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Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Why sports dominate the media industry & what's next in 2026
Paramount (PARA) stock is in focus after the company announced a $7.7 billion deal with TKO Group (TKO) to secure UFC streaming rights. PwC Global entertainment and media leader Bart Spiegel sits down with Yahoo Finance Senior Reporter Allie Canal to discuss why live sports have been a huge focus for media companies. He also discusses what's next in entertainment, including video games and potential deals in the making. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Asking for a Trend. About a year ago after Netflix announced they were be going to be rolling out NFL games on Christmas day, I spoke with the NFL and they told me they don't want to just be on cable or just on streaming, they want to be everywhere. And it feels like that power then is firmly with these leagues. Yeah, the leagues have a lot of power at this time. They're content creators, right? And so anyone that owns content, owns IP, we always say content is king, right? And it's no different with these leagues that are creating this content and putting out there and striking really creative deals as well, um, to ensure that their property, their IP continues to be popular in perpetuity. That's a great way to think about it, right? They, that is their IP. If we look beyond sports, what's the next content category or experience that you think will create that sticky moment for consumers? Yeah, so it's interesting. 2026 should be a really big year for video games. We really believe that, um, you've got the e-sports Olympics in 2026, you have the, you know, a really prominent title expected to be released in 2026. And you know, video games just just helps the whole sector in general, right? They come up with original IP that is then marketed for, you know, TV and movies that you see being played out. You also see video games, um, utilizing a lot of their technology and infrastructure to help in in in film, special effects, TV, etc. So we see a really big year for video games in 2026 and our forecasts show that. We also see, don't sleep on live experiences either. Because I think live experiences are extremely important. Um, you'd have, you know, that's where a lot of money that's going for the 18 to 25 really sought after demographic, that's where they're spending their time and energy because it plays into the whole social media platform as well as well because now they can go do these live experiences and post it to social media for their friends, their followers, etc. And that's really attractive to them and really compelling to them. So I think live experiences are going to continue to be extremely popular. We have it, you know, the spend on live experiences still exceeds the spend on digital experiences and we expect it to continue. And to that point, live nation earnings, they've been crushing and a big part of that is people are going and traveling to see a lot of concerts. So that's a great point. When we look ahead to MNA, it was a bit stagnant in the entertainment space. We saw a bit of activity. We finally got that Paramount Skydance deal going through. What are you watching for when it comes to upcoming deals? Do you expect the end of this year and into 2026 to be a lot more active than what we've seen? I definitely do. There have been a lot of announced spins, separations, things like that. And I think when you look at the OTT streaming environment, it's really kind of happened in a bunch of different chapters. With the first chapter really being focused on, okay, we have, let's just throw money at content, throw money, get to get people and subscribers onto the platform. Then the second chapter was really, let's take a step back, focus on ROI, focus on really making sure that we've got a profitable business. And now I think you're going to look at chapter three, which is what you're seeing happening right now, real time, some of the things that you mentioned, which is, okay, what are some creative partnerships, joint ventures, MNA, where there's going to be some level of consolidation in the in the ecosystem? Because we've done studies ourselves where the average consumer doesn't want to pay for 10 subscription services. They want three to five subscription services. And so, you know, this allows them to consolidate, you know, take advantage of economies of scale, and that's what I think we're going to see in the next year. But then going out from there, I think then it's all about what other things can you bring to your platform? Video games, social media, user generated content, and that again will just apply just continue to apply that stickiness factor where people are willing to pay more and and limit the churn that you have on your on your platform. Related Videos Tech stocks dip, Fed cut bets, ethereum gaining: Market takeaways 2 reasons this strategist has a 'glass half-full' view on stocks Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac possible IPO: What it means for investors Why there's a 'disconnect' between the Fed & markets right now Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Slow Ventures cuts first check from $60M creator fund into woodworking founder
