Illustration by Lorenzo Gordon
On the latest episode of La Previa, hosts Asli Pelit and Boris Gartner discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including Univision’s UEFA Spanish media rights deal, the Washington Commanders sale and the latest on the NHL’s Ottawa Senators bidding process.
The hosts get into the details of TelevisaUnivision’s three-year pact worth $225 million for the Spanish-language rights to broadcast UEFA club competitions in the U.S. The deal, brokered by Stephen Ross’ Relevent Sports Group, follows the six-year, $1.5 billion agreement that UEFA signed last year with Paramount for English language rights. UEFA will be paid $325 million per year for its U.S. rights from 2024-27–more than double its current contracts and one of the biggest soccer media rights deals.
“We believe that doing a three-year deal with the current holder of the Spanish language rights was the right way to maximize the value,” Gartner, a partner at Relevent group, said.
Next, Pelit and Gartner talk about the latest developments around the record-setting $6 billion sale of the Washington Commanders.
Last Friday, a group led by Josh Harris signed a purchase and sale agreement with the current owners. The group includes more than a dozen limited partners, including Blackstone exec David Blitzer, Harris’ partner in the 76ers and Devils, former NBA star Magic Johnson and the Santo Domingos, one of the wealthiest clans in South America. The hosts discuss the importance of the Colombian family’s investment in the NFL. The Santo Domingos, whose fortune is estimated at $12.2 billion, is the first South American family to invest in a football franchise.
The hosts drill down on the deal’s details, which include the highest price ever paid for a sports team, topping last year’s Denver Broncos sale for $4.6 billion. Twenty-four of the NFL’s 32 owners still need to approve the deal, and the NFL has concerns over Harris’ bid, particularly about the size of his group.
Finally, Pelit and Gartner talk about the latest developments around the NHL’s Ottawa Senators sale. Four groups submitted bids to buy the Canadian franchise, with at least one offer of more than $1 billion, ahead of Monday’s deadline.
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