Wednesday January 5, 2022

“With trading cards and collectibles being a significant pillar of our long-term plans to become the leading digital sports platform, we are excited to add a leading trading cards company to build out our business,” said Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin. “Their iconic brand, commitment to product excellence and passionate employees worldwide will allow us to immediately serve our league and players’ association partners and our fans.”

All of the approximately 350 global Topps sports & entertainment employees will become part of Fanatics Trading Cards. Current Topps Global VP, GM, David Leiner, and VP, GM Topps Digital, Tobin Lent, will continue to run Topps within Fanatics Trading Cards, a separate subsidiary of Fanatics. Both executives will report directly to Doug Mack, Fanatics Inc. Vice Chairman and Fanatics Commerce CEO.

PROGRAMMING

ESPN reports that the 2021 New Year’s Six drummed up viewership records and multi-year audience highs from Dec. 30 – Jan. 1, finishing up double digits year-over-year, averaging 12.7 million viewers. The non-Semifinal New Year’s Six bowls averaged nearly 11 million viewers, ranking third out of the eight years of the CFP. Across both of ESPN’s MegaCast presentations, the College Football Playoff Semifinals averaged 16.9 million viewers, on par with 2015’s Year 2 – the last time the semifinals were on a weekday New Year’s Eve. The College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl between Georgia and Michigan averaged 17.2 million viewers, while the the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic between Cincinnati and Alabama scored 16.6 million viewers.

NBA Today, the company’s new NBA weekday studio show hosted by Malika Andrews, generated viewership upticks in December compared to the last two years. The new show averaged 340,000 viewers for the month, according to Nielsen, up 21% vs. December 2020 and up 4% from December 2019. It marked ESPN’s most-watched month in the timeslot in nearly three years, since February 2019.

MLB Network and reporter Ken Rosenthal are parting ways. “Can confirm MLB Network has decided not to bring me back,” Rosenthal posted on Twitter. “I’m grateful for the more than 12 years I spent there, and my enduring friendships with on-air personalities, producers and staff. I always strove to maintain my journalistic integrity, and my work reflects that.”

Nathan Chen headlines NBC Sports’ 15+ hours of live coverage of the 2022 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships, beginning Thursday on USA Network and Peacock with the pairs’ (5-7p) and women’s (8:30-10:30p) short programs. Terry Gannon handles play-by-play for all disciplines, joined by analysts Tara Lipinski, Johnny Weir, and Tanith White. Andrea Joyce will be the on-site reporter.

Tennis Channel locked in a multiyear agreement with the Women’s Tennis Association that makes the company’s regional channels home to the women’s professional tour in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and for most matches shown in the Netherlands. The network will now offer year-round coverage to customers in other markets for the first time through its subscription service and digital free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels. “We couldn’t be more excited to extend our partnership with the WTA into these countries, and to add the Netherlands to the ever-widening group of territories outside the U.S. where fans can watch dedicated regional Tennis Channels,” said Ken Solomon, president, Tennis Channel.

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18 months after dropping ‘Redskins’ moniker amid pressure from Native American groups, the Washington Football Team will announce the team’s new official name on Feb. 2. During a podcast in September with ESPN’s Adam Schefter, WFT co-CEO Tanya Snyder stated that the final eight candidates were Armada, Presidents, Brigade, Red Hogs, Commanders, RedWolves, Defenders and Football Team.

The NHL, NHLPA, SAP are teaming up with EVERFI to recognize Most Valuable Teachers courtesy of the Future Goals Most Valuable Teacher program presented by SAP. In its third year, the program will continue to recognize 20 teachers, who have used the Future Goals Hockey Scholar program. Each month starting Jan. 1 through March 31, fans can go to NHL.com/MVT and vote for their favorite to win. “Teachers play an extraordinarily important and impactful role in the lives of young people around the world,” said Rob Zepp, director, strategic initiatives for the NHLPA. “Knowing this, the opportunity to recognize teachers through the Future Goals Most Valuable Teacher program is something that we, along with our partners at the NHL, SAP and EVERFI, are extremely proud of.”

