DAZN and United Football League Agree To Global Broadcast Deal

The United Football League (UFL), the premier professional spring football league, and DAZN, the world’s leading sports entertainment platform, have signed a new global partnership that will see DAZN broadcast every game of the UFL’s 2025 season.

Fans around the world* can enjoy the UFL’s second season for free on DAZN. Founded by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Dany Garcia, RedBird Capital Partners and Fox, the UFL began play in 2024 following the merger of two other spring leagues — the United States Football League (USFL) and the XFL. The deal was secured by the UFL’s media rights partner, IMG.

The 2025 season kicked off on 28 March with a match-up featuring the St. Louis Battlehawks against the Houston Roughnecks and will conclude after 10 weeks of the regular season and two weeks of the postseason with the 2025 UFL Championship Game on 14 June. The league features eight teams – four former USFL and four former XFL teams. The USFL Conference is made up of the Birmingham Stallions, Houston Roughnecks, Memphis Showboats and Michigan Panthers. The XFL Conference includes the Arlington Renegades, DC Defenders, San Antonio Brahmas and St. Louis Battlehawks.

With DAZN, UFL will be available in over 200 markets, across multiple internet-enabled devices and distribution channels, and benefit from DAZN’s marketing expertise and innovative technology. The flexibility and robustness of DAZN’s platform enables live and on-demand content to be streamed at scale, while also providing the capability to localise in key markets.

The UFL joins DAZN’s extensive portfolio of American football, as well as global multi-sport content broadcast on a free-to-air basis. DAZN is the global home of the NFL Game Pass and is the only place for fans (excluding in the US and China) to watch every NFL game. Fans of American football around the world can also watch the European League of Football (ELF) with DAZN’s new ELF Game Pass. Moreover, DAZN offers free content from some of the world’s most exciting sports properties including the FIFA Club World Cup, LIV Golf, E1 and more.

Wendy Bass, Executive Vice President, Business Operations & Administration, said: “The United Football League is proud to join DAZN’s world-class lineup of sports offerings. This league is focused on expanding the global footprint of American football and DAZN is the perfect partner to help us reach that goal.”

Shay Segev, DAZN Group CEO, said: “DAZN’s dedicated audience of sports fans already enjoys a wide range of American Football content on our platform. Our partnership with the United Football League is an exciting extension of this portfolio and will support the growth of this sport’s reach worldwide. DAZN’s is committed to creating the ultimate destination for sports entertainment, and offering the United Football League’s 2025 season to fans for free aligns with this ambition.”

From the Field to the Boardroom: How Former Olympian Manu Leroy is Redefining Sports Marketing at RBFA

Manu Leroy’s journey from being a professional hockey goalkeeper to leading the marketing and commercial strategy of the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) is a testament to the evolving role of athletes in sports governance. As the Chief Marketing Officer of RBFA, Leroy has been instrumental in transforming the federation’s commercial landscape, doubling its revenue, and pioneering digital innovations. In this exclusive conversation with iSportConnect’s Taruka Srivastav, he delves into RBFA’s strategic partnerships, digital expansion, and the evolving sponsorship ecosystem, shedding light on how Belgium’s football federation is navigating the modern sports business landscape.

You’ve had an incredible journey as a former Olympian and hockey player. How did you transition into your current role at the RBFA?

I’ve always combined my passion for sports with my professional career. Back when I was playing hockey, it was semi-professional, so I had to work alongside my sports career. I started in advertising, then moved to Telenet, where I handled sports channels and sponsorship marketing. Eventually, I joined the RBFA, where everything came together. As the CMO, I oversee marketing, commercial partnerships, and fan engagement, which includes everything from campaigns to content production and press relations.

The RBFA has grown significantly in recent years. How did you approach the commercial side of things to drive this growth?

When I joined in 2019, the RBFA was coming off a successful World Cup in Russia, but the commercial side wasn’t reflecting that success. We started by benchmarking against other federations with help from UEFA’s GROW program. We created a new commercial plan from scratch, focusing on renewing existing partnerships and adding new ones. Within three years, we more than doubled our commercial revenue. Our partners include major (Belgian) brands like ING, adidas, Proximus, Jupiler, BMW, Coca-Cola, and PwC, among others.

Digitalization has been a key focus for the RBFA. Can you tell us about your digital strategy?

