A peek into today’s edition:

• The download on TikTok‘s possible US ban
• Tech Talk Reviews: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
• Reddit eyes $6.4 billion valuation

Everything You Need to Know About TikTok’s Potential Ban in the US

The clock is ticking on TikTok’s fate in the United States after the House of Representatives voted in favor of a bipartisan bill that could ban the platform if it doesn’t get new ownership.

But there is a lot of information to understand and dissect around this ordeal, so I’m here to break it down for you.

How the TikTok Ban Bill Ended Up in Congress

TikTok, which China-based ByteDance owns, launched in the US in September 2016. The company splits its headquarters between LA and Singapore. TikTok’s app didn’t gain noticeable traction until October 2018, when it became the most downloaded app in the US. The US government has always been critical of the video-sharing app since its parent company is based in China, where the government has a stronger influence over local businesses, even if they have an international reach.

Congress is most concerned about national security risks and data privacy since the Chinese government can decide at any moment to instill laws that would require ByteDance to share sensitive information about its users. Still, ByteDance’s leadership said it would never do that, and the tech company has even made strides to build trust in the US. Back in 2022, TikTok agreed to move all US user data to American soil through a partnership with Texas-based tech giant Oracle. This relocation was to make sure only the US-based security team could access the data. Additionally, the US government will have the ability to monitor the operation regularly.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew spoke about this relocation, dubbed Project Texas, in detail during his first testimony before the House in March 2023. The testimony lasted more than six hours, and I watched the entire thing. Here are some key takeaways from the hearing. Chew’s testimony came at a time when sweeping TikTok bans hit the nation. In February 2023, the Biden administration banned TikTok from federal devices, even though the president’s re-election campaign made an account last month. In May 2023, Montana became the first state to ban TikTok after signing a bill that would have gone into effect in January 2024 before a federal judge blocked the decision in November. A slew of states across the US have instilled similar TikTok bans on federal devices, and some universities have restricted the app on school devices and campus Wi-Fi.

The Vote in the House

The noise around a nationwide TikTok ban was quiet for some time, but that was the plan all along. Bipartisan lawmakers kept the bill under wraps until last week when a House committee unanimously voted to put the legislation to a larger vote. Chew quickly traveled to the US to speak with lawmakers ahead of the vote on Wednesday. TikTok also pushed messages to its US users urging them to contact their Congressional representatives to kill the bill. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, as the bill was passed, with 155 Democrats and 197 Republicans voting in favor of it.

Chew responded to the vote on the bill in a TikTok video, emphasizing how much a TikTok ban in the US would negatively impact small businesses and content creators.

What’s Next?

If the bill goes to a vote in the Senate and it is passed, President Joe Biden already agreed to sign it into law. The bill would require ByteDance to sell its ownership in TikTok within 165 days, or the app will be blocked from US app stores indefinitely.

TikTok has grown to attract an estimated 170 million users in the US, which is nearly half of our population, so it’s understandable why there are bigger concerns at play here. It’s unclear if the Senate will bring a bill to a vote.

Personally, I don’t think TikTok is leaving the US anytime soon. Refer to my Bet of the Week for more.

Still, TikTok is in a tough spot since the Chinese government has also told ByteDance it will oppose a sale of the app in the US.

For more on my thoughts on a potential TikTok ban, check out this video.

Tech Talk Reviews: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Electronics leader Samsung debuted its newest line of smartphones in January with new AI tools. The Galaxy S24 Ultra is the first Samsung device to feature a titanium frame, reducing the smartphone’s weight. I’ve been playing around with the Galaxy S24 Ultra for the past six weeks. Take a look at what I learned.

• Reddit announced that it plans to raise $748 million at a $6.4 billion valuation from the 22 million shares it filed to offer for its IPO. The social media platform is launching a subreddit (/RDDT) for users to ask questions about its public offering. Stay tuned; I’ll have more on Reddit IPO next week.
• Bitcoin hit a new all-time high again on Wednesday when it briefly surpassed the $73,800 threshold. For context, Bitcoin was trading at around $26,500 this time last year.
• A new bill in Illinois called the Journalism Preservation Act will soon be put to a vote. If passed, it would require tech companies to pay local news outlets for work viewed by residents on their platforms. Meta says it will pull news from its platform in the state if the bill passes.
• A group of authors is suing Nvidia for alleged copyright infringement. The authors are claiming that Nvidia trained its AI platform NeMo using their books without their consent.
• Spotify is beta testing a new feature with Premium subscribers that allows them to access music videos for select songs via the Now Playing screen. The feature is available across 11 markets.
• OpenAI announced a new board of directors that includes eight members, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Instacart CEO Fidji Simo, and Nicole Seligman, former Sony Entertainment President.
• Elon Musk agreed to release the code and open up access to Grok, an AI chatbot that was previously only accessible to X Premium+ subscribers, following his lawsuit against OpenAI that alleges the AI company is keeping its tech too private. Fun fact: In one of my Bet of the Week editions last year, I predicted this would happen in Q1 of 2024. Check it out here.
• Speaking of Musk, Don Lemon said the troubled tech tycoon canceled his content deal on X’s platform hours after they filmed the debut episode of his new show. Lemon said the episode will still air on YouTube, which will be the primary home for The Don Lemon Show moving forward.

If Congress fully passes the TikTok bill in the US, I’m going to bet that ByteDance will let TikTok spin out as its own company and maintain its HQ offices in Singapore and LA.

The post Everything You Need to Know About TikTok’s Potential Ban in the US appeared first on Boardroom.

The 170 million TikTok users in the US are in jeopardy of losing their accounts after the House of Representatives passed a bill that could ban the app if China-based ByteDance doesn’t sell it.

The federal government has long been concerned about the national security risk TikTok could pose if sensitive data about US users is shared with the Chinese government.

So, how did we get here, and what exactly did the House vote on?

Let me break it down clearly.

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The bill passed by a vote of 352-65. It’s unclear if the Senate will raise a vote on the bill, but the chamber did agree to review the legislation. President Joe Biden already agreed to sign the bill into law if Congress passes it, forcing ByteDance to sell the app in 165 days or see it banned from US app stores.

TikTok’s fate hangs in the balance, but we’ll continue to track the legislation’s movements and report them in Boardroom’s Tech Talk newsletter. Stay tuned.

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The post US House Advances Bill on TikTok Ban appeared first on Boardroom.

A peek into today’s edition:

• Big Tech’s strong presence at NBA All-Star 2024
• Bitcoin surpasses $51K
• OpenAI announces a new text-to-video platform

Big Tech is Strong in Indy for NBA All-Star Weekend 2024

Big Tech and the NBA go hand-in-hand as the league continues to implement creative ways to bring tech into the popular sport.

The NBA hosted its 24th annual NBA All-Star Technology Summit on Friday, where it brought together leaders across tech, sports business, and media to have off-the-record dialogues about trends and innovations across their industries. The NBA is undoubtedly the most tech-focused league out there, in my opinion, and that’s because it consistently goes above and beyond to implement and showcase its new tech innovations. IIt did so again at the Tech Summit on Friday as Spurs rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama joined Adam Silver to unveil NB-AI, an NBA-trained voice assistant that leverages AI tech to personalize the live game viewing experience for fans. The league didn’t announce when the new offering will launch or if it will cost at this time.

Outside of the summit, Big Tech giants like Meta and Google had a strong presence throughout the weekend, with tech-focused activations and exclusive programming. One of my favorite events of the weekend was the Google Pixel Combine, which featured interactive stations to showcase its latest device in action. Foot Locker also got in on some tech action with an interactive LED half-court.

Check out my story, All Things Tech at NBA All-Star Weekend 2024, for a full download on what some of the top tech brands have planned for the big game.

Bitcoin Surpasses $51K as Next Halving Event Nears

Bitcoin surpassed the $51,000 threshold earlier this week for the first time since December 2021, marking a new two-year high for the world’s most valuable digital asset. This pushed the token’s market cap back over $1 trillion, which is also the first time this has happened since late 2021. So far, my crypto predictions for the year are coming true since the SEC approved spot Bitcoin ETFs, and Bitcoin breezed past $40,000. ETFs are driving the current rally behind Bitcoin as the token’s price continues to drive up. Remember, Bitcoin’s highest value per token was $69,000 in November 2021. It’s too soon to tell if it will reach that threshold again, but you can expect I’ll make a bet on it soon.

It’s also important to remember that Bitcoin’s next halving can occur as soon as April 17, which is roughly two months away. Check out my explainer on what a Bitcoin Halving is to learn more.

Elsewhere in the crypto world, the sentencing for Binance founder Changpeng Zhao has been rescheduled for April 30. CZ’s sentencing was initially scheduled for Feb. 23, and he is facing up to 10 years in prison for pleading guilty to anti-money laundering charges.

Nvidia’s Market Cap Outpaces Alphabet & Amazon as AI Chip Market Booms

Nvidia won this week after it surpassed Amazon in market capitalization on Tuesday for the first time since 2002, but the AI chipmaker didn’t stop there. The company went on to overtake Alphabet on Wednesday as well, becoming one of the top three most valuable tech companies on the market behind Microsoft and Apple. Nvidia’s stock has risen more than 200% in the last 12 months as demand for its AI chips continues to rise. The company’s chips power popular AI models from OpenAI, Amazon, Google, and others.

Nvidia will share its next earnings report on Wednesday, Feb. 21. Stay tuned for an explainer of the AI chipmaker and why it’s having a meteoric rise right now.

• OpenAI announced a new text-to-video AI platform called Sora, which lets users create realistic or animated videos up to 60 seconds from simple text prompts. The generative AI company showcased its new tech offerings through a thread of posts on X featuring different prompts and the videos they created.
• Elon Musk is moving all of his businesses out of Delaware after a judge in the state rejected his Tesla pay package reportedly worth more than $55 billion. Musk filed to move SpaceX and Tesla to Texas and Neuralink to Nevada.
• Google Pixel inked a deal to become the official mobile phone of the NWSL to further media coverage of women’s sports through exclusive behind-the-scenes access to game highlights, teams, and players. Elsewhere, Verizon and the NHL renewed their multi-year partnership to bring more 5G connectivity to arenas.
• New York City and a few agencies are suing TikTok, Meta, Snap, and YouTube, alleging that the tech companies intentionally implement tactics to get young users hooked on their platforms. NYC Mayor Eric Adams said the state is seeking a jury trial, policy changes, and financial damages.
• President Joe Biden‘s re-election campaign launched a TikTok account to attract younger voters on the platform, and the account has already attracted more than 145,000 followers (as of Friday afternoon).
• The European Union ruled that Apple won’t be forced to make iMessage interoperable with other messaging platforms, and Microsoft won’t have to tighten restrictions on its Bing search engine. The EU concluded that the services don’t meet designation under its Digital Markets Act, which is a win for the Big Tech giants.

The US Patent and Trademark Office shared new guidance that says AI systems cannot be named inventors in applications, but humans can leverage AI tools to create patented works as long as they disclose that they do. I’m going to bet that as AI systems get smarter, these rules will change to allow AI platforms to be named inventors.

The post Big Tech is Strong in Indy for 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend appeared first on Boardroom.

At 35 years old, Dave Burd, better known by his stage name Lil Dicky, already has a platinum album and several viral hits as a rapper and a critically acclaimed TV show, Dave, based on his own life that at one point became the most watched comedy in FX history.

After three seasons, however, FX announced that there are no current plans for a fourth, with Burd deciding to take an extended break to focus on music and other ventures. While promoting Mountain Dew’s Baja Blast flavor last week in Las Vegas with his own custom Audacy radio show for Super Bowl weekend, Burd told Boardroom that he’s excited to dive into new music and the next phase of a multifaceted career with immense multi-hyphenate potential.

“I want to treat it like I’m like an up-and-coming rapper who’s proved nothing,” Burd, whose Dave soundtrack album, Penith, dropped last month, told Boardroom. “It’s going to be a whole new challenge. I’m going to really try to find my digital footprint this year in a way that I’ve been neglecting for the past five years because I’ve been so busy making television.”

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To say the rap and music industry has changed since his last album — the platinum 2015 debut Professional Rapper — would be a massive understatement. The Philadelphia native explained how, back then, YouTube was king of the world, and getting views on the social medium was the name of the game. Lil Dicky’s 2018 smash hit “Freaky Friday” with Chris Brown has 747 million YouTube views.

Now, TikTok has eclipsed YouTube in industry importance, and artists are being discovered in new ways.

A fan of Mark Cuban and Shark Tank, Burd said he likes innovations that democratize industries, and the TikTokification of music allows more artists to be discovered and blow up. After all, YouTube gave Lil Dicky the opportunity to become a rapper when he probably wouldn’t have broken through 30 years ago.

However, a part of Burd believes things may be too democratized right now, with people now only making music for the perfect 10-second moment rather than for an actual song.

“Things are getting diluted, if I’m being quite honest,” Burd continued. “There’s too many artists, too much clutter, too much stuff that’s probably not great that comes out as a result. But ultimately, humanity might be at its best when everyone feels like they have a shot to do what they want in life. And that’s kind of what’s happening. So I’m for it.” 

Despite what he thinks is an overabundance of clutter in music right now, Burd said the cream still rises to the top. Great talents won’t usually go undiscovered, so all he can do is make the best product he can and be confident that success will follow.

That said, Burd admitted that creating Dave, which debuted in 2020, took away from his music and being as focused on the digital world.

“I started my whole career as Mr. Internet, you know what I mean?” he said. “Everything I did was designed to be big on the internet to then give me opportunity. And I got the opportunity with the show, and I really haven’t been that active in the internet space as a result.”

Dave took away from Burd’s ability to build musical momentum over the last several years. Believing he’s just scratching the surface of what he can do as a rapper, Burd is ready to put his all into the artist known as Lil Dicky. He wants to leave no stone unturned and go for it in his music career before it’s too late.

In his development as an artist and television creator, leaving no stone unturned means meticulous attention to detail Burd displayed in his eponymous Dave character. If he drafted a script for an episode, he was going to chip away at it and improve it until it was ready to be shot. Lil Dicky would record a song and notice two bars that could use some tweaking to create a more optimal final product.

“In everything I put out, I want it to be at a certain threshold of greatness,” Burd said.

Dave provided Burd a three-year crash course in making TV and film, a pretty damn impressive first fully-fledged foray into the space. Now, he sees himself as a writer and filmmaker more than he ever thought he would when he was 12, hoping to be a comedian when he grew up.

While Burd is going to mainly focus on Lil Dicky right now, he also said he’s writing a movie right now he hopes will be his debut as a feature filmmaker. He’s in awe of and inspired by directors like Quentin Tarantino, David Fincher, and the Coen brothers, the latter of whom were able to make stylistically varied and excellent features like The Big Lebowski and No Country For Old Men. Burd said he’s inspired by the diversity of stories those auteurs are able to create.

The final episode of Dave‘s third season stars Brad Pitt as himself in a stalker hostage situation that’s so surreally absurd in one of the many ways the show stood out during its run. It confirmed to Burd that he could not only make music at the highest level, but do the same in making television and movies.

“There’s nothing more validating as an aspiring up-and-coming filmmaker to get the biggest movie star of our lifetime to come on set and take it so seriously,” Burd said. “Pitt worked with all the people I just named. And I’m literally on set giving him direction and notes, and he looked at me and treated me with the same level of respect.”

While Dave Burd’s present is firmly focused on a rapping renaissance for Lil Dicky, the phase in his life after that will be in making movies.

“When I’m dead and you look back on my career,” Burd said, “a large part of the second half of my career is going to be as a filmmaker and writing, directing, and starring in movies.”

Lil Dicky proved he can be a platinum-selling artist who can return to rap’s pinnacle. Dave proved he could create content popular with both critics and fans.

The potential is there for Dave Burd to be a generational creator of content across multiple genres; all he has to do is seize the opportunity.

Want more music?

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April 3, 2024

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Emerging Tech February 27, 2024

Tech Talk Reviews: Bose Ultra Open Earbuds

February 17, 2024

Beyoncé Makes Debut on Billboard Country Radio Chart

The post Lil Dicky is Dave Burd’s Present, but His Future is Firmly in Film appeared first on Boardroom.

A peek into today’s edition:

• My Apple Vision Pro Review (finally!)
• Big Tech CEOs on Capitol Hill
• UMG vs TikTok rages on

Believe the Hype: The Apple Vision Pro is Here & It’s a Game Changer

“MVP! MVP! MVP!”

That’s what the staffers at Apple Fifth Avenue were chanting for Apple CEO Tim Cook as he walked up to open the doors of the store to customers eager to get their hands on the Apple Vision Pro on Friday morning. Cook shook hands with early adopters of his company’s newest device, spending about an hour in the store interacting with customers and the media. Every way I turned in the store, there were excited customers unboxing their Vision Pros, doing demos, and spectating the electric scenery.

Entertainment and the freedom to work on multiple screens were the top two things people told me they were most excited about experiencing with the Vision Pro. It was very obvious to me that the majority of the early Vision Pro adopters were tech enthusiasts, coders, legacy Apple supporters, and entertainment fanatics. I was excited to be in the room and on the ground, covering a historic moment. After testing out the Vision Pro myself this week, I have one piece of advice for the skeptical people out there: Believe the hype.

My Review of the Apple Vision Pro

I’ve been covering the Apple Vision Pro‘s rollout since the day the new device was announced last June at WWDC 2023. Ahead of the Vision Pro launch, Boardroom received an exclusive demo of the device on Thursday. I got a one-hour experience and even had to share my eye prescription ahead of it so the headset would be personally calibrated for me. Right off the bat, it was simple and easy to get used to the iris control and finger taps to click and move items around. The Vision Pro is truly a spatial computer, and I was able to control how immersed I wanted to be in the virtual space compared to being able to see the physical space around me.

I mostly interacted with apps native to Vision Pro, which truly leaned into making a spatial computing experience. I was able to select immersive backgrounds, and I was impressed by the device’s ability to handle multiple screens at once. I had screens positioned all around me, though typing is definitely a task I’ll have to get used to.

Watching movies in the Vision Pro exceeded my expectations. I felt like I was at the movie theater with the best seats in the house, and don’t get me started on the video quality. The imagery was top-tier. Aside from getting up close with a dinosaur that made me forget it wasn’t really in front of me and a butterfly landing on the tip of my finger, the NBA League Pass experience was, by far, my favorite thing I got to try.

Honestly, the only thing I was missing out on was interacting with my friends and other users, which I’m sure there will be updates and apps that allow for that down the line.

While I thoroughly enjoyed my experience, I left that demo thinking: Who is this device actually for, and how will Apple market it to the masses? I can’t imagine kids or someone my mom’s age investing in a device like this at this stage.

I got a couple of insights into these questions when I joined Cook and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver at the NBA HQ on Friday afternoon for an exclusive experience with the development team that built the Vision Pro version of NBA League Pass. Chad Evans, NBA SVP Head of Product, along with Senior Software Engineers Lauren Marshall and Matthew Parrott, presented their work on building out NBA League Pass from the Vision Pro. Evans told me that a core team of six engineers, designers, and product managers worked on the NBA League Pass app for the Vision Pro.

“We really wanted to be there for the launch because we think it’s really important for fans to get their hands on the experience,” Evans told Boardroom. “I love statistics and the way stats can help you build a deeper understanding of the game. We actually rebuilt our core stats engine so that we can have real-time stats in sync with all of the videos you’re watching. That experience just makes the app feel alive.”

Following the demo, I asked Cook and Silver one question from all of the learnings I gathered about the Vision Pro: What do you think the future of sports and entertainment is in this new spatial computing universe, and how will you get fans to invest in it?

