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multipleservicelisting · 3 years

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Most Republicans want GOP in Congress to stand up to Biden: poll

When President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated on Wednesday, Democrats will control the White House, as well as both houses of Congress.

With the GOP losing control of the presidency and in the minority in the House and Senate, a new national survey indicates that a majority of Republicans want their leaders in Congress to stand up to Biden on issues that matter most to them.

BIDEN PROPOSES SPENDING $1.9 TRILLION FOR COVID ‘RESCUE’ PLAN

Nearly six in 10 (59%) Republicans questioned in a Pew Research Center poll urge GOP leaders in Congress to stand up to the incoming president, even if it’s harder to address critical issues facing the country.

According to the survey, 38% of Republicans say their congressional leaders should try to work with the incoming Democratic president, even if it means disappointing some GOP voters.

President-elect Joe Biden speaks during an event at The Queen theater, Friday, Jan. 15, 2021, in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

The question asked by Pew in the poll will be put to the test almost immediately after Biden enters the White House.

On Thursday, the president-elect unveiled a massive $1.9 trillion “rescue” plan to combat the coronavirus pandemic, speed up COVID vaccinations and increase testing, and provide relief aid for everyday Americans and businesses. While nearly all congressional Democrats are expected to embrace the plan, some Republicans in Congress are already raising objections to the measure’s price tag, as well as specific items in the package.

President Trump will depart the White House and fly to his home in Florida early Wednesday, hours ahead of Biden’s inauguration. Trump was politically wounded following last week’s unprecedented attack on the Capitol by some who were attempting to prevent a joint session of Congress from formally certifying Biden’s Electoral College victory over Trump in the presidential election.

The storming of the Capitol left five people, including a Capitol Hill Police officer, dead and the building vandalized. Trump was impeached by the House this week for “incitement of insurrection.”

ONLY A TINY FRACTION OF REPUBLICAN VOTERS SUPPORT IMPEACHING TRUMP: POLL

According to the Pew Research poll, 57% of Republicans want Trump to remain a major political figure for years to come. Four in 10 Republicans questioned in the survey disagreed.

While Trump’s approval rating among Republicans still remains healthy, it has taken a hit in the wake of the insurrection.

WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 12: U.S. President Donald Trump turns to reporters as he exits the White House to walk toward Marine One on the South Lawn on January 12, 2021 in Washington, DC. Following last week’s deadly pro-Trump riot on Capitol Hill, President Trump is making his first public appearance with a trip to the border town of Alamo, Texas to view the partial construction of the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

The president’s approval rating in the Pew survey — which was released Friday and conducted from Jan. 8-12 — stands at 60%, down from 77% in August of last year.

But Trump’s approval rating among Republicans in a new ABC News/Washington Post national poll — released Friday and conducted Jan. 10-13 — remains a robust 79%. But that’s down from a sky-high 88% in October 2020, the last time ABC News and The Washington Post asked the question.

And a Quinnipiac University poll conducted in the three days immediately following the Capitol riot on Jan. 6 and released at the beginning of this week showed the president’s approval among GOP voters at 71% approval. That’s a drop from 89% in last month’s Quinnipiac poll.

PENCE FRONT AND CENTER IN DAYS FOLLOWING CAPITOL ATTACK

A major question going forward is how much clout will a wounded, soon-to-be-former President Trump hold over the GOP, a party he reshaped and ruled over during his four years in the White House.

Nearly two-thirds of House Republicans — even after the joint session of Congress was delayed six hours after the attack on the Capitol — objected to certifying the Electoral College results in two states that Biden narrowly edged over Trump in the presidential election. And 197 House Republicans voted Wednesday against impeaching Trump, with just 10 GOP lawmakers joining all 222 Democrats in voting for impeachment.

Before the attack on the Capitol — which came soon after the president urged a large crowd of supporters he addressed at a rally near the White House to march to the Capitol and show strength in protesting the certification of an election he’s repeatedly and falsely claimed was “rigged” and rampant with “voter fraud” — Trump had vowed to play an influential role in the party going forward. He was also flirting with a 2024 presidential run to try and win back the White House.

Now, with the possibility of being barred from running for federal office ever again if he’s convicted in the Senate impeachment trial, Trump’s future political ambitions are in a precarious state.

