On the latest Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including Kobe Bryant’s estate exploring possible options for the Hall of Famer’s footwear empire following its separation from Nike. The industry is dominated by Nike and its Jordan unit, which presents a handful of challenges should Bryant’s estate choose to do something on its own.
They also discuss two big sports media stories. First, the $43 billion merger between AT&T’s WarnerMedia and Discovery could have a dramatic impact on the sports broadcast industry, both in the U.S. and Europe. Second, ESPN announced last week a $4 billion extension with MLB and a new $1.8 billion agreement with Spain’s LaLiga.
They end the episode with a discussion of new Pac-12 Conference commissioner George Kliavkoff, whose hire was a shocker to many in college sports. The former MGM executive will need to address the conference’s media revenue, which trails many of its rival Power 5 conferences.
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