Highlight Reel: Cuban backs PPA Tour in major pickleball duel 🎾
This week's top stories feature TMRW Sports, Washington Commanders, Stormzy, adidas, Mark Cuban, VIBE Pickleball League, The Premier League and Sorare.
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Happy Friday!
The weekend is approaching but before your mind drifts off… take a moment to reflect with this recap of 🖐 stories that grabbed the headlines this week…
TMRW Sports adds roster of All-Star Investors
VIBE Pickleball League announces Mark Cuban as first team owner
Premier League line up digital tokens deal with Sorare
Bank hired to explore sale of NFL’s Washington Commanders
Stormzy and adidas launch #MerkyFC to boost off-pitch diversity
PLUS: Sportsblock, a monthly newsletter to keep to up to date with the world of sport x web3, just dropped its first edition.
TMRW Sports adds roster of All-Star Investors ⛳️
TMRW Sports, which launched the TGL in August, a new tech-infused golf league in partnership with the PGA TOUR, has just announced its initial investor group, including an influential roster of icons across sports and entertainment.
The investor group, which combines to add 7 F1 World Championships, 40 Emmy Awards, 16 NFL Pro Bowls, 26 Grand Slams, 21 Olympic medals, 10 Grammy Awards, 8 NBA Championships, and 5 UEFA Champions Leagues, beautifully positions TMRW Sports as a key player in the trend of merging sport and entertainment.
VIBE Pickleball League announces Mark Cuban as first team owner 🎾
The PPA Tour vs Major League Pickleball (MLP) is a ‘Netflix doc playing out in real time’, as the two associations battle to establish their leagues as the professional authority in the fastest growing sport in America.
Over the past few months we have seen the likes of Lebron James, Tom Brady, Kevin Durant, Gary Vaynerchuk and Draymond Green bet millions on the MLP. Now, Dallas Mavrick’s owner, Mark Cuban has become the first team owner of the competitor league, the PPA Tour’s VIBE Pickleball League.
Premier League line up digital tokens deal with Sorare 🏟
Last year, the Premier League agreed to a $459 million NFT deal with ConsenSys. However, as crypto prices tumbled, ConsenSys reportedly attempted to change the terms of the deal. This has lead to the EPL ditching them for blockchain company Sorare, who already have deals with LaLiga, Bundesliga, and even the English Football League.
P.S. If you want a comprehensive round-up on everything Sport x Web3, I recommend taking a look at Sportsblock, a new monthly newsletter aggregating interesting ideas, projects, and news items.
Bank hired to explore sale of NFL’s Washington Commanders 🏈
The Washington Commanders announced on Wednesday that the team and its owners have hired Bank of America Securities to “consider potential transactions”, raising the possibility that Dan and Tanya Snyder could sell the scandal-hit franchise.
The team is currently valued at $5.6 billion, which would be the most expensive sports team sale in history.
Stormzy and adidas launch #MerkyFC to boost off-pitch diversity ⚽️
Rap and grime star Stormzy and adidas Football have announced the launch of their collaborative venture #Merky FC — a careers program that is committed to enhancing and protecting diverse representation in the football industry.
The partnership - spearheaded by these two change-makers sees them using their influence and network to create a starting collective of 11 partners from all parts of the football industry, including Man Utd, Fulham, Sky Sports, and TEAM.
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