In the new race for top sports media content, two of the most recognizable U.S. brands are teaming up.

Nike and Apple are joining forces for a series of films.

• The multiyear tie-up will see Apple Original Films work with Nike’s Waffle Iron Entertainment and Makeready.
• Waffle Iron produced the 2021 movie “The Day Sports Stood Still” on athlete-backed social justice initiatives, and “Promiseland” on Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant.
• Apple is currently developing a Formula 1 movie starring Brad Pitt, produced by star Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton.

Apple and Nike have worked together previously: Apple CEO Tim Cook has served on Nike’s board of directors since 2005, and Nike created its own versions of the Apple Watch SE and Series 7. The two brands teamed up in 2006 for the Nike + iPod Sports Kit.

Apple’s Bite at Sports Media

Starting with its hit Premier League-focused show “Ted Lasso,” Apple TV+ has had a growing presence in sports media. 

It made its first foray into live broadcasting this year in a deal with MLB for Friday night games worth $85 million annually. It is weighing bids for pricier properties, including “NFL Sunday Ticket,” which could fetch $2.5 billion per year.

The company has also produced a documentary on the New England Patriots and a docuseries on NBA legend Magic Johnson.

Twenty-nine teams would like to acquire Washington Nationals star Juan Soto, but the MLB club is seeing comparable interest from parties looking to buy the whole team.

The Nationals are fielding offers, and 28 people or groups have expressed interest.

• Washington Capitals, Wizards, and Mystics owner Ted Leonsis is believed to be interested and a natural fit. The Lerner family, the current owner of the Nationals, are also part-owners of the Capitals and Wizards.
• However, Leonsis’ initial bid for the Nationals was reportedly below those of other suitors. 
• Former Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres, and Baltimore Orioles CEO Larry Lucchino is reportedly heading an interested group.

Forbes valued the Nationals at $2 billion in March. The New York Mets were sold for $2.4 billion in November 2020.

The MASN Effect

The team has a unique factor complicating any potential sale: Its local sports rights are held by the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN), an entity owned 67% by the Orioles. 

The arrangement, established as compensation for the Orioles when the Nationals (then Expos) moved into their media territory from Montreal in 2005, ties the Nats to an independent regional sports network that has cut costs in recent years after dropping from 5.6 million subscribers in 2018 to 3.6 million this year.

The Nationals and MASN are facing off in multiple lawsuits, including one in which a judge has ruled that the network owes the team around $100 million in rights fees for broadcasts between 2012 and 2017. The Orioles are appealing the ruling.

AC Milan owner RedBird Capital Partners believes the Italian soccer club deserves a new stadium to ensure a bright future. 

“A brand of this scale should have infrastructure that is indicative of its football prowess and global potential,” RedBird founder Gerry Cardinale told the Financial Times. 

A new stadium for AC Milan — which, based on different reports, could range from 50,000 to 70,000 seats — would also mean a new home for fellow Serie A rival Inter Milan, who have been co-tenants at the historic Giuseppe Meazza Stadium at San Siro since 1947. 

AC Milan has already kickstarted the process of building a new stadium. 

• In 2020, Italy’s heritage authority approved the demolition of San Siro.
• The club has hired architecture firm Populous for the project coined “The Cathedral.”
• The development is estimated to cost roughly $733 million. 

Last month, RedBird finalized a deal to purchase AC Milan for $1.3 billion from New York-based investment firm Elliott Management, which will keep a minority stake in the club. 

RedBird, which has $6 billion in assets under management, won its bid for the club over Investcorp — the Middle East’s largest alternative assets manager.

Things Looking Up 

A potential new home for AC Milan comes amid promising results both on and off the pitch. 

AC Milan won its 19th Serie A title in the 2021-22 season, and the club is currently the 14th-most-valuable soccer team in the world at $1.2 billion, per Forbes.

It has generated $257 million in revenue in 2022, up from $165 million in 2021.

Having become notorious for unhealthy work conditions and allegations of sexism and discrimination against women, the video game industry is working to become a more inclusive environment. 

Activision Blizzard is among a growing list of video game companies embracing transparent pay in an effort to combat wage discrimination and unfavorable work conditions. 

• In April, Activision added two women, Lulu Cheng Meservey and Kerry Carr, to its board.
• However, the discrepancies aren’t exclusive to the U.S,. as men at U.K. game companies made 17.1% more than women in 2021, per Gamesindustry.biz. 

The desire to implement change comes amid several controversies shrouding the industry. 

Activision was facing a class-action lawsuit in California that claimed the video game publisher misled investors regarding allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination.

The lawsuit — filed by shareholders in 2021 — was dismissed in April. 

Riot Games, the developer of “League of Legends,” faced legal issues of its own after it agreed to pay a $100 million gender discrimination settlement in December 2021. 

PlayStation is also facing a potential class-action gender discrimination lawsuit in California by a former employee after a federal judge dismissed her initial lawsuit in April. 

Taking a Stand 

The need for change within the gaming industry has empowered its workforce. 

In May, employees of Raven Software — a subsidiary of Activision — voted to form a union, which would be the first for a public gaming company in the U.S.

Activision plans to negotiate with the Communications Workers of America over a collective bargaining agreement.