Record setting viewership and attendance combined with new technology further illustrate sports power to engage consumers across platforms.
Warner Bros., DC Comics Characters Team Up For NHL Simulcast (Changing Video Consumption Habits / Building Businesses Around Disruptive Technology)
- Warner Bros. Discovery, TNT Sports, and the NHL are collaborating for the first live animated simulcast of a pro hockey game, featuring characters from Warner Bros. and DC Comics such as Batman, Wonder Woman, and Bugs Bunny, in the MultiVersus NHL Face-Off. The game will air on TruTV and stream on the B/R Sports add-on for Max, featuring the Colorado Avalanche versus the Vegas Golden Knights.
- The event will include animated avatars of top players from both teams and virtual environments from the MultiVersus game, such as the Space Jam Court and Adventure Time Tree Fort. The presentation aims to merge iconic characters in a hockey setting, with the MultiVersus game itself set to release later, showcasing WB characters in a format akin to Nintendo's Super Smash Bros.
- This innovative approach to broadcasting sports is part of a broader trend of leagues exploring new ways to engage audiences, with previous examples including animated NFL games with Disney and special Nickelodeon editions of NFL games. The MultiVersus NHL Face-Off marks TNT Sports' entrance into animated sports simulcasts and aligns with its rebranding efforts for TruTV as a sports channel.
- The Masters and IBM are enhancing the use of generative AI (Gen AI) for this year's tournament, introducing Spanish language commentary for every shot alongside English commentary debuted last year, and offering data-driven insights through the official app and website. This marks a significant expansion in the tournament's technological offerings, including over 20,000 shots covered by automated commentary.
- IBM's Watsonx platform uses multiple foundation models for training AI algorithms in the language of golf, emphasizing the sport's traditions. The algorithms generate commentary with varied sentence structures and vocabulary to make the audio clips informative and engaging, available in both English and Spanish for a broader audience.
- A new feature called "Hole Insights" provides live, data-driven analysis of individual shots, using natural language processing (NLP) to offer detailed projections and insights for every hole. This feature, a first for The Masters, transforms statistics and observations into easily understandable text, enhancing the viewing experience with real-time analysis, such as the likelihood of scoring based on historical data.
- David Ellison, CEO of Skydance Media, is in talks to acquire National Amusements, which controls CBS parent Paramount Global, in a complex transaction where Redstone would receive over $2 billion in cash before Paramount Global acquires Skydance in an all-stock deal valued at about $5 billion. This could lead to Ellison heading the new entity.
- The deal discussion follows Paramount Global's ended talks with Warner Bros. Discovery and comes as Paramount Global faces financial pressures, including a near two-thirds stock value drop since Sumner Redstone's death in 2020 and a downgrade of its debt to junk status by S&P Global Ratings.
- The proposed merger faces skepticism from investors and other interested parties, with significant concerns about its benefits to Shari Redstone over other investors, potential shareholder lawsuits, and a 7.6% drop in Paramount Global stock following the news. This merger could consolidate major sports media rights and content production under one corporate umbrella, including NFL rights and the documentary unit behind projects like "Kelce" on Amazon Prime Video.
- The St. Louis Battlehawks set a new United Football League (UFL) attendance record with 40,317 spectators at The Dome at America’s Center during their game against the Arlington Renegades, surpassing the previous record of 38,310 from a game between the same teams in the 2023 XFL season.
- The Battlehawks' recent game's attendance nearly matched the combined total of all four UFL opening weekend games, highlighting a significant interest in the team, in contrast to other UFL games, such as the San Antonio Brahmas versus Memphis Showboats, which attracted 8,791 attendees. Despite lower overall league attendances, the UFL is optimistic about future improvements.
- Beyond attendance figures, the UFL announced a partnership with the United States Army as the presenting partner of the league, aiming to collaborate on leadership development, community engagement, and raising awareness of opportunities within both the Army and UFL. The US Army logo will be featured on all UFL gameday jerseys and at midfield in stadiums.
- The Mets' home game against the Tigers reported an attendance of 16,853, the lowest non-COVID crowd at Citi Field since its opening in 2009, suggesting fans might be expressing their dissatisfaction with the team's roster quality by not attending games. This drop comes despite the team drawing an average of 31,772 fans in 2023 and selling 111,508 tickets for the first four home games of the current season, including a significantly lower turnout for an Easter Sunday game and the noted Monday game.
- Mets owner Steve Cohen, known for his willingness to invest in the team, acknowledged that spending money does not guarantee a championship in MLB, highlighting the challenges of building a team through free agency due to the aging nature of players and the complexities of dealing with agents. Cohen emphasizes the importance of developing talent similarly to his approach in his hedge fund business.
