Today's Sports Business Pulse
Messi joins Ronaldo in billionaire football ranks after US endorsement deals
Lionel Messi's net worth now exceeds $1 billion, matching Cristiano Ronaldo as the only footballers to reach that milestone. The surge comes from a series of high‑value U.S. endorsement and licensing agreements across apparel, technology, and media.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Lucra raises $20M Series A
While Nike Struggles, Shaq Is Overseeing a Resurgence in Reebok
Reebok, now owned by Authentic Brands Group, is experiencing a revival led by former NBA star Shaquille O'Neal, who serves as president of Reebok Basketball and the second‑largest shareholder. The brand has reissued classic silhouettes, signed its first major NIL deal with WNBA star Angel Reese, and is expanding into multiple sports categories. Meanwhile, Nike's stock dropped 15.5% after a disappointing earnings report, with sales in China falling 10% and guidance below expectations. The divergent trajectories highlight a shifting competitive dynamic in the athletic‑apparel market.
Lexie Hull Thinks Offseason Basketball Leagues Could Eventually Merge
WNBA guard Lexi Hull says the growing number of women’s offseason leagues—Athletes Unlimited, Unrivaled, the new Upshot League and Project B—may eventually merge as the WNBA expands its schedule and roster size. The current offseason structure works because the WNBA’s...
Formula One Group Q1 Revenue Rises 59%, Beats Wall Street Expectations
Formula One Group reported Q1 revenue of $711 million, a 59% year‑over‑year increase, beating the $670 million Wall Street forecast. The company swung to a $64 million operating profit and posted adjusted earnings of $181 million, more than double the prior year. Formula 1’s own...
World Surf League Tests Investment Waters for Possible Sale
World Surf League (WSL) is actively seeking new investment and may consider a sale after receiving significant inbound interest. The league, celebrating its 50th season, has seen audience growth, with a recent Gold Coast event drawing over 50,000 attendees and...
28 iGaming and Sports Betting Operators Seek Alberta Licenses
28 iGaming and mobile sports betting operators have applied for Alberta licensure as of May 1: BET99 Albertix Gaming Limited Caesars (Caesars Palace Online Casino & Horseshoe) Bally Bet Monopoly (Bally's) BetMGM Betty Grizzly's Quest Jackpot City Royal Vegas Ruby Fortune Spin Casino Betway DraftKings Party Casino Sports...
NBA Offers $3bn Sweetener for European Basketball League Bids
The NBA announced a $3 billion financial incentive to spur bids for a new pan‑European basketball league. The fund will support franchise fees, infrastructure upgrades and marketing to attract top clubs and broadcast partners. By offering this sweetener, the NBA aims...
Players Era Unveils ESPN Rev-Share Partnership, 24 (Not 32) Teams in ’26
Players Era, the Las Vegas‑based college basketball multi‑team event, announced a multiyear revenue‑share partnership with ESPN, giving the broadcaster operational control and a stake in tournament earnings. The 2026 slate will feature 24 men’s teams split across two November tournaments, a...
E.l.f. Spotlights Competitive Dance with New Sponsorship
e.l.f. Cosmetics has signed a founding partnership with the International Dance League (IDL) for its 2026 season, creating a joint content studio and serving as the league’s livestream partner. The deal includes on‑site makeup services focused on Power Grip Primer...
The Team, Formerly Wasserman, Acquires Golf Creator Agency Representing Grant Horvat, Bryan Bros
The Team, the rebranded former Wasserman, has acquired Provisions Golf, a boutique creator agency that represents pro golfer Grant Horvat and the Bryan Bros duo. The deal brings Horvat’s 1.7 million‑subscriber YouTube channel and the Bryan Bros’ 850,000 followers under The...
LIV Golf Burns $500M, Faces Imminent Shutdown
LIV golf, an experiment in trying to buy a sport, has failed. It burnt $500M in 2024 alone. Likely to be shuttered as it never got its broadcast revenue numbers are up and Saudis are retreating from high spend projects
BT Named Official Telecom Partner for Euro 2028
BT reveals new push for consumers and businesses alike as it confirms role as official telco partner for Euro 2028. https://t.co/YJhYP6a6u9
Surj Reiterates Sports Commitments Following PIF’s Partial Retreat
Surj Sports Investment, a Public Investment Fund subsidiary, has reaffirmed its commitment to holdings in ATP tennis, the T100 triathlon circuit and streaming platform Dazn despite recent Saudi‑backed cuts to LIV Golf and other events. The firm highlighted a $30 million...
Vinod Khosla Poised to Bid for Seattle Seahawks
SCOOP: Recent @49ers investor Vinod Khosla is also prepping a bid for the @Seahawks, sources tell @Sportico. He is the co-founder of Sun Microsystems, founder of @khoslaventures and is worth $14+ billion. More from me and @soshnick 👇 https://t.co/oFkffkv8jb
No Evidence Apple’s F1 Viewership Beats ESPN Yet
Yeah, so, I have not seen any empirical evidence to support claims that Apple’s domestic F1 audience this season has topped ESPN from last year for any races to date.
