Here are the latest articles curated by Sports Geek Reads. Get these updates as a podcast by subscribing to Sports Geek Rapid Rundown.
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Key Reads
Las Vegas Expansion Bid Reaches $10B as NBA Eyes Year-End Decision – X (formerly Twitter) *
What a $10B Vegas bid signals for franchise economics.
US, NBA, Expansion, Valuation, Venues
Netflix, Amazon and YouTube create sports streaming lobby group in US – SportsPro *
Big tech band together to shape future sports streaming rules.
US, Streaming, Media, OTT, Policy, Technology
An incredible new look at NIL spending at all of the Power 4 schools plus Notre Dame – The Athletic *
Data-driven view of how NIL money is reshaping college football.
US, College Sports, NIL, Data, Finance
Verance Capital's Sports Investment Strategy – 365247 Sports
Where specialist investors see the next sports growth wave.
Global, Sports Investment, Media, Ticketing, Strategy
Professional Sports
Formula 1 Continues to Extract Maximum Value from Grand Prix Weekends – Business of Speed *
How F1 uses sprint weekends to grow inventory without more races.
Global, Motorsports, MediaRights, Sponsorship, FanExperience
‘The closest we've seen to F1': Why a former McLaren investor is betting on SailGP's valuation boom – SportsPro
Why investors think SailGP could be the next F1-style property.
Global, Investment, SailGP, F1, Finance
The NFL's Australian debut drew 100,021 fans in Melbourne, the seventh-most-attended NFL game ever – The Athletic
What a 100,000-strong Melbourne crowd means for NFL global plans.
AU, NFL, Events, Media, Global-Strategy
NFL Exploring Larger New 32 Equity Fund With Outside Capital – Sportico
Inside the NFL's push to scale its 32 Equity investment arm.
US, NFL, Investment, Venture Capital, Strategy
PGA Tour Taps Mike Mahar as Chief Technology Officer to Drive Digital, Data, AI Strategy – Sports Video Group
What a modern CTO remit looks like at a major tour.
US, Golf, Technology, Data, AI
Digital & Social
NFL Fan Streamers Can't Show Live Games. Enter Animation. – Yahoo Sports *
How data-powered animation unlocks creator-friendly NFL watch-alongs.
US, NFL, Digital, Data, Fan Engagement
Meta Launches Subscription Service for Creators, Businesses – Meta
Paid Meta tools could reshape how clubs run social at scale.
Global, SocialMedia, Marketing, CreatorEconomy, AI
Kayo Sports partners with McDonald's to offer rewards for premium sport – Mumbrella
Streaming subs as loyalty rewards: Kayo and Macca's team up.
AU, Sports, Marketing, Sponsorship, Media, Technology
Orlando Magic agree a partnership with DAZN as DTC streaming partner – NBA.com
Inside team-led DTC as RSNs crumble in the US.
US, NBA, Media Rights, Streaming, DTC
Media & Entertainment
The Emmys Could Leave Broadcast TV for Prime Video – The Hollywood Reporter
Awards to streamers: another case study for live rights migration.
US, MediaRights, Streaming, Events, Strategy
The Podcast Study 2026 was announced at the Sounds Profitable Business Summit – Podnews
Fresh listener data to guide ad-free tiers and memberships.
Global, Data, Monetisation, Subscriptions, CRM
Geek Out
The Economics of Cloud Production: Navigating Costs, Licenses, and Services – Sports Video Group *
Does cloud production really save money for rights holders?
Global, Cloud, Finance, Media, Strategy
Tales From the Trenches: Adventures in Cloud-Based Production – Sports Video Group
NBC, MLB, NHL and WBD share real-world cloud production lessons.
US, Broadcast, Cloud, Production, Technology
AI
Microsoft publishes draft humanist AI code of conduct – Reuters
A template for clubs setting their own AI guardrails.
Global, AI, Governance, Data, SportsBiz
Meta launched an AI that uses websites for you. That could be a big deal for web designers – Webdesigner Depot
Are your ticketing and membership flows ready for AI agents?
Global, AI, Ticketing, Fan Engagement, Data
Make You Think
The Exported Pastime: A Free-Market Analysis of International Games, Public Subsidies, and Local… – Medium
Who really wins when leagues take games offshore?
Global, Economics, Strategy, Events, Policy
“Proof of humanity” is the biggest marketing opportunity right now – Marketing Ideas
Why visibly human content could become your key brand edge.
Global, AI, Sponsorship, Brand Strategy, Fan Engagement
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Feature image: Crowds at Circuit of the Americas by Earl McGehee, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
