✏️ They're Trying to Rewrite Sports History

I’m not one for conspiracy theories, I don’t think most people are good enough at keeping secrets.

Not even when it comes to the whole “INSERT SPORTS LEAGUE HERE” Rigged narrative.

Do I think the Packers were robbed of a win in 2012 because of the infamous ‘Fail Mary?’

Of course, I do.

Do I think “the NFL scriptwriters” willed it into existence?

I do not, mostly because I have more than two brain cells to rub together.

🗞 The Big Story

At this point, it has become personal between me and the Oakland A’s owner, John Fischer.

Because after basically holding the city of Oakland hostage by requiring they pay for close of half of his new water-front stadium or else he’d move the A’s…

He’s finally doing the damn thing by buying a 49-acre plot of land in Vegas, all but cementing the A’s relocation to Sin City.

Or so we thought…

Because John Fischer actually bought the land in Vegas before securing the funding for the stadium.

And it’s not yet a done deal that the city of Las Vegas or the state of Nevada is willing to put up the full $500 million in public money that Fischer is demanding.

Even worse for Fischer is that he’s working on a bit of a tight timeline here, because if he doesn’t secure the funding for a new stadium by January 2024, the A’s will be kicked out of MLB’s revenue-sharing agreement for the second time in 10 years.

And given how crappy the A’s attendance continues to be, revenue sharing is only way the team makes any money.

So by buying this land in Vegas without securing the funds to build a new stadium there, Fischer has essentially given up all of his leverage.

Because if Nevada says “no” to the $500 million, Fischer will be left limping back to Oakland to ask for funding, but this time without the threat of relocating.

And Nevada already knows Fischer is headstrong on moving, so they have no incentive to cut him a sweet deal.

This could turn out to be a failure of epic proportions, and for the sake of watching John Fischer get embarrassed after what he’s done to the Oakland A’s - I hope he gets what’s coming.

✂️ Cropped But Not Forgotten

A side plot to this A’s fiasco is how MLB is handling it, and to some it up in two words:

Not well.

As fans pointed out on Twitter this week, MLB.com is clearly cropping out “sell the team” signs in Oakland.

Now, the MLB’s official stance is “We didn’t crop anything, and we want the team to stay in Oakland.”

But if you read between the lines it’s clear that their actual stance is “Oh shit we got caught cropping footage, and of course, we want to be the next major sports league to have a team in Vegas.”

🍫 Fudging the Numbers

Were you the kind of student who would get upset after scoring a 98% on a test because you didn’t get a 100%?

Because that perfectly explains the little hissy fit the NFL through over this past year’s Super Bowl viewership numbers.

Even though initial reports from Nielsen recorded 113 million viewers (at the time, the second highest-rated Super Bowl ever) for Super Bowl 57 between the Chiefs and the Eagles, the NFL requested a review of those numbers.

And guess what?

Nielsen came back with an additional 2 million who watched the game.

Bringing the actual total number of viewers to 115.1 million, not only making it the most-watched Super Bowl in NFL history but the most-watched TV event in American history.

Surpassing 2015’s Super Bowl thriller between the Patriots and the Seahawks, which pulled in 114 million viewers.

Can you guess the other TV event it beat out for the top spot?

Hint: it’s not a sporting event (answer at the end).

☂️ Under My Umbrella-ella-ella

This bump in viewers also makes Rihanna’s iconic halftime show the most watched ever at 121 million - more than the actual game itself.

But the obvious benefit for the league and their partner networks here is that their price for a 30-second ad spot just went up.

You thought $7 million for 30 seconds last year was high?

I bet we ain’t seen anything yet.

🏀 The Saga Continues

I went to Chicago this week to dribble the viral Wilson Airless Basketball.

Stay tuned for your opportunity to roast my handles.

🌙 Answer: The 1969 Moon Landing

If you saw my NBA predictions, no you didn’t…

👋 See you next Friday!