The First Whistle: 10 million in 16 hours

Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon has reportedly agreed to purchase the Portland Trail Blazers from the estate of late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen for over $4 billion. Allen, who bought the team for $70 million in 1988, passed away in 2018. His will directed that his sports holdings be sold, with proceeds going toward philanthropic causes. The estate will retain ownership stakes in the Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Sounders, while transferring the Blazers to Dundon, who became the Hurricanes’ majority owner in 2018 and has overseen their seven straight playoff appearances.

💰️ Read full Yahoo Sports article here

Paramount and TKO Group Holdings have agreed to a seven-year, $7.7 billion deal, granting Paramount exclusive U.S. media rights to UFC through 2032 and ending UFC’s traditional pay-per-view model. Starting next year, UFC’s numbered events and Fight Nights will stream on Paramount+, with some simulcast on CBS, marking Paramount’s first major sports-rights acquisition since its $8 billion merger with Skydance. The agreement, which doubles the average annual value of UFC’s current ESPN deal, also gives Paramount the option to pursue UFC rights internationally. Both companies’ stocks rose following the announcement, which comes amid political ties linking UFC leadership, Paramount, and President Trump, with discussions even underway to potentially host a UFC event at the White House for the nation’s 250th anniversary.

🥊 Read full Front Office Sports article here

Since returning to the presidency, Donald Trump has taken unprecedented steps to influence college sports policy, using executive orders to address name, image, and likeness (NIL) rules, athlete employment status, and transgender participation in women’s sports, while also aiming to preserve NCAA Olympic programs. His first major action, a ban on transgender athletes in women’s sports, spurred similar moves by the NCAA, U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and other agencies. In July, Trump issued the “Saving College Sports” order, which sought to curb certain NIL deals, reinforce amateur status, and expand or protect Olympic sport opportunities based on athletic department revenues—aligning closely with the NCAA’s legislative goals. While the administration’s capacity to enforce these policies is uncertain, Trump’s engagement signals his intent to remain deeply involved in shaping the future of college athletics.

📃 Read full Front Office Sports article here

At a recent gathering of over 200 sports, business, and tech leaders in the Hamptons, the dominant theme among discussions with former pro athletes Wale Ogunleye, Ryan Clark, and Leslie Osborne was ownership. The conversation centered particularly on soccer, where valuations remain more accessible compared to the NFL, NBA, and MLB. Celebrity-backed teams like Angel City FC have demonstrated both strong financial returns and promotional benefits, inspiring more athletes and entertainers to invest in expanding leagues such as the NWSL and MLS. MLS commissioner Don Garber highlighted how engaged celebrity owners like David Beckham, Will Ferrell, and Reese Witherspoon boost league visibility and growth. Beyond team ownership, the trend extends to major sports and media partnerships, with the NFL recently agreeing to acquire a 10% stake in ESPN in exchange for assets including NFL Network and RedZone, part of a broader wave of equity-driven broadcast-rights deals.

⚽️ Read full Front Office Sports article here

Just days before Kansas football’s season opener, KU alumnus and investing pioneer David G. Booth pledged an unprecedented $300 million to the university — the largest gift in Kansas Athletics and KU history, and among the biggest in college athletics. Booth’s contribution includes a $75 million challenge to accelerate Phase II of the Gateway District, adding facilities like a hotel, retail, student housing, parking, and an event plaza, while the remainder will generate long-term funding for athletics. A Lawrence native and founder of Dimensional Fund Advisors, Booth has a long history of major philanthropy to KU. His latest gift aims to position KU as a national leader in an evolving college sports landscape and inspire others to contribute, reflecting his lifelong connection to the university and belief in athletics’ power to unite communities.

📈 Read full KU News article here

The University of South Florida is replacing its traditional athletic director position with a newly titled “CEO of Athletics,” reflecting the expanded business demands of running a modern college sports program. USF Board of Trustees chairman Will Weatherford said the role requires expertise beyond coaching hires and compliance, prioritizing financial strategy, revenue growth, and navigating challenges like NIL, revenue sharing, and potential collective bargaining. The shift comes as USF works on a $407 million on-campus stadium and prepares to meet the American Athletic Conference’s mandate to share at least $10 million with student-athletes over the next three years, within the NCAA’s $20.5 million cap.

🤘 Read full Tampa Bay Times article here

The University of Kentucky and JMI Sports have announced a landmark extension of their multimedia rights agreement, now valued at more than $465 million and running through 2040, making it one of the largest deals in college athletics. Approved by the Champions Blue Board of Governors, the expanded partnership goes beyond traditional media rights to include support for NIL operations, facility development, and fan engagement initiatives. The new revenue-sharing model allocates 80% of net revenue from advertising and inventory to UK and Champions Blue, while adding new signage and naming rights opportunities starting in the 2025–26 season. UK is also investing up to $110 million in athletics facilities, including upgrades to Kroger Field, soccer and softball venues, and exploring an on-campus Entertainment District. The arrangement reflects UK’s strategy to adapt to a rapidly evolving college sports landscape while securing long-term financial growth.

📺️ Read full JMI Sports article here

“Check out Sportico’s full NFL team values ranking list, from the Dallas Cowboys to the Cincinnati Bengals.”

🏈 Read full Sportico article here

⬆️ The Bills. Running back James Cook and the Buffalo Bills agreed to a four-year, $48 million contract extension with $30 million guaranteed, following a hold-in that lasted more than a week. - Alaina Getzenberg

⬆️ New Heights. Taylor Swift’s surprise appearance on the Kelce’s “New Heights” podcast drew over 10 million YouTube views in its first 16 hours. The joint social media reveal reached 4.5 million likes and a 145% engagement rate. – Bridget Reilly 

⬆️ Ty Simpson. Ty Simpson will start the 2025 season as Alabama’s quarterback, winning the job over Austin Mack and Keelon Russell. – Chris Low

⬇️ John Mateer. Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer denied involvement in sports gambling after screenshots of Venmo transactions referencing “sports gambling” surfaced online. School officials are looking into the situation. - David Purdum 

⬇️ Jurrion Dickey. Oregon wide receiver Jurrion Dickey has been suspended indefinitely for violations of team rules, coach Dan Lanning announced Tuesday. – The Associated Press