Marc Anthony Forms “Landmark Alliance” with SBE Entertainment Group’s Sam Nazarian

Posted on January 17, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Marc Anthony has formed a new alliance…

The 55-year-old Puerto Rican singer, songwriter, actor and entrepreneur and Sam Nazarian, founder/CEO of lifestyle and hospitality company SBE Entertainment Group, have announced a “landmark alliance” that marks the first hospitality venture for the salsa superstar and his entertainment company, Magnus.

Through the deal, Anthony and Magnus are now equity partners in all of SBE’s existing properties, which include culinary brands, restaurants, lounges and nightclubs.

According to a press release, SBE’s new multi-vertical business strategy will focus on growing the brand among Latin American audiences.

Additionally, new properties will also be launched in the hospitality space and additional brands will be created together. The alliance also opens new opportunities for Magnus’ roster (record label, management and booking), which includes Luis Figueroa, Mau y Ricky, Fonseca and Gente de Zona.

Aside from his decades-long music career, Anthony is a multi-hyphenate businessman who launched Magnus in 2015 to represent both Latin artists and athletes in the United States. In 2009, he became a minority owner of the Miami Dolphins, and last December, launched the electric powerboating team, E1 Team Miami.

In 2012, his work in philanthropy led him to launch the Maestro Cares Foundation, which has built orphanages in various countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

“It would be an understatement to say that this announcement today is one of the greatest highlights of all of the endeavors I’ve taken on in my life,” Anthony said in a statement. “To have the honor to join forces with my great friend Sam and SBE, is something we have spoken about throughout the years and the time has finally come. My team, alongside the unparalleled expertise of SBE, is poised to contribute significantly to the success of this new journey. With a shared commitment to excellence and a track record of unparalleled vision and execution, we are excited to bring our best-in-class capabilities to elevate SBE’s projects to new heights. Together, we look forward to unveiling a series of remarkable initiatives that showcase the synergy and excellence synonymous with the SBE family.”

“It’s an honor to join forces with long-time friend and international superstar Marc Anthony. I have a tremendous amount of admiration for the career that he has built, and, more importantly, his entrepreneurial instinct,” added Nazarian, who founded SBE in 2002. “It’s been an aspiration of ours to come together to build something special, and I am excited to share all the amazing things we are working on with him as our strategic partner. My sbe team is honored to collaborate with the best-in-class entrepreneurial team Marc has built at Magnus, led by a dynamic team, CEO Michel Vega and COO Felipe Pimiento, to connect with and deliver experiences to an audience that Marc has so carefully cultivated throughout his career. This is just the beginning, and I can’t wait to see what we build together.”

Marc Anthony Buys E1 Electric Powerboating Team in Miami

Posted on December 18, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

It’s smooth racing for Marc Anthony…

The 55-year-old Puerto Rican singer, songwriter and actor has expanded his sport-related empire by becoming the owner of the new E1 electric race boat championship Team Miami.

Anthony, a minority owner of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins and owner of the artists and athletes agency Magnus Media, joins a star-studded line-up of E1 team owners that includes Tom Brady, Rafael Nadal, Steve Aoki, Sergio Perez, Didier Drogba and Virat Kohli.

Their respective teams will compete in the first-ever E1 event next February 2-3 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. E1 is the first electric raceboat championship sanctioned by the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM), the world governing body of powerboating, and promotes a racing series powered solely by electric, and based on clean technologies to protect our waters and coastal areas.

In addition to owning the new team, Anthony and Magnus will also host E1 in the U.S in a 2025 Miami event that will include races, the Acceleration Festival fan village and a star-studded live concert.

“It is going to be a couple of days of culture, entertainment, style, sexiness, just the right amount of danger,” says Anthony in a video released on Monday (December 18). “It’s a blank canvas. I’m making every phone call. I’m starting now for what’s going to happen in 2025.”

While Anthony is first and foremost a music star, he has stakes in many ventures, including a minority ownership in the NFL’s Dolphins. That experience in particular has helped him understand the intricacies of running a team and provided him with the macro view of launching a championship and making the experience as “exhilarating” as possible, he says.

“It wasn’t only just owning the Miami Dolphins,” he says in the announcement video. “It was the stadium and the 300 acres around it. I see it the same way. I’m interested in finding a way that the race experience […]is as eventful as possible and quality and hair-raising.”