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rickhorrow · 5 years

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15+5+5 To Watch : 91619

15 TO WATCH/5 SPORTS TECH/POWER OF SPORTS 5: RICK HORROW’S TOP SPORTS/BIZ/TECH/PHILANTHROPY ISSUES FOR THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 16

with Jacob Aere

NFL ad prices rebounding after steep 2018 declines. NFL ad pricing has rebounded after last year’s drop, as purchasers report that the average unit cost of a 30-second in-game spot purchased in the 2019-2020 upfront was up between 5% and 10% compared to the marketplace a year ago. According to Cynopsis Sports, dollar volume also has improved, with NFL advertisers pinning more of their budgets to media’s most reliable reach vehicle. Despite the higher cost of reaching NFL fans, media partners CBS, Fox, NBC, and ESPN are holding back inventory for what is expected to be a powerhouse scatter market. All told, the four networks nailed down more than $2 billion in regular-season upfront commitments, thanks in large part to the NFL’s chokehold over the rest of the TV space and a 2018 ratings rebound that went a long way toward calming many advertisers’ nerves after two consecutive years of declines. On television, there’s the NFL…and then there’s everything else.

After a 14-year absence, American Express returns as a PGA Tour tournament title sponsor beginning next year as The Desert Classic becomes The American Express. American Express has teed off a multiyear title sponsorship deal that returns it to the PGA Tour entitlement roster and provides the event that was played as The Desert Classic this year with a new name. According to a news release, the 2020 pro-am event is scheduled for January 13-19 in La Quinta, California and will operate as The American Express going forward. “American Express’ new multi-year partnership with this historic event on the PGA Tour is a perfect match,” said Stephen Squeri, American Express Chairman and CEO. “Golf consistently ranks as one of the top passions of our Card Members, and the Tour provides some of the most exciting experiences at some of the best venues the game offers. We’re looking forward to making The American Express a ‘must-see’ event.” The deal comes in the nick of time for the tournament, which was in danger of losing its place on the PGA Tour schedule without a title sponsor and cash injection.

A California bill that would allow college athletes to accept endorsement money moved one step closer to becoming law when it cleared the state senate by a vote of 39-0. Once the details are ironed out, the proposed law — known as the Fair Pay to Play Act — heads to California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has 30 days to sign it. If it becomes law, it will go into effect in January, 2023. This bill would allow all college athletes in California to profit from their name, image and likeness. Similar bills are in their infancy in Washington state and Colorado, and North Carolina representative Mark Walker introduced a federal bill in March that would have the same effect, making the Fair Pay to Play Act a "catalyst rather than an end unto itself," as the New York Times noted. The bill's high-profile backers include LeBron James and Draymond Green, both of whom tweeted their support. Naturally, the NCAA has come out in strong opposition of the bill. The association last week claimed the Fair Pay to Play Act is harmful, unconstitutional, and would "upend the balance" of national competition in college sports. Stay tuned.

SportsBusiness Journal lauds corporate social responsibility. Amidst a recent roundup of sports CSR initiatives, SportsBusiness Journal noted that the first project on which educational platform developer EverFi collaborated with a sports property was “a financial literacy program that regional bank BBVA offered for use by elementary school students in a handful of NBA markets, including Dallas, Houston, and Phoenix.” When Houston hosted the NBA All-Star Game in 2013, league sponsor BBVA arranged for Rockets star James Harden to appear at a participating school. “While it’s cool to have a BBVA banker come into the classroom, it’s even cooler if James Harden shows up,” said Jon Chapman, co-founder and president of global partnerships for EverFi, which has developed online educational modules on topics ranging from financial literacy to STEM to anti-bullying, branded for presentation by teams, leagues, and sponsors. After Houston, EverFi developed educational modules for the NHL and NHLPA around science, technology, engineering and math; for the NFL and the United Way around character development and African American history; for MLB focusing on learning loss during summer vacation; and with MLS around anti-bullying. We look forward to celebrating a Sport Business Handbook event with EverFi at their Washington, DC headquarters on October 2

The Los Angeles Dodgers have clinched their seventh straight NL West pennant. In the divisional era, since 1969, only the Braves (1991–2005) and the Yankees (1998–2006) have strung together more consecutive division titles. Parity has ruled baseball to a much greater degree than it has other pro sports. Over the last 40 years, MLB has had 23 different champions, while the NHL has had 18, the NFL has had 17, and the more top-heavy NBA has had 12. Yet only two MLB teams have repeated as World Series champions, and they both hail from the AL East – the Yankees, and the Blue Jays. Elsewhere in baseball, Evan Williams Bourbon is giving fans a chance to swing at a trip to the 2019 World Series. Through a sweepstakes offering, the grand prize winner will secure four tickets to one of the upcoming Fall Classic contests, plus air travel and overnight accommodations, four $100 online gift certificates to MLBshop.com and a $350 prepaid Mastercard. The first- and second-prize winners connect with a $500 online gift certificate and $100 online gift certificate to MLBshop.com, respectively.

