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READ IN BROWSER
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Private equity firm Otro Capital is in advanced talks to buy a 20% stake in Formula One’s Miami Grand Prix race from Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, Front Office Sports has learned. The deal would be for a stake in only the race, not the Dolphins or any of Ross’s other assets.
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—Ben Horney
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First Up
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Private equity firms can now hold up to 20% ownership of an MLB club but cannot own more than a team’s controlling owner, who must own at least 15%.
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Three-time MVP Albert Pujols told Front Office Sports he was part of a group that was outbid for multiple MLB franchises over the past year.
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Market making may be what “people misunderstand” the most about the prediction-market industry, says Robinhood executive JB Mackenzie.
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Jazz and Mammoth owner Ryan Smith understands sports betting isn’t going away, but he says leagues have a responsibility to help implement guardrails.
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DEAL FLOW
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Banner Year for Team Sales
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Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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There are still three months left in the year, but 2026 is already the “biggest year on record” for change-of-control deals in the NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL, according to Arctos Insights. Cumulatively, such transactions have totaled $34.5 billion to date, 42% higher than last year and nearly double all of the deals that took place between 2016 and 2021 combined. Arctos does not think this is a short-term trend, saying there has been a “durable change in what buyers are willing to pay.” Teams that have been sold this year include the NFL’s Seahawks at a $9.61 billion valuation, the NBA’s Lakers at a $12.5 billion valuation, and MLB’s Padres at a $3.9 billion valuation.
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Former Starbucks chairman and CEO Howard Schultz is investing in Ryan Clark’s media company, Pivot25 Productions, which first launched in 2025. The addition of Schultz comes only a couple of months after Clark was laid off from ESPN after more than a decade with the company. Pivot25 recently reached a multiyear deal with Netflix to have its namesake podcast broadcast on the streamer.
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Chicago-based FutureSports will offer financial indexes tied to the performance of each MLB team through an agreement with the league. The futures contracts, which must still receive regulatory approval, will be listed via CME Group. The idea is to allow everyday traders to put money on the future performance of MLB teams. FutureSports reached a similar agreement with the NHL in August.
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Recently retired NBA legend Chris Paul is joining Owl Ventures as a “venture partner.” He will “support founders, convene strategic partners, and bring perspective and relationships that help portfolio companies expand their reach and impact.” Owl Ventures has invested in companies like online education platform MasterClass and StudyFetch, an AI-based platform that offers students tailored study guides.
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