2025-09-20
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Teams & Leagues
Swedish billionaire Torbjörn Törnqvist purchased the new franchise for over $60 million.
Australian Olympic medallist Nathan Outteridge will serve as the team's skipper.
Led by team boss Iain Percy, the team is the 13th franchise.
Barcelona's new spending cap is €351M, down from €463M in February.
The reduction stems from an auditor rejecting €100M in future VIP box sales.
Real Madrid's limit is €761M, more than double Barcelona's new cap.
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Finance & Investments
The fitness platform was valued at $2.2 billion in a May funding round.
An IPO could launch as early as 2026, depending on market conditions.
The company has grown to 150 million active users across 185 countries.
A potential deal would value the La Liga club at $2.9 billion.
Apollo may not acquire a majority stake initially but would obtain it later.
Current management is expected to stay, though a deal is not guaranteed.
The stadium anchors the Sports Performance Hub (SPH) via an 80-year ground lease.
Located on a 92-acre site, the SPH is slated to open in 18 months.
Investors include former pro athletes Manu Ginobili, Juan Sebastian Veron and Martin Gramatica.
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Media, Broadcasting & Sponsorships
Sky Sports and TNT Sports hold UK rights in a deal worth over $9B until 2028/29.
NBC holds US broadcast rights through 2028 under a six-year, $2.7B agreement.
Netflix recently acquired live sports rights including WWE, NFL games, and boxing.
The asking price is below top teams (~$100M) but above midfield teams (~$20M).
An alternative plan involves premium partners valued between $40M and $50M annually.
The team has already signed Jim Beam and Tommy Hilfiger as partners.
The original partnership began in 2022, before Alcaraz's first Grand Slam win.
The reigning World No. 1 tennis player has won six Grand Slam titles.
The deal is part of BMW's nearly 40-year investment in tennis sponsorship.
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Miscellaneous
Athletes supporting the Ukraine war or linked to the military will be excluded.
Participants will compete without national flags or anthems, and all teams are banned.
The IOC also stated it has never discussed banning Israeli athletes from the Games.
A Bain & Company study finds AI search causes a 15%-25% drop in organic web traffic.
An NFL audit showed the Cowboys (41) and Rams (38) lead in AI visibility scores.
Initial brand audits cost $15,000-$100,000, with over 25 organizations in discussion.
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