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 looming contract extension for NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. A handful of league owners told reporters this week that Goodell was close on a three-year deal, which would keep him in the seat until 2027.
Goodell, who is 64, has been the league’s commissioner since 2006. In that span, the value of the average NFL team has jumped from $898 million to $4.14 billion. All 32 teams are cash-flow positive, the league just inked $115 billion in new TV deals, and the NFL remains the world’s wealthiest sports property. Goodell has also steered the NFL through myriad scandals, and proven willing to be the one who faces the media (or politicians) when those instances arise. There’s also no clear successor, which the hosts discuss.
Next they talk about the future of college dealmaking giant Learfield. The company has $1.1 billion in debt payments due this year—including a tranche at the end of the month—and it recently renegotiated six deals as part of its efforts to stabilize its financial future. CEO Cole Gahagan told Sportico earlier this month that the company intends to restructure debt “in the weeks ahead.” Learfield’s backers include Endeavor (NYSE: EDR) and private equity firm Atairos.
Lastly, the hosts talk about a recent round of layoffs at Meta (Nasdaq: META), which is shifting its sports strategy, and EA’s plan to include player names and likenesses in its upcoming college football video game. The company (Nasdaq: EA) plans to offer the same amount of money to each athlete in the game, whether it’s the starting quarterback at USC or the backup tackle at Kennesaw State.
(You can subscribe to Sporticast through Apple, Google, Spotify or wherever else you get your podcasts.)
