Newsletter #8 – January 2024
Warm greetings to you all! I am Manos Karousos and I welcome you to the newsletter number 8, the first for 2024! I hope you had a great time during the Christmas vacations, recharged your batteries, set your expectations and you’re ready for the New Year. I hope 2024 will be a fruitful year, full of luck and to accomplish all your dreams.
Before we dive into the posts of this month, I have to inform you that for a short period of time you will only find content via each month’s newsletter because it is a completely busy period of time for me. In the meantime, I will let you know about everything new I’ll be starting shortly in a follow-up post.
Once again, I want to thank you for supporting my blog and I hope you enjoy my content. Do not forget to subscribe, share, comment and suggest new topics for discussion.
Moments of the Month!
Tara VanDerveer reaches 1203 NCAA wins – It is definitely a season for the history books and will be remembered as the season of many records. Tara VanDerveer became the winningest coach in women's basketball in the NCAA when Stanford defeated Oregon State 65-56 at Maples Pavilion for her 1,203rd career victory. In doing so, she surpassed legendary Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, who had 1,202 wins.
She earned her first win on December 1, 1978, and in her nearly 46 years in the sport, she has continued to set milestones. She began coaching at Idaho in 1978 and stayed there until 1980 before taking the job at Ohio State from 1980 to 1985. Her next stop was Stanford, which she led to three national championships (1990, 1992, 2021). She is a 5-time National Coach of the Year and 17-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year. She has reached 14 Final Fours, 25 Pac-12 regular season titles and 34 NCAA Tournament appearances. She was also inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.
At the same time, Coach VanDerveer has more wins than 355 of the 360 NCAA Division I women's programs. She is also the coach who led the USA Women’s National Team to a gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. In addition, she has coached two Naismith Player of the Year winners, 36 First-Team All-Americans and 19 Pac-12 Players of the Year, while nearly 40 of her players went on to play for USA Basketball.
Need I say more? Just to wish coach VanDerveer on to the next record and I’m pretty sure that she will keep breaking and breaking many of them.
“I like to say that I've never felt that coaching basketball was a j-o-b, job. I can't wait to come into the gym. I love coming to practice, love coming to the games and it's fun. I get to wear sneakers to practice and the games, and all of you, our fans, are so fantastic.”
Tara VanDerveer
Katt Williams interview on Shannon Sharpe - This is the reckoning! 2024! What an interview! Undoubtedly the moment of the month and for me personally, I couldn’t have asked for a better start to this year. Shannon Sharpe helped Katt Williams unleash the beast within him and he spoke nothing but truths from his heart. In a nearly three-hour conversation between the Pro Football Hall of Famer and the King of Comedy, Williams talked about pretty much anything and everyone. He talked about other comedians directing his fire at certain comics, he talked about the industry, his finances, his rough upbringing and life away from home at the tender age of 13, how comedy worked for him, his relationship with other celebrities, etc. Special mention was made of the “Friday” movies and the creation of his character “Money Mike”, his touring habits and his time in jail. Also look out for his views on raising children and his relationship with women, whether professional or personal, why he believes he is the richest man in the world and some philosophical views on life. Katt Williams serves up as many quotes as an ear can hear and as many punchlines as a stomach can take. Prepare to write some of them down, folks!
“You have an unnatural allegiance to losers, that's not like you.”
Katt Williams
What’s New NBA?
Ricky Rubio retires after 12 seasons in NBA – He is perhaps the most prominent guard to emerge from Spain in the last fifteen years. From being the prodigy of European basketball to his constant presence in the NBA, Ricky Rubio knew full well that it was all the result of hard work and dedication. He was considered a prodigy when he signed his first professional contract with Joventut Badalona at the tender age of 15. During his time there, he won every European competition before being drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves as a 5th overall pick in 2009. He spent 12 years in the NBA, seven seasons with the Timberwolves, two with the Utah Jazz, one with the Phoenix Suns and from the summer of 2021 to January 2024 he was a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Needless to say, that he has also won every major tournament with the Spanish national team and was also the MVP of the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Rubio agreed to a contract buy-out with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and he announced his retirement via a post in X, formerly known as Twitter. He clarified that he wanted to focus on his mental health as he had already mentioned the previous summer. He has also suffered from injuries throughout his career, including twice from a ACL tear. As far as it concerns his stats: “Rubio appeared in 698 career games with the Timberwolves, Jazz, Phoenix Suns and Cavaliers, and averaged 10.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 7.4 assists. His 19 assists on March 13, 2017 remain a Timberwolves franchise record, and his 5,160 assists are the third-most ever by an international player, behind only Steve Nash and Tony Parker”.
