Reinsdorf blasts Comcast | Bengals & Bears in Chicago?

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Michael Reinsdorf blasts Comcast over Bulls, Sox, Blackhawks blackout The CHSN-Comcast drama was beginning to feel a lot like Groundhog Day. Each ‘new’ update on the matter sounded just like the last one, with nothing resolved and thousands of local fans left hanging in the balance. This one is slightly different. Michael Reinsdorf lashed out at Comcast for acting in ‘bad faith.’ It’s the first time in a while one of the involved parties has made a direct remark on the negotiations, in this case, the President and CEO of the Bulls. Reinsdorf added how he was disappointed talks seem to have progressed further between Marquee Sports, who carry Cubs’ games, and Comcast. Reinsdorf and Danny Wirtz, Blackhawks Chairman and CEO, were discussing progress on the 1901 Project when the topic came up. Unfortunately, CHSN has a lot more to lose and more to prove than Comcast. For example, the Bulls are down 63% in viewership ratings in their first season outside of Xfinity’s broadcasting network. Comcast knows it has the upper hand as it tries to force CHSN on its ultimate tier (most expensive) while CHSN resists and scrambles for ways to make up the lost revenue. As of now, Comcast seems more than willing to wait it out to get what it wants. Read more on the detailed history of the negotiations between Comcast and CHSN here.

Nike, Bulls Quiet as Trump Admin Links Apparel to Gangs Bulls fans may view their loyalty to the team as sort of like being in a gang, but never has it been looked at so literally. Apparently, if you wear Bulls gear, the fifth best-selling team gear in the NBA, you could be in a gang. In a document produced by the Department of Homeland Security, Jordans, Jumpmans, and jerseys of the Bulls are seen as identifying qualities of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. The document was used as guidance to deport suspected gang members under the Alien Enemies Act. No comment was given as to whether agents were stalking Bulls’ home games to find gang members. Even if this is widespread among Tren de Aragua, it seems a bit outrageous to use apparel as part of the qualifying criteria. Tattoos are one thing, but it’s still a stretch based on what the DHS wants to look out for. The targeting of anyone with a ‘23’ or Jumpman tattoo would end up in a wild goose chase just in the Near West Side. It is strange to hear the Bulls and Jordan brand haven’t made a statement about the linking of their brands to gangs. That should be in the PR 101 booklet you get on the first day. Explore other details used in the document released by the Department of Homeland Security.

Former Northwestern football players settle with university over hazing lawsuits Northwestern’s messy hazing scandal is far from over, but they have settled with former football players. It began in 2023 after former coach Pat Fitzgerald was fired due to his alleged involvement in the hazing. Allegations of sexualized hazing rituals and racial discrimination were detailed by Northwestern’s student newspaper. Fitzgerald denies any wrongdoing and is suing Northwestern for over $100 million in a defamation lawsuit that will continue proceedings this November. Meanwhile, athletes in other sports like baseball and soccer have filed their own hazing lawsuits that have yet to be settled. It’s an ugly time to be a Wildcat, and there are no signs it will get better in the near future. Crain’s covers more on the hazing lawsuit and defamation lawsuit from Fitzgerald here.

Bengals, Bears could (in theory) come together and pay for a stadium in Chicago What do Cincinnati and Chicago have in common? If you’ve spent much time in Cincinnati, it would be easy to answer that with resounding nothing. Mike Florio from NBC Sports suggests our cities have more in common than we think. Mainly, we both have unresolved stadium issues. The Bengals are at the end of their lease at Paycor Stadium, and the Bears have been searching for a way out of their lease at Soldier Field for a while. In a radical thought experiment, Florio proposed the two franchises work together to construct a stadium both teams could use. He says the revenue from having 20 NFL games (plus potential playoffs) and other special events like concerts would more than offset the costs of construction. The article came out well after April Fools, so it can’t be immediately disregarded as a joke. Even though the teams don’t play in the same division or conference, there’s no way either side would be down for this proposal.

