Spotify and FC Barcelona Announce Kit and Stadium Partnership
Camp Nou is getting a facelift in July. On Tuesday, FC Barcelona and Spotify jointly announced they have entered a “strategic long-term partnership in sports and entertainment” that includes a kit and stadium sponsorship. That’s right. Barça’s home is about to be called Spotify Camp Nou, and the digital music platform will grace the front of the men’s and women’s kits for at least four seasons. As part of the official announcement, Spotify teased future music-based collabs with a promotion photo featuring the faces of stars such as Justin Bieber and The Weeknd.
DraftKings Goes PrimeTime with New NFT Series
March Madness tips off tomorrow, and to prepare, DraftKings is betting on a new product. The online betting company announced its first-ever in-house NFT, the Primetime NFT Series and its 2022 Hoops Series. The collection lays the path forward for future major sporting events. The news comes just a week after DraftKings revealed its partnership with NFT platform Zero Hash, which will help support the infrastructure of its offerings. Last August, the Boston-based company also launched an NFT marketplace.
Barack Obama to Narrate New Netflix National Parks Series
Look out Oprah and David Attenborough, there’s a new soothing voice in town. Former President Barack Obama is slated to narrate a new Netflix docuseries highlighting the national parks. Our Great National Parks is set to premiere on Apr 13 and will feature parks from around the globe. It is produced by the Obamas’ Higher Ground Productions, which signed a “sizable” deal with the streaming service in 2018.
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Arctos Goes Deep with MLB Investments
Private equity’s sports takeover is upon us. Arctos Sports Partners announced that it has extended its portfolio with the acquisition of stakes in five Major League Baseball teams, including the Dodgers, Cubs, Giants, Padres, and Astros. In 2020, it also invested in the Boston Red Sox. Former front office wunderkind Theo Epstein joined Arctos in 2021, signaling the company’s interest in expanding its footprint in baseball. Arctos has also invested in the Golden State Warriors and the Tampa Bay Lightning among other professional franchises.
Rihanna Files to Take Fenty into the Metaverse
Rihanna has built a multi-billion dollar business, so it’s only logical that the time has come for her to move her empire into Web3. According to trademark attorney Josh Gerben, the Barbadian pop star’s Fenty empire has filed a trademark intended for use in the metaverse, including downloadable virtual goods, entertainment services, mobile apps and retail store services. Last week, Bloomberg reported that the Grammy-winning musician and mogul “is working with advisers” on an IPO for Savage X Fenty with an estimated $3 billion value.
Ralph Lauren Launches HBCU Collection
Ralph Lauren’s first-ever collegiate collaboration is with the storied HBCUs Morehouse College and Spelman College, as revealed by the American fashion staple on Tuesday. “Our portrait of American style, and our vision of the American dream, would be incomplete without Black experiences like this,” Lauren explained of the capsule collection on the brand’s website. The campaign was carried out by a full team of Black creatives. The limited-edition threads, dropping March 29, are rooted in classic tastes — “inspired by vintage campus wear from the 1920s to the 1950s.”
Todd Gurley Joins Real Estate Start-up Elevate.Money as Investor and Advisor
It’s no secret that investing in real estate can help sure up your long-term finances; however, getting in the game can be a hurdle. One new company, Elevate.Money, is looking to alleviate the start-up costs and make the opportunity more equitable, taking a fractional approach to real estate investing. On Tuesday, the company announced former All-Pro running back Todd Gurley as its newest investor and advisor, joining rapper YG. The company launched in 2020 and has paid its individual fractional investors dividends each ensuing month.
The Sandbox Values Jump as HSBC Moves In
As IRL housing prices skyrocket, people are looking to make investments in the future of real estate in the metaverse. This week, HSBC, Europe’s second-largest bank, announced that it has purchased a plot of land in The Sandbox amidst virtual neighbors that include Paris Hilton and Snoop Dogg. With the high-profile investments, the tokenized value of the plots throughout The Sandbox has increased nearly 10%.
Killer Mike Sells Song Catalog to Reservoir Media
As reported by Billboard late Tuesday night, Run The Jewels rapper Killer Mike has agreed to sell his entire song catalog to Reservoir Media as part of a publishing deal that additionally “gives the independent publisher considerable say over the discography of Run The Jewels.” As a solo artist, Killer Mike has released six projects and teamed up with EI-P to form Run The Jewels afterward. Their influential run in hip-hop began with their 2013 self-titled debut album and has continued through Run the Jewels 2 (2014), RTJ 3 (‘16) and RTJ 4 (‘20).
Valtteri Bottas Scores New Signature Sponsor with Hyland
The dawn of the new F1 season is nearly upon us. With all eyes on Bahrain for this weekend’s inaugural race of the 2022 campaign, drivers are securing the final details of their new season’s sponsors. Finnish sensation Valtteri Bottas has had a busy off-season, making the move from Mercedes to Alfa Romeo. And on Tuesday he announced a new partnership with global content service provider Hyland. The move is part of the company’s expansion into the sports market, as it also revealed a partnership with PGA TOUR golfer Xander Schauffele.
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