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 start of the 2024 NFL season. The league saw strong viewership numbers—including a record 28.9 million for Thursday’s opener between the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens.
The hosts discuss the NFL both on the field and off it. A number of the league’s biggest stars signed record contracts in the past two weeks. They include Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, whose four-year, $240 million extension is the largest per-year deal in NFL history. His teammate CeeDee Lamb signed a four-year, $136 million deal that is among the highest ever for a non-QB. Both Jalen Ramsey and Patrick Surtain II reset the market for top-tier defensive backs.
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The hosts also talk about former president Donald Trump, who criticized the NFL late last week for its new kickoff rules. Trump was a frequent critic of the league back in 2017, and it caused a lot of frustration among commissioner Roger Goodell and team owners, many of whom had donated to Trump’s campaign or inauguration. It’s unclear if Trump will continue this line of attack, or whether it is a one-off.
The hosts run through a host of other NFL topics, including Tom Brady’s broadcast debut, frustration in New York over Daniel Jones’s contract, and Tyreek Hill’s pre-game detention by police on Sunday.
They close by talking about the U.S. Open. The tennis event concluded over the weekend with singles titles for Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner, but the performance of the American men and women’s was one of the event’s biggest stories. They also discuss the large crowds, and the USTA’s scheduling challenge.
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