Welcome to a special quarantine edition of the "Spotlight." When I set out to get more "exposure" for the Spotlight this year, this was not exactly what I had in mind. But hey – we play the cards that we are dealt. At least I can take solace in the fact that I did as well in the Australian Open Tennis Tournament as did 20-time major champion Novak Djokovic, who was eventually deported from Australia this past week for failing to comply with Australian COVID-19 vaccination requirements for international travelers. Credit to Djokovic, however, for lasting longer on Australian soil than the Dallas Cowboys on their home turf in the playoffs. Kidding aside, I am, like many of us (presumably Djokovic as well) growing weary of the pandemic as we enter its third year. With that in mind, as a sort of temporary escape from the physical world, I bring you this week's metaverse-centric Spotlight.
- In its deal to acquire gaming giant Activision Blizzard, Microsoft placed a $68.7 billion bet that gamers are more likely to move into the metaverse than out of their parents' basements.
- Keeping up with the times, the NFL is offering Superbowl digital collectible ticket stubs in the form of NFTs, making it both highly implausible and physically impossible that I will be able to get my hands on tickets to this year's contest.
- Luxury fashion house Hermés goes for the purse of 'MetaBirkins' NFT creator Mason Rothschild, in a contentious lawsuit over the alleged infringement by Rothschild's digital creations with respect to the intellectual property in Hermés' physical Birkin handbags. The outcome of the case is likely to provide important answers regarding the extent to which digital manifestations of physical goods are infringing uses or protected expressions.
Endorsement Deals, Sponsorships & Investments
Microsoft, College Football Hall of Fame Strike
Multi-Year Deal
January 18, 2022 via Sportico – Business
(subscription may be required)
The Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame has struck a
three-year deal with Microsoft, making the tech giant one of the
museum's top-tier partners and exclusive tech provider for
connecting with fans and giving visitors interactive exhibit
experiences.
Why CSU basketball's David
Roddy is Most Marketable College Athlete in Colorado to Begin NIL
Era Rams Forward Joins Weekly Radio Show as Part of Sponsorship
Deal With Local Pizza Chain
January 16, 2022 via Denver Post
Tune into local sports talk radio the next time you drive up the
Front Range and you might hear a familiar voice over the airwaves.
David Roddy is best known for uncommon versatility on the
basketball court for Colorado State.
Djokovic Entangles Sponsors in
Australian Open Vax Uproar
January 14, 2022 via U.S. News & World Report - Top
Stories
Defending men's champion Serbia's Novak Djokovic practices
on Rod Laver Arena ahead of the Australian Open tennis championship
in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022.
Tiger Woods First SPAC Swings for $150 Million
Sports Tech Deal
January 14, 2022 via Sportico – Business
(subscription may be required)
Tiger Woods is making a play for a sports technology business,
filing to raise $150 million through a special purpose acquisition
company, a blank check venture that seeks to bring another company
public.
A Shocking Canadian Collab Between Justin Bieber
and Tim Hortons Is a Teaching Moment for Brands Needing a
Makeover
January 14, 2022 via Inc
Tim Hortons, Canada's largest restaurant chain, most known for
its coffee and doughnuts, recently partnered with one of the
world's biggest pop stars. As a marketing strategy to expand
its reach throughout the U.S., the coffeehouse giant joined forces
with Canadian singer, and apparently life-long customer, Justin
Bieber.
Shaun White Launches Active Lifestyle Brand
'Whitespace,' Including Signature Pro Model
Snowboard
January 13, 2022 via Forbes – Business (subscription
may be required)
Across his four previous Olympic Games — Torino 2006,
Vancouver 2010, Sochi 2014, Pyeongchang 2018 — there was one
essential constant in Shaun White's snowboarding career: his
board sponsor.
Lawmakers Move to Repeal State's 2021 NIL
Law
January 13, 2022 via Alabama Daily News
The lawmaker who last year pushed a state law to allow college
athletes to be compensated whenever their name, image or likeness
is used in promotional material is now trying to undo it.
Florida NIL Rules Draw Lawsuit From High School,
College Players
January 13, 2022 via Sportico – Law (subscription may
be required)
With college athletes now enjoying opportunities to profit from
their name, image and likeness, it was only a matter of time before
high school athletes sought the same chance.
Sports
Djokovic Deported on Eve of Australian Open, Flies
to Dubai
January 16, 2022 via Sportico – Law (subscription may
be required)
The No. 1 men's tennis player and defending Australian Open
champion won't be appearing in this year's Open, which will
begin on Monday, January 24. Novak Djokovic, whose visa to enter
Australia was twice canceled over an 11-day stretch, lost his
appeal to the Federal Court on Sunday.
Cowboys' Return to Playoff Picture Enriches
Already Loaded NFL Season
January 14, 2022 via Sportico – Business
(subscription may be required)
On the heels of the most-watched NFL season in six years, the smart
money says the ratings momentum will continue throughout a playoffs
slate crammed with the league's biggest TV draws.
