Welcome back to the “Spotlight!” “I’m going to Disney World” is a hallowed (and trademarked) phrase in pop culture, uttered by MVPs of major sports championships, Olympians and even “American Idol” winners before an all-expenses-paid trip to the Happiest Place on Earth (the “Spotlight” being a distant second place). Incidentally, I am none of the above and all expenses remain payable, but I am nevertheless giving you and the other seven of my readers the heads up that the “Spotlight” will be on a one-week hiatus while I don a pair of mouse ears in lieu of my writers’ hat because, well… I’m going to Disney World. Upon my return, I plan to bring back a “Tomorrowland” of my own, piloting a new section of the “Spotlight,” focused on emerging (perhaps Cinderella?) sports—whether it be relatively recent sports skyrocketing in popularity such as pickleball, cornhole and eSports, or sports such as rugby that are well-established elsewhere in the world that are on the precipice of taking a foothold in the U.S. It might sound goofy, daze-y, further out than Pluto, but I might as well “let it go” and give these fields of growth a deserved Spotlight.

• Speaking of tomorrows in sports, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s tech-infused sports, entertainment and media company TMRW Sports announces investment backing by some of the biggest names in the business. I guess my invitation got lost in the mail.
• Speaking of cartoon characters, as if there aren’t more pressing (let alone real) issues for figureheads in our society to address, another high-profile persona with millions of social media followers, Kyrie Irving used his platform to promote a film that pushes antisemitic disinformation and conspiracy theories. And while he has faced some public backlash, he seems unlikely to face the same response Kanye West received from his sponsorship and endorsement partners.
• Speaking of Cinderella Story, Christmas comes early for Mariah Carey as the $60 million copyright case alleging infringement by her “All I Want For Christmas Is You” was dropped. Perhaps the plaintiff realized lottery tickets were less expensive than legal fees.

Endorsement Deals, Sponsorships & Investments

China Bans Celebrities With 'Lapsed Morals' From Endorsing Products
November 2, 2022 via Economic Times
Regulators said the push was to ensure China's society was "guided by Xi Jinping thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era", referring to the sweeping ideology underpinning the rule of the Xi-led Communist party, The Guardian reported.

Casio G-Shock Levels Up With New Super Mario Bros.™ Designed Timepiece
November 1, 2022 via WILX-TV
The model's theme ties into G-SHOCK and Super Mario's identity of being up for any challenge.

The Grateful Dead Go Organic
November 1, 2022 via WILX-TV
The Grateful Dead launches a brand new sustainably-made collection in collaboration with Pact, Earth's Favorite™ clothing company.

Kanye Shows the Tightrope of Celebrity Endorsements for Brands
October 28, 2022 via Financial Times
Before Kanye West there was Lillie Langtry. When the actress and socialite lent her name to Pear’s Soap sometime in the 1880s, she became the first celebrity paid to endorse a consumer product.

Katie Taylor Has Opted for Her Own Brand Over Sponsorship
October 28, 2022 via BizPlus Ireland
Katie Taylor will put her four world lightweight titles on the line this Saturday when she fights Argentina’s Karen Elizabeth Carabajal at Wembley Arena.

Sports

Move Over Metaverse, Curryverse Could Be Next From NBA Star Steph Curry: What It Means For Under Armour
November 1, 2022 via Benzinga
NBA star Steph Curry could be launching his own Web3 metaverse product.

Sea Unicorns Score Despite Dismissal in MLB Antitrust Suit
October 31, 2022 via Sportico (subscription may be required)
U.S. District Judge Andrew Carter last Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit that challenged Major League Baseball’s antitrust exemption because, he determined, MLB is still exempt from antitrust scrutiny.

NCAA Athletes Score Another Chance to Debate Slavery Loophole
October 28, 2022 via Sportico (subscription may be required)
On Thursday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit granted a motion by former Villanova football player Trey Johnson and other athletes to file a new brief addressing whether the “slavery loophole” is a viable defense to not paying them.

NCAA NIL Changes Tiptoe Between School Limits and Antitrust Claims
October 28, 2022 via Sportico (subscription may be required)
The NCAA’s Division I Board of Directors issued a new set of clarifications this week for its interim NIL policy in hopes of better distinguishing NIL from pay-for-play.

Music Biz

Cyndi Lauper, Gloria Estefan, Hanson and More Sign Open Letter Calling on U.S. Congress to Pass New Law on Radio Royalties
November 2, 2022 via Complete Music Update
Music industry campaign group the musicFIRST Coalition has published an open letter to members of U.S. Congress calling on them to support and pass the American Music Fairness Act.

Artist Drops $60 Million Holiday Music IP Suit Against Mariah Carey
November 2, 2022 via Law 360 (subscription may be required)
A musician notified a Louisiana federal judge on Tuesday that he's dropped a million copyright suit lodged against singer Mariah Carey and Sony Music over her chart-topping holiday song "All I Want for Christmas Is You."

Kanye West Has No Record Company or Publishing Deal — How Will He Release Music?
October 27, 2022 via Greenwich Time
Kanye West, one of the most popular, influential and commercially successful musicians of the past 20 years, is currently without a record label or a publisher.

Film & TV

Women's College Basketball Becoming a Factor in Pac-12 Media Rights Talks
November 2, 2022 via Sports Business Journal
Women's college basketball is "about to become a revenue sport" in the Pac-12 as it is a "key point in the preliminary discussions" of the conference's next media rights deal, according to Alex Simon of the San Jose Mercury News.

Prime Video Announces Exclusive Media Rights Deal With Overtime Elite
November 2, 2022 via PRWeb
Global, multi-year deal includes livestreams of 20 games per season, expanding Prime Video’s global sports portfolio.

Big 12 Inks $2.28 Billion Rights Extension With ESPN, Fox
October 30, 2022 via Sportico (subscription may be required)
The impending defection of Texas and Oklahoma from the Big 12 hasn’t hampered its media objectives, as the conference has re-upped its rights deal with Disney and Fox through the 2030-31 season.

Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)

Warner Bros. Discovery and HBO Announce Plans for ‘Game of Thrones’ NFTs
November 2, 2022 via Techcrunch
“Game of Thrones” NFTs are coming this winter. Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) and HBO have teamed up with NFT platform Nifty’s to launch digital-collectible non-fungible tokens based on the hit series.

Visa Brings NFT Art to FIFA World Cup 2022 in Partnership With Crypto.com
November 2, 2022 via Ledger Insights
Visa announced the launch of the Visa Masters of Movement campaign, a fan experience bringing together football and art in celebration of FIFA World Cup 2022.

Rosie Labs Teams Up With Boarding Noah’s Ark for Playful NFT Project to Address and Support Serious Environmental Events
November 2, 2022 via Business Wire
Rosie Labs announced a new partnership with Boarding Noah’s Ark (BNA), an artistic, entertainment-based initiative designed to bring awareness to myriad global environmental concerns through a playful, animated recasting of the famed story.