Morning ! Is October the best month of sports? It seems to be trending that way. Congrats to the Chicago Sky on their WNBA championship. NBA is underway… how about the Bucks' rings? NHL hit the ice a week ago with many still undefeated and the Sox backs are against the wall, hoping they can pull it off! In the Brief this week: we double dribble with Durant, Billy Beane geeks out and Carmelo does the crab walk. Make it a great rest of your week!
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“Everything is habit forming, so make sure what you do is what you want to be doing." - Wilt Chamberlain
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OUR COMMUNITY
 
I decided to take a quick pause on our Insider interviews to highlight a few things that I am working on and excited about! The media and creative agency Shadow Lion that Tom Brady and I started back in 2017 is strategically looking for capital to help fuel our rapid growth as we take on more A-list athletes and brands. Jack Henry, a clean men’s grooming brand I’ve been involved in since the early days continues to expand their offerings.
Athletes like Kevin Love are big
fans. In the NFT world I am involved in one of the earliest NFT projects, EtherStrike. This exciting project is all about the planets, get yours! A special shoutout to my amazing and talented wife April Soderstrom whose jewelry company is a
favorite among many celebrities and athletes who read the Brief. And of course I’d love any feedback and ideas for the Playing Field. I have no doubt this is just the tip of the iceberg. Thank
you for this amazing community and your support! - Ben
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BEYOND THE FIELD
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Kevin Durant's sports media network Boardroom reached a two-year partnership agreement with Dapper Labs to create exclusive content for the NBA Top Shot NFT marketplace. KD also released the trailer for Swagger on AppleTV+.
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Cristiano Ronaldo teamed up with billionaire Valencia F.C. owner Peter Lim to launch a soccer-focused digital platform called ZujuGP. The platform let's fans connect with the sport in various ways. He also bought his girlfriend an expensive gift.
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Will Smith and FitBit announced a partnership called StrongWill that features a collection of health guidance videos led by his personal trainers. Will also has a YouTube series called Best Shape Of My Life coming out next month.
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LeBron James sold a minority stake in his media firm SpringHill Company at a $725M valuation. A handful of prominent investors purchased shares while LeBron and his business partner Maverick Carter maintain controlling interest.
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BUSINESS VENTURES
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Kobe Bryant's wife Vanessa filed a trademark for 'KB24' with the goal of building a sports and entertainment brand in his honor. Candace Parker was sure to pay tribute to Kobe and Gigi after winning the WNBA finals last week.
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Drake joined his close friend Noah '40' Shebib as a strategic investor in Toronto-based cannabis brand Bullrider. '40' has credited marijuana with helping him manage symptoms related to his multiple sclerosis. - "Jeez Louise"
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MindBody acquired fitness app ClassPass in an all-stock deal and also secured $500M in additional funding. The company was previously backed by Airbnb, Spotify and the San Antonio Spurs. - My money is on home fitness > In-person
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SeatGeek is going public as a result of a $1.35B deal with a SPAC backed by Moneyball star and Oakland A's executive Billy Beane. Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith and Kevin Durant are among VC's leading the investment.
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LIFESTYLE
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MEDIA
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STYLE
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Lululemon was awarded a patent for their footwear line that will release in early 2022. They leveraged former designers from Nike, Under Armour and Adidas for the line of shoes. Teens recently voted Lulu as a top shoe brand despite not having a product.
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Jordan brand created an exclusive Air Jordan 1 low inspired by Carmelo Anthony and his Baltimore roots. The 'Baltimore Crab' shoe comes packaged inside an Old Bay-themed box. Melo has also been active in the community this past year.
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MUSIC
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The Weeknd took to Instagram to tease his new collaboration with Swedish House Mafia called Moth To A Flame. He also announced an upcoming stadium tour called After Hours Til Dawn for his new album.
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Soulja Boy released a song called Squid Game in honor of Netflix's hit series and is set over the instrumental version of the show's theme song. It was reported the series has created $900M in value after costing $21M to produce.