In a bid to boost fan engagement during the regular season and into the hunt for October, MLB has launched a new licensed lottery draw game called Baseball Bucks that will feature the official brand marks of MLB and its 30 franchises. According to Hashtag Sports, the game involves players buying a $5 quick-pick ticket featuring ten games from that day’s MLB regular-season schedule. The partnership could also see both parties collaborate on other lottery games based on live baseball, including designs that offer winnings similar to national lottery draws including Powerball and Mega Millions. The deal adds to EquiLottery Games’ growing sports portfolio, having also announced a partnership with Speedway Motorsports to develop a game based on live auto racing which has been tentatively called Race Car Cash.

A generous community benefits package is tied to the Clippers' arena proposal. According to the Orange County Register, the Clippers and city of Inglewood are negotiating an estimated $100 million "community development plan associated with the proposed new 18,500-seat arena that the team wants to open" in 2024. Among the items that Inglewood would like to see included in the agreement are “employment targets during and after construction, with a goal of half of 35% of the permanent jobs in event operations going to Inglewood residents.” Inglewood is also requesting $12.8 million in "grant support, targeted at city youth via after-school programs and scholarships." The city also wants development plans to include $6 million worth of "improvements to the public library and community center and $500,000 for parks." There also is another request that the Clippers dedicate $5.5 million to "cover a first-time home-buyer program and emergency support for renters for families facing eviction." The Clippers in an email "indicated that they’re receptive to the city’s proposal, which they view as being in line with their philanthropic efforts."

The NFL just announced the NFL Helmet Challenge — a contest to see who can create the safest possible helmet. Engineers, manufacturers and others will compete for $3 million ($1 million prize, $2 million grant to build a prototype), according to a league announcement. The NFL will offer up to a $1 million award in a contest intended to spur the development of safer football helmets. As the next step in the $60 million, five-year effort announced in 2017 to stimulate better football player protection, the NFL Helmet Challenge’s goal is to find a design that outperforms all current helmets in laboratory testing. NFL Executive Vice President of Health and Safety Innovation Jeff Miller said the contest is “an unprecedented combination of financing, research, data and engineering expertise.” The contest will kick off with a symposium in Youngstown, Ohio November 13-15, where experts from different industries will gather to collaborate on new helmet concepts. America Makes, a manufacturing research institute, will host the conference. The final testing will occur in May 2021. Along with the prize money, the league will make another $2 million available to support prototype development.

Oklahoma State mega booster Boone Pickens dies at 91. Oil tycoon and influential Oklahoma State athletic booster T. Boone Pickens has died at 91 after his health "had been an issue" since December 2016, according to the Tulsa World. Pickens' total lifetime benevolence "amounts to slightly more" than $1 billion and "roughly half of that money,” over $500 million, went to his alma mater. Pickens' gifts to OSU were split between academics and athletics, but the "most famous single donation" was the $165 million he gave to the athletic department in 2006 – a gift that is among the largest to any university's sports program in collegiate history. Since 2003, OSU has played home games at Boone Pickens Stadium. CNBC's Jim Cramer said if "every school had a backer like Boone, we would have such a great educational system in this country.” With his contributions to Oklahoma State, Pickens changed the landscape of the athletics department and launched the school to the next level in terms of competitiveness on the field and off it for top athletes and students alike.

New L.A. stadium designed to attract – and hold – the attention of fickle fans. The $5 billion Inglewood stadium is the "most expensive in the U.S., and perhaps the world," and "every dollar spent here has gone toward tackling one of the toughest problems in American sports: making professional football work" in Los Angeles, according to the Wall Street Journal. Rams Owner Stan Kroenke is "spending lavishly to create a building" that he and the team "felt could only exist" in L.A. The complex is "far larger than just a stadium," and the approximately $5 billion "spent on the stadium may wind up being less than half the total cost" of the development. Outside of the stadium, there are "vast and largely empty plots of land," but they are "perhaps more important than the stadium itself." The Rams and the NFL "knew for this project to make any sort of financial sense, it had to be operational year round and not just on Sundays." Sources said that when the property is fully developed, the total expenditure could exceed $10 billion.

