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. 

Understanding How Data Analytics Drives Long-term Fan Engagement

Several driving forces are reshaping the sports industry. First, the easing of ownership rules has brought a significant influx of capital into the sports industry, given the industry’s massive growth potential and its predictable and emerging revenue streams. For instance, Europe’s five largest football leagues saw investments from private dealmakers increase from $73.8 million in 2018 to $5.4 billion in 2022.1 These investments – particularly from private equity, pension funds and sovereign wealth funds – typically have a defined timeframe in which the investors aim at maximizing the returns. This has driven a sharp increase in the focus of sports organizations (teams/ leagues) on a stronger return on investment (ROI). 

Another prominent driving force – growing complexity in how sports organizations must serve their core stakeholders – fans! The relationship that fans have with sports organizations is increasingly nuanced and multifaceted, especially due to the fragmentation of the media industry. The rise of social media, saturation of sports content and the emergence of a global fanbase have changed the ways in which fans connect with their favorite teams, making it harder for sports organizations to keep fans engaged.

To keep pace, sports organizations are increasingly investing in data analytics to gather fan insights. However, gathering fan insights alone is not enough; leveraging data analytics to monetize these insights is key. This is where focusing on fan lifetime value (Fan LTV) helps. Fan LTV helps sports organizations develop a more comprehensive understanding of fans’ needs and preferences which they can use, in turn, to unlock new revenue streams by driving long-term fan engagement. 

This research note explores the above drivers in more detail, explains the power of data analytics in maximizing fan LTV and enlists a few practical recommendations on how sports organizations can leverage fan LTV. 

A Deeper Dive into the Sports Industry Transformation Drivers 

Four core drivers are reshaping the sports industry: 

  • Diversifying Investor Landscape & the Increased Focus on a Stronger ROI: In recent decades, US sports teams’ valuations have grown faster than the S&P 500. Outsized valuations, coupled with the opening-up of ownership opportunities have made professional sports organization an attractive investment bet. Consequently, investments – particularly from private equity firms – are on the rise. But these growing investments also increase the pressure on sports organizations to expand their focus from current profitability to future revenue growth through fan engagement, in order to achieve strong risk-adjusted return for investors.

  • Evolving Fan Viewership Habits & the Rising Competition for Fan Attention: The ways in which fans interact with sports organizations is rapidly changing, especially given the change in fans’ viewing habits – from traditional cable subscriptions to streaming services. Moreover, the diversity in fan preferences across international markets significantly adds to the complexity. This challenge is further aggravated by the increasing competition for fan attention owing to the fragmentation of the media landscape. These factors make it imperative for sports organizations to meet these evolving fan preferences through hyper-personalized experiences that can forge and deepen long-term fan engagements. 

  • Emergence of New Revenue Streams & the Broadening Focus on Fan Value: Changing fan habits, rising technological advancements, increasing investor influence and the changing sponsorship landscape are just a few factors that have led to the emergence of new revenue streams for sports organizations. These factors have created new monetization avenues for sports organizations that can be unlocked by creating and measuring a more targeted and holistic experience for fans. This necessitates the adoption of a more balanced approach – one that focuses on both fanbase growth and fanbase monetization – such that fan value remains as the key focus. For example, sponsorship today is no longer based on just brand visibility for a broader reach; it’s based on targeted engagement for specific fan segments as well. As sponsors are increasingly seeking such targeted engagement, the ability to track fan engagement metrics and quantify the potential value of a specific fan segment helps organizations secure more lucrative sponsorship fees. 

  • Proliferation of Data & the Increased Emphasis on Data-Driven Decision Making: Sports organizations are increasingly focusing on gathering first-, second- and third-party fan data to develop a better understanding of fans. The availability of such large volumes of data – gathered from diverse platforms and sources – generates an untapped opportunity for sports organizations to maximize fan engagement. More organizations are turning to data analytics to leverage their massive fan database for deepening fan engagement, developing targeted pricing strategies and unlocking new revenue streams for increased profitability in the long run.

