Fanatics Woos LeBron With A Helicopter

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank's family office led the round, joined by investment firm Ares and returning backer the PGA Tour, golf's main pro tour.

Founded in 2023, Pro Shop already makes Netflix's golf series Full Swing and co-produced Happy Gilmore 2, after raising $20M in 2024.

The cash will fund more shows, podcasts and on-air talent, plus in-person fan events, as more people play and watch golf.

Ratings firm Nielsen Sports says the World Cup, co-hosted by the US this summer, drew younger and more diverse fans to the English league.

US broadcasters NBC and USA Network average 500K viewers per game, up just 3% overall, far slower than the jump among 18-34 year olds.

Major League Soccer, North America's top league, also gained, with interest among 16-34 year olds up 23% in the World Cup lead-up.

Berson will manage sports for Skydance, the new brand combining media giants Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery in a $110B deal.

This new division will control massive broadcasting rights, including Sunday NFL games, college basketball's March Madness, and Major League Baseball.

Current TNT Sports head Luis Silberwasser is stepping down so Berson can take over as the two networks unite.

The defending basketball champions filed a federal lawsuit to stop anonymous overseas sellers from peddling unauthorized gear to American fans.

The sports franchise seeks monetary damages and a permanent ban on these sales to protect its highly profitable brand and official partnerships.

This legal action combats a massive global trade issue, with US border officials seizing $3.3B worth of fake goods in 2021 alone.

The professional tennis player was disqualified from a Beijing tournament for hitting a spectator in frustration, instantly forfeiting $220K in prize money.

The penalty also strips him of 200 ranking points, endangering his top-eight status needed to qualify for the season-ending ATP Finals.

Missing this exclusive championship means the former world number one will lose out on a minimum guaranteed payout of $331K.

At normal home games, NFL teams keep about 66% of ticket sales plus most food, parking, and premium seat revenue, income they forfeit in London.

The NFL stopped paying teams for lost ticket sales in 2022 and now just covers much of their travel and hotel costs.

Owner Josh Harris prioritizes growing the sport abroad, as the NFL stages a record nine international games this season, triple its 2015 total.

Basketball star LeBron James signed a new memorabilia agreement with sports merchandise giant Fanatics.

The exclusive contract includes a unique luxury perk that grants him access to a company helicopter.

This partnership brings a high-profile athlete to the brand to help drive future collectible sales.