Latest news with #Unrivaled
CNBC
2 days ago
- Business
- CNBC
CNBC Sport: TNT Sports soon to be free from HBO Max's shackles
A version of this article first appeared in the CNBC Sport newsletter with Alex Sherman, which brings you the biggest news and exclusive interviews from the worlds of sports business and media. Sign up to receive future editions, straight to your inbox. When Warner Bros. Discovery Chief Executive Officer David Zaslav said last month that sports haven't "been a real driver for us," TNT Sports Chairman and CEO Luis Silberwasser wasn't surprised, he told me this week. Zaslav made the comments as Warner Bros. Discovery announced it would split into two companies . TNT Sports will be part of a new entity temporarily called "Global Networks" (along with most of the rest of WBD's cable network assets). HBO and Max (Sorry! That's HBO Max, again ) will stick with Warner Bros. studio to become the presently named "WBD Streaming & Studios." Sports' future on HBO Max is an open question. Until the split occurs, TNT Sports' entire portfolio, which includes the NCAA men's basketball tournament, College Football Playoff games, Major League Baseball, NASCAR, National Hockey League games, the French Open, and the new women's three-on-three league Unrivaled, will remain exclusively on the Warner Bros. Discovery flagship streaming service. As soon as the split occurs, that relationship will end. Considering Zaslav said last month that sports "have been less critical" for the streaming service in the U.S., it's hard to imagine HBO Max will continue to be the primary home for the company's sports portfolio. That's good news for TNT Sports, argued Silberwasser. "We can control our own destiny," Silberwasser said. "Sports becomes a core pillar of this new company. I like the hand we have and the opportunities this presents us to continue to grow." It hasn't been ideal for TNT Sports to be part of a company whose CEO doesn't see sports as an essential part of its U.S. streaming business. The company's strategy has been to simulcast sports on HBO Max and its linear cable networks (mainly the Turner networks TNT, TBS and TruTV). Since the games haven't been exclusive to Max, the subscriber additions from them have been muted, said Silberwasser. Plus, Zaslav has consistently said he'd rather own than rent media. Sports rights are very much a rental business, with renewals every few years. This pushed Warner Bros. Discovery away from NBA TV rights, ending a nearly 40-year relationship between the league and Turner Sports. It's now an awkward period for Silberwasser to build out his sports portfolio, given he doesn't know where exactly the games he controls will stream. Silberwasser wouldn't rule out starting a brand new direct-to-consumer service with the entire TNT Sports portfolio, saying it was too early to eliminate future ideas. Still, he said expanding beyond HBO Max would allow the sports unit to grow its reach – which would likely entail striking deals with other streaming platforms, such as Disney+, Peacock, Paramount+ or Amazon — that rely on sports for subscribers. That could also be beneficial for expanding the audience of House of Highlights and Bleacher Report, two sports-related digital assets that will move with TNT Sports to the global networks group. "We can reimagine our direct-to-consumer strategy," said Silberwasser. "Sports will continue to be on HBO Max, but it doesn't have to be the only place. We can now think about other partnerships, including having our own sports product and partnering with other platforms." The spin does make it more difficult to compete for sports up for renewal now. The only streaming option Silberwasser has to offer is HBO Max. Silberwasser said he's interested in both F1 and UFC as potential exclusive properties for HBO Max. That would be new for the streaming service, which has thus far only operated as a simulcast vehicle for linear sports. Given HBO Max will soon be part of a different company, it may be a tough sell to the leagues themselves. Silberwasser said HBO Max is interested in exclusive sports assets to find out if that will move the needle more than simulcasting games. "We were looking at F1 as part of that, as well as UFC. We'll see if anything materializes," Silberwasser said. Along those lines, Silberwasser told me he was previously interested in the Week 1 NFL game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers that the league ultimately sold to YouTube. That game would have also been exclusive for HBO Max, he said. "It's logical that, if you simulcast the game, you're not going to see the subscriber numbers that you would see if you have an exclusive NFL game," Silberwasser said. Silberwasser told me he doesn't intend to produce more games or shoulder sports programming for other streamers – unless they become future partners with TNT Sports. And he gave a good news update to fans of "Inside the NBA," the studio show featuring Charles Barkley , Kenny Smith , Shaquille O'Neal and Ernie Johnson . SIlberwasser said the quartet has become comfortable with the new arrangement of broadcasting on ABC and ESPN rather than on TNT. He noted more episodes of "Inside the NBA" will appear on ABC, a broadcast network, than ESPN. That's exciting for the crew, as it will increase the audience size. Again – more reach. "It's not that they worry about the viewership because everybody knows them already, but they want to see the impact – what's the impact of now being on ABC for the finals?" Silberwasser also said the foursome initially worried it may lose editorial control, but "those concerns were put to bed very quickly," said Silberwasser. TNT Sports will continue to produce "Inside the NBA." Barkley, Smith, O'Neal and Johnson will all continue to work for Silberwasser and, eventually, new "Global Networks" CEO Gunnar Wiedenfels – not Disney. So, if Barkley wants to go on a two-minute rant about ESPN, rest assured: his boss will still be at TNT Sports. **** Speaking of Turner executives, I also spoke with John Martin this week about his new job as CEO of the Professional Fighters League. Martin is the former chairman and CEO of Turner, so he didn't just run sports – he ran the entire portfolio, including CNN, HLN, TBS, TNT, Turner Classic Movies, truTV, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, and Turner Sports. PFL is MMA's second banana to UFC. No. 2 sports leagues don't have a good track record in the U.S. – the ABA, the USFL, the XFL, etc. But Martin said it's a mistake to view PFL as the XFL to the UFC's NFL. Instead, the better analogy is to think of PFL as Italy's Serie A or Spain's La Liga to UFC's English Premier League. All three European soccer leagues are successful in their own right and boast some of the world's top players. PFL has about 80 of the top 300 professional fighters in the world, Martin said. While UFC has about 66%, most fans can't really tell the difference in quality between PFL and UFC matches, he said. "If you have a product that can be viewed as a substitute, it shouldn't be winner-take-all in an underserved market," said Martin. Martin is encouraged by the existing delta between UFC and PFL because he sees it as evidence of room to grow. According to Martin and PFL founder Donn Davis , UFC makes about $20 million per event and is about to strike a major TV rights deal that could be worth between $800 million and $1 billion per year – a significant increase to the roughly $500 million UFC takes in from ESPN in its current deal. PFL makes about $1 million per event, Davis told me. PFL's own TV rights deal with ESPN and ESPN+ is up in 2026. If PFL is truly substitutable to UFC, there's a lot of money on the table for the league, Martin said. It's not a coincidence Davis tapped a veteran media executive as his league's next CEO. "The timing of me joining couldn't be more perfect," Martin said. "Now is the time to push the gas on monetization." Last year, PFL surpassed $100 million of revenue for the first time, Davis said. While the league is not yet profitable, it aims to get into the black by 2027, he said. On the record With Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes ... He's the face of the NFL – and he also happens to really enjoy coffee. This week, I spoke to the best quarterback in the game – almost indisputably – Kansas City Chiefs superstar Patrick Mahomes . Mahomes talked to me about his love for coffee (he usually drinks three cups a day) and his partnership with Throne Sport Coffee. But we also got into a lot of other stuff, including why he told me he doesn't love the proposed 18-game season. "I'm not a big fan of it, but if there were a way, I think you've got to add some bye weeks in there to get more time for guys' bodies," Mahomes said. I also asked him to weigh in on the Chiefs' big stadium decision. The Hunt family will have to decide soon if it wants to renovate legendary Arrowhead Stadium for $800 million or build a brand new stadium – one that could majorly inflate the valuation of the team – in Kansas City, Kansas. You'll have to watch the full video to find out what Mahomes said. You can do that here . Or listen here and follow the CNBC Sport podcast if you prefer the audio version, which also includes a wrap up of this week's top sports business stories with my colleague, Lillian Rizzo. CNBC Sport highlight reel The best of CNBC Sport from the past week: CNBC's Julia Boorstin and David Faber spoke with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell at the annual Allen & Co. Sun Valley media & tech conference. Goodell told Faber he "doesn't anticipate" ending the NFL's deal with CBS early as a change-of-control option if and when Skydance Media acquires Paramount Global, the parent company of CBS. "We've had a long relationship with CBS for decades," Goodell said. "We