Tonight in Unpacks: SBJ asked sports business movers and shakers to envision what they would do if they had a commissioner’s power for one day. Their answers provide thoughtful insights into the state of the industry.
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Also tonight:
- Learfield, Colorado extend multimedia rights deal through 2035
- Sports Media Podcast: State of media with Michael Smith
- Sodexo Live gives Ohio State hospitality students a taste of working a game day
- Op-ed: The soaring allure of sports podcasts for advertisers
Listen to SBJ's most popular podcast, Morning Buzzcast, where SBJ's Austin Karp digs into Diamond Sports Group’s lifeline from Amazon Prime Video, more scuttlebutt on PGA Tour Enterprises’ executive search, NFL Wild Card ratings analysis and more.
Execs, others within sports business give SBJ ideas for a better industry
In this week's issue, SBJ tasked sports business executives and others with what at first seemed like a fun exercise -- what changes would you make to the industry if you were in charge? But it turned out that the answers provided more than just a thought experiment -- they were insightful as well. Here is a sampling of their ideas:
- NFL enters college football business: "With college football on the cusp of moving to an employment model, and conference realignment further consolidating media broadcast rights, there is no better time for the NFL to take an ownership stake in its primary development league. Acquiring the CFP, the NFL will be best positioned to launch a College Football League, inviting the current top-tier FBS schools who have the resources and make the investment to compete nationally. The NFL can use the CFP and CFL to directly develop coaches, refs and players; test out new rules; improve scheduling for the NFL and CFL; extend its international reach; and grow the game of football." -- Maggy Carlyle, SVP and general counsel, Lions.
- In-Season Tournament rewards: "If I were NBA commissioner for a day, I would modify the benefits of winning the In-Season Tournament to include a newly added 15th lottery pick for the winning team. The newly added draft pick, on top of the current financial incentives, would ensure teams play the most competitive level of basketball throughout the tournament. It would also help draw stronger viewership interest in the team’s local market by including a benefit for the team, not just the team’s players. According to Nielsen, the In-Season Tournament raised national viewership by 24%, while local viewership declined by 10% (+24 v.-10). Perhaps a juicy new carrot for the winning team’s future would help raise excitement and increase viewership." -- Michael Conley, CIO and SVP, Cavaliers.
- Technology below the surface: "Sports commissioners should be exploring current and emerging technologies that integrate into playing surfaces to capture new sets of data in real time, supporting player safety and the rules of the game. For instance, imagine if your field could engage with players’ gear, enabling you to monitor their fitness levels or provide information on aspects like whether a catch was successfully made or if the player remained within bounds. We’ve seen technology integrated into some fields of play for branding and marketing purposes with things like FIBA’s new LED glass court. However, we haven’t yet seen the practical implementation of technology integrated into the fabric of the playing surface." -- Caroline Wright, SVP and chief venues officer, Tepper Sports & Entertainment
For the full roster of ideas, click here.