Kendrick Lamar Launches Short Film Feature with Spotify
Kendrick Lamar is back. After dropping one of the year’s most hotly anticipated albums with Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, K Dot is about to embark on a tireless world tour. But the Pulitzer Prize winner is flexing his creative muscles in new ways. He’s teamed up with Spotify to launch a short film documenting his recent trip to Ghana, where he was spotted in the time surrounding his album launch. Spotify released a short teaser of the film, which is set to be released in full next week.
Wimbledon Serving Up Record Amount of Prize Money
In just a few weeks, all eyes will be on the grassy courts of Wimbledon. The iconic event will return to a full stadium of fans for the first time since 2019, and this year, the athletes will be playing for a historic pot. The tournament announced that it will distribute over $50 million in prize money, including $2.486 million to each of the men’s and women’s winners.
Nike and Apple Ink First-look Deal for Sports Docs
Nike and Apple are two of the most iconic brands in the world. Thus, it’s only fitting that they are linking up and the new partnership is positioned to make a major impact on the storytelling of sports. With the deal, Nike’s production offshoots, Waffle Iron Films and Makeready, will produce the films, while Apple will provide the financial backing, Deadline exclusively reported.
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Jay-Z and Jack Dorsey Bring Bitcoin to Brooklyn
Jay-Z famously rapped, “What’s better than one billionaire? Two.” Now, he’s teaming up with his billionaire pal Twitter founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey to offer a new financial literacy program, The Bitcoin Academy. It is the result of a partnership between Dorsey’s newest venture Square, The Shawn Carter Foundation, Cash App, Crypto Blockchain Plug, and Black Bitcoin Billionaire. The series will offer a number of different classes in person and virtually to residents of Jay-Z’s former home, the Marcy Houses of Brooklyn, starting later this month.
Fanatics, Topps Go Back to School with College Trading Card Program
This graduation season, Topps is getting ready to go back to school. On Thursday, Fanatics Collectibles and the Topps brand announced a program that leans into the new NIL era. As soon as 2023, Topps will release its first collections of college trading cards featuring top NCAA student-athletes. Thus far, 35 schools – including the majority of the Power 5 – have signed on, while an additional 100 have inked non-exclusive deals. In addition to the school-centric collabs, Topps has also signed 200 of college sports’ biggest athletes, including Ohio State QB Bryce Young and Naismith Player of the Year Aliyah Boston.
Billie Jean King, Abby Wambach Join Just Women’s Sports $6M Fundraising Round
Invest in women. This was the call for the recent fundraising round for the multimedia platform Just Women’s Sports. On Thursday, it announced that it had successfully closed a $6 million round of funding led by Clara and Joe Tsai’s Blue Pool Capital. The round included an all-star slate of investors such as Allyson Felix, Abby Wambach, Billie Jean King, Sam Kerr, Lynn Williams, Paul Rabil, and Apolo Ohno.
PGA Tour Draws a Hard Line Against LIV Golfers
The first-ever LIV Tour event teed off yesterday in England. The new tour is leveraging huge buyouts with its Saudi-backed bucks to attract some of the sport’s best talent. Thus far, a large number of PGA staples have taken their talents to the new super league, including Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau. On Thursday, the PGA Tour announced that it will actively suspend all players who have defected. Prior to the announcement, several players had already rescinded their memberships.
Marcus Smart Celebrates Sleep with Uleva
Marcus Smart and the Celtics are staring down a critical Game 4 tonight against the Golden State Warriors. To prep, the Defensive Player of the Year banks on a good night’s sleep, and he revealed a new partnership on Thursday that is helping him ensure that he doesn’t toss and turn. Smart announced via Instagram that he is the CBD brand Uleva’s newest ambassador.
Jason Garrett Joins ‘Football Night in America,’ Replacing Drew Brees
The offseason carousel of NFL announcers continues. This year has seen major shake-ups to the analysis teams across the networks, as big names take new positions. Earlier this week, Drew Brees announced that he would not return to Football Night in America. On Thursday, NBC announced that he will be replaced by former Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett.
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