Singapore’s women’s water polo team made its maiden appearance at the World Aquatics Championships last year, and finished last amid tough competition. The team hopes to do better this year. They will first face Paris Olympics silver medallists Australia in their opening group game, and subsequently be up against New Zealand and Italy. Alif Amsyar reports.

The intersection of gaming, college sports, and Gen Z’s $360 billion spending power has created a $6.7 billion market opportunity—one that Brag House Holdings (NASDAQ: TBH) is aggressively targeting. Zacks’ recent initiation of coverage on the company validates its unique model, which merges immersive digital experiences with institutional partnerships. For investors seeking undervalued small-cap growth, Brag House’s alignment with Gen Z’s cultural and economic influence presents a compelling thesis.

The Gen Z Opportunity: Where Gaming, Sports, and Identity Collide

Gen Z’s preferences are reshaping consumer markets. A generation that grew up with smartphones, social media, and esports now commands $360 billion in annual spending power. Brag House has positioned itself at the nexus of three trends:
1. Gaming as a Social Fabric: Over 70% of U.S. Gen Zers play games weekly, with 40% participating in live-streamed events.
2. College Sports as Identity: 60% of college students identify strongly with their university’s athletics, creating a lucrative audience for branded experiences.
3. Digital Ownership and NIL Rights: The NCAA’s 2021 NIL rule change unlocked a $1.5 billion market by 2027, enabling student-athletes to monetize their brands.

Brag House’s strategy leverages these trends through its partnership with Learfield, a leader in collegiate athletics marketing, and its proprietary SaaS platform.

The Learfield Partnership: Scaling to 200+ Campuses

Brag House’s collaboration with Learfield—announced in April 2025—marks a pivotal step. The partnership combines Learfield’s network of over 200 colleges (including flagship programs like Florida Gators Athletics) with Brag House’s ability to gamify school spirit. The first activation, the Brag Gators Gauntlet: Baseball Edition, drew strong turnout by blending Fortnite-style gaming with college sports.

The roadmap calls for expanding these activations to 10 campuses by late 2025 and 50 by 2026, unlocking incremental revenue streams. For Brag House, Learfield’s access to over 28 million fan records and 12,000 brand partners provides a data-rich pipeline to monetize Gen Z through targeted advertising and NIL-driven digital collectibles.

The SaaS Platform: Turning Data into Dollars

Brag House’s SaaS analytics platform is the engine behind its monetization strategy. By integrating machine learning (via Artemis Ave) and AI-driven engagement tools (via EVEMeta), the platform aims to:
– Leverage Behavioral Data: Track Gen Z engagement metrics to sell high-ROI ads to brands.
– Power NIL Platforms: Enable student-athletes to create blockchain-backed digital collectibles (e.g., highlight reels, access passes), with royalties from secondary sales.
– Scale Campus Activations: Use predictive analytics to optimize event timing and branding.

The platform’s potential is underscored by its focus on measurable outcomes: advertisers gain access to Gen Z’s attention, while universities and athletes share in revenue from NIL deals and sponsored content.

Valuation: A Catalyst-Driven Entry Point

Brag House’s stock has underperformed the broader market due to concerns over its delayed Q1 2025 Form 10-Q filing. However, with a July 28 compliance deadline looming, the stock could rebound sharply if the filing is submitted on time.

At current levels, Brag House trades at a discount to its peers, despite its first-mover advantage in the Gen Z collegiate gaming space. A successful 10-Q filing and the July 19 Brag Gators Gauntlet event—its first major post-IPO activation—could catalyze a re-rating.

Risks and Considerations

• Regulatory Compliance: NCAA rules on NIL rights remain fluid; Brag House’s compliance tools must stay ahead of evolving guidelines.
• Execution Risk: Scaling to 50+ campuses requires seamless integration of its SaaS platform and Learfield’s infrastructure.
• Valuation Sensitivity: Small-cap stocks often face volatility tied to macroeconomic trends.

