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Sara Germano

@germanotes.bsky.social
364 followers 68 following 97 posts

I write about the sports industry for Sportico. | sgermano@sportico.com

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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
I have a proposal for the NBA: waive the second apron for Finals-winning teams for one (1) year. Owners should not be jettisoning core players in the interest of "roster flexibility" before champion teams even receive their rings. My Substack debut for Club @sportico.bsky.social
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
The U.S. Open “will become tennis Disneyland,” the USTA CEO said today. Even as the Grand Slam tournament has become a 3-week spectacle with surging ticket prices, the tournament promises unspecified new events to come while balancing demand for accessibility ⬇️ www.sportico.com/leagues/tenn...
sportico.com
U.S. Open “Will Become Tennis Disneyland,” According to USTA CEO
Grand Slam tennis tournament will add new experiences for children and adults in years to come, per the USTA CEO, amid already rising ticket prices.
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Unrivaled completes a Series C fundraise valuing the women’s basketball league at $650M, incl. $200M player equity. CEO Alex Bazzell tells @sportico.bsky.social the raise will help further geographic expansion to new tour cities and a potential move out of Miami www.sportico.com/leagues/bask...
sportico.com
Unrivaled Hoops Valuation Hits $650M in New Funding Round
The women's 3x3 league founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart considers moving away from its Miami home base after the upcoming third season.
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Reposted by Sara Germano
Daniel Libit @daniellibit.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
NEW: The WTA’s sex-testing company, Phuel Sports Science, has identity questions of its own—namely, who owns or operates it. Neither Phuel nor the WTA is being transparent about the answers. w/ @ebennovywilliams.bsky.social & @germanotes.bsky.social 👇 www.sportico.com/leagues/tenn...
sportico.com
The Elusive Provider Behind the WTA’s Sex Testing
The WTA's gender testing partner, Phuel Sports Science, is elusive about its leadership, its ownership and the controversial testing it is doing.
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Eben Novy-Williams @ebennovywilliams.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
SCOOP: Larry Berg will be the next MLS commissioner. More coming at @sportico.bsky.social via me and Scott Soshnick 👇
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
“Although Norway is often cited as a good example of a nation that creates opportunities for children...sports in 🇳🇴 are moving away from play, community + a sense of belonging to a club, and increasingly toward performance” Norway's sports model is under pressure: www.sportico.com/business/spo...
sportico.com
Norway’s Youth Sports Model Gets World Cup Love but Faces Risks
Norway's affordable, inclusive youth sports programs have produced world-beating talent like Erling Haaland. Now it's facing economic challenges.
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
The IOC lifts ban on Russian athletes for 1st time since 2017 +Subject to certain conditions (ie antidoping) +Up to sports federations to reinstate Russians. World Athletics extended ban last week; World Aquatics reinstated in April +Colors, flag, anthem still TBD www.sportico.com/leagues/olym...
sportico.com
IOC Conditionally Lifts Ban on Russian Athletes Ahead of LA 2028
Russian athletes may be eligible to compete at the LA 2028 Olympics after the IOC removed its suspension, with some conditions.
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Justin Birnbaum @justbirny.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Daily game GeoSports, which blends geography and sports trivia, has exploded to internet fame in less than a month. But its creator is in no rush to cash in. I spoke to Frank Michael Smith about what’s next. Story at @sportico.bsky.social: www.sportico.com/business/tec...
sportico.com
GeoSports Trivia Game Went From ‘Vibe Code’ to Viral Fame
The daily game that blends geography and sports trivia has exploded to internet fame in less than a month. But its creator is in no rush to cash in.
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Why are face-value World Cup tickets (and Knicks tickets, and US Open, and Taylor Swift, and and and…) so freaking expensive now? It’s part of the so-called “extraction economy,” and it may be here to stay Story with @ebennovywilliams.bsky.social www.sportico.com/business/com...
