Sportico Transactions: Moves and Mergers Roundup for July 7
Welcome to Sportico’s transactions wire, a weekly rundown of personnel, partnerships and products across the sports business industry.
PERSONNEL
Major League Pickleball Adds CEO and COO
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Major League Pickleball (MLP) has brought on two members to the league’s executive leadership team: CEO Julio DePietro and COO Bruce Popko. DePietro began in finance at Citadel Investment Group, becoming a partner at 28, before transitioning into the independent film industry, where he wrote, directed and produced a number of award-winning and critically acclaimed films. A part owner of the Florida Smash, he lobbied for and ultimately introduced a geographic connection for his team, a concept that has since been adopted league-wide. He will oversee the continued overall business development of MLP. Popko was most recently the COO for both the Buffalo Bills and Sabres with Pegula Sports & Entertainment. Previous to Buffalo, Bruce worked at IMG, the NFL and several of its teams.
XFL Names Josh Cella Chief Commercial Officer
Josh Cella has joined the XFL as chief commercial officer, overseeing the XFL’s league and team sponsorship, advertising and consumer product businesses. Cella joins from Comcast Spectacor’s Gaming division, where he was chief revenue officer over a portfolio of businesses in gaming, esports and media. Prior to that, he built and led the global partnership business for Activision Blizzard’s Overwatch League and Call of Duty League and was part of the original leadership team that launched both global initiatives.
Sportfive Expands European Golf Business With Addition of UK-Based Alpha Sports
Sportfive has expanded its golf talent representation in Europe with the addition of London-based agency Alpha STM (“Alpha Sports”) to its global business. As part of the addition, Duncan Reid joins Sportfive as the senior vice president, European golf. Previously the managing director of Alpha Sports, which he founded in 2016, Reid will now be responsible for leading the agency’s recruiting of up-and-coming European-based professional golfers. Along with Reid, Nick Winder also joins the agency from Alpha Sports as a player manager, and they both join David Rawluk, an existing player manager, in the agency’s golf division based in Dublin.
Everpass Expands Executive Leadership With Three Appointments
Everpass Media, a media platform distributing premium live sports and entertainment content, has appointed three new members to its executive leadership team, which is led by Derek Chang, executive chairman of the board, and CEO Alex Kaplan. Reporting to Kaplan, the new members of the leadership team are: John Kirk, chief operating officer; Stephen Tucker, chief financial officer; and Viviana Betancourt Vasquez, general counsel. Everpass is the exclusive commercial distributor of NFL Sunday Ticket starting this September for the 2023-2024 NFL season. Everpass partners with cable, satellite and streaming providers to bring the NFL Sunday Ticket package to commercial businesses across the country.
Big 12 Announces Board of Directors and ADs Executive Committee
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark has announced the conference’s board of directors executive committee appointments and the formation of an athletics directors executive committee. This athletic year, Baylor president Linda Livingstone will become the chairperson of the Big 12 board of directors. She succeeds Texas Tech president Lawrence Schovanec, whose two-year term expired June 30. Joining Livingstone on the board executive committee is Kansas chancellor Doug Girod as vice-chair, and Iowa State president Wendy Wintersteen as secretary/treasurer. Their appointments are through the 2024-25 season. To assist the commissioner, Yormark has formed the conference’s first AD executive committee. The three-person group consists of the ADs’ current chairperson, and the next two appointments in the annual chairperson rotation. This season’s AD executive committee consists of Oklahoma State athletic director and ’23-24 chair, Chad Weiberg, along with future chairs Travis Goff, Kansas (’24-25), and Jeremiah Donati, TCU (’25-26).
Lexie Brown Named Chair of Athletes Unlimited Basketball Player Executive Committee
As it prepares for its third championship season in 2024, Athletes Unlimited Basketball has named Lexie Brown the new chairperson of the player executive committee. Brown succeeds Sydney Colson, who completed a two-year term as chairperson and has agreed to stay on the player executive committee for a third year. Kirby Burkholder enters the second year of her two-year term on the committee, while Rebecca Harris will join for the first time. A fifth member of the committee will be named at a later date. In addition, Megan Perry has joined Athletes Unlimited as its new director of basketball. In this role, Perry will work closely with the Player Executive Committee and Athletes Unlimited to oversee and execute all league operations. Perry, a former executive with the NBA and WNBA and broadcaster for Bally Sports, CBS Sports Network and ESPN, was most recently the vice president of executive engagement and women’s initiatives for the Sports Innovation Lab.