Understanding Fan Lifetime Value 

Fan LTV is the estimate of a fan’s value to a sports organization based on their current engagement and revenue from all transactional and non-transactional touchpoints as well as on their probable future journey (see Image 1). It aims to quantify and predict the potential lifetime revenue/value generated by a fan which helps organizations create more personalized experiences for them to drive long-term fan engagement. Leveraging fan LTV enables sports organizations to expand their focus from immediate revenue and profitability to fostering long-term fan engagement for a sustainable future. 

Image 1: Use of Transactional and Non-Transactional Data for Fan LTV Calculation

A diagram of different types of data AI-generated content may be incorrect.

Organizational Benefits of Fan LTV Estimation

By segmenting fans based on their unique value proposition, fan LTV calculation helps organizations not only foster deeper, long-term connections with fans but also provide valuable insights that enable strategic decisions and increase operational efficiency. Here are three key use cases: 

1.Optimize the Fan Lifecyle: Fan LTV estimation goes beyond basic demographics and analyzes fan behavior across different touchpoints, allowing organizations to segment their fanbase using criteria such as engagement levels, interests, and spending habits. This enables them to develop tailored fan engagement strategies for each fan segment, proactively addressing potential fan attrition and developing targeted marketing strategies to attract fans with high potential future value.

          2. Enable Strategic Decisions: By revealing a fan’s potential long-term value, fan LTV estimation provides sports organizations with a richer fact-base to implement various strategic decisions. For example, organizations can optimize media rights negotiations, secure lucrative sponsorship deal, tailor merchandise licensing strategies by gaining an accurate understanding of fan value. This helps in driving profitability and sustainable growth. 

            3. Increase Operational Efficiency: By understanding which fan segments deliver the highest value, fan LTV estimation enables sports organizations to optimize resource allocation across sales, marketing and customer service, thereby boosting operational efficiency. This includes targeting high-value fans with personalized campaigns, providing tailored merchandise offerings, identifying upselling and cross-selling opportunities and proactively addressing customer service issues to minimize churn and maximize fan engagement. 

              Recommendations

              • Drive Strategic Marketing & Branding Investments with fan LTV Insights: Analyze data from multiple fan touchpoints – including demographics, purchase history, social media interactions, attendance at live events – to identify high-value segments and tailor marketing campaigns that resonate with their preferences. This data-driven approach enables efficient resource allocation, personalized messaging and optimized brand activations, leading to increased fan engagement and stringer brand loyalty.  

              • Leverage fan LTV Insights in Media Rights Negotiations: Maximize media rights revenue by leveraging fan LTV data to showcase the value proposition of the fanbase to broadcasters and streaming platforms. Demonstrate fan loyalty, consumption habits and projected future revenue potential to secure favorable agreements that optimize reach and financial returns. 

              • Secure Lucrative Sponsorship Deals with fan LTV Data: Attract and retain high-value sponsors by utilizing fan LTV data to demonstrate tangible partnership benefits. Provide sponsors with comprehensive insights into fan demographics, engagement levels and predicted lifetime value to forge bespoke partnerships that deliver measurable ROI. 

              • Optimize Merchandise Licensing Agreements through fan LTV-Driven Valuation: Leverage fan LTV insights to accurately assess the long-term value of potential licensing deals. Analyze fan consumption habits, purchasing power and predicted lifetime value to negotiate favorable agreements, optimize product offerings and maximize revenue generation and fan engagement through merchandise sales.

              The Future Is Fan LTV

              By embracing fan LTV, sports organizations can derive a wide-range of benefits that allows them to forge deeper relationships with fans in the long-term and identify/ engage high-value fan segments through tailored fan engagement strategies. With rising sports investments, rapid changes in technology and fan behavior, fan LTV can help sports organizations leverage data and analytics to optimize revenue generation and stay ahead of the curve. 

              References

              [1] PitchBook. (2024, August 14). Every PE connection to Europe’s top football clubs. Retrieved from   https://pitchbook.com/news/articles/private-equity-european-football-dashboard

              About EXL: EXL has been partnering with major sports organizations across the globe to navigate issues surrounding data management, viewership, subscriptions and fan engagement to achieve business goals and to strategize for the future. EXL works extensively with these organizations to derive data-driven insights, identify opportunities for growth and deliver end-to-end improvements. To learn more about how EXL can support your organization, please get in touch with us at Sports.Analytics@exlservice.com.