- Cohen views owning the Mets as a civic responsibility aimed at making millions of people happy, considering it akin to philanthropy. Despite this, he acknowledges the practicality that no one desires to continuously lose money or invest without seeing success, framing his ownership and investment in the team within a broader context of community service and personal fulfillment.
- The NCAA women's basketball championship game in which South Carolina defeated Iowa attracted an unprecedented 18.7 million viewers, setting a new record for women's college basketball viewership and peaking at 24 million, making it the most-watched basketball game since 2019 across all levels and genders.
- This championship game not only topped previous basketball records but also became the most-watched spring sporting event excluding football and the Olympics since 2019, and the second most-watched non-Olympic women's sporting event ever, just behind the 2015 Women’s World Cup Final.
- Interest in women's college basketball has surged, with Iowa breaking viewership records three times in the last week alone, culminating in the championship game's viewership, which saw an 89% increase from last year's final and a 285% increase from the 2022 championship, highlighting growing support that may extend to the WNBA as stars like Caitlin Clark move to professional play.
- The women's Final Four matchup between UConn and Iowa became the most-watched women’s college basketball game in history, with ESPN announcing an average viewership of 14.2 million, peaking at 17 million, featuring stars Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers. This game broke several records, including being ESPN’s most-watched basketball game across any level and the second-most-watched non-football telecast on the network.
- The entire women's Final Four averaged 10.8 million viewers, a 138% increase from the previous year, setting another viewership record. The interest in women's basketball has surged, with this year's Final Four potentially rivaling or even topping recent men's Final Four viewing numbers, highlighted by the growing audience for the women's tournament overall.
- Despite the success, the women's tournament has historically faced significant inequities, both from the NCAA and broadcast partners. However, the NCAA and ESPN recently signed an eight-year, $920 million media contract extension, valuing women's March Madness at $65 million per year, indicating potential future improvements and recognition of the event's value.
- Fox's Saturday night coverage of the 2024 MLB opening weekend, featuring Yankees-Astros, led with 2.53 million viewers, marking a 14% increase from last season and achieving Fox’s third-best regular-season viewership figure of 2023. ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball" also saw a rise, with Cardinals-Dodgers drawing 1.82 million viewers, a 17% increase from the previous year's opener and making it the second-highest "SNB" telecast of the last season.
- FS1 and MLB Network both reported significant viewership gains for their games, with FS1's Braves-Phillies game attracting 672,000 viewers, its best since 2021, and MLB Network's five-game average being its best since 2021, led by Brewers-Mets.
- MLB.TV experienced its most-watched four-day period ever with over 436 million minutes viewed, a 6% increase from the first four days of the 2023 season, and set a record for the most-watched game with the Yankees’ opener against the Astros. The MLB App saw over 30 million visits, and MLB’s social media accounts gained a record number of followers and engagements for an opening weekend.
- The Easter match between Manchester City and Arsenal became the most-watched Premier League game in US history, with an average viewership of 2.12 million across NBC, Peacock, and NBC Sports Digital platforms, making it the first English-language game in the US to exceed two million viewers.
- The game also set a record for the most-streamed simulcast match in the US, with an average minute audience (AMA) of 547,000 viewers. Including Spanish-language viewership on Telemundo, the total audience delivery (TAD) reached 2.59 million viewers.
- This record-breaking viewership surpasses the previous record of 1.96 million for a match between Liverpool and Arsenal in December. The game's success reflects NBC Sports' effective broadcast partnership with the Premier League, which was extended in November 2021 through a six-year deal worth approximately $2.7 billion.
- The 2024 NCAA men's basketball championship game between UConn and Purdue at State Farm Stadium in Glendale attracted a near-record crowd of 74,423, making it the third highest attendance for a championship game and contributing to a two-day total of 149,143, the fifth highest ever.
- UConn defeated Purdue 75-60 in the final, with the Huskies showcasing strong offensive and defensive plays, leading them to win back-to-back national titles, a feat last achieved by the Florida Gators in the 2000s. UConn's player Tristen Newton scored 20 points, topping the team's performance.
- The matchup featured top amateur talents like Donovan Clingan from UConn and Zach Edey from Purdue, with UConn outperforming Purdue in shooting accuracy and rebounds, thus securing a dominant victory and affirming the growing popularity and competitive level of men's college basketball.
- The French Ice Hockey Federation (FFHG) has partnered with Sportway Media Group to create a new streaming platform dedicated to showcasing matches from Ligue Magnus, the French Cup, national team games, and junior competitions.
- This five-year agreement aims to stream over 1,000 senior ice hockey games, significantly increasing the accessibility and visibility of the sport in France.
