Pink's Bottom Line on Media, Money and Sports

Late night television, BMW earnings and San Francisco's quarterback

I discuss late night television, BMW’s earnings and San Francisco 49er quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in today’s edition of the newsletter.

MEDIA: Late Night Show Ratings

While the late night television battles of the 1990s and early 2000s seem like a distant memory, the broadcast networks’ late night shows are still competing for viewers every night.

According to data published on ShowBuzzDaily, CBS’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is the most watched late night show on the broadcast networks for the most recent full week of ratings.

ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! is in second place and NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon is third.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert moved ahead in the ratings several years ago when it began featuring political-related content more prominently.

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Interestingly, combined viewership for the most recent full week of ratings for all three programs is lower this year compared to the same week last year, according to that data.

However, the influence of these shows on the country’s discourse remains just as strong as ever.

All three programs have embraced social media to amplify their reach, and they continue to attract marquee guests from the entertainment world and beyond.

MONEY: BMW Reports Earnings

German automaker BMW reported quarterly results earlier today that reflected just how much of an impact the coronavirus pandemic had on the company’s sales around the world.

In its quarterly earnings press release, BMW wrote, “If the corona pandemic takes an even more serious course and the global economy experiences a perceptible downturn, the risk exposure could be considerable, particularly on the demand side.”

For the first nine months of the year, BMW reported that sales in China rose, up 6.4%, while sales fell in both Europe, down 19.7%, and in the United States, down 24.6%.

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The decline in sales in both Europe and in the United States reflects the deep and growing impact the coronavirus is having on both of those locations.

Parts of Europe are entering new lockdowns, and daily coronavirus cases in the Untied States are reaching record levels.

All of that suggests that BMW car sales in Europe and the United States don’t stand to improve meaningfully until the coronavirus is more under control.

SPORTS: San Francisco’s Quarterback

When the San Francisco 49ers play the Green Bay Packers tomorrow night in the NFL’s first game of Week 9, the 49ers will be playing without quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

Garoppolo injured his ankle in Sunday’s contest against division rival Seattle, and it looks like the 49ers quarterback will miss the next few games.

With an injured starting quarterback and with a 4-4 record, San Francisco’s playoff chances suddenly don’t look so good at the moment.

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Garropolo has struggled with injuries throughout his career, having missed games earlier this season, in 2018 and in 2016 when he was with the New England Patriots.

Although it’s been only about nine months since Garoppolo led San Francisco in the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs, I expect that San Francisco will quietly begin to look for his replacement.

Injuries are indeed a reason that the 49ers might be looking to replace Garoppolo, but there’s another reason — he may be the fourth best quarterback in his own division.

As such, the 49ers might have to find a new signal caller to stay competitive in the long run.

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Jeremy Pink is 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. Jeremy currently serves as an advisor to companies in media and financial tech.

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)