Sports & Entertainment Beat

Welcome back to the Spotlight! As we wave au revoir to the rousing success that was the Paris Olympic Games, in which the United States racked up the most gold medals and highest overall medal total, and NBCUniversal saw its Olympic audience swell to the largest it has been since 1994, the Olympic torch has begun its four year journey stateside to Los Angeles. There, LA28 is set up beautifully to surpass the watermark set by the City of Lights – that is, if people can make it off the 405. What’s on tap for the City of Angels is sure to be even more advertising spend and sponsorship dollars than what we saw in Paris, for one thing. For another thing, California native Snoop Dogg—who became a staple of the past Olympic Games—will undoubtedly reprise his supporting role, with Hollywood cameos to boot. As for the events themselves, although breakdancing will not be returning to the Games (much to internet trolls’ dismay), flag football will make its debut—possibly with NFL players taking the field, while those craving a full contact sport may find themselves drawn closer fo rugby—particularly with the Rugby World Cup coming to America in 2031. But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. If recent history is any guide, there’s a whole lot of stuff that can go wrong along the way! On that dark note, here’s a Spotlight to lift you back up…

• • Not content with bringing home a gold medal from Paris, NBA All-Star Kevin Durant is bringing an equity investment in French Football Ligue 1 Champions Paris Saint Germain. It’s been a while since I’ve flown to Europe but it sounds like they’ve really spruced up their duty free offerings. 
     
  • Prime Video is debuting “The Money Game,” a docuseries following Louisiana State University most prominent NIL athletes including gymnast Livvy Dunne, basketball players Angel Reese and Flau’jae Johnson and Quarterback Jayden Daniels through their 2023 seasons on and off campus. A documentary about getting paid in college while getting paid to be followed said is notable, particularly considering how many people would pay NOT to have footage of their time at college released. 
     
  • Semiconductor company Qualcomm is extending its sponsorship of the English Premier League’s Manchester United Football Club through 2029. With that type of ‘chip’ reaching ubiquity in England, perhaps they’ll start referring to deep fried potatoes as “fries.”
     
  • Tennessee Titans Quarterback Will Levis, who (in)famously puts mayonnaise in his coffee, unveils a playful, albeit nausea-inducing collaboration with Hellmann’s Mayonnaise for a mayo-scented cologne. For his safety, Levis is advised not to wear the fragrance during games, because if ever there were a time to smell like mayo, it definitely wouldn’t be while being chased down by a 300 pound defensive lineman.

Welcome back to the Spotlight! After years of training and trials, our United States’ Olympians are assembling an impressive, gleaming mosaic of accomplishments as if their medals were tiles. In track & field, a new “World’s Fastest Man” was crowned, his name is Noah Lyles. In gymnastics, a hard-fought redemption was earned for Simone Biles, both individually and alongside teammate Jordan Chiles. Even in defeat, the pair generated smiles, in a show of sportsmanship and grace they bowed to the victor, in so doing, cementing courage in their profiles. I would be remiss not to mention swimmer Katie Ledecky’s continuing to stack up medals through butterflies, breaststrokes, and freestyles.  In the meantime, don’t forget USA basketball is in the gold medal game, so be sure to set your TV dials. Upon their return home, each of these athletes is going to receive endorsement deals in anything from technology to textiles and in their country be the opposite of exiles. I hope you enjoyed my poetic styles, and if you think I’ve run out of rhymes, I assure you I have them in piles. 

• • The US Army claims that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and his United Football League should refund the $6 million it paid for social media promotions intended to drive enlistments, when in actuality, no enlistments resulted from the promotions, and a number of enlistments may have even dropped out. Talk about being between a rock and a hard place.
     
  • With sights set on appealing to a new generation of fans, the New York Yankees are putting out their own original content in the form of an animated Saturday morning cartoon series. On the one hand, I miss the good old days of winning the World Series. On the other hand, the series will be required curriculum for my boys.
     
  • NBA All-Star Steph Curry stole the show on Thursday, as his mockumentary series “Mr. Throwback” launched on Peacock, while he played the role of Mr. Comeback in Paris, propelling Team USA—who trailed by as many as 17 points--into the gold medal game with a victory over Serbia. Excellently scripted if you ask me.  Oh and by the way, the national bird of Serbia? You guessed it…the eastern imperial eagle.
     
