Good morning, ! It’s Thursday and we’re looking at former college tennis players driving pro rankings, Europe continues to be a stronghold for Tennis viewership rates, outdoor pickleball courts boom in the U.S, and sports gear becoming an ecommerce force.

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INVESTOR CORNER

WSL’s Revenue Rocket Fueled by FIFA’s Playbook

The Women’s Super League (WSL) is turning heads — and balance sheets — with revenue projected to surge from £20M in 2020/21 to £68M by 2024/25 (+35.8% CAGR). Credit for a sharper commercial game, UEFA boosts, and a little help from the FIFA Women’s Football Strategy, which continues to fuel global investment in the women’s game. Yet, the party isn’t evenly distributed: Arsenal (£11M), Chelsea (£8.8M), Manchester United (£7M), and Manchester City (£5M) accounted for 66% of total WSL revenue last season. Meanwhile, commercial revenue (35% of total) is the primary growth lever, and the ongoing bundling vs. unbundling sponsorship debate signals the next phase of maturity. With standalone investments and strategic moves like Chelsea Women’s new structure, the WSL is evolving from an extension of men’s clubs to a true, investable growth market — exactly the kind of trajectory the FIFA Women’s Football Strategy envisioned. (Read Full Article)

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MEDIA & SPORTS

Tennis Viewership: A European Stronghold with Global Undercurrents

Tennis may be global, but when it comes to screen time, Europe dominates. France leads the pack with 35% of households tuning in, followed closely by Italy and Poland at 33%. Across the Atlantic? The U.S. lags behind at just 14%, on par with Sweden and ahead of only South Korea (10%).

India (29%) and the UK (26%) show meaningful traction, while China’s 20% reflects steady interest despite limited domestic tour presence. For broadcasters and rights holders, the message is clear: Europe remains tennis’s media heartland, but growth opportunities lie in tapping under-leveraged fanbases across Asia and North America.

With Grand Slam rights up for grabs and DTC streaming platforms gaining traction, expect media players to double down on regional storytelling and player-driven content to move the needle outside the traditional powerhouses. (More).

ENTREPRENEURS

Tony Hawk’s Playbook: Building an Empire on Wheels

In the world of sports entrepreneurs, Tony Hawk is a masterclass in turning passion into an empire. From teenage skate prodigy to video game mogul, Hawk’s journey shows how sticking to your lane, and knowing when to fight for your brand, can build a multi-generational business.

After suffering early missteps with shady endorsement deals, Hawk learned a lesson most founders only face much later: control your brand, or be controlled. Determined to never lose ownership again, he launched his own skateboard company during skateboarding’s downturn, armed only with low-cost guerrilla marketing and an unwavering belief that the sport would rebound.

Persistence paid off. Hawk weathered three tough years before the cultural tide turned, and he struck gold with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, a console hit born from a scrapped Bruce Willis video game engine. Today, the Tony Hawk brand spans games, gear, foundations, and global youth culture.

Bottom line: Real empires aren’t built in the boom, they’re built in the bust. Hawk’s story is a blueprint for any athlete or entrepreneur looking to turn passion into a business that outlives trends. (More)

COLLEGE ATHLETICS

College to Center Court: Former NCAA Stars Drive Pro Tennis Rankings

College tennis isn’t just producing graduates, it’s building the next wave of pro talent. In the 2025 season,, former NCAA players are staking a major claim in global rankings: five alumni in the WTA Top 100 singles, 15 in ATP singles, and an impressive 54 across doubles rankings.

Leading the charge is Emma Navarro (Virginia), who’s rocketed to No. 20 in the WTA after winning Hobart and reaching the Indian Wells quarterfinals. She’s joined by rising stars like Diana Shnaider (NC State) and Nuno Borges (Mississippi State), both securing career-high rankings and titles early in the season. Notably, Ben Shelton (Florida) and Francisco Cerundolo (South Carolina) are ranked in the top 30 highlighting the strength pipeline from U.S. campuses to the pro tour.

For investors, the takeaway is clear: college athletics is an undervalued feeder system fueling global sports ecosystems. With the NCAA-to-pro model proving its ROI, expect growing crossover investment opportunities across performance training, NIL platforms, and athlete management in both tennis and broader collegiate sports.

Bottom line: In the race for emerging sports assets, college tennis alumni are already winning at the highest level, on and off the court. (More)

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TECH & INFRASTRUCTURE

Pickleball’s Infrastructure Blitz: 650% Growth and Counting

If it feels like pickleball courts are sprouting faster than coffee shops, it’s because they are — up 650% across major U.S. cities in just seven years, per the Trust for Public Land.

Life Time and Invited Clubs are deep in the game, investing tens of millions to build nearly 1,200 courts. Meanwhile, newcomers like City Pickle are turning rinks into profit centers, booking 74,000+ players annually. Even defunct Bed Bath & Beyond stores are finding second life — filled not with towels, but with 11 new courts. The infrastructure arms race is clear: from $60M in club investments to pickleball-driven suburban saturation concerns, the sport’s expansion shows no signs of a timeout. (More From CNBC)

CONSUMER & SPORTS

Click, Ship, Score: How Sports Gear Became an E-Commerce Slam Dunk

The sports equipment market is pulling a full 180—and it's doing it online. Per Statista, online revenue for U.S. sports gear has climbed from 26.4% in 2018 to a projected 58.7% by 2029. Blame it on the pandemic or thank better digital sales channels, but either way, direct-to-consumer is the new MVP. As brands double down on online personalization, physical retail looks increasingly like a backup player waiting on the bench. Bottom line: the days of trying on tennis rackets in-store might be as nostalgic as flip phones. (More)

eSPORTS

eSports Viewership: From Niche to Nonstop

Think eSports is still a fringe phenomenon? Not quite. While a significant chunk of the global population still doesn't tune in, over 40% in France, Germany, and the UK say they don’t watch at all, the data tells a different story when it comes to those who do: they’re watching a lot.

In India, Mexico, and China, over 25% of respondents watch more than an hour per day, with 9% of Chinese viewers glued to screens for over 3 hours daily. Even in the U.S. and UK, nearly 1 in 5 watchers spend between 1–2 hours a day immersed in eGaming content.

The bottom line: awareness might lag, but engagement runs deep. For investors, media strategists, and sponsors, the window of opportunity is no longer about explaining what eSports is, it's about capitalizing on where the loyal eyeballs already are.

INTERESTING ARTICLES

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TWEET OF THE WEEK

"Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning."

Bill Gates