Beyonce And The NFL

Plus Big 12 On TNT, The Best Place To Work, Recruit Top Players To Your School

November 18, 2024

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Welcome to Office Chair Sports! Your home for everything Sports & Biz! Today, we’re covering top news about:

  • Big 12 On TNT

  • Queen Bey Returns Home

  • Women’s Sports Are Skyrocketing 🚀🚀

  • The Best Place To Work

  • Recruit Top Players To Your School

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Big 12 On TNT

Big news for college sports fans.

Thanks to a deal involving the NBA, Warner Bros. Discovery, and ESPN, the Big 12 is getting a fresh TV deal that'll put more games on your regular TV channels.

13 Big 12 football games are moving from ESPN+ to TNT and TBS starting fall 2025. Bonus: 15 men's basketball games are making the jump too. The six-year agreement means you won't need to stream these games anymore – though they'll still be available on MAX.

Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark is pumped, calling it "additive" to their existing ESPN and FOX partnerships. This makes the Big 12 unique – they're the only power conference working with both media giants, while the SEC and ACC stick with ESPN, and the Big Ten rolls with FOX.

The timing's perfect, especially with Colorado and Deion Sanders potentially heading to the championship game. Plus, with the Pac-12 and Mountain West shopping for new TV deals soon, the Big 12's expanded visibility could be a game-changer.

Queen Bey Returns Home

Beyoncé is bringing some heat 🔥 to Christmas Day football.

The Houston native will take center stage during halftime when the Texans host the Baltimore Ravens on Netflix. Queen Bey is expected to debut songs from her new album "Cowboy Carter".

This isn't her first NFL rodeo. Beyoncé has already graced two Super Bowl halftime shows and belted out the national anthem at Super Bowl XXXVIII in her hometown of Houston. Now she's part of a festive double-header, with the Chiefs-Steelers game kicking off the holiday action.

Women’s Sports Are Skyrocketing 🚀🚀

Women's sports are having a moment.

The NWSL's latest playoff showdown perfectly captures why. The Washington Spirit just packed 19,215 fans into Audi Field for their quarterfinal victory over Bay FC.

Back in 2021, only 5,300 dedicated fans showed up for a playoff game. But this isn’t only happening in soccer.

The WNBA saw record crowds, women's March Madness outperformed the men's tournament, and the U.S. women struck Olympic gold. For the NWSL specifically, 2024 brought their first 2-million-plus attendance season withan average of 11,000 fans per game.

The league's firing on all cylinders with a new $60 million media deal and Angel City FC's record-breaking $250 million valuation after Disney CEO Bob Iger's investment.

Next up? A sold-out semifinal this weekend between Washington and Gotham FC.

The Best Place To Work

The best place to work in Florida isn’t home to Mickey, Minnie, Donald or Goofy.

But home to Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs and more.

For the second straight year, the Sports Business Journal has named the Magic one of the "Best Places to Work in Sports." The recognition comes after an extensive survey of over 9,000 employees across 100 sports organizations, measuring everything from leadership trust to company culture.

Magic CEO Alex Martins credits the DeVos family's ownership for creating a family-first environment that balances hard work with the excitement of sports. But their impact extends well beyond basketball.

The Magic pump more than $2 million annually into local community programs, with staff volunteering over 7,000 hours each year. Their youth foundation has distributed an impressive $30 million to nonprofits over 35 years.

From their top-ranked Kia Center fan experience to their G League champion Osceola Magic, the organization is showing that championship culture isn't just about what happens during game time.

Recruit Top Players To Your School

A new player just entered the NIL game, and they're looking to shake things up in a major way.

Fanstake launched today as the first fan-driven NIL platform, backed by $3 million in pre-seed funding from Susa Ventures and Will Ventures. Think of it as crowdfunding meets college sports recruitment.

Fans can "stake" money toward their favorite athletes' NIL deals, but only pay if the athlete chooses their school. If an athlete picks a different school, fans get their money back.

This creates a transparent marketplace showing athletes their true market value across different schools. It's especially timely given the recent NCAA House Settlement, which could soon allow schools to pay NIL compensation directly.

To kick things off, Fanstake is running a "Million Dollar Match" promotion, matching up to $100 per fan and $25,000 per athlete. The platform is focusing initially on football and basketball.

Internships 🙋

1. Intern, (NASCAR) - Interns are placed to a specific department or organization for the duration of the program and work on real projects and initiatives. Depending on the department, you may spend time working in the Daytona Beach, Florida, Charlotte or Concord, North Carolina offices.

2. Digital Video Intern - Spring 2025 (Pacers) - The Digital Video Intern will assist in the video workflow for Pacers Sports & Entertainment social channels, including Pacers, Fever, Mad Ants and Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

3. Intern, Commercial (PGA) - The Commercial Intern is responsible for providing administrative and operational support for Commercial Group hospitality and events as well as sales research and materials updates.

4. International Scouting Seasonal Assistant (Detroit Tigers) - Some responsibilities include Support with the International Amateur Player Signing Process Confirm MLB registration status for potential signees. Coordinate with Tigers staff and MLB representative to arrange for drug test. Coordinate with Tigers staff on Social Media Screening.

5. Motion Graphics Intern - Spring 2025 (UFC) - UFC is seeking a talented and enthusiastic Motion Graphics Intern to join our creative team at UFC. This internship offers a unique opportunity to work on exciting projects in the world of UFC, honing your skills in video editing, motion graphics design, and sound design.

Job Board 💰

1. Human Resources Generalist, Athletics - Auburn University Athletics is seeking a talented Human Resources Generalist to join our team! In this key role, you will provide professional-level support across a range of HR functions.

2. Account Executive, Premium Sales (Golden State Warriors) - The Account Executive, Premium Sales will sell sideline, courtside, and VIP floor memberships and game night suites at Chase Center.

3. Team Photographer (Cincinnati Reds) - The Cincinnati Reds are seeking a passionate, skilled, and highly motivated individual to serve as the primary team photographer, overseeing all aspects of the Reds photography needs.

4. Marketing Events & Game Entertainment Specialist (Pittsburgh Steelers) - Help create engaging and entertaining scripts and shows for Steelers fans at marquee events.

5. Associate Director of Development, Athletics (GWU) - This position will engage with a portfolio of approximately 90-120 prospects in order to secure gifts ranging from $50,000 to $500,000+ from prospects.

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