WNBA Raises Capital Investment Of $75m For Brand Elevation

The WNBA announced the largest-ever capital raise for a women’s sports property, featuring new investors and existing WNBA and NBA owners.

This groundbreaking transaction is part of a multi-faceted financial growth strategy designed to generate new revenue through increased investment in priority areas as part of the league’s long-term business transformation.

Proceeds from this transaction are expected to be used for brand elevation and marketing; globalization of the WNBA; innovation, digital, and growth of consumer touchpoints; and human capital and operational optimization as part of an overall effort to address some of the league’s obstacles to growth and generating new revenue.

“We are incredibly fortunate to be able to capitalize on the current momentum around women’s sports and are grateful to the investors who have chosen to support the WNBA in an unprecedented way and to our team governors who continue to invest in the players and teams,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “Our strategy is to deploy this capital to continue to drive the league’s brand as a bold, progressive entertainment and media property that embodies diversity, promotes equity, advocates for social justice, and stands for the power of women. Having just completed our historic 25th season, with this access to additional capital, we are setting the WNBA up for a successful future and it represents a sign and signal of the future direction of women’s sports as a whole.”

As part of its ongoing commitment to empowering women athletes and women’s sports, NIKE, Inc., one of the league’s current premier partners and inaugural WNBA Changemaker, has made a significant equity investment in the WNBA. Nike’s investment further deepens the company’s support for women’s basketball and enables the WNBA to elevate the marketing and storytelling of WNBA athletes.

“Women’s sport is one of the best investments, with great potential to impact and grow the next era of basketball,” said Sonja Henning, VP, North America League Partnerships, NIKE, Inc. “Nike has always been more than a sponsor with the WNBA – we’re a strategic partner. And we’re proud to be part of a movement to redefine the future of sport for a new generation – for WNBA players, fans and girls.”

The initial investors are: Micky and Nick Arison, Carnival Corporation and Miami HEAT; Bill Cameron, CEO and President, American Fidelity, Dallas Wings; Swin Cash, WNBA legend and current New Orleans Pelicans Vice-President of Basketball Operations and Team Development; Baron Davis, NBA legend; Michael and Susan Dell, Dell Technologies and minority investors, San Antonio Spurs; Karen Finerman, CEO and Co-Founder, Metropolitan Capital Advisors; Pau Gasol, NBA legend and Member of the IOC Athletes’ Commission; Ginny Gilder, Seattle Storm; Dee Haslam and Whitney Johnson, Haslam Sports Group, Cleveland Browns and Columbus Crew; Linda Henry, Boston Globe, Boston Red Sox, Liverpool Football Club; Brad Hilsabeck, former CEO, Grantham, Mayo Van Otterloo & Co. and minority investor, Dallas Wings; Eric Holoman, President and CEO, EquiTrust Life Insurance, Los Angeles Sparks; Mark Walter, CEO, Guggenheim Partners, Los Angeles Sparks; Laurene Powell Jobs, Founder and President, Emerson Collective; Ted Leonsis, Founder, Chairman, and CEO, Monumental Sports & Entertainment, Washington Mystics and Washington Wizards; James and Heather Murren, former Chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts International; NIKE, Inc; Condoleezza Rice, Stanford University and 66th US Secretary of State; Angela Ruggiero, CEO and Co-Founder, Sports Innovation Lab; Herb and Steve Simon, Fever Basketball, LLC; and Joe and Clara Tsai, New York Liberty and Brooklyn Nets.

“Susan and I are excited about the growth opportunity in women’s sports and specifically the WNBA,” said Michael Dell, CEO, Dell Technologies and minority investor, San Antonio Spurs. “We also are proud to support a league that is committed to empowerment, and we look forward to supporting Cathy and all the accomplished and diverse women of the WNBA to make a positive impact in the world.”

AS Monaco To Keep Time With Purnell Until 2025

AS Monaco has named Purnell as the Club’s official timekeeper until 2025.

Purnell distinguishes itself in the field of avant-garde fine watchmaking and in particular in the field of the tourbillon, a mechanism used for watches combining beauty and luxury.


The partnership between AS Monaco and Purnell includes the creation of an exclusive co-branded collection, the models of which will be unveiled in the spring of 2022, the display of the products in the club’s emblematic locations, such as the Stade Louis-II and the Performance Centre, as well as digital and money can’t buy activities.

We are delighted to welcome Purnell to the AS Monaco family. Purnell is a brand known for its know-how, its audacity, its sense of innovation and performance, notions that fit perfectly with our philosophy.

