Pink's Bottom Line on Media, Money and Sports

Tennis news conferences, hot dog sales and injuries to marquee NBA players

In today’s newsletter, I discuss tennis news conferences, hot dog sales and injuries to marquee NBA players.

MEDIA: Naomi Osaka and News Conferences

Naomi Osaka, the second ranked women’s tennis player in the world, said Wednesday that she would boycott news conferences at the French Open tennis tournament the next two weeks.

Osaka cited mental health issues for players related to news conferences as to why she won’t participate in these question-and-answer sessions with press after matches.

Osaka won her first round match today, and she did speak live to a reporter on the court after that match — but she did not attend the news conference afterwards.

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The French Open will fine Osaka each day she doesn’t attend a news conference, and the tournament issued a statement suggesting that Osaka could default from the tournament if she does not attend future news conferences.

It’s a tough spot both for tennis and for Osaka. For Osaka, she clearly says that these news conferences impact the emotional well-being of players.

For tennis itself, news conferences deliver valuable information for fans and help drive awareness of the sport in general.

Look for a compromise between Osaka and the professional tennis tour to emerge in the next few days as Osaka is too important to tennis to default her from this or future tournaments.

MONEY: Hot Dog Sales

Hot dog sales are on a roll, according to a survey from the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC).

During the pandemic, sales rose roughly 20% and sales in April are up 8.6% this year compared to April of 2019, according to the NHDSC.

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Hot dog season — if there indeed is one — unofficially kicks off this weekend and runs through Labor Day.

During that time period, the NHDSC says the country will consumer nearly seven billion hot dogs.

The country’s appetite for hot dogs remained strong throughout the pandemic, and the hunger for them should continue this summer.

SPORTS: Injuries to Marquee NBA Players

With the NBA playoffs now fully underway, injuries to marquee players have emerged as a key storyline.

Notably, Chris Paul of Phoenix suffered a shoulder injury and he’s seen limited action in his team’s series against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Luka Doncic, the superstar of the Dallas Mavericks, suffered a neck strain Friday against the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 3 of their first round series though Doncic is expected to play in tonight’s game.

Also, the oft-injured Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers suffered a knee injury in Game 3 of his team’s series against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday. Davis also didn’t play the second half of today’s Game 4 of that series with a separate groin injury.

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So far, these injuries have mostly limited the action of key players rather than sidelining them completely with the notable exception of Davis missing the second half of his game today.

If, however, these injuries become more debilitating or if other injuries among marquee players emerge during the rest of the playoffs, it could have long term implications for the league.

Specifically, look for the players and the league to consider a shorter regular season to reduce wear and tear on players.

That, of course, assumes that the NBA will find ways to recover any lost revenue that might occur with a shorter regular season.

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Jeremy Pink is currently COO of Geniecast, a leading virtual content and experience company. He is the former CEO of private-equity backed Broadcast Sports International where he helped lead the company to a successful sale and exit during his tenure there. He is also a former CNBC television executive in New York, London and Singapore.

The information contained in this communication is strictly for general informational and entertainment purposes and is not meant to be construed as financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. This communication is not a solicitation to buy or sell any securities. I am not a financial advisor or offering professional advice of any kind. Users should not act upon the content or information found within this communication without first seeking professional advice appropriate for their individual situation. Decisions based on information contained in this communication are the sole responsibility of the user, and use of this communication and its contents constitutes an explicit understanding and acceptance of the foregoing disclaimers.

(Newsletter Editor: Karina Pink)