Eben Novy-Williams
@ebennovywilliams.bsky.social
deputy editor @Sportico. join our club! ---> https://club.sportico.com/
It's Monday. We're talking about: - The WNBA culture war 🏀 - Mystery Squishy Dumplings 🥟 - Chelsea losses 📉 - U.S. Open crowds 🎾 - NFL scorebugs 🏈 - the Gen Z Social King 💇 club.sportico.com/p/wnba-disco...
The WNBA’s Problems Are Coming For Other Sports Next
Plus: Chelsea’s challenge and mystery squishy dumplings
club.sportico.com
A few weeks ago, @benrothenberg.bsky.social outed Phuel Sports Science as the partner for the WTA's controversial new gender testing. We tried to find out more about the company. And we hit a lot of dead ends. More w/ Daniel Libit and Sara Germano 👇 www.sportico.com/leagues/tenn...
The Elusive Provider Behind the WTA’s Sex Testing
The WTA's gender testing partner, Phuel Sports Science, is elusive about its leadership, its ownership and the controversial testing it is doing.
sportico.com
A few weeks ago, @benrothenberg.bsky.social outed Phuel Sports Science as the partner for the WTA's controversial new gender testing. We tried to find out more about the company. And we hit a lot of dead ends. More w/ Daniel Libit and Sara Germano 👇 www.sportico.com/leagues/tenn...
The Elusive Provider Behind the WTA’s Sex Testing
The WTA's gender testing partner, Phuel Sports Science, is elusive about its leadership, its ownership and the controversial testing it is doing.
sportico.com
The $12.5 billion Lakers deal isn't a hedge against Joshua Kushner's AI portfolio. It's a doubling down. My latest Club Sportico column looks at Kushner's interest in sports, and why it's actually predicated on radical disruption caused by the rest of his portfolio.
Monday morning Pick Six from Club Sportico: - Prediction markets & their trading arms 📉 - What happens when AI strips sponsors? 🚲 - Eala Effect: Lumpias in Toronto 🎾 - Clown of the Week 🤡 - New NHL economics 🏒 - An anti-profit NFL owner?? 💰 club.sportico.com/p/prediction...
Prediction Markets Are Betting Against You
Plus: An AI mishap, new NHL economics and a lumpia pop-up in Toronto.
club.sportico.com
Monday morning Pick Six from Club Sportico: - Prediction markets & their trading arms 📉 - What happens when AI strips sponsors? 🚲 - Eala Effect: Lumpias in Toronto 🎾 - Clown of the Week 🤡 - New NHL economics 🏒 - An anti-profit NFL owner?? 💰 club.sportico.com/p/prediction...
Prediction Markets Are Betting Against You
Plus: An AI mishap, new NHL economics and a lumpia pop-up in Toronto.
club.sportico.com
Who is responsible for baseball's current problems? Four of us at @sportico.bsky.social created four different blame pies 👇
Larry Berg is 60. That's older than any other major U.S. commissioner was at the start of his or her tenure... Bettman (NHL) - 40 Garber (MLS) - 41 Goodell (NFL) - 47 Silver (NBA) - 51 Manfred (MLB) - 56 📈: @levakabas.bsky.social, @sportico.bsky.social
Eben Novy-Williams@ebennovywilliams.bsky.social · 3w agoSCOOP: Larry Berg will be the next MLS commissioner. More coming at @sportico.bsky.social via me and Scott Soshnick 👇
Berg will have to sell his equity in LAFC as part of his taking this job. There's likely no immediate timetable for that, and the team has a huge, ever-shifting cap table. Berg is one of three rotating "control" owners...
Eben Novy-Williams@ebennovywilliams.bsky.social · 3w agoSCOOP: Larry Berg will be the next MLS commissioner. More coming at @sportico.bsky.social via me and Scott Soshnick 👇
SCOOP: Larry Berg will be the next MLS commissioner. More coming at @sportico.bsky.social via me and Scott Soshnick 👇
Monday's Club Sportico Pick 6 is in: 📺Free streaming in sports? 🏀WNBA proxy wars 🙍♀️Humanoid mascots! 🎾Alex Eala ⚖️NCAA legal confusion 🎽JJ Watt club.sportico.com/p/sports-str...