“I think it’s more immersive than ever before; I think the fan wants to be a part of the game and a part of the action, and there’s nothing like being in Vision Pro and feeling like you’re on the court,” Cook exclusively told me. “It’s not that you have a courtside seat; it’s so much better than that. I’m so excited. I think it really changes everything.”

Silver doubled down on that.

“You often hear, even from casual NBA fans, that the best seat in all of sports is a courtside seat, which virtually no one gets to experience. As Tim said, this is in many ways better than sitting courtside; it can take you anywhere on the floor, it can give you the perspective of a player, and it can give you places you can otherwise never go and absorb it,” Silver told me. “It can give you the perspective of a player; it can give you places you can otherwise never go and absorb it. “These are, of course, early days, but it is transformative. This will, to me, be how people over time experience sports through media.”

I have more insights to share from my experience with the Apple team this week, but one thing is clear to me after my experience this week: Apple is all in on entertainment for the Vision Pro.

Expect more from me on the new device very soon.

• Big Tech CEOs from Meta, TikTok, Snap, Discord, and X were in the hot seat on Wednesday during a Senate hearing focused on the harm young users face online and policies meant to protect them. Meta‘s Mark Zuckerberg and TikTok’s Shou Zi Chew got most of the heat from Senators looking to pass a bill that would put more liability on social platforms when young users experience harm online.
• Amazon mutually agreed with iRobot to call off its planned acquisition of the Roomba maker. As a result, iRobot founder and CEO Colin Angle announced he is stepping down, and the company has cut 31% of its workforce, which is 350 people.
• In other Amazon news, the Bellevue, WA, house where Jeff Bezos founded the Big Tech company has hit the real estate market for $2.3 million.
• Elon Musk reported on X that the first human has received a Neuralink brain-computer interface, a device that’s implanted into the brain and allows users to control external computers, robotic products, and mobile devices. The patient is a part of Neuralink’s first human trial for its flagship device.
• Also, a Delaware judge sided with Tesla shareholders who filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk to block his 2018 pay package, which included a whopping $56 billion salary that was previously approved by the company’s board.
• TikTok has a master plan to boost shopping and in-app sales by opening live studios across major cities like LA that allow creators to come in and livestream products they are pushing to sell. The company is also working on a new feature that would allow users to feature links to products in their videos.
• OpenAI’s ChatGPT announced a partnership with children’s safety org Common Sense Media to develop AI guidelines, educational materials, and a kid-friendly section in the GPT Store.

• Amazon & Meta Making Big Market Moves, Apple Exceeds Earnings Expectations
• Universal Music Group Artists Set to Disappear from TikTok After Negotiations Break Down
• Microsoft, Alphabet Post Big Revenue Numbers but Mixed Market Results

Universal Music Group decided to pull its music library from TikTok this week after the parties failed to reach a new agreement on royalties for artists and songwriters. I’m going to bet that UMG will return to the short-form video platform by the end of Q1 since it’s been able to reach deals with every other social network on the market.

The post Believe the Hype: The Apple Vision Pro is Here & It’s a Game Changer appeared first on Boardroom.

Universal Music Group announced in an open letter early Wednesday that it’s pulling its extensive music library from TikTok after the parties failed to reach a new agreement on royalties for artists and songwriters.

UMG came to the decision citing the proposed deal’s unfair compensation for its artists. TikTok and UMG’s current contract is set to expire on Jan. 31, which means that music from popular artists like Drake, Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, and SZA will disappear from the platform by the end of the day.

“TikTok proposed paying our artists and songwriters at a rate that is a fraction of the rate that similarly situated major social platforms pay,” UMG said in its statement.

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Before UMG posted its open letter early this morning, TikTok released a statement saying, “It is sad and disappointing that Universal Music Group has put their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters.” The short-form video app stated that it has been able to reach agreements with every other label and publisher that prioritizes the artists and songwriters on its platform.

“The fact is they have chosen to walk away from the powerful support of a platform with well over a billion users that serves as a free promotional and discovery vehicle for their talent,” TikTok said in its statement.

Refuting this claim, UMG noted that it’s been able to reach similar deals with every other social media platform. The music publisher also accused TikTok of attempting to bully it into signing a contract that would dish out fewer royalties to artists and songwriters than the previous one did. UMG reported that TikTok accounts for only 1% of its total revenue.

The pressure point in the negotiations came from TikTok and UMG’s inability to reason on payments for AI-generated content that features UMG music. The music publisher also alleged that TikTok hasn’t been taking the appropriate and swift steps to remove content that violates its copyrighted works.

TikTok hasn’t directly responded to UMG’s open letter, and it’s unclear if the companies will return to negotiations to solidify a deal any time soon.

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The post Universal Music Group Artists Set to Disappear from TikTok After Negotiations Break Down appeared first on Boardroom.

This year, I made over 40 bets focused on things I predict will happen across the tech industry.

When Boardroom’s weekly newsletter, Tech Talk, got a makeover in February, I started making bets on happenings across the tech industry. “Michelai’s Bet of the Week Presented by FanDuel Sportsbook” holds space at the bottom of the newsletter, and it easily became my favorite place to share my real and sometimes unhinged tech hot takes.

Now, I wasn’t making any wagers or putting up money for these bets, but some came true, and some didn’t.

Here is a rundown of every bet I made this year on tech, with some small updates on the big ones that have had movements.

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February

• Feb. 12: Calling it now: Twitter’s verified badge pricing model will fall apart in the next year because people won’t care enough to pay for a blue check.
• Feb. 19: As the SEC cracks down on crypto, lawmakers will attempt to implement widespread crypto regulations within the next year.
• Feb. 26: After steady progress with AI-powered chatbots, there will be talks of at least one AI-scripted film at the Tribeca Film Festival this summer.
  • Unfortunately, this didn’t come true.

March

• March 5: Since Yuga Labs is the top household name in Web3, I predict that TwelveFold NFTs will sell out in four hours max when they drop.
  • TwelveFold NFTs sold out in minutes when the auction concluded on March 6.
• March 12: Since Meta plans to release three more headsets before 2027, I think the big tech company will knock those Quest prices down again before the year is up to make space in the market for the new products.
  • Meta knocked down the Meta Quest 2 price by $50 to $249, while the Meta Quest Pro is still $999.
• March 19: Even though lawmakers are scrutinizing President Joe Biden for not banning TikTok by now, I bet a deal will be reached very soon, and a complete barring of the social media won’t be necessary.
• March 26: If ByteDance puts a real deal on the table to sell TikTok, I’m going to bet that Oracle will arise as an early contender to buy the company.

April

• April 2: I’m going to go big here and say Twitter removing legacy blue checks will backfire tremendously, causing the platform to move back to a more traditional verification process.
  • After discontinuing the Legacy Blue Check program on April 20, X began reinstalling them on accounts for deceased individuals and many celebrities by April 24.
• April 9: I’m going to bet that NFT.NYC will look a lot different next year, or not happen at all since it’s really just a week of hundreds of community events that can run throughout the year.
• April 16: I’m going to bet that Adidas will follow in Nike and RTFKT’s steps and release some exclusive ALTS apparel tied to the blockchain.
• April 23: I’m going to bet that streaming platforms will not ban AI services from using copyrighted music in favor of imposing some restrictions instead.
• April 30: This is a big one, but I’m going to bet that Microsoft won’t be able to close its acquisition deal with Activision Blizzard this year.
  • This is probably the biggest bet I lost on this year since Microsoft closed the deal in October.

May

• May 7: Super hot take alert: I’m going to bet that more tech workers will push to unionize in the coming years as AI continues to disrupt the workforce.
• May 14: Since Twitter/X Corp is getting a new CEO, I’m going to bet that investors will begin talking about how to buy Musk out to push him out of the company.
• May 21: I am going to confidently bet that Montana’s TikTok ban will not hold up. I’m sure the ACLU is already drafting a lawsuit to detail how this ban violates freedom of speech.
  • In November, a federal judge blocked Montana’s TikTok ban from going into effect.
• May 28: Following FaZe Clan’s latest round of layoffs, I’m going to bet that the once-beloved esports brand is going to file for bankruptcy or merge with another company pretty soon.
  • Texas-based esports company GameSquare Holdings inked a deal in October to acquire Faze Clan.

June

• June 4: This seems like a no-brainer, but since AI leaders are warning that AI will overtake humans in the future, I’m going to bet that investors, consumers, and maybe even Congress will begin to question what they are actually building.
• June 11: After watching Meta knock down its Quest Pro price by $500, I’m going to bet that Apple will chip a little off the Vision Pro’s expensive price tag before the device goes to market later this year.
  • Unfortunately, this didn’t come true.
• June 18: After finally watching Ready Player One for the first time (I know, I’m sorry) following the film’s tech comparisons to Apple’s new AR headset, I’m going to bet that streams of the movie will skyrocket as Apple shares more of its plans.
• June 25: Since President Joe Biden met with AI experts this week, I’m going to bet that we’ll see some joint AI regulations in the near future before we see any real crypto regulations.

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July

• July 2: Google seems to be a bit confused about how to build around emerging technologies right now, and after its recent job cuts at Waze, I’m going to bet we will see another big staffing restructure at the company in the next year.
  • Google cut at least 40 jobs in its news division in October, but no big restructuring.
• July 9: Since there has been fodder about OpenAI getting acquired by Microsoft in its lifetime, I’m going to bet that we’ll see rumors of a deal on the table in the next year after the big tech giant sorts out its Activision Blizzard merger deal.
• July 16: While everyone is focused on generative AI, I always think about humanoids, aka robots. I’m going to bet that a new robotics and AI company building bots will arise soon.
• July 23: Since Amazon is bringing its pay-by-palm tech to all Whole Foods stores by the end of the year, I’m going to bet that another company will do the same with iris tech. (Kind of surprised Amazon didn’t try that first!)
• July 30: I’m going to bet that Xbox will end up selling its Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle-inspired pizza-scented controllers after Aug. 13. For now, fans can only grab one as part of a marketing campaign to promote Paramount’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem film.
  • Unfortunately, this didn’t come true.

August

• Aug. 6: An unopened, first-generation Apple iPod sold for $29,000 via Rally this week, and I’m going to bet that, unlike cassette and CD players, these devices will continue to hold high value due to extreme scarcity.
• Aug. 13: Despite the Detroit Police Department’s trouble with facial recognition tech, I’m going to bet that more law enforcement agencies will adopt the tech, leading to more false arrests.
• Aug. 20: VinFast will go the way of Rivian, facing an extreme challenge (and plummeting stock prices) as it is unable to keep up with the sky-high demand for its EV offerings.
• Aug. 27: Despite the desirable $130 price point, I’m going to strongly bet that the new Atari 2600+ dropping in November won’t sell even half the units that the Atari 2600 sold, which was about 30 million.
  • The console just released a month ago, so sales numbers haven’t been reported yet.

September

• Sept. 3: Amazon is pushing forward with its return-to-office policy, requiring employees to report to an office three days a week, just as Meta recently implemented. I’m going to bet that tech workers will begin to push back on Big Tech companies to fight the crackdown on in-office policies in favor of remote work.
• Sept. 10: Warner Music Central Europe signed a record deal with AI pop singer Noonoouri, and while this is a first for Warner Music, I’m going to bet that we won’t see a deal of this nature in the US anytime soon.
• Sept. 17: With Hulu and Disney Plus price hikes on the way next month, I’m going to bet that a tech company like Roku, for example, will offer a bundle deal of all the major streaming platforms in the next year. It’s like we’re headed back to the cable era of television all over again.
• Sept. 24: Snapchat+ hit a new milestone with 5 million paying subscribers, and while this is impressive, I’m going to bet that the subscription program will see a massive dip in interest by next summer.

October

• Oct. 1: Samsung is targeting content creators through a new sponsorship with MrBeast. I’m going to bet that this deal won’t drive significant sales for the Galaxy Z Flip 5 as the mobile brand expects it to.
• Oct. 8: Meta is testing a $14-a-month subscription service in the UK for users who want an advertisement-free Instagram or Facebook experience. TikTok is also internationally testing a similar feature for $4.99 a month. Since social networks don’t operate like streaming services, I’m going to bet that this offering won’t thrive in the US.
• Oct. 15: Joby Aviation Founder JoeBen Bevirt said his company can deliver on launching a commercial air taxi service in 2025. We didn’t get flying cars in 2000 as promised, so I’m going to bet that flying taxis won’t arrive in 2025 or this decade.
• Oct. 22: After years of delays, Tesla will reportedly start delivering its much-anticipated Cybertruck vehicle to select customers on Nov. 30. I’m going to place a hot bet that we’ll see at least one recall or some sort of design change on the luxury electric SUV before the year is up.
  • Unfortunately, this didn’t happen for the Cybertruck, but Tesla did do a big recall of 2 million of its flagship vehicles recently.
• Oct. 29: Shazam, the music identification app owned by Apple, announced a new feature called Concerts, which will recommend music events to customers based on their Shazam queries. With this expansion, I’m going to bet that Shazam will add a concert ticket-purchasing feature as well, or maybe Apple will build its own internal ticket sales tech.

Everything You Need to Know About the Tesla Cybertruck

The Tesla Cybertruck has officially entered the automotive market, so Boardroom breaks down what to expect from the new electric-powered vehicle, now and in the future.

Check it out!

November

• Nov. 5: The Information reported that TikTok users sent over $250 million to livestreamers on the platform by way of tips and digital gifts. With the potential to generate tipping revenue, I’m going to bet that TikTok Live will give other platforms like Twitch a run for their audiences pretty soon.
• Nov. 12: Despite Epic Games losing in a similar antitrust case with Apple back in 2021, I’m going to bet that the video game developer will prevail with a few wins in its antitrust trial against Google since the Big Tech giant is fighting multiple court battles right now.
  • This was my biggest win on a bet of the year since Epic Games prevailed against Google on all fronts.
• Nov. 19: Indie studio A24 was granted the rights to make a movie based on Walter Isaacson’s biography of Elon Musk. I can’t pinpoint who I think will play the controversial tech tycoon, but I am going to bet that Musk will put his bid in to play himself in the highly-anticipated film.
• Nov. 26: Elon Musk confirmed that Grok will be available to all X Premium+ subscribers as soon as next week, but I’m going to bet that he’ll expand the AI chatbot to more consumers by Q1 2024 to compete with other AI chatbots on the market.

December

• Dec. 3: Lapse, a photo-sharing app that skyrocketed from No. 118 to No. 1 in Apple’s App Store in September, saw downloads drop as much as 70% in recent months. I’m going to bet that we’ll see an uptick in activity once Lapse opens up invites to the masses instead of only allowing users to join by invite codes from friends.
• Dec. 10: I recently shared some of my crypto predictions for 2024, and while I predicted that Bitcoin would break the $40,000 threshold in the new year, it already did that. I want to up that prediction and bet that Bitcoin will break the $50,000 threshold before May.
• Dec. 17: Nearly 20% of teens said they are almost constantly visiting or using YouTube and TikTok, a new report by the Pew Research Center found. As more kids get online to learn, play, and create, I’m going to bet that that figure will double by this time next year.

Be sure to subscribe to Tech Talk to stay current on all my Bets of the Week — right and wrong — heading into 2024.

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They don’t call Ryan Garcia “King Ry” for nothing. Shoot, it’s his account handle on Instagram and TikTok, and he’s even boasted the bedazzled moniker in chain form around his neck leading up to and following multiple fights.

Garcia never entirely reached the mountaintop in a crowded and talented lightweight division that includes the man who handed him his first professional loss in April, Gervonta Davis, as well as Devin Haney, Vasiliy Lomachenko, and Shakur Stevenson. He’s even taken his talents up to 140 pounds, where he will fight Oscar Duarte on Saturday in Houston with hopes of dismantling his opponent in preparation for some of the bigger names at junior welterweight like Teofimo Lopez or Regis Prograis.

But Ryan became King Ry outside of the ring, as there aren’t many in the boxing space that can hold a candle to what he’s done on the web. Sure, being talented and good-looking helps in this regard. After all, if he’s not winning fights in an appealing fashion, no promotion will want to work with him, regardless of how many people like his photos.

Still, it takes a legitimate understanding of how social media works and an effective plan of action to gain a following as big as Garcia’s — tens of millions across major social media platforms. In his eyes, it’s required in this day and age.

“Part of boxing is a business, and if you’re not putting people in seats, what is profitable to the people that put on the fights?” Garcia posed to Boardroom.

King Ry was ahead of the game in many regards, but especially when it came to self-promotion. Ahead of his bout with Duarte, Ryan Garcia sat down with Boardroom’s Eddie Gonzalez for the latest episode of The ETCs to dish on it all — how he’s recovering from his loss to Davis, what moving up to 140 pounds could do for his career, Jake Paul and the YouTube boxing era, and why his mindset of being the best at everything he does has driven him to social media success.

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The post The ETCs: Ryan Garcia, Social Media’s Undisputed Champ appeared first on Boardroom.

A peek into today’s edition: 

• Meta, Microsoft, Snap, Alphabet, and Amazon report earnings
• Apple to host Mac event next week
• Elon Musk‘s Twitter purchase anniversary is here

Big Tech Earnings From Meta, Alphabet, Microsoft, Snap and Amazon

Artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure were the main topics of discussion across Big Tech earnings calls this week. Meta, Alphabet, Microsoft, Snap, and Amazon reported earnings and updated financial outlooks this week.

Here are some key revenue highlights, but check out my story on Amazon’s earnings and Boardroom’s latest Big Tech Earnings Roundup for more in-depth details:

• Amazon generated $143.1 billion in revenue, a 13% increase year-over-year. The big tech firm beat analysts’ projections across the board, and thanks to the holiday season, Amazon expects sales to land in the $160 billion to $167 billion range.
• Alphabet’s revenue increased to $76.7 billion, up 7% year-over-year. The company’s Google Cloud division produced $8.41 billion, and despite missing projections, revenue for Alphabet’s Google Cloud biz grew 22% year-over-year.
• Meta generated $34.15 billion in revenue, a 23% increase year-over-year, marking the company’s fastest rate of growth since 2021. Daily active users across Meta’s family of apps topped 3.14 billion, an increase of 7% year-over-year.
• Microsoft generated $56.5 billion in revenue, an increase of 13% year-over-year. Its biggest revenue win came from its cloud business, which produced $24.26 billion in revenue, up 19%.
• Snap’s revenue rose 5% year-over-year to $1.19 billion, and its Snapchat+ monthly subscription service surpassed five million subscribers. The company returned to positive growth in the third quarter, boosting its stock by as much as 20% on Tuesday.

Apple Set to Announce New Line of iMacs Ahead of Releasing Q3 Earnings

Apple swiftly announced an unexpected event set for Monday, Oct. 30, at 5 p.m. PT. The Big Tech giant will likely announce a new line of Macs, and the event will be completely streamed virtually. Apple knew what it was doing when it dubbed this keynote its “Scary Fast” event since it usually has an IRL crowd for big product announcements. The company took the play on Halloween words to the next level when it updated its event page with its logo transformed into a spooky Finder face. Apple hasn’t launched a new line of iMac desktop computers since April 2021.

This isn’t the only order of business Apple is getting to before its next earnings report comes out on Nov. 2. The company is also upping the Apple TV+ monthly subscription fee from $6.99 to $9.99 and said it will honor California’s new right to repair initiative nationwide. In the midst of this, Taiwan-based Foxconn, Apple’s biggest product maker and supplier, will cooperate with the Chinese government in potential tax and land-use investigations.