I hope that the prodigy from Spain overcomes all his difficulties and emerges victorious, because we have known him as such for his entire career.
Sacramento Kings named NBA’s Team of the Year - Appreciation post alert! In my opinion, the Sacramento Kings were the most fun to watch last season. Not only did they have an attractive style of play, but they also managed to create a fan-friendly atmosphere. The NBA honored the California club with the NBA Team of the Year Award and the NBA Innovation Award for the Kings Victory Beam. More specifically: “The NBA Team of the Year Award recognizes excellence in team business performance across both key revenue drivers and operational focus areas such as people and culture, community impact, innovative thinking, and data-driven results. The NBA Team Innovation Award recognizes excellence in creating and executing unique ideas that have generated a positive impact on the team’s business”.
That means that the Sacramento Kings business results for the 2022-2023 season showcased the following:
Nearly 100% Season Ticket Renewal
Ranked #2 among all NBA teams in ticket revenue growth
Added over 20 new Corporate Partners
Ranked #1 in fan in-game experience in the NBA
Game viewership up 200%+ and Postgame Show up 177%
Most-watched 1st Round Playoff Game in 24 years
ABC's largest ever audience for a non-NBA Finals game
Launched a new e-commerce and renovated in-arena team store that led to a 35% increase in merchandises sales
Hosted more than 100 community events impacting nearly 100,000 people
So, are you excited thus far with the Kings atmosphere during the season? In any case you should at once in your life shout: Light the beam!!
Kawhi Leonard extends with the Los Angeles Clippers - The five-time All-Star small forward from Los Angeles will remain with his hometown club until the 2026-2027 season and will receive a three-year contract worth 152.4 million dollars. It is also reported that Leonard will receive 52 million dollars in the first year and 50 million dollars in each of the other two seasons. He will therefore have to waive his player option for the 2024-25 season in favor of the new contract. Although he suffered a few injuries during his time with the Clippers, he seems to have come back for good as he is averaging 23.8 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.8 SPG and 51.6 FG% this season.
The next step for the Clippers is to extend Paul George's contract so they can sign the second All-Star player of their core. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Paul George's new contract could be similar to Leonard’s in terms of the money George receives and the player option. James Harden’s contract likely won't be renegotiated until the offseason. It seems Los Angeles not only wants to keep its core players, but also those who can change the game. So it's only a matter of time before these moves lead to winning an NBA title.
The Chicago Bulls introduced the Ring of Honor - A new exhibit opened this month titled “The Chicago Bulls Ring of Honor”, honoring former players, coaches and executives who have contributed the most to the club’s success. The inaugural class of honorees included many legends of the game such as Artis Gilmore, Phil Jackson, Michael Jordan, Johnny “Red” Kerr, Dick Klein, Jerry Krause, Toni Kukoc, Bob Love, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Jerry Sloan, Chet Walker, Tex Winter and the 1995-1996 team. The only sad moment of the night was when Thelma Krause, widow of the late Jerry Krause, was booed by Chicago Bulls fans when she was called up to accept the award for her husband. Many blame Krause for the collapse of the team that was once considered a dynasty in the NBA. Many veteran players like Stacey King, Ron Harper and Steve Kerr expressed their frustration after hearing the boos for Jerry Krause.
In addition, the Ring of Honor was a 3-day experience that included a private gala for the honorees, a game against the Golden State Warriors and a virtual experience on Bulls.com with exclusive content from the honorees. Each honoree had the opportunity to receive a crystal ball designed by Victor Solomon. Fans had the opportunity to visit the United Center atrium to see artifacts and memorabilia from the honorees in person. The next Ring of Honor class is scheduled for 2026, as the Chicago Bulls plan to host the event every two years. If you would like to know how to get involved and the criteria for selection, please see the FAQ section at this link.
