|
|
|
Afternoon Edition |
August 27, 2026 |
Callaway has dropped Good Good Golf, while the YouTube golf group has pulled out as the title sponsor of the PGA Tour’s Good Good Championship. Both moves come just days after an ad for a new co-branded Callaway driver showed Good Good cofounder Garrett Clark shoving fellow Good Good talent Alexis Miestowski to the ground. While Good Good pulled the ad after receiving immediate backlash, the criticism continued throughout the week, culminating with the brand losing two of its biggest partnerships.
—David Rumsey and Ellyn Briggs
First Up
-
Exclusive: NBPA executive director David Kelly told Front Office Sports that players deserve a piece of the revenue from NBA Europe.
-
UEFA is taking FIFA, its president Gianni Infantino, and others to court to obtain information regarding their short-lived plan to sell minority stakes in the World Cup.
-
The NFL won’t be reaching a deal with any prediction-market platforms before the 2026 regular season kicks off.
-
John Fanta spoke with FOS about his vision for his new NBC Sports show, Fanta in 60, which debuts next week.
Callaway Drops Good Good Golf After Ad Fallout
ATLANTA — Callaway is dropping Good Good Golf in the wake of the controversy surrounding the YouTube group’s controversial driver ad.
The golf equipment manufacturer first partnered with Good Good in 2023, in a wide-ranging deal that included collaborations on content, products, and other brand campaigns.
Callaway informed Good Good of its decision to part ways Thursday morning, a source with knowledge of the situation told Front Office Sports.
“Over the last several days, we have listened and reflected deeply on the hurt and disappointment caused by the video we reposted,” a Thursday statement from Callaway read.
“We heard from individuals who shared personal experiences related to violence against women, and their stories were powerful reminders that this issue touches the lives of far too many people. Unequivocally, violence against women is unacceptable and should never be trivialized, normalized, or used as entertainment.
“Callaway has ended its relationship with Good Good, effective immediately.”
The news broke in the middle of the first round of the season-ending Tour Championship, which is playing out at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, where $40 million of prize money and a $10 million FedExCup champion will be crowned this weekend. Good Good’s uncertain future had already been the hottest topic early in the week at the PGA Tour’s playoff finale.
Callaway said it was “committing” $1 million to “support organizations working to prevent violence against women.” It was not immediately clear which organizations would receive that money over what time frame.
Callaway blamed its own poor internal review processes for the ad, which depicted Good Good cofounder Garrett Clark shoving a woman to the ground as she approached his Good Good/Callaway co-branded driver. “We sincerely apologize to everyone who was hurt, disappointed, or offended by this incident,” Thursday’s Callaway statement read.
After the ad debuted Aug. 21 and negative feedback poured in that night before the ad was pulled the next day, there was disagreement between Good Good and Callaway over who would take the bulk of the responsibility for the ad’s production and release, multiple sources with knowledge of the companies’ thinking told FOS.
The fallout escalated rapidly Wednesday, when several major retailers including Dick’s Sporting Goods, Golf Galaxy, PGA Tour Superstore, and Target pulled Good Good merchandise from their in-store and online shelves.
More Dominoes
Late Thursday afternoon, Good Good dropped its title sponsorship of the inaugural Good Good Championship, a new PGA Tour event scheduled for Nov. 12–15 at Omni Barton Creek in Austin. Last year, Good Good signed a multiyear contract, agreeing to pay at least $6 million annually to back the event.
“We agree with their decision to use this time to focus on their organization and the work ahead,” the PGA Tour said in a statement.
Now, attention shifts to Golf Channel.
Golf Channel postponed the premiere of Big Break x Good Good—a revamp of its reality competition series that was popular in the 2000s—from Tuesday to Sept. 1, due to the show’s presenting sponsor, Golf Galaxy, dropping out. The show was filmed earlier this year at Omni Barton Creek in Austin, so canceling it would be a major financial blow for Golf Channel, given the production and marketing costs the network has already spent.
Golf Channel did not immediately comment on the status of its relationship with Good Good after Callaway’s move Thursday.
Good Good’s Response
Good Good Golf cofounder Garrett Clark—who starred in the ad that depicted him shoving fellow Good Good creator Alexis Miestowski to the ground—shared a lengthy video to his personal social media accounts late Wednesday addressing the controversy.
“I want to personally apologize for playing a role in the skit in this ad at the magnitude that I did,” Clark said in the video. “And on Good Good’s behalf, on Good Good marketing’s behalf, I want to apologize as well because how this ad was received is not at all what we stand for. Also, I do not support [domestic violence], abuse, or any of that of any kind.”
FOS obtained a copy of a memo CEO Matt Kendrick sent to all Good Good staff Monday. In the email subject-lined “Owning Our Mistake,” he said the company plans to donate all proceeds of the driver campaign to an “organization supporting women in [its] local community” of Frisco, Texas.
Good Good and Callaway did not immediately answer questions about how the breakup would play out.