Maurizio Mazzocchi, CEO of Purnell : “Like our watches, AS Monaco represents prestige, style and dynamism. Our two brands are rare jewels in their respective fields, and we fully identify with AS Monaco’s slogan: RISE. RISK. REPEAT. !”

Oleg Petrov, Vice President General Manager of AS Monaco : “We are delighted to welcome Purnell to the AS Monaco family. Purnell is a brand known for its know-how, its audacity, its sense of innovation and performance, notions that fit perfectly with our philosophy. We are looking forward to this collaboration.”

McLaren Racing Expands Partnership With AzkoNobel

McLaren Racing has announced a multi-year extension to its long-standing partnership with paint and coatings partner AkzoNobel. In addition, the partnership will now expand to see AkzoNobel become a Sustainability Partner of McLaren Racing.

AkzoNobel will continue to create and develop paint technology for the McLaren Formula 1 team, using products and technologies to support McLaren’s performance while driving innovation in other industries.

As a Sustainability Partner, AkzoNobel will now expand its collaboration with McLaren to explore new possibilities in the areas of sustainability, technical innovation and product development.

Matt Dennington, Director of Partnerships, McLaren Racing, said: “It’s fantastic to extend and expand our partnership with AkzoNobel. We’re looking forward to taking this innovative and long-running relationship into a new chapter, taking a more integrated approach to development that will see AkzoNobel support us on our mission to become a more sustainable team.”

Patrick Bourguignon, Director of Automotive and Speciality Coatings, AkzoNobel, said: “We’re incredibly proud and excited to be enhancing our relationship with such a long-standing and valued partner so that we can achieve more together. Our shared focus on outstanding performance and pioneering innovation will help to propel us both forward and add a new dimension to our formula for success.

“We’re also looking forward to incorporating our People. Planet. Paint. Approach as we strive to play an active role in McLaren Racing’s sustainability journey. It’s all about building on the amazing success we’ve had so far and shaping the partnership for the future.”

PGL Appoints IMG As Media Rights Distribution Agency

Tournament organiser PGL has appointed IMG to distribute its media rights globally for its 2022 event portfolio. This will include some of the highest profile esports events of the year, including The PGL Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Major Championship, Antwerp The deal will also see IMG become PGL’s exclusive sponsorship agency.

The CS:GO Major Championship 2022 will take place from May 9-22, with the finals taking place in front of a live audience at the Sportpaleis in Antwerp, Belgium, between May 19-22. The agreement will also include the rights for the Regional Major Rankings (RMR), which will take place in April. The top 24 teams will be invited to the Major from six different regions.

Silviu Stroie, CEO, PGL, said: “We are looking forward to working with IMG again on our rights portfolio this year as well as expanding our relationship as our exclusive partnership agency. We will be utilising IMG’s global reach and expertise to extend into new territories and grow audiences worldwide.”

Joe Jenkins, Commercial Manager, IMG’s media business, commented: “We were excited to work with the PGL on last year’s CS:GO Major which saw a record peak audience of 2.74 million viewers, 120 hours of broadcast airtime and the tournament being distributed in 27 languages. Stockholm 2021 was the most successful CS:GO event of all time and we are looking forward to working with PGL again and continuing this success in 2022.”

IMG will be working alongside and leveraging the expertise of Endeavor-backed, talent management and brand consulting firm RTS.

Twenty-four teams across the globe will qualify in three different tiers; Legends; Challengers, and Contenders. The headline teams will be Ninjas in Pyjamas, Team Vitality, G2 Esports, Furia Esports, Team Liquid, Evil Geniuses, Natus Vincere (NAVI) and Gambit Esports. NAVI will be looking to retain their major title.

Arsenal FC Agrees Strategic Partnership With Extramarks

Extramarks, a leading global provider of new-age digital learning solutions, has announced a strategic partnership with Arsenal Football Club to become its exclusive Official Learning Partner in India, South Africa, Indonesia, and the Middle East.

The landmark agreement will enable Extramarks to combine football and education to drive awareness of its offerings, attract new-age learners and promote access to ‘Complete Learning Solutions’ for their holistic learning and development.

As part of the multi-year collaboration, Extramarks will introduce grassroots-level learning programs, football workshops, meet and greets with the players, and other exclusive competitions and experiences in partnership with Arsenal to bolster engagement with its flagship schools and learners. Extramarks will also have access to a wide array of digital, social, and logistical assets, including Arsenal imagery, club-certified coaches, and access to the club’s London Colney Training Centre to support learning opportunities at all levels.

