Happy Sunday! Over the weekend, the Commanders made [a lot of] headlines. It was also the first USA game at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Lastly, but not least, Messi had his debut in Miami and scored the game-winning goal.

This past Thursday, Josh Harris officially became the owner of the Washington Commanders. This came after the NFL's 32 franchise owners voted unanimously to approve the deal to sell the team for nearly $6 billion. Fans see this change as an incredible turning point for the organization. When asked, Harris said he was focused on changing the culture at the organization. One crystal clear goal for Harris is to improve the fan experience at home games. Watch this video of Harris speaking to the press for the first time.

While Harris is being praised in the news, the former Commanders owner, Dan Snyder was fined a whopping $60 million by the NFL. The fine takes place after an independent investigation found he sexually harassed a team employee among other wrongdoings while the owner. Talk about a busy week for the Washington Commanders.

In other news, this weekend was the moment we’ve been waiting for. Lionel Messi scored a game-winning goal as he made his debut in the second half of his first game on Friday night in Miami. It’s been a pretty great deal for Inter Miami and Messi. Inter Miami is now the most followed team in the MLS, NHL, and MLB. To remind you, here’s what Messi is getting in compensation for signing with MLS Miami:

1. Messi will get paid btween $125 million and $150 million through the end of the 2025 MLS season

2. Messi will receive a share of Adidas Kit sales and earn a share of the Apple TV season pass revenue

3. Messi will also get an option for ownership in the Inter Miami club when he retires

4. The freedom to go to any organization he wants to in the future

The US wins against Vietnam 3-0 to open its 2023 Women's World Cup: The US Women's National Soccer Team defeated Vietnam 3-0 as they look for a never-been-done-before three-peat at the Women's World Cup. No one was surprised the US won the game, there was just a question of how much would they win by. Below is a short highlight of the game.

Weekly Headlines

🔥 Nike is planning revive Kobe signature shoe line. It’s been more than three years after Kobe Bryant’s death, and Nike is looking to revive his signature shoe line. The president and CEO of Nike, John Donahoe, made an announcement during a quarterly earnings call several weeks ago and said that the company plans to revive Kobe’s signature shoe line. In March, Kobe’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, already made the news as she said Nike would relaunch the NBA superstar's signature shoe line.

🏈 Hall of Famer Magic Johnson now officially adds Commanders ownership to be his fourth sports team. Johnson has an estimated net worth of $620 million according to Celebrity Net Worth. He was one of a dozen limited partners to join Harris’s group to buy the NFL team from Dan Snyder. Harris’s bid was the most expensive sale ever for a US sports franchise. Johnson was formerly a part owner of the Los Angeles Lakers. He will be the Commanders first Black co-owner. He is aware that the team’s image needs to be bolstered.

🏀 SlamBall is back, as the sport plans for massive growth. Over 20 years ago, Mason Gordon, had the idea to combine basketball, hockey, football, and trampolines. Introducing SlamBall. It has died in popularity for recent deals, but last month SlamBall announced an exclusive two-year deal with ESPN for a broadcast partnership during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. This broadcast deal could be a game changer for the sport. Here’s a breakdown of players in SlamBall by height and college sport.

🏰 Disney is talking with the NBA and NFL to acquire a minority stake in ESPN. A week ago, CEO of Disney, Bob Iger said that Disney is looking to finding a new strategic partner for ESPN. Disney is making these moves as it looks to convert the ESPN cable-heavy program to transform into a successful streaming network. Here’s what Iger said: “We’re going to be open-minded about looking for strategic partners that could either help us with distribution or content.”

Where the Sports World is Moving⚡️

United States athletes are investing in European soccer teams. Tom Brady with Birmingham City Club. Lebron James with Liverpoool FC. JJ Watt with Burnley FC. What are two good reasons the US athletes are investing overseas?

1. US team valuations are incredibly expensive, and Europe team prices (for smaller teams) are relatively affordable to high net-worth individuals.

2. Europe teams can be promoted or relegated, which means more risk with also way more reward.

In Case You Missed It

ICYMI: Yankees Gerrit Cole tries to let the Royals player bunt roll foul, but it was called fair and Cole gets him out at second base. All in fifteen seconds.

Required Reading

An expert’s guide to owning a European soccer club (Sports Pro Media)

The Lethal Fish Packer About to Win the Tour de France (WSJ)

NASCAR teams dig deep for sponsors (SBJ)

Looking for Sports Biz Jobs?

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Want to find more sports business jobs? We highly recommend checking out Teamwork Online. It’s a free sports business job posting site.

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