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Sportico Transactions: Moves and Mergers Roundup for March 29

Sportico Staff
·8 min read

Welcome to Sportico’s transactions wire, a weekly rundown of personnel, partnerships and products across the sports business industry.

PERSONNEL

Wasserman Names Fairbrother to Lead Newly Rebranded Wasserman Cricket

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Wasserman has rebranded Phoenix Management Group as Wasserman Cricket. As part of the rebrand, Phoenix founder and managing director Neil Fairbrother will continue to lead the division as executive vice president and managing executive, Wasserman Cricket. Phoenix Management Group Limited was formed in February 2018 with Fairbrother, Sarah Harris, Michael Lumb and Helen Clorley forming the management team. Fairbrother has worked in cricket management since his retirement from the professional game in 2002. A former Lancashire CC player, Fairbrother represented England 85 times, played in three World Cups and was top scorer for England in the 1992 final. Prior to establishing Phoenix Management Group, Fairbrother worked at International Sports Management with Harris and Clorley for more than 10 years.

PlayersTV Appoints Ghee, Clark and Ogwumike to Key Roles

Michele Ghee, CEO of Expectant Media, has been named the first chairwoman of the board at PlayersTV. Additionally, PlayersTV has added WNBA stars Alysha Clark and Chiney Ogwumike as investor owners. Ghee will guide PlayersTV’s strategic direction, engaging athlete fans globally. Ghee’s commitment to  empowering black voices is evident through her role as CEO and co-founder of Expectant Media, dedicated to supporting the growth of black-owned media.  Ogwumike is a two-time WNBA All-Star for the Los Angeles Sparks and host of “The Chiney Show.” Clark is a three-time WNBA champion and host of “Off-Seasoning with Alysha Clark.”

Sphere Entertainment Names Ned McNeilage Chief Creative Officer of Sphere

Sphere Entertainment Co. (NYSE: SPHR) announced that Ned McNeilage has joined the company as chief creative officer of Sphere. In this new role, McNeilage will help shape the creative and brand strategy for Sphere, leading Sphere’s in-house creative design studio and brand teams and overseeing all Sphere brand strategy and creative. He will also be responsible for content that runs on the Exosphere—the venue’s fully programmable LED exterior—which features artistic content created by Sphere and renowned artists, as well as branded content from premier brands. Prior to joining Sphere Entertainment, McNeilage served as chief creative officer at VML and chief creative officer at BBH LA.

Dan Kaufman Named Chief Strategy Officer at Fantasy Life

Dan Kaufman will be the new chief strategy officer at Fantasy Life, where he will team with Matthew Berry to grow the fantasy football site. Kaufman was head of sports at The Messenger until January. Prior to that, he served as editorial director of The Athletic from 2018-2023, and spent nine years at ESPN.com, ESPN Insider and ESPN The Magazine, where he oversaw award-winning fantasy teams.

PARTNERSHIPS

Vienna Beef Agrees to Multiyear Partnership With Kansas City Royals

Vienna Beef, a Chicago-based company known for premium hot dogs, has entered into a multiyear partnership with the Kansas City Royals, who will now sell Vienna Beef hot dogs at Kauffman Stadium. The hot dogs will be available at every Royals game this season. Vienna Beef will also be the proud sponsor of the beloved Teenie Weenie Hot Dog Race held at every Sunday home game at Kauffman Stadium. In-stadium fans will see the Vienna Beef name on e-menu boards and on home plate signage during select games.

Connecticut Sun Names Walgreens Official Retail Wellness Partner

The Connecticut Sun have named Walgreens as the team’s official retail wellness partner. This partnership will incorporate several different areas of the organization, including serving as the presenting sponsor of the team’s home opener against the Indiana Fever on May 14, sponsoring a three-part content series highlighting Sun players, creating benefits for Connecticut Sun season ticket members and assisting in various community outreach initiatives, including sponsoring a Connecticut Sun “Change on Wheels” mobile outreach unit, which will allow the Connecticut Sun community relations team to access a wider range of communities in the New England area.

PrizePicks Signs Mixed Martial Artist Sean O’Malley to Exclusive Partnership

PrizePicks, a daily fantasy sports operator, has reached a multiyear deal with bantamweight champion “Suga” Sean O’Malley as a brand ambassador. PrizePicks produced a “Less Talk, More Action, More Suga” campaign for O’Malley’s recent championship match featuring a “Pink Out” of its Discord channel reaching more than 430,000 members. Additional aspects of the partnership include personalized social media content, integration into the “Sean Reacts” YouTube videos, event appearances and  VIP experiences.