Canada May Not Be Prepared for World Cup Betting Rush, New Analysis Finds
Canada will co‑host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, sparking massive betting interest. Research from CasinoCanada shows Ontario’s regulated market is robust, with nearly 50 licensed operators and over 80% of bettors staying on‑shore. Outside Ontario, provinces such as Saskatchewan, Alberta...
WSL Attracts Buyers Amid Olympic Boost and Digital Growth
Exclusive: The World Surf League could change hands. The WSL says it's seen "a significant amount of inbound interest." Talks are still early & could include smaller investments too. Olympic inclusion + digital media have given the sport new energy. https://t.co/rs5fUObUtC
Non‑conference Broadcasters Threaten Conference Media Leverage
College games by provider that is not who the conference has its media deal. Will it weaken their conference leverage? Does the conference get anything from these “special” deals? More ahead like with the Michigan game?
A Production Level "Never Seen in Football": Philippe Bony (M6 Group) Details the World Cup Broadcast Setup
Philippe Bony, senior technical director at France's M6 Group, revealed the production architecture for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the first tournament jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. The plan hinges on a distributed, cloud‑native workflow that...
NCAA Funding Expansion Through New Alcohol Sponsorships
🏀 💰 🍺 🍸 🍷 With NCAA tournament expansion imminent, here's what I wrote last year: The NCAA is paying for it by allowing the sale of official sponsorships for beer, wine and hard alcohol. It previously banned those categories. https://t.co/ePcInRQkmC
Big 12 Deal Benefits Schools Only If They Decline
The Big 12's private capital play is a terrific deal for the schools ... if they don't take the money. On Yormark, RedBird and the NFL -->
Adidas Sets Football Legends a New Challenge in World Cup Spectacular
Adidas has launched a five‑minute "Backyard Legends" World Cup commercial starring football greats Lionel Messi, David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, plus rising stars Lamine Yamal and Jude Bellingham. The spot also features Hollywood actor Timothée Chalamet and music star Bad Bunny, with...
Players Era Secures ESPN Rev‑Share, 24 Teams for 2026
Players Era Unveils ESPN Rev-Share Partnership, 24 (Not 32) Teams in ’26 https://t.co/tMVGnWHCgg via @sportico @DanielLibit
Kalshi's $22B Valuation Doubles DraftKings, Sports Courts Crucial
Kalshi's $22 billion valuation announced today is nearly double DraftKings' current market cap. Roughly 85% of Kalshi trading volume comes from sports so, yeah, the court decisions are going to be a big deal.
BT Launches Behind Brilliant Things as Part of Rebranding
BT Group will unveil its new "Behind Brilliant Things" brand on 8 May 2026, coinciding with its appointment as the Official Telecommunications Partner of UEFA EURO 2028. The rebrand aims to unify BT, EE and Plusnet under a single narrative...
World Cup 2026 to Add 185K Jobs, $17B GDP
"185,000: expected increase in US jobs due to World Cup 2026, and the forecasted boost to US GDP is $17bn" - BofA
Judge Challenges Self‑certified Compliance Under Rule 40.11
Judge Benjamin: "Rule 40.11 prohibits 'gaming' contacts. So how is it that you say that you self-certify that you are in compliance?
UFC’s $7.7 B Paramount+ Deal Fuels 26% Q1 Revenue Surge for TKO
The UFC signed a seven‑year, $7.7 billion licensing agreement with Paramount+ that took effect at the start of 2026, propelling TKO’s Q1 revenue 26% year‑over‑year to $1.6 billion. The deal also lifted UFC’s own quarterly revenue 12% to $401.2 million and helped the...
Judge Questions Absence of Rules for Sports Contracts
Judge Gregory: "Any idea why there are no rules [for sports-event contracts] at this point?"
Rays' "Fully Taxable" Stadium Pays Its Own Bonds
Rays execs calling their mixed-use stadium district "fully taxable," it appears, is misdirection: They'll be paying some property taxes, but they'll be paying them to themselves, to pay off bonds for their own stadium. https://t.co/P8XqUu0ad1
Atlanta Dream Hand Over Merch Business to Monarch Subsidiary
Atlanta Dream has partnered with Monarch Commerce, a subsidiary of Monarch Collective, to run its merchandise business end‑to‑end. Monarch will manage product manufacturing, the online Shopify store, and in‑arena sales at both Gateway Center Arena and State Farm Arena, and...
Direct Athlete Payments Outside NIL Trigger Compliance Risks
Direct payments outside of NIL still raise compliance and accounting questions. Can a Participating Institution provide direct payments to athletes outside of NIL? I walk through this in my book NIL 101: The House Settlement Currently 40% off https://t.co/yBVisUkFCL https://t.co/dr6qKrAJqC
College Sports Revenue Drops When Fees/Subsidies Excluded
NEW EXTRA POINTS: The "official" reported revenue from college athletic departments usually includes stuff like student fees and institutional subsidy. What do they look like if you take all that stuff out? I did the math: https://t.co/lYFh8qySbC
SBJ Morning Buzzcast: May 7, 2026
The May 7, 2026 SBJ Morning Buzzcast covered several key sports business developments, including the legacy of Ted Turner’s pioneering vertical integration of teams and broadcast networks, the launch of a new Professional Women’s Hockey League franchise in Detroit, and...
