Alan Lewis

Let’s stop dismissing record labels just to sound informed. Are all deals perfect? No. But that doesn’t mean labels don’t add real value. Especially when aligned with the right vision and team. Nuance matters.

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It’s official: the NFL is acquiring a 10% stake in ESPN. In return, ESPN is taking control of key NFL media assets, including NFL Network and RedZone distribution, and integrating them into its broader cable and streaming ecosystem. The NFL and ESPN could also be changing how ownership and distribution intersect in sports media. For decades, the dominant model has consisted of professional leagues selling rights, networks paying fees, and each side staying in their own lane. This deal blurs that line. The NFL is more than a content supplier. It is now financially tied to the long-term health of one of the most important sports media brands in the world. If ESPN grows, the NFL benefits directly. In essence, the deal reshapes how risk and reward are shared as viewing fragments across linear TV, streaming, and hybrid bundles. The deal also reflects a reality for sports leagues: even the strongest league-owned networks benefit from the distribution reach and bundling power of a larger media ecosystem. For ESPN, the relationship with the NFL is about positioning its future around content that still drives habitual viewing. The NFL remains the most reliable engine of reach, urgency, and subscriber value in U.S. media. Bringing NFL Network and RedZone more tightly into ESPN’s orbit strengthens its hand as it balances cable economics with direct-to-consumer streaming. This is less about one channel or one season and more about maintaining relevance in a crowded, choice-heavy media landscape. For the advertising space, this kind of equity-aligned distribution model accelerates the shift toward unified buying and measurement across linear and streaming, where consistent data, audience guarantees, and cross-platform yield optimization matter more than where a game technically “lives.” The deal doesn’t blow up the sports media market overnight. Other leagues still spread rights across multiple partners. Fans won’t suddenly see every sport in one place. But it does introduce a new option: equity alignment instead of pure rights fees. With distribution models still in flux across the live sports world, the NFL and ESPN are banking on a future where a deeper partnership and fewer middle layers define media. #NFL #ESPN #Streaming https://lnkd.in/gH4tRBuC

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Here is a thoughtful and well written article by colleague Daniel Loria of Boxoffice Pro on the challenges exhibitors face in today’s entertainment world.

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The creator economy is maturing fast, and the next wave will be driven by the same things brands expect from traditional media: scale, measurement, accountability, and premium environments. At NowThis, we are combining trusted media infrastructure with social-first storytelling built for today’s audiences. Thank you Alyssa Mercante and Digiday for the conversation.

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Ad Vet Platcow Launches Armory815 by Fern Siegel , Yesterday Steve Platcow, a veteran ad executive with expertise in brand strategy across regional gaming, hospitality, entertainment, retail and lifestyle, has launched Armory815. The new shop is headquartered northwest of Chicago. Platcow spent 25 years as CEO of RPM Advertising, an independent Chicago agency. Most recently, he served as director of marketing for Hard Rock Casino Rockford, where he led brand development and integrated launch campaigns. Armory815 provides an array of services, including brand strategy, creative, experiential design, digital and media planning/buying. The agency has a roster of industrial B2B, entertainment, lifestyle and nonprofits clients, which will be announced at a later date.  

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TV is only 70yrs old (1950 only 9% of households had one). Sports broadcast rights only became a thing in 1960 with the CBS - NFL deal. Distribution is everything. These social platforms are intricate webs of different creator communities/fanbases with loyal viewers. It would be interesting to see if broadcast rights deals will start to include creator-led co-streams of those broadcasts to help increase viewership and boost their numbers. OR some of your larger creator media companies look at this opportunity to launch their own live channels and capture some of these broadcast opportunities for themselves. They have the fans, they have clipping networks, and they have brand partners who have spent 10s - 100s of millions of dollars with them over the past decade. It would be like if NBC, ABC, or FOX, had a loyal fanbase and a sense of community… #creatoreconomy #sports #broadcast #TV #contentcreators #gseworldwide #gsedigital

