This Weeks Sports Edge Index:

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Visa $V ( ▲ 1.88% ) will conclude its longstanding NFL sponsorship in March, shifting its strategy from traditional league-wide rights to targeted investments in team, player, and creator partnerships. This move responds to rising costs in major sports sponsorships and aims to enhance fan engagement through original content and alternative media rather than conventional branding methods. Despite exiting the NFL deal, soon to be replaced by American Express $AXP ( ▲ 2.06% ) under a $910 million seven-year contract, Visa remains committed to major global events as a top-tier partner for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Nissan $NSANY ( ▼ 0.8% ) has officially ended its 11-year sponsorship agreement with City Football Group, including flagship club Manchester City, as part of broad cost-cutting measures aimed at restoring the automaker’s profitability. The decision, announced in late September 2025, comes after a difficult year for Nissan, which reported a net loss of 670.9 billion yen ($4.5 billion) in fiscal 2024 amid weak global car sales, especially in the United States and China. Over the past year, Nissan has been restructuring aggressively, including cutting approximately 20,000 jobs and shutting seven manufacturing plants, with the goal of saving 500 billion yen by March 2027.

Veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has entered the spotlight for the ILT20’s (cricket league held in the United Arab Emirates and organized by the Emirates Cricket Board) first-ever player auction, listing himself at a top-tier base price of $120,000 as the league transitions from a draft to a new auction model featuring Right-to-Match cards and tiered pricing. The auction’s structural changes aim to streamline marquee signings for the December - January window, enabling elite players like Ashwin (now retired from all BCCI contracts and the IPL) to fully participate in global leagues without restriction. Simultaneously, Ashwin is in advanced talks for a Big Bash League debut, with Cricket Australia courting his services as a potential high-profile overseas signing. The timing of ILT20 and BBL in the international calendar could allow Ashwin to play in both tournaments this season, marking a pivotal career shift as final rosters take shape right after the October 1 auction.

ESPN and the NFL have finalised a groundbreaking agreement, transferring ownership and control of NFL Network (and key assets like NFL RedZone and fantasy football) to ESPN in exchange for the league’s 10% equity stake in the network. The partnership includes cross-platform streaming on Disney+ and Hulu, expanded game rights, and a merger of ESPN and NFL Fantasy Football, setting a new standard for fan engagement and digital experiences.

Concurrently, internal developments at Disney, including the high-profile return of Jimmy Kimmel. may influence how ESPN delivers content and utilises its expanded NFL rights. Broader sports industry trends are in focus too: Professional Bull Riders champion José Vitor Leme highlighted PBR’s efforts to expand its fan base, while expert analysis from former NFL MVP Nick Foles provided actionable insights for fantasy football, team performance, and player utilisation, bridging the gap between fan entertainment and market strategy in the evolving sports media landscape.

The Mexican Football Federation is seeking to renegotiate a potentially more lucrative investment deal with Apollo Global Management $APO ( ▲ 2.7% ) following the failure of Liga MX club owners to unanimously approve a $1.3 billion investment last year. The proposed transaction would have granted Apollo a stake in a new entity valued at approximately $13 billion, encompassing the league’s broadcast, sponsorship, and commercial rights. With a fan base of 160 million across Mexico and the US and upcoming events such as the men’s World Cup boosting market interest, Liga MX leadership plans to overhaul corporate governance and media rights agreements before pursuing further investment. Any capital raised is intended to enhance stadiums and fan facilities, reflecting growing investor confidence in the league’s commercial potential.

Sports Interactive has secured a multi-year licensing agreement with the English Women’s Super League (WSL) to fully integrate the WSL and WSL 2 into Football Manager 2026, marking the first time women’s soccer is authentically represented in the series with official player photos, club logos, and kits. This follows a prior Premier League licensing deal signed in June 2024, although Football Manager 2025 was canceled due to development issues. FM26 will launch on November 4, 2025, featuring over 36,000 players across multiple women’s leagues globally. The initiative reflects Sports Interactive's strategic investment despite anticipated minimal short-term returns to promote gender parity in football gaming. Concurrently, UEFA extended its multi-year licensing partnership with Electronic Arts to continue featuring the UEFA Women’s Champions League and UEFA Women’s Euros within EA Sports FC titles, supporting ongoing growth and visibility of women’s football through popular video game franchises.