Top Pro Sports Money Stories to Watch in 2022

It's a New Year which mean it's time for a new list! Here are the top stories I am watching across sports business that will impact what and how professional (and collegiate!) athletes get paid.

Without further ado,

1. With pitchers and catchers scheduled to report to Spring Training in a little more than six weeks, will Major League Baseball owners and players come to agreement in time for camps to open on schedule? Negotiations have been quiet through the holidays but are expected to pick up significant steam in the coming weeks.

2. Believe it or not, the Winter Games are right around the corner, scheduled to begin in Beijing on February 4th. With pressure from politicians and human rights organizations, a surge in COVID around the globe and potential buyer-fatigue on the immediate heals of the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics, just how lucrative will the 2022 Winter Games be for participating athletes?

3. NFTs are all the rage and growing rapidly. They are also perhaps a bit confusing and overwhelming. All of these things can be true. Where will the dust settle on this explosive new medium for monetizing IP for athletes? Here's a great report from our friend's at Variety as a primer.

4. San Antonio Spurs Assistant Coach Becky Hammon returned to the WNBA as the next head coach of the Las Vegas Aces with a reported record-breaking 5-year deal. On the heals of a prominent 25th anniversary season and the announcement of the most regular season games in 2022, will the WNBA continue it's strong upward trajectory...and will we see player salaries grow in lock step?

Side note, give our friends at Just Women's Sports a follow to stay up to date on all things women's sports!

5. So much has happened in just six months of Name, Image & Likeness within college sports and there is still so much opportunity ahead. Watch as this market continues to develop and normalize in the years to come.

And athletes, please remember to consult with tax professionals this Spring!

6. Content is certainly king (pardon the pun). Last Fall, LeBron James sold a significant minority stake in his SpringHill Company to top flight investors in a deal that valued SpringHill at $725 million. Now, not every athlete is LeBron, but watch the continued strategies of monetization of athlete content across the pro sports spectrum as a trend to keep an eye on.