  • While recording artist Adele had a $130 million structure built specifically for her performance residency in Munich, Germany, another recording artist is paying $1.5 million to have his slapped his name on the side of a stadium, as Pitbull enters into a multiyear naming rights deal with Florida International University. The delta can almost certainly be attributed to there being more construction costs, and better pretzels and beer

Welcome back to the Spotlight! With our calendar pages turning over to August, we are right in the thick of the so-called “Dog Days of Summer” which get that name from the appearance of the dog constellation Sirius in the Northern Hemisphere. Siriusly.  For my longtime readers, you know it would be cavalier of me not to unleash an appropriately themed introduction (how farfetched!). For those barking up this tree for the very first time (first time collar?), allow me to be your shepherd. Though the tail end of summer may be approaching, I do not despair in melan-collie – for football season is near, and with it, the return of husky offensive linesmen and my favorite: wide retrievers. Of course, given that this space is dedicated to Sports and Entertainment industry business, I bet you have been hounding, but fear not, I will throw you a bone. I have the following for you to sink your canines into while I take a bow…wow.  

• • NFL star wide receivers DK Metcalf and Odell Beckham, Jr. catch endorsement deals with athleticwear and lifestyle brand Lululemon. Dealing with these peak athletes is both easy to defend and nearly impossible to defend. 
     
  • Two businesses pushing immersive, interactive experiences rake in funding, with Batbox a baseball-centric restaurant with tech-enhanced batting cages raising $7.5 million, and Cosm, a company whose theatre-like venues deliver a front row seat to media and entertainment shows and events to the masses, brings in $250 million in its latest round. Meanwhile, I am fully invested in microcosm, watching shows and events on my couch in the comfort of my home.
     
  • Online gaming company DraftKings shutters its NFT marketplace amid legal scrutiny and lawsuits, marking the first time that both DraftKings and its gamers saved money. 
     
  • Rugby continues its ascent in America as the U.S. Women’s Rugby Sevens win their first-ever Olympic medal, and on its heels, the Major League Rugby championship takes place this Sunday between the Seattle Seawolves (of whom Foster Garvey is a sponsor) and the defending champion (who you’ll just have to look up yourself).     

Welcome back to the Spotlight! The long wait is over… As unbearable as waiting a week for the next installment of the Spotlight, I am referring to the four year long wait since the last Summer Olympic Games. At the moment, the World’s elite athletes from all walks of life, each with their own stories and paths leading them to this point are descending upon Paris, France in search of Olympic glory under their respective flags. Many of the Olympians who are competing already enjoy their fair share of fame, while others – relative unknowns – will undoubtedly rise like a great soufflé (it’s all about the stuff peaks, folks) reach new heights far above the Eiffel Tower and open avenues more grand than the Champs-Élysées (or Marnier). Others will sink like a bad soufflé (again, stiff peaks are key) and flake apart like a perfect croissant.

And if for some reason, my romanticism isn’t enough to get you interested in the Games for which advertisers are shelling out an estimated $1.2 billion, then there is always the star power that NBC Universal is integrating into its Olympic programming.  For the final leg of the torch-lighting ceremony (which does not, to my chagrin, have anything to do with crème brulée), Snoop Dogg—never too far from flammable objects--will be a torch-bearer. Although the Summer Olympics do not have motorsports, there will be plenty of horsepower, with former Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts great Peyton Manning, and rapper Megan Thee Stallion playing sizable roles in the promotion of the Games. Additionally, comedians Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson will be hosting a highlight show throughout the Olympics (with Thompson hopefully reprising his role of “Pierre Escargots” from his All That! days). A little something for everyone it seems, and a whole lot of money—enough to fill the Seine (infinitely better than the…uhhh… crêpe that the Seine is actually filled with)—is riding on it.  

How was that for an Opening Ceremony?

• • Drawings by the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson, will soon be going up for auction, or as I like to call them, “Don’t stop ‘til you bid enough.”
     