Investment Thesis

Brag House’s valuation discount creates a high-reward asymmetry. The company is well-positioned to capture $6.7 billion in market opportunities through its Gen Z-aligned model. Key catalysts—10-Q compliance, expansion milestones, and SaaS platform adoption—could unlock significant upside. For investors willing to tolerate volatility, Brag House offers a rare chance to own a platform at an early stage of a multiyear secular trend.

Recommendation: Consider a position in Brag House ahead of its July 28 compliance deadline, with a focus on the July 19 event as a near-term catalyst. Monitor the stock’s post-filing performance and SaaS adoption metrics closely.

In a world where Gen Z’s preferences dominate markets, Brag House’s strategic alignment with gaming, sports, and digital ownership is a recipe for long-term growth—if execution meets ambition.

Could we be on the verge of seeing federal legislation on college athletics?

Some reports indicate such legislation could be introduced in Congress as soon as today.

Yahoo’s Ross Dellenger broke the news yesterday, with sources saying the proposed law known as the “SCORE Act” could be introduced as early as today in Congress.

The bill would do several things, such as codifying the House settlement, brings regulations to agents, preempts state NIL laws, and provide some enforcement strength to the new College Sports Commission, among other things.

One of the main concerns with the House settlement has been how it would hold up long-term, especially with lawsuits likely to be filed. Federal legislation would give the settlement staying power, while also providing some stability in the college sports landscape that college ADs and others have been asking for.

There’s no guarantee that this bill makes its way through Congress, but Dellenger said it “is on track to progress further than any all-encompassing athlete compensation legislation.”

This will be something to keep an eye on in the coming days to see when the SCORE Act is introduced and whether or not it can be a bipartisan effort to pass it.

Tweet of the Day

This would be quite a sight at a wedding!

Headlines

Why expanding the NCAA Basketball Tournament is a bad idea – Herald Leader

It’s looking like we’re headed toward 72 or 76 teams.

Almonor adds shooting, youth to TBT team – Vaughts Views

Really cool to see Ansley join the team.

Kentucky one of several schools pursuing Pulaski County prospect – KSR

The Cats were in early on Brady Hull.

CBS says pressure is mounting on Stoops – CBS Sports

Take a look at the CBS Sports Hot Seat ratings.

The mystery of Tarik Skubal – ESPN

Skubal has been incredible the last few seasons.

Deion wants salary cap for college football – Bleacher Report

What do you think?

How will the Thunder move forward with extensions for Big 3? – Yahoo

It will be a delicate juggling account for the Thunder front office.

Cooper Flagg vs Bronny James in Summer League is drawing interest – NBC Sports

How will Flagg fare in his first summer league game?

MLB to test Automatic Ball-Strike Challenge System at All-Star Game – SI

It already received a trial run during spring training.

BRONX, N.Y.  – Announcing a 28-match slate for Fordham University Volleyball this fall, Head Coach Ian Choi unveiled the 2025 schedule for the Rams Thursday afternoon.

Featuring three tournaments amongst a 10-game non-conference calendar, the Rams will also play an 18-match Atlantic 10 slate of matches, with eight weekend series alongside a home-and-home midweek series against Rhode Island. The Rams will play the first five weeks of the season in the state of New York, with the final two weekends of non-conference play featuring matches at the Rose Hill Gym.

Following a pre-season exhibition against Fairfield on Aug. 20, Fordham opens the 2025 campaign on Aug. 29-30 up in Binghamton, playing a single match against the host Bearcats on opening night, before a pair against Lehigh and UConn the following day.

The following week, the Rams make a short trip down Broadway to Columbia for the third year in a row to take part in the Big Apple Tournament, Sept. 5-6. The Rams take on Northeastern at 11:00 a.m. before taking on New Haven in the first ever Division I bout between the two sides at 5:00 p.m. and wrapping the tournament the next day against the host Lions at 3:00 p.m.

Sept. 11-13 sees the Maroon and White play their first home games of the season with the 22nd edition of the Rose Hill Classic, welcoming Hofstra, FDU, and Temple to The Bronx for five total matches over three days. Fordham will host FDU to start things off on Friday, followed by Hofstra on Saturday and Temple on Sunday. Both Saturday and Sunday will also feature an additional neutral site contest.

