In this week's news, we see further proof of disruptive technology reshaping the sports industry. Artificial intelligence is being leveraged to boost fan engagement and streamline content distribution, enhancing the overall experience for fans.
- Swiss Super League champion BSC Young Boys has signed a multi-year deal with AI-powered video content company WSC Sports to enhance their digital content creation and distribution.
- The agreement will allow Young Boys' digital team to automatically produce and share video content across all social media platforms, including personalized content for players to publish on their own channels.
- Young Boys joins over 450 other global leagues, teams, and broadcasters in partnering with WSC Sports, which includes notable entities like ESPN, NBA, LaLiga, Serie A, and Euroleague Basketball.
Hockey NZ Turns to Sportway for AI Match Production (Changing Video Consumption Habits / Building Businesses around Disruptive Technology)
- New Zealand’s national field hockey body has partnered with Sportway to broadcast matches on its hockeynz.tv streaming platform, covering national events, youth competitions, and club matches both live and on-demand worldwide.
- Sportway will provide advanced, automated cameras that film and stream matches without human intervention, with eight provincial associations in New Zealand already equipped with this technology.
- Sportway has previously established similar deals in New Zealand for club football and ice hockey, as well as developing a presence in European ice hockey before expanding to other sports like field hockey.
- Manchester City has launched an official Fortnite creative map called 'The Ladder [Man City]', designed with support from Karta, featuring 11 themed areas inspired by the club's brand symbols, where players compete in one-versus-one matches to become the champion.
- This initiative is part of Manchester City's broader strategy to engage both soccer and gaming audiences, following their previous ventures such as launching a club experience on Roblox in 2022 and collaborating with Epic Games on City-themed skins within Fortnite.
- The Ladder map will be accessible from 9am BST on 20th July, with celebratory content and activations planned during the men's first team pre-season tour in the US, particularly around their match against Celtic in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
- The WNBA has secured $2.2bn in new media rights deals with ESPN, Amazon, and NBC, more than tripling its current annual media revenue from $60m to $200m, with potential for further increases and reassessment in three years.
- Commissioner Cathy Engelbert's strategy to negotiate alongside the NBA proved successful, aligning the WNBA with the NBA's $76bn deals and offering a year-round basketball package, significantly boosting the league's financial prospects.
- The influx of revenue is expected to substantially raise player salaries and the salary cap, with new expansion teams announced in Toronto and San Francisco. Players may opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement in November, seeking better terms under the new financial conditions.
- The German Football League (DFL) reported record ticket sales for the 2023-24 Bundesliga season, totaling 20,737,276 across its 36 clubs, a nearly 5% increase from the previous record of 19,755,465 in 2022-23.
- The top-tier Bundesliga achieved 11,925,726 total ticket sales, with an average attendance of 38,973 per match and a 95.2% stadium occupancy rate, maintaining its lead among European leagues for average ticket sales per match.
- Bundesliga 2 saw significant growth with 8,811,550 tickets sold, averaging 28,796 per match, a nearly 30% rise from the previous season, with historic clubs like Hamburg SV, Schalke 04, and Hertha Berlin contributing to the high attendance.
- Genius Sports is partnering with X to launch 'Trend Genius', a real-time sports advertising platform that optimizes ad spending by analyzing trending topics on X during live events.
- The platform leverages X's Ad and Trends API, utilizing Genius Sports' experience with major leagues like the NFL, NCAA, and Premier League to enhance the product, aiming to boost advertising efficiency during peak conversation times.
- This partnership aims to address X's decline in advertising revenue by capitalizing on its highly engaged sports fanbase, offering brands sophisticated, data-driven marketing tools to reach audiences during key moments in real-time discussions.
- MLS has seen record attendance with 8.3m fans attending matches, 94% average capacity, and 153 sold-out matches. Social media engagement has increased by 230%, reaching over 400m interactions in 2024.
- Partnership revenue for MLS and Soccer United Marketing properties has risen by 10%, with 17 new sponsors including Michelob Ultra and Beats by Dre. Clubs have also seen a 10% increase in sponsorship revenue from 2023.
- Jersey sales on MLSstore.com have grown by 17% compared to 2023, achieving record-breaking sales figures.
- Reddit has signed content partnerships with major sports leagues, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, PGA Tour, and Nascar, to provide users with video highlights, player AMA sessions, behind-the-scenes videos, and more special content.
- Advertisers can show ads alongside the video content posted by the leagues, and Reddit plans to share ad revenue with its partnered leagues. The initiative saw positive results during the previous NFL season, with significant increases in subscribers and improvements in brand metrics.
- Reddit's popularity in the sports category has grown, with a 26% increase in screen views over the past year, reaching 20.4bn. The platform aims to use these partnerships to attract more revenue and appeal to investors, ahead of its planned IPO valued at $6.5bn.
