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

Puma Appoints Steve Cecchini to Lead Global Sports Marketing

Puma has appointed industry expert Steve Cecchini as its senior vice president sports marketing, effective Oct. 1. He will report directly to Puma CEO Arthur Hoeld. In his new role, Cecchini will further develop Puma’s sports marketing organization, forging and managing partnerships. He joins Puma from Nike, where he most recently held the position of general manager of global football clubs, federations, leagues and partnerships.

Shorenstein Promoted to COO of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment

Marissa Shorenstein has been promoted to chief operating officer of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment. Since joining the company’s leadership team three years ago, Marissa has led communications, government relations, community impact and Brooklyn basketball, while serving as a partner to ownership and the executive leadership team. She will continue leading external affairs while taking on additional company-wide priorities.

Drake Maye, Dak Prescott Join Athletic Brewing as Athlete-Partners

Athletic Brewing Company, the nonalcoholic brewer, announced multiyear partnerships with pro football quarterbacks Drake Maye and Dak Prescott, who have each joined the company as athlete partners. Through their partnerships, Maye and Prescott will appear in dedicated marketing campaigns for the brand. The first work will run across social media as part of the company’s new “Athletic Fits” campaign, which puts Maye’s and Prescott’s personalities front and center through a series of playful spots built around one of football’s oldest strategies: misdirection.

Major League Table Tennis Sets Its Media Distribution Lineup

Major League Table Tennis (MLTT) announced its most expansive media distribution lineup for the 2026-27 season. Every MLTT match will stream live on the league’s YouTube channel and DAZN throughout the 2026-27 season, and DAZN will make every match available on demand across its global footprint. Sports Illustrated’s SI TV will televise select matches on its FAST channel in the U.S., while Youku Sports will carry live MLTT matches in China. Event recap programs will appear nationally on FS1 and AXS TV in the U.S. and on Game+ across Canada, while Gray Media, NBC Sports Bay Area & California and Angels Broadcast Television will expand MLTT’s regional presence across key U.S. markets.

Liverpool FC Sets Turkish Airlines as Future Main Club Partner

Liverpool FC has announced that Turkish Airlines will become its Main Club Partner from June 1, 2027, with the airline’s branding appearing on the front of the men’s, women’s and academy match shirts from the start of the 2027-28 season. This will represent the first change to the club’s Main Club Partner in 17 years. Standard Chartered, Liverpool’s Main Club Partner since 2010, will remain in the position throughout the 2026-27 season before transitioning to become a Global Partner from the 2027-28 season.

Kitman Labs, NWSL Renew Partnership Across All Clubs

The National Women’s Soccer League and Kitman Labs announced a renewal and expansion of their league-wide partnership. The NWSL has extended its use of Kitman Labs’ Performance Medicine Solution across every NWSL club and rolled out My iP, the platform’s reporting and visualization layer, to medical staff at every NWSL club, giving each team’s medical staff their own dashboards and reports built around their role.

PWHL, Scripps Sports Set National U.S. TV Partnership for 2026-27

The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) and Scripps Sports announced a national broadcast rights agreement for the 2026-27 season, the league’s first season-long national television package in the United States bringing PWHL competition to fans throughout the season. Scripps Sports will produce and televise a featured Saturday “Game of the Week” that will air exclusively in the U.S. on Ion, Scripps’ national sports and entertainment network.

Los Angeles Dodgers, Oura Announce Multiyear Partnership

The Los Angeles Dodgers have announced a multiyear partnership with Oura, establishing Oura Ring as the Official Health Wearable of the Dodgers. With the agreement, Oura will have select placements on the Dodgers’ in-stadium LED displays, along with scheduled giveaways and social media content featuring insights from the Dodgers’ strength and conditioning program.

Paramount+ Expands Sports Footprint With T-Mobile Arena Partnership

T-Mobile Arena, the Las Vegas sports and live entertainment venue, and Paramount+ announced a multiyear partnership that will rename the arena’s two-acre outdoor entertainment space Paramount+ Plaza. The agreement, brokered by AEG Global Partnerships, names Paramount+ an Official Partner and T-Mobile Arena’s Exclusive Streaming Partner. Paramount+ Plaza will make its debut during Zuffa Boxing’s Garcia vs. Benn fight week at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday.

The Farmer’s Dog Named NFL’s First Official Pet Food Partner

The Farmer’s Dog announced a multiyear partnership with the NFL, becoming the league’s first Official Pet Food Partner. Throughout the year, fans can expect exclusive content, experiences at NFL events including Super Bowl LXI, the NFL Combine and the NFL Draft, and community initiatives. The partnership launches with New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo and his senior rescue dog, Duke, longtime customers of The Farmer’s Dog.

Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment Partner With DAZN

Canadian Soccer Media and Entertainment (CSME) announced a partnership with DAZN that provides Canadian fans access to select UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League matches during the 2026-27 competitions. In partnership with DAZN, CSME is licensing the Champions League and Europa League matches to OneSoccer. Coverage began at the start of the 2026-27 Champions League and Europa League seasons.

Salomon and Ironman Announce 5-Year Global Partnership

Salomon and Ironman are announcing a five-year partnership. Beginning in 2027, the partnership will span performance and lifestyle footwear, apparel and technical bags at Ironman events globally. At the heart of the agreement, Salomon will become title partner of the Ironman World Championship race in Kona, Hawaii. As an Ironman Premier Partner through 2031, Salomon will have exclusive rights across performance footwear, apparel and technical bags within the Ironman ecosystem.

First Helmet Bumper Partnership for Minnesota Football Set

Gopher Athletics and Learfield’s Gopher Sports Properties announced a landmark partnership with Visible, the digital-first wireless carrier powered by Verizon’s network, naming the brand the first helmet bumper partner of Minnesota Football. Beginning Sept. 12, the Visible logo will appear on the back of every Minnesota football helmet, making the Gophers one of the first programs in college athletics to feature a corporate brand on its football helmet.

Chris Paul, Genius Sports Launch Media Venture

Genius Sports and NBA All-Star and entrepreneur Chris Paul announced the launch of a new athlete-led sports media company created in partnership with Paul’s Ohh Dip!!! Entertainment and Connor Schell’s Words + Pictures. The company will develop original sports programming and content franchises built around the perspectives of athletes and creators, combining their access and expertise with Genius Sports’ official data, AI and technology. Its first programming will be hosted by Paul. The company will also build a broader network of athlete and creator talent.

Issa Rae Joins LOVB Los Angeles as Investor

LOVB Los Angeles, the newest professional sports franchise in Southern California, announced that actor, producer, entrepreneur, former volleyball player and Los Angeles native Issa Rae has joined the team as an investor. The announcement comes as LOVB Los Angeles continues to build toward its inaugural 2027 season. The team recently announced that the Intuit Dome in Inglewood will serve as its inaugural home.

Statement From Hyrox Co-Founders Who Regain Majority Ownership

Christian Toetzke and Moritz Fürste have regained majority ownership of Hyrox, the company they created together in Hamburg in 2017. They have reinvested to acquire a majority shareholding in Hyrox as part of a transaction in which L Catterton, the consumer-focused investment firm, and WNDR, the venture capital firm founded by Jeffrey Katzenberg and Sujay Jaswa, join as partners, as Infront exits.