Boardroom, the premier media brand co-founded by Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman covering the business of sports and entertainment, announced today an expanded strategic partnership with Major League Baseball (MLB). Building on their successful 2024 collaboration, the partnership will deliver new immersive fan experiences, groundbreaking activations, and player-led storytelling across multiple platforms.
¡°This collaboration is about more than just events ¨C it's about reimagining how we connect with a growing baseball audience in innovative ways,¡± said Uzma Rawn, CMO of Major League Baseball. ¡°Boardroom¡¯s unique ability to tell compelling stories at the intersection of sports, entertainment, and culture aligns perfectly with our mission to drive more dynamic and engaging opportunities for players and fans alike. After seeing their incredible work over the past year, we¡¯re proud to expand our relationship.¡±
The comprehensive partnership will feature a robust slate of content and activations, including but not limited to:
- Player-Driven Content and Storytelling: Boardroom will continue leveraging its expansive media platform to tell unique player-driven stories within the MLB ecosystem
- Fanatics Fest (June 20-22, New York): Boardroom will produce MLB¡¯s consumer-facing activation at Fanatics Fest, complete with interactive experiences and talent appearances
- MLB All-Star Celebrity Softball (July 12, Atlanta): Boardroom will facilitate talent booking and event afterparty production and programming
- MLB Awards presented By MGM Rewards After Party: Boardroom will produce a high-profile entertainment experience around the annual honors taking place in Las Vegas
¡°This partnership reflects MLB¡¯s continued commitment to growing the game and creating more opportunity for players,¡± said Rich Kleiman, CEO of Boardroom. ¡°By bringing our full creative and strategic capabilities to MLB, we¡¯re creating a blueprint for how a historic sports league can connect with fans in new and innovative ways.¡±
The year-long collaboration underscores Boardroom¡¯s ability to deliver innovative experiences at the intersection of sports, entertainment, and culture. More information about specific activations will be announced in the coming months.
About Boardroom
Boardroom is a media brand co-founded by Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman that focuses on the intersection of sports, entertainment, and business. Boardroom¡¯s media arm produces daily and weekly newsletters along with premium content showcasing how athletes, executives, musicians, and creators are moving the business world forward. Boardroom¡¯s network reaches over 52 million unique visitors each month, delivering a powerful blend of premium content and immersive experiences.
Boardroom¡¯s signature events ¨C including the annual CNBC x Boardroom Game Plan Summit, NBA and WNBA All-Star weekend activations, and other tentpole moments like F1 Miami, US Open, and Art Basel ¨C consistently attract an elite network of athletes, entertainers, and entrepreneurs who are shaping the future of business. Boardroom¡¯s advisory arm consults and connects athletes, brands, and executives with its broader network and initiatives while Boardroom Sports Holdings invests in emerging sports teams and leagues, including the Major League Pickleball team, the DC Pickleball Team, NWSL champions Gotham FC, and MLS' Philadelphia Union. Recent film and TV projects under the Boardroom brand include the Academy Award-winning Two Distant Strangers (Netflix), the critically acclaimed scripted series Swagger (Apple TV+) and Emmy-nominated documentary NYC Point Gods (Showtime).
About MLB
Major League Baseball (MLB) is the most historic professional sports league in the United States and consists of 30 member clubs in the U.S. and Canada, representing the highest level of professional baseball. Led by Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr., MLB has achieved back-to-back attendance gains for the first time in 12 years with an overall increase of +11% and 80% of Clubs welcoming more fans over the last two seasons following extensive rule changes that have improved the quality of play on the field. With the 2024 season featuring the best time of game in 40 years and the most stolen bases in 109 years, MLB viewership increased across all its national media partners, grew international viewership by +18%, set another record for MLB.TV streaming with more than 14 billion minutes watched and earned League of the Year honors from Sports Business Journal and the CLIOS. As the league increased its marketing efforts and promotion of star players like 2024 NL MVP Shohei Ohtani and 2024 AL MVP Aaron Judge, MLB has significantly increased its younger fan base as evidenced through viewership, social media, ticket purchasing, and participation metrics. Through its MLB Together social responsibility efforts, MLB remains committed to making a positive impact in the communities of the U.S., Canada and throughout the world. With the continued success of MLB Network, MLB digital platforms and local media production and distribution, MLB continues to find innovative ways for its fans to enjoy America's National Pastime and a truly global game. To learn more about MLB, please visit www.mlb.com.