The Rose Hill Classic will open a stretch that will see the Rams play 11 of 13 matches at the Rose Hill Gym from Sept. 11 to Oct. 18, before hitting the road for seven of the final nine contests in the regular season.

In one final tune up before conference play gets underway, Fordham will host Central Connecticut State on Sept. 20 at the Rose Hill Gym, before opening A-10 play with their third straight weekend at home, hosting Loyola Chicago Sept. 26-27.

The lone road weekend amidst the extended home stretch, the Rams head out to Ohio for a meeting with  defending A-10 Champions, Dayton, Oct. 3-4, which advanced to the NCAA Regional round with a pair of wins in the tournament last season.

From there the home games pick back up with a midweek clash against Rhode Island on Oct. 8, before George Washington comes to town for a pair of games in The Bronx that Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 11-12. One week later the Rams will welcome Duquesne to the Bronx to close the homestand Oct. 17-18.

Making a trip out to Missouri, the Rams visit Saint Louis, Oct. 24-25, before a return trip up to Rhode Island in the midweek on Oct. 29. Fordham then hosts its final home games of the regular season on Nov. 1-2 with a pair of matches against Davidson, hosting senior day that weekend as well.

The final two weekends of the regular season send the Rams down to Virginia, taking on George Mason Nov. 7-8 and VCU Nov. 15-16, where the Rams will look to stay, as the top six seeds in the A-10 head to VCU for the 2025 Atlantic 10 Championship, Nov. 21-23 in Richmond.

Hampton Volley, a beach volleyball tournament organized by the legendary three-time Olympic Gold Medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings, will feature celebrity, professional, and local talent. The event is set to take place on Tuesday, July 22, from 9 AM to 6 PM at Kirk Beach Park in Montauk, and is free and open to the public for spectating.

Hosted by beach volleyball icon Kerri Walsh Jennings and CONTRA, this community event aims to bring the excitement of West Coast volleyball to the East Coast, offering an unforgettable day of celebration and giving back. The invitational tournament will feature eight dynamic teams, comprising celebrities, professional athletes, local lifeguards, standout amateurs, and community members, creating a unique competitive landscape.

Net Proceeds from the tournament will directly benefit two charities: the Hampton Lifeguard Association, which supports vital water safety initiatives in the community, and the p1440 Foundation, which empowers and inspires through the transformative sport of beach volleyball.

“I am incredibly thrilled to bring Hampton Volley to life and unite such an amazing group of individuals for this inaugural tournament,” said Kerri Walsh Jennings. “Partnering and rallying behind the Hampton Lifeguard Association and p1440 embodies everything I believe in – the power of sport, community, and giving back. This event will bring together neighbors and friends with incredible competition, joy, and a significant positive impact for these vital organizations.”

“We couldn’t be more honored to be a beneficiary of Hampton Volley,” said John Ryan Jr., president of Hampton Lifeguard Association and Chief Lifeguard of the Town of East Hampton. “This event is a fantastic way to bring together the community around the love of sport while enjoying our beaches. The funds raised will directly benefit our lifeguards and educational initiatives, making the water safer for all visitors.”

The inaugural Hampton Volley tournament will feature players including Brooke Nuneviller, Phil Dalhausser, Devon Newberry, Jaden Whitmarsh, Corinne Quiggle, Trevor Crabb, and Taylor Sander.

On Monday, July 21 (the day before the main event), Jennings will host a volleyball clinic for teens aged 11 through 18.

Clemson Athletic Director Graham Neff published a letter to Tiger fans on Wednesday. Neff addressed how the changes in the college landscape will impact the athletic budget.

Clemson Family – 

I hope you and your family have had a wonderful Independence Day weekend and are having a great summer.

The 2024-25 athletic year has officially come to a close in June, and as we look out upon a new era of college athletics, I wanted to take a moment to reach out to Thank You. There’s never been a more transitional time in college athletics, and I’ve never been more confident in our position. This year had an incredible number of records, big-time hardware and many big steps forward in our department – competitively and in the classroom – and we’re looking for even bigger things in 2025-26.

