Drake Drops Surprise Seventh Album with “Honestly, Nevermind”
Drake is back. The king of OVO announced late Thursday that his seventh studio album Honestly, Nevermind would drop at midnight. The 14-track release includes production from Black Coffee, Noah 40 Shebib, and more. Drake also dropped the album’s first video for “Falling Back” in which he marries 23 women and features a cameo from Tristan Thompson. Aubrey also launched a new show Table for One on Sirius XM in the run-up to the drop.
FIFA Rolls Out Venues for 2026 Men’s World Cup
The FIFA World Cup is headed to the Americas. The soccer federation revealed the 16 cities that will host all 80 matches, spanning the United States, Canada, and Mexico. New York, Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles, and San Francisco emerged as repeats from when the U.S. hosted the 1994 men’s World Cup. While the schedule has not been revealed at this time, Los Angeles, New York, and Mexico City are viewed as the favorites to host the final.
Boardroom assembled the full list of host cities.
Sue Bird Confirms Retirement After 2022 Season
Sue Bird is sending her jersey to the rafters. After a 21-year career with the Seattle Storm, the WNBA legend announced her retirement from basketball at the end of the 2022 season. The 12-time All-Star and eight-time All-WNBA selection leads the league as its all-time assist leader (3,114 and counting) and as a four-time WNBA champion.
Magic Johnson Grows Web3 Portfolio as New Football Team Owner
Believe in Magic. NBA legend Magic Johnson recently revealed himself as the newest owner of the Los Angeles Magic of SimWin Sports’ football league. The league is the world’s first digital sports association that integrates a fantasy and betting overlay, delivering fans the ability to watch, predict play calls, and collect NFTs. Other team owners include LaMelo Ball, Jerry Rice, Penny Hardaway, and Dr. Jen Welter. The league’s inaugural start date is currently unknown.
Off-White Reveals Hole New MLB x New Era Collection
Off-White and the MLB are collaborating on a high-end collection. The collaboration celebrates six different MLB clubs including the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, Oakland Athletics, Toronto Blue Jays, and Chicago Cubs. The viral collection features an array of hats, hoodies, jerseys, and t-shirts. Each piece features large “meteor holes” and jerseys are set to retail for $1,030.
LAFC Granted Equity Option with NWSL Club Angel City
MLS’s LAFC has options. The team’s four-year lease agreement with Banc of California Stadium gives the club potential to invest in women’s club Angel City FC. LAFC will allow Angel City to play home games in its stadium. In exchange, LAFC will earn a cut of the ticket, merch, and concessions sales for games that Angel City plays at home. Angel City has nearly 100 investors (a league-high) and is currently shopping naming rights to the stadium valued at nearly $350 million.
Anderson .Paak, Blake Griffin, & Maya Moore Invest in Black Equity in Tech
“The age of the disengaged celebrity is over,” Cultural Leadership Fund president Megan Holston-Alexander recently told Boardroom. CLF and a16z announced the launch of their third fund, advancing opportunities for the Black community in technology. The third fund includes a huge number of athletes and celebrities, including Anderson .Paak, Blake Griffin, Maya Moore, and Patrick Mahomes.
Excel Sports Management Acquires Creative Agency Game Seven
Excel Sports Management purchased Brooklyn-based creative agency Game Seven. Game Seven is a ubiquitous collaborator in the space, working with Nike, Foot Locker, Oakley, Bleacher Report, Instagram, Spotify, and Meta.
Ezekiel Elliott and Ja’Marr Chase Join Unicorn Hunters Show Investment Team
Ezekiel Elliott and Ja’Marr Chase are jumping into the investing game. The two NFL stars became the newest brand ambassadors for the Unicorn Hunters Show. The company creates a new way to invest by combining television entertainment with wealth-growth potential for individual investors and founders. It plans to democratize access to wealth, giving a chance for viewers home to invest in companies vying to become the next tech “unicorn.” Cris Carter and Rod Woodson are also global ambassadors for the project.