Welcome back or for the very first time (what took you so long?) to the "Sports & Entertainment Spotlight"! As the torch is extinguished on, by most metrics (television ratings, in particular) a fairly underwhelming Olympic games, we turn our attention (limited as it may have been) from the five Olympic rings to the three rings (of the big top tent variety) that never seem far behind Kanye "Ye" West. Specifically, this past week, Ye announced that his highly anticipated album, "DONDA 2" would be released exclusively on his brand new $200 platform called "Stem Player" – not on streaming platforms. Now, a few things interest me about this development (none of which being: Who did/did not make the album; whether a certain reality television star and/or a certain Saturday Night Live cast member were referenced in the album; why the album release date was not met; why the audio at the livestreamed release party left much to be desired; or that the Stem Player looks like an Aspirin-Mentos lovechild (the pacemaker freshmaker?). First, as has been widely observed, is that this a shrewd marketing strategy that could serve as a model for future music releases – Ye grossed $1.3 million in revenue within just a few hours of his announcement. Of course, $200 is a lot to pay for an album, but the value proposition in the Stem Player is not just that its users gain access to the album, but also that the Stem Player allows the users to manipulate and record the so-called "stems" or component parts of a recording (e.g., drums, vocals, bass, samples) to create entirely new remixes. Given rumors of Ye having turned down a $100 million Apple distribution deal for the album, clearly there is conviction about the technology's prospects. But putting on my lawyer hat, methinks the Stem Player could create a potential morass of copyright issues, for example, from users' performance or distribution of remixes of others' recordings. Any lawsuits related to the Stem Player platform could certainly hurt the bottom line, but I suppose that is mere speculation for now. Either way, I will keep tabs on the Stem Player and Ye so you don't have to (you're welcome). For now, I bring you this week's highlights, for which no purchase is necessary:
- The United States Women's National Team settled their equal pay lawsuit against the United States Soccer Federation to the tune of $24 million and a commitment to equalize pay with the Men's National Team. Your move, [insert your preferred organization with discriminatory pay practices].
- Former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, himself in of a lawsuit regarding discrimination and the application of the Rooney Rule, lands an assistant coaching job with the Pittsburgh Steelers, incidentally owned by... (check notes)...Rooney.
- Eight months into the name, image and likeness (NIL) era in college sports, the Division I Board of Governors is convening a review of the effects of NIL deals amongst other things, student-athletes' mental health as part of its efforts to formulate a lasting NIL policy. The Spotlight has exclusively obtained an unofficial draft of the report reproduced here: .
Endorsement Deals, Sponsorships & Investments
A Fresh-Faced Scarlett Johansson
Joins Instagram to Model Skincare Line
February 23, 2022 via Yahoo News
Scarlett Johansson has joined Instagram via her new 'clean and
effective' skincare line's page, The Outset, making her
fans very happy. The actor, who has never before had a presence on
social media, is due to launch the full product range on 1 March,
as unveiled by the social media account.
MLB Player Joins as Investor, Partner at
Local Sports E-Commerce Company
February 23, 2022 via Biz Journal
With the announcement of this MLB player joining the Guardian
Baseball team, the brand becomes the first sports e-commerce
retailer owned by a professional athlete.
Amtrak Returning to Sports Sponsorship,
Names Agency of Record
February 23, 2022 via Sports Business
Journal
Some five years after exited as a longtime sports marketing brand,
it is returning to the fold. After a review, Amtrak has quietly
named Hackensack, N.J.-based Source Communications its sports
agency of record.
NCAA Division I Board Calls for Review of
NIL Policies
February 18, 2022 via Lancaster Online
NCAA Division I's highest-ranking governing body called for a
review Friday (February 18) of how name, image and likeness
compensation policies are impacting recruiting, transfers,
academics and athlete's mental health.
Michael Rubin's Fanatics, Jay-Z, Meek
Mill, Lil Baby, and More Acquire Mitchell & Ness for $250
Million
February 18, 2022 via Complex
Michael Rubin's Fanatics and Jay-Z, as well as several other
familiar names, are among those confirmed to have acquired Mitchell
& Ness. In a statement shared with Complex, Rubin touted the
Philadelphia-based company as an "iconic brand" with a
limitless future.
