Rights to Next WBC Will Be Negotiated Alongside Broader MLB Package
Major League Baseball will negotiate the next World Baseball Classic (WBC) rights as part of its 2028 media‑rights package, a shift from the event’s historic stand‑alone deals. The league’s six incumbent partners—Fox, Netflix, NBCUniversal, TNT Sports, Apple and ESPN—are expected to be at the table, with TelevisaUnivision also in the mix for Mexican rights. The WBC’s recent U.S. viewership rivaled World Series numbers, prompting commissioner Rob Manfred to push for a regular schedule, though the next tournament’s exact year remains undecided. Bundling the tournament could reshape MLB’s overall rights strategy.
Arlo White, David Feherty Refute Reports of LIV Golf’s ‘Imminent Demise’
LIV Golf launched its Mexico City tournament while broadcasters Arlo White and David Feherty publicly dismissed reports that the league faces imminent collapse. White claimed a recent conversation with CEO Scott O’Neil left him “very bullish” about LIV’s future, and...
Big Data Sports Viewership for the Week of April 6
The TV Media Blog released its weekly sports viewership report for the week of April 6, ranking the top 45-plus telecasts based on Nielsen’s Big Data measurements. The list focuses on traditional broadcast and cable audiences and deliberately omits viewership from...
VICE Rewinds US Soccer, AXE's Ticket Giveaway, and Beckham Fronts Stella Artois' World Cup Campaign
VICE is debuting the six‑part documentary "Soccer’s American Dream," a retrospective on four decades of U.S. soccer growth and challenges. AXE has launched a World Cup ticket giveaway, offering 82 tickets and a $2,000 travel stipend to fans who post...
WNBA Draft Viewership up, Hits Seven Figures for Third-Straight Year
The 2026 WNBA Draft drew an average of 1.50 million viewers on ESPN, a 20% increase from the 2025 draft’s 1.25 million. Peak viewership reached 1.79 million during the 7:45 PM ET quarter‑hour, up 23% year‑over‑year. The surge follows a 15% rise in the...
Solid Audience for NBC’s Sunday Night Baseball Debut
NBC’s inaugural "Sunday Night Baseball" telecast featuring the Guardians and Braves attracted an average of 2.2 million viewers when Nielsen data was combined with Adobe Analytics, marking a 13% increase over ESPN’s 2025 Dodgers‑Cubs broadcast. The combined audience made the game...
Chelsea Extend Partnership with Crypto Platform BingX
Chelsea FC has renewed its partnership with cryptocurrency exchange BingX, extending the deal through the 2026/27 season. BingX will continue as the club’s official principal partner and training‑kit sponsor, a relationship that began in 2023 and has expanded into digital...
Lionel Messi and AFA Face Legal Action From VID Music Group
Lionel Messi and the Argentine Football Association (AFA) are being sued by Miami promoter VID Music Group over a $7 million agreement that granted VID exclusive rights to stage two Argentina friendlies. The contract stipulated Messi must play at least 30...
KS Cracovia Confirm Strategic Partnership with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Sports
Poland's historic KS Cracovia has signed a strategic partnership with Jay‑Z’s Roc Nation Sports International. The deal leverages Roc Nation’s global entertainment network to reshape Cracovia’s brand identity and launch cross‑media content. A key ambition is to turn the club’s stadium...
Paris Saint-Germain Finances 2024/25
Paris Saint‑Germaine posted record revenue of $912 million for 2024/25, a 4% rise driven largely by a $71 million jump in broadcasting income. Operating expenses fell $100 million and the wage bill was trimmed by $135 million after Kylian Mbappé’s exit, yet the club...
Thursday Briefing: Sheffield Wednesday Prospective Owners in Talks with EFL over Partial Transfer Ban Lift
Sheffield Wednesday’s prospective owners, Arise Capital Partners, are negotiating with the EFL to partially lift the club’s transfer embargo, though a 15‑point deduction will stay in place. The German Football Association will launch a 24‑hour streaming service, DFB.TV, at €5.99...
