Lets talk about Business of Sports

Its been almost a decade into the business of Sports for me. I have been privileged to meet and work with some of the biggest names in the industry. And the journey continues while learning all along. I would like to contribute back to the industry by sharing updates and developments in the Business of Sports. I will attempt to seek and share views from experts in the domain. Would love to get contributions from the Industry.

Welcome to the first edition of the sports business newsletter! In this edition, we have the following stories:

1. DP World becomes the title sponsor for International League T20 DP World, the Dubai-based global ports operator, has agreed a naming rights deal for the International League T20, a new global cricket league set to launch in 2022. The deal, which is reportedly worth over $100 million, will see the league rebranded as the DP World International League T20.
2. Shikhar Dhawan dons the role of Investor with launch of sports venture capital fund Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan has announced the launch of a sports venture capital fund, in partnership with Indian investment firm Stakeboat Capital. The fund, which will be called "Sports Ventures by Shikhar Dhawan," will focus on investing in early-stage sports startups in India.
3. Byju's 'seeking early end' to BCCI deal - Indian edtech company Byju's is reportedly seeking an early end to its sponsorship deal with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Byju's has been the official sponsor of the BCCI since 2019, but sources close to the company have indicated that it is looking to end the partnership early due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its business.
4. Tata Steel returns to sponsor home Men's Hockey World Cup - Tata Steel, the Indian multinational steel company, has announced that it will return as the title sponsor of the Men's Hockey World Cup, which is set to take place in India in 2023. Tata Steel had previously sponsored the tournament in 2010 and 2018.
5. FIFA generated $1.74bn in sponsorship income over 2019-22 cycle - Fifa, the international governing body for football, has announced that it has generated $1.74 billion in sponsorship income over the 2019-2022 cycle. The sponsorships, which include major deals with companies such as Coca-Cola and Visa, will be used to fund various initiatives, including the development of football infrastructure and the promotion of the sport around the world.
6. IPL is valued at $10 billion dollar - The Indian Premier League (IPL), one of the most lucrative cricket leagues in the world, has been valued at $10 billion, according to a recent report. The report cites the strong financial performance of the league, which has seen revenues increase by over 10% year-on-year, as well as the increasing popularity of the sport in India and around the world. The recent 46000 Crore plus broadcast deal has surely added to the high valuations of IPL. If one is to consider IPL as a start-up, it is truly a ‘decacorn’ now.
7. FIFA World cup attendance falls short of Qatar's expectations - The recent FIFA World Cup, which was held in Qatar, has seen attendance figures fall short of the country's expectations. While the tournament saw strong television ratings, the limited capacity of the stadiums due to COVID-19 restrictions meant that overall attendance was lower than expected. Qatar had initially hoped to attract around 1.5 million fans to the tournament, but final figures have not yet been released
8. Betway broadens cricket presence with title sponsorship of SA20 - Online bookmaker Betway has announced a title sponsorship deal for the South African Twenty20 (SA20) cricket league. The deal, which is reportedly worth $10 million, will see the league rebranded as the Betway SA20 for the next three seasons. This marks the first time that Betway has sponsored a cricket league.
9. Bridgepoint 'makes ￡400m offer' for controlling stake in The Hundred - Private equity firm Bridgepoint has reportedly made an offer of ￡400 million ($550 million) for a controlling stake in The Hundred, the new professional cricket league launched in the UK in 2022. The offer, which is said to be backed by major investors, is currently being considered by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
10. BCCI 'sets base price of $50m' for Women's IPL franchises, expects more around $120m The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced that the base price for a Women's Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise is set at $50 million. The BCCI is expecting strong interest in the franchises, which will be auctioned off in the coming weeks ahead of the inaugural season of the Women's IPL, which is scheduled to take place in 2022.
11. ICC shares record-breaking digital engagement numbers for T20 World Cup in Australia The International Cricket Council (ICC) has released details of the record-breaking digital engagement for the recent T20 World Cup in Australia. The tournament, which saw Australia defeat India in the final, generated a total of 1.5 billion video views on social media platforms, making it the most-viewed T20 World Cup in history. The ICC also reported a 60% increase in social media followers during the tournament.
12. Prime Volleyball League to begin on Feb. 4 on Sony Sports Network - The Prime Volleyball League (PVL), a new professional volleyball league in India, has announced that it will begin on February 4, 2022, with six franchise teams. The teams, which will be based in different cities across India, will be owned by a mix of corporate sponsors and individual investors.
13. IPL 2023 mini Auction on December 23: Ben Stokes, Cameron Green, Mayank Agarwal among 405 cricketers to go under the hammer The Indian Premier League (IPL) has announced that 405 cricketers, including international stars Ben Stokes, Cameron Green, and Mayank Agarwal, will go under the hammer at the IPL 2023 auction, which is set to take place in February. The auction will see the eight IPL franchises bid for the services of the players, with a total of INR 140 crore ($19 million) available in the salary cap.

I would like to hear from people about their views and more information about the stories shared here. The idea is to start conversations around the buiness of sports. Looking forward to hear.