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Quarter4 to Power DraftFuel’s NFL Content and Data Engine in Progressive Technology Partnership

Quarter4

Quarter4, an AI-powered predictive sports data and analytics provider for media, affiliates and betting platforms, today announced it has partnered with DraftFuel, a FinTech startup in the online sportsbook, casino, and daily fantasy sports space, to provide users with cutting edge Quarter4 predictive data and statistics and power DraftFuel’s content engine for the 2022 NFL Season. Quarter4’s predictions and data will be displayed in DraftFuel’s app next to lines and odds offered at various sportsbooks where users can then use their DraftFuel Discover® Prepaid Card to place bets. DraftFuel, which launched in October of 2021, acts as a dedicated gaming fund. The DraftFuel app + debit card enables users to accumulate money in their DraftFuel account via two primary methods. Users can connect their pre-existing debit or credit cards to the app to be monitored for the accumulation of “spare change” from everyday purchases such as gas and coffee. In addition, users can set up a fixed percentage of their bank deposits (Ex: up to 5% of direct deposits) to be automatically transferred to their DraftFuel account. Both methods mitigate risk by empowering users to only play with “true discretionary funds.” “DraftFuel is creating new opportunities for casual bettors to fund their bets. Our predictive analytics are sharp, simple and intuitive, providing DraftFuel users the added confidence they need to stay on the platform and create bets through DraftFuel’s sportsbook partners,” said Danijela Covic, CSO at Quarter4. “This partnership is creating an exceptional value-add to a subset of the market often ignored by larger marketing efforts. Now casual and small-wager bettors will have access to advanced analytics, elevated content and a new heightened overall betting experience.” Quarter4’s predictions, which enable its partners to bring sports betting content to life for the sports betting newbies and the seasoned veterans, are automatically generated by a validated deep learning neural network. Historical statistics of yesterday are combined with the big data of today to generate a predictive data point for every player and team in select college or professional sports. With up to 2 million predictions produced daily, and updated no less than every 15 minutes, the unbiased insights deliver an intimate viewpoint for the bettor and fan. “When we started DraftFuel, we wanted to create an environment where bettors of any skill and frequency can enjoy guilt-free gaming,” said DraftFuel Co-founder Alex Cullingford, “Adding Quarter4’s unbiased predictions will give our users an extra boost of confidence and knowledge in addition to simplifying terminology for our users.” “Progressive tech attracts progressive tech and we couldn’t be happier about the match that Quarter4 and DraftFuel make,” said DraftFuel Co-founder Tom Mangan. “Armed with Quarter4’s data, our users will be empowered to make smart, responsible decisions when betting.” Quarter4, which recently added WNBA data to its suite of predictive offerings, is backed by Cardinal Sports Capital Inc. DraftFuel’s financial technology is powered by Central Payments. ABOUT QUARTER4 Quarter4 is a revolutionary artificial intelligence platform that generates 2 million daily pregame and in game predictions for multiple professional and college sports. The easy-to-use sports technology delivers proprietary insights, related to team and player performance, via multiple delivery methods. Sportsbooks, data providers, media agencies and affiliates are empowered with predictive analysis that is unique, personalized and non-biased. The data is available via robust API, custom dashboard and most recently, via embeddable products such as brackets, player affect simulators and seeding probability widgets. ABOUT DRAFTFUEL DraftFuel was co-founded by Tom Mangan and Alex Cullingford in 2019 when a discussion during a family vacation led to identifying an opportunity to create value in the online gaming sector. DraftFuel is a secure bankroll management platform that helps individuals self-regulate their online gaming budget. Accumulated funds can be seamlessly deposited to a user’s gaming account or used for purchases wherever Discover is accepted. Additional features include odds comparison tables and promotional offers. For more information, visit DraftFuel.com. Contact Details Hot Paper Lantern Bailey Irelan birelan@hotpaperlantern.com Company Website https://quarter4.io/

June 02, 2022 11:49 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Panasonic Connect’s New Visual Solutions Create Impactful and Impressive Experiences

Panasonic Professional Imaging & Visual Systems

Panasonic Connect North America announced today new turnkey, immersive solutions to streamline productions and expand the possibilities of entertainment. As the world enters into a new era of engagement, entertainment venues are looking for AV technology that allows them to captivate their audience through elevated levels of experiences by visually stimulating their senses and creating emotional and lasting connections. Panasonic Connect’s expanded ecosystem of audiovisual solutions that are perfect for live experiences will be on display at Panasonic's InfoComm booth (#N1629) from June 8-10, 2022. Panasonic Connect’s audiovisual (AV) portfolio provides flexible production environments, interactive projection mapping technology, significant workflow advantages and more, enabling these venues to develop eye-catching visuals ideal for engaging activities in entertainment applications and markets. These solutions create experiences that bring attendees into the storyline to become a part of the event instead of simply watching a show or looking at art. “Content creators across music, art and other live event venues are seeking ways to better connect with their audiences and envelop them into the experience,” said John Baisley, Senior Vice President of Professional Imaging & Visual Systems, Panasonic Connect. “Panasonic Connect provides complete and customizable AV solutions that encompass the technology, support and expertise needed to produce immersive environments which help customers provide exceptional, memorable experiences to their audiences." More About Panasonic Connect's New Solutions for Live Experiences PT-RQ25KU Series 3-Chip DLP® 4K SOLID SHINE Laser Projectors: Panasonic Connect introduces the new PT-RQ25KU Series[1], the world’s smallest and lightest 20,000lm 3-Chip DLP® 4K laser projector.[2] Understanding the continued demands for providing captivating content, simplified setup and remote functionality, the PT-RQ25KU Series is designed for venues hosting live events, concerts and festivals, along with theme park and location-based entertainment attractions. With exceptional image quality and significant workflow advantages, the PT-RQ25KU Series is 40% smaller and 35% lighter than its predecessor, simplifying everything from transport and storage to installation and set-up. It delivers up to 20,000lm of high brightness at 4K resolution (3840 x 2400) with extremely detailed life-like visuals. Designed for maintenance-free reliability for over 20,000-hours, it is Panasonic Connect’s first projector to be Intel® Smart Display Module (SDM) ready so customers can integrate their preferred interface(s) via compatible third-party modules and optional proprietary terminal boards, such as 12G-SDI, DIGITAL LINK. Further time-saving set-up features come from the Smart Projector Control application and Near Field Communication (NFC) function. These features make it easy to read and change basic setups by holding a mobile device against the projector’s touchpoint. The Remote Preview Lite function checks the content signals from a remote PC via Multi-Media Control Software or a web browser, while the preactivated upgrade kits for Geometry Manager Pro automate edge-blending via a camera to enable sophisticated masking functions. The PT-RQ25KU Series 3-Chip DLP® 4K SOLID SHINE Laser Projectors will be available starting November 2022. PT-FRQ60 1-Chip DLP® 4K SOLID SHINE Laser Projector: Meeting the rising demand for ultra-fine detailed resolution, Panasonic has added Quad Pixel Drive to its proven 1-Chip DLP™ SOLID SHINE laser projection technology to create the 6,000lm PT-FRQ60U projector, producing extraordinarily detailed 4K images that retain natural sharpness and clarity. The PT-FRQ60 delivers smooth and richly detailed 4K images ideal for education, corporate, art and museum exhibitions, while also supporting high-speed frame rates with minimal latency – widening the scope for applications such as simulation and esports. The projector creates an impressive sense of realism with the finest details and textures resulting in smooth, grid-less images. The PT-FRQ60 includes two HDMI inputs supporting CEC commands from compatible devices; an easy-to-integrate DIGITAL LINK connection for 4K video and control-signal transmission over long distances. Pre-activated Geometry Manager Pro upgrade kits enable sophisticated masking functions and automatic, simultaneous multi-screen calibration, streamlining the most complex edge-blending and projection-mapping installations. The projector will be available in black (PT-FRQ60BU7) or white (PT-FRQ60WU7) cabinets starting in July 2022. EQ2U Series 4K LCD Professional Displays: Offering 500 cd/m² brightness, the new EQ2U Series ensures high visibility of graphic rich, high-resolution content delivering an exceptional visual experience. The displays offer an anti-glare panel that suppresses the reflected glare of surrounding natural and artificial lighting, producing perfect color, no matter the viewing angle. The EQ2U displays can be tilted vertically and horizontally, up to a 20-degree tilt angle, for proper installation in any setting and fit a majority of devices via three HDMI input and USB-C terminals. Functionality can be expanded through support of the Intel® SDM specification. The ability to position the display in portrait or landscape mode, along with 18 hours of continuous operation make the EQ2U Series displays perfect for digital signage applications. The EQ2U Series offers six (6) screen sizes, in choices from 86/75/65/55/50/43-inches and shipments are scheduled to begin June 2022. EF2U Professional Display: The need for digital signage continues to expand for transportation, storefronts, large entertainment, concert halls, museums, reception areas and more. In these situations, the signage must be easy to read to capture attentions quickly, as well as be flexible and compact enough for installation in a limited space. The new EF2U 32-inch professional display enables effective information sharing for up to 16 hours per day of operation. This display can be installed vertically, horizontally or even tilted up to a 20-degree angle, accommodating a variety of installation plans. For situations that need to dynamically distribute information across multiple screens in various locations throughout a venue, the EF2 Display’s USB memory stick eliminates the need to configure settings when deploying signage on multiple displays. The EF2U display will be available in June 2022. Panasonic Connect will also be displaying its KAIROS IT / IP Video Processing Platform, which gives a seamless experience in managing the complexities, workflows and scale of broadcasted, streamed and projected content by managing the overlap so no other hardware is required for edge blending. Show attendees can also see the PT-RQ50KU 3-Chip DLP® SOLID SHINE 4K+ Laser Projector that provides an all-in-one design with key features such as simple, easy operation, flexible installation and 50,000lm of high-brightness. For more information about Panasonic's portfolio of progessional imaging and visual systens, visit https://na.panasonic.com/us/audio-video-solutions [1] Includes: 20Klm PT-RQ25KU (4K) & PT-RZ24KU (WUXGA) and 16Klm PT-RQ18KU (4K) & PT-RZ17KU (WUXGA) [2] Based on publicly available dimensions and weight for DLP™ laser projectors with 16,000lm brightness and above as of January 2022. Please refer to specifications table for brightness value of individual models. PT-RQ25K/RQ18K only with Quad Pixel Drive [ON]. About Panasonic Connect North America Established on April 1, 2022 as part of the Panasonic Group’s switch to an operating company system, Panasonic Connect North America is a B2B company offering device hardware, software and professional services to provide value to customers across the public sector, federal government, education, immersive entertainment, food services and manufacturing industries. With the mission to “Change Work, Advance Society, Connect to Tomorrow,” Panasonic Connect North America works closely with its community of partners, innovators and integrators to provide the right technologies to address customers’ ever-evolving needs in today’s connected enterprise. Connect with Panasonic Professional Imaging & Visual Systems: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram Contact Details Racepoint Global Lauren Klug +1 415-694-6714 PanasonicVisual@racepointglobal.com