Felipe Pimiento, COO of Magnus added: “This is a very exciting venture for us at Magnus. It continues to solidify our footprint in the sports world at various levels.” Anthony joins a list of hugely influential owners that E1’s founders hope will help amplify E1 presence and awareness.

“E1’s list of owners exemplifies how our championship’s strategy is leading the way in sport marketing, and we are thrilled to have Marc join our roster of global icons,” says Rodi Basso, CEO and co-founder of E1.

“It’s a great sign for the future of E1 that we are already speaking about our season 2 destinations, and with Marc bringing our championship to Miami, I could think of no finer place for E1 to make its United States debut,” adds Alejandro Agag, Chairman and co-founder of E1.

RMAND Among Emerging Latin Artists Taking Part in NFL, Neon16 & Ntertain Content Series

Posted on August 20, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

RMAND is getting in the game…

The Dominican singer from Netflix’s reality music competition show La Firma is among the emerging Latin artists will join NFL Latino players in an upcoming content series as part of a special partnership between the National Football League, Neon16 and Ntertain Studios for the 2023 season.

The deal also includes new music releases that will comprise of a new volume for the next Por La Cultura mixtape.

NFL’s season-long campaign Por La Cultura will continue to spotlight Latin players, coaches and staff members to celebrate Latin excellence while telling their own stories of the community.

“Music is a leading passion point for Latinos, and we feel this partnership is an ideal platform for celebrating our Latino players and connecting more deeply with our fans,” said Javier Farfan, cultural strategist at the NFL, in a press release. “This content series brings together the commonalities of artists and athletes and their inspirational stories from humble beginnings, as they reach the top of their careers and their goal of stardom. Working with Ntertain and Neon16 allows us to authentically tell these stories with the creative vision of tastemakers at the forefront of Latino culture, music and entertainment.”

By showcasing current NFL Latino players and emerging Neon 16 music artists, the series aims to highlight the diversity and inclusivity of the NFL while celebrating the shared passion for music and football.

“We loved the concept of having our artists collaborate with Latino NFL players to create something as unique as an original song,” added Lex Borrero, co-founder and CEO of Ntertain and Neon16. “While both share Latino heritage, we know that artists and athletes also share a common drive to succeed, the talent to shine and the work ethic to thrive in their respective careers. Unifying these traits and the mutual love and respect for music has led to some incredible art that we can’t wait to share with fans this season.”

This season, the team-up will create original songs and music videos that reflects Latino NFL players and the artist’s shared passion for music, football, and community.

The first one “#0B,” an energetic electronic banger by RMAND, draws inspiration from the artist’s experience working with Miami Dolphins’ wide receiver Braxton Berrios, who is of Puerto Rican descent and wears the number zero.

“0B” is slated to release on the third week of the NFL regular season, leading up to the Miami Dolphins Latino Heritage Month game and home opener on September 24th.

Another player and artist collaboration will drop later in the season, joining the RMAND and Berrios song as this season’s Por La Cultura mixtape.

Furthermore, the NFL Shop commercial for this year will also feature RMAND as well as Neon16’s Alex Ponce and Nashy-Nashai; the commercial’s score will be done by the label. Neon16 will also produce four exclusive tracks for the NFL and its 32 clubs to use as part of their soundtrack for the upcoming season.

“With more than 31 million NFL fans in the United States, there is no doubt that Latinos continue to fall in love with the sport of football every day,” said Marissa Solis, NFL SVP global brand and consumer marketing. “We want to inspire Latinos with the lyrics and melodies created by these talented NEON16 artists in the same way they get excited for a perfectly executed pass and catch for a touchdown. This partnership unifies the heroes of stage and sport through their common bond as Latinos representing ‘por la cultura.’”

Last year, the NFL and Neon16 announced their 10-track debut Por La Cultura Mixtape: Vol. 1, featuring El Alfa, Will.I.Am., Yandel, Snow Tha Product, Anthony Ramos, Trueno and more, and beats by producers Albert Hype, Jodosky and Chael.

The NFL, Ntertain, and Neon16 partnership kicked off in 2021, when Latin artists Jodosky, Kris Floyd and Álvaro Díaz were invited guests of the NFL League.

This collaboration is one of the NFL’s ambitious plan to go all in on Latin music and its growing fanbase.

