Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 10:16 AM on Thursday, August 29th, 2019
SPONSOR: Spyder Cannabis (SPDR:TSXV)
went public just a couple of months ago and hit the ground running
with 5 operating Canadian retail locations – and a 6th one on the way
via an 8,000 sq ft super store in Alberta. Most companies would be
ecstatic to have this number of locations – but Spyder just announced a
major move into the United States, with a 5 location deal for boutique
stores up and down the US Eastern seaboard. The news gets better. If
all goes well with these 5 locations, the US outlet partner has a total
of 39 locations across 20 states for Spyder to grow into to. Click here for more info.
(TSX-V: SPDR)
Alberta squeaks out title as Canada’s top cannabis market with $123.6M sold
Ontario, Quebec not far behind in new data showing sales since legalization
Gord Nichol shows off some of the products he bought inside RELM
Cannabis Co., in Burlington, Ont. on April 1. Alberta narrowly squeaked
out as Canada’s top cannabis market, surpassing Ontario by a matter of a
few million. (Dan Taekema/CBC)
Albertans pull out their wallets for legal weed more often than other Canadians, new data shows.
Statistics Canada has published new information on the amount sold at cannabis store across the country, from legalization in October 2018 to June 2019.
The sales data shows that Alberta comes out as the top legal cannabis market in Canada, with more than $123.6 million in sales.
Alberta narrowly squeaked into the top spot with Ontario close behind at $121.6 million, followed by Quebec at $119.2 million.
‘Best job of any province,’ retailer says
Alberta’s quick pick-up in the cannabis market can be attributed to
the province’s regulator — Alberta Gaming Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC)
— argues Darren Bondar, who runs a national chain of cannabis stores out
of Calgary.
“Alberta and the AGLC have done the best job of any province in the country,” the Spirit Leaf CEO said.
He notes AGLC had experience with private liquor stores, which helped
them co-ordinate the opening of 275 private cannabis vendors.
The province also runs a public website that sells and mails out cannabis products.
Ontario may soon surpass Alberta in sales, however. The province was
slow in getting stores open but expects to see another 50 open this
fall.
Another of Canada’s most populous provinces, British Columbia, saw
slow sales, coming ninth on the list. Smaller provinces of Nova Scotia
and New Brunswick, saw more money spent.
Canada’s first cannabis competition
Alberta can also boast the country’s first legal cannabis competition
when Hempfest Expo opens this October in Calgary. A big draw for other
international cannabis hotspots, like Colorado and Amsterdam,
expectations for Hempfest Cup are high.
The competition runs Oct. 11-12 at Stampede Park, and will boast
entries from big and little growers alike — even Canadians who are
(legally) growing plants in their homes or yards. Registration for the
event closes Sept. 12.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 7:39 AM on Thursday, August 29th, 2019
Entered into a purchase agreement with an arm’s length third party to acquire the Vendor’s interest in a development permit issued by the City of Calgary for the operation of a retail cannabis store and an assignment of the leased attached to such Development Permit
Vaughan, Ontario–(August 29, 2019) – Spyder Cannabis Inc. (TSXV: SPDR) (“Spyder” or the “Company“), an established Ontario retail operator, is pleased to announced it has entered into a purchase agreement (the “Agreement“) with an arm’s length third party (the “Vendor“) to acquire the Vendor’s interest in a development permit issued by the City of Calgary for the operation of a retail cannabis store (the “Development Permit“) and an assignment of the leased attached to such Development Permit (the “Lease Assignment“; together with the Development Permit, the “DP Assets“).
Pursuant to the Agreement, the purchase price for the DP Assets will
be $175,000, which will be payable through the issuance of 3,000,000
common shares of Spyder (“Spyder Shares“) at a deemed
price of $0.0583 per share. The closing of the transactions contemplated
by the Agreement is subject to the satisfaction of a number of
conditions, including, but not limited to, receipt of all required
regulatory approvals including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange,
the Company’s satisfaction of its due diligence results, inspections
and investigations and obtaining landlord’s consent to the Lease
Assignment.
About Spyder
Founded in 2014 Spyder is an established chain of three high-end vape
stores in Ontario, with stores located in Woodbridge, Scarborough and
Burlington. The Spyder brand is defined by its high-quality proprietary
line of e-juice, liquids and exclusive retail deals, dispensed in
uniquely designed stores creating the optimal customer experience.
