05/15/18: Companies react to Supreme Court ruling

Good morning. It’s Tuesday May 15, 2018 and this is your first early morning Sports briefing.

The US Supreme Court made the historic decision to strike down a federal law that required states to ban gambling on the outcome of sporting events. Writing for the majority, Justice Samuel Alito said the problem with the federal law is that “state legislatures are put under the direct control of Congress.” With the ruling the doors to legal sports wagering set to open, league officials and other involved parties were quick to comment…

“Today’s decision by the Supreme Court opens the door for states to pass laws legalizing sports betting,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “We remain in favor of a federal framework that would provide a uniform approach to sports gambling in states that choose to permit it, but we will remain active in ongoing discussions with state legislatures. Regardless of the particulars of any future sports betting law, the integrity of our game remains our highest priority.”

“The NFL’s long-standing and unwavering commitment to protecting the integrity of our game remains absolute,” the league said in a statement. “Congress has long-recognized the potential harms posed by sports betting to the integrity of sporting contests and the public confidence in these events. Given that history, we intend to call on Congress again, this time to enact a core regulatory framework for legalized sports betting. We also will work closely with our clubs to ensure that any state efforts that move forward in the meantime protect our fans and the integrity of the game.”

“Today’s decision by the United States Supreme Court will have profound effects on Major League Baseball,” according to a statement by MLB. “As each state considers whether to allow sports betting, we will continue to seek the proper protections for our sport, in partnership with other professional sports. Our most important priority is protecting the integrity of our games. We will continue to support legislation that creates air-tight coordination and partnerships between the state, the casino operators and the governing bodies in sports toward that goal.”

Meanwhile, the NHL noted that “The Supreme Court’s decision today paves the way to an entirely different landscape – one in which we have not previously operated. We will review our current practices and policies and decide whether adjustments are needed, and if so, what the adjustments will look like.”

Monumental Sports’ Ted Leonsis had his own take on the ruling, noting “So, the Supreme Court’s decision today to repeal the federal ban on sports betting and clear the way for legalized sports betting across the country is in many ways the logical outgrowth of fans’ obsession with data. It brings a multibillion dollar industry out of the shadows and into the sunlight, where its integrity can be guaranteed and consumers can be better protected. I believe today’s decision will change the face of sports fandom for the better.”

Caesars Entertainment Corporation President and CEO, Mark Frissora, said, “The Supreme Court’s landmark PASPA ruling creates a golden opportunity to end illegal sports wagering once and for all by creating a well-regulated alternative that sports fans can trust. Caesars is a leader in legalized gaming in the U.S. As a result, we expect to be able to provide safe, exciting sports wagering experiences to consumers across the country, as we do today in Nevada. We plan to announce our specific approach to this business as we better understand the opportunities and regulations which evolve from today’s Supreme Court decision.”

Finally, Brian Musburger, Founder of VSiN, noted “We think this is exciting and long overdue news. People have been betting on sports in New Jersey and across the country for a very long time – sports fans everywhere enjoy a little skin in the game. As the first network dedicated to sports gambling information, we’ve had a unique vantage point through the evolution of this case and this market. We’ve watched sports gambling grow more mainstream every day and it’s great to finally see that folks will now legally be able to take more than a just rooting interest in the teams and sports they love.”

ON THE AIR

FOX Sports confirmed that Troy Aikman and Joe Buck will officially call the NFL’s Thursday Night Football, Presented by Bud Light package on the network this season. “Since acquiring the rights to Thursday Night Football, we knew we wanted a big game feel,” said John Entz, President of Production & Executive Producer, FOX Sports. “There is no other tandem that is more synonymous with big NFL games on FOX than Joe and Troy.” In addition, the duo will remain the voices of FOX Sports’ America’s Game of the Week.

NBC Sports Group and the World Rowing Federation, FISA, have partnered on an exclusive, three-year U.S. media rights agreement for coverage of the three World Rowing Cup regattas, the European Rowing Championships, and the World Rowing Championships through 2020, both parties announced today. Overall, NBC Sports Group will present 30 hours of television coverage of the events across NBCSN and Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA.