Last year, J Balvin became the first Latin headliner to perform for the league’s yearly free Kickoff Concert. Last November, the NFL also recruited Tijuana superstars Grupo Firme to perform at the halftime show for its annual Mexico City game, featuring the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers.

https://twitter.com/rmandofficial/status/1692599481785540957

Canelo Alvarez Reportedly Planning to Fight Mandatory Challenger Avni Yildirim in February

Posted on January 21, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Canelo Alvarez isn’t waiting long to get back in the ring…

The 30-year-old Mexican boxer, the sport’s biggest star, will return to the ring on February 27 versus mandatory challenger Avni Yildirim at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, according to sources.

The fight will be broadcast on DAZN and other PPV cable platforms everywhere except Mexico.

It will be a stay-busy title defense for Alvarez (54-1-2, 36 KOs), who is coming off a dominant unanimous decision victory over previously undefeated champion Callum Smith on December 19 to win the WBA, WBC and the Ring magazine super middleweight titles.

The Athletic was the first to report the Alvarez fight date.

“Canelo is in the gym, and he has been working and training, waiting for the date,” Alvarez’s trainer, Eddy Reynoso, said. “And to take advantage of the preparation we had for most of last year without fighting.”

After a deal with Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn, Alvarez is on track to fight again on May 8, the weekend following Cinco de Mayo, against WBO super middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders. That bout is not official yet, but it is expected, with IBF champion Caleb Plant as a secondary option.

Alvarez (54-1-2, 36 KOs) has plans to unify the super middleweight division, with Saunders and Plant as the two other belt holders in the division.

Yildirim (21-2, 12 KOs) hasn’t fought since a February 2019 split technical decision loss to Anthony Dirrell. He has been Alvarez’s WBC mandatory challenger since before the Alvarez-Smith bout.

“Obviously it’s a very big fight for me. It makes me very proud to be on a stage like this, representing the Turkish people,” Yildirim told ESPN on Wednesday. “I know my opponent well. Of course, Canelo is one of the best in the world. But I know my value, and now the entire world will see who Avni Yildirim is.”

Alvarez and Reynoso wanted to fulfill their commitment to the WBC by fighting Yildirim before continuing their pursuit through the super middleweight champions.

“Yildirim is a strong fighter. He is a fighter who has earned his place in boxing to get to where he is as the No. 1 challenger in the world,” Reynoso said. “He had a fight against Anthony Dirrell, which seemed to me they took away from him, and gave it to Dirrell due to a cut. It was a world title fight, and [even with a loss], he became an official challenger. He is a guy who has worked honestly to be there, and he is dangerous, strong, has a good punch and very reliable.”

This will be Alvarez’s first bout in Miami, a place he has long enjoyed. Fans can be in attendance up to the COVID-19 pandemic capacity allowed at Hard Rock Stadium, where the Miami Dolphins and Miami Hurricanes play their home football games.

Aguayo Drafted in the Second Round of the NFL Draft

Posted on May 1, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Roberto Aguayo is headed to the National Football League…

The 21-year-old Latino kicker, who played for Florida State, was picked in the second round of the NFL draft.

Aguayo, the 59th pick overall, was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, becoming the highest-drafted kicker since Mike Nugent in 2005.

The NFL’s lengthened extra point has put new emphasis on the play, now effectively a 33-yard attempt. Aguayo was perfect on his 198 PATs in college. More pertinent, the 2013 Lou Groza Award winner was 69-for-78 (88.5%) on field-goal tries and didn’t miss on any of his 49 attempts inside 40 yards.

Aguayo, quarterback Jameis Winston‘s teammate at FSU, expressed a desire to play for the Bucs and seems likely to hold the job for years to come.

But Aguayo wasn’t the only Latino footballer picked during this year’s NFL draft…

Blake Martinez is headed to the Green Bay Packers…

The Packers selected the Latino inside from Stanford with the 131st pick, which arrived late in the fourth round, and contained a bit of a premonition from his mother, Carrisa Martinez.

“The funny part of it was, (my mom) was always telling me throughout the process, she was like, ‘I believe you’re going to end up at the Packers,'” Martinez said on a conference call. “And obviously it was just a lucky guess type of thing, but it’s just funny. My mom said right after, ‘Moms are always right.’ And I’ll take it.”

When his moment arrived, Martinez donned a green Packers hat and matching gray T-shirt, and immediately posted a family photo on social media. His father, Marc, had bought the gear in a pre-draft shopping spree that accumulated gear from all 32 teams — just in case.

