Marvel Entertainment Faces New Chapter as It’s Absorbed by Disney
Change is in the air at Marvel. In its most recent restructuring, Disney announced that it will fully absorb the entertainment behemoth. The news follows Disney’s laying off of the Chairman of Marvel Entertainment Division, which is responsible for the comic book and consumer product output, Isaac “Ike” Perlmutter. As part of the move, the division’s president will now report directly to Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios.
ByteDance’s Lemon8 Squeezes Into US App Store Top 10
As politicians debate the potential security risk that TikTok may or may not pose, ByteDance is not slowing its efforts for a US takeover. The Chinese company’s Instagram competitor, Lemon8, emerged in the App Store’s top 10 most popular apps for the first time. Analysts point to a paid effort that is driving its meteoric rise, as a number of TikTok influencers have begun to cite the app in their content. The app, which several creators have billed as “if Instagram and Pinterest had a baby,” could be positioning itself as a replacement for TikTok if it faces a shutdown.
NWSL Sets New Attendance Record on Opening Weekend
The NWSL is back. As teams take the pitch around the country, the league is already setting new records. In the first weekend of action, over 90,000 fans packed stadiums around the country. The attendance set a new Week 1 record by more than 48% as compared to last year. The San Diego Wave drew the biggest crowd, with 30,854 attendees.
Adidas Recants Efforts Against BLM Logo
Adidas attempted to file an injunction against Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation. The filing claimed that the movement’s logo capitalized on the recognition of the company’s three stripes. As many scratched their heads, less than 48 hours later, the German sportswear company appears to have rescinded the claim. Adidas recently lost a court case in which they accused luxury designer Thom Browne of a similar transgression.
EA Prepares to Cut 6% of Workforce
The recession has come for the gaming industry. In an internal memo, EA’s CEO Andrew Wilson told the company that it is refocusing its strategy to step away from gaming franchises that are no longer profitable for the company. As a result, it plans to cut 800 jobs — 6% of its workforce. In an SEC filing, EA indicated that it anticipated to complete the restructure by September of this year.
Holly Rowe Lands New Deal at ESPN
Holly Rowe has one of her busiest weekends of the year ahead as she prepares for the NCAA Women’s Final Four. This year, though, she’ll be resting easy. As the clock counted down on her contract with ESPN, the network re-signed Rowe to a long-term contract. The 27-year veteran will continue to appear on major tentpole events, including the Final Four, WNBA, college football, and ESPN’s Saturday night NFL coverage. In a statement, the award-winning Rowe said, “I feel like I am living my best life and I am so grateful to ESPN for letting me keep doing this.”