Sports

Trump Bill Advances as Team Owner and College Tax Breaks in Peril

The omnibus “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” passed by the House of Representatives Thursday morning takes aim at team owners’ coveted ability to write off most of the purchase price of a sports team, with a clause that would remove billions of dollars from being deducted on taxes. “The bill itself, vis-a-vis sports teams ownership, […]

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3 months ago

May 22, 2025

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Trump Bill Advances as Team Owner and College Tax Breaks in Peril

“The bill itself, vis-a-vis sports teams ownership, isn’t really a great thing,” Irwin Kishner, a partner at the law firm of Herrick, Feinstein, said on a phone call. “You could argue the valuations of sports teams would be less than they were prior to that tax treatment.”

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The bill, now numbered H.R. 1, covers a multitude of spending priorities including border security, defense and taxation, among others. The legislation also takes a hatchet to amortization, which is the depreciation of non-tangible assets often termed goodwill. Typically, 90% or more of a team’s purchase price is goodwill, which excludes physical assets a team might possess, such as its stadium and weight room equipment.

“Team owners were allowed to deduct 100% of the purchase price over 15 years, and now they’re only allowed to deduct 50% over 15 years, if it comes to law,” Robert Raiola, director of the sports and entertainment group at PKF O’Connor Davies accounting firm, said on a phone call.

Amortization is an accounting principle meant to assess a decline in value over time_, like its cousin depreciation, which is meant to account for physical assets wearing out, such as machinery. In sports, values don’t typically decline. The 1973 New York Yankees sale to George Steinbrenner is believed to be the last time a franchise from the big four U.S. leagues traded hands at a loss.

The amortization of team values is an under-the-radar tax benefit that is a key part of the calculus used in the decision to buy a U.S. sports franchise—and it plays a role in the skyrocketing prices paid for franchises in recent years. For example, under existing law, a team owner paying $1.6 billion for a franchise where $1.5 billion is intangible goodwill could deduct that $1.5 billion over 15 years. That $100 million annual deduction of taxable income probably saves the average team owner $40 million in actual taxes, assuming a 40% blended federal and state tax rate. Those deductions do raise the taxable income if and when the team is sold—all $1.5 billion would be a gain to be taxed—but not paying taxes today is preferable to paying them in the distant future.

The proposed law, which now moves to the Senate, means team owners would still get a $20 million annual tax savings under the example above. As drafted, it would cover all professional sports teams, and specifies football, hockey, soccer, baseball and basketball as examples. The amortization reduction applies only to new purchases after the bill becomes law, so any revenue bump to the federal government would be muted by the fact current team owners will be exempt under the proposal.

“The general public doesn’t really feel sorry for these people either way, but for the owners themselves, it has a huge impact,” Kevin Thorne, managing partner of tax-focused Thorne Law Group, said on a phone call. “I think it’s going to be changed by the time it goes fully through [the Senate and reconciliation process]. A lot of people are going to be getting phone calls on The Hill.”

Two years ago Congress eliminated the ability of team owners to immediately depreciate the value of tangible assets of their franchises.

Tax benefits “are a big part of the calculus” of buying a team, Kishner said. “But it’s still a regulated asset in that supply is less than demand and people have historically done very well owning these franchises.”

H.R. 1 also seeks to tax college athletic department licensing revenue. Typically, all nonprofits must pay income tax on revenue from activities not central to their tax-exempt status to avoid giving charities a competitive advantage over for-profit businesses.

Yet under current law, income from the sale or licensing by a college of its name and logo is exempt from unrelated business income taxation. This money can be significant: Ohio State University’s athletic department for example, made $34.1 million in licensing and advertising revenue in the latest reported year, according to the Sportico College Sports Finances Database. Athletic department logos of seemingly every college in the U.S. are widely licensed for apparel and other goods. That money would now be subject to the 21% corporate tax rate—at the same time the NCAA is proposing expanded scholarship limits and direct payments to athletes.

Another clause in the budget as passed would allow health savings account money to be used to pay for gym membership, capped at $500 a year per person and $1,000 per family. Publicly traded gym operators Planet Fitness (PLNT) and Life Time Group Holdings (LTH) were up modestly in trading today, outpacing the broader market.

H.R. 1 passed the full House by a vote of 215-214 with one abstention, and it will likely see changes in the Senate, despite the Republicans’ six-seat advantage. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has set a July 4 target date to pass the legislation. The bill, weighing in at more than 1,100 pages, will now be referred to the Senate finance and budget committees, which may propose amendments that will need to be reconciled with the House version. Both bodies will need to approve by majority vote a final version before it can be sent to President Trump to be signed into law.

