A big sports business week; NFL owners talk Goodell extension; NY Times goes deep on Steve Cohen and Chris McGowan exits Ilitch Sports.
A big sports business week; NFL owners talk Goodell extension; NY Times goes deep on Steve Cohen and Chris McGowan exits Ilitch Sports.
Yes, it's hard to believe, but just over three weeks until the CAA World Congress of Sports at LA Live, April 18th and 19th, it's going to be one of the best conferences and networking events of the year. Join your friends, join your colleagues. Sign up today at sportsbusinessjournal.com or just let me know if you have any questions. We talked about the NWSL season opener over this past weekend, and here's one number to think about: almost 31,000. Yes, that was attendance at one of the matches. The San Diego Wave beat the Chicago Red Star Saturday before 30,800 fans at San Diego's Snapdragon Stadium. A record NWSL crowd for a home opener. Very well done, and we will continue to monitor attendance at the NWSL matches all season on the Buzzcast. This is your morning Buzzcast for Monday, March 27th.
Good morning, I'm Abe Madkour. Hope everyone had a great weekend. We have a big sports week ahead. Of course, we have our men's Final Four all set, and who would've predicted this? We have the number nine team Florida Atlantic, taking on number five San Diego State Saturday, six o'clock, CBS. The number four, Connecticut facing number five, Miami Saturday, 8:30 on CBS in Houston. This year's men's tournament has been so unpredictable for the first time since seeding began in 1979. No number one teams made it to the Elite Eight. You don't have the Big 10, you don't have the SEC, you don't have the Big 12 or the PAC 12. You have Conference USA, the Mountain West, the Big East, and the ACC.
The Women's Final Four will be solidified tonight, but one team won't be in the mix. Yukon got beat, won't be in the Final Four for the first time since 2007. You know I mentioned the ACC. There's a lot of intrigue around the ACC these days. You have a number of schools, the top schools, looking to get more money and change the revenue distribution model in the conference. You have a lot of pressure on ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips to increase the overall revenue pie and now Phillips came out over the weekend saying that the conference needs to improve its narrative around basketball. Phillips said he will meet with men's basketball coaches and athletic directors after the season to discuss ways to be more proactive and aggressive in framing the storyline around the conference. Why is that? While the ACC only received five bids for this year's NCAA men's tournament, and that didn't please the leaders of the conference. Yes, they feel better about Miami and having a slot in the Final Four.
But this is the first time since the conference expanded to 15 teams in 2013 that the ACC has gone back to back seasons with only five tournament bids. Yes, the ACC schools need to win more, but Phillips thinks the conference can do a better job touting the results and strengths of its programs. We'll see what he does during the off season. Keep your eye on the NFL this week, as it's a big week during the league meetings in Phoenix. The three-day annual meetings began yesterday on Sunday. They will last through Tuesday. Here are some of the news items you can expect to see coming out of the meetings. The owners will consider a contract extension for Commissioner Roger Goodell. The NFL's compensation Committee is working to finalize a deal that would reportedly run for three years until the spring of 2027, just past Goodell's 68th birthday.
Now, Goodell's current deal expires in just one year, next March. Owners are likely to discuss this and get an update on where things stand. But the timing of when the contract is signed is not clear. Owners will also discuss Thursday Night Football having a flexible schedule. That's something we touched on Friday in the Buzzcast, but it's not clear when any flex scheduling for Thursday Night Football will start or even if it will pass. Owners will also discuss rule changes related to instant replay, punts and kickoffs, playoff seating, emergency quarterbacks, and other issues. Now, the owners are unlikely to address the ownership of the Commanders and the status of Dan Snyder. They are apparently waiting on the potential sale of the team. We still haven't heard details of the NFL's investigation being conducted by attorney Mary Joe White. The Washington Post reported that Dan Snyder has declined to be interviewed by Mary Joe White. White is expected to make at least one more attempt to interview Snyder before her investigation is completed. It is not clear whether Snyder will agree to speak to White.