              Contributors:

              Anuroop Talwar

              Vice President II – Sports Analytics

              Anuroop.Talwar@exlservice.com

              Abhishek Kumar

              Engagement Manager – Sports Analytics

              Abhishek.Kumar19@exlservice.com

              Pulkita Vaish  

              Senior Consultant – Sports Analytics Pulkita.Vaish@exlservice.com

              FIH inks five-year strategic deal with Endeavor Streaming

              The International Hockey Federation (FIH) and Endeavor Streaming have announced a five-year strategic partnership to launch a re-imagined version of FIH’s global streaming service, Watch.Hockey, and drive enhanced digital engagement and fan experience opportunities for the sport. The partnership will create a global content destination for hockey fans to access live action from all FIH competitions and other events from the global hockey community, throughout the year.

              Launching ahead of a packed calendar of FIH events including the FIH Hockey Pro League, the FIH Hockey Nations Cup and the FIH Hockey Nations Cup 2, the enhanced service will stream more than 600 events live to fans around the world, including the FIH Hockey World Cup, the FIH Hockey Pro League, the FIH Hockey Nations Cup, the FIH Hockey Nations Cup 2, the FIH Hockey Junior World Cup, the FIH Hockey5s World Cup and the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup. Fans will also be able to watch highlights and historical events from the FIH archive on Watch.Hockey, which will be available to access across web, smart TVs, iOS and Android mobile devices.

              Under the partnership, Endeavor Streaming will support and develop the FIH’s D2C strategy to drive long-term digital reach and support its content engagement strategy, through business advisory, audience development, technical deployment, content operations, and end user customer service. Watch.Hockey will be powered by Endeavor Streaming’s Vesper Platform, a complete end-to-end streaming solution that enables teams, leagues, and federations to build upon and deliver highly profitable direct-to-consumer streaming experiences for their fans.

              FIH President Tayyab Ikram said: “Developing and promoting the game is at the very top of the FIH mission. In this regard, the new version of our streaming platform, Watch.Hockey, shall play an even bigger role than ever before in enhancing the visibility of hockey worldwide. By partnering with Endeavor Streaming, I’m delighted that we could win a true leader in this field to help us achieve this major objective for us, and reach the next level. We look forward to a successful partnership, and a great outcome for all hockey fans around the world!”

              Fred Santarpia, President at Endeavor Streaming said: “This partnership combines our world-class streaming technology and digital strategy capabilities to deliver sustained commercial growth for international hockey. Through our long-term collaboration, we’re not only creating a global destination for hockey fans, but helping FIH acquire, engage and grow its digital audience around the world.”

              The partnership leverages Endeavor Streaming’s experience in delivering innovative direct-to-consumer streaming offerings and digital strategy for some of the world’s biggest sports leagues and federations, including the Union of European Football Association (UEFA), the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), Ligue 1 McDonald’s, World Rugby, and International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS).

              REAP Global Named Presenting Title Sponsor for the CUPRA FIP Tournaments

              REAP Global, a leading payment technology provider, has been officially named the Presenting Title Sponsor of Asia Padel Events (APE), supporting its promotion of CUPRA FIP tournaments across  Southeast Asia. This landmark partnership represents a major step forward in professional padel’s  expansion, reinforcing the sport’s global reach and competitive ecosystem. 

              The CUPRA FIP Tour is the official international padel circuit under International Padel Federation  (FIP). The CUPRA FIP Tour 2025 will introduce a series of tournaments promoted by APE across  Southeast Asia, including Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, and more. With FIP Ranking  Points and competitive prize money, these tournaments provide a crucial pathway for professional  players to reach the highest tiers of the sport, including Premier Padel. 

              A Game-Changing Partnership for Padel in Asia 

              With REAP Global as the Presenting Title Sponsor of Asia Padel Events, the CUPRA FIP Tour  2025 tournaments promoted by APE are set to: 

              • Expand into new host nations, strengthening the presence of padel across Asia.  • Attract top-tier international players while creating opportunities for local and regional athletes.  • Increase tournament visibility through world-class digital engagement, live streaming, and  media coverage. 

