Welcome to Sportico’s Transactions wire, a weekly rundown of personnel, partnerships and purchases across the sports business industry.
Personnel
Legends Names Killingsworth Chief Marketing Officer
Hospitality, experience and stadium operations company Legends announced the appointment of Brian Killingsworth as chief marketing officer. Killingsworth will lead all aspects of the company’s marketing and brand vision.
Prior to Legends, Killingsworth served as CMO for the Vegas Golden Knights after working in the same role for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
WynnBET Appoints Ian Williams as President of Wynn Interactive
WynnBET, the online sports betting and casino app from Wynn Resorts, announced on Wednesday it has named Ian Williams as president of Wynn Interactive. He will oversee Wynn Interactive’s global day-to-day operations. A 20-year gaming industry veteran, Williams joined WynnBET in October as chief operating officer. Prior to joining WynnBET, Williams served as president of online gaming for Churchill Downs Inc.
Former Tennessee AD Fulmer Joins Athlete Licensing Company Board
Athlete Licensing Company has announced that former University of Tennessee athletics director Phillip Fulmer will join as a founding advisory board member and seed capital investor. Fulmer will begin the role immediately.
Partnerships
Fertitta Announces Plan to Terminate SPAC Merger With FAST Acquisition
Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta is attempting to call off the going-public deal with FAST Acquisition that was to bring his Golden Nugget Online Gaming, five land-based casinos and more than 500 restaurants public. Fertitta sent a letter to FAST seeking to terminate the merger Wednesday, citing the failure of the deal to close in the time negotiated when the deal was first agreed to in February. NFL players Ndamukong Suh and Todd Gurley are advisers to the FAST SPAC.
Gaming Organization 100 Thieves Completes $60 Million Series C Funding Round
Gaming lifestyle brand 100 Thieves has completed a $60 million Series C fundraising round, bringing the company’s value to $460 million. The funding round was led by Green Bay Ventures. Previous investors include Dan Gilbert, owner of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers; record executive Scooter Braun; and Grammy Award winning recording artist Drake.
US Rugby Sevens Major League Launches Las Vegas Tournament
The Rugby Football League, a newly formed U.S. company, has launched the first-ever US Rugby Sevens Major League, which will see the world’s best international male players battle it out against the best U.S. players for record-breaking prize money. The inaugural RFL event will feature the top 12 international teams pitted against four U.S. team franchises to win their share of the $1,000,000 prize money. From 2023, the RFL will expand to up to 17 tournaments in major U.S. cities and will feature up to 16 U.S. team franchises playing with top international teams.
3ICE Professional Hockey League Announces Inaugural 2022 Schedule
3ICE, a six-team, independent, three-on-three professional ice hockey league in North America, has announced its 2022 schedule for its inaugural season, which begins next June 18 at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.
All six teams will travel to each tour stop and compete in a tournament where each game will consist of two, eight-minute periods using a running clock on a full-sized rink. Each team has seven players (including one goalie) and competes in a nine-week season that will feature six games each night. Host cities will include Denver, Grand Rapids, Hershey, Las Vegas, Nashville and Pittsburgh, as well as Canadian cities London, Ontario and Québec City. The 52-game season will culminate with playoffs and a final league championship in Las Vegas on Aug. 20, 2022.
Odell Beckham Jr. Joins Fitness Brand CLMBR
CLMBR, a connected fitness technology company, announced its partnership with Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. He will serve as an investor and brand ambassador to boost the commercial launch of the exercise machines CLMBR Connected and CLMBR Pure, and support the development of CLMBR retail stores across the United States.
The Game Day Secures $4.5 Million in Series A Funding Round
The Game Day, a digital sports media company focused on delivering content to the next generation of sports fans and sports bettors, has secured $4.5 million in Series A financing.
Mamlelodi Sundowns and Herbalife Announce Multi-Year Partnership
South African PSL football club Mamlelodi Sundowns and global nutrition company Herbalife announced a multi-year partnership, establishing Herbalife as Sundowns’ official sports nutrition partner. The partnership, which is Herbalife’s first major sports collaboration on the African continent, was facilitated by Roc Nation. The Herbalife24 sports nutrition line was launched in South Africa in 2005.
Degree Deodorant Teams Up with U.S. Soccer for U.S. Disability Soccer Month
U.S. Disability Soccer Month, presented by Degree Deodorant, began this week, as U.S. Soccer celebrates programs and member organizations that support athletes with disabilities in every corner of the sport alongside Degree, which became the first-ever dedicated sponsor of the Men’s and Women’s Para National Teams early this fall.