🔎📈 2023 August / September Recap: NBA Seeking Women’s basketball Tech. $5B's Rugby World Cup Business. $10.8M Raised From Sports Tech Startups, down -97% from July 2023.
Dear Colleague,
August and September were exciting months in the sports of sports and tech. At Upside, we are now less than 2 months away from our annual Upside Sports Tech Summit which will take place at City Field in New York on November 15, 2023. We are also actively working on our 2024 annual Upside Tech Summits in the US and overseas with more top teams, vendors and investors so stay tuned!
So hurry up and get your ticket(s) now to attend our NY sports tech Summit!
Participating Teams & Leagues:
We have 40 speakers confirmed, and our speaking slots are almost all sold out and we only have one booth left, so if you are interested in sponsoring our event, exhibiting or speaking at our event click on the button below or email us ASAP at julien@sportsouncilsv.com before it is too late.
In the MLS, the biggest news was Lionel Messi and Inter Miami capturing their first trophy in club history with nail-biting victory over Nashville FC in Leagues Cup final. Cincinnati are still leading the Eastern division (17-7-4), ahead of Orlando City SC (14-8-6) and the New England Revolutions (13-9-6) while St Louis (15-4-10) are leading the Western conference, ahead of the LAFC (12-7-9) and the Seattle Sounders (11-9-9).
In the world of pro basketball, one of the biggest news was Germany winning the FIBA World Cup for the first time, defeating Serbia for gold medal. Team USA lost against Canada in overtime by a score of 127-118, leaving the second straight FIBA World Cup without a medal.
In the world of American Football, the NFL season is well underway. It is still too soon to tell which NFL teams are favorites to win the Superbowl this year. But right now the Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons, and SF 49ers are all 2-0.
In the world of pro rugby, national rugby teams kicked off the 2023 World Rugby Cup in France. In the group phase, Fiji defeated Australia 22-15 for the first time in 69 years. France also overcame the pressure of the occasion in the Rugby World Cup Opener to beat New Zealand 27-13, handing the All Blacks their first ever pool stage loss and taking charge of Pool A.
In the world of pro baseball, the Orioles are now leading the AL East division (95-56), ahead of the Rays (93-59) while the Braves (97-54) are still ahead of the Phillies (82-69), and the Marlins (79-73) in the NL East division. The Brewers are now leading the NL Central division (85-66), ahead of the Cubs (79-72) while the LA Dodgers (93-57) lead over the Diamondbacks (80-72) in the NL West division. Shohei Ohtani also had his elbow surgery, and is now expected to hit in '24, nd pitch in '25.
In the world of pro golf, Norway's Viktor Hovland won the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club, collecting the FedEx Cup and an $18 million bonus. Gareth Bale's love for golf has been well-documented, and the former Real Madrid and Wales forward has swapped the pitch for the green after becoming a playable character in the PGA Tour 2K23 video game.
In the world of pro tennis, at the 2023 US Open. Novak Djokovic defeated Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 to tie Margaret Court's record of 24 Grand Slam wins. Coco Gauff also won her first major title at the US Open with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Aryna Sabalenka. The 19-year-old made history, becoming the youngest American to win the title since Serena Williams in 1999.
In the world of pro hockey, the National Hockey League (NHL) announced the 2023-24 regular-season schedule, which will commence Tuesday, Oct. 10.
In the AI/AR/VR/NFT/OTT/Metaverse/Crypto/Blockchain space, Barcelona is using AI software developed by Kognia, backed by Xavi. The software, which was created in 2019, uses artificial intelligence to dissect and analyze football games, providing detailed insights and generating efficient game analysis within minutes. Meta unveils AR and social features in partnership with Rugby World Cup 2023. Meta is rolling out a range of Rugby World Cup-themed features across its social media platforms as part of its role as the official social media and AR/VR supplier of the tournament.
Web3 fantasy sports platform Sorare announced the launch of 3D digital football player cards with integrated augmented reality (AR) capabilities.
In the world of sports performance and wearables, the NBA Launchpad is looking for women’s basketball tech startups. Apple just changed wearables with gestures – in a way that only Apple could. In addition, NASCAR signed Catapult as official supplier of race control systems. Lastly FIFA launched the Women’s Health, Wellbeing, and Performance Project: Empowering Women in Sports.
