What a difference 16 months, and earning a new title, can apparently make for Donald Trump and his relationship with the sports industry.
According to an article in the Sports Business Journal, it is believed that many segments of the sports industry that had cooled on Trump just 16 months ago are starting to warm up to him now that he is President-Elect Trump.
From the article:
But last week, as Trump completed an improbable run to the White House, sports business executives sounded much more optimistic about working with the businessman turned politico. While many still have questions about how the sports business will fare during his presidency, they see the president-elect as someone who has made significant investments and carries deep relationships in the sports world.
Let’s not forget that NASCAR attempted to distance itself from Trump over comments that were believed to be racist. The PGA Tour cited sponsorship issues in moving one of its tournaments from a Trump golf property in Miami to Mexico.
Other leagues also came out against some of Trump’s statements throughout his run to the presidency. However, NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France was a big supporter, even campaigning with Trump at some points during the race.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is a good friend of Ivanka Trump and others from around the sports industry were known to have been supporters of Trump’s bid for the White House.
One area that may be of concern with a Trump presidency is how the international sports fan decides to view American sports leagues.
“I don’t see any significant impact on the team business, but for parts of the industry like sporting goods and retail sales and international business, it will take time to let it play out,” said Jeff Bliss, president and CEO of The Javelin Group. “If he does pull back on our borders or changes our international profile, it will impact the desire for the international community when it comes to following U.S. sports, engaging with the product or even buying sporting goods or licensed merchandise.”
There’s also international sporting events to think about, as Los Angeles is bidding to host the 2024 Summer Olympic Games and the United States is believed to be a front-runner to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Will a Trump presidency affect those bids? A lot of that will be determined by how things play out in his policies and actions in the first few months of his term in office, or that’s how some international sports figures see it playing out.
“As it stands now, the very fact that he’s going to be the president, in and of itself, is not the end of the world,” said Richard Peterkin, an IOC member from St. Lucia. “If Los Angeles has a strong enough bid, people will look at it more from the quality of the bid, the attractiveness of the bid and whether it’s that much better than the other bidders.”
While most will focus on the transition, making sense of a shocking election result and going on with life in a new-look American political landscape, the sports world is also doing the same.
