Sports Business Journal

𝐓𝐡𝐞 2026 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 🏆 Winners will be revealed tonight at the Marriott Marquis in NYC. Follow along to see who takes home the trophies ⤵️

.@IndyCar president @JDouglas4 on plans to build an entertainment district outside of IMS: "I do think over the course of the next 24 months, you’ll probably see something where we say, ‘OK, here’s what we’d like to do.’" sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2026/…

Asked Sankey, as we reported here, whether he favors an amnesty to rightsize the $$ stuck in the CSC system: "I wouldn't respond to that in a press conference. We need to learn from the experience of the past few months, the past year." sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2026/…

The narrative around RSNs often focuses on decline, but the reality is more nuanced. Networks like @NESN are showing resilience, even beating EBITDA targets for the first time in years and exploring expansion opportunities. MORE via @lemirejoe: ow.ly/tJk550Z2Q28

This summer’s @IndyCar race on the national mall in Washington D.C. has largely been presumed to be a one-and-done event to celebrate America, but one of the top executives involved said organizers hope to turn it into a multiyear arrangement. sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2026/…

MLB is launching a variety of marketing initiatives this week, from a themed promotional TV campaign and several content series, to experiential activation and an array of patriotic licensed products on and of the field sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2026/…

.@MartySmithESPN is headed back to cover NASCAR as part of a new side deal with TNT Sports 🏎️ Smith will host TNT’s studio coverage during its upcoming five-race Cup Series slate beginning June 28 at Sonoma. MORE: ow.ly/uptX50Z2bhr

Arsenal are on track to break the Premier League revenue record with up to $1.03B this season. Even if the club loses in the Champion League final, roughly $1.02B is already locked in, per @thetimes. MORE: ow.ly/uFzc50Z2OWn

The NHL & Honeywell have agreed to a three-year sponsorship making Honeywell the league’s Official Building Automation and Energy Management Partner 🤝 The collaboration will focus on helping make arenas and community rinks more sustainable and energy efficient. MORE: ow.ly/qzpl50Z2atg

Pam Kramer is leading Kansas City’s hosting efforts for the 2026 FIFA World Cup ⚽ More than a year before kickoff, the city had secured more than 200 buses and attracted England, Argentina, the Netherlands and Algeria to set up base camps in the region. MORE: ow.ly/j5si50Z18Xu

𝗟𝗮𝘀 𝗩𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘀 landed at No. 7 in SBJ’s Best Sports Business Cities study 🎲 More than $4.5B in venue construction over the past decade has helped lure major events including Super Bowl LXIII and the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Final Four. MORE: ow.ly/aX1050Z16oO

Who does the NBA *really* want to see in the Finals? @austinkarp and @joshacarpenter play out some viewership scenarios on this week's episode of the Sports Media Podcast. 🎧 FULL EPISODE: ow.ly/jGPI50Z2Tvx

The National Baseball Hall of Fame is looking to create a second marquee weekend in Cooperstown with today’s Hall of Fame Military Classic ⚾ The event will feature former MLB stars, military-themed programming and a festival-style setup at Doubleday Field. MORE: ow.ly/Lthn50Z1AGB

𝗟𝗼𝘀 𝗔𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀 ranked No. 6 in SBJ’s Best Sports Business Cities study after landing more top-tier events than any city in the study ☀️ The market also has spent $9B building or renovating sports venues over the past decade, including SoFi Stadium and the Intuit Dome. MORE: ow.ly/AHzJ50Z15UL

This is a look inside the $100M home of Vandy's MBB & WBB facility. Vanderbilt's Huber Center is the largest college basketball facility in the country, which is built inside a football stadium. (via Sports Dissected)

From a defunct team in 2002 to a record-breaking crowd in 2026, Portland's @firewnba comeback is a tribute to the city embracing its "weird." @tomfriendwriter takes a look at the decades-long journey back to the WNBA: ow.ly/aswm50Z3hRl

.@FoxSports will use a double-box format for the overwhelming majority of the 50 national ads that it has planned for Sunday's #Indy500, but there will be about a dozen local spots that are expected to take up the full screen, per @JoshACarpenter. sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2026/…

Canada’s first WNBA franchise is already setting a new benchmark for league expansion. Backed by nearly $150M, @tempobasketball launched strong with sellouts, national reach and an aggressive commercial strategy. MORE via @richarddeitsch: ow.ly/xcKO50Z3hxK

“Sports is good business.” 🏀 After first exploring a WNBA team more than 20 years ago, Larry Tanenbaum says Toronto is now positioned to support a thriving women’s basketball franchise. The business of women’s sports continues to evolve, and Toronto wants to be at the center of it. MORE: ow.ly/EwEE50Z3ftt

The @ChicagoBears say they’ve “exhausted every opportunity” to stay in Chicago and are now focused on Arlington Heights and Hammond, Indiana, as potential stadium sites. (via ABC7 Chicago)