LEAGUES & TEAMS
Photo: LIV Golf will sell stakes in its franchises for the first time.
LIV Golf seeks two ~$300M franchise sales to outside investors for the first time; LIV confirms return to New York in 2026 (Jan. 23rd, 28th)
Citigroup tapped to run the sale process; control/non-control stake options could sell as early as this year
College Football Playoff keeps 12-team format for 2026 as expansion talks stall (Jan. 23rd)
Guarantees automatic bids to Power Four champions and a spot for Notre Dame if ranked in the top 12
Expansion to 16+ teams remains unresolved amid disagreement between the SEC and Big Ten, leaving ESPN’s $7.8B media deal under current format [AP]
NBA prepares to open data room for potential European league backers (Jan. 26th)
Expected to be opened to select private equity and strategic investors; includes RedBird Capital, CVC, Blackstone, and General Atlantic
Signals the NBA’s transition from exploratory discussions to a more formal capital-raising process for a potential European league [SBJ]
Sergio Ramos-led group set to take over Sevilla enters exclusivity talks (Jan. 26th)
LOI signed; three-month exclusivity to complete due diligence on finances for the ~$469.2M bid
Bid may be backed by Five Eleven Capital and US-based JB Capital; Ramos becomes the face of the deal, with a smaller stake than other investors in the group [TheAthletic]
NBA extends Abu Dhabi partnership with $300M+, nine-year deal; strengthens the city’s stake in NBA’s European league expansion (Jan. 22nd)
Signs long-term extension with Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) to continue hosting preseason games and launch a new NBA Global Academy in the UAE capital
DCT has close ties to Manchester City and Mubadala, positioning to be a potential stakeholder in future NBA-backed European franchises [AP]
Alpine F1 Team draws investor interest from consortium led by former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner (Jan. 26th)
Expressed interest in acquiring equity as existing shareholder Otro Capital holds exploratory talks to sell its 24% stake; Renault Group owns the remaining 76%
Alpine was valued at ~$2.08B by Forbes last year [SportsPro]
MLS reaffirms Apple TV strategy despite early end to $2.5B global media deal (Jan. 26th)
Priority remains expanding reach and accessibility on Apple’s platform through the remaining term of the partnership
Underscores MLS’s flexibility on future media strategy while continuing to leverage Apple’s scale during a pivotal growth period [SportsPro]
Amr Zedan in talks over potential acquisition of English Championship League club Preston North End FC (Jan. 24th)
US-Saudi investor, previously linked to the Chelsea FC sale process, has explored a minority investment to support Preston’s long-term Premier League ambitions
Discussions have stalled as the club continues a broader capital review led by Rothschild following the Hemmings family’s mandate [Sky News]
PFL, FOX partner enter a multi-year media rights deal spanning Mexico and Central America (Jan. 27th)
Deal includes 24 live PFL events to air across Mexico & Central America in 2026; covers 16 PFL Global cards plus 8 regional events (MENA & Africa) on Canal FOX, Tubi, and Fox One [PFL]
Ospreys owner, Y11 Sport and Media, set to acquire rival Cardiff as WRU eyes three-team structure (Jan. 22nd)
Deal could reduce Welsh pro rugby to three teams: Cardiff, Scarlets, Dragons; Ospreys’ pro status beyond the 2026‑27 season remains uncertain [BBC]
TopSeries Pickleball debuts a new EMEA-focused international pro circuit as the sport expands globally (Jan. 22nd)
First pro circuit to host pickleball competitions across Europe, Middle East, and Africa
Built around flagship events in major cities, with standardized prize pools and a centralized ranking system for pro and semi-pro players [SportsPro]
NCAA approves jersey patch sponsorships for Division I schools (Jan. 26th)
Division I programs can add up to two commercial logos on uniforms and apparel (plus one on equipment), creating a new sponsorship inventory outside of NCAA championship events [SportsPro]
UK streamer ITV secures Nations Championship rugby rights in a $119.7M deal (Jan. 27th)
ITV to air 2026 & 2028 tournaments plus Summer and Autumn Nations tests
Agreement makes ITV UK’s main FTA home of international rugby union [SportsPro]
↓
STARTUPS & VENTURE CAPITAL
Photo: Sports memorabilia authenticator The Realest raises $12M.