In the world of sports tech investments, investments in August-September 2023 reached $10.8M. 39% of funding came from AI startups. This was down -97% from $354M in July 2023. This is the 3rd consecutive month where we see sports tech investments declining month over month.
As a reminder, Upside Global is a sports, tech & health community of 6,000+ executives under a single web platform. Members include executives from the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLS, MLB, NCAA, Laliga, English Premiere League, Ligue 1, Bundesliga, Series A, Brazilian soccer league, Olympic teams, Pro rugby, Pro tennis, as well as representatives of startups, brands, VCs, and athletes.
Upside launched the Upside Tech Scouting platform, the world’s first platform providing granular anonymized team data on specific teams (NBA, NFL, MLB, NCAA, Premier League, Laliga, Ligue 1, Bundesliga, national teams, Olympic teams, pro rugby, pro tennis..). For each team profile, users can see critical information provided by teams such as their annual sports performance budget, the vendor(s) that they are currently using, their rating per vendor and the price range that they are paying for each vendor. Now keep in mind that each team profile has been anonymized as we take data privacy of teams very seriously.
Here is a video providing an overview of the Upside scouting platform.
The Upside Tech Scouting Platform is currently trusted & used by leading sports organizations, and VCs to help them discover new cutting technologies and do their due diligence on emergence technology vendors. Leading vendors are also using it to better understand the needs of leading pro teams and generate new leads.
Here is a post explaining the benefits for teams to join the Upside tech scouting platform, how we gathered the survey data from teams. If you want to sign up for Upside Premium which gives you access to the Upside Tech scouting platform please click on the bottom below:
If you have any questions regarding Upside Global, or the Upside Tech scouting platform, please contact us at julien@sportscouncilsv.com
📰 Top Stories We’re Reading This Month
⭐Upside Studies: Factors Important to Patient Decision-Making After Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injury in Competitive High School and Collegiate Baseball Players
⭐🏟️ Upside European Tour of Pro Teams: Our Key Takeaways From Conversations on Innovation, Performance, Recovery and More.
🔥Upside Chat: Dr Ron Dick, Duquesne University, Ex NBA/NCAA Exec on Ohtani’s injury, Djokovic & Coco's wins at the US Open, Teams USA, the NFL Season, Messi and More.
🔥Upside Chat with Alexi Pianosi (Penguins/NHL), Len Zaichkowsky (NHL), Karam Al-Hamdani (CF Montreal/MLS) on Biofeedback, Stress Management, Best Practices & Tools
🔥Upside Chat with Derek Lawrance (USMNT), Jason Han (LAFC/MLS), Athanase Kollias (KINVENT), Kevin Martin (The Quick Board), Quin Sandler (Plantiga) on Athletes' Rehab and Return to Play
🔗 Sorare Launches AR-Equipped 3D Digital Football Player Cards
🔗 Meta unveils AR and social features for Rugby World Cup 2023
🏀 NBA Launchpad looks for women’s basketball tech startups
⌚ Apple just changed wearables with gestures – in a way that only Apple could
⌚ NASCAR signs Catapult as official supplier of race control systems
⌚ FIFA Launches the Women’s Health, Wellbeing, and Performance Project: Empowering Women in Sports
💸 Startup investment recap (August - Sept 2023)
📊 Tech Stats of the month
📸 Snapshots & videos of the Month
Let’s jump right into the insights and upside for all of these top stories
⭐Upside Sports Accelerator Program of the Month
The NBA has opened applications for its third cohort of NBA Launchpad, the league’s initiative to source, evaluate and pilot emerging technologies that advance the NBA’s top basketball and business priorities.
This year the NBA is seeking solutions the address the following priorities:
The Game
1. Advancing Women’s Basketball
2. Identifying Future Stars in Asia
3. Improving Player Availability and Wellbeing
The Fan Experience
4. Building Immersive Experiences
5. Enhancing the NBA Content Library
6. Uncovering Next-Gen Fan Insights
The application portal will also have an open category for companies and entrepreneurs outside of the priority areas who want to be considered.
