DAZN owner Len Blavatnik has invested another $827M into his global sports streaming service as the London-based company “ seeks further investment from the Middle East to support its plans to become the ‘Spotify of sport.’” The latest commitment takes Blavatnik’s investments in DAZN to “more than” $6.7B since it was founded in 2016. It has “funded an unprecedented buying spree” across top-tier European soccer, boxing, basketball, motor sports and the NFL “in more than 200 markets.” Financial results, however, will show that it has “yet to pay off financially.” While revenues rose to $2.9B in 2023, from $2.2B in 2022, DAZN “recorded a widening loss” to $1.4B in the year to the end of 2023, from $1.2B in 2022. Sources said that DAZN had “about 300 [million] monthly customers” in 2023 but “only about 20 [million] paying subscribers.” DAZN CEO Shay Segev said that he “expected revenues to surpass” $6B in 2025, “driven in part by additional revenues” from its acquisition of Australian pay television company Foxtel and the rights to the FIFA Club World Cup ( FINANCIAL TIMES, 1/24 ).

In this week's Sports Business Journal , SBJ Publisher & Executive Editor Abe Madkour dives into DAZN's plans to continue building up its sports lineup , including getting global rights to the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and, possibly in the future, rights to the 2030 and 2034 World Cups. 

Spurs C Victor Wembanyama said that he “played one of the best five games of his young career” after playing in front of his home crowd in Paris yesterday. He scored 30 points to lead the Spurs to a 140-110 win against the Pacers. Wembanyama's first block of the game “brought loud cheers” from a crowd of nearly 16,000 at a sold-out Bercy Arena. There was an “even bigger roar when he scored his first points” 4min 30sec into the game on the way to 15 first-half points (LE MONDE, 1/23).

The “first enormous roar” from the crowd came “before the game even started” when Wembanyama said “hello into a microphone.” The cheering from that “lasted about 30 seconds.” Numerous fans “showed up in Wembanyama jerseys” ranging from the Spurs, the French national team and “jerseys he wore when he played in the French league” ( AP, 1/23 ).

From “start to finish, the night clearly meant much to Wembanyama.” Before the game, “cameras caught him singing along with 15,935 other voices to the French national anthem.” It was the “first time he had heard it before the start of an NBA game.” Wembanyama said, “Every game there are some similar feels but also different. Tonight was definitely different.” When the “French-flavored” arena hype man took the microphone and “bellowed,” in English, “Are you ready for the show?” The crowd responded with a “resounding ‘oui!’” When Wembanyama grabbed the mic himself before tipoff and addressed the crowd -- “What’s up, Paris?” he said in English “before reverting to his native language” -- fans hit a “state of delirium not seen since the French Revolution” ( SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 1/23 ).

Multiple sources say Texans Chair and CEO Cal McNair, along with a search firm, have already conducted a search and tentatively identified a replacement for team President Greg Grissom, whose departure was announced via press release earlier today.

The hush-hush search and selection, which was conducted without Grissom’s knowledge, first came to SBJ’s attention more than a week ago, but I was unable to confirm the details prior to today’s announcement. The hiring is not fully complete, but industry sources have called it a high-profile selection from outside the organization, and expect an announcement to come as soon as Monday. 

McNair declined to comment beyond what he said in the statement: “We will provide updates regarding the team's next president in the coming days." Grissom also declined to elaborate on his prepared statement, which read in part: “Over the past four years, I am incredibly proud of what we accomplished for our fans and for our business.”

Grissom had been with the club since its 2002 founding, but took over the presidency at a tumultuous time in Houston -- one month after troubled team President Jamey Rootes resigned and nine days after the first of dozens of women accused then-franchise QB Deshaun Watson of sexual assault.

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The Eagles and Chiefs, hosting Sunday’s Conference Championships, are finalizing activation plans for team sponsors. Philadelphia, site of the NFC title game at 3pm ET Sunday, has grocer Acme markets as presenting game sponsor. Acme will have its brand on rally towels given to all fans, and continue a 5% discount for fans wearing Eagles togs at its stores on Sunday.  The city will continue to illuminate principal buildings in green at night. A “Road to Victory” bus tour, sponsored by the NBC affiliate, continues, with accompanying pep rallies. A "Today Show" live shot was scheduled for Friday morning at the Xfinity Live dining/entertainment complex adjacent to Lincoln Financial Field. Bud Light is sponsoring a drone show at 7pm Saturday above the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Toyota is sponsoring of a playoff TV special on NBC10 Friday night and is backing a game-day poster giveaway.  The Chiefs -- playing their seventh consecutive AFC Championship at 6:30pm -- seem restrained in comparison. Hy-Vee is sponsoring a stadium light show during pregame, and between the third and fourth quarters. There will not be a gate giveaway in K.C.

