On the latest Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including National Hockey League owners voting to allow jersey ads starting in 2022-23. For the first time, teams will be able to sell sponsorship to a 3-inch x 3.5-inch patch on the sleeve or chest.
This decision comes amid major revenue shortfalls due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected NHL teams large and small. Last season the league allowed teams to sell small ad decals on their helmets, and commissioner Gary Bettman later said that teams retained roughly $100 million in revenue because of that change.
They also discuss Genius Sports hiring longtime sports media executive Steve Bornstein. A veteran of both ESPN and the NFL, Bornstein is just the latest person with deep media experience to join the company, which is looking to branch out beyond its core data business.
The hosts also talk about how the metaverse—whatever that means—could impact the sports world, and about major changes afoot in the NCAA, which took the first step this week toward massive governance changes.
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