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What were the biggest sports business deals of Q2 2025?

Published

6 months ago

June 11, 2025

What were the biggest sports business deals of Q2 2025?

The second quarter of 2025 was another busy period of deal-making in the sports industry.

TKO began the quarter by teaming up with Saudi Arabia to launch a boxing promotion that aims to shake up the sport, while newly crowned Premier League champions Liverpool sealed a bumper kit contract with Adidas.

On the broadcast front, NBC struck a multibillion-dollar extension for US rights to the Olympic Games, the National Hockey League (NHL) bagged a lucrative deal with Rogers Communications in Canada and Rugby Australia (RA) secured an uplift on its partnership with Nine for the rest of the decade.

Q2 also saw William Chisholm agree to buy the Boston Celtics in a deal valuing the National Basketball Association (NBA) team at US$6.1 billion – a record for any North American sports franchise.

Below, SportsPro provides summaries, analysis and data-led insights into the deals that got the industry talking over the last three months, crowns the ‘Top Dealer’ of the last quarter and presents every sponsorship and media rights deal tracked during that period.

TKO launches new Saudi-backed boxing promotion

Image credit: Sela

Sport: Boxing
Category: Finance & investment
Terms: TKO to serve as managing partner, overseeing day-to-day operations, management and oversight of the promotion

TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), has confirmed it will be launching a new boxing promotion in partnership with Saudi Arabia.

SportsPro says…

This multi-year venture sees Endeavor-owned TKO team up with Saudi events company Sela, which is owned by the country’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), and General Entertainment Authority (GEA) chairman Turki Alalshikh.

TKO and UFC chief executive Dana White have been frequently linked with an entry into boxing, which has always looked like a natural fit for the pair given their experience in combat sports.

There is a lot currently unknown about this new promotion, including its roster and event schedule. That said, it seems there will be a heavy emphasis on unearthing the next wave of talent – a welcome prospect given the shrinking pool of boxing stars in the US.

Mark Shapiro, president and chief operating officer of TKO, also said on a TKO earnings call that the company stood to receive a fee of “US$10 million plus” and was “not putting any money” into the project.

Shapiro and White have both bemoaned the fragmented nature of boxing, where splintered governance, an excessive number of championship belts and squabbling promoters have meant elite bouts often fail to materialise.

The arrival of Alalshikh, though, has changed all that. Indeed, scanning the trusted pound-for-pound rankings on The Ring – which Alalshikh bought last year – reveals that most of the sport’s best have all now fought on a Saudi Arabia-backed card.

TKO’s entry into boxing has prompted many questions. Will the new promotion be the sport’s equivalent of LIV Golf? What will this mean for other established promotional companies such as Matchroom, Queensbury and Top Rank? And is TKO looking to create the ‘UFC of boxing’?

There is plenty to be answered in the coming months. But whatever this new venture is aiming to be, the combination of TKO, Alalshikh and Saudi Arabia is a potent mix for disrupting boxing.

Liverpool confirm new Adidas kit deal from 2025/26 season

Image credit: Getty Images

Sport: Soccer
Category: Sponsorship & marketing
Terms: Multi-year deal; reportedly valued at more than UK£60 million per year

English soccer champions Liverpool have unveiled German sportswear giant Adidas as their new kit partner from next season.

SportsPro says…

Reports that Liverpool were set to reunite with Adidas emerged last year. Confirmation of the deal means the pair will partner for a third time, having done so from 1985 to 1996 and then from 2006 to 2012.

The Reds, who won a record-equalling 20^th top-flight title this season, have had their kit supplied by Nike for the past five years in a pact that reportedly saw the club pocket a guaranteed UK£30 million (US$40.4 million) per year from the US brand, plus a royalty of around 20 per cent on net sales of club products.

This new contract with Adidas is reportedly an uplift on the Nike tie-up and is set to see Liverpool earn more than UK£60 million (US$80.9 million) per year. That would put the Premier League champions up amongst the rest of the top tier’s ‘big six’ in terms of the competition’s most valuable kit partnerships.

The extra income will also help Liverpool close the revenue gap on Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal, who all earned more than the Merseyside outfit in the 2023/24 financial year.

