Sports Biz Rundown (9/14/2020 - 9/18/2020)
Nick Hayden
Founder of Explore ATX | Creating Linkedin content about innovation and tourism insights
With sport operations in full swing, it's no surprise that we had another jam-packed week in the industry! This is a quick read to get you up to speed on recent partnerships, investment news, technology development, and more.
The goal of Sports Biz Rundown is to give you a very concise rundown of what happened this week in the world of sports & entertainment. Providing you every Friday with the top sports biz news, events, careers, and more.
UPDATE ON EVERY SPORT
With September being the most popular month in sports in 2020, here is a rundown on the status of each active league & event...
- NFL: Week 2 started last night with the Cincinnati Bengals playing the Cleveland Browns. Despite the excitement for football's return, last week, games saw a big dip in TV ratings in comparison to last year.
- NBA: The match-ups for the Eastern & Western Conference Finals have been set! The Miami Heat lead the Boston Celtics with a 2-0 series lead. The LA Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets series starts tonight.
- WNBA: The WNBA 2020 Playoffs are underway with the second round of games starting yesterday. LV Aces A'ja Wilson was named the MVP for this year.
- MLB: The MLB is going into #BubbleMode for the 2020 16-team playoffs. Games begin September 29th.
- NHL: The Stanley Cup Playoffs heat up as the Dallas Stars advance to play the Tampa Bay Lightning in the finals.
- CFB: The Big Ten will kick off its football season the weekend of Oct. 24 after the league's presidents unanimously voted to resume competition.
- Special Shoutout: Congrats to Naomi Osaka for winning the 2020 US Open while using her platform to bring attention to social justice issues.
NEW BEGINNINGS - MONEY MOVES
DraftKings has become the Giants’ official sports betting and daily fantasy sports partner, allowing the company to access team trademarks and logos as it looks to continue building its brand on the gambling front. The company will also have exclusive digital gaming rights and access to the team’s virtual sports lounge at MetLife Stadium on game days once fans are allowed back in stadiums. (CNBC)
Brooklyn Nets' point guard Spencer Dinwiddie and his team have created Calaxy, short for “creator galaxy,” a mobile app expected to go live in late October. On the app, creators and influencers will be able to sell digital blockchain-backed tokens integrated with digital contract company, ChainLink. He’s starting a Series A round of funding in two weeks and is aiming for a nine-figure valuation. (Forbes)
NEW TECH - MONEY MOVES
Apple unveiled Fitness+, the first fitness experience built for Apple Watch. Apple Fitness+ intelligently incorporates metrics from Apple Watch for users to visualize offering a first-of-its-kind personalized workout experience. Everyone from beginners to committed exercisers can access studio-style workouts delivered by inspiring world-class trainers. (Apple Newsroom)
Sports and lifestyle apparel maker Oakley has announced their new line of gaming lenses, which are tailored to both alleviate eye strain and provide enhanced comfort during gaming using in-built blue light filters and patented Prizm Gaming Lens technology. Oakley has partnered up with EA SPORTS and the Madden NFL 2021 Championship Series for "Derwin James vs. The World". (Hardware Zone)
Sports Biz Pod, a podcast covering sports business. Two episodes released per week. (On Tuesday) Featuring interviews with athletes, investors, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders in sports & entertainment. (On Friday) Featuring commentary with special guests recapping the week of sports business news, events, and careers. Produced by the Blue Wire podcast network. Affiliate of Sports Biz Group. www.sportsbizpod.com
Episodes released this week (Click graphic to listen):
We are continuing to update our google calendar with accurate online events and rescheduled physical events. Here are some new updates:
- NY Fashion Week (Virtual): Sept. 13-17
- U.S Open: Sept. 17-20
- Sporttechie Sports Capital Symposium: Sept. 17-19
- SBJ - Sports Facilities, Franchises, and Ticketing: Sept 22-23
- Adweek: Sept. 29
- Preakness Stakes: Oct 3 *Reschedule
- Masters Tournament: Nov 12-15 *Reschedule
Subscribe to the Sports Biz Event Calendar & Newsletter
INTERNSHIP
Major League Lacrosse: Sponsorship Fulfillment & Sales Intern
Jacksonville Jaguars: Marketing Intern
ENTRY-LEVEL
NFL Media: Social Media Programmer & Analyst
Cleveland Cavaliers: Front-End Developer
MID-LEVEL
BSE Global: Human Resources Operations Specialist
UNINTERRUPTED: Producer & Director (Contractor)
SENIOR-LEVEL
Sacramento Republic FC: Director of New Stadium Sales
Oakland Athletics: Controller
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