December 23, 2021

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Electronic Arts and Activision Blizzard are the video game business’ most popular Christmastime publishers, spending 13 and 10 respective Christmas days atop the gaming sales charts since 1984, according to a new study.

Triller to Merge with Tech Company SeaChange

Triller/Design: Alex Brooks

Short-form video app Triller, which has grown its audience through fighting sports, is going public [[link removed]] through a reverse merger.

Triller parent TrillerNet will buy publicly traded Seachange International Inc., a video delivery software provider, in a deal valuing Triller at around $5 billion.

The valuation is quadruple the $1.25 billion figure from Triller’s $250 million funding round in October 2020.

Investors will pour $250 million into the company as part of the deal.Triller explored other avenues including a SPAC merger, a direct listing, and acquisition by a larger company.Bally’s explored buying Triller, as did other companies outside the sports and gaming space, sources told [[link removed]] Front Office Sports in October.

The combined company will be called TrillerVerz Corp and helmed by Triller CEO Mahi de Silva.

A Fighting Chance

Triller says it has over 300 million active users. It launched boxing league Triller Fight Club with rapper Snoop Dogg in December 2020.

The company doubled down on combat sports with its April acquisition of Fite TV and technology company Amplify.ai. Those transactions, combined with March’s purchase of music competition platform Verzuz, totaled around $250 million.

Triller is looking to shift from pay-per-view bouts featuring celebrities and retired fighters like Mike Tyson to sanctioned title fights.

AC Milan and Inter Milan Announce $733M Stadium

Nuovo Stadio Milano/Design: Alex Brooks

In 2019, AC Milan and Inter Milan announced plans to build a new stadium to replace the historic but antiquated San Siro. The project that will cost about $733 million.

Yesterday, the clubs settled on a design. They chose architecture firm Populous’ plan — a sprawling blueprint called “The Cathedral.”

The new stadium will be “groundbreaking in terms of innovation and sustainability,” the clubs said. Between a greenery area outside the stadium and water and electricity technology, the clubs say the stadium will be both carbon-neutral and LEED-certified.

The project will also include a pedestrian-only district “dedicated to sport and leisure.”

Populous touts a long resume with stadium development. It led plans for the main stadiums at the Sydney 2000 and London 2012 Summer Olympics, Yankee Stadium, Emirates Stadium, and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, among others.

Upgrades Galore

The project is just one of several European soccer stadiums slated for major renovations or replacement.

Members of FC Barcelona approved [[link removed]] a $1.69 billion project to upgrade Camp Nou. Real Madrid has been in the midst of a $700 million project to renovate the Bernabeu.

The trend also follows that of NFL stadiums in the U.S., where reports [[link removed]] of requests for new billion-dollar stadiums continue to surface.

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Under Armour, Columbia Facing Headwinds

Under Armour/Design: Alex Brooks

Under Armour and Columbia were downgraded by market analysts Stifel, highlighting the challenges facing the sports category.

Analyst Jim Duffy lowered [[link removed]] the two brands from “Buy” to “Hold” — while lowering Nike’s price target but maintaining its “Buy” rating.

The analyst foresaw short-to-mid-term concerns limiting the upside of both brands.

Under Armour may have elevated levels of inventory, which could encourage price cuts and promotions.Columbia could be impacted by warm weather and a shortened snow season.Both could be affected by an economy-wide drop in demand due to government stimulus money running out. In-Person Retail Lagging

Both Nike and Under Armour have struggled to get foot traffic at their retail stores back to pre-pandemic levels. In November, both saw in-person visits fall 11.9% below the same period in 2019, according to [[link removed]] Placer.ai, and Nike has not matched 2019 levels in any month since April.

Under Armour’s net revenues rose 7.8% year-over-year in the third quarter to $1.5 billion, with net income nearly tripling from $38.9 million the previous year to $113.4 million.

It remains to be seen if rising COVID cases in the U.S. lead to renewed interest in apparel and at-home fitness.

On Wednesday, California reimposed [[link removed]] a mask mandate for all indoor businesses, including gyms, with certain exceptions in cases where everyone involved is vaccinated.

NWSL Players Ask for Free Agency Under Poor Salary Conditions

Bernie Walls-USA TODAY Sports/Design: Alex Brooks

Less than two months after their season ended, National Women’s Soccer League players are calling for free agency.

Currently, players do not have a say in what franchise they belong to or where they’ll be traded because the league has not agreed to a collective bargaining agreement with the players. Even Alex Morgan, the third [[link removed]]-highest-paid female soccer player as of this year, was traded last week.

Wherever players land, earnings continue to be a concern.A majority of the league’s players earn less [[link removed]] than a living wage, with about one-third [[link removed]] making just $22,000.

Julie Foudy, former USWNT player and Angel City FC co-owner, told Business Insider she doesn’t “think it’s a survivable, viable model.”

Angel City FC will join next year for the league’s 10th season, along with San Diego FC, for a total of 12 teams.

Free Agency Outlook

Under free agency, players would be able to choose which team they play with for a certain period, similar to the WNBA and MLS versions, which both require players to play five years before entertaining other offers.

USWNT’s Ashlyn Harris, who was traded in the last few weeks, says that until the league can offer larger contracts, “free agency is important.”

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Conversation Starters Sony Pictures Networks India and Zee Entertainment completed [[link removed]] their merger on Wednesday. The combined entity is expected to bid for new sports broadcasting rights. Egyptian soccer team Ghazl El Mahalla Sporting Club is expected to file [[link removed]] for an initial public offering with plans to raise $8.6 million, a first in the Arab world. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos is set to earn [[link removed]] $40 million in 2022, more than his colleague co-CEO Reed Hastings, who will pocket $34.6 million. Six Power 5 schools – Georgia, USC, LSU, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Texas – have signed on [[link removed]] to renew with Altius Sports Partners for their name, image, and likeness services, Front Office Sports has learned. In total, the multi-year deals will be worth about $2 million. Today's Action

NHL

07:08 PM

Senators (+200) at Lightning (-250)

Bet Now [[link removed]]

NCAA

07:00 PM

UCF (+215) at Florida (-265)

Bet Now [[link removed]]

NBA

09:10 PM

Hornets (+125) at Nuggets (-145)

Bet Now [[link removed]]

*All times are EST unless otherwise noted.

*Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See [[link removed]] for details.

Question Of The Day

Do you prefer Triller or TikTok?

Triller [[link removed]] TikTok [[link removed]]

Wednesday’s Answer

57% of respondents have a fitness app downloaded on their phone.

Written by Owen Poindexter [[link removed]], Amanda Christovich [[link removed]], Abigail Gentrup [[link removed]]

MORE FROM FOS:

Sports Section [[link removed]] - Daily Sports Newsletter

The Leadoff [[link removed]] - Daily Business of Sports Podcast

Front Office Sports Insights [[link removed]] - The most promising opportunities where sports meets industry

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