Skip to main content

More athlete-focused content is coming: LeBron James' platform lands huge investment

space jam 2 lebron james news cavs
LeBron James/Facebook
It used to be that pro sports stars had to wait for press conferences or interviews to have their say, but new social media platforms like LeBron James’ Uninterrupted have changed that. Now, even off the court or field, professional athletes double as entertainment figures. As such, it’s fitting that Warner Bros. and Turner Sports have invested $15.8 million in James’ platform, as reported by THR. The funds are expected to bring more content, focused on big names in sports, to mobile, web, and social media platforms, and even to TV and film.

James originally financed the platform with his manager, Maverick Carter, with the goal of creating a forum where athletes could share thoughts and opinions “uninterrupted.” The duo teamed up with Turner’s Bleacher Report to launch a hub for short point-of-view videos from athletes. Through the videos, sports stars speak directly to fans — no media middleman needed.

Recommended Videos

“It’s giving athletes an opportunity to have a platform where they can speak about any issue,” James said to THR. “They don’t have to wait to be in front of a camera.”

On December 1, for example, New England Patriot Rob Gronkowski used Uninterrupted to give fans an update on an injury he’d sustained during the team’s game two days before. Typically, the injury report is made available to the public and the media, and then reporters have to dig for more information.

In addition to King James himself and Gronkowski, a variety of athletes have been featured on Uninterrupted. The list ranges from fighter Ronda Rousey to tennis star Serena Williams. The sports icons often talk about their  careers, but they also provide glimpses into their personal lives.

The new investment won’t just focus on first-person videos. According to THR, projects in development include a documentary series about the best quarterbacks in high school football, an animated comedy about Gronkowski, and more. Carter and James plan to market it to fans in strategic ways. “We’re going to take the content where it can be consumed the best,” said Carter.

The deal expands James’ presence in the entertainment industry, which was already noteworthy. Along with appearing in Amy Schumer’s summer hit Trainwreck, he and Carter have a partnership with Warner Bros. through their banner SpringHill Entertainment.

Stephanie Topacio Long
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Stephanie Topacio Long is a writer and editor whose writing interests range from business to books. She also contributes to…
This smart 4K projector is nearly half-price in Walmart’s sale
The Wimius smart 4K projector on a desk.

If you've been thinking about installing a projector in your living room to create a cinematic experience, you won't want to miss this offer from Walmart. The Wimius smart 4K projector, which is originally priced at $360, is down by nearly half to only $190, for huge savings of $170. We're not sure how much time is remaining before this bargain ends though, so if you're interested, we highly recommend completing your purchase as soon as possible.

Why you should buy the Wimius smart 4K projector
Setting up a home theater projector is an excellent way to create a movie theater vibe at home, and you won't have to spend hundreds of dollars if you go for the Wimius smart 4K projector. Its projection size ranges from 50 inches to as large as 300 inches, so if you've got a big enough wall or projection screen, it will really be like you're watching movies at the cinema. The projector is capable of 4K Ultra HD resolution, and it has an extremely long lamp life of 200,000 hours so it will be a long time before you need to replace its bulb. It also offers auto focus and keystone correction technology for even better visuals.

Read more
These Sony OTC hearing aids offer optimized audio and all-day comfort
Man wearing Sony CRE-C10 OTC hearing aids.

There's a lot to be said about OTC or over-the-counter hearing aids. They're more accessible, usually because they're more affordable, and you don't need a prescription to get some. That's precisely why they're called "over-the-counter." Of course, they're really meant for mild to medium hearing loss, however. If you experience severe hearing loss you'll need to go to your local physician, as you might expect. But also one of the great things about this relatively new, untapped category of sound devices is that there are a lot of great options from brands you wouldn't expect. Take Sony, for instance, which has several OTC hearing aid options, and they're available at Best Buy of all places.

You can walk in, off the street, and walk out with them same-day, or buy them online and have them shipped to your house. How's that for excellent service and accessibility? But if you need a quick introduction to some of Sony's best OTC hearing aid options, we've got you covered.

Read more
Now is the time to get the best noise-canceling headphones
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones in Diamond color resting against a headphones stand.

Noise-canceling headphones' performance has been pushed with each passing product release, and the crown regularly passes between between Bose, Sony, and Apple as they attempt to one-up each other. Currently, Bose stands above the rest with the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones -- and right now they're $100 off until December 2.

What is it the Bose do so well? To start off, they offer the best noise-canceling performance available from a pair of headphones. In his review, Simon Cohen found that "The QC Ultra provide impressive levels of hush in a variety of scenarios." You can still get slightly better isolation with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds or Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds, but for most of us, having something in your ear for a long flight gets uncomfortable pretty fast. Plus, there's the worry an earbud will fall out (I find the fit on the Sony earbuds in particular doesn't always feel very secure).

Read more