Los Angeles Bids Farewell to the Staples Center
The final game in the Staples Center is in the books. The Lakers‘ 138-110 loss to the Spurs marked the final event played under the Staples Center name. The legendary venue will be re-named the Crypto.com Arena for the Christmas day matchup against the Nets, which is scheduled for Saturday at 8 p.m. EST.
BRADY Brand Customizes Signature Color with Pantone
Tom Brady is looking to extend his legacy. The seven-time Super Bowl champ is set to launch his newest venture, BRADY Brand, in mid-January. And on Thursday, the sportswear and apparel company revealed that they have partnered with Pantone Color Institute to develop a signature color, BRADY BLUE “to inspire fearlessness, resilience, and confidence towards achieving peak performance.”
Shaq Teams up with Notables to Raise Over $1M for Charity
Shaq-a-Claus is coming to town. The big man started celebrating Christmas a little bit early on Thursday, as he teamed up with Notables for the “Shaq Gives Back” NFT drop. The event launched on Thursday at 2:32 PM EST, and 100% of the proceeds benefit the Shaquille O’Neal Foundation — which provides tens of thousands of toys, clothing, and meals to underprivileged youth across the country. The drop brought in over $1 million in under 24 hours.
Sabrina Ionescu and Luka Dončić Headline Gummy Bear Ballers Collection
WME and BDA Sports have partnered with the HappyLand Gummy Bears NFT community for a “Baller Collection” of non-fungible token collectibles featuring some of the best NBA and WNBA players in gummy bear form, the companies announced Thursday. That list of 25 players includes Dallas Mavericks All-Star Luka Dončić, New York Liberty sensation Sabrina Ionescu, Phoenix Suns star center Deandre Ayton, and more. The launch comes at the perfect time for anyone scrambling for a holiday gift — for more ideas, check out Boardroom’s last-minute shopping guide.
Donovan Mitchell, Adidas Showcase Determination Over Negativity in New Commercial
Determination over negativity, that is Donovan Mitchell’s motto – and the theme of his newest ad with Adidas. Spida debuted the ad yesterday, which is narrated by Royce da 5’9” and documents the undersized guard’s unlikely rise as one of the NBA’s biggest stars. The ad will premier on broadcasts during the Christmas Day games.
NBA Launches New Shooting Shirt Patch Program
Following the success of the jersey patch program, the NBA announced on Thursday that teams can solicit partners for shooting jersey patch sponsorships. In the official statement, the league indicated that sponsors can be either the same or different than in-game partners, and offered specific rules for patch size and placement.
Arctos Sports Partners Expands Stake in Golden State Warriors
Arctos Sports Partners will increase its ownership stake in the Golden State Warriors from 5% to 13%. The team — which was purchased in 2010 by Joe Lacob and Peter Guber for a then-record $450M — is currently valued at $5.5 billion. Arctos is also a part-owner of the Sacramento Kings. The league allows private equity firms to buy into a maximum of five teams, and insiders believe that Arctos is considering expanding its portfolio.
Andrew Wiggins Joins the Bored Ape Yacht Club
The Golden State star became the most recent member of the Bored Ape Yacht Club. Wiggins purchased Ape #8324, which features a tank top with an Ape with crossed-out eyes, for approximately $200,000, and announced it on his Twitter, where he also updated his avatar. In other Bored Ape news, rapper Gunna tattooed an image of his ape, which he named BUTTA.