Though Nike has lost Liverpool, the company is due to continue partnerships with Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion next season.

Adidas, meanwhile, beefs out a Premier League club kit roster for the 2025/26 campaign that currently consists of Arsenal, Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Manchester United, Nottingham Forest and Fulham.

NBC and IOC sign US$3bn Olympic broadcast extension to 2036

Image credit: Getty Images

Sport: Olympics
Category: Broadcast & OTT
Terms: Valued at US$3 billion; runs until 2036

NBCUniversal’s parent company Comcast has agreed a US$3 billion extension with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to retain the US broadcast rights to the Olympic Games until 2036.

SportsPro says…

This extension felt like a parting gift from outgoing IOC president Thomas Bach, giving the Olympic movement and his successor Kirsty Coventry revenue certainty for more than a decade and funds to help futureproof the Games.

The IOC has spent the past decade wondering how it can maintain the Games’ appeal, particularly among younger audiences, a challenge which has been exacerbated by geopolitical issues and awkward time zones for recent editions of the Olympics, as well as a global pandemic that dominated Tokyo and Beijing and affected viewing figures.

However, Paris 2024 was an unqualified success, not least for NBC, which has made sport a core component of its streaming service Peacock, which showed every minute of last year’s Olympics.

The importance of this deal should not be underestimated given that NBC, whose prior contract with the IOC until 2032 was worth a whopping US$7.65 billion, is ultimately the single biggest benefactor of the worldwide Olympic movement.

Having shown every Summer Olympics since 1998 and every Winter Olympics since 2002, NBC has now made sure to secure another one of its marquee properties for the long-term.

Interestingly, though, the new deal extends beyond a traditional broadcast rights partnership, with Comcast set to provide technological infrastructure, offer access to its cohort of technology startups and collaborate with the IOC on digital advertising opportunities in the US, giving it potentially even greater control over how the Olympic broadcast is delivered.

Boston Celtics sold to William Chisholm in record US$6.1bn deal

Image credit: Getty Images

Sport: Basketball
Category: Finance & investment
Terms: Celtics acquired at a US$6.1 billion valuation

A group led by US businessman William Chisholm has agreed to acquire the NBA’S Boston Celtics in a deal valuing the team at US$6.1 billion.

SportsPro says…

The US$6.1 billion sale marks a significant return for the Grousbecks, who bought the franchise in 2002 for US$360 million. The Boston Globe reports that the sale price could rise further, with the shares sold in 2028 likely to be more valuable given the NBA is expected to further grow its revenues by then.

Either way, the sale is another sign that US franchise valuations continue to soar.

Chisholm and his group will benefit from the league’s new set of domestic media rights deals, which kick in from next season and are worth US$76 billion. However, it remains to be seen how he and Wyc Grousbeck will work together in managing the franchise up to 2028.

Chisholm will face significant challenges upon joining the franchise, which includes inheriting an expensive player payroll that will force him to make luxury tax payments. The Celtics also do not own their arena, which limits their gameday revenues, and they only own a minority stake in their local regional sports network (RSN) partner, meaning they cannot fully profit from their media rights.

Still, the Celtics’ US$6.1 billion sale opens the door for the NBA to consider expansion, with current team owners likely to be more open-minded given the high price tag.

NHL locks in Rogers media rights extension in Canada

Image credit: Getty Images

Sport: Ice hockey
Category: Broadcast & OTT
Terms: Valued at CAN$11 billion; runs from 2026/27 until 2037/38

The NHL has agreed a 12-year extension of its Canadian broadcast partnership with telecommunications company Rogers Communications.

SportsPro says…

The deal represents a major win for the NHL. The league has more than doubled the amount it receives under its current contract with Rogers, which was worth CAN$5.2 billion (US$3.8 billion).

Plus, with the agreement including an option to sublicense some of the rights, as Rogers did to Amazon for the final two years of its existing contract in an effort to recuperate some of its investment, there is still room for the deal to deliver further value for the NHL.

Though among the most popular sports in the US, ice hockey reigns supreme in Canada, meaning the NHL’s media rights are among the most coveted in the market.

