Start your morning with Buzzcast with Abe Madkour: Mets seek new biz leader; slow pace of Twins sale; PWHL avoids a sophomore slump and an SBJ product launch

Populous has been selected from seven competing firms to design the roughly 50-acre mixed-use development that will surround Oklahoma City’s planned new multipurpose stadium.

Developers Echo Investment Capital, Robinson Park and Russell Westbrook Enterprises (RWE) gave Populous a narrow edge over Gensler to win the project. Populous is also designing the stadium that’ll be home to professional men’s and women’s soccer teams when it opens in 2027 and likely cost more than $100M, though the final cost is still being pinned down.

“When you’re planning a 50-acre development surrounding a brand-new multipurpose stadium, you want to make sure the architects and master planners are working hand-in-hand,” said Echo Soccer President Court Jeske. “Selecting Populous for both made that an obvious advantage.”

Echo and Robinson Park have also named Nuggets G Russell Westbrook as the creative director of the proposed district. Westbook is helping Echo with the branding for its as-of-yet unnamed soccer club.

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Scott Havens is stepping down as Mets’ President of Business Operations, the team announced Tuesday night.

Mets owner Steve Cohen cited the two having “differing perspectives on long-term strategy” as part of a statement on the move. Havens had been in the role since 2023.

“Scott has played a key role in driving progress across the Mets organization,” Cohen said. “I’m grateful for the impact he’s had during his time with us. While we ultimately had differing perspectives on long-term strategy, I wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

The team said it plans to announce a replacement, who will work with Havens “to ensure a smooth and collaborative transition,” shortly.

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The PGA Tour on Tuesday approved changes to the Tour Championship, eliminating the much-maligned staggered start format that’s been in place for the last six years. The tournament going forward will be stroke play, and the tour also approved a change to the prize money distribution, which will further reward the winner of the FedExCup. The exact monetary distribution wasn’t immediately clear. The tournament will also remain a 30-player field. The tour’s Policy Board, PGA Tour Enterprises Board and the Player Advisory Council all met on Tuesday.

The Athletic reported in February that the tour was considering a bracket-style event with both stroke play and match play being possible options. The current scoring format debuted in 2019, in which the leader in the FedExCup standings going into the week would start the tournament at 10 under par, a two-stroke advantage over second place. The thought was that it would make it easier for the winner of the tournament to also win the season-long FedExCup.

Along with the format changes, one other shift that’s been discussed at a high level in recent months is the location of the tournament, sources said. The Tour Championship has been held at Atlanta’s East Lake Golf Club every year since 2004 and before that rotated across different venues.

It’s been played at historic courses such as Pinehurst No. 2, Pebble Beach, Olympic Club and Southern Hills in Tulsa. The tournament used to be contested in November, but with the creation of the FedExCup Playoffs in 2007, it moved to September.

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The WNBA says it “cannot substantiate claims that racist fan behavior took place” during a game in Indianapolis between the Sky and Fever earlier this month following an investigation into the matter. The league said its investigation “included gathering information from fans, team and arena staff,” as well as an “audio and video review of the game.” The WNBA was “looking into claims that racist comments were directed toward” Sky F Angel Reese by fans. Reese “brushed aside questions about the investigation” before Tuesday night’s game against the Mercury, saying she was “focused on the game” (AP, 5/27).

Monumental Sports & Entertainment and DXC Technology are extending their six-year-old tech partnership on a multiyear basis and plan to expand its scope in light of MSE’s ongoing, $800M transformation of Capital One Arena.

The expanded partnership will likely touch several of MSE’s business units, but its fan experience applications are top of mind of MSE’s President/Business Operations & CCO Jim Van Stone. Van Stone told SBJ that one area MSE expects to lean on DXC’s digital transformation capabilities in particular is in the development of a new app and app ecosystem.

“We own a variety of teams, both in the NBA [Wizards, Mystics, Capital City Go-Go] and the NHL [Capitals]. We run really big venues [Capital One Arena, District E, CareFirst Arena, EagleBank Arena], some of the busiest buildings in the country. And then the media part of our enterprise is unique in that we own the regional sports network,” Van Stone said. “So, working with best-in-class technology companies to bring all those different facets of who Monumental is together is really important for us.”

DXC President & CEO Raul Fernandez, who has also served as MSE Vice Chairman and Partner since 2000, said DXC and MSE are in the early stages of identifying additional use-cases for DXC’s tech services, with possibilities including cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, enterprise applications and AI.