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Posted From Mid Atlantic Consulting Blog - HBO Max and Paramount+ to merge into one streaming service Paramount CEO David Ellison announced on a Monday investor conference call that Paramount+ and HBO Max would merge into a single streaming service, contingent on regulatory approval of Paramount Skydance’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. Alex Sherman for CNBC: ‎ A combined service would have about 200 million subscribers given existing totals, Ellison said during his company’s investor call about the WBD transaction. Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery said last week they had struck an .... (Click link to read entire article) https://lnkd.in/ejc7kYKY

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Great insights from Dan Kendall, Creative Director, Windfall Films on how producers can lean on their legacy to embrace the production revolution, with learnings from Emmy winning series The Future with Hannah Fry and Broadcast Digital award winner The Lost Music of Auschwitz. #Argonon Argonon Bloomberg Originals Sky Realscreen https://lnkd.in/eRfVazMh

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What do studios really look for when hiring vendors? Former NBCUniversal SVP of Production & Production Technology and line producer John Corser joins the ProdPro Podcast to break down how decisions get made and what builds lasting trust on set. Hear how transparency, collaboration, and creative focus keep you top of mind. Listen now here: https://lnkd.in/e-ZUwV3m

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MORTON RECORDS, label founded and run by 6x GRAMMY®-winner PJ MORTON, inks new deal with the SRG-ILS Group (Virgin Music/Universal Music Group) February 17, 2026, - On the heels of winning his sixth GRAMMY® Award, the SRG-ILS Group proudly welcomes PJ Morton’s own Morton Records to its label roster. PJ Morton is a soul singer, songwriter, performer and producer based in New Orleans. He is a 6x GRAMMY-winner and 22x GRAMMY nominee who has earned numerous nominations for BET, Soul Train and NAACP Image Awards, in addition to selling out countless shows at historic venues like the Apollo Theater and others around the world. On top of running Morton Records and serving as Maroon 5's full- time keyboardist for the past 15 years, he has collaborated with Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu, Jon Batiste, Nas, Lil Wayne, JoJo, Jill Scott and many others, and is the first Black composer to write an original song for a Disney attraction, Tiana's Bayou Adventure, now open at both Disney World and Disneyland. “PJ Morton is a generational talent and everyone here at SRG/ILS is extremely excited to be part of his upcoming projects,” shares Claude Villani, CEO and Founder of The SRG-ILS Group. Under Morton Records’ partnership with the SRG/ILS Group, PJ Morton will start introducing songs from his next album later this year. PJ Morton is a soul singer, songwriter, performer and producer based in New Orleans. He is a 6x GRAMMY-winner and 22x GRAMMY nominee who has earned numerous nominations for BET, Soul Train and NAACP Image Awards, in addition to selling out countless shows at historic venues like the Apollo Theater and others around the world. On top of running his own record label (Morton Records) and serving as Maroon 5's full- time keyboardist for the past 15 years, he has collaborated with Stevie Wonder, Erykah Badu, Jon Batiste, Nas, Lil Wayne, JoJo, Jill Scott and many others. ABOUT THE SRG/ILS GROUP The SRG/ILS group is globally distributed by Virgin Music Group. We embrace new technologies and business models that empower artists and labels to fully engage and participate in their careers, their recording, and ownership. Through a spectrum of services, SRG/ILS is redefining the relationship between music creators and the marketplace. The company is headquartered in Norwalk, CT with satellite offices in Los Angeles, CA and Toronto, Canada. The executive staff includes Claude Villani; Group CEO, Michael Cusanelli; General Manager, Walter W. Millsap III; VP of Artist Relations, Craig Davis; VP, Dominique Zgarka; Shareholder and Executive VP / Senior Advisor for Distribution Services, Dan Patrick; Shareholder and Brand/Media Consultant, Charles Phillips; Key Shareholder and Strategic Advisor, Charles Hinnant; Shareholder and Advisor to the CEO, Sander Shalinsky; Senior Advisor to the CEO, Jay Reason; Senior Director, Label Catalog, Ra-Fael Blanco: VP of Public Relations, Sydney P., Social Media and DSP Coordination, and H “Bee” Boisseau; Project Manager.

