EXEC: Academy Sports Scores Stock Price Upgrades Following Analyst Day
Academy Sports + Outdoors unveiled a five‑year growth plan that projects 5% annual sales growth, 125 new stores and e‑commerce rising to 15% of revenue by 2030. The outlook prompted several analysts to lift price targets, with B. Riley moving to $66 and Wells Fargo to $56, while some trimmed earnings forecasts amid macro concerns. Academy expects operating margins to climb to 10%, delivering $9.00 earnings per share by the end of the decade. First‑quarter comps are forecast at 2‑3%, beating the consensus 1.5% estimate.
Amazon Passes Masters Test During Debut
Amazon’s Prime Video made its live‑sports debut by exclusively streaming the first round of the Masters on Thursday, using CBS’s production crew and talent. The broadcast featured the standard CBS commentary team with Amazon’s branding limited to a logo overlay...
Los Angeles World Cup Fan Fests Will Not Be Free
Los Angeles will charge admission for its World Cup Fan Fest events, a first for the traditionally free FIFA watch parties. The opening celebration at USC’s Memorial Coliseum and ten additional regional zones will require tickets for anyone 12 and...
Racing’s Taxpayer-Funded $56m Slushie Attracts NSW Auditor’s Crop
The NSW Auditor‑General has criticised the Racing for the Regions program after a $126 million (≈$83 million USD) upgrade at a state track, of which $58.6 million (≈$38.7 million USD) came from taxpayer funds. The audit found the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality...
Bryson DeChambeau Takes Driver’s Seat as LIV Golf Talks Heat Up
Bryson DeChambeau, the LIV Golf marquee player, is approaching the end of his $125 million guaranteed contract that runs through 2026. His on‑course success – five LIV wins, a 2024 U.S. Open title and two recent PGA Championship runner‑up finishes –...
Portland Fire+ Streaming Platform Launches
Portland’s new WNBA franchise has launched Portland Fire+, a direct‑to‑consumer streaming service priced at $5.99 per month or $59.99 annually. The platform, built with Kiswe’s streaming technology and featuring live game broadcasts by Chime, offers original series, player features, and...
Under Armour, Dick’s SG Form Youth Sports Partnership with Unrivaled Sports
Under Armour and Dick’s Sporting Goods have teamed with Unrivaled Sports to launch a youth‑sports partnership. The collaboration will debut with the Ripken Nationals 12‑U baseball championship, featuring Under Armour apparel and Dick’s livestream coverage. Both brands will also support...
Masters Ticket Crackdown Playing Out Behind Closed Doors
Augusta National intensified its crackdown on Masters ticket resale during the 2026 tournament, detaining and questioning patrons whose badges scanned irregularly. At the north gate, about two dozen fans waited up to an hour while security escorted them to a...
Tom Watson: PGA Tour Reneged on Promise with Brooks Koepka’s Return
Brooks Koepka rejoined the PGA Tour in 2026 through a newly‑created Returning Member Program, agreeing to a five‑year forfeiture of $50‑$85 million in player‑equity earnings and a $5 million charitable donation. The deal also requires him to earn entry into signature events on...
Survey: Consumers Favor Multi-Brand Retailing for Sporting Goods Purchases
A National Sporting Goods Association survey of 1,200 U.S. adults shows 79% of shoppers favor multi‑brand sporting‑goods stores, and nearly 70% prefer them for apparel and footwear. The top driver—seeing a variety of brands in one location—was cited by 59%...
Sports Investing’s Next Wave Tops ‘Invest West’ Agenda
Sportico’s Invest West conference will convene on May 6 in San Francisco to explore the next wave of sports investing. The agenda features a keynote by Warriors co‑chair Joe Lacob, a deep‑dive on women’s‑sports franchise growth, and panels on private‑equity, venture capital,...
DOJ Launches Probe Into NFL over Media Rights Packages and Antitrust Concerns
The U.S. Department of Justice has opened an antitrust investigation into the NFL over its media‑rights distribution, citing concerns that the league’s model may limit competition and drive up consumer costs. The probe arrives as the NFL prepares to renegotiate...
