Closing Bell

French billionaire François-Henri Pinault’s holding company Artémis has "agreed to buy a majority stake" in Hollywood talent agency CAA from the private equity firm TPG Inc. in a deal that values the business at $7B. Artémis, which has assets of over $40B, "controls fashion brands such as Gucci and Saint Laurent." Singapore-based Temasek Holdings Pte, the city-state’s investment firm, will "remain a minority investor" in CAA. CMC Capital "remains a CAA strategic partner" (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 9/7).

CAA’s leadership team of Bryan Lourd, Kevin Huvane and Richard Lovett will remain in place, with all three men signing "long-term commitments to continue leading the agency." Lourd is "expected to be named CEO" of the company under its new ownership, while Jim Burtson "will remain president." Pinault "will keep the agency privately held" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 9/7).

CAA has "expanded aggressively beyond film and TV representation" over the last decade, "particularly in professional sports." The firm "represents thousands of key players" in football, soccer and other sports -- including Suns G Devin Booker and Penguins C Sidney Crosby. Its other non-entertainment clients "include political figures and corporate firms." Buying a stake in CAA "will help Pinault’s holding company diversify" beyond Europe and its core investments, "cashing in on the growing overlap between the worlds of luxury and entertainment" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 9/7).

Oak View Group has formed a new entity called Crown Properties Collection (CPC) with Madison Square Garden Entertainment and Sphere Entertainment. The new company will manage Sphere Entertainment and the MSG family of companies’ global partnership portfolio, including MSG Entertainment’s venues, productions, and live entertainment properties. Former PGA Tour exec  Jay Voelkerhas been hired as president to lead the new OVG-managed entity. 

“This is a unique combination of assets, that are worldwide, that are all about facilities and live entertainment, and it just made sense to have that kind of reach, that kind of strength and that kind of global footprint,” said OVG co-founder and CEO Tim Leiweke. "The breadth of our knowledge, our relationships, and our reputation, the international reach that we have is going to change dramatically the people that we talk to about the Garden, the Knicks, the Rangers, or The Sphere."

The new venture stems from MSG and OVG’s close ties, specifically those between MSG Chair James Dolan and OVG co-founder Irving Azoff, who are close friends. Azoff represents U2, which is opening The Sphere -- MSG’s $2.3B LED enshrouded, spherical Las Vegas entertainment venue that opens at the end of the month -- while Dolan was key in backing Leiweke’s Climate Pledge Arena bid with the NHL. Leiweke and MSG Sports President and COO David Hopkinsonworked together at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. 

In addition to being a founding partner, MSG Entertainment and Sphere Entertainment will be CPC’s first clients. OVG is majority owner and managing partner of the new entity that will oversee the global partnership and sponsorship representation of all Sphere and MSG brands and properties including The Sphere, Madison Square Garden, MSG Networks, Radio City Music Hall, The Beacon Theatre, The Chicago Theatre, Knicks, Rangers, the Radio City Rockettes, and the Christmas Spectacular. Global partnership sales and strategy will be managed by CPC, while the MSG family of companies will provide expertise and advisory services to CPC and handle its own partnership activations and fulfillment. Leiweke said that CPC will take on other clients in the future, though only high-end properties with reputational cache. 

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Lowe's renewed its multiyear contract with the NFL for the 2023 season, which will kick off with an integrated marketing campaign featuring a national television commercial and a refreshed roster of the Lowe's Home Team players. Lowe's is welcoming five new and returning players to the Home Team roster this season, including Cowboys QB Dak Prescott, Chiefs TE Travis Kelce, 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey, Cardinals OT Kelvin Beachum and Panthers QB Bryce Young. The creative for the fall campaign includes 15- and 30-second TV commercials, in-store signage, digital and radio advertising, in-store audio and social media support. The ads feature Lowe's associates coaching McCaffrey, Kelce and Prescott from the sidelines (Lowe's).

Chiefs coach Andy Reid and QB Patrick Mahomes star in a new commercial for State Farm that will air during tonight’s Chiefs-Lions game. The spot, called "Combo Meal," sees Jake from State Farm tell Reid "about the company’s bundling option using visual aids," including some of Reid’s "favorite things in real life: a burger and fries." Another State Farm commercial called “Mantra" will air during tonight's game, and it "stars Mahomes and Jake in a fictional Chiefs locker room" (K.C. STAR, 9/7).

Fanatics has debuted a new commercial celebrating the return of the NFL season. The spot takes place in a fictitious cleaner where all the employees do is clean and prepare NFL jerseys and talk about the upcoming season. Hundreds of NFL jerseys make their way around the racks as banter ensues until it is finally revealed that the first customer who entered and rang the bell to pick up their jersey is Bills S Damar Hamlin, who is set to make his return to play this season. Fanatics will be extending the campaign by planting autographed jerseys in cleaners around the country with tickets for the jerseys featured on Fanatics social pages (Fanatics).

