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BIG EAST Goes All-Access

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NEW YORK – (Staff report from Official BIG EAST news announcement) – Xavier and St. John’s will play at Carnesecca Arena on Wednesday in an important, start of the conference regular season BIG EAST game, but the contest also will be broadcast as the BIG EAST’s All-Access Game on FOX Sports.

The All-Access Game will be telecast Wednesday on FS1 at 9 pm (ET). Xavier coach Sean Miller and St. John’s coach Mike Anderson will wear live microphones, giving viewers the chance to hear directly from the sidelines and locker rooms from tipoff through the final whistle with virtually no interruption. Miller is in the first season of his second stint as Xavier’s head coach. Anderson is in his fourth season at the Johnnies’ headmaster.

Xavier moved into the Top 25 national polls this week. The Musketeers are tied for No. 22 in the Associated Press poll and No. 25 in the USA Today poll. They own a 10-3 overall record and a 2-0 BIG EAST mark. St. John’s is 11-2 overall and 1-1 in conference play.

Commercial-free presentations allow FOX Sports cameras and microphones to capture behind-the-scenes conversations not typically available to a television audience, including instant access to team huddles and locker rooms.

Play-by-play announcer Kevin Kugler and analyst Jim Spanarkel will be on site to help navigate all of the live audio for the viewer.

Congressional Report on Snyder

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WASH DC – Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder suppressed evidence that he and team executives sexually harassed women who worked at the team for over two decades, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform said Thursday in its final report after a nearly 14-month investigation.

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In a 79-page report released Thursday, the Committee detailed the decades-long toxic workplace culture of the Washington franchise, the NFL’s response to the conduct and the league’s burial of a 2020-21 probe of the Commanders’ workplace led by attorney Beth Wilkinson.

The Committee’s report also notes the NFL was complicit in Snyder’s efforts against cooperating with the inquiry and was aware of the interference with the Wilkinson Investigation but failed to take action. It said the league’s mishandling of the investigation reflected “a broader pattern of failing to take workplace misconduct seriously.”

The report also detailed that Snyder “permitted and participated” in the franchise’s toxic work culture and went to great lengths to obstruct the Committee’s inquiry.

“Mr. Snyder was invited to testify at a public hearing but refused to appear and then sought to avoid service of a subpoena while abroad with his yacht,” per the report. “Mr. Snyder ultimately sat for a private deposition but failed to provide full and complete testimony. Over the course of the deposition, he claimed more than 100 times that he could not recall the answers to the Committee’s questions, including basic inquiries about his role as Team owner and multiple allegations of misconduct. Mr. Snyder also gave misleading testimony about his efforts to interfere with the Wilkinson Investigation.”

The report also chastised the NFL for failing to prevent Snyder from interfering with its investigation and for failing to address his conduct.

“The NFL chose to bury Ms. Wilkinson’s findings and whitewash the misconduct it uncovered,” the committee’s report said. “Rather than seek real accountability, the NFL aligned its legal interests with Mr. Snyder’s, failed to curtail his abusive tactics, and buried the investigation’s findings.”

An NFL spokesman told ESPN that the league had not seen the report and would not comment.

–Field Level Media

District Sues Commanders, Snyder

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WASHINGTON DC – The attorney general for the District of Columbia, Karl Racine, filed a lawsuit against the Washington Commanders, team owner Daniel Snyder and the NFL for “colluding to deceive District residents.” The lawsuit comes amid a federal criminal probe launched earlier this month into alleged financial improprieties by Snyder and the team.

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Racine’s lawsuit contends the Commanders, in lock step with the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell, misled fans about steps they were taking to rectify the “toxic workplace culture” within the organization in order to keep them coming to games.

“Faced with public outrage over detailed and widespread allegations of sexual misconduct and a persistently hostile work environment at the Team, Defendants made a series of public statements to convince District consumers that this dysfunctional and misogynistic conduct was limited and that they were fully cooperating with an independent investigation,” the suit reads.

“These statements were false and calculated to mislead consumers so they would continue to support the Team financially without thinking that they were supporting such misconduct.”

