I discuss some troubling education statistics among other items in today’s newsletter.
MEDIA: Video Streaming Competition
In the land grab for new video streaming subscribers, NBC’s Peacock enjoyed a stellar third quarter, according to research from Kantar, a market research and consulting firm.
Peacock led the way among streaming services, attracting 17.2% of all new subscribers last quarter, according to Kantar.
Amazon Prime followed with 16% and HBO Max came in third with 11.3% of those new subscribers, according to Kantar.
Pink's Bottom LineThe competition for video streaming subscribers is fierce, and the overall market is evolving rapidly.
Interestingly, one in ten of these new subscriptions came at the expense of another streaming service — in other words, 10% of these new subscribers switched from one video streaming service to another, according to Kantar.
All of that said, the long-term winners could ultimately be those services that offer the most compelling content.
In that case, a major winner could be Netflix, which had all of the top five most enjoyed shows among all services, according to Kantar.
MONEY: Coronavirus Impact on Education
School closures due to the coronavirus will have a material impact on the future earnings of elementary and high school students, according to a Penn Wharton Budget Model report.
For every month that a school is closed, it will cost a student dearly, according to that report.
Here’s a key quote from that report: “We estimate that each month of school closures in response to the COVID pandemic cost current students between $12,000 and $15,000 in future earnings due to lower educational quality.”
Pink's Bottom LineSeparately, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center says that fall enrollment in US colleges and universities for first-time students fell 16.1%, including a staggering 22.7% decline in enrollment for those students at community colleges.
Again, the impact from the coronavirus pandemic is the likely culprit for that decline in enrollment.
Education is vital to a growing, prosperous national economy, and data related to younger students as well as those attending colleges and universities suggests worrying trends.
SPORTS: Basketball Shoe Deal
With the NBA draft about a month away — it’s being held in November this year instead of May as the coronavirus upended the league’s schedule — LaMelo Ball is emerging as one of the top two or three picks in the draft.
Ball, 19, an American who played most recently as a professional in Australia rather than choosing to play in college, just signed a shoe deal with Puma.
Yes, Puma.
(Note: LaMelo Ball moved to Puma from the Big Baller Brand shoe brand, which was started by his father, LaVar Ball, a few years ago.)
Pink's Bottom LinePuma did boast a cadre of influential players over the years who wore the company’s shoes including iconic stars like Walt Frazier and Ralph Sampson, but it only reemerged with a presence in the NBA a couple of years ago.
Puma currently has a handful of other young NBA players wearing its shoes, and adding LaMelo Ball to its roster of endorsers could help drive brand awareness and build sales for the company.
It’s an interesting move by Puma, and one that I expect to pay off for the company in the next two to three years.
(Note': Click here to read a great piece about Puma and basketball from The Undefeated.)
Jeremy Pink is former CEO of private-equity backed Broadcast Sports International where he led 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. Jeremy currently serves as an advisor, consultant or board member to companies in New York, London, Hong Kong and Dubai in the media, technology, sports and financial tech sectors.
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.