Leylah Fernandez Nets Lululemon Sponsorship
Teen tennis sensation Leylah Fernandez made waves last fall when she made a run at The U.S. Open. The Canadian has her sights set on victory at the Australian Open. In advance of its official start next week, she announced that she is lululemon’s newest sponsored athlete. Fernandez will wear lululemon’s signature sportswear on and off the court and will consult the Vancouver-based company as it develops a line of tennis apparel.
UGA Breaks Fanatics Records Following National Championship Win
Fanatics is one of the juggernaut names leading the way, and fresh off of a year in which their valuation reached eleven figures, the Dawgs’ title triumph against Alabama in the College Football Playoff National Championship has driven some healthy numbers of its own. UGA is officially Fanatics’ top-selling college football national champion to date, the company announced Tuesday. Less than 24 hours’ worth of Georgia Bulldogs apparel and merch sales since hoisting the trophy have outpaced what the previous college football record-holder — Alabama — sold in 30 days.
WNBA Prepares for Next Chapter with First-ever Chief Growth Officer
The WNBA has appointed Colie Edison as its first-ever Chief Growth Officer, effective at the end of January. The former PBA Tour CEO will lead the development and execution of strategic growth initiatives as the W enters its 26th season. Recent reports suggest that the league is considering expansion, with a list of new potential markets that includes Oakland and Nashville leading the conversation.
Hurkacz and Alcaraz to Headline IMG Future Stars Event
Boardroom can exclusively announce, No. 10 Hubert Hurkacz and budding star Carlos Alcaraz will meet in an exhibition match at the IMG Future Stars Invitational Tournament this spring in Greece. Last summer, Hurkacz famously eliminated Roger Federer in the 2021 Wimbledon quarterfinals and Alcaraz ran to the quarterfinals of the US Open, beating world No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas along the way. The two will meet in an exhibition match at the IMG Future Stars Invitational Tournament this spring in Greece. IMG will put on the tournament from April 25-May 1 featuring 48 of the best boys’ and girls’ tennis players in the world. The action will air on Tennis Channel here in the United States.
Fox Sports and Twitter Link up for World Cup
FOX Sports is expanding its relationship with Twitter for the FIFA Men’s World Cup Qatar 2022 and the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand 2023. The partnership will include live analysis via Twitter Spaces featuring audio content around the games.
PGA TOUR and FanDuel Extend Partnership
The PGA TOUR is teeing off in Hawaii this weekend for the Sony Open. And in advance, the tour has extended its partnership with FanDuel to their content and marketing sponsorship. Through the arrangement will provide exclusive odds-based content to PGA TOUR social media pages. In return, FanDuel will continue to market in affiliated spaces at official tour events.
Mark Wahlberg Takes a Shot at the Tequila Game
Mark Wahlberg becomes the latest celebrity to venture into the tequila market. The actor, TV producer, and entrepreneur has joined Flecha Azul Tequila as a principal investor. He joins a lengthy list of entertainers and athletes who have recently entered the space including LeBron James (Lobos 1707), The Rock (Teremana Tequila), and Kendall Jenner (818 Tequila).
Michele Kang Claims Majority Stake in Washington Spirit
The Washington Spirit has a new majority owner. The NWSL team is kicking off 2022 and seeks to put a tumultuous year in the rearview. The Athletic reported on Tuesday that Michele Kang gained a 52% stake in the team as minority investors responded to pressure to accept her $35 million bid. Kang also submitted a letter to the NWSL Board of Governors, which confirmed that Steve Baldwin, who left the Spirit amidst scandal last year, “no longer has control of the team or the ability to dictate the terms of any sale.”
Sports Illustrated Preps to Launch Virtual Goods Line
Sports Illustrated has filed a new trademark application via its parent company Authentic Brands Group. indicating that the ‘Sports Illustrated‘ brand will be used on a line of virtual goods. As part of the filing, ABG indicated it will reproduce iconic SI covers as NFTs. The news comes in the same week as Sports Illustrated announced an upcoming apparel line with JC Penney.
Andbox Names James Frey as First-ever CEO
New York-based esports organization Andbox named businessman and bestselling author James Frey as its first-ever CEO, the company announced Tuesday. Frey is the founder and CEO of Full Fathom Five, a book, TV, and film production company that’s overseen 40 New York Times bestsellers and has worked on projects with HBO, Netflix, Amazon, Warner Brothers, Niantic, and more.