Read More >>>

WWE is partnering with Montreal-based Seagram’s to launch three canned drinks, marking WWE’s first licensed ready-to-drink alcohol products. As part of the multi-year partnership creating the Seagram’s Escapes Spiked WWE Series, Seagram’s will receive sponsorship on prominent LED signage such as the ring skirt and ring posts, and in-show sponsored graphics during one match at Money In The Bank. Sponsorship integrations are also expected at other shows such as SummerSlam and Survivor Series. The partnership includes the launch of a custom digital content series featuring WWE talent and in-market appearances by talent at Seagram’s-sponsored events.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but no outside agency was involved. TKO EVP/Global Partnerships Grant Norris-Jones and WWE VP/U.S. Business Development & Global Partnerships Jesse Tomares worked on the deal. Other spirit companies that have recently signed deals with WWE include Angry Orchard Hard Cider, Mike’s Harder Beverage Co., Real American Beer and Wheatley Vodka.

The Seagram’s WWE branding for the canned products was created by design studio Sister Mary in partnership with Rochester, N.Y.-based brewing company FIFCO USA. The studio took inspiration from WWE championship belts, with each flavor reimagined as a different “title belt,” wrapping the can in a jewel-encrusted design. WWE isn’t the only giant to enter the ready-to-drink space. The Dodgers and Surfside, UFC and Atomic Brands and many others have all signed their own deals in the booming category.

Henrico County (Va.) issued a request for interest on Tuesday concerning a potential mixed-use development at the 93-acre Best Products site near interstates 95 and 295 north of Richmond.

Master developers, arena operators, and other prospective partners have until Monday, July 28 to respond formally with statements of interest in a potential development. A committee consisting of representatives of the Henrico Economic Development Authority (EDA), the Henrico Sports & Entertainment Authority, and other county offices will review received proposals before forwarding a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors.

The Best Products land is available again after the 200-acre, $2.3B GreenCity development stalled; that project team included ASM Global as operators of a 17,000-seat arena that would open in 2026 and anchor the environmentally sustainable development. Green City Partners never began construction; they defaulted on their purchase agreement for the property by failing to make the final installment payment, $5M owed Feb. 28, according to Virginia Public Media (VPM). EDA is enforcing its $1M repurchase option and expects to complete the reacquisition of the site in the coming months. ASM Global also sued GreenCity Partners for $1.5M in loans, interest, and legal fees, according to VPM.

The property’s approved master plan and zoning allow for an arena, 1.9 million square feet of office space, 135,000 square feet of retail space, three hotels with 600 rooms apiece, 2,138 residential units and parks and other green spaces. It’s unlikely future plans would include as much office space square footage. Prospective responders with questions about the RFI are encouraged to contact Purchasing Director Oscar Knott at kno008@henrico.gov.

Connecticut Sports Group (CTSG), the owner of MLS Next Pro expansion club CT United FC, has retained Wasserman as the club’s sales agency of record. Wasserman’s primary remit will be to sell naming rights for the team’s forthcoming waterfront stadium in Bridgeport. Construction on the 10,000-seat stadium is slated to begin this year, and CT United FC is slated to make its MLS Next Pro debut in 2026.

CTSG has also announced plans to pursue expansion teams in the NWSL and MLS. The stadium, which is the anchor for a larger waterfront revitalization project that would include 1,000 new housing units, is designed to be expandable to accommodate up to 22,000 fans.

Speed Reads…

The Dream will face the Storm at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena on Aug. 15, “marking the WNBA’s first regular-season game outside of the U.S.” Tickets for the game go on sale on today at 1pm ET through Ticketmaster (Vancouver PROVINCE, 5/27).

Moncton, New Brunswick, is “set to host” the 2026 Hockey Day in Canada marathon celebration on Jan. 17 (SPORTSNET.ca, 5/27).

The S.F. Unicorns, a Major League Cricket Club, will have 10 of their regular-season games “broadcast on NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California this summer,” starting with the league’s first-ever match in Northern California on June 12 (San Jose MERCURY NEWS, 5/27).

Amazon’s Prime Video has “ordered a five-part docuseries about the inaugural, ‘Esports World Cup,’ which is set to premier June 6” before the Saudi Arabia-based sporting event’s second annual games. The series will be directed by R.J. Cutler and “follows the events of the first-ever Esports World Cup in Summer 2024” (VARIETY, 5/27).

A dispute over a Bob Marley flag during Saturday’s Galaxy-San Diego FC match at Snapdragon Stadium “ended in a wild melee between dozens of rival soccer fans.” San Diego FC officials said that will likely “result in ‘extended’ bans for those involved” (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 5/27).

