International Sportstech News

Premier League Player, the first officially licensed Premier League VR game, is now available on Meta Quest. Developed by Rezzil, the Manchester-based VR developer, in partnership with the Premier League, the game officially launched on 3rd December. The game is built on real-life player mechanics drawn from the data collected by the iPhone cameras positioned on the sidelines during games. The movements of the footballers are captured so precisely, users playing the VR game can virtually set foot on the pitch and reenact plays from actual EPL games.

Sportico is reporting that former NBA player Metta Sandiford-Artest is starting a venture capital fund alongside Boost Mobile CEO Stephen Stokols, to be called Tru Skye Ventures. The duo is seeking to fundraise to the tune of $US 100 million by the end of the fiscal first quarter of 2025, targeting sports technology, the health and wellness industry, and digital media platforms.

Global sports brand PUMA, in collaboration with Manchester City, has launched an innovative AI kit design platform, giving City fans the unique opportunity to design the club’s official Third kit for the 2026/27 season. In a first-of-its-kind, the new PUMA AI Creator tool is powered by DEEPOBJECTS, a leading co-creation platform that leverages generative AI to allow fans to design their dream PUMA Manchester City kits using text prompting, customization tools and intuitive sliders. The winning AI design will be worn by City stars on-pitch and sold to fans, in a groundbreaking first for a professional football club.

360Player, a leading all-in-one digital platform for sports clubs, announced a $US 25 million investment from Five Elms Capital, a leading software investment firm. The funding will support 360Player's ambitious plans to expand its platform for clubs, coaches, players, and parents across new international markets. The company's suite of digital tools spans video analytics, player development, team management, and seamless financial services for clubs. 360Player currently serves over 420,000 users across 50+ countries, with recent rapid growth in key markets like the United States.

London-based fitness and wellness platform MAGIC AI, specializing in home fitness technology with computer vision and connected equipment for real-time exercise tracking, has raised $US 5 million in a funding round. MAGIC AI is a fitness platform that transforms home workouts with AI, holographic mirrors, and smart weights. The system uses computer vision and 3D cameras to provide real-time feedback on form, reps, and performance, offering a personalized training experience with guidance from athletes. MAGIC AI reports that it has surpassed 5,000 customers across 38 countries in its first year

DAZN, one of the world’s leading sports entertainment platform, has been confirmed as the exclusive global broadcaster of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. The landmark agreement will see all 63 matches at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, which involves 32 of the best clubs worldwide, live-streamed, free to view on DAZN worldwide, with the possibility of sublicensing to local free-to-air linear broadcast networks.

 Strava, the app for active people, today announced the release of its annual Year In Sport: Trend Report, which identifies the trends that shaped the global active landscape in 2024. Strava combined the billions of unique activity data of its global community of more than 135 million people across over 190 countries, alongside insights generated from a randomized global survey of more than 5,000 active people both on and off the Strava platform. New global data highlights a shift toward more balanced workouts, run clubs replacing nightclubs as social hotspots, plus the year’s top workout gear.

The global value of sports media rights has broken the $US 60 billion barrier for the first time, boosted by the Summer Olympic Games and UEFA Euro 2024, according to the new SportBusiness Global Media Report. The total value stands at $US 62.6 billion for 2024, a 12 percent increase on last year’s figure of $US 55.9 billion, with the year-on-year growth propelled by the presence this year of several marquee global events. Soccer and American football dominate, together bringing in 54.5 per cent of the overall value. 

Leading activity tracking platform Strava has updated its API agreement, restricting user data on third-party platforms. Users can no longer publicly share metrics with connected apps, while developers are prohibited from utilizing the data for visualizations, coaching, or training AI. Strava counts 125 million users across 190 countries logging 40 million activities per week. For Strava, criticisms over privacy and experimental features like AI analysis warrant a tighter grip on the reins, shielding its wealth of data while keeping users engaged in its ecosystem.

Sportradar, a global sports data and technology company, has entered into a multiyear agreement with Major League Baseball (MLB) to augment the league's scouting of amateur baseball talent through its Synergy Coaching and Scouting solution. The partnership aims to transform the evaluation of player potential using Sportradar's advanced technological platform. The deal grants MLB and its 30 clubs access to an extensive range of player analysis and insights, with event coverage expanding from 3,300 to over 20,000 games (including college, international, and leading amateur leagues, including the MLB Draft League and high school events).