Slow Ventures' Creator Fund has invested $2 million into Jonthan Katz-Moses, a popular woodworking content creator with around 600,000 followers, nearly 75 million video views, and his own line of woodworking tools. This marks the first investment for Slow's $60 million Creator Fund since its launch in February. The fund looks to help creators launch businesses, under the belief that what made them successful influencers is what can also make them a good founder. Speaking to TechCrunch, Slow Ventures partner Billy Parks, the lead investor on the deal, said the role of creators has greatly changed in the past decade or so, from creators mainly focused on media and brand dollars to those now focused on building real, 'off-platform,' businesses. 'The pandemic accelerated direct-to-consumer growth for many. But the real signal is in the ones who've maintained and grown past that boom, which shows they can build something lasting and sustainable,' Parks said. He said a good creator-founder thinks like an entrepreneur, 'not chasing fame but building real businesses that they own and control.' This is where Katz-Moses came in. His videos help teach woodworking, and he's since expanded into selling his own tools and accessories to his audience. He has a team helping with business development, operations, and of course, creating YouTube content. Slow's investment will help support the business and other content creation endeavors. Katz-Moses went into woodworking after being violently assaulted one night in 2010. In a video posted to his channel recently, he recounted the story, saying he woke up in a pool of blood, surrounded by police officers and paramedics, gasping at his marred appearance. His injuries were severe: A broken eye socket and gashes needed 80 stitches. He said it was the happiest moment of his life because, at the very least, he was alive. Shortly after that, he went into woodworking, deciding it was time to chase his dreams and leave behind anything unfulfilling. He bought a camera and started posting his creations to YouTube, amassing a loyal following in the process. But as his business and persona grew, he found himself facing the common challenges founders face, such as inventory management for his tools business and paying himself a salary. Katz-Moses was one of 700 applicants to Slow's Creator Fund and told TechCrunch it was exciting when Parks reached out to learn more about his business. 'Billy Parks from Slow reached out to me in March to let me know he'd like to meet,' Katz-Moses told TechCrunch. 'When we visited him in his 30,000-square-foot shop in Santa Barbara, we were blown away by his serious and long-term commitment to the brand and building a scaled business,' Parks told TechCrunch about why Slow picked Katz-Moses. Parks said Slow wants to partner with creators early in their journeys so it can give them support when it will have the most impact in helping them grow. (It's already made deals with a few creators, independent of this fund). Slow's Creator fund is a showcase of how firms are looking to invest more in the Creator economy and find ways to work with influencers, as such creators become new business mavens. (Other creators have looked to raising venture capital to support their careers, as well as their peers.) Parks said Slow wants to work with creators that operate in clearly defined spaces, rather than broad entertainment, teaming up with those with an engaged community and authority in their craft. 'That combination makes for businesses with strong foundations and durable growth,' Parks continued. It's not unlike how investors already vet their founders. Since the investment, Katz-Moses has hired product developers, filed patent applications, looking at new products to build, and is hoping to share more educational content around woodworking. 'The goal is to post across all major platforms,' he said. 'But our primary focus will always be YouTube.' 登入存取你的投資組合
Axios
37 minutes ago
- Axios
The great "rebalancing" in EV lithium has begun
A global glut of lithium prompted a Chinese battery company to suspend production at a massive mine, triggering a rise in commodity prices and a jump in stock prices of lithium companies. Why it matters: Lithium is an essential raw material in electric vehicles, so any increase in prices could translate into higher costs for EV makers. Driving the news: Chinese battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd., known as CATL, halted output at a property in the Jiangxi province, prompting global speculation about whether the country is teeing up a crackdown on overcapacity. "The fate of the CATL mine — the biggest in China's lithium hub of Yichun — had been under close scrutiny for weeks, amid speculation that authorities wouldn't extend its license," Bloomberg reported. The mine makes up about 6% of global lithium mining, according to Bank of America figures cited by Bloomberg. The impact: Spot lithium carbonate prices in China rose about 3% Monday, FT reported. Corporate lithium stocks also jumped around the world: U.S. chemicals company Albemarle closed up 7.0%, while American lithium miner Piedmont gained 14.1% and Lithium Americas rose 9.3%. What they're saying: "This is a rebalancing of the disequilibrium that exists within the global lithium market," Gracelin Baskaran, director of the Critical Minerals Security Program at the Center for Strategic & International studies, tells Axios in an email. Context: Lithium prices have tanked over the last several years amid a global slowdown in EV sales growth. In Australia — the world's top producer — miners had already "curtailed production or delayed expansions" amid the drop in prices, a trend seen throughout 2024, Reuters reported in June. The market is "significantly oversupplied," according to a recent report by BNP Paribas senior commodities desk strategist David Wilson. Zoom in: The average global weighted price of lithium carbonate has plunged from an all-time high of $70,957 per tonne in January 2023 to $9,553 in the first week of August, according to Benchmark Minerals data. "These prices are even untenable for Chinese producers," Baskaran says. "By reducing the global surplus, we expect prices to go up and allow Western producers to operate more cost competitively." Yes, but: It might be a temporary lull in demand. Benchmark Minerals is projecting a 204% increase in demand over the next decade. What we're watching: Whether this is part of a broader move by Chinese authorities to crack down on the broader EV sector amid a feverish price war.
