A well-known Italian football team was on the verge of bankruptcy… but after starting from the bottom, they are now there – and all thanks to drake!!!
Venezia FC – based in Venice, Italy – is one of the most popular football clubs in the country. The club was founded in 1907 and has been a mainstay of the Italian football scene ever since, playing in Serie B for most of its time.
After years of fighting for promotion, the team finally made it back to Serie A in the summer of 2021 – for the first time in two decades. The rise was short-lived, however, as the team finished last the following season, relegating Venezia back to Serie B.
However, due to its spending at the highest level, the club was struggling with significant debts. In order to avoid relegation to Serie D, Brad Katsuyamathe owner of the troop, desperately called a friend for help.
Matt Babel – the Chief Brand Officer of 6 God – had his hotline bling… and after that, everything fell into place.
“He explained the problem very simply: Venezia has to raise ten million euros in a few weeks and then at least thirty million euros in a few months, otherwise the club will go bankrupt,” said Babel. GQ Italy. “Venice is an incredible city and Venezia has always been a special club. I spoke to Drake and then Brad and I discussed how we could help.”
Babel said within two weeks, both sides agreed on terms and raised the money needed to pay salaries and avoid bankruptcy by raising $40 million from various North American investors… and Drizzy’s involvement paved the way.
“The value of Drake to any football club is undeniable given his global superstar status and brand reach. That intersection of culture and sport is exactly where we want to be and for us as a sports organisation, the opportunity to bring on board a brand like NOCTA that toes the same line is incredibly valuable,” added Babel.
Thanks to these investments, the team is now thriving, having recently signed new talent and invested in new facilities for the club. These investments are expected to be completed by the 2027/28 season.
As Drake would probably say… thank him later.