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Paramount CEO David Ellison has yet to contact HBO chief Casey Bloys or other top execs, despite telling analysts the network will retain autonomy as HBO Max and Paramount+ merge, insiders tell Variety. wp.me/pc8uak-1lGXJ4 • “Our viewpoint is HBO should stay HBO,” Ellison said on his investor call Monday morning. • One staffer called his comments “encouraging, but meaningless,” adding, “We haven’t heard anything. When the Netflix deal happened, Casey was one of Ted Sarandos’ first calls.”

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As part of Paramount’s presentation by Tom Schultz and Cesar Mascarenhas at the NAB Show Streaming Summit, detailing their Skunk Works model, their slide deck shared some really detailed information on devices. Two slides that stood out to me provided data on the refresh rates of consumer TVs and streaming devices. Check out Tom's post on LinkedIn recapping the presentation here: https://lnkd.in/g_QUHBVG and check out the video of their presentation, where you can also download their slides: https://lnkd.in/gcCG6EMg #nabstreamingsummit #nabshow #paramountplus #plutotv #SVOD #AVOD Paramount+ NAB Show

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National Football League (NFL) Chief Financial Officer Christine Dorfler traces her rise to a series of big bets on herself during and after the Great Recession. After six years at NBCUniversal, she moved into local news in 2008 as VP of finance for WNBC, managing budgets during an ad-revenue collapse. A major promotion followed three years later, and she went on to become CFO of NBC Sports before joining the NFL in 2023 to replace Joe Siclare. Key moments since joining the league: ✔️ A policy change allowing private equity to invest in teams ✔️The pending deal to sell most of NFL Media to Disney in exchange for equity in ESPN ✔️Expanded responsibilities including the L.A. media division and the 32 Equity venture platform https://ow.ly/NgwM50XNiAR

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In the latest episode of #TheGarage podcast, hosts Dan Massimino and Evan Hovorka welcome Shawn Makhijani, SVP of Business Development at NBCUniversal, to explore the powerful intersection of retail media and premium CTV content. Together, they dive deep into NBCUniversal's fascinating and strategic approach to content delivery and audience engagement. Tune in for an in-depth understanding of how self-service platforms are transforming CTV advertising accessibility, why partnership and collaboration are critical in retail media innovation and what the future of localized, targeted advertising in premium content environments holds for us all. 🔊 Listen where ever you stream your podcasts! https://lnkd.in/g3CyMVKv

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Jay Moore Joins Too Lost as Chief Investment Officer Jay Moore has been appointed Chief Investment Officer at indie distribution platform Too Lost. Formerly of Position Music and Ditto Music, Moore will spearhead the company's investment strategy and catalog acquisitions following its recent nine-figure funding round. #musicindustry #musicbusinessnews

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Must-read analysis by Joseph Singer (producer in the ‘90s, former Universal exec, now does M&A) that breaks down why, exactly, any acquisition of WBD would be objectively terrible for everyone except Zaslav & Co. I’ve not seen this level of detail before, which includes all the global entities that could potentially block it. And this also caught me: “There is an uncomfortable truth in this business that rarely gets said out loud: The company that controls distribution ultimately controls the market.” Full transparency: Even as I write about all the paths arising for independents to take greater control over their distribution, I still wonder how many will do this. It’s real and hard work that can feel like a nonentity against the prospect of a purpose-built company taking the lead. And then I read something like that and it snaps into focus. The work may be hard, but the value is real. Anyway, strong recommend. https://lnkd.in/gCKEyyNv

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