Spyder is building off this leading retail, distribution and branding
eCig and vapes company and is pursuing expansion into the legal cannabis
market. Spyder has developed a scalable retail model with aggressive
expansion plan to create a significant retail footprint with targeted
and disciplined retail distribution strategy focusing on Canadian
locations in high traffic peripheral areas.
Cautionary Statements
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture
Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this
release.
Certain statements contained in this press release constitute
forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or
future performance. The use of any of the words “could”, “intend”,
“expect”, “believe”, “will”, “projected”, “estimated” and similar
expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical
facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based
on the Company’s current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and
timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ
materially. In particular, this release contains forward-looking
information relating to the satisfaction of the closing conditions
contemplated under the Agreement. Various assumptions or factors are
typically applied in drawing conclusions or making the forecasts or
projections set out in forward-looking information. Those assumptions
and factors are based on information currently available to the Company.
Risk factors that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ
materially from the results expressed or implied by forward-looking
information include, among other things: the TSX Venture Exchange
declining to accept the transaction, the landlord not consenting to the
Lease Assginment, changes in tax laws, general economic and business
conditions; and changes in the regulatory regulation. The Company
cautions the reader that the above list of risk factors is not
exhaustive. The forward-looking information contained in this release is
made as of the date hereof and the Company is not obligated to update
or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise, except as required by
applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and
assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance
on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly
qualify any forward-looking information contained herein.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
For more information, please contact:
Spyder Cannabis Inc. Dan Pelchovitz President & Chief Executive Officer Telephone: (905) 265-8273 Email: [email protected]
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 5:52 PM on Wednesday, August 28th, 2019
SPONSOR: Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. (TSX-V: EGLX) Uniting gaming communities with 80 owned and affiliated websites, currently reaching over 150 million monthly visitors. The company exceeded 2018 target with $11.0 million in revenue. Learn More
EGLX: TSX-V
What Are the Most Popular Video Games for Esports?
Esports, or electronic sports, compete with and sometimes even surpasses traditional sports when it comes to things like prize money and viewership.
This fast-growing industry is not just for kids either, as people from traditional sports, like Rick Fox, participate in the esports scene. These are the most popular games for esports and how they got so popular.
You can’t talk about esports history without mentioning South Korea, the home of esports.
In the late ’90s and early 2000s, when Americans were just starting to
use computers to surf the web, Korea invested heavily in becoming the
best place in the world for gaming. People played Starcraft with each other as a hobby. Eventually, it became so competitive they started playing for money.
This quickly blossomed into what we now know as esports. Although
Starcraft was replaced by its sequel, Starcraft II, the game remains a
popular esport in Korea and other parts of the world. Currently,
Starcraft II is past its prime, but it still has almost 2 million active players who’ve earned a total of nearly $31 million in prize money.
League of Legends
The story of esports then turned to League of Legends. Created in
2009, this game soon became the most played in the world, including in
Korea. Its popularity exploded, especially in China, and eventually,
League of Legends grew to have over 100 million players.
That said, Riot Games, the creator of League of Legends, has kept the
prize pools modest. Despite being one of the most-played games in the
world, the total prize pool, as reported by EsportsEarnings, is just
under $69 million.
Fortnite
Fortnite has taken the world by storm. With over 250 million players, its massive popularity translates into huge prize pools considering its relative newness on the esports scene.
Fortnite recently had its inaugural Fortnite World Cup, which had a prize pool of over $30 million. The winner, 16-year-old Kyle “Bugha†Giersdorf,
went home with $3 million. Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, is
investing a ton of money into the esports scene. So far, it’s already
paid out almost $72 million in winnings to its athletes.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Valve, the creator of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, or CS: GO for
short, approaches esports differently than others on this list. Valve
funds and operates large tournaments, but it also allows other
organizations to organize their own competitions. As a result, the CS:
GO scene is far larger than how many people actually play the game.
According to Statista,
CS: GO averages less than a million players. Despite this, it has
awarded over $80 million in prize money to competitors from around the
world.
Defense of the Ancients
Valve also developed Defense of the Ancients, also called DotA. Like
CS: GO, not many people play DotA, but its esports scene is absolutely
massive. According to Statista, less than a million people play DotA 2. However, because of the game’s many tournaments around the world, as well as The Compendium, which essentially crowdsources the prize money for DotA’s big tournament, its esports scene is huge.