The National Lacrosse League announced that each of its 12 teams playing in week 6 will wear a specially designed orange “Every Child Matters” warm up shirts during the weekend of January 6-as part of the league’s Community and Social Responsibility programs throughout the 2021-22 season. The logo pays tribute to those who attended Indigenous Residential Schools, as well as the children who are being discovered at the various residential schools across Canada and boarding schools throughout the US who didn’t make it home as well.

Callaway announced the signing of two new golfers, Abraham Ancer (PGA) and Yuka Saso (LPGA). Ancer will play Callaway Woods and Odyssey Putter and will wear a Callaway hat in competition, while Saso will play Callaway Woods, Irons, Wedges, Golf Balls, and an Odyssey Putter. Both are multi-year deals.

23XI Racing revealed that Leidos will join the team as a primary partner beginning with the 2022 season. Leidos, a technology, engineering, and science solutions and services brand will partner with Bubba Wallace and the No. 23 Toyota Camry TRD. “We are thrilled with our decision to once again team up with Bubba Wallace and now with 23XI Racing,” said Leidos Chairman and CEO Roger Krone. “Bubba’s efforts have paved the way for real change, pushing for a culture of inclusion and diversity not only in NASCAR, but throughout the world. We see this as much more than a sponsorship – we see an opportunity to fight for our shared values. We are proud to have Bubba Wallace representing Leidos both on and off the track.”

East Carolina University selected Playfly Sports as its new, exclusive multimedia rights holder for the athletics department beginning in the summer of 2022 through the 2034 academic year. Together, ECU and Playfly will work to secure new corporate partners, in addition to continuing and elevating activations from existing sponsors, delivering fan excitement that creates a competitive, “home field advantage” atmosphere.

DIGITAL, DATA & TECH

With Alabama and Georgia heading to the College Football Playoff championship game, Twitter and ESPN are teaming up to crate the first-ever Twitter Tribune, a post-game “newspaper” comprised of supporter Tweets that will be distributed at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis for the National Championship on Monday. In addition to being distributed at Lucas Oil Stadium, Twitter will send copies of the Tribune to those fans whose Tweets were included in the paper.

Odds On Compliance, a technology and consultancy firm specializing in sports betting, iGaming, and gambling regulatory compliance in the U.S. and abroad, received strategic investments from a group led by SeventySix Capital. Tekkorp Capital also participated in the round, providing a new infusion of funding which will propel Odds On Compliance forward in the expansion of its business unit focused on data and technology.

ESPORTS

Capcom announced the launch of a new content creator program, titled Capcom Creators. The initiative is designed to serve fans of games such as Street Fighter who make videos, livestreams, fan art, cosplay, and more. According to the announcement, Capcom Creators members will be equipped with resources to help make content for Capcom’s library of titles and will have access to tools such as regular newsletters highlighting the latest games and opportunities, as well as a dedicated private Discord server to connect with program managers and fellow creators.

Mission Control and Xfinity are teaming up for a new esports tournament docket called the Xfinity City Series. Events will take place in Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Washington DC across a span of of three months and will feature Fortnite, Rocket League, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. with month-long events.

OF NOTE:

Former MGM Resorts President of Sports and former longtime CBS television sportscaster, Bob Halloran, passed away at the age of 87. Halloran began his sportscasting career upon his graduation in 1962 from the University of Miami, where he was a member of the golf team. He became a sportscaster for the local Miami CBS television affiliate and eight years later in 1970, CBS Sports hired him as a national television correspondent, where he covered many of sports top events including major boxing and golf events.

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IN THE KNOW
What is the (last) name of the family that founded Topps? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company and city).

Answer to Our Last Sports Trivia Question
During his college days, what position was John Madden honored for playing? Answer: Offensive tackle. Kudos: Michael Ritz-Lenox Advisors/NY; Denis Barry-CBS/NY; Synda Kollman-Charter Marketing Group/Boca Raton; Louis Lewow-FITE/Atlanta; John Kukla-KDFW-KDFI/Dallas-Fort Worth; Joe Lyons-ESPN/Dallas; Andy Pittman-TAMU/College Station; Jack Neumann-University of Calgary/Calgary; Greg Moloznik-GLM Media/Scottsdale; David Westberg-SAG•AFTRA Credit Union/Burbank; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA