Showbiz Sandbox 378: ESPN Goes Looking For Some Fights

In the midst of a blockbuster boxing match viewed around the world between welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. and MMA champion Conor McGregor, ESPN announces they spent a small fortune to secure the worldwide rights to future bouts. The network plans on providing access to the fights on their recently announced streaming service, with ESPN even getting a potential piece of any fights that go the pay-per-view route.

The Mayweather vs. McGregor match was faulted for causing the North American box office to dip to it’s lowest level in 16 years this past weekend. In fact, box office receipts which will not surpass $4 billion for the first time since 2006 thanks to an attendance decrease of 25%. Maybe MoviePass, a subscription moviegoing service, will help fill cinemas now that they’ve lowered their price to $10 per month.

Meanwhile “Handbook for Mortals” took the young adult book genre by storm over the last week, and not in a good way. The debut novel topped the New York Times bestseller list for that genre its first week out without anyone ever having heard of the book or its unknown author. Controversy ensued.

Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including why the issue of on-set safety has gotten a lot of attention after Tom Cruise got injured making the next Mission: Impossible movie, the big editorial changes at the Los Angeles Times and how “The Walking Dead” has inspired another lawsuit.

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HBO Hacks Itself in Europe
https://www.rapidtvnews.com/2017081748447/hbo-hacks-itself-in-europe.html

China’s Wanda Stock Crashes Amid Rumor of Chairman’s Detainment
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/chinas-wanda-hit-share-crash-rumors-chairmans-detainment-1033281

Before Dylan, Tagore: On the Erasure of Indian Literature
https://overland.org.au/2017/08/before-dylan-tagore-on-the-erasure-of-indian-literature/comment-page-1/#comment-783522

China Box Office: ‘Wolf Warriors II’ Continues Record Run, Extends Total to $769 Million
http://variety.com/2017/film/asia/china-box-office-wolf-warriors-ii-wins-fourth-weekend-1202534045/

The New Action Flick Taking Chinese Nationalism to a New Level
https://international.thenewslens.com/article/76129

Box Office: Hollywood Faces August Death March and a Bummer Summer
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-hollywood-faces-august-death-march-a-bummer-summer-1029618

Summer Box Office Report Card: From Disney to Universal, Grading Popcorn Season
http://variety.com/2017/film/box-office/box-office-summer-analysis-winners-losers-studios-1202528167/

CJ Analysis: MoviePass Strategy is a Big Data Gamble
https://celluloidjunkie.com/2017/08/24/cj-analysis-moviepass-strategy-big-data-gamble/

MoviePass Drops Its Price, Pleasing Customers but Angering AMC
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/25/arts/moviepass-amc-price.html?_r=0

Hollywood Studios Could Launch $30 Movie Rental Service Early Next Year
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hollywood-studios-could-launch-30-movie-rental-service-early-next-year-1031110

Premium VOD Paralysis Reflects Poorly on Studios, Exhibitors (Analysis)
http://variety.com/2017/digital/opinion/premium-vod-apple-comcast-exhibitors-1202532781/

Critic’s Notebook: The Post-Review, Post-Premiere, Post-Finale World of Peak TV
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/bastard-machine/tim-goodman-post-review-post-premiere-post-finale-world-peak-tv-1018510

Patina by Jason Reynolds – BookFilter
http://bookfilter.com/2017/03/16/patina/

I’ll Have What She’s Having by Erin Carlson – BookFilter
http://bookfilter.com/2016/09/06/ill-have-what-shes-having-2/

The Toxic Drama on YA Twitter
http://www.vulture.com/2017/08/the-toxic-drama-of-ya-twitter.html

The YA Bestseller Brought Down by the YA Community
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/74592-the-ya-book-that-has-the-ya-community-crying-foul.html

Handbook for Mortals Pulled from New York Times YA Best-Seller List
http://ew.com/books/2017/08/24/handbook-for-mortals-pulled-new-york-times-bestseller-list/

New Indie Bookstore Set to Open in Queens
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/74582-new-indie-bookstore-set-to-open-in-queens.html

L.A. Times Ousts Four Top Editors; Ross Levinsohn Named Publisher
http://variety.com/2017/biz/news/l-a-times-davan-maharaj-editor-ousted-1202534681/

L.A. Times Masthead Massacre Capped a Month of Newsroom Turmoil
http://variety.com/2017/biz/news/los-angeles-times-firings-davan-maharaj-tronc-ross-levinsohn-1202535485/

