FEATURED STORY
How OpenAI Is Using Sports As Its Distribution
OpenAI is expected to IPO in late 2026 for a $1 trillion valuation.
Two months ago, Anthropic raised a $30B Series G at a $380B valuation.
Almost every news headline is centered around AI and how it’s revolutionizing humanity as we speak.
But despite how impossible to escape those two letters, their reach isn’t as potent as it seems.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman himself retweeted an interesting X post:
And despite these frontier AI labs claiming that their products are reaching record-high adoption rates, the problem is that AI is surrounded by a cloud of hesitation. People are uncertain about its capabilities, downstream real-world societal impacts, and the plausibility of superintelligence that will distort the world as we know it today.
Simply put, they have a brand issue.
In direct contrast, sports fans pass teams down like family heirlooms. Across geographies and ideologies, people still connect through sports.
AI does not get that same love. If anything, it’s the opposite.
But paradoxically, these exact differences are what make sports so valuable to these AI labs.
If AI labs want trust, societal brand affinity, and cultural relevance, they have to meet the people where they already are.
And that place is sports.
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LEAGUES & TEAMS
Photo: President Trump signs executive order following The White House’s College Sports Roundtable event.
Trump issues executive order targeting NIL, transfers, and eligibility rules across college sports (Apr. 3rd)
Order proposes 5-year eligibility cap, one-time transfer rule, and crackdown on “pay-for-play” NIL with enforcement tied to federal funding
Experts say that because NCAA is a private body, key provisions may be unenforceable and face immediate court challenges [FOS]
Formula E majority owner Liberty Global places an offer for a London-based franchise in NBA Europe (Apr. 6th)
Expresses interest in partnering with MSP Sports Capital or Suns vice-chair Jahm Najafi amid a competitive bidding process [Sky News]
Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer acquires Spain SailGP team Los Gallos through his holdco Quantum Pacific Group (Apr. 9th)
Marks SailGP’s 12th franchise sale of 13, with team valuations ~$60M and league generating $200M+ revenue, 215M global viewers
Ofer expands sports portfolio (Atlético Madrid, Famalicão), as SailGP eyes further expansion to 14+ teams by 2027 and new markets globally [Sportico]
France’s Ligue 1 club Lille becomes Europe’s most profitable club after nearly going bankrupt prior to being taken over by Merlyn Partners (Apr. 4th)
Since 2020 takeover, Lille cut ~€200M debt to zero and generated €170.8M profit over 4 years driven by disciplined cost control and player trading
New model centers on buying, developing, and selling talent, maintaining a 63% wage-to-revenue ratio despite limited TV rights [The Athletic]
WTA Finals set to leave Saudi Arabia after 2026 with Charlotte emerging as next host (Apr. 2nd)
Riyadh deal (2024-2026) unlikely to be extended despite strong financial backing, as geopolitical uncertainty and shifting Saudi sports priorities weigh on renewal
Charlotte has emerged as the frontrunner to host from 2027, marking a potential return of top-tier WTA events to the U.S. for the first time in decades [SportsPro]
LOVB San Francisco, League One Volleyball’s new Bay Area team, expands ownership group ahead of 2027 debut (Apr. 2nd)
Adds high-profile investors (e.g., Steve Kerr, Lexie Hull, and Julie Foudy) alongside a broader women-led ownership group spanning sports, media, and tech
AFC Wimbledon, fan-owned League One club, seeks new fan investment via Republic at £26.8M valuation (Apr. 8th)
Offering ~£68K of equity via crowdfunding (96% already filled), while fan group Dons Trust retains 75% ownership and caps outside investors at 25%
