Pink's Bottom Line on Media, Money and Sports
Top items and takeaways of the week from the worlds of media, money and sports plus my NFL Pick of the Week — Playoff Edition
Here are the top items and takeaways of the week from the worlds of media, money and sports plus my NFL Pick of the Week — Playoff Edition.
MEDIA
Pink’s Bottom Line: Overall, video streamers will pare the total amount of original production in 2023 as they look to drive profitability first and foremost this year.
Pink’s Bottom Line: Notably, in that report, Hulu and Peacock were the two most popular OTT apps among those under 35, indicating that those two streamers serve as a great way for advertisers to reach the coveted younger demographic.
Gower Street Analytics is forecasting the global box office revenues will climb to $29 billion this year, up from $25.9 billion in 2022.
Pink’s Bottom Line: However, global box office revenue in 2023 will still trail pre-pandemic levels, indicating that the movie business still hasn’t fully recovered from the sharp downturn that began in 2020.
MONEY
Pink’s Bottom Line: If prices continue to decline steadily through the first half of the year, the US economy will suffer — at worst — a mild recession in 2023.
Pink’s Bottom Line: Gas price stability is a bellwether of the US consumer’s perception of inflation — so, if gas prices remain subdued, the American consumer will gain confidence and ultimately boost the overall economy with strong spending.
Pink’s Bottom Line: Lower mortgage rates will lead to more activity in the nation’s sagging housing market, but the 30-year will need to move below 5% — it currently stands at 6.42% — to attract large swaths of homebuyers.
SPORTS
Pink’s Bottom Line: Look for the AFC to win the majority of Super Bowls in the next decade as the conference has arguably the top five young quarterbacks in the NFL — Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills, Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals, Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers and Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens.
In men’s tennis, although Novak Djokovic is currently ranked fifth in the world, he is the overwhelming favorite to win the year’s first major, the Australian Open, which begins this weekend.
Pink’s Bottom Line: Djokovic will cruise to Aussie Open title, and kick off a dominant year winning at least two majors and jumping past rival Rafael Nadal as the all-time men’s leader in major tournaments won.
Pink’s Bottom Line: However, both semifinal games of this year’s CFP posted bigger viewership than the championship match-up, an indication both of the overall popularity of college football and of the discerning viewer who tunes in in droves when games are competitive and compelling.
NFL Pick of the Week — Playoff Edition
Before I get to my Playoff Pick, I wanted to review how my selections fared during the regular season.
For the year, I eked out an above .500 performance against the spread, finishing 9-8-1. I fared a bit better choosing outright winners, ending the year 11-7.
Now, my first Playoff Pick of the postseason:
Seattle Seahawks (+9.5) at San Francisco 49ers
Seattle opened the year strong but slumped in the last month of season while San Francisco is on a roll, winning its last ten games.
However, in the Playoffs, a 9.5 point spread is a lot for a team to cover, even one as hot as the 49ers.
San Francisco also has a rookie quarterback, and rookie quarterbacks generally don’t fare well in the Playoffs.
That said, look San Francisco ultimately to win the game but Seattle will keep it close. That’s why I am picking the 49ers to win outright but San Francisco won’t cover the spread.
Jeremy Pink consults for media, sports and tech companies around the world. He is the former CEO of private-equity backed Broadcast Sports International where he helped lead the company to a successful sale and exit during his tenure there. He is also a former CNBC television executive in New York, London and Singapore. He started his career as a sportswriter for two newspapers in Columbus, Ohio.
The information contained in this communication is strictly for general informational and entertainment purposes and is not meant to be construed as financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. This communication is not a solicitation to buy or sell any securities. I am not a financial advisor or offering professional advice of any kind. Users should not act upon the content or information found within this communication without first seeking professional advice appropriate for their individual situation. Decisions based on information contained in this communication are the sole responsibility of the user, and use of this communication and its contents constitutes an explicit understanding and acceptance of the foregoing disclaimers.
(Newsletter Editor: Karina Pink)