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☆ Kevin Durant is the latest athlete to buy a Major League Pickleball team
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Jessica Golden | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant is the latest celebrity athlete taking his love of pickleball big league. In recent weeks, Major League Pickleball has signed on a number of big-name athlete owners, including basketball legend LeBron James and NFL stars Tom Brady and Drew Brees. In September, a viral video showed Durant playing pickleball at a local recreation center, declaring that he's "getting the hang of it." Kleiman told CNBC that by acquiring a team, owners also get equity in the league. Similar to his work with 35V's "Build It and They Will Ball" initiative, which has refurbished basketball courts globally, Durant plans to bring pickleball to underserved communities.

☆ Seeking nominations for the top athlete creators and media personalities in 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Colin Salao | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Nominees may include active or recently retired professional or amateur athletes. LeBron James, Pat McAfee, and Alex Morgan are just some of the athletes that have started media companies. Recently retired athletes are those that have retired within the last five years (since 2018). Eligible retired athletes include Brandon Marshall (last played in 2018) and Redick (retired in 2021). Ineligible athletes include Lobo (2003), Rose (2007), and Pat McAfee (2017).

☆ Why pickleball has Tom Brady and LeBron James investing
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Darren Geeter | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America, with over 4.8 million people playing the game. By 2030, pickleball is projected to attract an estimated 40 million players across the globe, with even more investors jumping in looking to cash in on the craze. Pickleball has existed since 1965, but it wasn't until people were looking for a participatory sport during the pandemic that its popularity soared. And over the past five years, pickleball saw an average annual growth of 11.5%, while similar sports like badminton and pingpong saw negative growth of -3.7% and -1.2%, respectively. Professional leagues are competing for players, with Major League Pickleball, or MLP, which just launched last year, making headlines with investments in the seven-figure range from celebrity athletes like LeBron James and Tom Brady.

☆ How pickleball is taking over America
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Darren Geeter | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailHow pickleball is taking over AmericaPickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America. Entrepreneurs and athlete celebrities like LeBron James, Tom Brady and Drew Brees are all flocking to the investment opportunities to get in on what some are calling a sport gold rush. But such exponential expansion doesn't come without major growing pains, including competing professional leagues, health and safety concerns at tournaments, loopholes in the rulebook, lack of courts to meet the demand and a Wild West-style investment culture.

A Warriors team famous for its unity saw that tested when veteran forward Draymond Green punched Jordan Poole in the face at a practice earlier this month, an incident Green apologized for. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterGreen, a four-time All-Star, was fined but not suspended over the incident. Former Knicks and Rockets head coach Jeff Van Gundy told Reuters he thought the team could move past the episode. "He has defied age as well as anybody who has played for this long," Van Gundy said. "The season is going to be difficult for everybody," said Van Gundy.

☆ Kanye West has long bragged that he has the attention of 'the youth,' but his audience will be older after his move to Parler
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Parler's users lean older, and West has a fraction of the followers on Parler that he does on Twitter. If Ye now turns to Parler as his primary communication channel online, his online audience will significantly change. Ye had around 2,800 followers on Parler as of early Monday, a fraction of his audience on Twitter and Instagram. About 60% of Twitter users are between the ages of 18 and 34, according to data from traffic analytics company Similarweb. 34% of Parler users are 55 years or older, while just over 10% of Twitter users are in the same age group, according to Similarweb.

I no longer miss the “old” Kanye West, now known as Ye. I’m tired of hearing about the new Ye, and I wish we could stop talking about him altogether. Days before that, he appeared with far-right pundit Candace Owens flaunting “White Lives Matter” T-shirts during Paris Fashion Week. This includes to stopping asking for the “old Kanye” back. Chop up the soul Kanye, set on his goals Kanye.” At first, I sang the lyrics with hope that the “old Kanye” who once had such a hopeful swagger would return, that he would get past his ego and be born again as the creative powerhouse whose every move we followed with anticipation instead of dread.

