Chicago's Momento Capturing Epic Fan Moments at NFL Stadiums | Bruin Capital raises $1 Billion

Get up to speed with latest news impacting the sports business landscape in Chicago and beyond. 🗞️

🚀 Chicago Startup Spotlight

📸 Fan-engagement tech startup Momento is turning candid stadium reactions into personalized keepsakes, and now that experience continues in the NFL postseason
Built to capture every fan’s genuine, in-the-moment reaction, Momento installs venue-wide camera systems and technology. These integrated camera systems take photos and GIFs at pivotal moments, such as last-minute touchdowns to walk-off home runs. The result: 40+ images per fan that can be accessed, shared and merchandised after the event. Inspired by the idea of turning the camera around on the fan, the platform is gaining major traction across the sports landscape. Six NFL teams are already using the technology, including the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, as well as teams in MLB, NHL, MLS, NWSL and more. Not only does the Momento platform support seamless photo capture and sharing (facilitated by AWS), it also drives incremental revenue through print, framed photos and commemorative items via co-branding opportunities with Sports Illustrated. For partner teams, Momento’s backend analytics also provide new insights into crowd behavior and fan engagement. This helps rights holders better understand and serve their audiences. As broadcast and digital fan experiences continue to evolve in 2026 and beyond, Momento’s strategic mix of real-time data capture and personalized memorabilia is both a must-have for teams and fans. Learn more in a recent SBJ feature here.

Don’t believe us, check out these fan reactions to Momento: https://vimeo.com/1140809346/97030e9572

🏟️ Sports Business Funding & M&A — This Week

• Bruin Capital raised $1B+ in new capital to invest in “second-level enablers” of the sports ecosystem, including technology, services, and infrastructure companies supporting leagues, teams, and athletes.

• KKR is reportedly acquiring Arctos Sports Partners in a deal valued at ~$1B, signaling continued private-equity appetite for scalable sports investment platforms.

• Global sportswear M&A heats up, as Anta Sports launched a ~$1.5B bid for a stake in Puma, highlighting consolidation pressure in performance apparel.

🎟 Upcoming Local Events 

Join us on February 12th, as we host a panel discussion on "The Future of Investing in Sports” at the Sports & Entertainment Innovation Summit brought to you by 1871. Featured investors will be: Marquee Ventures, KB Partners and Ryan Sports Ventures.

Event Highlights:

Keynote Conversations: Fireside Chat with Jaime Faulkner, President of the Chicago Blackhawks. Gain direct, high-level insight into leadership and the future of professional sports.

Industry Expert Led Breakout Sessions:

• Investing in the Future of Sports Technology with Chicago Sports Tech

• Stadium and Arena Innovations with Levy

• and more.

Startup Pitch Showcases: Hear directly from our exclusive portfolio founders as they demonstrate how their solutions are transforming the Sports & Entertainment landscape.

Startup Alley & Happy Hour: Discover the latest innovations from our portfolio companies while connecting with summit attendees.

Get your ticket at https://luma.com/d9s8dmly

Email [email protected] for more information

Who’s Hiring in Chicago

🏋️‍♀️ Chicago Stars FC announce new 'player-centric' club training facilities set for completion in 2027 Throughout their 13 years in existence, the Stars have been largely a club with transient homes. They’ve been forced to settle as second-choice tenants when it comes to stadium and training facility use. They’re one step closer to establishing a permanent home for themselves with a state-of-the-art training facility set for construction beginning in the spring. Bannockburn will be the home of their training facility. It’s a convenient home base for what could be their ongoing home stadium in Evanston. The Stars will play at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium starting this season. That’s just 17 miles away, compared to the 40-mile hike from their current training facility in Bridgeview. For the club itching to reinvent itself after the ownership change in 2024, it’s a bright start despite an abysmal season on the field. Especially in the NWSL, where most clubs share a training facility, it’s a distinguishing feature that, once finished, could go a long way in attracting free agents to the club. CBS Sports presents full details on the facility’s size and available rendering.

🏒Chicago Blackhawks announce rebranding of Fifth Third Arena as Blackhawks Ice Center While the Stars are building a new training facility, the Hawks are reimagining theirs. More than just a simple name change, the rebrand will expand the facility’s use with more public accessibility. Among the marquee changes expected this month are new dining options presented by One Off Hospitality and a new strategic partner to support operations and programming. The Hawks want the facility to be a more welcoming, inclusive presence on the Near West Side. Along with adding amenities to enhance guests’ experience, the facility will double the number of rinks from 2 to 4. That’ll give many people more opportunities to dust off their old skates and publicly embarrass themselves. Southland Marquee’s PSA tells of what to expect from the rebrand and expansion.