June 02, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

With new brand proposition "Inspiration Ahead", OPPO boosts the morale of Roland-Garros 2022

OPPO

PARIS, FRANCE - Media OutReach - 2 June 2022 - With the new brand proposition: Inspiration Ahead, OPPO, the premium partner of Roland-Garros 2022, unveils the stunning Inspirational Light campaign. Capturing the passion for the sport, inspiring messages were beamed from global tennis fans onto the world-famous red clay court. OPPO: Premium Partner of Roland-Garros 2022 “Inspiration Ahead means showing confidence and poise when we are moving forward. It encourages us to remain resolved and graceful as we brave the storm and break the stagnation. Participating in sporting events is fantastic for OPPO to convey the mutually inspirational spirit and communicate OPPO’s technology innovation experience with our global users,” announced William Liu, OPPO's Vice President and President of Global Marketing. OPPO, as the premium partner for the 4 th consecutive year, hopes to bring tennis fans’ inspiration with its advanced imaging technology to witness, capture and share the heart-stopping moments on the court. “Inspirational Light” Shot on OPPO Find X5 Pro Galvanising the global support for this year’s tennis stars, OPPO launched the Inspirational Light campaign, where global tennis fans were encouraged to share messages of support, which were then used to create striking yet beautiful light painting imagery showcased on the red clay court on each night of the tournament. At the end of each night match, when the stadium’s lights were turned off, OPPO’s expert light painting crew ‘painted’ the fans’ best comments using OPPO’s Find X5 Pro’s low-light photography mode. The stunning visuals were captured by OPPO Find X5 Pro, with photos and videos posted across social media. Thanks to its advanced imaging system, the newest cutting-edge flagship from the brand, the OPPO Find X5 Pro, is the perfect handset for tennis fans to capture true-to-life content of their favourite tennis players. Powered by the OPPO’s self-designed MariSilicon X imaging NPU, Find X5 Pro brings the industry-recognized imaging capabilities, enabling tennis fans to capture 4K Ultra Night video and captivating photography of the tennis tournament. The handset’s Wide-angle camera also features a first-of-its-kind Five-axis OIS system, which improves with every use to counter handshake, reduce noise and sharpen scenes – guaranteeing tennis fans perfect clarity and sharp shots. Through Inspiration Ahead, OPPO strives to inspire its global users to push the limits to achieve success. The brand is bringing to the forefront technology that delivers a step-change to exemplify the dynamic and exhilarating experiences found only in this elite competition. To learn more about the Inspiration Ahead activities taking place at Roland Garros, click here. To learn more about the OPPO Find X5 Pro, click here. About OPPO OPPO is a leading global smart device brand. Since the launch of its first mobile phone - “Smiley Face” - in 2008, OPPO has been in relentless pursuit of the perfect synergy of aesthetic satisfaction and innovative technology. Today, OPPO provides a wide range of smart devices spearheaded by the Find X and Reno series. Beyond devices, OPPO also provides its users with ColorOS operating system and internet services such as OPPO Cloud and OPPO+. OPPO has footprints in more than 50 countries and regions, with more than 40,000 employees dedicated to creating a better life for customers around the world. Contact Details OPPO Media Contact press@oppo.com

June 01, 2022 10:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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“It’s Worth the Wait” - Justin Bieber shows his commitment to his Tim Hortons collab and perfecting his Biebs Brew in new 60-second commercial

