This is how Drake saved Venezia FC

Venezia FC, the club from the Veneto capital, was saved from bankruptcy by Drake, the Canadian superstar who has already accumulated over 77 million streams this year on Spotify alone. As reconstructed by Francesco Paolo Giordano for GQ Italia, the intervention of one of the team’s partners, Brad Katsuyama, a link between the sports club and the overseas r’n’b giant, was providential.

As Matte Babel, Drake’s Chief Brand Officer, explained to GQ:

“I got a call from Brad, he’s a co-owner of Venezia and a good friend of mine. He laid out the problem in a simple way: Venezia has to raise ten million euros in a couple of weeks, and then at least thirty million euros in a few months, or the club will go bankrupt. Venice is an incredible city and Venezia has always been a special club. I spoke to Drake, then Brad and I discussed the details of how we could help. Within two weeks we had a deal, raised the money needed to pay the salaries and avoid bankruptcy.

Katsuyama added:

“Matte was my first call when I knew the club needed help. Drake’s value to any football club is undeniable, given his size as a global superstar and the reach of his brand. This intersection of culture and sport is exactly where we want to be and the chance to collaborate with a brand like Nocta, who moves along the same lines, is incredibly valuable”

The technical sponsor of the Venezia team “saved” by Drake is Nocta, a Nike sub-label created by Drake.