One factor that potentially drove Rogers’ desire to retain the NHL is the improving performances of Canadian clubs, which drives interest and viewership. This season’s Stanley Cup playoffs featured five teams from Canada, up from four last year, and the Edmonton Oilers have reached the finals for a second consecutive year.

In fact, game seven of the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals was the most-watched broadcast ever on Sportsnet and viewership has been surging again in Canada during this year’s postseason, illustrating why Rogers was prepared to pay big to keep hold of the rights.

Rugby Australia extends Nine broadcast pact to 2030

Image credit: Getty Images

Sport: Rugby
Category: Broadcast & OTT
Terms: Five-year deal valued at up to AUS$240 million; includes all men’s and women’s international Tests (excluding Rugby World Cup matches), Super Rugby games, Sanzaar Tests and men’s Nations Cup

Rugby Australia (RA) has signed a five-year domestic broadcast extension with commercial network Nine in a deal valued at up to AUS$240 million (US$155.7 million).

SportsPro says…

RA announced a deficit of AUS$9.2 million (US$5.5 million) in 2024 and warned of “another challenging year”, so this broadcast extension will be warmly received by the governing body.

Indeed, RA will view the improved deal as a major win in a market where domestically it lags behind the Australian Football League (AFL) and National Rugby League (NRL), who pocket around AUS$640 million (US$384 million) and AUS$400 million (US$240 million) respectively from their broadcast contracts each year.

Super Rugby potentially being less accessible on free-to-air (FTA) television will spark debate about whether revenue superseding reach is in the best interests of Australian rugby union. RA, though, evidently deemed the exclusively arrangement with Stan Sport necessary in order to ensure an uplift in value of the new pact, while still retaining a significant FTA offering.

RA will be hoping to have landed on a deal that offers viewers the best of both words.

US Ski & Snowboard lands record Stifel sponsorship extension

Image credit: Getty Images

Sport: Winter sports
Category: Sponsorship & marketing
Terms: Reportedly valued at US$100 million; runs from May 2026 until April 2034

US Ski & Snowboard has extended its partnership with financial services firm Stifel in a deal described as the largest sponsorship in the national governing body’s history.

SportsPro says…

Stifel first partnered with US Ski & Snowboard back in 2022 and the latest extension, which Reuters reports is worth US$100 million comes after the company generated record revenues of close to US$5 billion in 2024.

The renewal comes with an expanded package of rights for Stifel, including title sponsorship across the entire US ski team in all disciplines, as well as the designation as the exclusive financial services partner of the governing body.

However, the length of the relationship suggests a big motivation for Stifel to lock in an extension was a desire to be associated with US Ski & Snowboard in the build-up to a home Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, which last year was confirmed as the host of the 2034 edition.

That may also have inspired its decision to introduce a performance bonus programme for athletes and coaches as part of the expanded deal, which will allow Stifel to be seen putting money directly into athlete pockets and enable it to align with the team’s success in the run-up to the Games.

US Ski & Snowboard will be hoping that other brands will be thinking the same way and that it can capitalise on the opportunity of the Winter Olympics returning to the Utah capital for the first time since 2002.

Alexis Ohanian makes latest women’s sport investment with WSL champions Chelsea

Image credit: Getty Images

Sport: Soccer
Category: Finance & investment, women’s sport
Terms: Reportedly valued at UK£20 million

Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian has bought a ten per cent stake in Women’s Super League (WSL) champions Chelsea.

SportsPro says…

Ohanian’s investment portfolio has shown he is a major supporter of women’s sport. This investment in Chelsea Women suggests he believes European women’s soccer holds major growth potential, with the continent featuring some of the sport’s biggest names and most storied clubs.

Having previously been key in driving the growth of the National Women’s Soccer League’s (NWSL) Angel City, which is considered the most valuable women’s soccer team in the world, the technology entrepreneur will hope to inspire similar development for the Blues. Since being spun off, Chelsea now have dedicated personnel and are striking bespoke commercial deals for their women’s team, which their owners believe will ensure the club remains one of women’s soccer biggest outfits.