Tim Hortons

The new 60-second commercial for Justin Bieber’s next Tim Hortons collab has dropped, with Justin reconnecting with his Tims partner Pam and showing his devotion to co-developing the perfect Biebs Brew. Justin is the last one in the Tims office and pulling an all-nighter so he can be the first to try Biebs Brew, which is made with 100 per cent premium Arabica beans and is slowly steeped for 16 hours to enhance the bold and smooth flavor. The first part of the Tims x Justin Bieber collab was focused on Justin putting his own spin on his favorite treats at Tim Hortons: bite-sized Timbits donuts. For the second collab, Justin and Tims decided to develop a new twist on what the iconic brand is best known for: brewing the perfect cup of coffee. In product brainstorms with the Tims team, Justin shared that he prefers his coffee on ice, which led to working on a new flavor of Tim Hortons Cold Brew. Also inspired by a slight sweet tooth and his love for hints of delicious vanilla flavoring in his coffee, Justin and our beverage innovation team developed a creamy French Vanilla flavor to go with our Cold Brew. Biebs Brew is the perfect blend of those two beloved Tims flavors. "We couldn't stop at Timbiebs, we needed a Biebs Brew too. And we are bringing both to Tims next month,” said Justin. "Doing a Tim Hortons collab had always been a dream of mine. I grew up on Tim Hortons and it's always been something close to my heart." All three Timbiebs flavors – Chocolate White Fudge, Sour Cream Chocolate Chip, and Birthday Cake Waffle flavours – will return to Tims restaurants in Canada and the United States along with Biebs Brew on June 6. Guests in the US can get a $5 Biebs Bundle*: a large Biebs Brew and a 10-pack of Timbiebs for $5 when ordered through the Tims app. In the US, Tims restaurants will also be bringing back limited quantities of Timbiebs merchandise for guests, including the beanie, fanny pack, and tote bag that were developed in collaboration with Justin. When guests buy any Tims x Justin Bieber merch they get 50% off a second item**. “Timbiebs was a huge success – truly beyond all of our expectations – and what made it so great was the authenticity of the partnership,” said Hope Bagozzi, Chief Marketing Officer for Tim Hortons. “Even before the Timbiebs collaboration, Justin had often shared with fans how he’d grown up with Tim Hortons and was obsessed with the brand. His commitment to working with us to develop a natural and authentic twist on the Tims experience is what made Timbiebs a hit and we know guests are going to love Biebs Brew and his take on Tims Cold Brew.” * No substitutions. Valid on bundle only, if items are added à la carte, promotional price will not apply. Ends 7/5/22. Add'l terms apply: timhortons.com/offer-terms. ** Buy 1 item at reg. price, get 1 for 50% off, while supplies last. No substitutions. Tax extra. Cannot be combined w/ any other offer, including food & beverage offers. Not valid on digital orders. “Justin Bieber” and “Biebs” are trademarks of Bieber Time Holdings, LLC. TM & © Tim Hortons, 2022. “Worth the Wait” was developed by creative agency GUT Toronto and The French Shop. CREDIT LIST Tim Hortons Axel Schwan - Regional President Hope Bagozzi - Chief Marketing Officer Solange Bernard - Sr. Director, Marketing Communications Dibba Iran-Parasti - Director, Marketing Communications Anthony Campos - Sr. Manager, Media Michael Oliveira - Director, Communications Meghan Giffin - Manager, Communications Ashley Hum - Sr. Analyst, Marketing Communications Jay Pritchett - Director, US Marketing Rebecca Eidelstein - Director, US Marketing Communications Pamela Estupinan - Sr. Manager, US Marketing Communications Samantha Owen - Sr. Manager, US Media & CRM Elizabeth Knox - Manager, US Marketing Communications Justin Bieber SB Projects Allison Kaye - President Jules Ferree - Executive Vice President GUT Accounts Laura Cavalcanti - Account Supervisor Ryan O’Hagan - Business Director Ali Joyaa - Account Executive Gurpriya Seth - Account Coordinator Production Kelly Mark - Senior Producer Athena Kouverianos - Director of Production Vivian Poon - Producer Strategy Dino Demopoulos - CSO Gvantsa Dataushvili - Senior Strategist Emily Barnes - Director of Content Strategy Chantal Legge - Content Supervisor Will Ramos - Social Strategy Director Creative Brynna Aylward - Executive Creative Director, Creative Lead Matthew Kenney - Creative Director Frederick Nduna - Creative Director Sophia Kossoski - Senior Art Director Laura De Santis - Senior Copywriter Daniel Zhang - Art Director Chris Vena - Copywriter Monica Herrera - Designer Alex Allen - Associate Creative Director Andy Tamayo - Associate Creative Director Beth Barnes - Creative Resource Manager Junia Parodi - Creative Manager TFS Client Service Thomas Dayon - Account Director Gabrielle Papineau - Account Manager Sabrina Desjardins - Account Manager Creative Team Joëlle Fournier - Managing Director, Adaptation Valérie Forget - Adaptation Director Brigitte Hébert-Carle - Adaptation Copywriter Production Julie Lorazo - Producer MTL Vendors La Majueure - Sound Recording and Mixing Denise Charest - Casting Media Monks Christina Ho - Team Lead Daisuke Kazuya - Senior Account Manager Lajor Cole-Etti - Senior Account Manager Gustavo Manrique - Project Lead Luke Rocks - Account Manager Tiffany Ko - Account Manager Sonio Kulkarni - Associate Account Manager Horizon Sheri Rogers - SVP, Business Solutions David Mear - Director, Business Solutions Tim Harris - Associate Director, Business Solutions Cobi Zhang - Director, Media Investment & Activation Tanya Cross - Associate Director, Media Investment & Activation ALISON BROD MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Adrianna Lauricella - Vice President Erika Berg Henty - Account Supervisor Tatum Treffeisen - Senior Account Executive Kate Beeks - Account Coordinator Craft Lisa Pasquin - President Ali Azzopardi - Vice President Brontë Wright - Account Manager Duncan Peng - Account Manager Kayla Mclean - Account Executive Robert Van Horne - Account Executive Emily Callahan - Account Coordinator Daisy Kling - Account Coordinator Red Apple Creative Nik Postinger - Audio Producer Luke McPeake - Engineer Holly Williams - Interim Client Success Executive Boy in the Castle Production Crew Colin Tilley - Director Jamee Ranta - EP/Producer Cora Johnson - Head of Production Clark Jackson - Line Producer Elias Talbot - Director of Photography David Cho - Production Supervisor Kevin Chang - Production Coordinator Nike Phillipides - 1st AD Mitchell Dillon - 2nd AD Kyle Schifflett - 2nd 2nd AD Colleen Smith - Improv Coach Camera Department Quaid Baca - 2nd Unit DoP Travis Montgomery - CAM OP Trevor Taylor - 1st AC - A cam Sharla Cipicchio - 1st AC - B cam Bryce Platz - 1st AC - C cam Seth Craven - 2nd AC - A cam Andy Kennedy - 2nd AC - B cam Sam Petroc - DIT Electric Department Brian “Red” Hickman - Gaffer Adam Flores - BB Electric Matt Hall - Electric Michael Koepke - Electric Alfredo Rodriguez - Electric Tomas Magana - Driver Grip Department Adama Shambour - Key Grip Jay Lopez - BB Grip Richie Warren - Grip Marissa Castrejon - Grip Randy Crisco - Grip Issac Cedano - Grip Art Department Brandon Mendez - Production Designer Duane Russell - Construction Coordinator Crystal Griego - Art Coordinator Dean Styers - Art Director Robb Duncan - Prop Master Benjamin Minty - Art Lead Richard Roraback - Set Dresser James Enrich - Set Dresser Armando Nunez - Set Dresser Joshua Ponce - Set Dresser Alfonso Ariana - Art Driver Jevon Dismuke - Art PA Priscilla Medina - Art PA Tim Madison - FX Operator VTR and Audio Rul Yacob - Boom Operator Ignacio C. Martinez - VTR Ignacio Martinez - Mixer Talent Eileen O’Connell - English Team Member Thomas Derasp-Verge - French Team Member Pierce Mayer - Stand-in Mike Fishbein - Talent Solutions Rep Grayson Music Ryan Kondrat - Director Chris Masson – Engineer Brian Bernard - Engineer Kelly McCluskey - Executive Producer Rich Hamilton - Music Supervisor Rooster Paul Proulx - Editor Jordan Giles - Editor Mariam Fahmy - French Editor Melissa Kahn - Executive Producer Soch Nwakaeze - Assistant Editor Austin Blackmore - Assistant Editor The Vanity Andrew Exworth - Colourist Jordan Benegbi - Colour Assistant Brock Cruess - Colour Assistant Michael Medeiros - Lead VFX Artist Adam Silcox-Vanwyk - Lead VFX Artist Sean Cochrane - VFX Artist Naveen Srivastava - VFX Artist Scott Olthoff - VFX Artist Noah Matikainen - VFX Artist Kalem Cahill - VFX Artist Andrew Farlow - VFX Artist Asher DiGiuseppe - VFX Artist Nicole Labbe - Producer Stephanie Pennington - Executive Producer About Tim Hortons Tim Hortons® is one of North America's largest restaurant chains operating in the quick service segment. Founded as a single location in Canada in 1964, Tim Hortons appeals to a broad range of guest tastes, with a menu that includes premium coffee, hot and cold specialty drinks (including lattes, cappuccinos, espresso, teas and our famous Iced Capp® beverages), fresh baked goods, hot breakfast sandwiches, breakfast snacking items, and other food products. Tim Hortons has more than 4,800 system wide restaurants located in Canada, the United States and around the world. More information about the company is available at www.timhortons.com. Contact Details Alison Brod Marketing + Communications Adrianna Lauricella +1 212-230-1800 tims@abmc-us.com Company Website https://www.timhortons.com/