Free Streaming Is Taking Over TV—Except in Sports
Plus: The WNBA's Endless Feedback Loop and College Sports' Latest Big Deal(s)
club.sportico.com
This chart perfectly explains Gianni Infantino's gambit... - If he gets only the vote of nations that have never played a men's World Cup, it passes overwhelmingly - Put another way, all he needs is the vote of every country smaller than Kyrgyzstan
FIFA was criticized most during the World Cup for 1) emphasizing profit over all else, and 2) its cozy relationship with the Trump Administration. Now the org appears to be doubling down on both in a plan to raise $4.2 billion � www.sportico.com/business/fin...
FIFA’s $4.2B Stake Sale Doubles Down on 2 Major Criticisms
FIFA plans to sell investment into a $20 billion entity that houses its commercial rights, including ticket sales and sponsorship to World Cup.
sportico.com
Like most sports leagues around this time, Club Sportico is taking its mid-summer break. Which means @levakabas.bsky.social took the reins for a Christopher Nolan takeover! The data viz you didn't know you needed this week 👇
UPDATE: Now there are two. 49ers exec Paraag Marathe has removed his name from consideration for the new MLS commissioner role, Sportico has learned. That leaves LAFC owner Larry Berg and longtime media exec David Nathanson. More 👇 www.sportico.com/leagues/socc...
49ers Exec Marathe Removes Name From MLS Commissioner Search
San Francisco 49ers exec Paraag Marathe removed his name from consideration in the search for a new MLS commissioner. He was one of three finalists.
sportico.com
This World Cup had 104 games. Would anyone complain if it was 103 instead? club.sportico.com/p/world-cup-...
World Cup Third-Place Game Has Overstayed Its Welcome
$2 million in prize money and 90 years of history isn't enough to justify FIFA's World Cup bronze medal match.
club.sportico.com
SCOOP: The search for the next MLS commissioner is down to three finalists - LAFC co-owner Larry Berg - 49ers president (and Leeds chairman) Paraag Marathe - Longtime media exec David Nathanson More in @sportico.bsky.social with Kurt Badenhausen👇 www.sportico.com/personalitie...
MLS Taps 3 Commissioner Finalists: Berg, Marathe, Nathanson
Larry Berg, Paraag Marathe and David Nathanson all have direct soccer ownership ties, but also have distinct skill sets for the MLS commissioner role.
sportico.com
What in the world?
Michael McCann@mccannsportslaw.bsky.social · last mo.“There is no material dispute that Tom Brady is the GOAT” is quite a way for a judge to begin an opinion. That has now happened as a judge mostly sides with Under Armour in a case about bioceramic powder, which TB12 backed & supposedly helps with sleep. I write about it for @sportico.bsky.social:
Nationals prospect Ronny Cruz is the latest MLB hopeful to securitize his future for public investors. Daniel Libit and I wrote about Agentiq, its $1.2M deal with Cruz, and how it fits into the largely mysterious world of young athlete staking 👇 www.sportico.com/business/fin...
Nationals Prospect Anchors Latest Push to Securitize Athlete Pay
Nationals prospect Ronny Cruz is the first athlete to sign with Agentiq, a group offering fans an opportunity to share in athlete on-field earnings.
sportico.com
When Vinod Kohsla's Seahawks deal was announced, both he and the team told curious fans to go read his Wikipedia. One day prior, a number of edits were made to the page, including the removal of a sentence identifying him as a Democrat. That editor has only edited Vinod's page...
Eben Novy-Williams@ebennovywilliams.bsky.social · last mo.Some next day thoughts on the $9.6B Seahawks sale: 💰 Modern sports deals syndicate *after* signing 👩 Gender barrier broken 🗣️ Vinod Khosla has said things no other NFL owner would say publicly 🖊️ Wiki edits 📈 Does the NFL actually care about price? & more 👇 www.sportico.com/business/tea...
Some next day thoughts on the $9.6B Seahawks sale: 💰 Modern sports deals syndicate *after* signing 👩 Gender barrier broken 🗣️ Vinod Khosla has said things no other NFL owner would say publicly 🖊️ Wiki edits 📈 Does the NFL actually care about price? & more 👇 www.sportico.com/business/tea...
