NFL owners approve Tom Brady’s Raiders ownership bid; the Big Ten and SEC are working on a scheduling partnership; an early look at the competition for future World Cup rights; and more.
Brady cleared to acquire Raiders stake
NFL owners voted to approve seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady’s purchase of a 5% stake in the Las Vegas Raiders, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapaport, completing an effort that began in May 2023. Brady began working this year as the #1 NFL game analyst for Fox Sports.
As has been previously reported, Brady faces significant restrictions by the league as a result of his ownership, including being prohibited from attending in-person or online production meetings and accessing team facilities. Brady must also abide by the league constitution that prohibits criticism of the league’s officials and other teams.
Fox is scheduled to cover two more Raiders games this season on November 11 and December 29, although neither appear to be games that would draw Fox’s top broadcast team.
Big Ten, SEC exploring scheduling partnership
Following joint meetings last week in Nashville, leaders from the Big Ten and SEC are exploring a football scheduling partnership, including a series of non-conference “challenge” games, per CBS Sports.
The format has drawn comparison to the SEC-ACC Challenge and Big 12-Big East Battle in college basketball. These early-season matchups are set prior to each season to maximize television ratings. Non-conference games between power conference teams in football, however, are traditionally set at least 5-10 years in advance. The “challenge” format could, for example, create a guaranteed September game between the defending Big Ten and SEC champions. After the expansion of the College Football Playoff, marquee teams have signaled greater willingness to schedule other top teams as the postseason implications are somewhat reduced.
Included in any agreement could be a requirement for the SEC to expand from an 8-game to a 9-game conference schedule, to match the Big Ten and Big 12. The SEC-Big Ten partnership is key to the future of the CFP, which does not have a set format after the 2025 season and could see further expansion. The CFP may be forced to offer terms favorable to the nation’s two most powerful conferences, including a certain number of automatic bids.
Multiple bidders expected for 2027 World Cup
FIFA will begin accepting bids for US television rights to the 2027 Women’s World Cup in the early part of next year, with multiple bids expected, per John Ourand of Puck News. Ourand’s report suggests Fox Sports will attempt to retain rights, but bids are also expected from ESPN, NBC, and CBS, all of which have streaming services that demand live sports programming.
Fox Sports, which has televised every World Cup dating back to 2015, was controversially awarded rights to the 2026 Men’s World Cup in North America in a no-bid contract, reportedly as compensation for moving the 2022 World Cup in Qatar out of its traditional summer schedule to November and December. Whichever party acquires rights in 2027 will have an easier path securing rights to the men’s tournament in 2030.
Plus: Brian Anderson, Hawaii-MWC, NBA app, Fubo-Athletic
— TNT Sports announced a multi-year contract extension with NBA, MLB, and college basketball play-by-play voice Brian Anderson, which will extend his tenure with the company to more than 20 years. Anderson, who joined TNT Sports in 2008, will also serve as a “key member” of TNT’s coverage of the French Open tennis tournament, which begins in 2025.
— Hawaii is set to join the Mountain West conference as a full member in 2026, joining UTEP from Conference USA and bringing the league in compliance with the NCAA’s requirement for football leagues to maintain eight full members. The Rainbow Warriors have competed in MWC football since 2012, but will now leave the Big West to join the MWC in all other sports. The Mountain West’s current media rights deals with CBS and FOX expire prior to the 2026 season.
— The NBA announced new features to its digital app, including the ability to watch up to four games at once in a multiview experience with NBA League Pass. Additionally, the app will offer “interactive synced stats,” meaning that viewers who are watching a game at a delay or after its conclusion will optionally see text-based statistics within the app update as the viewer progresses though a telecast, rather “spoiling” the viewer with real-time results.
— Internet TV provider Fubo and New York Times-owned sports publication The Athletic have announced a multi-year partnership making Fubo the “official live TV streaming partner” of the publication. Through the partnership, Fubo will be integrated into the site’s game blogs and other content.