              The confirmed 2025 calendar includes at least ten international tournaments promoted by APE,  featuring: 

              • Hong Kong – Hosting its first-ever FIP Bronze event, a milestone for the city’s sporting  landscape. 

              • Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur debuts its FIP Bronze tournament, reinforcing its commitment to  professional padel. 

              • Singapore – Marking Singapore’s entry into the CUPRA FIP Tour, positioning the country as  a new hub for padel in Southeast Asia. 

              Additionally, Asia Padel Events will organize Challenger Tournaments as parallel events to the  CUPRA FIP Tour, engaging recreational and aspiring competitive players. These tournaments will  provide local athletes and enthusiasts the opportunity to compete, gain ranking points, and be  part of the international padel experience. 

              A Shared Vision for Growth & Innovation 

              Alenna Dawn, Founder of Asia Padel Events, shared her excitement about the collaboration, “Padel  is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, and this partnership with REAP Global allows us to  take the sport to new heights in Asia. With their expertise in financial technology and innovation, REAP  shares our vision of expansion, accessibility, and long-term sustainability for padel in the region. Their  support as Presenting Title Sponsor of Asia Padel Events ensures that we can bring more CUPRA FIP  tournaments to Asia, giving players greater opportunities to compete on an international level.” 

              Kevin Kang, Co-Founder of REAP Global, emphasized the synergy between REAP and Asia Padel  Events, “We are proud to be the Presenting Title Sponsor of Asia Padel Events, supporting the  expansion of the CUPRA FIP Tour across Southeast Asia. At REAP, we value speed, innovation, and teamwork—the same principles that define padel as a sport. Just as Asia Padel Events is leading the  way in padel’s growth in Asia, REAP is pioneering new financial solutions for businesses worldwide. We  look forward to a long-term partnership that will drive the expansion of both padel and digital finance.” 

              Building the Future of Padel in Asia 

              Asia Padel Events is committed to expanding and professionalizing padel in Asia, collaborating with  FIP, national federations, and key stakeholders to establish a sustainable and highly competitive  professional circuit. With REAP Global’s support as Presenting Title Sponsor, APE remains  focused on making padel more accessible and competitive across the region. 

              Beyond expanding the professional competitive landscape, Asia Padel Events aims to position Asia  as a premier global destination for padel, attracting top-tier international talent, fostering elite  competition, and cultivating a thriving ecosystem for players, clubs, and fans alike. Through  world-class tournaments, strategic partnerships, and grassroots initiatives, APE is shaping the  future of padel in Asia and driving its long-term growth on the international stage.

              The partnership was brokered by Sports Media Gaming.

              Lewis Hamilton & Ferrari Enter the 2025 Season as the Fastest-Growing Team on Social Media in Formula 1

              Lewis Hamilton is known for his speed on the track – but he has helped new team Ferrari accelerate on social media as well.

              Hamilton’s arrival has seen Ferrari surge from third place in the global F1 fanbase to become the fastest-growing Formula 1 team on social media.

              The Prancing Horse team has gained over 5.5 million new followers (+18.7%), marking an unprecedented rise in digital popularity.

              Despite Mercedes maintaining the highest total follower count (38.57m), Ferrari (35.12m) is now nearly level with Red Bull Racing (35.62m).

              Ferrari’s engagement levels have also soared by 42%, enhancing its commercial appeal and unlocking new opportunities for sponsors and partners.

              Hamilton’s immense personal following, 53.1m across social platforms, further amplifies Ferrari’s reach, particularly in expanding F1 markets such as the United States and Asia. This is exemplified in his first post for Ferrari, which became the most liked (5.7 million likes) Formula 1-related post in history.

              Kenny Ager, Global Head of Commercial Development at sports marketing agency WePlay, commented: “Audience and attention are the ultimate currency in sports, fuelling value for broadcasters, sponsors, and marketers.

              “Star athletes have the ability to supercharge audience growth for their teams. Ferrari’s signing of Hamilton is the perfect example of that. Tracking this impact is why we built Power Rankings, a proprietary tool analysing audience size, growth, and engagement across any sports brand or rights holder. With 10 billion+ data points, it delivers precise, head-to-head comparisons on a global scale.”

              Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari is not just a statement of intent on the track but also a seismic shift in the business of Formula 1.

              His multi-year contract, reportedly valued at approximately $446m, underscores Ferrari’s commitment to securing top-tier talent.

              The UK in particular has witnessed significant F1 audience growth, adding 4.3 million new viewers since 2019, including 1.7 million women following the success of the Netflix documentary series Drive to Survive. With British drivers such as George Russell and Lando Norris already commanding strong UK support for rival teams Mercedes and McLaren, Hamilton’s move to Ferrari strengthens the team’s position in one of the sport’s most engaged markets.

              Alongside Hamilton, Ferrari boasts another social media powerhouse in Charles Leclerc, currently the second most-followed F1 driver and this dynamic pairing ensures Ferrari’s dominance in digital engagement ahead of the 2025 season opener in Australia.

              On the track, Hamilton brings seven world championships and a wealth of experience to Ferrari, a team that remains the most successful in F1 history but has not secured a Drivers’ Championship since 2007 or a Constructors’ Championship since 2008.

              While instant success is never guaranteed, Hamilton’s arrival is expected to elevate Ferrari’s championship aspirations and provide an invaluable boost to Leclerc’s own title ambitions.

              As the 2025 season kicks off, all eyes will be on Ferrari to see if their off-track momentum translates into championship-winning form on the grid.

              Amplifying Women’s Voices in Sports: Leveraging Technology and Data for Equity

              As we just celebrated Women’s Day (8th March), it is not only important to recognise the progress women’s sports have made, but also acknowledge the substantial work that still lies ahead. If you consider the two major representative sports; football and basketball, the steady rise in viewership seen by the Women’s National Basketball Association with new stars Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark leading the way is a classic example of success. Similarly, the finals of the 2023 Women’s World Cup drawing a record-breaking number in both Spain and England is a positive reflection.

              Despite this progress, there is still a long way to go as far as gender biases in the sports industry go. Coverage remains comparatively limited and there are fewer opportunities for female athletes to achieve the same financial success as their male peers. To address this imbalance requires a concerted effort from investors, brands, and broadcasters alike. The opportunity to enhance the visibility of women’s sports and foster gender equity in the industry lies in technology. 

              With the right tools, we can broaden coverage of women’s sports and highlight female athletes that would have otherwise gone overlooked. The opportunity to address this problem is a historical one. Done correctly, the sports world can break down long-standing barriers for women in the industry.

              The Rising Tide of Women’s Sports

              The emergence of women’s sports is two-pronged. On one end, there are established female leagues that have recently grown significantly in popularity. For example,  the Women’s Euro 2022 in football brought in over 360 million viewers, demonstrating the increasing demand for female-led sports content.  

              On the other side, newer leagues are emerging, such as the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) which debuted in 2023 and generated significant fan interest. Additionally, sports like pickleball, with female athletes comprising close to 40% of the player base, are carving out new spaces for women in sports. 

              Women’s sports are not only gaining attention from fans, but those fans are highly engaged. Female sports enthusiasts are active across various channels—they attend matches, buy merchandise associated with their favorite players such as jerseys, and follow them on social media. These fanbases are loyal and eager for more content. 

              The call for increased visibility isn’t just about expanding coverage; it’s about offering fans the in-depth access they crave.  Technology can help shatter the glass ceiling that has traditionally limited sports visibility.

              Leveraging Technology to Drive Equity

              Broadening the scope of women’s sports requires more than just a desire for greater representation – it demands action. Stakeholders can put this demand into play by implementing the right technology. The sweeping changes empowered by data and artificial intelligence in broadcasting can play a transformative role in providing new opportunities for both established women’s leagues and emerging ones.

              Right now, fans are limited in what they can see. Traditional linear broadcasting channels are often constrained by time slots: Choosing between men’s or women’s sports can be a zero-sum game. However, new technologies through digital platforms spare broadcasters from making this choice. 