🏀 GSC Extends Partnership with Wilson Sporting Goods The Gulf South Conference is a long way away from Wilson’s headquarters in Prudential Plaza, but the trust they have for the cherished sporting brand makes them feel much closer. The announcement will ensure Wilson balls remain the official ones for soccer, basketball, and football. Additionally, the GSC will receive equipment during its conference championship events and will offer preferred pricing to conference members. The extension further solidifies Wilson’s standing as a premier supplier of sports equipment and game balls. Wilson partners with at least 14 Division I conferences, excluding its agreements with professional leagues such as the NFL and NBA. Sorry Spalding, Wilson continues to be the easy choice for most leagues and conferences when they’re looking for official game balls. GSC Sports discusses the full implications of the extension.

⚾️ What’s next for MLB and Venezuela? Officials assess impact on upcoming season, WBC When it comes to MLB players coming from abroad, Venezuela provides the second-most to the Dominican Republic. The dicey international relations between the US and Venezuela have major implications for the MLB and this summer’s World Baseball Classic. The situation has been tense for years. For the MLB, it hit new heights when a travel ban was issued last June for Venezuela. Players, coaches, and even a Little League World Series team suddenly found it difficult to travel to and from their home country. Fortunately, there haven’t been any reports of harm or fear of danger from Venezuelan players who had been in the country after the raid on Caracas on January 4th. But the tense situation underscores the ripple effect that foreign policy can have on the world of sports business. The Athletic provides more insight into the well-being of Venezuelan players and the forecast for this summer.

📺 Sports make up 96 of top 100 telecasts in 2025, tying an all-time record Are you not entertained? By anything other than sports, that is? Probably not, according to Nielsen. Not surprisingly, football made up the vast majority of the list, but it missed its all-time record set in 2023 by nine. College basketball took one spot, MLB took two, and the Kentucky Derby made an appearance on the list for the first time in three years. The sports-dominated list comes the year before the World Cup and a year after one that had the Olympics and an election in the same calendar year. Simple translation: football still rules. Despite any gains in popularity for other sports, there’s no sport quite like football that commands Americans’ attention. Props to the Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Oscars, though. These were the only non-sport and non-political events to make the top 100 telecasts list. Good to know everyone still enjoys watching that gigantic Snoopy float gliding down Central Park. Sports Business Journal unveils the top sporting events that made the list.

🥅 FIFA and Lenovo unveil multiple AI-powered innovations ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026 AI’s revolutionary impact has made its way onto the soccer pitch. As preparations for this year’s World Cup pick up speed, new technology promising to democratise and enhance the fan experience has taken center stage at CES in Las Vegas. The highlights of the new innovations announced include Football AI Pro. This is a generative AI knowledge assistant that will be available to all 48 countries to help them analyze gameplay. Other tools, like the Referee View, promise to give fans a unique perspective and speed up calls in live action. FIFA President Gianni Infantino is pulling out all of the stops in the last few months before the World Cup kicks off. It’s no secret that the US is one of, if not the top, growth markets for FIFA. As the SBJ top 100 telecasts of 2025 list clearly demonstrates, we Americans love our sports. Just not soccer as much…yet, if Infantino has his way. Given the crazy ticket prices reported so far for World Cup matches, FIFA should lean into enhancing the broadcast as much as it can. That’ll cover its bases for fans who want to but can’t afford to attend. FIFA dives into its latest innovations, announced by FIFA and Lenovo.

🏌️‍♀️LPGA Teams With TMRW Sports To Create Women’s Golf Version Of TGL Tomorrow is today for Women’s TGL. Shortly after Tiger Woods’ and Rory McIlroy’s brainchild, TGL (Tomorrow Golf League), began its second season, an agreement was reached between TMRW Sports and the LPGA. The goal is for the WGTL to start at the end of this year. Its season would run during the LPGA’s offseason, avoiding major scheduling conflicts. Golf in general is soaring in popularity. Participation in simulator golf has doubled since 2020. And among women, participation in on-course golf is at an all-time high. TGL’s popularity in its first season shows that the market is there and strong among younger, tech-savvy golf fans. The faster-paced version of what is traditionally an old man’s game continues to catch on. It’s still early in the formation of the WTGL, but if it gains as much traction as TGL, it could be a game-changer for the LPGA. Interest in the tech-enabled version of golf could translate into more interest in the LPGA. Forbes reports on the details of the tentative agreement between TMRW Sports and the LPGA.