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
How Indiana Fever Gave Out Two Historic Contracts In One Week
The Indiana Fever re‑signed guard Kelsey Mitchell to a one‑year supermax contract worth $1.4 million, the franchise’s first seven‑figure deal. A week later, center Aliyah Boston secured the league’s inaugural EPIC extension, a three‑year agreement projected at just under $6.3 million and a $1 million salary for 2026. Both contracts stem from the WNBA’s new collective bargaining agreement, which raised the salary cap to $7 million. The moves make the Fever one of only three teams with a supermax player this season and the sole team using the EPIC provision.
Non‑League Football Faces Funding Crunch and Governance Gaps
Today’s @POF_POD is an interview with @BenClasper , chair of @DulwichHamletFC and @olivernjash co-owner of @maidstoneunited about the financial challenges of non-league football, governance (or lack of it) of the leagues, pitches, pints and more 🍎 https://t.co/tAPMtmzVw5 🎧 https://t.co/fyxwwEw8mp
The Blazers Have Their Most Promising Outlook in Years... As Long as Their New Owner Is Willing to Pay for...
The Portland Trail Blazers have assembled a youthful core—All‑Star Deni Avdija, promising lottery picks Scoot Henderson and Donovan Clingan—and control Milwaukee’s 2028‑2030 first‑round picks after the Damian Lillard trade. The team’s long‑term upside is clear, but the newly approved ownership of Tom Dundon brings a...
DP World Tour Europe Selects HCLTech for ‘Total Shop Window Rebuild’
DP World Tour (DPWT) Europe has signed a global agreement with HCLTech to completely rebuild its website and fan app, a platform that has been live since 2018. The partnership has moved past discovery into initial development sprints, leveraging HCLTech’s...
NCAA to Expand March Madness Men's and Women's College Basketball Tournaments to 76 Teams in 2027
The NCAA is set to expand both the men’s and women’s March Madness tournaments to 76 teams beginning in 2027, adding eight at‑large bids. The change, pending approval from multiple committees, will replace the current First Four with a 12‑game...
TV Ratings (28/4/2026): Albo’s Guest Appearance On The Hundred Wins The Night
Channel Nine’s entertainment flagship *The Hundred* captured the night’s top spot on April 28, 2026, drawing a national reach of 1,574,000 and an average audience of 739,000. The season‑premiere featured Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, whose appearance helped the show register a...
Disney’s New CEO Decides to Keep ESPN After Looking At Spinning It Off Into Its Own Company
Disney announced that it will retain full ownership of ESPN, shelving earlier speculation about a spin‑off. The decision, made by new CEO Josh D’Amaro, aligns the sports network with Disney’s broader streaming push, integrating ESPN into Disney+, Hulu and its...
Rugby League-Papua New Guinea NRL Expansion Team Snare Luai as Marquee Signing
Four‑time NRL champion Jarome Luai has become the first official signing for the Papua New Guinea Chiefs, the franchise set to debut in the league in 2028. The Chiefs are funded with A$600 million (about US$430 million) from the Australian government as...
Gatorade and INNORED Redefine Sponsorship by Giving Son Heung-Min Time Back
Gatorade and INNORED have opted not to produce new ads for Son Heung‑min during the 2026 World Cup, instead reusing last year’s campaign to free the star’s schedule. The decision reframes sponsorship as a tool for performance, giving Son more...
Industry Pushes NCAA Expansion, Ignoring Fan Preferences
Fuel for NCAA Tournament expansion was dispensed at the self-serving pump by an industry that doesn't care what the fans want whether it's 76 in March Madness or 24 in the CFP. -->
Anti‑Tanking Rules Threaten NBA Draft’s Core Purpose
At what point does the quest to stop tanking undermine NBA draft's core rationale: enable weaker teams to acquire better players? NBA turned to draft order based on inverse record to discourage team dynasties, so fans of bad teams had...
Mike Tyson On The Future Of His Boxing Career, Talks Floyd Mayweather Jr. Fight
Mike Tyson, now 59, says he hasn’t ruled out an exhibition bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr. slated for spring 2026, with a contract already in place. His November 2024 fight against Jake Paul set the largest U.S. boxing gate outside Las Vegas....
LAFC, Owners Of Swiss Soccer Club, Offer To Sell After Fans' Forceful Protest
Los Angeles FC, whose ownership group includes Peter Guber, Mark Shapiro, Will Ferrell, Magic Johnson, Mia Hamm and Nomar Garciaparra, announced it is open to selling its majority stake in Swiss club Grasshopper after a wave of fan protests. Grasshopper,...
NBA Draft Lottery Reform 101: How Does the League's '3-2-1' Proposal Work? Will It Really Stop Tanking?
The NBA is weighing a "3‑2‑1" draft‑lottery overhaul that would launch in the 2027 draft and expand the pool to 16 teams, including play‑in losers. The new format slashes the odds for the three worst records while boosting chances for...
Salman Says AFC ‘Stands United’ with FIFA’s Calendar Rethink but More Discussion Needed
AFC president Shaikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa told the 36th AFC Congress that the confederation is reviewing FIFA’s proposal to align continental tournaments with the World Cup cycle. The AFC has halted host‑bidding for the 2031 and 2035 Asian Cups...
