Alessio Santosuosso, Giulia Carnevale
Apr 21, 2025
Key people and transactions shaping the Sports industry
Welcome to our April 21, 2025 edition of the TOP 5 Sports Business News, according to CUBOPRO - your premier source for the latest developments in the sports industry. As we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of sports business, we are committed to providing you with short while insightful analysis of the most impactful events shaping our sector.
Here are the TOP 5 news of the week according to us:
1. Strava to Acquire Runna, a Leading Running Training App
Strava, the world’s largest fitness community with over 150 million users, has agreed to acquire UK-based Runna, a fast-growing running training app.
The acquisition, announced April 17, 2025, will allow Strava to offer personalized training plans and coaching to its global user base.
Runna, which previously raised £8 million in funding, will continue to operate independently while benefitting from Strava’s scale and resources.
The deal reflects the surging demand for digital training solutions, with nearly 1 billion runs logged on Strava in 2024 and 43% of users aiming for major races in 2025.
2. Salomon and Warner Bros. Discovery Partner to Shape the Future of the Golden Trail World Series
Salomon and Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe have entered a multi-year partnership to elevate the Golden Trail World Series (GTWS).
WBD Sports will oversee production, international distribution, and localized broadcasting of GTWS races, reaching more than 100 countries across five continents through platforms like Eurosport, TNT Sports, Max, and discovery+.
The partnership aims to grow trail running’s global audience, enhance digital engagement, and attract new sponsors, with the 2025 season kicking off in Kobe, Japan and featuring nine races worldwide.
3. Rory McIlroy’s Masters Triumph Gains 12.7 Million Viewers for CBS as Sky Sports Breaks Records
Rory McIlroy’s dramatic victory at the 2025 Masters captivated audiences worldwide, drawing an average of 12.7 million viewers for the final round on CBS—the highest for a Masters broadcast since 2018 and a 33% increase from last year.
The tension-filled playoff against Justin Rose saw viewership peak at 19.54 million in the U.S., while in the UK, Sky Sports recorded a peak audience of 1.85 million, making it the most-watched day in the network’s history.
McIlroy’s win, which clinched his career Grand Slam after 17 attempts and earned him a $4.2 million payday, also delivered Paramount+ its largest non-NFL sports streaming day ever.
The event underscores the enduring appeal and commercial power of golf’s biggest stage.
4. WPSL Pro Launching as Second-Tier Women’s League in the U.S.
The Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) will launch WPSL Pro in 2026, establishing the first-ever second-division women’s professional soccer league in the United States.
The league expects to debut with 16–20 teams, with 15 already committed and each franchise paying a $1 million fee.
Notably, the Cleveland Soccer Group has invested in both a franchise and the league itself, and is planning a $50 million, 10,000-seat downtown stadium to open in 2026.
WPSL Pro aims to bridge the development gap for women’s soccer players and provide new opportunities for communities, investors, and brands.
5. SailGP Reveals First Details of 2026 Season Calendar
SailGP has unveiled the first details of its 2026 season, which will see the global sailing championship expand its reach across five continents and feature a record 14 national teams.
The season will kick off in January with the Perth Sail Grand Prix in Fremantle, Australia, marking the start of a three-year partnership that secures the event in Western Australia through 2028.
Sydney will host the seventh edition of its Sail Grand Prix in February, continuing its legacy as the birthplace of SailGP.
The 2026 calendar also includes confirmed stops in iconic cities such as New York, Rio de Janeiro (making its long-awaited debut), Halifax, Saint-Tropez, Portsmouth, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi, with additional venues to be announced.
The season will conclude with back-to-back events in the UAE, culminating in a winner-takes-all Grand Final in Abu Dhabi in November.
SailGP will add two new expansion teams, growing the F50 fleet to 14 national squads, and continue to work with global partners including Emirates, DP World, Accor, Mubadala, and Oracle.
The league’s regionalized format and long-term hosting agreements are designed to build enduring legacies and maximize fan engagement in each host city
These developments represent significant shifts in the sports business ecosystem, each with the potential to create new opportunities and challenges. We encourage our clients to consider the strategic implications of these trends on their portfolios and long-term business strategies.
As always, our team stands ready to provide in-depth analysis and tailored advice to help you navigate these exciting changes in the sports business landscape.
If you have questions or would like to discuss about this issue of the newsletter, please feel free to reach out at connect@cubopro.com.
We thank you for reading today.
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Best,
Team CUBOPRO