Deal Brief · Week of Aug 3
Tracking the deals shaping the business of culture.
Investments
Chan Ho Park and BTS’s Suga buy a minority stake in the Athletics
Through investment group Team61, the former MLB pitcher and the BTS member are taking a minority position in the A’s — with actors Ken Jeong and Daniel Dae Kim also in the group. Park, the first Korean to play in the majors, becomes the first Korean to buy into an MLB club and takes on a senior adviser role to owner John Fisher.
Virat Kohli takes a 28% stake in fitness chain Vault
Kohli and his brother Vikas formalized a combined 28% equity stake in the premium fitness chain, backing its franchise-led expansion across India. Vault has passed 30,000 members across 30 clubs and is targeting more than 50 by the end of 2026.
Fundraising and acquisitions
Iskra Lawrence’s Saltair sells majority stake to TSG Consumer
PE firm TSG Consumer is acquiring a majority stake in Saltair, the body-care brand Lawrence founded in 2022. She stays on as chief community advocate.
New ventures
Jake Paul launches a family office at Dallas’s Old Parkland
Paul is opening a family office at the Old Parkland campus, tapping former Merrill Lynch director Laura Brady to run it. The firm goes past wealth management — it’s built as an investment and venture-building vehicle spanning AI, defense tech, consumer brands, sports, and real estate, and a platform to scale companies across Paul’s broader ecosystem.
Lewis Hamilton opens his first trading card store
Card Culture by Lewis Hamilton opened its flagship in Frankfurt, built with Dave & Adam’s Card World as a premium retail experience. A collector since childhood, the seven-time F1 champion is positioning it as a bet on the future of the category.
Ice Spice debuts her first fragrance, In Ha Mood
Developed with Revlon, Ice Spice’s debut scent launched on Ulta Beauty’s TikTok Shop.
Brand endorsements
Zendaya becomes the face of Prada Paradoxe
Prada Beauty named Zendaya global ambassador for its Paradoxe fragrance — a scent she says she wore long before the brand approached her, discovered through a friend and turned into her signature.
MS Dhoni becomes the new face of Malabar Gold & Diamonds
The retired India captain signed a long-term deal anchoring the retailer’s “Responsible Jeweller” campaign across its 445 showrooms in 14 countries.
Lee Hyun-joong signs a three-year deal with Nike
The South Korea national-team forward will receive footwear, apparel, and equipment from Nike over three years, and take part in the brand’s global campaigns and marketing.
Roger Vivier names Tan Jianci global ambassador
The French luxury footwear house appointed the Chinese actor and singer its new ambassador, with a role spanning campaigns and personal interpretations of the brand’s archive.
Elsa Hosk becomes the face of haircare brand Lunesi
The Swedish model signed on as global brand ambassador for the premium haircare brand.
Sanju Samson joins Al Ansari Exchange as brand ambassador
The Indian international signed a one-year deal covering advertising, digital content, appearances, and customer engagement.
Roles and appointments
Eddie Pope joins the MLS front office
The former MLS and U.S. Men’s National Team star was named SVP of sporting development for MLS and SVP of competition & operations for MLS Next Pro, overseeing development pathways and the long-term vision for MLS Next Pro.
Jake Paul's family office is the real story here, not another brand deal. He's not building a bigger personal brand anymore, he's building the infrastructure that lets him back and scale other people's businesses across AI, defense tech, consumer, sports and real estate. That's the move most athletes and creators skip - they cash the endorsement money instead of turning it into a vehicle that keeps deploying long after the attention fades. Virat Kohli taking a 28% stake in Vault is the same logic at the operating level - that's not a paid post, that's an actual seat in the business.