Former Adidas executive James Gatto (nine months), former Adidas consultant Merl Code (six months) and aspiring manager Christian Dawkins (six months) were all sentenced to prison yesterday for their roles in pay-for-play schemes designed to steer top recruits to Adidas-sponsored schools.
Background: The three men were convicted in October following a three week trial that included former Adidas consultant and AAU coach T.J. Gassnola testifying that he provided five-figure payments to highly-touted recruits.
The NBA announced last month that it would launch the Basketball African League (BAL), marking another advancement for U.S. commercial influence in African markets.
Why it matters: China's development of large infrastructure projects in Africa is often cited as evidence of the country's dominance in its economic rivalry with the U.S. But the U.S. continues to make gains in the creative industries on the continent, as entertainment, media and sports are becoming more important to Africa’s young, urban and increasingly connected population.
