figure alone illustrates the promise of the WNBA’s future ... if it can avoid a strike/lockout. Think about it. Last year’s attendance leader, the Fever — without Clark — averaged 16,560 fans, down from 17,036 the year prior, and the league didn’t bat an eye.

So 2025 was the worst of times (Clark’s unavailability; the inconsistent refs; Collier’s revelations) and the best of times (Aces dominance; the Valkyries reaching the postseason). The league would prefer to emphasize the latter.

“We get asked a lot right now, ‘How was what we did possible?’” Valkyries President Jess Smith said. “And, ‘How is anybody ever going to do it again?’ I can’t wait to watch somebody do it again. It’s truly how we feel.”

Smith may get her chance. The expansion Portland Fire has already raided the Valkyries’ staff in hopes of becoming the best story of 2026.

If there is a 2026. With the Cathy Engelbert Effect, everything’s on hold.

Tom Friend can be reached at tfriend@sportsbusinessjournal.com.

8,532 days. That’s how long it’s been since NBC’s last NBA game back on June 12, 2002.

But that all changes Tuesday night with the start to the NBA season, with the Thunder hosting the Rockets and newly acquired assassin Kevin Durant -- all set to the tune of “Roundball Rock.” Sources tell SBJ that Commissioner Adam Silver and NBC Sports President Rick Cordella will take in part of the game together in Oklahoma City.

It’s a major moment for the NBA with its $77 billion in new media rights deals. But there are going to be growing pains. Last week, I wrote about how the NBA has added a “Tap to Watch” discoverability feature for games this season with two new media partners in NBC/Peacock and Prime Video. It’s a good idea, especially after the NBA has watched issues on discoverability with MLB, Big Ten football, NASCAR and others when media deals start with new partners.

Viewership will also be under a microscope this season (when is it not). We likely won’t see regular numbers from Peacock, but we should see numbers for ABC, ESPN, NBC and Prime. Will the intro of NBC as a second broadcast TV partner offset the move away from TNT? For a recent comp: As NASCAR introduced two new partners this season in Prime Video and TNT -- and had fewer races on Fox and NBC -- viewership has dropped at the top level, with the Cup Series likely eyeing one of its least-watched seasons on record.

The audience for NBA regular-season games was down 2% last season after the league dug itself a big early hole following a strong Christmas and back half of the schedule (when playoffs are included, the league actually ended up 3%). I wouldn’t expect a similar boost from Christmas Day this year, so the NBA needs to come out of the gate strong (i.e., the sooner LeBron can come back, the better). But the league also needs other stars and teams to create new storylines. As my colleague Tom Friend noted in SBJ this week, LeBron and Steph aren’t going to be around to carry the water on viewership forever.

It’s unlikely anyone was more surprised by Oak View Group hiring Amy Latimer earlier this month than the folks at Delaware North, considering they were with her at the Ryder Cup just days before her departure for their food and beverage rival. She replaced Jim Houser as the company’s COO in 2023, spending just two years in its C suite.

Hiring Latimer as chief business officer is a coup for OVG as it pushes into its post-Tim Leiweke phase. Moving forward, OVG must prove that it’s more than just its larger-than-life co-founder and former CEO, who resigned following his July indictment by the DOJ.

Latimer, who ran TD Garden for 12 of her 27 years at the arena, officially joins Oct. 24 and will report to OVG interim CEO Chris Granger, who appears likely to be installed permanently in that job before the end of the year.

Adding Latimer, with her broad skill set and experience, bolsters the whole company, but especially Granger. The two go way back, their careers overlapping routinely through the past two decades whether in NBA, NHL or arena business circles.

Latimer brought a slightly different lens to venue management after starting her arena career as TD Garden’s head of marketing and later VP/sales and marketing; most venue managers rise through the operations side of the business. She carries the same salesmanship spirit that OVG was imbued with from its inception.

Latimer, a 2011 SBJ Game Changer who played college basketball at Rhode Island, oversaw TD Garden’s nearly $200 million’s worth of renovations, plus The Hub on Causeway mixed-use development project which successfully enriched the arena’s surroundings. Latimer made TD Garden into Delaware North’s guinea pig for testing new technology, and she was heavily involved in Delaware North’s stout U.K. portfolio, including Wembley Stadium, London Stadium, Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium and a handful of others. She’ll undoubtedly remain connected there with OVG’s interest in that market, especially in Manchester.

Latimer is well liked across the industry, and her personality will help OVG’s charm offensive as it goes back into the market facing questions. One source that’s known Latimer for years said that in Myers Briggs testing, she’s an “E,” standing for extraversion, the kind of person energized by engaging with people in the wider world.

“She has that salesmanship spirit and came up through marketing and revenue and she can deliver that, and those relationships she has that she built within Delaware North globally, for OVG,” the source added.

Another source confirmed that Latimer led Delaware North’s investment in mixed-use development firm SEREGH and will maintain her SEREGH board seat, which was independent of her Delaware North role.

I’m told Latimer isn’t too far from retirement, and it’s almost certain OVG made her a compensation offer that was impossible to refuse. She also doesn’t have to move to OVG’s HQ city, Denver, and gets to stay in Boston.

What next for Delaware North Sportservice?

Many in the industry recognize how hard it must have been for Latimer to leave the Buffalo-based company she served, and understood, so well.