According to EsportsEarnings, the total prize money from DotA is
almost $182 million. For a game with a fraction of the Fortnite or
League of Legends’ players, DotA throws a lot of money around for its
esports scene.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 5:18 PM on Wednesday, August 28th, 2019
SPONSOR:ThreeD Capital Inc. (IDK:CSE)
Led by legendary financier, Sheldon Inwentash, ThreeD is a
Canadian-based venture capital firm that only invests in best of breed
small-cap companies which are both defensible and mass scalable. More
than just lip service, Inwentash has financed many of Canada’s biggest
small-cap exits. Click Here For More Information.
IDK: CSE
Why Some Executives See Crypto As A New Business Tool
Executives are leveraging blockchain-driven currency to axe business process friction or fuel innovative products and services.
Signals are building that more organizations recognize its alluring features as fuel for innovative products and services, or useful for axing friction in the business process behind a transaction.
By: Jason Abdilla, Unsplash
Many executives see blockchain-driven digital currency as a terribly clunky payment vehicle or speculative investment. But signals are building that more organizations recognize its alluring features as fuel for innovative products and services, or useful for axing friction in the business process behind a transaction.
Unlikely Bedfellows Align Around Feature-Rich Token Projects
For example, a group of 14 financial firms
led by UBS Group AG and including Barclays PLC, Nasdaq Inc., Credit
Suisse Group AG , Bank of New York Mellon Corp., and State Street Bank
& Trust Co have created a new company, Fnality International, to
control development of a bitcoin-like token that the firms plan to use
to settle cross-border trades. The token, called utility settlement coin
(USC), is designed so banks can settle transactions directly with each
other without having to involve a third-party intermediary, removing
layers of costs and inefficiency. JPMorgan Chase & Co. is taking a
similar approach, creating a network of more than 250 members that is
working on a token called JPM Coin. Twenty eight brands, led by Facebook
and including Mastercard, Visa, Uber, Spotify, PayPal, and eBay have
created the Libra Association
to develop a token, which is named Libra. In so doing, unlikely
bedfellows are coming together to take on the extremely difficult work
of forging a new financial infrastructure, pioneering challenging
territory in joint governance, and navigating regulatory uncertainty.
What Is So Compelling?
Blockchain-driven digital tokens have very attractive attributes that
make it possible to do something totally new: merge business and
operational activity with the movement of money. All of a sudden, money
can be programmable—terms and conditions could be directly
embedded into how money moves from one party to another. While this is
certainly possible in today’s financial world, the potential to reduce
the cost of doing so to writing a few lines of code is tantalizing.
For example, the USC token serves as a messenger that includes the
data needed to complete a trade along with payment, which could cut
transaction cost and time. A key feature of Facebook’s Libra is a
programming language called Move that can be used to customize
transaction logic and create “smart contracts†that dictate the
conditions under which value is moved—an element which could fuel a
range of financial innovations. Imagine a world in which a few lines of
code ensure a transaction doesn’t take place until certain other
conditions are met—an asset couldn’t be spent until a certain time in
the future, or until a certain number of parties have registered their
approval. While moving this logic to code comes with a new set of
challenges (including the possibility of bugs and the open question of
legal enforceability), pioneers imagine digital tokens flexibly embedded
into existing products, used to create innovative bundling, or develop
completely new financial products.
Digital tokens carry other attractive attributes as well. They are
designed to be interoperable (they are more useful the more widely
accepted they are, and so token development is a race to get the
flywheel turning on network effects). They are typically traceable, so
they provide clear auditability, and hold the potential to settle on a
near-immediate basis.
By cutting out intermediaries, they also offer the prospect of a
low-transaction cost global currency. According to Bloomberg, retailers
are paying $90 billion in swipe fees on credit and debit cards every year. On August 14, supermarket giant Kroger stopped accepting Visa at 21 supermarkets and five gas stations because of what the company called “excessive feesâ€.
Digital tokens could eventually also serve as an efficient way to
shape and align consumer or partner behavior, functioning as a high value rewards system,
like a supercharged loyalty point. This has the potential to exert
influence across a wide range of organizations and business objectives.
Regulators Are Taking These Signals Seriously
UNITED STATES – JULY 16: David Marcus, head of Facebook’s Calibra
digital wallet service, prepares to testify during the Senate Banking,
Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on “Examining Facebook’s
Proposed Digital Currency and Data Privacy
CQ-Roll Call,Inc.
