Drake & Dwyane Wade Are Going Back To School – Kinda

OVO Sound boss Drake and NBA champion Dwyane Wade are putting their money up to showcase high school athletes. New reports claim the duo have invested in a digital sports media start-up focused on covering top school teams.

According to reports, Drizzy and D-Wade are the latest high-profile entertainers to invest in Mars Reel.

Otter Media, which recently became a unit of WarnerMedia, led the round, and will become an adviser and strategic partner of Mars Reel in several areas of growth, the company said Tuesday. Drake and Wade join a roster of big names backing the company, including NBA all-stars LeBron James and Kevin Durant and hip-hop artist Nas. The content is distributed on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Snapchat, as well as via traditional content distribution partners such as USA Today Sports. (New York Post)

Mars Reel reportedly brings in millions of views on a monthly basis.

Now, they boast a network of hundreds of reporters and video journalists who cover games around the country. The focus has expanded to include high school football and women’s hoops. And the audience is growing: Mars Reel videos attract about 30 million views a month. “Mars Reel is a true innovator and we are exited to invest in young, passionate entrepreneurs like Brandon and Bradley, who know and understand their audience,” Otter Media CEO Tony Goncalves said in a statement. (Deadline)

The company has secured huge investors connected to major entertainment executives.

Others investors in Mars Reel include Maverick Carter, LeBron James’ business partner and CEO of Uninterrupted and Springhill Entertainment; Devin Johnson, president of Uninterrupted; DraftKings CEO Jason Robins; Translation founder and CEO Steve Stoute; Bruce Tuchman, former global network chief for AMC, Sundance and MGM; Mars Reel chairman Jerry Hall, previously founder and CEO of Rev Software; 500 Startups; and lead investor Robert Hisaoka. According to Mars Reel, the funding round was over-subscribed. (Variety)