News: LIV Golf, “For the Fans Act,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and More
LIV Golf faces a possible $5 billion funding cut from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, prompting senior executives to explore new jobs while the tour relies on a modest Fox Sports rights deal. Senator Tammy Baldwin introduced the “For the Fans...
LIV Golf Holds ’Emergency Meeting’ Amid Rumors of Shutdown
LIV Golf executives were summoned to an emergency meeting in Manhattan as rumors of a shutdown intensified. The league’s UK division posted nearly $400 million in losses for 2023 and its U.S. viewership continues to lag far behind the PGA Tour....
HYROX and Amazfit Strengthen Alliance With Global Three-Year Partnership
Amazfit, the wearable brand of Zepp Health, announced a three‑year global partnership with HYROX, expanding a prior regional collaboration. The deal adds smart rings, glasses, cameras, and straps to HYROX’s athlete toolkit, alongside dedicated training modes and data integrations. HYROX...
Fubo ‘Out of Nowhere’ Pursuing Local Rights for 13 NBA Teams
Disney-owned Fubo has entered the market with a last‑minute pitch to the 13 NBA teams that recently left Main Street Sports Group. The streaming platform proposes a hybrid direct‑to‑consumer and distributor model, offering rights fees around $10 million per team. Fubo...
Sen. Tammy Baldwin to Introduce Bill Ensuring Sports Broadcasts Remain Accessible
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) is set to introduce the “For the Fans” Act, legislation that would require professional sports leagues to make games available for free in each team’s local market via over‑the‑air TV or ad‑supported streaming. The bill builds...
NBC Secures Rights to The Soccer Tournament
NBC Sports will broadcast The Soccer Tournament (TST) across its platforms, including four games on the NBC broadcast network for the first time. The event features three winner‑take‑all 7‑on‑7 tournaments—men’s, women’s and mixed—each offering a $1 million prize. Matches will air...
FIFA Partner Adi Predictstreet Cuts Deal with DAZN but Doubts Remain over Its Legality
FIFA’s newest gambling partner, ADI Predictstreet, has signed a partnership with streaming giant DAZN to embed a real‑time prediction layer into live sports broadcasts. Predictstreet holds a Gibraltar licence that only covers the territory’s 40,000 residents and is unlicensed elsewhere,...
The Great World Cup Train Robbery: NJ Transit Whacks up Prices 700%
NJ Transit announced it will charge more than $100 for train trips from New York City to MetLife Stadium during the World Cup, a seven‑fold increase from the regular $12.90 fare. The plan covers eight matches, including the final, and...
Women’s Leagues Forum Adds Icelandic Top Tier to Growing Membership
The Women’s Leagues Forum (WLF) has added Iceland’s top‑tier women’s league, Besta deildin kvenna, to its network. The ten‑club competition joins a growing coalition that includes the NWSL and the WSL, aiming to professionalise domestic women’s football. Discussions led by...
Argentina FA Goes Crypto Again with Nexo Regional Deal for 2026 World Cup Defence
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has appointed crypto platform Nexo as its South American regional sponsor ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The partnership will feature ticket giveaways, Messi‑signed shirts and exclusive digital content. It marks AFA’s second foray into...
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr Addresses if Agency Aims to ‘Influence’ NFL Rights Negotiations
The Department of Justice has opened an antitrust investigation into the NFL’s exemption under the 1961 Sports Broadcasting Act, prompting heightened scrutiny from the FCC. Chairman Brendan Carr told CNBC the agency is reviewing the exemption and may advise Congress...
Will Amazon Get the First Streaming Super Bowl?
Amazon Prime Video is poised to become the first streamer to secure exclusive Super Bowl rights, a shift analysts deem inevitable within the next decade. The company already streams Thursday Night Football and leverages its massive e‑commerce cash flow, backed...
How Trump’s Anti-NFL Crusade Could Backfire
The Justice Department has opened an antitrust probe into the NFL, intensifying criticism from the Trump administration that the league is monopolistic and should be reined in. The investigation follows a Wall Street Journal editorial accusing the NFL of anti‑competitive...