Momentum has been met with a heightened response from regulators and
lawmakers. Facebook’s announcement of Libra led to heated U.S. Senate
Banking Committee and the House Financial Services Committee held
hearings. At the hearings, Senate Banking Chairman Mike Crapo of Idaho
painted the complexity ahead, “Libra is based on a relatively new and
continually evolving technology in which it is not entirely clear how
existing laws and regulations apply.†The Financial Stability Oversight
Council, an umbrella group of regulators that includes the Fed, has
formed a working group to discuss oversight of digital assets. The Group
of Seven (G7) industrialized nations have elevated cryptocurrencies to a
priority issue, with finance ministers debating how global
cryptocurrency could impact financial markets. Bank of England Governor
Mark Carney even suggested central banks should consider joining forces to create a virtual currency
(based on a network of digital central-bank currencies) that could ease
the global economy’s reliance on the dollar and be used to facilitate
cross-border trade and international payments.
Suddenly, the prospect of whether this new form of money could
undermine the role of central banks or become a viable alternate to
national currencies had become serious debate. This acknowledges the
power and influence of the players exploring these new currencies as
well as the complexity of projecting how they would operate in the wild.
Canary In The Coal Mine?
Will these initial projects succeed or fail? It is too early to
project the outcome of such early work in the space, much less how it
could evolve as momentum builds. However, we are seeing clear signals
that there is hunger for the features and functionality
blockchain-driven digital tokens and currency make possible. And many in
the space are taking the position that it’s inevitable that something
like these early projects will ultimately come to market, even if the
initial attempts fail to make it through the regulatory gauntlet. It is
likely we will see a race for innovation in this space, one that could
blur the lines between the financial services industry and other
sectors, and even the role of nation-states versus corporations.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 10:59 AM on Wednesday, August 28th, 2019
SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment
$GMBL Esports audience is 350M, growing to 590M, Esports wagering is
projected at $23 BILLION by 2020. The company has launched VIE.gg
esports betting platform and has accelerated affiliate marketing
agreements with 190 Esports teams. Click here for more information
GMBL: OTCQB
———————–
‘Fortnite’ streaming star Ninja lands partnership with Adidas
“Fortnite” streaming superstar Tyler “Ninja†Blevins has joined another team: Adidas.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 10:37 AM on Wednesday, August 28th, 2019
SPONSOR: Tartisan Nickel (TN:CSE)
Kenbridge Property has a measured and indicated resource of 7.14
million tonnes at 0.62% nickel, 0.33% copper. Tartisan also has
interests in Peru, including a 20 percent equity stake in Eloro
Resources and 2 percent NSR in their La Victoria property. Click her for more information
Nickel touches one-week high on Indonesia worries, inventories
Nickel prices hit their highest in a week on Wednesday as speculators bought on fears of shortages from major producer Indonesia, while at least half of London Metal Exchange inventories were under the control of one party.
Nickel, mainly used to make stainless steel, has shot up about 50% so far this year, fueled by concerns that Indonesia will move forward a mineral export ban due in 2022.
By: Eric Onstad
LONDON — Nickel prices hit their highest in a week on Wednesday as
speculators bought on fears of shortages from major producer Indonesia,
while at least half of London Metal Exchange inventories were under the
control of one party.
Nickel, mainly used to make stainless steel, has shot up about 50% so
far this year, fueled by concerns that Indonesia will move forward a
mineral export ban due in 2022.
“The price rise is exaggerated,†said Commerzbank analyst Daniel
Briesemann, adding that the price gains were not supported by supply and
demand fundamentals.
“Lower exports of nickel ore should at least in part be balanced by
higher exports of higher-value nickel products, so the impact would not
be as severe as appears at first glance.â€
Benchmark nickel was the strongest performer on the LME, advancing
1.5% to $15,930 a tonne in official open-outcry trading after touching
$16,000, the highest since Aug. 21.
The net speculative long position of nickel on the LME had expanded
to 20% as of Friday’s close, a fresh year-to-date high, Alastair Munro
at broker Marex Spectron said in a note.
* NICKEL STOCKS/TIME SPREAD: One party holds 50% to 80% of available
LME inventories, data showed, leading to tight supplies in the LME
system, traders said.
They said this also likely contributed to a jump in the premium of
cash LME nickel over the three-month contract to $79 a tonne by
Tuesday’s close, the highest in a decade.