Long-Term Spread Makes $50M Fee Boost ROI
ROI is even better than appears, as the $50 million fee is spread out over 10 years.
WNBA Stars Spotlighted in First Knicks‑Sixers Ad Break
Last night 1st commercial break of #knickssixers featured 3 @WNBA personalities in ads. few yrs ago that never happens. #WNBA, #PWHL And The Continued Growth of Brand Power...#sportsbiz #storytelling https://t.co/lvnLOMSOmN https://t.co/0dVJVsFM7n
Celtics Investors Mittal, Grousbeck Prep Bid for NFL’s Seattle Seahawks
Aditya Mittal, a billionaire heir and Celtics investor, and former Celtics co‑owner Wyc Grousbeck have lodged the first publicly identified letter of interest to buy the Seattle Seahawks. The NFL franchise is valued at $6.59 billion, though the final price could exceed...
Indian Steel Magnate Aditya Mittal Eyes Seahawks Purchase
SCOOP: Aditya Mittal, Indian steel titan and @Celtics investor, is prepping a bid for the @Seahawks. He's teamed with former Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck. More from me and @soshnick at @Sportico 👇 https://t.co/FTDDndhWvu
BT Scores UEFA Deal; Reintroduces BT Mobile in Brand Revamp
BT Group secured the official telecom partnership for the UEFA Euro 2028 tournament in the UK and Ireland, pledging to power broadcasts, stadium connectivity and public screenings. The network will serve nine stadiums, 24 team base camps and support eSIM...
NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises and US Soccer Extend Media Rights Agreement
NBCUniversal’s Telemundo Enterprises has extended its exclusive Spanish-language media rights with the U.S. Soccer Federation through 2030. The deal covers the men’s and women’s senior national teams, as well as youth squads, delivering more than 20 matches annually across Telemundo,...
Kipsta to Remain Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 Match Ball Supplier Until 2032
French retailer Decathlon has extended its partnership with the Ligue de Football Professionnel, promoting its Kipsta brand to remain the official match ball supplier for Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 through 2032. The renewed deal, effective from the 2027 season,...
Unpacking Words From LIV's Lively U.S. Debut
LIV Golf staged its first U.S. tournament of the year in Virginia amid uncertainty after the Saudi Public Investment Fund announced it will cease funding the league beyond 2026. Players used the pre‑event press conference to address lingering issues: Jon...
Tyrod Taylor Lands 1‑year, $2.5M Packers Contract
QB Tyrod Taylor's free agent deal with the #Packers is a 1-year, $2.5M contract that can max out at $3M with incentives. The 36-year-old secures a $700k signing bonus, and accounts for $2.88M of cap this season.
Bradbury Secures $3.7M Guaranteed in New Deal
C Garrett Bradbury signed a renegotiated contract with the #Bears that converted $1M of incentives into guaranteed salary. The 30-year-old is now due $4.7M in 2026, with $3.7M guaranteed.
Google Set to Sponsor ITV’s World Cup Coverage
Google has agreed to sponsor ITV’s coverage of the upcoming FIFA World Cup, marking the broadcaster’s largest sponsorship deal to date. The partnership will see Google’s branding integrated across ITV’s television, digital and social platforms throughout the tournament. The deal...
Inter Miami Takes Equity Stake in Beckham-Founded IM8 Parent
Inter Miami announced a multiyear sponsorship with health‑tech firm Prenetics, taking an undisclosed equity stake in the company and naming its IM8 subsidiary the club’s exclusive supplement partner. The partnership provides IM8 branding at the team’s training center, stadium signage...
Haslam Breaks Ground on Browns’ $2.4B Domed Stadium Set to Open in 2029
Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam broke ground on a $2.4 billion, 67,500‑seat domed stadium slated to open for the 2029 season. The project sits on former Ford plant land near the airport, with a folded‑plate transparent roof and fan‑centric seating that...
Bundesliga Expands African Footprint with SAFA MoU
The Bundesliga has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the South African Football Association to launch the Bundesliga Dream South Africa program, giving the U‑16 national team training opportunities in Germany. The partnership expands the league’s grassroots, coaching and fan‑engagement...
AFC Announces EAFC Deal for Asian Cup 2027
The Asian Football Confederation has signed a licensing deal with EA Sports FC, making the video‑game franchise the official product for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia. The integration will appear in EA FC 27, slated for release in September,...
FENAPAF Joins the Ranks of FIFPRO as Special Observer Amid AIF Launch
Brazilian players’ union FENAPAF has been accepted as a special observer of the global players’ union FIFPRO, adding representation for roughly 10,000 professionals across 17 states. The move comes as FIFPRO seeks to reinforce its international standing while the newly...
DAZN’s ViewLift Bet Is A Play To Control Local TV’s Post-RSN Future
DAZN has acquired streaming platform ViewLift for $100 million, turning the company into a full‑stack provider for local sports distribution. The deal equips DAZN with technology to build, bill and stream team‑specific services, offering a single‑vendor alternative to the fragmented post‑RSN...