The Pitch newsletter is a monthly update of legal issues and news affecting or related to the music, film and television, fine arts, media, professional athletics, eSports, and gaming industries. The Pitch features a diverse cross-section of published articles, compelling news and stories, and original content curated and/or created by Arnall Golden Gregory LLP’s Entertainment & Sports industry team.
“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” – Thomas Merton
AGG News
What Happens to an NIL Deal When a Student-Athlete Transfers? The Price of the Transfer Portal
The University of Georgia Athletic Association (“UGAA”) is drawing a line in the sand: contracts between athletic departments and student-athletes are binding and enforceable, even when players exercise their right to transfer. This move could set a powerful precedent for how NIL agreements are enforced across college sports.
(Source: Arnall Golden Gregory LLP, December 22, 2025)
Read More >
Industry News
Warner Bros. Discovery Rejects Paramount’s $108 Billion Hostile Bid, Citing “Significant Risks”
The board of Warner Bros. Discovery officially rejected David Ellison‘s $30 per share hostile bid for the company, telling shareholders that it remains “inferior” to the Netflix deal, and carries “numerous significant risks and costs on WBD.” With the rejection official, Paramount will need to persuade WBD shareholders to tender their shares at that price, or to submit a higher bid than its $108 billion offer that would shift the outcome of the dealmaking.
(Source: The Hollywood Reporter, December 17, 2025)
Read More >
Netflix Inks iHeartMedia Deal for Exclusive Video Podcasts Featuring Charlamagne tha God, Chelsea Handler and More; Full Episodes Will No Longer Be on YouTube
Netflix is plugging more podcasts into its programming lineup through an exclusive video podcast deal with iHeartMedia, including popular radio talk show “The Breakfast Club” co-hosted by Charlamange tha God and Chelsea Handler‘s weekly podcast. Under the pact, video versions of more than 15 iHeartMedia original podcasts will stream in only on Netflix worldwide, including “The Breakfast Club,” “My Favorite Murder,” “Bobby Bones Presents: The Bobbycast,” “Behind the Bastards,” “Dear Chelsea” with Chelsea Handler, and “This Is Important” with “Workaholics” stars Adam Devine, Anders Holm and Blake Anderson.
(Source: Variety, December 16, 2025)
Read More >
Disney Inks Blockbuster $1B Deal With OpenAI, Handing Characters Over To Sora
Disney has put its chips in on AI. The Hollywood giant has signed a major deal with OpenAI, investing $1B in the artificial intelligence giant and handing over characters from Frozen and Star Wars to generative AI video app Sora. It is comfortably the most significant collaboration between a Hollywood studio and an AI company to date, and suggests Disney has taken the view: if you can’t beat them, join them.
(Source: Deadline Hollywood, December 11, 2025)
Read More >
2026 U.S. Mechanical Royalty Rates Increase: CRB Sets New Rates
The Copyright Royalty Judges have officially announced the new 2026 U.S. mechanical royalty rates for physical formats and permanent downloads. This decision delivers a modest cost-of-living increase that will affect labels, publishers, and songwriters beginning January 1, 2026.
(Source: Hybebot, December 8, 2025)
Read More >
Jets Sport Gotham City Uniforms as Trademark Fight Drags On
It’s Gotham week for the New York Jets. On Sunday, the NFL team will wear its Gotham City Football uniforms for the first time, donning a new jersey that features a “Gotham Green” colorway and the phrase stamped on the back of each helmet. Five days later, perhaps by coincidence, the team faces a deadline in its ongoing quest to trademark the nickname. Like the 2025 season, that process has so far provided few victories for the team. As Sportico detailed in July, the USPTO denied the team’s application, made through the NFL, which seeks trademark protection for T-shirts, hoodies, caps and other apparel. That followed months of back-and-forth between lawyers and the U.S. government. In late August, the team was granted a three-month extension to appeal that denial. The new deadline is Dec. 12. Representatives for the NFL and the Jets didn’t respond to questions about whether they intend to file an appeal by the deadline.
(Source: Sportico, December 6, 2025)
Read More >
Is Netflix Trying to Buy Warner Bros. or Kill It?
Why does Netflix want to buy Warner Bros.? In an era of mergers and megadeals, an age where content is king, a question like that might seem beyond naïve. As a newly, hugely bulked-up version of itself, Netflix will be ingesting a mountain of creative content that’s nearly mythological in its reach: everything from Clint Eastwood movies to the DC empire to “The Wizard of Oz” to the fabled HBO catalogue. Simply as an opportunity to expand what Netflix offers its streaming subscribers, the deal to buy Warner Bros. feels like some sort of ultimate bonanza. The sale itself still needs to get regulatory approval, and there’s actually a chance that that might not happen, but taken as a nervy commercial act of late capitalism, the Netflix/Warners deal needs no defense. The bottom line is clear.
(Source: Variety, December 5, 2025)
Read More >
UGA Player Who Transferred Owes $390K for Licensing Contract, Suit Says
The University of Georgia is applying the buyout clause it had in its contract with edge rusher Damon Wilson ll — who transferred to Missouri in January — in court. ESPN was first to report that UGA is asking for $390,000 from Wilson, who has 20 tackles and nine sacks this season for the Tigers.
(Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 5, 2025)
Read More >
Fanatics Lands World Cup Contract, Latest in Global Push
Fanatics has won the right to handle on-site retail across the 2026 men’s World Cup, another step in the company’s push to broaden its business internationally. The world’s largest seller of licensed sports merchandise, Fanatics has prioritized overseas expansion in recent years. That includes e-commerce deals with some of the world’s biggest soccer teams, and on-site retail agreements with events around the globe. To date, the company has handled in-venue sales at the UEFA Euro men’s and women’s tournaments, all of the NFL international games, MLB’s Tokyo Series, the NHL’s overseas games, plus global events for both the WWE and UFC.
(Source: Sportico, December 4, 2025)
Read More >
Judge Again Rules for Cher in Royalties Suit vs. Mary Bono
A federal judge in Los Angeles has again ruled for Cher in her lawsuit claiming Sonny Bono's widow owes her $1 million in royalties for Sonny & Cher songs, according to court papers obtained today by City News Service. U.S. District Judge John Kronstadt wrote in a final judgment issued Nov. 26 that Mary Bono could not use the federal Copyright Act to reclaim the 50% share of Sonny's composition royalties granted to Cher in her 1978 divorce agreement with Sonny.
(Source: KESQ-TV, December 2, 2025)
Read More >
US Fashion Retailer PacSun Sued by WMG for Alleged Infringement of 290+ Works in TikTok and Instagram Posts
Warner Music Group has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against US fashion retailer Pacific Sunwear of California, LLC (PacSun). The complaint alleges the company has “misappropriated at least 290” of Warner’s recordings and compositions in social media posts without permission. The lawsuit, filed on December 1 in a California court and obtained by MBW, accuses PacSun of using tracks by artists including Dua Lipa, Bruno Mars, Lizzo, Cardi B, and Ariana Grande in promotional videos posted to TikTok and Instagram. Warner is seeking statutory damages up to the maximum amount of $150,000 per infringed musical work. With PacSun alleged to have infringed over 290 tracks, the potential damages could exceed $43 million.
(Source: Music Business Worldwide, December 2, 2025)
Read More >
LSU’s $73M Lane Kiffin Buyout Clause Tops Brian Kelly’s $54M
Following LSU’s firing of football coach Brian Kelly in October, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry publicly lamented the $54 million buyout the school was obligated to pay under Kelly’s 10-year, $95 million contract. “I’m tired of rewarding failure in this country and then leaving the taxpayers to foot the bill,” Landry said at the time, blaming former LSU athletic director Scott Woodward for negotiating the deal. Landry further vowed that Kelly’s successor would not receive a similarly extravagant golden parachute. Instead, LSU has given his successor an arguably more gilded one.
(Source: Sportico, December 1, 2025)
Read More >
The computer can't tell you the emotional story. It can give you the exact mathematical design, but what's missing is the eyebrows.
Frank Zappa
