Plus: Arenas make plans to keep fans in their seats, instead of waiting in line

Sports Business

One Chicago billionaire is cashing in on the fast-growing online betting industry: Neil Bluhm got more than $1 billion richer when Rush Street Interactive closed on its merger with the blank check company dMY Technology Group. Gambling partnerships, like the Nationals' new arrangement with BetMGM, offer leagues like MLB a potentially lucrative revenue stream, but hurdles remain. New York faces a specific challenge: Even if the state is ready to legalize sports betting, its gaming commission may need an overhaul.

Teams like the Penguins and the Bucks are moving toward a cashless, ticketless and touchless fan experience using apps that help with everything from finding the best parking options at the arena to having food delivered to your seat.

A recent survey of fans of the five major U.S. sports leagues suggests a more positive outlook for one of those leagues than for the others.

Pro Basketball

The Nets appear to be taking a massive gamble on James Harden with a trade that shakes up the NBA. The deal gives the Rockets another All-Star for now and flexibility for later, with big implications for the Pacers and the Cavaliers as well.

In its second off-season under a new collective bargaining agreement, the WNBA is again likely to see a ton of player movement in free agency. The Sun, coming off two deep playoff runs, have just five players under contract for 2021.

Auto Racing

Jill Gregory, one of the architects of Nascar's 2020 turnaround, says the series was able to "not let a good crisis go to waste, for lack of a better term." Now, she is ready for another challenge: running a racetrack.

Baseball

With the Indians dumping salary, the Mets began a new era by trading for Francisco Lindor—a "total steal," one rival executive tells us, with Cleveland receiving a low-profile group of potential major leaguers. Carlos Carrasco might be an even more important addition than Lindor for New York. Still, despite the big names on the move, baseball agents and executives don't necessarily expect the slow-as-molasses market to pick up.

College Football

Fired coaches are set to receive buyouts ranging from $175,000 all the way up to $21.45 million.

Golf

A new 12-hole course in Florida is banking on golfers preferring a good time to a long time.

Featured Story

It might seem as if Robert Kraft had a rough year: His star quarterback, Tom Brady, ditched New England winters for sunny Tampa Bay, and the Patriots had their worst season in two decades. But 2020 actually proved lucrative for Kraft, whose sports holdings appreciated by $800 million, to $5.3 billion. Still, the Kraft family lands only at No. 7 on our list of the most valuable sports empires. Who's No. 1? See the full list here.