Roger Federer Announces Retirement
Twenty-four years and 20 grand slam singles titles later, Roger Federer announced his retirement. “I am 41 years old; I have played more than 1,500 matches over 24 years,” Federer said in an official statement. “Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamed, and now I must recognize when it is time to end my competitive career.” With the move, Fed will have more time for his billion-dollar business portfolio, which includes On Running and so much more. Federer’s final ATP event will be the Laver Cup in London from Sept. 23-25, where he will join Team Europe.
Ethereum Completes Much-Anticipated Merge
Yesterday, the crypto game changed. Ethereum‘s developers executed “the merge,” which eliminates crypto mining and reduces the energy consumption of the world’s second-biggest cryptocurrency. The efforts decrease energy consumption by 99.95% and is expected to bring many more people into the crypto space. The changeover, which has been months in the making, took place with more than 41,000 people watching the merge viewing party live on YouTube.
Boardroom has everything you need to know about the Ethereum Merge.
Canelo Alvarez Steps into the Ring with Excel Sports Management
Canelo Alvarez is preparing for the fight of his life this weekend. Now, he’ll have a new team in his corner. Excel Management announced Thursday that they’re bringing the Mexican-born fighter onto the roster. With the signing, Alvarez became the first boxer to sign a deal with Excel. Alvarez already has sponsorships with Hennessy and companies in Mexico, and he’s looking to expand his portfolio with ESM via marketing and endorsement work. The 32-year-old was represented by several business advisors who will remain part of his team.
Check out Boardroom’s exclusive interview with Canelo Alvarez here.
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Kanye West, Gap Officially Part Ways
The blessed union of Kanye West and Gap, Inc has come to an early end. The rapper and entrepreneur told Bloomberg earlier this week that he was “done” with corporate partners, signaling that he would not renew his contract with Gap and Adidas upon their expiration in 2030 and 2026, respectively. Now, he’s taking matters a step further and announced that he is severing ties with the Gap two years into the 10 years contract. Ye’s lawyers sent a letter to Gap seeking to end the union between the apparel brand and the rapper’s company Yeezy.
Boardroom’s Vinciane Ngomsi has all the details on the divorce.
NFL, Bundesliga Huddle To Expand Business
The NFL and Germany’s Bundesliga soccer league are partnering to boost the visibility of two forms of football. With the new agreement, the two sporting bodies “will increase communication and collaboration in the areas of production, broadcast and programming, digital innovation and marketing,” according to an official statement. Germany will host its first-ever regular season NFL game on Nov. 13. The international series kicks off Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers taking on the Seattle Seahawks at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena. Germany will host the NFL each of the next four years, as part of the shield’s efforts to grow internationally. The games are set to alternate between Munich and Frankfurt.
Misty Copeland Seeks to Diversify NYC Ballet
Misty Copeland leaped into the ballet world. The dancer, who is known for her powerful strength and graceful technique wants to ensure that Black and Latino students who are underrepresented in ballet finally get a chance to shine. As a child, Copeland enrolled in a free ballet class when she was 13 on the basketball court of a Boys and Girls Club in her hometown of San Pedro, California. Now, the 41-year-old former Under Armour athlete plans to pay it forward by offering a free, 12-week program for 120 students of all backgrounds.
LIV Struggles To Find Hosting Television Network
LIV Golf has been one of the past year’s most hyped-up (and controversial) sporting ventures. They’ve poached some of the PGA Tour‘s best players and created controversy due to the Saudi Arabian backing, which draws into question the country’s significant human rights violations. Now, they’re struggling to find a media rights partner, as The Wall Street Journal reports that Amazon and Apple rejected their offer to host its tournaments, and their viewership number has taken a massive hit. They currently host the games on Facebook Live and YouTube.
Hornets, Lakers Reveal Statement Edition Uniforms
The Charlotte Hornets and Los Angeles Lakers unveiled their new Statement Edition uniforms for the 2022-23 season. The Hornets’ uniform is purple and features a “Hornets” wordmark on the chest in white with teal trim. The Lakers’ jerseys are also purple — much like their jerseys from last year — with black side trim. The new kits feature the phrase ‘Leave A Legacy,’ which encapsulates the franchise’s “mission towards excellence on and off the court.” They also showcase the No. 17 on the neck of the jersey representing the franchise’s total number of championship rings.
Read more about the Lakers’ Statement and City Edition jerseys here.
Budweiser Cheers with Alcohol-Free Beer for Qatar World Cup
Budweiser is boosting its alcohol-free drink as the official beer partner of Qatar’s upcoming FIFA World Cup. The brand’s alcohol-free alternative, Budweiser Zero, will be available to fans as an alternative to its alcoholic counterpart due to the country’s strict policies on the sale of alcohol. The company wants low-and no-alcohol beer products to make up at least 20% of its global beer volume by 2025. Currently, the figure stands at 6.63%, according to a business report published in February.
Earlier this summer, Boardroom’s Michelai Graham spoke to Dwyane Wade about his collab with the alcohol-free beverage.
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