Front Office Sports Today

Just when you thought the NFL couldn’t get any bigger, pop star Taylor Swift and her rumored relationship with the Kansas City Chiefs’ Travis Kelce has brought in a new, more female-heavy audience.Plus, executive director of sports law and business at Villanova, Andrew Brandt, joins to discuss private equity and sovereign wealth fund money potentially entering the NFL, the league’s grievance against the NFLPA, what ails the New York Jets and what to expect from this year’s trade deadline.

With the writer’s strike ending, major sports broadcasters such as Disney, Comcast, and Warner Bros. Discovery are breathing a sigh of relief, as are top agencies. We delve into the potential long-term impact of the five-month strike. Also, the PGA Tour and LIV Golf are still acting like rivals, and Ken Griffey Jr. is enjoying a second career as a sports photographer.Plus, legendary soccer broadcaster Ray Hudson joins to discuss Lionel Messi’s impact on U.S. soccer and much more.

The NFL is exploring Spain, Brazil, and Australia as potential sites for regular season games. The league also announced the main act for the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show, and the Jaguars are threatening relocation if they don’t get around $1 billion in public funding.Plus the NFL Network’s Jamie Erdahl joins to discuss her career, the growth of “Good Morning Football,” and which people in the NFL are the best interviews.

Rupert Murdoch has been arguably the most influential figure in sports media over the last three decades. As he steps down as chair of Fox and News Corp., we discuss his monumental and ongoing impact.Plus, MLB’s top three spenders are missing the playoffs for the first time in 15 years, the Milwaukee Bucks are at the mercy of superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, and we hear from Topgolf chief brand officer Geoff Cottrill on how his company has upended the sport's image.

Boise State associate athletic director Michael Walsh has proposed a promotion and relegation system for college football among western U.S. schools. The proposal aims to create an exciting media product while reducing travel for non-football sports. Front Office Sports reporter Amanda Christovich joins to explain what she’s hearing on the idea from school and conference administrators.Plus FOS senior reporter A.J. Perez joins from the U.S. capitol for a report on Washington, D.C.’s, push to bring the Commanders back to RFK Stadium. 

The NFL has accused its players association of encouraging running backs to exaggerate injuries to gain leverage in contract negotiations — something that NFLPA president JC Tretter hinted at earlier this summer. Also, Colorado football has now sold out all its home games for the first time ever, and the XFL and USFL are nearing a merger.Plus, we hear from Washington Mystics star Elena Delle Donne on her career and the state of the WNBA amid a surge of interest in women’s sports.

After decades of discussion and negotiations, the Tampa Bay Rays are set to announce a deal for a new stadium. The team will stay in St. Petersburg and develop the surrounding Gas Plant District, potentially freeing up MLB to focus on further expansion.Plus, we hear from Learfield president and CEO Cole Gahagan on what a new round of investments in the company will mean for its efforts in NIL and college sports.

Major networks swarmed Colorado, where the Buffaloes kept the hype-train going after narrowly avoiding an upset to Colorado State. ESPN and Fox both had a presence in Boulder over the weekend, despite the latter network not having broadcast rights to the game. FOS newsletter co-author David Rumsey provides an on-the-ground report from the scene.Plus, we hear from comedian Rob Riggle on his experience in sports media, his long-time love of Kansas football, and his newfound obsession with pickleball.

The NFL has further deepened its roots in Europe by making Tottenham Hotspur Stadium its official U.K. home, and next season could bring a game played in Madrid. We also look into pushback against allowing Netflix and other platforms access for sports documentaries, as well as the NBA’s new rules to keep stars on the court.Plus, Eli Manning joins to discuss whether the NFL should replace all turf fields with grass, Saquon Barkley’s relationship with the New York Giants, and his first forays into fantasy football.

Amazon is entering its second season as the exclusive broadcaster of “Thursday Night Football.” Amazon feature reporter Taylor Rooks joins the show to discuss how she gets NFL players to open up and provide new angles to viewers.Plus, Major League Pickleball and the PPA Tour are merging with a $50 million investment into a new entity. Tom Webb of the rival Association of Pickleball Players joins to discuss the merger and the overall pickleball landscape.