But there are fans of another court-based sport that are greeting the news with much less enthusiasm: tennis players. In apartment complexes and retirement centers across the country, tennis courts are being scrapped in favor of pickleball courts. Its courts are similar to tennis courts, just smaller, so many players repurpose tennis courts with chalk or paint to lay out the pickleball dimensions. Yet dozens of new dedicated pickleball courts are being built all over America, which will soon help ease the problem of overcrowding. So for any tennis players out there worried that pickleball will demolish your own game’s success, you can rest easy.

☆ Digital LeBron vs. analog Mantle: Sports collectibles remain hot despite NFT boom
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-15 | by ( Jake Traylor | Jake Traylor Is An Associate Producer For Msnbc. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

But amid a crypto winter, the future trajectory of the sports memorabilia market, tangible or NFT, is being disputed. Meanwhile, the success of NBA Top Shot, arguably the most successful sports NFT market, soared and eventually crashed. Millennials are driving the NFT market, according to a Morning Consult survey that found 42% of all NFT collectors are 26 to 40 years old. Some sports market experts argue that regardless of an NFT bounce back, tangibles and NFTs in the sports memorabilia market don’t compete with each other. “I don’t think that [NFTs] are going to eat into the physical memorabilia market,” said Pete Giorgio, leader of Deloitte Consulting’s global and U.S. sports practice, who tracks and forecasts the sports memorabilia market.

☆ In the college sports pay era, female athletes are emerging as big winners
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-15 | by ( Kaitlin Balasaygun | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

At a time of increased scrutiny about the pay gap between male and female athletes, the Nike deals show that female collegiate and amateur athletes are emerging as winners in the early days of the NIL era. "I think most people knew that women athletes in particular were going to see great opportunities," Rishe said. "That's why it's exciting to see, but not surprising to see a lot of female college athletes solidify various and sometimes lucrative NIL deals." Women's social media presence influences dealsClark ranks as the tenth most profitable college women's basketball player and Jones comes in twelfth, according to On3's "College Women's Basketball NIL Rankings." Female athletes already are doing their part in spreading the message about the future of women in sports and as public figures.

☆ Ye’s ‘The Shop’ episode pulled after he used ‘more hate speech,’ producers say
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Chantal Da Silva | Chantal Da Silva Is A Breaking News Editor For Nbc News Digital Based In London. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

An episode of an online talk show featuring Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, will not be aired after the rapper used "hate speech and extremely dangerous stereotypes" during the taping, the show's producers said late Tuesday night. "Unfortunately, he used The Shop to reiterate more hate speech and extremely dangerous stereotypes," he said. "While The Shop embraces thoughtful discourse and differing opinions, we have zero tolerance for hate speech of any kind and will never allow our channels to be used to promote hate," he said. Hate speech should never have an audience,” he added. The post has since been deleted from Ye’s account.

☆ Kanye West's episode of LeBron James' YouTube show won't air because he used his interview 'to reiterate more hate speech'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Kanye West's interview on the YouTube talk show "The Shop" won't air. An executive producer said West used the interview to "reiterate more hate speech." "Yesterday we taped an episode of 'The Shop' with Kanye West," Maverick Carter, another executive producer of the show, told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement. Unfortunately, he used 'The Shop' to reiterate more hate speech and extremely dangerous stereotypes." Hate speech should never have an audience."

☆ Kanye West's episode of 'The Shop' won't air over his 'hate speech'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Chloe Melas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Kanye West will not be featured on “The Shop: Uninterrupted.”West, who has legally changed his name to Ye, taped an episode of the HBO conversation series from Lebron James and Maverick Carter earlier this week. In a statement to CNN on Wednesday, Carter said the episode will not air. Unfortunately, he used The Shop to reiterate more hate speech and very ugly stereotypes,” Carter, who is also CEO Springhill Company, which produces the series, said in a statement. “While The Shop embraces thoughtful and difficult topics, we have zero tolerance for hate speech and will not air it on any of our channels under any circumstances. While I understand this may leak, I hope others choose to do the right thing and not give hate speech an audience of any kind,” Carter added.

