THE NAT REPORTS

THE PERFECT PODCAST STORM: Taylor Swift’s Record-Breaking “New Heights” Appearance Clears 11 Million Viewers#taylorswift #traviskelce #nfl #newheights

UFC SCORES MASSIVE $7.7 BILLION DEAL WITH PARAMOUNT + AND CBS

Would You Pay For an ESPN College Football Redzone Channel? With the mothership acquiring the rights to NFL Red Zone, the idea of a college football equivalent seems like a good idea. Would you be willing to watch a college football Red Zone channel? THE NAT: The Business & Buzz Behind Sports. https://thenat.substack.com/#espn #collegefootball #football

ESPN FINALLY BUYS THE NFL NETWORK: IT ONLY TOOK 4 YEARS. It took NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Disney CEO Bob Iger, finally getting together in a room, to finalize the details of what can best be described as a highly complex deal that hands over control of the NFL Network and several other NFL properties to ESPN in exchange for a 10% equity.Think about it, a major sports league now owns a significant piece of a major sports network: can you say the lines of been blurred?#nfl #espn #nflnews #disney #sports #sportsnews #sportsmedia #business https://thenat.substack.com/

SHOCKING? Shannon Sharpe FIRED by ESPN & Sydney Sweeney’s "Great Jeans" Ad BREAKS the Internet!#espn #shannonsharpe #sydneysweeney

Adam Silver is on vacation in Europe in pitching a new 16-team NBA Europe Basketball League. What do you think? Is this a good idea, or should the NBA be focused first on NBA Expansion? MORE DETAILS:The NBA is making major moves in Europe, and it has big implications for the sports business world. On today's NAT REPORT, we cover the surprising details about the league's possible European league and break down the financial impact. #nba #sportsbusiness #nbanews #adamsilver #nbaexpansion #nbaeurope #sports #sportsnews THE NAT: The Business & Buzz Behind Sports. https://thenat.substack.com/

THE NFL, ESPN & NBC HAVE NEW DEALS ABOUT TO DRAMATICALLY SHIFT THE SPORTS MEDIA LANDSCAPE#nfl #espn #nbc THE NAT: The Business & Buzz Behind Sports. https://thenat.substack.com/

Hard to believe, but Steph Curry talks about NBA Players actually being underpaid. #stephcurry #warriors #nba THE NAT: The Business & Buzz Behind Sports. https://thenat.substack.com/

NBC Is About To Go BACK TO THE FUTURE with A New Sports Cable Network: A Cable TV Revival in the Streaming Era.Have you ever received news so shocking that you had to verify the date on your phone to confirm you hadn't somehow gone back to the future? That described my exact reaction when reports emerged that NBC was seriously considering launching a new sports cable network in the middle of the cord-cutting era. For a brief moment, I genuinely questioned whether I'd accidentally sat down in a “Hot Tub Time Machine” and found myself back in the era when people still bought CDs and thought flip phones were cutting-edge technology.How had I suddenly found myself transported back to the early 2000s? You know, that golden age when regional sports networks were booming, followed by ambitious attempts to transform those regional channels into national powerhouses meant to challenge ESPN's dominance?I pushed back from my laptop and checked my phone, which confirmed that today is indeed July 24th, 2025. Sure, I was disappointed that I wouldn't be peeling off a lot in a fuel-hungry Hummer H2 (which debuted in America back in 2002), but reality had set in, and I was left with the shocking news that NBC is serious about reentering the sports cable network business.#nbc #nba #sports #sportsbusiness THE NAT: The Business & Buzz Behind Sports. https://thenat.substack.com/

Washington Commanders Bobby Wagner Makes History as First Active NFL Player to Buy Into An WNBA Team. He takes an ownership stake in the Seattle Storm, becoming the first active NFL player to hold equity in a WNBA franchise.So how much did Wagner invest and what percentage does he actually own?While terms of the investment have not been released, here’s what we do know. Wagner joined the Seattle Storm ownership group as part of a recent transaction in which approximately 1.5% of the team was sold to three undisclosed investors at a valuation of $325 million. THE NAT: The Business & Buzz Behind Sports. https://thenat.substack.com/#nfl #wnba #bobbywagner #sportsnews #sportsbusiness #commanders

For years, the rumors about who was going to buy the NFL Network had swilled around the internet like tumbleweed in the desert. But it appears that ESPN and Disney are about to complete a $2 billion acquisition of the NFL Network, NFL RedZone, which stars Scott Hanson, NFL+ + and NFL fantasy football. Plus, we cover Rich Eisen's move to ESPN Radio and WNBA All-Star Rating tank. THE NAT: The Business & Buzz Behind Sports. https://thenat.substack.com/#nfl #espn #nflnetwork

Clearly, WNBA players deserve to be paid more. From the expansion fees going from $50M to $250M in just a few years, to the significant increases in attendance, merchandise sales, and TV ratings. The 2025 WNBA season has delivered a remarkable surge in television viewership, setting new records and signaling unprecedented momentum for women’s professional basketball. Early numbers confirm that national broadcast ratings are up significantly—by 23% compared to 2024—mirroring booming attendance and a heightened national interest in the league’s stars and storylines.THE NAT: The Business & Buzz Behind Sports. https://thenat.substack.com/#wnba #paytheplayers #wnbanews #caitlinclark