NBC Plans to Air NBA Playoffs Following Derby, Preakness
NBC Sports announced it will use the Kentucky Derby and possibly the Preakness Stakes as lead‑ins for its 2026 NBA playoff broadcasts. The network will air three consecutive nights of double‑header games to kick off its first postseason coverage since...
The Stadium Beer Model Is Changing, and Athletic Brewing Is Ahead of It
Athletic Brewing Company, the United States' largest dedicated non‑alcoholic brewer, has secured high‑visibility partnerships with the San Francisco Giants and Arsenal F.C., showcasing two distinct activation models. In baseball, the brand is woven into the entire matchday experience at Oracle...
The Economic Anatomy of Rory's Second Masters
Rory McIlroy captured a historic back‑to‑back Masters victory, becoming only the fourth player to win consecutive Green Jackets and the first to do so in 24 years. Sportico’s April 2026 valuation now lists him as the golf industry’s most commercially...
The 'Broadcastification' Of Streaming: Why Tech Giants Are Betting Big on Live Events
Streaming platforms are rapidly shifting toward live sports, concerts, and interactive reality TV, a trend dubbed "broadcastification." Nielsen projects the global sports streaming market to grow from $33.9 billion in 2024 to $75.2 billion by 2030. Tech giants see live events as...
UBS Report: NBA Decline Hurt Nike
UBS’s latest equity research links a perceived decline in NBA popularity to a sharp hit on Nike’s earnings, estimating billions of dollars in lost revenue. The bank argues that over‑inflated media‑rights deals have insulated NBA owners from product‑quality pressure, while...
The Handle: Maryland Sports Betting Stands Strong Against March Headwinds
Maryland’s sports‑betting market posted a $604.7 million handle in March, a 2.8% increase from the prior month, while revenue jumped 31% to $62.7 million. The state’s hold rate sat at 10.4%, generating roughly $8.8 million in tax receipts. These figures contrast with a...
The $500 Billion Blind Spot
S&P Global’s latest sports media rights report shows a $67.34 billion market in 2026, but that figure represents only a fraction of the broader sports economy, which exceeds $500 billion. The traditional rights model is heavily concentrated, with the NFL, NBA and...
NBC Will Have to Fend Off Fox, Streamers, to Retain Preakness
NBC is eager to keep the Preakness Stakes broadcast after its contract expires, but it now faces renewed competition from Fox and two major streaming platforms, Amazon and Netflix. A proposed rights renewal could coincide with moving the race to...
MLB TV Now Allows DIRECTV Subs to Stream Ex-FanDuel Teams For Free
MLB TV announced that DIRECTV subscribers can now stream nine former FanDuel regional team channels at no extra charge. The eligible teams are the Reds, Tigers, Royals, Marlins, Brewers, Rays, Cardinals, Nationals and Mariners, expanding the free‑access roster that already...
News: NFL on Netflix, Doc Rivers, Dianna Russini and More
Netflix has expressed interest in acquiring the NFL Kickoff Game, a marquee slot traditionally held by NBC under its long‑standing contract. Comcast, NBCUniversal’s parent, posted a $122 million media‑segment loss, heightening pressure on its NFL rights negotiations and prompting speculation about...
DIRECTV’s MySports: 25 Channels For $65 a Month – Is It Worth It?
DIRECTV’s MySports genre package bundles 26 national sports channels, unlimited DVR and free ESPN Unlimited app access for $64.99 a month, with a promotional rate of $44.99 for the first two months. The plan lacks regional sports networks (RSNs) in...
YouTube Sets Sunday Ticket Price At $240 For New Users
YouTube announced that the 2026 NFL Sunday Ticket will cost $240 for new users, either as a one‑time payment or $20 per month over 12 months. Returning customers must pay $378 with YouTube TV or $480 via Primetime Channels, with...
The NBA's Problems Are so Much Bigger than Tanking
The NBA is confronting criticism that its draft lottery incentivizes teams to lose, prompting Commissioner Adam Silver to explore anti‑tanking reforms that would weaken the link between season records and draft odds. At the same time, the league plans to...