              For example, Disney+ Hotstar is leading the charge by enabling sports fans to access live events and distribute content across multiple digital platforms. With flexibility such as the ability to livestream content, distribute it to social media, or cast it on a second screen, sports leagues can be more inclusive in their coverage. They can air more female-led sports, including both established and emerging leagues, and also spend more time highlighting players beyond just the traditional stars. 

              Digital-first platforms offer the advantage of personalization. Unlike traditional TV broadcasts which operate on a one-size-fits-all theme, streaming platforms can provide tailored experiences for fans. For instance, one viewer could watch a PWHL match that focuses on the play-by-play strategy, while another may prefer a feed that highlights player profiles and backstories. This customisation enhances viewer engagement, especially with younger audiences who are increasingly drawn to digital-first, social-driven content.

              Artificial intelligence is instrumental to personalization. The rise of AI-based video editing tools is revolutionizing content production by allowing broadcasters to automatically generate clips and highlight specific players or moments in real-time. With these capabilities, sports leagues can elevate athletes who might otherwise be overshadowed by mainstream stars, thus enabling all players an opportunity to gain recognition and build a fanbase.

              With increased viewership, female athletes will have more monetization opportunities as well. Currently, brand deals are often limited to a small group of high-profile female athletes. Coverage if widened through digital platforms and AI personalization, opens the door for more athletes to enjoy sponsorships, advertising deals, and other revenue streams, having an overall positive impact on the sports ecosystem.

              Technology as the Key to Equity

              Technology and data have the power to transform and break down historical imbalances, offering female athletes the platform, recognition, and financial backing they have long deserved. The current success of women’s sports is not a fleeting trend—it marks the beginning of a new era. One where technology enables deeper fan engagement and innovative monetization strategies, Women’s sports will resultantly be on a trajectory for long-term growth and stability.

              Now is the time to recognise the immense potential of this space. By embracing technological advancements and strategies for recognition, the sports industry can foster a more inclusive, diverse, and equitable future—one where all athletes, regardless of gender, have the opportunity to thrive.

              The author of this article Meghna Krishna is Magnifi’s Group Chief Revenue Officer.

              Euroleague Basketball renews media rights agreement with Saran Media Group

              Euroleague Basketball and Saran Media Group have announced the renewal of their long-standing media rights agreement for an additional four years, covering the 2025-26, 2026-2027, 2027-28 and 2028-29 seasons. This partnership further strengthens Saran Media’s position as a leading broadcaster of premium global sports content in Türkiye. It also promotes Euroleague Basketball´s aim to enhance passionate fan base and a deep-rooted basketball culture.

              Under the renewed agreement, secured by Euroleague Basketball’s strategic partner IMG, Saran Media Group, will continue to hold the exclusive media rights for broadcasting Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and BKT EuroCup games across its platforms. With this agreement, these premier European basketball competitions will continue to be a crucial part of Saran’s impressive portfolio on its linear TV channel, S Sport, and OTT platform, S Sport Plus, which already features top-tier sports organizations such as the NBA, LaLiga, Serie A, Wimbledon, ATP Masters 1000, MotoGP, NFL, and UFC.

              Kenan Saran, CEO of Saran Media Group, added: “Our collaboration with Euroleague Basketball has been a great success over the years. We are excited to further strengthen our relationship and continue providing extensive and high-quality coverage of the EuroLeague and EuroCup. Turkish basketball fans can look forward to another four years of thrilling action.”

              “We are thrilled to announce the renewal of our partnership with Saran Media for another four years,” stated Paulius Motiejunas, Euroleague Basketball CEO. “Turkey remains one of our core markets, with millions of passionate fans following our competitions. With Saran Media’s top-tier production and commitment to delivering high-quality broadcasts, we couldn’t imagine a better partner to continue bringing our thrilling games and engaging content to audiences across the country.”

              This renewed partnership ensures that Turkish basketball fans can continue to follow top teams like Anadolu Efes Istanbul and Fenerbahçe Beko Istanbul as they compete against Europe’s best, including Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Olympiacos and Panathinaikos BC Athens.

              With an expert, young, and dynamic team of basketball announcers and commentators, S Sport and S Sport Plus will continue to be the home of basketball. They will bring the excitement of EuroLeague, NBA, and NCAA to an audience of 9 million fans.