Sports Business

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes – Nov. 28

November 27, 2021 by Terry Lyons

While We’re Young (Ideas) Gives Thanks

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – It’s Thanksgiving Weekend and time to STOP, THINK and THANK just a few people and REMEMBER a few things. The column comes complete with minimal BS, complaining, snark or sentimental goop while trying to avoid the negatives and all-to-often critical sniping. It does begin with a memorial dedication for 2020-21.

First things first:

It’s 2021, and there’s a global pandemic screaming bloody murder, so we must first pay thanks to our health, if we are so fortunate to do so. Before we can give thanks, it’s time to pay respects to those who lost their lives to COVID or other crisis this year. Special note to the late Madison Dubiski of Houston who lost her life in the crush of the Travis Scott concert at Astroworld along with at least nine others. Madison’s father, Brian, is a good friend of the column and was just hanging at Fenway Park when the Astros dispatched the Red Sox in late October. Madison was 23 years old at the time of her passing away in the crowd at NRG Park/Stadium in Houston on November 5. Dozens and dozens of others were injured. May God Bless.

Let’s Go.

From the Cranberry-Apple-Orange sauce to left-over Turkey Breast sandwiches, Thanksgiving is a favorite of holidays for many of us. Thanks to the Seventy-seven days until pitchers & Catchers report, then Opening Day, then Patriots’ Day and the Boston Marathon, and the 11am start at Fenway. … Thanks for the E-Z Pass and Smart TVs. … Frank Zamboni and to the guy who cut out the bottom of the peach basket, the greatest rule change in basketball history. … Thanks to Bill Russell and Satch and thanks to the memory of Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, who we lost this past March 21, as we remember Press and Pistol Pete Maravich.

Thanks for The NFL Red Zone and avoiding 100 car insurance commercials as we watch the NFL. To the Witching Hour, when wins become losses and losses become wins on the Octo-Box. … Thanks for Justin and Jalen and Josh, for Lamar, Cam (before him), Aaron, Kirk and Dak. … Thanks for Jonathan Taylor and Austin Ekeler … and to Cooper, Davanti, Tyreek, Deebo, and Ja’Marr.

Thanks for the Iron Bowl and El Clásico with a sentimental kiss to The Mayor’s Trophy Game.

Thanks to Joe DiLorenzo, Duane Johnson, Stephen Riley, Tod Rosensweig, Jan Volk, Steve “Globie” Lipofsky, and Jeff Twiss, and to Brian and especially Heather – all Boston Celtics colleagues.

Thanks for the New England snow-mobiles, aka Suburu OutBack and Forester, that keep us safe in rain, sleet or snow. In Boston, the Mail Person drives a Suburu. … Thanks to Wood-Boy who brings us a Cord+ of hard wood each Fall and thanks for the fireplace that burns that wood and makes us feel cozy, warm and fortunate each cold, winter night.

Thanks to St. John’s men’s basketball for driving me crazy every season, dating back to 1968 or so, and certainly since 1978 when a full season ticket was about $43. … Thanks to Lou Carnesecca just for being Louie. Thanks to his one-time assistant coach John Kresse. Thanks to coach Mike Andersonfor giving it his all in a rock solid conference where winning a road game is like winning Game 7 every year. … Thanks to the BIG EAST and Val and Stu and John P. … Let’s hope all goes well and The Garden is packed for the tournament this coming March. … Thanks to FS-1 for televising every game, but, I’ll ask again, can you lose the John Tesh Roundball Rock music?

Thanks to Derek & Susan and to Mike Mattison and the whole TT Band. … Oh, how we miss Kofi. … Thanks to Bruce (H). and Bruce (S). for the Spirit Trail and my Spirit in the Night. … What a Ride.

Thanks to Jeff Kazee for playing his Living Room Lounge series of solo piano concerts, played every week until March 24th, a year after all hell broke loose. … Just for Jeff, root for the Cincinnati Reds. … Thank to Rich (P) and Will Lee and the Fab Faux. Missed seeing a 2021 show, first time in a along time.

Speaking of the Fab, thanks to and for Penny (Lane). She’s keeping me company, snoozin’ as this is typed. She’s just a little more than a year old and joined our family last Thanksgiving.

Thanks to Abe and Terry, not The Real TL, and all the crew at The Sports Business Daily and Journal and to Scott, Dick and Corey and the new crew at Sportico. They keep us informed, as does CBS News, Norah and Dana, Jeff, Glor and Anthony Mason, who just ROCKS when he does a piece on music – any genre.

Here’s to Nate Burleson, a regular on the sports scene as and NFL wide-out for the Minnesota Vikings but a budding superstar on the Morning News. Burleson is a natural. His sense of team with the CBS Morning anchors (Gayle King and Tony Dokoupil) is only surpassed by his sense of camaraderie with the productions staff.

HERE’s TO: John Caron, Dave Glucksman, Dana Roy, and Higor Trindade – the anchors of West End Johnnies (and Fenway, too). To Arty,Evan, Frank & Henry and everyone – Thank you. It was a tough, tough year to be in the restaurant business, but both joints made it through.

Thanks to Ken Adelson, Len Deluca, Stacia Fritchie – my cohorts and colleagues. To Dinn Mann – cohort to be. Bob Delaney, Dave Scheiber and Philip Turner, cohorts past, present and future. To NBA friends and colleagues far and wide, Brian, Matt, Spy, Chris, Rick, Russ, AG and RL + far too many more to list. To Ed Desser and John Kosner, thanks for guidance as we gear-up for 2022.

Here’s to, too: Kevin Doyle, Abby and everyone at Fenway. Gonna miss official scorer Mike Shalin so, so much – gone far too soon. Also gonna miss seeing Dan Lyons who retired from the Sox and Tom Keegan, former columnist for the Boston Herald, caught in the grind of the pandemic and back to the Midwest. See you in springtime, Fenway Fam.

Thanks to Berj and the Patriots. To Harold and the Mets. Jimmy J and Pat LaFontaine and Companions in Courage. Special thanks to Craig Miller,currently working his final international basketball tournament as the head of communications for USA Basketball. From 1992 to 2022 is a nice, little run – working every level of basketball, men’s and women’s, gold and glory, defeat and misery.

Best in the Biz Greetings to Scott Rosner and LJ Holmgren at Columbia University’s Sports Management program with special thanks to CUSP-man and PR Joe Fav who teams up with Tom Richardson on said CUSP Show(podcast). It’s always a pleasure to speak at Columbia for Joe Fav, but this year, we were forced to Zoom video, as we did a year ago. … Joe Fav took a different dive come Thanksgiving and provided us with thoughtful reminder of life in 2021.

Finally, to family – immediate and extended – and to friends all over the world – many made through sports and music – (add food, water, air and SHAKE, NOT STIR for life – Thanks for being you.