Khoslas’ $9.6B Seahawks Deal Breaks New Ground for NFL: Takeaways
Seattle Seahawks buyers Vinod and Neeru Khosla are new types of NFL owners. Here are six takeaways from the most expensive team sale in NFL history.
sportico.com
UPDATE: Khosla's wife, Neeru Khosla, will serve as the team's control owner, per an NFL memo. Their son, Neal Khosla, will also have a leadership role with the team.
Eben Novy-Williams@ebennovywilliams.bsky.social · 2mo agoSCOOP: The Seahawks have been sold. Billionaire Vinod Khosla has reached a deal to buy the Super Bowl champs for $9.6 billion, per sources. One of the highest prices ever paid for a sports team. More at @sportico.bsky.social 👇 www.sportico.com/business/tea...
- David Tepper (Steelers -> Panthers) - Josh Harris and David Blitzer (Steelers -> Commanders) - Vinod Khosla (49ers -> Seahawks) It's become common for billionaires interested in owning an NFL team to first buy LP stakes.
Eben Novy-Williams@ebennovywilliams.bsky.social · 2mo agoSCOOP: The Seahawks have been sold. Billionaire Vinod Khosla has reached a deal to buy the Super Bowl champs for $9.6 billion, per sources. One of the highest prices ever paid for a sports team. More at @sportico.bsky.social 👇 www.sportico.com/business/tea...
BREAKING: $9.6 billion is the highest price ever paid for an NFL team. Close to the $10B Lakers transaction as well.
Eben Novy-Williams@ebennovywilliams.bsky.social · 2mo agoSCOOP: The Seahawks have been sold. Billionaire Vinod Khosla has reached a deal to buy the Super Bowl champs for $9.6 billion, per sources. One of the highest prices ever paid for a sports team. More at @sportico.bsky.social 👇 www.sportico.com/business/tea...
SCOOP: The Seahawks have been sold. Billionaire Vinod Khosla has reached a deal to buy the Super Bowl champs for $9.6 billion, per sources. One of the highest prices ever paid for a sports team. More at @sportico.bsky.social 👇 www.sportico.com/business/tea...
Exclusive: Vinod Khosla to Buy Seattle Seahawks for $9.6 Billion
The Seattle Seahawks will be sold to billionaire Vinod Khosla. The Sun Microsystems co-founder will buy the team from Paul Allen's estate.
sportico.com
SCOOP: The Seahawks have been sold. Billionaire Vinod Khosla has reached a deal to buy the Super Bowl champs for $9.6 billion, per sources. One of the highest prices ever paid for a sports team. More at @sportico.bsky.social 👇 www.sportico.com/business/tea...
Exclusive: Vinod Khosla to Buy Seattle Seahawks for $9.6 Billion
The Seattle Seahawks will be sold to billionaire Vinod Khosla. The Sun Microsystems co-founder will buy the team from Paul Allen's estate.
sportico.com
Angelo Pizzo wrote Hoosiers and Rudy. Adam McKay wrote Talladega Nights. Club Sportico asked the two award-winning Hollywood screenwriters how they would script LeBron James' final NBA chapter. Their responses 👇 club.sportico.com/p/lebron-jam...
Analyzing LeBron James' Free Agency with Hollywood Writers
Adam McKay and Angelo Pizzo agree there's a clear choice, story-wise, for LeBron James' final free agency "decision."
club.sportico.com
The Tour de France has two obvious favorites, but the most intriguing rider is a third entrant--a French teenager that is carrying the weight of the nation's 41-year Tour drought. Read more about Paul Seixas is today's Club Sportico essay 👇 club.sportico.com/p/paul-seixa...
How Do You Say ‘Phenom’ In French?
It’s been 41 years since a French rider won the Tour de France. The nation's hopes rest on a teenage wunderkind who is pedaling into the sport’s biggest spotlight.
club.sportico.com
🎾🚨One of tennis's craziest stats could end tomorrow 🚨🎾 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina has won more than $11.7 million in tennis prizes, by far the most ever by a player that hasn't won a single tournament. Tomorrow he plays Ethan Quinn in the Mallorca finals...
