Sports & Entertainment Beat

Welcome back to the Spotlight! Though you may have been down on your luck this Friday the 13th, I am here to do my best to help you reverse course. Even if you happened to step on a crack, walk under a ladder, break a mirror, have your path crossed by a black cat or upset a bowl of salt (they can be rather temperamental), you may still consider yourself amongst the fortunate (ever-dwindling) few to be regaled with sports and entertainment business stories in a pithy, snarky and downright cheesy format. 

• • Pop singer/actress Sabrina Carpenter inks beauty and haircare endorsement deals with Prada and Redken. An espresso-oriented deal (if not one for sandpaper and clamps) can’t be far off. 
     
  • Social Media Platform (and target of Congressional scrutiny due to being a possible national security threat) TikTok is now a sponsor of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, the holding company for the Washington Capitals, Wizards and Mystics. I guess they figure it’s time they ingratiate themselves with *someone* in DC. 
     
  • Following the lead of LeBron James with his DraftKings Sportsbook endorsement, fellow NBA Superstar Kevin Durant is now a spokesperson for FanDuel Sportbook. A few years ago would it have been surprising to hear that active NBA players were promoting legal sports gambling? You bet. 

For inquiries and/or unabashed compliments, please feel free to contact me at josh.bloomgarden@foster.com or add me on LinkedIn. 

​Welcome back to the Spotlight! Like clockwork, the other side of Labor Day has started to feel a little more like Fall, with a slight chill in the air, pumpkin spice aromas descending down from the heavens (or up from the underworld, depending on your perspective), kids returning to school and my coming down with the Flu (I promise I washed my hands before writing this). Happily, this also means that football season is upon us (though that does not bode well for my already robust sleep deprivation). So I’ll keep it brief this week to rest up in preparation for all that is to come, but as long as you’re here, I might as well share with you the below:   

• • Michelle Juszczyk, famous for designing custom patchwork sports apparel including Taylor Swift’s custom Travis Kelce jacket (and having a killer last name for Scrabble) is due to drop a capsule collection of apparel with Gatorade. A partnership sure to quench the masses with Juszcyzk’s style.
     
  • A new rule by the Federal Trade Commission targets influencers giving fake reviews and testimonials of products.  Luckily for the Spotlight, there is no ban on gratuitous reviews from my parents.  
     
  • Omaha Productions unveils an ingenious, hilarious Broadway-themed promo for Peyton Manning and Eli Manning’s Monday Night Football ManningCast. For this sports and entertainment lawyer who is the grandson of a Tony-winning Broadway producer, it was everything. 
    
    

For inquiries and/or unabashed compliments, please feel free to contact me at josh.bloomgarden@foster.com or add me on LinkedIn. 
 

Welcome to the Spotlight! As hard as it is to believe, summer is winding down, Joro spiders seemingly avoided (wish I could say the same about spotted lantern flies), hot dogs (OG or vegan) consumed, marshmallows roasted, medals awarded and for many, lifelong memories made. That last one came into striking relief last weekend at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. As if it wasn’t enough that the kids on these teams get to play in nationally televised baseball games, they also get to spend the day with, and cheer on, their favorite Major League Baseball players as part of annual MLB Little League Classic.

This year featured a game between the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees, but I am not writing to talk about the game—particularly after the Yankees closing pitcher Clay Holmes blew yet another save to hand the Tigers the victory. Instead, the real standout from this year’s event was from a player who did not even play in the game due to a stint on the injured list. The Yankees’ recently acquired dynamic All-Star player Jazz Chisholm, Jr. not only played video journalist to document the Yankees’ day behind the scenes leading up to the game, capturing compelling, joyful, authentic moments shared amongst Major League and Little League teammates alike, but he also took up the mantle of becoming a “big brother” to an adoring Little Leaguer named Russell McGee, proclaiming in a television interview that he’s “gonna make sure he gets to the big leagues one day.” What could have been empty words were followed up with a heartwarming gesture as Chisholm exchanged phone numbers with McGee and joined him in the stands to cheer on Chisholm’s teammates. A really cool moment of kindness, humility and paying it forward to witness—and one that it sounds like McGee and Chisholm will carry with them for a long time to come. I’ll catch you all back on the other side of the Labor Day holiday, but for now here’s my payment forward to you.

