2026-08-05
For feedback or questions just reply to this mail
💸
Finance & Investments
The university traded a 10% share of its football program to private investors for immediate cash to fund its athletic department.
These investors will earn a guaranteed return or a cut of future television deals when the current sports broadcast contract is renegotiated.
The school can buy back this ownership share in five years, securing quick funds to cover rising costs like student-athlete compensation.
📺
Media, Broadcasting & Sponsorships
Betway, owned by gambling operator Super Group, will appear on the men's and women's training kits from the 2026/27 season, reportedly for a record $27M.
A voluntary ban on gambling logos on shirt fronts has pushed betting firms toward sleeves and training wear, which remain permitted
Super Group is targeting Africa, where United is heavily followed, while the club seeks revenue for a stadium costing over $2.7B.
Genius Sports, a sports data company, will supply Polymarket with US streaming rights to events including Italian soccer's Serie A.
The ATP tennis deal covers roughly 20,000 matches a season, including Indian Wells, the Miami Open, and the ATP Finals.
Both deals bundle in integrity monitoring to flag suspicious trading, a growing concern as betting-style prediction markets expand into live sports.
🏆
Teams & Leagues
The new series begins in 2027 to keep casual sports fans engaged over a five-month span following the Kentucky Derby.
A $5M bonus pool will reward the top-performing horses to encourage owners and trainers to compete in all six events.
Major racing operators Churchill Downs and NYRA will broadcast the events nationally, notably excluding the traditional Preakness Stakes for now.
Gianni Infantino, president of world soccer governing body FIFA, tried selling shares of commercial operations to private investors but faced immense global backlash.
Top FIFA executives, including the secretary general and chief operating officer, publicly criticized the secret proposal and claimed staff had been deceived.
UEFA, European football's governing body, has demanded Infantino resign, while other global soccer groups are urgently seeking answers about his leadership.
The NBA plans to launch a 16-team European league by autumn 2027, with London expected to host one of the permanent franchises.
Officials are eyeing undeveloped land next to the historic Battersea site to build a custom stadium for the new basketball team.
Tech billionaire Nikesh Arora is leading a $1B bid for the team, facing competition from Saudi Arabia’s state wealth fund.
🎁
Miscellaneous
FIFA, global soccer's governing body, allegedly promised each of the 11 US host cities $1M for local community projects but has not paid.
Organizers are frustrated waiting for payments while FIFA, which generated $15B in recent revenue, kept the vast majority of event profits.
Meanwhile, taxpayers bore huge operational costs, with Kansas City alone spending $86.8M in public funds to host six tournament games.
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.