Morning Hot Reads: Time To Move On

The PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE went with the header, “It’s time for the top college football programs to break free from the NCAA.” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey “drew criticism for recent comments” about the fact some coaches and ADs in the SEC “are wondering why the league is still in the NCAA.” It was all part of a news conference about the future formats being discussed for the College Football Playoff, and Sankey said he is “pushing for more autonomy for the four major conferences when it comes to many issues.” He was “ripped by many,” with some saying it was “a power play by him” and others acting “as if NCAA oversight is the only thing that stands between Big Ten and SEC domination and the, cough, level playing field taking place now.” In actuality, the SEC, Big Ten, ACC and Big 12 “hold all the power in college football, and it is high time college football programs break free of the NCAA and form an independent league.”

Also:

Social Scoop…

Off the presses…

The Morning Buzz offers today’s back pages and sports covers from some of North America’s major metropolitan newspapers:

For highlights of MSE and DXC partnership, CLICK HERE.

WASHINGTON, May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ – Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), America’s leading integrated sports and entertainment company, today announced an expanded partnership with DXC Technology (NYSE: DXC), a Fortune 500 global technology services provider. As an official global partner, DXC’s expertise in digital transformation will help enhance the experience for MSE’s millions of fans. DXC will bring technology innovation to support MSE’s vision for the iconic new Capital One Arena, part of the $800+ million entertainment district transformation in downtown Washington, D.C.

The multi-year collaboration will span across the entire MSE enterprise, including the NBA’s Washington Wizards, NHL’s Washington Capitals, WNBA’s Washington Mystics, Capital One Arena, and Monumental Sports Network (MNMT). MSE will leverage DXC’s expertise in cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, enterprise applications, and AI to deliver smarter connected experiences to millions of fans around the world.

“Our expanded partnership with DXC aligns perfectly with our vision for the new arena, leveraging their technological prowess to enhance the experience for our fans, partners, and more. Together, we are setting the stage for a dynamic hub in downtown D.C. and DXC’s technology and industry expertise will help us redefine how we experience sports, entertainment, and business in the heart of our nation’s capital,” said Jim Van Stone, President of Business Operations and Chief Commercial Officer at MSE. “As we embark on the transformative process of creating a brand-new arena and surrounding entertainment district, we are not just reshaping a physical space, we are creating a vibrant ecosystem where businesses can connect, collaborate, and engage with audiences on a global scale.”

“Together, DXC and MSE are driving the next era of innovation in sports, entertainment, and business,” said Kaveri Camire, SVP and Chief Marketing Officer at DXC. “As a trusted partner to many of the world’s most innovative brands, DXC brings deep industry expertise and engineering excellence to help customers innovate for the future. We’re proud to collaborate with MSE and reimagine Capital One Arena to create smarter, more immersive fan experiences that set a new standard in business and sports.”

DXC will join MSE as the presenting partner of MNMT’s newest original show, Sports Business Journal: Inside the Industry, covering the rapidly evolving business of sports and innovation. DXC was the first partner to leverage the award-winning MNMT studios to create dynamic internal and external content, reaching its 120,000 employees worldwide, as well as customers and partners. 

Today’s announcement comes as construction is underway on the brand-new arena. MSE is taking a 360-degree approach to planning a high-tech, high-touch building that will serve millions of annual visitors for the next 25 years and set a new standard for fan experience and technological innovation.   

Additional information about MSE’s brand-new arena is available HERE.  

About Monumental Sports & Entertainment 
Monumental Sports & Entertainment is America’s leading integrated sports and entertainment company and is ranked as one of the most valuable globally. Our people, players, teams, and events bring excitement and joy to millions. We invest and innovate to consistently raise the game so we can deliver extraordinary experiences that will inspire and unite our community, our fans, and our people. To learn more, please visit monumentalsports.com.  

About DXC Technology 

DXC Technology (NYSE: DXC) helps global companies run their mission-critical systems and operations while modernizing IT, optimizing data architectures, and ensuring security and scalability across public, private and hybrid clouds. The world’s largest companies and public sector organizations trust DXC to deploy services to drive new levels of performance, competitiveness, and customer experience across their IT estates. Learn more about how we deliver excellence for our customers and colleagues at DXC.com. 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/monumental-sports–entertainment-announces-dxc-as-official-global-partner-302466168.html

SOURCE DXC Technology Company

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE, Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Artificial intelligence technology bellwether Nvidia overcame a wave of tariff-driven turbulence to deliver another quarter of robust growth amid feverish demand for its high-powered chips that are making computers seem more human.

The results announced Wednesday for the February-April period came against the backdrop of President Donald Trump’s on-again, off-again trade war that has whipsawed Nvidia and other Big Tech companies riding AI mania to propel their revenue and stock prices upward.