The Realest, a sports memorabilia authenticator, raises $12M in Growth funding (Jan. 28th)
Funds to expand league, player associations, and team deals; plans to grow e-commerce beyond high-end collectibles
Investment led by EnOne Ventures; other investors include Elysian Park Ventures, the PGA of America, and KB Partners, among others; follows a $4.4M Seed round in 2024 [SBJ]
CAA spins out Connect Ventures as a standalone VC firm, targeting early-stage sports, media, and wellness investments (Jan. 26th)
New fund will lead or co-lead Seed and Series A rounds, writing $5M-$15M checks for companies at the intersection of technology, commerce, and culture
Leadership includes former Lightspeed partner Nicole Quinn and CAA executive Michael Blank; early investments include TMRW Sports and Music.AI [Page Six Hollywood]
AO Ventures, AO & Tennis Australia’s VC arm, unveils its four startup investments from its ~$40M fund (Jan. 27th)
Investments include Bolt6, Raven Controls, Mindspring Padel, and Padel Haus, spanning AI-fueled officiating & broadcast, venue management, and Padel operators; fund targets 20 early-stage startup investments [AO]
Former Dogpound CEO Jenny Liu launches Crush It Ventures, a new $5M early-stage fund backing health & wellness startups (Jan. 22nd)
Backing pre-seed & seed-stage wellness startups spanning mental health, fitness, beauty, and hospitality; investments include smart wearable Elemind & CPG Caliwater
Dogpound is a celebrity-backed luxury gym brand with locations in NYC & LA [TC]
Whistle Performance, a sports data & analytics software provider, raises $2M in Seed funding (Jan. 26th)
Firm rebrands from GPS DataViz; platform aggregates multi-source performance data and uses AI/ML for personalized training, injury reduction, and real-time insights
Investment backed by Hockey HOFer Joe Thornton and Okta’s Frederic Kerrest; clients include the Steelers, Orlando Pride, LOVB, and USC women’s basketball, among others [FinSMEs]
Faves, an athlete marketing & endorsement platform, raises $3M in Seed funding (Jan. 23rd)
Operates as a distribution engine connecting brands and athletes for scalable partnerships, campaign execution, and performance tracking
Investment led by CMT Digital and Collider Ventures [SBJ]
MyARC, an operating system for online fitness creators, raises $2M+ in funding (Jan. 26th)
Enables fitness creators to deliver personalized coaching at scale using automation, AI-driven programming, and built-in monetization tools
Investment led by Araya Ventures; other investors include Morgan Stanley, Techstars, and G Fund [FinSMEs]
↓
M&A AND INVESTMENTS
Photo: CVC’s Global Sports Group acquires Equine Network for $300M.
