Drake and LeBron James are joining forces to reshape the sports media landscape in Canada.
The music superstar and the Los Angeles Lakers forward announced on Tuesday a partnership to bring Uninterrupted, a digital platform for athletes, to Canada. Drake is a part owner and promoter for the platform which James began in 2015, while Scott Moore serves as chief executive officer and Vinay Virmani works as chief content officer.
Moore, who resigned as network president of Sportsnet in October, says Uninterrupted Canada will not be competing with his former employers, TSN, or any other traditional media outlets.
B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 complementary, but itB次元官网网址檚 also a bit of a disruptor,B次元官网网址� said Moore on Tuesday. B次元官网网址淚n trying to describe it to people itB次元官网网址檚 not a TV channel, itB次元官网网址檚 not a website, itB次元官网网址檚 not a Twitter feed. ItB次元官网网址檚 a brand, itB次元官网网址檚 a content ecosystem that can appear anywhere.
B次元官网网址淚t might appear in a podcast, it might appear on Instagram, it might appear on YouTube, it might appear on a television channel. But itB次元官网网址檚 the content ecosystem and the brand itself that drives the content.B次元官网网址�
Uninterrupted Canada will focus on the interests of athletes outside their field of play. When the Drake-James partnership was announced it was also confirmed that Toronto Raptors forward Serge Ibaka would have a fashion-based property on the platform and that Mets pitcher Marcus Stroman B次元官网网址� who was traded to New York by the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday B次元官网网址� will have a motivational series.
Although it has clear ties to the NBA, Moore believes that many NHLers will also be interested in working with the company.
B次元官网网址淗ockey players are dying to show their personalities,B次元官网网址� said Moore. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e seen this change over the last four or five years where hockey players have started to become their own brands, to let their personalities come through. YouB次元官网网址檝e seen it in Toronto with guys like Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews, in Vancouver with Brock Boeser and Elias Pettersson.
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B次元官网网址淢any professional athletes, regardless of their sport, want to build their brands. Want to have an opportunity to speak quote uninterrupted. ThatB次元官网网址檚 the beauty of this platform. It gives them the voice to do it.B次元官网网址�
Drake will contribute his musical talents to some major projects, either creating original songs, as a producer, or as a consultant. But he and JamesB次元官网网址檚 primary contributions will be their impressive network of personal and professional connections.
B次元官网网址淥bviously, itB次元官网网址檚 a gigantic advantage. The doors that open when you have two partners like that, the people that want to be involved with the platform when youB次元官网网址檝e got two partners like that, the possibilities are endless,B次元官网网址� said Moore. B次元官网网址淚n Canada, where there is no other brand like this, weB次元官网网址檝e got a little bit of green field for a bit. IB次元官网网址檓 sure there will be others.
B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檝e got the biggest musician in the world and, arguably, the biggest professional athlete in the world, it makes for a strong brand, thatB次元官网网址檚 for sure.B次元官网网址�
John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press
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