Do I hear there’s an AFC/NFC Championship gathering ahead?

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Riddle me this? Which sport’s overtime is more ridiculous and unworthy of deciding the outcome of a regular season game?

The NHL: After three periods and a deadlocked regular season game, the normal five-on-five (plus a goalkeeper) becomes three-on-three for a single five-minute stanza. After that, it goes to a shoot-out for three rounds, most goals wins. If tied, sudden death shoot-out determines the outcome. In the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, it’s five-on-five for 20-minute intervals (periods) until a team scores. It’s the best, most exciting playoff in sports, especially in a Game 7.
MLB: Extra innings now call for a runner (last man at bat in the previous inning) to be placed on second base. Commissioner Rob Manfred stated that the “man on second” rule and 7-inning double-headers are probably a thing of the past.
College Football: Where do we start?
- At the end of regulation, the referee will toss a coin to determine which team will possess the ball first in overtime. The visiting team captain will call the toss. The winner gets to choose to either play offense or defense first or chooses which side of the field to play on. The decision cannot be deferred.
- The teams that loses the coin toss must exercise the remaining option. They will then have the chance to choose first from the four categories in the second overtime and subsequent even-numbered OT periods. The team that wins the toss will have the same options in odd-numbered OT periods.
- In each of the first two overtime periods, teams are granted one possession beginning at the opponent’s 25-yard line, unless a penalty occurs to move them back. The offense can place the ball anywhere on or between the hash marks.
- Each team is granted one timeout per overtime period. Timeouts do not carry over from regulation nor do they carry over between overtime periods.
- Each team retains the ball until it fails to score, fails to make a first down or turns the ball over.
- Beginning with the second overtime period, teams must attempt a two-point conversion after scoring a touchdown.

You might as well have the teams all gather in a circle and play “Spin the Bottle” to decide a winner.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notebook – Nov. 21

November 21, 2021 by Digital Sports Desk

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – There are very few things that burn me up more than calls for a boycott of the Olympic Games. I tend to side with the athletes who’ve spent their lives training for a relatively short window for competition against the youth of the world who assemble every four years to compete in the Summer or Winter Olympic Games.

In 1980, the United States with 65 other countries and territories boycotted the Summer Games in Moscow to protest the Russian invasion of Afghanistan. In 1984, the Russians and 14 other (mostly Eastern Bloc) countries returned the idiocy and boycotted the Los Angeles (USA) Games.

Nothing was accomplished by the two boycotts and nothing will be accomplished with the current discussion of a new kind of boycott – a “diplomatic boycott’ – by the USA of the Beijing Winter Games, scheduled for this coming February ‘22.

This week, news coverage of the potential USA diplomatic boycott surfaced again as US President Joe Biden conducted a three-plus hour virtual summit call with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Biden said Thursday he is considering a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics, which would deliver a “stinging rebuke to China over its alleged human rights abuses,” according to news reports by Reuters.

It’s “something we are considering,” Biden said when asked about a U.S. diplomatic boycott of the Games, although the summit was “aimed at reducing tensions between the two countries, which have flared over the COVID-19 pandemic, trade policies, Taiwan and other flashpoints.,” said Reuters.

Human rights advocates have increasingly lobbied the White House to call for a full-scale U.S. boycott of the 2022 Games. “The decision not to send an official American delegation to the Games would fall short of that dramatic step, but would still represent a major snub,” noted Reuters. “The U.S. traditionally sends a roster of high-profile dignitaries, often led by the sitting President or Vice President or first lady, to attend Olympic events – including the opening ceremonies. First Lady Jill Biden led the U.S. delegation to the most recent Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

What does the USOC (now USOPC) think?

“We strongly believe that the governments of the world, including our own, and the respective diplomatic teams and experts should lead the conversation about international relations,” USOPC chief executive officer Sarah Hirshland said.

Where does @WhileYoung(Ideas) come down?

Sports diplomacy is a huge and highly effective and efficient mechanism to bridge gaps, share ideas and literally use the sport(s) as a guiding light to many of the same values all nations face in these terrible times of the COVID-19 global pandemic.

The athletes themselves become the focus and example-setters. The diplomats – if they are not childish – don’t compete for athletic medal counts but go out of their way to welcome and contribute to discussions which can lead to concrete, mutually beneficial and substantive improvements for all nations.

In China alone, we’ve improved relationships through “Ping Pong Diplomacy” in the late ‘70s all the way to “Yao Ming Diplomacy” in the early 2000s. While the sports side (aka the Toy Store) might not solve the most troubling issues (Human Rights to all political differences), it can begin the discussion on common ground to help build the relationships that can lead to more important discussions, with the youth of the world providing the example for their older world leaders.

Too often, an ineffective sports boycott costs a young athlete the ability to compete for an Olympic medal or simply earn the title of Olympic competitor. Politicians, instead of facing the issue at hand, try to deflect the attention by implementing a sports boycott, rather than multi-lateral talks and negotiations. In every instance, the boycott goes by and nothing is accomplished except the disappointment of the athletes.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: On August 9, 2008, Air Force One had yet to clear US air space when my mobile phone range with the White House Director of Communications on the other end of the line. “Sorry, T, but because of normal security reasons, I couldn’t call earlier but we’re on our way to Beijing and I need your help. As you can probably tell from the background, I’m on Air Force One with the President. Your on speaker phone, too, okay?

“We’re thinking of attending both the USA Basketball men’s game against China and the Women’s first game, too. They play the Czech Republic at 8pm. How can I make it work best?”

While I had just waved good-bye to the US Men’s National team when they departed a few days earlier, NBA and USAB services completed, and was now officially a TV spectator of the Summer Olympics for the first time since 1988, it was obviously time to think fast.

“It’s easy,” I said. “If you’re at a USA women’s game, be sure the President is seated next to Val Ackerman and/or Jim Tooley (head of USA Basketball Federation) and at the men’s games, have the President with Jerry Colangelo and Jim. They can take care of EVERYTHING you might need and will know all the “go-to” people.”

“Thanks, TL.” (Click).

SPEAKING OF USA BASKETBALL: Veteran NBA and international tournament players Justin Anderson (Fort Wayne Mad Ants/Virginia) and Isaiah Thomas (free agent/Washington) were added by USA Basketball to its November 2021 USA World Cup Qualifying Team. The pair were added to the USA roster after an injury forced DaQuan Jeffries (College Park Skyhawks/Tulsa) to withdraw, and after Frank Mason III (South Bay Lakers/Kansas) was not cleared for full participation.

