Front Office Sports Today

The College Football Playoff final features two teams in transition. Washington represents the Pac-12, but ironically played an active role in dismantling the conference. Meanwhile, Michigan is fighting for a championship while its storied coach, Jim Harbaugh, may be eyeing a gig in the NFL.Plus, we look at another dominant year in viewership for the NFL, the rise of the Houston Texans, and we hear from Nick Carparelli, executive director of Bowl Season, on what’s working and what needs to change in college football.

ESPN and the NCAA struck an eight-year, $920 million deal for broadcast rights to 40 championships, including the women’s March Madness tournament. Women’s Division I sports comprised more than half of the value in the deal at $65 million annually.Plus, the Oakland A’s shut out the Oakland B’s, Las Vegas business owners are threatening to sue Clark County over losses related to the city’s Formula 1 race, and Brent Chapman, CEO of myNILpay, offers a window into the chaotic world of college athlete compensation.

Aaron Rodgers and Jimmy Kimmel are in a public spat that has Kimmel threatening legal action. That’s an issue for Disney, owner of ABC and ESPN, which respectively broadcast Jimmy Kimmel Live and the Pat McAfee show, on which Rodgers is a regular guest.Plus, Andrew Brandt joins to discuss the fight between the Denver Broncos and their quarterback, Russell Wilson, after the Broncos said they would bench Wilson if he didn’t restructure his contract.

A deadline between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund came and went with no deal, but the two sides continue to talk. Meanwhile, the PGA Tour appears to be nearing a deal with a separate group of sports team owners to provide additional funds and a backup should negotiations with the PIF fall apart.Plus, the Professional Women’s Hockey League launched, Jim Harbaugh may have one foot out the door, and we dive into the world of stadium concerts and the complications and benefits they present to teams.

On FOS Today, we’re ringing in the new year with all of our predictions for what is going to happen in 2024.Will Disney sell ESPN? Is Las Vegas the new sports capital of the world? Will the NFL finally announce plans for an international division?Owen Poindexter hosts a roundtable discussion with all of our writers and reporters on what’s to come in the year ahead.

With Taylor Swift taking over the NFL, Prime Time in Colorado, or the ongoing saga between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, it is easy to say that a lot has happened this year. No one is more aware of that than our two newsletter co-authors, Eric Fisher and David Rumsey. As we continue our review of 2023, Fisher and Rumsey join FOS Today to share their favorite stories of the year—and with so much to talk about, make sure you check out this jam-packed episode.

This year, the sports world was rife with controversy — from Dan Snyder's troubled era of the Washington Commanders coming to an end, to Brett Favre's welfare scandal in Mississippi, to P.J. Fleck's questionable behavior in Minnesota. The person responsible for breaking each of these stories, FOS' senior reporter A.J. Perez, joins us to break down what it was like reporting on the biggest controversies of 2023.

NIL. Conference realignment. The transfer portal.The world of college sports is ever-changing, and this has never been more apparent than in 2023. On the latest episode of FOS Today, we are taking a look back at all of the biggest stories to come out of the collegiate landscape — including the shifting NIL landscape, the rise of women's athletics, and the fall of the Pac-12. To help us out, we spoke with our resident college athletics expert, Reporter Amanda Christovich.

With the year coming to an end, we decided to use this week to take a look back at all the biggest stories of the year from Front Office Sports. To start off our 2023 review, we brought on Senior Writer Michael McCarthy to discuss the most important narratives in sports media — including the fall of regional sports networks, streaming giants entering the sports landscape, and the upcoming battle for the NBA's media rights.

Warner Bros. Discovery is in talks with Paramount about a merger. A combined entity could bring together NFL and NBA rights, and unite the companies that collaborate around March Madness. However, WBD could pivot to Comcast, and any deal would attract ample regulator scrutiny.Plus, we look at FC Barcelona taking desperate measures to address its dire finances, the top female athlete earners, and Florida State potentially ramping up its efforts to leave the ACC.