Jordan Brand is Nike's Strongest Division with $7B in Revenue
Nike posted its fourth-quarter earnings report Thursday, and Jordan Brand was the best performer of all the company’s divisions with a 6% sales increase to hit $7 billion in revenue. Profits for Jordan Brand have doubled since 2020 as it leaned more into women’s gear, non-basketball items, and an increase in international sales. Income for the full year at Nike came in at $51.4 billion compared to $51.2 billion in the prior year, up 1% on a currency-neutral basis.
NWSL Sets Viewership Milestone Through Season Halfway Point
We’re midway through the NWSL‘s 12th season, and in-person attendance and viewership continue to impress. Per a Thursday memo from the league, overall attendance has increased 42% year-over-year to date. Additionally, six clubs have produced club attendance records, while 10 teams broke or matched home opener records to kick off the 2024 season. Finally, more than 7 million have watched across the league’s live national broadcast platforms through 49 games, up 95% from the 2023 season.
Cash Money Founders Receive YouTube's Leaders and Legends Award
Cash Money founders Bryan “Birdman” Williams and Ronald “Slim” Williams were honored with YouTube‘s Leaders and Legends Award on Thursday night in Los Angeles. The two brothers created the record label in 1991 and have signed artists like Lil Wayne, Busta Rhymes, Nicki Minaj, Tyga, and more. Cash Money’s chart-topping accolades include 300+ Hot 100 hits, 41 top 10s, and seven No. 1 singles, in addition to 80 Billboard 200 albums, including 15 No. 1 records.
Bella Hadid Partners with Saint Laurent as Ambassador
Bella Hadid announced via Instagram on Thursday that she is the new face of Saint Laurent. The supermodel walked the red carpet during the Cannes Film Festival in May wearing a sheer dress from the French fashion house, making her return to social events after battling severe Lyme disease flare-ups for the last year. This marks just the second campaign of 2024 for Hadid, the first being work she did three months ago to promote the newest Victoria’s Secret swimwear looks.
Cooper Flagg Becomes First College Player Named to USA Select Team Since 2013
USA Basketball unveiled the 15 players named to its 2024 Men’s Select Team on Friday, and the roster is headlined by Duke forward Cooper Flagg, the first college player named to the team since 2013. The projected 2025 No. 1 overall pick and the rest of the team will practice against LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and the rest of Team USA beginning next week in Las Vegas in preparation for the Paris Olympics. The lineup also includes 10 former first-round picks and seven players once named to the NBA All-Rookie first or second teams.
'A Quiet Place: Day One' Collects $6.8M in Box Office Previews
A Quiet Place: Day One is officially in theaters, earning a franchise-best $6.8 million at the box office in Thursday previews. Variety writes that the film series’ third installment estimates an opening ranging from $40 million to $50 million nationwide. The first A Quiet Place, starring John Krasinski and Emily Blunt, in 2018 made $50.2 million in its first weekend with $4.3 million in previews, while the 2021 sequel with Cillian Murphy recorded $48 million after $4.8 million in previews.