  • Hydration beverage company Prime is hit with a lawsuit by the US Olympic Committee for use of the Olympics trademark and USA Basketball inspired branding for its limited edition flavor on which it partnered with NBA All-Star Kevin Durant. Not all that surprising Prime would be hauled into court given how notoriously hawkish the Olympic Committee is in protecting its IP — not to mention Prime being an especially attractive defendant due to its liquid assets.
     
  • The horsedrawn wagon is pulling out of Philadelphia as Wells Fargo opts out of its naming rights deal for the 76ers’ and Flyers’ home arena. Meanwhile, the bandwagon at Madison Square Garden has plenty of room for newcomers.
     
  • The WNBA and dating-app Bumble enter into a new sponsorship focused on forging connections through sports. You might say that they’re more than just friends

Welcome back to the Spotlight! With Summer in full swing, it’s hard to resist the lure of campfire s’mores (and central air conditioning). So it’s only appropriate that I discuss the marshmallow, the indispensable core and glue to the s’more, great on its own but elevating the components around it, here in the context of the Marshmallow Test. To those who are unfamiliar with the Marshmallow Test, the concept is that you offer someone (in my case, one of my sugar-craving children) the opportunity to receive one marshmallow now, or wait five minutes to receive two marshmallows. The idea behind the exercise is to demonstrate the value of delayed gratification (something many among us could stand to benefit from these days…). 

 
Last Friday, NBA all-star point guard Jalen Brunson, every bit the indispensable core and glue to the New York Knicks, great on his own but elevating the components around him, passed the Marshmallow Test of all Marshmallow Tests with flying colors. Although Brunson had an opportunity to extend his player contract with the Knicks for approximately $269 million in 2025, he chose to leave nearly $113 million on the table in the name of giving the organization flexibility to keep its team together while luring additional pieces in pursuit of an NBA championship. The move not only further ingratiates Brunson with Knicks fans, teammates and the city of New York (you might as well give him a key to the city) but it sets his team up for success and long term marketing potential. That, and he’ll be eligible for a $323 million deal in 2028 or $418 million in 2029. A marshmallow sweet reward for his delayed gratification. His parents must be proud. Fingers crossed that this post ages well.

• • Unscripted reality television production is facing headwinds in Los Angeles, with the primary motivating factor likely being that people have dwindling interest in reality.
     
  • Disney CEO Bob Iger and wife Willow Bay join an already star-studded ownership group in NWSL club Angel City FC, paying upwards of $87.5 million for a controlling interest in the team at a $250 million valuation– making the team the most valuable women’s professional sports team in the world.  To put things in perspective, that is roughly the price of a one week long Walt Disney World vacation for a family of four.
     
  • Having already introduced American soccer to his incomparable brand of play, Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi is introducing a new brand of sports hydration beverages called “más+ by Messi.” Will it stand out among the crowded field of sports drinks by imparting the consumer with Messi’s skills? Unlikely, but given the U.S. Men’s National Team’s unceremonious exit from the U.S.-hosted Copa America 2024 tournament, they can use all the help they can get.

Welcome back to the Spotlight! If jumping back into this space isn’t hard enough after a week off, the oppressive heat and humidity paired with mounting levels of existential dread due to [insert national or global event here] (Sad Libs is my version of “Mad Libs”) provide an obstacle the likes of which an Olympic pole vaulter would shudder at. Oh well, at least I have my New York Yankees to lift my spirits, right?…RIGHT?!?! (Editor’s note: the Yankees have lost 16 of their last 25 games). (Sigh…) For those who share in my malaise, I hope you’ll find some relief and humor by way of the clown tears below:

• WWE Pro-Wrestler and actor (not mutually-exclusive) John Cena announced that he’s hanging up his tights after Wrestlemania 2025. Though that would ordinarily mean it could be the last time to see him wrestle in a ring, if Cena’s catchphrase is to be believed, we’re still waiting on the first time to see him.
   
• Tiger Woods and Justin Timberlake are teaming up to open a sports bar in Scotland. It will be Uber-interesting to see whether the bar gets a Lyft from being so closely aligned with the golf legend and pop icon.
   