Racine alleges that the hiring of attorney Beth Wilkinson to conduct an independent investigation into those workplace allegations was all part of the deception – contending the Commanders didn’t cooperate with the probe they paid to have done.

“Snyder and the Team launched a campaign to interfere with and obstruct the investigation,” the lawsuit states. “Snyder and the Team attempted to prevent witnesses from talking to Wilkinson through payoffs and intimidation and engaged in aggressive, abusive litigation to dig up information on victims and the journalists who reported on Defendants’ misconduct.

“The NFL was fully aware of this intimidation campaign. The course of Defendants’ conduct suggests the NFL was never serious about overseeing a thorough and complete investigation into Snyder and the Team’s misconduct,” the suit goes on.

Snyder’s wife, Tanya, has been in charge of day-to-day operations since July 2021 when the NFL fined the team $10 million for fostering a toxic workplace culture.

A separate federal criminal probe centers on alleged financial improprieties. Investigators from the U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of Virginia are looking into the team’s finances, The Washington Post reported.

The discovery of potential financial misconduct came amid the investigation into reported sexual harassment within Washington’s workplace. The House Committee on Oversight and Reform began to look at the financials after combing through 80,000 pages of documents and witness interviews regarding sexual harassment, The Post reported on March 31.

The Snyders hired Bank of America Securities to help with a potential sale of the team earlier this month.

–Field Level Media

Villanova Excels for BIG EAST

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NEW YORK/PHILADELPHIA – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Villanova University was named winner of the BIG EAST Presidents’ Award for the 2021-22 academic year. The conference honor, which was established by the league’s Presidents in 2015, is awarded to the BIG EAST institution that has excelled at the highest levels in academics, athletics and citizenship during the preceding academic year.

A selection committee of athletic and academic administrators from each BIG EAST institution selected Villanova for the award. Each institution provides the selection committee with comprehensive information that highlights its accomplishments in all three areas.

“Academic and athletic success along with active involvement in local communities are trademarks of BIG EAST institutions, and we congratulate Villanova’s student-athletes for their exceptional performance in all of these areas during the 2021-22 school year,” said BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman. “We commend Father Peter Donohue, Mark Jackson, and Villanova’s outstanding coaches and administrators for their leadership and commitment to develop all sides of Wildcat athletes and to equip these extraordinary young people for success in the adult world.”

“On behalf of the entire Villanova community, congratulations to our student-athletes, coaches, staff and administrators on being recognized once again with the BIG EAST Presidents’ Award,” said University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD. “You continue to be remarkable ambassadors for Villanova by exemplifying our University values in all you do academically, athletically and in the community. Congratulations on this deserving honor.”

“We are incredibly humbled to once again be presented with the Presidents’ Award from the BIG EAST Conference, one of the nation’s premier conferences,” said Vice President and Director of Athletics Mark Jackson. “This honor is shared by our entire campus community, from the unwavering support of President Father Peter Donohue, who steadfastly champions our success to the tireless work of the Villanova Athletics coaches, athletic administration and support staff. However, first and foremost, this award was made possible by our student-athletes, who consistently excel in athletic competition and in the classroom, while also remaining committed to serving the community.”

The following are the highlights of Villanova’s excellence in academics, athletics and citizenship.

Academics – The 2021-22 academic year marked the 18th consecutive year in which the Wildcats’ student-athletes posted a combined grade point average of 3.0 or higher. The overall student-athlete GPA for BIG EAST teams was 3.44 in the 2021 fall semester 3.47 in the 2022 spring. The Wildcats’ graduation success rate was 98 percent.

In all, 228 BIG EAST student-athletes made the Villanova Dean’s List (semester GPA 3.5 or above) in the fall semester and 227 in the spring.

The Villanova Athletic Director’s Honor Roll, which recognizes student-athletes with a 3.2 GPA or above, had 300 student-athletes in the fall and 308 in the spring.

Individually, the 2021-22 senior student-athlete awards presented to the top male and female student-athletes were Matt Campbell in men’s lacrosse and Maddy Siegrist in women’s basketball.

