For decades, boxing broadcasters relied on the pay-per-view revenue model. Now there’s an increasingly attractive option for fans: pay-for-DAZN.

The sports streaming service struck a five-year deal worth over $100 million with boxing producer Matchroom to broadcast its matches based in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Sky Sports had previously owned the rights for 27 years. 

The deal will test the strength of both brands’ ability to bring an established audience from one subscription service to another.

• Starting July 31, the arrangement will cover at least 16 matches, beginning with bouts on three consecutive weekends.
• Matchroom is launching a production and content company to produce its live events in the U.K.

Earlier this year, DAZN snagged another long-term Sky property when it won the contract for international Serie A broadcast rights in a three-year, $2.95 billion deal.

Matchroom and DAZN also linked up in 2018 on a $1 billion dollar, 8-year pact to produce and broadcast at least 16 fights in the U.S.

DAZN, now helmed by former Disney executive Kevin Mayer, reportedly has its eye on Premier League rights and is considering going public.

The company expects to bring in over $100 million in advertising revenue this year.

Before Kobe Bryant’s estate parted ways with Nike in April, Vanessa Bryant designed a Kobe sneaker honoring her late daughter Gianna. The contract ended, and the shoes were never released.

Late Wednesday night, Vanessa took to Instagram after seeing a stranger’s photo of the shoes, saying they were not even supposed to be made in the first place.

“The MAMBACITA shoes are NOT approved for sale,” she wrote. “I wanted it to be sold to honor my daughter with ALL of the proceeds benefiting our @mambamambacitasports foundation, but I did not re-sign the Nike contract and decided not to sell these shoes.”

Bryant’s estate has filed 13 trademarks since May 2020 for shoe and clothing brands. Nike and Kobe’s contract began in 2003 and officially ended on April 13, 2021.

Roughly two weeks later, Vanessa Bryant announced Mambacita, a clothing line set for release on Gianna’s birthday. She had also said that there were still two Nike releases coming — but never mentioned the Mambacita sneakers. That hasn’t stopped them from showing up online and on-court.

• A post from @kicksoncourtph showed Nike-sponsored Bucks player Khris Middleton wearing the shoes earlier this week.
• @brandon1an shared “official pictures” on Instagram, though initial leaks were in May.
• B/R Kicks tweeted an “on-feet” look of the shoe Wednesday afternoon.

The price of the shoes, should they be released, is undisclosed. A pair of Nike Kobe VI Black Mambas retails for $200, and the sold-out Mambacita sweatsuit cost $332.

Multiple messages left with Nike by Front Office Sports were not returned on Thursday.

It’s been 35 years, but the United States Football League is back.

The USFL announced on Thursday that it plans to return to the gridiron in the spring of 2022 with Fox Sports as its broadcast partner.

“It’s an alternative for some players rather than going to the NFL, and it’s an opportunity for others,” said former USFL and NFL quarterback Doug Flutie.

The USFL launched in 1983 and played its games over the summer rather than fall. 

It failed three years later after team owners overspent in search of success, ultimately losing $163 million. Fiscal highs and lows were commonplace for the league.

• Inked a two-year media rights deal, worth $30 million in 1983, with ABC and ESPN.
• Implemented a $6 million initiation fee for expansion franchises.
• Filed an antitrust suit against the NFL seeking $1.6 billion in damages, arguing a monopoly power in professional football, but was only awarded $1.

Despite its short life span, the USFL featured some of the best talent in football including Flutie, running back Herschel Walker, and quarterback Steve Young.

The first go-round of the USFL featured a minimum of 12 teams, but the league will now target a minimum of eight for the 2022 season.