Sports & Entertainment Beat

Endorsement Deals, Sponsorships & Investments

Kevin Durant and Utah Jazz Billionaire Get Behind SeatGeek
October 13, 2021 via Bloomberg – News (subscription may be required)
Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant and Qualtrics International Inc. Co-Founder Ryan Smith, the billionaire majority-owner of the Utah Jazz, are among investors backing ticketing platform SeatGeek’s merger with blank-check firm RedBall Acquisition Corp.

DraftKings Signs NHL, Turner Sports Deals as Hockey Season Starts
October 13, 2021 via Sportico – Business (subscription may be required)
DraftKings is deepening its relationship with the NHL as the league drops the puck on a new season—with new U.S. TV partners. The Boston-based gaming operator announced Wednesday (October 13) a new partnership with Turner Sports, including Bleacher Report, to be the exclusive sportsbook for the company’s new NHL coverage.

LeBron James Invests in Smart Home Gym Company Tonal
October 13, 2021 via Sportico – Business (subscription may be required)
Ahead of the NBA season’s tip, King James is expanding his endorsement empire. LeBron has invested in at-home smart gym company Tonal and will be the face of its upcoming campaign.

Steven Van Zandt Launches Wellness-Focused Cannabis Product Line
October 13, 2021 via leaderpost
Musician, actor and writer Steven Van Zandt, perhaps best known as a founding member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band and for playing the role of Silvio Dante on The Sopranos, is the latest celebrity to enter the cannabis industry.

'These Forests Should Live Long and Prosper': Star Trek Captain Chides B.C. Premier on Old-Growth Forests
October 12, 2021 via CTV - BC News
Canadian actor William Shatner, who famously played Capt. James T. Kirk in the original Star Trek TV series, is one of more than 200 celebrities, scientists, artists, and Indigenous and political leaders who have joined a campaign to pressure the NDP government to protect B.C.'s irreplaceable and iconic tall trees.

Checkers & Rally's Becomes Official Partner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the 2021-2022 Season
October 12, 2021 via Nation's Restaurant News
Tampa-based Checkers & Rally's, an iconic and innovative drive-thru restaurant chain known for bold and flavorful food, announced it has partnered with the 2021 NFL Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the 2021 season.

10 Celebrities Who Are Successful Cryptocurrency Investors
October 12, 2021 via Frisky, The
Many people were not aware of cryptocurrency when it was in the initial stages. The big Boom of crypto happened in 2020, and from then, its popularity has been escalating restlessly. Now the value of one Bitcoin is nearly $50,000.

Chobani Launches Its First-Ever Celebrity Co-Branded Product With Cody Rigsby
October 12, 2021 via WWNYTV
Chobani announced a limited-edition Complete Shake featuring Peloton instructor and fitness star Cody Rigsby.

Ernest Owens Signs Lucrative Endorsement Deals With Top Brands
October 11, 2021 via MarketWatch - All Company Press Releases News & Commentary
After playing basketball in Europe for the Westfalen Mustangs, Ernest Owens took acting professionally and is mostly known for guest-starring on the popular BET show “Boomerang." He recently announced his partnership with Medicleaf, which creates sustainable remedies for athletes and enhances the overall quality of life while bringing cannabinoid awareness to all.

DeChambeau’s Instagram Find Leads to Advanced Workout Tech Investment
October 11, 2021 via Sportico – Business (subscription may be required)
The story of Bryson DeChambeau’s investment in Proteus Motion’s training system started with a $20 Instagram ad buy.

Lady Gaga-Endorsed Couture House, Schiaparelli, Opens First Retail Outpost Beyond Place Vendôme
October 9, 2021 via Forbes - Business
Surrealism is returning to New York City. The clothing label started by original fashion surrealist Elsa Schiaparelli is setting up shop outside of its original Maison located in the heart of Paris at Place Vendôme for the first time over 60 years.

Chicago Rap Legend Lil Durk Becomes First Rapper to Be Sponsored by Glock
October 9, 2021 via MENAFN - Top Stories
Infamous rapper, singer-songwriter Lil Durk has become the first musician to receive a sponsorship from Glock, the most recognized handgun manufacturer in the world.

Lena Waithe Inks Multiproject Podcast Deal With Audible (EXCLUSIVE)
October 7, 2021 via Register Citizen
Lena Waithe, the Emmy-winning actor, writer and producer, is diving into audio programming in a new partnership with Audible. Audible, Amazon’s premium audio storytelling service, announced a multiproject development deal with Hillman Grad Productions, founded by Waithe and Rishi Rajani.

Squid Game Actress Jung Ho-Yeon Named Louis Vuitton's Global Ambassador
October 7, 2021 via Straits Times
Model-turned-actress Jung Ho-yeon, who catapulted to international fame in K-drama Squid Game, is now one of Louis Vuitton's global ambassadors.