Club posted £2.8M losses in 2025 (vs. £0.9M prior), highlighting ongoing need for capital despite promotion to League One [CityAM]
Ivy League wins Second Circuit ruling which affirms its existing ban on athletic scholarships, rejecting antitrust challenge (Apr. 2nd)
Upheld dismissal of lawsuit claiming Ivy schools “price-fixed” scholarships at $0, citing lack of a defined market and competition from peer schools offering scholarships
Reinforces conference-level autonomy post-NCAA v. Alston, potentially giving other conferences cover to set rules on NIL, transfers, and compensation [Sportico]
Packers are exploring new revenue streams to stay competitive in evolving NFL economics (Apr. 2nd)
Evaluating new revenue streams like facility naming rights and ticket price increases as private capital reshapes team economics
Exploring international opportunities, with Germany emerging as a key market and a potential overseas game (Saints → Paris or Lions → Munich) under consideration [SBJ]
MLB teams are increasingly building in-house media studios as content becomes a core business driver (Apr. 6th)
Teams like the Seattle Mariners are shifting content production in-house to create more authentic, player-driven digital content and deepen fan engagement
Social content is now a key revenue driver, with teams like the Dodgers generating $100M+ in social media value as leagues prioritize digital-first distribution [SBJ]
World Athletics to spin off marathon into standalone annual World Championship starting 2030 (Apr. 7th)
New event to run annually from 2030 (men/women alternating), with marathon fully removed from World Championships by 2031
Opening discussions underway with Athens as inaugural host, while existing Road Running Championships remain separate [Reuters]
Diamond League, a premier global meet series for track & field, postpones Doha season opener to June amid Middle East conflict, shifting 2026 kickoff to Shanghai (Apr. 8th)
Originally set for May 8, Doha meet delayed for safety reasons and moved venues, as regional instability continues to disrupt global sports calendar
2026 season now begins in Shanghai on May 16, with broader ripple effects across sports including F1 race cancellations and event relocations in the Gulf [The Athletic]
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STARTUPS & VENTURE CAPITAL
Photo: Dunkman, a pro dunking league, continues to show the rise of emerging league.
Shaquille O’Neal, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Authentic Brands launch “Dunkman,” a pro dunk league with $500K prize and 24 athletes (Apr. 6th)
League features 24 global dunkers competing across 4 live events, with distribution across TNT, TBS, HBO Max and digital platforms
Backed by Warner, Authentic Brands and Eli Lilly, signaling continued push by media companies to create owned sports IP amid rising rights costs [Variety]
Packz, a gamified collectibles platform, raises $10.7M in total funding (Apr. 8th)
Platform has scaled rapidly to ~$8.1M in monthly pack volume within 6 months, delivering rare trading cards through a gamified digital experience
Investors include Makers Fund, Raine, Courtside Ventures, RiverPark Ventures, and Sharp Alpha [Traded]
Scrum Ventures launches Year 2 of Hokkaido F Village X (HFX), a startup co-creation program linking global startups with Japanese corporates and sports infrastructure (Apr. 2nd)
Year 2 will select ~10 startups across sports tech, mobility, and sustainability, offering real-world deployment, corporate access, and potential investment to accelerate Japan market entry [Scrum Ventures]
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M&A AND INVESTMENTS
Photo: Mike Berlin & Isaac Harrouche met at Blackstone’s Tactical Opportunities desk and now run 154 Partners together.