Top Sports Lawyers Command $10 Million Salaries Amid Poaching Frenzy
Top sports lawyers are commanding compensation packages that exceed $10 million annually as elite law firms scramble to poach talent. Firms such as Latham & Watkins, Kirkland & Ellis, Davis Polk and Simpson Thacher have hired marquee attorneys who brought book‑of‑business...
Mohegan Names Joe Soper VP, Sports & Entertainment
Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment has appointed tribal council member Joe Soper as vice president of Sports & Entertainment. Soper will direct strategy and programming for Mohegan Sun’s arena and its sister venues in Pennsylvania and Ontario. The move follows the...
The Trump Administration Is Setting Its Sights on TV’s Most Valuable Programming
The DOJ and FCC have opened investigations into the NFL’s broadcast agreements, questioning whether the league’s anticompetitive practices violate the Sports Broadcasting Act. The probes come as the NFL renegotiates its TV contracts, seeking higher rights fees from traditional broadcasters...
Fifteen Prospects to Attend WNBA Draft 2026 Presented by State Street Investment Management SPY
The WNBA announced that 15 elite prospects, led by UCLA center Lauren Betts, UConn guard Azzi Fudd, Spain’s Awa Fam Thiam and TCU guard Olivia Miles, will attend the 2026 Draft on April 13 at The Shed in New York....
How Soccer Orgs and Sponsors Are Putting Local Spins on World Cup Campaigns
As the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup spreads across 16 host cities in three countries, sponsors are abandoning generic campaigns in favor of hyper‑local activations. Broadcasters like Telemundo are targeting key Hispanic markets, while Visa staged an artist‑driven showcase in...
NEWstalgia: How the Return of the NBA on NBC Was Driven by a Bold and ‘Ownable’ Graphics Package
After a 20‑year hiatus, NBC Sports relaunched its NBA broadcast under an 11‑year deal, debuting a graphics package dubbed “NEWstalgia.” The system fuses 1990s visual DNA with modern motion and flat‑color design, delivering a medallion‑based scorebug with over 120 team‑specific...
Lionsgate’s ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ Reality Series Coming to Paramount+ on June 14
Lionsgate’s "The Ultimate Fighter" returns for its 14th season, debuting exclusively on Paramount+ on June 14, the same day UFC Freedom 250 airs. The 12‑episode run will drop new episodes each Tuesday, featuring former champions Daniel Cormier and Michael Bisping coaching...
LA28 Opens Olympic Ticket Sales Globally After Strong Local Presale
Ticket sales for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics opened globally on April 9 after a record‑setting local presale that sold more tickets in its first week than any prior Games. Every ticket in the initial phase was bought by residents...
Oak View Group Bolsters Programming and Content Leadership
Oak View Group (OVG) has named Becky Colwell president of programming and content and promoted Mark Shulman to executive vice president of programming and content for OVG East. Colwell will steer the global strategy for venue bookings, sports, concerts, festivals...
Nike Closes in on UEFA Ball Deal as Adidas Bows Out
Nike is in exclusive talks to become the official ball supplier for UEFA competitions from 2027 to 2031, ending Adidas' 25‑year tenure. The contract could be worth more than €40 million (about $46.7 million) per year and would include the high‑profile Champions...
Former UEFA, Orange Executive Nicolas Déal Launches OVERCAST Private-Cloud Production Service
Former UEFA and Orange executive Nicolas Déal has launched OVERCAST, a Swiss‑based private‑cloud platform tailored for live‑sports broadcasting. The service delivers IP‑native, micro‑service production, contribution and distribution capabilities from distributed European data centers, promising ultra‑low deterministic latency. OVERCAST’s data‑to‑data workflow...
HBS Leadership to Step Down After Landmark 2026 Global Broadcast Projects
Host Broadcast Services (HBS) announced that CEO Dan Miodownik and COO Luc‑Antoine Charial will step down on 30 September 2026, after overseeing the 2026 FIFA World Cup, US Open and the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship. The duo has driven...
Nike in Exclusive Talks to Replace Adidas as Uefa Champions League Ball Sponsor
Nike is in exclusive negotiations with UEFA's commercial arm UC3 to replace Adidas as the official match‑ball supplier for the Champions League and other men’s club competitions starting in the 2027‑28 season. The proposed four‑year deal would run through 2031...