Giannis Antetokounmpo co-founds media company Improbable - The Milwaukee Bucks superstar has teamed up with former NBA player and ESPN analyst Jay Williams to form a new production company called Improbable. In addition to Giannis and Williams, the other three Antetokounbros, Thanasis, Kostas and Alex, are also part of the founding team, while Jonathan Stern will serve as CEO and Nick Monroe as Head of Content.
The vision behind this company is that Improbable can produce content in all forms of media such as documentaries, television, newsletters, but is also involved in other areas of life such as mental health and the promotion of sports talent. The main investors are Verance Capital and GPS Investment Partners, two companies that invest heavily in the entertainment sector. Improbable's first major project in collaboration with Words + Pictures would be a documentary titled “Giannis: A Marvelous Journey” about Giannis' journey from the streets of Athens to the top of the NBA.
As we read on the article of Erik Bacharach on sportsbussinessjournal.com: While “Giannis” marks the company’s biggest feat yet, it already has brought several smaller projects to market. They include a short Nike documentary; a commercial for Greece-based energy company Protergia, which features Antetokounmpo and was shot in Greek; and “The Flagmakers,” a short documentary that Improbable partnered on with National Geographic. The 35-minute doc, which won an Emmy, tells the story of immigrant workers at Eder Flag Manufacturing in Wisconsin.”
Antetokounmpo will also have his first screenplay as a producer in an (as yet) untitled comedy set in Greece and written and directed by Greek-American filmmaker Christopher André Marks. More information will be announced soon, as production and filming will begin in Spring 2024. Improbable is a dream come true for the Antetokounmpo family and we can’t wait to see the different and unique perspectives the company has to offer us.
Around the WNBA!
Jasmine Thomas retires from WNBA and her new role - After 13 years in the league, one of the league's best defenders has announced her retirement. Jasmine Thomas announced her retirement via a post on social media and also gave an indication of her future plans. Thomas was the 12th pick in the 2011 WNBA Draft and was selected by the Seattle Storm but was eventually traded to the Washington Mystics. She spent two seasons there before being traded again to the Connecticut Sun, where she made a name for herself. During her time there, she was named a WNBA All-Star in 2017 and made the All-Defensive First Team three times (2017, 2018, 2019) and the All-Defensive Second Team twice (2016, 2021). Jasmine Thomas is a two-time recipient of the WNBA Community Assist Award, which she received from the league in both 2019 and 2021. She had spent her final season with the Los Angeles Sparks before retiring.
As for her accolades during her collegiate career at Duke: “…Thomas was a two-time winner of the Kay Yow Award as Women’s Basketball’s Student Athlete of the Year. She was also the first Blue Devil to be recognized as a an Academic All-American on two occasions and only the second Duke player at the time who had been honored as the ACC Tournament MVP twice. Thomas was also recognized as a Capital One Academic All-American during her senior campaign. She graduated with her name listed throughout the Duke all-time record book, finishing her time as a Blue Devil ranked in the top 10 in scoring, assists, three-pointers made, games played, games started and minutes played.”
But Thomas won’t be away from basketball for long, as the Dallas Wings have hired her as Director of Player Programs and Development Coach, effective February 5. Thomas' new responsibilities will focus on player skill development on the court as well as the development and implementation of programs focused on coaching and player support, including but not limited to career development, mentorship and philanthropic interests.
“The most important part of my decision to retire was having a valuable opportunity to continue significantly impacting women’s basketball in this next chapter of my life. I’m excited to join the Dallas Wings organization in a unique role that aligns with my passion for empowering athletes on and off the court. I’m looking forward to working with a fun group of dynamic players alongside Greg Bibb, Amber Cox, Coach Trammell and the Wings staff to bring a WNBA Championship to Dallas.”
Jasmine Thomas
As we read in wings.wnba.com: “In addition, Thomas will assist with the expansion of the annual Wings Mentor Trip, which the organization launched during the 2023 season. She will also work to create connection between the team’s present and past through the development and launch of the Wings Alumni Association where she will be charged with connecting and supporting former Wings players.”
