All articles tagged with #owners
During the All-Star break, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred pushed for a long-term salary cap to preserve competitiveness, citing a $441 million payroll gap, while MLBPA director Bruce Meyer argued caps would protect owners and hurt fans. The public sparring suggests little substantive movement before the December CBA deadline, with progress likely only when Spring Training approaches.
An opinion piece arguing that sports owners should never be inducted into a hall of fame, criticizing media narratives that elevate owners like Robert Kraft while sidelining the on‑field roles of coaches and players. It contends that ownership offers little sacrifice or direct impact compared with players and coaches, points to past scandals and Kraft’s influence to illustrate why owners shouldn’t be honored, and asserts that the hall of fame should recognize those who actually perform and contribute on the field rather than those who fund or oversee from the sidelines.
Kyle Tucker’s four-year, $240 million free-agent contract reportedly enraged MLB owners, who are pushing for a salary cap in the ongoing CBA talks. The piece argues this cap has long been owners’ goal and could portend a 2026–27 lockout, potentially canceling the 2027 season, while contending caps don’t guarantee competitive balance and would mainly boost profits, highlighted by debates over revenue sharing and digital-rights deals.
NFL owners have extended the trade deadline to the Tuesday after Week 9 games for the 2024 season, aiming to align it with the elongated schedule. The move, proposed by the Pittsburgh Steelers, aims to strike a balance between accommodating the longer season and preventing incentivized tanking. Additionally, several other rule changes were passed, including overhauling the kickoff, banning the hip-drop tackle, and expanding the standard elevation rules for quarterbacks from the practice squad.
Bill Belichick, who recently parted ways with the New England Patriots, is expected to return to coaching in the 2025 NFL season, with multiple team owners reportedly reaching out to him. Despite not landing a coaching job for the upcoming season, Belichick is motivated to continue coaching and is just 15 wins away from breaking Don Shula's all-time wins record. His departure from the Patriots surprised many, as he was passed over for all eight head coach openings this offseason, with reports of him wanting complete control being refuted by the Falcons owner.
NFL owners are set to vote today on awarding Los Angeles the Super Bowl LXI for the 2026 season, which would take place at SoFi Stadium in February 2027. With Los Angeles having successfully hosted the Super Bowl eight times before, there is little doubt that the proposal will be approved. The next three Super Bowls are scheduled to be held in Las Vegas, New Orleans, and Santa Clara.
The NFL is monitoring the quarterback push play, a controversial offensive strategy used by several teams, but there is no current push to eliminate it from the game. While Commissioner Roger Goodell's personal feelings on the matter may not matter, at least nine owners would need to vote to get rid of the play. The play has been effective for teams like the Philadelphia Eagles, and if more teams perfect it, it could lead to more yards, sustained drives, and points scored. Ultimately, the decision rests with the owners, and if at least nine of them support keeping the play, the Commissioner's opinion becomes irrelevant.
The owners of Rivertown Ice Cream and Grill in Evansville, Indiana, have announced that they will be leaving the restaurant by the end of the summer to focus on their family, leaving the future of the establishment uncertain. The restaurant will be closing at the end of August, and the owners will update the public once a decision has been made.
NFL owners voted for their business interests, including changing the kickoff rule and flex scheduling, despite the majority of players and coaches being against both measures. The changes were made to keep their $11 billion streaming service partner, Amazon, happy with its late-season matchups. The league claims the changes were made for player safety, but players generally feel physically under-prepared or not fully recovered for Thursday night games. The league also plans to study how the Jacksonville Jaguars handle playing back-to-back games in London this year, with the eventual goal of having teams there fulltime.
NFL owners have voted in favor of a scheduling mechanism that allows the league to flex into or out of "Thursday Night Football" games, but this could have a negative impact on fans who have already made travel plans and purchased tickets. The decision must be made no later than 28 days in advance of the game, and there's a maximum of two Thursday night games that can be flexed out of the five options. The NFLPA is not in favor of this, and Giants co-owner John Mara called the idea "abusive."
Paesano's Pizza, a popular pizza restaurant in Des Moines, Iowa, is set to close in June. The owners, Alec and Courtney Kennedy, announced the closure on Facebook, stating that they want to focus on their other businesses. The restaurant, which opened in 1982, offers a variety of thin-crust pizzas, including gluten-free and vegetarian options, as well as panini and pastas. The Kennedys plan to keep the restaurant open through May to allow their staff to find new opportunities.
The potential sale of the Commanders by Daniel and Tanya Snyder has not formally appeared on the agenda for the NFL's annual meetings, but it will likely be discussed by the finance committee and possibly in a privileged session of owners. The league is discreetly moving forward with the sale, possibly with the goal of announcing a new owner and completely removing Snyder without any lag time or grace period. The only lingering issue is whether Snyder will be indemnified by his partners for other liabilities.
Roger Goodell, the current NFL Commissioner, is reportedly getting a new deal, but the question remains whether this will be his last contract. Some owners want succession planning to be part of Goodell's next deal, but there is no clear-cut, no-brainer Commissioner in waiting. Goodell handles the job well, and the revenue and profile of the league keep increasing. Before the owners pivot to a new Commissioner, they'll need to be sure that the successor will succeed when it comes to nonchalantly absorbing needles.
The NFL buried team-based rule proposals into the first day of free agency to downplay their significance and avoid media attention. The official proposals from the Competition Committee will be released soon and are expected to receive more attention. The owners will ultimately decide on any rule changes, but by releasing the team proposals at a less opportune time, they have less of a chance to gain traction and catch the attention of a critical mass of owners.