Collin Gillespie was named BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete of the Year in men’s basketball. A total of 45 student-athletes in BIG EAST sports graduated with honors.

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Other individual BIG EAST academic award recipients by sport in 2021-22 included: Maddy Siegrist in women’s basketball, Matt Campbell in men’s lacrosse and McKenna Keegan in women’s cross country/track and field.

Millicent Routledge of women’s swimming and diving won the BIG EAST’s Michael Tranghese Leadership Award.

Softball standout Paige Rauch earned Academic All-America honors from the College Sports Information Directors of America. She is a repeat winner of the accolade.

Team Athletic Accomplishments – In the final year of coach Jay Wright’s tenure, the men’s basketball team made their third NCAA Final Four appearance in the last six seasons while posting a 30-8 record. The Wildcats were also BIG EAST Tournament champions.

The women’s swimming team won its ninth consecutive BIG EAST Championship behind Kelly Montesi, who was named Most Outstanding Swimmer for the third time in her career. Coach Rick Simpson and his staff were chosen BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year for the ninth season in a row.

The men’s soccer team earned an NCAA Championship invitation for only the second time in program history and reached the second round.

Women’s basketball coach Denise Dillon was tabbed BIG EAST Coach of the Year as she led the Wildcats to a 24-9 record. The Wildcats were the runner-up in the BIG EAST Tournament and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Championship.

The softball team captured its second straight BIG EAST Championship crown and made the program’s second trip to the NCAA Championship.

The women’s cross country team picked up its sixth BIG EAST title in the last seven years. The men’s and women’s teams featured seven runners who earned all-America honors. The women’s outdoor track & field team posted a top-20 finish at the NCAAs.

In all, 136 Villanova competitors were recognized with All-BIG EAST honors.

Citizenship –- During the 2021-22 academic year, Villanova’s community outreach efforts were a blend of in-person activities along with some performed virtually as the region adjusted to the changing COVID-19 landscape.

Villanova’s Signature Day of Service brought together 4,000 students, including student-athletes, coaches and staff on September 16 in the 16th year of the event. Among the notable contributions by student-athletes were: the women’s tennis team helped make memories with the residents of Divine Providence Village for persons with intellectual disabilities.

Villanova bolstered its educational programs in the areas of diversity and gender equity with a focus on student-athlete belonging and building community. UNITAS sponsored or co-sponsored events with the purpose of Creating a Culture of Belonging, Building Partnerships and Awareness and Education.

Villanova student-athletes participated in 2021 Fall Inclusion Week and co-sponsored DE&I programming with Villanova’s Campus Ministry, the Office of Disability Services and the University Counseling Center. It helped celebrate Black History Month in February and Women’s History Month in March.

The men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams were gardeners at the Skunk Hallow Community Gardens while men’s and women’s basketball led the charge in packing hundreds of items for the Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia.

The Special Olympics Pennsylvania Fall Festival is a signature event on the Villanova calendar. After over a year and a half pause for in-person activities for COVID, Villanova students, staff and administrators hosted the Special Olympics athletes for competition on campus.

In December, Villanova organized its annual Toy Drive and Adopt-a-Child program. Spearheaded by its SAAC, student-athletes sponsored holiday gifts for 30 children through the North Light Community Center. Toys also were collected at a women’s basketball home game and donated to North Light and other area organizations.

Although COVID-19 impacted some aspects of the annual Martin Luther King Day celebration, Villanova Athletics UNITAS leadership hosted a Winter Apparel and Toiletries Drive at a men’s basketball game. Those items were packaged on MLK Day by the women’s lacrosse team, UNITAS leadership and the MLK Day of Service Committee for a YMCA in Philadelphia that services the homeless population.

In June, Villanova took part in its second annual celebration of Juneteenth. More than 50 student-athletes, coaches and administrators performed service work at Vaux Big Picture High School in Philadelphia.

Villanova added to its programming with “Every Mind Matters,” a group of student-athletes and staff guided by Sports Psychologist Dr. Rick Neff. The meetings focused on all aspects of mental health awareness and education.

