Pro Football HOFer TY LAW helped found a "children's trampoline park franchise" called Launch in the Boston area, where kids can "shoot down Space Invaders and race motorcycles at flashing banks of video games." But the "real attraction is the gym in the back, a blacklight-lit green and yellow world of trampolines, foam pits and ziplines." There are even obstacle courses that "resemble the set of American Ninja Warrior," but unlike the show, "when children fall, they hit massive air bags instead of pools of water" (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/18).
CELEBRITY MATCH-MAKERS: The N.Y. TIMES profiled California-based venture capital firm Lightspeed Ventures Partner NICOLE QUINN, who has been "nicknamed the 'celebrity whisperer.'" Quinn "scouts for emerging brands and meets with celebrities about their lifestyle brands." She has "been in talks with TOM BRADY and GISELE BUNDCHEN" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/17)....L.A.-based firm PLUS Capital "plans to co-invest in startups alongside its 35 celebrity clients," including Gold Medal-winning U.S. snowboarder SHAUN WHITE (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 11/15).
NAMES: Phillies LF ANDREW MCCUTCHEN was at a Pittsburgh-area Macy's on Saturday as "part of his Project Pittsburgh charity for High School Development Day." For two hours "prior to the store opening to the public, a group of 16 seniors from Milliones Pittsburgh Prep were able to pick out clothing to wear for postgraduate internships and job interviews" (TRIBLIVE.com, 11/16)....WNBA Chicago Sky C KAYLA ALEXANDER in August published her first children's book, "THE MAGIC OF BASKETBALL." The story "follows a young athlete named Kayla through her journey with basketball, which teaches her 'magical' lessons along the way." The book is "loosely based on Kayla's own experience as an athlete" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 11/16)....Patriots Owner ROBERT KRAFT and girlfriend DANA BLUMBERG were spotted in a suite at yesterday's Patriots-Eagles game (THE DAILY).
IN MEMORY: Former ESPN VP/Communications ROB TOBIAS died Friday at the age of 60 following a battle with brain cancer. Tobias retired in '15 after 32 years at the network, and in '16 joined PR firm CMPR to head up its East Coast operations. A post to ESPN Front Row called Tobias "exceptionally creative, very funny and warm," and a "mentor to many." ESPN Senior VP/Corporate Communications CHRIS LAPLACA tweeted Tobias was a "great man, a mentor to many, a guy who made us laugh every day" (THE DAILY).