Anderson and Thomas join USA team members Jordan Bell (Santa Cruz Warriors/Oregon), Brian Bowen II (Iowa Wolves), Josh Gray (Long Island Nets/LSU), Shaq Harrison (Delaware Blue Coats/Tulsa), BJ Johnson(Lakeland Magic/LaSalle), Luke Kornet (Maine Celtics/Vanderbilt), Chasson Randle (free agent/Stanford), Zavier Simpson (Oklahoma City Blue/Michigan) and Emanuel Terry (Stockton Kings/Lincoln Memorial). … Former NBA head coach Jim Boylen will serve as head coach of the USA Basketball Men’s World Cup Qualifying Team while former USA Basketball coaches Ty Ellis and Othella Harrington will serve as assistant coaches. … The USA squad will train Nov. 20-25 at the University of Houston and will participate in the first competition window of the 2021-23 FIBA World Cup Qualifying games, which will be played in a bubble format in Chihuahua, Mexico starting November 28. … The 2023 FIBA World Cup for Basketball will be staged in Japan-The Philippines-Indonesia.

On Saturday, Nov. 20, USA Basketball added NBA G League forward Haywood Highsmith (Delaware Blue Coats/Wheeling) after Orlando Johnson (free agent/UC Santa Barbara) was not available to participate.

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE: The Boston Celtics’ acquisition of superstar forward-center Kevin Garnett began on the night of the 2007 NBA Draft (June 28) when the Celtics did two things to make a future move for Garnett possible. … Although Ray Allen and Garnett would later be at odds over Allen’s post championship departure to Miami, that late June 2007 night, the Celtics acquired Hall of Fame sharp-shooter Allen in a multi-player deal with the then-Seattle SuperSonics, shipping a package of point guard Delonte West, small forward Wally Szczerbiak and forward Jeff Green to the the Sonics in exchange for Allen and center Glen “Big Baby” Davis.

The two steps taken by then-Celtics head of basketball operations Danny Ainge?

Obtaining another scoring threat in Allen to form a “Big 3” needed to win.
Moving Szczerbiak, a former teammate of Garnett’s he was none too fond of in previous exposure.

The “Anything Is Possible” journey to the 2008 NBA title took a giant step that night. Garnett’s story is currently being told via a Showtime sports documentary entitled, (You Guessed It): ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. … The story is good. KG’s personality shining through is great. The language is filthy.

Co-directed and produced by Eric Newman and Dan Levin, along with producers Mike Marangu, Marc Levin and Brian Bennett—KG’s partner at his production company, Content Cartel—the documentary is a look at KG’s past, delving heavily into Garnett’s youth, his progression as a high school player and astonishing talents displayed at Chicago’s Farragut Academy.

The story winds its way to the fact Garnett became the fifth overall pick of the 1995 draft with team GM Kevin McHale and the Minnesota Timberwolves taking the gamble on the 6-11 high school phenom. Until then, only a sporadic few (Moses Malone, Bill Willoughby, Darryl Dawkins and a small handful of others) had made it to the NBA (or ABA) via high school, not college.

The documentary explains the successful start of Garnett’s NBA career in Minnesota seemingly opened the floodgates for other high school talents to jump right to the NBA, namely Kobe Bryant, Jermaine O’Neal, LeBron James, Rashard Lewis, Tyson Chandler, Amare Stoudimire, Dwight Howard, and Tracy McGrady.

As you would expect with anything and everything Garnett does, the story is true, it’s raw and it is produced by circle of people Garnett allowed into his tight inner sanctum, a place he guards 24/7.

Another take-away for seasoned NBA observers is the undeniable similarities between Garnett and NBA/Celtics’ All-Time great Bill Russell, both very guarded and well-aware of the circle of madness that is fame and the NBA. Both very conscious to keep their privacy – private and families secure.

The documentary is currently running/streaming on Showtime after its November 12th release date. Interviews of the likes of Doc Rivers, KG’s championship coach with the 2008 Celtics, and former teammate Sam Cassell, examine the complexity of Garnett – a player with serious work ethic, intensity on and off court, humor, loyalty to those he trusts, keen observation of the fast-moving world surrounding him and a disdain for anything and anyone who disrupts his normal routine.

Said Eric Newman to Variety: “I don’t think the younger generation realizes the overall impact he had, which we obviously do our best to convey in the film. It’s going from high school to the NBA when no one had done it for 20 plus years and the circumstances in which he did it. It’s the pre-salary cap NBA when he got that contract which changed the financial structure of the sport. It’s transforming this physical, intense power forward position where he adds this dynamic skill set on both ends of the floor. And then of course it’s forming the Big Three with the Celtics. We tried to weave these four pillars in without being too in your face about it, but find another — forget basketball, find another athlete who had this kind of impact on their sport. There’s not many.”

Kevin Garnett: “Anything Is Possible”

November 19, 2021 by Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – The Boston Celtics’ acquisition of superstar forward-center Kevin Garnett began on the night of the 2007 NBA Draft (June 28) when the Celtics did two things to make a future move for Garnett possible.

Although Ray Allen and Garnett would later be at odds over Allen’s post championship departure to Miami, that late June 2007 night, the Celtics acquired Hall of Fame sharp-shooter Allen in a multi-player deal with the then-Seattle SuperSonics, shipping a package of point guard Delonte West, small forward Wally Szczerbiak and forward Jeff Green to the the Sonics in exchange for Allen and center Glen “Big Baby” Davis.

The two steps taken by then-Celtics head of basketball operations Danny Ainge?

Obtaining another scoring threat in Allen to form a “Big 3” needed to win.
Moving Szczerbiak, a former teammate of Garnett’s he was none too fond of in previous exposure.

The “Anything Is Possible” journey to the 2008 NBA title took a giant step that night.

Garnett’s story is currently being told via a Showtime sports documentary entitled, (You Guessed It): ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.

The story is good. KG’s personality shining through is great. The language is filthy.

Said Eric Newman to Variety: I don’t think the younger generation realizes the overall impact he had, which we obviously do our best to convey in the film. It’s going from high school to the NBA when no one had done it for 20 plus years and the circumstances in which he did it. It’s the pre-salary cap NBA when he got that contract which changed the financial structure of the sport. It’s transforming this physical, intense power forward position where he adds this dynamic skill set on both ends of the floor. And then of course it’s forming the Big Three with the Celtics. We tried to weave these four pillars in without being too in your face about it, but find another — forget basketball, find another athlete who had this kind of impact on their sport. There’s not many.

Sports Biz: MSG, Caesars Take Gamble

November 19, 2021 by Terry Lyons

NEW YORK – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Madison Square Garden Sports agreed to a multi-year marketing partnership with Caesars Sportsbook, an entity of Caesars Entertainment, making Caesars Sportsbook an Official Sports Betting Partner of the New York Knicks, New York Rangers, Madison Square Garden Arena and MSG Networks. In addition, the sportsbook operator will gain significant digital media exposure via MSG Sports’ and MSG Entertainment’s platforms. MSG will offer its menu of hospitality experiences at The Garden that will be available to Caesars Rewards program customers.

