2026-10-07
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Finance & Investments
Credit firm BC Partners plans to provide $300M in financing to help the LIV Golf league emerge from bankruptcy.
The deal restructures the business by shifting majority ownership to the golfers, who are currently owed over $45M.
This rescue follows the exit of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, the league's original backer that previously invested $5B.
Sports advisory firm Raine Group, which advised on Palace's 2025 stake sale, is reportedly finding investors rather than a buyer for the whole club.
That is more than double its 2025 worth, when NFL New York Jets owner Woody Johnson reportedly paid £190M for 43% of the club.
New money is essential to expand its 25K-seat Selhurst Park stadium, and trophies in each of the last two seasons help justify the price.
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Media, Broadcasting & Sponsorships
Italian candy maker Ferrero will air ads for Nutella and Kinder Bueno during the 2027 Super Bowl, America's most-watched TV event.
Its 2026 Super Bowl debut, a space-themed Kinder Bueno ad, lifted units sold 140% year-over-year, more than doubling volume, per the company.
The ads are part of a planned $50M sports marketing budget for 2027, a major shift in how Ferrero markets itself to US consumers.
IMG, a sports agency that produces Major League Soccer broadcasts, will help Netflix air all 64 matches live plus 100+ hours of studio shows.
Netflix will make its live soccer debut in the US and Canada, where it holds exclusive rights to the 2027 and 2031 editions.
The tournament, which Netflix calls its most ambitious sports production yet, extends the streamer's move into live sports beyond NFL football and WWE wrestling.
The London-based streaming platform acquired local television rights for roughly 33% of NBA basketball teams to build its US market presence.
DAZN plans to leverage this growing network to eventually bid on national sports deals without overspending $1B+ on expensive contracts.
The company aims to win over fans and leagues by offering affordable subscription options and streaming select games for free.
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Teams & Leagues
NBA commissioner Adam Silver plans NBA Europe, a 16-team league with 12 permanent city franchises, aiming to launch by October 2027.
EuroLeague club owners, who run Europe's top men's basketball competition, disliked terms that reportedly blocked their plan to expand from 20 to 24 teams.
The NBA vows to proceed, with at least six EuroLeague clubs interested, but one source says a 2027 launch is "impossible" without a merger.
The US women's professional basketball league drew a record 3.79M fans in 2026, marking a 20% increase from last year.
This massive growth was fueled by relocating 25 high-demand games from traditional home venues into much larger arenas.
These moved games attracted almost 389K fans, generating a 40% larger average crowd than matches played in standard arenas.
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Miscellaneous
The University of Nebraska is selling fixtures from its 103-year-old football stadium as collectibles before a full renovation due by the 2028 season.
Rare Goods, the company helping Nebraska run the sale, says $25 stadium seats sell best because fans can claim the exact seat they used.
Nebraska's price undercuts NFL team the Buffalo Bills, which asked $5K each for 40 urinals from its old stadium.
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