Levski Sofia Unveils Plans for €120m New Stadium
Levski Sofia announced a €120 million (≈ $130 million) plan to replace the current Georgi Asparuhov stadium with a state‑of‑the‑art, multifunctional arena. The new venue will meet UEFA Category IV standards, offering 24,718 seats under BFU rules and 23,032 seats for UEFA matches, while...
Disney Reportedly Decides Against Spinning Off ESPN
Disney has halted plans to spin off its sports network ESPN, opting to keep the unit inside the conglomerate. The move comes as the cable TV business faces subscriber erosion and Disney doubles down on its streaming ambitions. ESPN still...
Adidas Commit €100m to Helping Bundesliga Grow
Adidas has pledged €100 million (about $109 million) to the Bundesliga as a long‑term investment aimed at strengthening the league’s two top divisions and their 36 clubs. The money will fund central marketing initiatives overseen by the DFL executive board, and the...
Vancouver Whitecaps Future Looks Bleak as BC Place Lease Running Out and MLS Demand Change
The Vancouver Whitecaps face an existential crisis as their BC Place lease expires at the end of 2025, leaving the club without a viable stadium. A special MLS owners committee has floated relocation, with Las Vegas emerging as the leading option, while...
Coca-Cola Inks Multi-Year NRL Deal
Coca‑Cola Australia has signed a three‑year partnership with the National Rugby League and its women’s competition, becoming the official non‑alcoholic ready‑to‑drink partner. The deal places the brand across broadcast, retail and live‑event touchpoints, including State of Origin, the Finals Series...
In Signing Jarome Luai, Papua New Guinea's Power Has Become Real
Australian halfback Jarome Luai has signed a three‑year, record‑breaking contract with the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Chiefs, the future NRL expansion franchise slated to debut in 2028. The deal, reportedly the richest per‑season in rugby league history, underscores the $600 million...
The NFL’s September Surprise
The NFL is negotiating new media‑rights agreements worth billions of dollars ahead of the 2026 season, but heightened scrutiny from the Federal Communications Commission and a Department of Justice antitrust probe threatens to slow progress. Analyst Mike Morris of Guggenheim...
NCAA Tournament Taking ‘Final Steps’ Towards Expansion to 76 Teams
The NCAA is in the final stages of expanding both the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments to 76 teams, with the change slated for the 2026-27 season. The new format adds eight play‑in games, meaning the traditional 64‑team field will...
Premier League Ticket Prices Dip as Big Clubs Cut Fees
Average cost to a fan to watch a Premier League team went down from £51.93 in 2023/24 to £51.14 in 2024/25. The main drivers of this were (a) the relegated clubs, especially Luton and Burnley, were replaced by others that charged...
Bjørn to Run
Adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden, who took over in 2023, cleared more than $1 billion of unsold Yeezy inventory and steadied a stock that had fallen over 50 percent. His turnaround credentials stem from prior leadership roles at Puma and Pandora. However, recent senior‑executive...
Disney Will Not Spin Off ESPN, per Report
Disney has decided against spinning off ESPN, keeping the sports network within its portfolio as part of a broader streaming push. CEO Josh D’Amaro dismissed spinoff rumors, emphasizing ESPN’s role in bolstering Disney+ and ESPN+ offerings. While ESPN’s operating income...
S&S Activewear’s Debt Ratings Downgraded on Weak Sales Trends
S&P Global Ratings cut S&S Activewear’s issuer credit rating to B‑ minus from B, citing soft revenue trends and elevated leverage. The company ended fiscal 2025 with 8.6‑times leverage and free operating cash flow to debt below 1 percent, reflecting...
ESPN Locks In Wall-to-Wall Lacrosse Coverage for 2026 PLL & WLL Season
ESPN will stream every 2026 Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) and Women’s Lacrosse League (WLL) game on its app, while airing select marquee matchups on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2. The five‑year rights deal, signed last year, also gives ESPN a minority...
Business Lessons From Saysh Cofounder Allyson Felix as the Decorated Sprinter Plots Her Olympic Comeback
Five‑time Olympian Allyson Felix, co‑founder of women‑focused footwear brand Saysh, announced a comeback aimed at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, marking a hometown Olympic debut at age 40. After parting with Nike in 2019, she launched Saysh in 2021 to rewrite...
Braves Say New TV Network Is on Pace to Beat Old RSN Revenue
The Atlanta Braves launched their own regional sports network, BravesVision, in February after cutting ties with Main Street Sports. Team president Derek Schiller says the venture is already on track to equal or exceed the $188.6 million broadcasting revenue the club...
A Curious Day Out at the Netcompany Ineos Launch
Netcompany, a Danish digital services firm, has invested €100 million (about $108 million) in a five‑year partnership with Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos Grenadiers, rebranding the WorldTour squad as Netcompany Ineos. The deal gives Netcompany an equal equity stake, boosting the team’s budget while...
Toronto Tempo TV Deal Details Expected This Week
Some of you asked about this. From everything I heard, I would expect details about the @torontotempo's Canadian TV deals to come very soon and I'll predict this week.
