The Home Stretch?
Welcome back to the Spotlight! This week, much like a collegiate track and field athlete, the Protect College Sports Act cleared an important hurdle as the U.S. Senate voted in favor of the legislation that is designed to stabilize what has become a frenetic college sports landscape in recent years. The days of athletes freely transferring from school to school to chase bigger paydays may be winding down—the bill provides for one free transfer, and imposes penalties on subsequent transfers. Though the bill would notably increase the amount of revenue that each program may share with players for competing for their schools. Meanwhile, college coaches would still be able to leave in the dead of night to join a rival program for multiples of what their players make. Still, athletes would be able to supplement their income with NIL deals, but the bill codifies guardrails set up by the House settlement, requiring reporting of deals in excess of $600 so as to safeguard against these deals being used as a means of skirting each program’s spending limits. Of course, not everyone is happy with the bill, and it is by no means perfect, but it at least provides a foundation upon which policymakers can move athletes’ interests forward (granted, arriving at consensus is easier said than done).
So, for now, what’s next? Those who don’t remember from “Schoolhouse Rock,” the bill (that is sitting on Capitol Hill) will go onto the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration, where its passage is no certainty. There, it will face amendments that may need to be brought back to the Senate for consideration. A limiting factor is time: Congress is recessed until after next month’s midterm elections (must be nice!) and thereafter, they only have a few weeks in the lame duck session to pass the legislation before the next Congress is sworn in after the New Year. If they miss the window, they’ll have to start all over again. To be fair, that last part was not discussed in “Schoolhouse Rock.” If that doesn’t get you juiced-up for C-SPAN coverage, I don’t know what will.
- V, star of the Korean boy band BTS, is tapped as global ambassador for consumer electronics brand Nothing’s new line of headphones. Evidently, the brand is banking on V and his fans having Nothing in common.
- San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama voices his displeasure with fellow athletes endorsing sports betting, saying it is not inspiring “in a good way.” While he may be right to identify an inherent tension there, based on his dirty play throughout last year’s NBA playoffs, I’m not sold on him being the one to make this point. But hey, at 7’4”, I guess you tend to confuse moral high ground with high ground.
- The Portland Trail Blazers’ broadcaster Braiden Bell’s tenure came to a screeching halt mere hours after being hired, as insensitive social media posts from his teenage years came to light. It is a stark reminder both of the need to due diligence on those you’re getting into business with, as well as to be mindful of what you post, as that is a bell that often cannot be unrung.
Endorsement Deals, Sponsorships and Investments
AI Clones Turn Celeb Likeness Into a New Business
October 2, 2026 via Economic Times
Victor Wembanyama Slams Players Promoting Sports Betting Weeks After LeBron James Announces Polymarket Deal
October 1, 2026 via New York Post
Model Claims Victoria’s Secret Bought Rights to Just a Sliver of Her Face — Then Used Almost All of It
October 1, 2026 via New York Post
WME Unveils Creator Labs to Help Clients Build Media Businesses
October 1, 2026 via Hollywood Reporter
Live Nation Backing New Creator Economy Startup Creator Nation
October 1, 2026 via Hollywood Reporter
Michael Jordan’s Custom 1997 Ferrari Maranello Sells for $2.7 Million
September 30, 2026 via The Athletic
Madison Square Garden to Split Knicks, Rangers Into Separate Publicly Traded Companies
September 30, 2026 via The Athletic
Yankee Stadium Has Cash Cushion in Case of 2027 MLB Lockout
September 30, 2026 via Sportico
$12.3M Michael Jordan Jersey Takes NBA Collectibles to New Heights
September 29, 2026 via Yahoo! News
Oura’s Stalled IPO Delays Potential Payout for Sports Stars, Owners
September 29, 2026 via Sportico
What Makes a Celebrity Beauty Brand Stick?
September 29, 2026 via Women’s Wear Daily
BTS Superstar V Named Global Brand Ambassador for Nothing as He Models New Headphones
September 29, 2026 via Hollywood Reporter
Grande Cosmetics Announces Actress Lucy Hale as First-Ever Brand Ambassador
September 28, 2026 via Business Wire
Bad Cityzens: Global Sports Empire Found Guilty of ‘Financial Doping,’ and Why it Matters
September 26, 2026 via Fox Business
The Cowboys Don’t Want to Own Other Sports Teams
September 25, 2026 via Yahoo! News
David Beckham Nets Almost £38.5M as World Cup Deals Lift Profits
September 25, 2026 via Business Matters Magazine
Zensah Names Top HS Football Coach Roger Harriott as Brand Ambassador
September 25, 2026 via SGB Online
Dolphins Owner Nearing Deal to Sell 20% Stake in Miami F1 Race
September 24, 2026 via Front Office Sports
Sports
Trail Blazers Fire Announcer Over Insensitive Teenage Tweets
October 2, 2026 via Front Office Sports
U.S. Senate Votes 77-22 to Pass Protect College Sports Act
September 29, 2026 via ESPN
Clippers Start Camp With an Apology Before the Injury News Piles Up
September 29, 2026 via Yahoo! News
NFL Requests Trump Administration to Take Down Video Featuring Brian Dawkins Highlights
September 28, 2026 via Awful Announcing
The Jalen Brunson Era of New York Sports Is Upon Us
September 28, 2026 via Sports Illustrated
As Congress Debates College Sports, Athletes-Turned-Senators Have a Seat at the Table
September 27, 2026 via NPR
Music Biz
Ex-Capitol A&R Exec Carter Gregory Strikes JV for Plot Twist Records With 10K Projects and Atlantic Records
October 1, 2026 via Music Business Worldwide
Sia Sells 50% of Music Catalog to Pophouse in $180M Deal
October 1, 2026 via Music Business Worldwide
Frank Briegmann Gets a Big Up at Universal Music; Warner Mexico Promotes Yusim Aladro to GM
September 29, 2026 via Variety
Taylor Swift Lands Top Trophy at MTV’s Video Music Awards
September 28, 2026 via InterAksyon
Film & TV
Ben Affleck Explains His Approach to Using AI Ethically on New Movie ‘Animals’: “It’s Not About Making Fake People or Replacing Anybody, Ever”
October 2, 2026 via Hollywood Reporter
Atlas Entertainment and Culture Genesis Strike Creator Content Development Pact for TV, Film and Short Form
October 1, 2026 via Variety
Roku Orders ‘Battle of the Streaming Stars’ From Omaha Productions
October 1, 2026 via Hollywood Reporter
New Cal Football Documentary Goes Behind the Scenes of NIL and Transfer Portal
September 28, 2026 via KRON4
