Ronaldo Retires With A $286 Fine

Private credit firm BC Partners walked away after the planned relaunch, LIV 2.0, failed to sign enough players to field a credible league.

Saudi Arabia's state-run investment fund spent over $5B on LIV across four years, then cut funding in April, pushing the league into bankruptcy.

Stars including three-time LIV champion Jon Rahm declined to join, and the league's 2027 event in Adelaide, Australia, is not expected to go ahead.

The group, 1892 Holdings, is investing over £2B ($2.6B) to buy 38% from Liverpool's US owner, Fenway Sports Group.

Newly revealed terms let it raise its stake to about 69%, giving it control, or buy the whole club.

The options open once England's football regulator approves the deal, hinting at a step-by-step takeover while the group learns to run the club.

The private racing organization spent $50M this year to modernize massive venues, starting with major improvements to its Miami championship facility.

NASCAR created a new internal team to study fan experiences and prioritize repair budgets, ensuring upgrades make financial sense for the company.

Unlike traditional sports stadiums, these enormous racetracks rely on private funds for upkeep because they receive very little public financial support.

Betting app Bron AI's ad on X showed a player wearing James' No. 23 and nickname "Bron" placing bets, with Dončić's image on screen.

Lawyers for both stars sent formal demands to stop, and the post came down; Dončić's team says AI tools make such misuse increasingly common.

James has an exclusive endorsement deal with Polymarket, a site for betting on event outcomes, while Dončić has no betting sponsors of any kind.

The French Professional Football League advanced its TV rights sale to 2027 after seeing renewed interest from traditional broadcasters and streaming platforms.

Following a canceled €814M TV deal, the league struggled to find buyers and launched its own streaming app with 1M subscribers.

Bidders can now purchase exclusive rights to all matches in a single package, offering total broadcast control while providing financial stability for teams.

Global commercial real estate firm Newmark signed a sponsorship deal with Madison Square Garden and its major sports teams.

The company will display digital and physical advertisements inside the famous arena and during television broadcasts on MSG Networks.

This partnership also includes sponsoring pre-game social media content and advertising with the minor league Westchester Knicks.

Kozo Tashima, head of Japanese soccer, is entering the March election to replace the current leader of global soccer, Gianni Infantino.

Tashima has strong backing from UEFA, the European soccer authority, which has actively opposed Infantino's current leadership.

European officials prefer a Japanese candidate to avoid backlash over Europe's heavy control and dominance of the global sport.

He played 234 games and scored 146 goals for Portugal, 26 more games and 20 more goals than Argentina's Lionel Messi, who ranks second.

Portugal had never won a trophy before Ronaldo, then won three in nine years with him, starting with the 2016 European Championship.

He walked out of Portugal's squad mid-tournament after being left on the bench against Norway, a messy exit that earned him a $286 fine.