US Soccer Agrees to Equal Pay for All
After the fight of a lifetime, US Soccer announced that the members of the men’s and women’s national teams will receive equal pay with its historic collective bargaining agreements. In the wake of its 2018 Women’s World Cup victory, Megan Rapinoe, Becky Sauerbrunn, and Alex Morgan led the USWNT‘s public challenge of US Soccer over the inequality in pay. The fight became the subject of the HBO documentary LFG. On Wednesday, US Soccer confirmed that the new deal, which extends through 2028, had been approved by the USSF’s board of directors and the men’s and women’s players’ unions. As part of the deal, US Soccer will combine and split the FIFA World Cup money and ensure that men and women receive the same compensation for camp appearances and matchplay. With the agreement, the US becomes the first national soccer body to guarantee equal pay for men and women.
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Tom Brady Puts Himself on Blast for New Netflix Series
It is widely held that Tom Brady is the GOAT. So it seems fitting that the Tampa Bay QB will be the first subject of a new Netflix series The Greatest Roast of All Time. Brady will serve as an executive producer on the project, which is set to tape in 2023. Over the last six months, the seven-time Super Bowl champ has debuted a number of new projects off the field, paving the way for his next retirement.
NBA Playoff Viewership Soars to Highest Rate Since 2012
The NBA Conference Semifinals delivered endless action, complete with two seven-game series. ESPN reports that the first two rounds have delivered a 25% bump in viewership over the 2021 playoffs, with an average of 4.75 million per game. The Celtics’ game seven blowout of the Bucks attracted the network’s biggest audience since 2012, reaching a peak at 9.6 million viewers.
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Shannon Abloh Gains Control of Late Husband’s “Creative Corporation”
The legacy of Virgil Abloh will live on forever. The creative powerhouse left an indelible mark on the worlds of fashion, art, and culture. The New York Times reports that his widow will assume control over Virgil Abloh Securities, the “creative corporation” that he set up prior to his passing. The outfit will support the lasting creative and philanthropic legacy of the legendary figure, though the precise details of how that will unfold are still unclear.
Ape Fest Prepares to Descend on NYC
The Bored Ape Yacht Club is taking over Manhattan. The NFT collection’s organizers announced on Tuesday that Ape Fest is coming back for its second annual gathering. The event will take place between June 20-23 at NYC’s Pier 17 in the Seaport. The dates overlap with this year’s NFT.NYC. The event is limited to BAYC holders, making it one of the most coveted tickets in town.
XFL Gameday Coverage Heading to ESPN
We are still nearly a year out from the kickoff of the XFL but The Rock-backed football league has secured itself a broadcast partner. The XFL announced on Tuesday that the Disney family of networks – which includes ESPN, ABC, and FX – will have exclusive rights to key content including game broadcasts, tentpole events, and more. The inaugural season will kick off on February 18, 2023, and the broadcast deal extends through 2027.
South Carolina’s Bree Hall Signs with Excel
Nothing beats the thrill of cutting down the championship nets. South Carolina’s Bree Hall has big plans to chase that feeling once more. Now, the rising sophomore has signed with Excel to secure name, image, and likeness representation. Hall has big expectations for the remainder of her collegiate career. She follows in the footsteps of fellow teammates Destanni Henderson and Zia Cooke who are also signed with the agency. Hall spoke with Boardroom about the move.
Spotify Leans Into Web3 with New NFT Integration
Spotify is looking towards the future. The streaming giant announced that it is expanding its on-platform marketplace to include artist NFTs. Currently, fans can directly connect with merch and concert tickets, and starting soon they will be able to curate their NFT collection from the platform as well. Spotify is currently testing the feature with a select set of Android users.
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