Martinez, who stands 6 feet 1 1/2 inches and weighs 240 pounds, earned All-American honors in 2015 and was also named first-team all-Pac-12.

He recorded a team-high 141 tackles last season, and his 10.1 tackles per game led the conference.

The Packers, according to director of football operations Eliot Wolf, were enamored of Martinez’s all-around game. He flashed the ability to blitz, evidenced by 13 1/2 tackles for loss and 6 1/2 sacks over the last two years. He expressed confidence in his ability to cover, and Martinez said he served as the main coverage linebacker in nickel and dime packages last season. His 40-yard dash time of 4.67 seconds is far from blazing, but Wolf said the Packers have no qualms about his mobility or range.

“I felt like this last year I improved tremendously on that,” Martinez said. “I feel 100% confident to go out there and cover whoever I need to cover.”

Oklahoma’s Zack Sanchez was picked in Round 5 by the Carolina Panthers.

The 21-year-old Latino cornerback, picked 141st overall, is a ball-hawk who intercepted 13 passes over the past two seasons. His seven picks in 2015 tied for fifth nationally. Sanchez was not afraid to gamble, and sometimes paid for his mistakes. During his career at Oklahoma, he also recorded 134 tackles and three touchdowns.

“He’s instinctive. I think when you get into the fourth or fifth rounds, and find a cornerback with some instincts, this is a great pick,” said NFL Network’s Mike Mayock.

Thomas Duarte is switching coasts…

The 21-year-old half-Mexican American receiver, who played for UCLA, was picked in the seventh round by the Miami Dolphins.

The 231st pick overall, the 6-foot-2, 231-pound Duarte was drafted as a tight end.

Duarte turned pro with a season of eligibility remaining. He ranked second on the Bruins last season with 53 receptions for 872 yards and a team-best 10 touchdown receptions.

Estefan’s Musical Based on Her Life to Premiere in Chicago Next Summer

Posted on May 21, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Gloria Estefan is ready to get theater audiences on their feet…

The 56-year-old Cuban Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and her music producer husband Emilio hope to have the musical based on their life on Broadway next year.

Producers said Tuesday “On Your Feet!” will premiere in Chicago next summer before landing at a Nederlander theater in the fall of 2015.

Jerry Mitchell, who directed Kinky Boots, will helm the show, with Sergio Trujillo choreographing. The story will be written by Alexander Dinelaris.

The Estefans were both born in Cuba and together became musical luminaries in Spanish and English, winning Grammy Awards and fans across the U.S. with crossover hits like “Rhythm is Gonna Get You,” “Conga” and “Words Get in the Way,” in addition to helping the careers of other artists including Shakira, Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony and Jon Secada.

Estefan fought back from a serious spine injury in 1990 to become Latin music’s premier female artist, with more than 100 million career album sales.

She’s also in charge of a string of enterprises, and has a minor stake in the Miami Dolphins NFL team.

Gonzalez Named a Correspondent for CBS’ NFL Pre-Game Show “The NFL Today”

Posted on February 20, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Tony Gonzalez may be retiring from professional football, but he isn’t leaving the National Football League completely…

The 37-year-old part-Mexican American pro footballer, a 14-time Pro Bowl selection during his nearly 20-year NFL career, has signed on to appear as a correspondent for CBS‘ NFL pre-game show, The NFL Today, next season.

Gonzalez, the ex-Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons tight end, will replace former Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino and former Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens tight end Shannon Sharpe on the panel.

Gonzalez, the first tight end to ever catch 1,000 passes, just retired from after the 2014 Pro Bowl.

“Having just stepped off the playing field, Tony brings a fresh and insightful perspective,” CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus said in a statement Tuesday. “As a future Hall of Famer, we are excited for him to share his knowledge, experiences and opinions with our viewers. Tony was one of the most respected and hardworking players in the NFL and a tremendous teammate. We look forward to him bringing these attributes to CBS Sports.

“While we welcome Tony, we want to acknowledge Dan Marino and Shannon Sharpe who have contributed greatly to the success of The NFL Today for more than a decade,” McManus continued. “Dan and Shannon are true Hall of Famers on the field and in front of the camera. As they pursue other professional opportunities, we thank them for their hard work and dedication and wish them nothing but the best.”

The news comes two weeks after CBS acquired the rights to air Thursday Night Football beginning this fall.

