On the latest Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including Tom Brady’s decision to retire from the NFL. It’s the 45-year-old’s second retirement—his 2022 announcement lasted just 40 days—but one that the quarterback says will be permanent.
Outside of a potential return to the NFL, all eyes will shift to Brady’s possible move to the Fox broadcast booth. Last year Brady agreed to a 10-year, $375 million contract, more money than he made on the field in the NFL, to provide analysis during Fox games once he retired. In the meantime, Fox elevated former tight end Greg Olsen, who was widely praised for his work this season. Does Brady still want to join the Fox booth? What role does Fox envision for him? Those questions will get answered in the coming weeks and months.
The hosts also talk about the NWSL’s expansion process. The league has been looking to add a 14th franchise to join in 2024 alongside Utah, and it is in advanced talks to instead add two more teams. A franchise in the San Francisco Bay Area, backed by Sixth Street and a group of former USWNT players, will join in 2024; a team in Boston, backed by a number of local businesswomen, will join at at a later date. Both groups appear poised to pay more than $50 million expansion fee, a league record.
Lastly, they talk about the latest salvo in the sports drink battle between Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Gatorade, a Pepsi product, has long dominated the market, but Coca-Cola is using its recent $8 billion purchase of BodyArmor to make a new push at clawing into its rivals market share.
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