#164 💰 $830M+ Week for Sports Tech Deal Flow

Plus NBA Launchpad Reveals Five Companies in Fifth Cohort

January 23, 2026 • Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes

Powering Innovation & Investment Insights in Sports. Every Week.

2025 set a new record for sports-focused fund announcements, and 2026 is already in hot pursuit. This week added fuel: a mega acquisition plus funding rounds totalling $830M+. Momentum is clearly building.

All will be covered in our upcoming Ecosystem Report, tracking the PE giants, specialist VCs, and emerging players reshaping the investment landscape. Feature spots are available, get in touch if interested.

💡 INTELLIGENCE HUB

Sports Tech Investment Funds: 2025 Set the Base, 2026 Is Scaling Up

2025 was a watershed year for sports investment. Private equity giants deployed multi-billion-dollar funds across the sector, targeting media rights, real estate, ownership structures, and platform plays, while a new generation of specialist VCs raised significant capital for growth-stage opportunities. North America dominated fund formation at 67%, with the USA leading and India emerging as a surprising second.

Early 2026 signals the momentum is accelerating: Bruin Capital's $1B fund and expanded activity from Core Angels SportsTech underscore just how much dry powder is still flowing into the space. Here's the complete rundown of sports tech funds announced in 2025 and 2026.

2026 Funds (Jan)

2025 Funds

Angel Networks: EBAN Sports - Undisclosed

Family Investment Offices:

  • Legacy25 - $150 million

  • Buss Sports Capital - Undisclosed

Private Equity:

Venture Capital:

More on this list and upcoming 2026 trends will be broken down in the upcoming 2026 Global Sports Tech Ecosystem Report. Submit your interest to get featured.

📰 THE LATEST

Top News From The World Of Sports Tech & Biz

  • 🏀 NBA Launchpad announced its fifth cohort of emerging technology companies selected to be evaluated and piloted as part of the league’s innovation and technology testing program.

  • 🎾 Genius Sports launched BetVision for Tennis with Infront in time for the Australian Open, bringing enhanced live-betting visuals and interactive engagement features to tennis broadcasts.

  • 📺 Sports Illustrated launched SI TV, a free ad-supported streaming channel designed to expand its digital media distribution across connected TV platforms.

  • ⛳ TGL presented by SoFi and HypGames signed an exclusive partnership to integrate gaming and interactive engagement into the league’s tech-enabled golf competition format.

  • 🤖 Mercedes F1 signed a partnership with Microsoft reportedly worth $60 million per year to expand AI usage across team operations and fan-facing technology.

  • 📱 The BBC agreed to produce dedicated Winter Olympics content for YouTube, aiming to reach new digital audiences through bespoke short-form clips.

  • 📊 Arsenal Women topped Deloitte’s women’s football revenue rankings with €25.6 million, as the top 15 women’s clubs averaged more than €10 million in annual revenues for the first time.

  • 🏏 The European T20 Premier League sold three franchises based in Amsterdam, Belfast and Edinburgh for $13.9 million (in £11.1 million) each ahead of its planned August launch.

  • 🏀 NBA commissioner Adam Silver said the potential involvement of sovereign wealth investment in its planned European basketball league could alter investment guidelines in the parent North American competition.

  • 🏒 NHL ticket demand surged following the release of HBO Max’s ‘Heated Rivalry’, driving increased resale activity and attracting first-time buyers to games.

Money Talks

  • 🤝 Gym booking app ClassPass owner Playlist agreed to merge with fitness-tech firm EGYM in a deal that includes equity funding of $785 million, led by Jared Kushner's investment firm Affinity Partners.

  • 💰 Midnite raised $32.5 million (in £26 million) in a Series C round led by Raine Partners to scale its UK sportsbook and casino platform.

  • 💰 TeamFeePay raised $11.0 million (in £9 million) to expand its grassroots football software platform across the UK and Europe through hiring, product growth and market expansion.

  • 💰 Swerve TV raised $2.5 million in a Series A round with Scott Galloway participating as a principal investor to accelerate growth of its live sports FAST channel business.

  • 💰 Whistle Performance secured $2 million in funding and rebranded to support global expansion and accelerate product innovation in human performance technology.

  • 💰 Scoreline, the tech provider behind Fantasy Football Hub, secured a multimillion-pound funding round led by Nickleby Capital to support growth, with Micah Richards backing the business as an investor and ambassador.

  • 💰 AO Ventures invested in U.S.-based padel operator Padel Haus for an undisclosed amount to accelerate expansion as global padel participation continued to rise.

  • 💰 Ammortal received an investment from seven pro athletes including Mike Trout, Freddie Freeman, Alex Bregman and George Kittle for an undisclosed amount to support growth of its recovery and longevity technology platform.

  • 💰 Founders Row backed early-stage AI sports analytics platform Elite Picks for an undisclosed amount to support product build and growth following its launch.

  • 💸 TMRW Sports named Alex Morgan’s Trybe Ventures as lead capital partner in WTGL, its new women’s team golf league, for an undisclosed amount as the venture expanded into women’s sport.

  • 💸 Tom Brady’s company reached a $1 billion valuation as the business gained momentum through expanding brand and commercial activity.

  • 💸 Sporting Kansas City was sold to Peter Mallouk at a reported $700 million valuation, in what was described as the highest price ever paid for a controlling stake in MLS.

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