Gather Round Returns to CHANNEL 7 with Packed Weekend of AFL Action
The Seven Network will broadcast the 2026 AFL Gather Round live and free across its channels, delivering every Round 5 match from Thursday, April 9 through Sunday in South Australia. Thursday night kicks off with the Adelaide Crows hosting Carlton, followed by a neutral‑venue clash between Collingwood and Fremantle on Friday. Sunday features a 10‑hour marathon, including a special Barossa Valley broadcast, GWS Giants versus Richmond, and Port Adelaide against St Kilda. Sunrise will host a breakfast event at Elder Park to celebrate the festival of footy.
Scripps Sports, Nashville Predators Partner on Multi-Year Agreement to Air National Hockey League Team’s Games
The E.W. Scripps Company and the Nashville Predators have signed a multi‑year media rights agreement that will broadcast all local preseason, regular‑season and first‑round playoff games free over the air starting in the 2026‑27 season. Scripps will use its second...
Procter & Gamble Enters New Era in Sports as Official Partner of the WNBA
Procter & Gamble announced a multi‑year, multi‑brand partnership with the Women’s National Basketball Association, extending its earlier Mielle deal into a broader portfolio that includes Secret, Olay, Tampax and other household names. The collaboration will feature athlete‑co‑created products, such as...
Tasty Burger Named Official Burger of Boston Red Sox for 2026 Season
Tasty Burger has been reinstated as the Official Burger of the Boston Red Sox for the 2026 season, reviving a partnership that ran from 2014 to 2020. The fast‑food chain will sell its Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Chili Cheeseburger, and an exclusive...
Bell Media, Ottawa Senators Extend Regional Broadcast Rights Agreement
Bell Media and the Ottawa Senators have signed a long‑term extension that keeps TSN and its French counterpart RDS as the regional television broadcasters for Senators games. TSN Radio 1200 also remains the exclusive English‑language radio partner, delivering live play‑by‑play...
ESPN Layoffs Connected to Disney’s YouTube TV Dispute, Report Says
Disney’s ongoing fallout from its YouTube TV carriage dispute is prompting ESPN to announce a new round of layoffs. The two‑week standoff last year cost Disney roughly $100 million in lost distribution and advertising fees as millions of viewers were cut...
Polymarket Rebels Still Betting in Banned Countries Using VPNs
Polymarket has rolled out new integrity tools, partnering with Palantir to provide real‑time surveillance of its betting activity. While the technology is touted for its upcoming U.S. exchange, the company has not clarified if it will also police its international...
Kohl’s Spotlights Tek Gear Private Label at a Tough Time for Activewear
Kohl’s has enlisted U.S. women’s soccer star Carli Lloyd to front a spring‑summer campaign for its Tek Gear activewear label. The brand, highlighted as one of Kohl’s best‑performing private labels last year, is being promoted alongside the comedic “Kohl’s Mom” character to...
The Business of The Masters and the Most Unique Commercial Strategy in Sport
The Masters remains a $150 million‑a‑year for‑profit enterprise that relies on limited ticket capacity, modest concession pricing, and a strict no‑advertising policy to protect its prestige. Sponsorship revenue has surged from $39 million in 2023 to $60.45 million in 2025, despite a roster...
Can the World Cup Solve Nike’s Problems?
Nike’s third‑quarter earnings revealed an 11‑year low in its stock, underscoring a disconnect between the brand’s product slate and consumer demand. Rising oil prices and geopolitical tensions are inflating supply‑chain costs, forcing the company to consider price passes. To revive...
Source Media Group Launches YouTube Golf Network With Bryson DeChambeau, Grant Horvat
Source Media Group has launched Source Golf, a YouTube‑based network that bundles existing content from top golf creators such as Bryson DeChambeau (2.6 million subscribers), Grant Horvat (1.6 million), and the Bryan Bros (800 k). The platform sells advertising against these pre‑existing videos, eliminating the...
Brooks CMO on Shaping a Global Brand Vision, with Help From Cynthia Erivo
Brooks Running, a century‑old challenger to giants like Nike, posted record growth in 2025 and broadened its CMO Melanie Allen's remit to steer a global brand vision and retail rollout. The company launched the "Shine Under Pressure" campaign starring actress‑runner...
