Adidas Blasts into Metaverse with Bored Ape Reveal
Adidas revealed a new avatar on Thursday, Bored Ape #8774. In addition, Adidas shared a link to a Metaverse landing page on its website and announced its partnership with Gmoney, PUNKS Comic, and the Bored Ape Yacht Club. The news comes in the wake of last week’s announcement that the sportswear giant is partnering with Coinbase.
WWE Turns to Colleges to Identify Future Stars with Next in Line Program
The WWE has a long-standing tradition of turning college athletes into stars, just look at former Miami defensive lineman The Rock. Now, the WWE revealed the Next in Line program on Thursday, which will provide comprehensive support to promising college athletes to help them develop into the next stars of the ring. Student-athletes will receive access to the WWE Performance Center, as well as brand building, media training, and more.
100 Thieves Closes Out Funding Round with $460M Valuation
The gaming and esports company has had a huge year, which included partnerships and crossovers with the likes of Lil Nas X, Gucci, and StockX. The Los Angeles-based 100 Thieves announced Thursday that they completed a Series C round, raising $60 million from investors and bringing the business to a $460 million valuation.
Get on our list for weekly sports business, industry trends, interviews, and more.
John Madden Documentary Gets Christmas Day Release Date
Legendary coach John Madden is the most recent sports icon to get the documentary treatment with “All Madden,” which is set to premiere on Fox on Christmas Day. The film focuses on his coaching and broadcasting career, and how he revolutionized the video game industry and features interviews from Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Montana, Bill Belichick, and more.
PSA Acquires Card Valuation Platform Card Ladder
Rounding a huge year, PSA is adding even more power to its card valuation process. Its parent company, Collectors Universe, announced the purchase of Card Ladder, an online price guide and analytics platform. The details of the purchase are unknown at this time.
North Face and Gucci Unveil Collaboration
Winter is coming and this year you don’t have to sacrifice fashion while you bundle up. The Italian luxury brand dropped its second collaboration with the San Francisco-based outdoor retailer, which includes a puffer jacket, overalls, and a fanny pack.
OBJ Joins CLMBR as Investor and Brand Ambassador
The at-home fitness company, which boasts the “most efficient full-body workout,” announced on Thursday that the Rams receiver is their most recent brand ambassador. The news comes on the heels that CLMBR has also signed a deal with the UFC and the machines will be included as part of athlete training. Jay-Z and Novak Djokovic are among the company’s early investors.
Washington Capitals Link with Cameo for Charity
This holiday season, the Washington Capitals are teaming up with the app, which allows users to request personalized videos from their favorite celebrities and influencers for a pre-determined fee, to launch the “Caps for a Cause” program. The earnings gained from the program will go directly to the charity of each player’s choice. A message will set you back about $100, but you’ll have to shell out a little bit more for superstars Alex Ovechkin and T.J. Oshie.
Will Smith Takes Home First Award for King Richard Performance
Awards season is nearly upon us. And while we’ll have to wait a bit for Oscar nods, on Thursday The National Board of Review released its full list of winners. Will Smith nabbed the Best Actor honors for his portrayal of Venus and Serena Williams’ father Richard in Reinaldo Marcus Green’s “King Richard.”
Get on our list for weekly sports business, industry trends, interviews, and more.
