Christian Grece’s Post

‼️The (futbol) “Gold Rush” in the US is real‼️ With the 2026 World Cup around the corner, we are witnessing massive investment and growth into the sport from all facets, confirming the wave is here to stay. #MarketingInsights #Forbes #FIFA #InnovativeGroupNews

🚨 Important News in the World of Sports 🚨 Bob Iger and Willow Bay have acquired Angel City FC, marking a significant milestone in the women’s football industry. This agreement for the Los Angeles-based Football Club represents the highest valuation ever for a professional women’s team, highlighting the growing popularity and impact of women’s sports globally. ACFC become the world's most valuable women's professional sports team. This acquisition not only reinforces the commitment to the growth of the sport but also opens new opportunities for the development and visibility of women’s football. It is a testament to the power and potential of women’s sports and a step forward towards the equality and recognition that female athletes deserve. Moreover, this move consolidates the concept of #Sportainment, where sports and entertainment merge to create unique and engaging experiences for fans. Bob Iger and Willow Bay, known for their leadership at The Walt Disney Company, bring a wealth of experience and vision that promises to transform the landscape of women’s football. 🔗 Read more about this news here: https://lnkd.in/et-wz_3m #WomensFootball #Sports #Investments #Leadership #Equality #Sportainment

⚽️ Even More Celebrity Investment in Soccer Teams While Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney weren't the first ever celebrity investors into a soccer team, their investment in Wrexham AFC has made the pair the prototypical celebrity investors in a soccer team. Wrexham has become "Hollywood's Team" and is considered a template for what many other influencers are trying to replicate--across different sports, different geographies, and different levels. Ryan and Rob are basically thought leaders when it comes to celebrities getting into the sports business and now they've bought a stake in Mexican soccer club Necaxa. Alongside other celebrity investors like Eva Longoria, Ryan and Rob have the opportunity to build another success story like Wrexham. Two interesting factors here are A) the role of content and B) the choice of geography. A large part of Wrexham's success has come from their FX series "Welcome to Wrexham," and and overall focus on creating relevant social media content. Will they employ a similarly aggressive content strategy for Club Necaxa, maybe even creating a docuseries about the club? And in the very global world of soccer, Ryan and Rob have strategically decided to pick a team in Mexico as their next focus. With the World Cup being hosted across Mexico, Canada, and the US in 2026 and Liga MX as the most watched soccer league in America, buying a team in Mexico makes a lot more sense vs. buying a soccer team in many other countries. More influencers will be investing in more sports teams and on an international scale, influencer-sports tea fit will be an important factor to ensure successful investments. https://lnkd.in/e3uS_vqR #football #soccer #sportsinvestment #sports #sport #media #entertainment #sportsbusiness #celebrity #influencer

Transformative Impact of USA-Based Private Equity on Global Sports- The Boehly Effect. ⚽ The recent insights from Todd Boehly at the Qatar Economic Forum have provided not only reassurance for us Chelsea fans in these tumultuous times but also highlighted the transformative impact of USA-based private equity in sports. These investments are extending beyond traditional views into the realm of entertainment. Mark Cuban, now minority owner of the Dallas Mavericks, illustrates this concept well, emphasizing that a sporting experience encompasses the atmosphere, the stadium, the people, the food, and hospitality—creating memories that last a lifetime. US-based private equity firms are redefining how sports organizations operate. Boehly’s plans for Chelsea’s stadium expansion exemplify this approach by enhancing fan experience, increasing seating capacity, and driving revenue growth. The notion that private equity in sports is here to stay is becoming more evident. More people are realizing the potential of running sports like entertainment businesses, driving larger profits than viewing sports in a traditional, one-sided manner. To me, Boehly’s perspective is that while the main goal is to win, it is also crucial to develop aspects of the business that enhance the ability to win by drawing the best talents in the world and creating a truly entertaining experience that attracts a global audience. They not only secured a once-in-a-generation player but also retained enough funds to sign additional star talents. This approach combines the drive to win with the initiative of attracting the top talent to entertain fans. Until now, the NFL has not allowed institutional investors to own stakes in teams. However, their consideration to allow such investors to acquire minority stakes could set a precedent for the entire sports industry. Notably, 40% of the top 10 most profitable sports organizations are in the NFL, led by the Dallas Cowboys (Forbes). If Commissioner Goodell and the NFL allow institutional investors, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Boehly acquiring an interest in one of the two LA-based NFL franchises, adding to his current ownership of the LA Lakers, LA Dodgers, and Los Angeles Sparks. The influence of private equity in sports is undeniable, yet it presents an intriguing challenge: balancing significant investments and creating dynamic sporting entertainment experiences while preserving the character, history, and traditions of football clubs. As these firms inject capital and introduce innovative strategies, it will be fascinating to see how they maintain the unique identities and heritage that fans hold dear, especially to those in European football. This delicate balance could define the future landscape of sports, merging profitability with passion and tradition. Here's the Link to the video: https://lnkd.in/gVhcDupV #PrivateEquity #SportsBusiness #Innovation #Entertainment #ChelseaFC