Mark Cuban Admits He Made a Mistake Letting Go of the Mavericks: ‘I Don’t Regret Selling. I Regret Who I...
Mark Cuban sold his majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks to the Adelson family for $3.5 billion, a price more than 12 times what he paid in 2000. While the deal netted Cuban a huge windfall, he now regrets the choice...
Nike in Exclusive Talks to Replace Adidas as UEFA Match Ball Provider From 2027
Nike is in exclusive talks to become the official match‑ball supplier for UEFA men’s club competitions from 2027 through 2031. The potential contract would replace Adidas, which has supplied UEFA club balls since 2001, ending a 25‑year partnership. Negotiations are...
USC Installs Daktronics LED Displays Across Four Athletics Venues
USC has partnered with Daktronics to install 22 high‑definition LED displays across its LA Memorial Coliseum, Galen Center, Dedeaux Field and Rawlinson Stadium, completing the rollout in 2025. The Coliseum’s new 40‑by‑150‑foot screen boasts over 5 million LEDs, a 238% size...
Boxing Champ Ben Whittaker Is ALO's Unlikely New Face (and It Makes Perfect Sense)
British IBF International light‑heavyweight champion Ben Whittaker has become the face of ALO’s new Trail sneaker campaign, linking his disciplined boxing style with the brand’s mindfulness‑focused wellness ethos. The campaign showcases Whittaker transitioning from the ring to trail running, emphasizing...
8 MLB Teams Release Bold, New Nike City Connect Uniforms
Nike and its licensing partner Fanatics rolled out the 2026 City Connect uniform line for eight Major League Baseball clubs—Atlanta, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, San Diego, and Texas. Each jersey incorporates local landmarks, cultural motifs and historic color...
WhatsApp and Facebook Team up with Arsenal to Celebrate Football Group Chats
Meta’s WhatsApp and Facebook have entered a global partnership with Arsenal FC to spotlight the role of group chats in football fandom. The collaboration will roll out a hero film, alongside in‑person and digital fan experiences that showcase how supporters...
Top Esports Events by Media Value in Q1 2026
The LCK Cup 2026 emerged as the highest‑valued esports event in Q1 2026, surpassing $20 million in media value. Counter‑Strike followed with four entries in the top‑10, while League of Legends secured three spots, including the LEC Versus and First Stand. Nine tournaments...
League of Legends KeSPA Cup Air Date Announced: When to Watch
Disney+ has secured global live‑stream rights for the 2026 League of Legends KeSPA Cup, expanding its partnership with the Korea Esports Association beyond Asia‑only distribution. The tournament, traditionally an off‑season showcase for LCK teams, featured a ₩100 million (~$68,000) prize pool...
EXCLUSIVE: Soccer Media Startup Footballco Wants to Own New York’s World Cup Summer
Footballco, a UK‑based soccer media startup, will launch a two‑week pop‑up called House of Goal in Brooklyn’s Industry City from July 4 to July 19. The free event coincides with the final weeks of the World Cup and features themed zones for...
Yao Ming, Marc Lasry Invest in Tsai’s Asian College Hoops League
Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai’s Asian University Basketball League (AUBL) secured a Series A round with investors including former NBA star Yao Ming, private‑equity veteran Marc Lasry and venture‑capitalist David Blitzer. The round, led by Tsai’s family office Blue Pool Capital, is valued at least eight...
Hannah Sprake Joins Women’s Multisport Action Group
Hannah Sprake, senior analyst at Sporting Insights, has been named a founding member of the Women’s Multisport Action Group (WMAG), a new working body created by the Running Industry Alliance (RIA) and Triathlon Industry Alliance (TIA). WMAG’s mission is to...
FedEx Unveils New Campaign ‘FedEx. The Move India Needs’ Featuring CSK Cricketers
FedEx has rolled out a new digital brand campaign, “FedEx. The Move India Needs,” starring Chennai Super Kings cricketers MS Dhoni, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Urvil Patel. Developed by Saatchi & Saatchi India, the three‑film series uses light‑hearted comedy to illustrate how reliable logistics can unlock...
