Liverpool & Peloton Announce Multiyear Partnership
One of England’s most successful clubs and one of the biggest names in fitness are teaming up — Liverpool Football Club announced a multi-year deal with workout brand Peloton on Tuesday. According to the release, the mission behind the collab is to enhance “the experience for the LFC and Peloton communities by introducing supporters to Peloton’s world-class content, which can be experienced anytime, anywhere and wherever people are on their fitness journey.” Moving forward, the AXA Training Centre will have the Peloton Bike, Tread, and accessories for use by the men’s players and in the future, an additional presence at LFC Women’s facility at Melwood.
UK Actors to Protest in Solidarity with SAG-AFTRA
In support of the actors stateside in SAG-AFTRA, the UK actors union Equity announced it will also hold a demonstration later this week in Manchester and England’s capital, London. Per Deadline, participants will march from London’s Leicester Square and Manchester’s Media City, the workplace of hundreds of BBC and ITV staffers. Unlike programs in America that have paused as a result of the protests, US shows filming across the pond with majority international casts such as House of the Dragon and Industry are going as planned thanks to Equity collective bargaining agreements.
Teyana Taylor to Creative Direct Lil Baby Tour
Two months since taking the reigns on a Summer Walker show, Teyana Taylor will now lead the creative direction of Lil Baby‘s upcoming It’s Only Us Tour. The multihyphenate performer confirmed the news on Instagram, thanking Lil Baby for trusting her production company — The Aunties Production — to handle musical direction, choreography, production, visual content, wardrobe, and stage presence. The tour begins July 26 in Houston and concludes in Ft. Lauderdale on Sept. 22.
Warner Music Group & TikTok Team Up in Major Licensing Deal
Saying they are “happy and excited for our next chapter together with TikTok,” Warner Music Group unveiled a multi-year licensing agreement with the social media giant to increase profits to its own platforms. A growing number of rising artists these days seemingly achieve social media fame before inking a contract with a recording company, but this alliance allows WMG to license the catalog of Warner Recorded Music and Warner Chappell Music to TikTok, TikTok Music, CapCut, and TikTok’s commercial music library. Sounds like a mutually beneficial deal for both sides.
Avoli Launches Volleyball-specific Footwear with 3 NIL Signings
A new sportswear company Avoli (pronounced ‘Ah-Volley’) has launched, and its intention is to provide women athletes with more accessible avenues to purchase volleyball shoes. To help spread the word, the company enlisted the help of three of the top collegiate volleyball players across the country, signing them to NIL deals in the process. Harper Murray is a 6-2 freshman outside hitter at Nebraska, Ashley Le is a junior setter at Virginia, and Reilly Heinrich plays libero for reigning national champion Texas. Look out for the trio appearing in brand campaigns and of course, promoting Avoili on their social media accounts.
Boardroom’s Nick DePaula has more details on Avoli and volleyball’s growing popularity.
Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney Link Up With Men in Blazers for Wrexham Podcast
Wrexham AFC, the EFL League Two club owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, has linked up with the Men in Blazers Media Network for a four-episode podcast and video series documenting its upcoming US tour. The club is scheduled to spend two weeks on American soil playing four games. Called Wrexham in the USA, the first episode drops Wednesday. Sportico reports Men in Blazers founder and host Roger Bennett will speak with McElhenney, manager Phil Parkinson, goalie Ben Foster, and forward Paul Mullin. Wrexham is set to face Chelsea in Chapel Hill and Manchester United in San Diego, and then the second squads of MLS clubs LA Galaxy and Philadelphia Union in Los Angeles and Philadelphia, respectively.
White House Working with Tech Companies to Protect Devices from Cyberattacks
Alongside Amazon.com, Google, and Best Buy, the White House announced an initiative that allows citizens to identify devices that are less liable to cyberattacks on Tuesday. Titled “U.S. Cyber Trust Mark,” the certification program increases the expectations for cybersecurity across smart devices such as refrigerators, microwaves, televisions, climate control systems, and fitness trackers. Expected to launch in 2024, participating retailers and manufacturers include LG Electronics U.S.A., Logitech, Cisco Systems, Best Buy, and Samsung. In the future, the aforementioned companies will apply a “U.S. Cyber Trust Mark” logo to their devices to denote the extra protection.