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Morning Buzz

Published

7 months ago

June 2, 2025

Start your morning with Buzzcast with Abe Madkour: The Mets’ new biz leader; U.S. Soccer seeks city interest in Women’s World Cup and MI State’s new AD.

J Batt will leave Georgia Tech after leading the Yellow Jackets’ athletics since October 2022. Getty Images

Michigan State Univ. has “found its new athletic director,” with Jason “J” Batt “expected to be announced as the new AD” today, according to a source. Batt, currently the Georgia Tech AD, will “receive around” $1.8M per year in base salary. MSU will also pay Georgia Tech “a little over” $2M to “buy out the remainder of the contract,” which runs through 2029 and that he signed in December. Batt helped generate nearly $300M toward a $500M “Full Steam Ahead” fundraising effort that “began after he was hired” in October 2022. MSU’s previous AD, Alan Haller, was “forced out” after more than three years in the role (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 6/1).

A source said that Batt will “sign a six-year contract.” Batt marks MSU’s “first outside hire for athletic director in 30 years.” He is “scheduled to be introduced in an on-campus press conference this week, possibly Wednesday.” His hiring and contract terms will become official at MSU’s June 13 Board of Trustees meeting (DETROIT NEWS, 6/1).

Seattle Sounders FC protest shirts — Sounders players wore T-shirts protesting the Club World Cup before Sunday’s game against Minnesota. Getty Images

Seattle Sounders players “wore white T-shirts” with the “phrase ‘Club World Ca$h Grab’ emblazoned on the front” during pregame warmups and player walkouts before Sunday’s game against Minnesota United FC. The shirts also featured Mr. Monopoly “centered, wearing a hat with ‘MLS’ on it and ‘FIFA $’ on the money pouch.” The backs of the shirts read “Fair Share Now.” Fans “chanted ‘Fair Share Now’ in support of the players.” The protest aimed to “call attention to owners and MLS’s unwillingness to have a formal negotiation to decide how money for the upcoming FIFA men’s Club World Cup will be distributed.” Minnesota didn’t wear the shirts Sunday, but the MLSPA “stated it is united in its frustration with the league and owners” (SEATTLE TIMES, 6/1).

Seattle will earn “at least” $9.55M for competing in the Club World Cup, but under the MLS CBA, the players’ share “is capped” at $1M per club. The MLSPA said in a statement on Sunday that players “had ‘privately and respectfully invited the league to discuss bonus terms, yet MLS has failed to bring forward a reasonable proposal’” (REUTERS, 6/2). MLS “declined to comment because negotiations with MLSPA are ongoing” (AP, 6/1).

State Rep. Mary Beth Canty said that the legislature “got close to a deal on property tax legislation,” a measure widely seen as a way to “ease a team move to Arlington Heights.” Getty Images

Another legislative session “came and went” without the Bears seeing legislation passed in Springfield to help the team build a new stadium. Three bills surfaced in the Illinois General Assembly, but “none made any headway by the time lawmakers gaveled out early Sunday.” Nor were “funds set aside for any stadium projects” in the $55.2B budget bill headed to Gov. JB Pritzker. The Bears had “eyed so-called ‘megadevelopment’ legislation” that would freeze property tax assessments for massive projects and allow them to negotiate payments with local taxing bodies. That would give the team the property tax certainty “they say they need to break ground” on a $5B suburban development (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 6/1). State Rep. Mary Beth Canty said that the legislature “got close to a deal on property tax legislation,” a measure widely seen as a way to “ease a team move to Arlington Heights.” Legislators will “likely get another chance to pass legislation” in the fall (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 6/1).

The 895 Elite Commemorative Ice includes a sample of the ice surface from the record-breaking game in a cherry wood presentation box. Each is numbered out of 895 pieces produced and costs $1,499. — Monumental Sports & Entertainment is rolling out a series of memorabilia products related to Capitals LW Alex Ovechkin’s record-breaking 895th career NHL goal. Monumental Sports Authentics

Monumental Sports & Entertainment is rolling out a series of memorabilia products related to Capitals LW Alex Ovechkin’s record-breaking 895th career NHL goal under the banner of a new collectibles platform it is launching in collaboration with Cllct, the memorabilia media company launched last year by former ESPN sports business reporter Darren Rovell. The new venture, known as Monumental Sports Authentics, will be an official platform for fans to purchase game-used and team-issued memorabilia from the Capitals, Wizards and WNBA Mystics.

The first offering of Ovechkin-related memorabilia includes four products, each of which features either a sample of ice from the rink at UBS Arena when Ovechkin scored his record-breaking 895th goal against the Islanders on April 6 or a piece of netting from a goal used in warmups that day. The pieces range in price from $895 to $1,499, and Capitals season-ticket members, corporate partners and suite-holders will receive a $200 discount off each item.

Seeing the opportunity that comes from Olympic inclusion on the horizon, World Lacrosse has signed an agreement with sports marketing agency 54 to develop an event property for lacrosse sixes.

The deal will see 54 create a concept plan for a series of global events, with this phase slated to be complete by the end of the summer. World Lacrosse, the sport’s international governing body, is targeting a 2026 launch of the series.

“We’ve been looking for a way to kind of elevate that property,” World Lacrosse CEO Jim Scherr said. “I just think we’re very excited about sixes. We think this is the logical next growth step and major initiative that will also help secure lacrosse as a permanent fixture in the Olympic program and continue to grow the sport around the world.”

Scherr said World Lacrosse chose 54 — best known for its work in staging and promoting LIV Golf — from among a handful of agencies because it’s known as being aggressive and innovative. World Lacrosse and 54 signed a low six-figure deal for the first phase of work, which includes creating an event concept, commercial and broadcast strategy and identifying markets for the sixes series.

The Detroit Grand Prix “signed a three-year contract” with the Detroit City Council with an “option for three more years.” That extension should keep the race in downtown Detroit “through 2028 (and possibly 2031) on the current deal.” One potential issue over the future of the race is the “uncertain fate of the Renaissance Center, which currently has plans to have two of its buildings demolished.” Detroit Grand Prix President Bud Denker said that the RenCen’s potential deconstruction “creates a situation that is still ‘TBD’ for the Grand Prix.” Denker also “poured cold water on the possibility of extending the track, currently the shortest street course on the IndyCar circuit” at under 1.7 miles. The 2025 Grand Prix, which was won by Kyle Kirkwood, “outsold its total 2024 ticket volume by Friday, May 30 — two days before the race” (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 6/1).

PSG Champions League — Fanatics announced that merchandise sales in the 12 hours following PSG’s Champions League win were the company’s highest for a team outside the U.S. Getty Images

Fanatics announced that merchandise sales in the 12 hours following Paris Saint-Germain’s UEFA Champions League victory were the company’s highest for an individual team outside the U.S. More PSG merchandise was sold in the 12 hours after the win than the previous three months combined. Fans from 70 countries went to the official PSG online store to buy merchandise. Sales between 11pm and midnight CET on June 1 spiked more than 4,200% compared to total sales from May 30 (Fanatics).John Brenkus has passed away at the age of 54. Getty Images “Sports Science” founder and host John Brenkus died Saturday, his family announced on social media last night. Brenkus “had been battling depression for years.” “Sports Science” debuted on Fox Sports Net in 2007, though it moved to ESPN a few years later. The network eventually “purchased the brand from Brenkus,” who hosted more than 1,800 segments of the show. Brenkus “brought back his show in recent years on his own platform” (YAHOO SPORTS, 6/1).