On the latest Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including the upcoming Stanley Cup Final. Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers will face off against the Florida Panthers, with the series set to start on Saturday.
The hosts talk about the matchup. It doesn’t feature the sport’s most popular teams, or its biggest markets—and Canadian viewers don’t count in U.S. TV ratings—but it will showcase McDavid. The 27-year-old is widely considered the most talented player in the sport, and there’s benefit for the NHL to expose him to casual fans in its most important games. It’s also been more than 30 years since a Canadian team won a Stanley Cup, a drought that the Oilers can snap with four more wins.
Next they talk about Kylian Mbappé. The French soccer star has signed a five-year deal with Real Madrid, and will take a significant pay cut to do so. He was making about $100 million annually in pre-tax income at PSG, and will make roughly $70 million starting next season at Real Madrid. It’s clear that money isn’t the main driver for Mbappé, as he turned down a $327 million offer from Saudi Arabia last summer. It continues a strong run for Real Madrid, which just won a Champions League title this past weekend, a win that comes with at least $92 million in prize money.
Next they discuss the U.S. government’s antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation, the parent company of Ticketmaster. Sports is not a large part of the lawsuit, as it focuses instead on concerts and other entertainment, but the result could have a big impact on sports team owners, and particularly those that own or control their venues. Many arenas and stadiums benefit from artists and tours managed by Live Nation, like Nicki Minaj, Billy Joel, and Pitbull.
Lastly they talk about a new 3-on-3 women’s basketball venture. Unrivaled recently raised money from a group of star-studded investors, and is planning to begin play in January.
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