Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving has become the chief visionary officer and an investor in a new venture called PlayersTV.
A Dallas-based sports media company, Players TV involves content produced by over 70 professional athletes across various sports. In addition to Irving, some of the players involved with PlayersTV include current and former NBA players Allen Iverson, Dwyane Wade, Damian Lillard, Carmelo Anthony, De’Aaron Fox, Chris Paul and former Mavs center DeAndre Jordan.
Others include three-time Super Bowl champion tight end Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs, former Major League Baseball player Ken Griffey Jr. and current MLB player Mookie Betts.
“As a CVO, it’s been incredible to witness the growth since the company’s inception,” Irving said. “We’ve got great executives developing new strategies and opportunities to capture
the market in unique ways.
“When you have an athlete-owned media company, TV show, or app, it might not immediately resonate because people are used to big brands being the go-to. But as we continue to develop content and forge partnerships, I see a bright future ahead. This is really about setting ourselves up for life after basketball.”
PlayersTV touts itself as the one and only athlete-owned TV network which focuses on the athlete’s lifestyle and culture content, and serves a vehicle for fans to connect with their favorite athlete. Its co-founders include Deron Guidrey and Collin Castellaw.
The PlayersTV content can be viewed on various platforms, including Amazon Prime Video, DirecTV, YouTube, Fire TV and Vizio.
“You can draw parallels to how Golf Channel or Tennis Channel have evolved and grown, and who owns them,” Irving said. “The NBA has been a great partner for us, but being a part of PlayersTV gives me the freedom to create content that feels authentic to me.
“It’s easy to work with people who share that same alignment and vision, especially when they want us to maintain independence post-playing career. That’s what drew me to PlayersTV in the first place. Being a CVO isn’t easy, but it’s a process I appreciate. It’s something I can pass down to my kids and future generations.”
Irving is coming off a superb season where he averaged 25.6 points, five rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.3 steals – and shooting 49.7 percent from the field and 41.1 percent from three-point range — while helping the Mavs advance to the NBA Finals.
X: @DwainPrice
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