Sportradar’s Antitrust Suit From Ex-Partner Faces Challenges
Altenar Technologies has filed a federal antitrust lawsuit against Sportradar, alleging Sherman Act violations for refusing to deal and leveraging exclusive multi‑year contracts with the NBA, NHL and MLB. The complaint claims Sportradar’s duopoly with rival Genius Sports over live...
WNBA Reveals Playbook Behind ‘GOAT’ Marketing Campaign for Season 30
The WNBA unveiled the marketing playbook for its 30th season, launching a "GOAT" campaign that spotlights legends like Sheryl Swoopes. The rollout follows a unanimous Board of Governors vote approving a new seven‑year collective bargaining agreement that raises player salaries,...
Sporticast: An NFL Partner’s Curious Anti-NFL Legal Argument
Fox’s legal team asked the FCC to strip the NFL of its broadcasting antitrust exemption, a move that surprised industry observers given Fox’s deep financial ties to the league. The argument arrives as the NFL prepares to renegotiate its major...
World Premier Squash Names Saurav Ghosal as Sports Commissioner Ahead of 2026 Launch
World Premier Squash (WPS) has appointed former world No. 10 Saurav Ghosal as its sports commissioner ahead of the league’s inaugural season in August 2026. The competition will field 24 players, reserving eight spots for established professionals and using AI‑enabled challenges to...
The NFL Names U.S. Bank As Its First Bank and Wealth Management Sponsor
The NFL announced a multi‑year partnership with U.S. Bank, making it the league’s first standalone banking and wealth‑management sponsor in three decades. The deal breaks the former all‑encompassing Visa agreement into three separate categories, with American Express taking payments and a peer‑to‑peer...
LALIGA Becomes First European Soccer League to Partner with Polymarket in the United States and Canada
LALIGA North America has signed a multi‑year deal with Polymarket, making the prediction market the league’s Official and Exclusive Prediction Market Partner across the United States and Canada. The agreement marks the first time a European soccer league has partnered...
Leveraging SGAI for Longtail Live Sports
FloSports is piloting Server‑Generated Ad Insertion (SGAI) to tackle quality and revenue challenges in long‑tail sports streaming. The platform gains end‑to‑end observability of its video pipeline, allowing it to monitor performance without blind spots. SGAI also enables side‑by‑side programmatic ads...
Smriti Mandhana Joins Pee Safe to Lead Comfort-First Feminine Hygiene Push
Pee Safe, a leading Indian feminine‑hygiene brand, has appointed cricketer Smriti Mandhana as its brand ambassador for the Comfort Range. The partnership coincides with Pee Safe’s ninth anniversary and aims to boost awareness of comfort‑first menstrual products such as period...
IPL 2026: Gujarat Titans Sign IGI to Strengthen Trust-Led Brand Portfolio
The International Gemological Institute (IGI) has signed a strategic partnership with the Gujarat Titans, becoming the official certification partner for the IPL 2026 season. The deal places IGI’s branding on the Titans’ playing kit and across broadcast, digital, and on‑ground...
Controversial German Family Dynasty Backs Fencing Sports Initiative, Other Family Offices Lend Support
A Vienna‑based family office tied to a controversial German industrial dynasty is financing a new fencing initiative launching in Los Angeles, with additional backing from other family offices such as Apeiron Investment Group and Flick Family Office. The project plans...
Where to Watch: The Masters 2026
Nine Radio has secured Australia’s exclusive audio rights to stream The Masters 2026, delivering live coverage from Augusta National Golf Club via pop‑up channels on its 2GB, 3AW, 4BC and 6PR apps. The service will run each round from midnight...
Simpson Thacher Eyes Sports Deals in Triple Partner Swoop From Hogan Lovells, Sidley and the NBA
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett is bolstering its sports M&A practice by hiring three senior partners from Hogan Lovells, Sidley Austin and the NBA. Michael Kuh and Eric Geffner join as co‑heads, while Matthew Carpenter‑Dennis will arrive later, adding New York and Los Angeles coverage. The...