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WELLNESS
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Dopamine is one of the most important chemical functions in the brain for motivation and overall pleasure. Andrew Huberman recently discussed how humans can control our dopamine levels to maximize focus and overall daily life. - Ice bath time!
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Kumail Nanjiani is known for his dorky roles in Silicon Valley and The Big Sick. He recently went viral for his physical appearance ahead of his role in Marvel's Eternals. Kumail sat down with GQ to discuss how life has changed since transforming his body.
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WISH LIST
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Mattel Creations The BATMAN: $500
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Remote-control replica of The Batman™ franchise features a true-to-movie sculpt and deco that’s both sleek and stealth
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1:10th scale replica with full-function remote control wheel steering for maximum precision
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Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin: $799
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A wireless smart-speaker reimagined for the streaming age
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Combines high-resolution stereo sound with a comprehensive range of smart, connected features and services
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Fishwife Atlantic Salmon: $33
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Smoked salmon sourced directly from Kvarøy Arctic, 100% traceable on the blockchain from egg to tin
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Brined in extra-virgin olive oil, natural sea salt, organic garlic salt, and organic brown sugar
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OTHER WORTHY PRODUCTS
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After beating Skittles in a Twitter competition Microsoft is fulfilling their promise to produce XBOX mini-fridges. The black and neon green fridge can hold up to 12 cans and also stores small snacks in a separate compartment. - Other cool mini fridges
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Spalding released a portable basketball hoop that can be assembled in 30-minutes or less. They also launched an AR feature that lets customers view what the hoop will look like at their home before purchasing. - pig or horse?
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REAL ESTATE
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Miami, FL: $39,500,000
The Robinson Group
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11,000SF penthouse with 28-ft ceilings, 360-degree views and an indoor pool
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Features six parking spaces, multiple elevators, office, staff quarters, fitness studio, cardio room and sauna
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Los Gatos, CA: $6,198,888
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6 bed, 6.5 bath home on 2.5-acres with mountain views, a pool / spa and 5 fireplaces
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Located in a prestigious estate neighborhood in the Silicon Valley called Shannon Oaks Estates
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Swampscott, MA: $6,500,000
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5 bed, 6 bath architectural masterpiece creates views of the sea and sky that are unmatched in the Boston area
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Gated home on 1.4 acres providing the ultimate, quiet, oceanfront lifestyle
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PLACES YOU'LL GO
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Jay-Z and Beyoncé put their $4.4M New Orleans mansion up for sale. The home is a former Presbyterian church that features 26-foot ceilings and sits on a 13,292 square-foot property in the cities Garden District. - Other Carter family headlines
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Lamborghini is entering the $3B golf cart industry in a new partnership with electric vehicle company Kinetic Green. The solar powered carts will be sold directly to resorts, airports and hotels beginning in 2022. - Golf cart on steroids
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BEN'S PICKS
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In 1987, a man purchased American Airlines lifetime unlimited pass for $233K and spent the next two decades flying 10 million miles, costing the company roughly $21M in revenue. In 2008 AA revoked his status and a massive legal battle ensued.
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The Roaring 20's by Tate is a venture where a former analyst covers financial news from 100 years ago as it happened in real time. He'll document WSJ coverage leading up to the market crash in 1929. - Would love to dress up for a 20's night
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Dave Chappelle has been at the center of controversy after the LGBTQ community took offense to his recent stand-up special The Closer. Netflix employees staged a virtual walkout yesterday to express their frustration. - My thoughts exaclty
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NFT Rundown: Powered by EtherStrike - Sotheby's launched an exclusive NFT marketplace called Metaverse, Martha Stewart is getting involved, Playboy launched a project called Rabbitars and SeventySix Capital invested in a white label platfom called NFT Pro.
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FUN FACT
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Know someone who would enjoy reading the Brief, have them APPLY HERE.
Have a great rest of your week! - Ben and the Playing Field team
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Playing Field, LLC
105 Newbury St. 4th Fl. Boston, MA 02116
ben@playingfield.com
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