Ready Sports Signs Pitt’s Kenny Pickett

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PITTSBURGH – Ready, one of the fastest growing sports nutrition brands in America co-owned by the NFL’s All Pro Aaron Donald and NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, signed NFL first round draft pick and Pittsburgh Steeler rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett as the latest “Ready athlete.”

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Pickett was already quite familiar with Ready having used its products while at Pitt, so the partnership was a logical extension. “Kenny already knew the fueling and recovery benefits of our products from his own experience. We really focus on our mentality and mission; and it became obvious he was a great fit to be a member of the Ready team,” said company founder and CEO Pat Cavanaugh.

Pickett will only promote products he uses during training, its Sports Drink and a few other select products in his various online and non-digital platforms. He joins NFL world champion Aaron Donald, NBA superstar and global basketball icon Giannis Antetokounmpo, and popular American female tennis player Jessica Pegula as Ready brand champions and ambassadors.

Pickett was the 2022 first-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers after a stellar senior season when he was a Heisman Trophy finalist, first team All-American, and voted ACC Football Player and co-Athlete of the Year while leading Pitt to an ACC Championship.

“Kenny is a great example of continuing to work hard and remembering it’s not where you start it’s where you finish, which is a pillar of the Ready mentality that defines our brand,” said Cavanaugh. “Throughout his career and breakout senior season, he continued to get better and better achieving one goal after the next. He’s just getting started.”

Horrow’s Updated Sports Biz Handbook

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NEW YORK – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – When Rick Horrow, popularly known in sports business industry circles as “The Sports Professor,” first released The Sports Business Handbook at a joint Harvard Law/Harvard Business conference two years ago, it was heralded as the most unique collection of commentary and advice from industry leaders in the $1.3 trillion business of sports.

Digital Sports Desk was there for the book launch at HBS.

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Then came COVID-19, changing not only the sports world but the world at large.

This October, the newly revised and expanded edition of Horrow’s book, The Sports Business Handbook: Insights from 100+ Leaders who Shaped 50 Years of the Industry will be on sale and available for order online. It will have more insights skimmed from many of the sports industry’s brightest minds and influential executives.  It will include guidance for the sports business in a post-pandemic world.

Horrow will co-host a special book launch event – “Sports Business @ 50 Lessons & Leadership from Legends of the Game” – in New York City on Thursday, September 22nd, with former Major League Baseball president and book contributor Bob DuPuy at the offices of Foley & Lardner LLP (90 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016) from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Featured speakers at the book launch include Horrow and DuPuy, as well as National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman, and Zack Leonsis, top executive at Monumental Sports (RSN), the Washington Wizards (NBA) and Washington Capitals (NHL).

“Within three months of our first edition’s publication, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, and sports, as we knew it, shut its doors,” said Horrow. “That gave us the opportunity to solicit additional contributions, advice, and guidance from 16 other sports business leaders who provided unique post-pandemic insight to complement and reinforce the original 28 chapters.”

The revised and expanded second edition, published by Human Kinetics, features an introduction from Hall of Fame Duke Basketball Coach Mike Krzyzewski, and is organized into five parts, revealing the personal insights of prominent sport business leaders and recognized subject matter experts in the field.

Part I identifies skills needed to be successful in the sports industry with contributions from Boston Red Sox exec Larry Lucchino, ESPN personality Jay Bilas, NBA Hall of Famer Shane Battier, and race car driver Lyn St. James.

Part II focuses on selling and branding, with commentary from Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts, golf legend Jack Nicklaus, and Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber, while Part III discusses tech, media, and activation with NBC Sports exec Mark Lazarus, Washington Capitals/Wizards team owners Ted Leonsis and his talented son, Zack, Sports Innovation Lab founder Angela Ruggiero, and Reebok President Matt O’Toole.

Part IV of the book covers sponsorships and deal making with IMG founder Bob Kain, Anheuser-Busch CMO Tony Ponturo, Basketball Hall of Fame Chairman and former USA Basketball chair Jerry Colangelo, and Dallas Cowboys COO Stephen Jones, while Part V explores the qualities and attributes desired in a leader with commentary from former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, Women’s basketball coaching legend Debbie Yow, Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer.