Meta Hit With Lawsuits, Alleging Facebook and Instagram Features Are Addictive to Kids

Meta is facing lawsuits from a bipartisan group of 42 attorney generals, alleging that it knowingly developed addictive features on Instagram and Facebook to keep young users engaged on its platforms longer. The lawsuits span 41 states and DC and even include Meta’s home state of California. One of the filings runs 233 pages long and accuses Meta of altering the psychological and social realities of young users and refusing to implement age verification parameters. CNBC reported that one of the suits accuses Meta of violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act by collecting personal data on users under 13 without parental consent.

The Big Tech firm hasn’t responded to the lawsuits yet, but we can expect to see Meta CEO Mark Zuckerburg in many courtrooms across the nation very soon.

Sam Bankman-Fried Trial: What We Learned from Week 4

Something surprising happened this week after the court took a break until Thursday: Sam Bankman-Fried decided to testify in his own trial, where a jury will decide if he’s guilty on 12 counts of financial-related fraud charges. Up until this point, SBF’s defense hadn’t decided if he was going to take the stand or not, but the former FTX leader spent Thursday answering some questions in a mock testimony.  Judge Lewis Kaplan dismissed the jury for the day, so they didn’t get to hear SBF’s testimony while the court ruled on which parts of SBF’s testimony were admissible in court.

Judge Kaplan said SBF had an interesting way of answering questions and even begged him at one point to listen to inquiries before speaking and to answer questions directly. SBF official took the stand on Friday in front of jurors, where he told them he told them he didn’t defraud FTX customers. SBF answered questions about his vision for FTX, the company’s early days in Hong Kong, and his initial plan to sell FTX to Binance before it took off. From the sounds of it, SBF will be back on the stand next week as the defense calls an estimated six witnesses to testify.

While SBF prepped to take the stand, his bankrupt crypto exchange narrowed down its list of bidders interested in reviving the platform, MilkRoad reports. Soon after FTX filed for bankruptcy last November, talks began about restarting the exchange under new management.

• Elon Musk bought Twitter for $44 billion on Oct. 27, 2022, before rebranding it as X and losing about 13% of the platform’s daily active users. Former employees are calling Musk’s leadership style “ruthless and clumsy” as they fear for X’s future.
• TikTok is testing out 15-minute uploads, an increase of 5 minutes from its previous video cap. The company also announced its first live music event headlined by Cardi B that will broadcast on its platform with highlights.
• Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared that Threads is nearing 100 million monthly active users. The Big Tech company is also testing a verified-only feed for paying Meta Verified customers.
• Bitcoin briefly breached the $35,000 threshold for the first time since May 2022, marking a new 16-month high amid the expected approval of a Bitcoin ETF soon. This ETF would give financial institutions a smoother bridge into crypto investing that mirrors how they typically buy stocks.
• Spotify‘s monthly active users increased by 26% to 574 million, marking its second-largest Q3 net addition performance in its history. The streaming service posted $3.55 billion in revenue for the quarter.
• Sony sold 2.5 million copies of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 game in the US in the first 24 hours of its release, making the PlayStation 5 exclusive Sony’s fastest-selling gaming title to date.

• Coinbase Weighs In On Needed Crypto Regulations
• Inside the Charlotte Hornets’ Hive of Innovation
• GameSquare Holdings Acquires Embattled FaZe Clan

Shazam, the music identification app owned by Apple, announced a new feature called Concerts, which will recommend music events to customers based on their Shazam queries. With this expansion, I’m going to bet that Shazam will add a concert ticket-purchasing feature as well, or maybe Apple will build its own internal ticket sales tech.

The post Big Tech Earnings From Meta, Alphabet, Microsoft, Snap, and Amazon appeared first on Boardroom.

What are the young folk into? I’m asking because I don’t know. I really don’t. Do they watch things? Do they eat stuff, or do they respire through photosynthesis? Have they invented a dance-based meta-language that will one day replace our own? Seriously, I need a hand here.

So, you can imagine the intense, quasi-seismic sigh of relief that bellowed forth from the depths of my third chakra — that’s a thing, right? — when I learned that there is indeed a cornucopia of market research we can call upon to understand how Gen Z teenagers spend their money, as well as the brands across industries like fashion, apparel, accessories, beauty, and media that most frequently win their favor.

Are you ready to take the plunge? Whether you feel kinship with teen America or shudder at the very mention of “rizz,” prepare to feel all sorts of ways.

Based on survey data published by investment bank Piper Sandler, using over 9,000 responses from teenagers in 49 US states, here’s the latest on Gen Z trends shaping consumer habits in 2023.

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Gen Z Trends: Favorite Brands

Data via Piper Sandler’s 46th Semi-Annual “Taking Stock With Teens” Survey for Fall 2023.

Think You Know the No. 1 Most Valuable Apparel Brand?

From Louis Vuitton and Gucci to Nike, Adidas, and beyond, find out who stands alone atop the global clothing and apparel mountain.

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More Gen Z Consumer Takeaways

• Upper-income males contributed to the largest year-over-year increase in teenagers’ spending at 11%.
• Spending by female teenagers was down 8% over the same period, though spending on accessories increased by 8%.
• Upper-income male teens reported spending 25% of their money on food.
• Clothing accounted for 28% of female teen spending, the largest individual share by category. That number is down from 30% one year ago.
• Video games make up 11% of male teen spending, down slightly from 12% one year ago, with 33% reporting that they plan to purchase a current-generation video game console (PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S, etc.) within the next two years.
• Beauty-related spending checks in at $324 per year on average, with cosmetics experiencing a 33% year-over-year increase to $127 per year.
• While teens prefer Cash App for peer-to-peer money transfers, Apple Pay (42%) outpaces Cash App (27%) for retail payments.
• Teens’ use of VR devices fell from about 14% to about 10% in Spring 2023, but ownership of VR devices increased from 29% to 31% among teens over the same period.

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The post Gen Z’s Favorite Brands: Nike, TikTok, Chick-fil-A & More appeared first on Boardroom.

First, there was YouTube. Then, there was Vine. Now, the power rests in the hands of TikTok.

There’s no doubt that TikTok has become one of the key tools in marketing success — especially with the younger generations Z and Alpha. From easy one-pot recipes to breaking news, the social media platform has become a one-stop-shop for all things content no matter where you are in the world. TikTok has also been noted as a place where anyone can reach millions upon millions of people at once — and catapult them into fame.

Take a look at the creators with the most followers on TikTok and the reasons why you should give their page a visit. After all, there has to be a reason why millions of others have, right?

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Creators with the Most TikTok Followers

Khabane Lame (161.9 million followers)

Around June 2022, the Senegalese creator became the most followed TikToker in the world with over 150 million at the time. He is most notable for his silent reactions to viral “life hack” videos, which are accompanied by strong facial expressions, comedic wit, and his lovable shrug. Without using his words, he has captured the eyes, ears, and hearts of TikTok.

Charli D’Amelio (151.1 million followers)

The Gen-Z social media star was a competitive dancer for over 10 years until she decided to take her talents from the theater to one of the biggest stages in the world — TikTok. Known best for her dance videos, D’Amelio was crowned the most-followed TikTok creator in 2020 and is now a reality star on Hulu’s The D’Amelio Show.

Bella Poarche (92.7 million followers)

The TikToker and US Navy veteran rose to fame on the social media platform from her viral lip syncing of “M to the B” by British rapper Millie B. Her TikTok success was soon followed by a record deal from Warner Records in 2021 and in the same year, Poarche released her debut single, “Build a Bitch,” which is now RIAA Certified Platinum.

Addison Rae (88.4 million followers)

Before becoming a pop star and starring in Netflix’s Gen-Z spin on a classic teen rom-com, Addison Rae was best known for her social media presence on TikTok. In 2021, the “Obsessed” singer was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list, and the previous year, the publication ranked her the highest-earning TikTok personality. She has since landed partnerships with Reebok, Pandora, L’Oreal, Hollister, and American Eagle.

MrBeast (87.1 million followers)

Born as Jimmy Donaldson, MrBeast is best known for his extravagant challenges and big cash giveaways, as well as his philanthropic efforts to give back to the community. He currently sits as YouTube’s most subscribed creator and is also notable for his Beast Reacts videos.

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The post Meet the Creators With the Most TikTok Followers appeared first on Boardroom.

We have our first look at Devin Booker‘s inaugural signature sneaker with Nike. Designed by Ben Nethongkome, the Nike Book 1 is an ode to the future but with timeless motifs common in Nike’s construction. It boasts a textured upper, which makes it durable for sporting on and off the court. Additional design notes include a suede collar and leather detailing at the forefoot for reinforcement. The sole unit features Cushlon 2.0 foam at the midsole, an Air Zoom unit, a midfoot shank plate, TPU sidewall cage, and herringbone traction. “BOOK” branding at the tongue, “CHAPTER ONE” text at the heel, and a barcode at the sockliner that nods to his pro journey thus far complete the look. Rumored to retail for $150, expect the Nike Book 1 to be available for purchase in Spring 2024. Booker previously teased the sneakers on his personal Instagram account and Drake wore them on his It’s All a Blur tour. 

Philadelphia Eagles Partner with Kevin Hart’s Tequila Brand, Gran Coramino

The Philadelphia Eagles announced a multi-year partnership with Kevin Hart and his Gran Coramino tequila brand on Thursday, making the spirit the team’s Official Luxury Tequila. This season and beyond, Eagles fans will be able to purchase various Gran Coramino cocktails at Gran Coramino bars inside Lincoln Financial Field. Later this season, Gran Coramino will host a sweepstakes for fans to win season tickets and an exclusive tequila tasting event with Eagles legends.

Boardroom’s Vinciane Ngomsi spoke exclusively to Kevin Hart about building his massive business empire.

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium Officially Named UK’s ‘Home of the NFL’

As the NFL continues its efforts to reach a global audience, it has re-affirmed Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as its home base for London games. Tottenham Hotspur and the NFL announced a new expanded partnership on Thursday that goes until the end of the 2029-30 season, with Tottenham Hotspur Stadium given official status as the Home of the NFL in the UK. The venue, which is the only stadium purpose-built for NFL games outside of the United States, will host a minimum of two regular season NFL games per year. “Growing the game globally is a major strategic priority for the League. Our commitment to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will allow us to continue to bring extraordinary NFL experiences to fans in London, while creating a positive social and economic impact on the local community,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will host two games next month.

Robert Griffin III Set to Launch New NFL Podcast

Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III is expanding his media footprint. According to Deadline, the ex-Washington Commander has a new podcast, RG3 and The Ones. Guests across the NFL will join RGII on the show, providing analysis on weekly standout performances, career-defining moments, locker room dynamics, and other key storylines worth discussing as the season continues.  Wave Sports + Entertainment, the sports-focused agency behind the digital series New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce and Podcast P with Paul George, have signed on as producers. RG3 and The Ones debuts on Thursday, Sept. 21.

TikTok & Billboard to Launch TikTok Billboard Top 50 Chart

TikTok and Billboard unveiled on Thursday the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart, a new weekly chart that will track trending songs on the social media app in the US. Rapper Sexyy Red is the inaugural artist to top the chart, with viral anthem “SkeeYee” claiming the No. 1 spot on this week’s TikTok Billboard Top 50. In second is Doja Cat’s “Paint the Town Red,” which also holds the No. 1 spot on this week’s Billboard Hot 100. Taylor Swift’s 2020 Folklore track “august” comes in at No. 3. The chart is accessible to all TikTok users in the U.S. and on Billboard.com.

Donovan Mitchell, Karl-Anthony Towns Among Players Teaming up with NBA 2K24

One Up is teaming up with 20 NBA players led by Jamal Murray, Paul George, and Donovan Mitchell to host the inaugural One Up x NBA 2K24 Championship Series. This marks the first activation One Up is hosting with Take-Two Interactive’s 2K brand as the official on-demand esports platform for the NBA 2K franchise. The One Up x NBA® 2K24 Champion Series winner will receive $250,000, second place will take home $100,000, while third and fourth place players will receive $50,000 each. The first tournament tips off on Sept. 23 at 3 p.m, with Mitchell as the featured host.

Boardroom’s Michelai Graham has the complete qualifier schedule of the One Up x NBA 2K24 Championship Series.

The post Devin Booker Unveils Nike Signature Sneaker Silhouette appeared first on Boardroom.

A peek into today’s edition: 

• Happy 25th birthday, Google!
• Ghostwriter is back with another AI hit
• TikTok Music expands internationally

Google Celebrates a Quarter Century in Business

Google was founded on Sept. 4, 1998, marking 25 years in business. I don’t know about y’all, but I feel like Google has been around much longer than that because it’s so deeply ingrained in my daily digital interactions. But that’s the point. Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin set a big goal to organize the world’s information and make it more accessible and searchable online. They did just that, plus much more over the years, but search is still at the nucleus of the Big Tech company’s mission. Google has expanded with 15 core products, including YouTube, Google Maps, and Gmail, which will turn 20 years old next year.

So, what does Google have planned for the next 25 years? Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, detailed the company’s hopes and dreams in a blog post, which mainly includes finding its lane in the artificial intelligence landscape. Speaking of AI, the Big Tech giant will soon require political advertisers to disclose whether AI was used in the development of their ads.

Pichai said in the blog post that “AI will be the biggest technological shift we see in our lifetimes,” and I have to say I agree. What do you think?

Ghostwriter Drops AI-powered Travis Scott & 21 Song While Chasing a Grammy

Anonymous artist Ghostwriter told the New York Times that they are chasing a few Grammy Awards for their viral AI-generated song “Heart on My Sleeve” featuring Drake and The Weeknd’s vocals, even though the song was pulled from streaming platforms for copyright infringement claims. There have been conflicting reports about whether this is even possible, so Harvey Jay Mason Jr., CEO of The Recording Academy, which produces the Grammy Awards, shut all rumors down and said this version of “Heart on My Sleeve” is not eligible for an award. While a human wrote the song, the vocals were illegally used, and the song is not commercially available.

Ghostwriter submitted “Heart on My Sleeve” in the Best Rap Song and Song of the Year categories. The anonymous artist also got busy this week with the drop of a new track called “Whiplash” featuring Travis Scott and 21 Savage’s AI-generated vocals. This time, though, Ghostwriter is calling on the artists to collaborate on an official release and promising they will get the royalties.

Chipmaker Arm’s Valuation Up to $52B Following Apple Deal

British software design company and computer chipmaker Arm inked a deal with Apple that will run through 2040 and “beyond” to license its chip tech to the Big Tech firm for the foreseeable future. The details of the deal were laid out in Arm’s initial public offering documents filed on Tuesday. The Softbank-backed company hopes to enter the public market with a $52 billion valuation, marking the largest tech IPO in the US this year. Arm is a leader in developing mobile phone chips, which Apple already uses across some of its products, including the iPhone. The chipmaker said roughly 250 billion of its chips have shipped to power smartphones since it started developing them decades ago.

Along with Apple, Google, Nvidia, Samsung, Intel, and other notable tech companies have expressed interest in buying Arm shares as part of its public offering in the coming weeks.

FTC Inches Closer to Filing Amazon Antitrust Lawsuit

The US Federal Trade Commission could file an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon as soon as later this month after the e-commerce giant failed to offer concessions to settle claims in closed meetings last month. The FTC is most concerned about Fulfillment by Amazon, the company’s logistics program, and third-party sellers’ prices since regulators believe Amazon favors its own products on its platform over outside sellers. If filed, the lawsuit could force Amazon to break up some of its business practices.

This isn’t the first time the FTC is going after Amazon. The Big Tech firm agreed to pay $25 million in May to settle claims that Alexa devices illegally collected children’s data. The FTC turned right around in June and sued Amazon again, this time claiming that the e-commerce giant deceived customers into signing up for its Prime subscription service and making it hard for them to cancel it.

In Other News: Tik Tok Music, COD Brings in AI Cops, & More

• TikTok is slowly but surely clearing the way for TikTok Music to enter the US market after retiring its Resso brand in Indonesia and Brazil in favor of its flagship music streaming platform. To jog your memory, TikTok filed a patent in the US for TikTok Music in May 2022.
• An AI-powered moderator dressed up as a robot cop will debut with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 to identify and flag toxic speech such as hate speech, discriminatory language, harassment, sexism, and bullying in multiplayer games. The moderator won’t flag specific words but will instead focus on the intent behind a player’s communication.
• Meta is getting rid of Facebook’s News tab in the UK, France, and Germany in early December, though it will still honor its existing news deals with publishers in those areas until they expire. To soothe regulators’ worries, the Big Tech giant is also considering offering paid versions of Facebook and Instagram in the European Union so users can avoid advertisements.
• OpenAI CEO Sam Altman received the first Indonesian golden visa, which grants him access to the country for 10 years with priority security screening, longer stays, a smoother entry and exit process, and more. Altman got the honor as Indonesia seeks to draw foreign investors with positive international reputations.
• Former FTX executive Ryan Salame pleaded guilty to fraud charges and agreed to forfeit more than $1.5 billion. He is the fourth executive from the fallen crypto exchange to plead guilty, while disgraced former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Friedm will go on trial on Oct. 3 to fight wire fraud and securities fraud charges.
• A software update caused a slowdown in United Airlines‘ tech systems, resulting in the Federal Aviation Administration grounding the airline’s departures for as long as an hour earlier this week. United is still investigating the incident.

Warner Music Central Europe signed a record deal with AI pop singer Noonoouri, and while this is a first for Warner Music, I’m going to bet that we won’t see a deal of this nature in the US anytime soon.

The post Happy 25th Birthday, Google appeared first on Boardroom.

A peek into today’s edition:

• Google is looking to get into the life advice business
• Vinfast is the newest name in the expanding EV market
• Bored Ape Yacht Club owners are stepping up with a lawsuit

Hackers Assembled in Vegas for a White House-sanctioned Event to Break AI

More than 2,000 hackers gathered in Las Vegas for the 31st annual Defcon conference. This year, amidst the multiple stations, the ones that were dedicated to artificial intelligence drew huge crowds. Many attendees collectively tried to predict all of the darkest, least ethical capacities of and uses for artificial intelligence. As the group gathered, they had the blessing of both the White House and each of the biggest companies leading the AI revolution. By exposing the risks of AI technology, the hackers prepared companies with new questions to solve as they roll out the technology in new and innovative ways, staving off some of the more nefarious capabilities. Judges scored the efforts, and two of the peak performances came from Stanford student Cody Ho, who didn’t realize that he was a winner until contacted by a reporter from the New York Times.

Google is Prepping an AI Tool to Hand Out Life Advice

“Hey Google, what should I do with my life?”

The tech giant is reportedly working on building AI technology that will help users make sense of this crazy, mixed-up world. Google’s DeepMind project is testing technology that would enable artificial intelligence to give users life advice. Up until now, this use of AI has been expressly avoided. The technology fields prompts and hands out potential solutions in return, acting as a modern-day “Dear Abby.” But this is only one aspect of DeepMind’s potential, which spans 21 opportunities, including critical breakdowns of complex topics, fact-checking, and more.

Vinfast Leaps into the Market with $18.5 Billion Valuation

The race for top market share in the electric vehicle world is heating up. Just this week, Tesla announced that it will reduce the price of its X and S models by nearly $10,000. However, it has a new competitor in the global market. Vietnamese company VinFast made its Nasdaq debut on Wednesday. Although the stock plummeted nearly 20% on its first day of trading, its market cap remained above $18.5 billion. This huge number placed it above legacy brands such as Ford and GM. Will the company keep up with the rising demand for EVs across the world? More on that in our Bet of the Week.