Gonzalez joins returning correspondents James Brown, Bill Cowher and Boomer Esiason. In addition to The NFL Today, he will also appear on Showtime‘s Inside the NFL and CBS Sports Network’s That Other Pregame Show.

Estefan to Appear on Winfrey’s OWN Series “Oprah’s Next Chapter”

Posted on August 3, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Gloria Estefan is getting the Next Chapter treatment…

The 55-year-old Cuban singer-songwriter will take a seat next to Oprah Winfrey for an in-depth interview.

Estefan will not only discuss her extraordinary career, a remarkable life that she’s developing into a Broadway show with husband Emilio Estefan; she’s also set to talk about the many musical paths she’s helped pave for other stars.

The seven-time Grammy winner is the latest musician to join Winfrey on her OWN show Oprah’s Next Chapter, following high profile chats with the likes of Justin Bieber, Usher, Rihanna and Fergie.

In the episode airing on August 4 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT, Estefan talks about how she guided the careers of Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony and Shakira, among others. In one part, Estefan tells Oprah how she fought label execs to release Shakira’s first English-language album, a record that went on establish the Colombian singer as a global star.

“They wanted her just to throw a couple of songs in English on a Latin record and I fought hard. I said, ‘Listen. This is her shot. You can’t do it halfway, you know’?” Estefan says. “An American audience is not gonna get a record that’s mostly Spanish because there’s a couple of English cuts on it. They’re gonna want to hear the whole thing. This is gonna work. I fought hard for her. Fought hard. And she sold like 13 million of that album.”

Estefan and Oprah sit down for a Cuban-style lunch at the singer’s home in Vero Beach, Florida, where they chat about Estefan’s upbringing as a Cuban exile, her rise into the mainstream, and that shocking bus crash in the 1990s that almost left her paralyzed.

Estefan, the Latin music industry’s premier female artist, has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide. She’s also in charge of a string of enterprises and a minor stake in the Miami Dolphins NFL team.

Ochocinco Agrees to Deal with the Miami Dolphins

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

He may have been cut from the New England Patriots last week… But Chad Ochocinco won’t need to file for unemployment.

The 34-year-old part-Mexican football star has agreed a one-year deal with the Miami Dolphins that includes incentives if he makes the team, according to The Sun-Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale.

The Dolphins announced via their Twitter account Monday night that they had signed the veteran wide receiver, and Ochocinco confirmed the news of the signing on his website, ocnnreport.com.

Ochocinco—who recently worked out for the Dolphins recently, according to the team’s coach Joe Philbin—was released last week by Patriots. He had 15 catches for 276 yards and a touchdown in 15 games last season.

“Thoroughly enjoyed the oppurtunity to play for the “Patriot” organization… fans were (expletive) wicked awesome, I wish all of you the best,” tweeted the six-time Pro Bowler about the news he wouldn’t return to the Patriots after one year with the team.

Meanwhile, at least one member of the Dolphins team likes the idea of having Ochocinco, a Miami native, as a teammate in South Florida.

“If we are able to get him on our team, I feel like he can bring a lot of wisdom and knowledge from a veteran standpoint,” running back Reggie Bush told NFL Network. “So, if we can get him, we’d love to have him. If not, then we’re just going to have to move on without him. I think he has a lot left in the tank. If we can get him on our team, I think that would be great for us.”

Ochocinco will be competing for one of five or six receiver spots on the 53-man roster, according to The Sun-Sentinel. He has 766 catches for 11,059 yards and 67 touchdowns in his 11 seasons in the NFL.

Iglesias’ Wild Thanksgiving Performance

Posted on November 25, 2011 by Tom Castaneda

It may be the end of November, but Enrique Iglesias kept things sizzling at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas this Thanksgiving.

Wearing a black hoodie, black & gold military cap and jeans, the 36-year-old Spanish pop singer performed a medley of his music during the halftime show at the Dallas Cowboys vs. Miami Dolphins game, including new single “I Like How It Feels.”

Iglesias’s halftime performance—which included a special appearance by Cuban-American rap superstar Pitbull—helped kick off the Salvation Army’s 15th annual Red Kettle Kickoff during the Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Day game.

It’s the 120th anniversary of the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign, which began on the San Francisco wharf in 1891 and has spread worldwide to raise money for people in need. Last year, the campaign raised a record $142 million, mostly in small donations from holiday shoppers.

Iglesias, Pitbull and rising star Prince Royce are currently on tour throughout the United States.

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