Unrivaled Made Over $27 Million in Revenue, ‘Almost’ Broke Even The upstart league is bullish on its prospects moving forward. Based on accounts from its president, Alex Bazzell, husband of WNBA star and co-founder Napheesa Collier, Unrivaled can make some easy tweaks going forward to increase revenue. For example, it will plan to host in two other cities other than just Miami and will add more seats to the arena to boost ticket revenue. Considering the fact that it wasn’t able to sell merch until late in the season, Bazzell makes some good points. The league was a hit in its inaugural season, with each game selling out and earning a lucrative media rights deal with TNT. It will be interesting to watch how they evolve in year two and try to gain more momentum. Everyone will be sitting on the edge of their seats to see if they finally get a commitment from Caitlin Clark, by far the biggest star in the WNBA. She would certainly drive incredible new interest in the league. Check out other facts from Unrivaled’s first season here.

Mavs offer free play-in tickets to club members The Mavs may never get over the fallout from sending Luka Doncic to the Lakers, but that doesn’t mean they’ll stop trying to win back fans. CEO Rick Welts announced that all Club Maverick members will receive free tickets to the Play-In Tournament. It’s a decent gesture, but it may be too little, too late to sway disgruntled Mavs fans. It doesn’t help that the Mavs tried to remove ‘distasteful’ signs from the arena and not show fans on TV wearing Luka jerseys in the immediate aftermath. They also raised ticket prices for next season in the same period as an apparent middle finger to their fanbase while dancing around explanations for the shocking trade. If I were a Mavs fan, it would be hard for me to accept a reality where the team went from unexpectedly making it to the NBA Finals on the back of Luka’s heroics to barely making it into the playoffs on the backs of aging former stars. One thing is for sure about the free play-in tickets: Club Maverick members should have the option to wear their Luka jerseys. It’s the least the Mavs’ front office can do to get their fanbase back. Sports Business Journal discusses the numbers behind what Club Maverick Members will get along with tickets and other details related to the fallout from the Luka trade.

Steelers & Borussia Dortmund join forces in partnership Fans of black and yellow can now unite worldwide, regardless of how they choose to spell football. The Steelers and Borussia Dortmund will partner up through joint team activities, content, and fan engagement initiatives. The partnership was officially announced after both teams had already done an exchange of some sort. Each team had a team representative go to the other’s stadium on game day. Dortmund, located in the heart of Germany’s Ruhr region, shares more than just colors with the Steelers. Both cities are known for their passionate fanbases, winning traditions, and industrial pasts. Each side has also taken additional steps to further cement their business interests in the other team’s country. The Steelers received a license from Germany just last year to partake in partnerships and in-person events throughout Germany. Borussia Dortmund opened its first U.S. office in New York to help it conduct activities in the Western Hemisphere. It seems to be a good win-win partnership and one the Bears could take notes on to spread its brand to new regions. Read the full details of the partnership in this press release.

UFC signs wide-ranging sponsorship deal with Meta, bringing Mark Zuckerberg closer to Dana White “Official fan technology partner” always has a nice ring to it when it follows plenty of zeroes. The UFC and Meta have struck a multi-million dollar partnership that will bring Meta’s technology and branding onto the UFC mat. This agreement remains separate from the UFC’s media rights discussions, which will be up for grabs as of April 15th. ESPN, the current media rights holder, isn’t expected to renew its deal with the UFC. Outside of business arrangements, UFC’s Dana White and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg have been friendly for a while. Zuckerberg is an avid mixed-martial arts fan and has been spotted at several UFC fights. White joined Meta’s Board of Directors in January. Both attended President Trump’s inauguration that same month. It’s the classic tale of a bromance that grew into a major corporate deal that could have major implications for the UFC and Meta. CNBC gives info on what Meta will provide the UFC and when more details will be announced.