Oct 22, 2026 · 11 min
Sports business headlines meet Steve Smith’s office visit
SBJ Morning Buzzcast: October 22, 2026
The episode connects a personal conversation with Steve Smith Sr. to major questions facing the NFL, WNBA and Yankees ownership.
- 1Steve Smith Sr.’s visit brought football, life and family into the Sports Business Journal newsroom.
- 2The NFL’s continued relationship with Ticketmaster anchors the episode’s sports business headlines.
- 3WNBA Finals momentum and the Steinbrenner family’s Yankees plans round out the news agenda.
Don't miss
Abe Madkour’s account of Steve Smith Sr.’s visit brings football, life and family into the newsroom before the business headlines begin.
The brief
Abe Madkour opens with former Carolina Panthers star and NFL broadcaster Steve Smith Sr.’s visit to the Sports Business Journal office, where football, life and family shaped the conversation.
The episode moves from Smith’s wide-ranging perspective to the NFL’s continued relationship with Ticketmaster, placing league business at the center of the news agenda.
WNBA Finals attendance and viewership provide a second signal of momentum, with the Atlanta Dream and Las Vegas Aces among the episode’s basketball references.
The final headline concerns the Steinbrenner family’s intention to retain ownership of the New York Yankees, keeping control and continuity in focus.
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