Tesla Posts Strong Q4 Even in Wake of Supply Chain Woes
Elon Musk took a moment to pause from tweeting his support for Dogecoin to reflect on Tesla’s Q4 earnings report on Wednesday. In the last lap of 2021, the company posted slightly higher revenues and earnings than projections had predicted, with revenues surging 65% year-over-year. Musk indicated that Tesla will not release any new models in the year ahead, sparking disappointment among those who were anticipating a more affordable $25,000 model of the EV due to issues in the supply chain. The stock initially dropped in response to the news, but was back in black in pre-market trading.
Hail to the Commanders, Website Domain Signals WFT’s New Name
The wait for the new name for the Washington Football Team is almost over. The team revealed that it will officially announce it on February 2, but eagle-eyed observers noticed that the commanders.com domain was transferred to MarkMonitor, which the NFL uses for all of its domain maintenance. The news comes in the wake of a recent poll from Morning Consult that indicates that the fans have a slight preference for the Washington Defenders.
Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS Doubles Valuation with $240M Fundraise
The Olympic Village will be rife with SKIMS next month. The Kim Kardashian-backed brand revealed its Olympic line earlier this week, following the success of its Summer Olympics collection. But that was only the beginning, as reports indicate that SKIMS raised $240 million, doubling its valuation to $3.2 billion in just over six months.
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Gatorade Signs Jackson State’s Shedeur Sanders as First HBCU NIL Athlete
Gatorade is making its first-ever NIL splash with an HBCU athlete in partnering with Jackson State quarterback Shedeur Sanders, the sports drink company announced Thursday. As part of the multi-year agreement, Sanders, who is the son of NFL HOFer Deion Sanders, will work with Gatorade to drive national exposure of historically Black college programs and their athletes. Sanders was named the 2021 Jerry Rice Award winner as the best freshman in FCS football and also has deals with BRADY Brand and Beats by Dre.
SeatGeek Named Preferred Ticketing Partner of Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 has long been known as not only the opening race of the season for the NASCAR Cup Series (NASCAR’s top division) but also its biggest event and weekend of the year. Now the marquee event has a new partner to help it sell out its 102,000 capacity stands. SeatGeek and Daytona International Speedway have announced a deal that makes the live experience technology platform the preferred ticketing partner of the Daytona 500.
Savage X Fenty Completes Successful $125M Series C
Rihanna stays busy while keeping her fans waiting with bated breath for new music. The multi-hyphenate magnate has assembled a deep portfolio through the years, including the wildly popular lingerie line Savage X Fenty. And on Wednesday, reports emerged that the company followed last February’s $115M Series B with a successful $125 Series C. The recent round will support the brand as it expands into brick-and-mortar spaces in the coming year; they are projected to open four in Q1 and 10 by the end of the calendar year.
UConn Men’s Basketball Set to Bring Blockchain to the Bone Yard
The Huskies are positioned to lead college basketball onto the blockchain. Openlocker announced on Wednesday that the Bone Yard Huskyz Club is poised to be the first-ever NIL project with player NFTs and exclusive PFPs — digital avatars for use as social media profile pictures. Owners of a BYHC NFT will earn access to the club, which includes an exclusive Discord channel and opportunities to interact with athletes, celebrity alumni, and sports analysts. They will also be invited to VIP events and have early access to future NFT drops surrounding UConn teams.
Facebook Waves White Flag on Crypto Project
Crypto regulation is the talk of the town in DC. Citing a high level of uncertainty, Facebook is reportedly pulling the plug on its plan to bring its own currency to the market. Mark Zuckerberg commissioned Diem to bring the cryptocurrency to life, but reports emerged on Wednesday that Diem is in conversations with investment bankers as they strategize next steps and is on the hunt for a buyer. The news signals that the controversial effort is dead.
NFL Names Former Obama Aide Cynthia Hogan as Senior Advisor to Goodell
The NFL has named Cynthia Hogan as Senior Advisor to Commissioner Roger Goodell. Hogan joins the shield with an impressive resume, having previously served as Deputy Assistant to President Obama and Counsel to then-Vice President Joe Biden. In the role, she will provide counsel to Goodell and other executives on strategic league initiatives.
Ohio State Formalizes Support for Student Athletes’ Pursuits of NIL Deals
Ohio State is following in the footsteps of a number of major college athletics programs across the country. The Buckeyes announced that they are developing an official position within the athletic department to help student-athletes identify and secure deals to profit from their name, image, and likeness. The NIL Edge Team will work with athletes across the school’s 36 athletic programs.
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