Congratulations on your great career, Ms. Thomas, and I wish you all the best in your role! Basketball needs people like you!
A Day in Women’s Soccer…
NWSL Salary Cap Increased to $2.75 Million for 22-26 Players – The National Women’s Soccer League has decided to double the salary cap for each team from $1.375 million in 2023 to $2.75 million in 2024. That means teams will have plus $775,000 for their playing operations and plus $600,000 in allocation money from the league.
In case you are unfamiliar with the term “Allocation Money”, Pardeep Cattry from CBS Sports gives us the whole picture. More specifically: “The league introduced allocation money ahead of the 2020 season as a method for teams to offer top dollar to high-profile players and in effect acted as additional funds on top of the salary cap. It was designed to keep NWSL teams financially competitive with their counterparts overseas, but the league is opting for a more streamlined approach as it pertains to player salaries during a period of exponential growth in women's soccer. Look no further than the league's salary cap, which sat at just $650,000 just four years ago when they ushered in the option to buy another $300,000 in allocation money.”
But the increase of the salary cap and the allocation money weren’t the only changes the League has made. As we read on the public announcement by the League: “Starting this year, the league will begin phasing out Allocation Money. Teams will no longer be able to purchase Allocation Money and must spend or withdraw any outstanding monies that have been funded and rolled over from previous years by December 31, 2026.”
In addition, the NWSL has established a net transfer fee threshold of $500,000, encompassing both intra-league trades and inter-league transfers, whereby fees paid for incoming players will be offset by the value of fees received for outgoing players. Net fees paid by a team in excess of $500,000 will incur a 25 percent charge towards that team’s salary cap.
Teams are no longer required to use Allocation Money to pay for transfer and trade fees.
The NWSL has implemented a Related Party Transaction policy establishing parameters for NWSL teams with investor(s) who maintain a majority stake in or position of influence with a non-NWSL team and seek to loan and transfer players between the two clubs.
Lastly, the NWSL has released a revised Under-18 Entry Mechanism that will now allow teams a maximum of four U18 players between its senior roster and Entry List.”
For the Related Party Transaction Policy and the Under-18 Entry Mechanism please click on the links upon them.
Samantha Mewis retires from soccer – 2019 World Cup winner Samantha Mewis has announced on social media that she is retiring from soccer due to a chronic knee injury. During her career, she played for the New York Flash, the North Carolina Courage and the Kansas City Current. In addition to the 2019 World Cup, she won the Concacaf Women’s Cup and the FIFA Women’s World Cup with the U-20 national team, the SheBelieves Cup twice and the Tournament of Nations once. As for her professional career with a soccer club, she has won the NWSL three times and the Women’s FA Cup in England once with Manchester City.
Next, she will join the Men in Blazers Media Network to lead coverage of women’s soccer, as she announced on X, formerly known as Twitter. She added that Women’s Game will follow American, European and international soccer. She also plans to share more about her injury story in hopes of helping other athletes who have quit too soon due to injury. Good luck with the next chapter in your life, Ms. Mewis!
Cedella Marley to resign from JFF – Fans of the blog know that I am very interested in women's sport and in particular the issue of equal pay for both sexes. I wrote an article here at Substack on July 6, 2023, arguing for the importance of investing in women's sports while pointing out some notable examples of discriminatory acts in sports between men and women. I have already submitted a chapter for a forthcoming book on politics, social issues and the 2023 Women’s World Cup to be published by Routledge, but I can not reveal more at the moment as there are still procedures that need to be carried out for my text to be accepted and before I make a public announcement. I will definitely write a follow-up article.
Back to the topic of the post, Cedella Marley had to step down from her role as ambassador for global women's soccer with the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) because of the federation's constant mistreatment of female players. Before I quote her exact words, I must inform you that Cedella Marley helped the Jamaican national women’s soccer team financially to regroup and compete at the international level ten years ago.