Learn more about the program and apply by October 4th by clicking on the button below:
⭐Upside Studies of the Month
⭐Upside Studies: Factors Important to Patient Decision-Making After Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injury in Competitive High School and Collegiate Baseball Players
The ability to play competitive baseball in the long term was very important or extremely important to 90% of players, while the ability to play in the short term was very important or extremely important to 17%. Length of recovery and seasonal timing were also important factors for 53% and 54% of players, respectively, and almost all (90%) highly valued advice from a surgeon. Possible failure of nonoperative treatment leading to increased time away and the possible loss of 2 consecutive baseball seasons heavily influenced decision-making in 41% of respondents.
Survey respondents were driven by the desire to play baseball in the long term. Treatment decisions were influenced by the length of recovery and by the seasonal timing of their injury, both of which affect how many and which seasons of baseball a player may miss. Patients found advice from their surgeon to be extremely important to decision-making.
⭐Upside Trips
⭐🏟️ Upside European Tour of Pro Teams: Our Key Takeaways From Conversations on Innovation, Performance, Recovery and More.
We just got back from Europe where we spent the month of August catching up with clubs, academies and national teams. It was a great opportunity to sit down with practitioners, sports executives, and coaches and discuss the latest trends in the world of sports and tech, performance, recovery, and innovation in general. It also gave us the opportunity to present some innovative technologies, understand the needs and challenges faced by those sports organizations. Here is a recap on the key takeaways of our conversations with clubs and national teams.
⭐ Upside Podcast Interviews of the Month
🔥Upside Chat: Dr Ron Dick, Duquesne University, Ex NBA/NCAA Exec on Ohtani’s injury, Djokovic & Coco's wins at the US Open, Teams USA, the NFL Season, Messi and More.
This month we had the honor to interview again Dr. Ron Dick, associate professor of sports marketing at Duquesne University in the school of business. Ron also worked for 20 years in sports, including 15 years in the NBA with the Sixers and the Nets, and then five years in the NCAA.
Through this interview, we touched on the MLB and Ohtani’s injury. We also discussed Team USA finishing 4th at the Basketball world championships. We also touched on the 2023 NBA season, the 2023 NFL season and who the favorites are. Other topics discussed were the NCAA and some of the college football players at Iowa state who were suspended for gambling, the PGA Tour and its uncertain future, Djokovic and Coco’s recent wins at the US Open tennis. Lastly we discussed Messi and Inter Miami fc.
🔥Upside Chat with Alexi Pianosi (Penguins/NHL), Len Zaichkowsky (NHL), Karam Al-Hamdani (CF Montreal/MLS) on Biofeedback, Stress Management, Best Practices & Tools
We interviewed again a group of sports performance experts.
Alexi Pianosi, S&C coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins, a top NHL team.
Len Zaichkowsky, PhD, also known as Doc Z, an experienced biofeedback expert (NHL, NBA, Laliga..). Len is a retired Professor from Boston University and performance consultant who has worked with many elite pro teams (Vancouver Canucks (NHL), Penguins (NHL), Real Madrid, National Spanish soccer team…) over the years.
Karam Al-Hamdani, the Head Athletic Therapist for the CF Montreal, a top MLS team.
Through this interview, we touched on the best practices and tools that they have come across regarding stress management, mental health, and biofeedback. We also touched on the current adoption of biofeedback in the MLS and NHL. They also shared some stories of athletes where biofeedback really helped them. Then we discussed how they think the biofeedback / stress management space are going to evolve in the next five years.
🔥Upside Chat with Alexi Pianosi (Penguins/NHL), Pierre Barrieu (MLS / EPL), Adam Quigley (MLS / NFL), Dr Bill Burgos (NBA), Dr Derek Lawrance (USMNT), on Biomechanics, Good & Bad with Startups, etc.
We interviewed again a group of sports performance experts.
Alexi Pianosi, S&C coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins, a top NHL team.
Pierre Barrieu, an experienced high performance director in the MLS (LA Galaxy, LAFC, Toronto FC, NY Red Bulls, etc.), Premier League (Leeds United FC) and FIFA expert.
Dr Derek Lawrance, Assistant Athletic Trainer, U.S. Men’s Soccer National Team.
Dr Bill Burgos, an experienced NBA Strenght &Conditioning coach. He has worked for many NBA teams (Orlando Magic, NY Knicks, Timberloves..). He is also an adjunct professor at Mississippi state and Austin Peay State university.
