2026-02-16
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Finance & Investments
A leaked Chinese government budget revealed that Beijing allocated $14M to Gu and figure skater Beverly Zhu for Olympic preparation since 2023.
Born in the US, the freestyle skier switched to represent China in 2019 to compete for her mother’s home country.
Gu, a Stanford student, earned $23M last year mostly from endorsements, making her one of the world's highest-paid female athletes.
Club revenue nearly quadrupled to $200M after signing star Lionel Messi, pushing the franchise past former leader LAFC.
Five teams are now worth over $1B, lifting the average league valuation to $731M despite financial struggles among lower-ranked clubs.
A wealth gap persists as 19 of 30 teams remain unprofitable, leaving bottom-tier franchises struggling to attract investors.
European soccer’s governing body earned over €5B, a record for a year without a major national tournament.
Expanded schedules in top club leagues like the Champions League drove €4.4B of the total income.
High media rights sales allowed the organization to distribute €3.4B back to the competing soccer teams.
Singapore leads the rankings by offering athletes $792K for a single gold medal victory.
Poland rewards winners with roughly $211K plus perks like a new apartment and a car.
Major sports powers like Norway and the UK pay $0, funding training programs instead of bonuses.
The outdoor gear giant aims for 16.1% annual growth, boosted by Salomon’s first Olympic partnership.
Forecasts predict revenue reaching $8.9B by 2028, nearly quadrupling current earnings to $874M.
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Media, Broadcasting & Sponsorships
The world number two player, Hikaru Nakamura, earns more from his 5M online followers than from tournament prizes.
He recently joined a Saudi-backed esports team to compete for a $1.5M prize pool in faster formats.
Games averaged 1.8M viewers, a 16% jump driven by major broadcasters NBC and ESPN.
New broadcast partner NBC averaged 2.6M viewers, nearly doubling the audience of previous cable slots.
Total reach surged 87% to 138M people, though streaming platform Prime Video captured a smaller audience.
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Teams & Leagues
The women’s 3-on-3 league moves its semifinals to a large New York arena following a successful $2M Philadelphia event.
Leaders project revenue will surpass $40M this year, aiming for $100M annually within four years.
The organization plans to add up to eight traveling tour stops next year to boost exposure for the sport.
Commissioner Adam Silver credits the new CEO of EuroLeague, the top overseas competition, for improving negotiations.
The NBA plans to launch a new European division by October 2027 involving top international clubs.
Current stars like Luka Doncic may be allowed to purchase ownership stakes in these new teams.
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Miscellaneous
Stars like Chappell Roan quit the firm after leaked emails linked the founder to Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
The agency represents top talent like Brittney Griner, making the client revolt a critical threat to its business.
Wasserman will retain his separate leadership role as chairman of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics committee.
The local organizing committee covers on-site treatments using part of its $2B Games budget.
Team USA provides insurance and hospital partnerships so athletes pay zero out-of-pocket expenses.
Coverage includes everything from basic checkups to major surgeries and emergency air transport.
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