In May, nearly 100 student-athletes walked the stage, and our program’s academic accomplishment continues to set a national standard. We’ve led the nation among public Power Four institutions in graduation success rate (96%), had our second-best Academic Progress Rate on record (996 out of 1000), and our student-athletes have set GPA records in eight consecutive semesters.

We saw Lacrosse go to the NCAA tournament for the first time in their brief history, and advancing to the Sweet 16, our Men’s Tennis team advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013, and our Women’s Tennis program made the Tournament for the first time since 2018. Our women’s indoor track and field program took home the ACC title. Rowing took great steps in its first season under Adrienne Martelli, who led the Tigers to a top-25 ranking in the final poll for the first time since 2014.

The Softball program, still in its relative infancy, won its first ACC Tournament Championship and advanced to a Super Regional for the third time in five full seasons, and won its first Super Regional game at eventual National Champion Texas’s home field. The whole Regional weekend McWhorter Stadium was electric!

Baseball was among the top 15 teams throughout the season, and is one of just two baseball programs to host a regional in each of the past three seasons. Gymnastics had another strong season, and we recently welcomed Justin Howell and Liz Crandall-Howell as Co-Head Coaches, which sent a major message that our program is poised and ready to take yet another step forward.

This year, we’re one of two schools nationally with our Football, Men’s Basketball and Baseball teams ranked at the end of the season, and Clemson led those programs in graduation success rate. Additionally, we won 40+ Baseball games, 25+ Men’s Basketball games and 10+ Football games in the same season for the third time ever.

Our football program has a tremendous core intact and is being talked about nationally as a contender after its ACC Title and CFP appearance in 2024. We also recently announced a 12-year series with Notre Dame, and we’re excited that our game with LSU on Aug. 30 will be in primetime on ABC.

We recently opened the Watt Family Performance and Wellness Center, a new 55,000-square-foot wellness facility, which is the new national standard, and a day-to-day home for 18 of our 21 sports. Rarely do we have the opportunity to impact so many of our programs with one facility, and this fits the bill.

Suffice it to say – there’s never been a better time to be a Tiger.

Much has changed in the past few months as we’ve positioned ourselves for the future.

We have settled our lawsuit with the ACC, and in doing so negotiated an enhanced revenue distribution model that rewards viewership in football and men’s basketball. While we’ve been among the best in the conference in those metrics previously, we must continue to keep those incentives a focus.

The settlement of the House Case was recently approved by Judge Claudia Wilken, and the new roster limits, scholarship allowances and the ability to enter into licensing agreements with student-athletes are transformational. I’ve had the privilege to serve on a committee to outline the “new era,” and that has allowed Clemson to stay informed and strategic.

As we unveiled previously, we plan to be among the most aggressive in support of our programs, and will add nearly 150 new scholarship opportunities, share the full allotment of revenue allowed ($20.5 million in 2025-26), and be thoughtful in our approach. We released a lengthy letter and FAQ in October 2024, and most of the philosophy and direction released then has not changed. There are still many nuances that need to be ironed out, but Clemson continues to be positioned for broad-based success nationally, and certainly among the most visible sports.

While the landscape has been fluid, one thing that has been reinforced is that culture matters. The support Clemson and IPTAY provide to our student-athletes off the field and court, the people we have in place, and our leadership have offered so much more than just a chance to play. We’ve vowed to “keep Clemson Clemson,” and each of our donors and fans play a central role in that.

We’ve continued to innovate in our business practices, while scrutinizing our expenses and seeking several new revenue categories within Clemson Ventures. Alcohol sales in our venues began at the Spring Football Game, and we’ve seen consistent support that will have an impact on our bottom line. We also hosted the Savannah Bananas in a surreal night in Death Valley, and unique events in our venues will continue to build new opportunities.

To cut to the chase, there’s a lot going on, and we couldn’t invest in our programs and perform at the highest level without your support.

We are so grateful to you, and we can’t wait to see you this fall.

Graham

—courtesy of Clemson Athletic Communications