The night before the FIFA World Cup final, Sports Illustrated brought together some of the biggest names in sports, entertainment, music and fashion for its star-studded Beyond the Pitch New York celebration at Cipriani Wall Street.
The event marked the conclusion of Sports Illustrated’s Beyond the Pitch series, transforming the historic Lower Manhattan venue into a celebration of the growing intersection between athletics and popular culture.
Headlined by performances from 50 Cent and Diplo, the evening drew athletes, entertainers, musicians, reality television personalities and other cultural figures ahead of Sunday’s championship match.
Among those in attendance were Rob Gronkowski, Camille Kostek, Josh Hart, Jake Paul, Jordan Chiles, Cooper DeJean, Foodgod, Eric Adams, Jutta Leerdam, Meredith Marks, Roger Clemens and Paul Pierce.
The wide-ranging guest list reflected the purpose of Beyond the Pitch: showcasing how today’s biggest sporting moments extend beyond the competition itself and into music, style, celebrity and entertainment.
That crossover was especially visible through WWE stars Jade Cargill and Charlotte Flair, who spoke about the role fashion plays in professional wrestling and how it helps performers build their identities inside the ring.
“I base my gear off of fashion,” Cargill said. “It’s people like myself and Charlotte Flair, and we go out there and integrate fashion into wrestling. We try to do that every single week.”
For Cargill, wrestling gear is not simply part of the performance. It is another form of self-expression, allowing wrestlers to combine athleticism with individual style while creating memorable looks for audiences.
Wrestlers have increasingly used their entrances, costumes and presentation to connect with fans, often drawing inspiration from runway fashion, music, film and other areas of pop culture.
Flair also emphasized the importance of the relationship between sports and entertainment, particularly as professional wrestling continues to reach audiences beyond its traditional fan base.
“Being a wrestler, for us, people taking the industry seriously and seeing what we can do, the sports and entertainment crossover and people falling in love with what we do,” Flair said.
Flair’s comments highlighted the changing perception of professional wrestling and the range of skills required from its performers. Wrestlers are expected to compete as athletes while also entertaining crowds, developing characters and maintaining a strong public presence.
The relationship between sports and fashion extended well beyond professional wrestling.
Olympic gold medalist gymnast Jordan Chiles said confidence often begins with how athletes present themselves before they ever compete.
“A lot of the time, being able to represent yourself in the best way—you look good, feel good, you’ll play good,” Chiles said. “And that’s what fashion is, being able to really show yourself. You want to walk the carpet, you want to feel good.”
For Chiles, fashion has become another avenue for athletes to express their personalities, both on and off the competition floor.
Former New York Mets All-Star José Reyes has witnessed that evolution firsthand. The four-time All-Star said the emphasis on personal style has changed dramatically since his playing days.
“When I was playing 10 years ago it was different,” Reyes said. “Now everything is about how you look, how you’re dressing, and I love it. It’s good to see baseball doing that, and basketball has been doing that for a long time. To see that in baseball now… awesome.”
As professional athletes continue to build personal brands beyond their respective sports, fashion has increasingly become part of the conversation. From pregame tunnel walks and red carpet appearances to custom uniforms and signature collaborations, style has become another way for athletes to connect with fans and showcase their individuality.
That message echoed throughout Sports Illustrated’s Beyond the Pitch celebration, where conversations about sports extended far beyond the field of play and highlighted how today’s athletes continue to shape entertainment, fashion and culture.
Events such as Beyond the Pitch provide athletes with an opportunity to be recognized not only for their performances in competition, but also for their influence on fashion, media and culture.
Throughout the evening, Cipriani Wall Street served as the backdrop for that convergence. The venue filled with figures from across multiple industries, creating an atmosphere that felt equal parts sports celebration, fashion event and concert.
50 Cent brought New York energy to the celebration with a headline performance, while Diplo kept the night moving with a set that added to the party atmosphere inside the venue.
Their appearances reinforced the event’s larger theme. Sports and music have long shared audiences, with athletes appearing in music videos, musicians performing at major sporting events and both industries shaping fashion and culture.
Beyond the Pitch brought those connections together under one roof as anticipation continued to build for the World Cup final.
Rather than focusing solely on what would happen on the field Sunday, the event celebrated the cultural impact surrounding one of the world’s largest sporting occasions.
From the celebrity arrivals to the performances and conversations about fashion, Sports Illustrated’s Beyond the Pitch New York showed that major sporting events now reach far beyond the final score.
The night served as one final celebration before attention shifted back to the field for Sunday’s championship match, bringing together the people and industries that continue to shape the culture surrounding sports.
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