The optimistic outlook shared by many Venezia Football Club fans ahead of the Serie A team’s next season is truly something to behold, especially given the perilousness the longstanding Italian institution was facing as recently as last year. In a perhaps unexpected twist, those same fans should ensure a good chunk of their gratitude is reserved for Drake.
Indeed, as detailed in a recent GQ Italy piece by Francesco Paolo Giordano, a timely call from Venezia co-owner Brad Katsuyama to Matte Babel, who serves as Drake’s chief brand officer as a member of his management team, ultimately led to a solution for a beloved organization previously staring down potential bankruptcy heading into last season.
Speaking with the publication, Babel recalled the nature of that fateful call, stating that Katsuyama told him the club needed to raise an estimated 10 million euros in a matter of weeks, followed immediately by tens of millions more in subsequent months.
"Venice is an incredible city and Venezia has always been a special club," Babel said. "I spoke to Drake, then Brad and I discussed how we could help. Within two weeks we settled on terms, and raised the money needed to make payroll and avoid bankruptcy.'
As Katsuyama put it, Babel was his "first call" when he became privy to the club’s financial woes, due in large part to the "undeniable" value Drake can bring to any club.
The Drake effect doesn’t stop at fundraising assistance for Venezia, however, as the club also got new kits made in collaboration with Drake’s NOCTA brand.
The report comes after this week's announcement from Venezia that the club was renewing the contract of Filippo Antonelli, who serves as the club’s sporting director and general manager. In a statement, Antonelli acknowledged the strength shown in the 2023/2024 season while also looking ahead to what's next.
"The renewed confidence in me, in the technical area's staff and in the sports project, which began at the end of 2022, makes me proud and increasingly motivated to face the new challenges of the present and the future," Antonelli said Monday.
Drake, meanwhile, is fresh off tucking in a trio of new songs into the massive "100 Gigs for your headtop" file dump. The released proved to be a treasure trove for fans and pop culture news writers alike, complete with behind-the-scenes footage and more.