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Get up to speed with latest news impacting the sports business landscape in Chicago and beyond. 🗞️ 

Losing hasn't kept Blackhawks out of prime TV spots Each of the major U.S. pro sports has its blue bloods. These are the teams there from the very beginning, the true OGs. In the NHL, the Original Six are revered more than in any other sport. As the second-oldest U.S.-based Original Six, the Hawks earn as much prime TV real estate as annual top contenders. Younger Hawks fans may be getting restless with the pace of the rebuild, but it's good to know ESPN and TNT aren’t. The Phenom, Ryno, and co. will have just four fewer primetime games than the back-to-back champion Florida Panthers. It’s a unique tradition that only the NHL upholds. In other leagues like the NFL, blue bloods may get one big primetime matchup annually (Thanksgiving always features the Lions and/or Cowboys, even when they are cellar dwellers). The Hawks are truly one of America’s Teams. As fans wait impatiently for them to return to their winning ways, the rest of the country will be there for when they finally get to the other side of an excruciating rebuild. Find out how ESPN will give an even bigger spotlight to the Hawks this NHL season.

Jordan Brand to open first U.S.-based World of Flight store in Philadelphia next week Jordan torched the Sixers throughout his career. He averaged almost 31 points a game, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Now, his Jordan Brand will leave an even bigger imprint on Philly. The store will feature exclusive gear and community events tailored to the local neighborhood. It will require a 7,000-sq-ft, two-story building to curate a one-of-a-kind experience for Jordan fanatics. The latest World of Flight location expands the brand’s focus on connecting directly with its customers through more brick-and-mortar locations. These premium retail locations allow intricate themes and rich storytelling compared to buying Jordan’s and its apparel at a Dick’s Sporting Goods. Here are other international locations that World of Flight has opened before its store in Philly.

Big Ten, Allstate agree to deal around women’s sports The Big Ten has been at the forefront of the explosive growth of women’s sports. Catlin Clark’s Iowa days brought record-breaking crowds to Big Ten arenas. Nebraska’s women’s volleyball team continues to be one of the most popular teams in all of women’s sports. The Big Ten’s partnership with Allstate will help it grow its lead in the space and attract an even bigger audience. Allstate will become the Big Ten’s official insurance partner, as well as sponsor major women’s tournaments and championship games. Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti calls the deal a stepping stone for its sports to get their own media packages eventually. The Big Ten’s business arm, based here in Rosemont, is well-skilled in making deals that further expand its influence. And with some of the most popular women’s teams in college sports, the Big Ten will take advantage of deals like this to enhance the packages it can attract. Sports Business Journal highlights what the deal with Allstate entails.

How Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Performance Helps The NFL Latin America Outreach Putting aside the Trump vs Bad Bunny political battle, the NFL once again makes a smart move to expand its fan base into new territory. Playing games in countries like Mexico and Spain does help grow their Latino base, but mainly with fans already into sports and football. Bringing Bad Bunny up at halftime of the biggest game of the year? Now, you grab millions of the artist's fans who would never think to watch the Super Bowl otherwise. As it's done with Taylor Swift in attracting legions of women of all ages to football, the NFL plans to ride the Bad Bunny wave as far as it can. Having long conquered domestic airwaves as America’s favorite sport by a landslide, the NFL seems determined to dethrone soccer as the world’s most popular sport. Latinos are the NFL’s fastest-growing demographic. Bad Bunny — who will be the NFL’s first Latin solo male to headline the cherished spotlight of the Halftime Show — can probably multiply that demographic with or without any of the political controversy wrapped up in his appearance. Forbes gives insight into the NFL’s strategy behind its Latin America outreach.

Investors Keep Grand Slam Track Alive With 8-Figure Lifeline Track and field has had visibility issues for ages. Unless you’re an avid track enthusiast, most people tune in only during the Olympics and then forget the sport exists the other three years. Coupled with a lack of financial stability for its athletes, track and field has resembled an amateur circuit more than a professional one during non-Olympic years. Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track (GST) wants to solve both issues, but it bit off more than it could chew in its first season of existence. After bursting onto the scene by claiming it had secured $30 million in funding from investors, GST narrowly avoided failure thanks to emergency funds provided by those same investors. It’s been a humbling experience for the former Olympic champion Johnson. He’s had to go on an apology-and-promises tour to reassure both investors and participating athletes that GST will be viable going forward. The 8-figure lifeline will primarily be used to compensate athletes for what they’re owed for their participation in the start-up’s premiere events. Some athletes have been more forgiving than others after going months with an IOU from GST. The big question is: will GST gain enough goodwill and trust from athletes to put on a sequel next summer? And will its investors remain as patient as they have been to this point, giving the start-up a chance to prove itself viable? The track world will be anxiously awaiting the answers to these questions. Check out this deep dive into the drama surrounding GST.

Amazon Prime Video teams up with FanDuel for real-time betting updates during NBA games If Josh Giddey hits another buzzer-beater this season for the Bulls, fans will now have the capability to track their wagers on that outcome in real-time. Additionally, fans will have an OddsView that displays probabilities and spreads alongside other betting lines in an overlay. The name of the game for sports betting companies and the leagues they partner with has been integration. Integrating sports betting options into the platforms fans use to watch games will go a long way toward providing a seamless experience. Streaming services like Amazon Prime Video have made it their mission to make it easy for their consumers to capitalize on the betting-centric sports world we live in. Even though fans won’t be able to place bets directly through Prime Video, they will be able to follow every relevant stat and update while watching their favorite team play. CNBC explains precisely how the partnership will affect how NBA games are watched.

World Cup ticket resale madness begins as FIFA takes two 15% fees on each sale One of the most powerful sports governing bodies in the world keeps finding ways to piss people off. FIFA has survived its fair share of corruption scandals and allegations of greed over the past couple of decades. For a sports body dedicated to “making soccer truly global”, critics argue its resale policies will do anything but that. In past World Cups, FIFA capped resale prices at face value and would take a smaller resale fee. FIFA has chosen not to cap resale prices, leading resale prices to list at least 4X the cost of the tickets available on the primary market. The 15% fee on both sellers and buyers will be a bigger strain on buyers, many of whom will also have to pay for travel and lodging. The situation sets up the 2026 World Cup as the most expensive in history, even when accounting for inflation. FIFA defended its resale policy stance, saying that since the U.S. and Canada feature mostly unregulated secondary markets, even if it tried to cap prices, sellers could still go on SeatGeek or StubHub to get more money. It also says the fees will help funnel more money into the sport instead of into the hands of opportunistic scalpers. Their argument seems sensible enough. But considering FIFA’s lengthy history of not being forthright about its finances, not many are buying its explanation at face value. The Athletic covers who is protesting FIFA’s resale policy and how expensive tickets are already getting to the World Cup.