#132 📈 May Recap: $300+ Million in SportsTech Deal Flow

News, features & insights from the world of Sports Tech & Biz. Every Week.

SportsTech deal flow continues to chug along nicely with another solid month as we approach the half-year mark. And final push time for those looking to join our SportsTech Bootcamp. Kicks off June 27 so get those applications in!

Sports Tech Monthly Investment Roundup

The data is a snapshot from our SportsTechDB. with only highlights included in this newsletter edition. Head there for more in-depth data.

Q2 has brought a more measured pace compared to the breakneck speed of Q1, which saw nearly $8.5 billion in funding and M&A deal flow. That said, $300+ million in activity still marks a solid month, no amount of headline-chasing changes that. Here’s a quick summary:

• Geography: Funding activity in May was led by North America (62.6%), followed by Asia-Pacific (32.0%) and a small share from South America (5.4%).
  On the M&A side, North America again took the lead with 66.7% of the volume, while Asia contributed 33.3%, continuing the trend of cross-border acquisition activity.

• Sectors: ‘For Fans’ maintained its dominance, representing 61.3% of funding volume. The remainder was split between ‘For Athletes’ (29.9%) and ‘For Executives’ (8.9%). In M&A, ‘For Fans’ again led the charge with 42.9% of the acquisition volume, underlining the continued interest in consumer-facing platforms.

• Top Deals: Willow and Cricbuzz each raised $50 million, tying for the largest funding rounds of the month. Ticketmaster was acquired in the largest M&A transaction this month, valued at $110 million.

If you want to learn more about this Sports Innovation ecosystem then be sure to get your hands on the latest Global Sports Tech Ecosystem Report 2025…

🕒 3 weeks to go: Sports Tech Bootcamp 2.0

⏩ Want to dive into the fast-evolving world of sports innovation?

Join the Sports Tech Bootcamp this June - a 6-week program designed to bring you up to speed on the latest in sports tech, startups, VC, and more.

Top News from the World of Sports Tech & Biz

• 🎾 Infosys and the French Tennis Federation unveiled a list of AI-powered features at Roland-Garros 2025 to enhance the fan experience, such as AI Commentary, AI Stadium where fans can use voice prompts to create their own arena and Gen-AI posters that ‘come to life’.

• 🏎️ Trackhouse Racing launched an AI-driven app to transform fan engagement and bring data-driven experiences to NASCAR audiences.

• ⚽ Goal-line technology was used in an MLS stadium for the first time during a match between LAFC and Club América.

• ₿ Paris Saint-Germain confirmed it added Bitcoin to its balance sheet, becoming one of the first top-tier clubs to adopt crypto as a treasury asset.

• 📺 A new report revealed that Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ (JioCinema), and Netflix now host 92% of all sports content on major SVOD platforms.

• 🌾 Lincoln, Nebraska has emerged as a growing tech hub for AI, sports, and agtech innovation.

• 🕹️ The USGA and Ally launched a golf-themed Roblox experience featuring co-branded digital items and interactive driving range gameplay.

• ⚾ VR sports app Gym Class launched an official MLB bundle and NBA Playoffs 2025 content pack for Meta Quest users.

• ⚾ MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred confirmed plans to propose a ball-strike challenge system for the 2026 season.

• 🧘 London unveiled plans to develop a £2 billion wellness district focused on holistic health and work-life balance.

• 🏋️‍♂️ Mindbody and ClassPass rebranded under a new parent company, Playlist, while continuing to operate independently.

🤝 Teaming Up: Lots of ‘collab’ announcements this week

• ⚽ FIFA partnered with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) to support the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.

• ⚽ PSG partnered with Oppo, Cisco, and Signify in a collaborative showcase blending sports and technology during the 2025 UEFA Champions League Final.

• 🏟️ Cisco teamed up with Monumental Sports to develop AI-powered smart venue infrastructure for MSE’s new high-tech arena.

• 📺 Fubo and DAZN announced a multi-year integrated content and distribution partnership to bolster sports streaming experiences.

• ⛳ LIV Golf partnered with Salesforce to enhance fan engagement, while the LPGA teamed up with Sage for data and finance solutions.

