Moves and Mergers Roundup for Aug. 1, 2025

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

PERSONNEL

TKO Adds Execs to Global Partnerships Team

TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO) announced two new executive appointments to its global partnerships team. Sana Shuaib, a brand marketer with more than two decades of partnership-building experience, joins TKO’s Global Partnerships group as senior vice president, partnership marketing & digital. Shuaib will lead end-to-end marketing and commercial strategy for all partnerships across TKO’s global sports and entertainment portfolio, including UFC, WWE and PBR. With the addition of Shuaib, veteran TKO executive Brit Santypal has been named senior vice president, operations, TKO Global Partnerships. Santypal will oversee the revenue strategy and marketing solutions teams with a focus on refining all aspects of global partnerships operations.

Max Eisenbud to Head Client Representation for WME Sports 

Max Eisenbud has been named head of client representation for WME Sports, overseeing the agency’s representation business across tennis, golf, action sports and sports content. Eisenbud most recently served as head of clients for the agency’s IMG Tennis division, which he will continue to lead. IMG Tennis clients include Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, Serena Williams and John McEnroe. Beginning his career with IMG in 2000, Eisenbud has built commercial portfolios for major champions Maria Sharapova and Li Na.

Innovative Artists Entertainment Taps Brad Small for Sports Representation

Innovative Artists Entertainment announced a foray into the sports representation business, tapping veteran sports and entertainment attorney Brad Small to lead efforts in the space. Small joins Innovative from Fox Rothschild LLP, where he served four years as a partner in the firm’s Entertainment & Sports Law Department in Los Angeles. At Innovative, Small will oversee sports entertainment performers and creators, bringing with him clients including Drew McIntrye, Jack Perry, Chavo Guerrero Jr., Goldberg, Kanako Urai (professionally known as Asuka) and Dallas Page. The news comes after Innovative announced a partnership with private equity firm Coral Tree Partners in March, in which the firm acquired a minority stake in the agency. 

Troy Rice Named CEO of PGA Tour Superstore

National golf retail chain PGA Tour Superstore announced Troy Rice as its new chief executive officer. Rice comes to PGA Tour Superstore after three years as CEO of retail beverage chain Total Wine & More. Rice, who will report directly to Blank Family of Businesses owner and chairman Arthur M. Blank, will begin his new role at PGA Tour Superstore on Sept. 2. Global search firm, Russell Reynolds Associates, led the search after Dick Sullivan, CEO of PGA Tour Superstore for the last 15 years, announced his plans for retirement in April. Sullivan will remain executive chairman of PGA Tour Superstore and a member of the Arthur M. Blank board of trustees.

Alejandro Agag Appointed as Motorsport Network Strategic Advisor

Motorsport Network announced the appointment of Alejandro Agag as a strategic advisor to the chairman of the board. Agag’s role includes providing strategic guidance on global initiatives, commercial transactions, brand positioning, market expansion and corporate development. Agag experience across commercial rights management, brand storytelling, investor relations and strategic dealmaking.

Shamrock Capital Announces Leadership Team Promotions

Shamrock Capital, a Los Angeles-based investment firm specializing in the media, entertainment, content, communication, sports, marketing and education sectors, announced the promotions of both Michael LaSalle and Andrew Howard to co-president & partner. At the same time, Stephen Royer, former president & partner, has moved to the title of chairman & partner.

PARTNERSHIPS

NHL and DAZN Announce Multiyear Streaming Deal for NHL.TV

The NHL and DAZN announced a multiyear strategic partnership that will make DAZN the exclusive home of NHL.TV in nearly 200 countries beginning with the 2025-26 season. Under the new partnership, NHL.TV will be available on DAZN as a standalone subscription or as an add-on to existing DAZN packages, across markets of operation in nearly 200 countries around the world, excluding the U.S., Canada, and the Nordics (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden).

