SBJ Unpacks: The Road Ahead -- Pressure Builds For NFL Owners

The University of Michigan made news this morning by announcing that if a 2020 college football season happens, the school will only sell tickets on an individual basis to season-ticket holders and students. It was a stark reminder of where we’re at in 2020, sports and non-sports related. 

Like so many others in sports, I’ll be keeping a close eye on tonight’s NASCAR All-Star Race at Bristol where 30,000 fans are expected to attend in a 160,000-seat venue. Meanwhile, in a bit of positive news, MLS announced last night zero positive COVID-19 cases on July 12-13, when they tested 1,227 people inside the Orlando bubble.

Now, much to my mom’s delight, I’m finally off to get a much needed haircut for the first time since Feb. 27. ...

Be kind to one another.

-- Mark J. Burns

NFL OWNERS TO MEET AS TIME RUNS LOW

• An NFL-NFLPA deal on pandemic rules remains elusive as the first half of July wraps, and now team owners have scheduled a Friday meeting as the pressure builds, reports SBJ’s Ben Fischer. The combination of slow progress with the union and the soaring COVID-19 caseloads in some NFL markets are causing angst for those intent on starting training camp on time.
  
  
• There’s no actual deadline for a deal, and camp doesn’t open until July 28. But consider California as an example for why the twin issues are a problem: Facing a massive spread of the virus, Gov. Gavin Newsom has moved to shut down almost all indoor businesses in the state’s most populous counties. In that environment, the 49ers and Rams both need approval from county health regulators to start camp -- but they can’t apply for approval without sharing their plans to prevent virus spread, which don’t exist until the union deal is done.
  
  
• As the hope for meaningful live attendance declines, more than two-thirds of NFL teams have now given season-ticket holders an opt-out for 2020 or canceled season tickets entirely. The Broncos and Chargers most recently joined the list, in both cases offering fans options to roll over their current accounts to 2021 or seek a refund, but allowing fans to also sit tight as final attendance rules are developed. 

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ELENA DELLE DONNE IN "SHOCK" OVER WNBA'S DECISION 

• Mystics forward Elena Delle Donne being denied a medical exemption for the 2020 season by the WNBA's panel of doctors appears to have "one of the faces of the league ... being forced to choose between her health and her livelihood," per Ava Wallace of the Washington Post. Delle Donne, a two-time WNBA MVP, publicly has dealt with Lyme disease for 12 years, and the doctors' refusal to grant an exemption "drew widespread criticism on social media."
  
  
• Delle Donne today on ESPN's "SportsCenter" said she was in "shock" by the league's decision. She added that her being an MVP "might" have made a difference in the league's decision. Delle Donne: "I would hope they would treat me as player X and they see that I’ve been treated for something for nine years, they would see my blood work, I submitted everything, so I really hope that wasn’t the reason why this happened." Delle Donne also penned a piece for The Players' Tribune this afternoon. 
  
  
• For more on Delle Donne, check out SBJ's Instant Insight video from earlier today, where John Lombardo gives his take on the situation.

USL CLUB OFFERS TAKEAWAYS FROM UNIQUE STADIUM OPENING

• Louisville City FC over the weekend opened the $65 million, HOK-designed Lynn Family Stadium to 4,850 fans -- a third of its 15,304 capacity -- yet still a major accomplishment at a time when fans are overwhelmingly being kept away from sporting venues, writes SBJ's Karn Dhingra.

• LCFC President Brad Estes provided some advice and observations: “Look at your stadium to see how you can social distance people safely, understand your fanbase, and if they are not a conscientious fanbase, I would not have them in the building. I think our fans were conscientious, they did a good job following the rules … and I felt good about the mentality of the fans and security. I thought they did good job of managing the stress of kind of being restricted.” 
  
  
• The team was given the green light by local officials to bring in 7,500 fans at 50% capacity, but chose to host fewer fans because team officials thought it would be safer. The team has 8,000 season-ticket holders and took tenure into account when deciding who could attend the game, Estes said. The club also gave priority to fans who donated money and paid for tickets to later games that they wouldn't be able attend. 
  
  
• All fans were required to wear a mask; if they did not bring a mask, one was provided. Concessions stands were cashless and had plexiglass dividers between workers and customers. Seating configurations provided spacing between groups of fans, cleaning crews were visible wiping surfaces, and sanitizer stations were set up around the venue. 

• Eric Granger, ASM Global’s GM for Lynn Family Stadium, said the stadium’s food and beverage provider did not reduce food options nor did it limit alcohol sales. Premium fans were not allowed to congregate in those areas because of distancing protocols. “Until you open a new facility, you really don’t know how fans are going to flow through a stadium, which concession stands are going to be the busiest, and where you will need more staff. So other than those tweaks, I don’t see much changing,” Granger added. 

LCFC required all fans to wear a mask for the stadium's opening and adhere to social distancing guidelines

PGA TOUR STAGES SECOND WEDNESDAY CHARITABLE EVENT

• The PGA Tour this afternoon staged its second nine-hole charity exhibition since returning to play in early June. Today's match showcased Jon Rahm and Tony Finau against Ian Poulter and Graeme McDowell at Muirfield ahead of The Memorial Tournament. 
  
