Eric Jackson

New York

Sports Business Reporter at Sportico

sports biz reporter @sportico | talking business beyond the game | send tips [email protected]

Articles

Liberty CEO: Caitlin Clark ‘Expedited’ WNBA Growth but Won’t Sustain It

1 week ago | sportico.com | Eric Jackson

New York Liberty CEO Keia Clarke can’t deny the impact that Caitlin Clark has had on the WNBA’s business. “She’s absolutely been a catalyst for the notoriety and popularity of this league at a really special time,” Clarke said during a women-in-sports event co-hosted by Liberty Media, Fanatics and Barclays at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Tuesday night.
Varsity Unveils Pro Cheer League Amid Image Rehab Tour

1 week ago | sportico.com | Eric Jackson |Daniel Libit

Varsity Brands believes cheerleading is ready to graduate from college and step into the professional ranks. On Wednesday, its subsidiary Varsity Spirit unveiled the Pro Cheer League—a for-profit venture designed to offer athletes over 18 a post-collegiate pathway to continue their careers on the mat. It’s the first major new cheer initiative from Varsity since it was acquired by private equity firm KKR from Bain Capital last year as part of a $4.75 billion deal.
NWSL’s Historic CBA Sets Precedent for WNBA Negotiations

2 weeks ago | sportico.com | Eric Jackson

The National Women’s Soccer League Players Association secured a historic collective bargaining agreement last August, which is widely viewed as a player-friendly blueprint for U.S. pro women sports leagues. The players nearly doubled the salary cap over the term of their CBA from $3.3 million this year to $5.1 million by the end of the deal in 2030.
Grand Slam Track Adds Investors, Cancels Los Angeles Season Finale

2 weeks ago | sportico.com | Eric Jackson

Grand Slam Track, the league founded by four-time Olympic gold medal sprinter Michael Johnson, has canceled its upcoming event in Los Angeles, the final leg of its four-meet season, according to sources familiar with the situation who was granted anonymity because the matter is private. The June 28-29 season finale, which was slated to be held at UCLA’s Drake Stadium, was dropped as operators pivot its resources and funding to next season under a new capital allocation strategy.
Saquon Barkley Ranks No. 1 on NFLPA's Top 50 Player Sales List

2 weeks ago | sportico.com | Eric Jackson

Saquon Barkley’s historic 2024 campaign cemented him as one of the NFL’s most marketable players—and his popularity was evident in stores nationwide as fans opened their wallets to show support for the league’s reigning rushing leader. Barkley ranked No. 1 on the NFLPA’s year-end Top 50 player sales list, which captures sales from March 1, 2024, to Feb. 28, 2025.
Union Needs Caitlin Clark in CBA Talks, Michael Jordan’s Agent Says

3 weeks ago | sportico.com | Eric Jackson

Michael Jordan’s longtime agent David Falk—a veteran of how labor dealings work—said the WNBA players’ union would be making a mistake if it did not urge Caitlin Clark to be part of what could be historic CBA negotiations. “It’s important for the top players to be involved, because that’s who the owners respect,” Falk said in a phone interview. While Clark’s impact on the WNBA’s recent business growth is undeniable, her role in collective bargaining negotiations is uncertain.
Canadians in NBA Finals Mark ‘Triumph’ for Great White North

3 weeks ago | sportico.com | Eric Jackson

Canada’s U16 men’s national basketball team received a care package at training camp last week from one of its most well-known alumni. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sent the entire team limited-edition t-shirts commemorating his 2024-25 NBA MVP award. The delivery was a kind gesture from the Oklahoma City Thunder star who has brought a sense of renewed pride for Canadians.
Peyton Manning Joins NWSL's Denver Team Ownership Group

3 weeks ago | sportico.com | Eric Jackson

Peyton Manning is following in the footsteps of his younger brother Eli. The Pro Football Hall of Famer has joined the ownership group of Denver’s NWSL expansion club as the women’s soccer team prepares for its inaugural season in 2026. The former NFL quarterback, who starred on the Denver Broncos for four seasons and won Super Bowl 50 there, joins his brother and former New York Giants QB, Eli, who has owned a stake in NWSL team NJ/NY Gotham FC since 2022.
Charles Woodson's Browns Buy Makes Him ‘Opponents’ Again With Tom Brady

3 weeks ago | sportico.com | Eric Jackson

The Super Bowl isn’t just a game—it’s a giant convention, a who’s who of football money, where the members of the sport’s ownership class rub shoulders and makes deals. During the run-up to last year’s event in Las Vegas, Cipriani, the upscale Italian eatery at the Wynn Plaza, served as the backdrop for one such meeting, featuring one of the game’s most accomplished players and an NFL power couple.
LA28 Adds Honda as Founding Partner in $2.5B Sponsorship Push

3 weeks ago | sportico.com | Eric Jackson

A sponsorship deal with Honda is driving renewed optimism from LA28 organizers. The Japanese auto giant has signed on as a founding partner for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics organizing committee and Team USA. This is LA28’s first founding partner sponsorship deal since the Salesforce partnership was announced in 2021; that deal, originally signed as a seven-year pact, ended in 2024 after just three years.