FEATURED STORY
Welcome to Courtside x The 4th Quarter.
We have joined forces with Courtside Ventures to launch a new kind of media platform, built for founders, investors, and operators shaping the future of sports and entertainment. The industry is moving fast: technology is disrupting the stack, $100B+ of capital is being deployed across all sports asset classes, and the stakes have never been higher. Courtside x The 4th Quarter exists to provide sharp analysis and unique insights into the global evolution of sports and entertainment.
When we started writing The 4th Quarter, our goal was to reframe how the greater ecosystem sees the business of sports and entertainment. Sports media has no shortage of coverage on team transactions, media rights deals, and front office moves. But we see a bigger picture and an opportunity to become the definitive analytical voice covering this space.
In the last 18 months, we’ve covered the industry’s rapid transformation – from institutional investors taking billion-dollar stakes in leagues and teams to the rise of prediction markets and hundreds of billions in sports betting GMV. Health & wellness has surged through longevity tech and preventative care. NIL is reshaping college athletics, AI is redefining gaming, and collectibles are outperforming the S&P 500.
No longer just a trophy asset, sports and entertainment is now indisputably an institutional-grade asset class. That’s exactly why we’ve teamed up with Courtside Ventures. As early investors in generational companies like The Athletic and StockX, they have front-row seats to the builders and trends reshaping this industry. Now, our venture creates a media platform that will capture this industry in all its depth and scale.
What to Expect
Together, we’re building on what made The 4th Quarter special: consistent, high-signal analysis that helps our readers stay ahead of where the industry’s moving:
Weekly Newsletter: Every Thursday, you’ll get a sharp pulse on the industry. We’ll unpack a trend we’re watching, highlight the most impactful business moves, and share a curated job board for those finding their next career move.
Recent editions include:
Monthly Deep Dive: Once a month, we’ll go deeper – exploring themes that shape the future of sports and entertainment. From the globalization of sports investing to emerging leagues redefining media and distribution, these pieces are designed to help you think like an insider.
If you’d like a preview, check out our Deep Dive on Social Health & Wellness Consumer Startups.
A Note from Us
This is just the beginning. We’re building The 4th Quarter alongside the founders, investors, and operators shaping what comes next. If something we write sparks an idea or there’s a topic you want us to explore, please reach out.
Now, let’s get into the latest in the business of sports and entertainment.
Sid & Suraj
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LEAGUES & TEAMS
Member-owned club Real Madrid considers a new ownership structure to enable external investment (Oct. 16th)
Club taps Key Capital Partners as advisors and law firm Clifford Chance
Plans could split soccer ops and business arm, retaining control; other options include a Bundesliga-style 50+1 model, preserving majority ownership for members [TheAthletic]
Mexico, Jamaica, Costa Rica to join USA bid for 2031 Women’s World Cup (Oct. 21st)
FIFA to ratify the uncontested four-nation bid at its 2026 Congress in Vancouver; tournament expands to 48 teams, featuring 104 matches and 30+ potential US cities
US-led event projected to attract 4.5M fans, target $1B in revenue, up from $570M in 2023 (Australia & New Zealand) [Sportcal]
F1 renews its US Grand Prix contract with COTA through 2034, Formula E partners with M+C Saatchi S&E to lead its global communications (Oct. 16-19th)
Liverpool FC owner Fenway Sports Group (FSG) explores long-term Anfield upgrades (Oct. 16th)
Over $268.4M invested in Anfield renovations, now a 365-day commercial venue
Stadium hosts major concerts each June; future expansion could add capacity as ticket demand grows despite prior cost overruns [SBJ]
English EFL club Bristol City reportedly held investment talks with Saudi GEA chair Turki Alalshikh (Oct. 16th)
Club CEO confirmed discussions with Saudi sports chief; majority owner Steve Lansdown remains open to full or minority investment offers [BBC]
Golden State Warriors’ Jimmy Butler acquires minority stake in NWSL’s San Diego Wave FC (Oct. 21st)
Wave FC was purchased in 2024 by the Levine Leichtman family from Ron Burkle, valued at $120M; move adds to Butler’s investments in lifestyle and wellness [AfroTech]
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M&A & INVESTMENTS
Photo Creds: Unrivaled Sports acquires Drew Brees’ youth flag football league Football ‘N’ America.