Ohanian’s decision to invest in Chelsea comes as the WSL increases its efforts to grow its commercial revenues. A new broadcast deal with Sky and the BBC that begins next season will be worth UK£65 million (US$86.4 million) over five years, while the recently rebranded Women’s Super League Football (WSL Football) body is now in search of a league-wide sleeve partner deal, following Barclays’ title sponsorship extension for the WSL, worth a reported UK£45 million (US$59.8 million).

Women’s sport revenues to reach US$2.35bn in 2025

Date: March 2025
Published by: Deloitte
Market(s): Global
Category: Finance & investment, women’s sport

Commercial revenues surpassed US$1 billion for first time in 2024
Basketball (US$1.03 billion) and soccer (US$820 million) to generate biggest revenues this year
Significant rise in broadcast (US$590 million) and matchday revenues (US$500 million) also anticipated

Access the full report here.

Global sports industry generated US$170bn revenue in 2024

Date: May 2025
Published by: Two Circles
Market(s): Global
Category: Finance & investment

19 of the top 20 sports properties grew revenues in 2024 compared to the previous year
The National Football League (NFL) topped all sports properties with annual revenues of US$13.9 billion, an eight per cent year-over-year (YoY) increase
The industry remains on track to achieve annual earnings of US$260 billion by 2033

Access the full report here.

Toyota

Founded: 1937
HQ: Aichi, Japan
Sector: Automotive
Category: Sponsorship & marketing
Key deals signed: England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Cheetahs, San Francisco Unicorns, USA Swimming, New Zealand Rugby, Cricket Scotland, Cricket Ireland, Northern Super League

The second quarter was a particularly busy one for Japanese automotive giant Toyota, with SportsPro tracking eight deals across four continents that were signed by the car manufacturer over the past three months.

Two of those, with USA Swimming and the Cheetahs, were extensions. But there also were new deals that saw Toyota snap up premium inventory, including the front of the England cricket team’s playing shirts and the training kit of the All Blacks rugby union side, which became available after petrochemicals company Ineos cut short its deal with New Zealand Rugby (NZR) earlier this year.

Toyota is likely to have had some sponsorship budget become available following the end of its TOP sponsorship deal with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which was reportedly worth US$835 million when signed in 2015.

With the partnership announcements of the last quarter spanning cricket, rugby and swimming, as well as soccer, Toyota appears to be focusing predominantly on sports that have historically been associated with more affluent audiences.

At the same time, a big focus of Toyota’s sponsorship strategy, particularly in cricket, has been on grassroots engagement. The logic there is likely that making a difference at the community level will build trust among fans of the sport, who might then consider the brand the next time they’re thinking about making a car purchase.

Get your daily briefing of all the essential news across the sports industry with the SportsPro Daily Newsletter. Subscribe here.

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Miami WR Malachi Toney Announces Career News Amid College Football Season

Published

7 hours ago

December 22, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The No. 10 seed Miami Hurricanes defeated the No. 7 Texas A&M Aggies 10-3 in the first round of the College Football Playoff. It was a defensive battle, ultimately decided by a late fourth-quarter score and red-zone interception by Miami.

With the score tied at 3 and 1 minute, 44 seconds left in the game, Hurricanes wide receiver Malachi Toney scored on an 11-yard touchdown pass thrown by quarterback Carson Beck.

Up next for the Hurricanes is a Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic matchup against the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes. It’s an uphill battle, as ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Hurricanes a 29.5% chance of winning.

Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Malachi Toney (10).© Robert Myers-Imagn Images

Before his heroic performance, though, the wide receiver revealed an exciting Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) update. In a joint Instagram post, Toney revealed a new NIL partnership with Hellstar, a popular clothing brand that has a sports training component.

“We are so proud to announce our first Hellstar Sports College Athlete NIL signing – Malachi Toney🌟.,” the post caption read. “We had the privilege to coach @malitoney10 while he was apart of our high school 7 on 7 program, so now seeing him shine on the collegiate level we couldn’t be more proud.”

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What Colorado’s Athletic Department Valuation Says About Buffaloes’ Growth

Published

7 hours ago

December 22, 2025

Your Sports Nation

In the growing landscape of college athletics, Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals play a vital role in sports. Some programs are set up better than others based on a program’s valuation. Programs with higher valuations can help some of the top-performing teams stay successful.

