Shannon Sharpe, ESPN Sticking Together with New Extension
Shannon Sharpe and ESPN have agreed to a multi-year extension to keep the legendary tight end in-house, the network confirmed on Tuesday. The NFL Hall of Famer will remain a part of the First Take family alongside Stephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim, while ESPN added Sharpe’s role will also expand into “across various other ESPN programs to be announced later.” Per The Hollywood Reporter, Disney CEO Bob Iger personally reached out to Sharpe to help facilitate the new deal.
Christian McCaffrey Graces 'Madden NFL 25' Cover on Heels of Contract Extension
One week after signing a new two-year, $38 million extension that keeps him in a San Francisco 49ers uniform through 2027, EA announced Tuesday that Christian McCaffrey is its Madden NFL 25 cover star. Calling it a “career achievement and an honor,” McCaffrey is the first RB to be featured on the game’s cover since Adrian Peterson and Barry Sanders graced separate covers in 2014. Madden NFL 25 drops on Aug. 16 and will be available on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation5, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.
Rosalía Makes Solo Spanish Artist History with 1B Streams on Spotify
Rosalía‘s 2022 hit “Despechá” officially surpassed 1 billion Spotify streams on Sunday, making her the first Spanish solo musician to accomplish this achievement. The two-time Grammy Award winner celebrated this milestone on Instagram, adding that she is working on new music and for her nearly 28 million followers, emphasized that “the wait will be worth it.” The forthcoming project would follow RR, a joint EP she dropped with her ex, Rauw Alejandro, last year.
Jake Paul Launches Affordable Men’s Personal Care Brand
Entertainer and boxer Jake Paul has stepped into the personal care product ring, unveiling W on Wednesday, a men’s personal care brand that is “made to smell great and designed to work harder.” The initial launch will include three products — body wash, body spray, and deodorant — and is available at Walmart. Retailing for under $10, the line will also be available at Amazon later this summer. “That’s why I started W … to create products for guys that will boost their confidence and smell amazing, but also don’t cost $20 for a stick of deodorant,” Paul said.
TNT Sports to be Home of French Open in Warner Bros. Discovery Deal
Beginning in 2025, Warner Bros. Discovery’s TNT Sports will be the exclusive US broadcast platform for the French Open. WBD confirmed the news via a release on Tuesday, highlighting plans to air all live matches, in-depth highlights, behind-the-scenes, and ancillary content across all its platforms. This new agreement with Roland-Garros officially makes Warner Bros. Discovery the largest global broadcast partner for the summer’s first major Grand Slam and second in the tennis calendar year.
Metro Boomin Launches New Comic Book Series, 'The Metroverse'
As if he weren’t already talented enough in the music space, Metro Boomin is expanding his portfolio with the forthcoming release of his comic book series, The Metroverse. Only 4,000 copies of the standard inaugural issue, titled “Metro Boomin The Rise # 1,” and 300 signed editions will drop on Friday on The Metroverse website. Additionally, Metro will celebrate the first issue with an immersive pop-up in Los Angeles on Thursday in collaboration with Complex.
Fanatics Looks to Change the Trading Card Market with Sotheby's Partnership
Auction house Sotheby’s and sports memorabilia marketplace Fanatics announced a partnership on Tuesday that allows collectors exclusive access to buy some of the most coveted trading cards available on the market. New York will host the first live auction scheduled for September, and it includes a “1948 Leaf #79 Jackie Robinson” rookie card that could sell for between $275,000 and $350,000. The second auction, scheduled for December, will take place online.