NEP Group, an international production company for global sporting and entertainment events, raises $700M in equity funding (Oct. 17th)
Funds to strengthen NEP’s services across major events like the World Cup, Super Bowl, and Olympics; partners include MLS, NFL, PGA Tour, and NASCAR
Investment led by 26North; other investor includes lead shareholder Carlyle Group; NEP advised by Goldman, Latham & Watkins, and Debevoise & Plimpton on funding [SBJ]
DraftKings acquires CFTC-licensed Railbird Technologies to support its prediction markets entry (Oct. 21st)
DraftKings confirms the launch of DraftKings Predictions, a new mobile app spanning event contracts across entertainment, finance, and culture, among other sectors [DraftKings]
Unrivaled Sports, a network of youth sports properties, acquires Football ‘N’ America, adding 24 youth flag football leagues to its portfolio (Oct. 21st)
Deal links FNA athletes to national events like The Gold Jacket Classic and Youth Flag World Championships
FNA co-founder Drew Brees joins as long-term advisor to co-develop programs across Unrivaled’s portfolio [YouthSportsBusinessReport]
Charter Communications (Spectrum) plans to sell RSN Spectrum SportsNet due to its costly local rights deals (Oct. 17th)
Sale hinges on Lakers accepting lower fees; Raine Group hired to manage the process
Network’s Lakers rights deal costs ~$200M annually, most expensive in the NBA; Charter also pays $334M yearly for Dodgers rights [SBJ]
Hudl, a leader in sports performance analysis, acquires Athletic Data Innovations (Oct. 21st)
ADI merges GPS and optical tracking to quantify player workload and efficiency
Acquisition integrates ADI’s human performance algorithms into Hudl Signal for AI insights [Hudl]
Ari Emmanuel’s MARI adds theater ticketing company TodayTix to portfolio to enhance live experiences reach (Oct. 20th)
Deal extends MARI’s reach into theatre and immersive experiences alongside sports and art, spanning the US, UK, and Australia, with over 20M members
PE firm Great Hill Partners exits its 2019 majority stake; TodayTix retains leadership under Brian Fenty [Variety]
MotoGP teams garner investor interest following Liberty Media’s acquisition (Oct. 21st)
~20 groups and individuals said to be exploring MotoGP equity deals in recent months
Team valuations remain in the eight-figure range, far below F1’s 10-figure benchmarks [SBJ]
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STRATEGIC VENTURES
Saudi Arabia aims to bring NFL International Series games to Riyadh (Oct. 20th)
GEA chairman Turki Alalshikh declared intent to host NFL games at the Joy Forum
NFL has explored staging a regular-season game in Abu Dhabi, not yet in Saudi Arabia; Fanatics-led flag football event with Tom Brady/NFL stars set for Riyadh in March 2026 [SportsPro]
NBA launches in-house ‘Creators Court’ social media campaign, partners with Xfinity in multi-year viewing experience partnership (Oct. 20th–21st)
Xfinity joins as the league’s Official TV Service Provider; fans await 1.3K+ games through Sports Zones, Multiview, and low-lag streaming [NBA]
Creators Court will see 250 creators across major platforms integrate NBA storylines into non-sports genres like ASMR, crafts, and food art for organic discovery to ‘hack the algorithm’ [AdAge]
Underdog Sports, a DFS platform, will use prediction markets like Kalshi and Crypto.com to offset betting exposure (Oct. 20th)
Firm will place ‘layoff bets’ on player props and events to manage platform volatility
No formal Kalshi partnership; Underdog trades as a standard institutional participant [Ingame]
Off Court, an athlete-led social media startup, launches with NBA players Darius Garland, Aaron Nesmith, and Payton Pritchard (Oct. 17th)
Players fully own app, controlling monetization, algorithms, and community engagement
Combines Instagram, Patreon, Snapchat, and YouTube features to let athletes post, sell merch, and earn directly; aims to expand beyond NBA to WNBA, college, and other sports [Newsweek]
Good Good Golf, a creator-led media and lifestyle brand, enters multiyear partnership with PGA Tour, kicking off 2026 Austin event (Oct. 20th)
Move follows Good Good’s recent $45M funding round led by Creator Sports Capital
Good Good Championship to run from November 9-15th 2026, at the Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa [PGA]
Peloton partners with mixed-use development Utah City to create its first Peloton-powered residential community (Oct. 17th)
Brings Peloton’s Pro Series equipment to every residential building in Utah City
Each space to feature Bikes, Rows, and Tread+ Pro, plus AI-driven Peloton IQ tech [Athletech]
Alternative sports creator Pro League Network teams with OpticOdds to integrate real-time odds across PLN sports (Oct. 21st)
Deal expands PLN’s reach to sportsbooks in 16+ US states, including NJ, PA, and AZ
Integration brings low-latency betting data to niche events like CarJitsu, Putt Tour, and SlapFight; move builds on partnerships with BetMGM and DraftKings [GamingAmerica]
DAZN partners with media advertising company SMC as its exclusive reseller in MENA (Oct. 17th)
SMC to oversee DAZN’s commercial sales across 19 MENA markets
DAZN MENA named the domestic broadcaster for all Saudi Jockey Club events [SVG]
Platform’s lineup now spans PGA TOUR, Saudi Pro League, Riyadh Season Boxing, and NFL Game Pass [DAZN]
FanDuel, EuroLeague extend broadcasting partnership until 2028, airing 100+ free games yearly in the US (Oct. 20th)
Renewal expands partnership brokered by IMG to boost EuroLeague’s US exposure
Coverage includes weekly games, Playoffs, and Final Four, streamed free across major FAST platforms [Euroleague]
Pro Padel League (PPL), North America’s first pro padel league, partners with fan engagement operating system Komo (Oct. 16th)
Komo powered activations at PPL City’s Cup Finals using its Engagement OS platform
Fans accessed game predictions and branded experiences via QR codes and socials; PPL used first-party data and integrated sponsors like Ultrahuman into interactive panels [SBJ]
Saudi Esports Federation to partner with Riot Games to expand the Kingdom’s esports scene (Oct. 20th)
Aims to make Saudi Arabia a global gaming hub aligned with Vision 2030
SEF signs a MoU for a partnership that includes grassroots tournaments, school programs, and community engagement initiatives [PocketGamer.biz]
European Broadcasting Union (EBU) renews media rights for gymnastics FIG World Championships through 2028 (Oct. 17th)
Spans 20 Euro markets, including Germany’s ARD/ZDF and Italy’s RAI, via free-to-air channels
Coverage extends to artistic, rhythmic, and trampoline gymnastics, adds to decades-long partnership, reinforcing EBU’s Olympic and elite gymnastics dominance [SportsPro]
Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, EBU secures Paralympics highlight rights in pan-European deal (Oct. 16th)
WBD to air Milano-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games highlights across 49 markets
Content to stream on Eurosport, TNT Sports, HBO Max, and discovery+, expanding WBD’s Olympic coverage; follows pact with EBU and IOC through 2032 [WBD]
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JOB BOARD
Here are some cool roles we found and personally curated this week - enjoy!