ESPN

First Pick Labs, Inc., owner of Draft Hero, LLC, Acquires Sideline Software, Inc., the Company Behind MyFantasyLeague.com

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 8, 2024

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- First Pick Labs, Inc. (First Pick Labs), is excited to announce the acquisition of Sideline Software, Inc., the pioneering company behind MyFantasyLeague.com.

Key Points: 
  • AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- First Pick Labs, Inc. (First Pick Labs), is excited to announce the acquisition of Sideline Software, Inc., the pioneering company behind MyFantasyLeague.com.
  • Together they built MyFantasyLeague.com into one of the most popular and respected fantasy football commissioner services.
  • Kasten started Draft Dynamix, the leader in draft software for fantasy sports (now called Draft Hero) in 2004.
  • Kasten has been a leader in developing draft software and related tools for fantasy football, earning more FSTA awards than any competing draft software.

The Super Bowl gets the Vegas treatment, with 1 in 4 American adults expected to gamble on the big game

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 8, 2024

A record 67.8 million American adults are expected to bet US$23.1 billion on Super Bowl LVIII, according to a new survey conducted by Morning Consult for the American Gaming Association.

Key Points: 
  • A record 67.8 million American adults are expected to bet US$23.1 billion on Super Bowl LVIII, according to a new survey conducted by Morning Consult for the American Gaming Association.
  • The estimated number of bettors has increased 35% from the previous Super Bowl, while the total amount being bet is estimated to have shot up from $16 billion in 2023.
  • Both figures would represent records – fitting for a Super Bowl held in Las Vegas, the gambling capital of the U.S. For the NFL, partnering with sportsbooks has been a boon for business.

Staunch opposition

  • The NFL’s leadership, however, remained adamantly opposed to its broadcasting partners explicitly encouraging gambling.
  • So Snyder communicated the lines by predicting the final score, thereby allowing careful listeners to learn a point spread.
  • The routine lasted until 1988, when Snyder suggested that slavery had made Black players better athletes.
  • We have to make it clear to the athletes, the fans and the public, gambling is not a part of sport, period.” The measure passed.

More money, more problems?

  • Since then, more than 30 states have legalized sports gambling.
  • In 2021, the league announced seven companies, including BetMGM, Draft Kings and Caesars, as the league’s official gambling partners.
  • Even casual fans can’t miss the surge in gambling advertisements that now air during the games, all of which buttress the value of media rights.
  • Meanwhile, the NFL’s official sportsbook partners will fork over more than $1 billion to the league over the course of the five-year contract.
  • Gambling addictions are at an all-time high, likely spurred by the ease with which people can place bets from their phones.


Thomas Oates does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

TEGNA Names Rick Rogala President and General Manager at WBNS in Columbus

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 8, 2024

TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA) today announced that Rick Rogala has been named president and general manager at WBNS, TEGNA’s CBS affiliate serving Columbus, Ohio, effective February 26.

Key Points: 
  • TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA) today announced that Rick Rogala has been named president and general manager at WBNS, TEGNA’s CBS affiliate serving Columbus, Ohio, effective February 26.
  • He will also have oversight for Sports Radio The Fan 97.1, ESPN 1460 Columbus and ONN Radio (Ohio News Network).
  • We are thrilled to welcome him to the storied brand of WBNS in Columbus.”
    “I am excited and honored to assume the role of president and general manager at WBNS-TV, a station with a rich legacy of serving the Columbus community,” added Rogala.
  • Earlier in his career, Rogala was general manager at television stations in six markets, including Tampa, Indianapolis, Columbus, Cincinnati, Grand Rapids, and Little Rock.

Could flag football one day leapfrog tackle football in popularity?

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, February 7, 2024

Once a casual activity played at family reunions, the competitive sport of flag football is “soaring,” “exploding” and “skyrocketing in popularity nationwide,” according to mainstream news outlets.

Key Points: 
  • Once a casual activity played at family reunions, the competitive sport of flag football is “soaring,” “exploding” and “skyrocketing in popularity nationwide,” according to mainstream news outlets.
  • There’s some data behind the breathless headlines: According to the NFL’s official flag football program, since 2015 the number of kids ages 6 to 12 who play flag football has risen by 38%, to more than 1.5 million.
  • In my recent book, “Emerging Sports as Social Movements,” I explore nontraditional sports like flag football and disc golf.