Adam Quigley, an experienced athletic trainer in the MLS (LA Galaxy), NFL (Saints) & US Soccer national teams.
Through this interview, we touched on the best practices and tools that you have come across regarding Biomechanics and Control of Human Movement. We also discussed the best way to learn from other performance staff members about their roles. We also touched on the biggest mistakes made by sports performance startups that they have come across as well as the best approaches used by sports performance startups that they have come across. Lastly we talked about Messi’s debut in the MLS and Novak Djokovic’s quest to win his 24th grand slam.
🔥Upside Chat with Derek Lawrance (USMNT), Jason Han (LAFC/MLS), Athanase Kollias (KINVENT), Kevin Martin (The Quick Board), Quin Sandler (Plantiga) on Athletes' Rehab and Return to Play
We interviewed again a group of sports performance experts focusing on rehab/return to play.
Jason Han, Head of Rehabilitation / Team Physical Therapist., LAFC (MLS team).
Dr Derek Lawrance, Assistant Athletic Trainer, U.S. Men’s Soccer National Team.
Athanase Kollias, CEO of Kinvent, a company that helps sports and rehab professionals assess progress and build engagement and motivation.
Quin Sandler, CEO of Plantiga, a smart insole system for analyzing movement in the real world.
Kevin Martin, CEO of The Quick Board, which developed a visual training and rehab technology.
Through this interview, we touched on how to manage an athlete's rehab / return to play when managing senior management's expectations. We also discussed the best tools they have seen teams use for athletes' return to play and recovery, as well as the the things not to do during an athlete's rehabilitation. We also discussed if they have been using neurocognitive interventions and/or tests in their rehab protocols, and which ones and when they were introduced. During later stages of rehab, we touched whether or not athletes should perform a portion of their rehab session in a fatigued state.
🔥Upside Chat: Jesse Wright, CEO, Balance the Bar, NBA Veteran (Sixers) on Innovation, Injury Reduction, Load Management, and More
We interviewed Jesse Wright, the CEO of Balance the Bar. Jesse is an NBA veteran. His career has spanned over two decades in the team sport culture, including working with organizations in the NBA (Philadelphia Sixers), NFL, NCAA, and in private sports training. He is also an Amazon best-selling author, coach, and public speaker.
Through this interview, we touched on his background, his book, and master course. We also discussed his approach towards innovation, load management and injury reduction. We also touched on the best caches and players he worked with and what he would build if he had unlimited engineering and financial resources.
Other podcast interviews in August 2023:
🔥Upside Chat: Upside Chat with Nicole Foss and Kevin Hyland at Kriva, a leading CBDA company
🔥Upside Chat: Upside Chat with Phil Southerland, Founder & CEO, Supersapiens, A Company using sports as a Platform to Pioneer Continous Glucose Monitoring to Enhance Performance
🔥Upside Chat: Upside Chat with Tal Brown, CEO, Zone7, The Human Uptime Company.
🎮 NFTs/Metaverse/AR/VR/Blockchain News
🔗 Sorare Launches AR-Equipped 3D Digital Football Player Cards | Via : Decrypt.io
Web3 fantasy sports platform Sorare has announced the launch of 3D digital football player cards with integrated augmented reality (AR) capabilities.
“By making these cards 3D, with an AR feature, we want to bring more emotion in our cards and make them more desirable for all sports fans,” a spokesperson for Sorare told Decrypt.
Sorare Managers will be able to interact with their 3D cards via the SoRare App in their real-world surroundings, whether watching games in a stadium or with friends at home. The inaugural auction of the cards kicks off on the Sorare marketplace starting September 13, with the first line-up featuring players from the English Premier League including Erling Haaland, Marcus Rashford, and Bukayo Saka.
⬆️ The Upside: We think it makes sense for Sorare to add an AR component as it makes its NFT offering more interactive. They are using the NBA Top Shot playbook here. Of note Sorare now has 3M registered users, up from 2M in early 2022, and claims it had 650k monthly active users as of December 2022. You can check out our full analysis on the Sports metaverse ecosystem (trends, vendor ecosystem, recommendations to teams) here.