Embed from Getty Images

Caesars Sportsbook will have a branded, premium hospitality space inside Madison Square Garden that will be open for all Knicks and Rangers home games, and additional events. Caesars Rewards members – including customers that sign up for the Caesars Sportsbook mobile app – will have an opportunity to access the space, which will undergo a full refurbishment leading into the 2022-23 Knicks and Rangers seasons. Once complete, the space will be highlighted with Caesars Sportsbook branding and feature unique programming, including special guest appearances, giveaways, and enhanced activations, all available through Caesars Rewards.

Through this partnership with Caesars Sportsbook, a part of the largest gaming and entertainment company in the US, MSG Networks and Caesars Sportsbook will also launch a new content series on MSG Networks and its social media channels featuring Caesar himself, JB Smoove. A longtime Knicks fan and avid New York sports fan, JB Smoove embodies the legendary Caesar in Caesars Sportsbook’s national advertising campaign and the new content series “One Course with JB Smoove” will integrate Caesars Sportsbook betting odds and content.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Caesars Sportsbook – a renowned brand in the sports betting industry– to the MSG Sports and MSG Entertainment families,” said Ron Skotarczak, Executive Vice President, Marketing Partnerships, MSG Entertainment. “Caesars Sportsbook is a key player in the growing world of sports betting – and we look forward to utilizing this partnership to further strengthen our brands’ connection with Caesars customers, while also providing the company with significant exposure across our unrivaled set of assets.”

MSG Networks and Caesars Sportsbook will launch a 20-part programming marathon to bring back the hit series, “Four Courses with JB Smoove.” The show, which premiered in 2013, showcased JB Smoove having conversations with acclaimed athletes and celebrities from the comfort of a dinner table, and will now be updated with Caesars-themed content.

“I am thrilled to be reunited with my friends at MSG Networks,” said JB Smoove, Emmy nominated actor-comedian. “I can see it now: Caesar in the Mecca! A match made in heaven!”

Caesars Sportsbook will receive prominent exposure inside Madison Square Garden, including TV visible signage, in-arena LED messaging, GardenVision features and activations on the court and ice during Knicks and Rangers games. Digital boards outside of Madison Square Garden and in the new Moynihan Train Hall will also feature Caesars Sportsbook branding on display to the millions of people who walk by every day.

“Caesars Sportsbook is ready for expansion into New York,” said Eric Hession, Co-President of Caesars Digital. “To partner with these legendary New York brands for compelling creative content and branding uniquely positions us to reach the avid sports fans in the region.”

The easy-to-navigate Caesars Sportsbook app is currently live in 20 states and jurisdictions – 14 of which are mobile – and operates the largest number of retail sportsbooks across the country.

While We’re Young (Ideas) – Nov. 14

November 14, 2021 by Digital Sports Desk

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes – DIGGIES for Best Sports Town

BOSTON – One of the most popular sports columnists in the whole shooting match, Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe, got a hold a sports survey by a financial service firm, called Wallet Hub. The site named Boston as the No. 1 sports town in the USA.

Wallet Hub reporter Adam McCann, a 2017 graduate of The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, penned the report and crunched some numbers to determine his listings. As Mr. McCann graduated with a Hopkins’ degree in Writing Seminars (one of the toughest majors, aside from Hopkins’ famed medical school and science degrees) AND International Studies, we’re here to applaud his efforts. Here’s a few other McCann columns archived on Muck Rack). Way to be Adam and Go Hop!

But, this TL Sunday sports notebook zigs when others might zag, so there will be a new version of the popular DIGGIES Awards with our very own 2021-22 @DigSportsDesk – Best Sports Towns listing.

In case you weren’t onboard for previous Digital Sports Desk DIGGIES,here’s an example of a prior listing. Click HERE for The Influencers. Or, click HERE for an archived 2018 DIGGIES on Hot Sports Properties to Watch. Sadly, with a Pandemic Purge of our prior Digital Sports Desk archives, there were dozens of other DIGGIES that are on a Cloud computing device somewhere. Exactly where, we do not know.

Getting back to the efforts of Mr. McCann for Wallet Hub and Mr. Ryan’s take on the listing for the Globe, the methodology of the report was quite in-depth and it started with the Global Sports Media Report of 2014. The seven-year-old report was then supplemented by scores of data, collected from and cited properly by Wallet Hub. Ready? … They used: The U.S. Census Bureau, Team Marketing Report, ESPN, NCAA, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Sports Reference, Forbes, Sports Analytics Research from Mike Lewis, MLB Advanced Media, Minor League Baseball, Nielsen, National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, The National Collegiate Athletic Association, Wikipedia, Facebook, Twitter, NBA, Ranker.com, NHL.com, U.S. College Hockey Online, U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, USL, Soccer Stadium Digest, FlashScore, Sportico, Google Trends, National Soccer Hall of Fame and WalletHub analysis.

Somehow or another, they left Barstool Sports and Digital Sports Desk out?

The other key factor in the report and rankings, the data crunching of 392 cities in the United States was carved into three population-based categories of:

Large Cities (300,000+ people)
Mid-sized Cities (100,000 to 299,999 people)
Small Cities (Fewer than 100,000 people)

Here are the findings:

Large Cities:

Boston
Los Angeles
New York
Pittsburgh
Philadelphia
Denver
Wash DC
Dallas
Chicago
Miami

(Note: They went 61 deep in their listing of Large Cities.

Mid-sized Cities:

Buffalo
Green Bay
Salt Lake City
Orlando
Glendale
Durham
Ann Arbor
Baton Rouge
South Bend
Norman

Small Cities:

Clemson
West Point
Fayette (Michigan)
East Lansing
Tuscaloosa
Hanover
State College
Buies Creek (North Carolina)
Stanford
Morgantown (West Virginia)

Much to its credit, the report also broke down the various cities by the major sports. Ryan was quick to point out that Boston ranked No. 5 in Baseball, No. 1 in ice hockey, No. 3 in football and No. 2 in basketball while also placing the very-much “pro” sports town as No. 15 in college basketball. … You ‘gotta love’ the Buffalo, Green Bay, Clemson and West Point mentions, too.

The college basketball rankings had Durham as No. 1 (thanks Coach K and Duke) and Lexington as No. 2 (thanks Coach Cal and UK). All things considered, Boston’s rather high ranking had to come from the fact you can see no fewer than seven Division I college programs, including:

America East – UMass Lowell
Atlantic 10 – UMass
ACC – Boston College
BIG EAST – Providence
Colonial – Northeastern
IVY League – Harvard
Patriot League – Boston U, and Holy Cross

With all things considered, there’s no real way to determine the No. 1 Sports City. Do you consider success in a calendar year by pro sports teams and then add some college programs when it is appropriate? How many sports in the NCAA athletics do you consider?

