#63: Saudi $1bi Laundromat, NWSL boom, Llanfairpwll (?!) and more, in under 5mins.

TOP-3 HIGHLIGHTS

!FUERA!

Luis Rubiales has resigned as Spain’s football chief days after prosecutors filed a criminal complaint against him over alleged sexual assault for kissing Jenni Hermoso without consent in front of the whole world at the World Cup medal ceremony.

LAUNDROMAT

Saudi Pro League clubs spent?nearly $1 billion?on transfers during the summer window. The $957 million spent by SPL clubs was a record for the league — more than any other except for the Premier League, which spent $1.39 billion, according to a new report from Deloitte. The SPL was responsible for almost half of overseas transfer fees ($312 million) received by EPL clubs. SPL clubs also sent $148 million to Ligue 1, $122 million to Serie A, $116 million to La Liga, and $32 million to the Bundesliga.

NWSL HAT TRICK

Record?attendance, broadcasting rights and expansion. The NWSL is one fire!?

• The NWSL will undergo another league expansion with a further two teams set to join the growing league in 2026.
• Check out?NWSL's?record attendance numbers,?by Soccer America.?
• The league is also set to reveal their next media rights deal within the coming months. CBS Sports /?Paramount+?currently hold the exclusive broadcasting rights to air NWSL matches.?NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman recently revealed that the?NWSL has drastically increased its viewership with CBS Sports. In fact, the sports network saw a 20% growth in viewership during the 2023 season compared to a year ago. Paramount+ experienced an even bigger increase as well. The streaming service recorded a 50% growth for the current campaign.

Plus, check Joe Pompliano's "Why The National Women’s Soccer League Is Poised For Explosive Growth" on Huddle Up.?

Other relevant global football/ soccer business news per market

USA

• MLS' New York Red Bulls President & General Manager Marc de Grandpré announced the expansion of the club’s Executive Leadership Team. Joe Stetson has been named Chief Commercial Officer, Elisa Padilla named Chief Marketing Officer, Christina Giunta-Quarino named Chief of Staff and Claire Noonan named Head of Human Resources. Each will report directly to de Grandpré.
• Ricardo Campos, the Loyal’s president and first employee, is leaving the San Diego Loyal to become an executive vice president for club operations with the MLS expansion franchise launching in San Diego in 2025. The Loyal, in its fourth year in the USL Championship, announced last month that it will cease operations at the conclusion of this season.?
• FC Cincinnati — which currently ranks fifth in MLS league attendance this year — will pitch the Cincinnati Planning Commission on a mixed-use complex adjacent to the club’s TQL Stadium that would include a concert venue, hotel, restaurants, apartments, and office space.?
• Sports and entertainment company Legends Hospitality is ‘in talks’ to finance the potential acquisition of US venue and events management company ASM Global in a deal that could create a massive global player in sports team and live venue management.
• With the MLB's Oakland A’s all but out the door of Oakland Coliseum, the city is reportedly considering a proposal from Oakland Roots SC — which plays in the USL Championship -- to build a temporary 10,000-seat stadium in the Malibu parking lot near the Coliseum.
• U.S. Soccer announced its "Strategic Vision.", which is built around five pillars driven by what U.S. Soccer describes as "core philosophies" such as “all soccer is soccer” and “scalability is key.”

1. Grow the game.

2. Foster best playing environments.

3. Develop winning teams.

4. Grow the soccer economy to fuel reinvestment.

5. Create a world-class organization.

UK

• American tech giant Qualcomm is taking over Manchester United’s main shirt sponsorship in what is the most lucrative kit deal in the world, according to multiple reports. The company will pay $75 million annually to display its Snapdragon brand.?
• Manchester City Women has become the first Women’s Super League club to complete a facility naming rights agreement, signing a pact with baby gear brand Joie to rename the 7,000-capacity Academy Stadium, the WSL’s only purpose-built venue.
• Arsenal have added to their commercial team with the appointment of Omar Mohammed Shaikh as their new partnership sales director. Shaikh joins from Premier League rivals Liverpool, where he was vice president of commercial development.
• Everton are close to being acquired by US-based 777 Partners, according to multiple reports. Should the transaction be completed, it would mean half of the Premier League’s 20 clubs would be American-owned. BTW, 777 Partners has also just launched a supporters’ bond to raise money for a new training centre at Italian club Genoa.
• The NFL made the announcement that Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will serve as the league’s UK headquarters going forward. Spurs’ ground will host a minimum of two regular season games each year until 2029

ITALY

• Inter Milan is poised to agree a back-of-shirt sponsorship deal with safety shoe and workwear company U-Power, filling the last piece of available inventory on its shirt.
• Lega Serie B, organising body of the second tier of Italian club football, has agreed a deal for highlights of the competition to be shown on Youtube.

GERMANY

• German beer company Bitburger has signed as an ‘Official National Partner’ of Euro 2024 – making the Bitburg-based brand the exclusive beer in all stadiums at the tournament.
• On the other hand, Volkswagen will NOT sponsor next year’s Euro 2024, after deciding not to extend a deal covering Uefa’s men’s national team football competitions for ‘cost discipline’ reasons.?

FRANCE

Details of the?domestic invitation to tender for French football’s top two divisions?were unveiled this week, with league authorities hoping new five-year contract lengths and match scheduling can attract bids that breach the lofty reserve prices.

SPAIN

• RTVE has moved quickly to tie up more women’s football rights after registering record audiences during Spain’s triumphant World Cup campaign.
• In a strange/crazy/genius (?) clearly PR-oriented move, LALIGA signed a one-year jersey sponsorship contract with Clwb Pel Droed Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, a team from the Welsh fifth division, also known in short as"Llanfairpwll". All right, then.?

EUROPE

Commercial Sports Media (CSM)?is looking to leverage the fast growth of sports technology companies across the Nordic region with the?creation of an investment arm?to service the sector.

MEXICO

Luis Rodriguez, the former IMG football executive in the Americas, has left his role as head of global partnership sales at?Fifa?to?return?home to Mexico, to?LigaMX.