Read in Browser [[link removed]]

Afternoon Edition

July 18, 2025

POWERED BY

WNBA players were not optimistic when asked about their first in-person labor meeting with the league. New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart said it was a “wasted opportunity.” Here’s what we’ve learned in Indianapolis, the site of Saturday’s WNBA All-Star Game.

— Colin Salao [[link removed]], Annie Costabile [[link removed]], Eric Fisher [[link removed]], and David Rumsey [[link removed]]

WNBA Stars Say Zero Progress Made at CBA Meeting [[link removed]]

D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

INDIANAPOLIS — The WNBA and Women’s National Basketball Players Association held their first in-person CBA meeting Thursday [[link removed]], one attended by more than 40 players. But the prevailing sentiment from players during All-Star media availability the morning after the meeting was that the two sides remain far apart.

Breanna Stewart, a two-time MVP and VP of the union, said “no” when asked whether any progress was made.

“I think yesterday’s meeting was good for the fact that we could be in the same room as the league and the Board of Governors. But, I think, to be frank, it was a wasted opportunity,” Stewart told reporters, including Front Office Sports.

Stewart said there was a ton of “fluff” in the meeting, and that the first 45 minutes were spent on introductions. WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike characterized the beginning of the meeting differently, saying there were introductions, but they did not last long. Both players added they don’t know when the next meeting will be, but that it won’t be in person due to the grueling WNBA schedule. WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson said there is another meeting on the docket, but declined to specify when.

“I would say I don’t think any progress is made,” New York Liberty guard Natasha Cloud said. “The players and our union really just prepared to allow them to see a forefront. A forefront that is not playing. A forefront that understands the worth, the value, and we’re going to continue to push for everything that we’ve earned. The word “earned” is something that needs to be highlighted.”

The biggest issue in the negotiations is revenue-sharing, which would ultimately result in an increase in players’ salaries. Stewart called the first proposal from the union and the counter from the league “black and white” to describe how far apart they were from each other. Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers called it “disrespectful.”

Front Office Sports reported earlier this month that the union rejected the WNBA’s first CBA offer [[link removed]].

SPONSORED BY COMCAST BUSINESS

Powering America’s Pastime

With advanced networking solutions from Comcast Business, Truist Park is delivering a state-of-the-art game-day experience for fans and businesses. Powerful connectivity helps create seamless experiences for parking and ticket entry, mobile purchasing, and self-service kiosks. Plus, 700 wireless access points ensure that everyone stays connected, with a high-speed, reliable network for fans and Truist Park business operations.

Just outside the park, Comcast Business is also powering The Battery Atlanta. 30 unique shops and boutiques, 20 restaurants, 2 entertainment venues, 2 hotels, 5 office centers, and 531 residential units—all staying connected and reliably up and running thanks to Comcast Business. Learn more about how we’re powering some of today’s most innovative fan experiences. [[link removed]]

New NFLPA Head Will Face Multibillion-Dollar Decisions [[link removed]]

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The NFL Players Association is now at one of the most difficult, but also important, points in its history, as it looks to rebuild its organization in the wake of the late Thursday resignation of embattled executive director Lloyd Howell [[link removed]]. The union’s challenges are only building.

The departure of Howell after just two years with the union follows a series of mounting issues, including conflict-of-interest and sexual-discrimination claims during the course of his career, before and during his NFLPA tenure. In addition to internal issues, however, the next NFLPA leader will need to navigate a series of pressing matters as the business of pro football expands significantly and grows more complex. Among them:

Building a relationship with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell: Team owners are working on a contract extension [[link removed]] that would keep the 66-year-old Goodell in place through around 2030, meaning there will be no change at the very top of management’s leadership in the near future. An 18-game schedule: Momentum continues to build around expanding the regular season [[link removed]], advancing upon the addition of the 17th game in 2021. The next union leader will have two big fights to manage on this issue: an internal one, as many players are strongly against a further lengthening of the season, and one with the league, as pressure will be high to extract key concessions should they agree to the 18th game. Exploding media revenues: The league is all but certain to exercise contract opt-outs [[link removed]] in 2029 and 2030 in its current domestic media-rights deals. The move will allow it to garner even greater revenue and leverage its growing power as by far the most-watched programming in all of U.S. television [[link removed]], regardless of genre. As a result, it will be incumbent on the next NFLPA leader to make sure players are capturing a requisite share of that additional revenue. The next labor deal: The current labor agreement expires in March 2031, and the 10-year pact has been widely described as more owner-friendly, and to that end, barely passed the vote of NFLPA membership in 2020. Preparation for the next round of talks will begin well before the end of this decade, particularly as the schedule and media issues develop, players will likely be eager for an improved pact. Health and safety: Concussions fell sharply in 2024 as helmet technology has improved [[link removed]], but soft-tissue injuries remain a concern around the league. Players also continue to be upset that FIFA was able to get grass fields [[link removed]] installed in many NFL stadiums for the 2025 Club World Cup and 2026 men’s World Cup, while NFL games in many of those instances are still on artificial and hybrid surfaces [[link removed]]. International profile: A full-season slate of non-U.S. games is also a virtual lock, as part of an accelerating global strategy [[link removed]] that will include seven such contests this year [[link removed]]. More overseas games means more lengthy travel, and the union will need to preserve player wellness amid those heightened demands.

“There are a series of opportunities out there that are coming up—things that would benefit players past, present, and future—and can only be fully addressed with a strong, intelligent, and thoughtful union leader,” Marc Ganis, president of Chicago-based Sportscorp Ltd. and a longtime sports industry consultant, tells Front Office Sports.

Michael Jordan’s NASCAR Team Loses Another Legal Battle [[link removed]]

Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

Michael Jordan’s NASCAR team has taken another loss in its ongoing legal battle with the racing circuit.

23XI Racing, as well as Front Row Motorsports, will compete as open teams this weekend at the NASCAR Cup Series event at Dover Motor Speedway, after a federal judge denied their request to retain their charter status, which is essentially the sport’s version of being a franchise.

For now, the teams—which first sued NASCAR in October [[link removed]]—won’t lose their spots in upcoming events. But without charter status, guaranteed entries would eventually go away, and they would be forced to individually qualify for races.

U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell made the decision Thursday as he continues to weigh the validity of a preliminary injunction that the teams had originally secured in December [[link removed]], but then had vacated in June [[link removed]]. His final decision should come within the next few weeks.

“We are disappointed that the court declined to grant 23XI and Front Row Motorsports a temporary restraining order to allow the teams to continue racing as chartered teams,” Jeffrey Kessler, the attorney representing both teams, said in a statement. “We remain confident that our motion for a preliminary injunction is legally warranted and necessary, and we look forward to the court’s full review.”

The lawsuit has been scheduled to go to trial Dec. 1.

Not Backing Down

NASCAR began new seven-year, $7.7 billion media-rights deals this season, and 23XI and Front Row have been arguing that teams deserve a larger share of the sport’s revenue split. Under the latest agreement, teams receive 49% of media-rights revenue [[link removed]].

“We made the decision to bring this lawsuit to challenge NASCAR’s monopolistic practices and bullying tactics, and we are not going to let them push our teams—or others—out of the sport that they love,” Kessler also said in the statement. “We are confident in the merits of our case and the teams remain focused on competing this weekend and continuing their playoff push.”

Both 23XI drivers are currently in playoff position. Tyler Reddick is 4th in the Cup Series standings, and Bubba Wallace is 13th, ahead of the round of 16 beginning Aug. 31. None of Front Row’s three drivers are in the top 20.

FRONT OFFICE SPORTS TODAY NFLPA Leader Resigns Amid Scandals

FOS illustration

NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell resigned after the union reportedly worked with the NFL to bury claims of attempted collusion on guaranteed contracts. FOS senior news editor Dennis Young joins Baker Machado and Renee Washington to explain the laundry list of Howell’s transgressions and where the union goes from here to find a new leader.