• • At long last, the collaboration between Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese and Reese’s candy has become official, as they roll out some cleverly co-branded apparel. What Reese is getting paid for the collaboration is not yet known, but it’s probably more than peanuts.
  • Oklahoma State University’s football team is leaning into the name, image and likeness (NIL) era in college sports as they will all have QR codes on their helmets, linking people to the program’s NIL fund. With this on-field innovation possible, sportsbooks across the country are now wondering whether they can buy a referee if you use a barcode scanner on his or her uniform.
  • NASCAR’s Hendrick Motorsports sues its former sponsor, restaurant chain Hooters over its failure to pay $1.7 million in sponsorship fees. What a hoot—I thought owls were supposed to be wise!

Welcome back to the Spotlight! As we wave au revoir to the rousing success that was the Paris Olympic Games, in which the United States racked up the most gold medals and highest overall medal total, and NBCUniversal saw its Olympic audience swell to the largest it has been since 1994, the Olympic torch has begun its four year journey stateside to Los Angeles. There, LA28 is set up beautifully to surpass the watermark set by the City of Lights – that is, if people can make it off the 405. What’s on tap for the City of Angels is sure to be even more advertising spend and sponsorship dollars than what we saw in Paris, for one thing. For another thing, California native Snoop Dogg—who became a staple of the past Olympic Games—will undoubtedly reprise his supporting role, with Hollywood cameos to boot. As for the events themselves, although breakdancing will not be returning to the Games (much to internet trolls’ dismay), flag football will make its debut—possibly with NFL players taking the field, while those craving a full contact sport may find themselves drawn closer fo rugby—particularly with the Rugby World Cup coming to America in 2031. But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. If recent history is any guide, there’s a whole lot of stuff that can go wrong along the way! On that dark note, here’s a Spotlight to lift you back up…

• • Not content with bringing home a gold medal from Paris, NBA All-Star Kevin Durant is bringing an equity investment in French Football Ligue 1 Champions Paris Saint Germain. It’s been a while since I’ve flown to Europe but it sounds like they’ve really spruced up their duty free offerings. 
     
  • Prime Video is debuting “The Money Game,” a docuseries following Louisiana State University most prominent NIL athletes including gymnast Livvy Dunne, basketball players Angel Reese and Flau’jae Johnson and Quarterback Jayden Daniels through their 2023 seasons on and off campus. A documentary about getting paid in college while getting paid to be followed said is notable, particularly considering how many people would pay NOT to have footage of their time at college released. 
     
  • Semiconductor company Qualcomm is extending its sponsorship of the English Premier League’s Manchester United Football Club through 2029. With that type of ‘chip’ reaching ubiquity in England, perhaps they’ll start referring to deep fried potatoes as “fries.”
     
  • Tennessee Titans Quarterback Will Levis, who (in)famously puts mayonnaise in his coffee, unveils a playful, albeit nausea-inducing collaboration with Hellmann’s Mayonnaise for a mayo-scented cologne. For his safety, Levis is advised not to wear the fragrance during games, because if ever there were a time to smell like mayo, it definitely wouldn’t be while being chased down by a 300 pound defensive lineman.

Welcome back to the Spotlight! After years of training and trials, our United States’ Olympians are assembling an impressive, gleaming mosaic of accomplishments as if their medals were tiles. In track & field, a new “World’s Fastest Man” was crowned, his name is Noah Lyles. In gymnastics, a hard-fought redemption was earned for Simone Biles, both individually and alongside teammate Jordan Chiles. Even in defeat, the pair generated smiles, in a show of sportsmanship and grace they bowed to the victor, in so doing, cementing courage in their profiles. I would be remiss not to mention swimmer Katie Ledecky’s continuing to stack up medals through butterflies, breaststrokes, and freestyles.  In the meantime, don’t forget USA basketball is in the gold medal game, so be sure to set your TV dials. Upon their return home, each of these athletes is going to receive endorsement deals in anything from technology to textiles and in their country be the opposite of exiles. I hope you enjoyed my poetic styles, and if you think I’ve run out of rhymes, I assure you I have them in piles. 

