Steph Curry Claims 3-Point Record in Win Over Knicks
The NBA has a new 3-point King. Fans paid record-setting prices to get a shot at seeing Steph Curry put up his 2,974th three-pointer on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden, lifting him past Ray Allen for the all-time NBA record. Earlier this year, Curry reflected on the impending milestone and the legacy of Allen and Reggie Miller, telling Boardroom’s Nick DePaula, “It’s just surreal man. I’ve looked up to those two guys my entire childhood, and played against Ray for a little bit … It’s going to be emotional for sure. Us three can really say we’re the only ones that know what it’s like to shoot at that level. I hope they feel an appreciation for the inspiration that they gave me to think that I could do it myself.” Curry added three more treys, putting him at 2,977 by the end of the Warriors’ 105-96 win over the Knicks.
Socios Rolls Out Partnerships with 12 NHL Teams
The NHL entered the 2021-2022 season with a commitment to enhancing its fanbase. And on Tuesday, 12 teams around the league announced partnerships with crypto token company Socios, positioning teams to connect with fans in a wide range of new ways. The partnerships were unveiled every 30 minutes, revealing a packed roster that included the Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights, and New York Islanders. The 12 teams joined the New Jersey Devils, which announced a partnership with Socios in April. Fan tokens have become a hot commodity among soccer clubs across the world, stimulating fan engagement.
Chris Paul Joins Top NBA Talent as Investor in Move Insoles
The Phoenix Suns star announced on Wednesday that he was joining fellow NBA players, including Dame Lillard, Matisse Thybulle, and Jamal Crawford as an investor in Move Insoles. The start-up, which bills itself as “your favorite shoe’s favorite insole,” got CP3’s attention on the PlayersTV Shark Tank-style original series Front Office.
Kevin Durant, Thirty Five Ventures, + Boardroom Unveil Strategic Partnership with Coinbase
Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman’s Thirty Five Ventures have entered a strategic marketing partnership with leading cryptocurrency exchange platform Coinbase, the companies announced Wednesday. A relationship that began with 35V’s investment in Coinbase in 2017, this new partnership phase will include content and education around crypto via Boardroom, NFT news and creation, and a philanthropic integration with the Kevin Durant Charity Foundation (KDCF).
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UCLA Soccer Star Reilyn Turner Signed as Nike’s First NIL Athlete
Nike announced its first-ever student-athlete sponsorship on Tuesday, signing UCLA sophomore women’s soccer star Reilyn Turner to an NIL deal. The deal signals Nike’s commitment to supporting female athletes through meaningful partnerships at every stage of their careers. Additionally, with the deal, the legacy brand has set the model for future NIL signings, which will include an element that connects the athlete back to their community. That begins with Turner, who will focus on working with nonprofit partners in the Los Angeles area that help create an active and equitable future for youth.
Rumble League Studios Announces $4.5M Fundraise and 3-on-3 Metaverse Basketball League
Rumble Kong League, a gorilla-based 3-on-3 NFT metaverse basketball league, announced a $4.5 million fundraise on Tuesday, parent company Rumble League Studios said. The fund will fuel 10,000 unique Rumble Kong NFTs that players can buy to compete in tournaments and leagues, with the ability to purchase in-game web3 fashion, arenas, and wearables. CAA Sports, which will serve as Rumble League’s strategic advisor, was joined by JDS Crypto, SkyVision Capital, Ideo CoLab, Victory Creative Group, Framework Ventures, and Animoca Brands as part of the funding round.
Dak Prescott Dallas Cowboy-Backed OxeFit Releases First At-Home Fitness Product
Dak Prescott teamed up with fellow Cowboys legends, including Dez Bryant and Jason Witten, to back the at-home fitness company OxeFit during a $12.5 million Series A funding round completed earlier this year. The company revealed its first consumer product on Tuesday. The technology enables electromagnetic resistance without any physical weights and uses a web-based library of classes to connect users to a wide range of workouts during which their individual data are tracked.
MLS Esports League Returns, Confirms 2022 Schedule
Major League Soccer and EA Sports announced the competitive schedule and competition details for the upcoming 2022 eMLS season on Tuesday. The campaign will start in January of 2022 with 27 professional EA Sports FIFA players representing an MLS club. Each team representative will compete for a title and a $75,000 prize pool, the largest pot to date for the eMLS.
Solana Teams Up with Forte and Griffin Gaming Partner for $150M Fund
Solana Ventures announced that it has established a $150 million investment fund in partnership with Forte and Griffin Gaming Partners for Web3 games being built on Solana. This is the second investment fund announcement in as many months for Solana Ventures, which teamed with FTX and Lightspeed on a separate $100 million Web3 gaming co-investment fund in early November.
Vivid Seats Gets Into Gaming with Acquisition of Betcha Sports
Ticket reseller Vivid Seats has acquired Betcha Sports. With the acquisition, Vivid announced that their product will be “like if sports betting, fantasy, Twitter, and eSports had a baby,” allowing users to choose from one of many games to compete for major prizes while collecting badges and communicating with opponents. As part of the deal, Vivid Seats is paying $25 million for the sports gaming app company, with a possibility of adjustments of up to $40 million more depending on earnings.
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