Regulators Block $90M In College Deals

The college sports regulatory group, using consulting firm Deloitte to review contracts, approved $355M in athlete endorsement agreements while rejecting $90M since launching.

Regulators are heavily scrutinizing larger payouts, with the average rejected contract valued at nearly $52K compared to roughly $15K for approved deals.

Major universities are now reorganizing their athletic departments to find loopholes that allow them to compensate players beyond a strict $20.5M limit.

Former Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei is raising $30M for the league, using an F1-style team format to attract younger fans and gamblers.

The U.S. competition features a $10M prize pool and 10 celebrity-backed teams that draft and trade their share of 80 horses.

Dubai racing business Godolphin bought a team for $6M, joining owners like billionaire Kenny Troutt and Florida Panthers owner Vinnie Viola.

Investment firm Jefferies is raising $5B to help activist investor Carl Icahn counter a previous $5.7B cash offer from billionaire Tilman Fertitta.

The bidding war centers on Caesars Digital, the casino giant's highly profitable online gambling division that generated $1.4B in recent yearly revenue.

Any successful buyer must manage the company's massive $11.9B debt burden while deciding whether to sell or expand the digital betting business.

The new Round of 32 averaged 16.9M viewers across both networks, matching the typical audience for regular Monday night football games.

US broadcaster Fox averaged 9.5M traditional TV viewers, while Spanish-language network Telemundo drew 7.4M, driven heavily by streaming platform Peacock.

Standout matches are pushing numbers even higher, with the US versus Belgium knockout game projected to surpass 45M total viewers.

The current seven-year TV contracts with sports networks ESPN and TNT pay the league roughly $628.6M annually and end in two seasons.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman says the hockey league will sign new deals early if the terms provide maximum video distribution for its fans.

Even with other sports leagues seeking new broadcast contracts soon, the NHL feels no pressure and remains confident in its financial value.

Unions from 17 nations signed an agreement with global soccer authority FIFA, giving players an official voice in governance through 2031.

The lawsuit was started in 2025 by advocacy group Justice for Players to seek damages for 100K eligible athletes.

The legal action argued that strict transfer rules unfairly kept wages low and restricted the freedom of players to switch teams.

An Ohio judge ruled 15 athletes can seek a fifth year, pausing the college sports authority NCAA's new age-based limits.

College sports are highly lucrative, allowing these players to earn signifcant amounts of money through sponsorships and school revenue sharing instead of turning pro.

The NCAA plans to appeal the decision, arguing this injunction unfairly takes valuable roster spots away from other eligible athletes.

Sports merchandise company Fanatics expects 200K fans at its four-day convention, uniting major athletes, brands, and leagues under one roof.

CEO Michael Rubin notes the $90M production is not for profit, but instead designed to build direct relationships between fans and the industry.

The company will pay roughly $10M to hundreds of athletes for appearances, establishing the festival as a premier hub for sports business.