In 2021, we launched the RBFA app to build direct relationships with fans and collect data. The app allows amateur players to check schedules, stats, and rankings, while fans can access content and live streams. We’re now rebuilding our entire IT infrastructure and football management system with a partner from the United States, Orion. This will take about two and a half years, with the new system expected to be ready for the 2027-28 season. Our data strategy is also a big focus, as we aim to optimize communication and fan engagement.

How do media rights work for the RBFA, especially for national teams?

UEFA handles the centralized sales of media rights for our men’s national team, so we receive revenue from that. For the women’s national team, we manage the media sales ourselves, though the numbers are smaller. The league handles the rights for the first and second divisions, as well as the top-tier competitions. This structure allows us to focus on other revenue streams while UEFA manages the bulk of media rights.

How do you decide on sponsorship categories, and are they fixed or flexible?

Categories aren’t fixed; they can expand or change depending on opportunities. For example, if we lose a partner in one category, we can explore new ones. However, we limit the number of top partners to ensure we can deliver value to each. We also explore regional partnerships, like in China or the US, especially around major tournaments. For instance, leading up to the World Cup in the US, we’re looking for partnerships with US-based brands.

Are you open to partnerships with sports tech startups or innovative companies?

Absolutely. We’re part of two accelerators—HYPE (international) and Sports Tech Belgium (local)—where we collaborate with startups to test new technologies. It’s a win-win situation: they get to pilot their innovations, and we get access to cutting-edge solutions. We’re particularly interested in sports tech and traditional tech companies like Microsoft or Amazon.

Are there any global sports partnerships that have inspired you?

The resurgence of crypto partnerships has been interesting, though it’s a tricky category for us due to Belgium’s strict anti-money laundering laws. We’re also inspired by partnerships with tech giants and innovative brands. For us, the focus is on finding partners that align with our values and can bring something unique to the table.

What categories are currently open for partnerships at the RBFA?

We’re actively looking for partners in several categories, including tires, food delivery, pharmaceuticals, retail, and energy. These are areas where we see potential for growth and alignment with our brand. Once we fill these categories, our sponsorship portfolio will be largely complete.

What’s next for the RBFA in terms of growth and innovation?

We’re focused on rebuilding our IT infrastructure and enhancing our digital capabilities. We’re also preparing forthe World Cup qualifiers, and looking to expand our regional partnerships. Our goal is to continue growing our commercial revenue while delivering value to our fans and partners.

Any advice for brands looking to partner with sports organizations like the RBFA?

It’s important to align with the values and goals of the organization. For us, partnerships are about more than just revenue—they’re about creating meaningful connections with fans and contributing to the growth of football in Belgium. Brands should bring something unique to the table, whether it’s innovative technology, a strong local presence, or a shared commitment to the sport.

Bundesliga International secures media rights deals in nine Eastern European territories

The Bundesliga has further strengthened its position internationally after Bundesliga International, together with its partner Infront, struck new broadcast deals in nine Eastern European countries from the 2025-26 season onwards.

Bundesliga International appointed Infront in May 2024 to manage media rights sales for the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 in several markets. Since then, the two organisations have reached agreements with broadcasters across Eastern Europe, with packages covering all 612 games per season of the Bundesliga, Bundesliga 2, as well as the four relegation playoff matches between the two divisions, and the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup.

The broadcast agreements begin ahead of the 2025-26 season and will run until the conclusion of the 2028-29 campaign.

Infront has been working with Bundesliga International to implement tailor-made strategies for each of the respective territories, including a dedicated marketing roll-out to support live broadcasts.

Lithuania – Setanta
Latvia – Setanta
Estonia – Setanta
Albania – Tring
Kosovo (Albanian language) – Tring (exclusive for Albanian language only)
Czech Republic – Nova Sport
Slovakia – Nova Sport
Romania – Digi
Russia – Okko
Bundesliga International Managing Director and Chief Marketing Officer Peer Naubert said: “The Bundesliga remains one of the most popular leagues in the world, and that is reflected in the strength of our media rights sales. Working alongside Infront, we have secured a number of new broadcasters, while in some cases building on long-standing agreements with established market leaders. Across Eastern Europe, there is a long history with German football, and the importance of those traditions continue today as we work together to tell the stories of the Bundesliga each week.

“Our partnership with Infront is one founded on shared expertise and mutual trust, and we now look forward to delivering world class content for the fans across these territories, for the next four years and beyond.”