• • The US Army claims that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and his United Football League should refund the $6 million it paid for social media promotions intended to drive enlistments, when in actuality, no enlistments resulted from the promotions, and a number of enlistments may have even dropped out. Talk about being between a rock and a hard place.
     
  • With sights set on appealing to a new generation of fans, the New York Yankees are putting out their own original content in the form of an animated Saturday morning cartoon series. On the one hand, I miss the good old days of winning the World Series. On the other hand, the series will be required curriculum for my boys.
     
  • NBA All-Star Steph Curry stole the show on Thursday, as his mockumentary series “Mr. Throwback” launched on Peacock, while he played the role of Mr. Comeback in Paris, propelling Team USA—who trailed by as many as 17 points--into the gold medal game with a victory over Serbia. Excellently scripted if you ask me.  Oh and by the way, the national bird of Serbia? You guessed it…the eastern imperial eagle.
     
  • While recording artist Adele had a $130 million structure built specifically for her performance residency in Munich, Germany, another recording artist is paying $1.5 million to have his slapped his name on the side of a stadium, as Pitbull enters into a multiyear naming rights deal with Florida International University. The delta can almost certainly be attributed to there being more construction costs, and better pretzels and beer

Welcome back to the Spotlight! With our calendar pages turning over to August, we are right in the thick of the so-called “Dog Days of Summer” which get that name from the appearance of the dog constellation Sirius in the Northern Hemisphere. Siriusly.  For my longtime readers, you know it would be cavalier of me not to unleash an appropriately themed introduction (how farfetched!). For those barking up this tree for the very first time (first time collar?), allow me to be your shepherd. Though the tail end of summer may be approaching, I do not despair in melan-collie – for football season is near, and with it, the return of husky offensive linesmen and my favorite: wide retrievers. Of course, given that this space is dedicated to Sports and Entertainment industry business, I bet you have been hounding, but fear not, I will throw you a bone. I have the following for you to sink your canines into while I take a bow…wow.  

• • NFL star wide receivers DK Metcalf and Odell Beckham, Jr. catch endorsement deals with athleticwear and lifestyle brand Lululemon. Dealing with these peak athletes is both easy to defend and nearly impossible to defend. 
     
  • Two businesses pushing immersive, interactive experiences rake in funding, with Batbox a baseball-centric restaurant with tech-enhanced batting cages raising $7.5 million, and Cosm, a company whose theatre-like venues deliver a front row seat to media and entertainment shows and events to the masses, brings in $250 million in its latest round. Meanwhile, I am fully invested in microcosm, watching shows and events on my couch in the comfort of my home.
     
  • Online gaming company DraftKings shutters its NFT marketplace amid legal scrutiny and lawsuits, marking the first time that both DraftKings and its gamers saved money. 
     
  • Rugby continues its ascent in America as the U.S. Women’s Rugby Sevens win their first-ever Olympic medal, and on its heels, the Major League Rugby championship takes place this Sunday between the Seattle Seawolves (of whom Foster Garvey is a sponsor) and the defending champion (who you’ll just have to look up yourself).     

Welcome back to the Spotlight! The long wait is over… As unbearable as waiting a week for the next installment of the Spotlight, I am referring to the four year long wait since the last Summer Olympic Games. At the moment, the World’s elite athletes from all walks of life, each with their own stories and paths leading them to this point are descending upon Paris, France in search of Olympic glory under their respective flags. Many of the Olympians who are competing already enjoy their fair share of fame, while others – relative unknowns – will undoubtedly rise like a great soufflé (it’s all about the stuff peaks, folks) reach new heights far above the Eiffel Tower and open avenues more grand than the Champs-Élysées (or Marnier). Others will sink like a bad soufflé (again, stiff peaks are key) and flake apart like a perfect croissant.

