Drake intervened to save the Italian football club Venezia FC from bankruptcy.
The musician’s friend, Matte Babel, convinced the star to join ahead of the 2023-2024 season after it was revealed that the Serie A team needed to raise $40 million to avoid financial ruin and possible relegation to a lower league – and the star helped mobilize investors so that the money was raised within two weeks.
Babel told GQ Italia: “I got a call from Brad Katsuyama, co-owner of Venezia and a good friend of mine. He explained the problem to me in a simple way: Venezia needs to raise €10 million in a few weeks and then at least €30 million in a few months, otherwise the club will go bankrupt…
“Venice is an incredible city and Venezia has always been a special club. I spoke to Drake, then Brad and I discussed the details of how we could help. Within two weeks we had reached an agreement, raised the money needed to pay the salaries and avoid bankruptcy.”
Venezia FC co-owner Brad Katsuyama added: “Drake’s value to any football club is undeniable, given his status as a global superstar and the reach of his brand. This intersection of culture and sport is exactly where we want to be.”
In addition to helping raise the investment capital, Drake also helped design the team’s new uniforms through his clothing line, Nocta. The new apparel will hit stores next month.
The team is now financially stable and was able to win the promotion playoffs from Serie B to Serie A after the investment.
There are currently plans to build a new stadium and hall for the team, which is scheduled to open at the start of the 2027 season.
