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☆ CNBC Sport: A responsible look at women's sports exuberance
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-03 | by ( Alex Sherman | In Alex-Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +28 min

Media landscape shifts Most of the value in professional sports is propelled by media rights deals, and we're in an unusual sweet spot right now for sports. Still, gaining access to 11 teams' media rights is probably in the league's long-run best interest. You have the WNBA rights term worth $2.2 billion over 11 years with league expansion going from 12 to 15 teams. Media landscape shifts Most of the value in professional sports is propelled by media rights deals, and we're in an unusual sweet spot right now for sports. Still, gaining access to 11 teams' media rights is probably in the league's long-run best interest.

Persons: Alex Sherman, Jeff Zucker, Patrick Whitesell, Zucker, Scripps –, it's, Alex Michael, he's, Michael, they're, There's, Caitlin Clark, Michael said, weathers, AEW, I'm, Tony Khan —, he'd, Khan, US Networks Kathleen Finch, Max, hasn't, Finch, Rob Manfred, doesn't, CNBC's Lillian Rizzo, Craig Kilborn, Barrett, Jackson, Caitlin Clark's, You've, Soccer League's Nielsen, Tom Brady, Father, Brady, Jess Golden, Michael Jordan, Libs, Jim France, OneFootball, Lionel Messi, Jessica Pegula, CNBC's, Venu, Fubo, Venu …, Nike, Matthew Friend, John Donahoe, Elliott Hill, Sabrina Ionescu –, Jane Hali, Jessica Ramirez, AE1, Gabrielle Fonrouge, Ariel Atkins, DiDi Richards, Craig Hudson Organizations: CNBC, Endeavor, WNBA, NCAA, National Women's Soccer League, Amazon, CBS, ESPN, Scripps, NBA, Fox, NBC, Apple, Google, MLS, Clark, Warner Bros ., TNT, TBS, Warner Bros, Discovery, US Networks, Diamond Sports Group, U.S, Bankruptcy, Southern, Southern District of, Major League Baseball, Atlanta Braves, MLB, Holdings, UFC, WWE, WME Sports, ATP, Miami, NCAA Women's, Soccer, Angel City FC, NFL, Premier League, Netflix, Tech, CNBC Sport, Father Time, NASCAR, Motorsports, Major League Soccer, American, NHL, Buffalo Sabres, Bills, Disney, International Center for Law & Economics, Nike, New York Liberty, Air Force, Air Jordan, League Men's NCAA, Gonzaga, Pac, West Coast Conference, FloSports, Sports, Indiana Fever, Washington Mystics, Capital, Washington , D.C, Washington Post Locations: York City, Southern District, Southern District of Texas, OpenBet, U.S, Kobe, Washington ,

☆ EchoStar to sell Dish to DirecTV, combining major pay-TV providers
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-30 | by ( Kristian Burt | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

EchoStar is selling its Dish TV provider and digital business Sling to rival DirecTV in a deal announced Monday that brings together two of the largest pay-TV providers. Combined, DirecTV and Dish will serve close to 20 million customers, according to Reuters. The content distribution industry as a whole has been on a major decline, Akhavan said, and distribution companies such as Dish and DirecTV have fallen behind other platforms with newer technologies and wider reach. Also on Monday, AT&T announced it would sell its entire 70% stake in DirecTV to private equity firm TPG for $7.9 billion. The possibility of a merger between Dish and DirecTV has been rumored for decades.

Persons: Hamid Akhavan, CNBC's, Akhavan, EchoStar, — CNBC's Lillian Rizzo, Alex Sherman Organizations: DirecTV, Dish, Reuters, T, TPG, General Motors, Hughes Electronics, Federal Communications Commission, Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation

☆ EchoStar nears deal to sell Dish to DirecTV with $2 billion debt payment looming
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-27 | by ( Alex Sherman | In Alex-Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The combination of Dish and DirecTV has been rumored for years and nearly happened in 2002 until it collapsed under regulatory pressure. The prospect of a future EchoStar bankruptcy and deal approval from creditors make the completion of a deal complicated. EchoStar has a total enterprise value of about $31 billion and a market capitalization of about $7.6 billion. Dish ended its last quarter with 6.1 million satellite subscribers and 2 million customers for Sling TV, Dish's over-the-internet package of linear networks. DirecTV has also felt the pain, losing millions of subscribers since AT&T bought the company in 2015 for $67 billion with debt.

Persons: Charlie Ergen, EchoStar, MoffettNathanson's Craig Moffett, — CNBC's Lillian Rizzo Organizations: Dish Network, DirecTV, TPG, AT, Dish, Satellite, Netflix, Disney, Amazon Prime, Sling, T, CNBC, ESPN

☆ WNBA hopes to cash in on rising popularity with media rights reevaluation after 2028 season
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-26 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The WNBA's new media rights deal includes a price reevaluation after the 2028 season to account for the league's rising popularity, according to people familiar with the agreement. The WNBA deal has been negotiated within a broader $77 billion NBA agreement with media partners announced earlier this week. Instead, the NBA worked with Endeavor Group's media consulting team, led by Karen Brodkin and Hillary Mandel, to assess the value of WNBA rights, said the people. The media partners aren't forced to pay more based on the conclusion of the reevaluation, but they will be incentivized to do so, the people said. A little more than halfway through its current season, the WNBA has already had 16 nationally televised games break the 1 million viewership mark — a league record.

Persons: Brionna Jones, Los Angeles, Cameron Brink, —, Karen Brodkin, Hillary Mandel, Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, aren't, Cathy Engelbert, Ion, — CNBC's Lillian Rizzo, Jess Golden Organizations: Connecticut Sun, Los, Los Angeles Sparks, Sparks, Sun, Mohegan Sun Arena, WNBA, — Disney, NBA, Endeavor, Amazon, Scripps, CNBC Locations: Connecticut, Uncasville , CT

☆ Amazon's appearance at Upfronts highlights push beyond digital ads and into traditional media
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Annie Palmer | In Annierpalmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

But it's no longer just about digital ad dollars, and Amazon's inaugural presence at this year's Upfronts events is the clearest indication that the e-commerce giant is prepared to take on traditional media. Amazon's Prime Video and other streamers would historically be featured at Newfronts, which is digital media's take on Upfronts. This year, they're projected to spend roughly $18.8 billion on traditional TV ads during Upfronts, an increase of 1% from a year earlier, according to eMarketer. 1 question all of you asked was, 'When are you going to show ads on Prime Video?'" He showed how the business has evolved to include digital video ads on Prime Video.

Persons: they're, Cowen, Alan Moss, we've, Reese Witherspoon, Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Kotas, We've, Kotas, we're, — CNBC's Lillian Rizzo, Alex Sherman Organizations: Meta, Google, Amazon, Disney, Comcast, Netflix, Google's YouTube, Prime, Revenue, National Football League, CNBC Locations: Amazon, U.S

☆ Saudi crown prince says he will keep 'sportswashing' as criticism of the practice grows
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Drew Richardson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Call it whatever you want, we're going to get that one and a half percent," the crown prince said. The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), an entity controlled by Crown Prince Mohammed, has backed Saudi soccer clubs and LIV Golf. The LIV Golf merger with the PGA Tour has faced widespread scrutiny. Key U.S. lawmakers have criticized the pending golf merger as an attempt by the kingdom to distract from its human rights record. Prior to the deal, LIV Golf sued the PGA Tour for alleged anticompetitive practices, which prompted the PGA Tour to countersue, saying LIV Golf was stifling competition.

Persons: Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, sportswashing, I'm, Critics, Jamal Khashoggi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, LIV Golf, Crown Prince Mohammed, LIV, Osama bin Laden, It's, Sen, Richard Blumenthal, Conn, Jimmy Dunne, Ron Price, Price, Benjamin Freeman, — CNBC's Lillian Rizzo, Chelsey Cox Organizations: Saudi, Saudi Arabian Crown, Partnership, Global Infrastructure, Fox News, Washington Post, Neymar, PGA Tour, Saudi Public Investment Fund, Crown, Reuters, PGA, Key U.S, Homeland Security, Governmental Affairs, Tour, Quincy Institute, Responsible Locations: Saudi Arabian, New Delhi, India, Saudi, Europe, Saudi Arabia, Key, Yemen

☆ Roku will air Formula E races as part of the streamer's first live sports deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Yuheng Zhan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Roku will become the U.S. streaming home of Formula E, the electric vehicle-powered auto racing series, with both live and on-demand replays of races. Starting with the upcoming season, the Roku channel will host 11 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship races, it said in a press release. Beginning in January, five races will also air live on CBS and simulcast on Paramount+, which will be accessible through Roku. Debuting at the Olympic Park in Beijing in 2014, Formula E's races take place worldwide, and the first fully electric racing series currently features 12 teams and 24 drivers. Last year, the company said races reached a record high of 216 million live viewers, up 10% from the previous season.

Persons: Roku, Aarti Dabas, — CNBC's Lillian Rizzo Organizations: Formula, CBS, ABB FIA Formula, Paramount, Formula E, Netflix, Research, Disney, ESPN, Comcast, NBA, Turner Sports, CNBC Locations: U.S, Portland , Oregon, Beijing

BuzzFeed wasn't the only digital media company to announce layoffs Thursday. Miller added that going public is probably not the best strategy for digital media companies like Buzzfeed. The news comes during a tough period for digital media companies as publishers are cutting staff as advertisers reduce spending. BuzzFeed will lay off 15% of staff and shut down its news unit, BuzzFeed CEO Jonah Peretti wrote in an email to staff Thursday. The digital media company scaled back its news operation in an attempt to make BuzzFeed News profitable, resulting in the departure of several editors.

☆ Netflix may shrug at writers' strike after slashing content spending in first quarter
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Like other media companies, Netflix appears focused on boosting free cash flow rather than cranking up spending to add more subscribers. But if that amount is cut, Netflix's new investor story of boosting free cash flow may not be derailed. The company nonetheless hopes to avoid a writers' strike, co-CEO Ted Sarandos said during Netflix's earnings video presentation Tuesday. A writers' strike could put more emphasis on Netflix adding live programming — something the company is clearly still struggling with. Still, Netflix seems prepared to weather a writers' strike — because it's already getting permission from investors to cut content spend without one.

☆ Fox News apologizes to judge in defamation case for failing to disclose Rupert Murdoch's role at the network
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( Ashley Capoot | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Fox News apologized to the Delaware judge presiding over the Dominion Voting Systems' lawsuit for failing to properly define Fox Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch's formal role at the network, according to a letter filed with the court. "We understand the Court's concerns, apologize, and are committed to clear and full communication with the Court moving forward," Fox attorney Blake Rohrbacher wrote in the letter Friday. Dominion Voting Systems brought its defamation lawsuit against Fox and its TV networks, Fox News and Fox Business, in March 2021, arguing its hosts pushed false claims that Dominion's voting machines were rigged in the 2020 presidential election that saw President Joe Biden triumph over former President Donald Trump. Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis expressed frustration with the network Tuesday for its failure to accurately disclose Murdoch's leadership role there. Fox lawyers had repeatedly claimed Murdoch did not have an official title at Fox News, only to later reveal that he serves as the Fox News Executive Chair.

☆ Paramount Global considers selling majority stake of BET Media Group, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Paramount Global is considering selling a majority stake of BET Media Group, the owner of the BET cable network and studio, VH1, and the streaming service BET+, according to people familiar with the matter. While other assets at Paramount Global are closely intertwined with its flagship streaming service Paramount+, BET has its own streaming service, its own ad sales team, and an investment from actor and producer Tyler Perry. Selling a majority stake in BET Group would allow Paramount Global to get added capital to spend on programming for Paramount+ and Pluto TV, its free ad-supported streaming service. Paramount moved VH1 into BET Media Group in October. BET Media Group is run by BET CEO Scott Mills.

☆ Bed Bath & Beyond lines up funding in a last-ditch bid to avoid bankruptcy
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A Bed Bath & Beyond store in the Brooklyn borough of New York, US, on Monday, Feb. 6, 2023. Bed Bath & Beyond will live to see another day – at least for now. Bed Bath will receive $225 million in the offering up front plus an additional $800 million in proceeds over time, the company said. Whatever's left over will be used to aid Bed Bath's attempt at a turnaround, the company said. The efforts have evidently failed thus far, forcing Bed Bath to go to the public markets for funding.

☆ Bed Bath and Beyond shares plunge after retailer warns it doesn't have the cash to pay down debts
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Signage is seen through an overturned shopping cart outside a Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. store in Greendale, Wisconsin. Bed Bath and Beyond said Thursday it doesn't have enough cash to pay down its debts, warning once again of a potential bankruptcy. Shares of Bed Bath plunged Thursday afternoon. The company's market value stands at about $278 million. The news comes several weeks after the retailer issued a "going concern" notice that it may not be able to cover its expenses following a worse-than-expected quarter.

☆ Stephanie McMahon steps down as WWE co-CEO as her dad, Vince, returns as executive chairman
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 02: Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon and Triple H attend the UFC 276 event at T-Mobile Arena on July 02, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Stephanie McMahon has resigned as WWE co-chief executive officer and chairwoman after her father, Vince, was unanimously re-elected as the company's executive chairman. Stephanie McMahon returned from a leave of absence in July to take over as co-CEO after Vince retired amid allegations of sexual misconduct. She informed staff Tuesday that she is again stepping down as Vince McMahon returns to facilitate a potential sale of the company. "I'd like to express my full support for Stephanie's personal decision," Vince McMahon said in a statement Tuesday.

☆ WWE shares jump as Vince McMahon stages comeback
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Vince McMahon is staging a comeback at World Wrestling Entertainment , months after he retired from the company over a sexual misconduct scandal. McMahon said that his return is necessary as the company gears up for negotiations over media rights and strategic alternatives. WWE, which styles itself as a media company, has been mentioned as a potential acquisition target. McMahon retired last year amid an investigation into payments the former CEO made regarding alleged instances of sexual misconduct. A special committee probe found that McMahon had paid nearly $15 million to four women over the course of 16 years in order to silence sexual misconduct allegations.

☆ 5 things to know before the stock market opens Thursday, January 5
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Mike Calia | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange during morning trading on January 04, 2023 in New York City. Chewing things overU.S. stock markets bounced back a little Wednesday, with the S&P 500 rising 0.75%, the Nasdaq increasing 0.69% and the Dow jumping 133 points. December's jobs report is coming Friday morning, as well, so market watchers still have another big data point to chew over this week. Amazon plans bigger job cutsAmazon CEO Andy Jassy speaks during the GeekWire Summit in Seattle on Oct. 5, 2021. David Ryder | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesAmazon plans to lay off more than 18,000 employees, far more than initially expected.

Netflix founder and co-CEO Reed Hastings said Wednesday he was slow to come around to advertising on the streaming platform because he was too focused on digital competition from Facebook and Google . "So Google and Facebook were going to mop up the world — and they have in non-TV advertising." Advertisers were "desperate" for avenues in connected TV and internet, Hastings said, but Netflix was still on the sidelines. "We didn't have to steal away the advertising revenue. There are also free streaming services, such as Paramount's Pluto and Fox Corp.'s Tubi, which make revenue solely through advertising.

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