Trivia

Name the two major league greats that made baseball history in 1990 by becoming the first father-son duo to hit back-to-back homers in an MLB game? 

Last Week’s Answer:  Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur are the five teams to have never been relegated from the English Premier League.

Football:

Despite the Las Vegas Raiders’ “disappointing 2-7 start, fans are still flocking” to Allegiant Stadium for home games, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. According to data provided by the Raiders, through Week 10, Raiders home games have “averaged 61,866” fans. There are about 62,500 fixed seats at the $2B Allegiant Stadium, which can fit up to 65,000 fans “utilizing standing room only space.” Allegiant Stadium has seen a "good number of opposing teams fans at each home game,” attracted by the "allure of a 2-year old stadium and a getaway to Las Vegas." Despite a “slight dip,” the Raiders are still “drawing a sizable crowd and are seeing strong demand on the secondary ticket market.” That is even “more evident” heading into the Raiders’ final schedule of home games. Tickets to the Raiders’ next home game on Dec. 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers on TickPick have an average sale price of $515, “above the price seen before the season" of $495. The regular season home finale against the Kansas City Chiefs is the "only game with a less expensive average sale price than before the season began” at $539, with a dip from the $601 price in August. Whether attendance “continues to remain strong and secondary ticket market demand continues” following the Raiders’ “much-talked about loss to the Colts last week remains to be seen”.

Baseball:

Liberty Media said that it "would split off" the Atlanta Braves and their development, The Battery Atlanta, into a "separate, publicly traded company," according to the Wall Street Journal. Liberty said that it would "redeem its existing Liberty Braves common stock in exchange for shares of a newly formed company to be called Atlanta Braves Holdings Inc." The new company would "hold assets that include the Atlanta Braves Major League Baseball Club, certain assets and liabilities associated with" the Braves’ Truist Park and The Battery Atlanta, "as well as corporate cash." Liberty CEO Greg Maffei said that after the split-off, Liberty "plans to recapitalize its remaining common stock into three tracking stock groups." Among the three groups "would be the new Liberty SiriusXM Group, the new Formula One Group and the Liberty Live Group." Liberty said that it "expects to complete the split-off and reclassification in the first half of 2023".

Kansas City Royals owner John Sherman released an open letter in which he “makes the case for a new ballpark and the need to move on from the team’s longtime home at Kauffman Stadium,” according to the K.C. Star. Sherman put a $2B "price tag on the project," which he described as the "largest public-private development project in Kansas City history.” Sherman indicated the Royals are “now focused on specific sites in downtown KC and near downtown,” though he did "not give a specific number of sites or identify any site in particular.” Sherman in the letter said the team would "not ask Jackson County citizens to contribute any more tax dollars.” Sherman goes on to assert the necessary renovations to Kauffman Stadium would “cost as much or more than the price tag to develop a new ballpark” and claims that a new ballpark would be “a far better investment, both for local taxpayer dollars already supporting our facility and for the Kansas City community.” Sherman referred to the project as a "ballpark district -- not just a new stadium" -- and made "repeated references to the potential economic impact its construction could have.” Sherman said that a "'listening tour' will take place throughout the region in coming months, presumably giving the public an opportunity to shared feedback about the potential project with the Royals organization”. Jackson County Exec Frank White in a statement expressed "admiration for Sherman and his dedication to the KC area," but also "seemed to signal some tepidness.” White alluded to a "desire for more detailed information about the project such as cost, funding and the ‘specific’ benefits to the community”.

Hockey:

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said that “several groups have expressed interest in buying the Ottawa Senators," according to the Ottawa Sun. Daly said, “Since the announcement was made, there has been a fair level of interest.” Daly added that he “isn’t sure how long the sale will take but this process won’t be quick.” Daly: “There isn’t a timeline and there shouldn’t be a timeline. At some point there will be a timeline but it’s way too early to establish that.” Sources said that among those “trying to put a wealthy group of investors together to purchase the Senators” is Toronto-based businessman Paul Rivett. The indications are that the Senators “could sell for anywhere from” $800M-$1B. Power Corp of Canada CEO, President & Chair Andre Desmarais has “indeed shown interest in the Senators and will make a pitch.” It was reported late last week that Desmarais has “reached out to [former Pittsburgh Penguins minority owners] the Kimel family to partner on a deal to buy the Senators and build the rink.” Desmarais would bring the Kimel family into the deal “because they have the real estate expertise he needs to develop LeBreton and determine what to do with the land where the Canadian Tire Centre sits once the team makes its move downtown”.

Soccer:

Qatari officials have made an “abrupt about-face” and banned beer sales at World Cup games, leaving questions whether FIFA is “in full control of major decisions” related to the tournament, according to the N.Y. TIMES. The decision to just sell nonalcoholic beverages during the monthlong event “will also complicate” FIFA’s $75M sponsorship agreement with Budweiser and “infuriate fans.” It also will “leave organizers scrambling” to pivot just 48 hours before the opening game. Beer sales “will still be available in luxury suites” which are “reserved for FIFA officials and other wealthy guests.” The move comes a week after “dozens of red beer tents” were asked “to be moved to more discrete locations” at World Cup stadiums. The new plans “means the brewer’s red tents now may not be visible at all” as “unbranded white replacements are being considered.” Red refrigerators are “likely to be replaced” by blue ones, which is the color of Budweiser’s nonalcoholic brand, Budweiser Zero.

Sources: SportsBusiness Daily; ESPN.com; Washington Times; USA Today; ProFootballTalk; Las Vegas Review-Journal; Wall Street Journal; K.C. Star; Ottawa Sun