2025-10-13
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Finance & Investments
The University of California's pension fund receives a 10% stake in a new commercial arm.
The 20-year agreement provides each of the 18 member schools with at least $100M upfront.
Funds help schools manage new athlete revenue-sharing costs expected to exceed $20M annually.
The acquisition will be funded by a $130M placement and a $20M share plan.
Payment terms include €40M in upfront cash and up to €48M in deferred payments.
IMPECT’s platform analyzes 40,000 matches annually across nearly 150 global soccer leagues.
The acquisition adds Sportall's direct-to-consumer (DTC) platform and fan engagement tools.
Sportall’s partners include the FIA World Endurance Championship, World Squash, and Olympic committees.
The Paris-based firm will operate under Sportway's French business arm, integrating its technology.
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Media, Broadcasting & Sponsorships
The series' global fanbase increased 13% year-over-year to 422 million people.
Its average cumulative audience for individual races grew 16% to 33 million viewers.
The US, China, Germany, and the UK now account for 37% of the total fanbase.
The expansion accommodates new Boston and Denver teams for the 16-team league in 2026.
New partner Victory+ will stream 57 games, including 25 primetime Sunday matches next season.
These agreements run alongside the league's existing media deals through the 2027 season.
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Teams & Leagues
The firing follows a third straight loss, dropping the team to a 3-3 record.
Franklin coached since 2014, compiling a 104-45 record with one Big Ten title.
The payout is the largest since Texas A&M's $76.8M coach buyout in 2023.
Barcelona declined the match, returning a reported €5M fee due to security concerns.
The game is organized by a fund led by the son of military strongman Khalifa Haftar.
The US and Spain warn against travel to Libya due to terrorism and armed conflict.
The reduction is part of a broader PGA Tour cost-cutting initiative, not poor finances.
The Tour is shifting focus to a new for-profit entity backed by Strategic Sports Group's $1.5B.
Player reactions are mixed, with some critical while others call for patience with the Tour's strategy.
The league is reimagining the event with ESPN to better spotlight flag football.
This new focus is linked to player participation in the LA28 Olympic Games.
The Pro Bowl replaced its traditional tackle game with flag football in 2022.
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Miscellaneous
A judge ruled the diss track cannot be reasonably understood as factual given its context.
The suit centered on a song promoted during the Super Bowl to 133.5M viewers.
Drake plans to appeal the court's decision to dismiss the case.
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