Eileen Gu Scores Gold at
Olympics and With Brands Despite Controversy
February 17, 2022 via Women's Wear
Daily
With her medal-winning free skiing and can-do spirit, American-born
Chinese free skier Eileen Gu has dominated the media's coverage
of the Beijing Olympics. But that global fascination has also been
ignited by a streak of controversy.
NWSL's Kansas City Current Sign
Ticketing Deal With SeatGeek
February 17, 2022 via Sportico – Business
(subscription may be required)
SeatGeek is the new official ticketing platform for the NWSL's
Kansas City Current after the pair signed a multiyear partnership
that starts this season. Kansas City is the fourth NWSL team to
partner with SeatGeek, joining the Portland Thorns, Houston Dash
and Racing Louisville FC.
Sports
Marchand & Ourand Pod: NFL, Olympics
Wrap
February 23, 2022 via Sports Business
Journal
This week's episode of The Marchand and Ourand Sports Media
Podcast casts a wide net, taking a look at what's next for the
Olympics, the media offseason and Adam Silver 's comments on
limiting locker room access for reporters.
The Winter Olympics Are Won by a Small
Circle of Countries, Over and Over
February 23, 2022 via Bloomberg – News (subscription
may be required)
There's an exclusive club of nations that keeps winning the
Winter Olympics — which for medal hopefuls has proven
tough-as-ice to crack compared to the summer games, despite efforts
to bring more diversity into the competition.
U.S. Soccer, Women's Team
Members Settles Equal Pay Lawsuit for $24
Million
February 22, 2022 via The Washington Post
Members of the U.S. women's national team reached a settlement
with the U.S. Soccer Federation that will guarantee equal pay with
the men's team and offer players millions in back pay, ending a
six-year fight in a gender discrimination case that resonated
through American sports and beyond.
Brian Flores, Who is Suing the NFL, Will
Join the Steelers as a Defensive Coach
February 21, 2022 via NPR
Brian Flores, who filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against the
NFL and three of its teams, has been named senior defensive
assistant and linebackers coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
China's Gamble on a New Olympic
Strategy Pays Off in Gold Medals
February 16, 2022 via Bloomberg – News (subscription
may be required)
China's most successful Winter Olympics team ever is a motley
lineup that includes the son of hockey legend Chris Chelios, a
former child actor, and a Louis Vuitton model.
Music Biz
Voicemod Inks its Third Entertainment IP
Content Deal for Music of ODB, Wu-Tang Clan Founding
Member
February 23, 2022 via Business Wire - Top
Stories
Voicemod, the world leader in augmented voice and interactive
audio, has closed its third IP deal in collaboration with the music
of legendary hip-hop artist Wu-Tang Clan.
Why Artists Like
Springsteen And Dylan Are Suddenly Selling Their
Catalogs
February 21, 2022 via The Day
"The best things in life are free. But you can keep 'em
for the birds and bees. Now give me money." The Steve Miller
Band put it more aggressively: "Take the money and run."
It seems many of their colleagues are finally getting the
message.
Kelly Accuser Gets Priority in Fight Over
Sony Royalties
February 18, 2022 via Bloomberg Law (subscription may be
required)
A woman who won a $4 million judgment against recording artist R.
Kelly will receive royalties from Sony Music Holdings Inc. until
she's paid in full, while a company with a $3.5 million award
must get in line after her, an Illinois appeals court said.
Kanye West Touts $1.3 Million in Stem
Player Sales, Says Exclusive 'Donda 2' Release Sinks Apple
Deal
February 18, 2022 via Billboard
After announcing Thursday that his forthcoming album would be
streaming exclusively on his branded Stem Player, Kanye West (now
known as Ye) says he's raked in over $1.3 million in sales over
the past day alone.
Film & TV
Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby Discusses
Conference Divisions, Texas And Oklahoma, TV
Contracts
February 23, 2022 via Salt Lake Tribune
Senior Big 12 officials visited Provo for first time since
conference expansion. The Big 12 Conference is in transition as it
prepares for the arrival of four new member schools, including
BYU.
Contrast Among Alliance Leagues More
Apparent as Big Ten Looks to Media Rights
February 23, 2022 via Sports Business
Journal
The Alliance conferences, Big Ten and Pac-12, seem to "view
governance and other important topics through the same prism,"
but "no matter how it relates with other leagues, the Big Ten
is still the Big Ten," according to Scott Dochterman of
"The Athletic."
PFT Suggests NFL Sunday Ticket Could Fetch
$7.5 Billion/Year, but is That Even Realistic?
February 21, 2022 via Awful Announcing
Now that the 2021-2022 NFL season is over and Super Bowl LVI is
behind us, the focus is back on where it matters most (to the
league's accountants), what will happen next with Sunday
Ticket?
NBC Won't Profit on Beijing's
Least-Watched Olympics, but Hopes are High for
Paris
February 21, 2022 via Sportico – Business
(subscription may be required)
The 2022 Winter Olympics was less an unforeseen disaster for NBC
than something that, almost by design, was fated to be forgotten
even while it was happening.
NBC's Beijing Olympic Ratings Called a
'Disaster' for Network: 'I'm Stunned... There is
Karma in the World'
February 21, 2022 via Fox News - Latest
News
A sobbing Russian figure skater berated by one of her coaches for a
poor routine. Grim-looking cooling towers in the background of
acrobatic snowboard jumps. Diplomatic boycotts. Half-empty stands.
Announcers covering the games from Connecticut. It all played out
in a host country engaged in human rights atrocities that was also
the origin site of a global pandemic. For NBC, it wasn't
exactly Olympic glory in China.
Croatian Football TV and Media Rights Sold
For €44 Million
February 21, 2022 via Croatia Week
After the termination of the contract with Endorphin Magine, the
HNS management held meetings with companies interested in buying TV
and media rights, followed by three official offers to buy TV
rights – A1 Croatia, Hrvatski Telekom and Sportklub and AB
SportConsulting. At the same time, the SuperSport offer for media
rights arrived, HNS said in a statement today.
SBJ Unpacks: NBC Wraps Up Beijing With
Another Record-Low Olympics
February 21, 2022 via Sports Business
Journal
Tonight in Unpacks: The Beijing Games were the least-watched
Olympics on record, per SBJ's Austin Karp.
MGM Inks Development Deal With 'The
Mentalist's Simon Baker
February 17, 2022 via Television Business
International
MGM International Television Productions has signed an exclusive
multi-year first-look deal with "The Mentalist" star
Simon Baker. Under the terms of the agreement, Australian actor and
director Baker will look to develop scripted projects with MGM with
an international focus.
Tiktok Comedian Zoe Roe Inks Scripted Deal
With Invisible Narratives
February 16, 2022 via Tubefilter Feed
Comedian and influencer Zoe Roe is the next creator to forge a deal
with Invisible Narratives. Invisible Narratives, which is working
with the likes of Larry and Cherdleys on feature film releases
bundled with custom merch, has signed Roe for a scripted content
development deal.
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)
An NFT Bubble Is Taking Over the Gig
Economy
February 22, 2022 via Wired - Headlines
Argentinian musician Frank Tavis had the life he always dreamed of.
The 26-year-old was traveling the world and performing on the
streets and in bars in more than 20 countries — each coin
dropped in his guitar case helping pay his way to the next country
for five years.
Wrangler® Announces First-of-its-Kind
NFT, That Links the Metaverse With Physical
World
February 22, 2022 via Business Wire
Wrangler®, a brand that has spent the last 75 years dedicated
to creating the world's best denim, is kicking off its
milestone anniversary focused on the next frontier, the metaverse,
by releasing 75 digitally animated Icon-Tier NFTs featuring one of
Bridges' signature dance moves.
How NFTs Could Redefine the Future of The
Music Industry
February 19, 2022 via Venturebeat
NFT sales skyrocketed in 2021. From a transaction volume of merely
USD $40.69 million in 2018, NFT trading volume surged over $44.2
billion in 2021 and is continually shattering records and reaching
new heights.
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