What’s the Matter with the L.A. Times?
http://www.lamag.com/culturefiles/whats-matter-los-angeles-times/

After 62 Years and Many Battles, Village Voice Will End Print Publication
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/22/nyregion/village-voice-to-end-print-publication.html?mcubz=1

‘The Walking Dead’ Producers Sue AMC Networks Over Profits From Hit Series
http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/the-walking-dead-lawsuit-producers-profits-1202527538/

Bill Nye Says Disney Shorted Him Millions in New Fraud Lawsuit
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/bill-nye-says-disney-shorted-him-millions-new-fraud-lawsuit-1032524

President Donald Trump Bows Out of Kennedy Center Honors Ceremony
http://variety.com/2017/biz/news/president-donald-trump-kennedy-center-honors-melania-trump-1202533616/

‘Deadpool 2’ Set Death Likely Could Have Been Prevented
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/deadpool-2-set-death-could-have-been-prevented-1031814

‘Mission: Impossible 6’ Faces Production Delay After Tom Cruise Injured (EXCLUSIVE)
http://variety.com/2017/film/news/mission-impossible-6-faces-production-delay-after-tom-cruise-injured-exclusive-1202528831/

Pandora Names Roger Lynch as New CEO/President
http://variety.com/2017/digital/news/pandora-names-new-ceopresident-roger-lynch-1202527185/

Spotify Just signed the Last Big Music Label Deal it Needs To Go Public
https://www.recode.net/2017/8/24/16199514/spotify-warner-music-label-deal-ipo

Recording Industry Association Responds to Lyor Cohen
http://variety.com/2017/digital/news/riaa-posts-fiery-response-to-blog-post-from-youtubes-lyor-cohen-1202533230/

Five Observations From My Time at YouTube
https://youtube.googleblog.com/2017/08/five-observations-from-my-time-at.html

Taylor Swift’s ‘Look What You Made Me Do’ Lyric Video Breaks 24-Hour Record
http://variety.com/2017/music/news/taylor-swift-look-what-you-made-me-do-lyric-video-youtube-record-1202539775/

Cinefamily Suspends All Activities In Wake of Sexual Misconduct Allegations
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-entertainment-news-updates-august-cinefamily-suspends-all-activities-1503854083-htmlstory.html

Matt Cherniss Joins Apple in Latest TV Push
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/matt-cherniss-joins-apple-latest-tv-push-1026254

Snapchat to Move Into Scripted Content by Year’s End
http://variety.com/2017/digital/news/snapchat-shows-move-scripted-content-by-years-end-1202536733/

Turner Sets U.S. Rights Deal for European Soccer Rights, Plans Streaming Service
http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/turner-uefa-european-soccer-rights-streaming-service-1202530807/

TV Becomes Go-To Platform for iPlayer
https://www.rapidtvnews.com/2017081848470/tv-becomes-go-to-platform-for-iplayer.html

Bill Murray Boosts ‘Groundhog Day’ Box Office With A Double Visit
https://www.forbes.com/sites/leeseymour/2017/08/14/bill-murray-boosts-groundhog-day-box-office-with-a-double-visit/

ESPN Inks Top Rank Megadeal to Bring Boxing “Back Into the Forefront of Sports” (Exclusive)
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/espn-inks-top-rank-megadeal-bring-boxing-back-forefront-sports-1031482

Showtime Hit With Class-Action Lawsuit Over Failed Mayweather-McGregor Streams
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/showtime-hit-class-action-lawsuit-failed-mayweather-mcgregor-streams-1033373

Jerry Lewis, a Jester Both Silly and Stormy, Dies at 91
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/20/movies/jerry-lewis-dead-celebrated-comedian-and-filmmaker.html

Bruce Forsyth, Legendary British Entertainer, Dies at 89
http://variety.com/2017/tv/global/bruce-forsyth-dead-dies-legendary-british-entertainer-1202532612/

Dick Gregory, 84, Dies; Found Humor in the Civil Rights Struggle
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/19/arts/dick-gregory-dies-at-84.html

Thomas Meehan, Who Wrote the Books for Broadway Hits, Dies at 88
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/22/theater/thomas-meehan-dead-tony-winner-hairspray.html

Tobe Hooper, ‘Texas Chain Saw Massacre’ and ‘Poltergeist’ Director, Dies at 74
http://variety.com/2017/film/news/tobe-hooper-dead-dies-texas-chain-saw-massacre-poltergeist-director-dies-1202539868/