And if for some reason, my romanticism isn’t enough to get you interested in the Games for which advertisers are shelling out an estimated $1.2 billion, then there is always the star power that NBC Universal is integrating into its Olympic programming.  For the final leg of the torch-lighting ceremony (which does not, to my chagrin, have anything to do with crème brulée), Snoop Dogg—never too far from flammable objects--will be a torch-bearer. Although the Summer Olympics do not have motorsports, there will be plenty of horsepower, with former Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts great Peyton Manning, and rapper Megan Thee Stallion playing sizable roles in the promotion of the Games. Additionally, comedians Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson will be hosting a highlight show throughout the Olympics (with Thompson hopefully reprising his role of “Pierre Escargots” from his All That! days). A little something for everyone it seems, and a whole lot of money—enough to fill the Seine (infinitely better than the…uhhh… crêpe that the Seine is actually filled with)—is riding on it.  

How was that for an Opening Ceremony?

• • Drawings by the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson, will soon be going up for auction, or as I like to call them, “Don’t stop ‘til you bid enough.”
     
  • Hydration beverage company Prime is hit with a lawsuit by the US Olympic Committee for use of the Olympics trademark and USA Basketball inspired branding for its limited edition flavor on which it partnered with NBA All-Star Kevin Durant. Not all that surprising Prime would be hauled into court given how notoriously hawkish the Olympic Committee is in protecting its IP — not to mention Prime being an especially attractive defendant due to its liquid assets.
     
  • The horsedrawn wagon is pulling out of Philadelphia as Wells Fargo opts out of its naming rights deal for the 76ers’ and Flyers’ home arena. Meanwhile, the bandwagon at Madison Square Garden has plenty of room for newcomers.
     
  • The WNBA and dating-app Bumble enter into a new sponsorship focused on forging connections through sports. You might say that they’re more than just friends

Welcome back to the Spotlight! With Summer in full swing, it’s hard to resist the lure of campfire s’mores (and central air conditioning). So it’s only appropriate that I discuss the marshmallow, the indispensable core and glue to the s’more, great on its own but elevating the components around it, here in the context of the Marshmallow Test. To those who are unfamiliar with the Marshmallow Test, the concept is that you offer someone (in my case, one of my sugar-craving children) the opportunity to receive one marshmallow now, or wait five minutes to receive two marshmallows. The idea behind the exercise is to demonstrate the value of delayed gratification (something many among us could stand to benefit from these days…). 

 
Last Friday, NBA all-star point guard Jalen Brunson, every bit the indispensable core and glue to the New York Knicks, great on his own but elevating the components around him, passed the Marshmallow Test of all Marshmallow Tests with flying colors. Although Brunson had an opportunity to extend his player contract with the Knicks for approximately $269 million in 2025, he chose to leave nearly $113 million on the table in the name of giving the organization flexibility to keep its team together while luring additional pieces in pursuit of an NBA championship. The move not only further ingratiates Brunson with Knicks fans, teammates and the city of New York (you might as well give him a key to the city) but it sets his team up for success and long term marketing potential. That, and he’ll be eligible for a $323 million deal in 2028 or $418 million in 2029. A marshmallow sweet reward for his delayed gratification. His parents must be proud. Fingers crossed that this post ages well.

• • Unscripted reality television production is facing headwinds in Los Angeles, with the primary motivating factor likely being that people have dwindling interest in reality.
     
  • Disney CEO Bob Iger and wife Willow Bay join an already star-studded ownership group in NWSL club Angel City FC, paying upwards of $87.5 million for a controlling interest in the team at a $250 million valuation– making the team the most valuable women’s professional sports team in the world.  To put things in perspective, that is roughly the price of a one week long Walt Disney World vacation for a family of four.
     
