CBS got one part of its Masters coverage exactly right
Plus: The WNBA's ongoing culture change and how pro betting really works
Here are six sports business items to start the week…
What I Loved 😍: One of my biggest issues watching golf on TV is that it can be very difficult for viewers to picture exactly what the golfers are trying to do with their long shots. That’s why I absolutely loved this drone (blimp? crane?) angle that CBS showed ahead of Rory McIlroy’s title-clinching approach shot on the 18th hole on Sunday at the Masters.
McIlroy, who is in the bottom right of the screen, hit his drive into a mess of trees, but from this vantage point, it’s clear what’s in front of him—a shot that stays to the right of the treeline, then fades left, up and over that big final tree. CBS is getting a lot of criticism for how it handled the 18th hole, but I’m giving a golf clap for this portion. —ENW
What Didn’t Surprise Me 🔒: High Point University, the school that became famous this March for its on-campus airplane cabin and steakhouse, apparently has a partnership with Augusta National Golf Club to send 50-some students to work at the Masters. Of course it does. “Students help run one of golf’s most historic events while developing valuable professional skills,” the school explained.
“The Premier Life Skills University” keeps living up to its slogan. —JF
What Impressed Me 🏀: The culture of the W is changing before our eyes this week, with the first free agency period under the league’s new CBA leading into Monday night’s draft.
The clearest example of that culture shift is at UCLA. After winning this year’s college title, five Bruins could be drafted in the first round. During pre-draft media availability multiple players credited one of the school’s assistants—Michaela Onyenwere—with helping them navigate the transition.
Onyenwere was the 2021 WNBA rookie of the year. Having made slightly more than $400,000 over her first five seasons in the league, she joined UCLA’s staff during this most recent offseason. On Sunday, after winning a ring with her alma mater, she reportedly signed a new contract with the Washington Mystics worth more than $1.4 million.
The era of marquee W pros moonlighting as college assistants each winter might be over. (Back in the day, Dawn Staley was a WNBA All-Star while coaching Temple in her offseason). I’ll be watching to see how Onyenwere handles her former pupils when they play each other this summer. —JF
What Makes Me Sad 😔: A number of regional sports networks showed their final NBA games on Sunday. Local networks no longer carry playoff action, and next year, several teams are expected to sort out new broadcast plans following Main Street Sports Group’s ongoing wind-down. These channels were the backbone of fans’ connection to their favorite team for decades. It’s a bit surreal to see them fade out so quietly. —JF
Sportico Story of the Week 🎟️: There’s a dirty truth in airline travel that just because you buy a plane ticket, that doesn’t mean you have a seat on the plane. That’s also true with big event tickets bought on the secondary market. Our colleague Mike McCann wrote last week about a decision by a federal judge in Washington in a lawsuit about $5,000 (!) tickets for a Taylor Swift concert in Vancouver, which were allegedly swapped for $1,200 obstructed view tickets by StubHub. This happens in sports more than many people realize. —ENW
Non-Sportico Story of the Week 🎾: It’s a few weeks old now, but I was riveted by this Tennisedge account of what it looks like to sell gambling pick to a tennis betting syndicate. The author, who goes by Nishi or Nishikori, talks about how the relationship started, how he’s paid, and what the syndicate expects in yield. He’s not on the inside, so there’s a lot he doesn’t know, but he’s able to make educated guesses about what the group does with his picks once they’re given. If you’re curious about how professional sports betting works, this is a fascinating primer. —ENW
Club Sportico is a community organized by Sportico, a digital media company launched in 2020 to cover the business side of sports. You can read breaking news, smart analysis, and in-depth features from Eben, Jacob and their colleagues at Sportico.com, and listen to the Sporticast podcast wherever you get your audio. Contact us at club@sportico.com.