Sunday’s NBA Eastern Conference Finals Game 1 on ABC, which saw the Celtics top the Cavaliers, drew a 5.4 metered market rating, according to Nielsen, making it the highest-rated Eastern Conference Finals Game 1 since 2015. The number was up 15% over the same matchup last year and up 32% from 2016 when Cleveland vs. Toronto drew a 4.1. Through nine games, the 2018 NBA Playoffs on ABC is averaging a 4.4 metered market rating, up 7% from 2017.

Meanwhile, ESPN carries the NBA Draft Lottery presented by State Farm tonight at 7:30p from Chicago. The broadcast will expand to an hour this year with host Mark Jones, college basketball analyst Jay Bilas, senior NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, NBA Draft analysts Mike Schmitz and Jonathan Givony, NBA front office insider Bobby Marks and reporter Cassidy Hubbarth. Content will include interviews with several top draft prospects, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and NBA legend and the LA Clippers consultant Jerry West. ESPN2 will televise the 2018 NBA Draft Combine powered by Under Armour from 3-7p on Thursday and Friday. A total of 69 NBA prospects are expected to participate, as their skills, strength and agility are tested through drills and on-court competition.

NBA TV laid out its 2018 WNBA schedule, with the action tipping off on Friday at 10p with the Wings/Mercury. NBA TV’s WNBA schedule will include appearances from all 12 WNBA teams, along with extensive coverage of the league throughout the season including highlights and postgame interviews with players and coaches following key WNBA matchups. Overall, the network will televise 49 games throughout the regular season.

FOX Sports announced that pillar NASCAR Race Hub will celebrate its 1500th episode next Tuesday at 6p. The May 22 show will feature a retrospective of the “best and most entertaining moments from FOX NASCAR’s flagship program over the past decade.”

Actor Chris Hemsworth, will wave the green flag at this year’s Indianapolis 500 on May 27. Hemsworth is waving the flag as the brand ambassador for TAG Heuer, the “Official Timepiece of the Indy 500.”

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SPONSORSHIP & PROMOTION

During the FOX 2018 Programming Presentation, Fox Networks Group President of Advertising Revenue Joe Marchese announced a new initiative designed to “transform the commercial experience on its networks through the introduction of JAZ pods.” The new two-ad pods guarantee advertisers adjacency to FNG sports and entertainment programming, will be available across all of FNG’s networks, including specific shows, events, time-blocks as well as select whole nights on the broadcast network. Meanwhile, the company touted the addition to TNF, America’s Game of the Week, college football and MLB playoffs to advertisers. “Our lineup is extraordinary,” said Eric Shanks, FOX Sports President, Chief Operating Officer & Executive Producer FOX Sports Eric Shanks. “As the #1 network in live sports, viewers will start their sports viewing with Thursday Night Football on FOX, catch the biggest college football games Friday and Saturday on FOX and FS1, become captivated by baseball’s postseason and finish their weekend with America’s Game of the Week on Sunday afternoons.”

TNT’s coverage of the NBA Western Conference Finals included the addition of Cisco serving as the presenting sponsor of the NBA on TNT VR App. Fans saw Cisco integrated within the NBA on TNT VR experience, which includes NBA on TNT’s Studio J (re-created in immersive virtual reality) serving as the portal into all the available programming. Placements include alongside the studio desk, the in-game scoreboard, on the app’s loading screen and the “big board”, and within graphics and highlights throughout the series.

The Women’s Tennis Association locked in a deal with opendorse to license the opendorse platform through the remainder of the 2018 calendar year and provide the WTA its own platform access and roster. WTA will have the ability to share unlimited posts with a number of WTA players with the opportunity to extend the partnership in 2019 and increase its account access. opendorse will work alongside the WTA’s digital and social content division, WTA Networks, to manage the exchange of assets. Content will include a variety of exciting videos and photos from tournament matches, news stats, player interviews and behind-the-scenes moments of the tour. The WTA will then use opendorse to share the tailored content to the athlete and associated social accounts.

DIGITAL & STREAMING

The NCAA announced an initiative to transform the digital collection and distribution of intercollegiate sports data in partnership with Genius Sports. Data will benefit the NCAA’s more than 1,100 member institutions across all three divisions and will be used in select NCAA championships, starting with men’s and women’s basketball tournaments in 2019. In addition to providing development, promotional, and technical support for the data software, Genius Sports will serve as the NCAA’s exclusive agent in licensing real-time official data from championship events (including NCAA March Madness) to media platforms and other companies.

