First Ever Outdoor Squash Court Debuts in Chicago| Stars Plan Move to Evanston

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

First Public Outdoor Squash Court to Open in U.S. Squash is having a moment right now as it prepares to make its Olympic debut next summer in LA. With over 20 million players worldwide, it’s not so quietly becoming one of the most popular racket sports. It only seems fitting that the trendsetting Union Park was selected as the place to put the first public outdoor squash court in the U.S. To pay homage to Chicago’s artsy sensibilities, the court features glass walls of rotating art exhibits designed to intrigue bystanders. It’s the culmination of a 4-year project led by the U.S. PSA (Professional Squash Association) and supported by the Chicago Parks District and Chicago’s lively squash community. The Windy City Open has been a significant stop on the PSA World Tour since 1981 and brings in several top players globally to compete for prize money of more than $1 million for this year’s edition. If you love art and some competition, hop on the L train starting on the 16th to test your skills on the stunning court. For more insight into how the idea for the squash court came about, check out this link.

Stars eye move from Bridgeview to Evanston: report To be a stepchild in a house with just a couple of other kids is bad enough. You’ll never get as much love and attention as the other kids. But in a house of 8 kids? It gets downright disrespectful at times. So is the fate of the Stars in this update. The Stars’ lease at SeatGeek Stadium is up at the end of this year, so they are weighing their options. While the Bears, Sox, Fire, and Sky hog the headlines related to stadium or practice facility deals, the Stars have quietly raised their hands in the back of the room while waiting their turn. After getting no love in their stadium aspirations and almost getting a home game overtaken by a rock music festival, Riot Fest, the Stars see Northwestern’s temporary stadium as a possible solution. If you’re unfamiliar with it, the Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium is only in use until the expected completion of renovations to Ryan Field. For the Stars, it could actually be a huge upgrade for the players and fans. The scenic views of Lake Michigan and Chicago’s skylines are tough to match in any other stadium. Nothing is finalized yet, but it would boost a club anxious for its moment in a crowded room. Crain’s discusses the full implications of a move for the Stars.

Miller Lite Gold Cans 50 years from the date that Miller unveiled the first commercially successful light beer, comes a year-long celebration for the ages. Molson Coors, which owns Miller and is headquartered in Chicago, announced limited-edition gold cans to honor the revolutionary introduction of Miller Lite to the beer market. It seems crazy to imagine a time when no light beers were on the market, but that was the case in 1975. Previous attempts marketed light beers as ‘diet’ beers, a horrible marketing mistake. Miller cleverly fine-tuned this with its “Great Taste, Less Filling” slogan. Miller Lite’s golden cans will be available through July and involve a sweepstakes allowing fans to win exclusive merch plus $500 prepaid cards. It’s a fitting celebration for the giant of the beer industry. Considering the Olympics come to the U.S. again next year, it might’ve been more fitting if it had been released in 1976 to coincide perfectly with LA. Who wouldn’t want to take home a golden can of beer and a gold medal? Check out Reel Chicago’s recap of the celebration.

Kentucky Derby sets viewership record in most-watched race since 1989 as Sovereignty wins at Churchill Downs There are plenty of reasons to watch the Kentucky Derby: bright and sometimes bizarre outfits from the bougiest members of society, seeing if the horse you put money on will come ahead, a love of tradition. If you watched at home, you probably enjoyed it more than those who were there in person due to the rain-drenched conditions. About 17.7 million people tuned in from home, and a peak of 21.8 million, the most in almost 35 years. Even with lower attendance numbers than last year, at-home viewership was up 6% from last year’s 150th edition. Bettors were also in rare form, eclipsing the all-time record for the one-day event. Sovereignty made it a good race to watch, beating out the odds favorite Journalism in the final stretch in muddy conditions. Journalism had 3-1 odds while Sovereignty entered the race at 7-1. This article mentions how much money was bet during the Kentucky Derby during this year’s record-setting edition.

Texas CFB's NIL Budget Reportedly Sits Between $35-40M Ahead of 2025 Season A season after Ohio State grabbed headlines with its $20 million NIL roster, Texas rolled its eyes and upped the ante. We may never know exactly how the money is being divvied up among players, but it’s safe to say skill position players are eating well. Arch Manning, for example, has an NIL valuation of $6.6 million based on On3’s algorithm. Imagine how his O-linemen feel since they get almost zero visibility and would be hard pressed to have any NIL deals. Congress is edging towards reigning in at least some of the inequity spawned from the NIL era’s beginning in 2021, with the House vs NCAA settlement expected to pass any day. This would introduce revenue sharing, allowing schools to pay athletes directly and reduce some of the pay-for-play happening right now. Schools like Texas would still have a leg up on a school with fewer resources, like say Northwestern, based on their pre-existing brand partnerships and name recognition. But the pressure is all on Texas when you spend big like that, you’re expected to win. Heads will certainly roll in Austin if the Longhorns don’t win a national title this season with a $40 million roster. Bleacher Report details what the House vs NCAA settlement could mean for colleges.

Yahoo Sports Selling Rivals to On3 Ownership Group Serial entrepreneur Shannon Terry is playing Monopoly with online college sports properties. Terry owns On3, the powerful sports media and data company specializing in recruiting rankings, transfer portal tracking, and NIL valuations. He founded the company in 2021, building it up to its current state. Terry burst onto the scene in 2007 when he sold Rivals - which specializes in recruiting rankings, especially for high school basketball and football - to Yahoo for around $100 million. Now he’s taking it back over, where he can build up its value again and potentially sell it again at a higher value in the future. He’s found his niche in college sports reporting and has leaned into it heavily while building a nice little empire. He was also behind 247Sports - focused on recruiting news and team-specific content - sold to CBS in 2015 for a reported tens of millions. Terry makes it look easy, maneuvering multiple businesses onto the radar of bigger conglomerates. Here's the full article for details on when the deal will be finalized and the arrangement of ownership.

MLS sponsorships spike as U.S. soccer gains popularity The Messi effect has helped the MLS transform its appeal to sponsors. Its sponsorship revenue is up double digits from where it was last year. Big names like Michelob Ultra and Adidas are stepping up their commitment to the league. Apple, which has an exclusive media rights deal with the MLS, doesn’t disclose viewership ratings, so it’s hard to gauge just how many people are tuning in. Despite this, Messi’s arrival in 2023 set off a wave of deals from sponsors that will hopefully remain after he leaves the league. The upcoming FIFA Club World Cup this summer and FIFA World Cup next summer will be in the U.S. Next summer’s World Cup will be the crown jewel of sponsors, as the event draws billions of viewers worldwide and will attract millions in person. Until Messi inevitably leaves, the MLS will live in the moment, embracing a boon in attendance, viewership ratings, and sponsorships. CNBC details how MLS has grown its sponsorships recently.