Bored Ape Owners Sue Sothebys, Paris Hilton, and More

Remember last year when every day there was a new celebrity scooping up a coveted Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT? From Justin Bieber to Snoop Dogg, anyone who was anyone was getting into the exclusive club. As NFTs have fallen out of favor, the value of the digital collectibles has plummeted. Now, a collective of Bored Ape owners is headed to court, suing Sotheby’s, Paris Hilton, and more for “misleadingly promot[ing]” the NFTs and artificially inflating the prices. Today, the average Bored Ape is valued at just over $50,000, whereas in May 2022 that number was 8x greater. Yuga Labs, the company behind the BAYC, responded to the claim, saying, “We believe that these new allegations, like those in the previous iteration of this opportunistic complaint, are completely without merit or factual basis.”

In Other News: Welcome to “Slivingland,” Reliable Service is Coming to FedEx Field, & More

• Microsoft and OpenAI execs sat down and reflected on the current moment in AI, equating its potential impact to be as big as when Bill Gates called the internet at “tidal wave” in 1995. Meanwhile, chipmaker Nvidia saw its stock soar this week, as analysts got bullish on its potential role in the industry boom.

• She may be named in the Bored Ape lawsuit, but she won’t let that bother her. Paris Hilton launched the entertainment hub “Slivingland” on Roblox this week. That’s hot, we guess.

• There is a new ownership group in town in nation’s capital and sponsors are lining up to collab. Verizon announced a wide-ranging, two-year deal with the Washington Commanders this week. The partnership will focus on increasing connectivity at FedEx Field and improving the overall fan experience.

• The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup has come to an end after an incredible month. Despite breaking attendance and viewership records, Amazon’s Alexa couldn’t answer the simplest of questions about the competition. The technology encountered a system error when users asked who won the semifinal match between England and Australia, highlighting potential evidence of sexism embedded in the device’s programming and operation.

• Netflix is bidding farewell to its DVD business by sending some keepsakes to diehard fans. Users will receive up to 10 DVDs when the streaming giant sends them out the final time during the week of Sept. 29. However, you have to wonder if DVDs will have a resurgence similar to records, as Gen Z’ers double down on tangible goods.

• Bitcoin sank below $26,000 this week, marking its worst week since November 2022. The dip was motivated by a Wall Street Journal report that revealed that Elon Musk sold off a significant amount of SpaceX’s Bitcoin holdings in 2022.

• TikTok launched its music streaming app in select markets last month; however, things may not be going according to plan. The app was expected to expand into the U.S. next month, but the company implemented layoffs in the music department this week that included both its heads of partnerships and strategy. The move throws the future of the streaming service into question.

VinFast will go the way of Rivian, facing an extreme challenge (and plummeting stock prices) as it is unable to keep up with the sky-high demand for its EV offerings.

The post Hackers Tackle AI at the 30th Annual Defcon Event in Las Vegas appeared first on Boardroom.

Logan Paul’s Prime energy drink brand is growing, but let’s not forget he committed to refunding $1.8 million to CryptoZoo investors six months ago and still hasn’t delivered.

A peek into today’s edition: 

• First take on Instagram’s Threads app
• TikTok launches music streaming 
• Dior’s NFC-chipped sneakers go on sale

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Are You Threading or Tweeting?

The race for the best microblogging platform is on, and Meta-owned Instagram just put its bid in with the launch of Threads on July 5. With no Beta testing period or waitlist, the new Twitter competitor amassed more than 30 million users on its first day on the market. Meanwhile, Twitter is temporarily limiting daily tweet views to (allegedly) mitigate spam and bots on the platform. The limit caused Tweetdek to break down, and Twitter had to launch a completely new version of the management tool.

Scorned social media users have been flocking to other microblogging sites like Mastodon, Spill, and Jack Dorsey’s Bluesky, which temporarily paused sign-ups last weekend after a flood of new users following Twitter’s tweet limit shift. 

Okay, back to Threads. Threads can generally do what Twitter can, except there is no direct messaging, hashtags, trending topics, GIFs, an edit button, lists, drafts, or an audio plug-in like Twitter Spaces. But most importantly, Instagram Head Adam Mosseri said chronologically ordered feeds are coming soon. What’s your take on Threads’ quick success? Let us know.

Learn More About Threads

Get the full rundown on Meta’s Twitter competitor from Boardroom’s Michelai Graham.

Check it out!

THIS WEEK IN TECH

TikTok Launches Music Streaming Service in Brazil and Indonesia  

TikTok launched its speculated social music streaming service called TikTok Music in Brazil and Indonesia. The popular platform licensing deals with Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Music Group to launch the new service, which will replace its existing streaming service, Resso, on Sept. 5. This signals TikTok’s plan to take its music discovery resources to a whole new level, though the social media platform hasn’t shared when TikTok Music will launch in other countries. For now, Brazil and Indonesia-based TikTokers can access the new service with a one-month free trial. 

OpenAI Still Bullish on AI Despite Dip in ChatGPT Downloads

OpenAI-owned ChatGPT downloads on iPhones were down 38% in June in the US. Is ChatGPT adoption already slowing down, or are folks just temporarily focusing on other hot AI technologies? Downloads could be down simply because the hype of the app launching in May has passed, but still, it’s noteworthy.

Elsewhere, OpenAI is putting together a dedicated internal team charged with managing the risks of superintelligent artificial intelligence. Since the government is ideating around AI regulations, the AI leader created this new department to stay ahead of the curve. OpenAI will put 20% of its current computer power behind this initiative.

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The post Boardroom Tech Talk: Are You Threading or Tweeting? appeared first on Boardroom.

Jared McCain is on the move in every sense of the term.

In January, he became a Burger Boy by being named to the 2023 McDonald’s All-American Team. Weeks later in February, he won this third straight high school hoops championship with Centennial High School in Southern California. March and April were spent shooting promotional content for Crocs, representing his country at the Nike Hoop Summit, and getting his course load set for early enrollment at Duke University.

Despite all that he’s still found time to bust a move on TikTok, amassing over 8.5 million views on the platform since starting out in 2020.

If it all sounds like fun, that’s because it is.

Today, the Blue Devil with the blue check is checking in with Boardroom to discuss his NIL partnership with Champs Sports. Headlining the “Game, All Day Every Day” campaign, Jared’s all smiles when discussing one of his many brand deals.

Maybe it’s because he’s getting gear and building his bank at only 19 years of age. Maybe it’s because he just got back from a day trip to Disneyland.

From the heralded hooper’s thoughts on AI-generated Drake to how he stays positive despite an adult amount of responsibilities, hear what Jared had to tell Boardroom below.

IAN STONEBROOK: Last fall, you inked a major name, image, and likeness deal with Champs Sports. How has that partnership evolved during your senior season?

JARED McCAIN: It’s been crazy and it’s been super exciting working with Champs. When I first got the deal, I remember as a kid, you go into these stores and you see all the athletes on the wall.

When I walked into a store and I saw myself for the first time? It’s awesome. It’s an experience that you never really think you’ll get, but it was amazing to see it, and they’re amazing to work with. They always comply with everything I need, whether it’s the scheduling and stuff like that with all these tournaments. But yeah, it’s been amazing working with them. 

IS: I spent many an afternoon as a high schooler shopping at Champs with my lawn mowing or grocery bagging money. What’s it like entering that store as an athlete ambassador?

JM: It’s funny when I walked in there the first time, no one noticed me — none of the workers or anything. But when one customer noticed, it kind of started spreading throughout the store. Then, the workers came up to me and were like, ‘Is that you?’ And then we started talking. So maybe customer service goes up a little bit when they see you on the wall. 

IS: Do other shoppers ask you to put their sneakers on your tab?

JM: [Laughs] They tried. But I was like, ‘Uh, maybe next time.’

IS: Fair enough. I heard when you signed that the first order of business was getting your mom a pair of Air Max 97s. Did you cross that off your list?

JM: Yeah. For Christmas, I was able to get them all like a bunch of Champs stuff. My whole family was decked out in Champs. I ended up getting her a Tech Fleece suit that she’s rocking.

IS: Your senior year of high school is wrapping up. What’s the last school year been like navigating academics, hoops, and NIL?

JM: It’s pretty wild. I’m in high school and all this stuff is happening. In the beginning, it was a lot of brands coming after me and I didn’t even know how to handle it. Even my parents didn’t know. To have like all these deals come in and you have to manage it, see what’s right for you, what fits your personality, and what I want to be portrayed as online? That’s why Champs was so perfect for me. It was everything I wanted.

So, it’s been difficult in the beginning, but now I think we’ve got it under control and it’s way easier to navigate. 

IS: Managing money as a student is one thing when it’s just chores and allowance. I have to imagine it’s a whole different deal with NIL and brand partnerships.

JM: It’s funny, because I used to take out the trash for $10 a week. When these deals started coming in, I kind of got a little busy and I kind of stopped that a little bit. So, I stopped taking out the trash for $10 a week [laughs].

IS: Have you been able to flip stuff at all where you’re the one paying your parents to do those chores? Are you treating them? 

JM: For sure, we’re gonna go to Hawaii soon. It’s just exciting to be able to do certain stuff, whether it’s buying them a gift they’ve been wanting for a while or giving them any experience they haven’t been able to get.

IS: Tell me about Duke. I understand you’ll be working with Rachel Baker on your upcoming NIL partnerships.

JM: Yessir. That platform at Duke is unmatched. I’m just excited to get out there, compete, and see all the stuff off the court that they can help me out with to help me build my brand off the court. I’m super excited to get out to Duke. I can’t wait. 

IS: When do you arrive in Durham for classes?

JM: I go out to take summer classes. I think it starts July 6, I wanna say, but I go out June 20 for the first part of it for a few weeks. Then, I come back and then I go back out, so I’ll get a taste of it in the summer. 

IS: Coming from California and heading to North Carolina, the weather is a little different. Between the Champs NIL deal and Duke being a Nike school, are you packing a suitcase of clothes for school or just rolling the dice on getting a bunch of free gear?

JM: You know, I don’t know what to take. I feel like I’m gonna end up just taking just a big suitcase with nothing in it. Maybe I’ll take my prize possession, the Sean Wotherspoon Air Max 97/1s. Then, maybe some underwear and socks. But then, other than that? Whatever Champs comes out with and then whatever Duke comes with [laughs].

IS: Have you already found the closest Champs location to your dorm room?

JM: [Laughs] I haven’t looked at it. I gotta find it. It should be close, though. I’m hoping it’s close because I’ll be there a lot, so I’ll get used to the workers and we’ll be on a first-name basis. 

IS: Switching gears, I see you just got back from a trip to Disneyland and I know you’re a self-proclaimed Disney Kid. Tell me about your trip and your attraction to Disney as a whole. 

JM: Ever since I was a kid, it was Disney Channel or Nickelodeon for most kids in my class and I was always on the Disney side. Good Luck Charlie and Dog with a Blog were my favorites. I love that aspect of just still being a kid in Disneyland and they have the best rides for me.

My favorite ride? I’d have to go with Guardians of the Galaxy in California. That one’s crazy. I love Disneyland and Disney as a whole. It’s been something I’ve been a part of since I was a kid, so just being able to go there now, it’s very nice. 

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IS: Speaking of feeling like a kid, I know your favorite artist is The Boy: Drake. As a Drake fan, tell me your feelings on both AI Drake and the upcoming tour.

JM: Drake’s always at the top tier for me. Anything he does is amazing. I don’t know if he likes the AI, though, because it’s not his real voice, of course, so I don’t know if he likes that. But I think Drake and The Weeknd should hop on the real version of that.

But anything Drake does, I’m with it whether it’s OVO or any music. I’ve never not liked a Drake song [laughs]. I love Drake and one day I gotta meet him. 

IS: Heading to a Nike school, could we see some NOCTA gear working its way into your on-court rotation?

JM: Yeah, I hope so. I just saw him and I think he was wearing a Gonzaga sweatshirt. I was like, ‘Damn, I wish that was Duke’ [laughs].

IS: You may need to start hooking up Drake with some Duke gear.

JM: I’ll get him. Anytime Drake wants some seats, you know, I may have to scoot my family aside for that one. 

IS: Moving to school this summer, are you going to be able to get out to the Drake tour in NC or CA?

JM: You’ll catch me there for sure. I’ll probably go to the one in Inglewood at The Forum. I’ll be there a hundred percent singing every word. 

IS: Speaking of The Forum, what have been your takeaways on the NBA Playoffs thus far?

JM: I was able to go to the Kings game [against Golden State]. The Game 1 environment was insane. Watching that and seeing how that could eventually be me? It’s a blessing to see it in person. Seeing [Stephen] Curry is insane as well. The Western Conference in particular has been pretty wild, especially with the Draymond stuff. It’s been great to watch and I love tuning in whenever the Kings play.

IS: As a Steph Curry fan and a Kings supporter, what are you wearing to that game and who do you find your heart rooting for?

JM: It’s super tough because I went to the Curry Camp and I got to meet him and stuff like that, so I love when Curry does well. But I gotta go with where I’m from. I gotta go with the home team, the Kings. I guess I want Curry to drop, like, 60, but I want De’Aaron [Fox] and Malik [Monk] to go crazy and win. 

IS: Being a point guard growing up in Sacramento, who are your top five Kings guards?

JM: I know [Mike] Bibby is up there. Jason Williams, obviously. I went to the McDonald’s game with Andrej Stojakovic, so Peja is always in that mix for the Kings.

I went to a game when I was younger and Isaiah Thomas hit a bank shot game-winner. Seeing that in person, he’s up there, too, and definitely De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk off the bench. I’m gonna go with De’Aaron right now just for the new era and the playoffs.

IS: During the pandemic, you picked up the TikTok bug. Since then, you’ve become an absolute star of the platform. I’m curious, what’s your phone look like when a video you make goes viral?

JM: It’s wild. I remember when I hit 10,000 followers. Me and my mom were in complete shock. To be where I’m at now with 1.9 million followers and seeing videos do millions of views? I never could have dreamed of it. It was so random that it happened, just dancing before games, and then all of a sudden the videos were blowing up.

It’s very cool to see all these supporters know about my story and tell me they appreciate me and I inspire them. That’s the craziest part that’s come with all this stuff: that I’m able to inspire the younger generation and people older than me. It’s funny that it all came from dancing, just showing off positive energy. 

IS: Has doing TikTok dances improved your footwork on the court?

JM: Most definitely, I was gonna say that. Knowing how to do these moves, it translates to the footwork. I played soccer all my life, so I think that also comes with dancing, footwork, and finding the rhythm of certain things. In basketball, dribbling is also rhythm, so I think it definitely helped. I think it made me become a five-star.

IS: You’re big on positivity. What are some habits you’ve picked up that keep you in a good headspace?

JM: I feel like doing my routine every day is the main thing that’s helped me stay healthy-minded. For about a year and a half consistently, I’ve been doing floating in the sensory deprivation tank. That’s really cool, I think that it’s like an advanced version of meditation. That’s helped me in keeping a great mindset. Then reading has helped me a lot on the mental side. I’m reading Raise Your Game. One of my coaches, Dorrell Wright, gave it to me so I just started this one.

Then, I think just being self-aware. Knowing what’s wrong, knowing what you need to fix. I think social media can be a very toxic place sometimes. I try and get off of it a lot. When I’m at Duke, I think I’m gonna stay off my phone and stuff like that. So I’m definitely finding different ways to keep a healthy mind, because at the end of the day, if you’re not in a healthy mind space, then everything’s gonna seem off. I love keeping up with my mental health. 

IS: In the era of NIL, you have a lot of opportunities and a lot of responsibilities. What have you learned about personal and family finances during this ride?

JM: I’ve had help with my agents and the agency in knowing how much I’m worth in certain areas, but in the beginning, it was hard because NIL was so new. You didn’t know how much to price certain things at or if someone’s taking advantage of you.

Once you finally find how much stuff is worth, it can help dictate how much you wanna charge. That’s probably my biggest thing. Having the agency probably helped the most, though. They handle all that, so I’m just over here. They give me whatever I need to do and it’s all good. I trust them. 

IS: Closing out on the Champs partnership, what’s been your latest pickup through the deal?

JM: My favorite one from the shoot was the “Cool Grey” Jordan 6. Anything Jordan, I’m down for whatever, but my favorite one from the “Game, All Day Every Day” campaign was the Jordan 6. 

IS: This fall in Durham, what should fans expect to see on your feet?

JM: We’re gonna see a little bit of everything. I’m excited though. I’m excited to wear some Nikes. 

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Long gone are the days in which A&Rs had to travel to the projects to discover a new artist like Roxanne Shanté and artists resorted to sneaking mixtapes into their favorite producer’s car like Da Brat did with Jermaine Dupri before being signed to So So Def. Now, the music stars of tomorrow are able to share their new music with the world with the push of a plus button on an app, sit back, and cross their fingers hoping for virality as largely determined by the 18-25 age demographic.

That’s right, we’re talking about TikTok.

In addition to being a tool for makeup tutorials, cooking hacks, funny animal voiceovers, and digestible news content, the social media app formerly known as Musical.ly until its rebrand in 2018 has become a go-to platform for music, entertainment, and snackable videos running the pop culture gamut. Particularly when it comes to music, TikTok has become a place for content creators and influencers to discover new tracks, or even updated versions of their favorite older songs.

From sped-up versions of RAYE’s “Escapism” and Justine Skye’s “Collide” to the remix of Coi Leray’s “Players,” TikTok has rapidly stamped itself in the industry as the main character in the love story between technology and music. Specifically during the pandemic, we saw increased attention and demand for female rappers for quick hits of virality and choreography, with BIA’s “Best on Earth” and Megan Thee Stallion’s “Body” and “Savage” ranking among the biggest of these breakouts.

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As VIBE Staff Writer DeMicia Inman describes it, TikTok has become a key pillar in the amplification of trending music and has ultimately changed the way that we search for, discover, and consume new artists.

“I think Tiktok has proven to be a platform for rising artists by allowing them the chance to have a viral moment with their original music. Through the app, they are not only showcasing their songs but also branding themselves through voiceovers, style videos, and using filters just like other users on the app,” Inman told Boardroom. “I think TikTok has changed the way we consume music in various ways — one is the rise of the mash-up. DJs have used TikTok to highlight their skills and in turn allowed listeners to imagine their favorite songs in different ways, oftentimes leading to music rediscovery. For example, Beyonce’s official remix for ‘Cuff It’ started as a viral TikTok sound.” 

Fast forward to February 2023,  “CUFF IT (WETTER REMIX)” was released to the Beyhive in response to DJ Esentrik’s viral mashup of the acclaimed Renaissance hit with Twista’s 2009 hit “Wetter.” What do we have to thank for that? TikTok.

“I think the platform specifically serves as a home for rising female rap artists music to lead digital trends and in-turn gain new fans and wider audiences. Some of the biggest TikTok trends can be attributed to Black women rap artists,” Inman said. Pointing to examples such as Erica Banks’ “Buss It”, Doja Cat’s “Streets,” and Cardi B’s “Up,” she noted that each of these eventual TikTok breakout tracks enjoyed early viral moments as the app gained popularity throughout the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I think women rappers shine on the app not only through their music, but also through their personalities. Female rap artists also get to be themselves on TikTok,” Inman continued. “Baby Tate, Lola Brooke, Rico Nasty, Big Boss Vette, Latto, Lakeyah, Monaleo, Flo Milli, and more all show themselves freestyling, cooking, previewing music, or getting glammed up, adding an element of uniqueness to their already solidified brands. The app is one place on the internet where female rappers are allowed and encouraged to thrive and showcase that their creativity and talent for fans to engage with.”