* NICKEL WASTE: Waste from a nickel plant in Papua New Guinea owned
by Metallurgical Corporation of China spilled into the adjacent Basamuk
Bay over the weekend, three sources told Reuters on Wednesday.
* CHINA RATES: Deteriorating Sino-U.S. trade ties and interest rate
reforms are fueling speculation China will start cutting key rates from
next month, but bankers expect borrowing costs to come down only
gradually.
* CHALCO: Chinese aluminum giant Chalco’s, production of the metal
fell more than 8% in the first-half of 2019 from the same period a year
earlier, data showed, highlighting the impact of low prices on Chinese
smelters.
* PRICES: LME copper shed 0.2% to trade at $5,673 a tonne in official
rings, aluminum dipped 0.1% to $1,758.50, zinc lost 0.6% to $2,259.50,
lead fell 0.7% to $2,085, while tin gained 0.6% to $15,850.
* For the top stories in metals and other news, click or ($1 = 7.0928
Chinese yuan) (Reporting by Eric Onstad; Editing by Ken Ferris and
Edmund Blair)
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 12:00 PM on Tuesday, August 27th, 2019
SPONSOR: Tartisan Nickel (TN:CSE)
Kenbridge Property has a measured and indicated resource of 7.14
million tonnes at 0.62% nickel, 0.33% copper. Tartisan also has
interests in Peru, including a 20 percent equity stake in Eloro
Resources and 2 percent NSR in their La Victoria property. Click her for more information
Nickel on track to close above tin for the 1st time in 9 years
London nickel prices on Tuesday were on track to close higher than tin prices for the first time since September 2010, buoyed by a recent rally in nickel prices and declines in tin prices.
Nickel on the London Metal Exchange (LME) rose as much as 1.6% to $15,910 a tonne in early Asian trading, surpassing the tin contract, which hit a fresh three-year low of $15,765 a tonne.
By: Mai Nguyen and Tom Daly
SINGAPORE/BEIJING — London nickel prices on Tuesday were on track to
close higher than tin prices for the first time since September 2010,
buoyed by a recent rally in nickel prices and declines in tin prices.
Nickel on the London Metal Exchange (LME) rose as much as 1.6% to
$15,910 a tonne in early Asian trading, surpassing the tin contract,
which hit a fresh three-year low of $15,765 a tonne.
If nickel closes above tin on the LME, it would be the first time since Sept. 15, 2010, according to Refinitiv Eikon data.
Nickel has been a rising star in the base metals complex, soaring
nearly 50% so far this year on the LME, boosted by worries of supply
disruption, solid demand and technical trading.
LME tin, the worst performer among all base metals, has lost 19% so
far this year due to weak demand. China’s tin smelters recently cut
production due to sluggish sales, low processing fees and reduced
availability of ore.
“I have never seen this during my career. Finally. But it is by tin
price going down. It should be by nickel prices going up,†said Yim Suk
Jae, a manager at STX Corp, which handles supply from the Ambatovy
nickel and cobalt project.
FUNDAMENTALS
* PRICES: LME copper rose 0.1%, aluminum fell 0.3%, zinc decreased
0.3% and lead edged up 0.2%. Shanghai copper rose 0.7%, zinc advanced
1.4%, lead increased 1% and aluminum edged up 0.1%.
* TRADE DEAL: U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday predicted a trade
deal with China after positive gestures by Beijing, but gains in metals
were capped as the bruising trade war shown a tendency to quickly
reverse direction.
* COPPER: Germany’s Wieland, one of the world’s largest copper
product makers, said on Monday it would reduce working hours at a German
plant from next month because of the slowing global economy.
* CHINA: Profits at China’s industrial firms returned to growth in
July, helped by public works spending and improved margins in some
sectors, but an economic slowdown and the U.S. trade war are seen
weighing on business outlook.
* CHINA HOUSING: China’s housing market is expected to slow this year
with sales forecast to drop, as Beijing steps up efforts to scrutinize
banks and provincial governments to keep a lid on lending and prices, a
Reuters poll showed.
* YUAN: China’s yuan weakened for the ninth straight session on
Tuesday, plumbing new 11-1/2-year lows, as dramatic twists in the
Sino-U.S. trade war left investors skeptical of the chances of a
near-term deal.
A weaker yuan pressures dollar-priced metals by making them more expensive for Chinese buyers.
