EXCLUSIVE: The WWE is set to show off its media moves on Monday at both the NBCUniversal and Fox upfront presentations. It is hardly the first trip to the Madison Avenue ring for the wrestling circuit. But compared with 2019, the last time the upfronts were held in person, the WWE will be point to even more evidence of its stature as a sponsor magnet engineered for the streaming era. At NBCU’s presentation to advertisers at Radio City Music Hall on Monday morning, WWE Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair and WWE superstar The Miz are both slated to speak. At Fox’s afternoon event at Skylight on Vesey, Universal/WWE Champion Roman Reigns and WWE superstar Charlotte Flair will be two of the five Fox Sports figures in attendance. The activity follows the company’s strong quarterly financial report earlier this month, which showed a 27% upswing in total revenue as live events returned after the worst of the coronavirus pandemic. The WWE’s 2021 licensing deal with … [Read more...] about WWE Poised To Jump Off Top Rope At NBCUniversal & Fox Upfront Pitches To Advertisers: “We Can Script The Buzzer-Beater Moments”
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Disney CEO Bob Chapek Opens Upfront By Touting The Company As “The Most Powerful Force In The Industry”
Disney CEO Bob Chapek opened Disney’s upfront in New York by telling a crowd of several hundred advertisers that the company is “the most powerful force in the industry” and “the most enduring and beloved name in entertainment.” After a bumpy start to 2022, at least in terms of public perception, Disney has delivered positive results recently, reporting streaming gains and improved theme park revenue in the quarter ending in early April. The upfronts crowd has been anticipating the Disney presentation with particular relish since the news earlier this year that Disney+ is poised to add a cheaper, ad-supported tier. (Chapek’s remarks included a brief tease of that move.) “Today is a little bit like a homecoming because I started my career in advertising,” Chapek said. “Disney will be celebrating our 100th anniversary later this year, and that is an incredible milestone. I can’t help but think about this moment in the context of what this company has always been, what … [Read more...] about Disney CEO Bob Chapek Opens Upfront By Touting The Company As “The Most Powerful Force In The Industry”
Top College Football Star Jordan Addison Transfers To USC In Major Test Of New NCAA NIL Rule
The new NCAA Name, Image, Likeness rule ( NIL ) that allows college athletes to monetize themselves could be at a crossroads. Top college receiver Jordan Addison is transferring from Pittsburgh to the University of Southern California amid rumors of massive booster blandishments. He announced his decision today on social media. Addison won the Biletnikoff Award as the country’s top wide receiver in 2021, and is considered one of the most prominent college players targeted for next year’s NFL draft. His decision to transfer can be viewed as a marketing test for the value of a college football star, which could set off a huge bidding war next year for transfer talent that goes beyond anything previously seen (or unseen) under more restrictive rules. Typically, college football transfers are players disgruntled with their lack of playing time, or moving to be closer to home. In Addison’s case, his move is being viewed by some as akin to professional sports free … [Read more...] about Top College Football Star Jordan Addison Transfers To USC In Major Test Of New NCAA NIL Rule
NBA Quietly Returns To China’s State-Run TV For Playoffs, First Games Since Oct. 2019
ESPN is reporting that the NBA playoffs are back for China ’s TV viewers after a long banishment over controvesial political statements by an executive. The ESPN story by Mark Fainaru-Wada and Steve Fainaru said the return is not being trumpeted by the league, which declined to directly address the return. Instead, it gave a spokeman’s statement extolling the NBA’s right to “inspire and connect people everywhere.’ The story noted the NBA owners collectively have more than $10 billion in asset exposure to China, as well as doing $5 billion of NBA business in the country. That presumably includes broadcast and intenet rights, as well as merchandising and sponsorships. Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey angerred the Chinese government by tweeting “First for Freedom. Stand with Hong Kong” during the uprising in that city. ESPN estimates that tweet cost the league hundreds of millions of dollars. It also gave the league a black eye when it hesitated to … [Read more...] about NBA Quietly Returns To China’s State-Run TV For Playoffs, First Games Since Oct. 2019
Hulu Offers Basic Subscription For $1 A Month For First 3 Months
Hulu is offering new and select returning subscribers its basic, ad-supported tier for $1 a month for their first three months. The regular price of the service is $6.99 with ads and $12.99 for the ad-free version. The discount offer, which is tied to National Streaming Day, runs through next Friday, May 27. In reporting its financial results for the quarter ending April 2, Disney said it had 45.6 million Hulu subscribers, including 4.1 million on its live service. Average revenue per subscriber was $12.77 for on-demand Hulu and $88.77 for Hulu + Live TV. During the company’s quarterly earnings call with Wall Street analysts, Disney CEO Bob Chapek name-checked Hulu series Pam & Tommy , The Dropout , The Kardashians and Only Murders in the Building . Disney has experimented with a number of pricing and bundling strategies with Hulu since taking full control of the streaming outlet in 2019. It put Hulu’s basic tier in its popular bundle with Disney+ and … [Read more...] about Hulu Offers Basic Subscription For $1 A Month For First 3 Months
Aaron Wise Struck In Head By Flying Ball At PGA Championship, Finishes Round!
Getty Pro golfer Aaron Wise was hit in the head by Cameron Smith 's tee shot during the PGA Championship on Friday ... but somehow, he was able to brush it off and finish his round!! Smith was teeing off on the 2nd hole at the Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma ... when his shot went far to the right -- forcing him and his caddie to yell "fore." Unfortunately, Wise -- who was at the 7th hole -- didn't hear the warnings and was smacked right on his head. Here’s the tee shot pic.twitter.com/b5fH8s9fVP — The Fried Egg (@the_fried_egg) May 20, 2022 @the_fried_egg Wise ended up kneeling on the ground with a water bottle placed on his head after the hit ... but he managed to get up after a few seconds. "There was a little bit of ringing in my head and I was down on the fairway," the 25-year-old golfer said. according to golf reporter Garrett Johnston . Getty "That lasted for about 20 seconds. Then I felt pretty … [Read more...] about Aaron Wise Struck In Head By Flying Ball At PGA Championship, Finishes Round!