Since the success of its “FarmVille” franchise, developer Zynga has emerged as a leader in the mobile gaming industry.

Zynga totaled $616 million in fourth-quarter revenue, up 52% over the prior year — a company record. Revenue for its full fiscal year reached $1.97 billion, up 49%, also a record.

The company now projects revenue of $2.6 billion for 2021. 

Other powerhouses are getting in on the mobile action, too. 

• Electronic Arts announced it will acquire developer and publisher Glu Mobile in a deal worth $2.1 billion.
• Glu Mobile has been making games since 2001 and is responsible for titles like “MLB Tap Sports Baseball” and “Kim Kardashian: Hollywood.”
• The company reported revenue of $540.5 million last year. 

EA’s decision to acquire Glu Mobile comes during a buying spree. In December, it agreed to a $1.2 billion acquisition of Codemasters, which makes several popular racing games, including “F1 Mobile Racing.”

Activision Blizzard, the company responsible for “Call of Duty,” has expanded the global reach of the franchise’s mobile version. After launching in China — what the company called “the largest mobile alliance in the world” — the game was downloaded over 50 million times.

With the pandemic still looming, MGM is leaning further into BetMGM, its sports betting and iGaming division. 

The company was crushed by COVID’s effect on the hospitality and tourism industries, reporting losses of $448 million, with revenue down 53% year-over-year to $1.5 billion.

But BetMGM — a joint venture with U.K.-based gaming company Entain, which recently rejected an $11 billion takeover bid from MGM — has been a bright spot.

The app’s revenue increased 130% year-over-year in the last three months of 2020. Then it launched in Virginia, Michigan and Iowa last month.

BetMGM has been live in New Jersey since 2018 and was the state’s second sports betting app after DraftKings.

New Jersey handled $6 billion in sports bets in 2020, more than Nevada’s $4.3 billion handle, which was the lowest total in the state since 2015.

• New Jersey’s mobile betting numbers soared in 2020, with about 90% of bets placed via on-the-go options.

“BetMGM gained significant market share throughout 2020 while successfully launching in seven new states,” said CEO and President Bill Hornbuckle. “We expect to be in 20 markets by the end of the year.”

The NFL and Nike are partnering to boost participation in a less physical version of football, and they hope to bring in a new pool of potential players. 

The NFL and Nike are offering donations of up to $100,000 in products to state athletic associations that provide or pilot girls’ flag football programs.

Several teams are joining the effort, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Jets, and Atlanta Falcons supporting the creation of girls’ flag football leagues in their local areas.

But there’s a long way to go before girls’ flag football participation reaches the same numbers as boys’ tackle football.

• Over one million U.S. high school boys played tackle football in the 2018-19 school year.
• 11,200 girls suited up for flag football in the same year.

Despite still being the most popular high school sport, football may be in need of a re-engagement with the youth.

Concerns over the long-term effects of concussions contributed to a 9% drop in high school football participation over the last decade — a loss of around 100,000 athletes.

Former NBA center Theo Ratliff and Corlex Capital want to change the way restaurant investments are made. 

Corlex, a Black-owned private equity firm, is working with the ex-athlete to raise money to support a restaurant franchising fund. The target is pro athlete investors. 

Cortex and Ratliff can get a new franchisee started with a $100,000 investment, and aim to raise $5 million per fund.

“A lot of people want to be in the franchise industry but don’t have the know-how or the ability to run a franchise, and that’s what Corlex is bringing to the table,” Ratliff said on Tuesday. “The quick-service restaurants have been booming in this market.”

To help manage the franchises, Corlex takes a percentage of sales and charges royalty fees. The firm currently operates 10 Wingstops and will look to add more as investors tag along. 

Athlete investment in restaurant franchises isn’t new. Investors like Junior Bridgeman — the basketball player turned fast-food tycoon — have set a standard for what it means to take advantage of an opportunity like the one Corlex and Ratliff are offering.