Billionaire businessman and philanthropist Ulysses Lee “Junior” Bridgeman has died at the age of 71. After a well-respected 12-year career in the NBA, Bridgeman built a successful fast-food empire of over 450 restaurants and later acquired EBONY and Jet Magazine. Bridgeman’s death On March 11, Bridgeman suffered a medical emergency at a fundraising luncheon in Louisville, Kentucky. He later died. Bridgeman’s daughter Eden Bridgeman, EBONY CEO said “It is with profound sadness that I share the news of my father’s passing. During this time, my family and I respectfully request privacy as we grieve
Scoreplay, a media management startup, raised $13 million in a series A funding round. The round included notable investors such as NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo, soccer star Alex Morgan, and Alexis Ohanian’s Seven Seven Six VC fund. The AI-driven platform provides tools that allow teams and leagues to automate the ordering and distribution of content. This clarifies what is usually a complicated process with different types of media spread over numerous software platforms. Scoreplay helps users discover content faster by accelerating new content production and streamlining delivery to athletes, broadcasters,
SpringHill, the media company co-founded by NBA star LeBron James, reported a $28 million loss for 2023 on $104 million in revenue, according to a Bloomberg report. The company, which reported a $17 million loss in 2022 and has yet to turn a profit, continued to face challenges in 2024, along with the rest of the industry. However, it recently announced a new merger, and with it, hopes of profitability. Challenges in a Changing Market SpringHill’s struggles mirror those of other production companies founded during the streaming boom. As platforms
NBA legend Charles Barkley has pledged a $1 million donation to St. Mary’s Academy, where two high school students, Calcea Johnson and Ne’Kiya Johnson, claimed to have solved a mathematical mystery. The duo’s work, unveiled at the American Mathematical Society’s Annual Southeastern Conference, presented a new proof of Pythagoras’ theorem that many mathematicians thought impossible. Jackson and Johnson have submitted their discoveries for final peer review and publication. NBA Legend Charles Barkley’s Donation After learning about their achievement during a segment on CBS’ “60 Minutes” featuring St. Mary’s Academy, Barkley was deeply moved
NBA star Chris Paul has teamed up with Goalsetter, a Black women-owned fintech company founded by Tanya Van Court, promoting financial literacy among middle school students in Oakland, California. Addressing the Financial Literacy Gap Goalsetter’s recent study with Ivy League students revealed a gap in financial knowledge, with many failing to answer basic financial literacy questions correctly. “Empowering our youth with the knowledge and tools to secure a financially sound future is not just a commitment, it’s a necessity,” Paul said in a press release sent to AFROTECH. “We owe
Businessman and investor Baron Davis has announced his partnership with Hennessy for their “Never Stop Never Settle Society” campaign. The serial entrepreneur and former NBA player is set to join the team as a board member and hopes to use his experiences to help champion Black entrepreneurs. The initiative, launched by the famous liquor brand in 2021, works to accelerate the growth of Black business owners across the US. The $1 million campaign, which Hennessy developed in partnership with talent development platform Marcus Graham Project, provides 20 Black entrepreneurs with
Entrepreneurs Daa’iyah Fogle, a Claflin University alumnus, and Malcolm Lee, a graduate of Virginia Union University, are the winners of the NBA Foundation’s first-ever pitch competition in partnership with Black Girl Ventures. The joint competition, held in Cleveland, allowed college-aged entrepreneurs from HBCUs across the US to participate and pitch their business ideas to a panel of judges. The entrepreneurs eligible to participate in the competition were all Black Girl Ventures’ NextGen Program members. The scheme was created to support the next generation of Black and brown business leaders attending
NBA Star Jrue Holiday And Olympian Lauren Holiday To Provide $1M In Grants To Black-Owned Businesses
NBA All-Star Jrue Holiday and his wife, who is two-time Olympic gold medalist, Lauren Holiday, are on an admirable mission to help more Black-owned businesses and Black-led nonprofits. In this third round of grant funding, the athletic superstar couple will continue Jrue’s 2019-2020 season commitment where he pledged to donate a portion of his salary to the couple’s organization. Grants will be provided to organizations and small businesses that are located in the Greater Milwaukee, New Orleans, Indianapolis, and Los Angeles areas with priority given to those with a focus on social impact
NBA Star Klay Thompson Takes On The Tech World With New Investment In Fantasy Sports Startup Sleeper
Basketball superstar Klay Thompson has just invested in fantasy sports startup Sleeper, reportedly contributing to the quadrupling of its value to more than $400 million. Sleeper is a compilation of football and basketball games that people can play online with friends. Its initial focus was on the National Football League (NFL) and the National Basketball Association (NBA), but the pandemic’s impact pushed the firm to get into esports as well. The company has gone from strength to strength despite pushback from coronavirus, with an average user reportedly spending between 20 to 35 minutes on
