Sporticast 346: It’s Timberwolves vs. Mavs. Who Owns Them?

On the latest Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including an NBA playoffs showdown between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks, two teams in the middle of notable ownership transitions.

Mark Cuban sold the Mavericks to the Adelson family late last year in a $3.5 billion transaction. One of the more visible owners in U.S. pro sports, Cuban has stayed on as a minority investor, though there is conflicting reporting about what role he does—or doesn’t—still play in the operations of the franchise. The Timberwolves’ ownership future will be determined later this year by a three-person arbitration committee, which will rule on whether Alex Rodriguez and Mark Lore violated the terms of their purchase agreement with current control owner Glen Taylor.

Next, the hosts talk about the WNBA investigating a new sponsorship offered to Las Vegas Aces players. The local convention and tourism authority recently offered every woman on the WNBA team’s roster a $100,000 sponsorships to “just play” for the team. That’s raised concerns at the league office that the deal might violate the WNBA’s collectively bargained salary cap rules.

The hosts also discuss the latest in the NCAA’s antitrust legal fight. The governing body and its biggest stakeholders are currently negotiating a possible settlement that would result in $2.77 billion paid to athletes, plus much more in the future under a revenue share of sorts. It’s far from a tidy proposal, with a number of concerns on the eve of a potential vote this week.

The hosts close with a Fanatics lawsuit against NFL rookie Marvin Harrison Jr., and financial specifics of the New York Yankees’ ticket dominance.

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