- Sportway and the FFHG plan to further develop the platform for the upcoming season and engage in media agreements to enhance the exposure of French ice hockey both nationally and internationally.
- The Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) and the French Rugby Federation (FFR) will launch a new women's sevens series this year, with professional services firm In Extenso as the sponsor, mirroring their support for a men’s sevens series started in 2020.
- The inaugural women's series will begin with a qualifying stage on August 30 and 31, featuring teams from the Élite 1 15s competition for the 2024-25 season, including the two teams relegated from the top tier in the current season.
- Following the qualifiers, the top four teams will advance to the final stage, which will be held in conjunction with the men’s grand final event at Paris La Défense Arena on February 1, integrating women's competition into a major rugby event.
- Dude Perfect, a popular sports stunt group with 60 million YouTube subscribers, announced a strategic partnership with Highmount Capital, including a nine-figure investment to support the creation of a new headquarters in Frisco, Texas, intended as a hub for fans, athletes, and creators.
- This partnership aims to expand Dude Perfect's offerings by developing real-life products and experiences, further engaging their audience through a new streaming app, and celebrating their journey with a new ESPN 30 for 30 documentary premiering at the Dallas International Film Festival.
- Highmount Capital values the substantial trust Dude Perfect has built with families and brands over 15 years, recognizing their potential for continued success given their vast reach and engagement through content that consistently attracts billions of views.
- Centre Court Capital, a new venture fund based in Mumbai, is raising a $42 million fund focused on sports tech and gaming startups, with significant backing from the family trust of Indian billionaire Sajjan Jindal, owner of JSW Sports.
- Mustafa Ghouse, the general partner of the fund, is a former CEO of JSW Sports and a professional tennis player who competed in the Davis Cup for India and earned a bronze medal at the Asian Games.
- Ghouse was instrumental in establishing the Inspire Institute of Sport, a facility aimed at training Olympic hopefuls, highlighting his continued influence and commitment in the sports sector.
- Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta has reiterated his interest in acquiring an NHL team for Houston, discussing potential benefits including economic boosts for downtown from the 41 home games an NHL team would bring.
- Fertitta is also considering bringing a WNBA franchise back to Houston, recognizing the positive impact and relevance of women's sports, especially given the historical presence of the Houston Comets from 1997 to 2008.
- Current NHL expansion dynamics suggest Fertitta might have to seek an expansion team as other franchise moves are solidifying, including the potential relocation of the Coyotes to Salt Lake City by their prospective new owner, Ryan Smith.
- Women’s Elite Rugby (WER) announced plans to launch the first professional women's rugby league in the U.S. in 2025, with an initial setup of six to eight teams and strategic plans for expansion. The launch is partly in response to the unsustainable amateur pay-to-play model and aims to provide domestic playing opportunities for elite players who currently go overseas.
- The formation of WER, heralded by the "Ignite the Change" campaign started in 2022, aims to transition from the amateur Women’s Premier League to professional status, enhancing support for women’s rugby ahead of major events like the 2028 L.A. Games and the 2033 Women’s Rugby World Cup.
- Preliminary funding and planning steps include securing 50% of pre-seed funding from private investors and engaging in early discussions with broadcasters and sponsors. The governance structure will leverage experiences from professional rugby to develop sustainable business, coaching, and leadership strategies, fostering a robust grassroots ecosystem to inspire future generations.
- Simon Sports, a Michigan-based investment firm, has partnered with The Players Impact (TPI) to create a joint venture aimed at global expansion of TPI's athlete-backed investment community, furthering TPI's mission and providing athletes with enhanced deal flow opportunities.
- Aside from TPI, Simon Sports has actively invested in sports teams, including leading a significant investment in Ipswich Town Football Club alongside Bright Path Sports and acquiring the Halifax Mooseheads hockey team, demonstrating a broad and strategic approach to sports investments.
- Founded in 2022 by Sam Simon and his son Peter, Simon Sports operates under Simon Group Holdings which has diverse interests including oil, gas, and real estate. The firm plans to expand its sports portfolio, including tech investments like a fan engagement platform backed by Mark Cuban and a golf fitness app.
- Unrivaled Sports, co-founded by Josh Harris, David Blitzer, and The Chernin Group, has recently acquired YTH Sports, a company that operates elite youth soccer programs such as the Soccer Youth All-American Games. YTH's founder, Scott Hacker, will remain in a leadership role and retain a minority stake in the company.
- YTH Sports will integrate into Unrivaled Sports under the supervision of Wade Martin, CEO of Unrivaled’s baseball division. Martin anticipates that this acquisition will not only add soccer to Unrivaled's portfolio but also enhance the company's ability to develop unique sports programming across various disciplines.
