SBJ Morning Buzzcast
SBJ Morning Buzzcast: August 7, 2024
(upbeat music) - Good morning, it's Wednesday, August 7th, and I'm Ted Keith with your Morning Buzzcast. Who was basketball's biggest free agent this offseason? Paul George, LeBron James, James Harden? How about a guy with Hall of Fame stats and major star power, but who hadn't suited up in a game in almost 25 years? That person is Charles Barkley, and while at 61 years old, he's long past his playing days, the most popular commentator in basketball and perhaps all of sports media, held the sports world's interest as he spoke openly about his future. With Warner Brothers' discovery likely to lose its NBA rights after next season, Barkley, the affable, valuable linchpin of inside the NBA on TNT, had spoken openly of his plans to retire. Then he said he would at least listen to offers from other networks that won the rights to broadcast the NBA, namely ESPN, Amazon, and NBC. But ultimately, Barkley decided his home was with Turner, and yesterday he agreed to a deal that will keep him on that network, even if Turner's last ditch attempt to keep the NBA comes up short. No terms were announced, although Barkley's current deal is rumored to be for at least $210 million. That's some big time NBA free agent money. What role will Sir Charles have if there's no basketball? Well, certainly there's college basketball and the NCAA tournament on Turner. He was briefly given the chance to host a show with Gayle King on CNN. And the feeling is if Barkley could be dropped into any number of properties and bring audiences with him. This will in some ways be the biggest test of Barkley's media career. Does he drive interest beyond the NBA? Major League Baseball has made a lot of hay from its signature games and unique places in recent years, from the field of dreams game in Iowa to the Little League Classic in Pennsylvania, the London series, games in Seoul, South Korea, and of course this year's game at Rickwood Field in Alabama. Next year's schedule will now look like it is going to include a game that was not part of the original 2025 schedule release last month. As Commissioner Rod Manford is expected to announce a game that will be played at Bristol Motor Speedway between the Braves and the Reds. It would be the first MLB regular season game in the state of Tennessee, which has long been rumored to be a leading contender to land an expansion team for Nashville whenever MLB decides to turn its attention to expansion. Speaking of signature events, the PGA Tour has no plans to alter its schedule of eight signature events for 2025. Commissioner Jay Monahan said yesterday, quote, "The model we have right now is working really well, so I don't anticipate any changes to that model in the short term," end quote. SBJ's Josh Carpenter reported yesterday, however, that, quote, "If any change were to come next year, likely the only potential candidate would be the Tour's postmaster stop on Hilton Head Island." RBC's deal to sponsor the RBC Heritage expired after this year's event, and tournament director Steve Wilmont told SBJ in June he hadn't been given an assurance that the event would retain signature status next year. So that's something important to keep an eye on in the golf world. Some news on the Olympics front that did not happen in Paris. On location in Milan Cortina said that hospitality packages to the Winter Games will go on sale starting in November. It is expected to be the largest hospitality program in Olympics history, as the second of three Olympics at on location has exclusive hospitality rights following the ongoing games in Paris. This year's games got off to a soggy start for on location and its guests during a rain-soaked opening ceremonies, but the rest of the games have appeared to have gone off without a hitch, and on location should see plenty of opportunity in business when the games move to Italy in two years. Finally, we end on a sad note. Our condolences go out to the friends, family, and colleagues of former Major League Baseball player and longtime executive Billy Bean, MLB senior vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and special assistant to the commissioner. Bean passed away yesterday after a year-long fight against leukemia. In a statement, Commissioner Rob Manfred said, quote, "Our hearts are broken today as we mourn "our dear friend and colleague, Billy Bean, "one of the kindest and most respected individuals "I have ever known. "Billy was a friend to countless people across our game, "and he made a difference through his constant dedication "to others. "Billy Bean played nine years in the Majors "and was just the second former player after Glen Burke "to acknowledge that he was gay. "In 2014, he was hired by then commissioner "Bud Selig, his MLB's first ambassador of inclusion, "and he spent 10 years at MLB making an impact "across the sport. "One longtime colleague of Bean said the news was, quote, "devastating because Bean was universally beloved. "Billy Bean was 60 years old. "This has been your morning buzzcast for Wednesday, August 7th. "I'm Ted Keith." (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music)