  
• Similar to the Detroit iteration two weeks ago, which saw a grouping of Bubba Watson, Harold Varner, Jason Day and Wesley Bryan raise over $1 million for local charities, Rahm and Finau played for Nationwide Children’s Hospital in nearby Columbus, while Poulter and McDowell represented the Hospital’s On Our Sleeves national behavioral health movement. All four players were mic'd up to give Golf Channel viewers further insight into the competition and banter.
  
  
• PGA Tour Senior Manager for Social Impact Adam Loberstein told SBJ's Thomas Leary the Tour had been looking to replace the usual Wednesday pro-ams with a charitable event for each city host, but largely credited Watson for coming up with the idea of a loose, nine-hole match that could play to a TV audience. Loberstein: "Bubba, in speaking with Commissioner [Jay] Monahan, came with this idea of ... supporting Detroit and the Rocket Mortgage Classic and their charities. Bubba knows and has a relationship with (Quicken Loans Founder) Dan Gilbert. … He quickly enlisted Harold to be on his team and it then came together real quick, the idea of having a two-on-two match play event." 
  
  
• Golf Channel has carried each event so far on Wednesday afternoons, with the PGA Tour Live team handling production. Loberstein expressed cautious optimism over the likelihood of more events down the line, as the first two iterations have provided a "model that can be replicated to support some great causes."
  
  
• As for the TV audience, Loberstein emphasized not "over-producing" the event for casual golf fans. "It’s a peek behind the curtain. You’re hearing these guys ribbing each other just like you would with your buddies on a Saturday morning. … We’re pretty cognizant of not wanting to overthink it."
  
  
  

Varner and Watson (pictured from l-r) won the first exhibition in Detroit over Jason Day and Wesley Bryan

AVP LANDS PORSCHE AS EVENT TITLE SPONSOR

• The AVP has signed Porsche as an individual event title sponsor for the Champions Cup Series that begins this weekend in Long Beach, Calif., reports SBJ’s Chris Smith.
  
  
• The three-event series is presented by Acer, and each tournament is individually sponsored by a different brand. As SBD previously reported, Monster Hydro and Wilson are the entitlement partners for the first two events; Porsche will be the title sponsor for the third and final tournament from Aug. 1-2. Porsche will be AVP’s exclusive automotive partner, display a Porsche Cayenne Coupe at the event and have its branding on stadium signage and digital assets.
  
  
• The spectator-free tournament will feature some of the nation’s top players, including Olympians Phil Dalhausser and April Ross, and has a total prize purse of $700,000. The series will be broadcast live across NBC, NBCSN and Amazon Prime Video. Yesterday, SBD reported that AVP has partnered with Task Force Lab to provide the event’s virus testing. 

WORKING FROM HOME WITH ESPN’S KEVIN MARTINEZ

• ESPN VP/Corporate Citizenship Kevin Martinez has been splitting time between West Hartford and the Hudson Valley during quarantine. Since going remote, many ESPN and Disney employees have used the BlueJeans video conference platform to stay in touch. Martinez: “I always want people to turn their cameras on, so I feel like I'm not missing that interpersonal piece. My job is relationship management … The way that people respond is really important to me.” Martinez has also been intrigued by the evolution of the video call. “At first it was kind of unique and exceptional,” he said. “Now, it's a form of business.”
• Martinez has been focused on making sure the company is proactively engaged on social justice matters. That started internally, listening to employees, before extending to broader, external efforts. Martinez: “I spend most of my time making sure that I'm a good learner, making sure that we’re sharing information quickly and relevantly about the relationships that we have with the social justice community, and making sure people understood that corporate social responsibility is built by the social justice space. It’s to help manage the reputation of our company and … make sure the rest of our business is working together collectively.”
• One challenge for Martinez earlier this summer was navigating the fast-moving messaging strategy around the ESPYs broadcast, which altered its format because of the pandemic. “Literally the content of the ESPYs changed up until a week, maybe three days before ... just to make sure that there weren't going to be any other ripples that we weren't accounting for,” he said.
• At home, gardening has been one of Martinez’ favorite activities over the last several months. “To be out in the sun, get a little vitamin D, put something in the ground, water it, make sure that it survived, it takes me away just enough to feel like I'm doing something more purposeful than just working every day,” he said. Martinez and his partner also recently welcomed a Yorkshire Terrier to the family, just a few months after rescuing a German Sheperd. “They’re learning how to live together. … It’s a blessing but a lot of work,” he said.

Martinez and his partner are currently training Danger, their German Sheperd, to get along with their new Yorkshire Terrier

OUTSIDE CONTRIBUTORS: SPONSORSHIP FRAMEWORK

• Tonight's op-ed contribution is from Jeff Marks, founder and CEO of Innovative Partnerships Group, a business development and consulting firm that specializes in naming rights, founding partnerships, sponsorships and B2B partnerships. He writes under the header, "Leaning On Maslow For A New Sponsorship Framework."