VANAD Group, a global family-owned enterprise with over 1,500 employees, has acquired SciSports, a market leader in sports technology, data analytics, and artificial intelligence. SciSports, headquartered in Europe with operations in North America, empowers football organizations with actionable insights to enhance performance and strategic decision-making. The company collaborates with players, clubs, and federations to support strategic decision-making and team development. SciSports will leverage VANAD Group’s financial strength and strategic guidance to enhance its technology offering, scale operations, and expand its footprint in both Europe and North America. 

Sony has won the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) media rights for the 2024-31 cycle at a base price of $US 170 million via an e-auction process. It was an increase of 70% from the previous cycle where Disney-Star had the Asia Cup rights at $US 100 million between 2016-2023. Sony was the only participant as Jio-Disney did not turn up to the e-auction.

Premier League clubs have unanimously agreed that the Premier League will establish a new in-house media operations business. Launching for the start of Season 2026/27, the Premier League will bring all international media content production and distribution in-house. For 20 years, this service has been provided in partnership with IMG, operating as Premier League Productions (PLP). The two organisations will continue to deliver the next two Premier League seasons to broadcasters.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks NBA superstar has announced the launch of Build Your Legacy (BYL) Ventures, a venture capital fund that will focus on investments in sports, entertainment and technology. Antetokounmpo, the two-time NBA MVP from Greece, is hoping to help connect entrepreneurs with investors who will be able to grow their businesses. The fund has already invested in Unrivaled, the new women's 3-on-3 basketball league.

A passionate group of entrepreneurial fans, former players, and investors have teamed up to launch Fanstake, the first open and competitive fan-driven Name, Image & Likeness (NIL) platform. Fanstake enables college sports fans to directly influence athlete recruitment and retention by pledging money toward their favorite athletes' NIL endorsement deals. Fans can stake financial support to promising recruits, transfer players, or current athletes, with funds going directly to the athlete’s endorsement deal with Fanstake if they choose the fan's school. Fanstake has raised $US 3 million in a pre-seed round led by Susa Ventures and Will Ventures,.

Ladder, the number one iOS app for strength training, announced it has raised $US 15 million in Series B funding led by Point72 Ventures and ADvantage VC. Ladder has also secured a $US 90 million growth investment from General Catalyst’s Customer Value strategy, to provide financing for customer acquisition costs. Following last year’s $US 12 million Series A raise, Ladder is on track to achieve 200% growth and reach 150,000 paid members by the end of 2024.

Michael Jordan is putting money into Courtside Ventures, a VC fund focused on sports, lifestyle and gaming. The billionaire has invested in Courtside’s current round. In June, Courtside filed its plans to raise $100 million for its fourth fund. Courtside was founded in 2016, back when sports-focused funds, particularly in early-stage investing, were rare. The group currently has three funds, more than 100 investments and $200-plus million in assets under management. 

More details have emerged regarding King Salman Stadium, a planned 92,000-capacity stadium in the Saudi capital of Riyadh that has been designed by Populous. Plans for the project were first announced in July, and fresh images have now been released. The stadium is scheduled to open by the end of 2029 and would be used during the 2034 FIFA World Cup, which Saudi Arabia is set to be awarded hosting rights to. Populous is also working on other stadium projects in Saudi Arabia, including Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium, King Fahad International Stadium and Aramco Stadium.

Smart ring maker Oura has hit a $US 5 billion valuation after raising a $US 75 million Series D from US continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) giant Dexcom. The two companies also announced a strategic partnership that will integrate products including Dexcom’s CGMs and Oura’s ring — which track users' sleep, physical activities and health data — and app. In June, Oura announced that it has sold 2.5m rings, and said it expects to see annual sales double in 2024 to roughly $US 500 million.

Endeavor Group will sell its sports data businesses, OpenBet and IMG Arena, to management-led group OB Global backed by Hollywood power broker Ari Emanuel for about $US 450 million. Both IMG Arena and OpenBet were put up for sale in August. IMG Arena delivers live streaming and data feeds for more than 65,000 events across multiple sports. Selling off non-core businesses like IMG Arena and OpenBet is a necessary move ahead of Silver Lake’s deal to take Endeavor private. Last month, as part of that larger deal, Endeavor agreed to sell its On Location, IMG and Professional Bull Riders businesses to its TKO Group Holdings in a $US3.25 billion deal.