CVC’s Global Sport Group nears $300M acquisition of Equine Network, a US-based equestrian league (Jan. 26th)
Operates ~40 competitions across equestrian disciplines, encompassing more than 800 third-party–run events alongside media and data assets
Marks the first investment by CVC’s Global Sport Group, extending its strategy into niche sports with loyal audiences and recurring media and sponsorship revenues [SportsPro]
Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) reportedly seeks $1B to create a new commercial framework aimed at reforming pro tennis (Jan. 22nd)
Proposal outlines a three-tier global tour structure anchored by a “Pinnacle Tour”; features select elite events, consolidated media rights, and greater athlete pay
PTPA currently embroiled in ongoing legal action against the ATP, WTA, ITF, and Grand Slams, alleging “systemic abuse and anti-competitive practices” [SportsPro]
KKR nears a $3B deal to acquire a stake in CVC’s Global Sport Group (Jan. 29th)
Investment targets major sports assets, including Six Nations Rugby, WTA, and La Liga
KKR as front runner, other firms in the mix may include Ares Management, among others [PEInsights]
Private equity firm GTCR acquires Livebarn, an amateur & youth sports streaming service, for $400M (Jan. 20th, 23rd)
Operates a subscription-based livestreaming platform for youth and amateur sports across thousands of North American venues
Deal follows GTCR’s recent launch of Ascent Sports Group, its new platform targeting consolidation in youth and amateur sports tech [Globe and Mail] [GTCR]
Anta Sports agrees to a 29% stake acquisition for Puma, valued at $1.78B (Jan. 27th)
Deal makes Anta Puma’s largest shareholder, with no immediate full takeover planned
Part of Anta’s expansion strategy, joining Puma with Fila, Wilson, and Arc’teryx, among others [SportsPro]
KKR-owned Varsity Brands funds ~$505M acquisition of TBD sports apparel brand (Jan. 13th)
Target described as a soccer-focused sports apparel company serving large, premier U.S. youth clubs
Transaction financed through a $400M term loan, $60M incremental ABL revolver, and ~$45M of cash on hand [Moody’s]
Former Eurosports & JPM MDs launch Athvance Capital, a new European sports investment platform (Jan. 21st)
Focused on emerging and under-commercialised sports IP as well as tech & service providers
Investments made include ve2.ventures, Estrella Football Group, Queen & King of the Court, and Padel Copa [Athvance Capital]
Orreco, a sports science & athlete performance company, acquires Jennis, the women’s athlete app founded by Olympic champion Jessica Ennis-Hill (Jan. 26th)
Jennis provides training, health, and performance tools tailored to female athletes
Expands Orreco’s performance platform into women-specific physiology and wellness, complementing its existing work with elite teams and athletes [SBJ]
The Chernin Group acquires a minority stake in Goalhanger, the firm behind the ‘The Rest is Football’ podcast (Jan. 28th)
Move seeks to grow UK-based podcast network into the US market, develop IP, and expand formats; network also includes The Rest Is History, The Rest Is Politics, and The Rest Is Science
Adds to Chernin’s investments in Barstool Sports, The Athletic, and award-winning Audiochuck [HollywoodReporter]
Pixellot, an AI-automated streaming and analytics youth sports camera platform, secures $35M in funding (Jan. 26th)
Funds to fuel AIaaS revenue-share model that removes upfront camera costs for schools/clubs; includes $15M equity and $20M in venture debt
Equity investment backed by PSG Equity [Pixellot]
Youth sports media platform Prep Network receives equity backing from Mavs head coach Jason Kidd (Jan. 27th)
Follows Maple Park Capital Partners’ estimated $30M investment; Kidd joins Prep Network board and Maple Park as operating advisor
Firm expects to ramp up acquisitions; Kidd’s portfolio includes stakes in Everton FC, USL’s Oakland Roots, and USL W’s Oakland Soul Sports Club [FOS]
Dave.Sport, a tech-led sports media group, acquires stake in S&E content monetization platform Snack Media to fuel UK growth (Jan. 26th)
‘Six-figure deal’ adds 250+ sports sites and social channels, with an audience now at 40M+ fans/month; Dave.Sport unveils a converted double-decker bus production studio
Snack Media’s top brands include GiveMeSport, Fancast, and SecondsOut [SBCNews]
WSC sports, an automated sports video tech firm, acquires digital sponsorship activation platform Partnerbrite (Jan. 28th)
Deal estimated to be worth ~$10M; Partnerbrite to continue under its current brand and provide tech infrastructure for sponsorships via digital channels
WSC’s clients include the NBA, La Liga, and ESPN, among others [CTech]
Talent rep firm Range Sports acquires live event agency Superfly, expands experiential marketing, rebrands firm to ‘Superfly, a Range Company’ (Jan. 27th)
Marks Range’s sixth acquisition since 2022; newly established live events division could boost Range’s headcount to ~100
Superfly’s clients include Nike, Microsoft, and Netflix; Range has worked with PepsiCo, Transamerica, and EY [Variety]
Omnidirectional VR treadmill brand Virtuix debuts on Nasdaq, secures $11M Growth investment (Jan. 27th)
Trades under VTIX; funds to support marketing and sales growth for its Omni One, spanning consumer gaming and defense training
Firm raises $11M from Chicago Venture Partners and a $50M equity line of credit [Athletech]
↓
STRATEGIC VENTURES
Photo: X Games League partners with MoonPay and Stake as it debuts its new league this year.
