Here’s what’s shaping the industry right now.
Como 1907 is opening its match data to Google DeepMind
Como 1907, Como Ventures and Google DeepMind have launched “Data on the Lake”, a two-day AI hackathon on 24-25 July giving data scientists and ML engineers access to curated match data to build AI tools for a professional football club, with prizes including cloud credits and a pathway to pilot inside the club itself.
Como isn’t chasing sponsorship revenue. It’s positioning itself as a platform, offering tech professionals access to proprietary football data in exchange for first sight of whatever gives the club a competitive edge.
Could YouTube be coming for World Cup broadcasting rights?
Yesterday, YouTube staged its first FIFA Creator Cup in Central Park. Viewing figures aren’t public yet, but iShowSpeed’s Portugal simulcast already drew 9.2 million viewers, reportedly outperforming Fox.
Tubefilter explicitly frames the Creator Cup as part of YouTube’s push for 2030/2034 World Cup rights. When the numbers land, they’ll be the most consequential data point in that conversation.
MLB signed a cricket star to finally crack India
MLB has signed Indian cricket star Suryakumar Yadav as a league ambassador, alongside a rights renewal with JioStar to air games in India. His activation starts this weekend at the MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia.
Pairing a trusted superstar with 20M+ Instagram followers alongside a media deal gives fans in India both a reason to be curious and somewhere to act on it. That combination of credibility and access is how you build a fanbase, not just awareness.
Netflix expands to short-form content
Netflix has signed a video-licensing deal with publishers including Variety and Condé Nast to carry content ranging in lengths from 2-20 minutes. Netflix is changing its positioning from a wind-down long-form destination to one subscribers reach for at any point in their day.
Netflix VP, John Derderian, put it plainly: “These partnerships help us deepen fandom and create more ways for members to carry those stories with them throughout their day.”
Chelsea has become the first Premier League club on Strava
Chelsea has become the first Premier League and WSL club to launch on Strava, with running challenges, training content and community events for supporters of both teams.
Community events create an always-on content touchpoint beyond matchday, with Strava becoming the destination the fanbase connects around. PSG set the blueprint with their run club, and Chelsea won’t be the last to follow it.