🔗 Meta unveils AR and social features for Rugby World Cup 2023 | Via : SP
Meta is rolling out a range of Rugby World Cup-themed features across its social media platforms as part of its role as the official social media and augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) supplier of the tournament, which begins in France this week. The tech giant is adding Rugby World Cup stickers and AR filters to Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, many of which feature 20 fictional ‘Superfan’ characters, based on mascots and other imagery from each participating nation. For example, the Australian-themed character is a kangaroo and the English equivalent features a rose.
⬆️ The Upside: This is a nice move by Meta and the Rugby World Cup. Meta is trying to capitalize on the growing popularity of the Rugby World Cup which is expected to host 2 million+ people throughout the tournament, and another 800 million are expected to watch on television from the comfort of their own homes. Feel free to check out our full analysis on the sports metaverse/web 3.0 vendor ecosystem here.
🚑 Wearables, Health, Nutrition News
🏀 NBA Launchpad looks for women’s basketball tech startups | Via : SP
The National Basketball Association (NBA) has made women’s basketball one of its areas of focus for the third iteration of its sports technology incubator. NBA Launchpad offers support, resources and access to investors for early stage companies it believes can help the league meet its strategic priorities on and off the court.
For 2024, the league is working with the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) to find innovations that can address participation concerns, prevent injury and enhance performance. It notes that female athletes are more likely to drop out of youth sports, while the lack of investment in specific health research and performance technology for women has led to an increased risk of injury.
Season three of NBA Launchpad will also seek innovations that can prevent, manage and treat injuries so that players, teams and fans can benefit from more time on the court. Biomechanical analysis software and artificial intelligence (AI) are cited as two areas of interest.
⬆️ The Upside: We believe this is a great imitative by the NBA, in association with the WNBA. We are a big believer in technologies for women teams, but there is currently not enough technologies tailored by women athletes. There is also a lack of research towards women athletes and teams. Only 9% of research are focused on women athletes. We discussed all this in our latest Upside Chat with Female Sports Experts: Joelle Muro (New York Liberty),Allison Schmitt (Olympic Champion),Laura Matthes (VivoSensMedical),Mélanie Pauli (Swiss Football),Kirsten Legerlotz (Humboldt). So net net we think that this type of initiative by the NBA/WNBA should help bring more awareness towards tech for women teams and drive innovation in this growing area.
⌚ Apple just changed wearables with gestures – in a way that only Apple could | Via : Wareable
There’s no denying that the Apple Watch Series 9 (and Ultra 2) were minor updates – but Apple still made a game-changing announcement at its Wonderlust event. The addition of its Neural Engine, a special 4-core processor dedicated to machine learning tasks, has enabled a new ‘double tap’ gesture control for Series 9 and Ultra 2. And its implications could be huge.
The feature is controlled by making a ‘double tap’ gesture between thumb and forefinger on the watch-wearing hand. This is mapped to the main control option for any Apple app – and we’re sure third parties will find ways to enable them into their apps too in time. An example would be accepting a call. A double tap will accept the call, and you can double tap to end it.
⬆️ The Upside: It should not come as a surprise to see Apple adopt hand/finger gesture for the Apple Watch. That being said this is not new concept. this type of hand/finger gesture technology has been developed by number of startups before. Google also developed a similar tech called Project Soli a few years ago.
⌚ NASCAR signs Catapult as official supplier of race control systems | Via : SBJ
Catapult has signed a multi-year contract to supply NASCAR with its RaceWatch ID data analysis and video system for incident reviews and replays. The agreement makes Catapult the official supplier of race control systems to NASCAR and will see RaceWatch used at NASCAR’s top three racing series – NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and Craftsman Truck Series.
Developed initially by SBG Sports Software, which Catapult acquired for $40 million in 2021, RaceWatch aggregates and synchronizes race data – such as GPS positioning, telemetry, weather and live video – from onboard, track, pit, and broadcast cameras. It can be used as a driver analysis tool, like when Roush Fenway Racing began utilizing it two years ago, but is also used to officiate races in F1, Formula E, World Endurance Championship, and World Rally Championship.
⬆️ The Upside: It should not come as a surprise to see NASCAR team up with Catapult as Catapult is leader in the GPS space. Catapult also leveraged the technology acquired by SBG Software. That being said, in our view, NASCAR should go one step further and team up with hydration / HR assessment patch vendors (Flowbio, Epicore, etc..) so they can show the hydration/HR level of drivers in real time. We think this is the type of experience that would delight the NASCAR fans.