June 01, 2022 06:02 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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MAJOR LEAGUE PICKLEBALL IS BACK IN 2022 WITH THE HIGHEST PRIZE MONEY IN PROFESSIONAL PICKLEBALL - $100,000 FOR EACH EVENT TO THE WINNING TEAM

Major League Pickleball

* 48 of the world’s best professional players line-up at Dreamland for MLP 2022 Austin fromJune 3rd-5th, kicking-off the three-event competition for this season’s Pritchard Cup, televised by CBS Sports * New MLP Team Owners unveiled joining Gary Vaynerchuk, Brené Brown, Marc Lasry, and James Blake * Additional MLP events announced in 2022 for Newport Beach, California, and Columbus, Ohio Austin, TX (May 31, 2022) – Major League Pickleball (MLP), the elite pickleball league showcasing the world’s best professional pickleball players in a unique mixed-gender team format, today announced its full line-up of teams, owners, events, and sponsors, as it prepares to kickstart its second season at MLP 2022 Austin from June 3rd-5th. In addition to Austin, additional MLP 2022 signature events will take place in Newport Beach, CA, from August 5th-7th, and Columbus, OH, from October 14th-16th. The winning team at each event will receive the highest prize money in professional pickleball: $100,000 ($25,000 per winning player). CBS Sports will exclusively televise the Austin final on June 5th, helping MLP serve as a platform to attract new pickleball fans and players to America's fastest growing sport. Each MLP 2022 signature event will take place over three days with all 12 MLP teams competing to win The Pritchard Cup, first awarded to Team BLQK at MLP’s inaugural event at Dreamland in November 2021. Last Saturday's draft at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center at Flushing Meadows, NY populated the 12 teams with 48 of the world’s best professional players on four-person teams. This unique draft format enabled Team Owners to pick gender equitable teams of two men and two women players. There are three pools of four teams. After pool play, the top six teams will move on to a single elimination bracket. The quarterfinals and the semifinals will be livestreamed on MLP digital channels, including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. The 12 teams will compete this year under an exciting roster of new owners including David Kass & Doug Ulman (The Bus), Molly Joseph & Travis Rettenmaier (Florida Smash ), and Zubin Mehta (Mad Drops Pickleball Club ) who join Gary Vaynerchuk’s team ( The 5s). David Kass will also host MLP 2022 Columbus in a new indoor pickleball venue later this year. “I could not be more excited to announce Newport Beach and Columbus as our next two signature events in addition to MLP 2022 Austin. And it’s my honor to welcome our new team owners to our iconic Major League Pickleball team owner group,” said Steve Kuhn, Creator and Founder of Major League Pickleball. "Adding to Austin, Newport Beach and Columbus, we now also have Pickleball Night in America, our regular Tuesday night pro pickleball series, which is moving around the country, taking pro pickleball into great locations across the USA and giving pickleball fans over 60 events a year of pickleball action to tune into. That’s hundreds of hours of opportunities to showcase the sport we all love as well as the amazing pro players.” New Sponsors for MLP 2022 include: Franklin balls, Skechers footwear, Ora Organic nutrition products, Knockaround sunglasses, and ProXR paddles. 2022 MLP TEAMS AND PLAYERS: ATX Pickeballers ● Jade Kawamoto ● Sara Ansboury ● Dylan Frazier ● Altaf Merchant BLQK (Defending Champions) ● Irina Tereschenko ● Parris Todd ● Zane Navratil ● Rafa Hewett Chimeras ● Andrea Koop ● Megan Fudge ● Rob Cassidy ● Daniel DeLaRosa CLEAN ● Michelle Esquivel ● Regina Franco ● Dekel Bar ● Joey Farias Florida Smash ● Maggie Remynse ● Lee Whitwell ● JW Johnson ● Travis Rettenmaier Hard Eights ● Jorja Johnson ● Susannah Barr ● Andrei Daescu ● John Cincola Jackrabbits ● Jackie Kawamoto ● Mary Brascia ● AJ Koller ● Wes Gabrielsen Lions ● Bobbi Oshiro ● Corrine Carr ● Thomas Wilson ● Chuck Taylor Mad Drops Pickleball Club ● Vivienne David ● Olivia McMillan ● Adam Stone ● Julian Arnold Ranchers ● Anna Bright ● Maggie Brascia ● DJ Young ● Austin Gridley The 5s ● Simone Jardim ● Lina Padegimaite ● Rob Nunnery ● Erik Lange The Bus ● Lauren Stratman ● Milan Rane ● Kyle Yates ● Eden Lica #### About Major League Pickleball Major League Pickleball (MLP) is the elite professional pickleball competition that sees teams of two women, two men, compete in a unique format that has set new standards in the fastest growing sport in America. MLP’s first-ever event, which took place in November, 2022, raised the bar for pro pickleball, introducing broadcast and event production innovations that saw MLP awarded the title “Event of the Year” by The Dink. In addition to MLP’s goal to create engaging new platforms to showcase the best professional female and male pickleball players worldwide, MLP is also focused on helping build the grassroots of the sport, attracting both new participants and fans to pickleball in the USA and worldwide. For more information on Major League Pickleball, go to MajorLeaguePickleball.net and follow Major League Pickleball on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and YouTube. Contact Details Red Knot Mauricio Villarreal +1 919-808-8848 mauricio@redknotcomms.com Red Knot Larry Fink +1 702-249-8586 larry@redknotcomms.com Company Website https://www.majorleaguepickleball.net/

May 31, 2022 01:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time

College of DuPage Men’s Track and Field Win Second Consecutive NJCAA Title

COD Newsroom

Defending National Junior College Athletic Association men’s track and field champion College of DuPage left no doubt about repeating the national title with an outstanding display of depth and personal achievement May 14. Behind Josh Rivers, who won two individual titles, and a superb supporting cast that scored in 17 events, the Chaps won the men's title with 118.5 points, followed by Mineral Area College with 96. It marks the sixth title in school history, and is the first time since the 2003 season that the Chaps successfully defended their title. "It took a total team effort to come here and perform and win,'' said Chaparral Track and Field Head Coach Robert Cervenka. "We had a superstar performance from Josh, and with Anthony Eddy, Diego Villalobos, John Sassan, and Max Szul and Axel Huerta making the most of their talents. I'm in awe of what they were able to accomplish and bring a home a title for a second straight year.'' Rivers won both the long jump and high jump with season-best efforts Friday, and then added to his point total in both the 100- and 200-meter and in the 4x100 meter relay. Eddy finished second in the 1500 on Saturday, and gutted out a seventh place showing in the 800. "This was a big week for Anthony, who really showed his ability,'' Cervenka said. "He was a big leader for us in cross country and showed it again this week.'' Sassan, who sustained an injury during Friday's long jump, ran the opening leg on the 4x100 relay, and along with Villalobos and Rivers, secured 23 team points in the long jump. "Josh really shined all week,'' Cervenka said. "He took advantage of his talents and proved it.'' Szul placed third in the high hurdles and added a fifth-place effort in the 400 hurdles, along with running on the 4x100 relay. "Max is running faster than he did in high school,'' Cervenka said. "We don't win if we don't have everyone pulling their weight and competing in multiple events. They bought in and great things happened because of their willingness to put team first.'' Villalobos scored fourth in the 100, second in the 4x100 relay, second in long jump and third in the triple jump. He piled up 21 points including two from the eight-point 4x100 relay. Huerta, who ran the steeplechase just once prior to this week, placed fourth in that event and sixth in the 5,000. "He and Diego were such key guys for stepping up and giving us points.'' Cervenka said. Cervenka was named the NJCAA men's coach of the year for the second straight year. Learn more about Chaparral Athletics. Contact Details Mark Reinhiller +1 630-942-3761 reinhillerm@cod.edu

May 31, 2022 08:00 AM Central Daylight Time

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Social Media Winners of the Champions League Final