Fresh on the heels of donating $1 million to Bahamas hurricane relief, Michael Jordan has "agreed to sell a large piece" of the Hornets to two New York-based investors. The Charlotte Observer reported that Jordan "controls about" 97% of Hornets equity. The sale is "expected to close in the next few weeks." Jordan is reportedly "bringing in" Melvin Capital Founder and Chief Information Officer Gabe Plotkin and D1 Capital Founder Daniel Sundheim. The percentages Plotkin and Sundheim are buying "have not been revealed, nor has the price they are paying." Both prospective owners "must be approved by the NBA, but that process is already underway and the sale is expected to close quickly." A source with knowledge of the deal said that it "does not involve" Jordan "giving up majority ownership" of the team. Jordan reportedly "plans to remain the Hornets’ primary owner 'for a long time.'" Last February, Forbes "estimated the Hornets were worth" about $1.3 billion.

The National Lacrosse League announces details for the 2019-2020 season, which include divisional realignment, playoff format and schedule type after the addition of two expansion teams and new market Halifax. The league will feature 13 teams in the upcoming season after fielding 11 last year. To accommodate the addition of expansion teams, the New York Riptide, Rochester Knighthawks, and new market Halifax Thunderbirds, as well as maintaining an eye towards continued expansion, the NLL will shift to a three-division format in 2019-2020. “The league has had unprecedented expansion over the last three years. With two more teams coming in this year along with a new market in Halifax, we felt the need to reexamine conference alignments, schedule and playoff formats to prepare for future expansion. We also wanted to create exciting rivalries for the fans, the best travel scenarios for teams and players and competitive match-ups for our 13 franchises," said NLL Commissioner and Sport Business Handbook contributor Nick Sakiewicz. Along with unprecedented expansion, the NLL is clearly looking at unprecedented success.

Four Americans are among the 41 Paralympians from 20 countries to get sponsorship deals from Citi heading into the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. According to Cynopsis Sports, Citi is rolling out its activation plans for its two-year deal with the International Paralympic Committee and 18 national teams it signed last December. All of the athletes will appear with Citi at a range of in-market activations, philanthropic, and community-building events. “It’s a 365-day-a-year partnership, there’s always something going in a market with this partnership,” said Citi Managing Director of Corporate Sponsorship and Marketing Tina Davis. The team includes 22 women, 19 men, and ranges from 17 to 50 in age. Last year, Citi signed a brief two-year deal with the IPC, returning it to the Olympic-Paralympic world after its five years as a USOPC sponsor. The international deal gives Citi rights to the Tokyo Games and rights in 18 countries where it has a significant workforce, but not in the U.S., because the U.S. does not generally sell Paralympic rights separately.

The $3.85 million check Canadian teenager Bianca Andreescu received for winning the U.S. Open is "only the beginning of million-dollar payouts from future sponsorship deals." According to the Canadian Press, being the first Canadian Grand Slam singles champion -- at age 19, no less -- is "notable." But Ontario-based Cosmos Sports Marketing President Cary Kaplan said that the "real story is Andreescu's meteoric rise." With her U.S. Open victory in hand, Andreescu's financial situation "allows her to take her time and determine what brands the young star wants to associate herself with." Her contract with Montreal-based vegan restaurant chain Copper Branch ends in early '20, but the eatery "hopes to extend it or sign a new one." Until it runs out, Copper Branch "plans to continue using her image on menu boards and its website, but also wants to ramp up the connection between Andreescu and the chain." The National Post notes Tennis Canada Director of Marketing and Digital Innovation Ben Makarenko is "excited about the potential for Andreescu's success to increase interest in the sport, especially among girls." As always, success on the field of play trumps marketing dollars spent.

As it seeks to step up its marketing efforts in an increasingly competitive business, online sneaker marketplace StockX struck an advertising deal with Bleacher Report that will include paid ads and custom videos. The contract will also include sponsored articles on Bleacher Report, and a physical space at Bleacher Report’s annual sneaker-focused event, The Drop Up, in December. StockX is paying Bleacher Report an undisclosed fee and will share revenue from any sales to visitors who arrive via a B/R link. StockX, whose revenue has doubled over the past year, makes money by collecting a 3% processing fee, plus transaction fees that range from 9.5% for sneakers and streetwear to 14.5% for handbags. Bleacher Report’s sneaker franchise, Kicks, has 1.3 million followers on Instagram, with celebrity followers including LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Justin Timberlake. Sneaker resale is becoming a fiercely contested market (often appealing to young shoppers), and StockX is making headway – this deal is its first effort to lure users with content from a media partner. The partnership can also help StockX expand beyond hard-core sneakerheads and reach more casual fans.

