Now more than ever, sports agencies are engaged in a clash of the titans.

CAA towers over the others, with estimated contracts under management of $17.8 billion across roughly 2,900 clients, according to Forbes. Playing contracts comprise $14 billion of that sum, with the balance coming from sponsorships and other off-field athlete deals.

The agency’s commissions, which include contracts for Devin Booker, Sidney Crosby, Jack Grealish, and Trea Turner, are as high as $971 million.

• Wasserman, which represents around 2,000 athletes including Connor McDavid, Megan Rapinoe, and Klay Thompson, was second with $9.5 billion in contracts ($7.7 billion for playing contracts) and up to $733 million in commissions.
• Endeavor-owned WME Sports, whose roster of around 790 includes Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic, and Luka Doncic, has around $6.4 billion in contracts ($3 billion for playing), and $588 million in maximum commissions.
• Excel Sports Management’s roughly 450 clients, including Tiger Woods, Nikola Jokic, and Paul Goldschmidt, will earn around $5.8 billion ($3.6 billion on the field), generating commissions that could reach $499 million.
• Octagon earns around $212 million in commissions on its clients’ $3.2 billion in contracts.

The $3 billion in total commissions of those five are more than double the total of the next 15 largest agencies.

Diamond King

MLB superagent Scott Boras’ $119 million in commissions are the most of any individual agent. 

His clientele include Bryce Harper ($330 million contract), Gerrit Cole ($324 million), and Max Scherzer ($130 million at a record annual value of $43.3 million).

The Kansas City Royals announced plans for a $2 billion downtown ballpark development earlier this week  — and their move could give the Chiefs another reason to stay put when their lease expires in 2031.

The NFL team has been mulling options on whether to renovate Arrowhead Stadium, build a new stadium, or move to neighboring state Kansas. 

The Royals’ move “would open up more space and maybe allow us to do some more programming that we haven’t done in the past,” Chiefs owner Clark Hunt previously said.

• With more room, the Chiefs could more closely compete with NFL teams that have built larger entertainment districts around their stadiums. 
• The team’s also confident Missouri will follow Kansas’ lead in legalizing sports betting.

Both teams’ stadiums will be nearly 60 years old by the completion of their lease at Truman Sports Complex. 

The Chiefs have invested $500,000 in a study to better understand the current state of Arrowhead, while the Royals revealed that the cost of renovating Kauffman Stadium would exceed that of building a new one.

Soccer Standards

No matter what the Chiefs decide, Arrowhead will still have to undergo some construction ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“We’re going to do what we need to do to make it compliant with World Cup and FIFA rules, and we’re going to put it back the way it was,” said Chiefs president Mark Donovan. “If in that process, you realize some efficiencies, we’ll take advantage of those.”

With Formula 1 growing stronger in America, NASCAR is making moves abroad.

The racing series is starting a division in Brazil through an agreement with the GT Sprint Race series. The 10-year-old, 18-race series will be rebranded as the NASCAR Brazil Sprint Race.

• The series, which will launch next year, will be NASCAR’s first in South America.
• Brazil joins Mexico, Canada, and Europe in hosting NASCAR series.
• NASCAR will hold races in 12 countries across three continents next year.

NASCAR is not acquiring the GT Sprint Race as part of the arrangement. The move could appeal to NASCAR sponsors GM and Toyota, who have major business interests in Brazil.

NASCAR broadcasts its races in Brazil through a deal with Band Sports.

Teams Call for Changes

Negotiations between NASCAR and some of its most prominent teams boiled over last month, with team owners telling the media that the current financial model is unsustainable.

Representatives from Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, RFK Racing, and 23XI Racing said that they had called for substantial changes, including broader revenue sharing.

Teams earn around 60-80% of their revenue from sponsorships. NASCAR distributes 25% of its media revenue to teams.

NASCAR has sought to reduce costs through its Next Gen car, but the vehicle has raised safety concerns.

The owner of the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils may look to add an iconic soccer club to its portfolio.

Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment is mulling its options on a potential bid for Liverpool FC, one of the Premier League’s most storied clubs. Earlier this month, Fenway Sports Group — which also owns the Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Penguins — put Liverpool up for sale. 

• Liverpool is valued at $4.45 billion, per Forbes — the fourth-most-valuable club in soccer.
• The club has hired Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley to facilitate a potential sale.
• It would “only occur if the valuation is met by an individual or group who FSG find agreeable.”
• No deal between HBSE and FSG is imminent. 

HBSE and its co-founder Dave Blitzer have made previous investments in soccer.

In 2015, HBSE acquired a minority stake — roughly 18% — in fellow Premier League club Crystal Palace FC. The company would be required to divest the stake to complete a sale for Liverpool. 

In January, Blitzer agreed to buy a controlling stake in MLS club Real Salt Lake in a deal that includes MLS NEXT Pro’s Real Monarchs and America First Field.

Stiff Competition 

FSG, which purchased Liverpool in 2010 for $353.4 million, is expected to attract some of the world’s richest sports team owners.

Mukesh Ambani, the owner of the Indian Premier League’s Mumbai Indians, has expressed interest in the club, but could be bidding against Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer.