☀️NETFLIX KO’s Jake Paul Match, Expands Video Pod Talks
SPOT ad 💰 challenges continue / NBA on NBC wk 2 takes #s hit / FX sets spinoff
Mornin! This is Sean McNulty (connect with me on LINKEDIN here if ya like or email me at seanmcnultynyc@gmail.com), and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on Tuesday, November 4, 2025.
Where enjoy your right to vote today! Especially while we still have it. And remember — when in doubt . . .
AND: PARAMOUNT extended Jon Stewart’s TDS deal for another year / through December 2026 (still Mondays-only).
So this continued COMEDY CENTRAL investment paired with the big South Park deal, and MTV making its first move at a potential new programming future (✌️Ridiculousness) — a few early signs of the new PAR regime still investing in the cable brands it believes in.
UH: The beginning of . . .? 🤷♂️ Way to keep the “enigma” thing going strong.
YAH: OPENAI set a deal to pay AMAZON $38B for essentially use of its NVIDIA chips (AMAZON WEB SERVICES) in a deal described as having “continued growth over the next seven years,” adding to the list of massive vendor deals it has made this year, with spending commitments now totaling over $1T.
OPENAI’s annualized revenue rate is estimated to be at . . . $13B (although Sam Altman says its “well more” than that, without giving further specifics).
ALTHOUGH: Its actual H1 2025 revenue was $4.3B according to The Information.
70% of that comes from folks paying $20 a month (i.e. not business clients but “everyday” folks) according to the FT.
So, sure — $1T in spending commitments sounds about right.
YUP: OPENAI is also now looking to make SORA deals with brands so users can incorporate their mascots and IP in videos — uh, this time with guardrails.
Folks were already doing so when OPENAI unleashed SORA 2 on the world . . . having a lotta fun in particular with Ronald McDonald that the MCDONALD’S folks probably weren’t lovin’.
WWE wrestlers were also being utilized in some . . . questionable SORA videos — as for TKO’s interest in a deal, an exec told the WSJ that “Clear, effective and robust safeguards, transparency, and fair compensation for use” would need to be in place before any kind of deal was considered. No real specifics about that last part.
PLUS: AMAZON PRIME is offering an exclusive bundle of AMC+, STARZ and its own MGM+ for $20 a month.
SO: L.A. CLIPPERS owner Steve Ballmer has been sued by 11 investors in ASPIRATION, the company at the center of the Kawhi Leonard controversy . . . for doing pretty much what everyone said they did (essentially giving Leonard huge payments for a no-show “marketing”/spokesperson deal signed when Leonard joined the CLIPPERS).
OH: A UFC fighter was released from his contract with the organization after suspicions arose of throwing a fight on Saturday night’s UFC Fight Night event.
Several gambling apps refunded bets made on the fight.
THEN: FOS puts the payouts to college football coaches who were fired for being terrible at their jobs at $1B over the past 11 years (the CFP era).
OF NOTE: A Republican Washington Congressman put forth a bill to limit college coach salaries at 10x the price of the school’s tuition . . . which is probably great news for YALE’s coach, but maybe not great elsewhere.
STAT: Brian Daboll, coach of the NY GIANTS — one of the NFL’s most highly valued teams in the largest U.S. market — is paid $5M a year.
Hugh Freeze, the recently fired coach of AUBURN UNIVERSITY, was being paid $6.5M a year, and will be paid an extra $16M as part of his firing. His record the last 3 years was 15-19 and 6-16 in the SEC.
While new law ideas are great (and will go nowhere), perhaps a “paid in success” bonus structure change would at least be a start. Jason Blum, any chance you can offer some deal structure points to start?
KEEP IN MIND: College football teams get $4M for making the playoffs (CFP) and at least $4M more for every round they win . . . plus $3M for “expenses” on top of that. Just remember to find a way to share a little of that around to the players, too, after the coach’s cut, of course.
REST IN PEACE: Goes out to big screen talent Diane Ladd, who died at the age of 89 yesterday.
Former VP Dick Cheney also passed away at the age of 84.
🎥 THE SILVER SCREEN