Specifically for the rise of this current generation of rap music and the artists who create it, TikTok has ultimately proven to be the go-to venue for discovering some of the hottest creators that may not be dominating Apple Music and Spotify or holding down real estate on the Billboard Hot 100.

A prime example would be GloRilla, who blew up following her summer breakout hit “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” (over 391,500 total creations to date). The Memphis-bred rapper earned her first-ever Billboard Hot 100 placement, a BET Award for Best Breakthrough Artist, and Grammy nomination for Best Rap Performance, and a first RIAA Gold certification for “Tomorrow 2” featuring Cardi B (over 786,000 total creations). 

GloRilla is just one of the many female rap success stories to evolve out of the music industry’s budding relationship with the social media platform — a relationship that has already resulted in some first-time Grammy nominations and breakout records and several new collaborations, branded campaigns, and more. Other examples include (but aren’t limited to) Ice Spice’s drill-infused “Munch (Feeling’ U),” KenTheMan’s Trina-sampling “Not My N***a,” mommy-to-be Monaleo’s “We Not Humping” remix with Flo Milli, and Maiya The Don’s “Telfy.”

“TikTok is the go-to platform for music discovery where the community has democratized how we are introduced to music. One of the platform’s most exciting and influential communities on TikTok is Women in Hip-hop. The amount of trends and artists introduced in the past year alone is remarkable and TikTok has been a major player in that,” a TikTok spokesperson exclusively told Boardroom. “When artists are authentic and organic with engaging content, the TikTok community relates to an artist will see a level of success on the platform. We see this firsthand with female rappers on the platform. Many women who have experienced trending moments are all engaged with their communities on the platform.”

Specifically, this company representative leaned into Maiya The Don’s Sept. 2022 teaser named after the “Bushwick Birkin” bag created by Telfar Clemens as a primary example. Leaning heavily into both beauty and comedy content, users began engaging with the sound which led to the official release of “Telfy” on Oct. 7. Since then, the snippet sound has amassed over 26,000 creations.

“Maiya is the perfect example of transforming your artistry and diversifying your niches,” the TikTok spokesperson said.

For Maiya The Don, TikTok provided her with the platform to get her music off the ground. In fact, the rapper noted that the social media app essentially served as “the birthplace of my career” and a starting point for hip-hop stardom.

“TikTok is a platform where music thrives. I’d say that’s why it’s more of a tool for upcoming artists,” the “Dusties” rapper told Boardroom. “Social media is the best marketing strategy. It’s the source of all news, music, and pop culture. It’s impossible to support your career without it.”

One of the internet’s favorite TikTok success stories is that of Brooklyn rapper Lola Brooke, whose video for “Don’t Play With It” has amassed over 30 million YouTube views and over eight million Spotify streams to date.

Following a resurfaced clip of Lola Brooke’s live performance of “Don’t Play With It” going viral on TikTok, she began to earn well-deserved traction as a rapper on the rise, and even secured an official remix of the song with Yung Miami and Latto. Earning co-signs from everyone from Kim Kardashian and Pusha T to Cardi B and Flo Milli, the latter of whom included her and Maiya The Don on her remix of “Conceited.”

The 4-foot-9 rapper even managed to snag a spot in a Timberland campaign — one that could potentially catapult her right into the intriguing intersection of hip-hop and high fashion where rappers such as JT and GloRilla are likewise finding ways to dominate.

“It’s funny because I knew that song would blow up on TikTok, but I couldn’t figure out exactly how it would. I love how it all played out, though — natural and organic support from people who felt the track’s energy and saw the need to make it their energy,” Lola Brooke told Boardroom about the resurfacing of “Don’t Play With It” on TikTok playing a large part in where her rap career is today. “I had to take a step back and ask myself if this was happening in real life or in a dream. It’s a grateful feeling to see a viral moment for your art. People make viral moments, and knowing that thousands or even millions of people out there support your music is the best feeling. On TikTok, you get the chance to see the support in some of the most creative ways possible.”

To aspiring artists, the “So DISRESPECTFUL” spitter encourages rappers on the rise to lean on social media as a tool to get their music to the masses while staying authentic to the personal brand that they began with.

“You sometimes have to meet your audience, or future audience, where they are,” she said. “Some people only use social media to discover new music so you gotta make sure you cater to them. You want to let that same audience know who you are as an artist, too. Going viral is dope, but keeping that support from that moment is just as important.”

According to EDITION by Modern Luxury Editor-in-Chief Bianca Gracie, while music discovery platforms such as Spotify and TIDAL have existed for quite some time, TikTok has effortlessly become a frontrunner since 2020 by providing a refreshing sense of comfort and entertainment during a time when we were all left to our devices.

“It’s been really crucial in discovery because literally anyone could pick up their phone, record a video to a viral song, and then they could get views that way rather than having to be signed to a major or independent label in order to get your song heard on a music streaming platform. That accessibility has really helped,” Gracie said in praise of TikTok’s ability to boost rising artists from around the world with the push of a button.

When it comes specifically to the portrayal and elevation of Black women, too, Gracie believes that the app breaks down barriers and allows space for unapologetic authenticity, especially when it comes to rap and hip-hop femcees. “I feel like the app has broken the facade of what Black women should be,” she said.

As an avid user of the app itself, Gracie notes that she sees different shades, hues, shapes, and sizes of Black women with various talents, hobbies, and storytimes — there are no barriers and no hierarchy on TikTok.

“As someone who’s scrolling, you could see yourself throughout all of these women, and there’s no one way that you could be Black. I think that’s really reflective in the rappers that we’ve seen, because each rapper that I’ve seen really blow up on TikTok, they all have their own sense of style, their own sense of rapping their flows, and there’s room for all of them,” she said. “It’s not like there’s this gatekeeping, so to speak, where only one or two women can have their moment. TikTok has really helped create an open format for these Black women to really express themselves. I think self-expression and creativity has really lent them to be as popular as they are now.”

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The post How TikTok Became the Home for the Rising Female Rappers of Gen Z appeared first on Boardroom.

Is generative artificial intelligence music ethical?

That’s the question facing the music industry after a new hit, ‘Heart on My Sleeve,’ went viral this week. It featured the voices of Drake and The Weeknd, neither of whom had anything to do with the track.

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard our favorite artists’ vocals on a track they didn’t voice themselves. David Guetta recently recreated Eminem’s voice using generative AI platforms. He aired the short snippet during a DJ set remixed with one of his own songs.

Drake took to Instagram early last week to speak out. “This is the final straw AI,” he wrote, after an AI-generated remix of Ice Spice’s “Munch” was distributed, featuring a verse by him. Rihanna and Kanye West have also fallen victim to AI-generated songs.

This new AI-generated jam featuring Drake and The Weeknd’s vocals feels a bit different, though, since it’s a full track.

There is a lot that goes into generative AI, but this instance begs the question: Will AI music become an acceptable trend, or will the music industry push platforms to steer clear of it?

Heart on My Stream

TikTok’s Ghostwriter977 ultimately took credit for “Heart on My Sleeve” on TikTok. They claim to have produced it by training a generative AI software on Drake and The Weeknd’s voices. They then distributed the song under the name Ghostwriter, and true to the name, their identity remains anonymous.

Spanning more than two minutes, “Heart on My Sleeve” centers on relationships between exes, mentioning notable celebs, including Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, and 21 Savage. Non-Drake even drops lines about Metro Boomin’ making the beat. And, yes, Future’s infamous “If young Metro don’t trust you, I’m gon’ shoot you” line kicks off the track.

The Ghostwriter977 user wears a white sheet and black sunglasses in their original TikTok post that shared the song. They stated in the comments that they were “a ghostwriter for years and got paid close to nothing just for major labels to profit” and that “the future is here,” with generative AI music. The song attracted millions of streams on social media and music streaming platforms in the first couple of days. As of Saturday, it was up to 20 million streams across TikTok, Twitter, Spotify, YouTube, and Soundcloud.

After a short viral stint, major social media and streaming platforms removed Ghostwriter’s original posts for infringing content creation with generative AI. The sound has been removed from all of the creator’s videos on their TikTok account and within any video shared on the platform featuring the “Heart on My Sleeve” audio.

“This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Universal Music Group” is the message viewers see when they try to access the song via Ghostwriter’s YouTube channel. Still, there is power in the resharing biz, so the song is still floating around out there.

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Restricting Generative AI

UMG pulled “Heart on My Sleeve” from platforms as quickly as it could, but it was already too late. The company believes music streaming platforms have a fundamental legal and ethical responsibility to prevent this from happening to artists.

Per the U.S. Copyright Office, copyright infringement occurs when a copyrighted work is reproduced, distributed, performed, publicly displayed, or made into a derivative work without the permission of the copyright owner. “Heart on My Sleeve” is clearly copyright infringement, but it’s important to call out that Ghostwriter did write the original lyrics, which had to be fed into the generative AI software to create the song.

UMG is even calling on streaming platforms to block AI companies and platforms from accessing their music libraries. The music leader emailed streaming platforms, including Apple Music and Spotify, to ask them to prevent AI services from learning from their copyrighted songs, the Financial Times first reported.

“We have a moral and commercial responsibility to our artists to work to prevent the unauthorised use of their music and to stop platforms from ingesting content that violates the rights of artists and other creators,” a UMG spokesperson told the Financial Times. “We expect our platform partners will want to prevent their services from being used in ways that harm artists.”

On the flip side, UMG told Vice’s Motherboard that its success is due in part to embracing emerging technologies and that it’s been leveraging AI to explore innovations of its own. If record labels and music companies can leverage AI to create new sounds, then generative AI music creators should be able to do the same. We need parameters and restrictions, but we must focus more on how and if AI music should be distributed. Not the mere creation of it.

If streaming platforms do ban AI services from learning from copyrighted music, then what’s stopping industries from imposing similar restrictions on AI tech like ChatGPT and Bard AI? Artificial intelligence is an exploratory emerging technology that can only be successful with human help. If we don’t interact with AI, it doesn’t learn. If it doesn’t learn, it’s not successful. Humans then decide what to do with what AI learns, and ultimately, that’s the more important discussion here.

What’s Next for Music and AI

It’s unclear if UMG will file an official lawsuit against Ghostwriter, but the music company has been working overtime to keep “Heart on My Sleeve” offline. Neither Drake nor The Weeknd has commented on the track, but this likely won’t be the last we hear from Ghostwriter’s generative AI work.

The war on generative AI music began far before this debacle, but who is the battle really between? It’s hard to tell. But it’s clear that record labels are on one side, and AI music creators are on another.

Artificial intelligence is a tool, and it is capable of as much good as it is harm. There are risks, but the even bigger risk is not harnessing technologies that will change the world.

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The post This Song Is No Longer Available: Forecasting the Future of Music and AI appeared first on Boardroom.

On Thursday, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew faced off with the United States Congress for nearly six hours to defend the short-form video platform that has drawn over 150 million users in the US.

As Chew testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, he was met with intense questioning from lawmakers representing both parties. TikTok’s top exec aimed to prove the popular social media app’s safety and security amid widespread concerns over personal data. It marked the first time an executive from TikTok has testified before Congress and came weeks after the government granted President Joe Biden the authority to ban the app in the US completely.

But was Chew’s testimony enough to avoid TikTok’s ban in the US? Will the social media app be forced into a sale? We can’t quite answer those questions yet, but a lot in play can sway different ways at this point.

Here are some common themes and concerns that were discussed during the March 23 hearing:

• Content moderation, especially for underaged users
• TikTok’s relationship with the Chinese government
• The Justice Department’s investigation into TikTok’s alleged spying efforts
• Targeted marketing and advertisements for different age groups
• Safety of US users’ data

While sweating in the hot seat and finding himself consistently interrupted while speaking, Chew shared a new initiative called Project Texas meant to ease lawmakers’ minds.

Here’s what we know about it so far.

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Everything We Know About Project Texas

The federal government’s main concern is that TikTok allegedly shares US user data with the Chinese Communist Party, an idea that Chew consistently pushed back against. TikTok’s answer regarding data privacy is wrapped up in Project Texas, a proposal that involves TikTok storing all US user data on American soil through a partnership with Texas-based tech giant Oracle. Chew confirmed that this data relocation is already in motion, and once complete, only a US-based security team can access the data. Additionally, the US government will have the ability to monitor the operation regularly.

Still, lawmakers don’t think that’s enough.

As House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairwoman Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers said in her opening statement:

“TikTok has repeatedly chosen the path for more control, more surveillance, and more manipulation. Your platform should be banned. I expect today you’ll say anything to avoid this outcome, like that you are 100 percent responsible for what TikTok does, that you suddenly endorse a national data privacy standard, that Project Texas is more than just a marketing scheme, that TikTok doesn’t harm our innocent children, or that your ties to the Chinese Communist Party through ByteDance [are] just a myth. We aren’t buying it. In fact, when you celebrate the 150 million American users on TikTok it emphasizes the urgency for Congress to act. That is 150 million Americans that CCP can collect sensitive information on and control what we ultimately see, hear, and believe.”

TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, is headquartered in China, but TikTok’s own HQ is split between offices in LA and Singapore. US officials are concerned that since ByteDance has ties to China, the Chinese government has access to all of the company’s data, including from its subsidiaries. TikTok is connected to ByteDance in ways that parent companies are typically connected to their own businesses. Much like Meta and Facebook, TikTok and ByteDance communicate through messaging tools, meetings, and other traditional avenues.

Shou Zi Chew tried to clarify to Congress that TikTok isn’t operating any differently than any other business with a parent company and a globally distributed team.

“TikTok has never shared, or received a request to share, US user data with the Chinese government,” the CEO said in his testimony. “Nor would TikTok honor such a request if one were ever made.”

What’s Next?

Chew insisted that a stateside TikTok ban would hurt the US economy and small businesses that use the app for marketing purposes. He also insisted that even if ByteDance sells TikTok, that won’t change restrictions on data flows or app access.

“I am well aware that the fact that ByteDance has Chinese founders has prompted concerns that our platform could be used as or become a tool of China or the Chinese Communist Party,” he said. “There have even been calls to ban us or require divestment. I steadfastly believe that all concerns that have been raised have solutions. Bans are only appropriate when there are no alternatives.”

The truth of the matter is that Chew never stood a chance in front of Congress; the hearing was convened to give lawmakers a platform to grill him before a large audience with cameras rolling, and they seized the opportunity on an uncommonly bipartisan basis. Representatives often didn’t give him time to expand on the intricate questions they asked in the five-minute windows they were given.

All told, observers who watched the hearing frequently referred to it as an embarrassment.

Still, data privacy and content moderation are essential matters to push social media companies to work on, and TikTok isn’t the only one that needs to hop on the hot seat. Stay tuned, because the battle over digital privacy never truly ends.

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The post TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew Doubles Down to US Congress Amid App Safety Concerns appeared first on Boardroom.

The NBA has 18.9 million followers on TikTok, by far the most among major U.S. sports leagues and almost 8 million more than the NFL’s 11 million. Just last week, the Association revealed that it became the most-viewed and most-engaged pro sports league on social media, generating 29.4 billion video views across all platforms. There’s a reason why the NBA boasts its social numbers so much, appealing to generations that are more likely to have cut the cord and watch highlights via social media and/or streaming services.

Two years after its launch in 2016, TikTok became the most downloaded app in the world. Its influence is seen today through the numbers, though it still isn’t quite the king of social, boasting 1.05 billion active users in 2023 and trailing Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, and WeChat.

Most think of TikTok as an influencer’s platform, but businesses and advertisers are wisely taking advantage themselves. That said, let’s take a look at the most-followed NBA teams on TikTok.

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The Top 5

Middle of the Pack

Sub-Million Club

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The post The Most Popular NBA Teams On TikTok appeared first on Boardroom.

Two years after its launch in 2016, TikTok became the most downloaded app in the world in October 2018. The influence is seen today through the numbers, though it still isn’t quite the king of social, boasting 1.05 billion active users in 2023 and trailing Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, and WeChat.

Most think of TikTok as an influencer’s platform, but businesses and advertisers are wisely taking advantage themselves. One example is Hyundai, which opted to air an ad on TikTok versus shelling out $7 million for a slot during during Super Bowl LVII. Professional sports leagues, teams, and its players hopped on the trendy app and it has paid dividends.

That said, let’s take a look at the most-followed NFL teams on TikTok.

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The Top 10

By little surprise, most of these teams were either extremely successful during the 2022 NFL season and/or play in big markets with fans all over the glove (see: Cowboys).

Millions Club

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 1.2 million
• New England Patriots: 1.2 million
• Miami Dolphins: 1.1 million
• New York Giants: 1.1 million
• LA Chargers: 1.1 million
• Chicago Bears: 1 million
• Seattle Seahawks: 1 million
• Tennessee Titans: 1 million
• Indianapolis Colts: 1 million
• Carolina Panthers: 1 million

The Rest

• Minnesota Vikings: 982.8k
• New Orleans Saints: 959.3k
• Atlanta Falcons: 994k
• Cleveland Browns: 988.4k
• Denver Broncos: 865.9k
• Arizona Cardinals: 837.2k
• Green Bay Packers: 796.1k
• NY Jets: 777.3k
• Washington Commanders: 766.2k
• Las Vegas Raiders: 506.6k
• Jacksonville Jaguars: 441.4k
• Houston Texans: 282.7k

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The post The Most Popular NFL Teams On TikTok appeared first on Boardroom.

Mariah Carey is the undisputed Queen of Christmas. But looks like she might be slowly reigning supreme on social media, too.

It’s been a decade since the bop was released, but Carey’s 2009 song “It’s A Wrap” sits at No. 24 on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart for the week of March 4. A song off her 2009 LP, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, is currently one of the most used sounds on TikTok and in fact, inspired a viral dance challenge. Instead of the ballad-like tune the original song has, TikTok’s version of “It’s A Wrap” features a sped-up version that only uses the chorus.

Don’t think the Guinness World Record holder hasn’t paid attention to the hype it’s receiving, either. In February, Carey and her daughter, Monroe, teamed up with Kim Kardashian and her daughter, North West, to post their own rendition of the choreography.

According to Billboard, “It’s A Wrap” recorded 3.6 million official streams in the United States for the week ending on Feb. 23, which is a 4% jump from the week before. The song also sold 1,000 downloads in the same period. Carey is one of the biggest artists in the world with a fanbase to prove it. As the weeks continue, and as TikTok users continue to use the Mariah Carey song in their videos — the potential for a top-10 landing spot doesn’t seem out of reach.

This is not the first and certainly won’t be the final time TikTok is responsible for reviving a song from yesteryear. We all remember the cultural resurgence “Running Up That Hill” experienced in the summer of 2022. Popularized once again due to its use in Season 4 of “Stranger Things,” Kate Bush’s 1985 song off LP Hounds of Love surpassed 100 million views in July, now at 174 million. Chart-wise, it broke UK chart records by hitting No. 1. In the states, Billboard reports it landed at No. 4 on the Hot 100 singles chart. “Running Up That Hill” also marked the longest gap between No 1 singles, with 44 years elapsed since Bush’s debut single, “Wuthering Heights.”

If they’re lucky, fans might see Carey perform “It’s A Wrap” live as she is scheduled to perform at the Lovers & Friends Festival in May.

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The post Mariah Carey Enjoys Billboard Chart Resurgence Thanks to TikTok appeared first on Boardroom.

YouTube’s newest CEO, Neal Mohan, is rolling out an expansive plan to bolster the platform in a never-before-seen vision. 

