What's next for Stephen Ross? A preview of Leagues Cup; Broncos add more star power and people on the move
What a week. First Bill Russell, and now the icon and Hall of Fame broadcaster, Vin Scully, whose voice provided the soundtrack for so many of us consuming sports died Tuesday night at 94. Think about this. Vin Scully spent an amazing 67 years as the broadcaster for the Dodgers, 67 years. Easily the longest period any sports broadcaster has spent with a single team. What a gracious style to one of the best ever. A full tribute today in Sports Business Journal. This is your Morning Buzzcast for Wednesday, August 3rd. Good morning. I'm Abe Madkour. Hope you're all doing well. Thanks for listening.
First, not a good day yesterday for the Miami Dolphins and especially owner, Stephen Ross, as the NFL, through its investigator, Mary Jo White, found that Ross and his co-owner, Bruce Beal, were guilty of violating league policies related to the integrity of the game. They violated the anti-tampering policy on three occasions from 2019 to 2022 in conversations with Tom Brady and Don Yee, who is the agent for then-Saints coach, Sean Payton. Don Yee should be noted as also the agent for Tom Brady.
The league could not conclude that the team intentionally lost games during that 2019 season, which is what former Dolphins coach, Brian Flores, alleged in a lawsuit. But the investigation found that Ross on a number of occasions told his staff that he felt his 2020 draft position was more important than winning. As to Flores's most explosive claim that Stephen Ross offered him a $100,000 dollars to lose games, the NFL and the investigation was inconclusive and suggested that Ross was joking. But overall, not a good look for the leadership of Ross. Roger Goodell even called Ross's actions unprecedented in the scope and severity. So the league stripped the Dolphins of a 2023 first-round pick, a 2024 third-round pick. Ross was fined $1.5 million, but he was suspended through October 17th during which time he isn't permitted to be at the Dolphins facility. He cannot represent the team at any event. He cannot attend any league meeting.
Now, Stephen Ross isn't seen as hugely influential within NFL circles. He's not incredibly active in league affairs, and he won't be able to participate in his league committee assignments. He does sit on some powerful committees. He sits on Finance, Media, and Gambling, but he won't be able to participate in these league meetings going forward until after October 17th. He said he won't challenge the league's findings and wants to focus on the field where the Dolphins could be a better team. But Stephen Ross has always been known for doing and saying really whatever he wants. This suspension is not going to win him any most popular awards among his fellow owners. But Ross is 82. He is not going to do anything drastic. Sure, there'll be calls for him to sell the team, but he's not going to.
It should be noted, his owner-in-waiting was Bruce Beal, and Bruce Beal was also implicated in the investigation. That must give pause to other NFL owners about what type of future owner Bruce Beal may be. But I'll end as I started, just not a good look for anyone, not a good look for Stephen Ross, not a good look for Bruce Beal, not even a good look for Tom Brady if he was talking about this going as far back to 2019 when he was playing for and under contract with the Patriots. Ownership suspensions in the NFL are rare. That's why this is such noteworthy news. Let's move on.
Tonight, Wednesday, marks another milestone in the ever closer relationship between MLS and Liga MX. There's an exhibition tonight, Wednesday, at SoFi Stadium between Mexico's Club América playing LAFC and Chivas facing the LA Galaxy. So these exhibitions, these two matches are intended to build up interest around the Leagues Cup. Now, soccer insiders are very bullish on this concept. That'll be a month-long tournament featuring all 47 teams from MLS and Liga MX that'll start next summer. MLS basically shuts down its league for an entire month for the Leagues Cup. There's interest in these match-ups. Even though tonight's matches are just exhibitions, more than 70,000 tickets have been sold. The double header is sold out. Like I noted, this is all part of a growing partnership and a closer relationship between those two leagues, MLS and Liga MX. In addition to next summer's tournament, the two leagues will play in next week's MLS All-Star Game. Next summer's Leagues Cup has been the talk of many soccer insiders who believe it will be very good for the growth of soccer in America.
Staying with soccer, LaLiga signed EA Sports to be the title sponsor of the league in a five-year deal worth $30 million per year, according to multiple reports. Now LaLiga's previous deal was with Santander for entitlement of the league, and that began in 2016. That was reportedly worth about $17.3 million per year. So LaLiga nearly doubles its revenue. Under the deal, EA Sports will be title sponsor of not only LaLiga, but also the second division and other competitions under the main umbrella. This deal represents more growth for the league as in the last five years, LaLiga has increased its total sponsorship revenue by, get this, over 300%. It was about $51 million in 2016, and it's sitting at north of $160 million in 2022. So we're seeing good traction around the Spanish league, LaLiga.
Let's talk about some team news because the Bronco's new ownership group is becoming almost a who's who of bold-faced names. Of course, the lead owner is Rob Walton from Walmart. But they have also recruited former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. They've also recruited Mellody Hobson. She is the co-CEO of Ariel Investments, and she is the wife of Star Wars creator, George Lucas. Now, the Broncos have recruited F1 driver, Lewis Hamilton, as the newest edition to the ownership group. He will join as a limited shareholder. So the Broncos rounding out its ownership group with some bold-faced celebrity names.
Let's end the Buzzcast like we do pretty frequently around people. There was a big hire at the WWE, which we all know has undergone some major changes in the last couple of months. The WWE has named Craig Stimmel has head of sales and partnerships at the company. He was head of global brands at Snap. He had previous consumer package goods experience working for years at Procter & Gamble. Now he will be tasked with growing WWE's roster of sponsors and promotional partners. He will report to co-CEOs, Nick Khan and Stephanie McMahon. But a big, big hire by the WWE in Craig Stimmel heading up global sales and partnerships.
Yesterday, we mentioned some new roles for previous Forty Under 40 and Game Changer award winners, and we have a few more today. Brett Frood, part of the Forty Under 40 class of 2012, was named commissioner of the National Lacrosse League. He replaces Jessica Berman who was named commissioner of the NWSL. Now, Brett Frood has been serving as Stewart-Haas Racing president for years. He played on a lacrosse team at Brown, so he has lacrosse in his history, in his blood. He will now lead the National Lacrosse League. CAA's Joe Becker assisted the National Lacrosse League in the search.
Big news in the Olympic world as Rocky Harris, who was part of SBJ's Forty Under 40 class of 2017, was named chief of sport and athlete services at the USOPC. This is a big job. Rocky Harris is well respected in the national governing body circles. He joins the USOPC after five years as CEO of USA Triathlon. He effectively fills the duties vacated by Rick Adams, who in April was relieved of his duties as the USOPC's chief of sport performance. This is a big job that deals with all the athletes, all the national governing bodies, so Rocky Harris in that role as chief of sport and athlete services at the USOPC. He begins his role next month.
That is your Morning Buzzcast for Wednesday, August 3rd. I'm Abe Madkour. Thanks for listening. I'm taking a few days off, going up to Vermont to see my mother, so David Albright will bring you the Buzzcast over the next couple of days. Until I speak to you again on Monday, stay healthy. Please, be good to each other. I'll speak to you next week.