Genius Sports Strikes Partnership With the European Leagues

Genius Sports Limited has secured the exclusive official betting data rights for a select group of competitions within the European Leagues Association. As part of this multiyear partnership, Genius Sports will also deploy its GeniusIQ platform across European soccer and in stadiums across Europe.

Chelsea Joins Forces with Legends/ASM Global in Multiyear Deal

Chelsea FC will enter a new multiyear partnership with Legends/ASM Global, the premium live events company. The company has been appointed as the official catering service provider of Chelsea. Starting this 2025-26 season, Chelsea has appointed Legends/ASM Global to enhance the F&B operations across both Stamford Bridge and Kingsmeadow. According to the company, his includes the reimagination of premium hospitality catering in the club’s suites and lounges. The partnership spans both match day and non-match days, as well as conference and events (C&E) catering, and the training and development of the club’s F&B and hospitality teams.

NBC Sports, World Aquatics Extend Media Rights Partnership

World Aquatics has extended its exclusive U.S. media rights agreement with NBC Sports through 2028, in a deal brokered by global agency Sportfive. The multiyear deal guarantees American audiences will continue to see the aquatic competition, headlined by the World Aquatics Championships, the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) and the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup series. The 2027 World Aquatics Championships, in Budapest (Hungary), is a a key milestone for swimming on the road to the LA 2028 Olympic Games.

PMG Partners With Genius Sports

Genius Sports Limited announced a strategic partnership with PMG, the independent agency that represents brands including Nike and TurboTax. Under the partnership, PMG will become a founding agency partner of FANHub, Genius Sports’ fan activation platform. The multiyear partnership will focus on brands within PMG’s portfolio that are looking to deepen connections with sports audiences. The partnership will also see Genius contribute to PMG’s proprietary AI-driven marketing operating system. 

MAC Taps WSC Sports for Digital Content Strategy

The Mid-American Conference (MAC) announced a new three-year partnership with WSC Sports, the AI-driven platform for sports content automation. Beginning with the 2025-26 college season, WSC Sports’ technology will be used to automatically generate real-time content experiences, video highlights and key moments from all MAC football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball games.

Swiss International Air Lines to Be Event Sponsor for Laver Cup

Swiss International Air Lines has been named as a sponsor of this year’s Laver Cup which will take place at San Francisco’s Chase Center. Named in honor of Australian tennis legend Rod Laver, the three-day tournament pits six of the best men’s players from Europe, captained by Yannick Noah, against six of their counterparts from the rest of the World, captained by Andre Agassi. The Laver Cup is played on a black court and rotates host cities between Europe and the world each year.

PRODUCTS

Ergatta iFit Partnership to Bring Game-Based Fitness to Bikes, Treadmills

Ergatta, a game-based connected fitness company, has expanded its partnership with iFit Inc., a global intelligent fitness platform and parent company of NordicTrack and ProForm, to bring its fitness games to more machines and modalities. Building upon the launch of Ergatta’s gaming content on select iFit treadmills earlier this spring, new fitness-based games are now rolling out to iFit’s bikes and rowers. This includes popular experiences like competitive Races and the personalized Meteor game, along with new content such as the Tour de France Races, launching in tandem with the final leg of the legendary cycling event, which iFit sponsors.

PURCHASES

Grass League Raises $2.75 Million in New Round

Grass League, the par-3 golf league blending professional and amateur competition in a team-based format, announced the close of its $2.75 million seed-plus round. The round was led by Creator Sports Capital—the firm behind Good Good Golf’s recent fundraise—and Old Tom Capital, an early-stage investment firm focused on innovation in the golf industry.

Next 3 Invests in the U.S. SailGP Team

Next 3, the strategic investment platform founded by Carolyn Tisch Blodgett and backed by the New York Giants co-owners Laurie, Jon and Steve Tisch, has announced a strategic investment in the United States SailGP Team, marking the firm’s first entry into an international-based league. The U.S. SailGP Team joins other sports properties in Next 3’s portfolio such as the New York Giants and Gotham FC, as well as emerging properties such as TMRW Sports, Los Angeles Golf Club and LOVB.

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