☆ Tom Brady and Kim Clijsters are Major League Pickleball's newest team owners
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Jessica Golden | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Tom Brady of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throws against the New Orleans Saints during the second quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on September 13, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady and International Tennis Hall of Famer Kim Clijsters are the latest high-profile athletes to join the pickleball craze. Major League Pickleball announced on Wednesday that Brady and Clijsters are headlining their newest ownership group to buy an expansion team, which will begin playing in 2023. The Brady and Clijsters group is led by Knighthead Capital. In September, Anne Worcester, Major League Pickleball's strategic advisor, told CNBC that demand for teams has grown exponentially and that prices are in the seven-figure range.

☆ Rubin comes up short in tennis, ready to walk tall in pickleball
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Rubin, who stands 1.75m tall, said last month that he would take an indefinite break from tennis. He announced his pickleball switch on Monday, poking fun at his height in a video posted on Twitter. Invented in 1965, pickleball is a fast-paced paddle sport similar to tennis and badminton, though it is played on a smaller court with a net using a perforated plastic ball. Four-times NBA champion LeBron James's LRMR Ventures is headlining a new ownership group buying a team in Major League Pickleball. read moreRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter RutherfordOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ What to Know About (Legally) Marketing Crypto Assets
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-06 | by ( Megan Graham | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +6 min

Newsletter Sign-up WSJ | CMO Today CMO Today delivers the most important news of the day for media and marketing professionals. The cryptocurrency boom has attracted many investors, including less experienced ones, raising questions about what is appropriate when marketing these types of assets. “Over time, especially in the crypto space, we’ve seen [people] try to call it different things to avoid the securities laws,” Mr. Gerold said. What is something else?” Mr. Gerold said. Mr. Gerold said it can depend on what the stars are saying in these ads.

☆ LeBron James Is Buying a Professional Pickleball Team
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Joseph De Avila | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Even LeBron James is getting caught up in the pickleball craze. Mr. James and his business partner Maverick Carter have joined a group of investors that include NBA players Draymond Green and Kevin Love to purchase a Major League Pickleball expansion team, the league said Wednesday.

☆ LeBron James headlines ownership group with Major League Pickleball
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Sept 28 (Reuters) - Four-times NBA champion LeBron James is getting into the pickleball business, as his firm LRMR Ventures headlines a new ownership group buying a team with Major League Pickleball (MLP). MLP founder Steve Kuhn said the investment would be instrumental in helping the league achieve its goal of reaching 40 million pickleball players by 2030. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register"It’s a watershed moment for pickleball in general," Kuhn said in a statement. Pickleball is a fast-paced paddle sport with similarities to tennis, though played on a much smaller court with a net using a perforated plastic ball. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Amy Tennery in New York, editing by Ed OsmondOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ LeBron James is a pickleball fan. And now he's buying a team
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Jessica Golden | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

LeBron James, the king of basketball courts, is one of the newest owners of a professional pickleball team. "When I started playing pickleball, I immediately connected with the sport's community and its capacity to be both fun and competitive," Carter told CNBC in an interview. "We had this immediate connection over their passion for playing pickleball, their passion for growing pro pickleball grassroots. Worcester said the demand for owning a pickleball team is high with more than 60 different groups expressing interest. "Yes, we would welcome LeBron or Draymond or Kevin Love to think about playing," Worcester said laughing.

☆ More celebrities like Kourtney Kardashian are turning themselves into department stores. Here's the platform helping to grow their customer list.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Cortina enables celebrity marketplaces like Kourtney Kardashian's Poosh and Graydon Carter's Airmail. These marketplaces may soon replace department stores, Cortina founder Keith George says. PooshSeveral celebrity marketplaces have popped up in recent years. Now, platforms that serve as a bridge between brands, celebrities, and their audiences — like Cortina — are also on the rise. Celebrity marketplaces also might help traditional brands have faced in acquiring customers.

