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Start your morning with Buzzcast: Barty says bye-bye; FIFA and NFL take crypto steps; and an orange theory around Wilson's basketballs.

Tennis champion Ash Barty retires in surprise move

Ash Barty delivered the "biggest retirement in professional tennis this year," when the 25-year old posted a "six-minute interview with compatriot Casey Dellacqua on Instagram" Wednesday morning in her native Australia. Barty, the reigning Wimbledon and Australian Open champion, said, “It's something I’ve been thinking about for a long time,” adding, “Wimbledon last year changed a lot for me as a person and for me as an athlete." Barty said the Australian Open title "just feels like the most perfect way, my perfect way, to celebrate what an amazing journey my tennis career has been." This "leaves the WTA, which had for so long been without a bonafide top-ranked player, wondering who might step into Barty's place." She spent 121 weeks atop the rankings (TENNIS.com, 3/23).

This is a "stunning move," and Barty's "sudden retirement is clearly a blow to the sport." She is "enormously popular in Australia with her unpretentious personality and, as a prominent figure of Indigenous Australian descent, she has also broadened the sport’s appeal at home and abroad" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/23).

Sanders introduces bill to repeal MLB exemption

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) formally introduced his “Save American Baseball Act” last night on HBO’s “Real Sports,” which he hopes will “do away with the unique anti-trust protections that Major League Baseball has enjoyed since 1922.” Passage of the bill would allow other entities “the opportunity to start different Major League Baseball leagues.” He said there would be a hearing “in the very future” in the Senate Judiciary Committee to discuss the bill. Sanders: “What you will see is support not just from Democrats, but from Republicans. I think this is a bipartisan effort.”

Sanders said repealing the antitrust exemption could become a reality because there is a “growing anger amongst the American people at baseball.” Sanders: “The temperature is rising here in Congress to do something about it” (“Real Sports,” HBO, 3/22). 

FIFA names Crypto.com new World Cup sponsor

FIFA has agreed to a World Cup sponsorship deal with Crypto.com, "giving the fast-growing cryptocurrency platform marketing rights" to the tournament. The deal "underlines the burgeoning ties between the globe’s highest-profile sports and the growing world of digital assets." Crypto.com has "poured money into sports sponsorship" with a series of deals, and its soccer partners include PSG and CONMEBOL. Other FIFA existing sponsorships, worth hundreds of millions of dollars over several World Cup cycles, include Adidas, Coca-Cola and Visa (FINANCIAL TIMES, 3/22). FIFA in announcing the deal did not specify its length or value, saying only that it will sponsor this year's World Cup in Qatar (SBJ).

See more in SBJ Global.

Adidas launches NIL program across all D-I partners

Adidas is forming an NIL network “that will be accessible to its 109 NCAA Division I partner schools.” Eligible students across 23 different sports “will have the opportunity to become a paid affiliate brand ambassador with Adidas, a first for a major sports brand.” Players initially will have the chance to “profit through commission links, but Adidas plans to also offer elevated opportunities at a brand partnership and entrepreneurial level.” The plan will be rolled out “in four phases over the next year,” with Power 5 programs and HBCUs coming first (SI.com, 3/23).

UFC reaches licensing deal with Skillz

By Adam Stern

UFC has agreed to a licensing arrangement with mobile gaming company Skillz that will see the companies collaborate on new games based around the fighting property's IP. The deal will be announced later today at the Game Developers Conference in S.F., and it will let Skillz developers make new UFC-themed mobile games that will debut in '23 and be marketed by both sides. Other partnerships that Skillz has struck in sports include ones with Drone Racing League and Chip Ganassi Racing. Involved in setting up the deal were Skillz CEO Andrew Paradise and UFC Senior VP/Global Consumer Products Tracey Bleczinski.

MLB, union agree to several rule changes for '22

MLB and the MLBPA reached a "tentative agreement to expand rosters from 26 to 28 players through May 1 to compensate in some way for a 3 1/2-week spring training." The deal also "essentially has a Shohei Ohtani rule," stipulating that "if the starting pitcher is also hitting in the lineup, then that player remains as the DH even if he is pulled from the start." The agreement includes a "return to using the 'ghost' runner in extra innings, but only" for the '22 season. The reason for the bulk of the changes is to "try to better protect player health and safety" (N.Y. POST, 3/22).

Tournament of Roses' trademark suit proves costly

The Tournament of Roses’ "attempt to protect its ownership of the 'Rose Bowl Game' and 'Rose Bowl' trademarks from the city of Pasadena became costly," as a U.S. district judge on Friday "ordered it to pay more than $400,000 of the city’s attorney fees after its lawsuit had been dismissed with prejudice." The conflict "stemmed from the Tournament of Roses’ decision in December 2020 to move" the annual New Year’s Day bowl game to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, "because California’s stringent Covid-19 protocols would not have allowed fans to attend" the CFP semifinal. The master license agreement between the Tournament of Roses and Pasadena "requires the game to be held in the Rose Bowl stadium except in the event of a force majeure" (L.A. TIMES, 3/22).

Epson taps brand partner Shaq for LPGA news

Shaquille O’Neal is starring in a new ad with golfer Rachel Rohanna to "help announce Epson’s new five-year agreement as title sponsor of the LPGA’s official qualifying tour." O'Neal first partnered with the printer manufacturer "three years ago" as a brand ambassador. The new online commercial will be released today "across Shaq’s social channels." The Basketball HOFer and Turner Sports personality "has 24 million followers on Instagram, 15.6 million on twitter and 9.2 million on Facebook" (GOLFWEEK.com, 3/22).

