SBJ Unpacks: Coronavirus -- "Last Dance" Delivers For ESPN

There’s still so much we don’t know about when sports will return. But this intro will only focus on good news today:

Reports out of Germany say that the Bundesliga has a plan to resume games in around three weeks, though games with fans have been described as “unthinkable.” 

ESPN’s “The Last Dance” documentary on Michael Jordan and the 1997-98 Bulls launched to critical raves and bigger-than-expected audiences. Viewership for Parts 1 and 2 on Sunday night (6.1 million viewers) blew away early projections -- some of my sources put the over-under at 3 million viewers.

The NFL held a virtual draft today to test the system for when it goes live on Thursday night. There were enough tech glitches reported -- including with the very first pick, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter -- that buzz around the event should be intense. I’m expecting significant viewership gains this weekend.

Stay safe, everybody,

 -- John Ourand

VIEWERS TUNE IN FOR "THE LAST DANCE" ON ESPN/ESPN2

• ESPN blew past its documentary viewership record last night with the premiere of “The Last Dance,” writes SBJ’s Austin Karp. The highly-anticipated film is among a handful of fresh pieces of sports content to come out during the pandemic, and audiences tuned in to see the film focused on the final championship season for the ‘90s Bulls. Part 1 from 9-10pm ET averaged 6.3 million viewers across ESPN and ESPN2 (an edited version for minors was simulcast on ESPN2). That audience easily set a record for the network. Part 2 from 10-11pm averaged 5.8 million, which is comfortably at No. 2 all-time.
  
  
• The combined two-hour premiere averaged 6.1 million viewers across the networks. On ESPN alone, last night’s films averaged 5.3 million viewers (5.7 million and 5.0 million, respectively). Chicago led all markets last night with a 12.1 local rating across ESPN/ESPN2. Rounding out the top five were Raleigh-Durham (6.5), Norfolk (4.9), Charlotte (4.7) and Greensboro (4.7). 
  
  
• Coming into the night, “You Don’t Know Bo,” which aired after the Heisman ceremony in 2012, was ESPN’s most-watched doc at 3.6 million viewers. At No 4 now is Episode 1 of “O.J.: Made in America,” the Oscar-winning film from 2016 that saw its premiere on ABC average 3.42 million. Rounding out the top five is “The Fab 5,” which averaged 2.75 million viewers back in March 2011.

CONCERNS OVER FOOTBALL CONTRIBUTE TO DISNEY STOCK DOWNGRADE

• Disney shares tumbled more than 4% today after two investment banks downgraded the stock due to coronavirus concerns. Credit Suisse and UBS cited Disney’s theme parks as a main reason for the downgrades. But the sports shutdown was a factor, too, writes SBJ's John Ourand. UBS analyst John Hodulik: “Postponement or cancelation of the NFL or college football would be another blow and likely impact affiliate revenues given greater cord-cutting and distributors’ reluctance to pay.” Credit Suisse analyst Douglas Mitchelson was not as negative, though he predicted that linear TV would see significant declines.
  
  
• MoffettNathanson kept Comcast at a “buy” rating, but painted a dire picture of its NBCU television assets. “The Broadcast Television and Cable Networks segments will be buffeted by a precipitous decline in advertising. An acceleration in cord-cutting will, in the short term, reduce affiliate/retrans revenue, and, in the long term, will only accelerate the secular declines already in place for traditional media.”

WINCRAFT ROLLING OUT KANSAS-THEMED FACE COVERINGS

• WinCraft will be the first licensee to manufacture and sell NCAA-themed face coverings via a license with CLC, reports SBJ's Terry Lefton. The mask will sell for $8 and debut at retail later this week or early next week with Kansas logos. Distribution will be through college bookstores -- physical and virtual -- as well as sports specialty stores, grocers and Fanatics. Production will be at WinCraft’s Winonah, Minn., plant, which has brought back 200 employees that were furloughed last month.
  
  
• FOCO and Industry Rag were licensed to produce NBA masks last week. Other large sports properties are expected to follow.

SURVEY: NFL, ESPORTS BEST POSITIONED FOR POST-COVID-19 WORLD

• Sports business execs believe the NFL and esports will emerge from the coronavirus pandemic in better shape than other leagues and sports according to a recent survey conducted by SBJ and YouGov.
  
  
• The survey was made available from April 10-15 to all SBJ/SBD subscribers with the goal of gauging some of the ways the global pandemic has affected the sports industry. More than half of the 952 readers who completed the survey identified themselves as senior management. For more results of the study, check out this week's SBJ, as well as subsequent issues of SBD this week.

Download the SBJ survey

SUNS MOVED QUICKLY TO CAPITALIZE ON "NBA 2K"

• The Suns were "among the fastest" to build full events around "NBA 2K" matchups that included sports celebrities, live giveaways, and local TV and radio broadcasting, writes Graham Ashton for The Esports Observer, a sister publication of SBJ. “Every game has commitments," said Suns Chief Marketing & Communications Officer Dean Stoyer. "Everything from in-arena, t-shirt tosses, kiss cams; you can count the list." The "NBA 2K" effort has allowed the Suns to "fill in commercial spots, interviews and reshare highlight moments on social media."
  