Amikam Kranz, Senior Vice President Media, Betting and Technology, Infront, said: “Our collaboration with the DFL began only a short time ago, so these broadcast agreements are a testament to the value and trust this collaboration has created in a short space of time. German club football continues to attract audiences globally and these agreements are an indicator that, despite a challenging and competitive market, we have the right network to transform that popularity and deliver broadcast revenue for rightsholders.”

Azulmarino unveiled as Presenting Partner of the EuroLeague Women Final Six

FIBA Europe and the World2Meet (W2M) group have announced that Azulmarino, W2M’s travel agencies network, will be the EuroLeague Women Final Six Presenting Partner for a period of three years, starting with its upcoming edition in April.

FIBA Europe President Jorge Garbajosa and FIBA Executive Director Europe Kamil Novak represented EuroLeague Women at a press conference to announce the partnership, and the ceremonial contract signing act, at Pabellon Principe Felipe in Zaragoza.


W2M CEO Gabriel Subías and Úbico Sports Director Alberto Martínez Guerra where the signatories on behalf of the W2M group, while Spanish Basketball Federation (FEB) President Elisa Aguilar and General Director Oscar Graefenhain, who contributed to the conception and execution of the partnership, were both in attendance.

“This multi-year partnership is a testament to EuroLeague Women’s consolidated position among the leading sports properties in the world,” stated Mr. Garbajosa. “The continued growth of EuroLeague Women and the commitment of Azulmarino to the values of innovation, sustainability and efficiency go hand in hand with our strategic priority to strengthen women’s basketball,” Mr. Garbajosa added.


“We are extremely pleased to be entering this partnership with Azulmarino, a highly respected within its industry, forward-thinking group. It is a natural fit with EuroLeague Women, that has evolved into a valued brand in its own right, and reflects not only the league’s prospects but also the prospects of European women’s basketball,” commented Mr. Novak.

“We are profoundly proud and grateful to have sealed this agreement with the governing body of European basketball. It certifies the confidence in Azulmarino and reinforces our commitment to the development of women’s basketball and the fundamental values that this sport represents,” said Mr. Subías.

Zaragoza was awarded in December the hosting rights to the EuroLeague Women Final Six through the 2026-27 season.

The 2024-25 season-ending tournament of Europe’s flagship women’s club competition will take place at Pabellon Principe Felipe on April 9-13. The six-team field represents five different countries, and includes three former champions in Fenerbahce Opet, Tango Bourges Basket and ZVVZ USK Praha.

MLB, NBC Sports team to stream A’s, Giants, Phils games direct to consumers

Major League Baseball and NBC Sports Regional Networks have announced a new partnership to stream games direct-to-consumers for three MLB Clubs: Athletics (NBC Sports California), Giants (NBC Sports Bay Area), and Phillies (NBC Sports Philadelphia) – through MLB.TV during the 2025 season. Fans in the Clubs’ home territories can now watch the networks’ game coverage live and on demand with live pre- and post-game shows through the league’s streaming service, which is now entering its 23rd season.

With the completion of this agreement, 26 of the 30 MLB Clubs now have a DTC streaming option available in market which effectively eliminates local blackouts for their fans. Games appearing on one of MLB’s national partners’ platforms will not be available on MLB.TV.


Packages for the A’s and Giants will be available for a monthly cost of $19.99 and can be bundled with MLB.TV’s out of market games for $39.99 a month. The Phillies package will be available for $24.99 per month and can be bundled with MLB.TV’s out of market package for $44.99 per month.

See Bryce Harper and the Phillies in 2025: Single game tickets on sale now!
“We are excited to partner with NBC to continue increasing the reach of MLB games for our fans,” said Noah Garden, MLB Deputy Commissioner, Business & Media. “We have been hard at work with our Clubs and RSNs to address one of the top issues that baseball fans have had for years, which has been blackouts. This agreement with NBC marks an important step in that effort as we now have nearly 90% of the league with a DTC streaming option available in their market.”

Federation for International FootGolf Opens Bid Process for World Cup 2026

The Federation for International FootGolf (FIFG) has officially opened the bid process for the fifth FIFG FootGolf World Cup 2026. This prestigious event invites host destinations, cities, and member countries to submit their bids to host the most significant gathering in the sport of FootGolf.

