Shams to ESPN; NHL Drops Puck

Tropicana Field, home of the Rays, likely won’t be ready for Opening Day of 2025, and the team faces tough questions about where they will play and how much they are willing to invest in repairing a stadium they ultimately plan to leave. Plus, WNBA players are expected to opt out of their collective bargaining agreement by the Nov. 1 deadline, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones attempted to explain the threats he made to media members, and we hear from former NFL players Jamaal Charles and Anthony “Spice” Adams on the league and which positions have the best quality of life.

The Raiders made two sets of headlines Tuesday, starting the day off by trading Davante Adams to the Jets, and ending it with Tom Brady's official approval to become a minority team owner. Front Office Sports newsletter writer Eric Fisher was on-site at the NFL owners’ meetings and takes us behind the scenes of Brady's approval. We also hear from The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt on the Jets’ side of the Adams trade, plus the latest on Haason Reddick and the team's midseason coaching change. Also, Atlanta Dream co-owner Renee Montgomery joins the show to discuss her surprise retirement, the WNBA’s rapid growth, and what she learned by going from the court to the front office.

Haason Reddick was let go by agency CAA Sports amid his holdout with the New York Jets. Now, Reddick has a new representative negotiating his status with the team—NFL agent Drew Rosenhaus. Front Office Sports reporter Alex Schiffer joins the show to discuss why CAA Sports moved on from Reddick and whether Rosenhaus can find a light at the end of this tunnel. Plus, the NHL's season is firmly underway with its newest team, the Utah Hockey Club, off to a red-hot start. ESPN hockey reporter Emily Kaplan breaks down the hype around Utah HC and what to expect from the league as the season progresses. Finally, the Texans are off to a blazing 5–1 start this season. Defensive end Will Anderson Jr. explains why he thinks Houston is off to such a strong start, what it was like transitioning from Alabama to the NFL, and his thoughts on the NFL's new rule changes.

Hockey is back, and for the Professional Women's Hockey League, that means a very important second season. Minnesota Frost captain Kendall Coyne Schofield joins the show to explain why the success of the PWHL is essential for the future of hockey and other women's sports. Plus, we check in on developing sports media offerings for Latino consumers, and why increasing representation and reach to that demographic will underline the future of broadcasting. Also, the Haason Reddick situation gets worse, Tom Brady gets ready to be an NFL team owner, and the Super Bowl could go international.

Just one day after she was announced as the first Valkyries head coach, Natalie Nakase sits down with reporter Colin Salao to discuss her move to the expansion franchise, the relationships that have helped her get here, and the overall trajectory of the WNBA behind promising rookies like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Cameron Brink.

Saturday is set to be the biggest day of the college football regular season, and ticket prices for marquee matchups are skyrocketing. Plus, Hurricane Milton tore off part of the Tampa Bay Rays stadium, raising questions about the venue’s viability for the 2025 season. The incident also raises question about their plans for a new stadium in the same area. Also, the Minnesota Twins are for sale, the Mets are seeing dividends from their big spending, and TBS is facing heavy criticism for its Yankees-Royals broadcasts.

The Patriots have reached a low point in the post–Tom Brady era, with team captain Jabrill Peppers in serious legal trouble and a quarterback change five weeks into the season. George Balekji of NESN joins the show to discuss the six-time Super Bowl champions' fall from grace and how this latest version of the team is being perceived in Boston. Plus, the WNBA Finals begin Thursday, and the two teams squaring off have been built for long-term success but in very different ways. Front Office Sports reporter Colin Salao sets the stage for Game 1. Also, Wimbledon has dropped its line judges, Aaron Rodgers speaks out, and the NFL reveals new statistics on the number of player arrests.

Tuesday began with a bombshell as the 2-3 Jets announced they were firing head coach Robert Saleh, who was “blindsided” by the announcement. Former NFL executive Andrew Brandt joins the show to discuss what this means for the Jets, Aaron Rodgers, and Davante Adams. Plus, Allyson Felix joins the show to discuss some major developments in the world of track and women’s sports at large. Felix is adding a new chapter to her legacy with the launch of the first ever sports management firm completely focused on female athletes. Also, the MLB postseason continues to turn heads, the USMNT coach is already looking at coaching in Argentina, and Kyler Murray leans into criticisms over his video game hobby.

Shams Charania is headed to ESPN to replace Adrian Wojnarowski, who retired just weeks before the start of the NBA season. Front Office Sports senior writer Michael McCarthy has been following this one since the beginning, and he had the scoop that the deal was “on the 5-yard line.” McCarthy joins the show to discuss how this deal came together.  Plus, the NFL continues to push games outside of its typical viewing hours, and international play is a big reason why. FOS newsletter writer David Rumsey offers his assessment of the league’s increasing TV time. We also hear from Pete Jensen of NHL.com as the puck gets ready to drop for a new season, the ugly side of baseball fandom rears its head, and there is a huge development in the House vs. NCAA legal case.

A ruling by the Court of Justice of the EU declared FIFA bylaws related to player transfers illegal in the European Union. The decision could reshape global soccer. Ben Jacobs of GiveMeSport joins the show to explain the potentially massive implications. Plus, Ironman Group CEO Scott DeRue joins to discuss how the company is working to grow one of the most intense competitions in existence as a participation and spectator sport. Meanwhile, college football upsets ruled the weekend, Davante Adams creatively stoked trade intrigue, and Formula 1 and the Savannah Bananas are anticipating big ticket sales.