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Welcome to Sportico’stransactions wire, a weekly rundown of personnel, partnerships and products across the sports business industry.
TMRW Sports Names Champ Kelly SVP of Flag Football Operations
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TMRW Sports has named Champ Kelly as senior vice president, flag football operations, for the new women’s and men’s professional flag football league being created in partnership with the NFL. Kelly joins TMRW Sports after 19 seasons in NFL front offices, most recently serving as interim general manager and senior personnel executive for the Miami Dolphins. As part of this new pro flag football league, Kelly will oversee all league operations, including competition, player personnel, coaching, officiating and team administration.
LOVB Adds Execs From MSG Sports, City National Bank, NWSL
League One Volleyball (LOVB), the professional volleyball league that unites youth, club, collegiate and professional volleyball under one national brand, announced three senior leadership appointments for LOVB Pro as the league prepares for its third season and expansion to 10 professional markets. Tiffany Reaves (from Madison Square Garden Sports) has been named chief marketing officer, LOVB Pro, Kinsey Powell Fleming (from City National Bank) joins as chief financial officer, LOVB Pro, and Mma Afoaku (from the NWSL) has been appointed chief of staff, LOVB Pro.
GSE Worldwide Launches GSE Advisory, Names EVP
GSE Worldwide (GSE), a company in sports and entertainment marketing, event production and talent management, announced the launch of GSE Advisory, a new advisory practice that expands the company’s existing brand-facing capabilities by “providing senior-level strategic guidance to brands, rights holders, investors and sports organizations navigating growth through sports.” The company also announced the appointment of industry veteran Michael Brown as executive vice president, GSE Advisory. Brown most recently served as EVP of Sports at United Entertainment Group.
Legacy Motor Club Announces Strategic Ownership Group
Legacy Motor Club announced a strategic ownership group that includes Bryce Harper, Kelly Slater, Andy Roddick, Darius Rucker, Guy Fieri, Sam Byrne, Scott Dixon, Dario Franchitti, Tony Kanaan, Jen Rubio and Chase Utley. Legacy MC is an auto racing organization owned by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and Knighthead Capital Management.
SPH & Miami FC Taps Octavio Zambrano as GM & EVP
Sports Performance Hub (SPH), the privately funded sports, education, live entertainment and real estate ecosystem under development in Homestead, Fla., and Miami FC, the pro club that forms part of SPH, have appointed soccer manager Octavio Zambrano as executive vice president of the SPH soccer vertical and general manager of Miami FC. Zambrano brings more than 25 years of experience across MLS, international football and elite player development. He will set the strategic and technical direction for SPH’s soccer vertical while leading all sporting and business operations at Miami FC.
Novig, Mets Announce First MLB Club Prediction Market Partnership
Novig and the New York Mets announced a multiyear partnership, making Novig the Exclusive Official Prediction Market Partner of the Mets. The agreement marks the first partnership between an MLB club and a prediction market, as well as Novig’s first partnership with a pro sports team. Beginning this season, Novig will be integrated across the Mets ecosystem through in-ballpark, broadcast, digital and social activations.
ESPN to Present International Dance League for 2026 Season
The International Dance League (IDL) and ESPN announced a global rights agreement for the 2026 season. The series events will be presented in the U.S biweekly on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. ET; it started on July 28. IDL is the first global professional dance league, structured as a traditional sports league with teams, a regular season, and a championship format on the global stage.
LAFC Names El Mexicano Brand Club’s First Back-of-Kit Partner
Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) announced a new multiyear partnership with El Mexicano Brand, naming the company the club’s first Official Back-of-Kit Partner. Beginning with Saturday’s match in Vancouver against the Whitecaps, the El Mexicano Brand logo will appear on the back of every LAFC first-team jersey. El Mexicano Brand will receive prominent brand visibility across LAFC’s match jerseys while bringing its products directly to fans through in-stadium activations at BMO Stadium.
BKFC Announces Merchandise Distribution Deal With Kohl’s
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) has entered into a merchandise distribution partnership with Kohl’s Department Stores in the United States. Licensing partner Jon Wayne Gurman of JWG Sports Licensing LLC has launched BKFC’s retail presence nationwide with an exclusive lifestyle collection of officially licensed men’s and young men’s graphic tees. The collection is now available in approximately 1,200 Kohl’s Department Stores across the U.S. and online at Kohl’s.com.
Arthur Fils Joins TIVA as Investor and Ambassador
TIVA, the brand developing performance cosmetics, announced that ATP star Arthur Fils has officially joined the company as both an investor and ambassador, completing the fundraising round announced earlier this year. Already using TIVA’s products as part of his competitive routine, Fils now becomes a long-term partner as the company continues building a new category “at the intersection of sport and cosmetics.” The announcement coincides with the launch of Performance Sun Mist SPF 30, the brand’s first entry into sports sun protection.
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PERSONNEL
TMRW Sports Names Champ Kelly SVP of Flag Football Operations
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- Sportico Transactions: Moves and Mergers Roundup for July 24
- Sportico Transactions: Moves and Mergers Roundup for July 17
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TMRW Sports has named Champ Kelly as senior vice president, flag football operations, for the new women’s and men’s professional flag football league being created in partnership with the NFL. Kelly joins TMRW Sports after 19 seasons in NFL front offices, most recently serving as interim general manager and senior personnel executive for the Miami Dolphins. As part of this new pro flag football league, Kelly will oversee all league operations, including competition, player personnel, coaching, officiating and team administration.
LOVB Adds Execs From MSG Sports, City National Bank, NWSL
League One Volleyball (LOVB), the professional volleyball league that unites youth, club, collegiate and professional volleyball under one national brand, announced three senior leadership appointments for LOVB Pro as the league prepares for its third season and expansion to 10 professional markets. Tiffany Reaves (from Madison Square Garden Sports) has been named chief marketing officer, LOVB Pro, Kinsey Powell Fleming (from City National Bank) joins as chief financial officer, LOVB Pro, and Mma Afoaku (from the NWSL) has been appointed chief of staff, LOVB Pro.
GSE Worldwide Launches GSE Advisory, Names EVP
GSE Worldwide (GSE), a company in sports and entertainment marketing, event production and talent management, announced the launch of GSE Advisory, a new advisory practice that expands the company’s existing brand-facing capabilities by “providing senior-level strategic guidance to brands, rights holders, investors and sports organizations navigating growth through sports.” The company also announced the appointment of industry veteran Michael Brown as executive vice president, GSE Advisory. Brown most recently served as EVP of Sports at United Entertainment Group.
Legacy Motor Club Announces Strategic Ownership Group
Legacy Motor Club announced a strategic ownership group that includes Bryce Harper, Kelly Slater, Andy Roddick, Darius Rucker, Guy Fieri, Sam Byrne, Scott Dixon, Dario Franchitti, Tony Kanaan, Jen Rubio and Chase Utley. Legacy MC is an auto racing organization owned by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and Knighthead Capital Management.
SPH & Miami FC Taps Octavio Zambrano as GM & EVP
Sports Performance Hub (SPH), the privately funded sports, education, live entertainment and real estate ecosystem under development in Homestead, Fla., and Miami FC, the pro club that forms part of SPH, have appointed soccer manager Octavio Zambrano as executive vice president of the SPH soccer vertical and general manager of Miami FC. Zambrano brings more than 25 years of experience across MLS, international football and elite player development. He will set the strategic and technical direction for SPH’s soccer vertical while leading all sporting and business operations at Miami FC.
PARTNERSHIPS
Novig, Mets Announce First MLB Club Prediction Market Partnership
Novig and the New York Mets announced a multiyear partnership, making Novig the Exclusive Official Prediction Market Partner of the Mets. The agreement marks the first partnership between an MLB club and a prediction market, as well as Novig’s first partnership with a pro sports team. Beginning this season, Novig will be integrated across the Mets ecosystem through in-ballpark, broadcast, digital and social activations.
ESPN to Present International Dance League for 2026 Season
The International Dance League (IDL) and ESPN announced a global rights agreement for the 2026 season. The series events will be presented in the U.S biweekly on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. ET; it started on July 28. IDL is the first global professional dance league, structured as a traditional sports league with teams, a regular season, and a championship format on the global stage.
LAFC Names El Mexicano Brand Club’s First Back-of-Kit Partner
Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) announced a new multiyear partnership with El Mexicano Brand, naming the company the club’s first Official Back-of-Kit Partner. Beginning with Saturday’s match in Vancouver against the Whitecaps, the El Mexicano Brand logo will appear on the back of every LAFC first-team jersey. El Mexicano Brand will receive prominent brand visibility across LAFC’s match jerseys while bringing its products directly to fans through in-stadium activations at BMO Stadium.
BKFC Announces Merchandise Distribution Deal With Kohl’s
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) has entered into a merchandise distribution partnership with Kohl’s Department Stores in the United States. Licensing partner Jon Wayne Gurman of JWG Sports Licensing LLC has launched BKFC’s retail presence nationwide with an exclusive lifestyle collection of officially licensed men’s and young men’s graphic tees. The collection is now available in approximately 1,200 Kohl’s Department Stores across the U.S. and online at Kohl’s.com.
PURCHASES
Arthur Fils Joins TIVA as Investor and Ambassador
TIVA, the brand developing performance cosmetics, announced that ATP star Arthur Fils has officially joined the company as both an investor and ambassador, completing the fundraising round announced earlier this year. Already using TIVA’s products as part of his competitive routine, Fils now becomes a long-term partner as the company continues building a new category “at the intersection of sport and cosmetics.” The announcement coincides with the launch of Performance Sun Mist SPF 30, the brand’s first entry into sports sun protection.
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