Mohan, succeeding 9-year veteran executive Susan Wojcicki, penned a letter to the app’s users of his prospects for the platform under his tenure. 

The highly-anticipated features expected to arrive first are creators’ ability to remix Shorts and record original content next to YouTube videos and Shorts. This addition is comparable to the duet and “stitch” options available on TikTok — the most downloaded app of 2022. Mohan hopes this will allow users to “easily add their own take on a trend or join in with reactions.”

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With podcasts increasing in prominence across the creative space, Mohan is broadening accessibility to producing podcasts through amplifying YouTube’s publishing software. 

“In fact, YouTube is now the second most popular destination for listening to podcasts according to Edison,” Mohan wrote. “New features in YouTube Studio make it easier to publish podcasts, and we’ll also start bringing both audio and video-first podcasts to the millions of people who use YouTube Music in the United States, with more regions to come.”

The streaming service landscape is widening. YouTube plans to adapt Shorts to a TV-friendly format and launch Primetime Channels where users can watch their streaming services. “We’re bringing the best of YouTube to the living room — the creators people love, the streaming they want, and the useful features they’ve come to expect from YouTube,” he wrote.

In December, YouTube announced NFL Sunday Ticket, a partnership with the NFL to allow creators to connect with the sports arena through enhanced coverage and commentary. “Sunday Ticket will also come with ways to engage with other fans, including comments, chats, and polls,” the letter explains. Later this year, YouTube TV will allow viewers to watch multiple games at once to increase engagement. 

Much of his outline for the future includes increasing monetization for creators via subscription offering expansion; enhancing creator feedback to ensure inclusion of those with lingual differences and hearing disability languages; and capitalizing on gaming content’s virality.  

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The post The Future of YouTube is a Wider ‘Creative Canvas,’ According to New CEO appeared first on Boardroom.

TikTok’s emergence amongst America’s social media landscape in 2020 seemed to appease the most insatiable appetites for niche-personalized content. It quickly became a mainstay alongside the nation’s favorite apps as the most downloaded platform in 2022. Yet, with a spate of concerns surrounding its threats to national security, the future of TikTok is now unclear. 

On March 1, the US House Foreign Affairs Committee voted to grant President Biden the authority to ban the short-form video app, owned by the Chinese tech company ByteDance. Despite opposition from Democrats, the advancement of the bill was largely propelled by the fear of the app’s potential security risk. 

“Anyone with TikTok downloaded on their device has given the CCP (Communist Party of China) a backdoor to all their personal information,” said Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), one of the bill’s sponsors. 

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While the specifics of how the ban can be imposed is still hazy, Biden’s power to ban any access and downloads of the app is apparent. The legislation would allow for the President to impose sanctions on transactions connected to software that could be controlled by Chinese intelligence. TikTok and any of its connected services would have to meet rigorous criteria to be waived from imposed sanctions. 

Democrats in staunch opposition of the bill say its haste approval in the committee did not allow for expert vetting and consultation. The bill’s viability is now entering contentious territory with a divided U.S. House and Senate. It must pass both before it lands on President Biden’s desk. The Biden administration has yet to announce official support for the bill’s trajectory. 

With over 100 million American users, the Chinese-owned platform has long been eyed for its seeming threat to national security. In 2020, The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) unanimously requested TikTok to sever ties with ByteDance as its proximity with the Chinese government could compromise user data. TikTok has claimed that it has spent over $1.5 billion dollars in a fervent effort to adjust to the CFIUS’ suggestions for data security measures.

This week, the White House mandated all government agencies to ensure the removal of TikTok on any federal devices and systems within 30 days. There has been no substantial evidence as of late that the Chinese government has requested America user data from ByteDance or influenced the app’s vaunted “for you page.”

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The post Everything We Know About the Pending Nationwide TikTok Ban appeared first on Boardroom.

The confetti is cleared up at State Farm Stadium and we’re all still humming our favorite Rihanna songs.

It was a big week for Boardroom, as our team ran around Phoenix and its surrounds. From Radio Row to the star-studded GQ Sports Style Hall of Fame event in Scottsdale, we were everywhere. Boardroom’s Gabe Oshin brought his trusty football with him every step of the way. Armed with a Sharpie and some great eyesight, he got signatures from NFL legends, media and entertainment figures, and some future Hall of Famers from across the sporting world:

The signees — all NFL-ers unless otherwise noted — include:

• Kay Adams, FanDuel personality
• LeGarrette Blount
• Earl Campbell
• Ja’Marr Chase
• Raymond Cruz, actor
• Khris Davis, actor
• Stefon Diggs
• Tony Dorsett
• Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner
• Tony Gonzalez
• Rob Gronkowski
• Jalin Hyatt
• Justin Fields
• Derwin James
• Jamahal Hill, UFC champion
• James Jones
• CeeDee Lamb
• Ryan Leaf
• Steve Mariucci
• LeSean McCoy
• Von Miller
• Joe Montana
• Sean O’Malley, UFC contender
• Carson Palmer
• Brock Purdy
• Jalen Rose, former NBA player and ESPN personality
• CC Sabathia, future Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher
• Amon-Ra St. Brown
• Warren Sapp
• Cam Smith
• Emmitt Smith
• Kenny Smith, two-time NBA champion and TNT personality
• Adam Thielen
• Brian Urlacher
• Ricky Williams
• Garrett Wilson

Follow Boardroom on TikTok for more dope content from the worlds of sports, business, music, entertainment, and technology.

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State governments, public schools, and universities across the United States are banning TikTok, making the app indefinitely unavailable on select devices and servers across the nation.

With state bans also comes educational bans, as many public institutions are complying with state laws by limiting the widespread use of the ByteDance-owned short-form video application themselves.

These bans began sweeping the nation in early December.

But why are they happening, and how are they being implemented? Are state governments pressuring public universities to limit the app, too?

Here’s a brief breakdown of TikTok’s fate in the US.

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TikTok Bans Start at the Top

The federal government first raised cybersecurity concerns about TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, a couple of years ago. TikTok has over 1 billion active monthly users as of January 2023, and federal agencies worry about ByteDance’s potentially malicious intent behind tracking users on the app. In November, FBI Director Christopher Wray reaffirmed that suspicion at a Homeland Security Committee hearing.

“They include the possibility that the Chinese government could use it to control data collection on millions of users,” he said at the time.

Maryland was the first to issue a statewide TikTok ban on Dec. 6, limiting access to TikTok, WeChat, and other Chinese and Russian-based platforms on state-issued devices and networks.

Former President Donald Trump was vocal about his stance on TikTok, launching various smear campaigns and threatening to ban the app because of national security concerns. That’s one thing current President Joe Biden can with his predecessor on, since Biden signed a bill in December that bans the social media app from use on US government-issued devices across Congress.

The U.S. armed forces have also banned TikTok on military devices.

“We’re disappointed that Congress has moved to ban TikTok on government devices — a political gesture that will do nothing to advance national security interests — rather than encouraging the Administration to conclude its national security review,” TikTok Spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter told TIME.

Will Congress implement a federal ban on TikTok, and if so, is that a First Amendment breach? We may soon find out, since there are bills in the works on the federal level that call for a nationwide ban of TikTok.

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TikTok Ban List

Here is a running list of all states and educational institutions that have banned TikTok on issued devices, including campus computers, mobile devices, and WiFi connections.

States

• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Georgia
• Idaho
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• Mississippi
• Montana
• North Carolina
• Oklahoma
• South Dakota
• Texas
• Wisconsin

Pending bill approvals, California, Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont may soon join the list.

Educational institutions

• Auburn University
• Arkansas State University
• Boise State University
• Idaho State University
• Iowa State University
• Morgan State University
• Montana University System (includes 16 post-secondary educational institutions)
• Northern State University
• Oklahoma State University
• South Dakota University System (includes six universities)
• Texas A&M University System (includes 11 universities)
• Texas Tech University System (includes five universities)
• University of Florida
• University of Houston System (includes four universities)
• University of Idaho
• University of Iowa
• University of Northern Iowa
• University of Oklahoma
• University of Texas – Austin
• University System of Georgia (includes 26 public colleges and universities)
• University of Wisconsin System (includes 13 universities)
• West Texas A&M University

These bans are state and institution-wide. There are nearly 30 states overall that have issued some TikTok restrictions on state-issued devices.

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The post Why TikTok Bans are Sweeping the Nation appeared first on Boardroom.

After 17 seasons in the NBA — including a championship ring with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 — Richard Jefferson immediately took his talents to the broadcast desk, where his personality and humor shine as a host and analyst.

Jefferson prepped for a second career in media while still an active player, by launching the popular Road Trippin’ podcast during the 2017 season with his then-Cavs teammate Channing Frye and sideline reporter Allie Clifton. The trio is now well past 200 episodes together with no signs of slowing down.

But after three years on-air and calling games for YES Network, ESPN, FS1, and Pac-12 Network, among others, Jefferson felt the need to supplement his broadcast work with something to spark his personal brand development: social media.

For the most part — outside of his viral Snapchat content during the Cavs’ title run — Jefferson avoided social media during his playing days. As he began to share his humorous NBA takes on Twitter and Instagram as a broadcaster, Jefferson and his team at The Content Capital Group — an athlete-focused social media consultancy — saw TikTok as a potential game-changer for him during the 2021-22 NBA season.

“Officially transitioning to the media side of things, I knew I needed social media,” Jefferson told Boardroom. “My goal was to hit one million followers in one season — the content on there is so unique and organic and the users consume it so well. My only rule was that I wasn’t going to dance, but I broke that with my second TikTok.”

Content Capital advised Jefferson to bring his sarcastic humor that he shared on Instagram to the TikTok community, which did not have a strong NBA athlete voice at the time.

“The unique thing about working with Richard is his dedication and focus,” shared Karin Kildow, CEO of Content Capital. “Social is a game of consistency and Richard really embraced that when we launched him on TikTok. To reach his goal of hitting a million followers in one NBA season, we posted over 500 videos in less than 300 days. It was a team effort but working with an athlete that was up for the challenge and excited throughout the whole process is rare.”

Jefferson’s first step in TikTok dominance was understanding the platform, testing the tools at his disposal, and engaging authentically with the community. Once he devised a posting strategy and saw how quickly his profile could grow, it was a consistency game for him.

“I am so mad I wasn’t on TikTok sooner,” Jefferson added. “It’s such an amazing community — and that’s what makes it unique — there is the basketball community on there that connected with me immediately. I started doing duets because I didn’t know how to use TikTok at first, so I started answering questions with other users. It was so fun and the engagement was crazy.”

Jefferson was posting 1-2 TikToks per day and Content Capital was adding fuel to the fire with an additional 1-2 posts. They collectively tested new content and ultimately focused on building repeatable formats and interactions with fans that made it possible to post at such a rapid rate.

“The consistency is one of the hardest things everyone deals with,” Jefferson said. “It’s the unfair advantage that I have — I have the resources with Content Capital to outsource some of my consistency. A lot of my success is due to the fact that I have amazing resources that help me. That’s an important thing to talk about.”

But beyond the TikTok strategy and posting consistency, it was Jefferson’s self-deprecating humor that separated him from the pack. From joking about himself or his appearance to welcoming social media ridicule as an NBA Summer League official in July, he didn’t take himself too seriously as a traditional on-air personality might. His duets with other uses often poked fun at Jefferson, but made for engaging content and further connected him with the overall community.

“Richard is a perfect example for how an athlete can cultivate community on social the right way,” added Sebastian Arriagada, Co-Founder of Content Capital. “His social content is co-created by his viewers because he talks with fans versus just talking at them. People may not realize that Richard is just as much a playmaker off the court as he is on it, investing time and energy to take calculated risks by leaning into how social media and sports consumption is changing. In working with him, I’ve seen firsthand the evolution of how he’s quickly become a leading voice for the next generation of sports fans as one of the most followed on-air personalities on TikTok.”

“Part of my success on there is me just being myself,” Jefferson shared. “The one thing you can say is that I’m being vulnerable enough to show myself and that hasn’t always been the case. For the most part that’s who I was in the NBA locker room for 17 years. Media and other players knew about it, but the public didn’t see it because I’m a very private person. But now that the media space is my new locker room, I feel more comfortable being myself publicly. Anyone who has known me doesn’t think this is funny, that’s just what they’ve seen my whole life. It feels authentic to me — it doesn’t feel like work.”

While Jefferson continues to evolve as an on-air talent, his TikTok skills have made waves at ESPN. His show “NBA Today” has introduced a new segment this season where fans can submit questions via TikTok with Jefferson, host Malika Andrews, and additional talent Kendrick Perkins and Chiney Ogwumike answering live on-air. Jefferson believes this is a huge step in connecting the TikTok community even further to the NBA and basketball overall.

“There are so many people that follow me on TikTok that don’t even know that I’m on TV or am even a former NBA player,” Jefferson added. “If I continue to grow my brand on TikTok then we are able to continue to grow the show and reach so many new fans to hopefully grow the game of basketball in a different way than before.”

As the 2022-23 NBA season tips off, Jefferson’s TikTok growth and personal brand development have clearly led to new marketing opportunities, including recent inclusion in LeBron James’ new Nike campaign and a familiar role as a ref in the NBA’s Google Pixel commercial. Jefferson plans to “double down” on TikTok this season in hopes of continuing to entertain while also connecting new fans to the NBA and basketball overall.

Jefferson on TikTok at a glance:

• Followers: 1.1 million
• Likes: 38.5 million
• Views: Over 100 million
• Engagement rate: 14%
• Growth rate: 4%

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The post Richard Jefferson Takes TikTok by Storm appeared first on Boardroom.

The NBA launched its new, revitalized app on Tuesday, a culmination of a nearly three-year process that brings users more vertical social video and introduces the league’s new membership program, NBA ID.

Created in coordination with Microsoft‘s Azure platform starting in late 2019 and early 2020, the app is a product of NBA Digital, the league’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery.

“It’s really been a mindset shift change from the top down in terms of how we look at how we look at our digital products, but our approach to the business holistically,” Andrew Yaffe, the NBA’s Senior Vice President and Head of Social, Digital, and Original Content, told Boardroom. “That includes content, our partnerships, our range of business. We think it’s a really holistic shift.”

NBA ID will be free to join and will link existing league products like NBA League Pass, fantasy, and NBA Pick’Em, as well as provide exclusive benefits and rewards. There will be original content, classic games from the NBA vault, members-only voting campaigns, and other location-based promotions like contests, sweepstakes, and ticket discounts.

Fans will have the opportunity to customize their app experience with the “For You” function, which will ask users for their favorite teams and players and then provide customized content and highlights based off those specifications. League Pass and NBA TV will be integrated into the app, giving fans the ability to watch live games and highlights and check scores, statistics, and standings, all in one place.

Leveraging the popularity of vertical social video on apps like Instagram and TikTok, the NBA app will prioritize vertical video and integrate stories to the top of its page. During the season, each game will be shown as a story on the top of the homepage and will include 10-second video highlights — cropped vertically in real time — of the action thus far with a prompt at the end to watch the game live on NBA League Pass, which notably returns in 2022-23 at a lower $99 price point for the season.

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“If this platform’s really going to be successful, then it has to feel similar to the way our fans are consuming our content,” Bob Carney, the NBA’s Senior Vice President of Social and Digital content, told Boardroom. “So, for us, it was a fairly logical conclusion that the free experience in the app needs to more mirror what our fans are consuming every day, especially if we’re gonna use our social media presence as one of the primary drivers. So when a fan leaves social media to come into our experience, we want that to feel seamless.”

In a massive years-long undertaking, the league created over 100 custom content package types to live on the app in the For You section divided into three overarching categories: highlights, all access, and lifestyle. That will include vertical content packages like fantastic finishes, gametime pregame, behind-the-scenes access, buzzer-beaters, fan’s-eye views, mic’d-up players, and even feature packages of players from all over the world, like every basket made by Toronto Raptors All-Star and Cameroon native Pascal Siakam. Meanwhile, the app’s lifestyle section will bring series like player fashion, pregame entrances, hip-hop culture, sneakers, and celebrity row.

The NBA invested not only more human resources from its offices in New Jersey and Atlanta to support the new app, but also expanded its partnership with AI cloud platform WSC Sports for automated highlights and content in the vertical format. The humans in New Jersey and Atlanta will be curating content collections you can’t really automate, Carney said, while highlights will mainly be automated with WSC technology doing a lot of the heavy lifting.

Each NBA game will have at least five of these vertical highlight franchises, with as many as 15-20 for marquee matchups. The league will follow the data on how many content franchises stick, test as many as possible, see what’s working based on user feedback, and double down on what hoop fans are consuming and most excited about.

Here’s a list of other content offerings that will live on the new NBA app:

• More than 6,000 hours of live content and programming this season, including highlight clips every night from every game and NBA TV coverage.
• NBA CrunchTime, a whiparound NFL Red Zone-style show featuring buzzer-beaters, highlights, and live look-ins, will now live free on the app every Monday. It will be hosted by Jared Greenberg from Atlanta.
• The app will feature NBA All-Access, an inside look at training camps from across the league starting this week.
• Many of the league’s top content creators will be integrated into the app, including “Pick & Roll Evolution” from YouTuber Ben Taylor of Thinking Basketball and “NBA Rewind” hosted by the legendary Ahmad Rashad, Kris London, Lethal Shooter, and Tristan Jass. Turner Sports, The Action Network, and Bleacher Report will also provide content.
• More than 500 past games from the NBA vault are available for free, including 10 classic contests from each team and every NBA Finals game since 2000.
• New ad-supported documentary series will be free on the app, led by original series “Gold Blooded,” an inside look at the Golden State Warriors‘ championship run narrated by Andre Iguodala and helmed by The Last Dance executive producer Andy Thompson. Other series will include “Hoop Cities” — an eight-part, in-language docuseries about the history, culture, and basketball communities in Belgrade, Bologna, Cologne, Leverkusen, Istanbul, Kaunas, Paris, Seville, and Thessaloniki — and “Pass The Rock,” a show about the next generation of superstars slated to begin in late November. Archived series like the Julius Erving documentary The Doctor, Inside Stuff, and Wilt 100 will also be available.
• Pregame, halftime, and postgame coverage from regional sports networks from across the league will now be available for free on the app. That includes studio shows, press conferences, warmups on the floor, and even in-arena halftime entertainment.
• NBA League Pass will continue alternate streams like NBABet streams, NBA HooperVision with Nate Robinson and Quentin Richardson, and analytics-driven and influencer feeds. There will also be select game broacasts during the season in Spanish, Portuguese, and Korean.

In short, the league wants the NBA app to be the best one-stop shop for basketball content.

“We see all of these amazing communities all over these other platforms, like NBA Twitter, NBA Reddit, and they’re all amazing,” Carney said. “But there isn’t one destination today that takes every content input from across the entire NBA ecosystem that puts it all in one place.”

All told, the league has now put itself in a position not only to offer all these new features and functions for its fans, but to integrate emerging technologies like AR and VR (and whatever comes next) seamlessly into this newest iteration of the app.

“This investment and approach is so critical to the adaptability that we now have that wherever the data’s pointing us to, wherever the fans are pointing us, wherever the technological trends are going,” Yaffe said. “We’re now much better equipped to respond to that.”

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The post Revamped NBA App is a Showcase for Social Video & Original Content appeared first on Boardroom.

It’s 9:00 a.m. in Athens, Georgia and the campus is buzzing. As the denizens of the University of Georgia meander from weekday lecture halls and pine for weekend tailgate parties, the country’s fastest student-athlete is starting a day most folks his age — or any age — couldn’t keep up with.

