April 13, 2022

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The WNBA will tip off its season May 7 on a major roll. Viewership for Monday’s WNBA Draft on ESPN was up 20% with 403,000 tuning in — the most-viewed edition since 2004.

Peloton Activist Investor Calls for Sale

Peloton

Two months ago, Peloton bowed to shareholder pressure and removed John Foley as CEO. Now, an activist investor is agitating for a bigger change.

Blackwells Capital renewed [[link removed]] its call for Peloton to be sold, saying that the connected fitness giant cannot effectively reverse its slide as a public company. Blackwells first called for a sale and Foley’s ouster in January after taking [[link removed]] a stake under 5%.

“Peloton will continue to be poorly valued for as long as a close-knit group of insiders, who have proven themselves incapable of creating value, continue to wield voting power far in excess of their economic interest,” Blackwells wrote.

Blackwells noted that “shareholders have lost a further $2 billion in market value,” since Barry McCarthy became CEO.The investor stated that McCarthy was given a $275 million sign-on compensation package, yet shareholders “remain at the whim of former CEO John Foley,” who remains executive chairman.Blackwells called for Peloton to eliminate its dual-class share structure, which provides more power to a small group including Foley. The Next Cycle

Blackwells noted the company’s core strengths, namely its “powerful brand, proprietary technology, engaging instructors, and fiercely loyal subscriber base,” adding that “several strategic buyers would be willing to pay a significant premium.”

Nike and Amazon have reportedly considered bidding for Peloton.

Peloton has lost 30% in market value since McCarthy took over and around 80% in the last 12 months. Shares were up close to 5% on Wednesday following Blackwells’ presentation.

Prominent Names Expected to Join LIV Golf Invitational

Naples Daily News-USA TODAY NETWORK

Greg Norman’s LIV Golf Invitational Series, a startup backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, is reportedly set to add several prominent names to its roster ahead of its June debut.

The players expected to join the series include Bubba Watson, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Kevin Na, and an unnamed two-time major winner, according to a report [[link removed]] by The Telegraph. Final details regarding who will join the series are being confirmed, but a formal announcement is expected in the coming weeks, according to LIV Golf.

The LIV Golf Invitational will feature an eight-tournament schedule.There will be a maximum of 48 players on 12 four-man teams. Players who join have been threatened with an immediate ban from the PGA Tour.

The LIV Golf Invitational will debut on June 9 at the Centurion Club in St. Albans, Hertfordshire, with a $25 million purse up for grabs — the richest golf tournament ever held in Europe.

The tour will then make four stops in the U.S. between July and September before heading to Thailand and Saudi Arabia in October. The tour will conclude with a team championship match-play event for $50 million at a location that has yet to be determined.

Broadening Reach

In February, LIV Golf Investments, which is also backed by the Public Investment Fund, increased [[link removed]] its investment in the Asian Tour, bringing its total funding in the professional golf tour to $300 million. Last November, LIV made an initial investment of $200 million in the tour — one of the single largest investments in pro golf history.

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Betway Parent Records 45% YOY Revenue Increase

Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Super Group, the parent company of online sports betting and gaming business Betway, reported a 45% year-over-year increase in 2021 revenue to around $1.4 billion.

Profits jumped [[link removed]] 58% year-over-year to roughly $255.6 million, with cash and cash equivalents increasing 112%.

The company expanded its deals to a total of 70 in 17 different countries. Its deals include the NHL, NBA, and ATP.Super Group signed 30 sponsorship agreements in 2021.Betway and Spin, Super Group’s multi-brand online casino, launched in nine new regulated markets including Betway in France and Tanzania.

Super Group reached 2.62 million monthly average customers in 2021— a 75% year-over-year increase. Betway’s sports betting revenue reached roughly $417.8 million, up from $174.7 million the year prior.

In January, Super Group completed [[link removed]] its merger with SPAC Sports Entertainment Acquisition Corp. to go public on the New York Stock Exchange.

