Google considered acquiring Epic Games, the video game developer that it is currently in a court battle with, according to Bloomberg.

The tech giant contemplated “buying some or all of Epic” because the “Fortnite” maker created competition by offering consumers and developers alternatives, per Epic’s complaint.

The relationship between Google and Epic has been contentious for some time now. 

Epic sued Google last August for removing “Fortnite” from Google Play after Epic challenged the company’s in-app billing requirements on the platform, similar to Apple’s policies on the App Store.

Google and Apple each take 30% cuts from in-app purchases on their platforms. Epic also sued Apple in 2020 and is still awaiting a verdict after the trial concluded in May.

Epic generated more than $9 billion in revenue from “Fortnite” in two years. The news of Google’s acquisition interest comes after its big moves in fitness and traditional sports.

• Google completed its $2.1 billion acquisition of Fitbit in January.
• In May, it agreed to a three-year partnership with the WNBA and ESPN, joining Nike, Deloitte, and AT&T on an initiative focused on bringing more viewers to women’s sports.

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, reported $61.9 billion in revenue during Q2 2021, a 62% increase year-over-year. 

The conglomerate is the fourth-most valuable company in the world with a market capitalization of $1.83 trillion.

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy mentioned last Thursday that the company has had discussions about a broadcast deal with one of the four major sports. It appears those talks were with Major League Baseball. 

MLB and Barstool have had “significant negotiations” toward an agreement to stream midweek games, the New York Post reported on Monday. Barstool would put the games on its platforms with an emphasis on sports betting, giving MLB — which skews older than other major U.S. sports — access to Barstool’s younger, male audience. 

MLB and Barstool did not respond to requests from FOS for comment.

If a deal is hammered out, MLB would have another deal with a gambling company. Penn National Gaming owns 36% of Barstool and the Barstool Sportsbook app is available in five states with five more expected to launch by year’s end. 

• In July, MLB and DraftKings announced an expansion of their partnership that includes integration of live games into the DraftKings app.
• BetMGM was MLB’s first official gaming partner — a deal was announced in November 2018. 
• Penn National announced last week it would acquire Score Media and Gaming, parent company of theScore, for about $2 billion. theScore is one of MLB’s authorized gaming operators. 

The New York Post reported that chances of a deal between MLB and Barstool closing stood at “50-50.”

Drive Shack, an owner of golf-related leisure and entertainment businesses, generated $73.9 million in revenue during Q2 2021, a jump from $32.1 million in the same period last year. 

The strong quarter was fueled by American Golf, the company’s traditional golf business, which posted $62.3 million in revenue during the quarter, up from $30.3 million in Q2 2020. 

Puttery, the company’s indoor golf experience, received a major investment from four-time golf major champion Rory McIlroy and his investment group, Symphony Ventures.

Symphony has committed at least $10 million for 10% ownership of each Puttery venue that opens through 2023. 

Drive Shack’s impressive earnings report is the result of a growing and diverse golf market.

• Centroid Investment Partners, a South-Korea based private equity firm, acquired TaylorMade Golf for $1.7 billion in May.
• The same month, Puttshack, a mini golf venture, completed a growth capital round of $60 million, led by Promethean Investments.
• Bruin Capital acquired a controlling stake in swing simulator company Full Swing for $160 million in July. 
• Swingers, a high-end mini golf experience from the U.K., is opening in Washington, D.C. and New York after raising $20 million from Cain International.

Puttery is slated to open later this year with locations in Dallas, Charlotte, and Houston.

A week after the Chicago Cubs received approval to build a sportsbook with DraftKings next to Wrigley Field, another groundbreaking betting property was announced — this time at an NFL stadium.

BetMGM, the Arizona Cardinals, and Gila River Hotels and Casinos revealed plans on Monday that include opening a retail sportsbook at State Farm Stadium in time for the 2022-23 season.

This venture would mark the first in-stadium sportsbook in the NFL, adding to a number of other similar efforts recently announced.

• The Phoenix Suns shared plans to open an arena sportsbook with FanDuel in April.
• Capital One Arena — home to Washington’s Wizards, Capitals, and Mystics — opened a William Hill sportsbook in May.
• BetMGM partnered with the Washington Nationals in June and plan to open a sportsbook at their ballpark.

The Cardinals’ deal is the first to include both a tribal operator and a team. Gila River also has naming rights to the Arizona Coyotes’ NHL arena and sponsors the Diamondbacks, Suns, Mercury, and Arizona State University.

Ark Invest estimates the U.S. betting market will grow from $9.5 billion to $37 billion by 2025.