Collegiate student-athletes in Colorado could "soon be paid directly by their schools" as part of a state legislature bill that would "build on their ability to profit from their name, image and likeness." The proposal, House Bill 1041, "builds off an existing Colorado law allowing NIL payments so that universities can comply" with the rules established from the House v. NCAA settlement. The bill would allow colleges to "bypass third-party organizations, such as collections of boosters," to pay student-athletes. Some states already allow university to "directly pay their athletes, while others are considering similar laws to allow the practice." House sponsor Rep. Lesley Smith said that she "hopes to have the option of direct payments in place by the fall semester" (DENVER POST, 1/23).

Following the National Capital Commission's board meeting on Thursday, CEO Tobi Nussbaum said that talks to finalize the sale of 10 acres of land at LeBreton Flats to the Senators "continued with a hope of completing the deal by the end of 2025." The two sides agreed to the deal in principle on Sept. 20, and since then, the Senators and NCC officials have been "holding negotiations during this 'due diligence' period to attempt to get the sale across the finish line." But it "won't happen anytime soon." An NHL executive said that the Senators "were 'making progress' in the talks, but not nearly as fast as they would like." The Senators had hoped that if all had gone to plan, the NCC would have "been able to rubber-stamp the sale Thursday," but that "wasn't the case" (OTTAWA CITIZEN, 1/23).

Pittsburgh will host the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23-25. Final details have not been unveiled, but the draft is “expected to take place mainly on the North Shore and at Point State Park, plus Acrisure Stadium.” NFL EVP/Club and Business Peter O’Reilly said in a statement that the league is “working with the city and the Steelers to ‘ensure local and visiting fans will enjoy an unforgettable event.’” The 2024 draft was attended by an “estimated 775,000 fans in Detroit, with more than 50 million watching worldwide” ( TRIBLIVE.com, 1/23 ).

The Paley Center on Thursday night played host to the premiere of "The Buddy Way,” a feature-length documentary on the life and career of football coach Eugene “Buddy” Teevens III.  Among those in attendance at the premiere were former NFL QB Peyton Manning(an executive producer on the film), former NFL QB Eli Manning, Patriots owners Robert and Jonathan Kraft, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, CBS analyst Bill Cowher, Amazon Prime NFL analyst Ryan Fitzpatrickand former NFL QB Jay Fiedler. Omaha Productions produced the film, which was directed by Rory Karpf (who has helmed a number of “30 for 30” films). The doc will make its TV premiere on Wednesday at 5pm ET on ESPN2 and will then be available to stream on ESPN+. “The Buddy Way” explores Teevens’ journey, from his early years in Pembroke, Mass., and a subsequent four-decade-long coaching career, including a longtime role at the Manning Passing Academy.

For the second consecutive year, the CFP saw record merchandise sales both on-site and online. Merchandise sales in Atlanta were up 19%, while eCommerce sales were up 13% year-over-year (Legends).

The first North Carolina football game under coach Bill Belichick will be on Labor Day (Sept. 1) on ESPN at 7:30pm ET, marking the first Monday night regular-season game in UNC history (UNC).

TGL team Boston Common Golf announced yesterday that singer Noah Kahan is "joining the team as an investor," due in part to his "connection with Boston Common golfer and fellow Vermonter Keegan Bradley" (BOSTON GLOBE, 1/23).

Fans in the Oklahoma City market trying to watch Thursday night's Thunder-Mavericks game on FanDuel Sports Network Oklahoma via DirecTV Stream "instead were greeted with a taped NFL talk show." The FDSN broadcast went live for DirecTV Stream users "later in the third quarter" (OKLAHOMAN, 1/23).

The BOSTON HERALD went with the header, “ Michelle Wu has earned a challenger, but is Josh Kraft the one? ” It was revealed earlier this week that Josh Kraft would be running in the Boston mayoral race as he aims to “break history and unseat a sitting Boston mayor, which hasn’t been done in 75 years.”

Also: 

•  A Ravens Player Dropped a Pass. The Hate It Brought Moved Rivals to Give.

• Column: Invincible? After historic offseason, the Dodgers sure seem like it

• Kobe Bryant’s love for Philadelphia Eagles resurfaces as remembrances also arise

• Why is LeBron James standing by while his partner’s venture threatens NBA’s future?

U.S. Soccer Federation are looking for a Manager of Media Partnerships. The Atlanta-based position is responsible for understanding each partner’s goals and objectives and aligning those with existing or new USSF curated content as well as other USSF digital asset (U.S. Soccer Federation).

The Chicago Sports Network are looking for a Dir of Engagement. The Chicago-based position is responsible for building the first-ever customer engagement and rewards program for the network, executing multiple promotions and/or sweepstakes-like programs, and creating marketing and promotional plans that drive attention and ultimately users to engagement platforms (Chicago Sports Network).

LAFC are looking for a Manager of Marketing Strategy. The L.A.-based position is responsible for developing and managing digital marketing campaigns across email, text, and app communications, with a focus on growth marketing, new digital revenue opportunities, and achieving team business goals (LAFC).

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"In the Orenburg Oblast, a bridge over this 1,500-mile river has monuments labeled 'Asia' & 'Europe.'"

"What is the Ural River?"