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Churchill Downs Considers Selling Stake In Betting Unit

Churchill Downs Incorporated, valued at $8.8 billion is working with an adviser to gain insight on potential interest in the division.

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Churchill Downs, the home of the Kentucky Derby, is reportedly looking into a possible sale of its betting unit, TwinSpires. The entity could potentially generate in $1.5 billion, roughly about one-sixth of the entire company’s value.

Churchill Downs Incorporated is working with an adviser to gain insight on potential interest in the division. Right now though, the company is staying quiet.

“It is our company policy not to comment on market rumors or unsubstantiated speculation,” Tonya Abeln, Churchill Downs vice president of communications, said in an email to Horse Racing Nation.

Earlier this year, Churchill Downs announced $211 million in three capital improvement projects. The money will go toward more all-inclusive seats, renovations to the Homestretch Club, and construction of a hotel, gaming positions, and amenities at Derby City Gaming.

It will be very interesting to see who and what kind of companies make a play for a stake in Twin Spires should it become available. A traditional sportsbook makes the most sense. Then again, we could see a media partner like NBC or a private equity firm kick the tires on a very profitable business sector.

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Eric Bischoff Ends ‘Strictly Business’ Podcast; Launches New YouTube Show

Bischoff and Conrad Thompson will continue to produce Bischoff’s main podcast, 83 Weeks, however, an additional show which Bischoff was doing with Jon Alba, Strictly Business, will come to an end.

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Graphic for Wise Choices with Eric Bischoff

Eric Bischoff, the former Turner Broadcasting executive who famously beat WWE in ratings with WCW for 83 consecutive weeks has ended one show and launched another. Bischoff and Conrad Thompson will continue to produce Bischoff’s main podcast, 83 Weeks, however, an additional show which Bischoff was doing with Jon Alba, Strictly Business, will come to an end.

“Unfortunately, this week’s episode of Strictly Business with Eric Bischoff will be the last edition of the podcast,” said Alba in a post on his X account. “Eric’s schedule is loaded these days, and for good reasons, he’ll [be] putting his efforts into other endeavors.”

One of those endeavors will be a new YouTube show, Wise Choices, which Bischoff has already debuted. Bischoff said he and Alba’s schedules were getting tougher to align and that his new show will be a solo project he can produce based on his own schedule.

“Trying to align my busy schedule with Jon’s busy schedule and then if we wanted to have a guest on, we had to coordinate with that person’s schedule,” Bischoff said. “It was just getting too difficult and now, for the first time, I will do a solo project and be on my own.”

Bischoff’s first solo YouTube show focused on his reply to AEW owner Tony Khan who posted on his X account in reply to Alba’s post on Strictly Business coming to an end, “Sunsetting this fraud of a business podcast before the next AEW media deal is a wise choice.”

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‘Saving Sakic’ to Premiere in U.S. April 17 on ESPN+

The documentary follows the high-stakes saga that ensued when Colorado Avalanche Chairman/CEO Charlie Lyons was blindsided by an attempt to sign away the captain of his team, Joe Sakic.

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Prime Video and NHL Productions revealed the trailer for the upcoming original hockey documentary ‘Saving Sakic’ premiering on April 16 for Prime members in Canada and April 17 for ESPN+ subscribers in the U.S. 

The documentary follows the high-stakes saga that ensued when Colorado Avalanche Chairman/CEO Charlie Lyons was blindsided by an attempt to sign away the captain of his team, Joe Sakic. With only seven days to raise $15 million to save his star, Charlie finds a lifeline from an unexpected place – Hollywood.

Joe Sakic garnered a slew of accolades over his 20-season NHL career, first for the Quebec Nordiques, who selected him in the first round of the 1987 NHL Draft, and later for the Colorado Avalanche after the Nordiques relocated to Denver. In Colorado, he captured two Stanley Cups, won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP, and the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the playoffs. As part of NHL’s Centennial celebration in 2017, Sakic was voted one of the 100 Greatest Players in League history.

‘Saving Sakic’  is directed by Jay Nelson with executive producers Steve Mayer, Ross Bernard, and Craig Axelrod for NHL Productions and Gary Cohen for Triple Threat TV. Saving Sakic joins sports content on Prime Video, including original documentaries Chosen One: Alexandre Daigle, Giannis: The Marvelous Journey, KelceAll or Nothing: Toronto Maple Leafs, and Sportsnet on Prime Video Channels.

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Saquon Barkley to WFAN’s Tiki Barber: “Don’t Feed Into the B.S.”

Barkley said any narrative that he chose to go to Philadelphia over staying with the Giants is incorrect because New York never offered him a contract.

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Logo for the New Heights podcast and a photo of Saquon Barkley

Former New York Giants and current Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley made an appearance this week on New Heights, the podcast hosted by Travis and Jason Kelce. In addition to several football related topics, Barkley spoke about his war of words with WFAN host and former Giants running back Tiki Barber.

After Barkley signed with the Eagles on a three-year, $37.5 million deal, Barber said that Barkley was “dead to us,” referring to New York Giants fans. Barber has said those comments were more about what the fans were thinking and were “tongue-in-cheek.” Barkley came back at Barber on social media and said he was a “hater” since he came to New York.

In explaining what made him upset about Barber’s response, Barkley said he didn’t think it was right to be attacked by a former player.

“I love seeing NFL guys, I love seeing OGs, I love seeing you guys, you have a platform, this is a place where you know ball, you can talk, you can educate fans,” Barkley said. “Maybe use that time to show, ‘Maybe this is why Saquon is going to Philly’ … the business side of it, use that to show, I’m not saying you got to have loyalty to me because I don’t care for that, to be honest, but you are an ex-NFL player, an ex-NFL athlete, don’t feed into the B.S., let fans do that, they’re supposed to do that, they’re emotional.”

Barkley said any narrative that he chose to go to Philadelphia over staying with the Giants is incorrect because New York never offered him a contract.

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