The new essays featured in The Sports Business Handbook’s second edition are themed around the core business principles learned from the post-Covid business comeback: creativity born out of necessity; best practices born out of “natural selection;” and “cooperation born out of urgency.” Contributors to this special section include DuPuy, NASCAR Chief Executive Lesa France Kennedy, Opendorse founder Blake Lawrence, and other industry leaders focused on eSports, new media, NIL, and other critical business concepts.

In addition, the revised edition now includes a “Breakthrough Moments” list of the 50 most significant sport-related moments that changed the industry over the past 50 years.

As CEO of Horrow Sports Ventures, Horrow has been the architect of more than 100 deals worth more than $20 billion in sports, performing arts, and other urban infrastructure projects. Horrow pioneered the public/private partnership and infrastructure branding concepts that, to date, has enticed more than $4 billion in corporate funding to cities and development projects. Besides developing stadia and arenas, Horrow’s ability to put together multiple urban initiatives into one package for voter approval has resulted in the building of new performing arts and convention centers, schools, libraries, transit projects, and tourist destinations.

NBA, Players Team-Up with Sorare

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NEW YORK – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The National Basketball Association and its Players Association (NBPA) together with Sorare struck a multiyear partnership that makes Sorare the Official NFT Fantasy Partner of the NBA. Sorare will launch the first officially licensed, free-to-play digital collectible-based fantasy basketball game, which will be released this fall for the NBA’s 2022-23 season.

The game will provide fans a new opportunity to interact with the league and compete through a unique fantasy gaming experience that offers users the ability to create a lineup of NFT-based digital collectibles representing their favorite players and teams to earn points based on the real-life performance of NBA players. As part of the partnership, Sorare will have the rights to utilize official NBA league and team logos across its products.

“Our partnership with Sorare will give NBA fans an entirely new way to engage with our teams and players,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “With Sorare’s emerging NFT fantasy platform, we see significant opportunities to broaden our community of fans and grow NBA basketball around the world.”

“Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world and we are excited to bring fans even closer to their favorite teams and players through Sorare: NBA,” said Nicholas Julia, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Sorare. “The NBA has been at the forefront of digital experiences and collectibles and our game gives basketball fans the ultimate sports entertainment experience, where they can play like a general manager, own their game, and foster real-world connections.”

“Sorare has built an innovative gaming experience that creates a whole new way for fans worldwide to interact with and learn more about our players,” said Tamika Tremaglio, NBPA Executive Director. “We are very excited about this partnership and the effect Sorare will have on the growth of the players and the game globally.”

The new gameplay experience builds upon Sorare’s two million registered users across 185 countries, including markets across Europe and Asia where the company is seeing rapid growth in its soccer game. The partnership marks Sorare’s third with a U.S. sports league, cementing the company’s expansion in America.

LIV Golf: Trying to Aid Communities

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BOLTON – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – LIV Golf – forever to be compared and competing with the PGA Tour – is reaching out to support Massachusetts communities through donations to nine charitable organizations within the Boston, Bolton, Lancaster and surrounding areas as part of the LIV Golf Invitational this weekend in the suburbs of Boston. The donations are aligned with the LIV to Give platform and its commitment to making a positive impact through support of education and career development, environmental sustainability, and golf programs that create positive change and enhance the well-being of communities now and in the future.

“LIV Golf is committed to giving back and investing in organizations that build stronger communities,” said Greg Norman, CEO and Commissioner of LIV Golf. “We are privileged to host such an exciting event in Massachusetts and are proud to support so many deserving charities that deliver much-needed services throughout this region.”

Among the beneficiaries is the Bolton Conservation Trust, which helps maintain the rural nature of the town by engaging the community through events, environmental education programs and land stewardship. The Trust also bridges communications among landowners, public officials, and financing interests.