[X Games] League announces four inaugural ‘X Games Clubs’; taps Stake as its official casino and sportsbook partner; partners with crypto payment infrastructure company MoonPay (Jan. 22nd-26th)
Four inaugural city-based teams from NY, LA, Sao Paulo, and Tokyo ahead of the league's Sacramento event; team owners to be disclosed soon
Real-time odds to be integrated into live broadcasts using Alt Sports Data; XGL events will also stream on Kick, a Stake-owned livestreaming platform
The Washington Post considers cutting its sports division amid mass layoffs, meanwhile California Post seeks to ramp up top LA sports hires (Jan. 26th)
Reportedly, hundreds of staff could be cut; sports desk at risk
WP pulled Olympic travel; won’t send reporters to 2026 Milan Cortina Games
Sports prediction market Novig applies for CFTC registration (Jan. 26th)
Firm would partner with Ludlow Exchange LLC, with Co-founders Jacob Fortinsky and Kelechi Ukah to serve as directors; move follows Novig’s $18M Series A last November
Would mark the firm's third strategic shift: from Colorado sportsbook to dual-currency sweepstakes to federally governed exchange [Sportico]
MLS taps Polymarket as its first Authorized Prediction Market (Jan. 26th)
Deal grants data, marketing rights; MLS gets approval power over markets & integrity controls [Sportico]
Genius Sports partners with Infront Sports, a global sports marketing agency, to launch BetVision for live betting in tennis (Jan. 22nd)
Integrates real-time betting odds, data visuals, and interactive wagering directly into live tennis broadcasts
Product will be distributed across Infront’s global tennis rights portfolio, expanding BetVision beyond football [Genius Sports]
X Games League taps Stake as its official casino and sportsbook partner (Jan. 22nd)
Real-time odds to be integrated into live broadcasts using Alt Sports Data
XGL events and draft will stream on Kick, a Stake-owned livestreaming platform, with ESPN remaining the linear broadcast partner [SBJ]
FloSports, a niche sports streamer, partners with ‘Willow by Cricbuzz’ for US cricket rights (Jan. 23rd)
Coverage spans major global cricket events, including the Big Bash, SA20, NZ-India T20, and ICC U19 World Cup
Expands FloSports portfolio to 25+ sports, including rugby, wrestling, grappling, and hockey, among others [FloSports]
Sony Pictures Networks India acquires DP World Tour media rights for 2026-2028 seasons (Jan. 22nd)
Deal spans India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka
SPNI secures exclusive TV + digital rights; deal covers 20+ countries’ events, including the Rolex Series, Hero Indian Open, and the DP World India Championship [SportCal]
Alex Morgan-backed TOGETHXR announces an equity investment and strategic partnership with female-founded unconventional sports media platform Sportsish (Jan. 28th)
Sportsish to retain independence and leverage TOGETHXR’s infrastructure to amplify both brands [TOGETHXR]
Fanatics joins newly launched Zuffa Boxing as e-commerce partner (Jan. 22nd)
Fanatics to exclusively operate Zuffa’s online store and collaborate on apparel, headwear, memorabilia, and officially licensed trading cards via Topps [SBJ]
Man City taps innovative LED tech solutions company Unilumin for the club’s Etihad campus expansion (Jan. 22nd)
Unilumin to supply large-scale LED screens for new fan entertainment district; deal expands prior stadium LED deal (2022) that powers Man City’s premium pitchside media [Unilumin]