Alessio Santosuosso, Giulia Carnevale
Mar 31, 2025
Key people and transactions shaping the Sports industry
Welcome to our March 31, 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. Manchester City Women announce global partnership with Hytro
Manchester City Women have announced a groundbreaking global partnership with Hytro, a leading blood flow restriction (BFR) wearables company.
This collaboration will integrate Hytro’s innovative technology into the team’s recovery strategies, further enhancing their world-class approach to athletic performance.
Hytro’s wearables are already trusted by over 200 elite teams worldwide and have been recognized by organizations such as NASA and SpaceX for their muscle and bone preservation benefits.
The partnership also includes joint research initiatives to explore the impact of BFR on recovery and performance in elite women’s football.
2. UCI and Warner Bros. Discovery abandon Track Champions League
The UCI Track Champions League has been discontinued after four years of operation.
Initially launched in 2021 through a partnership between the International Cycling Union (UCI) and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), the series aimed to modernize track cycling with a TV-friendly format featuring light shows and simplified competition structures.
Despite its initial success, including sold-out events in London, other venues struggled with ticket sales.
The UCI will now focus on revitalizing its Track Nations Cup, which will be rebranded as the Track World Cup starting in 2026.
This shift aligns with preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
3. LIV Golf pairs players with content creators for YouTube-exclusive competition
LIV Golf has announced “The Duels,” an innovative YouTube-exclusive competition that pairs six of its top players with six popular golf content creators.
This high-energy event aims to blend traditional competition with entertainment to engage younger audiences and expand golf’s fan base globally.
The initiative follows the success of similar events like the PGA Tour’s Creator Classic and highlights LIV Golf's commitment to pushing boundaries in sports marketing and fan engagement.
4. NBA and FIBA move forward on plans for new European basketball league
The NBA and FIBA have unveiled plans for a new European basketball league featuring a 16-team format, including 12 permanent members and four qualifiers each year.
Games would follow European standards with 40-minute durations instead of the NBA’s traditional 48 minutes.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver emphasized that basketball is Europe’s second most popular sport, with hundreds of millions of fans and significant contributions from European players in the NBA (e.g., five of the last six MVPs).
The league aims to bridge gaps in European basketball infrastructure while capitalizing on growing interest in the sport.
5. Lululemon exceeds $10 billion in annual revenue for FY24
Lululemon Athletica has reported record-breaking financial results for fiscal year 2024, surpassing $10 billion in annual revenue for the first time—a year-on-year increase of 11%.
In Q4 alone, net revenue rose by 14% to $3.61 billion, driven by strong international growth (+36%) despite slower growth in North America (+4%).
Gross profit for FY24 increased by 12% to $6.27 billion, while net income rose to $1.81 billion (+17%).
Looking ahead, Lululemon projects fiscal year 2025 revenue between $11.15 billion and $11.30 billion as it continues its “Power of Three ×2” growth strategy.
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