Facing shrinking stadium attendance and cord-cutting at home, sports leagues and networks are clamoring to get ahead of new revenue-rich opportunities.
What to watch: Esports, despite still being in its infancy, is exploding in terms of both revenue and audience. The legalization of sports betting could cause the sports market to balloon by tens of billions of dollars, driving an entirely new content industry.
The legalization of sports betting is putting pressure on nearly every company that touches athletics to capitalize on what is expected to be an extremely lucrative new industry.
What's happening: Casinos, leagues and media are finding ways to get a piece of the action.
More Americans see the spread of legalized sports gambling as hurting, rather than helping, the integrity of professional athletics, according to an Axios/SurveyMonkey poll.
Why it matters: That runs counter to the leagues' argument that as sports betting gains ground, officials will need to ensure the rules are being followed and the right calls are made. That, leagues say, will increase the overall integrity of the leagues.
Today's athletes have more power than ever to build their own brands and significantly bolster their own earning potential.
What's happening: Social media has created new outlets for athletes to communicate directly with fans, take part in conversations around issues that matter to them, and attract endorsement money.