Delaware North acted quickly to promote Jamie Obletz into the vacated COO role, leaving the Sportservice president role still to fill. I’m told the company isn’t rushing that search, especially with Obletz still around and able to man the Sportservice helm in the meantime.

The Jacobs family likes to fill these types of roles from within -- Obletz, for example, moved to Sportservice after a stint running the company’s travel division -- so Scott Socha, president of parks and resorts, travel and Delaware North Australia, might be a possibility.

The game has changed in the sports media arena, to the point the competition is no longer confined to the field or court. Leagues, networks, streaming platforms and advertisers are all vying for the same prize: the fans.

Over the past few years, billions of dollars have been spent on exclusive streaming rights across various sports leagues and properties. ESPN recently announced its plan to both acquire the NFL Network and launch a new flagship streaming service with WWE live events. Fox Corp. has entered the fray with Fox One.

But streaming rights alone don’t guarantee viewership or subscriptions. Churn is part of the game, just as it is when it comes to scripted streaming entertainment. Fans are in control, toggling between platforms to find their favorite teams, the best matchups or the most cost-effective experience.

For advertisers, this creates a challenging playing field. If brands want to win, they need more than just placement. They need data to make sure it’s the best placement.

The high stakes of viewership and subscriptions

The battle for streaming dominance is fierce. Networks and platforms are betting big on marquee sports rights in hopes of driving subscriptions and building loyal audiences. This includes everything from the big American professional sports leagues to pro wrestling to global leagues, like the Premier League.

While sports is often seen as the one thing that keeps viewers tied to linear TV, streaming sports viewership is mainstream. Nearly half of U.S. households identify as sports viewers and 70% of those watch via streaming services. That reveals one critical aspect of sports audiences: They are fluid, not fixed. Fans bounce between platforms from game to game or season to season, making it harder for advertisers to maintain consistent reach. Some fans may not be interested in an out-of-market package if their team has a down season. Others hop on the bandwagon later in the year. An American NBA fan may suddenly develop an affinity for a Premier League team in a part of England they’ve never visited.

Traditional broad-reach buys can’t keep up. Advertisers need a new playbook built on data.

The role of audience targeting in the streaming era

This is where precision audience targeting becomes the sports advertiser’s playbook. A Sunday afternoon NFL game is a media moment that provides mass reach. Sports streaming is more than just a media moment; it’s a data moment.

So while the streaming platforms are investing in acquiring rights, the brand advertisers need to understand who is watching. Who are loyalists, committed to watching a specific sport consistently? And who are the streaming platform switchers, who are more likely to cancel a subscription and pick up a new one as they dabble? Brands need accurate, actionable insights and data to get to the bottom of these questions.

There are several pieces of information that can better identify who’s watching. This includes first-party data, like app sign-ins and subscriptions, along with third-party data on demographics, purchase behaviors and lifestyle preferences. From there, brands can go deeper to understand what motivates the audiences that are watching different sports, then turn those insights into a strategy to engage this audience across channels.

If it’s not obvious, this is a more detailed approach than simply reaching a generic “sports fans” audience. The streaming era of sports viewership requires brands to distinguish loyalist viewers from switchers and then tailor their campaigns accordingly.

This could include any of the following strategies:

• Rewarding loyalists with exclusive offers or team-specific messaging.
• Using dynamic creative and retargeting to capture switchers’ attention.
• Extending engagement beyond streaming and into social platforms and digital media.

These different forms of engagement ensure that messages resonate with the right fans at the right time. Precision targeting maximizes the value of every impression, ensuring that brands are getting the highest ROI from the ever-evolving sports streaming landscape.

The real prize: Fan connection

In the end, streaming rights get networks and platforms into the game and create opportunities for advertisers. But it’s the fans who decide who wins.

The only way to do that is to recognize that not all fans are the same. This is true across the leagues, but also within the audience on a single platform, or for a single game. Sports streaming is full of die-hard loyalists who will follow their team wherever it streams. Others are going to stick to one platform or switch their subscriptions constantly as they chase hot teams, the best matchups, subscription discounts or convenience. The real opportunity lies in meeting all of the different constituencies where they are.

Victory in this area goes to the advertisers and platforms that go beyond reach and rights, using data to find fans and build meaningful and lasting connections with them.

Donna Hamilton is chief innovation officer at data-driven marketing agency Alliant.

• Relevent Sports informed La Liga of the need to postpone the Dec. 20 match between FC Barcelona and Villarreal CF in Miami that was slated to be the first regular-season league game ever held outside a European team’s home country, reports SBJ’s Alex Silverman.
• The return of football in September helped broadcast TV -- with a third of its programming being sports -- pass cable for the first time in terms of monthly percentage of TV viewing (dating back to 2021), notes SBJ’s Austin Karp off new data from the Nielsen Gauge.
• The first four teams in the Women’s Professional Baseball League, which begins play in 2026, are N.Y., Boston, L.A. and S.F., writes SBJ’s Mike Mazzeo.
• Smith Entertainment Group (SEG) is consolidating its teams, practice facilities and business division in a new campus under construction in Sandy, Utah, notes SBJ’s Bret McCormick.
• Investors are increasingly exploring deals in MotoGP now that Liberty Media has officially purchased the property, writes SBJ’s Adam Stern.
• The documentary “Who Killed The Montreal Expos?” exploring the downfall of Canada’s other MLB franchise debuted Tuesday on Netflix, notes Mazzeo.