Commenting on the partnership, Ritvik Kulshrestha, Chief Executive Officer, Extramarks Education, said,” Arsenal is among the best-supported football teams globally and is known for its elegant style of play. Over the years, the club has built a strong resonance and support with young people in India. These factors make it a terrific format to expand our audience exponentially. Both Extramarks and Arsenal have a rich history, and it is a matter of pride for us to share our passion for inclusive (or holistic) learning by bringing on-field experiences into the classroom environment.”

Arpit Agarwal, Vice President-Marketing, Extramarks Education, added, “Football is an attractive avenue for fast-paced brands like Extramarks to increase awareness. With a committed fan base in India, the partnership with Arsenal will drive awareness and demonstrate our offerings to a larger audience with a favorable attitude towards digital learning. This is a one-of-its-kind partnership for us, and we are excited to team up with Arsenal in the coming year and create a lot of value for our audiences.”

Juliet Slot, Chief Commercial Officer, Arsenal, said, “Extramarks is doing brilliant work around the world to make learning more accessible and exciting for young people. Arsenal have millions of followers globally, and we’re delighted to team up with Extramarks to help them reach and engage a new audience with new learning opportunities. From our first-teams to our academy and right across the club, we have a passion for learning and development, and we’re excited to work with Extramarks to combine our expertise.”

The association between Extramarks and Arsenal aims to make the learning experience more wholesome, both on-field and in the classrooms. In addition, Extramarks will reinforce its revamped brand identity and 360-degree learning solutions for in-school and at-home learning through various marketing, advertising, and promotional activities. Extramarks and Arsenal will also mutually explore opportunities to use their voices as a force of good to showcase how football and education together can motivate and inspire schools and learners alike.

LaLiga Enters Into A Strategic Alliance With Vivo In Spain And Portugal

LaLiga and the technology company, Vivo, have signed a strategic alliance in Spain and Portugal, one that will run for the next two years.

With this, the fourth-largest smart devices brand in the world is becoming LaLiga’s first official smartphone partner. This sponsorship agreement, which will run until 2025, gathers both entities’ commitment delivering excellence on entertainment and sports industry’s digital transformation.

During the signing of this agreement, vivo’s president for Spain and Portugal, Diego Xiao, stated: “LaLiga and vivo share a passion for making new, unique and innovative experiences possible for our fans. In fact, a fundamental part of this collaboration, in line with the slogan of a campaign we’re launching “Cuánto más lo vives, más te une”, is the commitment of both brands to design, innovation and passion.”

Óscar Mayo, executive general director at LaLiga, said: “We are delighted to welcome vivo to the portfolio of LaLiga sponsors. We both look for excellence in what we do. At LaLiga, we work to offer football fans the best audiovisual products and we know that vivo focuses on helping its users to enjoy the greatest experiences and to achieve the ‘Perfect shot’.”

vivo is the fourth-largest smart devices brand worldwide and this sponsorship agreement consolidates the company’s backing of football, of which it is already an official partner for the UEFA EURO 2020, FIFA 2022 and UEFA EURO 2024; as well as its commitment to Spain, which is a key market for the company.

“2022 is going to be an exciting year for vivo in Spain. We are very proud that this country is the best performing in Europe and one of our key markets. For this reason, we would like to thank consumers for their trust, as we know that football arouses passions here and we want to share them with fans from all over the country, and the rest of the world” stated Diego Xiao, president of vivo in Spain and Portugal.

Since launching in Europe in October of 2020, vivo has already achieved good momentum in the continent. Detailed reports by industry analysts have detected continuous growth, highlighting vivo’s determination and commitment to the European markets, following its mantra: doing right things in the right way.

Tour De France Signs Santini And Hotchilee As Official Kit Supplier

Tour de France partners Santini and Hotchillee have signed a 3 year partnership, with Santini becoming the official kit supplier for the pioneering events company and their global cycling community.

The partnership means that Hotchillee’s flagship 3-day LONDON-PARIS, which is delivered officially with the Tour de France, will see amateur cyclists arrive in Paris the day ahead of the pros in Santini kit, the official jersey sponsor of Le Tour.

To celebrate the partnership Santini has designed a commemorative cycling jersey inspired by the French Air Force fly-over, which announces the arrival of the Tour de France peloton in Paris each year. The jersey will be worn by LONDON-PARIS riders as part of an exclusive TdF experience taking place on the final day of Le Tour, details of which will be announced later this month.

The LONDON-PARIS by Tour de France sees 450 amateur cyclists take on the iconic 3 day route to Paris, arriving at the Eiffel Tower on rolling closed roads the day before the Tour de France men’s finish and the new Tour de France women’s race.

LONDON-PARIS riders have the opportunity to watch both races on the iconic cobbles of the Champs-Élysées from trackside seating before staying in Paris at one of the official Tour de France team hotels.