More specifically Marley noted that: “The Reggae Girlz’ patriotism, professionalism and performance has won them fans and favour all over the world. Yet the organisation that has gained the most [in wealth and public standing] from this continues to malign, mistreat and vilify them at every opportunity by fostering a blatantly false narrative in the media with no regard for the potential impact on the players or the program itself. The longer this agenda is allowed to advance unchecked, the more the future of women's football in Jamaica is jeopardised. With that in mind, I have decided that I can no longer associated myself or my family's name with any organization that would oppress and manipulate the very ones they have a responsibility to support and uplift. Effective immediately, I am resigning from my role as ambassador.”
Honoring the greats…
Mario Zagallo passes away, aged 92 – The Brazilian soccer legend, who also won four World Cups, was 92 years old and had recently been struggling with health problems. He not only changed the striker position in soccer, but also managed to link his name and sporting legacy with the Brazilian national team's greatest successes. He won two World Cups as a player (1958 and 1962), one as head coach (1970) and another as assistant coach (1994). He was also head coach of the 1998 national team, which lost to France in the final, and was also part of the coaching staff of the 2006 team, which was defeated by Germany in the quarter-finals.
Mario Zagallo perfected the position of left winger during his time as a player and was considered to be a pioneer. He also had great success as a coach, not only with the national team at international level, but also with Flamengo, Fluminense, Botafogo and Vasco da Gama at national level. Mr. Zagallo, this great teacher of soccer, will be greatly missed.
Franz Beckenbauer passes away, aged 78 - Oh, what a month... After Mario Zagallo, another sad piece of news for all soccer fans. Franz Beckenbauer, the legend of German soccer and FC Bayern Munich, passed away this month, leaving behind a great loss in soccer. Der Kaiser is regarded as one of the best footballers ever to have stood on the pitch. He won the World Cup both as a player in 1974 and as a coach in 1990, just like Mario Zagallo and Didier Deschamps. Although he began his career as a striker and later as a central midfielder, he distinguished himself as one of the most versatile defenders of all time. Beckenbauer won national and European titles with Bayern Munich in the mid-1970s as a player and in 1996 as a coach (Uefa Cup). He scored 74 goals in 582 games. He played a total of 103 times for the national team, scoring 14 goals. Beckenbauer was awarded the Ballon d'Or in 1972 and 1976 and was voted Germany's Footballer of the Year four times. He was also active in an executive capacity, first as President of FC Bayern and then as Vice President of the German Football Association.
Condolences were expressed by his former teammates Uli Hoeneß and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge as well as Jan-Christian Dreesen, CEO of FC Bayern and Herbert Hainer, President of FC Bayern. He is survived by his wife Heidi and his children Thomas, Michael, Joel Maximilian and Francesca Antonie.
We’re talking about business!
Tiger Woods parted ways with Nike after 27 years - It was a split that not many in the industry had expected. Tiger Woods had been associated with Nike for nearly three decades and had popularized the red polos among golfers. He undeniably helped Nike expand its line of golf apparel, balls and clubs. For those who want to know the full story between Tiger Woods' endorsement deals with Nike, Parija Kavilanz and Ramishah Maruf report for CNN.com that: “In 1996, Nike launched the iconic “Hello World” commercial, based on Woods’ professional debut at the Greater Milwaukee Open, where he began the press conference with, “I guess, hello world, huh?”
Woods signed a five-year endorsement contract with Nike in 2000. It was worth an estimated $85 million, making it the richest endorsement contract in sports history at the time.
At one point, Woods’ Nike deal was reported to be worth as much as $20 million a year, CNN previously reported. Woods signed multiple deals with the company over a span of nearly three decades, including a 10-year deal signed in 2013 that’s worth about $200 million. But in 2019, his deal was worth about half of that amount annually, Bob Dorfman, an endorsement expert and executive creative director at Baker Street Advertising, said at the time.”
There is speculation in the golf industry that the split had more to do with business issues than anything else. It is likely that the two parts wanted something different as far as the game of golf is concerned. One thing is for sure, we will soon hear news from the two about their future plans.
