Serena Williams Tackles Crypto Accessibility with CashApp
Serena Williams is a noted blockchain aficionado, and she’s making moves to expand access to the sometimes confounding work of crypto. On Thursday, Williams announced her partnership with CashApp, joining as its most recent global ambassador. Williams joined fellow ambassadors, OBJ and Aaron Rodgers on stage at Bitcoin 2022 to discuss crypto and why each of them has opted into investing in alternative currencies.
UFC and Crypto.com Team Up for Fight Night Bitcoin Bonuses
The UFC is looking to address its compensation issues. To do so, it will team up with Crypto.com to create three new Fight Night bitcoin bonuses. The Fan Bonus of the Night will go to the top three fighters in each pay-per-view UFC event “as decided by fans voting from all over the world.” The first-place winner will receive $30,000 in bitcoin, followed by $20,000 for second, and $10,000 for third — based on the bitcoin exchange rate in USD. The new bonus will be introduced Saturday at UFC 273. UFC signed a reported 10-year, $175 million partnership with Crypto.com last July.
Four Seasons Co-founder Gets into Cannabis Game with Luxury Lounges
As the world opens back up again, we’re all looking for a little escape. Frank Orenstein, co-founder of the Four Seasons, announced on Thursday that his next project, Casteiron, will focus on combining cannabis consumption with the level of luxury and comfort that we’ve come to expect from the Four Seasons. The first lounges will open in LA, San Francisco, New York, Miami, Las Vegas, and Barcelona.
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Meta to Develop ‘Zuck Bucks’
Soon after Meta shut down its quest to mint a new cryptocurrency, the company announced that the dream may not be over quite yet. On Friday, reports emerged that Meta is looking into developing “Zuck Bucks,” which will serve as an in-app payment option. The push comes after other platforms have monetized different opportunities to incentivize creators.
CC Sabathia Joins the MLB in New Role
CC Sabathia’s iconic career may be over, but the legendary hurler is not ready to give up the game he loves. Sabathia was named as a special assistant to Rob Manfred. In his role, he will have a wide range of responsibilities, including player relations, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and youth development.
Questlove’s ‘Summer of Soul’ Documentary Surges in Streams
It’s been a busy award season for Questlove and his incredible film, Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), which chronicles the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. The movie took home best documentary at the 94th Academy Awards and then claimed the best music film category at last weekend’s 64th Grammys. According to Deadline, viewership of Summer of Soul “surged by +390% in hours streamed on Hulu, Disney+ and Star+” in the week between the Oscars and Grammys.
The Weeknd, MSCHF Announce Limited Vinyl Blade
The sheer dominance from The Weeknd’s After Hours era is bleeding directly into his Dawn FM era. Now, select fans will be able to listen to Dawn FM single “Out of Time” with the MSCHF x The Weekend: Vinyl Blade. The official website describes the product as a “playable saw blade record” made out of a “real 12-inch saw blade.” Only 25 have been made, and the blind 24-hours-only auction will close Friday at 1 p.m. EST. The “Out of Time” music video dropped earlier this week, co-starring Jim Carrey and Hoyeon. It was also announced this week that The Weeknd has replaced Ye as a headliner at this year’s Coachella.
Fenway Sports Group, Wasabi Technologies Enter Multi-year Partnership
The Boston Red Sox’s Opening Day matchup against the New York Yankees was postponed from Thursday to Friday, but there was still news of fresh beginnings in Beantown. Boston-headquartered cloud storage company Wasabi Technologies announced a multi-year partnership with Fenway Sports Group “that harnesses the power of sports and entertainment.” Wasabi will be noted as a “proud partner” of the Red Sox with “unprecedented brand awareness, community relations initiatives, and client and employee engagement across Fenway Sports Group properties through 2026,” and will also co-sponsor the Fenway Park concert series.
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