Gambling Ad Crackdown Opens The Door For Brands To Own The Sporting Arena
Australia's Albanese government will ban gambling ads during live sports, on team uniforms and in stadiums from Jan 1, and restrict TV gambling spots to three per hour. The crackdown also limits radio ads and requires adult verification for digital gambling...
Bryce Harper’s Agent Sends Phillies New Contract Ask With Elite Status In Doubt
Philadelphia outfielder Bryce Harper, the franchise’s highest‑paid player on a 13‑year, $330 million contract through 2031, is under fire after a sluggish start of .139/.205/.333 in his first 36 at‑bats. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski publicly questioned whether Harper can...
NHL’s New Jersey Devils Part Ways With GM / President Tom Fitgerald
The New Jersey Devils announced they have terminated general manager and president of hockey operations Tom Fitzgerald with only five games remaining in the 2025‑26 season. Fitzgerald, who rose from assistant GM to full‑time GM in 2020 and led the...
The League of Legends KeSPA Cup Will Air Globally on Disney+
Disney+ has secured a global streaming partnership with the Korea Esports Association, making the 2026 League of Legends KeSPA Cup and other major Asian esports tournaments available on its platform. The deal also includes live coverage of Esports Champions Asia...
Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games Expecting $2.5 Billion From Ticket Sales, Swim Ticket Sale Update
Los Angeles' 2028 Olympic organizing committee projects $2.5 billion from ticket and hospitality sales, with swimming alone expected to contribute more than $150 million. Ticket prices range from $93 for prelims to $1,860 for finals, and all finals swimming tickets sold out...
Source: Mystics GM Wideman Out After 1 Season
Washington Mystics dismissed GM Jamila Wideman after one season due to strategic differences with owner Michael Winger. Coach Sydney Johnson will now oversee basketball operations, leveraging his player‑development reputation. The move comes as the team prepares for free agency, aiming...
ESPN+ Lands Rock League Rights as Curling’s First Pro League Launches
ESPN+ has secured exclusive streaming rights for the inaugural Rock League season, the world’s first professional curling league. The league launches on April 6 with six mixed‑gender franchises spanning Canada, Europe, Asia‑Pacific and the United States. A roster of 60 athletes...
Hearst’s WDSU to Air Million Dollar Rodeo Competition
Hearst-owned NBC affiliate WDSU in New Orleans has secured exclusive rights to air the Hondo Rodeo Fest’s three‑night, million‑dollar competition from April 10‑12 at the Caesars Superdome. The event blends high‑stakes rodeo, a multi‑day concert lineup featuring Jason Aldean, Creed and other...
Revel Bikes Taps Levi Olsen as Sales and Site Leader
Revel Bikes, the Colorado mountain‑bike maker, has appointed Levi Olsen as its new sales and site leader. Olsen, a Golden resident, brings extensive experience across specialty retail, distribution and direct‑to‑consumer roles, previously at Spot Bikes, CeramicSpeed and Challenge Tires. He...
SFIA Report: U.S. Sporting Goods Continues to Build on Pandemic Gains
The U.S. sporting goods market reached $130 billion in wholesale sales in 2025, marking a 3.7% year‑over‑year increase and a 34.7% rise since 2020. Pickleball led category growth, climbing 22% to $410 million, while athletic footwear posted a 7.4% gain, outpacing the...
Chicago Mayor Pushing for Rejected Downtown Bears Stadium Site
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is reviving a downtown stadium proposal at the former Michael Reese Hospital site, despite the NFL and the Bears deeming it unviable. The Bears remain focused on two suburban options—team‑owned land in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and...
Bulls Finally Pull Plug on Karnišovas–Eversley Era
The Chicago Bulls fired executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas and general manager Marc Eversley six days before the regular season ends, ending a six‑year tenure that produced only one playoff appearance. The decision follows mounting fan frustration,...
Troy Aikman's Mysterious Role with Dolphins Should Have the NFL's 31 Other Teams Paying Close Attention
Former NFL quarterback and ESPN analyst Troy Aikman has been retained by the Miami Dolphins in an undefined consulting capacity, including a seat in the team’s draft war room. The arrangement follows his earlier involvement in the Dolphins’ search for...
