FIFA, Not Argentina or Spain, Is Real World Cup Winner

Trump's Sports Attendance [00:00]

• President Trump frequently attends major sporting events, including the Super Bowl, UFC fights, NBA Finals, and the World Cup.
• His presence draws a large audience and creates a spectacle.
• Attendance leads to significantly heightened security measures, including Secret Service and armed personnel.
• This increased security results in extremely long lines and logistical challenges for attendees.
• The speaker notes these long lines feel unnecessary.

  It makes It makes getting into whatever stadium, outside of the UFC. The UFC events, he comes in for the main card for the most of the time. And so, by that point time, everybody's in their seats. But, for the Super Bowl, for the NBA Finals, for I imagine what the World Cup, it's going to be a madhouse. And it just means that there's Secret Service everywhere. There's people with, you know, that are armed everywhere. And it just creates very long lines. Very very long lines that I feel have been unnecessary.

FIFA and the World Cup [01:07]

• A weekly newsletter identified FIFA, not Argentina or Spain, as the real winner of the World Cup.
• FIFA exerted significant control over the tournament's organization.
• Despite critiques regarding public transit and ticket prices, FIFA has largely avoided major off-field controversy.
• The primary controversies have been on-field issues, such as VAR decisions and specific player incidents like Folarin Balogun's red card.
• FIFA is expected to make a substantial amount of money from the event.

  You don't want it to be off the field. And so, FIFA's a big winner of that, and they're going to make a boatload of money.

Yankees Financing Deal [02:09]

• The New York Yankees are reportedly in talks for $3 billion in financing with Apollo.
• This potential deal is described as a "meeting of the titans."
• The $3 billion is expected to go towards equity in the Yankees.
• This would be Apollo's largest investment in US sports to date.
• The timing of the deal is influenced by the Yankees' financial situation, including existing debt and their strong revenue-generating capacity.

  Yeah, I think that if you're Apollo, it's the Yankees. Like who does not want to be in business with the Yankees?

Valuation and Private Equity [02:51]

• The total valuation of the Yankees business will be determined upon the deal's closure.
• The Dallas Cowboys are currently considered the most valuable sports franchise globally.
• Other valuable franchises include the Rams, Lakers, and Warriors, with the Yankees being a top baseball contender.
• There is a significant valuation gap between the Yankees and the Boston Red Sox.
• The Yankees generate revenue not only from games but also from events like concerts (e.g., Jay-Z) and NYCFC matches.

  We'll find out when it closes. I would assume franchise in the world? Sports franchise?

Future of Private Equity in Sports [04:10]

• The question arises whether institutional money like Apollo's could eventually influence on-field decisions.
• Current structures for private equity in US sports do not allow for controlling ownership.
• Concerns exist that private equity could make non-fan-driven business decisions, cut star players, or extract excessive profits.
• However, sports franchises going public might be a more likely scenario than private equity taking over.
• While the limits for private equity investment may increase, direct takeover is seen as unlikely.

  I think we're I don't think that we will live long enough to see that. And the reason I all of these structures for private equity do not allow private equity firms to have controlling ownership, at least in US sporting teams.