NHL Playoffs Deliver Record Second-Round Ratings for ESPN, TNT
The NHL’s second‑round playoff games set new viewership records for both ESPN and TNT. ESPN averaged 2.2 million viewers, a 76% increase over the previous year, while TNT posted a 1.9 million average, up 33%. Game 7 between Montreal and Buffalo attracted 3 million viewers, the highest audience of the entire postseason. Female viewership on TNT surged 66%, highlighting broader demographic growth.
Fanatics Signs Trading-Card Licensing Deal with England Football Association
Fanatics announced an exclusive licensing agreement with the England Football Association that will allow its Topps unit to produce trading cards, stickers and game‑based collectibles for both the men’s and women’s national teams starting in 2031. The deal grants Topps...
Who's Going To Buy The WSL?
The World Surf League (WSL) has been placed on the market, offering a fully integrated package that includes the global competitive calendar, broadcast and streaming rights, a content library dating back to 1976, and a sizable digital audience of 4.1 million...
Political Sparring Intensifies Over Bears’ $5B Stadium Future
Illinois lawmakers are wrestling with a “megaprojects” bill that would let the Chicago Bears negotiate reduced property taxes for a proposed $5 billion domed stadium in Arlington Heights. Governor J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson are at odds, each defending their...
Former NBA Exec Dave Checketts: Utah ‘Sold Off Their Future’ With PE Deal
Former NBA executive Dave Checketts criticized the University of Utah’s private‑equity partnership with Otro Capital, calling it a sale of the school’s athletic future. The deal, approved unanimously by the board, will spin off the athletics department into an LLC...
Topgolf Appoints over Half a Dozen Execs Following Callaway Spinoff
Topgolf has added or promoted more than six senior leaders across technology, finance, operations and golf partnerships, reinforcing the team that took over after its $770 million spinoff from Callaway. The appointments include a new chief information officer, a chief financial...
NHL Taps Honeywell To Make Arenas, Facilities More Energy-Efficient
The NHL announced a multi‑year global partnership with Honeywell, naming it the league’s Official Building Automation and Energy Management Partner. Honeywell will deploy its AI‑enabled Forge platform to modernize NHL arenas, practice facilities and community rinks across North America, improving...
Tennis Premier League Strikes Three-Year Exclusive Sponsorship with Kia India
India’s Tennis Premier League (TPL) has secured a three‑year exclusive partnership with automobile maker Kia India, making the brand the league’s front‑of‑jersey sponsor across all eight franchise teams. The deal aligns Kia’s global tennis heritage, highlighted by its Australian Open...
Three Six Zero Launches Sports Management Division in Partnership with Florian Schroeder’s PRJCT:A
Three Six Zero has unveiled a new sports management arm, Three Six Zero Sports, in partnership with Florian Schroeder’s athlete representation firm PRJCT:A. The division brings a high‑profile roster that includes Premier League defender Reece James, Australian striker Sam Kerr, and former Arsenal...
Rising NFL Media Costs: Where Do Consumers Fit In?
New research from LightShed Partners maps the cost for fans to watch every NFL game, revealing a price spectrum from a $618 streaming bundle to a $1,005 Charter Spectrum package, with mid‑range options like YouTube TV and DirecTV around $806....
Sporticast: How to Interpret a Knicks/Rangers Spinoff
MSG Sports filed a Form 10 registration statement to spin off the New York Knicks and New York Rangers into separate publicly‑traded companies. The move follows a valuation clash: analysts peg the two franchises at roughly $13.5 billion, well above MSG’s $8.5 billion market cap....
Texas Super Kings Name Bru as Official Partner for MLC 2026
The Texas Super Kings have signed instant‑coffee brand Bru as their official trouser sponsor for the 2026 Major League Cricket season. The partnership gives Bru high‑impact visibility on broadcast, in‑stadium signage and digital fan‑engagement platforms. MLC’s 2026 schedule runs June 18‑July 18...