- The acquisition aims to leverage Scott Hacker’s expertise in creating high-profile youth sports events, like the All-Ripken Games, to expand and diversify Unrivaled’s programming offerings. Unrivaled Sports projects significant attendance, hosting 1.2 million visitors across its 13 properties this year.
- Finlete is a new company where fans can invest in baseball players in exchange for a share of their future earnings, offering a unique combination of sporting and financial engagement, with investors losing their money if the player doesn't reach the major leagues but owing nothing.
- The company's model is somewhat akin to Big League Advance, now Big League Advantage, which gained significant attention and profits following the success of their client Fernando Tatis Jr., who signed a $340 million MLB contract.
- Finlete allows fans to buy "shares" in players, treating them like stocks; the first available player, Rangers prospect Echedry Vargas, had shares sold for $96 each, aiming to raise between $50,000 and $800,000, with $21,112 collected shortly after sales began.
- eBay has intensified its position in the sports memorabilia market by acquiring Goldin Auctions, known for its high-end auction services, aiming to combine it with eBay's existing, broader but lower-priced sports memorabilia business.
- This acquisition is part of eBay's strategy to compete more robustly with Fanatics, which has also expanded its collectibles presence through acquisitions, including Topps and PWCC Marketplace, amid a booming sports memorabilia market.
- As part of the deal, Collectors, co-owned by Mets owner Steve Cohen and former owner of Goldin Auctions, will focus on its grading business and acquire eBay's vault operation, with financial terms undisclosed and completion expected by the end of June.
- Quintar, a mixed reality company, has secured an $8.2M Series A funding round led by SeventySix Capital and Cowles Company, with contributions from Centre Court Capital, Ryan Sports, Gametime Capital, and Capital 11, following the success of its Apple Vision Pro application.
- The company, founded in 2021, specializes in augmented reality experiences for sports fans and was named the official mobile AR and XR developer for the PGA Tour. Quintar's app, PGA Tour Vision, has expanded its spatial computing coverage to include every hole of significant tournaments like last month's Players Championship.
- With this investment, Centre Court Capital's general partner, Mustafa Ghouse, will join Quintar's board, signifying a strategic partnership aimed at further leveraging Quintar's technological innovations in sports and entertainment industries.
- Greenfly, a US-based digital media company specializing in short-form content technology for sports, has successfully closed a $14 million investment round. Key investors include NBA Equity, Ryan Sports Ventures, and private equity firm Mercato Partners, with the round led by Advantage, a global sports tech investor associated with Adi Dassler's family.
- Greenfly's recent acquisition of Miro AI enhances its AI-driven content services, boosting its capability in categorizing and organizing sports media content. The company, competing with firms like Newsbridge and Scoreplay, is recognized for its influential role in the digital clipping and short-form content sector, which is becoming a primary experience and significant revenue stream in sports media.
- Besides investment growth, Greenfly collaborates with several tech platforms such as Grabyo and WSC Sports to improve fan engagement and video content distribution. These partnerships, coupled with endorsements from high-profile entities like NBA Equity, highlight Greenfly's pivotal position in utilizing AI technology to revolutionize media consumption and monetization strategies in the sports industry.
- Wasserman, a major talent management firm, has acquired U.K.-based soccer agency Volante to expand its women’s sports practice. This acquisition integrates all Volante staff and clients into Wasserman, with Volante Director Luca Russo appointed as Vice President of Women's Football in Europe.
- The acquisition aims to extend Wasserman’s influence in women's soccer, particularly in Europe. Historically focused on U.S. talent, including stars like Mia Hamm and Alex Morgan, Wasserman now gains access to a significant roster of players from the English national team, reflecting a strategic move to globalize their management portfolio.
- Wasserman's expansion underscores its commitment to enhancing representation in women's soccer globally, starting with England's Lionesses and expanding to other European countries. This move is part of Wasserman’s broader strategy to leverage its deep experience and relationships in women’s soccer to mirror their success with U.S. players internationally.
- Satisfi Labs, an AI-powered conversational chat provider, has merged with conversational AI company Broadw.ai, known for its work with Broadway shows. This merger consolidates both companies under the Satisfi Labs brand, enhancing their capabilities in the entertainment sector.
- Broadw.ai's founder & CEO Micah Hollingworth will lead the entertainment division of the merged entity. The companies, which have collaborated since 2018 on AI innovations like a 24-hour digital assistant for theatergoers, will now unify their technological and client service strategies.
- While Satisfi Labs has a strong presence in the sports industry with partnerships including MLB and teams like the 49ers and Braves, Broadw.ai brings expertise from the entertainment industry, particularly with high-profile Broadway shows. This merger aims to leverage cross-industry strengths to enhance client experiences in both sports and entertainment.
