#147 💰CVC Launches $14 Billion Global Sports Group

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Another week, another new fund. A trend that we are not at all tired of.

This time though, the number is the biggest we've seen. CVC's announcement of the $13.6 billion 'Global Sport Group' makes it the largest sports fund in private equity. For context, the European giant has about $225 billion in Assets Under Management (AUM).

As clear a sign as any of CVC's long-term focus and intention to expand its sports holdings. And a very good sign for operators in sports. Keep em’ coming.

⚽ Creator-led Distribution Redefining Sports Media

Creator-led content and distribution isn't just trending, it is becoming a core part of the sports rights holders’ strategy to capture, engage, and expand young audiences. Just this year, we’ve seen numerous events, leagues, and even governing bodies lean on creators to reach younger, digital native fans. Here’s a recap of some of those moves:

• CazéTV x FIFA World Cup 2026 - The creator-led platform by Cazé (real name Casimiro) will stream every game of the 2026 World Cup, adding daily shows, behind-the-scenes content, and interactive coverage to connect directly with younger ones.
  

• FIFA x iShowSpeed - FIFA President Gianni Infantino appeared on a livestream with YouTuber iShowSpeed (real name Darren Watkins Jr.) to unveil the Club World Cup trophy, in front of nearly 40 million subscribers.
  

• Mark Goldbridge’s “That’s Football” gets live rights - The YouTuber (real name Brent Di Cesare) will broadcast 20 live Bundesliga matches this season via his channel in the UK, alongside 34 weekly shows. It’s the first time a creator is included directly in Germany’s top league’s UK media mix. The deal also includes Gary Neville’s The Overlap YouTube channel.
  

• DAZN’s Global Football Creator Program - Ahead of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, DAZN launched a program mobilising 100+ creators with a combined reach of over 32 million followers, pushing content far beyond match highlights.
  

• Baller League expansion + broadcast deal in the UK - The six-a-side competition has been expanding into new markets and has secured broadcast deals (Sky Sports, NOW TV) for its UK season, featuring social media stars, influencers and new formats again aimed at the youth.

Creators bring personality, relatability, immediacy. Fans want more than play-by-play-plus-analysis. Behind the scenes, humour, memes, social content, interactivity. These formats perform better with Gen Z, who tend to prefer content that entertains as much as it informs.

This is just one of the 10 football innovation trends in our Upcoming Football Tech Report due next week. The full report expands on various other trends like gaming, fan engagement, web3 and new broadcast models amongst many more. 

Stay tuned to the STX Weekly Newsletter and keep an eye out in your inbox to read the report for free. 

Top News from the World of Sports Tech & Biz

👓 Oakley unveiled Meta Vanguard smart glasses with a centered camera design targeting athletes, cyclists, and skiers for sports training and performance analysis.

🚀 Como 1907 launched Como Ventures, an accelerator program built in partnership with The Players Fund to provide founders with global athlete and investor access.

🤖 Google launched its Gemini-powered AI health coach for Fitbit Premium users in the U.S., offering personalized fitness and wellness guidance.

📺 The All Women’s Sports Network (AWSN) launched a 24-hour women’s sports channel in Saudi Arabia in partnership with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation and national broadcaster Saudi Sports Company.

⚽ Amazon Prime Video introduced new Champions League coverage features using video game–style data to provide immersive insights on players during matches.

🏈 Amazon’s Thursday Night Football added new AI-powered features that illustrate potential quarterback threats during live broadcasts.

⚽ Plug and Play teamed up with the San Jose Earthquakes to bring Sportstech and AI innovation to Major League Soccer through its Sportstech program.

⚾ OpenAI partnered with the New York Mets to launch a special Citi Field experience, offering fans exclusive Mets x ChatGPT pins, AI-powered photo booths, and a ChatGPT field guide.

💰 Digital capital-raising platform DealMaker launched DealMaker Sports, a new division pioneering fan-led sports ownership and debuting customers such as Westchester Soccer Club and the Virginia Beach Arena Project.

🏍️ MotoE was suspended at the end of 2025, with MotoGP announcing the all-electric support series would go on “hiatus” after failing to gain sufficient traction with fans.

🎙️ FanCode partnered with CAMB.AI to become the first Indian broadcaster to offer AI-powered multilingual commentary, starting with cricket and expanding to other sports.

🏀 Shaquille O’Neal joined Carvana as brand ambassador, starring in a digitally led campaign and debuting the world’s first AI “Shaqbot.”

🥊 Terence Crawford defeated Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez to win the undisputed super middleweight championship before a sold-out Allegiant Stadium crowd, with the Netflix broadcast averaging 36.6 million viewers and peaking at 41.4 million.

🤼 WWE announced that WrestleMania 2027 will be held in Saudi Arabia, the first outside North America, sparking backlash from fans over tradition and identity.

🏟️ UEFA published its Women’s EURO tournament summary highlighting record-breaking operations, vibrant atmosphere, and significant economic impact on Switzerland.

Money Talks:

💸 CVC Capital formed a $14 billion Global Sports Group fund, marking one of the largest dedicated sports investment vehicles to date.

💸 Next Ventures closed its second fund, Next Ventures II, doubling down on investments in whole-person health.

💸 Former NFL stars John Elway, Tim Tebow, and Blake Bortles teamed up with Chick-fil-A CEO Andrew Cathy and Magnolia Hill Partners to launch Momentous Sports, a new investment firm targeting sports and real estate.

💰 OnTracx, a Ghent University spin-off, raised €1.2 million ($1.4 million) in seed funding to scale its wearable sensor and digital platform that helps runners recover and prevent injuries.

💰 Airsoft Gun India announced plans to raise $10 million to expand its sports tech platform and strengthen India’s shooting ecosystem.

🤝 Genius Sports acquired Sports Innovation Lab for an undisclosed amount to enhance its fan activation platform with data, technology, and broadcast capabilities.

🎥 Paramount Skydance is preparing a bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, according to a Reuters source, potentially reshaping the global entertainment industry.

💸 NWSL expansion team Boston Legacy secured a $100 million loan for its White Stadium redevelopment project, with the team set to debut in 2026 at Gillette Stadium before moving to White Stadium in 2027.

Recap from our content archive:

🔙 STX Article: New Leagues and Emerging Formats

✅ STX Monthly: Last month’s sports tech dealflow, in case you missed it.