Harlem Globetrotters Sign With IMG to Prepare for Their Centennial

The Harlem Globetrotters have signed with IMG, a global sports and culture company, to further develop the brand in anticipation of their 100th anniversary in 2026. The Globetrotters tour the world playing more than 200 games domestically throughout North America and over 150 games internationally throughout Asia, the Americas, Europe and Australia. Under the new agreement, IMG will draw from the brand’s identity to develop a wide range of products and experiences, from toys, collectibles and memorabilia, to publishing and video games. IMG also will be seeking an official outfitter and footwear partner for the Globetrotters.

Guenther Steiner Partners With Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix 2024

South Florida Motorsports, organizers of the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix, have partnered with “Drive to Survive” star Guenther Steiner as an ambassador for this year’s race. After concluding a 10-year stint as team principal for the U.S.-owned Haas F1 team, Steiner will help build and promote the race weekend experience, including appearances before and during the event itself. For the past 18 years, Steiner has called America home, managing his own composites business specializing in automotive/motorsport while also establishing the Haas F1 Team from the ground up.

State Farm Re-Signs as Title Sponsor for WNBA Friday Night Spotlight on ION

State Farm has signed a multiyear agreement to serve as title sponsor of the State Farm WNBA Friday Night Spotlight on ION. It was also the title sponsor for the 2023 WNBA season, the first for which Scripps Sports televised weekly regular-season games on Friday nights on ION, a national entertainment network. In addition, State Farm has invested in the National Women’s Soccer League Saturday Night Soccer on ION with primary brand positioning and in-game sponsorship. Last season, 23 national WNBA games on ION over 15 weeks reached 12.3 million viewers and increased the WNBA’s audience by 24%, from 31.5 million for all other networks combined to 39 million, according to Nielsen. State Farm has had an 11-year relationship with the WNBA, going back to 2013, when it became presenting sponsor of the WNBA draft.

Samsung Partners With Surfing, Skateboarding, Breaking Leagues

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner, has entered into three new relationships the further the brand’s support for sport. Samsung will work alongside the World Surf League (WSL), Street League Skateboarding (SLS) and Pro Breaking Tour (PBT) on their road to Paris 2024 and beyond. Samsung will engage WSL, SLS and PBT athletes and fan bases at key events in advance of the Paris Olympics. These partnerships will spotlight the iconic figures and subcultures of each community, as well as their unique stories, which will be unveiled in April.

PRODUCTS

TCL Adds NFL Channel to TCLtv+ Streaming Service

TCL, a consumer electronics brands and technology company, announced an extension of its multiyear partnership with the NFL, bringing the NFL FAST channel and AVOD programs to TCLtv+, its streaming service. NFL Channel’s coverage of NFL Draft in April will be the first major event for the NFL Channel and AVOD programs on TCLtv+. The NFL Channel will deliver  programming of current NFL headlines, NFL Media programming and coverage of live events including the Super Bowl and the NFL Draft.

Nourish Announces $35M Series A Round With Investment From Alex Morgan

Nourish, a telenutrition platform that connects people to registered dietitians, has raised $35 million in Series A funding, led by Index Ventures with participation from Maverick Ventures and TCV, along with several prominent angel investors including soccer star Alex Morgan. Nourish connects patients to an RD who delivers medical nutrition therapy interventions to help patients change their eating behaviors and improve their relationship with food. With $44M in total funding since its founding in 2021, Nourish plans to accelerate development of its digital platform for patients and providers, expand its network of registered dietitians and deepen its strategic partnerships with insurance companies.

Abilene Christian Offers Online Master’s Degree in Sports Leadership

Abilene Christian University has launched an online master’s degree in sports leadership designed to equip graduate students to become effective coaches, sports administrators and sports brand leaders. The Master of Science in Sports Leadership program will lead students through a set of core curriculum courses in leadership, communication, team development, preventive injury care and personal leadership styles. The program has three distinct concentrations in coaching, athletic administration and analytics. The program is now accepting applications for the first class beginning Aug. 20, 2024.

Cosm Announces Agreement With ESPN for ‘Shared Reality’ Experiences for Fans

Cosm, a technology, media and entertainment company, announced a multiyear agreement that will see ESPN bring live events across college and professional sports to Cosm’s forthcoming venues in “Shared Reality,” an experience that bridges virtual and physical worlds through Cosm’s technology and 87-foot diameter, 8K+ LED domes. Cosm will produce and present events across the professional and college landscape. The agreement includes events such as the NBA, NHL, U.S. Open Tennis, college football regular season and playoffs, men’s and women’s college basketball, college baseball and softball, and select UFC Fight Nights.

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