Atletico Madrid and Aston Martin Investors Buy Into SailGP Team
Quantum Pacific Group, the largest shareholder of Atletico Madrid, has acquired the Los Gallos SailGP team in an eight‑figure transaction. The purchase adds a Spanish franchise to Quantum Pacific’s diverse sports portfolio, which already includes FC Famalicao, a Movistar‑backed cycling...
8PM Packaged Drinking Water Joins SRH as Trouser Sponsor for IPL 2026
8PM Packaged Drinking Water has become the lead trouser sponsor for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026, featuring its logo on the team’s apparel. The partnership includes a "Rise in Orange, Celebrate with Black" campaign that ties on‑field performance to...
Less Soccer, More Feeling: The 5 Creative Principals Guiding Coca-Cola’s World Cup Playbook
Coca‑Cola is rolling out its biggest World Cup campaign ever, leveraging five emotion‑focused creative principles instead of traditional soccer‑centric ads. The 2026 tournament will be broadcast to an estimated six billion viewers, with five million fans attending matches across the United States,...
Backed by Stars, Built for Scale: ISGL Sets Out to Build India’s First Real Esports Pathway for 500 Million Gamers
The Indian Super Gaming League (ISGL) debuted in March 2026, introducing a franchise‑based esports competition across eight teams with a prize pool of roughly $60,000 (Rs 50 lakh). Backed by Bollywood stars Ranbir Kapoor and Abhishek Bachchan, the league spans titles such...
Media Distillery Targets Sports Streamers with New Engagement Platform
Media Distillery unveiled an AI‑driven Sports Engagement Suite that automates highlights, real‑time key‑moment detection, chapter navigation, and related shoulder content. The platform aims to ease the labor‑intensive workflow of packaging sports coverage for broadcasters and streaming services. Football will be...
How IBM’s Masters Campaign Marks a Shift in Its Sports Strategy
IBM marks three decades of sponsoring the Masters by launching a pop‑up activation in New York’s Madison Square Park. The event features a golf simulator with AI‑driven “hole insights,” a digital “Masters Vault” of over 50 years of broadcast footage,...
Bryson DeChambeau Leads ‘Eight-Figure’ SportsBox AI Acquisition
Bryson DeChambeau led a group of investors in an eight‑figure acquisition of Sportsbox AI, the computer‑vision startup that creates 3‑D avatars from 2‑D video. The deal, valued between $10 million and $99 million, follows DeChambeau’s own use of the platform to fine‑tune...
Sportradar Inks Multi-Year Deal With LNB
Brazil's premier basketball league, the Liga Nacional de Basquete (LNB), has signed a multi‑year partnership with sports‑technology firm Sportradar Group AG. The deal grants Sportradar worldwide audiovisual betting, gaming, and data rights across all LNB competitions, including the NBB Caixa and...
ITV and BBC Staples Part of Sport Radio Station Backed by Zac Goldsmith
ITV’s Mark Pougatch and BBC’s Sonja McLaughlan have joined Track Radio, a new UK sports‑talk station backed by a seven‑figure investment from Tory peer Zac Goldsmith and his brother. The station, owned by Track Record Corporation and advised by John...
2026 FIFA World Cup Viewing Set to Fragment Across Linear & Streaming in UK, Nexxen Forecast Finds
Nexxen released a forecast for UK audiences of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, showing that while TV remains dominant, viewing is increasingly split between linear and streaming platforms. The report finds 24% of fans will blend traditional TV and streaming,...
Serie A Explores PE Interest in International Media Rights Business
Serie A is in talks with private‑equity firms about selling up to 49% of its international media rights unit, which generates roughly €250 million (about $270 million) a year. The league has hired JP Morgan to explore options and could launch a formal...
Glasgow 2026 Names JUBEL as Beer Partner of Commonwealth Games
Glasgow 2026 has appointed JUBEL as the official beer partner for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, adding the brand’s fruit‑infused lagers to the beverage lineup alongside Tennent’s and Tennent’s Zero. The deal expands a growing sponsor ecosystem that already includes Coca‑Cola,...
DXRacer Expands Southeast Asia Presence Through MSL Thailand Deal
DXRacer has been named the official gaming chair partner of MSL Thailand, supplying its ergonomic seating to all teams in the country’s premier Mobile Legends: Bang Bang league. The deal underscores the growing emphasis on player comfort and physical performance...