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
The Knicks are going to their first NBA Finals since 1999. For New York fans, the landscape for buying Finals merch has changed dramatically since then. With Fanatics not shipping Finals gear until June, I trekked across the boroughs to see where fans could get hats, shirts, and even Shamet jerseys
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
As a Gucci ambassador, tennis No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka carried one of the brand’s newest handbags at the Rome Open this month. But sources tell @sportico.bsky.social the episode is under review at the WTA for a possible marketing violation: players can only carry sports equipment on court
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
“I didn’t leave a very good job as the CMO of a prominent NFL team to take a step down." As the WNBA exploded in recent years, the W and its teams have rapidly added new roles. And they're competing for top talent. How a front office gig in the WNBA became the hottest job in sports:
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
2026 WNBA draft rookie salary scale (vs 2025) per sources: 1: $500,000 ($78,831) 2: $466,913 ($78,831) 3: $436,016 ($78,831) 4: $407,163 ($78,831) 5: $380,219 ($75,643) 6: $355,058 ($75,643) 7: $331,563 ($75,643) 8: $309,622 ($75,643) 9+: $289,133 ($72,455) 2nd+3rd round: $270k (new minimum)
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
Happy WNBA Draft Day. Tonight’s crop of rookies will be best paid in W history, with the No. 1 pick eligible for a $500k base salary. The only question is who will get it? @sportico.bsky.social has the draft rookie scale breakdown: www.sportico.com/leagues/bask...
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Lev Akabas @levakabas.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
"For the first time this century, figure skating has minted a mainstream, global celebrity in Liu" - @germanotes.bsky.social Read more: wp.me/pc2RuA-1lzsO0
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
Scoop: the WNBA regular season is poised to expand from 44 regular season games in 2026 to 52 games over the life of new CBA, per verbal agreement with terms still to be ratified. www.sportico.com/leagues/bask...
sportico.com
WNBA Season Poised to Expand to 52 Games Over Course of CBA
The WNBA regular season will expand from 44 games in 2026 to as many as 52 games under terms of a proposed new CBA with players.
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
To Americans, the Italian baseball team seems cartoonishly Italian. To Italians, they're "bizarre and cheerful." The 4-0 Azzurri are sparking new debates about who, exactly, is Italian. Coincidentally, their WBC success comes as Italy debates who can be a citizen: www.sportico.com/leagues/base...
sportico.com
Italy’s WBC Rise Comes as Country Weighs Who Can Be a Citizen
The Italy team at the WBC, composed of Italian-Americans, is finding success at a time when the laws of citizenship are a hot political topic in Italy
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
New story on Olympic figure skating music drama. Tomas Guarino said he submitted his "Minions" program to ISU's approved third-party, ClicknClear in August. But ISU tells @sportico.bsky.social it has no "contractual relationship" with ClicknClear. www.sportico.com/leagues/olym...
sportico.com
Figure Skating Faces Music Licensing Headache on Eve of Olympics
Spanish figure skater Tomas Guarino must scrap his "Minions" program for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan due to music licensing complications.
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
Scoop: the largest operator of U.S. youth sports clubs is for sale www.sportico.com/business/spo...
sportico.com
Largest U.S. Youth Sports Operator 3Step Explores Sale
3Step Sports, the largest operator of youth sports clubs in the U.S., has hired Goldman Sachs to explore a potential sale.
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 20/01/2026
FYI this feed is going to be 70% figure skating news for the next month. My Sporticast debut discussing all things Alysa Liu, our Winter Olympics preview, and much more: www.sportico.com/podcasts/spo...
sportico.com
Sporticast 520: The Winter Olympics Are Almost Here
The Winter Olympics are coming to Milan Cortina. This Sporticast sports podcast breaks down the biggest business stories of the upcoming Games.
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
First story for @sportico.bsky.social: NBC pulls Olympic champion ice dancer Gabriella Papadakis from Milan Olympics commentary for "conflict of interest" with ex- skating partner Guillaume Cizeron. www.sportico.com/personalitie...
sportico.com
NBC Pulls Olympic Champ From Milan Coverage for ‘Conflict of Interest’
Gabriella Papadakis' feud with ex-skating partner Guillaume Cizeron led NBC to alter ice dance coverage at the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics.
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
Hello! I’m now covering sports business for @sportico.bsky.social. Send all tips, ideas, fun banter and Olympics gossip to sgermano@sportico.com.
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 20/12/2025
In 10+ years of covering the sports industry, nothing has broken my brain more than the intersection of sports betting & prediction markets. How everything became a sports wager + why the Supreme Court might decide the most consequential event contract of all www.theinformation.com/articles/spo...
theinformation.com
Sports Betting Everywhere: Prediction Markets Explode
Prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket have gained popularity in the U.S. by letting people bet on everything from elections to Oscar winners to weather trends. But over the past year, a substa...
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 06/12/2025
Serena Williams says she “is NOT coming back” to tennis. But by re-entering the testing pool, she highlights a fraught discussion in anti-doping: Should GLP-1s be banned in sports? Ozempic and Serena’s shot of choice, Zepbound, are currently in WADA purgatory www.theinformation.com/articles/can...
theinformation.com
Can Weight-Loss Drugs Be Fair in Sports? Serena Williams Just Raised the Stakes
An earthquake shook the sporting universe this week: Serena Williams, the 23-time Grand Slam tennis champion, has taken the first step toward a potential comeback by reentering the sport’s anti-doping...
