Private Equity in the NFL

Until recently, the NFL stood alone among major U.S. sports leagues in prohibiting private equity (PE) investment in its teams. This stance has now shifted, albeit cautiously. While the league has welcomed PE funds, it has implemented strict regulations to control their involvement.

The NFL's "permitted funds" list includes Arctos Partners, Ares Management, Sixth Street, and a consortium featuring Blackstone, Carlyle, CVC, Dynasty Equity, and Ludis. These funds must commit to a minimum six-year holding period and are subject to a 10% ownership cap. Compared to other major U.S. leagues, the

NFL's restrictions on PE investment are more stringent. The NBA, MLB, and NHL allow up to 30% PE ownership. European football leagues, such as the EPL, Ligue 1, and Serie A, have even more relaxed regulations.

Despite these limitations, PE funds remain attracted to sports investments. The industry's perceived insulation from broader market fluctuations and the potential for long-term growth make it an appealing target. However, governing bodies must carefully balance the financial benefits of PE investment with the need to protect the integrity of their sports.

The NFL's decision to allow PE investment marks a significant departure from its traditional stance. While the league's regulations are designed to mitigate potential risks, it remains to be seen whether they will strike the right balance between financial gain and preserving the essence of the sport.

SportsTech at the 2024 US Open from IBM

While you are grabbing a Honey Deuce at the US open make sure to check out a few of the offerings from IBM.

Leveraging the Granite 13B LLM technology for business applications IBM will showcase match reports which will deliver AI enabled match previews and reports for over 150 matches to fans across the platform.

Continued AI innovation will feature the AI commentary feature for on -demand highlight videos AND tennis enthusiasts will also benefit from a fully redesigned IBM SlamTracker experience offering detailed pre-match, live, and post-match insight which include win probability predictions, point by point analysis and a real time 3D graphic of current play for live matches.

Sportradar Q2 revenue up 29%

Sportradar Q2 earnings also noted an adjusted EBITDA of S48.8m, indicating a 22% increase on the previous year.

It added 46 new betting clients to its core trading product in Q2. That resulted in $9bn of turnover being processed via its platform between April and June.

Its betting technology and solutions division revenue grew 30% to $229.1m during the period. Revenue for its sport content, technology and services arm also increased 22% and came in at $49.3m. The betting technology arm accounted for 82% of total company revenues.

Managed Betting Services grew $9m driven by higher trading margins and increased betting activity from new and existing customers.

Net cash reserves were $15.26m by the end of Q2.

We at Sports Tech Atlanta were lucky to have worked with Sportradar in a small way over the last few months highlighting their tech overlay at Indian Wells and speaking with Luka Pataky on how Ai is driving sports tech and what they are working on.

Below are a few highlights from our time with Luka Pataky of Sportradar and our video on the augmented overlay technology that Sportradar rolled out at Indian Wells earlier this year.

Luka Pataky on implementing data

Automating deeper data with AI within table tennis

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Some of these stories will be featured in our podcast, July Podcast“the Seed Talk Podcast” and on our social media platforms. If you would like us to feature your story or startup on any of our platforms. Please reach out to Sterling.Mack@sportstechatlanta.com.

Billionaire Marc Lasry’s Avenue Sports Fund has taken a minority stake in Trackhouse Entertainment Group, a motorsports company founded by former NASCAR driver Justin Marks. Lasry, who sold his 25% stake in the Milwaukee Bucks last year, said Avenue, which has about $12.5 billion under management, had been looking to invest in the motorsports for some time. 

Marc Lasry’s Avenue Sports Fund Takes Stake in NASCAR Team – BNN Bloomberg

The Olympics have begun with a wild ride of an opening ceremony. LA has it’s work cut out to try and top France in 2028. AI and tech advancement will be a strong force throughout the Olympics as Peacock and NBC looks to broadcast 3800 hours of competition.

The Paris Olympics Will Show Us the Future of Sports on TV | WIRED

Maurten, a leading global sports nutrition company, has closed a capital round of €20 million led by international growth equity fund IRIS Ventures, which specialises in identifying disruptive next-generation consumer propositions. The round also had participation from existing investors, including CEO of Stena Sphere, Dan Sten Olsson. The Maurten sports fuel ecosystem focuses on solving the legitimate problems that limit athletic performance.

Gothenburg-based Maurten bags €20 million to expand sports fuels across new markets | EU-Startups

Why NBA Launchpad is becoming a success for NBA and an example of strategy and business case in BetterGuard. BetterGuard is an ankle braces that are comprehension socks that function as a seatbelt for the ankle. Currently 15 of the 30 NBA club’s use the product and another 25-30 European clubs.

NBA Shifting Gears On Technology Development To Enhance Its Global Product - LVSportsBiz

More Tech New out of Paris…NBC Sports Taps Sony As Tech Solutions Provider For Paris Olympics And Paralympics. Nearly 100 cameras will be deployed in Paris, helping NBC Sports route the excitement back to viewers watching coverage of the Games in the United States, including popular studio, full-frame, Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ), Point-of-View (POV), and cinematic offerings, lenses and accessories, and more than 400 4K HDR monitors for live grading, studio and location monitoring, and field use. 

NBC Sports Taps Sony As Tech Solutions Provider For Paris Olympics And Paralympics - TV News Check

UK startup Kymira supplies elite sports teams with garments with infrared technology that can speed muscle recovery and healing. The way Kymira’s core technology works is by directing infrared light to activate a protein in the mitochondria of our cells that controls the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) – the “fuel” that provides cells with energy. Think of it like opening the gates for more fuel to get into your cells’ power plant.

What if your t-shirt could help heal your sports injury? - (globalventuring.com)

Amazon scores 11-year deal with the NBA in a slam dunk for tech giant’s sports streaming ambitions

Amazon scores 11-year deal with the NBA in a slam dunk for tech giant's sports streaming ambitions – GeekWire