Why the N.F.L.’s Big Streaming Deal Is Going Into Overtime – The league is still looking for a technology or media company willing to replace DirecTV as the rights holder for Sunday Ticket, which allows fans to watch every N.F.L. game, not just those broadcast in their region. The negotiations are now expected to extend into next year, according to five people familiar with the talks .
The Sunday Ticket negotiations have been closely watched by analysts and executives. Live sports, particularly N.F.L. games, are one of the last remaining staples of traditional television. Who the winning bidder is, how much it pays and how the deal is structured will have seismic implications for the sports, media and technology industries.
Bidding for Sunday Ticket’s valuable package of games could set a precedent for how much tech firms like Apple and Google are willing to pay to take viewers from traditional TV companies, which still rely on cable subscription fees and advertising to stay afloat.
In the absence of a deal, Google has stepped up its pursuit, aiming to win the package for YouTube TV, the company’s streaming-cable service, four of these people said. Other interested bidders include Amazon and Disney’s ESPN. [NY Times]
PEOPLE Launches its First-Ever Digital Issue with the Return of PEOPLE StyleWatch – PEOPLE announced its first-ever digital issue for fashion and beauty enthusiasts with the relaunch of PEOPLE StyleWatch – 20 years after its debut.
Revamped for today’s modern audience, the new StyleWatch offers a collection of nearly 20 original, shoppable stories, highlighting the season’s top trends and inspiration from the most stylish celebrities and tastemakers. PEOPLE StyleWatch launches on PEOPLE.com on November 28, Cyber Monday, and will publish several times next year.
Frito-Lay and PepsiCo Beverages debut their first holiday commercial collaboration, “Melt” – The ad premieres today, Thanksgiving Day. It was created by PepsiCo’s In-House Content Studio and directed by five-time Emmy Award-winner Robert Stromberg and features a hybrid of animation and real-life footage.
“Each year, we reimagine our ‘Share More Joy’ campaign and find new ways to celebrate the magic of the season,” said Tina Mahal, senior vice president of marketing at Frito-Lay. “Creating our holiday commercial for the first time in partnership with PepsiCo Beverages allowed us to bring together even more fan-favorite brands and tell an uplifting story of togetherness and the lengths we might go to share more joy with those around us.”
Epson Europe and SEGA of America Team Up to Celebrate the Release of Sonic Frontiers – Epson has announced a partnership with SEGA of America to celebrate the launch of Sonic Frontiers, the new open zone, action-adventure platforming Sonic game with Epson’s home cinema projectors, the ideal accessories for any gamer looking to enjoy the high-speed adventure game.
For the next year, the cinema projectors will appear across Europe on Epson’s Point of Sale materials in stores and online, in product videos and on social media. The campaign features Usain Bolt, the world’s fastest man and Epson Ambassador, enjoying Sonic Frontiers on one of Epson’s latest home cinema projectors.
Adidas to Probe Misconduct Allegations Against Kanye West – The German company said Thursday that it would start the probe after receiving an anonymous letter making a number of allegations against Mr. West, who goes by Ye.
Adidas said in a written statement that while it wasn’t clear whether the accusations made in the letter were true, it took them seriously, and had “taken the decision to launch an independent investigation of the matter immediately to address the allegations.”
The allegations made in the letter—titled “The Truth About Yeezy: A Call to Action for Adidas Leadership”—were reported by Rolling Stone magazine on Tuesday.
According to Rolling Stone, the letter accused Adidas of failing to protect its employees from “years of verbal abuse, vulgar tirades, and bullying attacks” from Mr. West. [WSJ]
Apple and Elon Musk’s Twitter are on a collision course – One of the biggest risks to Musk’s vision for “Twitter 2.0” is the possibility that his changes violate Apple or Google’s app rules in a way that slows down the company or even gets its software booted from app stores.
Tensions are already brewing. Musk complained in a tweet just last week about app store fees that Google and Apple charge companies like Twitter.
“App store fees are obviously too high due to the iOS/Android duopoly,” Musk tweeted. “It is a hidden 30% tax on the Internet.” In a follow-up post, he tagged the Department of Justice’s antitrust division, which is reportedly investigating app store rules.
Over the weekend, Phil Schiller, the former head Apple marketing executive who still oversees the App Store, apparently deleted his widely-followed Twitter account with hundreds of thousands of followers. [CNBC]