  
• In some cases, the engagement numbers on Twitch are 10x bigger than what the organization "would have gotten from airing a basketball game" on FS Arizona or on radio. "It was how quickly we moved,” Stoyer noted, adding that the Suns were running games even before the league announced its own "NBA 2K" players-only charity invitational. “If we had not, we would’ve lost momentum and the opportunity to capitalize on that audience.”
  
  
• Currently, the Suns are "one of the eight NBA franchises that have not yet joined the official NBA 2K League; an esports joint venture between the NBA and Take-Two Interactive (currently postponed due to COVID-19)." Stoyer said joining the competition "had been on the table before the lockdown, and while the positive impact of its virtual broadcasts may make entry more attainable, he adds that not having an esports franchise meant the Suns were free to approach gaming in its own way."

ESPN3 GETS LIVE SPORTS VIA INTERNATIONAL TENNIS SERIES

• Some rare televised live sports took place this morning at the tennis courts of a private residence in Bradenton, Fla. The International Tennis Series, airing this week on ESPN3, features some ATP pros that live within driving distance of the courts, all of whom are currently sidelined by the tour's suspension of play until July 13. The series is the brainchild of Harry Cicma, a former doubles player, TV personality and producer. A two-person crew (no announcers) oversees two cameras on opposite ends of the court. The winner of each day’s four-player mini-tournament wins a four-figure prize. SportsEdTV is sponsoring and funding prize money for the series, which will be played for the next few months -- televised or not.
  
  
• Cicma stressed that safety is the key to the whole enterprise (no spectators). Dunlop, an in-kind sponsor whose logo shows up clearly on the broadcast, is providing as many tennis balls as needed so each player has his own balls and doesn’t have to touch anyone else’s. “I don’t want to do anything that’s going to hurt people or get in the way but at the same time the players are also struggling a lot,” said Cicma. Dunlop Marketing Manager Kim Pettit noted that Steven Shulla, the agent for IMG Academy founder Nick Bollettieri, reached out to Dunlop to get the ball-provider involved.
  
  
• The ITS is one of three events that Cicma is doing with ESPN, following pickleball and platform tennis events that aired in March. “I want things to get back to normal more than anyone in the world,” he said. “We’re just trying to find a way to keep people at home engaged and upbeat, and keep the players in shape and making some money. It’s a fine line between what’s safe and isn’t safe.” The ITS has commitments from over 30 players, according to Cicma.

The International Tennis Series features some ATP pros that live within driving distance of the Bradenton, Fla., courts

WORKING FROM HOME WITH DUCKS VP/HR GINA GALASSO

• Ducks VP/HR Gina Galasso has been getting her work day started around 8:30am, having cut out the hour-long drive from the San Gabriel Valley to Honda Center in Anaheim. Most of her time now is spent in a home office while her husband and teenage son work and virtually attend school, respectively, from the dining room. The day usually includes a walk with the family dog around lunchtime, and Galasso generally keeps things going online until about 7pm. Her family passes the time by cooking together, playing board games, watching shows/movies and sharing fun news they often find on social media. “Overall enjoying each other’s company,” she said.
  
  
• Galasso is using everything you can imagine to stay in touch with the rest of the organization -- FaceTime, Microsoft Teams, WebEx, Zoom, phone calls, text messages and emails. The Ducks have been trying to engage and educate staff virtually via training programs, employee surveys, photo and trivia contests, employee music playlists and email updates. The HR department has “found its rhythm,” Galasso said. “Initially, I struggled to find my stride, but now have settled into a groove.”
  
  
• Work from home tips from Galasso: “I can’t underscore the importance of setting a schedule and establishing boundaries as work/home demands can quickly become blurred lines. … Find grains of positivity where you can focus on creating an optimistic future for people. … Be authentic -- you must be a real person to make a real connection. Participate in virtual meetings with your camera on!”

• Want to share what your work-from-home setup is like? Reach out to SBJ's David Rumsey. 

Galasso believes people should set a schedule and establish boundaries as work/home demands can quickly become blurred lines

SPEED READS

• ESPN’s Jonathan Givony called any plans for a regular NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 25 “unrealistic.” Speaking on the latest “Hoops Collective” podcast, Givony said: “The only way I could see it happening is within the next couple weeks, the league decides that there’s not going to be a season and it’s going to be business as usual.” Givony, who also helps draftees get ready for the evaluation period, cited his work with several players over the past month: “I’ve started to prep prospects for the interview portion, which is really the only thing they can do. … The four guys I’ve talked to have done nothing. Maybe they’ve gone out for a run, but basketball stuff they’re not able to do. … Realistically it would make sense where we’re looking at almost the end of August.”