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 04/12/2025
It’s giving
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Elizabeth, Knife-Shoe Enthusiast @furiosalizabeth.bsky.social · 24/11/2025
The most important thing you need to know about this article is that The Offspring are thrilled that Diana Davis and Gleb Smolkin are skating to their music, lol #figureskating
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 24/11/2025
About 2mo from now, you'll see a lot of figure skating at the Winter Olympics set to the Spice Girls, Madonna, and The Offspring. Some will even have AI music. Before they go viral, here's the crazy backstory to the complex world of music licensing in sports www.theinformation.com/articles/fig...
theinformation.com
Figure Skating Aims to Get Its Groove Back—With AI Music and the Spice Girls
Of all the places AI is seeping into, a program by a pair of Czech ice dancers angling for a spot at the Winter Olympics in February may be one of the most unexpected. Yet, at last weekend’s Skate Ame...
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The Information @theinformation.com · 11/11/2025
Exclusive: Versant, Comcast’s planned spinoff of its cable channels, is exploring a sale of its youth sports app, SportsEngine. Read more from @germanotes.bsky.social 👇 thein.fo/4p1oibL
thein.fo
Comcast Cable Spinoff Versant Explores Sale of Youth Sports App
Versant, Comcast’s planned spinoff of its cable channels, is exploring a sale of its youth sports management app, SportsEngine, people familiar with the matter said. It’s the latest indication that th...
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 08/11/2025
Curious sports business trend alert: the NFL, NBA, and venture capitalists are now taking their ambitions to Berlin. Why? It's the rare European capital without a successful globally recognized sports team, and US bigwigs want to change that: www.theinformation.com/articles/nex...
theinformation.com
The Next Wrexham? American Investors Bet on a Berlin Women’s Soccer Club
When Kara Nortman was looking to start a women’s professional soccer team in Los Angeles, she and her co-founders—actress Natalie Portman and entrepreneur Julie Uhrman—took meetings with sports expert...
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 06/11/2025
Thank you for the validation, New Yorker
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The Information @theinformation.com · 01/11/2025
Clara Wu Tsai is building the first $1 billion WNBA team: The New York Liberty governor believes the team's recent $450 million valuation is just the start, with multiple teams potentially reaching the milestone in the next 5-10 years. Full story here: thein.fo/49sLV8E
thein.fo
Clara Wu Tsai’s Plan to Build the First $1 Billion WNBA Franchise
When Clara Wu Tsai and her husband, Alibaba co-founder Joe Tsai, bought the WNBA’s New York Liberty in 2019, one of her first priorities was convincing her fellow team owners they needed to spend mone...
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 17/10/2025
Recently a friend told me, “you’ll never believe how many apps I’ve had to download to take my son to soccer.” That got me digging into the $12 billion market for youth sports tech: apps that schedule, score, and stream kids’ games. It’s Moneyball for minors www.theinformation.com/articles/mon...
theinformation.com
Moneyball for Minors: Inside the Booming Business of Youth Sports Apps
Lauren Drapp has a hectic job working as a gas scheduler for a private equity firm in Houston, triangulating natural gas between suppliers, pipelines and customers. But she’s arguably even busier as a...
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 30/09/2025
Expanding on the issue of wealth inequality among sports owners with @mikevorkunov.bsky.social : why the net worth of your team’s owner matters more today
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 13/09/2025
The @pablotorrefindsout.bsky.social reporting that Steve Ballmer may have circumvented the NBA salary cap underscores one under-covered trend: the exploding wealth inequality between (already super rich) sports owners. Since 2019, the wealth gap between Ballmer and the bottom tier has grown >3X
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The Information @theinformation.com · 30/08/2025
The Arena: Can Tennis Connect With Young Fans Through the Metaverse and TikTok? Read more from @germanotes.bsky.social 👇 bit.ly/41vjn9X
bit.ly
Can Tennis Connect With Young Fans Through the Metaverse and TikTok?
For decades, the U.S. Open Tennis Championships has been a crown jewel of the global sports calendar. As the fourth and final Grand Slam of the tennis season, it has hosted historic athletic feats by ...
