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World’s Most Valuable Women’s Sports Team
Angel City FC became the most valuable team in women's sports Wednesday when USC Annenberg School dean Willow Bay and Disney CEO Bob Iger purchased a controlling stake in the NWSL club for a valuation of $250 million. The agreement "is subject to customary closing conditions, including the approval of NWSL," the club noted. The sale breaks the NWSL record for a franchise valuation set in March by the San Diego Wave, which sold in a two-part deal valued at between $113 and $120 million.
Angel City FC is World's Most Valuable Women's Sports Team After Majority Stake Sold
WNBA TV Ratings Explode
Paris Olympics Poised to Eclipse London Olympics
Nike Endorsement Lawsuit
L.A. 2028 Olympics
NFL Can Leverage a Major Court Decision
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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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The anticipation the WNBA expected from fans for Caitlin Clark’s arrival was high, with the league banking on the basketball sensation leading to skyrocketing TV ratings. If the first half of the regular season is a sign of things to come, even the WNBA greatly underrated the “Caitlin Clark effect” for its business. In the first half of the WNBA season, 16 games averaged over 1 million viewers. It’s the most games to surpass 1 million viewers in WNBA history, coming well before the season even ends. Of those 16 games, Clark and the Indiana Fever played in 14 of them.
WNBA TV Ratings Explode in First Half of 2024 Season
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As Paris prepares to host this year’s Olympic Games, Cola Company, a longtime IOC partner, is gearing up to cultivate relationships and entertain clients on a grand scale. At the 2012 London Olympics, Coca-Cola hosted nearly 4,000 guests from more than 100 countries as part of its corporate hospitality program, providing them with tickets and experiences. After the Olympic Games hosted in Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo that had more limited hospitality potential, the 96-year IOC partner is expected to bring almost 2,000 guests to Paris, wooing them with tickets to the opening and closing ceremonies, gold-medal events and more.
Paris Olympics Poised to Eclipse London Olympics in Sponsor Hospitality
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Odell Beckham Jr. expressed satisfaction on Instagram over the outcome of his $20 million breach of contract lawsuit against Nike, suggesting a significant legal victory. However, the case concluded with neither party being found in breach of contract by a Multnomah County (Ore.) Circuit Court jury, resulting in no financial compensation being awarded to either side. The lawsuit originated from disputes overcompensation and royalties in Beckham’s endorsement contract with Nike, while Nike’s countersuit accused Beckham of violating the contract by altering his apparel and footwear, leading to a complex legal battle that ultimately ended in a draw.
Odell Beckham Jr. Receives $0 from Nike Endorsement Lawsuit
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The Los Angeles 2028 Olympic organizing committee is entering the final and toughest stage of its long journey, aiming to turn the Games into a reality. As soon as the 2024 Paris Olympics conclude in mid-August, L.A. will be next up. Organizers must now get serious about meeting deadlines, sticking to budget, and making tough choices. This critical juncture marks the transition from planning to delivery, where LA28 faces the challenge of bringing the Olympic dream to life in Southern California.
L.A. 2028 Olympics: From Blueprint to Reality
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A U.S. District Court jury ordered the National Football League to pay more than $4.7 billion in damages for antitrust violations. The ruling held that restricting negotiations over rights to broadcast teams’ out-of-market Sunday games to a single, bundled TV package violated competition laws. The lawsuit covered 2.4 million residential subscribers and 48,000 businesses in the United States who paid for out-of-market games from 2011 through 2022 on DirecTV. The plaintiffs claimed that the NFL broke antitrust laws by selling its Sunday games package at an inflated price. While the League plans to appeal the decision, the ruling could prompt changes in how rights to air games are distributed, potentially benefiting football teams and fans alike. If the ruling stands, the NFL could lose out on one big-ticket payday. But dicing up rights could spark a wider feeding frenzy. The pot for sports rights is expected to grow to $30 billion annually by 2024.
NFL Can Leverage a Major Court Decision to Boost How Teams and Fans Watch Games
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Weekly Trivia Question
Weekly Trivia Question
How and where is the Olympic Flame lit?
Weekly Trivia Question
Answer
Sun/Parabolic mirror. In ancient times, to guarantee its purity, the flame was lit using the sun’s rays captured in the center of a container called a skaphia. It is always lit in Olympia, Greece recalling the link between the ancient Olympic Games and their modern counterpart.
REveal Answer
How and where is the Olympic Flame lit?
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)
Hide Answer
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
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