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About Boardroom

Boardroom is a sports, media and entertainment brand co-founded by Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman and focused on the intersection of sports and entertainment. Boardroom’s flagship media arm features premium video/audio, editorial, daily and weekly newsletters, showcasing how athletes, executives, musicians and creators are moving the business world forward. Boardroom’s ecosystem encompasses B2B events and experiences (such as its renowned NBA and WNBA All-Star events) as well as ticketed conferences such as Game Plan in partnership with CNBC. Our advisory arm serves to consult and connect athletes, brands and executives with our broader network and initiatives.

Recent film and TV projects also under the Boardroom umbrella include the Academy Award-winning Two Distant Strangers (Netflix), the critically acclaimed scripted series SWAGGER (Apple TV+) and Emmy-nominated documentary NYC Point Gods (Showtime).

Boardroom’s sister company, Boardroom Sports Holdings, features investments in emerging sports teams and leagues, including the Major League Pickleball team, the Brooklyn Aces, NWSL champions Gotham FC, and MLS’ Philadelphia Union.

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News...Straight to the point.
March 8, 2022
INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 12: Leylah Fernandez of Canada in action against Shelby Rogers of the United States during fourth round match on Day 9 of the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on October 12, 2021 in Indian Wells, California. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Leylah Fernandez Inks Deal with Morgan Stanley

The road to Indian Wells is paved with new sponsorships. On Monday, Canadian superstar and U.S. Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez announced a new partnership with Morgan Stanley. The 19 year-old will work with the brand to expand access, equity, opportunity and exposure in tennis among diverse and underrepresented communities globally. The news comes on the same day that Emma Raducanu inked a new deal with Vodafone worth a reported $4 million annually.

WNBA and ESPN Team Up for First-ever Fantasy Season

The WNBA is making moves. ESPN announced on Tuesday that it is launching WNBA fantasy basketball as the league sets to tip off its 26th season. While sports-betting sites like DraftKings and FanDuel have offered some one-off game betting opportunities since 2017, the announcement marks the first time that fans can get into the season-long action on a major site. Sabrina or A’ja, Jonquel or Sue, who you got for your first round draft pick?

LeBron James Makes Delicious Investment with Kittch

King James is maniacal about his diet to fuel his performance on the court, so it makes sense that his most recent investment would be focused on nutrition. On Monday, Page Six revealed James has invested in online streaming site Kittch, which was started by former ESPN Classic and CBS Sports alum Brian Bedol and features celebrity chefs such as Marcus Samuelsson. The site, which is described as “​​Twitch-TikTok-Zoom” of cooking, officially launches on Tuesday and will donate to a women’s hospitality initiative with every new registration. 

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World of Women and Sandbox to Donate $25M to Support Women in Web3

World of Women is one of the hottest NFT collections on the market – and just last month inked a deal with Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine production company. On Tuesday, in celebration of International Women’s Day, it announced the launch of the World of Women Foundation. World of Women will team up with The Sandbox to give out $25 million over the next five years to support women in tech and web3.

NWSL Takes Off with Delta Deal

The NWSL secured a key sponsor ahead of its 2022 season. The league announced on Monday that it has teamed up with Delta to serve as its official airline and air travel partner. As part of the collaboration, Delta will provide key supports to the league, including DEI-driven initiatives and fan engagement opportunities. Delta joins a growing list of NWSL sponsors, which also includes Nike, CBS, and MasterCard.

Snoop Dogg Makes Things Official with FaZe Clan

Eagle eyed viewers noticed a new chain on Snoop’s neck during the halftime show. The FaZe Clan bling signaled a new chapter for Snoop, who officially joined its Talent Network and Board of Directors. Snoop will represent the gaming giant as ‘FaZe Snoop‘ and participate in content creation, business initiatives and launch merchandise with the brand.

Nike Teases Ted Lasso-inspired Jersey

Soon, you’ll be able to wear your favorite fictional kit. On Monday, Nike teased a jersey collab that nearly broke Twitter. The tweet showed an AFC Richmond jersey complete with a patch deal from fictional dating site Bantr. The caption read: “Never. Stop. Believing.”

Grammys Unveil First-ever NFT Collection

Next month, the Grammys are heading to Las Vegas. In advance of music’s biggest night, The Recording Academy has announced its first-ever NFT collection in partnership with OneOf. In the coming month, the collection will roll out with a new collectible each week, highlighting the art of women and people of color. On Monday, with the first drop, collectors had the chance to win a golden ticket, granting one lucky person with an all-access, free trip to the show. 

NFL Boosts Salary Cap by Nearly 15 Percent to $208M

Following the effects of the pandemic, the NFL decreased the salary cap last season to $182 million. The league announced on Monday that after a strong recovery, that the new threshold will be $208.2 million. In addition to the salary cap, the shield also announced the franchise tags for position players. The tags range from $5.22 million for kickers and punters to $29.7 million for quarterbacks. 

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Bernadette Doykos

Bernadette Doykos is the Senior Director of Editorial Strategy at Boardroom. Before joining the team, her work appeared in ELLE. She previously served as the head of evaluation for a nonprofit where she became obsessed with systems and strategy and served as the curator of vibes and extinguisher of fires for the design thinking firm Stoked. She is constantly plotting a perfect tunnel ‘fit and a playlist for all occasions.