Netflix and the WWE have reached a 10-year $5 billion deal to stream RAW exclusively – Great news for the start of a great collaboration. WWE and Netflix have agreed to air new episodes of the Monday night show “RAW” from January 2025. The deal is worth 500 million dollars a year and the streamer has the option to opt out after the first five years and extend for another 10 years. It is reported that the current deal between WWE and NBCUniversal is worth about half the money Netflix is offering. In addition, Netflix will become the exclusive streamer of “RAW” not only in the US and Canada, but also in the UK, Latin America and any country that wants to get involved in the project.
As we read on Joe Otterson’s article on Variety regarding this topic: “…Netflix will also become the television home for all WWE shows outside the U.S. That includes fellow weekly shows “SmackDown” and “NXT” as well as annual live events like WrestleMania, SummerSlam and the Royal Rumble, as well as documentaries, original series and additional projects.”
The aforementioned deal between WWE and Netflix will change the media and streaming landscape as we know it, as Netflix will not only acquire the broadcast rights to a major show but will also have a live event every week. This adds Netflix to the catalog of other streaming providers that offer live sports, such as Amazon (NFL – Thursday Night Football) and Peacock (NFL live games). Are we ready for a change in live streaming? We shall see!
A change for the better!
Mar Galcerán makes history as Spain’s first parliamentarian with Down syndrome – It is one of those times when history is being written in politics. After being a member of the conservative People's Party in Spain for almost three decades, Mar Galcerán has been elected to the Valencia Regional Assembly. This makes her the first parliamentarian with Down's syndrome in Spain. Galcerán follows the example of other well-known politicians such as Éléonore Laloux and Fintan Bray, who have held elective office in France and Ireland respectively. Mar Galcerán previously worked as a civil servant in Valencia, where she campaigned for inclusive policies. She also worked for four years for Asindown, an organization in Valencia whose aim is to help families with children with Down's syndrome. Good luck in your new role, Ms. Galcerán – with great success comes great responsibility!
“It’s unprecedented. Society is starting to see that people with Down’s syndrome have a lot to contribute. But it’s a very long road… I want people to see me as a person, not just for my disability.”
Mar Galcerán
Fighting for a higher cause…
Sekou Odinga passes away, aged 79 – The Black Liberation fighter, activist and political radical, who spent 33 years in prison for his involvement in the relevant organizations, has died at the age of 79. He had been a member of Malcolm X’s Organization of Afro-American Unity since 1965 and the Black Panther Party since 1968 and was active in New York City and the Black Liberation Army. In terms of his political action, Odinga was one of the founding members of the New York City Black Panther Party, a section leader in the Bronx and also a founding member of the international section of the Black Panther Party in Africa, in Algeria. He immediately became a target of COINTELPRO, a surveillance program run by the FBI and J. Edgar Hoover, who was targeting many young activists and leaders at the time.
He was arrested in 1981 after trying to help a comrade, Mtayari Shabaka Sundiata, leave New York and evade arrest by the police. He was originally charged with resisting arrest and possession of an illegal weapon, but police later upgraded the charge to attempted murder of police. He was found guilty on six charges, which would result in 25 years to life in prison. He was also found guilty of his association with the Assata Shakur prison escape in 1979. After spending more than three decades behind bars, he was finally released after filing an Article 78 motion stating that New York State no longer had the right to hold him.
Sekou Odinga is one of the many names of freedom fighters you will find in the bibliography regarding the Black Panther Party and other black liberation organizations. It is sad to see that some extraordinary thinkers are dead, people of a dying breed who only had something to teach us. But they have left a heavy legacy and the best we can do is to follow in their footsteps, because politics seems to be changing for the worse.
Dexter Scott King passes away, aged 62 - The son of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King has died at the age of 62. Dexter Scott King was named after Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, where his father was pastor. He was chairman of the King Center and president of the King Estate while portraying his father in the 2002 film “The Rosa Parks Story” starring Angela Bassett. Dexter Scott King was the third child of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King and became fatherless at the tender age of 7 after MLK's assassination on April 4, 1968. He attended Morehouse College from 1979-1984 and studied business administration before focusing on protecting the King family's intellectual property. He also wrote a memoir titled “Growing up King”. He is survived by his wife Leah Weber King and his siblings Martin Luther King III and Bernice King.
Manos Karousos