A fun, fast, safer alternative

  • Though its rules are similar to tackle football, flag football is currently gaining attention for what makes it different.
  • A “tackle” involves snatching one of two flags that hang from the hips of the ball carrier.
  • While players face injury risks, they sustain far fewer head impacts than athletes who play tackle football.
  • With the public’s concerns about brain injuries on the rise, many parents are opting for flag football instead of tackle for their kids.

The NFL cultivates the grassroots

  • Although it may come as a surprise, the NFL is embracing flag football and taking its growth seriously.
  • In 2021, the NFL and Nike committed US$5 million in equipment to support high school flag football teams across the nation.
  • Most NFL teams are currently supporting the grassroots of flag football with summer camps, clinics and regional tournaments.

By the numbers

  • According to figures collected annually by the National Federation of High Schools, 21,980 students played high school flag football in 2023.
  • To put this number in context, however, tackle football attracted 47 times more students – roughly 1 million players – the same year.
  • Though high school participation in flag football has increased steadily since 2007, almost all the growth comes from the girls’ side.
  • A nationwide sports participation survey finds that the number of casual players of flag football is up, but core participation is down.

Red sport, blue sport

  • Over the past decade, several studies have found a link between repeated head impacts and the risk for serious brain injuries, including chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE.
  • Yet recent efforts to make tackle football safer for young athletes have been met with fierce resistance from families, fans and organizers.
  • In many regions of the U.S., tackle football is deeply ingrained in the culture, leading to strong opposition to any changes.
  • As beliefs about the dangers of tackle football become polarized, the perceived benefits of flag football will likely follow suit.
  • As I showed in a recent study of sport popularity in 207 areas of the U.S., flag football is more popular in regions that tend to vote Democratic, with tackle football more popular in Republican areas.


Josh Woods does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Snap Inc. Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Financial Results

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 6, 2024

We grew and deepened our engagement with our community:

Key Points: 
  • We grew and deepened our engagement with our community:
    DAUs were 414 million in Q4 2023, an increase of 39 million, or 10%, year-over-year.
  • Snap Inc. will host a conference call to discuss the results at 3 p.m. Pacific / 6 p.m. Eastern today.
  • We calculate average Monthly Active Users for a particular quarter by calculating the average of the MAUs as of each calendar month-end in that quarter.
  • Note: For adjustments and additional information regarding the non-GAAP financial measures and other items discussed, please see “Non-GAAP Financial Measures,” “Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures,” and “Supplemental Financial Information and Business Metrics.”

Impact Podcast with John Shegerian Announces February Guest Lineup of ESG All-Stars

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Impact Podcast with John Shegerian has announced its roster of guests for February, featuring a who’s who of ESG, sustainability and corporate responsibility all-stars from many of the world’s leading brands.

Key Points: 
  • Impact Podcast with John Shegerian has announced its roster of guests for February, featuring a who’s who of ESG, sustainability and corporate responsibility all-stars from many of the world’s leading brands.
  • The Webby Award honored show is hosted by John Shegerian, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of ERI , the nation’s leading fully integrated IT and electronics asset disposition provider and cybersecurity-focused hardware destruction company.
  • Impact Podcast guests are invited to share with listeners first-hand accounts of how they are able to help make the world a better place on a daily basis.
  • “Our Impact Podcast roster of guests features leaders who work every day to help make our world a better place.

ESPN's Jay Bilas Joins Washington Speakers Bureau as an Exclusive Speaker on Leadership, Team Building and Excellence

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 6, 2024

WASHINGTON, Feb. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Washington Speakers Bureau (WSB), the leading global agency for professional speakers, announces exclusive representation of Jay Bilas, the ESPN college basketball analyst, bestselling author, and attorney.