DFB.TV Launches on HD+ with Live Football and On-Demand Service
DFB.TV will launch on the German satellite/IP platform HD+ on 22 May 2026, delivering a 24/7 football channel and an on‑demand library covering national teams, youth, amateur competitions, ePokal, futsal and beach soccer. The service will broadcast roughly 250 live events each...
How Regional Sports Networks Engage Gen Z Fans
Regional sports networks such as NESN and Space City Home Network are overhauling their outreach to capture Gen Z viewers who prefer streaming and short‑form content. Executives highlighted a shift from pure live game broadcasts to a mix of clips, influencer...
How Regional Sports Networks Optimize Distribution to Serve Local Fans Better
Regional sports networks (RSNs) are augmenting traditional linear distribution with direct‑to‑consumer (DTC) apps and virtual MVPDs to reach fans beyond cable and satellite footprints. Space City’s SCHN+ app now serves viewers in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, while NESN’s NESN360...
Brazil: CazéTV Signs LaLiga Rights Deal
CazéTV has secured a six‑season broadcasting agreement with LaLiga to stream Spain’s top‑flight matches in Brazil. The deal includes live games, highlights and complementary content distributed primarily through YouTube and CazéTV’s digital ecosystem. LaLiga highlighted Brazil as a strategic market,...
NFL Pushes Back Against Shift of Games to Streaming
The NFL defended its broadcast‑centric rights model amid mounting political and regulatory scrutiny, including an FCC inquiry and a DOJ antitrust probe. Executive Vice President Hans Schroeder emphasized that 87% of games still air on ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC...
Gucci in Talks With F1 Team Alpine Over Sponsorship Deal
Alpine Formula One is negotiating a sponsorship deal with luxury fashion house Gucci, aiming to replace its current BWT partnership that ends after this season. The talks are facilitated by Luca de Meo, Kering’s incoming CEO and former head of Renault,...
MLB Local Media Productions Hit Their Stride With Live Drone, WireCam, DirtCams, UmpCam, RF Cam
MLB Local Media has expanded its regional production model to 14 clubs, adding the Nationals, Cardinals and six more teams for the 2026 season. The Milwaukee Brewers‑New York Yankees series showcased a suite of advanced tools—including a live‑drone, WireCam, two...
SPORTSDAY Scores Fox Footy Simulcast in SEN Expansion
SEN is extending its TV presence by simulcasting the first hour of its Monday night AFL radio show *Sportsday* on Fox Footy, starting next week and running through the rest of the AFL season. The hour‑long broadcast, from 5 pm to...
Accor Renews PSG Soccer Deal; Loyalty Chief on the 3 Tests Every Partner Must Pass
Accor has extended its partnership with Paris Saint‑Germain through 2030, moving from jersey sponsorship to exclusive experiences for ALL Accor loyalty members. The renewal follows a two‑phase collaboration that generated about $210 million in media value when Lionel Messi joined PSG....
Knicks, Rangers Split Advances With SEC Filing
Madison Square Garden Sports (MSGS) filed a Form 10 registration statement to spin off its New York Rangers from the Knicks, a move the board approved in February to unlock shareholder value. The split is expected to be tax‑free for shareholders, though...
WBD Expands Roland-Garros Coverage with Enhanced HBO Max Features
Warner Bros. Discovery will stream every Roland‑Garros match—about 900 contests and roughly 10,000 hours—live on HBO Max, TNT Sports and Eurosport. The rollout adds premium features such as Multiview, Key Moments, Player Alerts, 1080p Dolby Vision/Atmos streams and up to 20 commentary languages. New...
Scoop: How LIV Golf Plans to Stay Alive
LIV Golf, the Saudi‑backed rival to the PGA Tour, is seeking up to $250 million in new capital after losing full support from the Public Investment Fund. The league, launched in 2022 with an estimated $5 billion from the PIF, plans to...
Athlete Influencers Outperform Traditional Creators by More Than 2x, per Report
OpenSponsorship’s 2026 State of Athlete and Influencer Marketing report finds athlete creators generate more than twice the engagement of traditional influencers—10.97% versus 4.92%—and deliver a 7× return on ad spend, producing $5.78 in media value per dollar invested. Deal activity...
