Pink's Bottom Line on Media, Money and Sports

Netflix metrics, office occupancy rates and veteran NFL starting quarterbacks

In today’s newsletter, I discuss Netflix metrics, office occupancy rates and veteran NFL starting quarterbacks.

MEDIA: Netflix Metrics

Netflix this week is launching a new website called Top 10 on Netflix, which will list every Tuesday the most popular movies and television shows on the streaming service from the prior week.

Notably, the new site will base the popularity of the movies and shows on the total hours those titles are viewed in any given week.

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For last week in the United States, the Netflix original movie Red Notice was the most watched English language film with more than 148 million hours watched while the Netflix original show Narcos: Mexico: Season 3 was the most watched English language show with more than 50 million hours watched.

Additionally, much of these top ten lists are composed of Netflix originally produced programming, suggesting that Netflix now differentiates itself from its competitors mostly through its own production.

In any case, it’s worth looking at the new website as it has a few different Top 10 lists based on country, language and program type.

MONEY: Office Occupancy Rates

The average office occupancy rate in ten major metropolitan areas in the United States has increased sharply in November, according to data from the Kastle Back to Work Barometer.

The average occupancy rate of the ten cities tracked by Kastle now stands at 39.8%, up sharply from 36% in late October.

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Additionally, that average occupancy rate is now hovering around its highest level since the pandemic began in March of last year.

The latest office occupancy data also suggests that workers are now returning to work at a brisker clip than they were just a few weeks ago.

If that trend continues, it bodes well for the economic health of major cities in the United States — with workers returning to offices, they bolster the local economies by spending on goods and services in these cities.

SPORTS: Veteran NFL Starting Quarterbacks

Two veteran NFL quarterbacks — Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers and Joe Flacco of the New York Jets — will both make their first starts of the year this weekend.

That would have been unthinkable just a month ago as Newton rejoined the Panthers only last week, and Flacco signed with the Jets in late October.

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Newton has a chance to lead the Panthers to the postseason — if the playoffs were held today, then Carolina would be the seventh seed in the NFC. Newton is replacing injured starter Sam Darnold who might be out for the rest of the season.

Flacco, meanwhile, is starting for the Jets, a team looking to salvage some respectability in a dismal season so far — Flacco is starting in place of injured rookie quarterback Zach Wilson who is expected to return later this year.

Neither Newton nor Flacco is a long-term solution at quarterback for their respective teams, look for both to fare well this weekend as they are essentially auditioning for starting jobs for other teams next season.

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Jeremy Pink is currently an advisor to media and fintech 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.

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)