No bigger winner in the business of sport this week than the Florida Panthers
Article content
Bulls of the week
Article content
On this first day of summer and longest day of sunshine of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, there's plenty to be bullish about in the business of sport, beginning with the two words 'Game 7' in the NBA, where the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers will play for all of the marbles on Sunday.
Article content
The NHL fell short at six games in its Stanley Cup Final this spring after watching the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers go the distance 12 months ago in their first of back-to-back showdowns. That was the 18th Cup Final Game 7 over the course of 83 years, with the previous final series maximum having been reached when the St. Louis Blues won their first Cup in franchise history, beating the Boston Bruins in 2019.
Article content
Article content
The Association, on the other hand, is playing an NBA Finals Game 7 for the first time in nine years, when LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers outlasted Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors in 2016.
Article content
Article content
Moreover, the NBA is in one of those scenarios where they'll have a compelling storyline and first-time champion, either way. That won't fully mitigate against the small-market matchup when it comes to TV ratings, but it will at least make the most of the showdown between the 25th biggest TV market in the U.S. (Indianapolis) and the 47th largest (OKC).
Article content
It was also a bullish week for emerging sport business tycoon Mark Walter, who announced that he will be adding the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA to his impressive list of sport properties, one that has featured the defending World Series-champion Los Angeles Dodgers since 2012.
Article content
The deal between Walter, who is building on a personal net worth that was estimated at US$6.1 billion in February, and the longtime Buss family ownership group values the Lakers at US$10 billion, a record franchise transaction in North American pro sport.
Article content
Article content
Walter's reach and influence also extends to Chelsea of the Premier League of English soccer, a stake in Strasbourg of the French Ligue 1, Cadillac Formula One, and single-entity governance and ownership of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL).
Article content
Article content
Yet there was no bigger winner in the business of sport this week than owner Vinnie Viola and his Panthers, who won their second consecutive Cup title in their third straight trip to the championship series.
Article content
The dominant performance by the Paul Maurice-coached Panthers inspired many to begin referring to them as a dynasty, suggesting that two wins in three finals in the salary cap era at least rivals three or four straight titles in the years before payroll restrictions and the resulting competitive parity were introduced in to the NHL more than 20 years ago.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
6 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
The Pacers are 1 win from an NBA title. Assistant coach Jenny Boucek is 1 win from that, and history
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Indiana Pacers assistant Jenny Boucek isn't so concerned right now with becoming the first woman to be a primary assistant coach on a team that wins the NBA championship. She just wants to be part of a title. There is a barrier that could be broken in these NBA Finals, and Boucek is fully aware of that. She is the first woman to be part of the front-row assistants (it means exactly that: the coaches who sit on the front row of the bench) for a team in the NBA Finals, and she and the Pacers will face the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 to decide this season's title on Sunday night. Being in that role has led to the spotlight shining on her in these finals, though Boucek has found ways to not let it be overwhelming. 'I've been around long enough to have experience and felt where people build you up and those same people tear you back down. People jump on the bandwagon, they jump off. People love you one day, they bash you the next,' Boucek said. 'Just going through that a few times in different ways in my career has really taught me to tune it all out and not take in the compliments and the praise. And then that way, you're protected from the criticism. You can just focus on what you're in control of.' She played briefly in the WNBA and overseas before becoming a coach. Ron Rothstein — who was the first Miami Heat coach before becoming coach of the short-lived WNBA's Miami Sol — had Boucek on his staff there and even now, more than 20 years later, still raves about the kind of coach and person Boucek is. Working with an established NBA coach like Rothstein helped give Boucek some credibility, and others soon saw why he was so high on her talent and smarts as a coach. When Rick Carlisle was coaching Dallas, Boucek — who was coaching in the WNBA at the time — spent a few weeks around the Mavericks to learn whatever she could. Carlisle, now the Indiana coach and someone who didn't think twice about having Boucek on his staff, was impressed by what she brought to the table and never forgot. 'It was clear to me she was a prospect — not only to be an assistant coach in the NBA, but to perhaps one day be an NBA head coach,' Carlisle said. Boucek is in Carlisle's ear probably more than anyone in games, and she's tasked with essentially leading the Pacers' defensive plan. Pacers assistant coach Jim Boylen, another big fan of Boucek, also is involved in the defense. Pacers forward Pascal Siakam had a new system to learn when he was traded to Indiana from Toronto in the middle of last season. Boucek basically became his tutor for all things Pacers. 