Whoopi Goldberg, Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award winner and international streaming media company JungoTV, have announced the launch of All Women’s Sports Network (AWSN). It is the first global media channel dedicated exclusively to showcasing women’s sports. The international network is available on VIZIO WatchFree+ (United States), Jio TV and Jio TV+ (India), Evision (UAE/Saudi Arabia), and Jungo Pinoy (Philippines). AWSN's goal is to have the largest distributed female sports network in the world, digital or broadcast. The channel launches with live WNBL basketball and Hockey One League women's games on 13 November. AWSN already has content deals with UEFA, FIBA and a number of international women's soccer leagues.

Garmin announced its first UK-based retail store located in Southampton’s prestigious Westquay Shopping Centre.  The new retail store, which opened to the public on 6th November. The retail location showcases the company’s broad range of consumer electronics from smartwatches, cycling computers and golf devices as well as its products for cars and the marine industry.

Thee Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion has struck a deal around artificial intelligence (AI) with global technology giant IBM. Through a tie-up unveiled today, IBM becomes UFC's global AI partner. The deal involves the creation of an insights engine built by IBM’s data and AI platform, watsonx. The insights, graphics, and statistics – which will be IBM-branded – will be integrated into platforms such as pre-event programming, pay-per-view broadcasts, social media channels, and also in-venue video screens.

Fastbreak.ai, a leader in AI-driven scheduling solutions for the sports industry, is excited to announce its acquisition of SEQL, an innovative sports impact company dedicated to connecting youth athletes with life-changing resources from leading consumer brands, leagues, and cities. SEQL partners with top brands and organizations to provide student-athletes with free, high-quality media content, educational resources, and community-driven programs.

Sports league organization platform Volo Sports has attracted a $US 21 million investment from Bluestone Equity Partners to further its expansion, including through acquisitions. Volo Sports is the largest provider of social and recreational sports events in the US, organizing corporate and adult leagues as well as youth teams. The deal is the sixth investment for Bluestone from its inaugural $US 300 million fund launched last year.

Software platform PushPress has raised $US 20 million in a Series B funding round that will set the stage for the software company to become the go-to platform for gym owners. The funding will drive several key initiatives, including elevating member and mobile app experiences, as well as developing new products to help gym owners streamline every aspect of their business. Altos Ventures led the round, which included participation from StepStone and Mucker Capital. 

The Beligan Pro League and its 29 clubs will use Shikenso's propietary AI-solution to assess sponsorship impact across broadcasts, print, online and social media. Shikenso’s analytics will track all channels—TV, online platforms, print, digital and social media. Sponsorship exposure will be identified not just visually, but also audibly, and textually. Shikenso has been developing its AI tracking solutions for seven years. The company has worked with partners like Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL), Fuse and Sportfive on multiple projects, and collaborated with global brands such as Aldi, Red Bull, and Mercedes-Benz.

Sportstech research and investment advisory firm, SportsTechX, have launched the 2024 edition of their Global Sports Tech Venture Capital Report. The report provides a deep dive into the investment activity in the Global Sports Tech Ecosystem. Some important 2024  highlights include, i. nearly $US 10 billion in projected dealflow (investment + M&A), 9 New sportstech unicorns and 65% of all investment focused on solutions for fans.

London-based Bioniq, which provides personalised nutritional support based on blood biomarker data, has announced that the global soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo has financed an undisclosed investment amount in the company. With this investment, the total valuation of the company has reached $US 82 million. The company uses an AI-powered algorithm to assess an individual’s needs and creates a unique formula with vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to address deficiencies. 

FIFA and Hawk-Eye Innovations have joined forces to establish the 'Football Technology Centre', a joint venture that will explore and develop emerging technologies in football with a focus on the generation of algorithms to automate the detection of on-pitch events for optimal decision-making. Besides the automated collection of event data, the link-up will involve the development of automated offside technology that instantly provides match officials with consistent and accurate information

According to the latest Global Wellness Institute figures, the wellness industry is now worth $US 6.3 trillion. Not slowing down, the sector is expected to top $US 9 trillion by 2028. Established markets like beauty, healthy eating, weight loss, and physical activity are worth $US 1 trillion each. Consumers now view well-being through a broad lens, with health, fitness, nutrition, appearance, sleep, and mindfulness being the focus. People are investing in longevity, wearables, recovery, community, alternative medicine, experiences, and more.

