💰 Y! Sports Biz: Bezos buys in

👋 Welcome back! Let’s get down to biz.

In today’s edition: Bezos makes a prime investment, Scottie’s set to pounce ahead of Tiger, the Lakers deal's insurance influence, the NBA’s national attractions, an emerging college to corporate pipeline, and more.

Time to show you the money...

⚽️ AMAZON TO ANFIELD

PRIME INVESTMENT: BEZOS BUYS INTO LIVERPOOL

(Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)

Liverpool completed last week’s trio of high-profile sports-team investments on Friday afternoon, announcing the sale of a minority stake to 1892 Holdings, a consortium led by Amit Bhatia that includes Jeff Bezos, Eduardo Saverin, and the Mittal Family Trusts.

The reported details: The stake reportedly amounts to approximately 30% of the club at a valuation north of $7 billion.

• The team: Bhatia will become the club’s vice chairman, while Elaine Saverin and Bryan Baum (the latter representing Bezos’ K5 Sports) will join the board.
• The next steps: According to CNBC, the consortium has the option to become the controlling owner at an $8 billion valuation in the next 12 months. The likelihood is that they didn’t come this far just to come this far…

Bezos in the ballgame: Given his status as the third-wealthiest person on the planet, Bezos’ entry into sports has long been a subject of speculation. The Amazon founder has been linked (with varying credibility) to nearly every American sports sale process of the last few years, passing on even his former hometown Seahawks.

• But a minority position in Liverpool, one that will reportedly see him ante up $1 billion of the consortium’s stake, has finally captured his interest and his wallet. The club offers global pedigree, well-developed commercial infrastructure, and experienced hands.
• Within the consortium, he’ll benefit from the experience of Bhatia, who was previously the chairman, director, and co-owner of Championship side Queens Park Rangers. Within the club, he’ll benefit from the experience of Fenway Sports Group, at least for now.

The end of the FSG era? Given the size of the minority investment and the reported option, 1892 Holdings’ long-term intent is apparent, signaling the possible beginning of the end for the FSG era of control.

• Their tenure, though not without its blemishes (the European Super League comes to mind), has been a success, delivering two Premier League titles, a Champions League title, a Club World Cup title, and three domestic cup trophies.
• The group purchased Liverpool for approximately $475 million in 2011, saving the club from the brink of administration. While it has sold minority stakes along the way, the lion’s share of returns will be realized in these latest sales at record prices for a soccer club.

Full-time: In Liverpool, Bezos and Co. gain a property as revered as the Yankees and Lakers, but they also inherit the responsibility of stewardship to a fanbase that does not tolerate commercial overreach or trifling with tradition. FSG has harvested the low-hanging fruit — and some of the higher stuff, too. Where does the next phase of growth come from?

📸 BANK SHOTS

MONEY ON THE FIELD

(Tyler Clouse/Getty Images)

Dyersville, Iowa — Led by two Kyle Schwarber blasts into the corn, the Phillies beat the Twins 7-1 in the MLB's third Field of Dreams game.

Inescapable irony: In the Field of Dreams film, the first visitors to Kevin Costner’s field are Shoeless Joe Jackson and his "Black Sox" teammates who were banned from baseball for their role in the 1919 World Series gambling scandal. In 2026, they’d find it hard to emerge from the corn without glancing at the large FanDuel ad plastered on the outfield wall.

(Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Memphis, Tennessee — Scottie Scheffler captured victory at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, leaving the field in his dust with an eight-stroke lead.

Money machine: With the win, Scheffler moves within almost exactly $1 million of Tiger Woods on the PGA’s career earnings list, taking his total to $119.64 million. A third-place finish next weekend would see him claim the throne. Scheffler also mathematically secured a $23 million bonus for leading in FedEx Championship points after the second playoff event.

(Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Mason, Ohio — Rafael Jodar overcame a 1-5 deficit in the third set to defeat Denis Shapovalov 7-5, 4-6, 7-5 in the Round of 64 at the Cincinnati Masters.

Coming untied: The 19-year-old Spaniard frustrated Shapovalov, requiring two separate breaks to change broken shoelaces. It’s not the first time Jodar has had lace trouble, sparking skepticism that it may be gamesmanship. Either way, it’s an undesirable look for Jodar’s sponsor Adidas, the brand’s shoes, and their apparently brittle laces.

🏀 INSURANCE POINTS

THE CANARY-COLORED JERSEY IN THE COAL MINE?