Coinbase’s NBA Playbook: No Script and a Creator Brief Built on ‘Show, Don’t Tell’
Coinbase leveraged its NBA partnership to launch a creator‑driven activation in February 2026, featuring five influencers at Warriors and Clippers games. The in‑house team designed a no‑script, "show, don’t tell" brief that gave creators courtside access, custom jerseys and retired‑player...
Matchroom Could Move Into Booming Rugby in a Big Way, Says Hearn
Eddie Hearn says Matchroom will expand its footprint in rugby union after signing England flanker Henry Pollock and Scotland fly‑half Finn Russell. The agency, known for boxing, darts and snooker, sees untapped commercial potential as Premiership Rugby attracts new investors...
Oracle Red Bull Racing Accelerates Into Fashion with Crocs Collaboration
Oracle Red Bull Racing has teamed up with Crocs to launch a limited-edition footwear collection inspired by the team’s RB22 Formula One car. The partnership, announced ahead of the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix, will debut the Crocband Clog and Classic Runner...
West Ham United F.C. Spent Years Trying to Outgrow Relegation — and Ended Up Pulled Back Into It Again
West Ham United’s move to the London Stadium lifted turnover to about $289 million and spurred European competition, but a 3‑1 loss to Newcastle left the Hammers 18th with one game left, reigniting a relegation battle. The club’s revenue slipped by...
Tottenham Hotspur Built One of Football’s Most Advanced Businesses — and Still Ended Up Fighting Relegation
Tottenham Hotspur has built one of football’s most advanced commercial operations, anchored by the £1.1 bn (≈$1.4 bn) Tottenham Hotspur Stadium that hosts NFL games, concerts and year‑round events. The club posted record revenue of £565 m ($718 m) in 2025, with sponsorships reaching...
McLaren Racing Announces Partnership with Global
McLaren Racing announced a multi‑year partnership with Global, the UK media and entertainment group, designating Global as the Official Race Partner and Official Audio Race Partner starting in the 2026 Formula 1 season. The deal places Global branding on team radio...
Nexstar’s Live Sports Outlook
At a J.P. Morgan investor conference, Nexstar EVP/CFO Lee Ann Gliha discussed the impact of a potential early NFL media‑rights renegotiation on the broadcaster. She noted that while sports rights costs may rise, Nexstar could balance this by reducing spending...
Aaron Rodgers Returns to Steelers With a Big Raise
Aaron Rodgers re‑signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers on a one‑year contract worth up to $25 million, a significant raise from his $15 million salary last season. The deal includes a base salary of $22‑23 million and was secured after the Steelers placed a...
Japan Horse Racing Gallops Ahead on Digital Shift
Japan’s horse‑racing industry accelerated its digital transformation by launching online wagering during the COVID‑19 pandemic. The shift kept races on the calendar while physical attendance fell, and it tapped a captive audience confined at home. Data shows the new online...
Premier League + and Why Owning the Broadcast Isn’t Owning the Fan
The Premier League and UEFA are launching direct‑to‑consumer streaming services—Premier League + in Singapore and a UEFA Champions League platform aimed at India and Indonesia. Both will deliver all live matches in‑house, relying on league‑produced commentary and 24/7 content. Critics...
Victory+’s Free Streaming Alt‑Casts Are Delivering Major Viewership Growth for the NWSL
Victory+’s first alternate broadcast of the NWSL delivered a 51% surge in viewership, with roughly one‑third of the audience being entirely new to the league and more than 25,000 social engagements generated. The streamer is expanding its women’s‑soccer portfolio, committing...
PGA Championship Increases Purse to Record $20.5 Million
The PGA Championship announced a record $20.5 million purse for 2026, up $1.5 million from last year. The winner will collect $3.69 million, while the top three finishers each earn over $1 million. Despite the hike, the event remains third‑largest among the four majors,...
Virtual Eye Powers 15 Graphics Outputs for PGA Championship, Anchored by 24-Hour Production Pipeline
Virtual Eye is delivering 15 graphics outputs for the PGA Championship, using a 24‑hour production pipeline that spans crews in New Zealand, the United States and Scotland. The remote operations hub in Dunedin works overnight, leveraging AWS infrastructure to provide live 3D...
