MSG Slices Its $11B Sports Empire

A federal judge approved a settlement with 12 states, ending a nine-month legal battle without requiring the media giant to sell any properties.

The $110B merger combines two massive entertainment companies, though the new venture will carry a heavy debt load of roughly $79B.

The deal unites streaming apps Paramount+ and HBO Max alongside major television sports networks under new co-CEO Ynon Kreiz, former head of Mattel.

The baseball team owes $76M annually on the $1.2B it borrowed to build its stadium.

A potential strike by Major League Baseball players could halt games, cutting off the ticket sales used to repay those loans.

Credit evaluator Fitch Ratings upgraded this debt because the team saved $120M to cover 18 months of payments if games stop.

Joopiter, an auction firm founded by musician Pharrell Williams, hosted the sale that broke the previous $10.1M basketball jersey record.

Seller Rob Gough, a sports memorabilia collector, will use the funds to grow his new business, the Miami-based World Jai Alai League.

Gough recently made another major deal, quietly selling a rare 1952 Mickey Mantle baseball card for over $12.3M through a private broker.

The Ravens-Cowboys matchup drew 24.9M viewers, making it the most-watched international NFL game in history.

U.S. television network CBS Sports scheduled the broadcast during late Sunday afternoon, the most popular time for fans.

This milestone helped CBS push its overall seasonal football audience to a massive 19M weekly average.

The hockey and basketball teams will become separate publicly traded companies by October 26 to attract focused investors.

James Dolan, the current head of the sports group, will serve as chief executive and chairman for both new organizations.

The parent company is currently valued at $11B, but this split aims to unlock higher market values for each franchise.

Spanish soccer club Barcelona is selling 2,000 VIP seats at €200K to €210K each, paid upfront, with rights lasting 15 to 30 years.

Premium hospitality firm Legends Global, the club's partner, runs the scheme, copying a US model where fans buy long-term rights to one seat.

The money helps offset Barcelona's stadium redevelopment, now budgeted at €1.8B, triple its 2014 estimate, adding to €380M from earlier hospitality sales.

Federal judges dismissed lawsuits accusing Fanatics, a $31B sports merchandise giant, and the NFL of illegally suppressing market competition.

The courts ruled that plaintiffs failed to prove these exclusive partnerships actually harmed consumers with higher prices or lower quality products.

These legal victories protect the company's business model as it targets $14B in revenue this year and prepares for a potential IPO.