Sports and Entertainment Spotlight: Cashback Company Ibotta Renews Jersey Sponsorship Agreement with New Orleans Pelicans | Foster GarveyPC

Welcome back to the “Spotlight” and to the best season, fall (nine out of 10 dentists agree). The Sun is setting earlier and the mercury in our thermometers is dropping. Ironically, majority owner of the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury franchises, Robert Sarver appears to be in the midst of a sunset and his own downfall. Indeed, a week after he was slapped with a $10 million fine and a one-year ban from NBA and WNBA activities after an independent investigation uncovered a systemic pattern of sexual harassment and of racist language in the front office of the Suns and Mercury, Sarver appears to succumb to public pressure to do what many believe NBA commissioner Adam Silver should have told him: sell the franchises. Whether the impetus for this action was some kind of intervention by co-owners, whether Sarver became aware of his conscience, or perhaps even the realization that sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace are not good for business, the decision to sell the teams is shocking, but not surprising. Most puzzling, however, is how and why this story – which is not unique to the sports world – keeps repeating itself. As they say, pride comes before the fall, just as pun comes before (and during) the “Spotlight:”

• Cashback company Ibotta is renewing its jersey sponsorship deal with the New Orleans Pelicans. Too bad Abbott and Costello aren’t here to do an “Ibotta jersey” routine.
• Kanye “Ye” West is ending his YEEZY Gap partnership deal with Gap, Inc. which was supposed to have been a successful long-term partnership for the pair. Sounds like the perfect opening for a Gap x Pete Davidson deal.
• Originally a star of the 2000s, Christina Aguilera is keeping up with the times by registering NFT and metaverse-oriented brands. The apps are likely to withstand the scrutiny of the US Patent and Trademark Office because they are beautiful in every way and words can’t bring them down.

Endorsement offers, sponsorships and investments

Complete SET agency offers zero representation of NCAA student-athletes
September 20, 2022 via Yahoo Finance
Complete SET is pleased to announce its latest initiative: Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) representation of NCAA student-athletes.

Pelicans and Ibotta renew sponsorship deal
September 16, 2022 via Sport Business
The National Basketball Association’s New Orleans Pelicans and mobile rewards platform Ibotta have renewed their jersey sponsorship deal for three additional seasons.

Kanye West’s Yeezy Ends Deal With Gap: ‘A King Can’t Live In Someone Else’s Castle’
September 15, 2022
Kanye West, who goes by the name Ye, said on Thursday he had terminated the contract between his company Yeezy and Gap Inc.

The bar stool joins the NIL market race with a massive network of athletes
September 14, 2022 via Sportico (subscription may be required)
Barstool Sports is launching an endorsement bid marketplace, called TwoYay, for college athletes.

NBA superstar Stephen Curry is reportedly set to sign a billion-dollar lifetime deal with Baltimore-based Under Armor
September 14, 2022 via Mercury News
Under Armor athlete and NBA superstar Stephen Curry is reportedly set to reach a potential billion-dollar life extension of his contract with the Baltimore-based sportswear brand.

Sports

Sarver announces intention to sell Suns, Mercury
September 21, 2022 via ESPN
Owner Robert Sarver, citing a “ruthless climate” following his suspension and a fine for racist and misogynistic remarks, announced his intention to sell the Suns from the NBA and the Mercury from the WNBA.

Motorola adds the Chicago Bulls to its NBA jersey patch portfolio
September 20, 2022 via Sport Business
The Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association have named Illinois-based consumer electronics and telecommunications company Motorola as the crest sponsor of the team’s new jersey under a multi-year deal beginning in the 2022-23 season.

New Jersey NFL Players Stock Market launched
September 19, 2022 via Sportico (subscription may be required)
Blending sports betting, fantasy competitions and stock market mechanics, Mojo launches in New Jersey on Monday with $100 million raised to date.

MLB has granted teams international marketing rights, similar to the NFL
September 16, 2022 via Sportico (subscription may be required)
Major League Baseball is dividing international markets among its franchises, giving teams new commercial rights in specific areas of the world, according to several people familiar with the plan.

Nike’s new World Cup jerseys don’t leave fans impressed
September 16, 2022 via Guardian Liberty Voice
Some USMNT players got a preview and even got to model the clothes they’ll be wearing in November before Nike released the 2022 World Cup kits on Thursday, even before the shirts leaked last month.

music industry

Kanye West Insists His Music Is Sold Without His Knowledge: I’m ‘Like Taylor Swift’
September 21, 2022 via News Break
Kanye West, 45, alleged his music catalog, worth an estimated $13.25 million in annual publishing royalties, was being sold without his permission.

Future Sells Song Publishing Catalog to Influence Media Partners: “An Artist of the Ages”
September 20, 2022 via Billboard
The catalog includes titles such as Future’s Hot 100 Top 10 hit “Mask Off” and his collaborations with Drake on songs like “Jumpman” and “Life Is Good”, the latter peaking at number two on the Hot 100 chart for January 25, 2020 .

Bang Drink Maker Sanctioned in IP Lawsuit Over Deleted Videos
September 14, 2022 via Law360 (subscription may be required)
A Miami federal justice of the peace has fined Bang Energy Drink maker Vital Pharmaceuticals for failing to preserve Internet videos that Sony Music Entertainment claims contain his songs, awarding him attorney fees yet to be determined in the part of a lawsuit for copyright infringement.

Cinema and television

Greg Norman says LIV Golf is getting ‘huge’ interest in media rights deal
September 16, 2022 via Laundress Report
LIV Golf is only available to watch via YouTube streaming, but that could change as the organization negotiates TV rights for future events.

Genius Sports signs broadcast deal with Amazon Football
September 16, 2022 via Sportico (subscription may be required)
Genius Sports’ Second Spectrum has signed an agreement with Amazon to provide augmented video technology and data services in connection with an alternate stream of Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football NFL broadcast in the United States.

Report: Apple and Amazon have both signed a deal for the media rights to LIV Golf
September 15, 2022 via Laundress Report
Two major streaming platforms have reportedly turned down the chance to acquire the media rights to LIV Golf.

Non-fungible tokens (NFT)

Golden State Warriors co-owner launches NFT-powered sports prediction game
September 21, 2022 via Yahoo Finance
Hellebore Founder and CEO Nick Swinmurn introduces his NFT Play Hellebore game, a fantasy sports-style platform that allows users to predict the outcome of professional sports games for blockchain-based prizes. Also, how to make the game more accessible for users who are not so familiar with NFTs.

Christina Aguilera applies for NFT and Metaverse trademarks
September 21, 2022 via Crypto News Australia
Pop singer Christina Aguilera has filed trademarks related to NFTs and the Metaverse with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

PGA Tour announces NFT partnership, with revenue going to players
September 19, 2022 via Sportico (subscription may be required)
The PGA Tour officially announced a partnership with NFT Autograph on Monday, with plans to launch a digital collecting platform early next year and distribute all of its revenue from the program directly to its player members.