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 Super Bowl. The Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs meet on Sunday in the biggest annual sporting event in America.
Beyond the game, the NFL’s business is booming. The league emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic with the two major pillars of its commercial strategy—labor peace and broadcast deals—locked up for at least the next seven years. That will allow the NFL to focus on some secondary things, such as international growth, new stadiums, venture investing, and new media opportunities.
The hosts also talk about the NFL’s sponsorship strength—corporate partnerships jumped 4% in the past year to $1.9 billion—and how Fox is handling ads during this year’s Super Bowl broadcast. The slots are all sold out, with some 30-second spots going for more than $7 million. There will be fewer crpyto ads this year, and possibly more selling alcohol.
Next, the hosts discuss a potential bombshell in the English Premier League. The EPL on Monday accused Manchester City of more than 100 violations, mostly regarding Financial Fair Play rules. Unlike most U.S. leagues, which have soft and hard salary caps, European soccer restricts runaway spending by only letting clubs pay players in concert with what they bring in. The rules, however, are rarely enforced. That could change with Man City, and if the punishment is harsh—the most severe laid out on Monday included possible expulsion from the league—it could have far-reaching effects for top-tier European soccer.
Lastly the hosts take a look at why right-handed shooting defensemen get paid more in the NHL. It’s a unique take on the classic supply-and-demand theory of economics, made slightly more complex by the requirements of the modern NHL game.
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