'She's been great that way,' Siakam said. 'She's a great communicator. And also, I like her positive just energy about everything. It's mostly needed. Even in those moments where sometimes it felt like we didn't do well or whatever, she's always bringing that positivity, which is needed for coaching.' Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. She's made history before. Boucek was part of the first all-female staff to win a WNBA title, when Seattle beat Connecticut in 2004. At the time, she didn't know how big of a deal that was. But now, she knows what an Indiana win on Sunday would mean as far as a female coach breaking yet another barrier. 'I was young and naive, and it meant nothing to me at the time,' Boucek said of being on that all-female Seattle staff in 2004. 'But now, looking back and reflecting on things, I can see how that meant a lot to a lot of women. Right now, it doesn't mean much. I just want to win a championship. I just want to be one of the guys. I want to do my part. But I'm sure at some point we'll look back at it, if and when that happens, and hopefully that's something that can be used for greater good.' ___ AP NBA:
National Post
7 hours ago
- National Post
The final act of the NBA Finals: 2 teams, 1 game, 1 trophy. Pacers at Thunder will decide a champion
OKLAHOMA CITY — It started with 30 teams, most of them fairly optimistic about their chances when the season began eight months and 1,320 games and 35,543 3-pointers and 299,608 points ago. Article content Only two teams remain. For one game. Game 7. Article content The NBA season ends Sunday night when the Indiana Pacers visit the Oklahoma City Thunder to decide which team will hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy, take over for the Boston Celtics as champions and become the league's seventh different title winner in the last seven years. It's the first winner-take-all game in the NBA since 2016, when Cleveland beat Golden State. Article content 'I'm very much looking forward to Game 7,' Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. 'The last time we've had one of these in the finals, I think, was '16. These are special moments certainly for both teams but for our league, for the game, for the worldwide interest in the game. It's a time to celebrate.' Article content Yes, but only one team will celebrate Sunday night. For the Pacers, it would be a first NBA title and the capper to a season that started with Indiana banged up and getting off to a 10-15 record through the first 25 games. No team has ever been below .500 that deep into a season and went on to win a championship. Article content For the Thunder, it would be a first NBA title — kind of, sort of, Seattle won one in 1979 and even though the franchise moved to Oklahoma City from there, the Thunder don't recognize it as one of their own — and wrap up a season in which the team scored more points than any other club in NBA history and posted the best record. Article content 'We have to understand the work is done and we have to trust the work,' Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said Saturday, the final practice day of the season. 'The muscle is built. We have to flex that muscle. That's what tomorrow will come down to for us.' Article content Article content It has been the epitome of a back-and-forth series, with both teams having the lead at some point. Indiana led 1-0 and 2-1; Oklahoma City led 3-2 but got blown out in Game 6, its first chance at winning the title. Article content So, here we are, tied at 3-3, one game away from a decision. Article content 'Grateful for the opportunity,' Thunder guard Jalen Williams said. 'That's one thing I can say is throughout the whole entire thing, you always have to remain grateful for where you are because there's a lot of NBA players that will trade their spot with me right now. That's how I look at it. But as far as history, I want to be on the good side of that, for sure.' Article content Oklahoma City has looked every bit the part of a championship contender all year; going 68-14 in the regular season cemented the Thunder into the favourite's role. Being the best team in the regular season is for this very privilege, to play host for Game 7.
National Post
7 hours ago
- National Post
Blackhawks acquire Andre Burakovsky from Kraken in exchange for Joe Veleno
CHICAGO — The Chicago Blackhawks acquired Andre Burakovsky from the Seattle Kraken on Saturday in exchange for fellow forward Joe Veleno. Article content Chicago also placed defenceman T.J. Brodie on unconditional waivers for purposes of buying out his contract. Article content Article content Burakovsky, 30, had 10 goals and 27 assists in 79 games with Seattle last season. A Stanley Cup champion with Washington in 2018 and Colorado in 2022, he has 153 goals and 234 assists in 696 regular-season games over 11 NHL seasons. Article content Article content The acquisition of Burakovsky gives Chicago some additional size and scoring, and the trade creates more flexibility for Seattle with the salary cap. Article content The 6-foot-3 Burakovsky was selected by Washington with the No. 23 pick in the 2013 draft. He signed a five-year, $27.5 million contract with Seattle in July 2022. Article content Veleno, 25, was traded from Detroit to Chicago in March. He finished with eight goals and nine assists in 74 games last season. Article content
