2026-01-26
💸
Finance & Investments
Golf-focused investment firm Old Tom Capital recently submitted a preliminary bid valuing the company at roughly $3B.
Current owner Centroid, a Korean private equity firm, seeks a strategic deal to accelerate the brand’s future growth.
The equipment maker partners with star Tiger Woods and was last purchased for $1.7B in 2021.
The transaction values the platform at $400M and follows a period of uncertain negotiations.
LiveBarn broadcasts youth hockey and other sports from 1,900 facilities for families unable to attend.
GTCR aims to capitalize on the $40B youth sports sector, which has seen massive growth.
The department generated $215M in revenue, keeping the university alongside top earners like Ohio State.
Media rights deals contributed $75.9M to the total, rising $11.5M from the previous year.
The football program served as the main financial engine, delivering a profit of $51.5M.
The fund plans to finance ten multipurpose arenas in African cities to support economic growth.
It mixes capital from African athletes, development banks, and governments to fund these projects.
Financial advisory firm Premier Invest presented the initiative to policymakers at a summit in Morocco.
📺
Media, Broadcasting & Sponsorships
Division I universities can sell sponsorship patches on jerseys and equipment starting August 1.
The rule covers the regular season and College Football Playoff but excludes official NCAA championship events.
Schools can display logos up to 4 square inches to generate new revenue from corporate sponsors.
LinkedIn reports a 31% increase in professional athletes joining the platform since 2021.
Stars use the site to highlight non-profit work and prepare for careers after sports.
🏆
Teams & Leagues
CEO Dana White doubled top performance rewards to $100K and added $25K payments for stopping fights early.
This strategy launches alongside a new seven-year, $7.7B media partnership with entertainment giant Paramount.
Management wants to boost viewer engagement by reducing boring matches that end in judge decisions.
US investment firm Knighthead and UAE-based 885 Capital are now the lead owners of the MMA organization.
Founder Donn Davis is stepping down as chairman after establishing the league as a top rival to the UFC.
The new owners provided fresh capital to pay off debt and help the sports league grow globally.
Oceania Football Confederation Launches First International League To Professionalize Regional Clubs
The new competition unites eight clubs from seven nations to give smaller island teams access to global tournaments.
A reported $20M Saudi sponsorship funds the project, making professional sports viable for these developing island nations.
This cross-border model serves as a crucial test case for potential future league mergers in Europe and Africa.
🎁
Miscellaneous
The President criticized halftime acts Bad Bunny and Green Day because they publicly oppose his political agenda.
He cited distance to the Santa Clara, Calif. venue as the official reason for missing the Feb. 8 game.
League officials defended the booking decisions despite past friction between the President and the scheduled artists.
If you have any comments or feedback, just respond to this email!
Was this email forwarded to you? Then sign up here to receive the Daily Playbook in your inbox every weekday.