“Their unique voice and loyal fanbase makes them a natural fit for our evolving multiplatform content strategy,” Eric Shanks, Fox Sports CEO/Executive Producer, said.

Portnoy added, “In our two-decade history, we’ve never had the chance to work with so much talent and resources. We can’t wait to collab and bring our voice to FOX Sports’ airwaves. See ya soon in Columbus.”

Barstool has dabbled across media before. It previously had a station on the SiriusXM lineup, and in 2017, the company introduced “Barstool Van Talk” in partnership with ESPN. The show featured Katz and PFT Commenter—the two hosts of the podcast “Pardon My Take”—but was pulled after airing one episode on ESPN2. At the time, then-ESPN chief John Skipper was concerned with separating the content ESPN and Barstool publish, in addition to issues raised by employees regarding comments Portnoy made about ESPN personalities.

NBCU, meanwhile, finished the 2025-26 upfront cycle with the highest ad sales volume in company history, led by record demand for sports and live events. Sales surged across tentpole properties such as the Milan Cortina Olympics, Super Bowl LX and the FIFA World Cup. Peacock played a key role, too, delivering NBCU’s largest digital upfront ever with 20% YOY growth and now representing nearly 1/3 of total commitments. Meanwhile, Telemundo exceeded its previous World Cup revenue with over 10 months to go until kickoff. NBCU also saw SMB client volume rise by 30%, attracted $1 billion in programmatic spend and saw double-digit category gains in retail, auto and more. Additionally, nearly 60% of deals now transact on advanced audiences instead of traditional demographics.

PUMA and USMNT star Christian Pulisic opened their second “Stomping Grounds” soccer facility in Culver City, California, as part of their joint Legacy Program. Designed to expand access to soccer in underserved communities, the L.A. site features free-play zones, mentorship programs and life-skills training developed with Culver City Football Club. The launch follows the debut of the Miami location in 2023, which has served 950+ youth to date. “It’s about giving young people a safe space to grow, be inspired and build confidence both on and off the pitch,” said Pulisic, who joined local kids for skills sessions and interactive activities. PUMA North America President Tara McRae said the initiative reflects the brand’s mission to “create social change” through sport. The Legacy Program plans to expand nationally and donate nearly 60,000 soccer balls by 2026.

Qualcomm has inked a multi-year partnership with Bryson DeChambeau and his LIV Golf team, Crushers GC. As part of the deal, Qualcomm’s logo will appear on Crushers GC team apparel, with DeChambeau integrating Qualcomm technology into content across his channels. The partnership will also include experiential activations and storytelling that highlights performance-enhancing technologies.

Elsewhere in LIV Golf’s world, it landed its first global banking sponsor. The league signed a multi-year partnership with HSBC that covers the full 14-event international season and two teams (Crushers GC and Majesticks GC). The alliance debuted at LIV Golf Andalucía and includes HSBC becoming the presenting partner for the “9 to Play” broadcast segment that appears during every LIV broadcast. Beyond brand visibility, HSBC will support LIV’s community engagement and financial literacy efforts. HSBC has long been involved in the golf game, with LIV joining a portfolio of partnerships that includes The Open, AIG Women’s Open, Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and more.

Formula E and Marvel Studios teamed up for a blockbuster crossover, naming the 2025 season finale the “Marvel Fantastic Four London E-Prix.” The double-header event took place recently at ExCel London and ties into the release of “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.” Featuring themed integrations like a rebranded “Fantastic Four Attack Mode,” it’s the first time a Formula E title partnership has centered on a major film franchise. The initiative aims to attract younger, global audiences by blending pop culture and entertainment.

“We’re not only connecting with a new generation of fans but reinforcing and continuing to position ourselves as a truly global, entertainment brand,” said Ellie Norman, CMO, Formula E.

Lucra has partnered with Playground Productions to bring social, free-to-play digital tournaments to the Backyard Sports franchise. The integration will use Lucra’s gamification software to enable players across the U.S. to compete for exclusive rewards, reviving the nostalgic title through modern, digital-native engagement. Lucra CEO Dylan Robbins said the deal reflects the platform’s ability to deepen user connection and build communities through friendly competition, while Playground Productions looks to blend nostalgia with behavior-driven engagement. Launch is expected in the coming months.

Lucra also announced a venue collab with Frames Bowling Lounge in NYC. Starting this fall, the collaboration will enable bowlers to engage in real-money digital competitions while enjoying Frames’ social environment. The partnership aims to modernize the bowling experience through Lucra’s gamification tech, offering new customer engagement opportunities before, during and after play.

Snap Inc. and RWS Global have joined forces to roll out augmented reality activations at sporting events worldwide, beginning with the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore and the British & Irish Lions Tour in Australia. Snap’s AR lenses will be integrated into RWS Global’s PV4 video platform to create immersive fan moments in stadiums. The partnership builds on prior work at the Paris 2024 Games and aims to drive sponsor value and fan interactivity with “Snapchat Cam” activations at venue screens.

WEAR by Erin Andrews has inked a multi-year deal with WWE to launch a women’s fashion collection celebrating WWE events and Superstars. Dropping ahead of SummerSlam (Aug. 2–3 at MetLife Stadium), the launch includes jackets, tanks, hoodies and tees featuring stars like Nikki Bella, Rhea Ripley and Cody Rhodes. The collection will be available at WWEShop.com, Fanatics.com, and on-site at live events.

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The Fever vs Sun game on July 15 was ESPN’s fifth most-watched WNBA regular-season game ever with 1.7 million average viewers. That’s up 48% compared to last year’s WNBA on ESPN average and helped sweep key male/person demographics on cable (18-34, 18-49 and 25-54). Pregame show “WNBA Countdown” came in with 431,000 viewers—up 29% from last year’s average.

It’s the summer of Cal Raleigh. Ratings for this year’s T-Mobile Home Run Derby came in at 5.73 million viewers across ESPN and ESPN2, up 5% from last year’s 5.45 million. Specifically, ESPN contributed 5.23 million, while the ESPN2 “Home Run Derby: StatCast Edition” pitched in 499,000 viewers. The combined audience peaked at 6.31 million at 9:30pm, and the telecast was the most-watched program of the day across all of broadcast and cable TV in key demos.

FloSports gave a mid-year update on its social media performance. So far in 2025, Flo eclipsed 100 million engagements as well as 1.6 billion video views and 15 million live event views.

1996: L.A. Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda announced his retirement after 20 seasons. He capped his career with a 1,599-1,439 record, two World Series and four NL Pennants. Lasorda, who passed away in 2021, was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997.

2001: Colombia won its first Copa América title, defeating Mexico, 1-0. It remains Colombia’s only continental accolade. Iván Córdoba scored the lone goal in the 65th minute.