Do you base it on a loyal fan base? Attendance? TV Ratings logged when the clubs play on national TV and/or the playoffs?

Do you base the rankings on the athletes themselves and try to pinpoint the cities which have had the most champions, MVPs, league leaders in scoring and the other key stats? Do you base it on players who might be considered the Greatest of All-Time (G.O.A.T.S) who all played in the same city?

If the last question provides the full criteria, then there’s no question that Boston would rank as the No. 1 sports city, with all due respect to Jim Brownof football’s Cleveland Browns, Babe Ruth (who played in Boston before his incredible baseball career with the New York Yankees), Wayne Gretzky (who put Edmonton on the map when he led the Oilers to four Stanley Cup championships between 1983-84 and 1987-88, and basketball’s Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

This is where the 2021-22 DIGGIES for Best Sports Towns come into the picture.

The criteria:

Winning
Loyal Fans who come out to the park and watch on TV
Deep knowledge by large numbers of fans “on the streets”
LOUD buildings from sold-out crowds supporting their team
History
Great players, coaches and organizations (G.O.A.T.S included)
New Trends in sports success

Here we go:

CHICAGO: When you combine the friendly confines of Wrigley, the passion for the Cubs, the up & coming White Sox, the incredible Michael Jordan-led run and newfound resurgence of the Bulls and the loyalty of the Blackhawks and Bears fans, Chi-town has to be No. 1. There was no sports venue any louder than the old Chicago Stadium. There never will be.
PHILADELPHIA: Although the City of Brotherly Love has not cashed-in on a major sports championship since the Philly Eagles upset the NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS in Super Bowl LII in 2017, the rabid (and sometimes felonious) fanbase that is a Philly sports fan earns the No. 2 spot. … On two different occasions, while seeking information on the great Red Sox vs NY Yankees rivalry and crazy fans, I was told by security honchos at both Yankees Stadium and Fenway Park that the Phillies fans were “by far” the rowdiest group.
BOSTON: The incredible history and winning ways of the Celtics and Patriots combined with the recent successes of the NHL Bruins and Red Sox place Boston HIGH on any list of great sports towns. That success, however, has spoiled the average fan as its now an expectation for teams to reach “The Finals” in every sport.
TAMPA BAY: Maybe a surprise, but the recent trend of winning by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL, the consistent winning teams put on the baseball field by the Tampa Bay Rays of late and the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning. Rays fans deserve a new baseball stadium as opposed to the giant Hefty Bag that is Tropicana Field.
NEW YORK: There’s been a bit of a drought for champions in New York but sports fans can not overlook the 27 World Series championships by the Yankees and sporadic success of the New York Giants. While the Mets, Knicks, Jets, and Rangers have struggled of late, NY fans have hope with the Nets in Brooklyn and the Islanders in their brand new Belmont building. New York sports fans are loyal, loud and knowledgeable but very demanding. Madison Square Garden, the Mecca of College Basketball and home for the Knicks and Rangers, is reason enough to get a Top 5 listing.
SAN FRANCISCO BAY: Roller Derby’s Bay Area Bombers come right to mind as one of the greatest teams of all-time, but the Golden State Warriors are the reason the SF-Oakland area is listed so high. The Bay Area can also lay claim to the 49ers (now playing in nearby Santa Clara) but perennial contenders in the NFL as the SF 49ers and their five Super Bowl victories. This year, the SF Giants surprised everyone while winning 107 games to take the highly competitive National League West. The Giants disappointed in Postseason, losing to the LA Dodgers.
LOS ANGELES: The Hall of Fame players, sold-out crowds and historical success of the Dodgers and Lakers carry weight for LA, even though the current version of the Lakers are struggling. The LA Kings had their 15 minutes of fame, which is reason enough not to allow LA to crack the Top 5, but with this season’s Super Bowl scheduled for February 13th at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium, both the LA Rams and LA Chargers are bound to make the NFL Playoffs come January. In college basketball, U.C.L.A. is ranked No. 1 and could do some damage come March Madness time.
DALLAS: The iconic NFL franchise valued at $6.5 billion by Forbes Magazine puts Dallas on every Top 10 list for sports towns and the relative success of the Dallas Mavericks (NBA), Stars (NHL) and a brand new ballpark for the Texas Rangers (MLB) fill-out the list of pro teams. Dallas is also noted as a top Nielsen TV market for national sports, no matter the teams playing. Of course, College football is king in Texas and the AT&T Dome (the house that Jerry Jones built) plays host to all kinds of sports championships.
ST. LOUIS: With the support baseball fans show year-after-year to the Cardinals, that alone places St. Louis as a Top 10 sports town in the USA. The 2019 St. Louis Blues won the Stanley Cup, too, but the fact there’s no NFL (good-bye Rams) and no NBA (good-bye Hawks) in town sets St. Louis back.
MIAMI: Pat Riley’s winning ways for the Heat, combined with the iconic ways of the Miami Dolphins and the upstart 2021-22 Florida Panthers put the heart of South Florida as our No. 10 great sports city.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: The Top 10 listing deserves a few “also rans” and certainly great sports cities like Detroit, Pittsburgh and its Terrible Towels and Steelers, Salt Lake City for its support of the Jazz, Seattle, Wash DC/Baltimore, and Atlanta – home of the 2021 World Series champion Braves are all worthy of consideration. Small towns? How about Annapolis?

Parting Words …

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE: Former Celtics champion Kevin Garnett’s documentary, entitled with his famous exclamation of joy, post 2008 NBA Championship debuted on Showtime this past Friday. Look for a review in next week’s notebook.

NBA Re-Ups with Draft Kings, Fan Duel

November 4, 2021 by Digital Sports Desk

NEW YORK – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The National Basketball Association expanded partnerships making DraftKings and FanDuel Group its “co-official” sports betting partners with both companies having expansive rights to integrate NBA highlights, statistics, and content throughout their sports betting and daily fantasy sports platforms.

As part of the expanded relationships, DraftKings and FanDuel will continue to utilize official NBA betting data and league marks and logos across their sports betting and free-to-play game offerings. Beginning immediately to celebrate the NBA’s 75th Anniversary, DraftKings and FanDuel will create and feature NBA content that includes game highlights.

FanDuel and DraftKings will also become sports betting partners of the NBA in Canada, where they both plan to launch later this season.

“DraftKings and FanDuel are market leaders who have been incredible partners in engaging with the millions of NBA fans who enjoy fantasy and betting,” said Scott Kaufman-Ross, Senior Vice President, Head of Gaming & New Business Ventures, NBA. “DraftKings and FanDuel sit at the center of the continued convergence between media and sports betting, and, together, we are excited to bring these unique content experiences to our fans.”