Sinclair's NBA Rights Deal May Forestall $600
Million Loan Call
January 13, 2022 via Sportico – Business
(subscription may be required)
A month after locking in streaming rights for NHL games, Sinclair
has closed a similar deal with the NBA that will further bolster
its nascent direct-to-consumer service, while also securing $600
million in debt financing.
Music Biz
Country Music Community Raises Over $80,000 for
Legendary Songwriter Facing Homelessness
January 18, 2022 via News Break - Top
Stories
You may not recognize the name Hugh Prestwood. But you've
definitely heard his songs. A member of the Nashville
Songwriters' Hall of Fame, Prestwood's first hit came in
1978 with "Hard Time For Lovers" by Judy Collins.
Prince's Estate Valued at $156
Million as Legal Battle Nears End
January 15, 2022 via Greenwich Time
The six-year battle over Prince's estate may finally be
reaching its end following an agreement between parties that the
late singer's estate is worth $156 million.
London Music Royalty Fund Acquires Rights to
Catalogue of 70s "Rock Icon"
January 14, 2022 via Bdaily - Creative
Round Hill Music Royalty Fund Limited has announced the acquisition
of the music publishing, master rights, and master rights royalties
for, the catalogue of Whitesnake frontman and Deep Purple lead
singer from 1973 to 1976, David Coverdale.
Multiplatinum Music Producer Partners With
Billionaire Dan Gilbert to Launch Music Artist Services
Company
January 12, 2022 via Forbes – Leadership
(subscription may be required)
Che Pope, a multiplatinum producer and music executive, has
partnered with billionaire entrepreneur and investor Dan Gilbert to
launch a Detroit-based music services business dubbed WRKSHP,
pronounced like "workshop."
Film & TV
Sinclair Streaming Service Fee May Be Triple That
of ESPN+
January 18, 2022 via Sportico – Business
(subscription may be required)
After locking in the local streaming rights for live NHL and NBA
games, Sinclair's Diamond Sports Group now appears to have the
requisite must-see sports content to populate its upcoming
direct-to-consumer service.
Microsoft to Buy Activision Blizzard in Mega-Deal
Worth $68.7 Billion
January 18, 2022 via Sportico – Business
(subscription may be required)
Microsoft announced a deal to buy video-game player Activision
Blizzard for $68.7 billion in cash. If it goes through, it would be
Microsoft's biggest-ever acquisition — and by far the
biggest deal ever in the video game biz.
Netflix Orders Tennis Docuseries From 'Formula
1: Drive to Survive' Producer
January 14, 2022 via Sportico – Business
(subscription may be required)
Netflix is segueing from professional golf to professional tennis
in a new docuseries that follows men's and women's pro
tennis players throughout four Grand Slam tournaments, Deadline
reports.
Why All of the NFL's Television Partners Saw
an Increase in Viewership for the League's Games in
2021
January 14, 2022 via Sports Business Journal - All Sections
(subscription may be required)
Why all of the NFL's television partners saw an increase in
viewership for the league's games in 2021 with the NFL playoffs
underway, top executives from the NFL and its television rights
holders are celebrating the regular season's rebound in
viewership.
WWE Sued for Interfering With Rival's Wrestler
and TV Contracts
January 12, 2022 via Above the Law - News
Major League Wrestling (MLW) has sued World Wrestling
Entertainment, Inc. (WWE) for interfering with its access to media
markets and wrestling talent. The complaint was filed in the U.S.
District Court for the Northern District of California on January
11.
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)
Musicians Are Shaking up the Industry With Sales
of NFT Royalties
January 18, 2022 via Innovation and Tech
Today
Musicians are finding ways to uncover hidden value in the NFT
space. This is a huge win for both the artists and fanbase, with
recent examples set by A Tribe called Quest's and their sale of
5% of royalties from their complete album catalog to fans.
Why Community Is the Secret to NFT
Success
January 17, 2022 via Rolling Stone Magazine
Art Basel Miami Beach took place the first week in December 2021,
along with it were many parallel art conferences. One of the
biggest points of focus was the discussion of NFTs.
Hermes Sues Metabirkins NFT Project Over
Trademarks. May Not Be Slam Dunk
January 17, 2022 via Ledger Insights
Hermes, the luxury company with a market capitalization of
€142 billion ($162 billion), has sued NFT creator Mason
Rothschild, who designed the MetaBirkins NFTs.
Super Bowl Ticket NFTs Offered as NFL Tests
Digital Collectibles
January 17, 2022 via Sportico – Business
(subscription may be required)
Following a regular season debut, the NFL recently announced plans
to expand its NFT ambitions during the playoffs, including the
Super Bowl.
3LAU-Backed Platform Royal Crashes
During First Music NFT Drop, Mint Delayed
January 13, 2022 via The Block
Royal, an NFT platform from the American music producer 3LAU
(pronounced "Blau"), crashed after its first mint drop.
The mint was supposed to start on January 11 at 1:00 p.m ET and
include music NFTs from the Grammy award-winning rap star Nas.
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