Insightful and must-read report - A Piece of the Action: Investing in #ProfessionalSports Leagues and Related Businesses - courtesy of Michael Cembalest, Chairman of Market and Investment Strategy for J.P. Morgan Asset Management. Cembalest provides expert analysis re: 🔹#privateequity in sport 🔹Media streaming and the decline of regional sports networks (#RSN) 🔹Fan attendance and ticketing 🔹Why league #parity benefits owners of teams in US vs EU/UK (*notable) 🔹EU/UK ⚽ #relegation / rising player salaries and new regulations (e.g. #PSR) 🔹Emerging sports - e.g. Formula 1, Major League Soccer, Bull Riding, etc.) 🔹Stadiums 🔹Adjacent businesses - Apparel, #imagerights, and #playermanagement 🔹#Sportsbetting 🔹US sports leagues - #antitrust | #anticompetitive considerations 🔹Worst team money can buy - #roi 🔹Best basketball 🏀 players of all-time (happy to see friend and legal client George Gervin referenced) Several takeaways: 🔹Pro athletes owe taxes in every jurisdiction where they work, but the bulk of their salary is taxed at the rate of their home state (e.g. a $3m National Hockey League (NHL) contract: state taxes in Texas $0, California $371k) 🔹Global sports #media contracts were worth $24.5 billion in 2011 and are worth $62.4b+ today (per Forbes) 🔹Over 30% of adults in the US and UK have purchased at least one pay-per-view sports event in the last 12 months, mostly Ultimate Fighting Championship (#UFC) and #boxing (boxing makes up 4/5 most watched PPV events of all time) 🔹In 2023, the National Football League (NFL) accounted for 93 of the 100 most-watched TV broadcasts, up from 82 in 2022 and 61 in 2018 (per Sportico & Nielsen data) 🔹Traditional cable subscriptions are declining as a share of consumed content, particularly among people aged 18-29; in this age group only 31% have cable TV, down from 64% in 2015 🔹In the NFL, NBA and NHL, 97%+ of available seats were sold in the most recent season (MLB has been the exception with ~70% of seats sold for the average game) 🔹A notable aspect of US sports leagues is parity, particularly compared to European soccer 🔹A primary driver of sports parity is #revenuesharing 🔹English Premier League (#EPL) salaries have increased by 36x from 1992-2021 (league revenues only increased by 27x). Total wages as a share of revenue are 73% for the average EPL team; outside the top 6 teams, this figure is even higher at 87% 🔹Only 7 EPL teams reported a profit in the 2021-2022 season (roughly 1/3 of the league) 🔹#taxevasion is now grounds for automatic disqualification for owning/running an EPL team 🔹In 2019, the EU added football to its #moneylaundering watchlist 🔹Revenue generated by #womensprosports leagues will surpass $1b for the first time in 2024 (per Deloitte) 🔹Online #sportsbetting revenues now represent 18% of all commercial gaming revenues and US bettors are spending (e.g. losing) $700 million to $1 billion per month #sportslaw #sportsfinance | Quintel Intelligence

Great Forbes article delving into the wealthiest sports team owners in the U.S. for 2024. It highlights the undeniable rise of the sports industry as one of the fastest-growing sectors in entertainment and media, further reinforcing what I’ve long believed about its powerful impact and influence.

Sports investment goes way beyond professional teams and leagues! 👕 Congrats to TCG and Greg Bettinelli for their $38.5m growth equity investment in Classic Football Company Ltd., the UK-based home of unique, vintage, and match-worn football shirts. TCG has been known for building and growing consumer businesses and it is great to see them involved in sports-related brands after Barstool Sports, Dapper Labs, The Athletic, and the Premier Lacrosse League. Classic Football Shirts was founded in 2006 by Doug Bierton and Matthew Dale, later joined by co-founder Gary Bierton - TCG will be the first outside investor in Classic Football Shirts alongside their founders. Classic Football Shirts commercializes online (85% of their business) and they brick-and-mortar locations in London, Manchester, as well as a pop-up store in NY. Love this quote from Greg to The Athletic telling about a visit to London to attend an Arsenal game: “I really noticed the shirts. Most fans were wearing them and they were all slightly different - home, away, first, second, third kits - different years, different players. Whereas often you go to an NFL game or a hockey game here and everyone has the same jersey." They will now target global growth to reach the 3.5 billion global football fans as well as expansion into North America, which currently accounts for just 15% of overall sales. Congrats again!

