Bundesliga ‘ghost games’ provide backdrop for sponsorship re-set

FC Cincinnati will begin the next major stage of its rapid growth trajectory this weekend when the club stages its first game at the state-of-the-art $250m, 26,000-capacity TQL Stadium. Club president Jeff Berding speaks to Bob Williams about the project.

Andrew Georgiou, president of Discovery-owned broadcaster Eurosport, tells Adam Nelson about the company's investment in the FIA Electric GT Championship series and describes how the launch of Discovery+ earlier this year has given the company a platform to "connect all the different stories we're telling."

In this week's episode, podcast co-hosts Eric Fisher and Chris Russo interview Patrick Keane, chief executive of the Action Network, which just completed a major deal in which it will be acquired by Danish sports betting media group Better Collective. Eric and Chris also discuss Verizon’s deal to sell its digital media assets to Apollo Global Management, Genius Sports’ furious run of dealmaking that includes a $200m agreement to acquire data tracking and visualization company Second Spectrum, new Covid-19 protocols in New York state that allow normal seating at outdoor stadiums for vaccinated fans, and recent turmoil surrounding the National Hockey League’s New York Rangers.

Facing rising pressures both financially and from distributors, Sinclair Broadcast Group is accelerating its efforts to introduce a direct-to-consumer offering early next year for its regional sports content. US Editor Eric Fisher reports.