• Welcome back to Teresa Elder, CEO of small cable operator WideOpenWest, following a bout with COVID-19. Elder had taken a temporary leave of absence last month after getting admitted to a Denver-area hospital. In an SEC filing today, the company said that Elder “returned from her leave of absence and resumed her duties and responsibilities.” 

• Over the last several weeks, Strat-O-Matic has seen online sales and social traffic more than quadruple from any previous year. Strat-O-Matic stats to recreate the 2020 MLB season have appeared in major newspapers like the S.F. Chronicle and Toronto Sun. The company started compiling daily simulations of the NBA Playoffs over the weekend. "We have found our simulations are helping a lot of people fill a void and even reconnect and for that we are really happy to be involved," said 88-year-old Strat-O-Matic founder Hal Richman.
  
  

• Licensing agency CLC today launched the “United As One” digital campaign, which uses graphics and video content to provide fans with school-specific Zoom backgrounds. CLC also is encouraging fans to recreate a memorable sports moment and share it using #UnitedAsOne for a chance to be included in school-specific “Top 10 Moments” videos. More than 180 CLC schools are participating in the campaign.

• SB Nation’s editorial staff is among those affected as part of parent company Vox Media’s plan to furlough 9% of employees from May 1 to July 31. Vox CEO Jim Bankoff wrote in a memo: “We’ve already seen a decline in our business. Weakness in March, driven by the cancellations of SXSW and March Madness, the collapse of travel, sports and fashion-related advertising, and other factors led us to miss our revenue goals by several million dollars in the first quarter.”

• The Ringer’s Bill Simmons and Ryen Russillo discussed how “The Last Dance” became the perfect quarantine watch. One aspect that elevated the ESPN doc was a high ceiling for interview subjects within each episode. Russillo said of the ‘90s Bulls, “Looking back now 20 years removed, this hasn’t been talked about enough. … Those of us that talk for a living, those of us that are asked our opinions, we want to sound profound. We want to have that lasting moment. If you get interviewed for this, you’re hoping to say that thing that really, really resonates.”

• Mel Kiper Jr. cited team sources who are comfortable with their selection process for this week’s virtual NFL Draft, but remain concerned with turning around any potential deals during the event. Kiper, on ESPN’s “College Football Podcast,” said, “They’re concerned with trades. Can you communicate well enough? … You can’t do what you could before and a lot of that was key to trades. Hand signals, eye contact, all the things you get without even saying a word from people in a room.”

NEWS YOU NEED FROM SPORTS BUSINESS DAILY

• During this crisis impacting the sports business, we want everyone to be up-to-date on the latest news and information. SBD's "Coronavirus & Sports" section is free, outside the paywall, for the foreseeable future. Below are today's headlines:

• MLB's Decision On Employee Contracts Gives Teams Flexibility
• Angels Commit To Paying Ballpark Employees Who Don't Have Work
• NHL Puts Return Focus On Big City With Fewer Coronavirus Cases
• NBA Ownership Determined To Find Way To Finish Out Season
• Engelbert: WNBA Could Push Into Fall Depending On Start Date
• Full MLS Season Still Possible; No Furloughs Planned
• Monahan: Cohesiveness Helped PGA Tour Find Target Date For Return
• A Ryder Cup Without Fans? PGA's Seth Waugh Says It's Possible
• Pandemic Could Create Economic Issues For Sports Teams For Years
• Pegula S&E Bracing For Different Future Amid Pandemic Fallout
• WNBA Makes Draft Day Donation To Direct Relief

SBJ UNPACKS -- WEATHERING COVID-19

• Check out the most recent editions of our "SBJ Unpacks" podcasts around COVID-19:
  
  
  • SBJ's Bill King, Eric Prisbell & John Lombardo discuss the Paycheck Protection Program and how it can have an impact on the sports industry.
  • SBJ's John Ourand is joined by ESPN VP/Production Seth Markman to discuss the network’s NFL draft plans.
  • Mark Ein, who owns an ATP/WTA event and Overwatch League team based in D.C., discusses the tennis event and the sport at large, as well as esports' growth during the shutdown.
  • SBJ's Bill King & Michael Smith discuss how college athletes and the NCAA come back on the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic.

VIRTUAL WORLD CONGRESS PART 3: JOIN US ON WEDNESDAY

• Hear interviews with Sarah Hirshland, CEO, USOPC; Chris Curtin, Chief Brand & Innovation Marketing Officer, Visa; Micky Lawler, President, WTA; Allen Greene, AD, Auburn; Dr. Brian Hainline, Chief Medical Officer, NCAA; Erika Nardini, CEO, Barstool Sports, and more. More than 800 execs have attended the previous episodes, so take advantage of this opportunity to network with people from across the industry.
  
  
• To register, go to www.WorldCongressOfSports.com.

Something related to coronavirus and sports business catch your eye? Tell us about it. Reach out to Austin Karp (akarp@sportsbusinessjournal.com) and we'll share the best of it.