There is always a lot of news coming out of these annual meetings. We will certainly touch on it all week on the Buzzcast. Let's move on. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman will be in Ottawa today, on Monday, and will talk to city leaders about a new arena, as well as the progress the league is making on the sale of the Senators. Remember, a key aspect of any deal is the promise of a new arena, which is earmarked for the LeBreton Flats part of the city. Now, as many as four of the groups interested in purchasing the Senators could visit the team and arena this week. There was a report last week that bids for the team were north of $900 million, which would be a big win for the NHL and a very healthy price.
Now, there is some speculation that some of the groups who were a bit lower on their initial bids are looking to increase their number, which could spark a bit of a bidding war, and of course increase the sale price, so that's worth watching. XFL co-owner, Duane the Rock Johnson, is reportedly involved with one of the buying groups for the Senators. The sale of the Senators certainly heating up, and there likely will be some resolution soon. If you read one story from over this past weekend, read the front page profile in Sunday's New York Times of Mets owner Steve Cohen. As he enters his third season as owner, Cohen is called, "Perhaps the most significant, contradictory, beloved resented, limit testing new owner in American sports." The story looks at Cohen's leadership style and it states, "Cohen has rarely been known to spare the feelings or calendars of business subordinates, filling weekends with calls and summoning charges to his Connecticut home for 20 minute breakfast meetings in the name of efficiency."
But officials insist Steve Cohen does not dictate day-to-day personnel decisions like a George Steinbrenner or even a Jerry Jones, though he does get involved in player deals and works directly with agents like Scott Boris. Again, it is a read well worth your time. All this comes as the Mets have installed a new centerfield scoreboard at City Field. It's the biggest in Major League baseball at more than 17,000 square feet. That is three times the size of the previous board. The entire board is digitized, of course, and can show multiple messages. The Mets said the new board was a way to amaze fans, entertain fans, and have some fun.
In addition, the Mets are doing some pretty interesting things around tickets and pricing. The Mets have opened its Cadillac Club, which is inside the right field wall at the field level, and seats there cost $25,000 for the season, and they are sold out in their first row. Rows three and four, those are available for $19,000 per seat. Now, these tickets include VIP parking for every game, of course, food, and beer, and wine. It will feel like a speakeasy as their standing room access in the club. Again, it's designed to feel and look like a New York Speakeasy Club. Some interesting things going on with the New York Mets.
News that broke late Friday is a change in leadership at Ilitch Sports and Entertainment, as President and CEO, Chris McGowan is leaving the organization after less than 18 months on the job. Now, Ilitch Sports and Entertainment is, of course, the group that oversees the Detroit Tigers, the Detroit Red Wings. They also operate Little Caesars Arena, Comerica Park and other music venues. Now, Chris McGowan was the longtime president and CEO of the Portland Trailblazers. He joined Ilitch Holdings in late 2021.
He joined after the departure of Chris Granger. Chris Granger moved on to Oakview Group. Chris McGowan came in. McGowan said he made the decision to step down but did not disclose what his future plans are. Ilitch Sports and Entertainment did promote senior Vice President of business operations and strategy Ryan Gustafson as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the division. Gustafson joined Ilitch Sports and Entertainment in 2022. He's had previous stints with Elevate Sports Ventures, the XFL and Pegula Sports and Entertainment, so some changes happening in Detroit at Ilitch Sports and Entertainment.
Finally, everyone at SBJ is wishing the best for ESPN's Mike Greenberg, who is recovering from heart surgery. Surgery reportedly went well. Greenberg is resting now, but we'll be back at it soon again. We are wishing him the best during his recovery and a big week ahead. NFL meetings, MLB opening day on Thursday, the Women's Final Four begins on Friday, and the men's Final Four is on Saturday, so a very big, exciting sports week ahead. That is your morning Buzzcast for Monday, March 27th. I'm Abe Madkour. Thanks for listening to the BuzzCast. Stay healthy, be good to each other. I'll speak to you tomorrow.