The WTA Finals has "found a new home for a third straight season" in Cancun, Mexico, from October 29-November 5. The news comes after "another year of uncertainty as to the location of the Finals," which was held at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth last fall. Rumors "abounded throughout the US Open about possible bids from Saudi Arabia and later the Czech Republic." The possibility of a Saudi-run WTA Finals "drew particular ire from former players and fans." GS Sports Management preciously organized the 2021 WTA Finals in Guadalajara, which was the "first Finals to be held after the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the 2020 edition planned to be in Shenzhen" (TENNIS, 9/7).  The one-year agreement to stage the WTA Finals in Cancun "leaves the door open for Saudi Arabia to host the event in future seasons." The country reportedly was "in pole position just two weeks ago." Players have been "mostly supportive of going to Saudi Arabia" (BBC.com, 9/7).

The Univ. of Colorado has "sold out" home football games against Colorado State on Sept. 14 and USC on Sept. 30. With today's announcement, four of the six games at Folsom Field this season "have been sold out," as Saturday’s home opener against Nebraska and the Oct. 13 game against Stanford were already "announced as sellouts." This is the "first time since 1996 that CU has had as many as three sellouts in one season." From 2007-2022, there were "only four sellouts in 95 games where tickets were sold." CU has "never sold out every home game in a season" (Boulder DAILY CAMERA, 9/7).

NBC Sports kicked off the ad campaign for its coverage of the 2024 Paris Games with a 60-second spot that launched this morning in which Pro Football HOFer Peyton Manning "dreams up the most hackneyed (not to mention logistically challenging) idea for how NBC should open its coverage of the Games." The spot, produced by Manning’s Omaha Productions, will air tonight during NBC Sports’ coverage of NFL Kickoff. The promo also will "run across NBCU’s linear, social and digital platforms throughout the fall." Additional spots with a "similar theme, but different talent, are expected in the months to come" (AD AGE, 9/7).

The Clippers have renewed their partnership with KTLA-TV "through the 2024-25 season" and will see "fifteen games, including all four preseason exhibitions," broadcast on the channel. KTLA broadcasts will be "anchored again by play-by-play announcer Brian Sieman," and Jim Jackson and Mike Fratello "will be back as analysts." KTLA last season renewed its partnership with the Clippers following a "long break as the team sought to broaden its viewership in advance of the opening of its new Inglewood arena." All games also will be "streamed on ClipperVision, the team’s direct-to-consumer option that begins its second season" (L.A. TIMES, 9/7).

Nielsen will "not be using first-party data from Amazon in the ratings used for buying and selling commercials" during "Thursday Night Football." Nielsen had a meeting with the Media Rating Council on August 30 about "getting accreditation for its plan to integrate Amazon data into its already accredited panel-based rating system," but the MRC "had questions about Nielsen’s methodology and it was not accredited." While the Amazon data is "not included in the panel-based measurement," it "is being included in Nielsen’s big-data audience stream." Including Amazon data would "boost its viewership totals, giving it an advantage over the other networks that broadcast NFL football and believe that Nielsen undercounts their audiences" (BROADCASTING & CABLE, 9/7).

Bears QB Justin Fields is the "new face of Reebok’s renewed football push," as the two sides have teamed to unveil a "Justin Fields Collection" based on the clothing he prefers. The collection includes a T-shirt, shorts and Nano X3 shoes (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 9/7).

Wellness brand Dr Teal's has named Jets WR Garrett Wilson, USC QB Caleb Williams and Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. to its athlete roster, joining Rams DL Aaron Donald and Titans RB Derrick Henry (Dr Teal's).

Jets QB Aaron Rodgers has partnered with men's dress shoe brand Amberjack as a lead investor and brand ambassador (Amberjack).

SoFi Stadium and Uber Eats have partnered to bring order-ahead concessions to fans at the venue. Beginning on Sunday for Chargers-Dolphins, concession stands throughout the stadium will feature a dedicated lane for guests who pre-order food and drinks using the Uber Eats app (SoFi Stadium).

“'Real Sports’ has consistently showcased some of the best journalism and storytelling, not just in sports television, but beyond” -- ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser, on HBO cancelling its long-running sports investigative show “Real Sports” ( “PTI,” ESPN, 9/6).

“He is charismatic (and) the future of American tennis” -- ESPN’s Michael Wilbon, on U.S. tennis player Ben Shelton, who will face Novak Djokovic in the semifinal round of the U.S. Open tomorrow ( “PTI,” ESPN, 9/6).

“I haven’t won one on CBS yet, I don’t think, so I’m going to try to make sure I can do that” – Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes , on telling CBS’s Nate Burleson he will win the Super Bowl this year in Las Vegas which will be televised on CBS ( “CBS Mornings,” 9/7 ).

Peacock has unveiled its new ad spot with Basketball HOFer Allen Iverson, which highlights the amount of live sports coverage on the streaming service. The spot will debut on linear TV tonight in the NFL Kickoff game between the Chiefs and Lions.

73 million and 58%  -- According to the American Gaming Association, 73 million Americans plan to wager on the NFL this season which is up 58% from last year ( “Worldwide Exchange,” CNBC, 9/7).