- The Women’s Super League (WSL) has announced that YouTube will replace the FA Player as its main streaming service, with 66 games to be streamed live on YouTube next season, including all non-televised WSL games and select Women’s Championship matches.
- YouTube channels will feature regular content for each division, including highlights, post-match interviews, and additional content, while the FA Player will continue to stream live Women’s FA Cup fixtures and related content.
- The WSL has extended its domestic rights deals with Sky Sports and the BBC for another season, with Sky Sports broadcasting up to 44 games and the BBC airing 22 games, all of which will also be available on BBC iPlayer.
- Formula E has purchased the intellectual property rights of the W Series, including trademarks and social media accounts, for £110,000, aiming to use the brand to promote diversity in motorsport, although no immediate plans are set.
- Jeff Dodds, CEO of Formula E, emphasized the goal of increasing diversity in motorsport, not limited to gender. The acquired IP could support initiatives like Girls on Track, STEM promotions, and potentially future on-track activities.
- While the acquisition provides opportunities for future projects promoting women in motorsport, Formula E has no short-term plans to develop an on-track product using the W Series assets, focusing instead on broader diversity initiatives.
- CVC Capital Partners is in discussions to sell a controlling stake in the IPL franchise Gujarat Titans, potentially retaining a minority shareholding. Adani Group and Torrent Group are among the bidders.
- Any deal would have to wait until 2025 due to the BCCI's lock-in period. The Titans, founded in 2021 and bought by CVC for $745m, could now be valued between $1bn and $1.5bn.
- CVC's sale could yield significant returns, possibly doubling its initial investment. The firm is also exploring other sports investments, such as in the Big 12 college sports conference, with potential investments ranging from $800m to $1bn.
- The potential acquisition of Everton by the Friedkin Group, led by Dan Friedkin, has been called off. Despite entering an exclusivity period on June 21st, no agreement was reached with Everton's majority owner, Farhad Moshiri’s Blue Heaven Holdings.
- While the takeover talks have ended, the Friedkin Group will remain a lender to Everton, who face financial challenges, including penalties for breaching Premier League financial rules. The group provided a significant financial injection during the exclusivity period but will not call in those debts.
- The uncertainty surrounding 777 Partners, who previously provided funding to Everton, contributed to the breakdown of the takeover. Legal and financial issues with 777 Partners and their backer A-CAP posed too great a risk for the Friedkin Group to proceedwith the acquisition.
- Comedy actor Vince Vaughn has purchased a majority stake in the Coachella Valley Scorpions, a team in the National Pickleball League (NPL) for Champions Division (age 50+) players. The team was valued in the mid-six figures.
- The Coachella Valley Scorpions, previously owned by pro pickleballer Kim Jagd, are one of six new teams added for the NPL's 2024 season. Jagd will continue as a minority owner and player for the Scorpions.
- The NPL is supported by sponsors such as Gamma Sports, Gearbox Sports, Champion, Incrediwear, and Julian Coffee Roasters. The league's 2024 championship, scheduled for October, will be broadcast on CBS, with details on whether it will be live or re-aired still being finalized.
- Glazer family, Ryan Reynolds’ Wrexham group, and Red Bull are among the potential investors in the Hundred franchises. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will begin a three-month auction process in September to sell stakes in the eight teams, aiming to revamp the competition from 2025.
- The ECB has spoken with IPL team owners and NFL team owners to generate interest. The ECB plans to sell 49% of each team while the host venues retain 51%. Proceeds will be used to ensure the financial sustainability of the sport, aiming to create fan loyalty similar to football.
- ECB executives emphasize the importance of attracting the best players and competing on a global scale. With competition from other short-form cricket leagues, particularly in the US, the ECB believes this is a crucial time to seek investment to maintain a world-class tournament and potentially expand the number of teams by 2029.
- Griffin, through his investment firm Citadel, has raised his ownership in Sphere Entertainment from 1.6% to 5.3%, now holding 1.5m shares. This increase aligns with Steve Cohen's recent 5.5% stake disclosure in Sphere Entertainment.
- Dolan family controls 8.5m shares of Sphere Entertainment and manages other sports teams through Madison Square Garden Sports. Major institutional holders include Ariel Investments, Vanguard Group, and Jericho Capital Asset Management. Jim Dolan recently extended his contracts to run Sphere, MSG Sports, and MSG Entertainment for another three years.
- Opened in September, the $2.3bn Sphere has drawn attention for its visual effects and high-profile events, including concerts by U2 and Phish, the NHL Draft, and upcoming UFC 306. The Sphere Experience's "Postcards from Earth" generated $100.5m in revenue from 257 performances last quarter. Sphere’s stock has risen 32% year-to-date, with a 4% increase on Monday.