ASICS has announced the launch of a new sneaker designed from recycled materials. The ASICS SportStyle NEOCURVE™ is crafted from a blend of discarded, unused, and newly reclaimed materials: grinded-up footwear, deadstock, and defective shoes. It’s a shoe designed to encourage future recycling and promote the process of product circularity, with every step from collection and disassembly to design and manufacturing, taking place within Europe.

TMRW Sports and Fastbreak.ai, a leader in AI-driven scheduling solutions for the sports industry, have announced a partnership, which will see Fastbreak.ai manage the scheduling needs of  'TGL presented by SoFi' and future league properties. As part of this partnership, TMRW Sports also will make a strategic investment in Fastbreak.ai, further strengthening the strategic collaboration between the two innovative companies. Other investors in Fastbreak.ai include the NBA, NHL, Larry Fitzgerald, and Greycroft. Currently, leagues across the sports landscape use Fastbreak.ai for their scheduling needs, including the NBA, WNBA, NHL, and MLS.

Healthify, an AI-driven health and fitness platform, has raised $US 45 million in its latest financing round, leveraging advanced AI to personalize health guidance. With a firm foundation in India, where it boasts a user base of 40 million, Healthify is set to launch its offerings in the US market. The emphasis on low-cost yet high-impact health solutions through tailored nutrition and fitness recommendations. The investment round included participation from notable backers, including Khosla Ventures and LeapFrog Investments, alongside new supporter Claypond Capital.

One of the world's leading sports data companies, Sportradar, has announced the launch of their Futures Hub, a new program designed to identify, assess, and support the work being done by cutting-edge start-ups. The piloting scheme opens high-potential startups to some of the biggest names in the sports ecosystem - such as UEFA, NBA, ATP, Fan Duel, Bet365 and Entain. The program will help startups validate and selling solutions with Sportradar's clients and partners, scale solutions with market leaders and positions for potential acquisition.

World Rowing, the international governing body of the Olympic sport of Rowing, and Concept2, renowned pioneers in Rowing equipment and creators of the modern Indoor Rowing machine, have announced a significant extension of their longstanding partnership to support the growth of Indoor, ‘Connected’ Rowing globally. It will see the forming of a year-round calendar of different types of Indoor Rowing events, the development and establishment of new competition formats, and the evolution of data generation and display. The spotlight will also be on the introduction of community-building tools and platforms, and the delivery of a cutting-edge gamified offering to the Esports realm.

Morgan Stanley is introducing a new portfolio for investors tied to the most prominent sports leagues. The investment bank’s wealth management division on Thursday announced the launch of what it is calling Parametric Custom Core Sports League strategy. The portfolio, aimed at high net worth sports fans, will allow them to invest in a curated index of companies with strong sponsorship, media and advertisement ties to the most prominent sports leagues. It will target high net worth sports fans and will carry a minimum investment of $US 250,000. Sports have proven to be an attractive and growing asset class as valuations have skyrocketed over the past decade.

Oura, the smart ring maker is buying Sparta Science, a performance analytics company, to enhance its enterprise data platform. Sparta’s Trinsic software translates movement data into population-level health insights, including strength, injury risk, and recovery status. Integrating the tech, Oura will level up its B2B Teams dashboard for corporate wellness, healthcare, and government clients, including the US Department of Defense. Oura has sold more than 2.5 million devices.

According to the 2025 American College for Sports Medicine survey in Health and Fitness trends, 'technology' takes three of the top seven spots. With wearable technology (no. 1), mobile exercise apps (no. 2), and data-driven training technology (no. 7) peaking in the top 10 trends, this year's survey results point to digital technologies making a significant impact on the fitness industry.

The modern pro sports business has historically hinged on one revenue source: TV deals. The NFL and NBA respectively drive 67% and 54% of revenue from selling rights to broadcast live games. However, sports fans are increasingly watching highlights on YouTube instead of watching live games on ESPN. Younger sports fans in particular are increasingly watching new types of sports content that look nothing like live games or highlights (eg trick shots, skills challenges). There are a number of key trends: i.YouTubers are redefining who is a sports star, and what sports content looks like, ii. New sports leagues are emerging around these YouTube creators and iii. New business models are emerging from YouTube sports content.