Texas Running Back Bijan Robinson Lands Lamborghini Deal
The anniversary of NIL is just over a month away. In the last year, college athletes have repeatedly secured the bag. However, Texas running back Bijan Robinson may have locked down the most coveted deal of all. The Longhorns rusher announced on Thursday that he inked an NIL deal with Lamborghini of Austin. Robinson unveiled the partnership on Instagram, captioning the photo, “When dreams turn into reality.”
Miguel Joins the Croc Gang for Newest Salehe Bembury Collection
It is official: Crocs are cool. In the same week that SZA revealed her new custom line of nature-inspired Crocs, the comfort-forward shoe brand released its second singer-backed campaign. Crocs tapped Miguel to serve as the face of the brand’s newest line of Pollex Clogs, designed in collaboration with Salehe Bembury. The three-colorway collection drops on May 24.
NWSL Sets New Records with Opening Weekend Attendance
The NWSL celebrated its 10th season kickoff by setting new records. Over the course of its opening weekend, NWSL games attracted an average of 10,000 fans, smashing the previous record of 7,860 set in 2016. The numbers received a significant boost from one of the league’s newest teams, Angel City FC, which hosted a 22,000 person sellout against the North Carolina Courage last Friday. The news comes the same week as Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman’s 35V invested as a minority owner in Gotham FC.
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Tom Brady Tops the NFLPA’s Merch Sales
The GOAT is at it again. Tom Brady, fresh off of his retirement and unretirement, topped the NFLPA’s list of top merch sales once more. Quarterbacks reigned supreme on the list, filling the top six slots. Brady was followed by Patrick Mahomes II, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Mac Jones, and Dak Prescott. The 49ers TE George Kittle emerged as the only non-QB to crack into the top 10. Overall, officially licensed merch brought in a record-setting $2.17 billion.
Dwyane Wade, Gabrielle Union & More Back Jomboy Media in $5M Fundraising Round
Jomboy Media is looking to expand its reach. Just a month after announcing a partnership with SeatGeek, the multi-media company completed a funding round led by Connect Ventures. The $5 million investment will help Jomboy expand across all verticals. It was backed by an all-star list of investors, including Alexis Ohanian, Dwyane Wade, Gabrielle Union, Billy Crystal, C.C. Sabathia, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hader, and Noah Syndergaard.
Rich Paul, Bob Iger Double Down on Funko
Bob Iger, Rich Paul, and Chernin Group have invested $263 million into pop culture toy and apparel brand Funko. The brand is best known for its squat collectibles and has official partnerships throughout the sports and entertainment space. Following the fundraising efforts, Iger and Paul will both serve as Board Advisors, with the Klutch Sports CEO helping the brand expand into music and sports, per The Hollywood Reporter.
Philadelphia Union Locks In Planet Fitness
No lunk alarms here. As part of a new partnership, Planet Fitness will become the official fitness center of the Philadelphia Union. The franchise, which has more registered members than any other fitness club in the US, becomes the 14th partner the Union have added this season. The Judgement Free Zone will host pop-up experiences at select Union home games, and will also serve as the presenting sponsor for the final score graphics on the club’s social media channels throughout the season.
Swag Golf and McLaren Racing Hit the Links with New Partnership
Formula 1 and golf have both experienced a resurgence in popularity, attracting younger crowds who are looking to redefine what it means to be a fan of the respective sports. Swag Golf announced on Thursday that it is linking up with McLaren Racing for an exclusive line of merch in the run-up to this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix. As part of the partnership, McLaren and Swag Golf will release new products in advance of select races on the F1 circuit.
Fan Controlled Football Joins Forces with Eternal.gg for NFT Highlights
Johnny Manziel and Terrell Owens have found a new football home, and now fans of Fan Controlled Football will be able to rack up their favorite moments on the field. Fan Controlled Football announced its newest partnership with collectible moments platform Eternal.gg to create and sell game highlights backed by non-fungible tokens. The packs will release on May 7 with a count of 2,000 individual NFT packs containing three randomized highlights from the first three weeks of the season.
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