November 17, 2021

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On this day 37 years ago, Michael Jordan wore his soon-to-be iconic Air Jordans for the very first time in a game against Julius “Dr. J” Erving and the Sixers. Nike released the shoes to the public in March 1985 for $65 a pair — and sold $70 million worth in the ensuing three months.

Biden Reportedly Plans to Boycott 2022 Beijing Olympics

Jessica Koscielniak-USA TODAY/Design: Alex Brooks

Neither President Biden nor any other U.S. government official plans to attend the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, per the Washington Post.

According to a CNN report, the Biden administration still hasn’t reached a final conclusion.

The White House’s potential plan is a response to alleged human rights violations in China and follows a group of bipartisan U.S. House members in July introducing legislation to initiate a boycott of the Winter Games that wouldn’t punish athletes.

  • Any boycott would likely be approved before the end of November.
  • The White House expects U.S. allies to make their own decision on whether to boycott.
  • The 2022 Winter Olympics are scheduled to take place Feb. 4-20.

The White House isn’t the only entity responding to alleged human rights abuses in China, which the country has denied.

Earlier this year, Nike and Adidas voiced concerns following reports of forced labor in their supply chains, namely in cotton farms in the Xinjiang region.

Shareholders Call On Activision CEO to Resign

Activision Blizzard/Design: Alex Brooks

An Activision Blizzard stakeholder group that owns 4.8 million of the company’s 779 million shares wants CEO Bobby Kotick and other executives to resign.

A Wall Street Journal report exposed Kotick for being aware of sexual misconduct allegations at the company for years but not informing the company’s board. The report resulted in a walkout by more than 110 employees on Tuesday and a call for his resignation.

The board responded to the reports, saying it remains “confident in Bobby Kotick’s leadership,” but the shareholders’ letter also asked Brian Kelly and Robert Morgado, the board’s two longest serving directors, to retire by the end of the year.

  • Investment management companies Vanguard and BlackRock, which own more than 64 million and 58 million shares, respectively, did not sign the letter to the board. 
  • NEI Investments signed — the group had decreased its number of shares to under 100,000 in July.

Kotick released a video Tuesday morning, saying, “Anyone who doubts my conviction to be the most welcoming and inclusive workplace doesn’t really appreciate how important this is to me.”

Activision Blizzard is also being sued by shareholders for violating securities laws, is under investigation by the SEC, and is facing an unfair labor practice complaint.

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Man U Matchday Revenue Soars 1,005.9%

Manchester United/Design: Alex Brooks

Manchester United recorded a $20.9 million first-quarter loss Wednesday — cutting year-over-year losses by nearly half — and posted $170.4 million in total revenue in its first earnings report since bringing back Cristiano Ronaldo.

With Old Trafford allowing full capacity again, matchday revenue skyrocketed 1,005.9% year-over-year to $25.3 million. The stadium has a 76,000 seating capacity. Broadcasting revenue fell 9% to $58.3 million, attributed to fewer games — it had jumped 88% year-over-year in Q2.

  • The club’s retail, merchandising, apparel, and product licensing revenue grew 21.1% to $37.8 million.
  • Sponsorship revenue fell 0.5% to $48.9 million.

Wages for the team are up 23.1% from the same period last year.

On Tuesday, the team confirmed discussions with its supporters’ trust about a new “fans’ share scheme” in which roughly $10 million worth of shares would be up for grabs. The Glazer family, who owns the team, sold off $186 million worth of shares last month and $96 million in March.

During the quarter, Ariel Investments increased its stake from 5% to 13.8%.

As of April 2021, Manchester United was valued at $4.2 billion by Forbes.

Conversation Starters

Conversation Starters

  • In today’s Leadoff, Fenway Sports is in talks to buy the Pittsburgh Penguins, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney calls for an all-platform app store, and a Softbank-backed fund buys Accordia Golf for $3.5 billion. Click here to listen.
  • The NFL will heighten COVID-19 protocols around Thanksgiving following a rise in cases nationwide. There will be mandatory testing for all players and staff after the holiday, and mandatory mask-wearing for all players and staff while inside facilities from Nov. 25-Dec. 1.
  • FaZe Clan has secured a partnership with DraftKings. The Boston-based sports betting operator will appear across FaZe’s digital ecosystem and branding at events.
  • In their inaugural year as a PGA TOUR Champions event, Constellation FURYK & FRIENDS set the standard for taking a local community effort to the national stage. Read about how Jim and Tabitha Furyk brought their vision to life here.*

*Sponsored Content

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Market Movers

U.S. stocks experienced declines across all three major indexes on Wednesday. Here’s a look at how sports-related stocks performed:

(Note: All as of market close on 11/17/21)
What to Watch

What to Watch

The Los Angeles Lakers (8-7) face the Milwaukee Bucks (6-8) tonight at Fiserv Forum.

How to Watch: 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN

Betting Odds: Bucks -9 || ML -400 || O/U 221.5*

Pick: Expect the Bucks to overwhelm the shorthanded Lakers. Take Milwaukee to cover.

Who ya got? Reply to this newsletter with your prediction for the Lakers-Bucks winner and final score.

*Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

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