After leaving the company in 2016 following a ten-year tenure, she returned to Puma in 2024 to assume the position of senior vice president, brand and strategy. Before leaving Puma, McRae was the first chief marketing officer of Tom Brady’s health brand, TB12, and she also held the positions of global chief marketing officer and digital officer at Clarks.

McRae takes over from Bob Philion, who is leaving the company after 20 years, eight of which were spent as Puma North America president. In a statement, Matthias Baumer, Puma’s chief commercial officer, expressed gratitude to Philion and said that he held the position when the company had “put Puma back on the map in North America.”

Regarding McRae’s appointment, Baumer said: “With Tara, we have appointed a leader with a great understanding of our consumers, our industry and the North American market. I strongly believe she has the experience and the strategic mindset to help us succeed in this crucial market.”

Meet Tara McRae

Tara McRae is a seasoned marketing executive with over 20 years of expertise in e-commerce, business strategy, brand management, and marketing in the sports and leisure sectors. She graduated from Clark University with a Master of Professional Communication and the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a Bachelor of Communication and Media Studies.

The basis for McRae’s proficiency in consumer electronics marketing was established during her early years at Bose Corporation, where she worked in marketing and media planning. After joining Puma in 2006, she worked in multiple roles in brand management, strategic planning, and sports and US marketing teams. She became the senior vice president of brand and marketing during her ten years there, managing important projects like the introduction of Puma Golf and collaborations with well-known people like Fenty and Meek Mill.

McRae joined Clarks as the global chief marketing and digital officer in 2016. There, she revitalised the brand with celebrity-endorsed global campaigns and partnerships with entertainment and fashion brands such as Supreme, Kith, Tibi, Patta, and Wu-Tang. Her work increased Clarks’ customer base and improved its cultural significance.

She was chief marketing officer at TB12, Tom Brady’s co-founded health and wellness company, from January 2020 to January 2021. She played a key role in developing the brand’s marketing plans, product lines, and service offerings to establish TB12 as a reliable source for information on global health and wellness.

McRae rejoined Puma in August 2024 as senior vice president of North American marketing and brand strategy. In this role, she develops consumer-centric marketing strategies for all platforms, focusing on basketball and entertainment marketing, with the goal to boost brand equity and drive profitable growth. She is well-positioned to spearhead Puma’s marketing campaigns in the North American market thanks to her in-depth knowledge of the company’s culture and values.

Puma Hits The Rejig Button

The German apparel brand has become the official ball supplier of the English Premier League (the most-watched football league globally), which includes the provision of match balls at all League matches from the start of the 2025/26 season.

Through this partnership, Puma will also support the Premier League across multiple initiatives, from community-based football programmes that nurture grassroots talent to high-impact marketing campaigns and events such as the Premier League Summer Series, which will be hosted in the United States in July 2025.

“The Premier League, broadcast to 900 million homes in 189 countries, offers an unparalleled platform for visibility and international growth. With the competition’s vast global reach and Puma’s commitment to performance and innovation, this collaboration is poised to drive both brand awareness and engagement, delivering premium experiences for fans, athletes, and communities alike,” Puma stated.

Puma already holds a significant presence in the Premier League through its official partnership with Manchester City, the league’s current champions. In addition, several top Premier League players, including Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Kai Havertz (Arsenal), James Maddison (Tottenham Hotspur), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Jordan Pickford (Everton), and Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), are part of Puma’s growing roster of elite athletes.

As Tara takes over as the new president of Puma’s North American division, former Adidas sales chief Arthur Hoeld will take over as the venture’s CEO, replacing Arne Freundt due to what the company called “differing views on strategy execution.”

Puma has struggled to boost sales and profitability for more than a year. The company’s pick for the top job marks the latest talent swap between the competing brands, two years after its CEO Bjorn Gulden jumped ship to lead Adidas through a successful turnaround.

While Adidas has been witnessing strong sales growth, things have been dire straits at Puma, as the latter in March warned its 2025 sales would likely be weaker than 2024, flagging uncertainty denting its consumer spending in the United States, which accounts for between 20 to 25 per cent of its global sales. To make matters worse, the Donald Trump administration’s tariffs on China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and other key manufacturing hubs are expected to hit sportswear retailers.

In 2024, Puma sourced 28% of its products from China, making it the largest sourcing country for the brand. Vietnam was the second-largest source at 26%, followed by Cambodia at 16%. Following the announcement of new tariffs, the German apparel brand’s share price plummeted. As of 2025, the company’s stock has reached levels close to its lowest in nine years.

Image Credits: Puma

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Saudi Arabia has secured the right to host significant athletic events, such as the LIV Golf Tour, tennis, and motorsports, aiming to increase tourism, open up business opportunities, and generate revenue from sponsorships, ticket sales, and television rights.

Peter Daire, senior executive advisor for sports at PwC Middle East, emphasised the Kingdom’s long-term goal of using sports as a substantial economic engine.