⌚ FIFA Launches the Women’s Health, Wellbeing, and Performance Project: Empowering Women in Sports | Via : FIFA.com
FIFA, in collaboration with leading experts from around the globe, has proudly unveiled the FIFA Women’s Health, Wellbeing, and Performance project. Over the past two years, this pioneering initiative of FIFA's Women’s Football Division has been dedicated to addressing crucial challenges in women's health within the realm of sports, with a vision to elevate women's participation, education, and performance to new horizons. In the current landscape of women’s health in sports, the urgency to develop this area is evident.
The FIFA Women’s Health, Wellbeing, and Performance project is firmly committed to dismantling barriers that have previously impeded the realisation of women's full potential in sports.
Sarai Bareman, FIFA Chief Women’s Football Officer: "We are excited about our new initiative, which is dedicated to enhancing the holistic development of every female footballer. "Our goal is to prioritize the health, well-being, and performance of these athletes, while also advancing the understanding and engagement of women and girls in football across all levels of the game. This initiative reflects our commitment to creating a thriving and inclusive environment for women's football, fostering growth, and expanding opportunities for all."
⬆️ The Upside: We think this is a fantastic initiative by FIFA. The timing of this announcement was very timely and strategic during the 2023 Women Soccer world cup. We hope that it will bring more awareness towards women teams and athletes. Ultimately we hope that it will also inspire other sports organizations to launch similar projects towards female teams and athletes. At the end of the day we need more funding/resources to support research, technologies tailored for women athletes and teams. But having the support FIFA is critical to make that happen.
💸 Sports Tech & Health Investment Recap - August / September 2023
Here is the recap of the major sports startups’ investments in July-August-September 2023. Total sports tech investment in August-September 2023 reached $10.8M. 39% of funding came from AI startups. This was down -97% from $354M in July 2023. This is the 3rd consecutive month where we see sports tech investments declining month over month.
Source: Upside, Confidential, August / September 2023
New Tech fund & M&As and other financial sports tech news:
777 Partners has agreed a deal to buy Premier League club Everton, as the Miami-based investment fund today said it "struck a conditional agreement" to acquire owner Farhad Moshiri ’s 94.1% stake.
Apex Capital announced their $53 million fund with backing from athletes including Formula 1 drivers Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris to invest in sports technology and entertainment.
Leading digital sports media group, Better Collective, announced the acquisition of Torcedores.com, a leading national Brazilian sports media platform
📊 Key Tech Sports Stats of The Month
$28B: The NFL, NBA, and UFC are demanding changes to US copyright law so that illegal streams of live sporting events can be taken down immediately. Leagues estimate piracy costs the sports industry up to $28 billion a year.
$7.1B: French billionaire Francois-Henri Pinault is close to a $7 billion deal to buy a majority stake in Creative Artists Agency, the Hollywood talent giant that’s home to athletes such as Devin Booker, Sidney Crosby, Josh Allen, and Chris Paul, according to people familiar with the matter.
$5.3B: The 2023 Rugby World Cup in France kicked off in September . More than 2 million people will attend matches throughout the tournament, and another 800 million will watch on television from the comfort of their own homes.
Even crazier, according to Ernst & Young, the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan had a total economic impact of $5.31 billion, added $2.84 billion to Japan’s GDP, and created 46,430 jobs, finishing as the most economically successful Rugby World Cup ever.
$5.1B: The average NFL team is now worth a record $5.1 billion, 14% more than last year, powered by more television money and the $6.05 billion sale of the Washington Commanders—at 11 times revenue—to a group led by billionaire.
$1B: Inter Miami CF has begun construction on Miami Freedom Park, putting them on track to change home venues in 2025. The club’s new 25,000-seat soccer-specific stadium will be located near Miami International Airport, bringing the Herons south after they’ve played in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at DRV PNK Stadium since their 2020 inaugural season. The combined phases of the project will also include a 58-acre public park, over 1 million square feet of commercial retail, entertainment, amusement, and office space along with three hotels totaling 750 rooms. Total value is estimated at $1 billion.
$685M: The Florida-based 777 Partners have completed their anticipated deal to acquire the Premier League’s Everton, extending a growing American presence in arguably the sport’s top league. The pact will see 777 Partners acquire a controlling 94.1% stake in the club from Farhad Moshiri, who oversaw a highly difficult period for the club that included near-relegation, five straight years of financial losses, and ongoing delays and rising costs for a new stadium.