Lakers recognize L.A. artists of color

The Lakers today launch “In The Paint,” a competitive arts program where 15 contributing L.A.-based artists of color are selected by a panel of judges to exhibit their work on court at Lakers HQ. In addition, 10 artist grantees will be selected to receive $10,000. The grantees will receive their awards at halftime presentation at tonight’s 76ers-Lakers game at Crypto.com Arena. This initiative stems from the Lakers’ six-point Racial Equity Action Plan, developed by Dir of Racial Equity & Action Dr. Karida Brown. The judging panel consists of artists CCH Pounder, Terrell Tilford and Halima Taha. See the 15 contributing artists here (Lakers).

Sports Media Podcast: Amazon's big money moves

On this week's "Sports Media Podcast," Andrew Marchand and John Ourand go into full details about Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit agreeing to big money deals to call "Thursday Night Football" with Amazon. Marchand said that the key to the whole thing will not even be in the booth. Ourand gives the full details on what ESPN traded to Fox Sports for the rights to Joe Buck, ESPN's new "Monday Night Football" play-by-player. The pair also discuss Troy Aikman's recent comments to Sports Illustrated about his departure from Fox to ESPN. Finally, Marchand and Ourand pay tribute to the late John Clayton.

The "Calls of the Week" ranks on-air moments from Reggie Miller, Jim Nantz, Ian Eagle, Andrew Catalon and Spero Dedes. Plus, the regular feature, "Who's up, Who's down."

Check out Sports Business Journal's weekly issue

Don't miss this week's issue of SBJ. It's finally time to play ball, and our MLB season preview shines a spotlight on Mariners President Catie Griggs, who's bringing a fresh buzz to Seattle, and Cleveland's newly rebranded Guardians, who have a fresh look of their own. Also, college conferences are mining data deals; the 49ers feast on their first year of food-and-drink season-ticket plans; and our six-person Champions class of '22.

If you’d like to receive the print issue at your home office, update your delivery address at any time within your account settings here. If you have questions about how and where to receive your print copy, email help@sportsbusinessjournal.com.

Speed Reads....

The Red Sox this season will “honor longtime player and announcer Jerry Remy by wearing a commemorative patch on their jerseys.” There also will be a “pregame ceremony for Remy” on April 20. Remy died in October at 68 after a long battle with cancer (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/23).

The relaunch of EA Sports’ “PGA Tour” series video game that was initially slated for Spring ‘22 “has now been delayed to Spring 2023” (MORNINGREAD.com, 3/22).

The Miami Open this morning will “dedicate a new court to the family of tournament founder Butch Buchholz” (MIAMI HERALD, 3/23).

ONE Championship has partnered with the luxury luggage brand Tumi on a new sponsorship deal that includes making a custom case for the MMA promotion's championship belts. The multiyear deal will also involve broadcast ad integrations, joint marketing activations and category exclusivity for Tumi (Adam Stern, SBJ).

ONE Championship

Quick Hits....

“I feel like the behavior has been abusive to the city of Oakland and they (A’s) have not valued the loyalty that so many fans and the city of Oakland have for them” -- Oakland City Council member Carroll Fife, on the team’s continued talks with Las Vegas about a potential new ballpark (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 3/23).

“Lakers fans will still be encouraged to wear masks, but not because of COVID, just because of how embarrassing this season has been” -- ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel, on COVID safety restrictions being lifted in California (“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC, 3/22).

Morning Hot Reads: Who's got the bill?

A N.Y. DAILY NEWS editorial explores the Bills efforts to build a new stadium under the header, "New York taxpayers must not be on the hook." Even though they currently "play in the suburbs, the Bills are surely a boost to the city, but not financially, as a November report from the state Empire State Development Corp. found that only '$27 million in annual revenues from income, sales and other taxes can be directly attributed to the presence of the Bills.'" New York Governor Kathy Hochul has loved the Bills "for a lot longer than she’s been governor, but she can’t let her passion for her hometown team cloud her judgment on whether taxpayers should bankroll the team’s new stadium."

Also:

Twitter Me This....

Today's Events....

Soccer coach Otto Rehhagel and other members of the Euro 2004 champion Greek national team will visit the Empire State Building to celebrate the premiere of the documentary film, “King Otto,” set to release in the U.S. on Friday.

Last night’s "Final Jeopardy!" category was "Historic Nicknames."

Last night’s "Final Jeopardy!" category was "Historic Nicknames."

"Napoleon’s troops gave him this nickname not to mock him but for showing the courage of an infantryman in battle."

Last night’s edition of “Jeopardy!” featured the category “Football and Football.”

$200: “Desmond Howard’s 99-yard kick return touchdown helped him earn Super Bowl 31 MVP honors over Brett Favre for this team.”
$400: “Football’s Ted Lasso knows this pre-snap line of scrimmage penalty well; soccer’s Ted Lasso found the sport’s version ... complex.”
$600: “This Premier League system of sending the 3 bottom-finishers to a 2nd-tier league is like sending 3 MLB teams down to AAA.”
$800: “In 2022 quarterback Stetson Bennett led this school to the national title over SEC rival Alabama, 33-18.”
$1000: “In 2020, thousands thronged the presidential palace in Buenos Aries as this national hero lay in state.”

"Jeopardy!"

Today's Back Pages....

The Morning Buzz offers today's back page sports covers from some of North America's major metropolitan tabloids:

N.Y. Post N.Y. Daily News Newsday Boston Herald Chicago Sun-Times Philadelphia Daily News

Final Jeopardy....

"What is 'The Little Corporal'?"

Correct responses to the “Football and Football” category:
$200: “Who are the Packers?”
$400: “What is offsides?”
$600: “What is relegation?”
$800: “What is the Univ. of Georgia?”
$1000: “Who is Diego Maradona?”