TL;DR

Ter Stegen out months after back surgery; Trump targets NIL pay-for-play; Puma profit warning sinks shares.

Highlights

• WWE legend Hulk Hogan dies at 71 after cardiac arrest; closes a major era in pro wrestling 1.
• FC Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen to undergo back surgery, out at least three months; recovery could extend further 2.
• President Trump signs executive order restricting NIL (name, image, likeness) pay-for-play deals and ordering review of college athlete employment status; NCAA expects legal challenges 3.
• Five former members of Canada’s 2018 world-junior hockey team acquitted of sexual assault, ending a high-profile case 4.
• Puma shares drop 20% after new CEO warns of 2025 operating loss, citing weak demand, high inventories, and 145% U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods 5.
• Deckers Outdoor (Hoka, Ugg) shares surge 18% on strong Q1 results; Hoka revenue up 19.8%, international sales up nearly 50% 6.
• GameSquare Holdings acquires CryptoPunk NFT Cowboy Ape #5577 for $5.15M in preferred stock, adds $10M ETH to treasury 7.
• Elon Musk’s xAI partners with Kalshi to integrate Grok AI into prediction markets, aiming to improve real-time news analysis for traders 8.
• FCC approves $8B Skydance-Paramount merger after DEI and editorial bias concessions; Paramount shares up 1.4% post-market 9.

Commentary

Barcelona faces a significant setback as Marc-André ter Stegen undergoes back surgery, leaving the club without its starting goalkeeper for at least three months. This absence, potentially longer, will impact defensive stability and could influence La Liga and Champions League outcomes. Fantasy managers and bettors should monitor Barcelona’s lineup changes and any potential transfer activity to address the gap 2.

President Trump’s executive order on NIL payments introduces new federal oversight, barring universities from facilitating pay-for-play deals while leaving traditional endorsements intact. The move also directs agencies to clarify whether college athletes should be considered employees, which could reshape scholarship allocation and roster construction, especially in high-revenue sports. Expect legal challenges and possible volatility in college sports betting and fantasy projections as the regulatory environment evolves 3.

Puma ’s sharp profit warning and 20% share drop highlight the impact of weak demand, high inventories, and new U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods 5. In contrast, Deckers Outdoor delivered strong results, with Hoka and Ugg brands outperforming expectations and international sales showing robust growth 6. These divergent results may affect athlete sponsorships and brand exposure in sports marketing.

Elsewhere, GameSquare’s acquisition of a high-profile NFT and additional Ethereum signals continued institutional interest in digital assets intersecting with sports 7. Elon Musk’s xAI partnership with Kalshi to embed Grok AI in prediction markets could provide traders with faster news-driven insights, potentially increasing market efficiency 8. The FCC’s approval of the Skydance-Paramount merger may impact sports media rights and coverage, though immediate effects for bettors and fantasy players are limited 9.