Snoop Dogg to Sponsor the Arizona Bowl with Gin & Juice Brand
Snoop Dogg is heading to college football, announcing Monday that he — along with his Gin & Juice beverage brand — will be sponsoring the Arizona Bowl. “I’ve sent many players through my SYFL [Snoop Youth Football League] to colleges and the NFL, so it’s only fitting that I bring the ‘juice’ back to college football,” Snoop Dogg told Yahoo Sports. The Arizona Bowl becomes the first CFB bowl game to partner with an alcohol brand. The Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl is set for Dec. 28 and is “expected to be televised on a network with wide linear distribution, though that deal is not yet finalized.”
Issa Rae Aims to Change the Creator Industry with Ensemble
The content creator industry is ever-growing, and Issa Rae is looking to make an impact with the launch of Ensemble. Separate from her Hoorae Media company, Ensemble’s mission is to connect brands with diverse creators while also helping “close the pay gap between creators of color and white creators,” Business Insider reported on Monday. The company is off to a strong start, as it launches with a client list that includes Pepsi, Chili’s, and Popeyes and most recently partnered with Snapchat on the social media company’s newest creator accelerator program.
Sloane Stephens Launches Podcast with Uninterrupted
Add tennis star Sloane Stephens to the ever-growing list of athletes to launch podcasts. The 2017 US Open champ announced the launch of Sincerely, Sloane with Uninterrupted on Monday. “We’re peeling back the layers to share real stories, laughs, and life-changing moments that will inspire those to be their best self. Join us as we go beyond the surface with the brightest stars in sports, entertainment, and beyond,” Uninterrupted’s announcement post said of the podcast. The first episode will drop on May 13.
Avenue Sports Fund Reveals Inaugural Roster for TGL's The Bay Golf Club
Avenue Sports Fund and TGL, the interactive indoor golf league created by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, released the roster for its sixth and final team, The Bay Golf Club, on Monday. The team will include Ludvig Åberg, Wyndham Clark, Min Woo Lee, and Shane Lowry. Avenue Sports Fund, which boasts roughly $12.9 billion in assets under management, is led by former Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry and includes Golden State icons Stephen Curry, Andre Iguodala, and Klay Thompson. The inaugural TGL season will kick off in January 2025.
Streaming Services See Downloads Decline, Less Active Users in April
According to a research note unveiled by Bank of America on Monday, the number of downloads and monthly active users across all streaming services, including Netflix, Paramount, and Walt Disney, declined 4% in April. The BoA note cited data compiled by Sensor Tower. Many companies have seen their growth slow down in recent months, suggesting that some markets may be approaching maturity. Netflix saw a 6% and 8% decline in downloads and monthly active users, respectively, while Disney fell by 26% and 10% in each category. Warner Bros. Discovery, meanwhile, saw growth month over month and year over year, the research firm said, with 11.8 million downloads and 48.6 million users.
Taylor Swift, Post Malone Hold On to No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100
Continuing her dominant Billboard run, Taylor Swift, with some help from Post Malone, has maintained her No. 1 spot atop the Billboard Hot 100 for the second week in a row. Swift’s song “Fortnight,” featuring Posty, comes from her most recently dropped album, The Tortured Poets Department, which has seen major success since dropping in late April. Last week, the pop star made history when she occupied the first 14 spots on the Billboard list, all from the new project. While seeing Taylor at or near the top of the Hot 100 isn’t anything new, there were some firsts in this week’s list, as both Tommy Richman (“Million Dollar Baby”) and Shaboozey (“A Bar Song”) each recorded their first top 10 hits.