The team over Unrivaled has their act together as they announced 14 NIL deals on the same day the WNBA is holding their all-star game. A brilliant move by Unrivaled: Among the 14 signings are some of the most recognizable names in collegiate women’s basketball:JuJu Watkins (USC)Lauren Betts, Sienna Betts, and Kiki Rice (UCLA)Madison Booker (Texas)Audi Crooks (Iowa State)Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong (UConn)MiLaysia Fulwiley and Flau’jae Johnson (LSU)Hannah Hidalgo (Notre Dame)Ta’Niya Latson (South Carolina)Olivia Miles (TCU)Syla Swords (Michigan)#Unrivaled #WNBA #nildeals #womensbasketball #collegehoops #SportsNews #Basketball#AllStarWeekend #TrendingTHE NAT: The Business & Buzz Behind Sports. https://thenat.substack.com/

The NFL world is reeling after Lloyd Howell abruptly resigned as executive director of the NFL Players Association following a cascade of controversies that include him expensing trips to a strip club and mounting investigations. In just two years at the helm, Howell faced scrutiny over conflicts of interest, secret league deals, and questionable spending, including recent revelations about union funds. With major FBI probes into union finances and backlash from current and former players, the sudden resignation leaves the NFLPA in disarray on the eve of NFL training camps opening up. What does this mean for the players and the future of the union? Get the full breakdown, reactions, and what comes next!#NFL #NFLPA #LloydHowell #SportsNews #Scandal #BreakingNews #Football #UnionDramaTHE NAT: The Business & Buzz Behind Sports. https://thenat.substack.com/

🔥 The sports media landscape is CHANGING FOREVER! What happens when Barstool Sports and Fox Sports team up? ESPN is about to face its BIGGEST THREAT yet! We’re breaking down the wild rumors, the behind-the-scenes drama, and what this ultimate power move means for sports fans everywhere. Will this new alliance dethrone the sports media king? Check out our in-depth analysis, predictions, and HOT takes you won’t hear anywhere else! 🏈🏀👇 COMMENT: Who’s winning the sports media war?👍 LIKE if you think ESPN has serious competition!🔔 SUBSCRIBE for more breaking sports business news. #BarstoolSports #FoxSports #ESPN #SportsMedia #SportsNews #MediaWars #GameChanger #SportsTalk #BreakingNews #Viral #HotTakes #SportsFans #TrendingNow #EspnVsFox #BarstoolTakeover #sportsbusiness #business #mediadeals THE NAT: The Business & Buzz Behind Sports. https://thenat.substack.com/

Get ready for a deep dive into what Adam Silver is REALLY saying about NBA expansion—and what he isn’t. Is the league being transparent about new teams and the future of basketball in Seattle or Las Vegas, or are NBA owners deliberately slowing things down behind closed doors? We break down Silver’s public statements, what’s being studied (and what's being delayed), and why fans shouldn’t expect clear answers or a set timeline anytime soon. PLUS: FS1 is on the verge of closing a groundbreaking deal with Barstool Sports, bringing big changes to sports media. What does this mean for controversial content, competition, and your favorite hot-take personalities at Barstool? We unpack the rumored partnership, the risks, and what it signals for the future of sports coverage on FS1. ▶️ CHAPTERS: 00:00 Rundown 01:10 FS1 + Barstool Sports 03:15 Brady Beal To The Clippers 05:30 WNBA All-Star Game, Caitlin Clark Injury 07:45 NBA Expansion - Adam Silver Lied To You About NBA Expansion #NBAExpansion #AdamSilver #BarstoolSports #FS1 #SportsMedia #SeattleSonics #VegasNBA #NBAOwners #BreakingNews #SportsBusiness #NBATHE NAT: The Business & Buzz Behind Sports. https://thenat.substack.com/

Fox Sports just made a shocking move, canceling three of its flagship shows—“Speak,” “Breakfast Ball,” and “The Facility”—sending shockwaves through the sports media world. Hosts like Joy Taylor, Keyshawn Johnson, and Craig Carton are out; clearly, this is a reflection of bad ratings. Both THE HERD & FIRST THINGS FIRST have excellent ratings, now it's a question of what FS1 will do to fill 3 hours of prime daily programming? But that’s not all—the battle for the Formula 1 Cup media rights in North America is on! With ESPN’s contract set to expire, tech giant Apple is racing ahead with a massive bid of up to $150 million per year—nearly double what ESPN offered. Will Formula 1 move to streaming for the first time ever? What does this mean for loyal F1 viewers and the future of sports broadcasting?#FoxSports #F1 #AppleVsESPN #SportsMedia #Formula1 #BreakingNews #sportsbusiness #espnTHE NAT: The Business & Buzz Behind Sports. https://thenat.substack.com/