“This generous donation will have a direct impact on our continuing efforts to protect open space. Our team will expand the environmental component of our Tom Denney Nature Camp by revamping the curriculum, upgrading the facilities, and offering more scholarships for those families in need,” said Dan Gaffney, Bolton Conservation Trust President. “We will re-start our Four Winds environmental enrichment program, which was taught in the K-5 elementary classrooms and brings a very hands-on environmental experience back to hundreds of young students.”

Coaching4Change (C4C) provides a near-peer mentoring model that recruits, trains and places local, diverse, and talented college students to support school improvement initiatives aimed at increasing student engagement and social-emotional learning in underprivileged schools.

The Boston Invitational LIV to Give recipients include:

  • Bolton Conservation Trust to fund trail maintenance, environmental and educational programs, and support land stewardship in the town of Bolton.
  • Coaching4Change to provide low-income students critical mentorship services, empowering youth with life skills that unlock success.
  • Glen Doherty Memorial Foundation to fund scholarships to special operations vets as they transition out of service and into employment opportunities.
  • Boys and Girls Club of Assabet Valley to fund after-school and summer programs, STEM education materials and supplies, and partnership with the local museum to provide enhanced instruction.
  • Bridge Over Troubled Waters to widen the pathways to self-sufficiency for homeless youth through education, employment, mental health care and life skills development.
  • Friends of Bolton Seniors to provide Bolton senior citizens with fuel, nutrition and financial assistance.
  • WHEAT – United Way of Tri-County to fund food security programs.
  • The Joseph and Leslie Carr Foundation to feed area families this upcoming holiday season, fill canned food at food banks, and fund a local diaper bank.
  • Nashoba Neighbors to fund services that empower seniors to age in place/at home.In addition to financial support, as part of LIV to Give’s commitment to developing the next generation of leaders through golf, LIV Golf hosted two special clinics this week. On Tuesday, Richard Bland, Turk Pettit, Cameron Tringale and LIV Golf reporter Troy Mullins led dozens of local youth from Bolton Youth Baseball and Softball in golf drills and spoke about the positive impact of sports, competition and teamwork. On Wednesday, Norman, Bryson DeChambeau, Martin Kaymer, Shergo Kurdi and David Feherty welcomed local military veterans to The International. The group, which included Feherty’s Troops First Foundation and Clear Path for Veterans New England shared inspiring stories, expert instruction and a special day together at the course.LIV Golf is owned and operated by LIV Golf Investments whose vision and mission are centered around making holistic and sustainable investments to enhance the global golf ecosystem and unlock the sport’s untapped worldwide potential. LIV Golf Investments is a newly formed company, with group companies in the USA and United Kingdom.

Frood Named NLL Commissioner

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PHILADELPHIA – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The National Lacrosse League named Brett Frood as Commissioner. Frood joined the NLL from Stewart-Haas Racing, where he has served as President of the NASCAR team since its inception in 2008, leading all business initiatives for the championship-winning organization co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart and industrialist Gene Haas.

Brett Frood (NLL)

Frood, who will begin his new role on September 1, will become the fifth Commissioner for the NLL since its relaunch in 1997. CAA Executive Search assisted the NLL Board of Governors in the search process.

“Brett Frood has known success at every turn of his career, from playing lacrosse at a championship level at Brown to building out one of the most successful properties in sports at Stewart-Haas Racing,” said Matt Hutchings, COO and EVP at Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, owner of the NLL Champion Colorado Mammoth, speaking as Chairman of the NLL Board of Governors. “That combination is both unique and perfect to lead the National Lacrosse League in the accelerated growth period that we are currently in and will now continue and expand under his leadership.”

“I am humbled and energized to be able to work alongside a group of motivated and sophisticated owners and organizations to continue to cultivate the best product in professional sports,” Frood said. “The NLL provides such a unique opportunity to marry my professional and personal passions and grow enterprise value amongst all its constituents.”

“We conducted a thorough search process and spent time with an extremely deep pool of candidates from multiple areas of our industry,” said Erik Baker, Board member of New York Riptide owner GF Sports and Entertainment, and Jamie Dawick, owner of the Toronto Rock, co-chairs of the search committee of the NLL Board of Governors. “Brett is everything we were looking for. He brings an amazing track record of business success, a passion and deep understanding of lacrosse and a clear vision of where we want to go as a league. He will be the perfect leader for the NLL and a welcome difference maker in taking the sport of lacrosse to the next level.”