Top Five Tech

Spotify to expand into sports podcasting. According to the Hollywood Reporter, former Facebook executive Amy Hudson and former CBS News Chief David Rhodes have been called in to help start the new sports podcasting program. Spotify, built as a subscription-based music streaming service, has been moving aggressively into the podcasting space as it seeks to expand from music to the broader audio market. The company's early slate of original podcasts has focused on entertainment programming, including the in-development “I'm Gonna Be Kevin Bacon,” the talk show “Unbothered” with host Jemele Hill, and “The Joe Budden Podcast.” The platform has also inked an expansive deal with Barack and Michelle Obama's Higher Ground Productions for a slate of original podcasts. While Rhodes will help Spotify provide an upper hand for Spotify’s news content on podcasts, Hudson will focus on pushing sports, as she most recently led North American sports media partnerships for Facebook as well as previously working at Turner Sports.

GQ launches new sports-focused YouTube channel. GQ Sports will have no stats, no highlights, and no announcers but they will be delving into the personal lives of players off the court. Some names and topics they have secured include James Harden and his jaw-dropping watch collection, wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and his “Essentials” as well as NBA breakout Terry Rozier and UFC fighter T. J. Dillashaw to share the personal stories behind their ink in “Tattoo Tour.” Their first big move on the new platform is “One-on-One,” a series that puts athletes in conversation with famous super fans, musicians, directors, designers, and others. Episode 1 of the “One-on-One” series is now released and features ex-NBA all-star Dwayne Wade and Miami rapper Rick Ross as they talk lessons they learned from watching each other while they make an unexpected business plan together. On top of the face-to-face chats between sports stars and celebrities, GQ will also feature “The Walk-In” that will take a look inside their closets, while “The Assist” and “All Access” will give a look at the tech side of sports.

Twitch partners with the Las Vegas Raiders and the brand new Allegiant Stadium for 2020. According to Shack News, the partnership will include a Twitch-branded lounge in the lower level of the stadium, with features including streamer stations, Twitch viewing screens, and esports competitions. Twitch's live-streaming capabilities will be available in a variety of entertainment at Allegiant Stadium, including sporting events, concerts, and esports competitions. The Raiders are moving from Oakland after this season and their new 65,000-seat stadium will also be the home of UNLV football, the Las Vegas Bowl, and the Pac-12 title game. The big overall news is that esports competitions will be coming to Allegiant Stadium and sponsored by Twitch, integrating the NFL and esports under one roof.

The Philadelphia Eagles create their own in-house Netflix with Eagles Entertainment. According to InsideHook, the Super Bowl LII champions have added to their six team podcasts with in-house produced comedies, cooking shows, human interest documentaries about fans, and plenty of content about Eagles players. The idea is to make Eagles content relevant 365 days a year rather than just during the NFL season. The new content will appear on the team’s website and social media channels. The team just finished shooting an eight-part web series with Eagles wide receiver Nelson Agholor and celebrity chef Robert Irvine of the Food Network. Premiering this season, the reformatted “Bites with the Birds” will show the duo cooking players’ favorite dishes, and they even have backing form Coca-, which is sponsoring and co-producing the series. With advertising money from Coca-Cola to back their productions it seems the Eagles have a business model for small scale, team media in professional American sports.

German soccer squad Bayern Munich will upgrade to a 5G stadium by the spring of 2020. The team’s Allianz Arena will upgrade the tech and fan experience and allow for faster streaming and AR and VR capabilities. According to SportsPro, the Bundesliga club isn’t the first of Europe’s soccer clubs to integrate 5G into their infrastructure as Spanish champions FC Barcelona confirmed their own plans earlier this year to install the technology at the club’s stadium, Nou Camp. Bayern is also working on ways the technology can be used to allow fans to “participate in goal celebrations,” while they also cite virtual competitions as a possibility. As American cities have just begun to roll out 5G, Bayern Munich is looking to get a step ahead in tech to provide the best fan experience possible.

