On the latest Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including a string of ugly incidents involving fans during the start of the NBA playoffs. Multiple teams in the past week have had to ban fans or revoke season tickets after items were thrown at players exiting the court or family members were harassed at their seats.
The NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning are also loosening a restriction on fans wearing opposing team jerseys in their premium seats, a rule similar to one referenced in a famous Seinfeld episode.
They also discuss tennis star Naomi Osaka, who announced before she withdrew from the French Open that she would not be doing any on-court interviews or press conferences during the major. Osaka dropped out of the tournament on Monday afternoon, about a day after she was fined $15,000 and threatened with larger punishment if she had continued to skip media sessions.
The hosts also discuss the latest in the financing of the new NFL stadium in Las Vegas, which for the second time needed to draw millions from Clark County’s reserves to meet debt payments. Allegiant Stadium cost $1.8 billion, including a record $750 million in public money from the county. Those funds were intended to be paid off through various tourism taxes, but the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically slowed hotel bookings, creating tax shortfalls.
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