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Tag: Flavor Flav

  • Olympics draw new investments to niche sports and women’s teams

    Olympics draw new investments to niche sports and women’s teams

    Players of Team United States celebrate following victory during the Women’s Rugby Sevens Bronze medal match between Team United States and Team Australia on day four of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on July 30, 2024 in Paris, France. 

    Michael Steele | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images

    The 2024 Paris Olympics are attracting new funds for lesser-known sports and women’s teams, with USA women’s rugby sevens, water polo and women’s track and field scoring major contributions this year.

    The USA women’s rugby sevens team earned a $4 million gift from investor Michele Kang earlier this week. Rapper and reality TV personality Flavor Flav threw his support behind water polo, and Alexis Ohanian, the husband of tennis superstar Serena Williams and the co-founder of Reddit, is investing in women’s track and field.

    “Niche sports often don’t get the spotlight they deserve, but they are packed with incredible talent and heart,” Flavor Flav said in announcing his support for water polo in July.

    Flavor Flav announced a five-year partnership with USA water polo, which includes funds for the 2024 USA women’s team as well as serving as the “official hype man” for both the men’s and women’s teams. The size of his contribution wasn’t disclosed.

    He pledged to his support after player Maggie Steffens posted on Instagram that she and her teammates often have to work a second or third job in order to compete, given that water polo doesn’t garner as much attention as other sports.

    The USA women’s water polo team has won gold for the past three Olympics, and Flavor Flav aims to elevate their visibility. The partnership includes his commitment to boosting USA water polo on social media, beyond cheering poolside.

    Growing support

    Kang’s contribution to women’s sevens rugby will span four years, providing resources for players and coaching staff ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

    Kang, who founded Kynisca Sports for the advancement of women’s athletics globally, said that 2024 has been a “banner year” for women’s sports with record-breaking engagement. As sponsors and networks increasingly recognize the value of women’s sports, she said that now is the time to invest in them.

    The support comes after the women’s rugby sevens team won bronze, collecting the first Olympic medal for the United States in rugby sevens, among both the men’s and women’s teams. They also set a new record for a women’s rugby event, with 66,000 fans packed into Stade de France, according to World Rugby.

    “This Eagles team, led by players like Ilona Maher and co-captains Lauren Doyle and Naya Tapper, has captivated millions of new fans, bringing unprecedented attention to the sport,” Kang said in the announcement.

    Maher told CNBC this week that without a strong performance at the Games, the team may not have survived.

    “Our coach said to us if we don’t win a medal, we might not have a program next year, and so that really stuck with me, those words, and so we delivered,” Maher said.

    Beyond the Games

    Ohanian already co-own’s a women’s soccer club, and he told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” this week that he aims to extend the popularity of women’s track and field beyond its Olympics peak.

    He announced in April that his venture capital firm will host a competition in late September with the largest ever prize pool for a women’s track and field event. Ohanian is doubling the stakes of the Paris Games with a $30,000 top prize.

    “Nothing about this is charity nor should it be charity,” Ohanian said. “This is about excellence, about celebrating it.”

    — CNBC’s Jessica Golden, Kasey O’Brien and Nicolas Vega contributed to this report.

    Disclosure: CNBC parent NBCUniversal owns NBC Sports and NBC Olympics. NBC Olympics is the U.S. broadcast rights holder to all Summer and Winter Games through 2032.

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  • Flavor Flav champions diversity and safety in water polo at Paris Olympics

    Flavor Flav champions diversity and safety in water polo at Paris Olympics

    Flavor Flav champions diversity and safety in water polo at Paris Olympics

    Flavor Flav is the official hype man for Team USA Women’s Water Polo.”Everybody wants to feel like they’ve got their back covered, like somebody has their back, you know what I’m saying?” the rapper said. “And when they feel that, it makes them feel more powerful… It makes them feel better, you know, it gives them energy to go out and win that fourth gold medal.”According to the players, his presence at the games has been more than playful; it’s been powerful. Ashleigh Johnson, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, is the only Black player on Team USA Women’s Water Polo.”I see people just asking questions about water polo, and like people of color wanting to start playing,” Johnson said. “And that’s a different community than I’ve seen talk about our sport in the way they were talking about it than I have at any point since I joined this team.”Johnson also emphasized the need for representation in the sport. “Our sport’s still not representative of the U.S., and I don’t think we have the best competing until we see good representation,” Johnson said.In addition to promoting diversity, Johnson and Flav are also advocating for safety in the sport. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, underserved and minority communities have increased rates of drowning. Johnson believes that seeing her and Flav in the water can help promote safety.”Like just taking those barriers away, and creating a pathway and access to opportunity is super important,” Johnson said.The U.S. Women’s Water Polo team was upset Monday by Spain. Their next game is Thursday against Greece.

    Flavor Flav is the official hype man for Team USA Women’s Water Polo.

    “Everybody wants to feel like they’ve got their back covered, like somebody has their back, you know what I’m saying?” the rapper said. “And when they feel that, it makes them feel more powerful… It makes them feel better, you know, it gives them energy to go out and win that fourth gold medal.”

    According to the players, his presence at the games has been more than playful; it’s been powerful.

    Ashleigh Johnson, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, is the only Black player on Team USA Women’s Water Polo.

    “I see people just asking questions about water polo, and like people of color wanting to start playing,” Johnson said. “And that’s a different community than I’ve seen talk about our sport in the way they were talking about it than I have at any point since I joined this team.”

    Johnson also emphasized the need for representation in the sport.

    “Our sport’s still not representative of the U.S., and I don’t think we have the best competing until we see good representation,” Johnson said.

    In addition to promoting diversity, Johnson and Flav are also advocating for safety in the sport. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, underserved and minority communities have increased rates of drowning.

    Johnson believes that seeing her and Flav in the water can help promote safety.

    “Like just taking those barriers away, and creating a pathway and access to opportunity is super important,” Johnson said.

    The U.S. Women’s Water Polo team was upset Monday by Spain. Their next game is Thursday against Greece.

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  • Flavor Flav’s deep thoughts on life, love and being Hollywood’s biggest hype man

    Flavor Flav’s deep thoughts on life, love and being Hollywood’s biggest hype man

    (CNN) — Flavor Flav is moving through life these days like he’s got no time to waste.

    In recent months, he’s been spotted backstage at a Bruce Springsteen concert, opening for U2, speaking at Harvard, gushing over Cher and Donny Osmond, and trading friendship bracelets with the Swifties at an “Eras Tour” show. The ultimate hype man, however, is no stranger to fame himself.

    Flav’s own career kicked off in 1985, when he co-founded the rap group Public Enemy. He went on to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and star in several in early aughts reality shows, including “The Surreal Life” and “Flavor of Love.”

    Marianne Garvey and CNN

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  • Flavor Flav Embraces His Swiftie Side At Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras’ Tour

    Flavor Flav Embraces His Swiftie Side At Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras’ Tour

    “THANKX to all my new friends,,, luv my fellow Swifties #TaylorSwift #ErasTour #FriendsForever,” Flav wrote in another tweet.

    “Make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it,” wrote Flav in a reference to Swift’s “You’re On Your Own, Kid.”

    Flav has shown love for Swift’s music in recent months, posing for a photo with Swift at the iHeartRadio Music Awards in March.

    “I love me some Taylor Swift, man, always did, you know what I’m saying. Word up,” Flav told Billboard at the event’s red carpet as he showed off his “I come back stronger than a ’90s trend” shirt, a reference to Swift’s song “willow.”

    He added that Swift keeps her “clock on 12” just like the clock on his necklace, a nod to the singer’s “Midnights” album.

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