Nov 11, 2026 · 11 min
New leagues test sports’ appetite for expansion
SBJ Morning Buzzcast: November 11, 2026
The episode maps a surge of investment across sports while asking whether new properties can grow without fragmenting established competitions.
- 1CF Montréal’s sale raises relocation questions as ownership seeks a buyer willing to keep the club in Montreal.
- 2The PWHL and a new horse racing league are building identities, formats, and audiences beyond traditional sports models.
- 3A proposed thoroughbred series and elite youth basketball league expose tensions around competition, NIL, and sports’ next growth phase.
Don't miss
The proposed thoroughbred championship series excludes the Preakness, creating a direct challenge to the traditional Triple Crown structure.
The brief
Abe Madkour opens with college sports conversations at Clemson, where private equity, globalization, the expanded College Football Playoff, and NIL framed a broader debate about sports strategy.
CF Montréal is on the market, but its owners will not discount the club to prevent relocation. Possible destinations include Las Vegas, Sacramento, Phoenix, Indianapolis, and Detroit.
The PWHL has unveiled four expansion identities—the Detroit Clutch, Hamilton Havoc, San Jose Sea Lions, and Vegas Vanguard—as the league approaches its fourth season.
A new Horse Racing League plans three 2027 race days on USA Network, with ten teams, more than $10 million in prizes, new betting formats, and storytelling built around racing personalities.
The sharpest tension comes from a proposed six-race thoroughbred championship series that excludes the Preakness, potentially challenging the traditional Triple Crown structure.
A new Futures Basketball League will give top under-18 players NIL compensation, adding another test of whether sports expansion can become sustainable without reshaping existing systems.
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