Expanding on its existing partnership dating back to 2014, FanDuel will now become the exclusive presenting partner of the weekly NBABet Show each Monday night on NBA TV. As part of the new deal, fans will be able to choose to see FanDuel odds displayed on the Games page of NBA.com.

“For the past seven years the NBA and FanDuel have architected the platinum standard of partnership between a professional sports league and mobile sports gaming operator,” said Amy Howe, President & CEO of FanDuel Group. “Combining the star power of the NBA with our industry leading platform has resulted in innovations that have significantly enhanced the fan experience. We are proud of the deep working relationship we have built with the NBA, and that this agreement will celebrate a decade of official partnership.”

DraftKings, whose business relationship with the NBA dates back to 2019, will now become the exclusive presenting partner of NBABet Stream, the NBA’s betting-focused telecast on NBA League Pass and the NBA TV App. NBABet Stream presented by DraftKings will air its first game this Friday, November 5. In addition, DraftKings will activate on-site at tentpole NBA events, including the NBA All-Star Game, Rising Stars, NBA All-Star Saturday Night and NBA Draft presented by State Farm.

“The NBA season only just tipped off, and yet we have already seen the immediate impact of the sport among our customer base with significant reengagement along with healthy new betting activity across all of our states,” said Ezra Kucharz, chief business officer at DraftKings. “All of this signals the rising demand for NBA basketball in its 75th anniversary season among sports bettors and daily fantasy players, and we are pleased to continuously collaborate with the league on new offerings like our NBABet Stream integration.”

The NBA will collaborate with both DraftKings and FanDuel in support of its ongoing commitment to responsible gambling, which includes public education via social media messaging and public service announcements, public advocacy, and the enforcement of strict standards and limitations on betting-related advertising across NBA and partner platforms. Both DraftKings and FanDuel will also work with the league on best-in-class practices to protect the integrity of NBA games.

NHL Fines Chicago Blackhawks $2M for Botching 2010 Harassment Incident

October 26, 2021 by Digital Sports Desk

NEW YORK – (Staff Report from Official League News Release). – The National Hockey League fined the Chicago Blackhawks $2 Million for the organization’s inadequate internal procedures, along with an insufficient and untimely response in the handling of matters related to former video coach Brad Aldrich’s employment with the team and ultimate departure in 2010. The league and the Blackhawks have decided that $1 Million of the fine money will be dedicated to fund local organizations in and around the Chicago community that provide counseling and training for, and support and assistance to, survivors of sexual and other forms of abuse.

The NHL’s substantial fine comes after a review of an independent investigative report conducted and prepared by the law firm of Jenner & Block, LLP. The league said in a statement it “has reviewed the report and is satisfied as to its methodology and thoroughness.”

The investigation was conducted independent of interference or other influence from the Blackhawks, the NHL or any other third party. Said the NHL statement, “The scope of the investigation was broad and comprehensive, involving the interviews of 139 witnesses and the review of all relevant documents and records that remained available for inspection. We are comfortable that the Report provides an accurate account (or at least as accurate as possible) of the events that transpired 11 years ago.’

The report is primarily focused on the club’s response (or lack of response) to an incident brought to senior management’s attention in the Spring of 2010, when the Blackhawks were competing in the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs, which involved then-current video coach Brad Aldrich. According to the Report, based on available evidence and recollections of those involved, Aldrich was involved in a sexual encounter with another individual in the organization (a player), which some described as a sexual assault and others described as consensual. Unfortunately, as a result of the club’s inadequate and delayed follow-up upon learning of these events, as well as the sheer passage of time, it is now difficult, if not impossible, to determine the specifics of the incident with any adequate degree of certainty. Nevertheless, and regardless of the precise nature of the incident itself, it is recognized and must be acknowledged that the respective employment roles of the two involved individuals (coach and player) rendered the encounter — even if it was consensual — problematic and inappropriate.

The report describes in detail a meeting that was convened among members of the team’s senior management on May 23, 2010, following the clinching game of the 2010 Western Conference Championship Series. The meeting involved (at various times) six individuals from then-senior management, including then-President John McDonough, then-Senior Vice President Jay Blunk, General Manager Stan Bowman, then-Senior Director of Hockey Administration Al MacIsaac, then-Assistant General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, and then-head coach Joel Quenneville. (Jim Gary, at the time a mental skills coach for the Blackhawks, was also present for the beginning of the meeting, but departed upon making his report.)

According to the report, after discussion of the alleged incident and how the club should be dealing with it — including the potential options of initiating an investigation, notifying appropriate members of the team’s Human Resources department, ensuring the immediate separation of Aldrich from the club’s players, among other things — ultimately the determination was made and direction given that Hockey Operations personnel should devote their exclusive attention to on-ice matters heading into the Stanley Cup Final, and that other appropriate club personnel within the organization would take responsibility for “handling” the Aldrich situation in a prompt and appropriate manner — which, as subsequent events make clear, did not happen.

Specifically, the report concluded, “after being informed of Aldrich’s alleged sexual harassment and misconduct with a player, no action was taken for three weeks…While there was a lack of recollection as to whether anyone else present in the meeting besides [the club’s president] needed to or would take any additional steps, nothing was done by the other senior leaders to address the situation.” The failure to promptly and thoroughly investigate the matter not only violated the Blackhawks’ own sexual harassment policy in effect at the time, the decision to take no action from May 23 to June 14, [2010] had real consequences, including allegations involving an additional unwanted sexual advance by Aldrich to a Blackhawks’ intern before he was ultimately separated from the club.

“We acknowledge that the Blackhawks have taken responsibility and ownership for what transpired, and have already implemented new preventative measures, as well as committed to additional changes that may be deemed appropriate as part of its responsive plan of action to the investigation and Report,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in the statement. “Such steps have included, but were not limited to: (i) retaining independent counsel to conduct a thorough investigation into the facts surrounding the 2010 allegations and the sufficiency of the club’s response thereto; (ii) reviewing the club’s internal policies, procedures and practices, including its internal operating structure and management personnel, to ensure a best-in-class approach going forward; and (iii) implementing various changes and upgrades to its internal procedures and personnel, including by adding enhanced subject matter expertise, creating more stringent reporting obligations, developing new and modernized employee handbooks, and implementing more comprehensive training and education programs.

“Having said that, this fine represents a direct and necessary response to the failure of the club to follow-up and address the 2010 incident in a timely and appropriate manner,” Bettman continued. “And, this response should send a clear message to all NHL clubs and all NHL personnel that inappropriate acts must be addressed in a timely fashion. In that regard, we also reiterate that the League has implemented a confidential and anonymous Hot Line, which is available at any time to all NHL personnel.”