CNBC released its valuation rankings for the country’s athletic departments, showing their growth from the 2024 fiscal year. The Colorado Buffaloes are ranked No. 47 in the nation, a rise from No. 55 in 2024.

Colorado Buffaloes valuation NIL transfer portal Deion Sanders Coach Prime Big 12 College Football Basketball Folsom Field — Nov 25, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion ‘Coach Prime’ Sanders on the field against the Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images | Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images

Breaking Down Colorado Buffaloes’ Valuation Ranking

Colorado’s 2025 valuation is $574 million, with a year-over-year value change of 22 percent. The program’s 2024 revenue is set at $147 million, with a 16 percent year-over-year revenue change.

A program’s valuation determines its monetary worth, and it is important to look at the growth, which shows that Colorado is trending in the right direction. It is also important to note that the valuation rankings are based on all of the athletics, not just the football program.

Where Colorado Ranks In The Big 12

When focusing on the Big 12 conference, several of the programs are in the same vicinity with their valuation ranking.

No. 39 Kansas: $620M
No. 41 Oklahoma State: $600M
No. 42 Baylor: $585M
No. 46 Iowa State: $575M
No. 47 Colorado: $574M
No. 49 Texas Tech: $570M
No. 50 TCU: $568M
No. 55 Arizona: $529M
No. 57 BYU: $500M
No. 58 West Virginia: $481M
No. 60 Utah: $451M
No. 62 Kansas State: $435M
No. 63 Arizona State: $430M
No. 68 Cincinnati: $280M
No. 70 UCF: $262M
No. 73 Houston: $222M

MORE: Colorado Gets Hit With Biggest Transfer Portal Loss Yet

MORE: Michael Irvin Gets Real On Blame Surrounding Shedeur Sanders

MORE: Deion Sanders Faces Recruiting Problem After Omarion Miller Transfer News

While from the top valuation of Kansas to the bottom, which is Houston is a significant difference in the Big 12, the conference teams are still in a similar vicinity overall. With it having to do with all athletics, the programs that have consistently strong teams, such as Kansas’ basketball team, make sense to have a higher valuation.

Looking at the Big 12 as a whole shows that the Colorado Buffaloes are in the top five for their valuation and trending upward.

Calling Back To Deion Sanders’ Comments On Fairness

While valuation is not the same as revenue, seeing the difference in the conferences does call back to Colorado coach Deion Sanders’ comments on the fairness between programs. The schools in the top five for their valuation are either in the Big Ten or the SEC, and all are in the billions.

“You talk about equality,” Sanders said during the Big 12 media day. “All you have to do is look at the playoffs and see what those teams spent, and you understand darn near why they’re in the playoffs. It’s kind of hard to compete with somebody who’s giving $25, $30 million to a darn freshman class.”

Although the valuation is on the programs’ overall athletics, Sanders has been outspoken about money when it comes to building the football program. With the Buffaloes facing a mass exodus through the transfer portal, Sanders has highlighted that several players are leaving because of money.

The positive side is that the Buffaloes’ valuation is growing with a 22 percent increase. This shows that the school’s athletics overall are being valued higher, and will help lead to more money poured into the program. With more money, the Buffaloes can put more of an emphasis on NIL as they look to build their roster and compete in the Big 12.

Insider Reveals Biggest Reason Behind Colorado’s Transfer Portal Mass Exodus

Published

8 hours ago

December 22, 2025

Your Sports Nation

From a player retention standpoint, the first few weeks of the offseason haven’t been kind to the Colorado Buffaloes.

Several key Buffs have announced their intentions to enter the college football transfer portal when it opens next month, including wide receiver Omarion Miller, safety Tawfiq Byard and freshman defensive end Alexander McPherson. While every situation is unique, one Colorado insider believes money has been a common denominator among players’ reasons for leaving Boulder.

Insider Reasons Colorado Transfer Portal Exodus Buffaloes NIL Deion Sanders Alexander McPherson Tawfiq Byard Omarion Miller — Oct 25, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Omarion Miller (4) is tackled by Utah Utes defensive back JC Hart (14) during the second half at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

“The super majority of those people, I’m talking 95 percent, are going to be leaving for a bigger bag,” Thee Pregame Show’s Uncle Neely said on his YouTube channel. “This ain’t transferring in 1990. This ain’t transferring in the year 2000. This is 2025. This is business now. This isn’t, ‘Oh, I don’t like the coach. Oh, I don’t want to be treated the way they treat me.’

