Front Office Sports

Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard plans on giving the $515,000 he will receive for winning the NBA Cup to the team's staff: "When I get it, I ain't gonna just blow it or go crazy... [I'll give it] to the support staff, our training staff, the people that come in all day, every day." (via ESPN)

As the year wraps up, FOS has two questions for our followers: • What were the news events and storylines that most interested you in 2024? • What are your biggest predictions for the business of sports in 2025? Comment below on either question—or both 💬 The best submissions will be featured in a future newsletter.

The Phoenix Suns have announced a new $2 concessions menu for all home games 🌭 Suns owner Matt Ishbia announced the fan-friendly menu, saying: "When I walk the concourse at games there aren’t food options for families who don’t want to spend a lot of money. That needs to change."

Kevin He was born in Beijing, where he learned to ice skate at rinks in local malls. He first played organized hockey when he was six after his family moved to Canada—12 years later, he was drafted by the Winnipeg Jets. Now, He is the first Chinese-born player ever to sign an NHL contract.

What do the new 12-team College Football Playoff and March Madness have in common? Cinderella stories. #UnderReview | Invesco US

Shaq's unique business empire has raised his estimated net worth to over $500 million. Over the years, his portfolio has included: • Early investments in Google, Apple, and Ring • Nearly 10% of Five Guys restaurants • His own chicken shop, Big Chicken Derryl Barnes Jr. breaks it all down in this week's FOS Explains » gofos.co/3Bo1KPz

College GameDay's 2024 schedule has included a trip to Europe, stops at 14 campuses, the SEC title game, and, soon, the CFP—all in just four months ✈️ • Wk 0: Dublin, Ireland (FSU-GT) • Wk 1: College Station (ND-A&M) • Wk 2: Ann Arbor (TEX-MICH) • Wk 3: Columbia (LSU-SCAR) • Wk 4: Norman (TENN-OU) • Wk 5: Tuscaloosa (UGA-BAMA) • Wk 6: Berkeley (MIA-CAL) • Wk 7: Eugene (OSU-ORE) • Wk 8: Austin (UGA-TEX) • Wk 9: Bloomington (UW-IU) • Wk 10: State College (OSU-PSU) • Wk 11: Baton Rouge (BAMA-LSU) • Wk 12: Athens (TENN-UGA) • Wk 13: Columbus (IU-OSU) • Wk 14: College Station (TEX-A&M) • Wk 15: SEC Championship (UGA-TEX) • CFP: South Bend AND Columbus (IU-ND, TENN-OSU)

JuJu Watkins is a sophomore at USC. She's signed with Gatorade, was Klutch Sports' first female athlete, and has one of the biggest shoe deals in women's hoops with Nike. Now, she's investing in the new 3-on-3 women's basketball league, Unrivaled Basketball—at just 19 years old.

The University of Vermont has never reached an NCAA Championship in any team sport—ever. The scenes as the Catamounts men's soccer team capped a Cinderella run to the NCAA title game with a game-winning goal in overtime: (🎥 via NCAA/ESPN)

Through the Cisco Networking Academy, NFL linebacker Josh Carraway and Air Force veteran Janette Suarez are developing IT and cybersecurity skills needed to pursue career opportunities at the intersection of sports and technology. Whether it be securing the network at the Super Bowl or leveraging what they've learned to mentor others to break into the industry, Carraway and Suarez are demonstrating how preparation and opportunity drive successful career transitions. See how Cisco and the NFL are redefining what’s possible for life after the game and after the service » gofos.co/3ZAxTws