(Mario Tama/Getty Images)

In the wake of Mark Walter’s $12.5 billion Lakers sale, questions have mounted about the outgoing owner’s business practices and their impact on his sports empire. Perhaps more jarringly, the sale has highlighted concerns about the state of the broader U.S. insurance industry.

Skepticism surrounds the sale: It was difficult to ignore the timing of the shock Lakers sale, which occurred less than a year after Walter bought the team and less than a month after Bloomberg reported that Walter’s insurance businesses Delaware Life Insurance Co. and Clear Spring Life and Annuity Co. were the subjects of federal investigations.

• Reportedly central to the insurance investigations are private loans made to affiliated businesses that may not have been properly disclosed as such.
• Delaware Life, one of Walter’s insurance companies, reported only $1.4 billion in affiliated investments in June 2025, representing approximately 3% of its portfolio.
• A later restatement — made in response to a grand jury subpoena — saw that exposure rise to approximately 40%, the highest among North American life insurers rated by Fitch.

Credit questions: Loans to affiliated businesses appear to be core to the investigations, but recent reporting has also raised questions about the ratings of these credits. 

• Walter’s insurers reportedly lean heavily on a ratings firm, Egan-Jones, which itself has been the subject of scrutiny relating to commercial influence.
• Those insurers paid millions to Egan-Jones, according to the Financial Times, though this “investor-pays” model is not uncommon in private credit, and Egan-Jones has stood by the integrity of its ratings.

Summarizing the concerns: Generally speaking, if loans to affiliated parties were categorized as unaffiliated and rated as lower risk than they actually were, it could reduce the amount of regulatory capital an insurer is required to keep on hand to ensure it’s well-prepared to meet insurance payouts. The Bank for International Settlements highlighted the latter possibility in ratings as an industry-wide risk.

The canary-colored jersey in the coal mine? The most expensive sports franchise sale in history has thrust these concerns into the spotlight.

• Inaccurate affiliation disclosures or inflated ratings in private credit, if occurring on a broad scale, could have adverse consequences for the insurance industry should that credit falter. The life insurance industry’s exposure to the growing asset class has become significant.
• Typically, the mainstream public might not become aware of cracks in such a vital industry until the levy has broken — as in the 2008 financial crisis. But Main Street takes notice when one of the most prized assets in sports gets flipped like a trading card.

Seeking resolution: In the sale’s aftermath, Bloomberg reported that Walter was seeking capital to repay the scrutinized loans. Whether he can raise sufficient capital to do so without offloading other sports properties remains an outstanding question, though the Dodgers are not currently for sale.

Bottom line: There’s mounting smoke surrounding Walter’s businesses and myriad questions about the relation of that smoke to the Lakers’ extraordinarily lucrative fire sale. The investigations are not charges, and they could conclude without any accusations of wrongdoing. But the Lakers’ sale could also be the signal that heightens scrutiny on an economically foundational industry.

⚡ ICYMI

LIGHTNING ROUND

(Jack Compton/Getty Images)

🏈 Witherspoon becomes highest-paid CB: The Seahawks and cornerback Devon Witherspoon agreed to a four-year, $132 million extension that will make Witherspoon the highest-paid corner in history. The $33 million average annual value surpasses the prior high watermark of $31.2 million, belonging to the Browns’ Denzel Ward. But will a looming extension for the Patriots’ Christian Gonzalez surpass it?

🏒 Celebrini card sells for $1.3 million: A 1-of-1 2024 Macklin Celebrini Upper Deck rookie card sold for $1.28 million on Saturday at Goldin. It’s the second-most expensive hockey card to sell at auction, behind Wayne Gretzky’s O-Pee Chee rookie. It’s also just the fourth hockey card to top the $1 million mark — in a market where million-dollar sales are commonplace — and the first non-Gretzky.

📺 Aikman subject to conflict rules: The NFL’s team-access restrictions put in place for Tom Brady now apply to Troy Aikman, per Front Office Sports. Due to his role as a consultant for the Dolphins, Aikman will have no access to practice facilities and must conduct interviews off-site  in his work as an analyst for ESPN’s Monday Night Football.

See what else is trending on the Yahoo Sports Business Hub.

📺 SCHEDULE RELEASE

NBA'S NATIONAL ATTRACTIONS

(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

The NBA released its national TV schedule last week, including games airing on NBC, Peacock, ESPN, ABC, and Prime Video. The allocation of games tells us much about who the league and its broadcast partners view as the biggest draws and most marketable teams.

Maxed out: Teams can play a maximum of 34 nationally televised games. Just four teams received that maximum allotment: the 76ers, Spurs, Lakers, and Knicks. Represented are LeBron’s new team, Victor Wembanyama, the most expensive franchise in sports history, and the reigning champs.