2022 will be the first year riders can take part in The LONDON-PARIS by Tour de France on Road or Gravel, with a new off-road route added for the first time.

Sven Thiele, Hotchillee Founder: “Arriving in Paris on closed roads in a peloton of 450 still gives me goosebumps whenever I think about it. So riding into Paris as an official partner of the Tour de France, in the same official kit as Le Tour will be the icing on the cake.”

Julien Goupil, Media & Sponsorship Director at Amaury Sport Organisation: “We are delighted to build bridges between our partners Santini and Hotchillee to create synergies within the A.S.O. ecosystem. This collaboration will help the London-Paris by Tour de France to strengthen the Tour de France experience they will offer to their riders while providing them best-in-class cycling kits. It will participate to the development of the event and further establish the London-Paris by Tour de France as a one-of-a-kind event offering riders the unique experience to feel like Tour de France champions.”

Monica Santini – CEO, Santini Cycling Wear: “We are delighted to be partners of the Hotchillee community and to dress the amateurs at The LONDON-PARIS by Tour de France event. To celebrate the event, the riders will wear a special commemorative jersey, branded by Santini, during a TdF experience”.

Jon Sangan – Santini Custom UK Sale Director: “We are excited to partner with Hotchillee as their official clothing partner. Based on our eco friendly Karma Evo jerseys, Santini designers have created a unique collection for Hotchillee’s London to Paris flagship event. Riders will not only benefit from a once in a lifetime Tour experience but have a unique memento of their ride to cherish for years to come.”

Discovery In Talks With BT Group To Create A JV In UK And Ireland

Discovery, Inc. has entered into exclusive discussions with BT Group to create a new sport venture in the UK by combining its Eurosport business in the UK and Ireland with BT Sport.

The companies aim for the 50:50 Joint Venture to be operational in 2022 pending a definite agreement and regulatory approval.

The proposed UK venture would bring together BT Sport and Eurosport UK, which have extensive portfolios of premium sport rights, including the Olympic Games, Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, cycling Grand Tours, tennis Grand Slams, the winter sport World Cup season and Premiership Rugby.

“We are excited about this opportunity with BT Group to offer consumers a stronger and simplified combined sport offering in the U.K. and Ireland, and, more broadly, to advance our strategy of bringing sports and entertainment to more consumers on the platform of their choice,” said JB Perrette, President & CEO of Discovery Streaming & International. “We are aligned with BT Group on a shared vision to maximize the value and appeal of our respective UK sport assets, and we look forward to concluding a deal in the coming weeks.”

Discovery, Inc. entered the global sports media business in 2014 with its acquisition of Eurosport. Today, Discovery’s sports business – under the Discovery Sports banner – produces and distributes content to 130 million unique individuals a month across more than 200 markets and 20 languages outside the U.S. Discovery Sports’ consumer brands include Eurosport, Global Cycling Network (GCN), Global Mountain Bike Network (GMBN), Golf Digest and GOLFTV powered by PGA TOUR, as well as sports programming and content on discovery+ and Discovery’s free-to-air TV networks in Europe. The leading sports news and video site, Eurosport.com and its local country versions, engages audiences of more than 50 million sports fans per month.

Fast Studios To Launch Women’s Sports Network Streaming Destination

FAST Studios, the Los Angeles-based venture studio creating the next generation of premium media brands has unveiled its multi-million dollar plan to build the Women’s Sports Network – a free, ad-supported, 24/7 streaming destination where fans will find 100% women’s sports content featured around the clock. Stuart McLean, CEO of FAST Studios, made the announcement.

The Women’s Sports Network has confirmed participation from several leading organizations including the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), U.S. Ski and Snowboard and World Surf League (WSL), in addition to collaborative support from the women’s sports media brand GoodSport and Empower Onyx, a minority-owned media company that celebrates the journey of Black women and girls through sports, with more launch partners to follow. The channel’s strategy is to be as inclusive as possible with rights holders, athletes and content producers to further raise the profile of women’s sports.

FAST Studios’ Women’s Sports Network Advisory Board includes respected leaders in women’s sports, including Carol Stiff, a 30-year veteran of ESPN and Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inductee who has been instrumental in growing the profile of women’s sports media throughout her career; and Sophie Goldschmidt, CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard who recently served as CEO of the World Surf League (WSL) and previously held leadership positions with the NBA, Women’s Tennis Association, European PGA Tour and Adidas.

To complement the array of programming from its content partners, Women’s Sports Network will produce flagship daily and weekly women’s sports news, talk and highlights shows from a new, dedicated studio space in Los Angeles. Emmy Award-winning media executive Melissa Forman is advising the channel’s original programming strategy.