With assistance from Michael McCann

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Sports

2025 Fordham Football – The Defensive Line

Football 8/12/2025 6:34:00 PM A look at the 2025 Rams’ Front Line of Defense Story Links Bronx, N.Y. – As we approach the start of week three of the 2025 Fordham football camp we continue our position-by-position breakdown of the Rams, highlighting the first […]

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57 minutes ago

August 13, 2025

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Football
8/12/2025 6:34:00 PM

A look at the 2025 Rams’ Front Line of Defense

Bronx, N.Y. – As we approach the start of week three of the 2025 Fordham football camp we continue our position-by-position breakdown of the Rams, highlighting the first line of defense, the defensive line.

The Fordham defensive line returns a wealth of experience, returning three of the four starters from 2024, led by senior Claudy Robinson. Last year Robinson earned All-Patriot League honors, starting all 12 games and recording 37 total tackles, 13 solo, including 6.0 tackles for loss and one sack.

Other returning starters on the defensive line for the Rans are senior Sam Buerkle, who started all 12 games at defensive tackle, registering 41 total tackles, 16 solo, including 8.0 for loss and 2.0 sacks, and junior John Scott III, who started all 12 games at Buck as a sophomore, recording 44 total tackles, 24 solo, including 6.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks.

Other veterans back for the Rams include seniors Peter Chalhoub, who saw action in eleven games as a junior, making 13 total tackles, six solo, including 1.5 for loss, Colby Spencer, who appeared in all 12 games as junior, compiling 16 total tackles, five solo, including 1.5 for loss and 0.5 sacks, and Michael Thorn, who played in ten games as a junior, making 15 total tackles, seven solo.

The defensive line will also be bolstered by the return of graduate student Jack Low, who missed last year with an injury after starting five games on the line in 2023, and senior Chris Tuck II, who was limited by injury to four games as a junior, both on the defensive line and special teams.

Juniors returning to the defensive line include Aiden Jeter, who appeared in four games as a sophomore in 2024, and Kevin Nizolek, who did not see action last fall.

Sophomore returnees include Cole Nelson, who saw action in four games as a freshman; Carter Hess, who appeared in nine games as a freshman, making 13 tackles; Mardale Rowe, who appeared in one game last year; and Owen Theoharides and Phillip Kunkel-Quesada, who did not see action as a rookie.

Newcomers to the defensive line include Tyler Davis, who helped Erasmus Hall to the 2023 PSAL AAAA Championship; Lorenzo Riddick, a 2024 All-State performer at Long Island Lutheran; Marco DeCroce, a First Team All-League selection at Northern Valley Demarest; James Dunnemann II, a 2024 First Team All-Conference pick at Seton Hall Prep; and Cole Siegel

Fordham opens the 2025 season on Saturday, August 30, when the Rams travel to Boston College for a 2:00 p.m. contest. Join your fellow Ram fans in a pregame reception prior to the game.

Season and individual game tickets for the 2025 home season are now on sale through the Fordham Athletic Ticket Office.

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MiLB FastCast

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2 hours ago

August 13, 2025

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Sports

NSU tabbed fifth in SSC Preseason Coaches’ Poll

Story Links FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Sunshine State Conference announced the preseason Volleyball coaches poll on Tuesday morning. The Nova Southeastern Sharks, under the direction of Head Coach Kacie Ehinger, were picked to finish fifth in the league. NSU received 65 points in the poll and trailed Lynn, Tampa, […]

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2 hours ago

August 13, 2025

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Sunshine State Conference announced the preseason Volleyball coaches poll on Tuesday morning. The Nova Southeastern Sharks, under the direction of Head Coach Kacie Ehinger, were picked to finish fifth in the league.

NSU received 65 points in the poll and trailed Lynn, Tampa, Barry, and Embry-Riddle.

2025 Sunshine State Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll

Place	School	Votes (First Place Votes)
1.	Lynn	97 (8)
2.	Tampa	92 (2)
3.	Barry	81 (1)
4.	Embry-Riddle	66
5.	Nova Southeastern	65
6.	Florida Tech	62
T7.	Eckerd	42
T7.	Florida Southern	42
9.	Rollins	25
10.	Palm Beach Atlantic	23
11.	Saint Leo	10

The Sharks return AVCA All-American Olivia Aniol, who set the single-season record for block assists (131) during the 2024 season. In addition to Aniol, Madelyn Hooper, Brooke Spurgeon, Taylor Stockman, Marley Navaretta, Avery Piatt, Varshini Panuganti, Ella Kern, Gabrielle Spankus, and Juliana Imbuzeiro all return to the program. The Sharks also welcomed several new additions to the team, as Brantley Chipley, Natalya Bergant, Abbie Roth, Hadley Dantzler, Erika Spankus, Mackenzie Pryor, Caiden Largent, Amalee Doyle, Ayana Solan, and Cami Kelsay all look to make an impact in their first season as Sharks.