The future potential of ⚽️ in the United States is significant, driven by a combination of growing interest, financial investment, and strategic development at various levels of the sport. The #MLS and other leagues are increasingly tapping into a market that has traditionally been more focused on other sports, like 🏈, 🏀 and ⚾️. Here’s an analysis of the benefits: Future Potential 1. Growing Popularity and Fan Engagement: ⚽️popularity in the US has been steadily increasing, particularly among younger generations who are more likely to follow the sport globally. This growing fanbase provides a solid foundation for the future. 2. Expansion and Investment: The willingness of investors to pay significant expansion fees to join MLS indicates confidence in the league’s future growth. With the league set to expand to 32 teams, including potential markets like Las Vegas and Indianapolis, the footprint of professional ⚽️ in the US is expanding rapidly. 3. Youth Development and Infrastructure: With the development of youth academies and MLS NEXT Pro, the 🇺🇸is building a pipeline for developing homegrown talent. This is crucial for creating a competitive national team and fostering a strong domestic league. 4. International Exposure: Hosting events like the FIFA World Cup 2026™ - Canada, Mexico and the United States will further boost soccer’s profile in the US and attract more global attention, increasing sponsorship opportunities and fan interest. Benefits of the Franchise League System 1. 💰: The franchise model ensures financial stability by controlling the number of teams and maintaining a high level of investment. This prevents the boom-and-bust cycles seen in some other sports leagues. 2. Controlled Expansion: By carefully vetting potential new teams through a rigorous application process, MLS can ensure that only financially viable and strategically located teams join the league. This helps maintain competitive balance and avoid overextension. 3. Revenue Sharing: The franchise model allows for a more equal distribution of revenues from TV deals, sponsorships, and merchandising, which can help smaller market teams remain competitive. 4. Marketing and Branding: Centralized control allows MLS to manage the league’s brand effectively, leading to more consistent marketing efforts and better promotion of the sport across the country. The future of soccer in the 🇺🇸 is brimming with opportunities, especially in the wake of the 2026 FIFA World cup, which is expected to ignite a new wave of enthusiasm for the sport across the country. The increasing popularity of ⚽️ among younger generations, coupled with significant financial investments and strategic expansion efforts by leagues like MLS, positions the US as a growing soccer powerhouse. Will MLS clubs be able to compete with European clubs in a formal competition or league in the future?

The business of sports is very similar to the entertainment industry, as they are related in nature and scope. Both are there to provide entertainment, whether live or pre-recorded. A good example is the concerts which feature Taylor Swift and others, with her concert then in theatres. Look at how Elton John and Queen reimagined their careers with movies about their lives and bands. Even the song, Bohemian Rhapsody got a new life after it was in the film, Waynes World. Now the film and entertainment industry can take a page from the sports world playbook. The Green Bay Packers are a public company where fans can own part of the team. Often top performers will own part of a team as well, as Michael Jordan did and others have followed. The PGA has just raised three billion dollars from the sports owners BUT the most important sentence of this entire article is the last one, where the PGA players themselves are offered equity in the tour! (see the statement here: The deal also gives 200 PGA golfers the opportunity to receive equity partnership in the tour.) The film industry needs to do the same more often and allow the actors, producers, and other crew points and shares in the films and TV Shows they produce. That will encourage profit-sharing and help the industry as a whole. With Netflix, they earned over $900 million from Squid Game and paid the creator zero other than the initial one-time payment, but no residuals and NO equity. I believe that is just plain wrong! I hope the streaming companies and distribution companies learn from the sports and entertainment world.

🏀Clara Wu Tsai is a hooper through and through! When Clara and her husband, Joe Tsai, bought the Liberty in 2019, the team was struggling. With a 7-27 record, a last-place attendance of around 2,200 per game, and little future under prior owner James Dolan, many saw the team as a horrible investment. But Clara had a vision and saw something different. A chance to not only uplift Liberty but also set a new standard in women’s sports. Clara’s first step was to bring the team back to New York City, making Brooklyn’s Barclays Center their home. This wasn’t just a move of logistics; it was a calculated strategy to connect the team with its fanbase and with New York’s sports culture. By 2023, Liberty’s attendance had swelled to nearly 13,000 fans per game, marking a 64% increase from the previous year. Game days became an event, and the Liberty was back on the map as a premier attraction. Clara believed in building a winning environment from the inside out, so she upgraded player facilities, creating state-of-the-art locker rooms and providing enhanced performance amenities to match. These changes helped attract top-tier talent like the 2023 recruitment of Breanna Stewart, one of the league’s most influential players. Clara personally flew to Turkey to secure Stewart’s signing, a move that signaled to other players, and fans that the Liberty was serious about success. Following Stewart’s signing, the Liberty brought in other stars, assembling a dream team that made it a championship contender. But it wasn’t always rainbows and unicorns.  In 2021, she made headlines when the Liberty chartered flights for players, against WNBA policy, which mandates that teams fly commercially to maintain parity across the league. While this decision resulted in a $500,000 fine, it also underscored Clara’s commitment to her players’ well-being and sparked a league-wide conversation on player support. This move, while costly, resonated with players and fans alike, highlighting her unwavering dedication to the Liberty’s athletes. Today, the Liberty is one of the popular attractions in New York City sports, with attendance figures, merchandise sales, and sponsorships reaching record highs. With 53 sponsors and a 68% year-over-year increase in sponsorship revenue, the Liberty has transformed into a financially successful franchise. A remarkable turnaround for a team once on the brink. She’s set her sights on turning the Liberty into the first billion-dollar franchise in women’s sports. She's shown that women and AAPIs can succeed at the highest levels in sports, breaking barriers in roles where we’re often underrepresented. As a trailblazing AAPI woman, she’s opened doors for new dreams and greater aspirations. #representationmatters