Power of Sports Five

Florida sports icons including Dan Marino, Tiger Woods, and Kelly Slater deliver relief funds for Hurricane Dorian. According to the Orlando Sentinel, former NFL MVP Marino is sending a fleet of recreational vehicles to the Bahamas to aid with the influx of food and water being sent over to the devastated islands. To help put a roof over people’s heads, Marino partnered up with Gigi Stetler, CEO of RV Sales of Broward County, to send 10 travel trailers stocked full of supplies to the Bahamas. Five-time Masters champion and Jupiter, Florida resident Woods is working alongside Justin Timberlake to establish the ONE Bahamas Fund, which is seeking to raise $6 million dollars for hurricane relief. Woods and Timberlake alongside NEXUS Luxury Collection, Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), and ALBANY members are hoping to have donors match their contribution for a combined goal of $12 million. Professional surfer and Cocoa Beach native Slater also took to social media trying to generate relief for the Bahamas through charitable shirt sales. Earlier this week, Slater posted on his Instagram page a picture of a shirt with the logo “It’s better in the Bahamas,” along with a link to purchase the shirt with 100% of the proceeds being donated to the Bahamas Disaster Relief Fund. These sports stars have all taken different approaches to deliver much-needed aid in the Bahamas even as another tropical storm is affecting those without shelter on the north side of the islands.

UFC fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov wants to host a $50 million charity fight in Africa. After beating Dustin Poirier on September 7 to retain his light heavyweight title and take his professional record to 28-0, Nurmagomedov has hinted that the charity fight in Africa could be a rematch against Connor Morgan. Khabib is no stranger to empathizing with those who need an upper hand after growing up impoverished in the war-torn western region of Russia called Dagestan. Immediately after winning his last fight, Nurmagomedov said that he wanted to make his next fight a charity event in Africa to help raise money for people who cannot even get proper drinking water though he acknowledged that he would need the UFC's backing to make it happen. According to Business Insider, UFC President Dana White has indicated his intent take UFC to Africa, and while he hasn't commented on Nurmagomedov's proposition, White is enthusiastic for a rematch between Khabib and MacGregor. Last time the two fought they shattered the UFC pay-per-view record for sales with 2.4 million; this could be a great opportunity for delivering money to a cause in need.

Cal Ripken, Jr.’s celebrity golf tournament draws in legendary athletes across major U.S. sports leagues. According to the Patriot News, the event, featuring such legends as Julius Erving, Lawrence Taylor, Ozzie Smith, and Jim McMahon, was held to benefit the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation. The inaugural golf outing was held in 2011, and since then, the event has raised several million dollars for the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation. The principal goals of the foundation are to utilize baseball- and softball-themed programs in an effort to build character and teach life lessons to underprivileged children. Founded in 2001, the Foundation has served kids in all 50 states and in other countries such as Canada and Nicaragua. With over 20 Hall of Famers across the NFL and MLB, the event has an impressive amount of star power to help draw attention to giving back to those less privileged through baseball and softball.

WWE’s John “Bradshaw Layfield (JBL) uses charity to open a sports facility in Malawi. JBL and Gareth Nokes, who worked with Bradshaw on Beyond Rugby Bermuda, are teaming with not-for-profit charity Bhubesi Pride Foundation to open a rugby and sports facility in East Africa. According to the WWE website, the complex in the country of Malawi will include classrooms and accommodations to use sports and the classroom as a vehicle to educate. The facility will be built on a seven-acre plot of land in the capital city of Lilongwe to help a poverty-stricken region provide opportunities in athletics. WWE has a long history of global charity and has stretched a helping hand to Malawi to give those who are just as driven and intelligent a fair chance at making a successful career in sports and in their business professions.

Esports icon SonicFox comes out as non-binary and has donated thousands to LGBTQ charity. According to Instinct Magazine, Dominique “SonicFox” McLean is an esports champ who won the title of Best Esports Player last year. He accepted the award and stated that he is, “black, gay, and a fury.” He is more than just talk as two weeks ago, SonicFox held a charity stream in which he raised over $22,000 for the Trevor Project, which supports suicide prevention in LGBTQ youth. Over 72 hours, the video game player played games and campaigned to get fans to support the charity organization. To celebrate the charity and streaming achievement, SonicFox bared his chest, which featured “Trans Rights” written on it on top of shaving his iconic and beloved mustache. As one of very few sports stars to identify as non-binary, look for SonicFox to bring more awareness to the LGBTQ community through streaming and charity.

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