He said, “According to our Global Sports Survey 2023, the Middle East sports sector, including Saudi Arabia, is expected to generate substantial economic value, with Saudi Arabia’s sports economy predicted to contribute up to $5.9 billion by 2030.”

“This growth is driven by ongoing infrastructure projects and the expansion of world-class facilities across the Kingdom. Additionally, events such as Formula E, the Saudi International Golf Tournament, esports investments, and high-profile football matches in the Saudi Pro League have played a leading role in attracting global attention and investment, further boosting the tourism and hospitality sectors,” Daire added.

Jurg Kronenberg, a management consultant at Bain and Co., pointed out that by 2030, sports are expected to account for 10.5% of Saudi Arabia’s non-oil GDP, generating more than 140,000 jobs.

“Achieving this growth will require both infrastructure investments — such as World Cup stadiums and mass sports facilities — as well as sector activation, through privatisation and professionalisation of sports, new leagues and competitions, and the creation of local intellectual property,” Kronenberg said, while adding, “Sports have a unique potential to be the catalyst for societal and economic change in Saudi Arabia and to support the development of a vibrant economy.”

Kronenberg further stated that the Kingdom aims to create over 140,000 jobs in the sports industry by 2030, contributing to 0.5% of its non-oil GDP.

In order to create a thriving sports business ecosystem, Daire emphasised that the government has prioritised the private sector’s participation.

“Partnerships with European football clubs and players have helped position Saudi Arabia as a central player in the international sports landscape. Additionally, developing local talent within the Kingdom and ensuring a long-term legacy of Saudi sports business expertise are key to the sector’s growth,” he observed.

He pointed out that the integration of advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics, and digital media, into fan interaction and sports management is driving expansion in several industries.

Mega investments

Kronenberg noted that the 135-kilometre Sports Boulevard in Riyadh and the 11 cutting-edge stadiums planned for the FIFA World Cup 2034 are examples of landmark projects that are part of Saudi Arabia’s sports strategy.

In addition to well-known venues, massive infrastructure projects are being planned to promote mass participation in sports and provide financial incentives for clubs to become professional.

“In football, a bold privatisation initiative is underway, transitioning historically state-owned clubs to private ownership. Beyond football, Saudi Arabia is cultivating a diversified sports ecosystem, investing in the professionalisation of several existing sports and supporting emerging disciplines,” Kronenberg said.

According to Kronenberg, this strategy is accelerating economic diversification by generating valuable intellectual property, new investment opportunities, and new revenue streams.

Federico Pienovi, CEO of Globant for APAC and MENA, emphasised Saudi Arabia’s strategic investment of more than $2 billion in international collaborations, sports infrastructure, and events.

“With major events like the Asian Games and FIFA World Cup 2034 on the horizon, the Saudi government is shaping a multi-billion-dollar sports ecosystem primed for growth,” Pienovi said.

He clarified that Saudi Arabia’s giga-projects, such as Qiddiya Entertainment City, are excellent examples of bringing cutting-edge technology and a passion for sports together, transforming the Kingdom into a top travel destination.

The Saudi Pro League’s international profile has been enhanced by the signing of global stars like Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo, drawing sponsors and increasing viewership, according to Shahid Khan, partner and global head of media, entertainment, sports, and culture at Arthur D. Little.

“Developing league infrastructure and operations supports the league’s competitive edge and market value. These investments increase tourism, promote national pride, and inspire local talent to pursue professional football careers. These initiatives further integrate Saudi Arabia into the global football ecosystem, bringing in money from sponsorships and broadcasting,” he said.

The Kingdom is further integrating forward-thinking strategies into its sports vision, as noted by Ivan Shapochkin, a principal at Oliver Wyman’s Dubai office, who highlighted that the global sports industry is predicted to reach nearly $1 trillion by 2030.

“By quadrupling its sports economy by 2030, with private sector contributions driving at least 25%, Saudi Arabia is reaping direct revenues from ticket sales, media rights, sponsorships, and merchandising. Beyond this, sports are invigorating tourism, hospitality, and transport sectors, creating ripple effects across the broader economy,” Shapochkin said.

According to Bain and Co.’s Kronenberg, the sports industry offers a unique opportunity for investors and entrepreneurs to influence the market and outperform others due to its early stages in Saudi Arabia.

“This might include use cases like new ownership models, fan engagement through tokenization, unique voting rights, or new channels and technologies to stream matches,” he said.

A young, tech-savvy population combined with an environment that fosters a “clean slate” approach to technology implementation makes the Kingdom a promising testbed for various new technologies, according to Kronenberg.

Saudi Arabia is embracing digital transformation in sports, integrating blockchain, AI, and virtual reality to enhance athlete performance and the fan experience, according to Daire of PwC.“

According to our latest esports report, ‘Centre of the Game,’ technology is enabling smarter sports management, real-time data analysis for performance improvement, and immersive fan experiences, from virtual stadium tours to personalised content,” he said.

“This transformation is not only improving operational efficiencies within the sports sector but also generating new revenue streams, such as data-driven sponsorships and virtual fan engagement platforms,” Daire added.

Sports-tech on the rise

According to Shapochkin of Oliver Wyman, one in three sports fans worldwide now watches games on digital platforms, indicating a shift toward more individualised, tech-driven interaction.

“The sports-tech market is expected to surpass $40 billion by 2027, driven by innovations like AR/VR (Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality), performance tracking, eSports, and AI-powered analytics. Saudi Arabia, with its youthful, tech-savvy population and strategic investments through entities like SAVVY Gaming Group and PIF (Public Investment Fund), is at the forefront of this shift,” Shapochkin concluded.

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The club is the subject of multiple bids after 777 Partners and British-Iranian majority owner Farhad Moshiri’s acquisition agreement fell through recently. London-based lawyer and businessman Vatche Monoukian is also a bidder.

According to a BBC report, local businessmen Andy Bell and George Downing, along with MSP Sports Capital, which has lent the club 158 million pound, are among the other possible buyers.

Everton launched the career of England international Wayne Rooney before his 13-year run with Manchester United.

However, the English football club has faced financial challenges. Premiership upheld a six-point docking against the club in February 2024 for profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) violations. United Kingdom Companies House records show a loss of 89 million pound for the year ended June 2023.

If the Saudi royal-backed bid is successful, it will come after other well-known Gulf-backed English Premiership transactions, such as the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia’s acquisition of the majority stake in Newcastle United in 2021 and the 2008 buyout of Manchester City by its Abu Dhabi-based owners.

Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar reportedly withdrew from consideration to purchase Manchester United following rumours that the Glazer family, who own a controlling stake, demanded USD 6 billion.

Meanwhile, talking about Farhad Moshiri’s efforts to take over the club, things have taken a turn as the British-Iranian majority owner has opened talks with A-Cap, a financial group with strong ties to 777 Partners. According to The Telegraph, A-Cap has emerged as a “serious contender to buy Everton” and is trying to convince Farhad Moshiri they can take control of the club.

Led by New York-based CEO Kenneth King, A-Cap had seen their initial interest dismissed due to their connections with 777. The investment firm is reportedly under pressure from the United States authorities to distance themselves from 777, which led to King’s initial offer being rejected.

Talking about 777 Partners, which was a former minority shareholder in Flair Airlines and majority shareholder in the now-insolvent scheduled carrier Bonza, is now facing a spate of lawsuits, including the ones filed by a former soccer club president and a company that owns a stadium, both affiliated with Belgian football team Standard Liege.

The club, along with its stadium, was sold to 777 Partners in 2022. The money was to be paid in tranches, and 777 made the first payment but defaulted on the second tranche of 3.5 million euro (USD 3.75 million), due in April 2024, and a separate payment for the same amount due to the former club president Bruno Venanzi holding stakes.

The lawsuits are asking for the seizure of 777’s assets in Belgium, including the shares Venanzi gave up in 2022. When 777 Partners bought in, it promised to pump capital into the debt-ridden club. Instead, Standard was hit with transfer bans after the club failed to pay transfer fees, bonuses, VAT, and social insurance contributions.

However, A-Cap has re-entered the picture despite the earlier setback, and Farhad Moshiri is now reportedly in active discussions with the venture over a potential Everton takeover.

“Moshiri is hesitant to rush into a decision and wants to assess all his options, but he needs to settle on a prospective buyer and agree broad terms before next season start. Several interested parties have signalled a willingness to fund Everton’s operational costs immediately as they seek a period of exclusivity to discuss takeover terms with Moshiri,” The Telegraph reported.

“Two lifelong Everton fans, Andy Bell and George Downing, are also serious contenders to buy the club. The pair are considered the fans’ favourites given their connection to the club, and have told Moshiri that they are the best option for Everton,” it added further.

A consortium of Middle East and United States investors led by London-based Armenian investor Vatche Manoukian, on the other hand, has tabled a 400 million pound all-equity proposal. MSP Sports Capital has a separate proposal to take control via equity and debt.

Roma owner Dan Friedkin, meanwhile, is monitoring the situation, while Crystal Palace part-owner John Textor has walked away from negotiations.

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In the chemical industry, INEOS is a significant manufacturer of speciality chemicals, petrochemicals, and raw materials for a range of sectors, including the building, automotive, and healthcare industries. Products such as PVC, polypropylene, and polyethylene, which are essential components in manufacturing processes worldwide, are part of its extensive portfolio. Additionally, INEOS is a market leader in the ethanol production industry, which is essential to the development of renewable energy sources.

INEOS has become a major player in the oil and gas industry through acquisitions and wise investments. Being able to refine crude oil into necessities like gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel is made possible by the company’s ownership and operation of multiple refineries. To further diversify its energy portfolio, INEOS has also ventured into shale gas production and exploration.

As the need for sustainable solutions grows, INEOS has been making significant investments in renewable energy projects. Its efforts in wind energy, biofuels, and hydrogen production demonstrate its dedication to cutting carbon emissions and lessening the negative effects on the environment.

In addition to its primary business operations, INEOS has gained attention for its engagement in prominent sports endeavours. Particularly, the company is a sponsor of the INEOS Grenadiers cycling team and has also ventured into the realm of yacht racing, competing in renowned competitions such as the America’s Cup.

INEOS remains committed to expanding and diversifying its business, utilising its knowledge and assets to meet the changing demands of global industries, all while prioritising sustainability and innovation.

The brain behind this successful venture is 71-year-old Jim Ratcliffe, a British billionaire, chemical engineer, businessman and the founder of the company.

Who Is Jim Ratcliffe?
• Jim Ratcliffe was born and brought up in Failsworth, Lancashire, North West England
• He studied chemical engineering at Birmingham University, gaining a BSc, and later gained an MBA from London Business School in 1980
• Jim Ratcliffe’s first job was with oil giant Esso, but he decided to broaden his skills in finance by studying management accounting at the London Business School
• Later he joined the US private equity group Advent International in 1989
• In 1998, Jim Ratcliffe formed INEOS, and later bought BP’s refining and petrochemical arm Innovene, giving INEOS refineries and plants in Scotland, Italy, Germany, France, Belgium and Canada
• He moved INEOS’s head office from Hampshire to Rolle, Switzerland, decreasing the amount of tax the company paid by £100m a year
• In the Sunday Times Rich List 2018, Jim Ratcliffe was named as the richest man in the UK, with a net worth of 21.05 billion pounds
• In 2021, he announced plans to invest more than 2 billion euros (1.7 billion pounds) into electrolysis projects to make zero-carbon green hydrogen across Europe
• Jim Ratcliffe is keen on sport and in 2013; he completed the Marathon Des Sables across the Sahara Desert
• He was granted an honorary fellowship by the Institution of Chemical Engineers citing ‘his sustained leadership in building the INEOS Group’, In May 2009
• As of May 2023, the Sunday Times Rich List 2023 estimated Jim Ratcliffe’s net worth at 29.688 billion pounds, making him the second wealthiest figure in the UK

Meet Jim Ratcliffe, The New Part-Owner Of Manchester United

Jim Ratcliffe is an avid sports lover. In 2013, the British billionaire completed the “Marathon Des Sables” across the Sahara Desert. He has also established a charity named “Go Run for Fun”, encouraging children aged between five and ten to get active by creating celebrity-driven events. Ratcliffe also supported the 2019 INEOS 1:59 Challenge, a successful effort by Kenyan long-distance runner Eliud Kipchoge to run the classic marathon distance (42.195 kilometres or 26 miles 385 yards) under 2 hours.

Jim Ratcliffe also purchased Lausanne-Sport, a Swiss Super League club, in 2017. Through INEOS, the businessman bought French football club Nice in 2019. As the Ukraine war started in 2022, sanctions on Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, long-term owner of Premier League side Chelsea, forced him to sell the club. Jim Ratcliffe made an unsuccessful 4.25 billion pound bid to buy the club, as American businessman Todd Boehly got the ownership.

Immediately after that, Jim Ratcliffe showed his interest in buying Manchester United, the English Premier League giant (the businessman’s favourite club as well). In January 2023, INEOS announced entering into the formal process of bidding for Manchester United, as the Glazer family, the then owners of the club, started looking for new investors.

On 24 December 2023, Manchester United announced that Jim Ratcliffe had acquired a 25% stake in the club, as INEOS Sport assumed control over the football operations. The purchase was completed in February 2024.

While INEOS has made investments into other sports like sailing, professional cycling, rugby and Formula One, the venture’s role will be crucial in reviving Manchester United’s fortune, which since the departure of its legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013, has been below par in the English and world football circuits, apart from being embroiled in too many off the field controversies.

Jim Ratcliffe’s biggest test will come in the upcoming summer transfer season, as the club has already offloaded more than a dozen players in the January 2024 window. Reports suggest that as many as eleven more footballers are now facing an uncertain future in the club, as INEOS is eyeing wholesale changes to bring the English giant back to the path of glory.

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As a business, you want to launch a new product, but at the same point in time are you apprehensive about how the market will react to this? Data analytics will help you to understand the consumers’ mood, when it comes to product preference, thus helping you to fine-tune and tailor your goods and services further. This is the 21st century ‘Informed Decision Making’, aided by technology.

Sports is also something where informed decision-making plays a key role and technology is dominating the proceedings there too. In this article, we will talk about the ‘Global Sports Analytics Market’.

What the numbers suggest

As per the Fact.MR, the global sports analytics market will reach a valuation of $59.47 billion by 2034, expanding at an impressive CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 29% from 2024 onwards.

Sports will become more engaging, competitive, and informed due to the marriage of cutting-edge technology and brilliant human minds. Data-driven insights are increasingly being used by teams and athletes to improve performances and make informed decisions. AI, machine learning, and IoT (Internet of Things) advancements have changed the way sports are evaluated and played.

Fact.MR study found out that while North America accounted for 29.1% of the global sports analytics market share in 2023, Asia-Pacific will become the second most lucrative zone for the industry, with a CAGR of 24.6% till 2034. In fact, sports analytics software accounted for 62.2% revenue share of the global sports analytics market in 2023.

If you are a sports analyst working in a 21st century interactive TV studio, a touch screen LED is your best ally to break down the game’s technical aspects in an engaging way. Audiences’ watching experiences are becoming more fulfilling and informative. They can easily get access to player statistics and their performance measurements, before forming their opinion on the game scenario.

The graphics and visual components in sports broadcasts have become more interactive, helping the viewers to connect with the live event in a more immersive way. From mere spectators, fans have become the jury, taking an informed call on which direction the game is going.

Best case studies

As per Appinventiv, there is an increased demand for AI solutions that can aid player monitoring and tracking, real-time sports data analytics, sports predictions, virtual assistants and chatbots for interacting with fans and sports enthusiasts.

AI-backed data collection and analysis is making the sports industry fiercer on and off the field. Tech-assisted player tracking, performance statistics, and predictive modelling are helping managerial professionals in fields like player workload management, apart from improving strategy and training.

Talent identification and acquisition is a multifaceted process encompassing various aspects such as biomechanics, player performance measurement, and player recruitment. Biomechanics plays a crucial role in assessing athletes’ physical capabilities and movement patterns, helping to identify potential talent.

Player performance measurement involves systematically evaluating players’ skills, abilities, and overall performance to gauge their suitability for recruitment.

The best example of AI in sports analytics is umpire assistance, where match officials use technology to make accurate decisions during matches. We have ball tracking systems in cricket which monitor the movement and trajectory of the ball in real-time. Then in football, we have the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), which aids the match official by reviewing decisions using video footage and providing advice based on those reviews.

As part of the tactical planning, player injury modelling is a crucial job, followed by the team formation assessment, where the think tank evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of individual players to create a cohesive and balanced unit. Here, AI is helping professionals through predictive modelling, by considering biometrics, external factors, simulating game scenarios and analysing historical data, before forecasting player injuries and suggesting prevention techniques.

Artificial intelligence is even assisting teams in creating game plans by analysing data on opponents’ playing patterns and their current form (including their key players). Appinventiv’s research also found out about tech recommending the best lineup combinations during games and making real-time tactical adjustments.

“Real-time player biometric monitoring is a crucial component. This makes identifying indicators of exhaustion, stress, or harm risk possible. Coaches and medical personnel are notified, which enables prompt interventions and eventually lowers the risk of injury. One popular use of AI in sports is determining the swimmer’s performance below water filters using human pose estimation. This method takes over the ancient quantitative evaluation method by manually annotating the swimmer’s body,” the study noted further.

The report also used the NBA example, where from 2015 to 2018, the professional basketball league reviewed over 25,000 games through the tech and found over 2,000 missed/incorrect actions from the officials. This amounted to 1.49% wrong decisions in the finals of each close game. AI has been deployed now, where referees, armed with probability and visual data, are cutting down the judging errors significantly.

Using machine learning, AI is also suggesting diet plans for players. AI-based fitness apps are flooding the markets further. Some of these tools and techniques are using key point skeleton models to identify human joints for online yoga and pilates.

Meet the inspirational force

Valeriy Lobanovskyi, who is often recognised as the greatest football manager of the Soviet era and then, later, Ukraine, became the manager of the Dynamo Kyiv in 1973 and within a year, guided the team to its first Soviet Top League title. In fact, under his watch, the team won the title for another seven times. In the post-Soviet era, Lobanovskyi is credited with five Ukrainian National League titles from 1997 to 2001.

Lobanovskyi, apart from being a professional footballer during his young days, was also an engineering student. In 1957, the USSR opened the first cybernetic institute in Kyiv and it became a world leader in automated control systems, artificial intelligence, and mathematical modelling. In fact, the early prototype of the modern personal computer was developed in that institute in 1963.

In fact, Lobanovskyi along with statistician Anatoliy Zelentsov, authored the book titled “The Methodological Basis of the Development of Training Models”, which offered a science-based breakdown of the game.

Lobanovskyi pioneered methods like video analysis, field research and tracking players’ fitness levels, to provide a more comprehensive approach towards helping the athletes maintain peak physical condition. He, as a coach, was known for following this approach to ensure that Dynamo Kyiv maintained their peak form across different playing conditions, while maximising the team’s overall flexibility to adapt to the changing game patterns.

Both Zelentsov and Lobanovskyi used to conduct advanced pre-and-post-match analysis with individual player stats and elements of the game recorded. Their strategies are used to even include factors like the exact measurement of the football pitches.

Lobanovskyi’s approach towards the game was method-oriented, bringing variables into the play, while making strategies. He and Zelentsov can be credited as football’s original scientists, who used to collect data in a Kyivian Soviet Laboratory and test their hypotheses out on the field.

These legends were ahead of their time. Their book came out in 2003 and 20 years later, coaches and athletes have made technology their ally, exactly how Zelentsov and Lobanovskyi envisioned.

Gamified training app Actiquest’s latest solution revolves around providing personalised sports coaching through AI digital twins of human mentors. These digital coaches will train athletes remotely, providing live recommendations, allowing real-time interaction, and offering rewards based on training performance.

Sports teams are adding artificial intelligence to the scouting and recruitment aspects too. Machine learning algorithms aggregate data and evaluate players’ skills and overall potential in various game categories, thereby helping the teams to make informed decisions on which new faces they can add to their side.

Be it ticketing, making live predictions or revolutionising sports advertising, the tech-assisted global sports analytics market has gone much beyond its envisioned role of assisting coaches and athletes.

As data-driven insights reshape fan engagement, personalised experiences, and sponsorship strategies, the sports analytics market’s influence is pervasive. From enhancing fan interactions to shaping marketing campaigns, it proves integral to the entire sports ecosystem, signalling a transformative era.

The post Score with AI in sports appeared first on International Finance.

The 20-time English champions are also anticipated to receive a second offer from British entrepreneur Jim Ratcliffe.

The deadline for declaring an offer to Raine, the merchant bank hired to help with the club sale, was March 22, 2023.

Sheikh Jassim is still confident that it is “the best for the club, fans, and local community,” a source close to him told AFP.

The Glazer family, who control Manchester United, is said to have set a record for the highest valuation of a sports team at £6 billion (USD 7.3 billion).

When they invited outside investment in November 2022, the Glazers, who have been deeply unpopular with fans since they burdened the club with heavy debts in a £790 million leveraged takeover in 2005, appeared poised to cash in their chips at a considerable profit.

They may still decide against offering a majority share of the club to buyers who only want a minority ownership.

Initial bids from February 2023’s first round of bidding were estimated to be worth about £4.5 billion.

An additional £1.75 billion committed in other infrastructure and player investment would eclipse the Premier League record of £2.5 billion paid for Chelsea by a consortium fronted by Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly and private equity firm Clearlake Capital.

In exchange for full ownership of the team, Sheikh Jassim has pledged to wipe out Manchester United’s USD 620 million debt, make significant investments in a new stadium and training facility, and support both the men’s and women’s teams on the pitch.

Ratcliffe, the founder of INEOS Chemical Company and a lifelong Manchester United supporter, has been more reserved in his evaluation of the procedure, adamant that he won’t pay a “stupid” price in a bidding war for one of football’s most illustrious clubs.

“How is the cost of a painting determined? How do you choose a house’s price? It has nothing to do with how much it costs to build or paint, ” Ratcliffe told the Wall Street Journal.

“Paying foolish prices for products is something you should avoid doing since you’ll later regret it,” he said.

Ratcliffe, who wants the Glazer family’s 69% ownership position, claimed that his interest in Manchester United would be “pure winning stuff” and referred to the team as a “community asset.”

Manchester United is anticipated to contact bidders by the end of March 2023, and there is still time to submit another round of bids.

If one bid is significantly higher than the others, it could engage in an exclusivity period, allowing for additional discussion before a final sale.

A delegation from Sheikh Jassim’s company has already seen the club’s stadium and training facilities to undertake additional conversations as part of their due diligence, followed by similar visits from Ratcliffe and INEOS representatives.

A successful Qatari offer would give the Gulf nation a big-ticket entry in the English Premier League, the most-watched domestic football tournament in the world, just months after hosting the 2022 World Cup.

The 2008 takeover by Sheikh Mansour, a member of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family, changed the fortunes of Premier League champion Manchester City.

The Saudi royal wealth fund acquired a majority stake in Newcastle in 2021.

Amnesty International has urged the Premier League to strengthen ownership regulations to prevent “more sportswashing” from occurring.

Three-time European champions Manchester United haven’t claimed the Premier League crown since former manager Alex Ferguson guided them to victory in his final campaign before quitting in 2013.

Image Credits: Milaha

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According to unidentified sources cited by Bloomberg, the Qatari royal family is getting ready to make a USD 6 billion opening offer for the club.

Reportedly, a consortium led by Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, a former leader of Qatar Investment Authority and the nation’s former prime minister, has submitted a proposal to buy the club.

The former Qatar PM’s son, Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad JJ Al Thani, issued a press release announcing his multi-billion-pound bid for Manchester United.

The lesser-known royal family member is now heading the bidding race for the renowned football club, and has hired Bank of America Corp. as one of the advisers.

Sheikh Jassim could post a final offer that values Manchester United, currently owned by the Glazer family, at about £5 billion (USD 6 billion), which would surpass the USD 4.65 billion paid in 2022 by a group led by Walmart Inc. heir Rob Walton for the Denver Broncos NFL team.

Sheikh Jassim’s family has been involved in major sports deals in the past. His father was the Qatar Prime Minister in 2010 when the country won its bid to host the 2022 World Cup.

As per reports, the 40-year-old will have to convince Europe’s top football body UEFA and Manchester United that the source of his wealth is not linked to Paris St. Germain, currently owned by Qatar Sports Investments, which has considered plays for Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool FC.

According to a Reuters article, US private equity firms and British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, who founded the chemicals company INEOS and has been a lifelong admirer of the team, is among the possible bidders.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk, the owner of Tesla and Twitter, has also indicated an interest in purchasing the football team.

The US-based Glazer family purchased the club in 2005 for GBP 790 million and is the prospective vendor.

As per Manchester Evening News, key figures at Manchester United are being kept in the dark by the Glazer family over the process to sell the club to avoid on-pitch distractions.

The Glazers are reportedly dealing with the Raine Group, the investment bank managing the probable sale of Manchester United, to avoid distracting the football staff.

Manchester United supporters have reiterated their opposition to the Glazer family through several chants during the 3-0 win over Leicester at Old Trafford. The club is just five points afar from second-ranked Manchester City and Premier League table toppers Arsenal.

The Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST) demanded that the prospective owner must back manager Erik ten Hag in a statement issued on the eve of the Leicester game.

MUST has implored any prospective bidder to “explicitly commit to backing Erik and his plans to restore Manchester United to glory”.

The Glazer family, led by Avram Glazer and Joel Glazer, executive co-chairmen and directors of Manchester United, has been considering selling their stakes in the club since 2022.

The late Malcolm Glazer bought Manchester United in 2005, and the move brought massive debts for the family, apart from distrust from hardcore supporters, even though the club kept on winning laurels at domestic and global events. Things turned for worse after the 2012-13 successful campaign under the club’s legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson (who retired in 2013). While the Red Devils have failed to win a Premier League title in the last nine years, its performances at the European circuit have taken a nosedive.

Also, frequent changes of managers, along with indifferent transfer seasons, have been adding more fuel to the fire.

Bidders now have access to confidential data on the club’s revenue, and the bidding race will likely get intense in the coming days. Jim Ratcliffe has offered to buy the 69% of shares owned by the Glazers, according to sources, while Sheikh Jassim has put forward an offer for 100% of the club.

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August 11, 2014: The German football club 1. FC Kaiserslautern has a new main sponsor in paysafecard.com Wertkarten GmbH. During the season’s first home match on Monday, August 4, 2014, against TSV 1860 München, the ‘Red Devils’ hit the field with jerseys bearing the paysafecard label.

paysafecard.com Wertkarten GmbH, a member of the international Skrill Group, is the world’s leading provider in prepaid solutions for online payments. The collaboration was established by marketing partner SPORTFIVE for one year, including further options. Besides sponsoring jerseys, the service package also encompasses other marketing-relevant activities such as broadcasts on the TV megaband on the new LED video tapes at the Fritz-Water Stadium on the social media channels of 1. FC Kaiserslautern.

Udo Müller, CEO of paysafecard.com Wertkarten GmbH, sees enormous potential in this partnership: “Internationally, paysafecard focuses its sponsoring efforts on football. Aspects such as high quality, sustainability, team spirit and the will to do one’s best is what connects paysafecard and 1. FC Kaiserslautern. We are proud to sponsor such a traditional club and look forward to accompanying the ‘Red Devils’ in the upcoming season. The first-rate potential of 1. FC Kaiserslautern offers further promising opportunities for future developments. For us, Germany is still a very important market, be it in terms of sports or economics. We are certain that both parties will significantly benefit from this partnership, as success is best encountered together.”

FCK Chairman Stefan Kuntz, is pleased with the collaboration: “With our new main sponsor, we have set the course for a fruitful 2014/15 season. We are also pleased to have found an international partner in paysafecard, which fits well in terms of fairness and honesty to 1. FC Kaiserslautern.”

Marc Hassenzahl, SPORTFIVE-department manager at 1. FC Kaiserslautern adds: paysafecard was our candidate of choice from the very beginning. And we are very pleased that everything paid off. Not only are we welcoming a global payer on board in terms of jersey advertising at FCK, but rather with paysafecard, we have a true German sponsor.”

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Sao Paolo, July 9: Brazil’s dalliance with  fiscal instability continued in May, data released by the country’s central bank on July 1 shows, sinking hopes that the ongoing FIFA World Cup would lift it from the morass that has forced funds to flee Latin America’s largest economy.

Alongside, an independent survey report said business conditions in Brazil’s manufacturing sector in June deteriorated at the sharpest pace since July last year.

Banco Central do Brasil, or the Central Bank of Brazil, said state-owned enterprises totted up a primary budget deficit of 11.046 billion reals (or $5 billion), topping analysts’ prediction of a shortfall of 9.25 billion reals.

In simpler terms, this means that these public sector companies did not earn enough in May to cover their expenses, including interest payment obligations for the month. This is, of course, a theoretical calculation, as loans are squared off with the financial accounts of the year concerned in mind.

This was also the second biggest deficit after a shortfall of 20.951 billion reals notched in December 2008, soon after the collapse of Lehman Brothers that triggered a global meltdown, goading analysts to say President Dilma Rousseff would struggle to meet the budgetary targets of her government.

The government aims to save at least 99 billion reals in primary surplus, or 1.9 percent of the GDP.

“It will be very difficult for the government to meet the 1.9 percent of GDP fiscal target in 2014 unless it is able to count on significant extraordinary non-recurrent revenue,” said Goldman Sachs senior economist Alberto Ramos in a client note.

The report reflected a continuation of the situation in April, when the once-bustling economy went on a sloth mode with business activity showing only moderate upswing despite the imminent FIFA World Cup.

According to official data released in June, the IBC–Br index of economic activity – the Brazilian central bank’s gauge for country’s performance in the farming, industry and services sectors – crept up 0.12 percent in April, registering a sluggish start to the second quarter.

Meanwhile, a survey report of Brazil’s manufacturing sector by HSBC said sectoral output dipped at the quickest rate in over two-and-a-half years in June, “reflecting an ongoing weakness in domestic demand”.

“Business conditions in Brazil’s manufacturing sector deteriorated in June at about the same pace as in May,” said Andre Loes, HSBC’s chief economist in the largest Latin American region.

PERVADING GLOOM

Reuters quoted Tulio Maciel, Banco Central’s head of economic research, as saying it was too early to say whether the Dilma Rousseff government would be able to meet its target.

Between January and May, the government has been able to meet 32 percent of the primary surplus target of 99 billion reals for the whole of 2014, with April accounting for 16.896 billion reals, primarily due to concession bonuses and dividends of public sector enterprises

According to Maciel, May’s deficit was due to an increase in public investment and a drop in revenue, which he said would get a boost from dividends of public sector firms.

Despite Maciel’s optimism, Banco Central said on June 26 that it is paring down its growth forecast for the current year. It also said the ongoing inflationary pressures were likely to ebb after a temporary peak this year.

In its quarterly inflation report it released on the day, the central bank lowered its growth forecast from 2 percent in its previous estimate to 1.6 percent, which it said would improve slightly in the first quarter of 2015 to 1.8 percent.

Alongside, the bank upped inflation forecast from 6.1 percent to 6.4 percent.

Reuters quoted Pontifical Catholic University professor Waldemir Quadros saying he feared the government would once again resort to alternative accounting methods or obscure operations to meet the target.

The Sao Paolo-based academician was referring to the government’s move to make transfers from a sovereign fund to boost its accounts before the year-end in 2012. The Rousseff administration had given tax breaks to a slew of industries in an effort to stoke the economy, but has in the process caused public finances to deteriorate rapidly.

In May, Brazil’s net debt spiralled up to 34.6 percent of GDP, the highest since last October. In late June, the government gave its consent to the sale of offshore oil rights to state-run oil company Petrobras, which will fetch 2 billion reals this year alone. However, it is feared that the move will strain the company’s finances.

JUNE OUTPUT

Meanwhile, HSBC’s June data indicated that business conditions in the Brazilian manufacturing sector deteriorated at the sharpest pace since July 2013. Output dipped at the quickest rate in 33 months, “reflecting an ongoing weakness in domestic demand”.

Adjusted for seasonal factors, the HSBC Brazil Purchasing Managers’ Index, or PMI, fell from 48.8 in May to 48.7 in June. Though the fall was slight, the latest reading was the lowest since July 2013 and indicated a third successive monthly deterioration in operating conditions.

Moreover, the latest drop in production was the third in as many months. All three market groups recorded lower output, with the quickest contraction seen at intermediate goods producers. The reduction in output was linked to a third successive monthly decline in order book volumes.

Reflecting subdued demand conditions, the quantity of inputs purchased by Brazilian manufacturers decreased in June. Although slight, the contraction in quantity of purchases was the second this year so far.

Brazilian manufacturers indicated that staffing levels were reduced in June, stretching the current period of job shedding to three months. Nevertheless, the pace of contraction was slight and little-changed since May.

Anecdotal evidence highlighted cost-cutting policies. Despite accelerating since May, input cost inflation was muted in the context of historical data. Where purchase costs increased, this was attributed by survey participants to the dollar-real exchange rate resulting in higher prices paid for imported raw material.

Brazilian manufacturers reported the pass through of higher input costs to clients, with prices charged rising during June. The rate of charge inflation was, however, only modest. By sector, the fastest increase in tariffs was registered in the capital goods category.

“Firms reported that output fell at the fastest pace since September 2011,” said HSBC chief economist Loes. “But while there is a lot of evidence that the economy as a whole is slowing, it seems likely that this decline also reflects disruptions related to the World Cup.”

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