Risers and fallers: Offseason roster movement can produce significant shifts in television visibility, with some teams gaining exposure and others losing it. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s move to Miami produced a 36-game swing between his new and old teams.

• Risers: 76ers (+20 games), Heat (+20)
• Fallers: Bucks (-16), Clippers (-13)

Out in the cold: Five teams are tied for the fewest nationally televised games in the league. The Nets, Grizzlies, Bucks, Pelicans, and Kings share the unwanted distinction, ensuring that they’ll be nearly invisible outside of their local markets. Condolences to all Zach Edey and Domantas Sabonis superfans, as well as those still holding Zion Williamson stock.

🎓 COLLEGE TO CORPORATE

GOING PRO IN SOMETHING OTHER THAN SPORTS

(Harry How/Getty Images)

“There are over 400,000 NCAA student-athletes, and just about all of us will be going pro in something other than sports.”

Burned into memory: If you watched college sports in the early 2010s, that line, from a frequently run NCAA commercial, still reverberates through your brain a decade and a half later. But times have changed, and college athletes get paid — in some cases like pros.

It’s not forever: Despite the handsome compensation available in some college sports and the ongoing fights for eligibility to earn it for as long as possible, a career in professional sports remains a rare prospect.

• According to the NCAA, 98% of college athletes still tick the “other than sports” box for post-grad employment, and the organization has once again launched a campaign to remind its constituents and the public of that reality.
• The campaign highlights the organization’s efforts to prepare student-athletes for life beyond the field, offering financial literacy, career readiness, and life skills programs.

An unlikely hero emerges: As college sports become more fertile ground for corporate advertisement, companies are courting school and NIL sponsorship opportunities, particularly with the recent elimination of restrictions on jersey patches. With some of these deals comes the prospect of an employment pipeline.

• According to the contract governing the University of Illinois’ patch deal with Busey Bank, obtained by Front Office Sports, the bank will provide two “career pipeline placements” for athletes annually.
• The announcement of Ohio State’s patch deal with JPMorgan Chase highlighted the company’s “growing early-careers pipeline that has brought more than 1,700 Ohio State University alumni to the firm over the past five years,” with ongoing collaborations on career fairs, internships, mentorships, and more.

Dual-pronged approach: These partnerships, at the school and athlete level, provide companies with exposure to an impressionable and important demographic of young adults who may become lifelong customers. And, while perhaps secondary to those pursuits, the deals can also cultivate a pipeline of potential employees.

🐅  LET'S PLAY

BETTER THAN THE BENGALS?

(Joe Sargent/Getty Images)

There are only six non-NFL teams with higher valuations than the NFL’s least valuable team, the Bengals, according to Sportico.

Question: Can you name those six teams?

Hint: Three NBA, two MLB, one soccer.

Answer at the bottom.

👕 SPONSOR SACKED

JERSEY SPONSOR FUMBLED AT WATT-OWNED BURNLEY

(Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Burnley minority owner J.J. Watt spent nearly two years designing an away kit for the English Championship club. His hard work paid off. The cream-colored, dairy-inspired jersey from the Wisconsin native was a hit. And now, every jersey sold to date is eligible for refund or exchange.

Burned: At the beginning of July, Burnley struck a deal with Finotive One, making the trading platform its front-of-shirt sponsor for the upcoming campaign. On Thursday, though, fans began to question if the club’s agreement was in danger.

• The announcement of the deal was removed from the club’s website, Sky Sports removed the sponsor from graphics showing Burnley’s shirt, and the sponsor was no longer seen on players in training photos.
• On Friday, Burnley announced a new sponsor, car retailer Vertu, informing supporters that they can exchange previously purchased 2026-27 jerseys (with Finotive branding) for a full refund or a replacement.
• In a separate statement, the club announced the termination of the Finotive deal, acting decisively to “protect the Club’s interests, and those of [its] supporters.”

Bag, fumbled: The reason for the partnership’s severance is not yet clear, but if it the outgoing company is to blame, Finotive could’ve picked a better owner to upset than the 6’5 Captain America-looking NFL Hall of Famer with 114.5 career sacks.

Trivia answer: Lakers, Warriors, Knicks, Dodgers, Yankees, Real Madrid. That’s the caliber of team required to surpass the Shield in value.

Thanks for reading! Wanna talk shop? Follow me on X and Linkedin, or drop me a line: dylan.dittrich@yahooinc.com.