On the latest Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including the U.S. Open, which is underway in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.
The U.S. Open, the fourth Grand Slam on the tennis schedule, brings in $560 million in revenue on $282 million in costs, for an operating profit of $278 million over the three-week tournament. The Slam makes up more than 90% of the U.S. Tennis Association’s annual revenue. The hosts talk about the economics of the event, and also what it means financially for the governing body.
They also talk about Francis Tiafoe. The 27-year-old isn’t the best player in the men’s draw—or even the best American—but he’s become a cult figure of sorts at his home Grand Slam. Celebrities come to the event just to see his matches, and he’s become a pop-culture figure in a way rarely seen by tennis players. Now his endorsement portfolio is matching the hype.
The hosts begin the show by talking about Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift, who announced their engagement earlier this week. Swift’s NFL ties have brought new American fans to the world’s richest sports league, something that might have seemed impossible a few years ago. It’s not hard to imagine ways in which the pop star’s influence could continue well after Kelce’s looming retirement from the league.
They close by talking about Tommy “Cutlets” DeVito. The former New York Giants quarterback was cut this week, then claimed by the New England Patriots. Will his local Italian bro vibe work in a new market? And are there lessons for other teams in the viral moment he achieved with a bad Giants team?
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