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- The First Whistle: 71% Decline
The First Whistle: 71% Decline
Ticket prices drop __%, MLB invests in ____ league, NY Liberty valued at record $___ million, and MORE!
December 11, 2025
Hi ,
You hear of a 71% drop in ticket prices, and you have to ask why. Was there a global crisis? A natural disaster? Did something happen at the arena?
But then you hear the drop was due to just one athlete’s injury, and now of course you have to ask who.
Only one athlete could have that kind of impact on a franchise’s ticket prices.
Caitlin Clark.
— Avery Glover
Which athlete is more valuable to their respective franchise? Lebron James to the Lakers? Or Caitlin Clark to the Indiana Fever? |
Current Offerings:
MLB invests in Athletes Unlimited Softball League ahead of June debut
Major League Baseball (MLB) is making an undisclosed, "eight-figure" strategic investment in the new Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL), set to launch on June 7 and marking the MLB's first comprehensive partnership with a professional women's sports league. This investment aims to provide operational support and significant visibility through content, marketing, and events. MLB views this collaboration as an effective way to capitalize on the growing interest in women's sports and foster the AUSL's expansion and international growth.
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2025 College Football Playoff projections: How 12-team bracket shakes out as leaders approve straight seeding
The College Football Playoff is adopting a "straight seeding" model for 2025, meaning the top four teams ranked by the selection committee will receive first-round byes, irrespective of conference championships. This change aims to better reflect overall team performance and create a more merit-based playoff bracket. While conference champions are still guaranteed spots, the new system prioritizes a true power ranking for postseason play.
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WNBA's NY Liberty reportedly valued at record $450M after raising new capital
The New York Liberty WNBA team is now valued at a record $450 million after raising new capital from investors. This makes them the highest-valued women's sports franchise in history. A significant portion of the funds has been earmarked for an $80 million, state-of-the-art practice facility set to open in 2027. This move underscores a growing trend of major investment in women's professional sports.
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Study finds elite recruits see drop in draft odds after transferring
A recent study analyzing seven years of college football transfer portal data reveals that elite high school recruits who transfer schools in college see a significant drop in their NFL Draft odds. While 53.6% of non-transfer elite recruits from 2018-2021 were drafted, only 11.4% of their transferring counterparts made it to the NFL. Quarterbacks are the most frequent position to transfer, but the data suggests that staying put generally leads to better professional development for highly touted players. Greater transfer success is often seen for players moving up from lower collegiate divisions.
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OU Athletics laying off 5% of staff due to revenue-sharing after House vs NCAA settlement
The University of Oklahoma's athletic department is laying off 5% of its staff, about 15 full-time employees, to manage the financial impact of the upcoming revenue-sharing model for college athletics. This decision, announced by Athletic Director Joe Castiglione, is part of a broader restructuring to adapt to the new era of college sports and its significant direct compensation costs.
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Tom Brady backs another crypto play
Despite his past involvement with the collapsed crypto exchange FTX, Tom Brady has invested in Catena Labs. This is a Boston-based startup that recently raised $18 million in a funding round led by a16z crypto and aims to build a regulated AI-native financial institution for "agentic commerce”. The concept involves AI agents automating online shopping using regulated stablecoins and traditional banking systems. Brady’s investment signals his continued interest in the digital asset space and reflects a broader trend of the sports world re-engaging with crypto-related ventures after the industry's recent downturn.
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He’s already IPO’d once – this time’s different
Spencer Rascoff grew Zillow from seed to IPO. But everyday investors couldn’t join until then, missing early gains. So he did things differently with Pacaso. They’ve made $110M+ in gross profits disrupting a $1.3T market. And after reserving the Nasdaq ticker PCSO, you can join for $2.80/share until 5/29.
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Start 3/Bench 1
⬆️ AJ Cole. AJ Cole received a record-setting 4-year, $15.8 million extension from the Raiders, making him the NFL's highest-paid punter. - Ian Casselberry
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