Chart-Topping Reinventions and Sheer Surprises: This Week's Sports & Entertainment Spotlight

Welcome back to the Spotlight! In case all eight of you missed me last week while I was out, I will do my best to show that I am coming back a better version of myself. What does that mean in my situation? Well, we’ve recently witnessed impressive range and reinvention from familiar faces and names. Beyoncé is topping the charts–certainly not an all that surprising revelation on its own but for the fact that she’s branched away from her familiar R&B/Pop category into Country Music. In so doing, Beyoncé has made history as the first black woman to hold the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 with a country song. Charting her own course through history, former Disney Channel star and recording artist Bridgit Mendler (who’s since earned a Masters degree at M.I.T. and her J.D. at Harvard Law) has herself reached out to the stars, founding a satellite data startup. Then again, newness does not always translate to something better. Major League Baseball found that out when it was revealed (in more ways than one) that their new Nike uniforms that are being rolled out this year are sheer/partially see-through—back to the drawing board there (though I might have considered leaning into this one as a way of attracting an audience). In any event, instead of reinvention, I just plan to see through my best laid plans to pepper you with wordplay, dad jokes and shenanigans all the while (maybe?) informing you about all things sports and entertainment – not unlike these:

Hip hop artists Kanye (“Ye”) West and Ty Dolla $ign and their controversial album, Vultures I already under the threat of litigation from Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne for use of a musical sample of a Black Sabbath performance of “Iron Man” (for which approval was withheld by Osbourne due to Ye’s hateful antisemitism) are now being sued by Donna Summer’s estate for an unauthorized sample of the late singer’s hit entitled “I Feel Love.” I’m reminded by an old proverb: the titles of songs you take, does not a better person make.
Kansas City Chiefs’ superfan “ChiefsAholic” could be going to prison for nearly a dozen robberies, or as it’s called in the criminal justice system, being a “ThiefsAholic.”
The New York Jets’ flagship radio station will no longer be ESPN New York as the latter is choosing to part with its FM signal – but shed no tears for ESPN New York – they are well-acquainted with Jets losses.
LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne unveils a billboard in New York’s Times Square as part of her endorsement deal with apparel brand Nautica. An occurrence that without name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities for collegiate athletes could not have been done.

Endorsement Deals, Sponsorships & Investments

Portland Timbers drop DaBella as jersey sponsor after harassment allegations surface
February 28, 2024 via Biz Journal

Fifth Third increased its Bengals sponsorship spending to $3 million last year
February 28, 2024 via Biz Journal

Olivia Dunne’s latest endorsement deal lands LSU star on billboard in Times Square
February 27, 2024 via Advocate

Judge hands NCAA another loss Compensation rules likely violate antitrust, harm athletes
February 27, 2024 via Legal News Detroit

Sports

Superfan ‘ChiefsAholic’ Facing 50 Years in Prison for Bank Robberies
February 28, 2024 via Sportico

Jets leaving ESPN N.Y. as home of radio broadcasts
February 28, 2024 via Sports Business Journal

Storm brewing in college basketball: Should fans be banned from rushing floor?
February 27, 2024 via NBC News

Music Biz

Donna Summer estate sues Ye and Ty Dolla $ign, saying they illegally used ‘I Feel Love’
February 28, 2024 via WVTM 13

Independent artists and labels account for half of Spotify’s $9 billion payout to music industry
February 28, 2024 via Music Week