SailGP Unveils New Regional Business Structure for Asia Pacific
SailGP has announced a new regional structure and team for Asia Pacific as it heads into an expanded fourth season. The APAC regional team will be organized into three key business pillars including commercial, events and marketing/communications that will collaborate to further SailGP’s brand awareness and fan base throughout the region. SailGP has made key promotions internally. Karl Budge will take on a wider role as commercial director of Asia Pacific, after being New Zealand chief commercial officer and head of event. Leah Trafford will step into the role of regional event director of Asia Pacific, where she will oversee the operational delivery of the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix I Auckland, the KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix I Sydney and future Asia Pacific events.
National Cycling League Announces New CEO
The National Cycling League (NCL) has brought on sports veteran Andrea Pagnanelli as chief executive officer. Pagnanelli joins with over 15 years’ experience in the sports industry, holding executive roles in the NFL, NBA, MLS, NWSL and Relevent Sports. She’s been named one of the Forbes’ 30 under 30, honored as “Woman of Influence” by the New York Business Journal, and is a graduate of Brown University where she was a D-I soccer player.
PARTNERSHIPS
U.S. Soccer and Coca-Cola Agree to Long-Term Partnership
U.S. Soccer and Coca-Cola North America have reached a long-term partnership agreement that will support the growth of the game at every level, while leveraging Coca-Cola’s global reach to connect with fans around the world. Throughout the partnership, Coca-Cola and U.S. Soccer will build legacy events that shine a light on domestic talent and increase opportunities for all U.S. youth national teams and extended national teams.
USA Football Announces BreakAway as Official Athlete App and Performance Partner
USA Football and BreakAway have reached a three-year partnership and services agreement. As the Official Athlete App & Performance Partner of USA Football, BreakAway will collaborate with USA Football to create integrated technology solutions for athletes, including a customized player app and developmental content. BreakAway will also assist in the creation of a bespoke scouting platform for USA Football’s National Team program, integrating data and analytics from on-site activations such as BreakAway Field Labs and combines.
NBC Sports Next Partners With Softball Canada
NBC Sports Next launched a multiyear partnership with Softball Canada, making SportsEngine, NBC Sports Next’s leading provider of youth sports-management technology, the “official streaming and technology partner” for the organization. During the first phase of its partnership, Canada’s national governing body for softball will use SportsEngine’s video tools to stream the Canadian Championships, enhancing its members’ overall experience through live streaming, video on-demand, game highlights and more. Men’s and women’s fast pitch competition categories will range from U15 through masters, and slow-pitch categories include men’s and women’s. Games will be available to stream and watch live online via the Softball Canada website, as well as a new video destination on SportsEngine.
PURCHASES
Roc Nation Expands Into Brazil, Signs Soccer Superstar Vinicius Jr.
Roc Nation Sports International (RNSI) is increasing its presence in the South American soccer market with the launch of Roc Nation Sports Brazil, created through the acquisition of São Paulo-based TFM Agency. TFM represents over 100 footballers, including Vinicius Jr., who plays for Real Madrid and Brazil. RNSI’s client roster features Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Federico Dimarco, Chris Richards, Axel Witsel and Jack McGlynn. This acquisition will integrate the new Brazil presence with RNSI’s international sports division led by president Michael Yormark. Frederico Pena, founder of TFM Agency, will assume the role of president of the Brazilian venture.
PRODUCTS
Guild Esports Announces Debut Into Competitive Simulated Racing
Guild Esports PLC, a global teams organization and lifestyle brand, has entered into the 2023 season of the British F4 Esports Championship, marking the company’s entry into competitive simulated racing for the first time. Guild will field two professional drivers in British F4 Esports, with the company to announce its roster in due course. The professional players will have access to the Guild Simulator Facility, containing high-end sim racing rigs provided by Fanatec, Guild’s Official Sim Racing Peripherals Partner. The company expects its entry into British F4 Esports will provide sponsorship and revenue opportunities, and access to a pipeline of new talent, as well as increasing Guild’s audience and attracting new fans. The British F4 Esports 2023 season will runs from September until November 2023.
International Tennis Hall of Fame, Infosys Launch Metaverse Museum Experience
Infosys (NSE, BSE, NYSE: INFY), a provider of digital services and consulting, and the International Tennis Hall of Fame announced the Metaverse museum, bringing the museum’s collection and the stories of its Hall of Famers into the Metaverse. The ITHF Metaverse is available at tennisfame.com/metaverse, with a virtual reality experience currently in development. In the Metaverse, fans can experience the grounds of the ITHF, view larger-than-life holographic statues of Hall of Famers and learn about the legends via their careers, stats, trivia and more. As a user navigates the Metaverse, they can browse through a number of different Hall of Famers and artifacts to find out more and answer trivia questions to earn points to claim rewards in the ITHF virtual shop.
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