This Needs to Change

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March 27, 2023

It’s Wednesday! Welcome back to The Sports Road! You know the drill - Sports, tech, laughs, cringes, and more. Today’s edition is filled with more drama than a reality show… Enjoy!

Dana White’s Big Announcement
This is Starting to Get Really Ugly
MLS Just Cannot Stop
Do Referees Need More Protection?

Let's get into it!

With big fight after big fight being set up by the UFC, at this point, it wouldn’t be too controversial to say that it’s beginning to blow Boxing out the water.

When Jake Paul, a Youtuber who only started Boxing four years ago, is the Sports BIGGEST draw, something is off…

Highlighted by recent controversies in making the highly anticipated Usyk vs Fury fight, it just seems that current Boxing promoters aren’t willing to make the fights that people want to see.

Whether it's individual greed or the current way in which the Sport is set up, something needs to change.

That change, you ask?

Dana White; love him or hate him, you can’t deny that he is one of the greatest combat Sports promoters we’ve ever seen.

In the aftermath of UFC 286 - another resounding success, White stated that he is planning on starting his own Boxing promotion within the next 12-24 months… HUGE NEWS!

Teasing fans for years, this is one of the first times that uncle Dana has been this clear regarding its creation.

Who knows, this may be Boxing's true comeback…

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Crypto scams. Becoming more and more apparent, it’s beginning to impact some of the biggest Sporting institutions and players today…

Unfortunately, this one’s pretty ugly.

For context, trying to capitalise on the Crypto boom seen in the last couple of years, it was a no brainer for Football teams and players alike to invest and/or use these companies as sponsors.

Well, with the concept being fairly new for everyone involved, it looks like some are worse off than others…

In fact, as of writing this, La Liga club Celta Vigo are currently trying to sue a Turkish Crypto exchange sponsor.

Claiming in this tweet that no payments have been made since the start of the agreement, it’s not looking great. In fact, they aren’t the only La Liga club battling these issues. With Cadiz, Alaves, and Real Betis all being affected, we hope this gets sorted sooner rather than later 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

While this is happening, Nottingham Forest’s big winter signing Gustavo Scarpa and Mayke, a Palmeiras player, are currently trying to sue another Footballer!

Allegedly losing millions off an investment they were told to expect profits of 3.5-5% a month, the duo have launched a legal battle against WLJC - a firm owned by WIlliam Bigode, a Fluminese player.

We thought these rivalries stayed on the pitch… So hey, don’t beat yourself up. It happens to everyone 😉

While these issues exist, it’s worth noting the good Crypto is doing in the Sports scene, adding immense value to leagues and heavily improving fan engagement. Want to know More? Subscribe to The Sports Road 🤪

As you know, at The Sports Road we love covering the newest partnerships and innovations in Tech and Sport. Recently A LOT of this has come from the MLS.

From their $2.5 billion deal with Apple to the creation of their very own Sports Technology Incubator ‘MLS labs’, it’s clear to see that the American league is investing heavily in technology.

Looking at tech as a step in the right direction in improving their brand for the future to eventually be seen in the same light as top European leagues, we’re sure to see more…

In fact, we already are.

While using the technology is all well and good, without proper exposure, how far can it really get? This is why we love this new partnership…

Only one week after agreeing terms with the UFC, social media platform Tiktok have struck a deal with the MLS.

MLS scores TikTok partnership | News | Broadcast

This is what we know so far:

The deal will see the creation of the ‘MLS’ hub. This will act as a centralised content platform that will see engagement with the league HEAVILY increase.
Additionally, the two will launch the ‘Club Creator Network’ which will see top creators on the app working together with the MLS.
Never seen before behind the scenes footage will become available to fans
Tiktok content will be advertised at stadiums and other MLS events
Tiktok will be the co-presenting sponsor of the MLS’ own Esports league

Jeez… The potential for influencers to associate with the league could prove very impactful. Just look at Boxing… the combination of those two things can prove game changing.

“From tifos to club rivalries, MLS fans are some of the most passionate in the game, many of whom come to TikTok react to their favourite moments across the league, build community with other fans, and connect with the passion and authenticity of the soccer world. We’re thrilled to be partnering with MLS to take soccer content to the next level, all while giving our community exclusive access to the game they love so much.”

Harish Sarma, Global Head of Sport & Gaming at TikTok

Look, like we said a few days ago, everybody LOVES a good underdog story. Deeply linked to the FA Cup, nothing gets fans off their seats and emotionally invested like a good David vs Goliath story.

Well, this is not one of them… In fact, this is one of the season’s biggest capitulations, and we need to talk about it.

71’ - Fulham 1-0 Man United

72’ - Willian gets a red card 🔴

72’ - Mitrovic gets a red card 🔴

73’ - Marco Silva, Fulham manager, gets a red card 🔴

75’ - Fulham 1-1 Man United ⚽

77’ - Fulham 1-2 Man United ⚽⚽

So that escalated quickly…

While headlines have been dominated by the game itself, it left us wondering - what can be done to further protect referees?

As the divide between players and referees is seemingly worsening, one has to think that the Mitrovic situation isn’t going to be the only one of these that we see. Just look at Bruno Fernandes only a few weeks ago!

To allow the referee more control, some say that Football should adopt rules already being applied in Rugby, while others state that the existing inconsistencies in refereeing decisions have to be stopped before change can happen.

With AI, AR, and other forms of video technology constantly being applied to combat these issues, we hope to see change sooner rather than later.