Key Points: 
  • WASHINGTON, Feb. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Washington Speakers Bureau (WSB), the leading global agency for professional speakers, announces exclusive representation of Jay Bilas, the ESPN college basketball analyst, bestselling author, and attorney.
  • Jay Bilas is one of the most respected and influential voices in college basketball.
  • As a speaker, Jay Bilas draws on his rich and varied experiences to deliver engaging and insightful presentations on topics such as leadership, teamwork, resilience, and excellence.
  • "We are delighted to have Jay Bilas join WSB" said Ryan Heil, President of the Washington Speakers Bureau.

Blackwells Capital Files Definitive Proxy Statement for Disney’s 2024 Annual Meeting and Releases Letter to Fellow Shareholders

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 6, 2024

NEW YORK, Feb. 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blackwells Capital, LLC (“Blackwells”), a shareholder of The Walt Disney Company (“Disney” or the “Company”) (NYSE:DIS), filed its definitive proxy statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) in connection with its nomination of Jessica Schell, Craig Hatkoff and Leah Solivan for election to the board of directors of Disney (the “Board”) at the Company’s 2024 annual meeting of shareholders, and released a letter which can be found below, and at www.TheFutureOfDisney.com.

Key Points: 
  • Shareholders are faced with three competing candidate slates at the 2024 Annual Meeting: Disney’s, Blackwells’ and Trian’s.
  • Our campaign website will also include materials for shareholders to evaluate and help make the best voting decisions.
  • Disney Shareholders – Please vote your proxy today on the GREEN universal proxy card “FOR” each of the Blackwells nominees and the Blackwells proposal.
  • If you have any questions about voting your proxy or need replacement proxy materials, contact:
    +1 (203) 658-9400 (call collect for banks, brokers, trustees and other nominees)

Sounds Profitable Spearheads First-Ever Official SXSW x Podcasting - Sound Summit for 2024

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 6, 2024

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Today, leading digital audio authority, Sounds Profitable, announced that it will spearhead the first-ever official SXSW x Podcasting - Sound Summit for 2024. Taking place on March 9 at the Thompson Hotel in Austin, Texas, the event will delve into the influential realm of podcasting. Exploring the industry's expansive potential, it features four star-studded panels addressing topics ranging from the podcasting-Hollywood nexus to the origins and phenomenon of true crime podcasts. Prominent podcasters and leading organizations will contribute game-changing insights. Sounds Profitable and its partners, The Roost, Ad Results Media, ESPN/Good Karma Brands and Magellan AI, will present a never-before-released study on consumer perceptions of advertising across different media platforms.

Key Points: 
  • This year, we're pushing for its rightful place at SXSW," said Bryan Barletta, partner at Sounds Profitable.
  • "Our mission with the launch of SXSW x Podcasting - Sound Summit and this year's core theme, 'Why Podcasting?'
  • Individuals must have an Interactive ticket or higher to attend SXSW x Podcasting - Sound Summit.
  • Video and audio content of the event will be made available online within a week following the close of SXSW x Podcasting at soundsprofitable.com .

Stagwell's (STGW) Sport Beach Activation Will Return to Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2024 with Icons Megan Rapinoe, Sue Bird, Carmelo Anthony, Hélio Castroneves, Justin Jefferson and More Confirmed to Attend

Retrieved on: 
Monday, February 5, 2024

NEW YORK and CANNES, France, Feb. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW), the challenger network built to transform marketing, unveiled today the initial athlete and brand partners confirmed to activate at Sport Beach 2024 (June 17–20), the flagship sports business destination at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity (Cannes Lions). In 2023, Sport Beach was built for brands, platforms and athletes to tap into the cultural zeitgeist of sport and explore the power of fandom. It was the first time these groups converged at Cannes Lions to explore the dynamic culture of sports business, and to great success – with nearly 40 athletes and drawing over 5,000 people.

Key Points: 
  • Sport Beach 2024, which moves to La Plage du Festival, will build on last year's success at Cannes Lions.
  • As part of this track, Sue and Megan will host a live edition of their podcast "A Touch More" from Sport Beach.
  • These discussions and activations at Sport Beach reflect a broader trend of athletes venturing into entrepreneurship, specifically within lifestyle industries.
  • Justin Jefferson (football) – A renowned NFL wide receiver and budding icon, Justin Jefferson has quickly become a household name.