154 Partners, a Blitzer-backed PE firm, closes $400M debut fund targeting sports and live events businesses (Apr. 8th)
Fund hit hard cap, focusing on lower middle-market companies (e.g., event ops, services) generating $2M-$20M EBITDA
Strategy targets “picks-and-shovels” of sports ecosystem rather than teams, backing founder-owned businesses with growth capital [Bloomberg]
Paramount Skydance secures ~$24B from GCC sovereign wealth funds to back $111B Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition (Apr. 6th)
Saudi PIF committing ~$10B, with Qatar and Abu Dhabi Funds securing the balance, reducing Larry Ellison’s equity burden
Funds take non-voting stakes (<25% each), aiming to avoid CFIUS/FCC scrutiny as deal targets close by Q3 2026 [Variety]
Publicis Groupe acquires 160over90, WME’s global sports marketing agency, for $500M+ (Apr. 2nd)
Adds 670+ employees and global event expertise, strengthening Publicis’ push into the $150B sports media market
Deal includes strategic partnership with WME to integrate talent, IP and content into Publicis’ marketing ecosystem [Deadline]
Giannis Antetokounmpo buys stake in IM8, a longevity supplement brand by David Beckham, boosting global expansion push toward $180-200M revenue target (Apr. 2nd)
IM8 has scaled to $100M ARR within 11 months, with 750K+ customers across 31 countries and 22M+ servings distributed since launch
Giannis joins as equity holder alongside Beckham, Aryna Sabalenka and Ollie Bearman, leveraging 35M+ followers to drive global growth [Athletech]
Bryson DeChambeau-led group acquires Sportsbox AI, a 3D biomechanics golf app, in an eight-figure deal (Apr. 8th)
Uses single-camera tech to generate 3D swing data, with AI features (SAMI) built on Google Cloud to enhance coaching and performance
DeChambeau acquires full company to expand access to data-driven coaching globally; team remains intact [SBJ]
Bay Collective (Sixth Street-backed women’s football platform) acquires majority stake in Sunderland AFC Women, expanding multi-club model (Apr. 7th)
Sunderland Women becomes Bay Collective’s 2nd club alongside Bay FC; investment focused on players, infrastructure and academy development
Sunderland AFC retains minority stake [Sixth Street]
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STRATEGIC VENTURES
Photo: LIV Golf inks prediction markets partnership with Novig - who recently raised a $75M Series B.
LIV Golf partners with Novig, a sports-focused prediction market, for first-ever prediction market integration at a live golf event (Apr. 8th)
Novig branding appears on player kits (e.g., Jon Rahm, Dustin Johnson), marking first prediction market activation at a live pro golf event
Partnership extends to custom tournament markets, social content, and a $500K in-app contest tied to major week [LIV Golf]
LALIGA taps Polymarket as its official and exclusive prediction market partner in North America (Apr. 2nd)
Becomes first European soccer league to partner with Polymarket in the U.S. and Canada
Partnership includes premium broadcast integrations, digital & social programming, and fan experiences (VIP access, virtual meets-and-greets) [LALIGA]
NBA taps PrizePicks as official daily fantasy partner of the league (Apr. 7th)
Grants PrizePicks rights to NBA IP across its fantasy and free-to-play products, including league, team, and event marks on its platform
Partnership includes co-marketing across NBA media channels and NBPA player image rights [PrizePicks]
ADI Predictstreet named official prediction market partner of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ (Apr. 2nd)
Becomes FIFA’s first-ever prediction market partner, integrating forecasting experiences and the official World Cup bracket challenge globally
Platform will use official FIFA data to power real-time predictions with built-in integrity monitoring and safeguards for fair participation [Inside FIFA]
Source Media Group launches Source Golf, a creator-led YouTube network, aggregating top golf creators for scaled ad inventory (Apr. 6th)
Combines creators like DeChambeau, Horvat and Bryan Bros into one single network
Turning fragmented creator audiences into one scalable media buy as YouTube now leads U.S. TV streaming among 18-49 viewers [SVG]
Fanatics Collectibles secures exclusive NFL / NFLPA trading card rights, bringing Topps back to Football (Apr. 2nd)
Multi-year deal grants Fanatics exclusive rights to NFL/NFLPA IP (logos, uniforms, players) with global distribution; marks Topps’ first licensed NFL cards since 2016
First release (2025 Topps Chrome Football) debuts April 15, featuring 1/1 rookie patch autos and game-worn NFL Honors shield cards tied to top players [NFL]
Main Street Sports Network to shut down, releasing NBA & NHL teams from local media deals (Apr. 3rd)
Network will cease operations after NBA regular season (13 teams) and first round of NHL playoffs (7 teams), ending local rights deals across 20 teams
NBA and NHL teams reportedly have not received rights payments this year, with partial reimbursements expected as the network winds down [ESPN]
Mercury13 partners with PlayMaker to power sponsorship operations across women’s football portfolio (Apr. 1st)
Deploys PlayMaker across Mercury13’s clubs (FC Como Women, Bristol City Women, FC Badalona Women) to centralize sponsorship sales, activations, and reporting [Mercury13]
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JOB BOARD
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Now - here are some cool roles we found and personally curated this week. Enjoy!