Importantly, the report makes clear that senior management’s handling of the alleged incident included a failure to report the matter to Chicago ownership, both as to what was alleged and how it was being handled. This failure only highlights the flawed and inadequate procedures the Club had in place at the time to deal with an allegation of this type.

“Additionally, we are faced with determining whether the imposition of league discipline is appropriate for the club’s senior leaders at the time who were specifically referenced in the Report. As to four of those individuals (i.e., John McDonough and Jay Blunk and, as of today, Stan Bowman and Al MacIsaac), they are no longer employed by the Chicago Blackhawks and are no longer employed in the league. Should they wish to re-enter the NHL in some capacity in the future, I will require a meeting with me in advance of their accepting any NHL club-related position in order to determine the appropriate conditions under which such new employment might take place,” Bettman said.

“With respect to Messrs. Cheveldayoff and Quenneville, who are currently employed by NHL franchises other than the Blackhawks (the Winnipeg Jets and the Florida Panthers, respectively), I plan to arrange personal meetings in the near future with both individuals to discuss their roles in the relevant events as detailed in the report.

“I will reserve judgment on next steps, if any, with respect to them.”

Costacos Collection Opens with “Say Hey” Willie Mays Digital Artwork

October 22, 2021 by Digital Sports Desk

SEATTLE – Say Hey, it’s Willie Mays and John Costacos with the very first offering in the new Costacos Collection of Digital Art. The recently introduced collection will feature one of the most respected legends in professional sports, Baseball Hall of Famer Mays. The 90th Birthday Celebration drop will take place Sunday, October 24, as an ode to Willie’s iconic number and two days before the start of the 117th World Series. For the fifth year, the MVP of the Fall Classic will be recognized as the “Willie Mays World Series Most Valuable Player.”

Willie will be donating all proceeds from the drop to his Say Hey Foundation’s effort to honor the people who gave him a start in life, by establishing a baseball academy for underprivileged youth where he grew up in Alabama, and to restore the historic baseball facilities at Rickwood Field where Willie started his career with the Negro League Birmingham Black Barons. Mays said, “I’ve never forgotten the people who supported me, taught me, and helped me find my way. I want every child to have the same chances that I had, and this gives me a way to do that starting in my original hometown. Rickwood was the first place I ever got to see professional ballplayers, and I want these kids to learn the game and be inspired the way I was.” Rickwood Field itself serves as a central theme of the drop’s art.

The first drop tells the story of Willie’s path to the majors, from Fairfield Industrial High in Birmingham, to the Negro American League, culminating with his move to the New York Giants with whom he would win the Rookie of the Year Award in 1951. The various edition pieces capture the key themes and statistics of those periods, and the 1/1 hero piece adds to the story with a number of never-before-seen personal documents and images from Willie’s journey – most notably, a copy of Willie’s high school diploma, in which he was assigned a career in “cleaning, dyeing, and pressing.” Willie recalls that all Black kids were assigned trade careers, while white kids “on the other side of the barbed-wire fence” were able to choose their paths and professions. Willie’s journey to becoming one of America’s most beloved sports figures and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom was only possible because of baseball and the people of Fairfield and beyond who helped him chart a different path. The NFT art piece includes a voiceover in which Willie’s powerful story is told by an iconic voice of sports, Bob Costas, who will join Mays in donating to the baseball academy and Rickwood Field restoration project.

“In the mid-1960s, I learned to read a box score by stealing my dad’s paper to see what magic Willie Mays had done the night before,” said Costacos Collection founder John Costacos. “Yet with all the historic moments in his career, Willie, the humblest GOAT you’ll ever meet, asked us to focus not on his 24 All Star Games, 2 MVP awards, World Series victory in ‘54, his 12 Gold Gloves or 660 home runs – rather, he saw this as a unique opportunity to pay tribute to his roots and earliest days growing up in Fairfield, Alabama. We’re honored to partner with the great Willie Mays and to give fans an opportunity to connect with the legend through one-of-a-kind digital art in support of the Say Hey Foundation.”

Sports Biz: Costacos Goes Digital

October 21, 2021 by Terry Lyons

SEATTLE – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Award-winning artist John Costacos, who established a genre of sports art with his famed sports personality poster creations, along with co-founder and CEO Justin Moorad and Digital Art Director Mike Campau, unveiled a new blockchain-based digital collectibles company, the Costacos Collection.

The Costacos Collection is partnering with an initial lineup of legendary NFL, MLB, and NBA players and their charitable foundations, including Warren Moon, Troy Aikman, Jim McMahon, Roger Clemens, Will Clark, and others to be announced in the coming weeks. The Costacos Collection – the predecessor of which sold over 30,000,000 posters from 1986-96 – utilizes the blockchain medium to help the world’s greatest athletes capture their most significant moments, tell their most meaningful stories, and create new digital experiences to connect with fan communities. In addition to re-imagining John’s revered poster art, the Costacos Collection is creating new digital art as NFTs, with the tokens serving as the ticket to the company’s upcoming Hall of Fame Metaverse.

The Topps Company will also be a partner of the Collection, drawing on content from its vast historical archives and working with Costacos to create new content with Topps’ current-athlete partners.

CostacosCollection.com will serve as the gateway to the company’s listings as well as post-sale experiences, which will include communities and experiences exclusive to NFT owners. The company plans to fill the gap where Big Tech’s social media has failed: enabling fans to connect with and support their heroes directly. Through community engagement features, museum-style social displays, games, raffles and giveaways, trading and staking based on live and AI-generated sporting events, and the bridging of the digital with physical items and events, the company is pursuing a vision not held back by any one particular partnership or association.

“We believe in the long-term power of the technology,” said CEO Justin Moorad. “With a chain-agnostic approach, we’re able to form partnerships across the ecosystem – from the highest-quality art minted securely on Ethereum, to games built on Solana, to opportunities for proprietary fungible tokens, the Costacos Collection is building technology that positions our athletes at the center of the evolving landscape.”

John Costacos’ posters included imagery, slogans, and nicknames that stuck with players for the rest of their careers, including his first poster, Kenny Easley’s “The Enforcer”, the Oakland A’s “Bash Brothers,” Charles Barkley’s “Get Off My Backboard,” Jerry Rice’s “Goldfingers,” Michael Jordan’s “Space, The Final Frontier,” Joe Montana’s “The Golden Great,” Jim McMahon’s “Mad Mac,” Walter Payton’s “Chicago Vice,” Rickey Henderson’s “Man of Steal,” Troy Aikman’s “Strong Arm of the Law,” and many others with athletes such as Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Ken Griffey Jr., Bo Jackson, John Elway, Karl “Mailman Malone, Dominique Wilkins, and Magic Johnson. In addition to working with legacy athletes, Costacos will create new digital artwork with a growing number of today’s future Hall of Famers, Rookies of the Year, and Heisman-level college athletes.