BetXpert

BetXpert has collected data for which players in the Champions League final that got the highest number of new followers across Instagram and Twitter. Continue reading to figure out which 10 players won the Champions League Social Media challenge. The Champions League season has just ended, with Real Madrid’s Vini Jr. scoring the only goal in the final match against Liverpool. Even though Vinicius Jr. scored the deciding goal, it was in fact their goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, being awarded the Man of the Match. Getting to the final was sometimes hard, with French striker Benzema getting a lot of attention during the playoffs. Benzema didn’t only play a big part of getting Real Madrid to the final; he also won the battle on the two Social Media platforms, Instagram, and Twitter. Data collected by BetXpert is showing the number of new followers gained on the two platforms, by every player, in the final. Firstly, we collected data directly after the respective semi-finals had been played on 3rd and 4th May. Thereafter, we collected data directly after the final, and then again after 12 hours had passed. We did this to see what a Champions League final and the players’ performance does when it comes to followers in social media. Performing well in the Champions League final will significantly increase the number of new followers, as shown below. Karim Benzema won the Instagram battle Benzema had the biggest increase in new followers on Instagram. He received a total of 2.8 million new followers from right before the semi-final and directly after the final. 12 hours later he had gained an additional 200.000 followers. Karim Benzema went from having 50.6 million followers on Instagram on May 4th to having 53.4 million after the final. This is an increase of 5,5%. Benzema is not the only one who could smile after seeing the number of followers gained after the final. See the list of the top 10 players who received the highest number of new followers on Instagram below. Benzema won the Twitter battle On Twitter Benzema went from having 15.2 million to 15.7 million followers after the final. That half a million new followers is only an increase of 3,3%. These are the players who got the highest number of new followers on Twitter between the Champions League semi-final and final. Instagram and Twitter combined As Benzema is the player with the highest number of new followers on both Instagram and Twitter, he is also the one winning the Social Media battle overall. The player with the highest number of followers overall is Marcelo, but he couldn’t get close to Benzema. However, which other players had success over the course? The table below shows us that especially Vini Jr. and and Rodrygo also received many followers. The two managers The team is more than the players, and with that in mind there is others that can happily look at what getting their team to the Champions League final can bring from social media. Read Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti went from having 7.4 million followers on Instagram to 7.8 million. On Twitter he went from 2.8 million to 2.9 million. Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp is not that interested in social media, which is why we do not have any numbers on him. On the other hand, we have the numbers for his club. Liverpool’s official Instagram account went from having 37.7 million followers to 38.7 million. On Twitter they went from 20.4 million to 20.6 million new followers. Some good results from Liverpool, even though Real Madrid is unbeatable on social media. Los Blancos started with 115 million followers on Instagram and 41.4 million on Twitter, to now 118 million and 42 million. Social Media is a gold mine For players that have a lot of followers on social media, it can be worth more than having the upper hand on your teammates. There are big amounts of money if you have enough followers. This is easy to see when Cristiano Ronaldo playing in Manchester United has 446 million followers on Instagram. They say he can pocket about 1.5 million GBP for a sponsored post. This amount of money is not what the players in the 2022 Champions League final is earning, but you can be sure the top 10 players in this article can smile whenever they post something sponsored on their accounts. Contact Details BetXpert Christer Johansen +47 929 75 226 christer.johansen@raketech.com

May 30, 2022 03:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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COD Women’s Track and Field Win Second NJCAA Championship

COD Newsroom

Defending NJCAA champion College of DuPage women’s track and field team are repeat national champions. Under the direction of Head Coach Robert Cervenka and his coaching staff, Michelle Stratton and Rachael Ramon, each member of the Chaps squad earned points at the Hudson Valley Community Track and Field Complex. The team title is COD's sixth in school history and is the first time it has repeated since the Chaps won three straight championships from 2000 to 2002. Sprinter Kiara Carter won both the 100- and 200-meter sprints, and Alexandra Ochab added to her long jump title with a victory in the 400-meter as the Chaps totaled 138 points to out-distance runner-up RC Gloucester, which finished with 111. Carter and Ochab each added a title in their one and only relays with Carter in the 4x100 meter and Ochab the 4x400. "Maximum efforts across the board and we could not be happier,'' said Cervenka. "Kiara is so talented and I think Alexandra's experience from a year ago was pivotal. Every one of our nine athletes scored in more than one event. That speaks volumes about their buy-in to the team and winning the title going away.'' The 2022 championship marks the second straight national event where the Chaps won all three relays; a point Cervenka emphasized. "It's a pride thing where we demonstrated skill and those relays capped our week,'' he said. "All nine ran at least one leg on a relay. That really says it all.'' Carter won the 100 in 12.40 seconds and added the 200 title in 25.88 seconds. "So proud of Kiara and for her to get the job done,'' said Cervenka. "Her maturity picked up. She's always had the talent and was such a big contributor for us.'' Ochab ran in just the 400, a day after winning the long jump by improving 30 centimeters over her previous best. "What can you say,'' said Cervenka. "She's another one who got the job done in spectacular fashion.'' The effort of Akira Lebron throughout the week was vital. She competed and scored in five individual events and ran on the winning 4x100 relay. "Akira is such a phenomenal athlete,'' said Cervenka. "We asked a lot of her and she responded so well. Her efforts in those five events took points away from the competition and she excelled.'' Lillian Buzani added a runner-up finish in the 800 and placed third in the 1500, while her distance teammate Bella Adduci was fourth in each event. Both ran on the 4x800 title relay. "Both Lillian and Belle showed their best when it mattered the most,'' said Cervenka. "Again, we really got the most of our nine athletes.'' Morgan Clifford was seventh in the 100 hurdles and sixth in the 400 hurdles. Alyssa Gaski was the only Chap who ran on all three relays, and Mya Mangan added to her pole vault title with a leg on the 4x100 relay. Paulina Stachura tied for fourth in the high jump and ran on the 4x400 relay. Cervenka was named NJCAA coach of the year upon conclusion of the event Learn more about Chaparral Athletics. Contact Details Mark Reinhiller +1 630-942-3761 reinhillerm@cod.edu

