Thousands of travelers across the country found themselves stranded as they tried to make their way home for the holidays due to a massive backup at Southwest. The combination of wild weather and a backlog of passengers led to endless travel woes as the airline canceled over 60% of its flights. As a result of the endless slate of issues, Southwest lost a combined $825 million in revenue and in added costs. In a mea culpa, the airline issued $300 vouchers to impacted travelers.

Earlier this week, news emerged that Sloane Stephens parted ways with Nike. However, it didn’t take her long to find a new collaborator to lace her fits on the court. The tennis star announced that she has linked with Free People Movement as the lifestyle company’s newest ambassador. In the announcement, Stephens sports a number of different sets and Hoka footwear, which are sold on the platform. 

In stadiums across the country, teams will honor No. 3 during the NFL’s final week of the regular season. The league approved a number of activations that teams can opt into to show support for the Bills’ safety. Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest on the field in Monday’s match-up against the Bengals. In a promising turn, Hamlin came off a ventilator on Friday and spoke to teammates via FaceTime. The Bills will sport number 3 patches on their jerseys as they take on the Patriots in the season finale. Teams have the option to host a moment of silence and create an on-field homage to Hamlin. 

The next generation of stars are making moves to break into the industry. Five artists will have the joint support of Polygon and Mastercard. The two companies are teaming up to create a new music accelerator. Starting this spring, the selected musicians will have access to a suite of resources to prepare them to navigate the ever-changing industry as it enters a new digital era. The program will “teach the artists how to build (and own) their brand through Web3 experiences like minting NFTs, representing themselves in virtual worlds and establishing an engaged community.” Representatives from the new initiative made the announcement at CES in Las Vegas.

Stephen Curry is making moves. The Warriors superstar and avid golfer announced that he has extended his partnership with Callaway Golf, which he originally inked in 2019. As part of their collaboration, Steph and Callaway will work together to make golf more accessible to traditionally underserved communities along with his Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation. In a press release, Curry said, “Golf is an amazing game that brings people together, and I look forward to partnering with Callaway in the years to come with a commitment to benefitting young people of all different backgrounds.”

Eminem’s early years may be coming to television. The Detroit rapper’s biographic story served as the foundation of the 2002 hit film 8 Mile. Now, 50 Cent confirmed that efforts are “in motion” on the YouTube program Big Boy TV. The rapper and media entrepreneur noted that to make the project a reality, he’s enlisted the input and support of Eminem himself.

One of the world’s most impactful billionaires is stepping aside. Jack Ma had a tumultuous 2022, losing more than $25 billion. Now, he’s relinquishing control at Ant Group. The Chinese financial company is a close affiliate of Alibaba and controls its Alipay initiative. The move comes as a final step in an overhaul at Ant Group, which failed in an attempt to IPO in 2020.