“Women’s sports programming has been too hard to find on TV for too long. Brands are telling us that they want to support female athletes, and they appreciate how brand-safe and relatable they are,” added Stiff. “When we launch, 50 years after Title IX started the ball rolling towards parity for women’s sports in America, the Women’s Sports Network will fill a void that has been plaguing brands and audiences alike.”

“There is a huge, under-served market for women’s sports on television. Currently, female athletes receive only 4% of sports media coverage despite making up 40% of all participants in sports,” said Goldschmidt. “The new Women’s Sports Network is primed for success with our initial slate of content partnerships with key sports organizations, deep relationships with brand marketers, and the growing demand for a premiere destination for women’s sports.”

With a billion dollar plus potential for the women’s sports category, per a recent Deloitte report, the free, ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) industry is expected to grow to $4.1 billion with 216 million monthly active users in the coming years, per nScreenMedia.

Sports Innovation Lab, a data and fan intelligence company whose research aims to unlock the untapped potential for sports organizations by tracking what fans do, watch, and buy, recognizes that fan behavior is changing rapidly. FAST Studios CEO McLean sits on the Sports Innovation Lab’s Fluid Fan Leadership Board, an executive network of industry leaders focused on the latest technologies and behavior trends that are currently redefining the sports and entertainment experience.

“Our groundbreaking Fan Project research has confirmed time and again that there is massive demand for women’s sports coverage – fans want to watch, but it’s not always easy to find women’s sports broadcasts and other women’s sports programming,” said Angela Ruggiero, CEO and co-founder of Sports Innovation Lab. “Our studies show that when women’s sports content is consistently scheduled and easy to find, the community – made up of both male and female viewers – tunes in. The Women’s Sports Network is a powerful step forward in making women’s sports content more visible and accessible, and we can’t wait to see sports fans rally around it.”

“For too long, the women’s sports industry has been seen through the lens of men’s sports, and that has led to a massive underestimation of the commercial opportunity,” said Stuart McLean, CEO of FAST Studios. “Our significant investment in the Women’s Sports Network, the outstanding team of partners we’re continuing to grow, and the cultural forces at play all combine to make this the most exciting new venture I’ve ever had the privilege to launch. We are so grateful to have so many visionary women embrace this mission and put their energy and expertise behind this new venture.”

Women’s Sports Network will debut in 2022 on major free, ad-supported streaming platforms. FAST Studios will manage programming, advertising and distribution as it does for its other channels. With the addition of Women’s Sports Network, FAST Studios is adding to its slate of OTT sports brands.

The company recently launched SpartanTV, a first of its kind 24/7 streaming channel, with Spartan Race – the world’s leading obstacle race and lifestyle wellness brand – and Air Force Special Warfare serving as an anchor sponsor, and Racing America, a 24/7 home for grassroots racing with live races and original content that includes a slate of news-driven shows, archival races and NASCAR Cup Series team content. Additional channels are already in the pipeline and will launch shortly.

FloSports Signs Tezos As Official Blockchain Partner

Streaming service FloSports has selected Tezos as its Official Blockchain in a multiyear technical partnership.

The partnership includes prominent branding in FloSports’ owned-and-operated events and other live streamed sporting events as well as development of non-fungible token (NFTs) fan experiences built on Tezos.

Tezos will become the Title Sponsor for Tezos Who’s Number One (WNO), FloSports’ popular owned-and-operated grappling event series. All points of the WNO brand will incorporate the Tezos logo: onsite activations, cobranded marketing materials, graphical wipes, in-stream graphic packages, and more.

Tezos will also serve as Presenting Sponsor for other wrestling, grappling, and motorsports events available on FloSports throughout the next two years.

This is the first sports streaming partnership for Tezos, an energy-efficient, open source blockchain for assets and applications. It will continue until the end of 2024.


Jason Ford, Senior Vice President, Integrated Partnerships, FloSports commented: We’re excited about this partnership and introducing entirely new audiences to the Tezos blockchain experience. Tezos will help demonstrate to our subscribers the benefits of blockchain technology while also helping us deliver unique and unforgettable fan experiences that will further strengthen our relationship with fans of our wide range of sports.”


Edward Adlard, Head of Business Development and Adoption added: Now more than ever, people are embracing blockchain technology as a powerful tool and Tezos’ energy-efficient design and ability to upgrade sets it apart from the rest. I am delighted to see FloSports join a rapidly growing list of brands that are using Tezos to revolutionize their industries; from gaming and art to grappling, wrestling and racing!”