O’Melveny Represents Live Streaming Platform SportsCastr in Sale of Minority Stake to NFL Players Association

NEW YORK—JULY 31, 2018—O’Melveny represented live streaming platform SportsCastr in the sale of a minority stake to the National Football Association Players Association (NFLPA). As part of the deal, which closed today, SportsCastr has become an official licensee of the NFLPA for mobile apps and web-based platforms that enable fans to utilize video streams and chat technology to discuss sports topics.

Sportscastr is a live-streaming platform that allows anyone to become a color commentator. In the deal, active and former NFL players will provide live commentary across various professional and college events using SportsCastr. 

The deal was conducted through the NFLPA’s OneTeam Collective business accelerator. Financial terms were not released.

The O’Melveny team was led by the firm’s Sports Industry Group co-chair Chuck Baker in New York, and included counsel Jimmy Fanelly in Century City, counsel Christopher Hagenbuch in Silicon Valley, and associate Kia Kuretski in Century City.

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The following press release was issued by the parties to the transaction:

For Immediate Release: July 31, 2018

NFLPA ACQUIRES MINORITY STAKE IN SPORTSCASTR TO POWER LIVE INTERACTIVE VIDEO CONTENT FOR FANS 

Fans can access exclusive content from NFL players and more with SportsCastr’s FanChain token

New York, N.Y. – SportsCastr, a live-streaming platform that allows anyone to become a color commentator, announced today that the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), via its athlete-driven accelerator the OneTeam Collective, has acquired a minority stake in the company to power live, interactive video content for fans. Through this partnership, active and former NFL players will use SportsCastr to provide live commentary across a wide range of professional and collegiate sports, share personal insights, and more. ACE Media, the NFLPA’s content and production arm, will collaborate with SportsCastr to produce NFL player and other athlete-driven content featured on the SportsCastr platform. 

In June, SportsCastr announced FanChain, a cryptocurrency developed for the multi-billion-dollar global sports market. FanChain allows SportsCastr users to earn tokens for participating on the platform, and those tokens can then be used to unlock premium NFL player content (such as back-stage access), purchase sports tickets or merchandise, and send virtual gifts to NFL players. Although SportsCastr is the first platform to support FanChain, the Company is working with teams, media publishers and leagues to add FanChain support, with the aim of making it the ubiquitous token within the sports industry. 

“SportsCastr enables fans to get authentic, real-time reactions and commentary from all sports fans and now, for the first time at scale, professional athletes,” said Andrew Schupak, CFO and Head of Strategy at SportsCastr. “We’re excited to partner with the NFLPA to accelerate adoption and work together to enhance the fan experience.” 

As part of this agreement, SportsCastr becomes an official licensee of the NFLPA in the categories of mobile apps and web-based platforms that allow users to discuss a variety of sports topics, including through video streams and chats. SportsCastr is the eighth active NFLPA partner secured through the OneTeam Collective, which is designed to give innovative early stage companies the opportunity to leverage the NFLPA’s exclusive group player rights, in exchange for equity. “Fans are looking for new ways to engage with the game of football and us, the athletes. SportsCastr’s live streaming platform is a cool and fun way for fans to add their own voice to games while engaging with players in a different way,” said Vernon Davis of the Washington Redskins, a SportsCastr investor and advisor. “As players we see the value in sharing more of our personalities and unique content with fans and we’re excited about where this live stream tech is headed.” “Athletes constantly explore ways to build their personal brands and creatively connect with their fans, and SportsCastr’s live-stream capabilities align perfectly with these goals,” said Ricky Medina, Senior Manager of Business Development for NFL Players Inc., the licensing and marketing arm of the NFLPA. “We look forward to working with the team at SportsCastr to deliver an exciting new way for fans to engage with their favorite athletes while watching the sports they love.” 