The FIFG World Cup stands as the premier event in FootGolf, bringing together the world’s best players. Over 1,000 elite players from more than 60 member countries, along with thousands of fans, staff, and media representatives, will converge for this monumental event. Spanning 10 to 12 days, the World Cup is expected to generate over 35,000 overnight stays, providing a substantial economic boost to the host destination.

Hosting the FIFG World Cup offers a unique opportunity to showcase the host destination’s culture, traditions, and hospitality on a global stage. The event will feature daily broadcasts and live streaming on major platforms, ensuring extensive media coverage and enhancing the worldwide profile of FootGolf. Additionally, the host destination will benefit from increased tourism, local business engagement, and the chance to secure exclusive naming rights for major FootGolf events in 2025.

“Our goal is to make the next World Cup a milestone in the development of FootGolf. We are committed to creating an unforgettable experience for players, fans, and stakeholders alike. This event will not only celebrate the sport but also open up new opportunities for investment in FootGolf – a fantastic sport that unites the excitement of football with the challenge of golf. Together, we can elevate FootGolf to new heights and inspire the next generation of players,” said Aleksander Kravanja, FIFG President.

The bid application process is now open to host destinations, cities, and member countries. Interested parties must submit their initial applications by 21 April 2025. For more details on how to submit a bid, visit the FIFG Official Website or contact competitions@fifg.org.

Hosting the FIFG World Cup provides global exposure, economic impact, and cultural showcase opportunities. The event will receive worldwide media coverage, promoting the host destination on an international scale. With thousands of participants and spectators, the event will drive tourism, support local businesses, and create lasting economic benefits. The host destination will have the opportunity to highlight its unique culture, traditions, and hospitality to a global audience.

Tour de France Set for UK Grand Départ in 2027

The Tour de France is set to make history in 2027 as it embarks on a groundbreaking Grand Départ in the United Kingdom, spanning Scotland, Wales, and England. This marks the first time that the world’s most prestigious cycling race will commence across three constituent nations of the UK, further strengthening the Tour’s ties with British cycling culture.

For the 114th edition of the Tour de France and the 6th edition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, the Grand Départ will begin in Scotland’s historic capital, Edinburgh, before progressing southward through Wales and England. This extensive British sojourn represents a significant evolution in the Tour’s relationship with the UK, having previously visited England on four occasions since 1974.

A Rich History with British Soil

The Tour de France first set foot in England in 1974, with a stage contested on a circuit in Plymouth. In 1994, the Tour returned to celebrate the opening of the Channel Tunnel with stages finishing in Brighton and Portsmouth. More recently, London hosted a spectacular Grand Départ in 2007, followed by Yorkshire’s widely acclaimed edition in 2014. However, the 2027 edition will take this legacy to new heights by incorporating three different UK nations in its opening stages.

Breaking New Ground for the Tour de France Femmes

The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will also embrace new frontiers with its first-ever Grand Départ in the United Kingdom. Following its 2024 start in the Netherlands, the 2027 edition will mark the first time both the men’s and women’s races will launch from the same country outside of France. This milestone underscores the continued global expansion and growing prominence of women’s cycling on the world stage.

A Pioneering Moment for British Cycling

Bringing the Grand Départ to Scotland, Wales, and England highlights the UK’s growing influence in world cycling and the sport’s ever-expanding fan base. The event is expected to deliver significant economic and tourism benefits while offering British fans an unparalleled opportunity to witness the world’s best riders up close.

As the countdown to 2027 begins, the cycling world eagerly anticipates what promises to be one of the most exciting and geographically diverse Grand Départs in Tour de France history.

SPORTEL MIAMI: Spotlight on the 2025 Conference Summit

The vibrant city of Miami is set to welcome back SPORTEL, the world’s leading market and conference summit for the sports media and tech industry, from 1-2 April at the prestigious JW Marriott Miami. This exclusive gathering will invite participants to connect under the stunning backdrop of the cosmopolitan sunshine state and gateway for sports business in the Americas.

Times and technology have evolved since Miami first played host to SPORTEL over 25 years ago and so has this regional event, which is reflected both on the market and exhibit floor and complemented by an expertly curated conference summit. A dynamic mix of international sports executive leaders and disruptive innovators, who are collectively shaping the future of the industry and producing groundbreaking solutions for sports media, will take to the stage at Speakers Corner, to share engaging masterclass panels and presentation sessions throughout the two-day event.

