The global sports industry has quietly entered a new era — one where some of its most influential owners and financiers are no longer billionaires or private equity firms, but sovereign wealth funds (SWFs). With trillions of dollars under management and long-term national investment mandates, these state-backed funds are reshaping how teams, leagues, media rights […]
Fanatics and OBB Media Launch Joint Venture – Fanatics Studios
Fanatics, a leading global sports platform, and OBB Media, the award-winning next-gen entertainment studio, have announced the launch of Fanatics Studios, a transformative new joint venture poised to be the premier global studio for sports entertainment. Built to independently create, finance, produce, and distribute best-in-class content at the intersection of sports and culture, Fanatics Studios […]
The Playknox appoints Hiba Al Mubarak as Middle East Director
The Playknox, a sports business, media and marketing platform has appointed Hiba Al Mubarak as its Middle East Director, strengthening its strategic presence across the GCC and wider MENA region. Hiba Al Mubarak is one of the region’s most respected sports and cultural communications professionals, bringing over 10 years of experience across the GCC and […]
FIFA appoints Stats Perform as global betting data and streaming rights partner
FIFA has announced that it has selected sports AI and data pioneer Stats Perform as its first-ever official betting data and betting streaming rights distributor. The landmark multi-year agreement grants Stats Perform exclusive rights to distribute official betting data and live streams for selected FIFA properties, including all 104 matches at the expanded FIFA World […]
Liverpool FC inks new global partnership with American fashion brand TOMMY HILFIGER
Liverpool FC has signed a new global partnership with American fashion brand TOMMY HILFIGER, bringing together two cultural icons to present a style vision for the next era of the game.The first-of-its-kind partnership will see the curated TOMMY HILFIGER style expressed across LFC, with the brand’s modern American classics worn across campaigns and select matchdays. […]
KKR Enters Sports & Secondaries Market With $1bn Arctos Partners Acquisition
Global investment giant KKR & Co. has agreed to acquire Arctos Partners in a landmark deal that values the specialist sports and secondaries investment firm at approximately US$1 billion, with performance-based incentives potentially lifting the valuation to US$1.5 billion, according to sources familiar with the matter. The transaction will see Arctos’ existing leadership team remain […]
WSL Football signs Mercede-Benz UK as official automotive partner
Mercedes-Benz UK is the new Official Automotive Partner of WSL Football, covering both the Barclays Women’s Super League (Barclays WSL) and Barclays Women’s Super League 2 (Barclays WSL2). The exclusive multi-year partnership comes into effect on 7 January 2026. As part of this partnership, Mercedes-Benz UK also becomes the Presenting Partner of the first ever […]
Beverages on Top, Tech Still Catching Up: What 2025’s Sports Sponsorship Verticals Tell Us
Global sports sponsorship spend did not slow down in 2025—it recalibrated. According to data from SPORTFIVE, brands continued to invest heavily in sport, but the pattern of spend reveals a clear strategic shift. Rather than chasing blanket visibility, sponsors are prioritising relevance, alignment, and long-term value creation. The result? Some familiar categories remain dominant, while […]
How AI, Capital and Fans Will Quietly Redesign the Sports Industry In 2026
The sports industry is entering a defining phase. Not driven by hype, but by clarity. Artificial intelligence is no longer a crystal ball promising the future—it is becoming a clear lens, helping stakeholders understand why change is happening and where value will be created next. As we look toward 2026, the global sports ecosystem is […]
From Kalshi to Baller League: Mapping the $4B Sports Investment Surge of 2025
Sports investment surged past the $4 billion mark in 2025, underlining a powerful shift in how capital is flowing into the global sports ecosystem. From athlete performance and fan engagement to betting, wellness, creator-led leagues and community sport, investors are backing platforms that sit at the intersection of sport, technology, media and culture. The funding […]