Ben Affleck, Matt Damon Expand Artists Equity With New Indie Division

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s Artists Equity is launching Artists Equity Independent Pictures, a new banner focused on backing emerging filmmakers and independent films. Jennifer Westin will oversee the division under Artists Equity President Amy Baer, with backing from an independent theatrical film fund. The slate includes A Woman in the Sun, Julia Cox’s directorial debut starring Renée Zellweger and Sissy Spacek, and Downriver, directed by Sam Jones.

The Golden State Valkyries have become the first women’s sports team to generate $100 million in annual revenue, per Sportico, hitting the mark during their second season. The franchise brought in a women’s sports-record $78 million last year and has continued its rapid growth in 2026, selling out every game, capping season tickets at more than 12,000, and building a sponsorship portfolio of 40-plus brands. A WNBA Finals run could push revenue past $130 million.

Apple is reportedly linking up with LG on a new lineup of smart-home accessories, including a video doorbell, smart lock, thermostat, and security cameras. The LG-branded devices will work with Apple’s upcoming smart-home hub, expanding the company’s push into a category dominated by Amazon and Google. Apple is expected to unveil its new home hub, an upgraded HomePod mini, and a new Apple TV on Oct. 13, while the LG accessories should arrive in the following months.

LOVB Miami has unveiled an ownership group led by Basketball Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie and Olympic sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, alongside former NFL players Champ Bailey, Carlos Dunlap, and Ryan Clark, plus rapper Pusha T. The group also includes volleyball players, entertainers, and institutional investors. Miami will become the 10th franchise in the women’s volleyball league and its first East Coast team, joining three other expansion franchises set to debut this season.

Disney+ will stream the Super Bowl for the first time in 2027, carrying ABC and ESPN’s coverage of Super Bowl LXI from Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium on Feb. 14. The streamer will also carry two Monday Night Football games this season, beginning with the Eagles–Cowboys matchup on Oct. 26. Disney+ will stream the Super Bowl in more than 55 international markets, expanding Disney’s reach around one of sports’ biggest annual events.

The U.S. Copyright Office is investigating streaming fraud, seeking data on how fake plays affect artists, songwriters and music companies, and how AI is making the problem easier to scale. The inquiry, prompted by Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, will examine common fraud schemes, their economic impact and potential solutions, including whether Congress should act. A recent report found up to 85% of streams on fully AI-generated tracks were fraudulent in 2025. Public comments are due Nov. 23.

Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil is on track to become the filmmaker’s highest-grossing movie, surpassing the $270 million worldwide haul of Weapons. The horror reboot has already generated $245.4 million globally, with its China debut providing another boost. The film has collected $20 million through its first two days in the market and is projected to add roughly $35 million during its opening week, pushing its worldwide total past $280 million.

Nike is expanding its Blue Ribbon Elite NIL program with 11 Stanford athletes across volleyball, softball, soccer, swimming, football, gymnastics, baseball and basketball. The additions bring Nike’s Blue Ribbon Elite roster to more than 100 athletes, as the brand deepens its partnership with Stanford. The program goes beyond traditional NIL deals, offering athletes personalized support across performance, product, media, content, and career development.

Regina Hall is joining Jennifer Aniston and Peter Dinklage in Universal’s holiday comedy Naughty, directed by Olivia Wilde. The film follows Aniston’s character as she travels to the North Pole to find Santa Claus, played by Dinklage, and convince him to testify in her custody battle. Hall is expected to play a friend who joins her on the trip. Universal will release Naughty in theaters on Nov. 5, 2027.

Spotify is expanding its audiobooks business from 22 markets to more than 180 by the end of 2026, adding catalogs in Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Polish, and other languages. The push comes as audiobook listening continues to grow, with monthly listeners up nearly 40% over the past year. Spotify now offers more than 800,000 titles and says its Audiobooks+ subscription has surpassed 1 million subscribers, generating more than $100 million in annual recurring revenue.

SpaceX is reportedly seeking $40 billion in new debt to fund its growing AI infrastructure, sending shares lower Wednesday. The financing would include $10 billion in bank loans and $30 billion in investment-grade bonds, with Apollo Global Management leading the deal. SpaceX plans to use the capital to purchase Nvidia chips for its data centers as it expands beyond rockets and Starlink. The company expects AI-related growth to help push annual recurring revenue toward $100 billion.

Jon Rahm plans to leave LIV Golf following the league’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring, his lawyer said Wednesday. Rahm, who signed a multi-year contract ahead of the 2024 season and is reportedly still owed more than $100 million, has deemed LIV’s proposed new terms unacceptable. The sides are negotiating a separation agreement they hope to finalize by Oct. 15. If no deal is reached, Rahm plans to continue fighting LIV in court.

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