• "Sports and entertainment properties, rights holders and operators are in a unique situation to work with brand partners and reset the basics of sponsorships. Understanding the right mix of assets is crucial to delivering value to all parts of a company. Recognizing these needs must come in advance of selling, managing, or activating any sponsorship. Faced with challenging times to our global industry, properties must listen, innovate and right size packages to optimize current and long-term partner value. Referencing Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs provides a compelling framework for maximizing sponsor value."
  
  
• To read the full contribution, click here.

SPEED READS 

• Tonight's NASCAR All-Star Race at Bristol Motor Speedway will have up to 30,000 fans in attendance, making it the "biggest sports crowd in the country since the coronavirus pandemic called a screeching halt to practically all organized athletic events in March," per USA Today's Mike Hembree. The race is "likely to attract more attention than normal not only because it has been moved from its traditional site at Charlotte Motor Speedway and from its normal weekend scheduling but also because of how the speedway and the Bristol area will handle the influx of fans."
  
  
• Activision Blizzard is talking with owners of its Call of Duty League and Overwatch League franchises about providing some form of financial relief amid the coronavirus cash crunch, including possibly delaying franchise payments, sources tell SBJ's Adam Stern. This was due to be a big year for both leagues, as OWL was starting its first with the full homestand model that the property was predicated on, while CDL was starting its first year under a newly reformatted franchise system that also included geo-located teams and home games. See more in the SBJ Esports newsletter.
  
  
• Del Mar Thoroughbred Club is canceling racing this weekend after 15 jockeys tested positive for COVID-19, per SBJ's Liz Mullen. All of Del Mar’s jockeys and jockey room personnel were tested on Tuesday by San Diego County Health & Human Services Agency staff, the track said in a statement. None of the jockeys showed symptoms of COVID-19 and will be isolated for 10 days. Racing is expected to resume on July 24, the track said. 
  
  
• DC United sent surveys to season-ticket holders over the weekend "seeking feedback on their comfort level attending matches at Audi Field" during the pandemic, an initiative that "parallels MLS's efforts to resume the regular season in home markets late this summer." The survey, obtained by The Washington Post, asks, among other things, "how fans feel about six feet of seating separation from other groups; wearing a mask at matches; and using the stadium’s restrooms and concessions."
  
  
• The Ringer's Bryan Curtis writes under the header, "Sports Are Coming Back. Is Sports Media Coming Back With It?" Beat writers have "done a decent job of jazz-handsing their way through the last three months, pivoting to find stories in sports nostalgia, pop culture, or both." But these stories "won’t fix the American economy on their own, and the transactions stories that goose web traffic every few weeks depend on a season actually happening." Curtis: "Tom Brady to the Bucs is a great story, but only if the Bucs play football."
  
   

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. Select stories from Sports Business Daily are free, outside the paywall, for the foreseeable future. Below are today's headlines:
   
  
  • NFL, Union Still At Odds In Negotiations For '20 Season
  • NFLPA Worried About Opening Training Camps In Virus Hot Spots
  • Astros Latest Team Frustrated At MLB Over Delayed Test Results
  • Asia Swing Unlikely For PGA Tour In '20 After China's No-Sports Order

SBJ UNPACKS -- THE ROAD AHEAD

• Check out the most recent editions of our "SBJ Unpacks" podcasts around COVID-19:
  
  
  • Gather Managing Director David Gaspar on the state of the agency business during the pandemic and much more.
  • Michael Smith catches up with ESPN's Paul Finebaum on his expectations around the college football season.
  • Ben Fischer joins Bill King to talk about next steps for the Washington NFL team. 

2020 SBJ THOUGHT LEADERS RETREAT (VIRTUAL)

• Aug. 13, 2:00-7:00pm ET (by invitation only)
  
  
• The road ahead has never been more challenging -- and it has never been more important for executive leadership to pause, learn, reflect and relax in order to prepare themselves to step up and navigate what the future holds. This year, we are continuing the tradition of Thought Leaders, creating the industry’s most intimate, senior-level event with a virtual program.
  
  
• Content will include:
  
  
  • Mindful Leadership with Pandit Dasa
  • The C-Suite Imperative: Corporate Responsibility & Social Impact
  • The New Fan Experience: A 360-degree approach; a 365-day Journey
  • Reinvented: A Conversation with Agent Leigh Steinberg
  • Supporting Social Justice Reform: Backing Words with Action
  • Navigating the Road Ahead: Fundamental Shifts We Can Expect in the Sports Business (group discussions)
    
    
• In addition to the compelling content, we will have plenty of time for some of the best virtual networking activities of the year, including:
  
  
  • Jack Daniel’s whiskey tasting
    • Aquimo golf (live challenge)
    • Aquimo cornhole (live challenge)
    • Cooking demo with "Iron Chef" Marc Forgione
    • A private set from John Popper and Brian Wilson of Blues Traveler
    
    
• For more information please visit, www.Thought-Leaders-Retreat.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.