About Boardroom

Boardroom is a sports, media and entertainment brand co-founded by Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman and focused on the intersection of sports and entertainment. Boardroom’s flagship media arm features premium video/audio, editorial, daily and weekly newsletters, showcasing how athletes, executives, musicians and creators are moving the business world forward. Boardroom’s ecosystem encompasses B2B events and experiences (such as its renowned NBA and WNBA All-Star events) as well as ticketed conferences such as Game Plan in partnership with CNBC. Our advisory arm serves to consult and connect athletes, brands and executives with our broader network and initiatives.

Recent film and TV projects also under the Boardroom umbrella include the Academy Award-winning Two Distant Strangers (Netflix), the critically acclaimed scripted series SWAGGER (Apple TV+) and Emmy-nominated documentary NYC Point Gods (Showtime).

Boardroom’s sister company, Boardroom Sports Holdings, features investments in emerging sports teams and leagues, including the Major League Pickleball team, the Brooklyn Aces, NWSL champions Gotham FC, and MLS’ Philadelphia Union.

All Rights Reserved. 2022.

Into the Netaverse

The Brooklyn Nets have filed trademarks indicating they are looking to become the first NBA team to enter the metaverse.

The metaverse may be about to gain a Brooklyn address.

The Brooklyn Nets have filed three separate applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the trademark “Netaverse,” according to trademark attorney Josh Gerben of Gerben Intellectual Property.

One filing indicates a potential interest in broadcasting — or at least replaying — games in the metaverse’s virtual worlds. That one calls for a trademark on the term for:

“Entertainment services in the nature of broadcast of three dimensional multi-camera virtual reality game services in the nature of broadcasts of live game action and replays of game action in the field of basketball and promoting a professional basketball team.” 

Stay Ahead of the Game, Get Our Newsletters

Subscribe for the biggest stories in the business of sports and entertainment, daily.

Another extensive filing is focused around merchandise, including “clothing, namely hosiery, footwear, basketball shoes, t-shirts, shirts, polo shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants, tank tops, jerseys, shorts, pajamas, sport shirts, rugby shirts, sweaters, belts…”

Well, you get the idea there.

The last filing is one that’s based around technology, calling for “downloadable computer application software for mobile phones, namely, software for providing an internet search engine for obtaining job listings, resume postings and other job search information…”

It is believed that the Nets are the first major professional sports team to indicate interest in joining the metaverse on their own. The Drone Racing League as a whole announced earlier this year that it would enter through a partnership with Playground Labs. The partnership was a natural fit, as the DRL had been linking the real world with the digital one through DRL SIM tryouts on its DRL simulator. 

Multiple athletic brands, such as Nike, Adidas, Puma, Under Armour and New Balance have all taken steps to claim their territory in the uncharted virtual world. Still, it remains to be seen how each of the brands will activate.

More from the Metaverse

Stay Ahead of the Game, Get Our Newsletters

Subscribe for the biggest stories in the business of sports and entertainment, daily.

Randall Williams

Randall Williams is a former Staff Writer at Boardroom specializing in sports business and music. He previously worked for Sportico, Andscape and Bloomberg. His byline has also been syndicated in the Boston Globe and Time Magazine. Williams' notable profile features include NFL Executive VP Troy Vincent, Dreamville co-founder Ibrahim Hamad, BMX biker Nigel Sylvester, and both Shedeur and Shilo Sanders. Randall, a graduate of "The Real HU" -- Hampton University — is most proud of scooping Howard University joining Jordan Brand nearly three months before the official announcement.

About The Author
Randall Williams
Randall Williams
Randall Williams is a former Staff Writer at Boardroom specializing in sports business and music. He previously worked for Sportico, Andscape and Bloomberg. His byline has also been syndicated in the Boston Globe and Time Magazine. Williams' notable profile features include NFL Executive VP Troy Vincent, Dreamville co-founder Ibrahim Hamad, BMX biker Nigel Sylvester, and both Shedeur and Shilo Sanders. Randall, a graduate of "The Real HU" -- Hampton University — is most proud of scooping Howard University joining Jordan Brand nearly three months before the official announcement.