• WNBA Rookie of the Year Candidate Angel Reese seems poised to add Hershey to her growing list of endorsements, as her fanbase (who she calls “Reese’s Pieces”) now includes Reese’s (the candy brand).  So, don’t be surprised if you see Reese eating the Reese’s Pieces in the not too distant future – but you should absolutely be surprised if you see Reese eating her Reese’s Pieces.

Welcome back to the Spotlight! Even though the NBA season ended over a week ago, I’d be remiss if I didn’t recognize the building excitement for the New York Knicks’ prospects—on and off the court—for next season. If someone were to tell you that you could go to work with three of your best friends from college (and make tens of millions of dollars in the process), you’d sign up for that every day of the week and twice on Tuesday. That’s exactly the situation Knicks’ all-star point guard Jalen Brunson finds himself in as he is now set up to play next season with his fellow Villanova University teammates (and NCAA Champions) Mikal Bridges joins Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo. Hopefully they can leverage their chemistry to relive their championship glory, but for now, through media appearances including Brunson and Hart’s podcast “The Roommates Show” and countless other opportunities that await them, they can leverage their chemistry for entertainment and marketing value as well. Speaking of chemistry, honorable mention to the Los Angeles Lakers who now also have biology going for them as Bronny James was drafted to play on the same team as his father LeBron. All interesting dynamics to behold and something sure to provide fireworks for audiences and sponsors in the days ahead. That reminds me, for the immediate days ahead, brief note that in preparation for America’s 248th birthday (roughly the age of our next President, it seems) the Spotlight will take a breather and return the week of July 8. 

• • This Christmas, the Kansas City Chiefs will have a doubleheader, playing the Pittsburgh Steelers in the afternoon, and then taking center stage in a schmaltzy Hallmark Channel movie, “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story.” I can’t imagine where they might have gotten the inspiration for that film from…
     
  • The torch for the Summer Olympics is being lit next month in Paris, France. NBC has lined up an impressive list of celebrities for its broadcasts of the Games—lest they be torched in the ratings.
    
    
  • Major record labels—themselves wading into the artificial intelligence space of late—filed a lawsuit alleging copyright infringement by a pair of A.I.-based tech companies that allegedly train their software on the labels’ music. Incidentally the labels are represented by venerable trial lawyer Chad G. Petey. 
    
    
  • Cash hungry media company Buzzfeed has put up its popular celebrity and chicken wing-centric show “Hot Ones” up for sale at the price of a cool $70 million. To sweeten the deal, they’re reportedly willing to throw in free carrots and celery. 

Welcome back to the Spotlight! As we cross the Summer solstice and melt under the Sun’s searing rays of light, we at the Spotlight would like to remind you that too much light can be a bad thing (don’t forget your sunscreen!). Indeed much is to be said about the virtues of moderation. For instance, flashing and beaming stage lights shining upon you during your world tour are great – but adding flashing lights on top of a police cruiser and beams of light from a window-mounted searchlight. Pop icon Justin Timberlake is undoubtedly “in sync” with those sentiments, having just been arrested in the Hamptons this week for driving while intoxicated. Takeaways from this incident? Even the biggest, most seemingly polished stars falter – at the end of the day, they are human (and thankfully no one was injured).  For just about the entire entertainment ecosystem – brands, sponsors, talent and promoters--the immediate ripple effect is that there will be that much more attention paid to so-called “morals clauses” allowing for early termination in deals involving celebrity talent. For opposing counsel who might be reading this, I look forward to the dance. That all being said, the one light that you can never have too much of is the Spotlight (…right?) so I will just have to give the people what they want (I think…).

• • Women’s shapewear brand SPANX teams up with newcomer (not to be confused with Newcomber) League One Volleyball (or LOVB) in an apparel sponsorship deal that marks SPANX’s first sports marketing  endeavor. The brand is sure to be tested as its shapewear may be no match for volleyball’s bumps.
    
    
  • New Jersey became the first state to legalize wagering on “Car-Jitsu,” a sport in which people fight each other in a sedan.  Little did I know, growing up the youngest of three brothers, on long car trips, I was training to be a prize fighter and/or punching bag.
    
    
  • Battle rap competition series Verzuz, gets exclusive distribution through X (formerly known as “Twitter”) – which is great news for those hoping that the social media platform’s insults be by way of poetry rather than prose.  