☆ The 2022 NFL season continues with a big Week 3 matchup between the undefeated Bills and Dolphins — here's how to livestream games all season long
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Kevin Webb | Video Game Reporter | Read More | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Week 3 of the 2022 NFL season features a key matchup between AFC East rivals with Bills vs. Dolphins. Throughout the regular season, NFL games are spread between Fox, CBS, ESPN, NBC, Amazon Prime Video, and the NFL Network. ET ABC, ESPN, ESPN2How to watch NFL games without cableYou can watch select NFL games without a cable subscription via live TV streaming services and platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Paramount Plus, Peacock Premium, and NFL+. Here's a chart detailing which NFL games are included on every major platform:Note: This chart is for local in-market and national broadcasts only. AFC afternoon games (CBS) NFC afternoon games (Fox) Sunday Night Football (NBC) Monday Night Football (ESPN) Thursday Night Football NFL Network games Antenna Yes Yes Yes No No No Sling TV Orange + Blue No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Hulu Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes YouTube TV Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes FuboTV Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Paramount Plus Yes No No No No No Peacock Premium No No Yes No No No Amazon Prime Video No No No No Yes No NFL+ (mobile only) Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes YesHere's a detailed breakdown of all the services you can use to stream NFL games without cable:

Kanye West’s breakup with Gap Inc. reflects a broader trend of celebrities seeking more control over the brands they create or back. But in this instance, Mr. Shabelman said the friction between Mr. West and Gap fits into a larger development in the world of celebrity marketing. Mr. West “doesn’t need those corporations,” said Anjali S. Bal, an associate professor of marketing at Babson College. Mr. West formally notified Gap on Thursday that his Yeezy LLC fashion brand was terminating his partnership with the apparel chain. More recently, tennis champion Naomi Osaka last year began a media company called Hana Kuma in partnership with SpringHill Co., an entertainment firm co-founded by LeBron James.

☆ PayPal threatens to sever partnership with Phoenix Suns if owner Sarver returns
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-16 | by ( Jack Stebbins | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 30: Owner, Robert Sarver of the Phoenix Suns interviews after Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals of the 2021 NBA Playoffs on June 30, 2021 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. PayPal , the jersey sponsor for the Phoenix Suns, warned that it would sever ties with the team if owner Robert Sarver remains affiliated with the organization following his one-year suspension. "In light of the findings of the NBA's investigation, we will not renew our sponsorship should Robert Sarver remain involved with the Suns organization, after serving his suspension." Former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling was banned from the league for life after his racist comment surfaced. PayPal joins multiple NBA players and the players' association in saying Sarver's punishment doesn't go far enough, including Suns star Chris Paul.

☆ NBA star Russell Westbrook lists his $30 million LA mansion as Lakers trade rumors swirl
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-14 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

The Lakers star's decision to sell his LA home for $30 million comes amid rumors of a trade. The Brentwood Park mansion is nearly 13,500 square feet in one of LA's exclusive communities. Lakers star Russell Westbrook is listing his Los Angeles home for $30 million as whispers of a potential trade continue to spread. In true Westbrook fashion, the listing boasts "two separate walk-in (closets) that rival any luxury department store." Whoever ends up purchasing the athlete's mansion will have Lebron James, Judd Apatow, and sports commentator Al Michaels as neighbors, the LA Times reports.

☆ Why celebrities are so interested in the unglamorous world of private equity
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-07 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Now she’s entering the secretive, not-so-pretty world of private equity, aka the land of “vulture capitalists.”Here’s the deal: Kim K is partnering with Jay Sammons, a former executive with Carlyle Group, to launch SKKY Partners, a private equity firm that plans to invest in areas such as consumer products, hospitality, luxury, digital commerce and media. “If I was a celebrity, I would jump in and start a private equity fund,” Hooke says. First up, the iPhone 14 (yes, 14! The iPhone 14 will start at $799, the same starting price as last year’s iPhone 13. The larger iPhone 14 Plus model will start at $899.

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