  • Having already introduced American soccer to his incomparable brand of play, Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi is introducing a new brand of sports hydration beverages called “más+ by Messi.” Will it stand out among the crowded field of sports drinks by imparting the consumer with Messi’s skills? Unlikely, but given the U.S. Men’s National Team’s unceremonious exit from the U.S.-hosted Copa America 2024 tournament, they can use all the help they can get.

Welcome back to the Spotlight! If jumping back into this space isn’t hard enough after a week off, the oppressive heat and humidity paired with mounting levels of existential dread due to [insert national or global event here] (Sad Libs is my version of “Mad Libs”) provide an obstacle the likes of which an Olympic pole vaulter would shudder at. Oh well, at least I have my New York Yankees to lift my spirits, right?…RIGHT?!?! (Editor’s note: the Yankees have lost 16 of their last 25 games). (Sigh…) For those who share in my malaise, I hope you’ll find some relief and humor by way of the clown tears below:

• WWE Pro-Wrestler and actor (not mutually-exclusive) John Cena announced that he’s hanging up his tights after Wrestlemania 2025. Though that would ordinarily mean it could be the last time to see him wrestle in a ring, if Cena’s catchphrase is to be believed, we’re still waiting on the first time to see him.
   
• Tiger Woods and Justin Timberlake are teaming up to open a sports bar in Scotland. It will be Uber-interesting to see whether the bar gets a Lyft from being so closely aligned with the golf legend and pop icon.
   
• WNBA Rookie of the Year Candidate Angel Reese seems poised to add Hershey to her growing list of endorsements, as her fanbase (who she calls “Reese’s Pieces”) now includes Reese’s (the candy brand).  So, don’t be surprised if you see Reese eating the Reese’s Pieces in the not too distant future – but you should absolutely be surprised if you see Reese eating her Reese’s Pieces.

Welcome back to the Spotlight! Even though the NBA season ended over a week ago, I’d be remiss if I didn’t recognize the building excitement for the New York Knicks’ prospects—on and off the court—for next season. If someone were to tell you that you could go to work with three of your best friends from college (and make tens of millions of dollars in the process), you’d sign up for that every day of the week and twice on Tuesday. That’s exactly the situation Knicks’ all-star point guard Jalen Brunson finds himself in as he is now set up to play next season with his fellow Villanova University teammates (and NCAA Champions) Mikal Bridges joins Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo. Hopefully they can leverage their chemistry to relive their championship glory, but for now, through media appearances including Brunson and Hart’s podcast “The Roommates Show” and countless other opportunities that await them, they can leverage their chemistry for entertainment and marketing value as well. Speaking of chemistry, honorable mention to the Los Angeles Lakers who now also have biology going for them as Bronny James was drafted to play on the same team as his father LeBron. All interesting dynamics to behold and something sure to provide fireworks for audiences and sponsors in the days ahead. That reminds me, for the immediate days ahead, brief note that in preparation for America’s 248th birthday (roughly the age of our next President, it seems) the Spotlight will take a breather and return the week of July 8. 

• • This Christmas, the Kansas City Chiefs will have a doubleheader, playing the Pittsburgh Steelers in the afternoon, and then taking center stage in a schmaltzy Hallmark Channel movie, “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story.” I can’t imagine where they might have gotten the inspiration for that film from…
     
  • The torch for the Summer Olympics is being lit next month in Paris, France. NBC has lined up an impressive list of celebrities for its broadcasts of the Games—lest they be torched in the ratings.
    
    
  • Major record labels—themselves wading into the artificial intelligence space of late—filed a lawsuit alleging copyright infringement by a pair of A.I.-based tech companies that allegedly train their software on the labels’ music. Incidentally the labels are represented by venerable trial lawyer Chad G. Petey. 
    
    
  • Cash hungry media company Buzzfeed has put up its popular celebrity and chicken wing-centric show “Hot Ones” up for sale at the price of a cool $70 million. To sweeten the deal, they’re reportedly willing to throw in free carrots and celery.