“In addition to viewing unfiltered live-video straight from their favorite NFL players, fans will be able to interact with them via chat and show their appreciation with sports-themed virtual gifts,” said Kevin April, SportsCastr CEO. “SportsCastr’s partnership with the NFLPA through the OneTeam Collective is a powerful opportunity for fans to connect with athletes in a direct and meaningful way.” The first NFL players will begin using the platform in the third quarter of 2018. For more information, visit SportsCastr.com or download the beta app at https://sportscastr.com/getapp

About SportsCastr 
SportsCastr is a live-streaming platform that allows anyone to become a color commentator. Backed by some of the biggest names in sports including NBA Commissioner Emeritus David Stern and Super Bowl Champion Vernon Davis, SportsCastr enables viewers to select which user they wish to have call, recap, or predict games. The Company’s FanChain cryptocurrency is designed for both SportsCastr and the global sports market, allowing users to tip broadcasters and access premium content. SportsCastr is both a second-screen experience and a first-screen social OTT platform. For more information, visit https://SportsCastr.com

About the NFL Players Association 
The National Football League Players Association is the union for professional football players in the National Football League. Established in 1956, the NFLPA has a long history of assuring proper recognition and representation of players’ interests. The NFLPA has shown that it will do whatever is necessary to assure that the rights of players are protected—including ceasing to be a union, if necessary, as it did in 1989. In 1993, the NFLPA again was officially recognized as the union representing the players and negotiated a landmark Collective Bargaining Agreement with the NFL. The current CBA will govern the sport through 2020. For additional details, please visit nflpa.com.

About NFL Players Inc. 
NFL Players Inc., the licensing and marketing arm of the NFLPA, connects businesses to the power of NFL players. NFL Players Inc. creates customized business solutions for partners, through licensing, marketing strategy and player activations. For more information, please visit nflpa.com/players.

About the OneTeam Collective 
The OneTeam Collective is the first athlete-driven business accelerator for innovative companies seeking to incorporate sports strategies to drive growth. OneTeam Collective is comprised of founding partners, the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), BlackRock, Harvard Innovation Lab, Intel, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, LeadDog Marketing Group, Madrona Venture Group and Sports Innovation Lab. The Collective offers access to the NFLPA’s brightest stars via licensing, marketing and content rights, research and development, funding and mentorship for product development and marketing support. OneTeam Collective, which features an Athlete Advisory Board, will be the first program providing rights to sports-related intellectual property, highlighted by the NFLPA’s exclusive group licensing rights and unparalleled access to more than 2,000 current NFL players. Prospective companies can apply to participate and submit their application at oneteamcollective.com.

About NFL Players Inc. 
NFL Players Inc., the licensing and marketing arm of the NFLPA, connects businesses to the power of NFL players. NFL Players Inc. creates customized business solutions for partners, through licensing, marketing strategy and player activations. For more information, please visit nflpa.com/players. About the NFL Players Association The National Football League Players Association is the union for professional football players in the National Football League. Established in 1956, the NFLPA has a long history of assuring proper recognition and representation of players’ interests. The NFLPA has shown that it will do whatever is necessary to assure that the rights of players are protected—including ceasing to be a union, if necessary, as it did in 1989. In 1993, the NFLPA again was officially recognized as the union representing the players and negotiated a landmark Collective Bargaining Agreement with the NFL. The current CBA will govern the sport through 2020. For additional details, please visit nflpa.com.

About ACE Media 
Athlete Content & Entertainment Media (ACE Media) identifies and develops unique content opportunities for athletes, and leverages unparalleled access, rights and events to highlight their interests, passions and talents, and deliver compelling sports-lifestyle content projects across a variety of platforms. Since its inception in 2015, ACE Media has produced, created or facilitated over 1,750 unique content features and projects in collaboration with more than 1,200 unique athletes from a variety of professional sports. For more information, please visit acemediaco.com. NFLPA’s brightest stars via licensing, marketing and content rights, research and development, funding and mentorship for product development and marketing support. OneTeam Collective, which features an Athlete Advisory Board, will be the first program providing rights to sports-related intellectual property, highlighted by the NFLPA’s exclusive group licensing rights and unparalleled access to more than 2,000 current NFL players.