During Donald Trump’s second term as President of the United States, the 78-year-old will serve as commander in chief as two of the world’s biggest sporting events, the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics, occur on American soil.
Sports consultants, experts and lawyers interviewed for this story addressed what Trump’s return to the White House means for the sports business and the areas that could be impacted more than others.
“There is a sense that the new administration is going to be more business friendly than the outgoing administration,” said Irwin Kishner, partner and co-chair of the sports group at the New York-based law firm Herrick. “You’ll certainly hear M&A and law firms saying, ‘We’ve got to be geared up for more transactions, more M&A, more joint ventures and a more favorable business environment. I believe that translates over to the sports world as well.”
Kishner, along with other experts interviewed for this article, said they may foresee more consolidation efforts in the media over the next four years, which could also have an effect on the sports and business industries.
Dallas Dolen, head of the technology, media and telecommunications sector at PwC US, said there is also “broader macroeconomic optimism” with the new Trump regime, which will most likely lead to new capital investments across the sports industry, adding new and emerging leagues as well. as women’s sports.
“The ROI on sports is significantly more reliable — that’s where the private equity firms come in — but it’s much more reliable as a source of return than the next AI company,” Dolen said. “I say that half kiddingly but there’s more skepticism coming into play around which AI model builder is going to be the one you put funding into. Other areas of potential investment don’t show you that ROI. Sports has continued to show it.”
Marc Ganis, co-founder and managing director of consulting firm Sportscorp Ltd., said he believes the topic of transgender rights will be “significantly altered” under Trump, a noted sports enthusiast and golfer who owns more than a dozen courses around the world.
At a presidential rally in Washington on Sunday before yesterday’s inauguration, Trump said he plans to “keep men out of women’s sports,” a divisive factor in youth sports and football, high school athletics and has won a extensive attention in recent months.
To date, there is no federal law regulating transgender athletes. Last week, NCAA President Charlie Baker said the NCAA “would like to have some explanation on this so that everyone has a general idea of the rules of the game. “
In addition, questions remain related to profit-sharing in school sports under terms proposed through House rules, a landmark agreement that would replace how athletes will be compensated in the future.
Meanwhile, Ganis and others noted that sports fans and industry observers should keep an eye on golf, too. Scott O’Neil, newly-named CEO of LIV Golf, told Sportico that the U.S. Department of Justice is currently reviewing the golf enterprise’s proposed joint venture with the PGA Tour. In addition, O’Neil, who most recently served as CEO of Merlin Entertainments, said he believes Trump’s second term in office could be a positive for LIV, which has economic backing from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
“This predates me, but I heard stories that at first we had a hard time getting categories for our events,” he said. “It was President-elect Trump who said, ‘Come play on my fields. ‘”
Some executives said other areas of interest to watch would be whether the respective sports champions of the major U. S. professional sports leagues and the NCAA would go to the White House to be venerated or whether Trump plans to host a ceremonial first pitch at a future MLB. game.
In Aug. 2020, he planned to throw out the first pitch at a New York Yankees game after being asked by the team’s president but later postponed the event.
During Trump’s first term, several professional and college teams visited the White House, including the Alabama and Clemson football teams, Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Red Sox, while others such as the Seattle Storm and Golden State Warriors weren’t invited altogether. In June 2018, Trump disinvited the Philadelphia Eagles following a dispute over some players allegedly remaining in the locker room or kneeling during the singing of the national anthem.
“Frankly, unless it is the U. S. national groups or other folks representing the country, a stopover at to the White House is a two-way photo opportunity for the media,” Ganis said. “It actually took hold the Ronald Reagan management because he was a massive games fan. I’m not certain the global of game is rarely very doing greater without it fitting a political issue.
When asked to comment on what his second presidency means for the sports industry, Taylor Rogers, a spokesperson for the Trump-Vance transition, provided the following via email: “As President Trump has said, sports are a microcosm of life; He appreciates the dedication, education, and perseverance that an athlete endures while running with a team to win big. America loves and values sports, just like President Trump, and that’s why his appearances at sporting events are generating unprecedented excitement and anticipation. resonating with ordinary Americans. In addition, President Trump is a champion-level golfer.
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