☀️Ari & Shapiro ‘Waive’ ~$125M Payday as ENDEAVOR ‘Sells’ Assets to TKO
First look at Q3 cordcutting / PVOD price hikes emerge / NETFLIX loves the '90s
Mornin! This is Sean McNulty (connect with me on LinkedIn here if ya like), and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on THURSDAY, October 24, 2024.
Where Gen Alpha has spoken, folks — and their favorite brand is YOUTUBE, followed by NETFLIX and . . . AMAZON, at least according to a new study / survey by research firm BEANO BRAIN.
Yeah, Gen A — we gotta have a talk. Putting a shipping, cloud services and logistics company at #3 would kinda be like me voting for IBM or SEARS when I was 13 (assuming SEARS also let me watch NFL games in its stores — missed opportunity, SEARS!).
DISNEY is also on there at #13, but alas — no sign of WBD. Clearly this newsletter needs more Gen Alpha readers.
AND: If Wordle and Connections aren’t enough for you each day, NETFLIX is adding a TED Tumblewords daily word puzzle game to its app. See? Who needs expensive tentpole video game divisions?
KUDOS: To COWBOYS kicker Brandon Aubrey, who is missing practice this week to serve . . . jury duty! Management offered to try and get him out of it — I hear they know some folks in Texas — but Brandon insisted on fulfilling his civic duty, a sentiment you sadly don’t see too much these days. Well done, Brandon. Of course his main job happens when court is adjourned on Sundays.
AND: Yeah I gotta give a ⛳️👏 to the CAMPBELL’S folks for this stunt 👇, nicely done (and yes, you can order these online — 2 bags for $7.38!). See? Having some fun with one’s brand every now and then is a healthy thing.
WAKEUP BOX OFFICE POLL
SONY has the 3rd Venom pic this weekend, tracking around $65M. Last Venom pic opened to $90M in 2021 (original did $80M). FWIW, the pic is also in China this weekend, and had a very promising $9.5M opening day.
IN THIS EDITION
#CordCutting reporting season has begun, and the first Q3 indicator is not very promising.
A breakdown of what businesses ENDEAVOR is moving over to TKO, what’s left at ENDEAVOR, and why Ari & Mark are forgoing up to a $125M payday.
Studios are doing some eyebrow-raising price hikes on PVOD this fall.
ESPN+’s exclusive NFL game looks to be an audience disaster.
Plus a look at how the NBA season opened, and the effect of ABC’s massive college football games on the competition this Saturday.
📽 THE SILVER SCREEN
