Welcome to Sportico’s transactions wire, a weekly rundown of personnel, partnerships and products across the sports business industry.
PERSONNEL
PMG Launches Sports Marketing Practice, Hires Dan Conti to Lead
Ahead of the Summer Olympics, PMG, a global independent marketing services and technology company, has launched a dedicated sports marketing practice. To lead the practice, PMG has hired Dan Conti as the head of sports marketing. Conti brings over 16 years of experience in the sports industry, spanning agency, publisher and athlete management roles. Conti joined from GroupM’s Wavemaker, where he started and grew the Sports & Live practice, working with brands such as DoorDash, Church & Dwight, Coinbase, Paramount+ and US Navy.
TMRW Sports Builds Out Senior Leadership Team
TMRW Sports has made three hires to its senior leadership team. The first is Wendy Caves, chief people officer. Prior to joining TMRW Sports, Caves served as the senior vice president of global talent & culture at the LPGA. Another is Jason Langwell, chief revenue officer. He comes to TMRW from Intersport where he joined as an SVP in 2014. The last is Regina O’Brien, chief marketing officer. She joins TMRW Sports after serving for the last six months as the company’s interim CMO. O’Brien oversees all marketing, communication and creative strategies for TMRW Sports and TGL presented by SoFi.
PARTNERSHIPS
WTA and Corpay Extend International Payments Partnership
The WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) and Corpay, Inc. (NYSE: CPAY) announced they will extend their partnership with Corpay’s Cross-Border business for a further three years through 2026. As the WTA’s official International Payments Provider, Corpay has provided a range of corporate foreign exchange payments for the WTA and its members since 2017. This includes the execution of prize money payments to players competing at more than 70 tournaments across six continents on the Hologic WTA Tour. In 2023, the WTA announced that it would work with its member tournaments to increase prize money for players by $400 million over the next 10 years.
Gray Media Partners With Harlem Globetrotters for Their Return to Live TV
The Harlem Globetrotters and Gray Media (NYSE:GTN) announce the live broadcast of a Harlem Globetrotters game from their historic sports residency at American Dream in New Jersey on Aug. 18. The event tips off at 7 p.m. ET on local television stations owned by Gray, including Peachtree TV (WPCH) in Atlanta, and more than 90 other markets. The broadcast will be produced by Gray’s Raycom Sports.
San Diego FC Announces DirecTV as Club’s Official Jersey Partner
San Diego FC (SDFC) announced a multiyear agreement with DirecTV, punctuated by DirecTV appearing on the front of the club’s first-ever jersey. DirecTV will appear across the front of SDFC’s primary and secondary jerseys for all games beginning with the club’s inaugural 2025 MLS season. The official jerseys, featuring DirecTV’s first foray into kit sponsorship in MLS, will launch ahead of the 2025 MLS season. SDFC jerseys with the DirecTV brand across the chest and other related merchandise will be available at Eighteen Threads, the club’s official retail store.
Guggenheim Signs on as Presenting Sponsor of 2025 Tokyo Series
Major League Baseball and Guggenheim announced a new partnership that names the global investment and advisory firm as presenting sponsor of the 2025 Tokyo Series. The Tokyo Series presented by Guggenheim will feature the Los Angeles Dodgers taking on the Chicago Cubs to open the 2025 season at the Tokyo Dome on March 18 and 19. As part of the agreement, Guggenheim will receive extensive brand placement including in the event logo that will appear in advertising and promotion for the event and a sleeve patch on the Dodgers jerseys. Guggenheim will have worldwide promotional rights tied to the event, signage visible on television, ballpark brand exposure, and premium hospitality opportunities.
Cincoro Tequila Becomes Official Partner of AC Milan
Cincoro Tequila announced an official partnership with Italian football giant AC Milan to fuel its global expansion. The partnership will elevate AC Milan’s fan experiences and enhance the club’s brand positioning on a global scale. Cincoro Tequila will infuse a touch of luxury into AC Milan’s experiences and events, starting from the San Siro Stadium. This partnership marks the launch of Cincoro’s Italian expansion, spearheaded by its new local distributor, D&C, an importer of luxury food and drinks for over 60 years based out of Corsico (a municipality in the province of Milan).
PRODUCTS
Nolan Partners Launches ‘Excellent Leadership Podcast’
Nolan Partners, an Excel Sports Management company, has launched Excellent Leadership Podcast across all major podcast streaming platforms (YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart). The new series will highlight stories of leadership, management and innovation from top executives and talent in sports, media and entertainment. The premiere episode featured Mark Donovan, president of the Kansas City Chiefs, followed by Episode 2 with Catie Griggs, president of business operations for the Baltimore Orioles.
3X3 Basketball Association Set for Launch in August
Female founders Alanna McDonald, Arlan Hamilton and Holly Levow are launching a women’s professional 3×3 basketball league and development program, starting with the 3XBA Invitational Tournament taking place on Aug. 10-11 at the Sports Academy at The Star in Frisco, Texas. 3XBA will expand opportunities for pro female basketball players in the U.S. market, facilitate youth 3×3 development and forge additional pathways for athletes to represent their national team on a global stage. 3XBA will offer opportunities for women through FIBA 3×3 basketball, one of two official, globally recognized basketball formats, having made its Olympic debut in 2021. It is a fast-paced, 10-minute game with a 12-second shot clock played on a regulation size half-court. The 3XBA season will be played in the summer months to coincide with the well-established international women’s FIBA 3×3 season.
Atlanta Braves Unveil Expanded Truist Park Seating Options
The Atlanta Braves are expanding seating options at Truist Park, announcing a planned expansion to the Coors Light Chop House Seating as well as a product called The Bullpen set to open prior to the 2025 season. The Bullpen will include exclusive access to a private lounge located underneath the seats. Fans sitting in The Bullpen will enjoy complimentary ballpark classics and non-alcoholic beverages, upgraded seats and an enhanced viewing experience with television monitors and tables. The Coors Light Chop House seating will be expanded, featuring in-seat food and beverage service. These renovations are being made in partnership with Rosseti, with Impact Development Management as an advisor on the project.