Day one (1 April), opens with a Miami and US focus, as a celebrated host city and country discussing, “The American Dream: A Media Hub for Major Sports Events” and how the biggest media market in the world, ticks all the boxes from infrastructure, to fans to sustainability to broadcast and more with Hard Rock Stadium & Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix (Jillian Falduto), FIFA World Cup 2026™ Miami Host Committee (Janelle M. Prieto) Formula E (Jonathan Salt), Homestead-Miami Speedway (Guillermo Santa Cruz) and moderated by Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (Mat Ratner).

Next up, we’ll move into the rapidly evolving world of AI, already redefining the industry. Kicking off, a presentation by Greenfly (Ethan Podell) and partner Iron Mountain (Greg Maratea) will share insight “From Archives to Opportunity – The Power of Historical Content” proving how archived content can be a powerful asset that drives fan engagement, storytelling, and new revenue opportunities. 

Following on, Harmonic (Mikel Darrigues) will talk about, “The AI Revolution in Sports Content: Enhancing Production, Broadcasting & Fan Engagement” divulging further AI use cases such as automatic sports highlights, scheduling for FAST channels, streamline content curation and delivery, multilingual commentaries and virtual product placement, to name a few.

Two panels led by SVG (Ken Kerschbaumer), will address, “It all Starts With Data – The Untapped Goldmine” revealing how understanding every attribute of data is crucial not only for monetization but also for staying agile and relevant in the fast-paced world of sports.  Expert panelists include PGA Tour (Scott Gutterman) and Veritone (Craig Carruso). Then, “Generative AI for Sports Media & Storytelling”, will further explore use cases from rights to sponsorship and debate how generative AI make the world of sports business more efficient and drives growth. Expert perspectives from AI innovators and users will include Spectatr (Shifa Garg), Blinkfire (Johnny Kutnowski), LFP Media (David Labrune) and MultiTV Solutions (Vikash Samota).

Switching directions, “A New Era of Live Sports Streaming” in collaboration with SportBusiness (Jon Rest), will debate how Netflix is upping its stakes to incorporate live streaming of premium events, plus the growth of live sports content on FAST platforms and models and success and challenges for leagues leveraging their own DTC channels. Hear more on where things are heading from our executive line up of Paramount/Pluto TV (Eduardo Arias), FOX Deportes (Angelina Losada), YouTube (Victor Machado) and Octagon (William Mao).

Closing the day, will be the first of two sessions for the ever popular “Pitch Perfect” which continues to gain traction in popularity, providing a fantastic showcase for emerging companies new to SPORTEL who have a creative or innovative solution, to present in this quick-fire session. Each company is allocated just three minutes pitch time and two minutes question time, with the lucky winner receiving a full access visitor pass to SPORTEL Monaco 2025. Pitchers over the two days include: Tagboard (Farren Benjamin), Absolut Sport (Antonio Paz), Teradek (Jefferson Pichinte), Blinkfire (Johnny Kutnowski), 1h Media (Carlos Lopes), Artlist (Jack Robertson), MultiTV Solutions (Vikash Samota), Spectatr.ai (Riche Singh) and Spyrosoft (Jonathan Witte), ensuring an innovative highlight to end an invigorating two days of knowledge sharing and business exchange between executive attendees

Day two (2 April), kicks off with an open discussion around “European Football Leagues Making a Strike in the US” on how the big soccer (football) clubs and leagues are ramping up their investment in the US market and how this will be financed. Leading the discussion will be SportBusiness (Jon Rest) with European and domestic insights from Televisa Univision (Andrew Captan), LALIGA North America (Nicolas Garcia Hemme) and OneFootball (Yannick Ramcke).

Next up, “Winning with Scale & Personalization – The Future of (Fan Driven) Sports Media”, presented by Vivaro Media (Daniel Gonzalez), will share how sports media can balance global reach with hyper-personalization through data-driven insights, AI-powered content strategies, and next-gen platforms reshaping the industry.

A growing area at SPORTEL and the next masterclass, “Sponsorship: The Revenue Dream for Rights Holders” pinpoints how sponsorship is now the second most important revenue stream for most rights holders, looking at the dynamics of regional models and how these influence brands to connect with their target audiences. The lineup features some of the biggest brands in the industry including, FIFA26, Inc.  (Iris Diaz), DAZN (Lou Garate), Qualcomm (Julie Yamamoto) and moderated by SPORTEL (Giovanni Aquilanti).

Fully focusing on FANS, the “FANtastic FANcentric Formulas for Future FANS” panel will give exciting updates on how next gen fans are consuming content and engaging with their favourite sports, plus new means of monetization for leagues offering hyper personalized content while gaining invaluable data. Our panel of platform specialists include moderator Protocol Sports (Lowell Conn), Fever (Tom McElwee), Lights Out Sports TV (Shawne Merriman), Pro League Network (Mike Salvaris) and TrillerTV (Eric Winter).

Closing the programe will be be part two of the “Pitch Perfect” session and Pitch Perfect Winner announcement ensuring an innovative highlight to end an invigorating two days of knowledge sharing and business exchange between executive attendees.

Women’s elite sports revenues to surpass US$2.35 billion in 2025

Deloitte predicts that global revenues in women’s elite sports will reach at least US$2.35 billion (£1.88 billion) in 2025. This follows revenues in 2024 surpassing original predictions of US$1.28 billion, to hit US$1.88 billion.

Overall, revenues in women’s elite sports are predicted to have risen by 240 per cent in four years, with Deloitte valuing the market at US$692 million in 2022.

Updated figures and projections were calculated based on three main categories of revenue: matchday, broadcast, and commercial. Commercial revenues, which included sponsorships, partnerships, merchandising sales, and pre-season tour income, surpassed US$1 billion for the first time in 2024, making up 55 per cent of women’s sport revenues.

In 2025, commercial income is predicted to continue representing the largest share of revenue across women’s sports (US$1.26 billion, 54 per cent) as organisations generate greater brand recognition and interest, as well as more lucrative contracts. Deloitte’s projections also show a significant rise in broadcast (US$590 million, 25 per cent) and matchday revenues (US$500 million, 21 per cent).

The two highest revenue-generating sports remain unchanged, with basketball (US$1.03 billion, 44 per cent) and football (US$820 million, 35 per cent) projected to generate the biggest revenues in 2025. Basketball is on track to become the leading revenue-generating women’s sport globally as the sport benefits from new star athletes boosting matchday attendances, merchandising sales, and investment into facilities.

While global women’s football revenues are predicted to rise from US$740 million in 2024 to US$820 million in 2025, women’s basketball revenues are expected to jump from US$710 million to US$1.03 billion.

Jennifer Haskel, knowledge and insights lead in the Deloitte Sports Business Group, said: “The growth of women’s sport has continued to exceed expectations as various competitions, leagues, clubs, and athletes generate significant returns, despite limited resources. Crucially, the industry is moving beyond short-sighted metrics to focus on evolving structures and legacy programmes through enhanced investment and bold action. Industry leaders must strike the right balance between maintaining this growth, establishing strong foundations, and maximising opportunities for long-term success.

“Women’s sport is rewriting the playbook and challenging traditional norms to redefine the future of the industry. In 2025 and beyond, the challenge will be for the sports’ industry, brand partners and investors to do things differently. This will allow them to better understand the opportunities in the market and to capitalise on the current growth trajectory of women’s sports and create an ecosystem where women’s sports can thrive.”

North America (US$1.39 billion, 59 per cent) and Europe (US$420 million, 18 per cent) are predicted to continue as the biggest revenue generating women’s sport markets, but Deloitte expects to see further growth, investment and professionalisation across new and existing markets in the years to come.

The analysis highlights that new investment structures could unlock further investment opportunities and dedicated resources for elite women’s sport brands and businesses to further grow commercial returns.

Meanwhile, major events and global competitions are also expected to generate significant revenues, by igniting a long-term passion for women’s sports with new fans. The 2025 Rugby Women’s World Cup, to be held in the UK, has already sold a record number of tickets, while the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be held in Brazil for the first time, aiming to further unlock an emerging market for women’s football.

Haskel added: “Major events are increasing visibility and participation across many sports and geographies, but deliberate action needs to be taken after these big moments to drive domestic success for leagues and clubs. It is no longer enough to just host an event – organisers must be bold and think of new ways to engage fans and drive participation even after the champion is crowned.