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CBD based products are poised to be a $20B global industry by 2022
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—————-
Rob Gronkowski Announces New Line Of CBD Products, Leaves Door Open For Return To Football
Rob Gronkowski’s “next chapter†involves a campaign to get professional sports leagues to loosen their restrictions on CBD products.
Retired former Patriots tight end announced at a press conference in New York City on Tuesday that he has partnered with Abacus Health to launch a line of CBD products, after Gronkowski said the products changed his life.
BOSTON (CBS) — Rob Gronkowski’s “next chapter†involves a campaign to get professional sports leagues to loosen their restrictions on CBD products.
The
retired former Patriots tight end announced at a press conference in
New York City on Tuesday that he has partnered with Abacus Health to
launch a line of CBD products, after Gronkowski said the products
changed his life.
“I
immediately made CBDMedic part of my recovery,†Gronkowski said of his
post-retirement treatment. “And now for the first time in more than a
decade, I am pain-free. And that is a big deal.â€
Citing his countless injuries and his nine surgeries during his playing career, Gronkowski said he had no choice but to retire.
“[The
injuries] took an absolute beating on my mind and my soul. I was hurt
both mentally and physically, day in and day out,†Gronkowski said. “I
decided to walk away from the game for one reason: I had to recover.â€
Gronkowski
said his own results have led to him choosing to make a plea to
professional sports leagues to allow active players to use CBD products
to treat their own injuries.
“It’s just time,†he said.
Gronkowski
was asked the question that’s been asked by everyone and anyone over
the past few months: Is he returning to the NFL? Gronkowski got
emotional when answering the question.
“It’s
crazy. I understand. I feel that love. But I want to be clear to my
fans: I needed to recover. I was not in a good place. Football was
bringing me down. And I didn’t like it. And I was losing that joy in
life. Like, the joy. I’m sorry right now,†Gronkowski said, fighting
through tears. “But … I really was. And I was fighting through it. And I
knew what I signed up for and I knew what I was fighting through, and I
knew I just needed to fix myself.â€
Gronkowski
said his focus now is on achieving optimal health, and that a return to
the NFL is not in the cards in the coming weeks or the next month.
However, Gronkowski left the door open to a return to playing football, if he feels healthy enough at a later date.
“I
truly believe I can get to another level with my body, and I’m just in
the first stage right now,†Gronkowski shared. “When that time comes
down in the future, if I have the desire to play football again, if I
feel passionate about football again, if I’m feeling like I need to go
back on the field, I will go back to football. But as of right now, that
is not the case. It could be the case in six months, it could be the
case in two years, it could be the case in three years, it could be the
case in three months. But I truly don’t see it in the foreseeable
future, in like a week or a month. No. I want to do a different chapter
of my life right now.â€
Gronkowski
shared a personal story about the types of injuries he played through,
discussing a hit to his quad he endured during a Super Bowl. Gronkowski
finished the game and won a championship, but that was jut the start of
the pain.
“I
was in tears in my bed after a Super Bowl victory. … It didn’t make
much sense to me,†Gronkowski said. “I couldn’t sleep for more than 20
minutes a night, after a Super Bowl win. And I was like damn, this
sucks. It didn’t feel right.â€
Gronkowski said that in three separate hospital visits, 1000 milliliters of blood was drained from his leg.
“It’s
not normal. It was like record-breaking at the hospital,†Gronkowski
said. “I was like, you know I like to break records — which I do, I
think I broke records on and off the field non-stop, with injuries and
everything. That’s what I do.â€
Tuesday’s
press conference was initially announced on Aug. 13, immediately
leading to speculation regarding what Gronkowski’s “next chapter†might
be.
Gronkowski,
who turned 30 in May, retired from football after completing his ninth
season. He was originally drafted in the second round of the 2010 draft
by the Patriots, for whom he caught 521 passes for 7,861 yards and 79
touchdowns during his Hall of Fame career. He also added 81 playoff
receptions for 1,163 yards and 12 touchdowns in 16 games played, helping
the Patriots to wins in both Super Bowl XLIX and LIII.
Talk
of a potential Gronkowski retirement began during the offseason prior
to the 2018 season, but Gronkowski ultimately decided to play. He
announced his retirement in late March of this year, after making a
diving catch to set up the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl LIII
against the Rams.
Gronkowski also announced a new name for himself.
“Now, you can just call me Mr. Recovery,†Gronkowski said. “You know you like that name. Mr. Recovery, baby!