also have a relationship outside of that with Skydance, so I don't anticipate that. That's something that we'll see. We have a two-year period to make that decision. I don't see that happening, but, you know, we have the option, and that's something that we'll take a look at." You can see that entire interview here . CNBC Sport franchise valuation expert Mike Ozanian is out with his top 20 most valuable sports ownership groups in the world. Coming in at No. 1 is Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, owned by Stan Kroenke , which includes the NFL's Los Angeles Rams, the NBA's Denver Nuggets, the NHL's Colorado Avalanche, and the Premier League's Arsenal. In total, the portfolio of teams is worth more than $21 billion, finds Ozanian. See the entire list here . The former CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Tim Leiweke was indicted on a federal criminal conspiracy charge related to allegedly rigging a bid to develop, manage and operate the University of Texas ' basketball arena, the Department of Justice said Wednesday. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine, CNBC's Eamon Javers and Dan Mangan reported out the details. The big number: $252,280,004 That's how much former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning made in salary during his NFL career, according to Spotrac. Add on the many millions he's made in endorsements, and you've got yourself a very rich man. And yet, even Manning told me this week buying a minority stake in the Giants was just too steep a cost. "Basically, it's too expensive for me," Manning said to me. "A 1% stake valued at $10 billion turns into a very big number." Quote of the week "We think that could happen now. We could take our seven games and put those teams into a package. The 9:30 [a.m.] window in the East Coast has become very popular with fans as we've played more and more games in Europe. That's the right time zone for us, and that's something that we absolutely will do in some form, whether it's 16 games or whether it's seven, eight, nine or 10." — Congratulations NFL, you're about to make even more money! Goodell told Boorstin during his interview from Sun Valley that the NFL "absolutely" will sell an international package, whether it's the league's seven current international games or up to 16 – a number that Goodell says is aspirational for the league. I asked Mahomes about the growing international expansion and if it's hard on players to do the increased travel. "I think it is fun to play these international games," Mahomes said to me. "I think they just have to plan for it well. I think they've done that over these last few years. I mean, [this season] we play week one on a Friday. And so being able to come back and have that extra travel time, extra days, is definitely important. A lot of times with these international games you see teams having a bye the week after. … You have to think about the people and the players as well." Around the league Amazon Prime Video is adding Steph Curry 's dad, Dell Curry , to its NBA commentary team for next season, Front Office Sports reported . I expect the two of them to share a Gentleman's Cut bourbon on air if Dell covers one of Steph's games. Steph told me earlier this year he'd consider getting into broadcasting himself after he retires – whenever that is. If you're somehow still not convinced big-time sports on TV are still on solid ground, Fox Sports told Variety this week it sold out of MLB All-Star commercial time in June. That's a full month earlier than it typically sells out spots, Fox Sports ad sales EVP Mark Evans told Variety's Brian Steinberg . Fox has been seeking between $750,000 and $800,000 for a 30-second commercial in the All-Star Game, Variety reported. Speaking of the All-Star Game …. CNBC Sport Editorial Director Jess Golden and I are heading down to Atlanta this weekend to bring you a special MLB-themed newsletter for next week. We've got some good stuff in store for you.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
WNBA Upstaged by Rival League During All-Star Draft, Causing PR Nightmare
WNBA Upstaged by Rival League During All-Star Draft, Causing PR Nightmare originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Although Tuesday's WNBA All-Star draft was intended to shed light on the league itself, it ultimately became a free advertisement for a rival league. Advertisement With the face of the WNBA, Caitlin Clark and MVP favorite Napheesa Collier being voted as team captains by the fans, the two stars chose their teams on ESPN's "WNBA Countdown." In a night that should have left fans debating which team was better, or whether Clark or Collier had chosen the wrong person, it instead gave the 3-on-3 "Unrivaled" basketball league and the WNBA's flaws a significant platform. The league, founded in 2023 by New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart and Collier, held its