📰🏟️ Deadline drama
Plus: WNBA valuations approaching NHL?…
1) It was an eventful MLB trade deadline
Nearly 50 deals were completed yesterday before the trade deadline at 5 pm CT, with elite pitchers, top hitters, and promising prospects all on the move.
- Major deals yesterday include Orioles C Adley Rutschman to the Red Sox, Giants 2B Luis Arráez to the Phillies, Marlins C/1B Liam Hicks to the Rays, and Angels SP José Soriano to the Blue Jays.
- The Cubs and Padres also both added a pair of veteran starting pitchers, with Chicago dealing for Kevin Gausman (Blue Jays) and Clay Holmes (Mets), while San Diego acquired Casey Mize (Tigers) and Robbie Ray (Giants).
Every deadline trade, ranked by importance
2) Falcons’ Bijan Robinson resets NFL RB market
Atlanta Falcons RB Bijan Robinson ended his training camp "hold-in" this morning by signing a 3-yr, $75M contract extension.
- The deal makes Robinson the highest-paid RB in NFL history by average annual value at $22.25M/yr, surpassing Saquon Barkley's $20.6M AAV.
- It includes a RB-record $51M in guaranteed money, keeping the 2025 All-Pro under contract in Atlanta through the 2030 season after he led the NFL in scrimmage yards last year (2,298).
- In other NFL contract news: Baltimore Ravens WR Zay Flowers agreed to a 4-yr, $140M extension with $108M guaranteed, becoming the league’s 4th highest-paid WR by AAV.
Bijan breaks the bank for backs
🌐 WEB GEMS
Interesting things to click
⚾ Grading the MLB trade deadline: Which teams made the best moves for the future?
🏈 The Athletic’s 2026 QB tiers: How 50 executives and coaches rank 35 veteran quarterbacks.
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🎙️ Eh, I don’t know Jim…Is this the beginning of the end for Tony Romo at CBS?
3) USMNT head coach signs through 2030 World Cup
Mauricio Pochettino agreed yesterday to a new 4-yr contract to remain the head coach of the US Men’s National Team through 2030.
- The deal builds on Pochettino's Round-of-16 World Cup run that ended last month.
- Like his first contract, this extension is partially funded by a gift from Citadel CEO Ken Griffin.
- Pochettino will compete in numerous tournaments in his first full cycle with the USMNT ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, including the 2027/2029 Concacaf Nations Leagues, and 2027/2029 Concacaf Gold Cups.
Team USA’s Poch era is here to stay
4) WNBA valuations could soon hit NHL levels
Jason Wright, former president of the NFL’s Washington Commanders, said yesterday that the WNBA's explosive growth could see its franchise valuations rival the NHL's in the near future.
- Wright noted that while the average NHL team is worth $2.2B compared to the WNBA's $416M, the viewership gap is already tilting toward the W.
- The WNBA is averaging ~970K viewers per regular season game, more than double the NHL's ~450K/game, meaning team valuations should eventually catch up.
- “We just watched WNBA valuations go from about $250M average to $414M average in a year’s time, and that will continue to happen over the next 5–7 years,” Wright told FrontOfficeSports.
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