The optimistic attitude of many Venezia Football Club fans towards the Serie A team’s next season is truly impressive, especially given the perils the long-standing Italian institution faced just last year. In a perhaps unexpected twist, those same fans should make sure that a large portion of their gratitude is reserved for Drake.
In fact, as in a recent GQ Italy A contribution from Francesco Paolo Giordano, a timely call from Venezia co-owner Brad Katsuyama to 6 God Chief Brand Officer Matte Babel, ultimately led to a solution for a beloved organization that had been facing potential bankruptcy last season.
Speaking to the publication, Babel recalled the nature of that fateful call, explaining that Katsuyama told him that the club would need to raise an estimated €10 million in a few weeks, immediately followed by another ten million in the following months.
“Venice is an incredible city and Venezia has always been a special club,” said Babel. “I spoke to Drake, then Brad and I discussed how we could help. Within two weeks we agreed on the terms and raised the money needed to pay the salaries and avoid bankruptcy.”
As Katsuyama put it, Babel was his “first port of call” when he learned of the club’s financial problems, largely due to the “undeniable” value Drake can bring to any club.
However, the Drake Effect is not limited to the donations for Venezia, as the club also received new jerseys made in collaboration with Drake’s brand NOCTA.
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The report follows Venezia’s announcement this week that the club is extending the contract of Filippo Antonelli, the club’s sporting director and general manager. In a statement, Antonelli acknowledged the strength shown in the 2023/2024 season while looking to the future.
“The renewed trust in me, in the technical staff and in the sports project that started at the end of 2022 makes me proud and increasingly motivates me to face the new challenges of the present and future,” Antonelli said on Monday.
Drake, meanwhile, just dropped a trio of new songs into the massive “100 Gigs for your headtop” file dump. The release proved to be a treasure trove for fans and pop culture news writers, complete with behind-the-scenes footage and more.
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