Meanwhile, all eyes are on Indianapolis as the city welcomes the WNBA All-Star Game just one year after hosting the event for the NBA, but hometown hero Caitlin Clark will not be participating in the festivities. Joey Graziano of Pacers Sports & Entertainment and Janina Lundy of Kevin Hart’s production company Hartbeat explain the economic impact on the city and highlight the creation of other events around town, such as the inaugural comedy and music party Fever Fest.

Plus, FOS multimedia reporter Derryl Barnes checks in from Indy as WNBA CBA negotiations are met with frustration, and Unrivaled comments on its relationship with the W.

Watch the full episode here [[link removed]].

Sports Is Big Business

At Front Office Sports, we believe that sports is big business. That’s why we’ve trademarked the phrase and launched our new merch shop, where you can say it with us on your hat, T-shirt, or sweatshirt. For the next week, everything in our new shop is 15% off [[link removed]], and orders above $75 ship for free. Pass it on to a friend who also gets it: Sports is big business.

STATUS REPORT Two Up, One Down, One Push

Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Drew Brees ⬆ The former NFL quarterback will be a game analyst for the Christmas Day matchups on Netflix this year, according to The Athletic. It’s not clear whether he will call the Cowboys vs. Commanders or the Lions vs. Vikings.

Shemar Stewart ⬆⬇ Texas A&M has “no intentions” of the first-round NFL Draft pick returning to play for the school this season, coach Mike Elko told ESPN [[link removed]], as the defensive end’s contract dispute with the Bengals rolls on. The No. 17 draft pick is the only first-rounder yet to sign his contract.

Spain ⬆ The president of the Catalan golf federation has claimed that the 2031 Ryder Cup will be held at the Camiral Golf and Wellness resort, which has previously hosted events like the Spanish Open. “Next week it will be official,” Ramon Nogué told the Associated Press [[link removed]].

ESPY Awards ⬇ Wednesday’s broadcast averaged 2.18 million viewers on ABC, marking the least-watched edition of the show since 2011 (1.98 million), outside of the COVID-19-affected years of 2020 and 2021.

Conversation Starters Unrivaled cofounder Alex Bazzell said there’s no conflict of interest with Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, who are his cofounders, serving on the WNBPA board. Watch it here [[link removed]]. Take a look [[link removed]] at the 30-story-high banner of Caitlin Clark in downtown Indianapolis ahead of the 2025 WNBA All-Star weekend. Ilona Maher won the ESPY for Best Breakthrough Athlete. The USA rugby star competed on Dancing with the Stars, was on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, and has nearly 10 million social media followers. Check out her acceptance speech [[link removed]]. Editors’ Picks Bill Belichick UNC Series Heading to Hulu After ‘Hard Knocks’ Breakdown [[link removed]]by Ryan Glasspiegel [[link removed]]The series lands at Hulu after a deal with HBO fell through. Shannon Sharpe, Accuser Settle $50M Sexual Assault Lawsuit [[link removed]]by Michael McCarthy [[link removed]]The terms of the settlement were not disclosed. Golf’s Prize Money Boom Is Slowing Down [[link removed]]by David Rumsey [[link removed]]There is no purse increase at The Open Championship. The ‘Aura Farming’ Boat Dance Taking Over the Sports World [[link removed]]by Ava Hult [[link removed]]An unlikely viral boat dance has ignited the sports world. Advertise [[link removed]] Awards [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Events [[link removed]] Video [[link removed]] Shows [[link removed]] Written by Colin Salao [[link removed]], Annie Costabile [[link removed]], David Rumsey [[link removed]], Eric Fisher [[link removed]] Edited by Or Moyal [[link removed]], Catherine Chen [[link removed]]

If this email was forwarded to you, you can subscribe here [[link removed]].

Update your preferences [link removed] / Unsubscribe [link removed]

Copyright © 2025 Front Office Sports. All rights reserved.

460 Park Avenue South, 7th Floor, New York NY, 10016