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Highlight Reel: FIFA’s incredible World Cup streaming experiment ⚽️
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Highlight Reel: FIFA’s incredible World Cup streaming experiment ⚽️

This week's top stories feature FIFA, MLS, Naomi Osaka, Patrick Mahomes, Shikhar Dhawan, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Netflix, and the ATP and WTA Tours.

Andy Marston
Dec 16, 2022
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Highlight Reel: FIFA’s incredible World Cup streaming experiment ⚽️
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Happy Friday!

Building up to the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday, my attention (since England’s exit) has turned to a number of interesting innovations off the pitch, from providing players their data, to a streaming experiment that went beyond their own platform. Here’s my 5 stories for the week👇

  1. MLP ushers in promotion and relegation as Osaka and Mahomes buy in

  2. FIFA’s incredible World Cup streaming experiment

  3. Shikhar Dhawan launches $75m tech fund

  4. US seeking to block Microsoft's $69bn acquisition of Activision Blizzard

  5. FIFA Player App proving huge success at 2022 World Cup

Bonus: Netflix releases Break Point teaser and announces January premiere


MLP ushers in promotion and relegation as Osaka and Mahomes buy in 🎾

Major League Pickleball has finalised the format and schedule for 2023, which will see the league double its number of teams (12 to 24) and events (three to six), while ushering in promotion and relegation, according to a report from Axios’ Kendall Baker.

Following in the footsteps of LeBron James, Tom Brady, and Kevin Durant, this has since opened up the opportunity for both tennis ace Naomi Osaka and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes to invest into a new Major League Pickleball team.

Twitter avatar for @kendallbaker
Kendall Baker @kendallbaker
EXCLUSIVE: I got the details about the 2023 Major League Pickleball season, which will see MLP double its number of teams (12 to 24) and events (3 to 6). The team-based league is also ushering in a promotion and relegation system... Fascinating stuff.
axios.comExclusive: Major League Pickleball finalizes 2023 expansion plansMLP has finalized the format and schedule for 2023, which will see the league double its number of teams and events.
12:24 PM ∙ Dec 12, 2022

FIFA’s incredible World Cup streaming experiment ⚽️

Ahead of the tournament, FIFA reached a deal with Brazilian gaming streamer, Casimiro. The deal allowed him to show one match a day live to his followers, which totalled 3.4m on Twitch and 5m on YouTube.

According to Streams Charts, his broadcast of Brazil’s penalty loss to Croatia was the most-watched YouTube live stream of 2022, with a peak audience of over 6m people. This content has also helped propel him to the top of the Twitch charts, making him the most popular account in the world for the first week of December.

Having made the playbook work in Brazil, the FT’s weekly newsletter Scoreboard has suggested that there is now scope to look at rolling it out in other markets, or for other events such as the Women’s World Cup next year.

Twitter avatar for @StreamsCharts
Streams Charts 🇺🇦 @StreamsCharts
Brazilian mega star @Casimiro made history today by setting a new YouTube Live record for viewers during the Brazil🇧🇷 vs. Croatia🇭🇷 @FIFAWorldCup match! 6.15 Million peak viewers⛰️ 17.23 Million hours watched ⏳ 240,000 thousand new followers 🕵️ More⚽️: streamscharts.com/news/casimito-…
Image
10:12 PM ∙ Dec 9, 2022
23Likes5Retweets

Shikhar Dhawan launches $75m tech fund 🏏

Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan has announced a $75m global investment fund to invest in sportstech startups, becoming the first Asian sportsperson to launch a venture capital fund, according to Business Standard.

The cricketer has been actively investing in India’s startup ecosystem over the past few years. He is a part of a star-studded cast who are the backers of yoga startup Sarva. Dhawan also founded Da-One Group, a startup which has a chain of sports academies across India. 

Twitter avatar for @bsindia
Business Standard @bsindia
Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan on Saturday became the first Asian sportsperson to launch a venture capitalist fund that will focus on innovation across sports spectrum
business-standard.comShikhar Dhawan announces $75 million global investment sports tech fundIndian opener Shikhar Dhawan on Saturday became the first Asian sportsperson to launch a venture capitalist fund that will focus on innovation across sports spectrum
1:29 PM ∙ Dec 10, 2022
27Likes2Retweets

US seeking to block $69bn Activision Blizzard acquisition 🎮

The US is entering a legal battle with Xbox-maker Microsoft to block its $69bn plan to purchase Activision Blizzard, the gaming firm behind the likes of Call of Duty and World of Warcraft, citing competition concerns.

There is a fear that if the deal went through, Activision Blizzard's games would stop being offered on non-Microsoft gaming consoles. However, Microsoft president and vice chairman Brad Smith has said Xbox's acquisition is fair because PlayStation has significantly more exclusive games.

Twitter avatar for @IGN
IGN @IGN
Microsoft president and vice chairman Brad Smith said Xbox’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard is fair since Sony already has nearly five times more exclusive games and is dominating the market. bit.ly/3Wm1jKl
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4:47 PM ∙ Dec 14, 2022
8,435Likes451Retweets

FIFA Player App proving huge success at 2022 World Cup 🧮

When the FIFA World Cup began a few weeks ago, participating players received a unique QR code giving them access to the FIFA Player App, a bespoke analytics tool that improves players’ access to and use of match data.

Based on input from professional players, in collaboration with FIFPRO, the app provides the opportunity for each player to access their individual performance data, linked to videos of relevant match action, minutes after each match.

“I believe we have over 400 players that are consistently using the app right after the match, which is, of course, very exciting. This also sets a new standard for football data distribution in the future,” explained FIFA Football Data Scientist Bahaeddine El Fakir.

Twitter avatar for @FIFAcom
FIFA.com @FIFAcom
Imagine being able to get analysis of your own football performance straight to your pocket, straight after a match. FIFA, in collaboration with @FIFPRO, have developed the FIFA Player App — a bespoke analytics tool that improves players' access to and use of match data:
1:46 PM ∙ Dec 13, 2022
145Likes31Retweets

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BONUS

Netflix releases Break Point teaser and announces January premiere 🎾

Get ready to grab your popcorn (…on January 13th)!

Netflix on Wednesday released a teaser for Break Point, the upcoming behind the scenes doc-series from the team behind F1: Drive To Survive.

As tennis’ legends like Federer, Djokovic, Nadal, and Williams all reach the twilight of their careers, this is the chance for a new generation to claim the spotlight. Break Point gets up close and personal with players on the ATP and WTA Tours over a year competing across the globe.

Twitter avatar for @NetflixUK
Netflix UK & Ireland @NetflixUK
Following a golden age of greatness, tennis' next generation are ready to take over. From the producers of F1: Drive to Survive... BREAK POINT Part 1 arrives 13 Jan, only on Netflix.
4:23 PM ∙ Dec 14, 2022
1,601Likes186Retweets

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