Jake Brown

The cutthroat power struggle within US Soccer is plunging the sport into a downward spiral, with MLS at the forefront of the controversy. Accusations of MLS deliberately sabotaging the USL in a bid to cling onto its dominance are rife, exposing a desperate grasp for power. This calculated move by MLS comes as no surprise, considering its ongoing assault on the USL's modest strides in lower league soccer. The recent demise of USL San Diego serves as a grim reminder of the ruthless tactics employed by MLS to crush any potential competition. Such ruthless maneuvers not only stifle the growth of the sport but also erode the very essence of healthy competition that soccer thrives on. Instead of nurturing an environment of fair play and rivalry, MLS's actions reek of a monopolistic agenda aimed at controlling markets, ultimately tarnishing the integrity of the beautiful game. https://lnkd.in/eEmjB5db

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The WNBA has released a report saying... • Attendance is up 156% from last year, and more than half of all WNBA games this year have been sellouts. • About 400,000 fans have attended WNBA games this season, filling WNBA arenas to 94% capacity. • This year's televised games (ABC, ESPN, etc.) are averaging 1.32 million viewers, nearly triple last season's average of 462,000. • WNBA Countdown is averaging 741,000 viewers, a 211% increase from last year's full season average. • The WNBA's online merchandise store has already set a single-season sales record (with 4+ months left in the season), and sales are up 756% compared to last year. • The WNBA's social channels garnered 157 million video views through the first week of the season, an all-time high and up 380% compared to last year. • The WNBA set an all-time high for League Pass subscriptions last month with a 355% increase vs. last season. So, in simple terms, business is booming 📈

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Business in Sports ⚽ 🎟 🏀 - FAQs and Facts ❓ ✔ I want to start up a FAQs and Facts series here. Partly because I work in an industry that is commonly misunderstood, partly because I am responsible for that fact, and honestly, partly because I want to be more engaged with you all! For the first week, I want to address my favorite thing. FAQ ❓ : "WHY would I buy tickets when I'm not even interested in [X-Sport]?" Facts ✔ : There are several reasons! First, it's interesting to someone; second, sports is about way more than sports; and third, everyone needs a break from normal! 1. Even if you aren't interested, I bet you could name 5 clients who might be, one employee or coworker who definitely is, and at least 20 neighbors to your business whose ears might perk up at the sound of something extra when they do business with you. 2. When I say soccer tickets, I usually hear something like, "I don't even know the first thing about soccer." The reason I love to hear this is because neither did I! I started working here without any more knowledge than it's good for the ball to be in the net for us, and not for them. - We aren't just a soccer venue, and sports aren't just for their play-value entertainment. We're here for you, here to give you another place to be together. ALL sports are so much bigger than sports! 3. More than a place to get together, we are a retreat from the rotation, a twist from the typical, a getaway from the grim mundane. Give yourself or someone around you a break and a family night. Do it once for someone else and just see if it makes you regret the gesture. I'm excited for this series! I'm always here for any less-than-frequently asked questions too. One thing I promise - I will not try to sell you tickets just based on your reach-out. 😅 I trust you all know who I am!

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The Varsity * Amazon's last-minute bid for the NFL's Christmas games. * The still doesn’t have a signed deal with Netflix for the two Christmas Day games. Complicating matters is the fact that in recent days, Amazon tried to pry the games away by submitting its own bid to the league. * The vibe coming out of the NBA is that the league prefers NBC’s bid over Warner Bros. Discovery's. The NBA likes NBC's plan for two primetime broadcast windows per week and the type of promotion that has turned Sunday Night Football into the most watched primetime show in the land. There’s also a real question about whether WBD's matching rights can actually match NBC’s bid. * Optimum Sports' Jeremy Carey on this week's Upfronts: “We know that we’re going to see more sports and bigger areas of exposure across the board. There’s no doubt we’re going to see more women’s sports in bigger areas across the board." * Sinclair is selling 60 local TV stations—about 30 percent of its total—to pay down its $4 billion in debt. It’s not hard to draw a straight line from its disastrous 2019 purchase of the Fox Sports-branded R.S.N.s to this decision. * At some point in the blowout second half of the atrocious Game 4 of the Knicks-Pacers series, I realized just how much I missed Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson, who were part of ESPN’s top NBA broadcast team alongside Mike "Bang Bang" Breen for nine years before leaving at the end of last season as the network cut costs. * Despite its deal to carry MLB's Sunday morning games, Roku isn’t about to become a real competitor for exclusive sports rights anytime soon. The streaming service is not set up to compete with the likes of broadcast networks, or even streamers like Amazon or Netflix. Rather, as the media business continues to unbundle and become more fragmented, it is positioning itself as a place where content companies can find scale again. https://lnkd.in/eYMb6TeC