But Trump’s tariffs — many of which have been reduced or temporarily suspended – hammered the market values of Nvidia and other tech powerhouses heading into the springtime earnings season as investors fretted about the trade turmoil dimming the industry’s prospects.

Amer Sports Today

AS

Amer Sports

$37.67 -0.83 (-2.16%)

As of 03:59 PM Eastern

52-Week Range

$10.11

▼

$38.83

Price Target

$36.67

In 2025, among the biggest rebounders is one of the hottest names in the consumer discretionary sector over the past year or so, Amer Sports NYSE: AS. Since going public back in Feb. 2024, Amer Sports has seen its shares rise by around 187% as of the May 23 close. This dramatic rise conjures images of the explosive returns seen by other consumer discretionary stocks like ON NYSE: ONON and Deckers Outdoor NYSE: DECK in past years.

So, can Amer Sport’s incredible run continue, and is the apparel and footwear stock the new On Running and Deckers Outdoor of the current market?

To answer that question, let’s break down what Amer Sports does and its financial progress.

Amer Sports’ Strong Q1 Earnings Catapult the Stock into Deep Green Territory

Although the rebound in its sector has greatly helped Amer Sports’ recovery, the company has done much of the heavy lifting itself. Amer Sports’ extremely impressive Q1 earnings allowed the stock to rise 19% afterward. The company saw sales grow by over 23%, much faster than analysts’ expectations of just under 17% growth.

The company over doubled its adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) from $0.11 to $0.27, which also massively exceeded expectations. Amer increased the midpoint of its full-year EPS guidance by over 4% and increased the midpoint of its revenue growth guidance from 14% to 16%. Both of these figures were solidly ahead of analyst forecasts.

AS: Underlying Drivers Look Just as Impressive

As is typically true with hot clothing and footwear stocks, Amer Sports’s success is all about the brands it owns. Amer Sports’s largest and most important brand is Arc’teryx. Arc’teryx makes very high-end outdoor clothing. It is particularly known for its lightweight waterproof jackets, which sell at prices between $400 and $900.

The company’s technical apparel segment, in which Arc’teryx is, saw the fastest revenue growth of 28%, accounting for 45% of total revenue.

Amer’s promising geographic-based sales also stand out. Greater China sales grew by 43% and accounted for around 25% of total revenue in 2024. Last quarter, the United States made up 26% of revenue, with the company’s “Americas” sales growing by 12%.

This demonstrates that the company has a strong presence in the two largest economies in the world, giving it a strong runway to grow its business.

The company’s direct-to-consumer (DTC) growth of 39% also outpaced the 12% growth of its wholesale channel by over three times. This is another very positive sign, as DTC sales cut out middlemen, allowing the company to generate higher margins. The higher DTC growth rate bodes well for the company’s ability to continue expanding margins.

Additionally, the company’s second-largest segment, Outdoor Performance, saw its growth rate nearly double to 25%. This segment made up 34% of total revenue. Strong performance by its Salomon footwear and apparel line drove this. The company sees strong long-term growth potential in its Salomon shoes.

They generated $1 billion in revenue in 2024, giving them less than 1% market share in the global $180 billion sneaker market. The company also plans to roll out more Arc’teryx footwear in the second half of 2025, allowing another way to further penetrate this market.

Amer Sports: High Valuation Stock With Opportunities and Skilled Management

Overall, the success of Amer Sports and the strong pathways for growth and higher profitability make its rapid rise understandable. Wall Street analysts significantly raised their price targets after the May 20 results. Among those tracked by MarketBeat that updated their forecasts afterward, the average price target is just under $41.

This implies an upside of only 6% from the stock’s May 27 closing price.

Additionally, the company’s relative valuation versus its industry looks elevated. The stock’s nearly 49x price-to-earnings ratio is significantly above the 29x average of a group of the eight largest U.S. stocks in its industry. However, the company also has one of the best earnings and sales growth profiles.

Expecting the stock to continue generating returns similar to those of On and Deckers in its heyday may be a bit unreasonable at these levels.

If the company hopes to continue substantially beating forecasts, expectations will keep rising. The potential in footwear could allow this to happen.

The company’s fantastic execution and ability to make products that resonate with consumers are hard to bet against. Overall, investors should view Amer Sports as a somewhat high-risk, high-reward consumer discretionary play going forward.

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WhatsApp frequently updates its features. A new update to the app is set to overhaul the voice messaging system: here’s what to expect.

WhatsApp is on a roll with updates. The popular messaging app, developed by Meta, is gearing up to revamp its voice messaging system, which has remained unchanged for many years. The two billion users of the platform will soon need to adapt, as the current methods will soon become obsolete. Sending a voice message will be much simpler.