Everton is getting a critical lifeline following unsuccessful efforts to stabilize the club. The deal is now going before several entities, including the Premier League and Football Association, for approval in advance of intended closing later this year. Multiple reports pegged the deal at about $685 million.
$75M: Manchester United’s latest record-breaking deal is further evidence that the Glazers may have no interest in selling the Premier League club — despite strong protests from its supporters. American tech giant Qualcomm is taking over Manchester United’s main shirt sponsorship in what is the most lucrative kit deal in the world, according to multiple reports. The company will pay $75 million annually to display its Snapdragon brand.
TeamViewer has been paying nearly $56 million a year for those rights, which will now end after this season. Rumors are rampant that the Glazers could sell Man United, but the controversial club owners continue racking up record revenues despite failing to win a Premier League title since 2013. In July, the club extended its deal with Adidas to make its uniforms for a staggering annual fee of $115 million — more than any other English club.
73M: A record 73 million Americans plan to bet on the NFL this season. As legalized sports gambling expands across the U.S., a record 73.5 million Americans plan to wager on the NFL this season, according to the American Gaming Association’s latest survey on Americans’ betting plans released Wednesday.
$29.5M: The hype is no surprise for anyone following college football over the past nine months. In December, 2022, Deion Sanders signed a five-year, $29.5 million contract — typically way out of Colorado’s budget. “We don’t have the money yet,” Colorado athletic director Rick George admitted at the time. “But I know we’ll have it so I’m not worried about that piece.” Since then, the Prime Effect has hit Colorado across the board.
In April, the school announced football season tickets had sold out for the first time since 1996. Later that month, Colorado was the only school in the country to have its spring game broadcast on the main ESPN network — and the exhibition contest drew more than 550,000 viewers. Then the money came pouring in: Sanders’ arrival also corresponded with a record-breaking $28 million in donations to Colorado’s Buff Club for the 2023 fiscal year — a major increase on the $20.2 million raised in 2022.
11.3M: When it comes to the second season of “Thursday Night Football” — beginning Thursday with the Minnesota Vikings at the Philadelphia Eagles — Amazon plans to level up how NFL fans follow the league by offering the kind of presentation a traditional linear setting can’t provide. Amazon averaged an audience of 9.6 million viewers in 2022, per Nielsen — a figure that jumps to 11.3 million when including Amazon’s first-party measurement data. Even though those numbers were down sharply from the prior audience for “TNF” on Fox Sports, there was a silver lining: The median age of 47 for Amazon’s exclusive coverage was eight years younger than the league’s linear average.
1M: The NWSL still has four weeks of play left in its season, but the league has already broken its attendance record with 1,060,978 fans through Week 18. Additionally, the NWSL has had 11 regular season matches with 20,000+ fans.
This is especially important because ticket sales account for ~50% of NWSL revenue. The average NWSL team also has 37 sponsorship deals, and the league says 2022 sponsorship revenue was up +87% compared to 2021. And viewership is also improving, with 915,000 people watching the 2022 NWSL championship game on CBS.
$750k: FTX paid $750k to Shaq & thousands more on celebrity promotions. In the latest court filing, the failed exchange disclosed that it paid nearly $750k to former basketball player Shaq, over $300k to Tennis star Naomi Osaka, $200k to American football player Trevor Lawrence, and $270k to former baseball player David Oritz.
40%: The Boston University CTE Center released a new study on Monday (Aug. 28), finding CTE in more than 40% of youth, high school, and college athletes who had repetitive head impact from contact sports and died before turning 30 years old. The study examined 152 brains and is one of the most comprehensive CTE studies to date.
Each of these athletes was between the age of 13 and 29 at the time of their death, and they primarily played football, with a few soccer, ice hockey, and rugby players, too.
📸 Snapshots & Videos of the Month.
Novak mimicked Ben Shelton’s celebration after victory! Novak Djokovic copied Ben Shelton's "dialed in" celebration after beating him in the semifinals of the 2023 US Open.
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🔥 Upside Chat: Dave Hancock, CEO, Apollo (Leading Athlete Management Systems (AMS) vendor)