“This doesn’t mean something is wrong. These are business decisions now. But what we like to do is run with the narrative that woe is me, something must be wrong, something must be going on. How are all these people leaving?”

The NIL (name, image and likeness) era has rocked college football, and the depressing truth is that schools with more money will ultimately land the best players. In the Big 12, no school better exemplifies that trend than new conference champion Texas Tech.

Who’s Leaving Colorado?

As of Sunday, 16 Colorado players will enter the transfer portal next month. That group includes 12 defensive players, six members of the Buffs’ 2025 high school signing class and a few other Buffs who spent only one season in Boulder.

Below is an updated list of Colorado players who plan on entering the transfer portal:

Safety TJ Branch
Defensive lineman Jehiem Oatis
Cornerback Noah King
Cornerback Teon Parks
Linebacker Mantrez Walker
Safety Terrance Love
Safety Tawfiq Byard
Wide receiver Omarion Miller
Defensive tackle Brandon Davis-Swain
Offensive lineman Carde Smith
Defensive end Alexander McPherson
Offensive lineman Tyler Brown
Defensive tackle Gavriel Lightfoot
Defensive tackle Christian Hudson
Defensive tackle Tawfiq Thomas
Wide receiver Dre’lon Miller

Uncle Neely shared his take that Colorado’s losses should be replaceable via the transfer portal.

“Have you ever stopped to say, what am I actually losing by those people leaving?” Uncle Neely said. “Have you ever looked at the numbers production-wise of who has announced that they’re getting up out of here and what you’re actually losing by them leaving?… Is it replaceable via the portal? And in this business in college football, is it replaceable cheaper? I would wager to say the answer is yes in all regards.”

MORE: Colorado Gets Hit With Biggest Transfer Portal Loss Yet

MORE: Michael Irvin Gets Real On Blame Surrounding Shedeur Sanders

MORE: Deion Sanders Faces Recruiting Problem After Omarion Miller Transfer News

The college football transfer portal will open on Jan. 2 and close Jan. 16. Colorado coach Deion Sanders and his staff can begin adding players from the portal at the start of that period.

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Report: LSU finalizes deal to hire Ole Miss’ Kevin Smith, puts him among highest paid RBs coaches

Published

9 hours ago

December 22, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Lane Kiffin is bringing another Ole Miss assistant with him to LSU. According to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, the Tigers have finalized a deal to hire Rebels running backs coach Kevin Smith for the same role.

Smith is reported to have a salary of close to $1 million, which would make him one of the highest-paid running backs coaches in the country. He is the sixth Ole Miss assistant to follow Kiffin to Baton Rouge.

The other coaches joining Kiffin at LSU are offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., tight ends coach Joe Cox, receivers coach Joe McDonald, inside receivers coach Sawyer Jordan and quarterbacks coach Dane Stevens. So far no defensive assistants from the Rebels have made the jump to Baton Rouge.

Smith worked with Kiffin as a running backs coach at Florida Atlantic form 2017-19 and joined his very first staff at Ole Miss in 2020. He stayed for the next two seasons in Oxford before leaving to take the running backs coach position at Miami in 2022.

Smith’s stint with the Hurricanes was a short-lived one as he returned to Ole Miss in 2023 and stayed through this season. Now he’ll look to continue the success he has enjoyed with Kiffin while building up the running backs room at LSU.

Smith helped to develop running backs such as Quinshon Judkins and Kewan Lacy during his time in Oxford. This past season, Ole Miss ranked fifth in the SEC with 185.6 rushing yards per game as Lacy led the conference with 21 rushing touchdowns and ranked second with 1,366 yards.

Ole Miss had its best season in program history this year to reach the College Football Playoff for the first time. However, Kiffin was not granted permission from the school to finish out the season with the Rebels after he accepted the LSU job.

Other assistants, including offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., were allowed to complete the playoff run with Ole Miss. The Rebels defeated Tulane in the first round and will face No. 3 Georgia, which they lost to earlier this season, in the quarterfinals.

