Highlight Reel: Netflix make a move on fitness with Nike deal 💪
This week's top stories feature the IPL Auction, Sam Curran, FIFA, Nike, Netflix, Fanatics, the Premier League and Lethal Bizzle.
Not yet a subscriber? Join 1000+ sports business leaders from Fnatic to Formula 1 that read Sports Pundit every week to get impactful industry insights.
Happy Friday!
Christmas has come early… for Sam Curran at least, who has become the most expensive player in IPL history after signing a £1.85m deal with Punjab Kings in the IPL Auction earlier today.
While I can’t offer you a million pound deal (sorry), I can offer up five big stories from the week - and wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 😀👇
FIFA to expand Club World Cup to 32 teams from 2025
Nike launches Nike Training Club workouts on Netflix
NFL announce agreement to distribute Sunday Ticket on YouTube
Can Michael Rubin turn Fanatics into a sportsbook?
Lethal Bizzle soundtracks the return of Premier League
FIFA to expand Club World Cup to 32 teams from 2025 ⚽️
Speaking at a briefing in Doha last Friday FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, announced the expansion of the men’s Club World Cup from seven to 32 teams from 2025.
Currently the Club World Cup is an annual tournament competed by clubs that are champions of the six FIFA confederations and the league winner of the host country. However, Infantino said the competition will become a quadrennial tournament that will have the “best teams in the world” participating.
Infantino also announced the launch of the Women’s Club World Cup and the Women’s Futsal World Cup.
Nike launches Nike Training Club workouts on Netflix 💪
To expand access to sport for all athletes, Nike is launching an initiative with Netflix to offer Nike Training Club (NTC) content for Netflix members to stream starting just before the new year (Dec 30).
Netflix’s more than 223 million worldwide members will have access to NTC programs that cater to all fitness levels, require minimal to no equipment, and span yoga, strength and high-intensity workouts.
NFL announce agreement to distribute Sunday Ticket on YouTube 🏈
The National Football League (NFL) has announced a multi-year agreement with Google granting YouTube TV and YouTube Primetime Channels to exclusively distribute NFL Sunday Ticket to consumers in the U.S. starting with the 2023 NFL season.
This strategic partnership will provide fans greater access to NFL Sunday Ticket while tapping into the best of YouTube's technology and product innovation.
"For a number of years we have been focused on increased digital distribution of our games and this partnership is yet another example of us looking towards the future and building the next generation of NFL fans," explained NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
Can Michael Rubin turn Fanatics into a sportsbook? 🎰
In an interview with Ben Strauss of the Washington Post, Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin has said that he is eyeing up the sports betting market. “People say that I’m nuts saying I think we’ll be the number one player in the space a decade from now, but I do think that,” explained Ruben.
The question is, as Strauss asks, whether Rubin can “turn his e-commerce behemoth into a successful sportsbook, and whether that pivot can propel Rubin’s Fanatics into a brand that is as meaningful to sports fans as, say, ESPN. If he can, he’ll make sports merchandise the latest frontier, joining TV advertising, media companies and star personalities, set to be conquered by betting”.
Lethal Bizzle soundtracks the return of Premier League 👊
The Premier League launch ‘The Premier League is Back’ campaign with UK rapper Lethal Bizzle to welcome back the competition, which returns on Boxing Day, with his unique take on his original track Pow!
That’s not all though, taking advantage of this unique opportunity to re-kick things off, the Premier League has also introduced The FPL Second Chance League, a fresh competition starting on matchweek 17 and running until the end of the season.
All FPL managers, whether they are beginners or have previously racked up points this season, will be added to a brand new league, starting again from zero points. (This is good news for me at least 😅)
Not yet a subscriber? Join 1000+ sports business leaders from Fnatic to Formula 1 that read Sports Pundit every week to get impactful industry insights.