Beginning with breakfast, Bulldogs senior sprinter Matthew Boling embarks on classes until 1 p.m. Sneaking in a quick and calculated lunch, he hits track practice at 3 p.m. which runs literally and figuratively to 7 p.m. After that, it’s dinner, studying, and sleep. The reward? Right back to the same schedule the next day.

Well, maybe there are more benefits than just that.

Back in April, Boling ran the 100m dash in 9.98 seconds. In May, he doubled down by recording a 9.97 time. Winning four gold medals at the 2019 Pan American Championship, the Houston-raised runner has gone viral in track circles — and become a breakout social media star along the way.

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Amassing over 226,000 followers on Instagram and over 983,000 followers on TikTok, keeping up with Matthew’s race pace rise is just as hard in the digital world as it is on the track. Making the most of surging popularity in the era of name, image, and likeness, the Georgia Bulldog signed with Excel Sports Management to take his business to another level.

“I started working with Excel back in August,” Boling tells Boardroom. “I got in contact, I did my research, and I really trusted Excel to help me get to where I need to be. It’s been great ever since.”

Great may be an understatement. Earning national brand deals ranging from electric razors to coffee, Boling may have a student’s workload, but his overall buzz is on pace with the pros. Once again, Excel is able to help.

“School is a lot of work,” Boling says. “Track is also a lot of work. Being a student-athlete already is very difficult as it is, so it’s nice for me to be able to trust the agency to help navigate me through that space. [It’s] the same way I would trust my coach to help me through my practices and the same way I would trust my academic counselors to help me schedule my appointments and make sure I’m good on that side of things.”

Today, Excel and Boling are once again moving at lightspeed in the world of NIL, most recently signing a partnership with outdoor sporting goods company Merrell. With one stroke of the pen, the fast feet of Boling had entered an elaborate, intricate world of footwear endorsement deals typically too high-profile for amateur athletes to breach.

“I was really excited,” Boling says of the pact. “When the Merrell partnership came about, I was excited because I’ve got family back in Colorado and I enjoy going there a lot and running on trails. Being able to work with a brand that fits my lifestyle and supports my needs? My feet are the most important thing. That’s my job. So, working with the brand that really supports that was really great.”

While the NIL monetization era is only in its infancy for amateur athletes, footwear partnerships remain elusive for even the elite due to the strong existing relationships between universities and the world’s biggest athletic outfitters. For instance, UConn basketball standout Azzi Fudd signed with the Under Armour-owned Curry Brand, but she plays basketball for a Nike school. That means the Curry campaigns exist predominately out-of-season, as she’s required to play on-court in the Swoosh.

For Matthew Boling, meanwhile, the Merrell move makes perfect sense, as their product translates to trail and lifestyle and poses no conflict with the Nike tights and sprinting shoes he and his teammates don for UGA. So, on social media and out in the wild, Matthew can showcase Merrell for his fans, followers, and friends in properly organic fashion.

“Outdoor trail running and hiking plays into my everyday life,” says Boling. “During the summer I spent a lot of time in Colorado. This year I was able to see my family there for a while. In the off-season, I’ve gotta stay in shape and do something different than just sprinting on the track. So playing into my life, I’m able to stay in shape, train, and get the best performance out of myself while having a relaxing scenery and kind of just being able to get away from the oval of the track.”

The life of a student-athlete being as frequently monotonous as it is, Matthew Boling has scored a special kind of win by virtue of being able to keep training off the track — something he would have kept doing anyway — and turning it into some extra money in his pocket with a perfect-fit NIL endorsement. Moving forward, perhaps long after his college days are done, he has a chance to play a key role in helping Merrell gain an inside position with a Gen Z audience.

“Merrell feels right as a partner for me just being able to get the best performance I can out of any situation. If I’m training on the trails or running hills at a higher speed, I’m able to get the most traction, the most speed, and the highest performance. That was what was optimal for me.”

Whether racing up rocks or tackling slick terrains, Boling lists the MTL Long Sky 2 and Agility Peak 4 as his favorite footwear models. Unsure what speed training in the great outdoors looks like for the fastest kid in college track?

Give the man a follow and you’ll find out soon.

“Fans can expect some great content dropping with Merrell,” he hints. “I’m excited to try out their new products so just expect some great content.”

While all of this is big for Boling, it’s big for Merrell, too. The relatable runner with blazing speed has built a brand off being himself, and that’s revealed an sincere ability to connect. The metrics prove it — as does his intent.

“I’ve been able to build my social media following by just posting things that are authentic to me,” he says. “Whether it’s a race video, a practice video, or something that I just think’s funny that I did during the day. Just staying true to myself and enjoying social media.”

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He’s also aware of how having such a robust presence online has made making money off his talents all the more possible.

“Social media has been a very important part of my success in NIL,” shares Boling. “I’ve been able to have a lot of loyal followers and I’ve been able to create relationships with my followers by posting things that I feel like would be funny or just connect. Being able to use that to show people who may have an interest in brands that I use or ways that I optimize my performance has been very important within the space.”

With the weight of endorsement deals and the guidance of an agency, Matthew Boling aims to stay on track with his brand even as it gets bigger by the day. For those looking to follow in his fast footsteps, he suggests they do the same.

“Just stay true to what you enjoy. Whether it’s track you’re posting, weightlifting tips, or ways to stay in shape, just [share] something you enjoy,” he says. “Stay true to that. If you want to go on TikTok and make funny videos, maybe make it a satire on what you do, just stay true to yourself and don’t let people bring you down.”

This school year, Matthew Boling is interested in setting more records on the track and doing more business off of it. He notes a desire to work with a partner in the recovery industry as well as align with a sports drink sponsor. Notably, both of those adjacent, complementary spaces are on-brand not just with his training regimen and race day success, but his overall vision of keeping the main thing the main thing.

And while he still burns up the track in Nike kicks, he’s well aware of the rarified air he’s entered in securing such a distinctive shoe endorsement deal as a student-athlete.

“I think it’s very unique,” said Boling. “You see a lot of professional athletes who are post-college with footwear deals, but being able to get in that space and partner with a brand that I think is able to help me a lot to get the best performance out of my sport is very unique. It’s a blessing for me.”

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The post Matthew Boling: From the Track to the Trail appeared first on Boardroom.

Noah Beck had aspirations of becoming a professional soccer player.

He was introduced to the Beautiful Game when he was about three years old because his father, Tim, was (and still is) varsity boys head coach at Ironwood High School in Glendale, Arizona.

Noah, a midfielder, helped guide youth club SC del Sol to four state final appearances. He then played for two years under his father at Ironwood before focusing on his academy team. Beck played with the US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program state team from 2014-17 and was a team captain. After relocating to Utah, he played two seasons with the Real Salt Lake Academy before earning a full scholarship to play at the University of Portland, where he played 19 games as a freshman.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit and Beck’s world changed. 

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He completed the spring semester online before dropping out of school. Like many during quarantine, Beck sought connection and entertainment on social media, and began posting videos on TikTok in 2020, growing his following to 27 million by January 2021.

Even though he didn’t end up as a professional player, Beck, 21, is still around the game he loves. In February, he was named Major League Soccer’s first-ever Social Playmaker, working with the league to promote its clubs and players to his 45+ million combined followers via original programming, including Beck’s Corner, a weekly TikTok rundown with his take on MLS action.

“It’s been a blast, honestly. It’s been a match made in heaven,” Beck told Boardroom. “Unfortunately, yet fortunately, things happened, but somehow I always knew no matter what I did in my life, I always wanted to stay in touch with the game. … It’s such an organic thing to add to my content because people who really know me know that I played soccer, knew that I grew up in the system and knew it was my goal since I was a kid to go pro. 

“It’s fitting and I’m having a blast doing it.”

For MLS, which boasts the youngest pro sports fan base in North America with an average age of 39.6 years, working with a content creator and influencer like Beck helps the league grow its awareness among a younger demographic with a growing interest in soccer. 

Soccer is the No. 1 sport in participation and No. 2 in fandom for Generation Alpha (born after 2013), according to a Morning Consult survey. The sport is also the third-most-popular behind football and basketball for Gen Z, according to a Two Circles study.

Beck will host a special edition of Beck’s Corner live at the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge at 8:30 p.m. ET Tuesday at Allianz Field in Minneapolis as part of the league’s All-Star Week programming. The festivities will culminate with the 2022 MLS All-Star Game on Wednesday (8:30 p.m. ET), pitting the league’s top stars, including Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, Carlos Vela and Walker Zimmerman, against an all-star team from Liga MX.

Beck, who was a celebrity guest coach at last year’s All-Star Skills Challenge in Los Angeles, will be attending his third MLS All-Star Game.

“Obviously it’s just exciting to be a part of it,” he said. “This is something I’d go to as a child and be a huge fan of, but now it’s part of my job. You get to show up, have fun and go to these events and make the best out of it. Obviously, I’m stoked.”

Having played in Real Salt Lake’s academy growing up, Beck is slightly biased toward his favorite MLS club, though he is also partial to Los Angeles FC, now that he lives in LA. 

With recent big-name additions, including Gareth Bale (LAFC), Giorgio Chiellini (LAFC), Xherdan Shaqiri (Chicago Fire), Riqui Puig (LA Galaxy), and Lorenzo Insigne (Toronto FC) joining MLS and former stars including Brenden Aaronson, Taty Castellanos, Matt Turner, Daryl Dike and Ricardo Pepi now plying their trade in Europe, Beck is bullish on the league and soccer in the U.S.. Adding to his excitement:the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which Canada, Mexico and the United States will host.

“MLS and soccer in the US is on the come-up and it has been, and it’s going to make its mark,” he said. “I’m just trying to build as much awareness around the league as I can. It’s easy for me because I love the league and I love the job.”

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The post Noah Beck is Having a Blast appeared first on Boardroom.

On Monday, social media star and pro boxer Jake Paul and sports betting entrepreneur Joey Levy have announced the creation of Betr, a micro-betting and media company. The pair won’t be lacking for funds as the venture sets sail, as they have additionally raised $50 million as part of a Series A funding round. The long list of participating investors includes Travis Scott, Ezekiel Elliott, Dez Bryant, Richard Sherman, 305 Ventures, and co-owners of the San Francisco 49ers, Boston Celtics, and Miami Marlins. 

Betr closed another $30 million Series A round earlier this year led by Florida Funders.

“I wasn’t into sports betting until I was introduced to micro-betting,” said Paul, officially Founder and President of Betr, in a company release. “Micro-betting is the TikTok-ification of sports betting and I am excited to bring it to the masses through Betr. We are in this for the long haul and are focused on doing things the right way. We are getting licensed state-by-state, adhering to each state’s regulatory framework while advocating for important consumer protections and responsible gambling.”

Betr has plans to grow as a media brand as well, with Paul kicking things off Monday with a preview of his new show, BS w/ Jake Paul. The show will feature the prolific personality and his celebrity friends taking fans on a journey across the landscape of both sports and sports betting. The company has a stated goal of building the show into one of the most-viewed and highest-engaged sports shows on the digital/streaming market.

In addition to generating brand awareness and affinity for the Betr brand, the media arm will generate revenue independently for Betr. Currently, the company evaluating sponsorship opportunities for BS w/ Jake Paul and other content initiatives to be announced in the future.

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On the betting side, Betr is aiming to introduce a new style of betting by opening up wagering opportunities on the most specific moments that drive US sports consumption, including pitches and at-bats in baseball and individual drives in football games.

Paul’s co-founder, Betr CEO Joey Levy, is additionally the co-founder of Simplebet, a B2B technology company that has helped to pioneered micro-betting in US sports through its innovations in the realms of machine learning and automation. Betr will leverage Simplebet’s existing technology as it scales, and will release an app in the weeks to come. A release notes that the app will launch as free-to-play in all 50 US states. Betr has gambling market access in multiple US states as of this time; specific announcements are expected in the near future.

“The combination of our best-in-class technology together with the reimagined user experience, reach, and influence of Betr’s distribution channels will be a powerful force in the market,” said Simplebet CEO Chris Bevilacqua on the occasion. “This partnership features many of the best elements of the rapidly increasing convergence of sports, media, and technology and we are excited to be in the center of it.”

Continues Levy:

“Betr will unbundle micro-betting by building an entire company around it and delivering the experience in a simple, intuitive UI layer. We believe micro-betting will ultimately emerge as the predominant way consumers bet on U.S. sports, given (1) the stop and start cadence of U.S. sports lending itself perfectly to this style of wagering, and (2) similarly to how daily fantasy sports innovated on top of season-long fantasy, micro-betting introduces an order of magnitude greater level of instant gratification to the current sports betting user experience.”

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The post Jake Paul & Joey Levy Launch Micro-betting Platform Betr appeared first on Boardroom.

FTX Accelerates BlockFi Purchase for Reported $25 Million

Crypto may be crashing, but FTX – one of the world’s largest crypto exchanges – continues to make moves. The company originally provided a $250 million emergency line of credit to crypto lender BlockFi. Now, FTX is in advanced talks to purchase BlockFi in a deal expected to be signed by the end of this week and worth an estimated $25 million. Earlier this year, BlockFi was valued at $3 billion, reflecting a 99% decrease in value. 

Elena Delle Donne, Nike Unveil the DELDON 1

For the last several months, two-time WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne has been sporting an unidentifiable sneaker, baffling sneakerheads. Finally, she revealed it as her first signature shoe with Nike. Currently, the shoe is reported to hit shelves in October.

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Logan Paul Jumps into the Ring with the WWE

Logan Paul is headed to the WWE. The social media mega-influencer is no stranger to the ring, having shown up and put on a show at last year’s Wrestlemania. Paul broke the news to his 23 million Instagram followers. As part of the agreement, Paul will appear at a number of events in 2023, including multiple WWE premium live events.

Boardroom caught up with Paul at this year’s VeeCon to discuss his newest endeavors in the world of Web3. Check it out. 

Ice Cube Partners With the NFL to Elevate Black Businesses

Ice Cube’s sports initiatives don’t just stop with the Big 3. The NFL announced a brand new partnership with the west coast legend’s Contract with Black America Institute. Together, Cube and the NFL aim to increase community equity and empower Black-owned businesses within the tech and finance industries.

Under Armour Releases Historic Curry Flow 9 “2974” Colorway

Last season, Stephen Curry surged into the record books, breaking the all-time NBA three-point record, surpassing Ray Allen’s marker. To celebrate, FTX launched 2,974 NFTs that were digital replicas of his game-work shoes. Now, the Curry Flow 9 is being immortalized by Under Armour in a physical version as well. The limited colorway is available for $160 on the Curry Brand website.

Paris Saint Germain Inks Jersey Deal with Qatar Airways

Messi and Mbappe will have new drips on the pitch this season thanks to PSG’s newest deal. Paris Saint Germain linked with Qatar Airways for a new jersey deal worth an estimated $84 million annually. The airline has worked in collaboration with the hugely popular team dating back to 2020, collaborating on fan experiences and content.

TikTok Megastar Khaby Lame Teams up With Binance

TikTok’s biggest star wants to debunk crypto myths. On the heels of Cristiano Ronaldo joining the crypto company as a global ambassador, Binance inked a deal with TikTok sensation Khaby Lame, who has over 145 million fans on the platform. Through their collaboration, the pair will aim to educate the world about cryptocurrency and launch an NFT collection in the process. 

Denver Post Aims to Sell Nearly $43M of Colorado Rockies Shares

Looking to get in on a major league ownership team? Now could be your time. The Denver Post is looking to sell a piece of its stake in the Colorado Rockies. The paper currently owns a 7.3% stake in the MLB club and is looking to sell half of its ownership, worth an estimated $43 million. The Rockies are estimated to be worth approximately $1.43 billion, ranking the franchise at number 22 in Major League Baseball. 

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The post NBA Free Agency Begins, Jokic Nets Largest Contract in League History  appeared first on Boardroom.

Brittney Griner Set to Appear in Preliminary Hearing on Monday

Bring BG home. The Phoenix Mercury star continues to be detained in Russia following a February incident in which she was allegedly found in possession of hashish oil, but a spot of good news emerged over the weekend. Griner is set to appear in a closed-door preliminary hearing on Monday, her lawyer Alexander Boikov told ABC News. The United States State Department is working closely to try to get Griner released, having indicated she was wrongly detained. Details of the hearing are not available at this time. 

Wimbledon Serves up Tennis’ Top Stars

All eyes are on Centre Court. Wimbledon kicks off on Monday, launching the two-week tournament. This year, the sport’s biggest stars are taking to the court in pursuit of Grand Slam glory. Serena Williams is making her return to the grass for the first time since she pulled out of the tournament last year with a hamstring injury. From prize money to betting odds, Boardroom has it all for you in our comprehensive event preview.

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TikTok’s Revenue Projected to Triple to $12B

TikTok is trending but we’re not talking about going viral. The social media platform is projected to hit $12 billion in revenue, making it worth more than Twitter and Snapchat combined. TikTok’s rapid rise to the top took place over just five years, and in that short time, it has redefined the role of video in social media, making short-form content king. 

Diddy Takes Home Lifetime Achievement Honors at the 2022 BET Awards

Nearly 30 years ago, Bad Boy Entertainment broke into the cultural zeitgeist, changing the game forever. The legendary label ushered forward some of the biggest acts in hip-hop, including The Notorious B.I.G. and Mary J. Blige. And the man who brought it all together, Sean “Diddy” Combs secured one of the industry’s most prestigious honors, taking home the Lifetime Achievement Award at Sunday’s BET Awards. Silk Sonic, Jazmine Sullivan, and Kendrick Lamar also took home some of the evening’s top honors at the star-studded event in Los Angeles.

Kith Taps J.R. Smith for New Collab with Taylor Made

J.R. Smith has had an incredible year. The two-time NBA champion enrolled at North Carolina A&T to pursue his golf dreams. Not only did Smith make the team, but he’s secured the bag along the way. Smith inked an NIL deal with lululemon. And now, he is the face of a new campaign for Kith. The iconic label is teaming up with Taylor Made for a golf line, fronted by Smith.  

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Steps Out for Thom Browne 

SGA is no stranger to a sartorial risk. The fashion-forward former first-rounder stepped onto the runway in Paris for New York fashion house Thom Browne’s Spring/Summer 2023 Menswear show. Gilgeous-Alexander’s catwalk debut capped off a big week of ballers making a splash at the annual event. Jaylen Brown, Devin Booker, and Jalen Green were all spotted on the streets.

The post Colorado Avalanche Skate to Third Stanley Cup Title appeared first on Boardroom.

Lizzo Feels Good as Hell About HBO Documentary

Lizzo’s meteoric rise through music and entertainment is one of the greatest stories of the last few years. Now, the star is prepared to share her truth in a yet unnamed documentary set to premiere on HBO Max this fall. The film will chronicle her come up. The three-time Grammy winner announced the project on stage at the Warner Brothers Discovery Upfront presentation at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday. 

Alex Rodriguez Backs PFL’s $30M Investment Round

A-Rod is no stranger to professional sports. The future Hall of Famer left an indelible mark on the sport of baseball and continues to fuel its popularity with his appearance in the booth on ESPN. Since retiring, he’s developed a robust investment portfolio that also includes the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx. Now, A-Rod is one of a series of investors banking on the future of martial arts with the Professional Fighters League. The PFL raised $30 million at a $500 million valuation. With the investment, Rodriguez will also claim a seat on the board of directors. 