May 27, 2022 04:00 PM Central Daylight Time

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Why Influencer Marketing is Taking Over Online Advertising

TCM DIGITAL

TCM has launched NinjaInfluence, an all-in-one Influencer Marketing AI SaaS platform that provides an affordable yet powerful use of influencer marketing that enables eCommerce businesses to deal with increased ad costs and reduced marketing budgets due to unstable market sentiment. On Tuesday, May 24th, The Snap Company announced it will miss its projections due to decreased ad spending. The announcement triggered a spiral effect for most ad-driven super techs, such as Google and Facebook. This came as no surprise given the current environment, along with rising ad prices and macro headwinds likely to extend to every region of digital advertising. An article published by CNBC earlier this week states, “Social media companies were already having a rough year from the cutback in digital ad spending caused by rising inflation, supply chain challenges, and the war in Ukraine. Forecasts for the second quarter called for meager growth at best, and stock prices were getting hammered.” Following Snap’s disclosure, JMP Securities analysts shared, “Macro headwinds likely extend to all digital advertising.” They added that brand budgets, and especially digital ones, “are more at risk of being reduced as companies tighten ad budgets,” while direct response ads, or those that encourage viewers to take immediate action, are “more connected to consumer spend, particularly eCommerce.” Read the full CNBC article here. The eCommerce space is seeking alternative means to cut down advertising spending amid rising costs of social media ads in an environment that's highly volatile. Even now while ad costs rise, eCommerce has seen a massive uptick since the start of the pandemic, expected to total $5.55 trillion in 2022 and to grow by almost $11 trillion between 2021 and 2025. This increase can also be attributed to the effect of influenceres/online creators. An authentic and engaging presence online is critical to being disruptive in a saturated marketed experience. People want to be wowed, connect to something, and belong to a community. Enter influencers, a person valued by the audience much more than the classic pop-up ad. With such dedicated followings, you can shorten the sales cycle by standing apart from your competition. A strong brand doesn’t only optimize performance marketing in the short term but also makes it a source of sustainable growth. Stronger brands draw more organic acquisitions, retain more customers, and command higher sales. As the digital space becomes more crowded, brand identity and brand awareness will only become more crucial. When time is a critical commodity,one needs to be fast, agile, and ahead of its competitors. One needs to focus on brand equity and improve upon one's brand loyalty while maintaining one's ad spend. While inflationary pressure affects purchasing decisions, brands must strengthen their community reach and customer relationships. After spending over eight years operating within the eCommerce space both as an eCommerce seller and as a leading aggregator, we have experienced community creation, aptly named influencer marketing, first hand. But how do you go about finding the right influencers? Even if you do find the right influencers, how would you manage them, monetize, measure performance, and still be able to attend one's eCommerce business? Welcome to the solution of NinjaInfluence, TCM’s disruptive influencer marketing platform. With our dynamic and elastic AI search engine, we have curated a database of over 140 million influencers for you to filter and pinpoint the perfect brand representative. Each will be the champion brand ambassador and increase sales. Within the platform, you can conduct research, outreach, and campaign management along with tracking your real-time sales and social metrics. Even making payments to your influencers are just a click away using NinjaInfluence. You do not have to take the journey alone. Our team of Influencer Managers is here to oversee the entire process, from discovering and identifying the right influencer, to outreach and sending customized messages all the way to managing your entire marketing influencers funnel, your own dedicated Influencers Manager. With the assistance of the Influencer Manager, negotiate everything from partnership terms to campaign management as they set up eCommerce coupons, tracking links for sales, and social engagement. On June 1st at 9:00 am ET, the Ninjainfluence team will be conducting a live webinar. We invite you to join our live demonstration and roundtable discussion as we tackle the alternative means of online advertising and how to best engage with Influencers for the maximum outcome. To save your seat, click to register and write "Save my seat for the upcoming webinar." About NinjaInfluence NinjaInfluence is an influencer marketing software that supports users in easily managing their strategies and communicating with influencers/creators. Following up on its predecessor, NinjaOutreach, it provides access to over 140 million influencers across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Twitter. In addition to its established search engine, NinjaInfluence offers a multitude of features such as eCommerce integration, full analytics dashboards, smart search manager, internal payment platform, related profile recommendation engine and a consolidated CRM-like workspace. Scalable and effective through its use of powerful big data technology, NinjaInfluence searches through millions of creators to intelligently identify qualified influencer leads, and enable the launch of influencer campaigns with traceable ROI. For more information, a free trial, or to subscribe to NinjaInfluence, visit https://NinjaInfluence.com/. Contact Details Gabi Bar +1 845-709-8324 gabi@tcmdigital.com Company Website https://ninjainfluence.com/

May 27, 2022 09:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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