Atlanta Dream will be on Victory+

Atlanta Dream will be on Victory+

May 8, 2026

Atlanta Dream Partners with Victory+ to Stream All Locally Broadcast Games for Free
The Atlanta Dream has partnered with Victory+, an ad-supported streaming platform, to make all locally broadcast games available for free, expanding access beyond traditional TV distribution. Beginning this season, every non-nationally televised game will be streamed live and on demand across connected TV and mobile devices, complementing existing local broadcasts on Atlanta News First. The deal emphasizes accessibility and fan engagement by removing paywalls and adding interactive features, aiming to grow the Dream’s audience and deepen digital engagement.
^WNBA

Saudis will not divest in TKO partnerships amid LIV Golf pullout
Saudi Arabia will maintain its financial commitments to TKO Group (UFC and WWE) despite pulling funding from LIV Golf after 2026, with executives emphasizing that the situations are unrelated. TKO president Mark Shapiro said Saudi partners’ support is “unwavering,” and the company is proceeding with scheduled events in the region, including multiple planned shows across WWE, UFC, and Zuffa Boxing. While the LIV Golf withdrawal raises questions about Saudi sports investments, the continued backing of TKO suggests those partnerships are seen as more successful and remain part of the country’s broader sports strategy.
^{Yahoo Sports}

NHL salary cap to increase to $104 million in 2026-27
The NHL salary cap will increase to $104 million for the 2026–27 season, representing an $8.5 million jump from the prior year. The new structure also sets a salary floor of $76.9 million and raises the maximum individual player salary to $20.8 million, based on league revenue calculations under the collective bargaining agreement. League leaders view the increase as a sign of strong growth, supported by rising viewership and fan engagement, including record playoff audiences and expanding global interest in the sport.
^ESPN

MLB Is Seeing an Early Ratings Lift From New-Look TV Deals
MLB is seeing a significant early-season viewership boost, averaging 2.28 million viewers per national game through early May—up 44% year over year and the league’s best mark since 2017. The increase coincides with a newly restructured national TV strategy that includes deals with ESPN, NBC, and Netflix, which have already delivered strong results such as Opening Day records and a 40% ratings increase for Fox’s Saturday coverage. These gains reflect broader momentum for MLB’s revamped media approach heading into a larger rights restructuring planned for 2028, alongside continued improvements in attendance and overall fan engagement.
^{Front Office Sports}

Tech Stack: Extreme Networks, Shift4 and more
Extreme Networks is deploying the first Wi‑Fi 7 network in a collegiate stadium at the University of Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, aimed at delivering seamless high-capacity connectivity and enabling services like mobile ordering during games. Separately, Inter Miami has partnered with Shift4 to power integrated payment technology for ticketing and concessions at its new 26,700-seat stadium, including grab-and-go checkout experiences. There are also tech investments such as 4G/5G upgrades across major Irish venues, new LED perimeter installations in Germany, and digital platform modernization efforts for the WTA.
^{The Stadium Business}

Maddie Winslow: The Architect of Women's Sports Booming Deal Market
Maddie Winslow has played a central role in the rapid growth of women’s sports as an investment banker at Inner Circle Sports, helping drive landmark deals like the $300 million NWSL expansion franchise in Columbus, which underscores the league’s rising valuations and investor interest. Over her five-year tenure, valuations in women’s soccer have surged from roughly $2 million for expansion teams to a high-growth investment category, with Winslow serving as a key advisor navigating complex transactions. Drawing on her athletic background and finance experience, Winslow emphasizes the importance of understanding each property’s unique development stage while leveraging strategic insight to shape the future of the women’s sports deal market.
^Wunderfan

Samantha Holloway hires investment banks as advisors for NBA expansion efforts
Seattle Kraken owner Samantha Holloway has hired investment banks JPMorgan Chase and Moelis & Co. to advise her group’s effort to secure an NBA expansion franchise. The move represents a key step in a broader push to bring the SuperSonics back to Seattle, which has been without an NBA team for nearly two decades and is now one of the league’s primary expansion targets alongside Las Vegas. Expansion fees are expected to be at least $6 billion, and while the NBA is still evaluating whether to proceed, a final decision is not anticipated until later this year.
^{Yahoo Sports}

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NCAA tournament expanding to 76 teams will happen. Here's why that's the case despite the outcries against it
The NCAA is expected to expand the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments from 68 to 76 teams, driven largely by pressure from power conferences seeking greater access and long-term revenue opportunities amid financial strain in college athletics. The move is tied to broader industry dynamics—including conference realignment, athlete compensation, and the approaching expiration of the tournament’s media rights deal—which have widened disparities and increased urgency for additional bids and value creation. Despite significant criticism that expansion will dilute quality and benefit major-conference teams disproportionately, sources indicate the change is effectively inevitable and expected to be finalized.
^MSN

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