first season this past January. The purpose of it is to prevent players from having to play overseas in the offseason to boost their income. Collier, who is the vice president of the WNBAPA, was wearing an Unrivaled shirt while drafting. She also didn't hesitate to frequently mention the league when selecting players who participated in it, which was eight of her 10 choices, counting Paige Bueckers, who inked a three-year deal in April. Advertisement Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese, who was one of the Unrivaled players taken by Collier, also took to X with a message of her own regarding Unrivaled. "#SoUNRIVALED😉,' wrote Reese. While the league itself is not a bad thing by any means, as players can earn more while playing less, it does accentuate how far behind the WNBA is in terms of taking care of its players. WNBA commissioner Cathy Carchietta-Imagn Images According to the AP's Doug Feinberg, the league offers the "highest average salary for players of any professional women's sports league," with an average salary of $220,000. A mark that isn't too far behind the Indiana Fever star Kelsey Mitchell's contract, the highest-paid player in the WNBA in 2025, according to Spotrac. Advertisement It is also worth noting that the players on the team that won the Unrivaled championship brought home $50,000 each, and the league also had a one-on-one tournament where the winner (Collier) won $200,000, which she donated to staff, according to ESPN. With the WNBA and WNBAPA working on a new CBA deal and players like Reese threatening to sit out if the league's offer is deemed to be unfair, it's safe to say that the WNBA is feeling the pressure. Related: Caitlin Clark Shakes Up All-Star Game Draft: 'Sorry WNBA if That's Not in the Rules' This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Post
5 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
WNBA All-Star draft splits Liberty's Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu — and sees stunning coach swap
We've got you covered on the Liberty beat Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Madeline Kenney about all things Liberty and WNBA. tRY IT NOW Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu will be foes for a day. The Liberty stars were taken off the board early by separate captains during Tuesday's 2025 WNBA All-Star draft on ESPN's pregame show ahead of the Liberty-Aces matchup. All-Star captain Napheesa Collier picked her former UConn teammate and fellow Unrivaled co-founder, Stewart, with the No. 2 pick. Fellow captain Caitlin Clark decided to take Ionescu off the board with the No. 3 pick, saying that she's a 'big fan of Sab.' Clark also initiated a stunning, and unprecedented, trade toward the end of the All-Star draft, as she suggested the two teams swap coaches. Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu, left, and forward Breanna Stewart greet each other after it was announced they would be All-Star starters. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve was supposed to head Clark's team, and Liberty coach Sandy Brondello was at the helm of Collier's. Collier accepted the trade, meaning Brondello will coach Ionescu against Stewart in Indianapolis for the July 19 showcase. Clark did make a push at the end to bring Stewart to her team. 'If you want to send Stewie over, I'll take her,' said Clark, who offered Satou Sabally. Collier thought about it for a minute before telling Clark to 'sweeten the deal.' Clark countered by encouraging Collier to propose a trade that would unite Stewart, Ionescu and Brondello. Sandy Brondello of the New York Liberty during the second half against the Seattle Storm. Getty Images 'To make this spicy.… You have to give me your No. 1 overall pick and your teammate Aliyah Boston,' Collier said. 'Absolutely not,' Clark immediately said. 'I don't even think Phee meant that. I think she just wanted to see me react.' Clark said she was picking her team off 'vibes' and wanted to have fun. Clark's full roster included: Boston and Kelsey Mitchell (Fever), A'ja Wilson and Jackie Young (Aces), Satou Sabally (Mercury), Gabby Williams (Storm), Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen (Mystics), and Kayla Thornton (Valkyries.) Meanwhile, Collier used the national TV time to represent and shout out Unrivaled as much as possible. Collier, who was wearing an Unrivaled shirt, picked several of her Lunar Owls teammates — including Allisha Gray (Dream), Skylar Diggins (Storm) and Courtney Williams (Lynx.) Collier's roster also features Nneka Ogwumike (Storm), Paige Bueckers (Wings), Angel Reese (Sky), Alyssa Thomas (Mercury), Kelsey Plum (Sparks) and Rhyne Howard (Dream.) Collier and Stewart played one season together at UConn before the latter was drafted No. 1 in 2016. This is Stewart's seventh All-Star recognition and Ionescu's fourth. Brondello is making her first All-Star appearance as a coach since 2018.
