2026-01-09
💸
Finance & Investments
Apollo co-founder Josh Harris' investment firm 26North led the deal to back Bruin’s largest fund for sports technology.
The capital targets companies that provide essential services to teams rather than buying the teams themselves.
This approach offers investors access to the sports industry without paying premium prices for franchises.
Chinese sportswear giant Anta offered to buy a 29% stake in struggling German brand Puma.
The owning family wants over €40 per share, far exceeding the €24.6 market price (as of writing).
Puma’s value halved to €3.3B recently, making it a target for Anta’s turnaround expertise.
A.R.I. is a venture firm managing a ~$125M fund that finances North American startups.
Lights Out is a media platform founded by NFL star Shawne Merriman to stream combat sports.
The deal funds global expansion following the brand’s recent broadcast partnership with ESPN.
📺
Media, Broadcasting & Sponsorships
The deal runs through 2026, offering live game highlights and behind-the-scenes access.
FIFA aims to boost viewership, noting users are 42% more likely to watch matches after seeing clips.
Select social media creators will receive special access to produce content for the tournament.
The luxury car maker joins major sponsors supporting England’s top women’s football league.
Investors are attracted by the league's growing attendance and its young, diverse audience.
This financial backing will support long-term stability, infrastructure upgrades, and player development.
The Roger Federer-backed brand signed 21-year-old Arturo Coello, the sport’s top-ranked athlete.
This marks On's first expansion into padel, a growing sport projected to reach 30K US courts by 2030.
The partnership focuses on Coello as a primary ambassador and includes launching a specialized shoe in 2027.
🏆
Teams & Leagues
The competition aims to abolish relegation for existing clubs and add expansion teams starting in the 2029/30 season.
This shift aims to attract new investors by removing the financial risk of being demoted to a lower division.
Private equity firm CVC Capital owns 27% of the league, which is actively seeking further external funding.
Super Bowl winners earn incremental payouts totaling $376K, funded entirely by ticket sales revenue.
Total earnings trail other leagues, falling well short of the $828K championship share in the NBA.
The American league BYB Extreme unified with Britain’s BKB promotion to create a single global organization.
The sport targets younger viewers who prefer faster, high-intensity bouts over long traditional boxing matches.
Promoters claim fighting without gloves reduces long-term brain injury because athletes must punch with more caution.
🎁
Miscellaneous
A third of surveyed sports groups estimate that unidentifiable fans cost them over $1M in lost opportunities annually.
Teams rarely know who watches, possessing contact details for only 24% of their total audience on average.
Corporate sponsors now demand this missing data to verify that their advertising spending actually works.
If you have any comments or feedback, just respond to this email!
Was this email forwarded to you? Then sign up here to receive the Daily Playbook in your inbox every weekday.