$58bn Oil Deal, AI’s SaaS Apocalypse & Why Private Equity Loves Cricket

This week on the AmplifyME Market Maker Podcast, Anthony goes solo to break down three big stories — a $58 billion oil merger, a pulled tech IPO, and private equity’s move into Indian cricket — all tied together by one theme: survival in the age of AI.

In energy, Devon Energy and Coterra Energy are merging to focus on efficiency and basin concentration as shale matures.

In tech, Blackstone-backed Liftoff Mobile paused its IPO after AI tools like Anthropic’s Claude Cowork cast doubt on the traditional per-seat SaaS model.

And in sport, firms including Blackstone, KKR, and CVC are betting on the Indian Premier League, drawn to the scarcity and predictable cash flows of live, un-automatable experiences.

From oil to software to sport, this episode explores how capital is repositioning for a world where defensibility and efficiency matter more than ever.

(00:00) Intro & Themes in Focus

(01:23) Oil Mega-Merger

(03:23) AI & The SaaS Shock

(05:59) Private Equity Buys Cricket

(08:11) The Big Picture

Want experience what it would be like to be an M&A adviser?

Register for our free M&A Accelerator simulation now!