New York Post
06-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
WNBA star, Unrivaled co-founder Napheesa Collier fires back at lockout conspiracy theory
Shot-blocker Napheesa Collier swatted away an accusation of bias. Responding to a post that questioned whether she and Liberty star Breanna Stewart can negotiate in good faith a new collective bargaining agreement with the WNBA on behalf of the Players Association, Collier rejected the notion that her vested interest in the Unrivaled league presents a conflict of interest. 'So let me get this straight…. While everyone else was enjoying fireworks, you were thinking about how me and & Stewie of all people are conspiring to force a lockout that would result in less money year-round for WNBA players??' Collier wrote on X. Advertisement Napheesa Collier looks on during the third quarter of the 2025 Commissioners Cup title game against the Indiana Fever in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Getty Images The sarcastic Collier added the face with a monocle emoji — used to convey skepticism — and three laughing emojis. The X user who raised the issue — a self-described Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark fan — pointed out that Collier and Stewart have positions of power in the WNBA union (co-vice presidents) but also are the co-founders of a 3-on-3 women's basketball league. Advertisement The thought is that Unrivaled would stand to gain popularity and revenue if the WNBA went into a work stoppage after its current CBA expires when the season ends. Women's basketball has never been more popular, and there would be a void to fill. Collier, the Lynx star, told CBS Sports as far back as March that 'no one wants' a lockout but the players are 'prepared for any possibility.' But tensions are starting to boil as the season progresses and the WNBA and the union remain far apart in negotiations. Stewart said after Saturday's shootaround for the Liberty that the league's response to the union's initial proposal was 'pretty polar opposite.' Napheesa Collier handles the ball against the Indiana Fever. NBAE via Getty Images Advertisement 'That was the hardest part,' Stewart said. 'It's like, we're not even talking about the same thing right now. We're talking about X's and O's at this point and completely different sides of the game.' The second season of Unrivaled is expected to begin in January 2026. The fate of WNBA labor peace will be clearer by then. 'From the players' perspective, it's hard to be able to navigate this during the middle of the season, but also we know how important it is and really getting it done before the end of October and we're making that effort to be able to do both,' Stewart said. 'The fact that it's been a little bit slow to start is tough, but hopeful things will ramp up now after getting their proposal back. We have a big meeting in Indy at All-Star and it's gonna be spicy.'
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Napheesa Collier fires back at conspiracy theory
The post Napheesa Collier fires back at conspiracy theory appeared first on ClutchPoints. The players in the WNBA are currently engaged in collective bargaining negotiations with the league. One of the players leading the charge for greater pay and leverage is Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier. Advertisement As the negotiations continue, Collier, the vice president of the WNBPA, managed to combat a wild conspiracy theory vehemently. A fan on social media claimed that Collier and WNBPA president Breanna Stewart, who co-founded the Unrivaled League, are somehow looking for the 3-on-3 league to benefit if WNBA players decide to engage in a lockout. In other words, the worse it is for the WNBA, the better it is for Unrivaled. However, Collier immediately took to X to respond. 'So let me get this straight…. While everyone else was enjoying fireworks, you were thinking about how me and & Stewie of all people are conspiring to force a lockout that would result in less money year-round for WNBA players??' Collier and Stewart helped launch Unrivaled this past January. The league provides WNBA players with the opportunity to earn a salary during the off-season. Advertisement The original 2019 CBA agreement expires after this season. The players decided to opt out of it, which was set to expire after the 2027 season. Among the issues being worked out are higher salaries, guaranteed charter flights, revenue sharing, and contract flexibility for younger players. So far, WNBA players have rejected the original proposal put forward by the league, as it did not address all their needs. In addition, players have hinted that a work stoppage could occur if they don't receive what they are seeking by the end of the season. All this comes as the WNBA is expanding into three cities (Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia). Napheesa Collier and her work as an advocate Collier's role as VP of the players' association is the latest in her continued advocacy work. She has lent her voice to various social justice causes throughout her career. Advertisement Among the issues she has highlighted are racism, pay equity, reproductive rights, and advocating for transgender inclusion in sports. Collier has developed partnerships with organizations such as Opill and the Black Women's Health Imperative. With Opill, Collier educates college students about reproductive health. She also advocates for the reproductive health of black women through the Black Women's Health Imperative. Related: Lynx guard will undergo surgery, miss rest of season Related: Napheesa Collier boosts MVP bid with fresh accolade
