2026-01-08
💸
Finance & Investments
Startups raised $2.37B in 2025, more than doubling the $1.07B total from the previous year.
Smart ring maker Oura and broadcast firm NEP Group led the growth with deals totaling $1.6B.
Investors prioritized AI tools that analyze athlete performance and automate complex business tasks.
The St. Louis Cardinals are quitting the broadcaster after missed payments, with six other baseball teams likely to follow.
A planned sale to streaming service DAZN stalled after NBA and NHL teams rejected proposed 20% fee cuts.
Teams are creating emergency broadcast plans despite Main Street claiming a second buyer, rumored to be Fubo TV, exists.
Advertising giant WPP created the division to manage strategy and analytics for live sports marketing.
The launch targets a global ad market predicted to have reached $1.14T in 2025.
Services will focus on major upcoming events like the Winter Olympics and FIFA World Cup.
📺
Media, Broadcasting & Sponsorships
The 2025 season averaged 18.7M viewers per game, marking a significant 10% jump from last year.
Every partner network saw ratings grow, led by CBS reaching an all-time record of 21.3M average viewers.
A single Thanksgiving game drew over 57M viewers, setting a record for the most-watched regular-season match ever.
The league averaged 500K viewers recently, mirroring the 513K average seen during its first season.
An opening match on ABC drew 646K viewers despite competing directly against popular NFL football games.
Performance is critical because the league's media deal with broadcaster ESPN expires after this current season.
Streaming service Peacock is adding mobile-optimized views for the Olympics, Super Bowl, and NBA games.
The features allow viewers to switch between multiple exclusive camera angles during live broadcasts.
Fans can first use these immersive tools during the NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 15, 2026.
The brewing giant extends its multi-year partnership with the Madison Square Garden group.
The agreement covers premier sports teams and entertainment venues across the portfolio.
🏆
Teams & Leagues
The players union seeks 30% of gross revenue, while the league claims this causes $700M in losses.
Owners offered a $5M salary cap per team, far below the $10.5M limit requested by athletes.
With negotiations stalled, 98% of players voted to authorize a strike if the January 9 deadline passes.
The agreement covers the NHL's primary development league and sets rules through the 2030 season.
Player minimum salaries rise to $61K, while the total playoff bonus pool increases to $2.21M.
New terms improve travel schedules to reduce fatigue and add support programs for player health.
🎁
Miscellaneous
The 38-year-old star recently extended his contract with US team Inter Miami through 2028.
After his career he wants to build a new team from the ground up to help young players develop.
Messi already holds a future minority stake in Inter Miami and shares revenue from a $2.5B Apple media rights deal.
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.