‘Front Office Sports Tonight’ Coming Soon
Front Office Sports Tonight, the first nationally syndicated daily show built entirely around the business and culture of sports, premieres Sept. 14. Emmy winner Matt Iseman will host the 30-minute show, which will air six nights a week.
ONE BIG FIG
Number Don’t Lie
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
70%
That’s how much the ratings for the NFL’s annual Pro Bowl Games have dropped over the past four years. The sharp drop in viewership—a rarity for the NFL—helps explain why the league announced at this week’s owners meetings that it’s pulling the plug on the exhibition altogether.
In explaining the decision, NFL EVP of football operations Troy Vincent cited a desire from the players, who don’t want to play another football game—tackle or flag—after their seasons have already ended. But it’s notable the end of the Pro Bowl comes just months after this year’s Pro Bowl Games drew just 2 million viewers, a 57% drop from the year before.
LOUD AND CLEAR
Brink Fires Back
Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
“Taking something that’s just like a non-issue right now and just trying to use it for clickbait … and then targeting a vulnerable community is just really low.”
—Los Angeles Sparks forward Cameron Brink taking issue with the recent conversation regarding whether transgender athletes should be allowed to play in the WNBA. Speaking with The Mirror US, Brink also referred to Enes Kanter Freedom as a “stupid piece of shit” after the former NBA big man recently claimed he identifies as a woman and said he was entering the 2027 WNBA draft, before getting into a verbal altercation with Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud during a game. Freedom, who was sitting courtside, was ejected from the arena and has since been banned from attending Sky home games.
FRONT OFFICE SPORTS LIVE
Inside Sports’s Investment Boom
The leaders shaping the next era of sports investment are coming to Manhattan.
Hear firsthand from Ric Best, head of prediction markets at Susquehanna; Alex Bhathal, founder of RAJ Sports and alternate governor of the Portland Fire; Lisa Bhathal Merage, governor of the Portland Fire and cofounder of RAJ Capital; Peter Freund, CEO of Diamond Baseball Holdings; Marc Lasry, chairman, CEO, and cofounder of Avenue Capital Group; Sam Porter, chief strategy officer of Apollo Sports Capital; Carolyn Tisch Blodgett, CEO and founder of Next 3; Jacob Fortinsky, CEO and cofounder of Novig; ESPN host and investor Jay Williams; and Jason Robins, CEO of DraftKings, at Asset Class on Sept. 15.
Led by FOS deals reporter Ben Horney, the event will bring together investors and executives exploring the trends, transactions, and capital strategies redefining sports investment.
STATUS REPORT
Three Up, One Push
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Leonard Williams ⬆ As they prepare to defend their Super Bowl title, the Seahawks have locked up a cornerstone of their defense, signing Williams to a three-year, $90 million extension. The average annual value of $30 million ties the Buccaneers’ Vita Vea for fifth among NFL defensive tackles, trailing the Chiefs’ Chris Jones ($31.75 million), the Titans’ Jeffery Simmons ($35.276 million), the Cowboys’ Quinnen Williams ($35.3 million), and the Eagles’ Jalen Carter, who signed a four-year, $152 million ($38 million AAV) extension earlier this offseason.
Nick Saban ⬆⬇ ESPN has announced plans for a six-part documentary series focused on the seven-time national championship-winning coach. The docuseries, titled Saban, will debut on ESPN on Oct. 8. Produced by Words + Pictures, the series will feature “hundreds of hours of never-before-seen footage and interviews with more than 70 voices,” according to ESPN. The former Alabama head coach is entering his third season as a staple of ESPN’s College GameDay, which he joined after retiring from coaching following the 2024 season.
Pardon My Take ⬆ The book celebrating the 10th anniversary of the popular Barstool Sports podcast officially debuted at No. 1 on The New York Times Best Sellers list. The show’s hosts, Dan “Big Cat” Katz and Eric “PFT Commenter” Sollenberger, authored the book, titled Pardon My Book. Taking to X/Twitter on Thursday, Katz celebrated the news, writing: “Thanks to everyone who purchased Pardon My Book. Appreciate it more than you know. And apologies to everyone who is a #1 NYT bestseller after us. We’ve completely devalued it.”
Bradley Barcola ⬆ Liverpool has agreed to a deal to sign the Paris-Saint Germain striker for a €140 million ($163 million) fee, according to ESPN. The five-year deal makes Barcola Liverpool’s second-most-expensive signing in club history, trailing Alexander Isak, who the Reds acquired from Newcastle United for a £125 million ($145.5 million) transfer fee last summer. Barcola was a key player in PSG’s run to consecutive UEFA Champions League and Ligue 1 titles the last two seasons. Liverpool recorded a 2–2 draw against Newcastle in its Premier League opener Sunday.
Editors’ Picks
NFL Owners Remain Confident About Roger Goodell Extension
By Mark Maske
The owners did not discuss it Wednesday during their meeting.
Jed York Absent From NFL Owners’ Meeting
By Mark Maske
49ers CEO Al Guido was the team’s primary representative.
ESPN Removing BottomLine Ticker on College Football Games
By Ryan Glasspiegel
ESPN has previously removed the ticker from College Football Playoff games.