Braintree Town's £1.2m Debt Fueled by Director Loans
Braintree Town lost £165k in 2024/25 taking total losses to over £1.2m. Like most clubs at that level they are reliant on benefactors to keep the lights on and in their case it is interest free loans from current and former...
EXEC: New Balance Targeting Growth in Middle East
New Balance is positioning the Middle East as a core growth engine, now operating a 90‑store network that delivered a 35 % sales increase in 2025, outpacing its other markets. The company opened 15 new mono‑branded stores that year, twice the...
Fans Prefer TV; ESPN Must Justify Streaming Cost
…because nobody wants overpriced sports rights deals. The real challenge now is how to convince fans that the ESPN streaming service is something they need, with backdrop of proposed Nielsen data suggesting they still prefer TV to streaming. Messy stuff.
Caesars Bullish on Alberta iGaming Launch July 13
Caesars officials reiterated a bullish view on Alberta's iGaming and sports betting launch July 13; Company expects to launch both Caesars Palace Online Casino and Horseshoe gaming platforms
Sportradar Refutes Claims That It Works With Illegal Gambling Companies
Sportradar, the Swiss sports‑data and integrity monitoring firm, refuted short‑seller claims that it collaborates with illegal gambling operators during its Q1 2026 earnings call. The company highlighted its compliance framework and KYC processes while noting a 30% share plunge that...
Caesars Declines to Discuss M&A Amid Fertitta Rumors
Caesars officials started today's earnings call by saying they would not address potential mergers or acquisitions; $CZR has been rumoured to be acquired by former Golden Nugget CEO Tilman Fertitta
RSI Soars 123% Amid Industry Decline
Including an after-hours spike following increased revenue guidance projections, $RSI stock is now up more than 123% in the past 12 months; Rush Street's growth comes as most other digital operators have seen significant drops
Sneak Preview: Creating Lean-In Engagement With Personalized, Next-Gen Sports Streaming Experiences
On May 13, Chris Pfaff moderated a Streaming Media Connect panel titled “Fans Forward: Creating Lean‑In Engagement With Personalized, Next‑Gen Sports Streaming Experiences.” The discussion featured leaders from Tiledmedia, Team Whistle (DAZN), Bulldog DM and Play Anywhere, who examined AI‑driven commentary, multiview...
BetRivers Parent Posts Record Revenue, Profit, Raises Outlook
BetRivers parent $RSI reported: - Record quarterly revenue of $370.4 million [up 41% y-o-y] - Record quarterly net income of $26.2 million [up 134% y-o-y] - Record quarterly AEBITDA of $60.2 million [up 81% y-o-y] Company also raises full year revenue, AEBITDA guidance
Sportsbooks Thrive While Vegas Revenue Stagnates
Two biggest stories from Caesars earnings both reinforce ongoing trends: - Sportsbooks increasing revenues, profit margins despite decreasing handle - Las Vegas revenue figures are essentially flat year-over-year
World Cup Fever: Chiliz Expands to Solana and Base to Supercharge Fan Token Trading
Chiliz, the sports‑focused blockchain, announced that its roster of more than 70 fan tokens will now be available on Solana and Base, the Coinbase‑backed Ethereum layer‑2. The move leverages an Omnichain Fungible Token (OFT) standard that keeps a single, unified...
Caesars Boosts Betting Revenue and AEBITDA Amid Declining Handle
Caesars increased sports betting net revenue and AEBITDA despite a (3)% year-over-year decline in handle and only a 1% growth in monthly active players
Caesars to Add New Jersey, Completing 27-Jurisdiction Wallet
Caesars expects to integrate New Jersey into its universal sportsbook digital wallet shortly, the final of 27 live jurisdictions
Wicket, Paciolan Deal Opens up Big Market for Biometric Ticketing at College Sports
Wicket, a facial authentication ticketing firm, has teamed up with Paciolan, the ticketing platform used by roughly 75% of Power Five college athletics programs. The integration will let colleges, arenas and other venues add biometric entry to existing ticketing workflows,...
Caesars Online Betting Revenue Jumps 12
Caesars online sports betting and casino division reported $374 million in net revenue for Q1 2026, an 11.6% year-over-year improvement; AEBITDA grew to $69 million from $43 million, a 60.5% increase
Tempo Basketball's Canadian TV Deal Details Expected This Week
Here's viewership info on tomorrow's game. Some of you asked about this: From everything I've heard, I would expect info/details about @TempoBasketball 's Canadian TV deals to come out very soon and I'll predict this week.
JPMorgan Chase Becomes First Global Banking Partner for Olympics
#JPMorganChase has been named the first Global Banking Partner of the #Olympics & #Paralympics. #Sponsorship covers #LA28 & #FrenchAlps2030. $JPM https://t.co/8Y4pkUrIgv
Governor Kelly Condemns False Promises While Peddling Her Own
Oh, the irony of Governor Kelly calling out anyone else for making "false promises," after she backed a billionaire stadium giveaway based on her own *false promises* of economic returns. https://t.co/F1J2LHZ4fH