“As an athlete of color and an entrepreneur, and as someone with roots in Seattle personally and professionally, nothing exuded cool more than a Costacos poster,” said Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon. “The Costacos Collection will now be able to recapture that cool in digital art, which is going to be fun for all the veteran athletes from all sports who became part of his ‘must have collection’ as well as for a new generation who will be engaging with this unique artwork for the first time. It’s an honor to be part of this unveiling.”

“My relationship with every athlete came from listening to their creative process and thinking of what we, as fans, would want to see, and that process has never really changed over the years,” Costacos said. “The growth of digital technology gives us an exciting chance not just to offer pieces in digital form, but to take them and retell the story with the athlete’s input now 20 years later with additional custom content.”

“John Costacos and his artwork helped expand the reach of the most legendary athletes of a generation to fans who knew us for being in unique artwork sometimes more than what we did on the field,” said Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez. “Now being able to revisit that artwork as NFTs will open new doors for fans who can collect the pieces yet again. I know for the LatinX audience that craves connecting with its heroes, this will be a fun and unique experience that should open more opportunities for NFTs as well.”

Born and raised in Seattle, Washington, Costacos attended the University of Washington and graduated with a degree in Finance, notably with no formal education in graphic design, photography, printing or art. A lifelong sports fan, John and his brother Tock had a fascination with mixing sports and pop culture in a time when the two areas rarely shared a stage. He created T-shirts of his alma mater’s football team titled “Purple Reign,” a reference to the Washington Huskies’ purple colors and Prince’s song “Purple Rain,” and quickly sold out of his initial run of 20,000 T-shirts. That led to a second project when John dreamed up the slogan “Real Men Wear Black” and put it on a T-shirt for LA Raiders fans. That popular design, with no marketing budget, was a massive commercial success. It sold out in very short order and got the brothers an invite to the Raiders headquarters in El Segundo, California, where they met All-Pro defensive back Lester Hayes, who asked them to create “Lester’s Court,” modeled after a reference to “The Judge” nickname Hayes earned while playing at Texas A&M and an allusion to the very popular “The People’s Court” television show. The images were shot in a courthouse with Tock dressed in San Francisco 49ers colors, presenting footballs marked with game dates of Hayes’ interceptions. The Hayes imagery was wildly popular and the pair started to pursue poster-making in full force, beginning with local Seattle Seahawks star Kenny Easley. The Easley poster led to another poster of Chicago Bears sensation Jim McMahon, and the business skyrocketed from there.

Costacos was out of the art and sports world for almost two decades until 2016, when he was commissioned to relaunch his unique point of view for a poster of then-rising star Russell Wilson, to raise money for Wilson’s “Why Not You” Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to education, children’s health and fighting poverty. The fundraiser for the release of the poster, hosted by ESPN’s Kenny Mayne, netted $435,000, highlighted by the auction of the first two printed posters for $30,000 each. In 2018, Costacos created a poster of New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge for Adidas to announce their endorsement deal with him. It was prominently featured on billboards and bus stops across New York City and became a must-have piece for thousands of fans. The interest in the original Costacos pieces has also never waned, as evidenced by UFC President Dana White purchasing 40 original Costacos works in a New York art gallery for over $100,000 alongside Hall of Famer Alex Rodriguez who spent nearly $40,000 himself on a series of posters the last time the original pieces were on public sale a few years ago. These recent instances, along with the encouragement and persuasion of a growing list of elite athletes and collectors, raised the itch for Costacos to get back in the game. But this time Costacos, ever the pioneer, presents a unique twist to the traditional, combining his rare mix of artistic vision and his penchant for capturing sports figures, into breath-taking, cutting-edge digital form.

Sports Biz: NBA Extends HBCU Support

October 21, 2021 by Digital Sports Desk

NEW YORK – (Staff Report from Official League News Release) – The NBA will extend and expand its ongoing commitment to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with new programs designed to create greater opportunity for students and alumni, encourage economic advancement and further celebrate their rich traditions. As part of this partnership, the NBA will develop new programs and events focused on the HBCU community – specifically around professional development, career advancement and increased support and awareness for HBCU athletics and institutions.

The NBA is committed to supporting the growth of the next generation of leaders from the Black community. HBCUs – which produce 20 percent of the country’s Black college graduates but only account for three percent of all colleges in the United States – have historically been under-resourced, averaging one-eighth the size of endowments of historically white colleges and universities. The NBA’s programming will advance educational, career and economic opportunities in collaboration with HBCU networks, and will focus on three areas:

New Fellowship Program for Career Development:

Starting in 2022, the NBA and its teams will offer a new paid fellowship program for undergraduate and graduate students. The program, which will be led by the NBA Foundation, will offer HBCU students the opportunity to gain real-life insights and professional experience around the business and operations of basketball. The students will work in positions at the league office and NBA and WNBA teams, and be matched with a league or team employee mentor as part of their experience. Applications for the program will open on Careers.NBA.com in the coming months.

NBA HBCU Classic:

Building off the success of NBA All-Star 2021, the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) will once again highlight the HBCU community during NBA All-Star 2022 in Cleveland.
The celebrations will be highlighted by a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) matchup between Howard University and Morgan State University men’s basketball teams. The game will be played at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland on February 19, 2022 and will be broadcast live.
During NBA All-Star, more than $1 million will be contributed in support to the HBCU community through the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), UNCF (United Negro College Fund) and academic institutions. Additionally, HBCUs will be showcased through unique content, storytelling and special performances.

Additional Programs:

The NBA, G League and Basketball Africa League will leverage their pre-Draft combines and showcase events for HBCU players, coaches and athletic trainers. These engagements will increase exposure and opportunities to pursue professional basketball careers.
The league will expand the NBA’s targeted referee development strategy to leverage existing programs and focus on identification, training and educational opportunities for HBCU students and alumni in the officiating pipeline.
The NBA 2K League will host events with HBCU networks to introduce students to careers in gaming and esports, creating pathways for students to pursue careers in the growing industry.
HBCU alumni and Black entrepreneurs will partner with the league as part of the NBA’s commitment to onboarding more minority-owned businesses as league licensees.
The NBA will air special alternate game telecasts this season featuring interactive enhancements on League Pass and will work with HBCU schools to provide special experiences around those select games.

These new efforts will bolster the league’s support of HBCUs and their students through additional scholarship programs, business case competitions, mentorship, networking and internship opportunities with partners, teams, the NBA Foundation and other members of the NBA family. Former NBA Commissioner, the late David Stern, served as a founding member of the TMCF Board of Directors for more than 30 years.