Sporticast: Ronaldo Reigns in Riyadh, Fanatics Divests From NFT Firm
On the latest Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including Cristiano Ronaldo’s official introduction to his new team. The 37-year-old soccer star, one of the most famous athletes in the world, signed a two-year deal with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr worth a reported $200 million.
Ronaldo was the third highest-paid athlete in the world last year, and he has more than 500 million followers on social media. The hosts discuss what this move means for his legacy of playing at soccer’s highest level, and what it might mean for his brand.
More from Sportico.com
Also on tap: the latest with UFC president Dana White. A video was published this week showing White hitting his wife at a club in Mexico. UFC owner Endeavor (NYSE: EDR) saw its stock fall 6% on Tuesday following the news.
FInally, a slew of potential changes are coming to the NCAA, while Fanatics has made another major business move. Billionaire Michael Rubin’s company just sold out of its majority stake in NFT platform Candy Digital, a move that comes just two months after Candy laid off about a third of its workforce.
(You can subscribe to Sporticast through Apple, Google, Spotify or wherever else you get your podcasts.)
