Welcome back to the Spotlight! This past week, amidst Halloween candy sorting (and sampling…and re-sampling…) a recording artist by the name of Xania Monet generated enough radio play to make a historic appearance on the Billboard R&B charts. Why was it historic? Not because Xania Monet is a relative of French impressionist Claude (though, kudos to you for retaining art history), but rather because Xania Monet is a relative of Claude…and Alexa…and Siri…and Grok. You see, Xania Monet is a creation of Telisha “Nikki” Jones, who uses generative software and her own lyrics to bring Monet to “life.”
On the one hand, this represents a democratization of the music industry. On the other hand, it’s an anxiety-inducing moment for recording artists of the human variety. Put differently, the ease with which new AI-generated music can be pushed out makes it more likely for consumers’ mass consumption of Xania and likelier still for traditional musicians’ mass consumption of Xanax. Whether this is a passing fad or a sign of things to come (probably the latter), one thing is for certain: the Spotlight is proudly AI-free and authentic since its very first founding. And based on what I’ve seen from my late night trials, that’s not in danger of that changing any time soon!
Highly decorated Men’s tennis star adds a deal to his endorsement portfolio, leading a $5 million seed round for “corn-free popcorn” brand Cob. What’s this corn-free popcorn, you ask? It is a snack product made with sorghum – which is incidentally exactly what I experience when I get a corn kernel stuck in my teeth.
Following on the heels of this week’s Mayoral election in New York City, President Trump published (and was forced to take down) a doctored New York Knicks logo to satirize a different doctored New York Knicks logo that Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani used (for which he received a cease and desist letter) during his campaign. While I am relieved to see the Knicks not wading into the political morass, I am confused about why there seem to be more graphic designers than IP lawyers on both sides of the aisle.
Just when you thought the “K-Pop Demon Hunters” craze might be winding down after Halloween, Netflix announced that a sequel will be made, triggering a $15 million cash bonus for Sony film studio. Golden indeed.
Endorsement Deals, Sponsorships & Investments
Acquisition Creates Major Investment Company Focused on Padel, Pickleball and Other Niche Sports
November 6, 2025 via Insider Media
Xtreme One Entertainment Adds Football to its Sports Platform, Announces Letter of Intent to Acquire The 7on7 Association
November 6, 2025 via GlobeNewswire
Kim Kardashian Taps TikTok Couple Nara and Lucky Blue Smith for Skims Holiday Campaign
November 6, 2025 via Variety
ESPN Bet’s Death May Finally End Dream of Giant Media Sportsbook
November 6, 2025 via Sportico
Paramount+ Strikes Deal to Become Home of PBR ‘Unleash The Beast’ Tour
November 5, 2025 via Awful Announcing
Mark Cuban Joins Legal Fight Against Dark Money and Super PACs
November 5, 2025 via Sportico
Why the White House Deleted Post Mocking Mamdani With Knicks Logo
November 5, 2025 via Front Office Sports
A Pro League Paying College Athletes? Unrivaled Is Thinking Outside the NIL Box
November 4, 2025 via Sports Illustrated
Well-Established Marketing & Sponsorship Agency Acquired by Strategic Buyer
November 4, 2025 via PR Newswire
NIL Free-For-All Poses Real Threat to What Makes March Madness Special
November 4, 2025 via New York Post
Novak Djokovic Becomes Latest Celebrity Popcorn Endorser, Helps Launch Cob with $5M Seed Round
November 3, 2025 via Sports Business Journal
How UW Football Commit Elijah Durr Represents Tacoma, His Adopted Hometown
November 1, 2025 via The Seattle Times
Sports
People's ArmWrestling Federation of India Announces Hosting of 2026 World Championships
November 6, 2025 via Central Asia International News
Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes No Longer Rule NFL Ad Breaks
November 3, 2025 via Sportico
World Series Game 7 on Pace for Over 26M Viewers, Eight-Year High
November 3, 2025 via Sportico
In New Era of College Hoops Rosters, $20.5M Salary Cap Feels More Like a Suggestion than a Rule
November 3, 2025 via Yahoo! News
WNBA Greatly Underestimates Stars Like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese in CBA Fight
November 3, 2025 via Awful Announcing
Virginia Tech Sought a Pregame Home Anthem. Metallica's 'Enter Sandman' Became a 25-Year Staple
October 31, 2025 via Record Patriot
Music Biz
Xania Monet: The First AI Artist to Crack a Billboard Radio Chart
November 5, 2025 via Los Angeles Daily News
Guns N’ Roses Sued By Ex-Manager Over Release of His Book
November 5, 2025 via Variety
Stars Urge Congress to Pass the American Music Fairness Act
November 4, 2025 via The Washington Examiner
Drake Accused of Earning Billions of Fraudulent Streams in Class Action Suit Against Spotify
November 3, 2025 via The Hollywood Reporter
AI Song Generator Udio Offers Brief Window for Downloads After Universal Settlement Upsets Users
November 2, 2025 via WDSU 6
Le Sserafim and Their Peers Are Flipping the Script on US K-Pop Brand Deals
October 31, 2025 via AdWeek
Why the Biggest Record Company Is Teaming Up With the AI-Music Company It Was Just Suing
October 31, 2025 via Yahoo! News
It’s Always Been Hard to Make it as an Artist in America – and it’s Becoming Only Harder
October 31, 2025 via The Conversation UK
Film & TV
WME Music for Visual Media Department Merges With Allegro Talent Group to Form New Film and TV Music Division
November 7, 2025 via Variety
‘Michael’ Trailer: Michael Jackson Becomes the King of Pop in First Footage From Biopic
November 6, 2025 via Variety
Behind ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Sequel Deal: Netflix Awards Sony $15 Million Cash Bonus for First Film
November 6, 2025 via HollywoodReporter
MPA Sends Cease And Desist Letter To Instagram Parent Meta Over “PG-13” Teen Accounts
November 5, 2025 via Deadline