2022 Highlights

So far this year, Super Group has expanded into three new regulated markets and signed nine additional sponsorship agreements. Super Group’s acquisition of Digital Gaming Corporation is expected to close in the second half of the year but is already live in six U.S. states with the Betway brand as of April 13, 2022. It has access to 12 states.

Conversation Starters In The Leadoff, Boston Celtics co-owner Stephen Pagliuca makes promises if his Chelsea FC bid is successful, a congressional investigation reveals financial inconsistencies with the Washington Commanders and owner Dan Snyder, FIFA is launching a streaming service, and China ends a freeze on new video game licenses. Click here to listen [[link removed]]. Software and venture firm Animoca Brands has acquired France-based racing game developer Eden Games. Animoca Brands has purchased [[link removed]] a 96% stake in Eden Games from Engine Gaming and Media in a deal valued at $15.3 million. The acquisition will allow Animoca Brands to enhance its motorsport ecosystem. In his first season with Villarreal CF, Unai Emery delivered the club’s first Europa League title [[link removed]]. In his second, he has engineered an even bigger continental result — and arguably his masterpiece to date. On Tuesday, Villarreal knocked European giants Bayern Munich out of the Champions League with a 1-1 away draw. Subscribe to Scoreboard for more [[link removed]]. Renee Montgomery’s basketball career was just a precursor to her second act, which includes titles such as podcast host, sports broadcaster, Vice President and Co-Owner of multiple professional sports teams. Learn more [[link removed]] about Renee’s inspiring story of empowerment and representation.*

*Sponsored Content

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The Face of Fandom is Changing

Imagine a typical sports fan. Did you picture someone enjoying a game with friends? Is it a person who proudly wears their team’s colors? What’s the gender of the fan you imagined?

Many people envision a man as the typical sports fan. But it may surprise you to know that the make-up of college sports fans [[link removed]] is changing.

The influence and presence of women within college athletics is strong and gaining momentum [[link removed]]. Schools and brand marketers who understand the female fan and know how to reach her can help build a new community of loyal supporters. Those who don’t could be missing an important opportunity to engage this increasingly powerful and influential segment of college sports fans.

Download [[link removed]] the full report now to learn more about how the make-up of college sports fans is changing.

Market Movers

U.S. stocks experienced gains across all three major indexes on Wednesday. Here’s a look at how sports-related stocks performed:

CLAR [[link removed]]

Clarus Corp

[[link removed]]

$21.51

[[link removed]]

+0.75%

[[link removed]] VFC [[link removed]]

VF Corp.

[[link removed]]

$55.94

[[link removed]]

+1.15%

[[link removed]] UA [[link removed]]

Under Armour Inc

[[link removed]]

$15.01

[[link removed]]

+1.49%

[[link removed]] NKE [[link removed]]

Nike, Inc.

[[link removed]]

$127.49

[[link removed]]

+1.97%

[[link removed]] LVS [[link removed]]

Las Vegas Sands Corp

[[link removed]]

$36.30

[[link removed]]

+2.70%

[[link removed]] NLS [[link removed]]

Nautilus Inc

[[link removed]]

$3.83

[[link removed]]

+2.96%

[[link removed]] (Note: All as of market close on 4/13/22) What to Watch

This weekend marks the start of the English FA Cup Semifinals. On the men’s side, Manchester City takes on Liverpool, and Chelsea faces Crystal Palace. On the women’s side, West Ham United plays Manchester City, and Arsenal has a tough matchup against Chelsea.

How to Watch: 7:15 a.m. ET on ESPN+ / Stream the English FA Cup Semifinals on ESPN+ [[link removed]]*

*Sponsored content. Game availability differs by market, check your local listing.

Refer Friends to Score Your Favorite Team’s Jersey

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Written by Owen Poindexter [[link removed]], Justin Byers [[link removed]], Abigail Gentrup [[link removed]]

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