Monday Briefing: South American Football Body Backs Infantino for New FIFA Term
South American confederation CONMEBOL publicly endorsed Gianni Infantino for a second FIFA presidential term, becoming the first confederation to do so. The endorsement arrives as FIFA debates a 64‑team World Cup expansion for 2030, a proposal led by South American...
Monopoly Round-Up: The Ticketmaster Antitrust Verdict Comes This Week
A jury is set to deliver a verdict this week on whether Live Nation/Ticketmaster operates as an illegal monopoly. The case, stemming from a 2024 antitrust complaint filed by the DOJ and dozens of states, hinges on internal communications that...
Como Growth Continues with EAFC Partnership
Como 1907 has entered a partnership with EA Sports FC, integrating the Serie A club deeper into the EA Sports FC ecosystem. The deal supports the recently launched Como Gaming Club, a digital platform aimed at uniting fans through online...
Trump Puts Squeeze on FIFA to Change Transgender Policy
The White House is using the 2031 Women’s World Cup bid as leverage to force FIFA to adopt a transgender‑athlete policy that mirrors the IOC’s new gene‑testing rule. The sole joint bid from the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica and Jamaica...
LaLiga Launches Tender for East-Focussed Broadcast Packages
LaLiga has opened a tender for broadcast rights in seven European territories for the 2026‑27 to 2030‑31 seasons, divided into two packages covering the Baltic states and a group of Southern European countries. Bids are due May 6 with contracts expected...
West Ham and South Korean Streetwear Brand Nivelcrack Launch ‘Cultural’ Range
West Ham United has unveiled a capsule collection with Seoul‑based streetwear label Nivelcrack, marking the club’s first licensed fashion partnership with a South Korean brand. The range blends West Ham’s iconic crossed‑hammer motif with Nivelcrack’s monogram across tees, a sweatshirt,...
NFL Network Expected to Be on ESPN Unlimited by Start of 2026 Season
ESPN completed its acquisition of NFL Network on April 1, integrating the channel into its direct‑to‑consumer platform, ESPN Unlimited. The service, priced at $29.99 per month, will include NFL Network at no additional charge, though the channel is not yet available...
🚨 EXCL: Liverpool & Chelsea Preparing Moves for £55-60m Wonderkid Who Stunned Arsenal
French forward Eli Junior Kroupi, who dazzled Arsenal in a recent friendly, is attracting interest from Premier League heavyweights Liverpool and Chelsea. Both clubs are reportedly prepared to meet PSG’s asking price of £55‑60 million (approximately $70‑77 million). The 19‑year‑old’s blend of...
FGC Shocked at Capcom’s Low Prize Pools for Street Fighter 6 CPT Tournaments
Capcom’s Street Fighter 6 Pro Tour (CPT) offers a $1 million prize for the Capcom Cup, but the year‑long events only award $2,000 to the winner. Players and creators argue the low payouts force pros to self‑fund travel and make the...
Canzano: Oregon State Figures Out Money Is the Best Deodorant
University of Oregon State’s athletic director Scott Barnes is set to depart on Aug. 31, but before leaving he has unlocked a wave of revenue‑share spending for the football and men’s basketball programs. Leveraging his sizable golden‑parachute payout, Barnes instructed the...
Fox Reportedly Competing with Streamers for New Five-Game NFL Package
Fox is among the three bidders—alongside YouTube and Netflix—for the NFL’s upcoming five‑game media rights package. The bid comes as the U.S. Justice Department investigates whether the league’s streaming deals violate the Sports Broadcasting Act’s antitrust exemption. Fox has publicly...
AFC Has No Plans to Move 2027 Asian Cup From Saudi Arabia to Australia
The Asian Football Confederation confirmed it will keep Saudi Arabia as the host of the 2027 Asian Cup, dismissing recent speculation about moving the tournament to Australia. An Insideworldfootball source said no discussions with other federations have taken place and...
Roger Goodell: NFL Has ‘Long-Term’ Plans to Play in Australia, Might Return in 2027
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced that the league’s inaugural regular‑season game in Melbourne is intended to be the first of a long‑term presence in Australia, with a possible return as early as the 2027 season. He highlighted near‑sell‑out ticket demand...