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Buffalo Bills and the NFL Band Together for $400K Donation Following Racist Shootings

Over the weekend, a gunman walked into a Buffalo grocery store and opened fire, killing 11 people. The investigation revealed that he was motivated by racist ideology and targeted a store that was populated primarily by a Black clientele. On Wednesday, the Buffalo Bills Foundation and the NFL teamed up to donate $400,000 to an array of community organizations providing key resources in the wake of the tragedy, including the Buffalo Together Community Response Fund.

Harry Styles Brings Dazzling Show to Apple

We are less than 24 hours out from the new Harry Styles album, Harry’s House. On Friday, the former 1D frontman will bring his sparkling tour to Long Island’s UBS Arena for One Night Only in New York. This week he announced that he’s teaming with AppleTV to stream the performance, which will run live and replay several times in the days that follow.

Dominique Wilkins Dunks on Web3 for Charity

Ballerz, NFT Genius’s retro collection that taps into the nostalgia of the olden days of NBA Jam, is partnering with NBA Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins on a one-of-one exclusive NFT. Wilkins’ mirror-image NFT will be auctioned along with several other items, including Dominique-signed memorabilia, IRL experiences with the Atlanta Hawks icon, and a Dapper Labs NFT package including rare packs from NBA Top Shot, NFL All Day, and $1,000 in Dapper Funds. The proceeds will benefit KultureCity, a nonprofit for sensory accessibility and acceptance that Wilkins chairs. 

Rich Paul Tapped to Join Funko Board

Rich Paul is headed to the boardroom once again. The founder of Klutch Sports sits on a number of boards, including United Talent Agency and the Coliseum Acquisition Corporation. Now, he will be adding Funko to that list. The collectibles company is at a critical point in its organizational journey, as ACON Investments is in the process of selling off a chunk of shares to The Chernin Group, backed by Bob Iger.

Bob Iger Invests in Future of Food Delivery with GoPuff

In addition to his recent investment in Funko, Bob Iger is eyeing the future of food delivery with GoPuff. The $15 billion company currently commands a major market share of the delivery grocery market in the US and is in the midst of a major global expansion, which includes a partnership with the McLaren F1 team. In addition to Iger, Selena Gomez is also an investor.

TikTok Teases Tool that Will Credit Creators

Imagine being the brains behind a viral TikTok sensation and receiving none of the credit? This has been the norm since the dawn of the app, and Black creators have been disproportionately impacted by the situation. Now, TikTok is preparing to launch a series of tools that will assign credit for creative capital, including direct tags for the original version. 

Christopher Walken Encourages You to Squirrel Away Savings with Acorns

Keen listeners will hear something familiar in the newest campaign from fintech company Acorns. Christopher Walken, the actor with one of the most iconic voices in Hollywood history, is the man behind the campaign’s starring squirrel, which encourages you to harness a collection of acorns in an effort to plant an oak. The app gamifies savings, and is driven by the motto: “From acorns, mighty oaks do grow!”

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The post Lamar Jackson Wants to Know If ‘You 8 Yet?’ appeared first on Boardroom.

Noah Beck Appointed MLS’ First-ever “Social Playmaker”

Noah Beck has over 45 million fans across social media platforms, but his newest gig has him returning to his first love: soccer. The former U.S. Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program and University of Portland standout linked up with the MLS to serve as its first-ever “Social Playmaker.” As part of the partnership, Beck will go around the league to cover the athletes and a weekly TikTok feature called “Beck’s Corner.” 

Sotheby’s Cancels Cryptopunk Auction Minutes Before Scheduled Start

Two weeks ago, Sotheby’s announced its upcoming auction of a single lot that would include 104 CryptoPunks, “Punk It!” Early estimates indicated that it would draw $20-30 million at the final gavel. However, the event was abruptly canceled just moments before it was scheduled to start. The seller, who is identified exclusively by their handle “0x650d,” indicated that they had decided to “hodl” the collection, with no additional information available at this time.

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Ralph Lauren is in Talks with LVMH for Monumental Move

In a move that would send waves through the fashion world, LVMH is reportedly seeking to acquire Ralph Lauren. Inside sources reveal that the negotiations have taken place over the last two years as Ralph Lauren’s naming founder and current CCO is plotting his next steps. The American brand is a key outfitter in the sports world, including contracts with the US Olympic Team, The US Open, and many more events.

Troy Aikman Eyes Monday Night Football

The voice of the NFC on Fox – and one of America’s newest brewmasters – is considering a career leap. The New York Post reports that Cowboys legend Troy Aikman is reportedly in conversations with ESPN to lead its Monday Night Football coverage, as the off-season broadcasters roulette has begun. Inside sources indicate that the parties are very close to a five-year deal that would outkick Tony Romo’s industry-leading $17.5 million annual contract with CBS.

TikTok Teams up with the NHL

The NHL continues its quest to introduce the game to new audiences. Its most recent efforts have the league teaming up with TikTok. The news comes in advance of hockey’s upcoming Stadium Series, which will bring the game outdoors in Nashville and Hamilton. There will alsobe a TikTok stage that will feature live performances by musicians who got their start on the platform and behind-the-scenes features. 

Puma Signs Chess Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen 

To be a great athlete, you need to develop your physical and mental strength. Puma is making sure that its brand ambassadors exhibit the highest performance across the board. The brand introduced five-time world chess champion Magnus Carlsen as its newest partner. As part of the deal, Puma will feature chess activations around the globe. The company will also serve as the sponsor for the Champions Chess Tour, which kicked off earlier this week. Last night, 16-year-old whiz kid Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa Carlsen dealt a rare and surprising loss; however, the loss does not impact his present standing as the world champ. 

Invisible Friends NFT Collection Drops 

After much anticipation, the Invisible Friends collection has arrived. The NFT collection minted on Wednesday and released its golden collectible via auction with proceeds going to charity. The crown jewel of the collection, the one-of-one “Golden Friend,” took in a $1.3 million bid. The collection’s Twitter page deemed Feb. 23 “Invisible Friends Day,” citing its rise to 500,000 followers and official verification on the platform.

The post Tom Brady Gets Ready for his Hollywood Debut appeared first on Boardroom.

Nets Get Set to Hoop in the Metaverse with Patent Filings

The Brooklyn Nets have filed three separate applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the trademark “Netaverse,” according to trademark attorney Josh Gerben of Gerben Intellectual Property. The trademarks encompass game coverage, merchandise, and technology. It is believed that the Nets are the first major professional sports team to indicate interest in joining the metaverse on their own.

LaMelo Ball Unveils Newest Venture, MB1 Gaming

LaMelo Ball is no stranger to forging his own path. Last year’s Rookie of the Year announced on Monday that he is teaming up with esports tournament platform One Up to launch esports brand MB1 Gaming. Ball recently released his PE shoe in partnership with Puma. MB1 Gaming will host esports tournaments on One Up’s platform, starting with an NBA 2K tournament in February. Appropriately, Puma will be the sponsor.

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Overtime Links with Billionaire Boys Club for Exclusive Apparel Drop

Sports and lifestyle just forged an all-new team-up in the form of a limited-edition apparel collection. Overtime and the Pharrell-founded Billionaire Boys Club unveiled the project, which includes custom Overtime Elite player uniforms, in an official announcement Monday. OTE players will debut the special uniforms during games scheduled for Friday, Feb. 4 and Saturday, Feb. 5 at their home campus in Atlanta. The collection will be highlighted in a new marketing campaign featuring Overtime Elite players and Los Angeles rapper BLXST.

BIG3 Basketball League Re-ups Deal with Monster Energy Drink

Monster Energy and BIG3 tipped off their partnership last season with a wild range of activations, which included everything from in-game BMX riders and breakdancers to multiple ad spots. And they announced on Tuesday that they are running it back for a second season. The 3-on-3 basketball league’s founder, Ice Cube, said in a statement that the partnership allows Big3 to connect with its fans in direct and exciting ways. 

Lamborghini Taps Swiss Artist Fabian Oefner for Inaugural NFTs

The time has come when you may finally be able to own a Lamborghini. The pinnacle brand in luxury vehicles revealed that it is working on a set of NFTs and that they have brought in Swiss artist Fabian Oefner to engineer the design. Oefner is well-known for his art that “explores the boundaries between time, space, and reality.” Details continue to evolve, but the collection will include five space-themed collectibles, which will be unlocked by “Space Keys.”

Bored Ape Yacht Club Gets Two New Members in Kevin Hart and Paris Hilton

The Bored Ape Yacht Club just got two new all-star members. On Monday, comedian Kevin Hart revealed that he purchased #9258, which has a multi-colored whirly hat and wears a yellow shirt – for 79.5 Eth ($200,041). Similarly, Paris Hilton joined fellow Bored Ape owner Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show, where she debuted her purchase of #1294. 

Athletes Unlimited Tips off Partnership with Ari Chambers and HighlightHER

Athletes Unlimited is set to launch its inaugural season on Wednesday, where it will debut an innovative format that will not have set teams. And on Monday, the league announced an exclusive partnership with Ari Chambers and HighlightHER. The partnership includes content & social collabs — kicking off with a new long-form series where she will lead roundtable discussions with AU athletes.

Tyler, The Creator’s Golf Wang Drops New Collection and Campaign Featuring Jordan Clarkson

Tyler, the Creator is a man of many talents. The rapper has most recently been seen riding a bike on the Louis Vuitton stage for its men’s show, for which he curated the string soundtrack. His line, Golf Wang, debuted the “CHAMPIONSHIP Collection.” Modeled by Utah Jazz guard, Jordan Clarkson, the set includes basketball jerseys, shorts, a varsity jacket, a cream-colored sweatsuit, and a gold signet ring featuring the GOLF league logo.

NBC Universal Teams up with TikTok for Winter Olympic Coverage

The Winter Olympics are nearly here. While few fans will be able to be in the stands for the live events, people around the globe will have access to various types of on-the-ground content due to a new partnership between NBC Universal and streaming platform Tik Tok. As part of the agreement, there will be daily content and a three-part livestream series.

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The post Oscar-winning DNEG Studio Preps to Go Public Via SPAC in $1.7B Deal appeared first on Boardroom.

Click here to read Boardroom’s recent interview with Crocs President Michelle Poole

Post Malone Turns Childhood Obsession Into Dream Collaboration with Magic: The Gathering

Post Malone says that he’s been obsessed with Magic: The Gathering since he was a little kid. And this week, the entertainer announced a new collaboration with the interactive card game, which will kick off with its signature Friday Night Magic tournament series. While the total details of the partnership are not presently available, Post Malone promised fans: “We’ll be doing some cool stuff so keep an eye out.”

TikTok Replaces Google as Most Trafficked Domain

TikTok continues its meteoric rise, and in 2021 people around the globe found themselves caught in its neverending stream of viral content. According to Cloudflare’s Year in Review, the video site clocked the most visits in 2021, eclipsing Google as the top domain. The leap to first was a big one for Tik Tok, which was listed in the list’s seventh spot in 2020.

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Shareef O’Neal Highlights Linktree’s First-ever Collegiate Class

Linktree, a market-leading linking platform, announced its inaugural class of collegiate athlete partners Wednesday. Linktree’s NIL athletes are Shareef O’Neal (LSU men’s basketball), Alana Walker (University of Virginia volleyball), Grant Horvat ( Palm Beach Atlantic golf), Margzetta Frazier (UCLA gymnastics), and Masai Russell (University of Kentucky track & field). The organization is continuing to build out its sports offerings and resources to aid college athletes in fully utilizing their name, image, and likeness rights.

Gucci and Adidas Collab on the Horizon

Gucci has had a huge year in collaborations. So far, 2021 has seen the Italian fashion house connect with The North Face for an outdoor line, Xbox for a special edition case, and many others. And as the clock ticks on the calendar year, the internet has revealed that Gucci is set to launch yet another collaboration with Adidas. The leaked image features a combined pattern of Gucci’s signature interlocking Gs and the Adidas trefoil. No other details are available at this time.

Athletes United Adds Star Power to Board

Athletes Unlimited operates women’s professional softball, volleyball, and lacrosse leagues, and is set to debut its basketball competition in 2022. In order to support its robust programming, the organization announced two major appointments to its Board of Directors on Wednesday. Former USA Volleyball outside hitter Cassidy Lichtman and former United States Tennis Association CEO and President Katrina Adams have each been selected to serve one-year terms. With her appointment, Lichtman becomes the first active athlete to join the board of directors for a professional sports league.

Tiffany Haddish to Bring Fitness Into VR with Supernatural

Tiffany Haddish has been on a personal fitness journey for the last few years, and she is teaming up with Supernatural to serve as a celebrity coach for its second annual This Year, Be You campaign. The industry leader in virtual reality fitness uses the Meta Quest 2 to provide members with a wide range of workouts that target mind and body. In a statement, Haddish said she’s become obsessed with the platform over the last year as she trains to play Florence Griffith Joyner in an upcoming biopic, so the collaboration was a no-brainer when the opportunity arose. 

Triller to Execute Reverse Merger, Newly Formed TrillerVerz Will Go Public at $5B Valuation

Triller was popularized in large part by its exclusive boxing streams and the massively popular Verzuz series has announced that it will go public, following a reverse merger with SeaChange. The newly formed entity, which will be called TrillerVerz, will be listed on the Nasdaq and has generated a valuation of $5 billion. The approach allows a faster path to going public than a traditional IPO and is expected to be completed in the next few weeks.  

Women’s Hockey Gets First Official Card Series with PHF and Upper Deck Deal

The NWHL rebranded as the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) earlier this year, and the league is ready to kick off its next season with the help of a new multi-year partnership with Upper Deck. Upper Deck previously produced women’s hockey trading cards, dating back to the 1997-1998 NHL® Collector’s Choice Series, but the announcement marks the first-ever professional women’s hockey trading cards, which will launch in the 2022-2023 season.

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The post Crocs Goes Global with $2.5B HEYDUDE Purchase appeared first on Boardroom.

It stands to reason that NBA players were oddly positioned to remain relevant and thrive socially as the world shut down. On social media, they maintain some of the strongest followings amongst all athletes. LeBron James reigns as the most-followed NBA player on both Instagram and Twitter, with followings akin to superstar entertainers like Drake and Miley Cyrus. With 63.5 million Instagram followers, his follower total is four and a half times larger than his closest NFL competitor on Instagram, Odell Beckham Jr. (14.1 followers.) LeBron’s 45.9 million Twitter followers is over four times what NFL stars JJ Watt (5.5 million) and Russell Wilson (5.4 million) boast, combined.

For stars like James, it’s a chance to invite their fans into his world. He turned Taco Tuesday into his own weekly, star-studded event.  Listening to music in his car is a gatekeeping moment of sorts, with artists pining for “A&R Bron” to spin their music to his massive following, and James even debuting exclusive, unreleased music from the likes of Nipsey Hussle. In early 2019, Def Jam tried to capitalize on the craze by commissioning James to executive produce 2 Chainz’s last album, Rap or Go to the League, which brought about mixed results and several memes. 

Social media is where players morph from incredible, gravity-defying world-class athletes, to “regular Joes” who are embarrassing dads like everybody else. Stephen Curry practically gives the world his family scrapbook, while others like James and Beal can be found hilariously struggling to dance with their families in TikToks. And just as musicians use Instagram Live to battle one another in clashes of hits, NBA players are using the platform to talk hoops with one another, giving their fans a glimpse into what are normally private conversations.   

Players have infiltrated the world of gaming as well, with Ben Simmons and Josh Hart building up respectable Twitch followings of nearly 50,000 followers each. More importantly, with so much free time to hone their skills, they’ve made strides as competitive gamers in the ever-growing world of esports. 

Brands are capitalizing on the trends. Slam Magazine hosted a Call of Duty tournament featuring players like Simmons, Hart, Donovan Mitchell, and Myers Leonard. ESPN has devoted primetime coverage to an NBA 2K tournament featuring the likes of Kevin Durant, Trae Young, Devin Booker, Zach LaVine, Demarcus Cousins, and more, with the winner of the two-week tournament earning $100,000 for a coronavirus charity of their choosing. 

As branded content continues to generate hundreds of millions of dollars for influencers, content creators, and big brand accounts on social media, the obvious next step will be for players to capitalize. Whether it’s branded content of their own, sponsorships, product placement, or partnerships, that’s the next frontier as hoopers continue to flourish in these spaces. Everybody has a brand now, and what better place to benefit from that brand than on an app that shares to hundreds of millions of people on a daily basis?

Why is the  NBA the league with the most athletes thriving in this climate? Age may be a factor. While the NFL’s stars must play at least three years of college ball, and baseball players will spend years in the minor leagues before making it to the show, today’s NBA stars have been active on social media since their teenage years and often hit the league as early as nineteen. They’re digital natives, and it’s likely most fans first discovered them on social media, thanks to high school mixtapes and social media. Just think about how long the world has been watching Zion dunk on people or how long you’ve been scrolling through your phone, stumbling on Lonzo Ball draining deep threes with his dad hyping him all the way. It feels like you know them personally by this point. 

Growing up under those circumstances has left NBA players confident existing within the digital space. They’re comfortable opening themselves up for fans, garnering organic followings with the aforementioned sense of intimacy. They resonate in ways other athletes can’t, and as brands seek the unique sort of authenticity that you can’t manufacture or force, NBA players have been building that authenticity for years. 

As such, they’ve become trendsetters with the way users utilize their social media platforms. So as they gravitated to TikTok with their own brand of goofy attempts to dance, skits, PSAs and whatever else their creative minds can conjure up, their fans have followed. Their migration to the app has coincided with TikTok’s own massive growth in the past six months. From September 2019 to February 2020, the app’s downloads have nearly doubled, from 60.3 million to 112.9 million according to Social Media Today. That was enough to make Tik Tok the most downloaded non-game app in the world in February, according to Sensor Tower.  

In that sense, NBA players are striking while the iron is hot. Sixers rookie Matisse Thybulle has gone from relative unknown to entertaining TikTok maven in a matter of weeks thanks to his unique and humorous videos straight from his apartment. His TikTok following is already three times his Twitter following. While it’s still a little more than half of what he’s garnered on Instagram, the latter audience was built up over the course of eight years. On TikTok, he garnered nearly 130,000 followers and almost 1 million likes in just one month, and with only 12 posts.  Even an elder statesman like Paul Millsap has garnered a bit of a reputation for his entertaining exploits on the app. While his following is  a modest 5,577, Sports Illustrated recently named him the NBA’s best TikToker, thanks to his adorable dog, his random magic tricks and stuff like his 5-year-old giving him buckets, viewed through a first person view and a fish-eye lens. 

As we continue to be welcomed into their everyday lives, many players will embody that shred of normalcy everybody is seeking in one of the most abnormal times in human history. What social media has shown us is NBA players are just as bored as the rest of us and get talked into making goofy videos with their kids, or wives, or fiances, or just want to make them themselves. They’re appearing more outwardly normal than ever before without the jerseys, bright lights and the pressure to win. What we’re left with are people: Entertaining and likable people.

Yes, their social media savvy and comfort with the various platforms may go a long way to explaining how they’ve amassed such large followings. But ultimately it will be their comforting and enjoyable personalities that put people at ease, convince them to stay and continue to make NBA hoopers some of the biggest forces in the world on all of social media going forward. It’s a responsibility they seem ready to bear, and they’re using that power to help the world get through one of the strangest and most harrowing set of circumstances most have ever seen. And they’re doing so one Woah, Savage Challenge, Renegade, or Toosie Slide at a time. 

The post Boardroom Feature: NBA Players Let Their True Selves Shine on Social Media During Shutdown appeared first on Boardroom.