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Caitlin Clark’s Nike Deal
The most prolific scorer in NCAA Division I history and the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft will continue her association with Nike by signing a $28 million contract that spans eight years and includes a signature shoe. The new deal would be the richest sponsorship contract for a women’s basketball player.
Caitlin Clark’s Nike Deal Valued at $28 Million Over 8 Years, Reports Say
NFL Rookie Signing Bonuses Up 4%
Bruin Capital to Become Majority Shareholder of PlayGreen
Private Equity Giant’s Sports Strategy
FedEx Terminates Stadium Naming Rights Agreement
MLB Championship Series Without Top Teams
Sports Team Leaders
Partner | Los Angeles
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Brian Anderson
Sheppard Mullin's Sports Industry Team is uniquely positioned to address the complex and dynamic needs of our sports industry clientele. Our sports practice offers the expertise necessary to provide full service legal counsel to owners, teams, leagues, governing bodies, facility operators, key rights holders, advertising companies, sponsors and others involved in sports-related transactions or disputes.
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A weekly summary of the key trends and stories in sports business.
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Caleb Williams, the top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, is in line for a four-year contract worth $39.5 million, including a $25.5 million signing bonus. The signing bonus is up 3.8%, marking the first uptick of more than 1% in rookie bonuses since the 2020 NFL Draft.
NFL Rookie Signing Bonuses Up 4% for Biggest Gain Since 2020
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From soccer to the NFL, natural grass playing fields are increasingly becoming a point of contention between players and owners. With that backdrop, sports-focused private equity firm Bruin Capital is buying the majority of leading grass technology developer PlayGreen in a bet that high-level sports will continue the move toward grass surfaces.
Bruin Capital to Become Majority Shareholder of PlayGreen, a Stadium Grass Turf Tech Company
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Investment giant CVC Capital Partners expects to price its IPO Thursday and value the private equity business at $15 billion. CVC’s public disclosures as part of going public offer an enticing picture of the private equity firm’s venture into sports. While sports-related investments remain just a minority of its investments–perhaps 5% of its deployed capital–the firm has a dedicated sports, media and entertainment team led by CEO Rob Lucas. It’s one of just four sector teams the company believes help give it the ability to produce returns that beat index stock funds, a key hurdle for private equity firms to leap in order to attract large investors, like pension funds, which deploy trillions of dollars across Wall Street.
CVC IPO Offers Glimpse into Private Equity Giant’s Sports Strategy
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FedEx has chosen to withdraw from its stadium naming rights agreement with the NFL’s Washington Commanders. FedEx had the option to do so if there was a change in the NFL team’s ownership. The team was purchased by Josh Harris from Dan Snyder in July. The team was expected to receive approximately $15 million from FedEx over the next two years, but now they must find a new sponsor, a process they have been engaged in for the past two months.
FedEx Terminates Stadium Naming Rights Agreement with Washington Commanders Ahead of Schedule
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Of the four remaining contenders for the championship, only Houston won their division; the other three all dispatched heavy favorites in the Division Series. Regardless of whether it’s good for baseball to have the best regular-season teams eliminated two rounds before the World Series, the MLB postseason structure is working exactly the way it was designed.
Second Year of New MLB Postseason Format Leaves Championship Series Without Top Teams
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Weekly Trivia Question
Weekly Trivia Question
What year did the first-ever NFL draft take place?
Weekly Trivia Question
Answer
The first NFL draft took place in 1936. The Philadelphia Eagles selected Jay Berwanger first overall.
REveal Answer
What year did the first-ever NFL draft take place?
Weekly Trivia Question
In which organization are teams individually owned and belong to governing bodies which promote and relegate teams to different leagues based on performance?
Weekly Trivia Question
a. National Football League (American Football)
b. English Premier League (Soccer)
c. Major League Soccer (Soccer)
d. Serie National de Beisbol (Cuba) (Baseball)
Correct!
b. English Premier League (Soccer)
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Incorrect
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Hide Answer
In which organization are teams individually owned and belong to governing bodies which promote and relegate teams to different leagues based on performance?
Weekly Trivia Question
a. National Football League (American Football)
b. English Premier League (Soccer)
c. Major League Soccer (Soccer)
d. Serie National de Beisbol (Cuba) (Baseball)
Correct!
b. English Premier League (Soccer)
Hide Answer
Incorrect
try Again