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NCAA Intensifies Efforts to Protect Athletes from Sports Betting Harassment With sports betting increasingly accessible, the NCAA has prioritized protecting student-athletes from the risks associated with gambling. Under NCAA President Charlie Baker's leadership, several impactful initiatives have been introduced since March 2023 to safeguard athletes from issues like gambling addiction and harassment. The NCAA has: Advocated for state-level regulations, including the ban on player-specific prop bets to reduce the risk of harassment. Successfully influenced four states to implement restrictions on these types of bets, with four more states introducing similar protective bills. Partnered with EPIC Global Solutions to launch the most extensive educational program on sports betting, reaching over 50,000 student-athletes. Moreover, the NCAA has rolled out a sports betting e-learning module and initiated a social media harassment pilot program with Signify Group to target harassment during the 2023-24 championship season. The program focuses on high-risk championships, collecting data and employing analytics to safeguard mental health. The “Draw the Line” campaign, launched in March 2024, is another key initiative to educate student-athletes on the risks of sports betting. The campaign includes a membership toolkit for NCAA schools and will be featured across social media platforms to raise awareness on campuses nationwide. 🏀 Learn more about the NCAA’s commitment to protecting student-athletes from the risks of gambling. #NCAA #SportsBettingEducation #StudentAthleteSafety

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2 phrases to help your storytelling skills? 1. Picture this…. 2. Imagine this…. It’s one thing to tell them how great your product is It’s a complete gamechanger to let them see how great it is.. #LinkedInSports #SportsBiz #Sales

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Looking to get into Player Development? Check out these 5 steps that can help you: https://lnkd.in/gjjX8juX #PlayerDevelopment #CareerAdvice #Networking #ProfessionalGrowth

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The ASFL will be the first pro football league to use ChatGPT and other Artificial Intelligence (AI) features so fans can get an inside view of officiating rulings and mechanics during games. The AI experience will include video clips with audio so fans can understand what happened just prior to, during and then after a penalty. The in-game virtual channel will be a terrific educational experience. The ASFL’s use of AI expands the current ‘officiating command center’ broadcast networks have used on television for a few years now. How the ASFL will implement AI remains a secret of intellectual property within the ASFL. The rollout, though, will change the game experience for fans and we are looking forward to this expanded fan experience feature.

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Sports reporting has been one of the coolest on-camera experiences I’ve had so far in my career! 🏈 It’s so intense, high energy, and very busy. As someone who is an overthinker, I’ve noticed that through these go, go, go experiences, I’ve been able to shut that off. Staying in the moment is one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned, and it was very insightful to see it naturally happen when I step into those environments. As someone with no sports reporting, step into that field, here are a few things I’ve learned… 🏈 Do prior research if you can on players, past games, and anything you can dig up. 🏈Be able to be flexible, and change things at drop of a hat. 🏈Be bold, make choices, get the content because nobody is going to hold you accountable or tell you what to do. 🏈Don’t be afraid to ask for help, talk to the players, communication is key! Did I miss anything? Comment 🏈 below if you like these videos! #sidelinereporter #sportsreporting #newenglandsports #bostonsports #lessonsfromthesidelines

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In my latest article for CBB Review, I look at teams having a successful first season at the D1 level. #sportsmedia #collegebasketball #NCAA

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If you don't know who Caitlin Clark is, you will soon. 🔜 After being picked first in last night's WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association) Draft, Clark could be the defining player for the league's success and growth in the next decade and beyond. 📈 I examined what the 2024 Draft means for the WNBA, its commercial impact on the future of the sport and why we can expect to see more crossover events between the men's and women's leagues. 🏀 #insights #SheMovesTheGame #WNBADraft #SportsBiz #SportsMarketing #WNBA

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Roger Goodell continues to try and push for expanding the NFL schedule from 17 to 18 games. It's not surprising he continues to push on this given the potential boosts to league revenue. But, the players have a pretty significant bit of leverage for the next five years. As former agent Joel Corry noted on X, Article 31 of the CBA specifically states that, "The League and/or Clubs shall not increase the number of regular season games per Club to eighteen (18) or more games." The league would have to engage the players in a negotiation to make a change. Side agreements can be negotiated during the term of the CBA (which expires in 2030), but the owners cannot unilaterally impose the schedule change. How much are the owners willing to give up to get the extra game, and what would the players want? If I'm the players, maybe I start with no more franchise (and transition) tag, no more 5th year rookie option, and 3 years needed for free agency instead of 4. Or maybe simply demand a larger percentage of the overall revenue pot. There's a lot of ways to go if the players are willing to put up a fight. #sportsbusiness #nflcba #sportslabor #nflschedule https://lnkd.in/efAt29nR

Working in sports media is not an easy path to take, but it can be very rewarding if you put in the work. Here are 5 keys to expanding your reach within the sports media space. 👇

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Going to be writing and sharing a fair bit of Fantasy Premier League content for Indy100 this season - here's a comprehensive guide of how to get started in FPL

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With the 2024 MLB Draft in the books, let's take a look at how I would approach the process of evaluating and acquiring amateur talent for an organization. It isn't always enough to draft the best talent; you have to draft them with the understanding of how they fit in the organization, the cadence in which they arrive on the 40-man roster, and the logistics of your operations. Watch the video for more! #mlbdraft #mlb #baseball #logistics #operations #driveline #strategy

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Day 9: The sports industry needs to improve (fill in blank). One area where I believe the sports industry could improve is in better preparing college students for the competitive job market. The industry is extremely competitive, and by the time students are ready to seek their first full-time position, many find the process challenging. While it’s ultimately up to the individual to be proactive, even students who complete multiple internships and build valuable connections can struggle to land a job right out of college. I was one of those students and I struggled for a bit. The sports industry is notoriously difficult to break into, and I wish colleges would place greater emphasis on the realities of entering the field. Instead of simply highlighting the end result—the success stories of those who reached their goals—it would be more beneficial to also focus on the journey, providing students with a clearer understanding of the challenges and strategies for overcoming them.

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