A native of Elbridge, N.Y., Frood played lacrosse at his undergraduate alma mater, Brown University, where he was a multi-year starter, team captain, Final Four member, and two-time Ivy League Champion at Attack/Midfield for the Bears. He also led the team in scoring his senior season.

Frood joined Stewart, the championship-winning INDYCAR and NASCAR driver, 18 years ago after graduating from Harvard Business School to manage and expand all of Stewart’s business interests, including, but not limited to, Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, Tony Stewart Racing, The Tony Stewart Foundation, the introduction of Tony Stewart’s Original food line, the All-Star Circuit of Champions, and the 2021 launch of Superstar Racing Experience, a primetime racing series airing on CBS.

As President of Stewart-Haas Racing, Frood managed all aspects of the racing and commercial operations of the $100M+ enterprise that won two NASCAR Cup Series championships (2011 and 2014) and a NASCAR Xfinity Series title (2018) while totaling more than 90 victories. During his tenure at Stewart-Haas Racing, Frood led an organization with 350 employees and negotiated over $600 million in corporate partnerships. He also represented Stewart-Haas Racing on the Race Team Alliance, an organization consisting of all NASCAR Cup Series teams with the goal of promoting, marketing and expanding commercial opportunities of the teams and drivers as well as working with NASCAR in the collective growth of the industry.

Men in Blazers Expands its Reach

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NEW YORK – (Staff report from Official News Release) – “Men In Blazers,” the popular futbal podcast and television broadcast, will expand its portfolio with two new podcasts, “MiB The Women’s Game Podcast” and “MiB European Nights” – both new podcasts will be sponsored by Paramount+. The property also began a new affiliation with For Soccer Ventures, soon to represent MiB in its business development with a goal to create new marketing opportunities. For Soccer Venture and MiB will begin new content collaborations across their platforms, including new podcasting efforts, digital video shorts, Twitch Watch Alongs, live events and e-newsletters.

“The UEFA Champions League is the most iconic and elite continental-wide soccer competition in the world” said Scott Debson, General Manager MiB, “The growth of the (USA-based) NWSL has been one of the greatest global football stories over the last decade. We’re thrilled to begin these two new podcasts and cover these amazing competitions.”

The “Men in Blazers European Nights” podcast, will be hosted by Roger Bennett and feature Rory Smith, chief soccer correspondent of The New York Times, as a recurring guest, is designed to frame the narrative of the week’s biggest European games for the listener, framing the stakes, the background stories, and possibilities ahead of the games, with warm, intelligent, football-first storytelling designed to empower an American audience to deepen their knowledge and appreciation for the history and backstory of each team and game. This podcast will set-up the current stakes, but also delve into the historical and cultural significance behind each game.

The new property will debut in the Spring of 2022, the Men in Blazers Women’s Soccer Podcast will build on longstanding relationships within the women’s professional game and will provide a positive, joyful, insightful, life-affirming analysis of the NWSL – analyzing the weekend’s past games and setting the stakes for the games to come. Men in Blazers have always showcased the individual stars of the women’s game and in the past, have used their patented interview skills to showcase the singular, elite narratives of the game and have developed deep, meaningful relationships and credibility within the women’s game.

In addition to the new podcasts, MiB also announced a strategic partnership with For Soccer Ventures who will help expand MiB’s commercial footprint and reach within grassroots communities across the country through FSV’s experience and properties – Alianza de Futbol – the largest Hispanic soccer program (boys and girls) in America, The Black Star Initiative, Footycon and The Association.

“Men in Blazers have been integral at growing soccer in America through pop culture over the last decade and we are absolutely thrilled to be working with their world-class team,” said FSV CBO Marc Horine, “They are the perfect fit to our growing list of soccer properties across all demographics, and with the FIFA World Cup on the horizon, we look forward to opening up new audiences, brands and soccer communities.”