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 14/08/2025
This was the inevitable next step after Paris 2024 opened the floodgates to product placement www.ft.com/content/4db4...
ft.com
The official medal selfie: Paris Olympics steps up product placement
Prominent position of sponsors’ brands is first for the Games
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 25/07/2025
One of the biggest stories in the sports industry that not enough people are talking about is the recent trend of major leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS) establishing their own, in-house venture capital funds. I spent a month digging into it: www.theinformation.com/articles/spo...
theinformation.com
Sports Leagues Hunt for Startup Investments in a Chummy Style of Venture Capital
A couple weeks ago, LeBron James was in Las Vegas, seated courtside at the Thomas and Mack Center to watch his team, the Los Angeles Lakers, scrimmage against their crosstown rivals, the Clippers. The...
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 15/07/2025
Say hi if you’re in the arena: sara@theinformation.com 🙃
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Steph Noh @stephnoh.bsky.social · 02/07/2025
I reported an offensive Caitlin Clark fake video on X to try and get it removed. Instead, I saw how deeply the platform is letting women down. My story on one of the most disturbing issues affecting women in the age of AI, and X's failure to curb it: www.sportingnews.com/us/wnba/indi...
sportingnews.com
I reported a deepfake of Caitlin Clark on X. Instead of it getting removed, here's what happened | Sporting News
Trying to get a Caitlin Clark tweet taken down turned into a deep dive on the growing problem of deepfakes on X
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 01/07/2025
In May, I wrote about the proliferating scourge of online hate speech against athletes, particularly in the WNBA. That day, one of the owners of the Chicago Sky emailed me, asking to be introduced to some of the security experts I interviewed. Today, they announced a partnership:
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 26/06/2025
Big Nike news: the company is going *back* to internal organization by individual sports, 5yrs after ex-CEO John Donahoe streamlined into men's, women's, and kids silos. In short, new CEO Elliott Hill is undoing everything Donahoe implemented. I wrote about these risks in '21
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 23/06/2025
This week, Faith Kipyegon will try to become the first woman to break the 4-minute mile, an almost unthinkable athletic feat. Behind the race is Nike, which is using the stunt to further its own impossible goal: making athletic gear entirely via 3D printing www.theinformation.com/articles/com...
theinformation.com
Coming to Amazon: A 3D-Printed Nike Sports Bra?
More than 1,700 men have broken the 4-minute mile, but no woman has ever done so. The fastest any female runner has ever covered the distance is 4 minutes and 7.64 seconds, the current world record se...
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 07/06/2025
When a gambler harassed her at a track meet this week, Gabby Thomas got him banned from FanDuel. After exiting Roland Garros, Jessica Pegula shared a cascade of death threats on her IG. Athletes in individual sports have to fight online abuse alone. And betting is making it worse ⬇️
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 28/05/2025
The WNBA says it has “not substantiated” allegations of racist fan behavior at Gainsbridge Fieldhouse during the Sky-Fever game. Regardless, the allegation itself led to actual abusive discourse on social media, according to experts who are independently reporting it to the platforms
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 24/05/2025
The WNBA spent its offseason boasting of a new program to combat hate speech. Then came the Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese foul and a maelstrom of alleged fan racism. I spoke to service providers who work w/ Team USA, the NCAA and others to fight athlete harassment. Why the W isn't doing enough:
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 24/05/2025
The WNBA spent its offseason boasting of a new program to combat hate speech. Then came the Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese foul and a maelstrom of alleged fan racism. I spoke to service providers who work w/ Team USA, the NCAA and others to fight athlete harassment. Why the W isn't doing enough:
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 21/05/2025
Huge retail news. Nike is coming back to Amazon, years after breaking up with the ecommerce giant because it didn't crack down on counterfeiters. Now, as Nike is trying to rebound from slumping sales and a failed DTC strategy, the swoosh needs the everything store. Scoop w/ @theowayt.bsky.social
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The Information @theinformation.com · 07/05/2025
Creator Economy: Sports Influencers Edge Into Journalists’ Turf Influencers are increasingly crowding into the space once dominated by sports journalists. That’s good, but there are drawbacks, writes our columnist @germanotes.bsky.social. Read more👇
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 02/05/2025
Remember when sports leagues would vigilantly police people sharing game highlights on social media? Nowadays, the sports establishment is cozying up to YouTubers, Instagrammers, and TikTokers, hoping content creators can convert distracted Gen Zers into dedicated sports fans ⬇️
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Sara Germano @germanotes.bsky.social · 14/04/2025
The WNBA Draft kicks off tonight, and with it some of the highest demand for jersey sales. Last year, the W was caught flat-footed without enough Caitlin Clark gear. I spoke with sources in front offices and at retailers to get a fuller picture of what's different this year:
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