“The commercial appeal of women’s sports and its athletes has never been higher, as the sector continues to shine on the global stage. Increasing strategic investment is more important than ever to drive a professional global landscape and create an engaging industry for generations to come. To successfully capitalise on this investment, it is crucial for women’s sport organisations to implement the right structures, develop a clear plan for investment, and define a long-term vision for their place within a rapidly evolving global industry.”

Iceberg again: why sports rights holders would do well to heed the wider trends

In this week’s Member Insights, Ian Whittaker, Twice City AM Analyst of the Year spotlights on what the sports rights holders should be focusing on.

To an outsider, the global sports rights market must look attractive right now. As with most things globally, attention is always directed first to the United States and there it seems as though the Tech giants cannot get enough sports rights at the moment. Not only have Amazon and YouTube become major distributors of the NFL games but Apple has been showing Major League Soccer and Netflix is showing a growing interest in the space. That attention is now permeating down into second and third tier rights. Netflix (again) has been buying up rights such as WWE and is speculated to be a front runner for the US F1 rights, which ESPN has refused to renew.

In Europe, the English Premier League continues its role as the primus inter pares when it comes to global soccer rights and, while there have been unfortunate incidents such as the debacle with the French Ligue 1 rights, generally sports remain a core of the existing Pay-TV models. Meanwhile, the ever growing ease of distributing content to a wide audience over the Internet has meant that sports rights owners now have more potential options to distribute their content, a particular boon for niche content and new sports, such as UFC, do well amongst young audiences. 

However, for many sports rights owners, the longer-term picture may be more uncertain than that rosy picture suggests and really for two reasons. 

The first is that – a particular issue both in Europe and in the US for the major traditional sports rights holders such as ESPN – the economics underpinning their purchase of premium rights have fundamentally shifted and for the worse. In the US, linear television is in freefall as the traditional, expensive Pay-TV model has broken down as Americans move to cheaper streaming services (the US has over 85% SVOD penetration according to Kantar). In Europe, the Pay-TV operators – who have been the historic buyers of premium rights – are not seeing such a dramatic fall but they are seeing stagnation overall when it comes to subscriber growth and a growing unwillingness from consumers to take price increases. 

The second is that the traditional buyers of rights are starting to reassess their attitude to sports as a “must have” product. Perhaps tellingly, the catalyst for such moves has generally tended to be a breakdown in historically strong relationships between the rights owners and the channels, usually because the former want higher revenues which the latter refuses to pay. In France, Canal+ took a hardline against the French football league when the latter asked whether it wanted the Ligue 1 rights post-the collapse of MediaPro but it is the US where there have been the most noticeable shifts recently. Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) CEO David Zaslav recently stated that it does not need any more sports rights stating WBD would rather focus on content which it owns (movies, dramas etc) rather than rents (sports rights). Meanwhile, ESPN and Major League Baseball have ended their several decades relationships post-a recent spat. 

Both trends represent an existential risk. Buyers buy rights because they expect a financial return not out of charity. If the economics no longer work, then they will stop buying the rights, which is why you have seen the major Tech giants mainly not renew the European football rights they held when they came up for renewal. And even if the economics do work, there has to be a willingness on the part of potential buyers to buy. Trust is an important element in business. If one side is perceived as untrustworthy and / or motivated by short-term factors, it can cause an irreversible breakdown in the relationship. Just ask the owners of Ligue 1 and their relation with Canal+.

So far, that has not been an issue for the major US sports rights holders at least who have benefited from incoming money from the streamers which has led to inflation in sports rights costs in games such as the NFL. And even in Europe, Sky’s deals with the EPL and the EFL (English Football League) led to an increase in absolute terms for the leagues. 

Yet sports rights owners should not get complacent, even at the top. For the NFL, yes, it is locked into long-term contracts and its lock on live US TV audiences looks unshakeable. But there are growing signs that younger audiences may be engaging less with the product and, perhaps more of an issue when it comes to their long-term future, an increasing reliance on major Tech giants to whom your product is seen as an end to a means (taking a substantial share of the US television advertising market) more than an ongoing relationship may come back to bite the NFL. Meanwhile, it is clear the current deal between the EPL and Sky / TNT is really a (long) stopgap until both sides can work out what they need to do for the very long-term. 

The overriding point is this. For many of the traditional leaders in sports rights, now would be a good time to think the unthinkable and start to plan their options on how to maintain their revenue streams in case the existing sports rights order breaks down. 

As usual, this is not investment advice.