On the latest Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including the upcoming World Series, which will be played between the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies.
It’s a matchup of two MLB franchises with very different success in recent years. The Astros have been to four World Series in the past six seasons, including a title in 2017, marred in retrospect by a sign-stealing scandal. The Phillies haven’t been to the playoffs in more than a decade, and as happened with a recent Eagles Super Bowl run, the city is greasing the lampposts in advance of big games, hoping to deter Phillies fans from climbing them in celebration. (Spoiler: It’s not working).
The hosts also discuss F1 and ESPN agreeing on a three-year media deal that will keep the auto circuit on Disney’s sports platform through at least 2025. ESPN is paying $85 million per year, a dramatic increase over the current agreement and a reflection of F1’s growing popularity in the U.S. The circuit’s new Miami event made its debut earlier this year; its Las Vegas event will debut in 2023.
Lastly, the hosts discuss the growing investment in professional pickleball. The sport is mushrooming in popularity, intensifying the battle to build a successful pro league. Investors in Major League Pickleball, one of the three, include Tom Brady, LeBron James, Marc Lasry and Gary Vaynerchuk.
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