☀️NETFLIX WWE Audience Report, and What Sports Leagues Can Learn
Hollywood bets on Brandon Sklenar as new Powell / MGM+ gets into comedy / Cable TV news Jan. ratings
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 WEDNESDAY, January 29, 2025.
Where . . . uh, Sundance started this year, right? Just wanted to make sure I didn’t mark it wrong on my calendar. We’ll get rumblings of at least one deal at some point, yes?
AH: There we are . . . thanks NEON! The company appears to be closing in on a global deal for the Dave Franco / Alison Brie pic Together, for reportedly “near $15M.” Just how near? Well, that’s all part of the fun now isn’t it.
BUT: FOX has jacked the prices for the select Super Bowl 30-second ad slots that have become available last minute up to a new record of $8M (they were previously selling for a little over $7M in the heart of the buying season last fall).
The head of FOX SPORTS Ad Sales said that movies would have a lesser presence than usual, but no real specifics were given.
I’m gonna bet that Captain America and Superman will both be in attendance . . . and UNI is usually a fan of the game as well (Jurassic? How to Train Your Dragon? Wicked 2?).
Lachlan of course previously declared the game sold out in November — and given that the ‘people familiar with the matter’ today are claiming around 10 spots were sold for the new $8M price . . . you’ll now know why every possible break in playing action whatsoever is stuffed with an ad. This game just keeps getting better and better.
THEN: SIRIUSXM is one again enacting layoffs, this time about 100 folks (under 2% of the workforce) according to Axios.
OH: APPLE is working to make iPhones compatible with Elon’s STARLINK satellite phone service in remote areas.
NEW UI, WHO DIS?: WBD finally wisely got rid of its MAX vertical and horizontal 2-menu system, and has adjusted to basically what everyone else does (one vertical menu on the left side).
Kudos on making “Sports” stand out more (and lessening the B/R part which is confusing) . . . but poor CNN is still getting the “News Beta” treatment — come on, folks. It’s right there!
A THANKS: To the folks at TUBI for my first FAST premiere invitation in NYC last night! Between this and Rushfield at the Oscars — we have you well covered, folks. The series will follow the Super Bowl on TUBI next Sunday.
IN THIS EDITION:
Now that the hype has subsided . . . how is the WWE, ya know, actually doing on NETFLIX? Dive into the view numbers to know, plus the WWE viewer trends on broadcast and cable TV — and what sports leagues with new deals on the horizon should learn from the data.
Hollywood is clearly putting its hopes on Brandon Sklenar as the new guy to call now that Glen Powell is booked out — he’s having quite a January, with a big spring ahead.
Foxx & Diaz won’t quite catch Carry-On . . . but the numbers in week 2 show great promise, as a French action pic continues its tear and “NETFLIX as the babysitter” trends continue.
MGM+ adds to its series roster, the NFL’s high and low Sunday, how the new made-up sports leagues are doing on TV and much more. Busy day — let’s get moving.
🎥 THE SILVER TV 📺
