Fox Sports has made a strategic investment in Tom Brady’s entertainment and marketing studio Shadow Lion, TheWrap has learned.
The partnership will see the companies develop original series, films, event programming and digital content that focus on the intersection between sports and culture. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
The first project under the deal will be a docuseries about University of Michigan’s football program, where Brady is an alum. The athlete and former Michigan coach and current Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh will executive produce. Brady is also expected to appear on camera.
Fox and Shadow Lion will also collaborate on next year’s Fanatics Flag Football Classic, which will be held in Saudi Arabia and will air on Fox. Brady is planning to play in that event alongside other NFL stars and celebrities.
Additionally, Shadow Lion plans to open an office on the Fox lot and hopes to expand beyond projects focused on Brady.
Fox Sports’ investment in Shadow Lion comes on the heels of acquiring a one-third stake in Indycar owner Penske Entertainment for $125 million.
Fox Entertainment has also taken an equity stake in the vertical video platform Holywater, which will see the companies collaborate across original vertical video series production, ad sales and brand partnerships. It will also provide an opportunity to integrate popular Fox Entertainment IP for the vertical video format, including “storytelling extensions” for current Fox shows and remake projects.
Additionally, Fox Entertainment has taken an equity stake in BJ Novak’s Chain. Through a new partnership with Studio Ramsay Global, Fox will bring Chain’s food pop-ups, fan fest, slate of events and content creation expertise into its ecosystem.
The investment includes a first-look development deal through Chain Media, ad sales and brand sponsorships, IP integrations through Fox’s portfolio of Gordon Ramsay series and its Bite entertainment platform and potential vertical video series through Holywater. It will also help Chain expand its original IP, grow its team and event portfolio, and develop live experiences tied to Fox’s culinary properties.