• 🏒 Sony and the NHL deepened their tech partnership to integrate Hawk-Eye and Beyond Sports systems across league operations.

• 🏃‍♂️ TDK partnered with World Athletics to develop sensing technology for visualizing javelin throws in real time.

• 🏒 HELIOS partnered with rising NHL star Matthew Knies to advance its youth sports training tech platform.

• 🏎️ Lewis Hamilton announced a global partnership with Perplexity AI to promote innovation at the intersection of speed, precision, and curiosity.

• 🏍️ MotoGP partnered with Two Circles to enhance global fan engagement through advanced marketing strategies.

• 🐂 Cosm partnered with Professional Bull Riders (PBR) to showcase live events in Shared Reality across its immersive venues.

• 🏃 England Athletics announced a partnership with biomechanics platform Ochy to enhance training insights for runners using AI.

• ⚾ Perfect Game partnered with PitchCom to become the first youth baseball organization to integrate MLB’s in-game communication technology.

• 🚴 Capgemini extended its partnership with the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift through 2029.

📣 Sports Biz Buzz

• 🏀 The EuroLeague confirmed it will expand to 20 teams next season, with Hapoel Tel Aviv, Valencia Basket, and Dubai Basketball expected to join.

• 📉 The English Premier League’s average U.S. viewership dropped to its lowest level in three years, despite staying above 500,000 viewers.

• ⛵ Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman joined the ownership group of the Australia SailGP team, expanding their sports portfolio into high-performance sailing.

• 💬 Speaking of the Deadpool star, Wrexham AFC is reported to be considering a minority stake sale at a potential valuation of $475 million.

• ⚽ Peyton Manning joined the ownership group of Denver’s new NWSL team, marking his first investment in women’s professional soccer.

• 🏟️ Chicago Fire announced plans to build a $650 million stadium in the South Loop, featuring a retractable roof and year-round amenities.

• ⚽ Mexico confirmed it will co-host the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup alongside the United States, marking the tournament’s debut in Mexico.

• 🎟️ FIFA slashed opening ticket prices for the 2025 Club World Cup to boost attendance at the expanded 32-team tournament.

• 📈 NBA playoff ratings rose by 3% year-over-year through the Conference Finals, averaging 4.2 million viewers per game.

Quick shoutout:🏆 One of our home teams RCB’s maiden IPL title win delivered record-breaking viewership, with over 600 million people tuning in to make it the most-watched IPL season ever.

Money Talks:

Funding

• 🎟️ TicketManager received a $110 million investment from Valeas Capital Partners to accelerate growth of its enterprise ticketing and guest management platform.

• 💰 Tropion Sports Partners invested $25 million into the NBA in partnership with Blue Owl Capital, with additional tranches planned.

• 💰 Next Fit, a Brazil-based fitness software platform, raised $8.8 million in Series A funding led by Cloud9 Capital, with participation from Parceiro Ventures.

• 💰 Tesonet invested $2.3 million in Lithuanian SportsTech startup FPRO to support its growth in athlete performance tracking and analysis.

• 💰 RoxFit, a UK-based hybrid fitness platform, raised $1.2 million in pre-seed funding led by DSW Ventures to grow its training and racing analytics offering.

• 💸 Zenith Sports received an undisclosed investment from Eoniq.fund to scale its international online sports training platform.

M&A

• 🤝 Catapult Group acquired US-based athlete monitoring startup Perch in a deal valued at up to $43 million to expand its strength training tech portfolio.

• 🤝 Hudl acquired Titan Sports to integrate performance tracking, video, and stats into one ecosystem, for an undisclosed amount.

• 🤝 Hims & Hers announced plans to acquire European telehealth company ZAVA to accelerate its growth across the UK, Germany, France, and Ireland. 

💸 Cricket star Virat Kohli joined the World Bowling League as a strategic investor, following MLB’s Mookie Betts’ involvement as a franchise owner.

💸 A U.S.-based consortium including 49ers Enterprises acquired a majority stake in Scottish soccer club Rangers FC.

Recap from our content archive: