Moves and Mergers Roundup for July 4, 2025

Welcome to Sportico’s transactions wire, a weekly rundown of personnel, partnerships, products and purchases across the sports business industry.

PERSONNEL

RAJ Sports Announces Senior Leadership Appointments

RAJ Sports announced a series of leadership appointments in Portland, including Clare Hamill as interim president of business operations for the new Portland WNBA expansion franchise, and John Torris as executive vice president of commercial strategy and business development for RAJ Sports. Additionally, Christopher Orechia has been promoted to vice president of corporate partnerships for RAJ Sports, and Ron Campbell has been promoted to vice president ticketing for the NWSL’s Portland Thorns.

WSC Sports Expands APAC Footprint With New Korea Office

WSC Sports, the AI-driven platform for sports content automation, announced the opening of its office in Seoul, South Korea, and the appointment of David Oh as head of commercial for the region. Oh brings more than 25 years of experience in sales and business development across domestic and international media markets. In his new role, he will lead commercial growth and client partnerships across Korea.

PARTNERSHIPS

Premier League, Microsoft Reach Five-Year Strategic Partnership

The Premier League and Microsoft have announced a five-year strategic partnership, making Microsoft the official cloud and AI partner for the Premier League’s digital platforms. This partnership, the organizations said, is meant to modernize the league’s digital infrastructure, broadcast match analysis, organizational operations and the new fan-facing digital platforms, which leverage Microsoft’s cloud and AI technologies. Fans can learn more about the Premier League clubs, players and matches of their choice through a new digital Premier League Companion powered by Copilot, which includes information from over 30 seasons of stats, 300,000 articles and 9,000 videos.

Brooklyn Nets Name All In Won as Jersey Patch Partner

The Brooklyn Nets and All In Won, a New York-based medical billing company, have formed a new multiyear partnership that will bring the two brands together ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season with the All In Won logo prominently featured on the front left shoulder of all Nets jerseys. This is All In Won’s first marketing partnership. The company will also work with the team throughout the season to recognize and honor healthcare employees and other essential workers in New York through a series of community events.

London City Lionesses, Nike Announce Partnership Ahead of 2025-26 Season

London City Lionesses, the only fully independent team in the Women’s Super League, announced a multiyear partnership with Nike. Under a two-year agreement, Nike will become the official kit supplier for London City, outfitting the team with performance apparel and training wear designed specifically for elite women footballers. In collaboration with Pro:Direct Soccer, the club’s 2025-26 home, away and third kits have been developed with a focus on innovation and athlete-informed design. Official kits will be unveiled from late July.

Nexo Becomes First Digital Wealth Platform of the DP World Tour

Nexo, the digital assets wealth platform, has signed a three-year partnership with the DP World Tour, becoming an Official Marketing Partner and the Tour’s Official Digital Wealth Platform through 2027. Nexo has also become the Title Partner of the newly renamed Nexo Championship—previously the Scottish Championship—taking place from Aug. 7-10 at the Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Chicago to Host First Lacrosse Game on a River

The Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) and Whirlpool brand are transforming a boat on the Chicago River to host the first lacrosse game played on a river. This event leads into the PLL’s return to Chicago for a weekend of games played at Northwestern Medicine Field in Martin Stadium. On July 10, a custom Chicago River Boat—retrofitted with a turf lacrosse field—will set sail at 12:30 p.m. CT and travel north through the city’s downtown corridor. The floating field will host a 3-on-3 exhibition featuring professional athletes from both the PLL and the Women’s Lacrosse League (WLL).

PRODUCTS

GameChanger Debuts ‘Athletic Intelligence’ Podcast Series

GameChanger has launched a new podcast series, Athletic Intelligence, focused on how technology and innovation are shaping the future of baseball and softball. The biweekly show features guests from across the sport, including MLB VP of on-field strategy Joe Martinez, Boston Red Sox hitting coach Pete Fatse and Athletes Unlimited star Sam Fischer. The series covers everything from player development tools to strategic shifts in the modern game. Athletic Intelligence is available now on all major podcast platforms.