The Avatar Company Has Already Partnered with Premier Brands Such as Gucci and New Balance, Along With the MLB and NFL Players Associations

Referred to as “Instagram’s Favorite Avatar”, Genies Works with Top Celebrities and Athletes like Carmelo Anthony, Russell Westbrook, Jared Goff, Devin Booker, Jennifer Lopez and Rihanna

LOS ANGELES – January 16, 2020 - Genies, Inc., an innovative digital avatar company that recently announced the world's first Avatar Agency and launched its platform on all social media and chat platforms (currently ranks as #2 worldwide in the Social Networking category), has completed a deal with the NBPA. The partnership will allow all NBA players access into the Genies Avatar Agency and integrate the NBA players’ likenesses into the Genies consumer app.

The NBPA will also be featured as an organization on the Genies roster, creating an efficient way for brands to work with players. Through their Genie, players will be able to take on new brand partnerships without ever needing to be present for shoots or production.

The deal with the NBPA will give Genies users the ability to adorn their avatars in apparel that reps their favorite NBA players. By accessing the likeness of players through the NBPA relationship, Genies will also be releasing Verified Actions for users to share their favorite players’ most iconic celebrations and branded phrases.

“We’ve been working with a few top NBA players and other players associations over the past year, so bringing on the NBPA as a partner of Genies was a simple and exciting process,” stated Allison Sturges, Managing Director of the Avatar Agency. “Genies have proven to be the ultimate branding experience for athletes across the world and our partnership with the NBPA is going to further that message and footprint.”

“We are thrilled to be working with Genies to expand the players’ group licensing rights into this unique digital space,” added Josh Goodstadt, EVP of Licensing for the NBPI, the commercial arm of the NBPA. “This partnership will allow active players along with their representation to work with Genies to access their digital brands and seek out paid partnerships. We look forward to collaborating with Genies team to bring these opportunities to players and optimize their digital representation.”

For more information, please visit genies.com.

ABOUT GENIES, INC.: Genies, Inc. is an avatar technology company based in Venice, Calif. Akash Nigam and Evan Rosenbaum, both 26, started Genies in 2016. Genies has raised $30 million in capital from an eclectic group of venture capital firms and angel investors and currently employees 30 people, the majority of whom are engineers, illustrators, and animators.

About the NBPA

The National Basketball Players Association is the union for current professional basketball players in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Established in 1954, the NBPA’s mission is to protect and support the rights and talents of our players, magnify the power of their collective will, and amplify their voices as leaders who will transcend sport and society globally.

The NBPA advocates on behalf of the best interests of all NBA players, including the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements, the filing of grievances on behalf of the players, or counseling players on benefits, educational and post-NBA career opportunities. Business opportunities are generated by the NBPI, the subsidiary of the NBPA charged with managing the players’ group licensing rights.

Dedicated to preserving the legacy of its members, the NBPA Foundation provides support and assistance to persons, communities and organizations around the world that seek to improve the lives of those in need.

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