Tom Brady Hangs Up His Cleats
After 22 years in the league, TB12 is walking away from football. The seven-time Super Bowl champ announced via his social media channels that he was retiring from the NFL. In a multi-slide post, he thanked the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for their support in the twilight years of his career and concluded by signaling his excitement for his next chapter. Brady has been actively building three brands concurrently with BRADY Brand, Autograph, and TB12. The news came on the same day as ESPN announced its newest film that takes a “What if?” approach to the infamous Tuck Rule game.
Brian Flores Files Explosive Lawsuit Alleging Racism, Tampering, and Tanking
Former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores filed a class-action lawsuit against the NFL on Tuesday. The suit names the Dolphins, New York Giants, and Denver Broncos and claims that the league’s hiring practices remain racially discriminatory — and specifically asserting the NFL is racially segregated and “managed much like a plantation.” The topline allegations in the lawsuit include: racist hiring practices that make a mockery of the Rooney Rule; blatantly tanking for draft picks; and roster tampering in violation of the CBA. Boardroom’s Shlomo Sprung dove in on the details of the lawsuit, which also includes a text exchange with Patriots head coach Bill Belichick that reveals that the New York Giants had extended a largely meaningless interview to Flores, having already settled on Bills OC Brian Daboll.
Floyd Mayweather Officially Announces The Money Team Racing
Floyd Mayweather has been out of the ring for a minute, but he’s found ample ways to keep himself busy. In his most recent venture, the 44-year-old, 15-time world champion confirmed the formation of The Money Team (TMT) Racing, which will launch a partial Cup Series schedule in 2022 with driver Kaz Grala. Mayweather first teased his interest in NASCAR in 2020, but the Tuesday announcement confirmed TMT’s formation and a primary sponsorship from sunglass company Pit Viper. TMT will race car number 50, which matches Mayweather’s undefeated record of wins.
Get on our list for weekly sports business, industry trends, interviews, and more.
The Rock’s Teremana Tequila Attracts Investment from Mast-Jägermeister
These days, The Rock is cooking up a whole host of things. The former wrestler has emerged as one of Hollywood’s hottest stars and built his brand along the way. A cornerstone of that business portfolio is his Teremana Tequila, which closed out 2021 selling over 640,000 cases and becoming the fastest-growing tequila brand in history. Mast-Jägermeister announced it has claimed a stake in the brand for an unknown sum. The German company has served as the exclusive distributor of the spirit since its 2020 release.
Minnesota Lynx, Sylvia Fowles Ink Deal for Final Season
The Minnesota Lynx has re-signed its star for a final year. Two-time champion and WNBA Finals MVP Sylvia Fowles inked a one-year contract to close out her 15-year career with the team. She re-joins the team after a stellar 2021 campaign during which she claimed the Defensive Player of the Year title for a record-tying fourth time. Feb 1 marked the first official day of free agency for the league, and Fowles was just one of several marquee deals expected in the coming week.
Erling Haaland NFT Sets Sorare Record
With the close of January, thus closed another transfer window in soccer, and through it all superstar center forward Erling Haaland remains a Borussia Dortmund player. A one-of-one NFT featuring the Norwegian superstar sold for 265.1 ETH on Sorare, which is nearly $750,000 as of this writing. its the most expensive digital sports collectible ever sold, breaking a record previously held by a 1-of-1 Cristiano Ronaldo set in March 2021.
Washington Commanders Make Their Debut on the Today Show
The Washington Football Team officially has a new name. The Washington Commanders revealed their new name and logo on the Today Show on Tuesday morning. In the runup to the reveal, the franchise had a few leakers including famed quarterback Joe Theismann who let the name slip in an interview with Damon Amendolara on CBS Sports Radio, as well as chopper footage, which sniped the team’s paraphernalia.
Launch House Raises $12M, Sets Sights on Re-envisioning Silicon Valley
Launch House, an integrated physical and digital community built to cultivate rising founders and creators, raised $12 million in Series A funding, the company announced Tuesday. The round was led by Andrew Chen of a16z and joined by CAA co-founder Michael Ovitz, Chris Ovitz of Electric Ant, Mike Dudas of 6th Man Ventures, and Bankless Co-founder Ryan Sean Adams. A significant group of Launch House community members participated as well. The funds bring Launch House one step closer to its goal of helping tech entrepreneurs shape the vision for a Silicon Valley that doesn’t look like it did a generation ago.
Coachella NFTs Serve a Lifetime of Festivals
The desert is ready for its revival. Coachella is set to return this spring with an all-star lineup that includes headliners Kanye West, Harry Styles, and Billie Eilish. The festival has paired with FTX to launch three lines of NFTs on Feb. 4, the most exclusive of which grants 10 collectors a lifetime pass in addition to exclusive digital experiences. Coachella is owned by AEG, which also serves as the parent company.
Get on our list for weekly sports business, industry trends, interviews, and more.