Nova Southeastern finished sixth in the league during the 2024 season, winning 20 matches, while also advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive year and third season under Ehinger’s guidance.

The Sharks begin their 2025 season on Friday, September 5th, hosting Malone University at the Rick Case Arena. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. To stay up-to-date on Sharks Volleyball, be sure to follow on Instagram at NSU_VBall and X at NSU_VB.

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Sports

Seaside Beach Volleyball Tournament kicks off with record growth

SEASIDE, Ore. (KATU) — The Seaside Beach Volleyball Tournament, the second-largest event of its kind globally, kicked off last week. The only larger tournament is held in Venice, Italy. The tournament, which began as a fundraiser for a new lifeguard tower, has grown exponentially from its humble beginnings with just four courts to now featuring […]

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2 hours ago

August 13, 2025

Your Sports Nation

SEASIDE, Ore. (KATU) — The Seaside Beach Volleyball Tournament, the second-largest event of its kind globally, kicked off last week. The only larger tournament is held in Venice, Italy.

The tournament, which began as a fundraiser for a new lifeguard tower, has grown exponentially from its humble beginnings with just four courts to now featuring over 230 courts.

Organizers attribute the event’s massive growth over the past 40 years to its popularity and the community’s continued support.

In response to the increasing number of teams wanting to participate, the tournament will expand to five days in 2026 to better manage logistics and accommodate more teams.

Watch the full interview with the Interim Director of the Seaside Chamber of Commerce, the Seaside Beach Volleyball Director of Operations, and the Chief Operations Officer of Volleyball Life below.

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Ivan Dodig named new Croatia Davis Cup coach

by croatiaweek August 12, 2025 in Sport Ivan Dodig (Photo: si.robi/CC BY-SA 2.0) The Croatian Tennis Association has announced that Ivan Dodig has been appointed as the new captain of Croatia’s Davis Cup team. The 40-year-old will replace Velimir Zovko, who has led the side in recent years. Dodig will make his debut in the […]

Published

2 hours ago

August 13, 2025

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by croatiaweek
August 12, 2025
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Ivan Dodig (Photo: si.robi/CC BY-SA 2.0)

The Croatian Tennis Association has announced that Ivan Dodig has been appointed as the new captain of Croatia’s Davis Cup team.

The 40-year-old will replace Velimir Zovko, who has led the side in recent years.

Dodig will make his debut in the role when Croatia faces France in the second round of the Qualifier stage in Osijek on 12 and 13 September.

The Croatian Tennis Association thanked Zovko for his work and wished him success in the future, while extending congratulations to Dodig, expressing hopes for continued top results for Croatian tennis.

Dodig is one of Croatia’s most successful tennis players in doubles.

He has won three Grand Slam men’s doubles titles – the French Open in 2015 and 2023, and the Australian Open in 2021 – as well as several mixed doubles crowns, including the Australian Open in 2022, French Open in 2018 and 2019 and Wimbledon in 2019.

He also won a silver medal at the Olympic Games in 2021.

Dodig has been a key figure in Croatia’s Davis Cup campaigns over the years as a player.

Croatia has lifted the Davis Cup trophy twice, first in 2005 and again in 2018.

Sign up to receive the Croatia Week Newsletter

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Kara Griffin-Ruwin – Women’s Beach Volleyball

2023: Did not see action 2022: Did not see action. Prior to Tulane: Griffin-Ruwin comes to New Orleans from San Francisco, California. At the beginning of her beach volleyball career she trained with the Sandlegs beach volleyball club before moving on to train with the Valley Girls. Griffin-Ruwin also trained on the sand with former USC coach, Anna Collier and […]

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3 hours ago

August 13, 2025

Your Sports Nation

2023: Did not see action

2022: Did not see action.

Prior to Tulane: Griffin-Ruwin comes to New Orleans from San Francisco, California. At the beginning of her beach volleyball career she trained with the Sandlegs beach volleyball club before moving on to train with the Valley Girls. Griffin-Ruwin also trained on the sand with former USC coach, Anna Collier and AVP/USA professional, Allie Wheeler. Griffin-Ruwin was recognized by AVCA volleyball as an elite rising high school volleyball student-athlete. She has trained and competed in P1440, USAV, CBVA’s, AAU and AVP tournaments. Top finishes in CBVA and P1440 tournaments. Getting stronger off the courts, Griffin-Ruwin did OC Fast-Twitch training, F45 training, and Apiros.

Griffin-Ruwin plans on majoring in Design and wants to pursue a career as an Interior Designer in the Real Estate Business.

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