According to WABetaInfo, a website that specializes in WhatsApp information, the upcoming update is poised to bring innovation to the voice message interface. These changes were spotted in the beta version 25.13.10.70 of WhatsApp for iOS. So, what should we expect from the new version of the app?

Until now, to send a voice message on WhatsApp, users had two options: either hold down the microphone icon for an extended period or slide the button upward to lock the feature. One of the key updates in beta version 25.13.10.70 is straightforward: users will need to press the icon just once to send a voice message.

Once the voice message is initiated, users will see an audio wave along with several options: delete, pause, and send. Currently, this functionality is available only to iOS users enrolled in the beta program via TestFlight.

Another innovation introduced in the upcoming WhatsApp version is the ability to allow the recipient to listen to the voice message just once. Similar to Snapchat’s stories, WhatsApp will enable users to limit the playback of their messages. This feature is particularly useful for those who prefer greater control over their communications.

These new features, found in iOS version 25.13.10.70, do not yet have an official release date. As usual, WhatsApp plans to test these new options for several weeks or even months. During this period, potential bugs will be identified and feedback from TestFlight users will be gathered.

For highlights of MSE and DXC partnership, CLICK HERE.

WASHINGTON, May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ – Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), America’s leading integrated sports and entertainment company, today announced an expanded partnership with DXC Technology (NYSE: DXC), a Fortune 500 global technology services provider. As an official global partner, DXC’s expertise in digital transformation will help enhance the experience for MSE’s millions of fans. DXC will bring technology innovation to support MSE’s vision for the iconic new Capital One Arena, part of the $800+ million entertainment district transformation in downtown Washington, D.C.

The multi-year collaboration will span across the entire MSE enterprise, including the NBA’s Washington Wizards, NHL’s Washington Capitals, WNBA’s Washington Mystics, Capital One Arena, and Monumental Sports Network (MNMT). MSE will leverage DXC’s expertise in cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, enterprise applications, and AI to deliver smarter connected experiences to millions of fans around the world.

“Our expanded partnership with DXC aligns perfectly with our vision for the new arena, leveraging their technological prowess to enhance the experience for our fans, partners, and more. Together, we are setting the stage for a dynamic hub in downtown D.C. and DXC’s technology and industry expertise will help us redefine how we experience sports, entertainment, and business in the heart of our nation’s capital,” said Jim Van Stone, President of Business Operations and Chief Commercial Officer at MSE. “As we embark on the transformative process of creating a brand-new arena and surrounding entertainment district, we are not just reshaping a physical space, we are creating a vibrant ecosystem where businesses can connect, collaborate, and engage with audiences on a global scale.”

“Together, DXC and MSE are driving the next era of innovation in sports, entertainment, and business,” said Kaveri Camire, SVP and Chief Marketing Officer at DXC. “As a trusted partner to many of the world’s most innovative brands, DXC brings deep industry expertise and engineering excellence to help customers innovate for the future. We’re proud to collaborate with MSE and reimagine Capital One Arena to create smarter, more immersive fan experiences that set a new standard in business and sports.”

DXC will join MSE as the presenting partner of MNMT’s newest original show, Sports Business Journal: Inside the Industry, covering the rapidly evolving business of sports and innovation. DXC was the first partner to leverage the award-winning MNMT studios to create dynamic internal and external content, reaching its 120,000 employees worldwide, as well as customers and partners. 

Today’s announcement comes as construction is underway on the brand-new arena. MSE is taking a 360-degree approach to planning a high-tech, high-touch building that will serve millions of annual visitors for the next 25 years and set a new standard for fan experience and technological innovation.   

Additional information about MSE’s brand-new arena is available HERE.  

About Monumental Sports & Entertainment 
Monumental Sports & Entertainment is America’s leading integrated sports and entertainment company and is ranked as one of the most valuable globally. Our people, players, teams, and events bring excitement and joy to millions. We invest and innovate to consistently raise the game so we can deliver extraordinary experiences that will inspire and unite our community, our fans, and our people. To learn more, please visit monumentalsports.com.  

About DXC Technology 

DXC Technology (NYSE: DXC) helps global companies run their mission-critical systems and operations while modernizing IT, optimizing data architectures, and ensuring security and scalability across public, private and hybrid clouds. The world’s largest companies and public sector organizations trust DXC to deploy services to drive new levels of performance, competitiveness, and customer experience across their IT estates. Learn more about how we deliver excellence for our customers and colleagues at DXC.com. 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/monumental-sports–entertainment-announces-dxc-as-official-global-partner-302466168.html

SOURCE DXC Technology Company