🏟️ Jerseys Retired Ahead of NFL Draft

Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders Make History Again

Author

Jeff Chen
April 25, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

Happy Friday!

Welcome to this week’s edition of Sports Industry Weekly as we share insights from the top business headlines from across the sports industry.

📈 The NBA Playoffs opening weekend viewership reached 4.49 million, making it the league’s best opening weekend viewership in 25 years.

💰 Sportico released its list of the highest-paid athletes of all time, with Michael Jordan ($4.15B), Tiger Woods ($2.79B), and Cristiano Ronaldo ($2.23B) leading the top 10.

🐾 Kelsey Plum hosted her third annual Dawg Class with Under Armour, bringing in the best female collegiate basketball players for three days of elite training and mentorship.

1️⃣ Cooper Flagg officially announced he is declaring for the NBA Draft, and the projected #1 pick will sign a 4-year, $62.7 million deal.

💸 NBA playoff teams will share $34.7 million in playoff bonuses, with teams earning more for each round they advance. Players will receive anywhere from $466,000 to potentially $12.4 million for winning the NBA championship.

📺 WWE’s flagship event Wrestlemania set viewership records on Peacock rising 114% as WWE continues divy up their content with WrestleMania streamed live on Peacock, while in most other international markets, it's streamed live on Netflix. Also Netflix streams all U.S. WWE programming like Raw and Smackdown.

👟 Ahead of the Memphis Grizzlies' first-round matchup, Nike Basketball and Ja Morant unveiled his Ja 3 signature shoe.

SPORTBIZ Miami: The Must-Attend Meeting Point for the Sports Industry

SPORTBIZ, the International Sports Business Congress, will take place from April 30 to May 2 for its second edition in the United States.

With over 30 editions in 13 countries, the Congress returns to the epicenter of sports business to strengthen its networking opportunities and generate more knowledge-sharing and business growth in the industry.

Here’s a recap video of what you missed last year!

📍 Paige Bueckers moved to Texas for her official Dallas Wings introduction, while her hometown is set to rename itself in her honor—so on May 16th: Hopkins, Minnesota, will officially be known as Paige Bueckers, Minnesota.

📺 BET is developing a new docuseries that follows Michael Vick as he starts his new role as head football coach at Norfolk State University, which will be produced by SMAC Entertainment.

🏟️ Two stadium announcements were made this week: the Nashville Predators unveiled an upcoming $650 million expansion in downtown Nashville, and Buffalo plans to build a $10 million soccer stadium as it pursues professional men’s and women’s teams in the city.

BEFORE YOU GO

Here are 3 ways SBV can help you:

1) The Playbook — Breaking into the sports industry can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to navigate it alone. With career tips, insider resources, and weekly networking and learning events featuring top sports executives, our platform provides direct access to the people and knowledge that can help you succeed.

2) Job Board — Finding the right opportunity in sports isn’t just about luck—it’s about access. Our job board connects you with exclusive openings across teams, leagues, agencies, and brands, helping you take the next step in your career with confidence.

3) Mentorship — Receiving career guidance from someone who has already experienced your journey can make all the difference. Our mentorship program connects you directly, one-on-one, with sports executives who provide personalized support to help you at every stage of your career journey.

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