LeBron James and Drake are teaming up to bring "Uninterrupted" to Canada, marking the platform's first international expansion.
The Lakers star and Canadian rapper announced their partnership Tuesday with the mission of empowering "Canadian athletes to be more than an athlete." The platform was founded by James and his longtime business partner Maverick Carter in 2015 with backing from Warner Bros. and Turner.
“Expanding into Canada with some incredible partners puts 'Uninterrupted' on a global scale and creates new opportunities for even more athletes and fans to be a part of what we’re building,” LeBron James said in a statement (via Variety).
Drake added: “Uninterrupted has been an incredible platform for athletes to tell their stories and connect with fans. I’m honored to partner with LeBron to bring Uninterrupted to Canada, a country that continuously supports innovation and creativity.”
Still just getting started!!! 💯🇨🇦 #StriveForGreatness🚀 https://t.co/2Qr0wGzCWu
— UNINTERRUPTED (@uninterrupted) July 30, 2019
"Uninterrupted Canada" will be led by CEO Scott Moore, who most recently worked for Rogers Media and has served as president of Sportsnet for the past eight years. Chief content officer Vinay Virmani, who has a background as a film producer, director, actor and sports fan, will develop the platform's creative operation and content development in Canada.
"Obviously, it's a gigantic advantage. The doors that open when you have two partners like that, the people that want to be involved with the platform when you've got two partners like that, the possibilities are endless," Moore said (per CBC). "In Canada, where there is no other brand like this, we've got a little bit of green field for a bit. I'm sure there will be others.
"You've got the biggest musician in the world and, arguably, the biggest professional athlete in the world, it makes for a strong brand, that's for sure."
The company will collaborate with Shopify Studios to create content that highlights athletes and entrepreneurship. "Uninterrupted Canada" has already started developing it's content, including signing a deal with Raptors star Serge Ibaka that will feature a fashion project, Variety notes. It will also produce a series with pitcher Marcus Stroman, who recently was traded from the Blue Jays to the Mets.
“Drake understood the power of what LeBron and Maverick are building and the potential to do something special in Canada where there is real understanding and love for our athletes,” Drake’s manager, Adel "Future the Prince" Nur, said.
James and Drake have collaborated together in the past as the two helped produce "The Carter Effect," which is a documentary about former Raptors All-Star Vince Carter that debuted in 2017.