Top 5 – Bucket List Destinations for Sports Fans
Plus the WNBA's Delta partnership, Horse Racing's Rise in Jamaica, and more
Whatsup Squad,
Let’s get into the top stories of the week:
⭐️ FEATURE STORY
Bucket List Destinations for Sports Fans
For sports fans and culture enthusiasts, Luxury Lifestyle Magazine curated a thrilling list of destinations to explore.
England claimed the number one spot.
The country has one of the most famous stadiums in the world, Wembley Stadium, originally known as the ‘Home of Football’.
With sumo wrestling as the national sport, Japan held the number two spot.
The best time to get a premium sumo experience is at the basho tournaments, which take place six times a year in Japan during the months of January, March, May, July, September and November.
Greece also made the cut, offering a unique blend of history and modern-day fanfare.
Home to both Ancient Olympia, the original site of the Olympic Games, and the town of Marathon, Greece’s historical roots run deep.
The country is also famous for its wild basketball atmospheres, with fierce rivalries like Olympiacos vs. Panathinaikos creating some of the most electrifying environments in all of sports.
Bottom Line - Sports tourism generates around 10% of the world’s tourism expenditure. These destinations, along with France, the United States, Brazil, and Spain, each offer unique experiences that contribute significantly to the global tourism economy.
Read more here
WNBA 🤝 Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines is becoming the official airline of the WNBA.
Earlier this season, Delta expanded its WNBA charter program relationship as the league introduced a full charter program for the 2024 season.
Under the expanded multi-year agreement, Delta now carries all 12 of the league’s teams throughout the regular season and playoffs.
Delta will also work with the WNBA to produce unique content that showcases the journey of the athletes.
Bottom Line - Delta also serves as the Official Airline of the National Women’s Soccer League. The new agreement underscores Delta and the WNBA’s shared commitment to enhancing the growth and visibility of women’s sports.
Read more here
Horse Racing on the Rise in Jamaica
Since its 2022 debut at Caymanas Park in Jamaica, the Mouttet Mile Invitational has developed a reputation for attracting top-tier international talent.
It is the most lucrative horse-racing event in the Caribbean, with a purse of $250,000 (up from $150,000 last year).
Last year, the Mouttet Mile cut a deal with Fox Sports, and for the first time, horse racing from Jamaica was live on mainstream TV in the United States.
And with six overseas-based horses already showing interest in this December’s contest, it is quickly becoming a staple on the global racing calendar.
Bottom Line - With the global horse racing market estimated at $44.3 billion in 2022 and projected to nearly double to $91.2 billion by 2032, the Mouttet Mile is positioning Jamaica as a rising force in the industry.
Read more here
College Football’s Newest Metric
There’s a new metric in College Football: miles traveled.
For the first time, two conferences (Big Ten and SEC) will have schools in the Pacific and Eastern time zones.
UCLA, now part of a remade Big Ten Conference, leads the way with a schedule that involves more than 11,000 miles of travel — fueled by away games at Hawaii, Penn State, and Rutgers.
What’s driving the switch? TV Networks.
Under the Big Ten’s 7-year, $7 billion dollar media deal with Fox, CBS and NBC, the conference is projected to distribute $80 million to $100 million annually to each of its 16 members.
Bottom Line - As it becomes increasingly expensive to run college athletic programs, it is also becoming increasingly expensive to be a loyal, traveling fan. TV networks are shaping the future of college football, and in the process, widening the gap between the haves and the have-nots.
Read more here
Africa’s Biggest Music Star Makes Move into Sports
Nigerian superstar Burna Boy has launched a football academy with multiple training centers across the country.
Open to young boys from ages 4-21, the academy aims to create an environment where kids can learn the fundamentals of football, combined with education, discipline, and technique, to excel in life beyond the sport.
With Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur already connected to the initiative, Burna Boy Football Academy provides an opportunity for African youth to showcase their talent to managers, scouts, agents across the globe.
Bottom Line - Nigeria has one of the largest youth populations in the world, and the Burna Boy Football Academy positions the country to capitalize on the world’s most popular sport.
Check it out here
Until next time ✌🏾
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