The Raining Champ
Welcome back to the Spotlight! This weekend in the Northeast, it’s neither Christmas nor Easter, but, barreling up the coast, we do have a Nor’easter. I’m not sure who’s been running marketing for the “th” these days, but they need to do better. In any event, the heavy winds and rain expected in the region set the stage for staying inside on Saturday night to see the face of the New York Knicks’ franchise, Jalen Brunson host Saturday Night Live—becoming the first Knick and fifth NBA player in history to do so, joining Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and LeBron James. There, at 30 Rockefeller Center, the comedic convergence of sports and entertainment will be on full display. I know what you’re thinking—“we already get that from you every Friday.” You guys are sweet, but in fairness, I neither have an NBA Finals MVP or Championship trophy to my name, nor a global girl group in KATSEYE as a musical guest. That’s to say nothing of all of the endorsements, ventures and appearances that Brunson has taken part in during this eventful offseason. One thing I know I’ll be looking forward to, amidst the bluster and pitter-patters on my window, will be the callbacks to the Knicks’ championship run. Hopefully, that will for a moment take my mind off of the worry that injured New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge may not be on the Yankees’ upcoming MLB postseason roster or the misery that injured New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart is out for the remainder of the briefly promising NFL season. Sigh…
- Former Starbucks CEO and Chairman Howard Schultz links up with Emmy-winning broadcaster and former Super Bowl champion, Ryan Clark as a strategic partner and investor to help grow Clark’s media company, Pivot25. The size of Schultz’s investment is not yet known, but it is rumored to be anywhere from tall to venti.
- On the heels of news of Nike’s delisting from the S&P 100 Index, French soccer star and former Nike endorser Kylian Mbappe has decided to move on from the brand…to On, signaling an expansion of the Swiss footwear and apparel brand into soccer.
- This year’s Red Sea Film Festival has been cancelled this year due to geopolitical tensions in its host country, Saudi Arabia. Fittingly, organizers were divided in their decision.
Endorsement Deals, Sponsorships and Investments
Travis Scott’s Oakley Partnership: Everything We Know
September 24, 2026 via Complex
Dodgers Star Mookie Betts Signs With 3 Arts Sports
September 24, 2026 via Hollywood Reporter
Milwaukee Bucks Unveil New Uniform Patch Sponsorship Deal With Uline
September 22, 2026 via BizTimes Milwaukee
BetUS Signs Dennis Rodman as Brand Ambassador, Adding an Icon to Its Sports Lineup
September 22, 2026 via GlobeNewswire
Young Thug Launches Primal, A New Creative Holding Company For Talent-Owned Ventures
September 22, 2026 via MENAFN
Will Arnett Gets in People’s Heads in New Subway Marketing Campaign
September 21, 2026 via Nation’s Restaurant News
Steinbrenner Family Selling 4% Yankees Stake in Apollo Deal
September 19, 2026 via Sportico
On Signs Kylian Mbappé to Signal Soccer Ambitions
September 18, 2026 via SGB Online
Sydney Sweeney Doesn’t Just Star in Controversial Ads. She Helps Engineer Them
September 18, 2026 via Yahoo! Finance
Kalshi Asks Tribes to Embrace Prediction Markets After First Deal
September 18, 2026 via Sportico
Sports
NFL Has No Plan to Follow MLB, NBA in Loosening Private Equity Rules
September 24, 2026 via Yahoo! News
Danny Green to Become Lakers’ Primary Road Analyst
September 24, 2026 via Awful Announcing
Even in the Era of NIL, College Sports Are Stacked Against Student Athletes—Now Lack of Transparency Is Holding Them Back From a ‘Fair Market’
September 20, 2026 via Yahoo! Sports
NIL Era Brings New Wealth — and New Buyers — to College Housing Markets
September 18, 2026 via HousingWire
Music Biz
Sam Smith and Normani Must Face a Jury Over Dancing With a Stranger as Judge Refuses to End Copyright Case
September 24, 2026 via Music Business Worldwide
Sony Music Group Becomes First Music Company to Join AI Policy Coalition ARIAM – Alongside Disney, the BBC, and The New York Times
September 23, 2026 via Music Business Worldwide
Outkast’s Trademark Company Sues Rapper Ovrkast, Claiming He Reneged on Deal to Drop ‘Nearly Identical’ Name
September 23, 2026 via Music Business Worldwide
Snoop Dogg’s Doggyland Joins Big Feelings Music, a New Children’s Music Company From CoComelon Owner Moonbug Entertainment
September 22, 2026 via Music Business Worldwide
AI Learned to Sing in Spanish. Latin Artists Need to Get Paid.
September 20, 2026 via The Hill
Film & TV
Lawmakers Introduce Bill For 20% Federal Film & TV Incentive
September 24, 2026 via Deadline
Mekki Leeper Workplace Comedy Set In World Of Private Equity Ordered To Series By Prime Video
September 24, 2026 via Deadline
Ari Emanuel Is Trying to Get Pat McAfee a Role in ‘Heat 2’
September 24, 2026 via Awful Announcing
‘Celebrity Sequence’ Game Show Based On Board Game In Works From ‘Chopped’ Creators
September 23, 2026 via Deadline
Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival Cancels 2026 Edition
September 21, 2026 via Deadline
What to Know About Paramount’s Settlement and Its Impact on Movies
September 21, 2026 via ABC News
Chris Paul to Provide In-Depth NBA Analysis in New Series With Words + Pictures, Genius Sports
September 18, 2026 via Awful Announcing