Texas Longhorns Latest to Sign Broad 10-Year Fanatics Deal
October 7, 2021 via Sportico – Business (subscription may be required)
The Texas Longhorns are the latest top-tier college sports brand to sign a 10-year fan apparel deal with Fanatics.

Ashton Kutcher Invests in Cultivated Meat Company
October 7, 2021 via The Beet
Ashton Kutcher and talent manager Guy Oseary just announced that they are investing in cultivated meat company MeaTech 3D to develop "clean meat" alternatives for the masses.

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Film & TV

Can Turner Sports, ESPN Help Turn the NHL’s Stars Into Household Names?
October 11, 2021 via Morning Consult News
The NHL will reportedly more than double its annual media rights revenue, thanks to the start of new seven-year deals with the Walt Disney Co.’s ESPN and AT&T-owned Turner Sports. The new distribution model could provide the league with new opportunities to expand its audience and grow the profiles of the league’s young stars.

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Music Biz

Blackstone and Hipgnosis Song Management Launch $1 Billion Partnership to Invest in Songs, Recorded Music, Music IP and Royalties
October 13, 2021 via Financial Buzz - Top Stories
Blackstone and Hipgnosis Song Management Ltd today (October 13) announced a new partnership, backed by funds managed by Blackstone, which will initially deliver $1 billion to acquire music rights and manage catalogues.

KC & The Sunshine Band Co-Founder Sues EMI Over Copyrights
October 8, 2021 via Reuters - Top Stories (General)
Richard Finch, co-founder and bassist of classic disco-funk group, KC & the Sunshine Band, sued Sony Music-owned EMI Longitude Music in Los Angeles federal court on Friday, seeking a declaration that he can recover a share of copyrights in the band's music.

After ‘Verzuz’ Series Success, Timbaland Creates Beatclub
October 7, 2021 via The Columbian - News Headlines
Timbaland paved his own way as a hit-making producer for elite acts like Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z, but now he’s creating a lane for aspiring music creators to collaborate with the industry’s biggest performers.

Canada's Kilometre Music Group Closes Catalog Deals Encompassing Drake, Dua Lipa Hits
October 6, 2021 via Billboard
Canadian music rights management fund Kilometre Music Group has closed two new Canadian song catalog deals with copyrights to 383 songs, giving them a stake in hits from Drake and Dua Lipa to Camila Cabello.

Band Condemns British PM for Using Its Song Before Keynote Speech
October 6, 2021 via National Newspaper
Indie band Friendly Fires members say no one asked to use their song at the Conservative conference.

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Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)

SpongeBob, Star Trek, and South Park Digital Tokens May Soon Be Available as ViacomCBS Enters the NFT Market
October 13, 2021 via Business Insider - Top Stories
ViacomCBS is teaming up with NFT startup RECUR to sell digital tokens based on its shows. The media company owns franchises such as SpongeBob SquarePants and South Park, among others.

Dapper Labs Partners on NFTs with Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman
October 13, 2021 via Venturebeat
Dapper Labs is teaming up with NBA star Kevin Durant and his longtime sports manager Rich Kleiman on a collaboration with Dapper Labs’ NBA Top Shots.

Coinbase Launching NFT Marketplace
October 13, 2021 via Fox Business - Latest News
Coinbase Global Inc. is on a mission to make it a breeze to create, buy, advertise and learn about nonfungible tokens – and the company aims to do so by starting a new NFT marketplace by the end of the year.

New Venture Lets Fans Invest in Music Through NFTs
October 8, 2021 via Yahoo Finance - Top Stories
EDM artist Justin Blau and JD Ross, a co-founder of home-buying startup Opendoor, are looking to make investing in music accessible to everyone, using blockchain technology, by launching a new platform on October 21 called Royal, which will sell rights to songs through nonfungible tokens (NFTs).

Sorare Signs Bundesliga: You Can Buy Haaland’s NFT and Play Him in Crypto Fantasy Game
October 7, 2021 via Forbes - Business (subscription may be required)
Sorare signed a license agreement with Germany’s Bundesliga soccer league, the company announced in a public statement Wednesday morning. The new deal will bring tradable and playable NFT cards of soccer stars like Dortmund’s Erling Haaland or RB Leipzig’s Christopher Nkunku to the Ethereum-based game.

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Right of Publicity

Trump Threatens Legal Action Against a $5-a-Week 'Uncensored' Social-Media App That He Claims Uses His Name and Image, a Report Says
October 13, 2021 via Business Insider - Top Stories
Donald Trump has threatened legal action over an app called 2nd1st, claiming it uses his profile to attract users for $4.99 a week.

‘The Poster Child for the NIL:’ Sedona Prince Has All Eyes on Her Entering Junior Year With Oregon Ducks
October 8, 2021 via Yahoo! News
Thanks to the NCAA’s new rules on Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL), athletes now have a chance to profit while still in school, and Oregon's Sedona Prince is taking advantage of that. She has incorporated herself, built a brand, and is selling merch.