Welcome back to the Spotlight! In recognition of Father’s Day this upcoming weekend, I would be remiss not to impart some learned wisdom while also dialing the dad jokes up to 11. If you decide to read on, then you probably have the same last name as me. For those playing ketchup (though surely by now many of you musta-heard), the hottest news off the grill this week is that the 16 time winner of the annual Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating competition (and presumptive 4 time recipient of a new heart valve) Joey Chestnut received some news that was just the wurst. Indeed Chestnut was rolled off this year’s competition. Namely, since Nathan’s relishes its annual brand spotlight (no relation), it has a real beef with Chestnut endorsing Impossible Foods, a purveyor of fake beef—including plant-based hot dogs. To put things in perspective, Chestnut’s deal with Impossible Foods is akin to Michael Jordan moving his buns from Nike to Adidas. To be frank, Chestnut’s representatives would have done well to consider not only whether his deal violated exclusivity or non-competition obligations owed to Nathan’s, but also whether they could cause heartburn. If this is some carefully orchestrated publicity stunt that ends with Nathan’s offering Impossible hot dogs in its restaurants, then that would sure be grate to make everyone may feel less sauer. As it stands, Chestnut is setup for a Labor Day one on one hot dog eating competition opposite his rival Takeru Kobayashi, which is to be streamed on Netflix. For now, let’s walk one footlong in front of the other into the next segment…

• • ​The Cricket World Cup is in full swing here in New York, with much fanfare surrounding an American team outperforming the expectations of many (including by beating heavy favorite Pakistan). While I’m still brushing up on the rules and terminology of the sport of British origin, I would expect swarms of capital to be infused into the sport here in the states. An infinitely better proposition than swarms of joro spiders (see last week’s Spotlight). 
     
  • Meanwhile, the cross-cultural exchange was in full effect with the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies taking Major League Baseball across the pond to London for what was by all accounts a successful endeavor. Smart move by the MLB not scheduling the Kansas City Royals—that could have been confusing. 
     
  • Speaking of Kansas City, the Chiefs organization must be relieved that a player made news this offseason for other than for committing a crime or making misogynistic comments, as Travis Kelce and his recently retired brother Jason acquire a significant stake in craft brewing company, Garage Beer. For my part, I’m relieved I did not have to mention T.S. (Taylor Swift for search engine optimization purposes). 

Welcome back to the Spotlight! You may recall from a few weeks ago that I bemoaned the playoff exit of the New York Knicks. This week, I am doing the same after the Knicks’ roommates, the New York Rangers met a similar fate. You might think that the silver lining is that less time in front of the TV watching 2 of my favorite teams will get me to spend more time outside to enjoy the weather. And ordinarily you’d be right. However, my time in the Sun will be short-lived (and my medicine cabinet full of vitamin D supplements), as I just recently read that an invasive species of hand-sized “flying” spiders known as “Joro Spiders” will be descending on New York this Summer. You truly can’t make this stuff up anymore.  Not a great stretch for the Empire State. The good news for those (like me) whose skin crawls at the very thought of these critters, a nice and sheltered air-conditioned room provides the perfect ambience for reading the Spotlight without threat of interruption of parachuting arachnids. If you do happen to see me out, it will be at Yankee Stadium with one of those umbrella hats, wearing a firm pair of steel-toe boots. For now, you can find me on the Web (lest I be found in a web).

• • Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving will be, as he has all season, wearing Anta brand sneakers on the court during the NBA Finals. The Chinese athletic apparel brand will seemingly be well-represented in the stands as well, with Irving offering an endorsement deal for his father. My boys have to step up their game for Father’s Day.  
    
    
  • Country Music star Morgan Wallen’s branded restaurant “Morgan Wallen’s This Bar and Tennessee Kitchen” in Nashville just ahead of the CMA Fest. With a fully stocked bar, three stages for live performances and down-home menu options, the restaurant seems likely to be a hit – just as long as the wait staff doesn’t take cues from his last album and serve “One Thing at a Time.”
    
    
  • Former members of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band Earth, Wind & Fire will need to pony up $750,000 for infringing the band’s trademark rights. The judge ordered payment by no later than the 21st night of September.