Welcome to Sportico’s transactions wire, a weekly rundown of personnel, partnerships and products across the sports business industry.

PERSONNEL

Learfield Names Kim Damron to Lead its New Sports Properties Division

Learfield has hired longtime sports and live events executive Kim Damron to lead a newly created Sports Properties division. Damron, who currently serves as president of Learfield’s Paciolan ticketing solutions business, will become president of Sports Properties in a vastly expanded role. The Sports Properties division will foster greater integration across business units to drive innovation in the areas of NIL (name, image and likeness), digital media and content and data-driven digital strategies for its partner universities. Damron, who reports directly to CEO Cole Gahagan, will oversee the multimedia rights business, encompassing both national and local sales, as well as other athletic services, including the company’s Amplify ticket sales, Amplify seat sales, broadcast operations and naming rights.

Prep Super League Tabs Former WWE, XFL Execs to Advisory Board

The Prep Super League (PSL)—a nationwide, 11-on-11, spring football league for high school players—has named George Barrios, Jeffrey Pollack and Basil V. DeVito Jr. as advisory board members. Barrios, currently a member of the WWE Board of Directors, previously served as co-president of WWE. Pollack, the former president and CEO of the XFL., is also the founder of The Sports Business Daily and has served in leadership roles at the NBA, NASCAR, World Series of Poker and PBR. DeVito was a member of WWE’s board of directors and executive committee, and served as the company’s senior advisor, business strategies, beginning in 2003. The Prep Super League will feature four- and five-star-rated prospects, college playing rules and games streamed in real-time. The season will run from April 19 to May 24 with teams in Atlanta, Cleveland, Dallas, Houston, New Jersey, New Orleans, Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco and Tampa.

Yahoo Sports Adds Two New Hires to Executive Leadership Team

Yahoo Sports has hired two new sports business veterans for its senior leadership team: George Leimer as Head of Product & Technology and Sam Farber as General Manager of Rivals.com. Leimer will oversee product development and innovation across the Yahoo Sports and Yahoo Fantasy platforms. Prior to joining Yahoo, Leimer served as CEO of Rally, a platform that allows for buying and selling equity in collectibles. He previously spent nearly five years at ESPN, where he led the rebuild and growth of ESPN Fantasy. Farber will lead the Rivals business, the football and basketball recruiting news service. Before joining Yahoo, Farber spent over a decade at the NBA League Office, and in 2021, he joined Goldin, a sports and entertainment collectibles marketplace, where he oversaw all aspects of the business.

PARTNERSHIPS

Liverpool FC and UPS Deliver New Partnership Announcement

Liverpool FC and UPS announced a new multiyear partnership, with UPS becoming the Reds’ first Official Global Logistics and Shipping Partner. The two brands will work together to expand on the global distribution of LFC’s retail and e-commerce operations. The club will utilize UPS’ logistics experience and expertise, with UPS supporting Liverpool FC’s Global Retail and e-commerce channels. Liverpool and UPS will also team up to provide opportunities and experiences for LFC fans, UPS customers and employees.

Big League Chew Teams Up With USA Baseball

Usa Baseball and USA Baseball Sports Properties within Learfield announced a partnership with Big League Chew to become the Official Bubble Gum of USA Baseball. Big League Chew and USA Baseball will team up in various capacities, such as USA Baseball branding being featured on every pack of Big League Chew, product placement in dugouts during USA Baseball events and collaborative social media content showcasing the country’s top young talent using Big League Chew. Additionally, Big League Chew will provide products to participants at USA Baseball events and to USA Baseball national team athletes annually.

Tiger, JT Partner in T-Squared Social Eatery in Manhattan

Tiger Woods and Justin Timberlake, in partnership with Nexus Luxury Collection and 8AM Golf, have opened T-Squared Social, a restaurant near Bryant Park and Grand Central Station in Manhattan. T-Squared Social merges cuisine and craft cocktails with Full Swing simulators for golf and other interactive gameplay, duckpin bowling, darts and premium sports-watching with over 35 televisions, including New York City’s largest flat-screen 200-inch television. T-Squared Social sits within the lobby of one of the United States’ oldest banks, Emigrant Savings Bank, owned by Howard Milstein, the investor and golf entrepreneur who also owns 8AM Golf. T-Squared Social (an homage to the ‘T’s’ in Tiger and Timberlake) marks the first hospitality collaboration between the two and the latest concept to enter the  ‘eatertainment’ category.

Taktika Padel Pairs Up With Padel 22 to Manage Communications

Taktika, the USA West Coast Padel operator, has enlisted padel communications consultancy Padel 22 as part of its mission to grow padel across the United States. The partnership centers on Padel 22 helping raise Taktika Padel’s profile and the broader padel brand in the U.S., at a time when the sport is starting to gain traction across the world sports market. The news of the partnership follows the opening of Taktika’s second facility at the home of the MLS’ LA Galaxy. Taktika Padel, which also shares the majority of its ownership with Pro Padel League team San Diego Stingrays, aims to open a further 200 courts in the next two years.

BOEM Becomes Official Partner of AC Milan

AC Milan and BOEM, an Italian Hard Seltzer beverage, have announced a new partnership in which BOEM will become the Official Hard Seltzer of the Rossoneri starting Sept. 23. BOEM has teamed up with the Rossoneri to continue promoting the “Made in Italy” concept through the production of top-quality hard seltzer drinks. The partnership aims to leverage the qualities and values of the two brands to engage a young audience through a series of initiatives. For AC Milan, this partnership is part of a journey of growth for the Rossoneri brand, which is always keen to embrace the latest trends and new generations.

PRODUCTS

Ex-NFL Player Chris Long Launches Production Company and Studio

Former NFL defensive end and two-time Super Bowl champion Chris Long announced the launch of his new media company, Yote House, a full-service production company and content studio. Yote House’s flagship podcast, Green Light with Chris Long, will deliver three episodes per week, including an all-new live show format every Monday. The live show will be co-hosted by Chris and Kyle Long, along with Nate Collins. With nearly 500,000 monthly downloads during the NFL season and over 21 million lifetime views on YouTube, Green Light has garnered significant acclaim within both general sports fans and NFL insiders alike.

PURCHASES

Trae Young Buys Stake in Anheuser-Busch Pickleball Team, The Atlanta Bouncers  

NBA All-Star Trae Young is the the newest investor in the Anheuser-Busch owned Major League Pickleball team, the Atlanta Bouncers. With this partnership, Young will serve as the sole investor of the Bouncers as they enter their second season. The Atlanta Bouncers are the first professional sports team in which Young has invested, and he joins a growing list of celebrity investors as the sport continues to skyrocket in popularity nationwide. MLP investors include athletes such as LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Draymond Green, as well as celebrities like Michael B. Jordan and Drake.