UEFA plans to rewrite existing Financial Fair Play rules for clubs that have been in place during the last decade. 

European soccer’s governing body spent more than a year crafting the new regulations with a representative group for elite clubs, according to the New York Times. Talks accelerated after teams saw $7.7 billion collectively removed from their balance sheets during the pandemic. 

UEFA’s proposed regulations continue its effort to promote fair competition in European soccer. 

• Spending on operations will no longer be allowed to exceed 70% of a club’s income.
• Clubs have a three-year grace period before having to implement the new rules.
• The regulations are not expected to include a hard salary cap.
• UEFA executive members are scheduled to vote on the new regulations on April 7. 

UEFA’s existing regulations have been met with criticism from fans and clubs for their inability to alleviate financial inequality in European soccer. Criticism intensified in 2020 after UEFA overturned Manchester City’s two-year ban from the Champions League for breaching FFP rules. 

Taking a Stand

In February, UEFA and FIFA banned all Russian soccer teams indefinitely — both club and national — following the country’s invasion of Ukraine. Earlier this month, the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld UEFA’s ban on all Russian teams after an appeal from the Russian soccer federation. Last week, CAS also upheld FIFA’s ban in a separate appeal.

Adidas is entering the name, image, and likeness space — in a much different way than other major sports brands.

On Wednesday, the sportswear giant announced the launch of a nationwide NIL program. All athletes at Division I schools with Adidas partners will be eligible — more than 50,000 athletes at 109 schools across 23 sports.

The program deviates from the approach of other major companies like Nike and Gatorade, which have targeted specific athletes. But it’s one of a growing number of brands creating NIL initiatives that mirror campus ambassador programs.

Here’s how it will work:

• Athletes can earn a percentage of sales they drive through an affiliate program, a spokesperson told Front Office Sports. They can also earn money based on crafting social posts.
• As the movement rolls out, Adidas is also considering opportunities for athletes to be featured in campaigns.
• Compensation will partially depend on how many athletes choose to participate.

The company will begin the rollout in Fall 2022 with athletes at Power 5 schools and HBCUs.

Elevating Women’s Sports

Adidas is positioning the NIL program as part of its “Impossible is Nothing” campaign dedicated to inclusivity and equity in sports. 

WNBA star Candace Parker called the program “an incredible step forward for the growth of women’s sports.”

During the rest of March Madness, Adidas men’s and women’s teams will also have warm-up shirts that say “More Is Possible” to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Title IX.

The Premier Lacrosse League continues to grow in popularity and recently secured a four-year media rights deal with ESPN ahead of its fourth season, which is scheduled to begin on June 4.

The deal, which is reportedly worth eight figures, will see all 47 PLL games air across ESPN’s broadcast platforms, including ESPN+ and ABC. ESPN’s deal with the PLL follows a strong year for the league with its previous broadcaster, NBCUniversal, which attempted to re-up its deal. 

• Total viewership on NBCSN grew by 29% in 2021 compared to the 2019 season. 
• Last season’s PLL Championship on NBC registered 333,000 total viewers.
• The PLL produced four of the six highest-rated NBCSN games in its three-year history.
• Ticket revenue increased by 56% in 2021 compared to the 2019 season. 

Last June, the PLL closed an additional round of funding led by Arctos Sports Partners. The round also included new investments from New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and Brooklyn Nets owner and Alibaba co-founder Joseph Tsai, an early investor in the league. 

Player Safety Innovation

Earlier this week, the PLL announced a partnership with Q30 Innovations, a Connecticut-based research and development company dedicated to reducing traumatic brain injuries. The two entities will work together to raise awareness of brain injuries and promote Q30’s products.

As part of the deal, all eight PLL teams will be equipped with Q30’s Q-Collar, an FDA-authorized device that provides an added layer of brain protection.

Oliver Marmol replaced Mike Shildt as St. Louis Cardinals manager in October, but the two collaborated on the launch of Versus, an edtech company focused on athletic skills training.

Founded by Marmol and his wife Amber, Versus provides training videos featuring professional athletes and conversational AI technology. The service will be available for a subscription fee starting in April.

• The app and platform will initially focus on baseball and softball, with plans to introduce soccer and other sports down the road.
• Athletes contributing to the project include Cardinals legend Albert Pujols, Fernando Tatis Jr., Jessica Mendoza, and Jennie Finch.
• Versus has $8 million in total funding.
• The company is opening a $20 million Series B funding round.

Versus will partner with charity organizations to reach underserved communities.

Youth Sports on the Rise

Versus cited analysts who predicted the global edtech market will reach $318.8 billion in the next five years.

Players Health, a startup focused on youth athlete health and safety, announced a $28 million Series B funding round led by Andre Iguodala of the Golden State Warriors, VC firm Mastry Ventures, and insurer SiriusPoint.

TeamSnap, a youth sports community and events platform, said that it saw a 50% year-over-year increase in events created in 2021, up to 22 million, with daily active users approaching 2 million during some months.