Most industries look into a crystal ball to predict the happenings of the coming year.  In sports (a $750 billion dollar industry), we do things a bit differently.

10) THE GLOBAL MARK-UP PLACE.
Look for corporations to continue to spend over $13 billion on superstar endorsements - with a focus on international faces.  Nike will continue its $1.5 billion annual commitment, but will focus more intensely on international deals.  Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya will energize the Latino market for NASCAR.  Mexican Lorena Ochoa will add to a 10-20% ratings and attendance bump for the LPGA. 

Mexican Eduardo Najera will earn more than $1.5 million from endorsements by Mexican companies Telcel, Corona, and the like - while playing for the Denver Nuggets.  The NBA Finals will air in over 205 countries.  And Japanese sensation Matsuzaka will be an economic hit - at least with the 20,000 tourists who will spend over $75 million next year watching him pitch in the Boston area. 

9) FEDEX GETS TEED OFF.
The PGA Tour will successfully begin its new television deal, including its 15 year partnership with the Golf Channel.  But the FedEx Cup's freshman year will be marked by a major eligibility controversy or scoring flack - as is inevitable for any new sports championship system. 

Tiger Woods will win 10 tournaments and half of golf's four majors.  He'll also reach the $100 million mark in Nike and American Express endorsements, rendering his $10 million in tournament earnings insignificant.  Billy Payne will begin his Masters reign with dignity and political correctness.  We will miss Arnold Palmer, but will still be spending over $150 million in retail sales for his products - including iced tea, wine, Christmas ornaments, and even teddy bears.

8) OLYMPIC DIRTY RINGS.
China will overspend the $30 billion budgeted for the 2008 Beijing Olympics by 11 percent in 2007 and another 9 percent in 2008.  What's more, an international outcry to boycott the 2008 Beijing Games will originate in the U.S. Congress or the United Nations, or both, based on China's lukewarm stance on North Korean nuclear and trade issues, its documents and persistent, human rights violations. 

British Columbia will continue to deflect the taxpayer furor over the new estimated C$1.5 billion of public money for 2010 Vancouver Olympics.  Across the pond, Londoners will slowly accept the $1.7 billion budget increase for their 2012 games - including a $6.3 billion stadium cost, rather than the $4.52 billion original estimate.  And Chicago will vie to be the USOC's choice as its 2016 representative (with the selection process culminating in the summer).

7) CORPORATE NAME CALLING.
2006 delivered the most extensive naming rights deal in pro sports history with Citigroup's $400 million 20-year deal with the Mets for CitiField.  Look for more where that came from in 2007, including the two most expensive deals in history - the Giants/Jets stadium, and a new name for the rebuilt Yankee stadium, both of which will top $1 billion. 

Corporations will spend more than $15 billion in total television advertising in 2007, with the NFL leading the pack at over $2 billion and college basketball, golf, NBA and NASCAR at less than half that, respectively.  Look for funky new ways for corporations to emerge from the pack, like XCel Energy putting its logo on the jerseys of Major League Soccer Real Salt Lake. 

6) BBOC (BIG BUCKS ON CAMPUS).
Controversy in the $5 billion college football business has become the norm, and it will intensify in 2007.

Should college football and basketball players be paid?  Should we have a college football playoff?  Neither will happen, but the talk will continue.  Look for the Agent Responsibility and Trust Act to be sporadically enforced to keep the agents off campus, but not enough to produce meaningful reform.  But look for the United States House Ways and Means Committee to launch a powerful inquiry into the business of college sports that will finally capture the attention of top administrators.

5) DO THE BOARDROOM SHUFFLE.
Manchester United will re-emerge at the top of the franchise value pecking order.  ManU's payroll will increase to US$153.3 million by 2012, with operating profits to be more than US$196 million by 2011. 

Yet the NFL will continue to provide the biggest on-paper value for most owners, averaging nearly $850 million per franchise by the end of the year (up at least 10% annually).  The Redskins will be worth over $1.5 billion, with Philadelphia, Dallas, and New England close behind.  Look for the Yankees to be baseball's flagship billion-dollar franchise, as they make the playoffs again in 2007 (and spend $300 million to do so). 

Unbelievably, the New York Knicks will maintain their $500 million NBA valuation despite a payroll that is nearly 170% over the soft salary cap. 

4) NASCAR GETS LAPPED UP.
Despite its new television deals with ABC/ESPN Family and FOX, NASCAR ratings will decline by three to four percent.  Toyota will enter the sport with a big marketing and hospitality blitz at Daytona; any one of five companies will replace Busch as the title sponsor of NASCAR's "second series."  The "Car of Tomorrow" will create even more positive publicity for the sport.

3) THE NFL'S SPIN MOVE.
The League will face its largest challenge since the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it finally unveils the details of its revenue sharing plan.   Look for ongoing disputes between smaller market teams (Buffalo and Cincinnati, for example) and the "haves."  

Roger Goodell will become the sport industry's preeminent Spin Maester, from personally fixing T.O.'s image to defending the thirty-five NFL player indictments in 2006.  Brady Quinn and Troy Smith will be bitter endorsement rivals as first-round draft picks this spring - at least one charge of racially-motivated preferential treatment will be aired by an agent or pundit.

New Orleans will continue to be the "feel-good" story of 2007.  Reggie Bush will lead the league in jersey sales, and the team will make a run at the Dallas Cowboys as America's Team - the $182 million Superdome rebuilding will be a constant reminder of New Orleans' rebirth as the Saints head into the playoffs and again take the field in late summer.

2) FRANCHISE HIP HOP.
In the NFL, the 49ers will finalize their deal with Santa Clara, despite an eleventh-hour plea from San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, seconded by former Mayor Willie Brown. 

The San Diego Chargers will dance with Chula Vista, seeking additional state help coupled with one final push for Los Angeles funding. The Minnesota Vikings will finalize their deal this spring in the State legislature, either in Blaine or downtown Minneapolis. 

In the NHL, the Penguins will visit Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Seattle and Hamilton as the impact of the failed $290 million Isle of Capri casino bid weighs down Pittsburgh.  In baseball, look for the Florida Marlins to finally put one final, final, final deadline in the Florida legislature.  In the NBA, the Sacramento Kings and the Seattle Supersonics will spend the year testing other markets while attempting to complete deals at home. 

Finally, there's Las Vegas.  With a $55 billion national casino business and a $14 billion Internet gambling industry ($3 trillion gambled worldwide), odds are that Las Vegas and its "family demographics" will be home to a professional sports franchise in the near future...but not in 2007.

1) BONDED.
Baseball continues its sixteen years of consecutive labor peace - unbelievably, the most of any sport. Commissioner Bud Selig will end his tenure with over $300 million in revenue sharing transferred from the "haves" to the "have nots."

An under-the-radar small market team will emerge from the pack to be a surprise playoff participant in 2007.  The Chicago Tribune company will offer the Cubs for sale - and will sell the team for over $700 million. 

Most critically - like him or hate him - Barry Bonds will break Hank Aaron's all-time homerun record, hitting 756 right after the fourth of July.  Though consumed in steroid- and personality-related controversy, the Bonds home run watch will dominate the headlines from Spring Training on...and generate record crowds in the process.