As of right now, it looks like most of the Ole Miss offensive staff will follow Kiffin to Baton Rouge. The defensive side keep defensive coordinator Blake Baker, who has been on staff at LSU since 2024.

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Former 4-star QB announces plans to enter college football transfer portal

Published

13 hours ago

December 22, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The quarterback market is expected to be extremely competitive this offseason.

A ton of experienced signal-callers have announced their decisions to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, including Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt, North Texas’ Drew Mestemaker, Cincinnati’s Brendan Sorsby, and TCU’s Josh Hoover, among countless others.

The right move can benefit young quarterbacks, as players such as USC’s Jayden Maiava and Oregon’s Dante Moore benefited from transferring early in their careers.

An offseason coaching change has led one former blue-chip recruit to explore his options in the portal.

Former Four-Star Quarterback Expected To Enter Portal

On Sunday, Memphis true freshman quarterback Antwann “AJ” Hill announced his plans to leave the program after one season, per On3.

Hill appeared in two games in 2025, earning a redshirt. His most extensive action came in a 31-24 loss to UAB on October 18. Hill entered the contest after starting quarterback Brendon Lewis went down with an injury. In roughly two quarters of action, he completed 13/25 passes for 176 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception.

On the season, Hill connected on 19/32 passes for 223 yards with 1 touchdown to 1 interception.

Hill is transferring after Memphis head coach Ryan Silverfield was hired away by Arkansas. The Razorbacks don’t have a ton of depth at quarterback. Redshirt freshman KJ Jackson holds the most experience on the roster with five appearances and one start last season.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if Arkansas is involved in Hill’s transfer recruitment.

Hill was one of the highest-ranked prospects in program history to sign with Memphis. He was regarded as the No. 15 QB and a top-200 recruit in the 2025 class. Hill chose the Tigers over Florida following official visits to both schools.

During his prep career at Houston County High School, Hill compiled over 11,000 passing yards and led his team to at least one playoff victory in all three seasons as a starter.

Overall, Hill completed 800-of-1239 passes for 11,020 yards with 123 touchdowns to 20 interceptions. He added six more scores on the ground.

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound quarterback is expected to have four seasons of eligibility remaining.

Former Carolina wide receiver set for WWE main roster debut

Published

14 hours ago

December 22, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Former South Carolina wide receiver Matrick Belton is reportedly going to get a real shot on the main roster in the WWE. Belton, who goes by Trick Williams in the top professional wrestling and sports entertainment company, joined WWE in 2021 in the NXT brand. Now, he’s going to move up to either the Raw or Smackdown roster.

NXT is basically the developmental arm of WWE while Raw and Smackdown – shows on Mondays and Fridays, respectively – are considered the main roster. According to this report from PWInsider.com, Belton will make an appearance on the upcoming Smackdown, which was pre-taped.

Whether Belton moves to Raw or Smackdown is to be determined. Here’s the reporting from PWInsider:

Former WWE NXT and TNA Champion Trick Williams will debut on Smackdown on 12/26 with the storyline being he’s a free agent looking to sign with the brand. We are told Williams has not been officially listed internally on a brand yet, so he could appear on Raw in the upcoming weeks as well, but he’ll be moving to the main roster in 2026.

Belton is a two-time NXT champion and also held the TNA World Championship for 140 days earlier this year. Belton, a former SEC football player who was in the Philadelphia Eagles’ minicamp in 2018, recently got engaged to another former SEC athlete – women’s basketball player Anriel Howard, who played for three years at Texas A&M and her final year at Mississippi State.

Belton, a Columbia native who played for Keenan High School, joined the program in 2014 after spending his first two years out of high school at Hampton University. After sitting out due to NCAA transfer rules, Belton played in every game for South Carolina in 2015 and made five starts. He caught 11 passes for 121 yards his first season on the field.

As a senior in 2016, he played primarily on special teams, appearing in nine games. He played in 21 games over the course of his two-year career with the Gamecocks and made five starts.

Belton also spent time in training camp with Philadelphia Eagles. However, he decided to take a chance on pro wrestling and started training at the Combat Zone Wrestling Academy in New Jersey.

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