Manchester United and Adidas are extending the most lucrative jersey collaboration in international soccer.

The German brand has re-upped as Man United’s uniform supplier after agreeing to pay the Premier League club at least $115 million a year through 2035. That’s an EPL record and a significant increase from the current annual figure of around $95 million. 

In 2022, Manchester United reclaimed the top spot in worldwide soccer jersey sales with more than 3 million — thanks in large part to the brief return of Cristiano Ronaldo, which sparked more than $200 million in sales in just 10 days. Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, and Barcelona rounded out the top five.

In 2021, TeamViewer replaced Chevrolet as the club’s front-of-shirt sponsor in a deal reported to be worth $57 million a year.

Staying On Top

It’s unclear if the new Adidas deal keeps the provision that lowers the company’s payment by 30% if Man United fails to qualify for the UEFA Champions League two seasons in a row — which hasn’t happened since 2017.

The Adidas extension arrives as the club returns to Champions League this season — but also as the unpopular Glazer family ponders a sale. In May, the owners delayed a decision on further news until after the season, but a week out from the new EPL season, there have been no major updates.

Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger is turning to two former colleagues to help solve one of the ESPN parent’s thorniest issues — prompting questions about the company’s future leadership.

Just days after indicating he would be open to outside equity partners for ESPN, Iger has called in former Disney senior executives Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs to consult with him, ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro, and others shaping the future of Disney’s linear TV business.

Mayer previously led Disney’s direct-to-consumer operations and played a key role in the $3.83 billion, four-step purchase of MLB’s BAMTech, the technological backbone of ESPN+, Disney+, and Hulu. Staggs spent more than a quarter-century at Disney, mostly as CFO. 

Both separately left Disney after failing to secure the CEO post held by Bob Chapek for nearly three years before Iger’s November 2022 return.

Iger said he could sell parts of Disney TV networks like ESPN and ABC, which is understandable. ESPN has lost nearly 28 million linear subscribers since 2011, and cord-cutting has slashed the number of traditional pay-TV households from 102.1 million in 2014 to 63.2 million in 2023.

The move also revives speculation as to whether the pair of former Disney confidantes have reentered the mix to be Iger’s ultimate successor.

A newly agreed two-year extension will keep Iger in place through 2026, when he’ll be 75 — but the deal specifically calls for a clear CEO succession plan. Disney next reports quarterly earnings on Aug. 9, which could offer further clues on the company’s linear TV direction.

The University of Miami continues to stay at the center of the NIL drama — in an increasingly negative light.

Miami became the first school to receive sanctions involving NIL earlier this year, and now top Hurricanes donor John Ruiz and his health insurance claims company LifeWallet are potentially under criminal investigation, according to the Miami Herald. Ruiz has refuted the report. 

While one report pointed out that about 80% of Miami’s NIL deals are no longer tied to LifeWallet, Ruiz still distributed more than $10 million in deals in the first year of NIL. 

Ruiz was also responsible for bringing the following players to Coral Gables:

• Kansas State guard Nijel Pack
• Basketball players Isaiah Wong, Jordan Miller, and Norchad Omier
• Haley and Hanna Cavinder

At one point, LifeWallet carried a valuation of more than $32 billion with a stock price over $10. Ruiz was once thought of as a potential savior for Miami athletics for his potential to bring in NIL money for top recruits. Now, the company is currently trading at under 25 cents. 

NIL Era’s Earliest Stars

Miami gained notoriety — and scrutiny — with the rise of the Cavinder twins, who were at the center of the NIL sanctions along with Ruiz. The twins ended their college careers with an estimated earning potential of $900,000 from a dozen marquee deals and helped the women’s basketball team earn a surprising bid to the Elite Elite of the 2023 NCAA tournament.

In football, Miami is moving forward with head coach Mario Cristobal, who is heading into the second season of his 10-year, $80 million contract. Miami’s football team was 5-7 last year and hasn’t had a 10-win season since 2017. However, most recruiting rankings credit Miami with the seventh-best recruiting class in 2023.