NFL Brings in the Nickel Package as a Defense Against Streaming Beefs
The NFL reiterated that broadcast TV remains central to its distribution while expanding its streaming partnership with Netflix, adding three additional game windows and the NFL Honors presentation under a four‑year extension. Netflix, with roughly 90 million U.S. and Canadian subscribers...
Peacock’s 2026 NFL Lineup Features Holiday Exclusive, Sunday Night Football, Thanksgiving Day Rivalry Game & More
Peacock will serve as the exclusive streaming home for NBC’s 2026 NFL slate, delivering 26 regular‑season games, the Hall of Fame opener, and the full playoff package. The schedule features a historic Thanksgiving matchup in Buffalo between the Chiefs and...
Thousands in Jockey Sponsorship Value at Stake in Preakness
The upcoming Preakness Stakes puts millions of dollars of jockey sponsorship value on the line as José Ortiz eyes a historic Triple Crown ride on Chip Honcho. Apex Marketing Group estimates that logo placement on a winning jockey’s pant leg...
Gambling Layoffs Pile Up As Sports Betting Industry Recalibrates
Penn Entertainment announced layoffs of more than 75 staff in its Penn Interactive unit, which includes theScore Bet and online casino operations. Gambling.com Group (GDC) cut roughly 150 jobs, a 25% reduction, as it pivots to an AI‑first model promising...
NFL Wants Certain Trading Contracts Banned From Prediction Markets Like 'First Play of Game,' Injuries
The NFL has written to CFTC Chairman Michael Selig urging the commission to ban specific sports‑related prediction‑market contracts, such as first‑play, injury, and broadcaster‑mention bets, and to raise the minimum trading age to 21. The league argues these contracts are...
Rays Reach Preliminary Agreement With City, County on $2.3B Ballpark
The Tampa Bay Rays have signed a non‑binding memorandum of understanding with the city of Tampa and Hillsborough County outlining financing for a proposed $2.3 billion domed ballpark on the Dale Mabry Campus. The plan calls for the Rays to fund...
Buffalo Bills Jump From Audacy to Cumulus for Radio Flagship
The Buffalo Bills have announced a return to FM radio, moving their flagship broadcast from Audacy’s AM station WGR to Cumulus Media’s WGRF-FM "97 Rock." After a 14‑year stint on AM, the team will air games on the higher‑fidelity FM...
Audacy Loses Bills Radio Rights To Cumulus
The Buffalo Bills have shifted their flagship radio broadcast from Audacy’s AM station WGR to Cumulus Media’s FM classic‑rock outlet WGRF 97.1 FM, ending a 14‑year partnership. The move returns the team to FM for the first time since 2011, promising...
PFA and Select Car Leasing Strengthen Ties with New Multi-Year Agreement
The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) has signed a new multi‑year partnership with Select Car Leasing, naming the leasing firm the official sponsor of its Fans’ Player of the Month awards through the 2027‑28 season. The deal integrates Select Car Leasing...
Capital.com Partners with Golf Australia to Become Title Partner of the Capital.com Australian Open
Capital.com Australia has secured a multi‑year deal with Golf Australia, becoming the Title Partner of the 2026 Capital.com Australian Open and the first Naming Rights Partner of the GA Handicap. The partnership links the fintech platform to Australia’s premier golf...
Orange Belgium Signs DAZN Deal
Orange Belgium and its VOO subsidiary have sealed a distribution deal with streaming giant DAZN, bringing Belgian football—including the Jupiler Pro League, Challenger Pro League and Women Super League—plus the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, LaLiga, Ligue 1, NBA and NFL to...
Public Investment Fund Signs on as Official Supporter for FIFA World Cup 2026
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has been named an official tournament supporter for the 2026 FIFA World Cup across North America and Asia. The partnership brings PIF’s subsidiaries, including Savvy Games Group and the upcoming Qiddiya City entertainment hub,...