Travel + Leisure Co. Announces Sponsorship of Rising Swimming Star Rylee Erisman
Travel + Leisure Co. (NYSE:TNL) announced a sponsorship agreement with USA National Team swimmer and World Junior Champion Rylee Erisman. The partnership will fund Erisman’s training and competition while the company shares her story across its travel‑focused media channels. Erisman,...
Giants Star DT Dexter Lawrence Reportedly Asks for Trade Amid Team's Busy Offseason
All‑Pro nose tackle Dexter Lawrence has formally requested a trade from the New York Giants, according to ESPN. The 28‑year‑old, who is under a four‑year, $87.5 million contract through 2027, will still attend the team’s offseason workouts while negotiations stall. Lawrence’s...
Jordan Brand Celebrates UCLA Women’s Basketball March Madness Championship Win
Jordan Brand celebrated UCLA women’s basketball winning its first NCAA Division I championship, defeating South Carolina 79‑51 in Phoenix. The partnership, active since 2021, was highlighted with a social‑media video narrated by NBA star Russell Westbrook. Star guard Kiki Rice, the...
WNBA Expansion Vote: Ownership, Valuation Breakdown for 3 Teams
The WNBA is set to add three new franchises in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia, with votes due by April 9 and approval expected. Each team carries a $250 million expansion fee, but Cleveland and Detroit have secured outside capital at post‑money valuations...
Mekale Jackson of Under Armour: Trust the Culture and Let the Story Lead
Mekale Jackson, senior director of global social media strategy at Under Armour, leverages his 18‑year sports‑marketing background to fuse culture and storytelling across the brand’s product lines. Recent initiatives such as the Gunna x Under Armour Wunna Run 5K series and the episodic “Full...
Knog Sets New Distribution Partners in North America
Australian cycling accessories maker Knog announced new North American distribution agreements, adding BTI and QBP as its United States partners and Live To Play Sports as its Canadian distributor. The change ends an eight‑year exclusive relationship with Selle Royale USA,...
Vegas Tourism Drops $100K Aces Deals With No Word on Investigation
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) has ended its $100,000‑per‑player sponsorship with the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces after two seasons. The deal, announced in May 2024, was scrutinized for potentially circumventing the league’s salary cap, prompting a second...
Report: L.A. Faces a Rocky Road to the 2028 Olympics
The LA28 organizing committee projects a $7 billion budget, but a SAJE report warns actual costs could reach $12 billion, citing security, sanitation, and transit overruns. LA28 has secured over $2 billion in sponsorships and aims to sell 97 percent of tickets, yet critics...
Rays Return to Rebuilt Tropicana Field, but Bigger Questions Remain
The Tampa Bay Rays are back at Tropicana Field for their 2026 home opener after a $60 million, year‑long renovation that added a new roof, upgraded suites, turf, video board and locker rooms. The upgrades, praised by CEO Ken Babby, leave...
Teneo Tees Off with Justin Rose
Teneo, a global advisory firm with about 1,800 professionals, has signed Olympic gold‑medalist golfer Justin Rose as a three‑year brand ambassador. Rose, world No. 7 and recent Farmers Insurance Open champion, will wear the Teneo logo on his left sleeve at...
Kraft Heinz Becomes NFL’s First Condiment Partner In Five-Year Global Deal
Kraft Heinz has secured a five‑year global partnership with the NFL, becoming the league’s first condiment partner. The agreement places flagship brands such as Heinz ketchup, Kraft cheese, Velveeta and Philadelphia cream cheese at the heart of high‑visibility NFL moments,...
NCAA May Alter Pro Draft Eligibility. Antitrust Suits Will Follow.
The NCAA Division I Cabinet is considering a rule that would permanently bar pre‑college athletes who enter a professional draft and do not withdraw from competing in college sports. The proposal, slated for a 2026 rollout, targets basketball, baseball and...
What A Trip To The Masters Really Costs: $125 Tickets To $100,000 Trips
The Masters Tournament’s ticket lottery draws over 2 million applicants, with odds roughly 1 in 200. 2026 ticket prices start at $125 for practice rounds and rise to $160 for tournament days, a $20 increase from the prior year. While resale...