All articles tagged with #sports business
After Callaway cut ties with Good Good Golf over an ad that showed violence against a woman, CEO Matt Kendrick accused Callaway of a coordinated media blitz and hinted at a lawsuit, while signaling a boycott; Callaway apologized, pledged $1 million to anti-domestic-violence causes, and announced internal reforms, and Good Good Golf also lost a planned fall event sponsorship amid the fallout.
Longtime Lakers executives Joey and Jesse Buss are purchasing a stake in the San Diego Padres through Buss Sports Capital, joining an ownership group led by Kwanza Jones and José E. Feliciano; MLB approved the Padres’ sale at a record $3.9 billion. The move comes as the Buss family pursues the sale of their Lakers minority stake amid an NBA deal led by Josh Kushner and Bob Iger, valued at about $12.5 billion and awaiting league approval, with Jeanie Buss reportedly opposing the sale and the family having previously sold the majority stake to Mark Walter while retaining a 17.8% share.
Federal and SEC probes into Mark Walter over undisclosed related-party loans from insurers tied to his business empire could reshape the Dodgers’ finances and influence MLB’s looming CBA and salary-cap talks, as liquidity pressures push potential asset sales (Lakers, Chelsea) and debt around the TV network, intensifying scrutiny of how ownership structures affect competitive balance.
Unrivaled, the pro three-on-three women’s basketball league, announced an oversubscribed Series C funding that values the league at $650 million, with Ten Pillar Sports Fund leading and the player-equity pool growing to about $200 million. High-profile backers include Carmelo Anthony, Trae Young, Geno Auriemma, Trybe Ventures, Ashton Kutcher, and Bessemer. The league, entering its third season, will start January 8, 2027, keep six-player rosters (six in development) with plans to add more roster spots in Season 4, expand its tour model to roughly eight stops in 2026, and continue a six-year TNT rights deal while growing nationwide and boosting the fan/player experience.
Nick Faldo criticized LIV Golf on the Sky Sports Golf Podcast, calling the venture a 'mess' and saying more players want to leave than join, with talk of LIV 2.0 failing without jeopardy or strong fan engagement. He also mocked Phil Mickelson's claim that LIV grows the game, noting his own long-running development programs and the traditional drive to prove oneself in championship golf.
LIV Golf’s chaotic Indianapolis finale underscored a four‑and‑a‑half‑year arc of spectacle and friction, with canceled events, lawsuits and leadership turmoil, punctuated by a standout finish from Michael La Sasso as the league contemplates a leaner 2027 funding model and a possible BC Partners lifeline. The episode forced the PGA Tour to modernize, globalize the game and offer vast prize money, but LIV’s survival now hinges on a clearer business plan, new ownership structures, and whether top stars stay committed.
NFL Sunday Ticket is losing value as the league expands national broadcast windows (via Netflix, YouTube TV, Amazon Prime, Fox), cutting the number of games included while the base price rises toward $480 per season. The package still omits Thursday/Sunday/Monday primetime games and many local matchups, often forcing fans to subscribe to multiple services to see all games. Discounts exist for students, military, and some groups, but overall the trend is higher costs with fewer games unless price or value improves.
LIV Golf faces an uncertain future after Saudi-backed funding dries up, with a proposed leaner 10-event global schedule and a new investor, Ted Goldthorpe of BC Partners, aiming to make the league sustainable and profitable. The plan includes offering players equity and better commercial rights, but success depends on securing a critical mass of players and closing a deal amid possible bankruptcy or restructuring, while the mood among players ranges from cautious optimism to doubt.
Amid a Buss family feud over selling Lakers shares, Jeanie Buss fights to stay as team governor as siblings push the sale; the deal with Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner remains on track, with Jeanie’s governance supported by a 2017 court order and the 15% ownership rule, though a future court ruling could reshape who runs the franchise and the sale value remains at $12.5 billion.
The Buss siblings (Jim, Johnny, Janie, Joey and Jesse) announced they intend to sell the family’s remaining Lakers stake to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner, part of a deal that would leave the buyers with a controlling majority of the franchise. Jeanie Buss, the Lakers’ controlling owner, disputed the sale in a lawyer’s letter, arguing the co-trustees must maintain her 15% ownership and that any vote to sell would be void. The situation sets up a legal and governance clash that still requires NBA Board of Governors approval and hinges on the ongoing deal with Iger and Kushner.
Jeanie Buss opposes selling her family's 17.8% stake in the Los Angeles Lakers to Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner, stating she remains the controlling owner per a 2017 court order and any sale requires consent of the co-trustees. The letter argues that a sale would breach fiduciary duties if the co-trustees vote otherwise, and notes the deal would have given Iger and Kushner about 83% overall ownership after purchasing Mark Walter’s stake; Buss says she wants to hold the stake for value and to maintain her governor role as the matter unfolds.
Shohei Ohtani’s contract includes a rare key-man clause allowing him to opt out if Mark Walter or Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman left, but league sources say he’s unlikely to exercise it even if Walter sells the team. Ohtani’s camp views leadership continuity and the Dodgers’ commitment to reinvesting his contract as reasons to stay, despite ownership rumors and the Lakers’ sale. The Dodgers have emphasized stability under Walter and Friedman, and Ohtani remains under contract through 2033.
Los Angeles Lakers agreed to sell a controlling stake for $12.5 billion in a weekend, potentially the most expensive sports-team deal ever, to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger; NBA approval is needed, and the move signals a rapid franchise transition as it rebuilds post-LeBron, with Magic Johnson backing the buyers.
The Los Angeles Lakers are changing hands again, with Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner buying from Mark Walter for about $12.5 billion—a rapid rise from last year’s $10B valuation. The deal, which does not affect Walter’s Dodgers or Sparks, still requires NBA Board of Governors approval and due diligence; Jeanie Buss will stay as governor for at least five years, and it remains unclear how the new owners will run basketball operations while questions linger about Walter’s finances.
ESPN has not renewed Damien Woody's contract after 15 years as an NFL analyst; he will continue appearing on air through the month by his own choice as the network conducts a summer talent shake-up that has also touched Karl Ravech and Ryan Clark, although Ravech remains on air for now. Woody, 48, plans to pursue other opportunities after his ESPN tenure and was a fixture on shows like Get Up and First Take.