The FIVB is teaming up with IMG to launch Volleyball TV, the first OTT digital streaming platform in volleyball history, according to the org. Volleyball TV will be available as a Pay Per View (PPV) service in selected markets for both the Volleyball Nations League and the FIVB Men’s and Women’s World Championships in September.

NBC Sports Regional Networks reports their most-streamed month ever in April, delivering 111 million minutes consumed, up 63% over the previous record. Overall, NBC Sports Regional Networks streamed more than 245 million live minutes across 1.52 million unique devices, respective 47% and 105% increases from last year. Overall, NBC Sports Philadelphia saw the most significant growth with its coverage of the 76ers, more than quadrupling both minutes streamed and uniques, 324% and 335%, respectively. In the first full season streaming Trail Blazers games, NBC Sports Northwest saw more than 8 million minutes streamed.

BBC AMERICA’s new darts series Premier League Darts reports that it has generated over 2 million livestream views to-date since its launch on February 1, growing 10x from the first half of the tournament. Through 12 weeks, Premier League Darts social engagement has seen an average growth rate of 30%week-over-week.

ESPORTS

The Asian Games unveiled the titles that will take part in esports’ first run in the event this summer, with the Asian Esports Federation confirming the inclusion of Pro Evolution Soccer, League of Legends, Hearthstone and Starcraft II, along with mobile titles Clash Royale and Arena of Valor.

The 2018 PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Global Invitational unveiled its North American slate of qualifiers, with play beginning May 24 and 320 total teams competing. The groups will be split up into 16 lobbies of teams each while the top 10 teams from each lobby after four matches will move on to the second round, which starts the next day, with round three on May 26 and 27. The final 20 teams will then square off in Burbank from June 22-24 with the top three teams then moving on to the PGI in Berlin from July 25-29.

eGency Global is partnering with SMU (Guildhall, the top ranked graduate school for video game design in the world, to launch the OP (Over Powered) Live Dallas. The esports event will span Sept. 22-23 at the Irving Convention Center with an eye to showcase the career opportunities available to video game and esports devotees. The two-day OP Live Dallas schedule will feature competitions for 16 collegiate teams and 4 pro esports teams, along with showcases featuring never-before-seen games created by SMU students and alumni.

ROSTER MOVES

Prodigy Sports announced that they have been exclusively retained by the Alliance of American Football to lead multiple executive level searches in preparation for their forthcoming launch of the league. The Alliance will be comprised of eight teams, each with 50-men rosters, including Atlanta, Orlando and Memphis.

STATS announced the appointment of Jayme Fuller as SVP of Global Partner Development, a new position. Fuller will work to expand STATS’ portfolio of global partners in the US and abroad.

AMB Sports and Entertainment upped Greg Beadles to Executive Vice President and COO to lead all day-to-day business operations for the AMBSE portfolio which includes the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United of Major League Soccer and Mercedes-Benz Stadium. AMBSE also announced it has named Hendrik Hynekamp Vice President, Fan Experience.

TeamSnap announced today that Todd Stockard has been appointed the company’s new Chief Financial Officer. Stockard will oversee TeamSnap’s financial strategy as the company continues its rapid expansion with the introduction of new products, platforms and partnerships.

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Answer to Our Last Sports Trivia Question: Name one of the two teams that Kirby Puckett beat in the World Series. Answer: Braves, Cardinals. Kudos: Eric Newman-ENEW FILMS/NY; Luke Tarby-A+E Networks/NY; Scott Jenkins-Gracenote/NY; Frank Costa-CBS/NY; Willy Gibson-WTG Sports/Columbus; Christian Matthews-Washington Redskins/DC; Randy Ingram-WISH/WNDY-TV/Indianapolis; Tim Overmyer-20th TV/Atlanta; Matt Fumagalli-Levy/Chicago; Mark Stulberger-Stully’s Broadcasting School/Houston; Jack Hodgson-Oklahoma State University/Stillwater; Claire Goldsmith-Periscope/Minneapolis; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA; David Westberg-SAG-AFTRA Federal Credit Union/Burbank; Larry Hutchings/Nipomo

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