Showbiz Sandbox 591: Live Sports Becomes the Costliest Battle of the Streaming Wars

There is no better evidence that the streaming wars are still in full swing than the news that streaming services are accounting for more viewing than cable television for the first time in history. As streaming media companies fight for market share, they have turned to live sports as a means of driving subscriber growth. However, vying with traditional networks for broadcast rights has driven the cost of live sports to record setting levels.

While there might be an audience for live sports, new data shows attendance has fallen by as much as 50% for live performances such as Broadway, opera and classical music concerts. Pop concert tours, on the other hand, have never been more successful, or more expensive.

Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including the reason some movie stars are ditching social media for their own sanity, the second largest movie theater chain in the world may file for bankruptcy and why Mariah Carey should not become the Queen of Christmas.

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‘Jurassic’ Franchise Tops $6B Global, ‘Dominion’ At $990.4M WW
https://deadline.com/2022/08/jurassic-world-dominion-after-ever-happy-top-gun-maverick-minions-global-international-box-office-1235101669/

‘The Invitation’ Tops Box Office With $7 Million in Catastrophically Slow Weekend
https://variety.com/2022/film/box-office/the-invitation-box-office-slow-weekend-1235352792/

Spirit Awards to Implement Gender Neutral Acting Categories
https://variety.com/2022/awards/news/independent-spirit-awards-gender-neutral-acting-categories-1235348072/

Ezra Miller Seeking Treatment for “Complex Mental Health Issues”
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/ezra-miller-seeking-treatment-mental-health-apology-1235199598/

Salman Rushdie on Ventilator Hours After Being Stabbed in Western New York
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/08/12/nyregion/salman-rushdie-stabbed-new-york

Warner Bros. Discovery Condemns Threats Against J.K. Rowling Made in Wake of Salman Rushdie Attack
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/jk-rowling-death-threat-rushdie-warner-1235198659/

Korean Film Figures Condemn Venice for Honoring Kim Ki-duk Despite Sexual Abuse Allegations
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/korean-film-figures-condemn-venice2022-for-honoring-kim-ki-duk-despite-sexual-abuse-allegations-1235207801/

Who Went Too Tar: Jerry Sadowitz or Those Who Cancelled His Edinburgh Fringe Show?
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/aug/16/jerry-sadowitz-cancelled-show-comedy-free-speech

NBC Eyes Cutting an Hour of Primetime
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/nbc-considering-cutting-hour-of-primetime-1235206737/

Live Performance Is Back. But Audiences Have Been Slow to Return
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/21/arts/performing-arts-pandemic-attendance.html

In the Post-Pandemic Recovery, Local Art Audiences Stay Strong
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2022/aug/28/in-the-post-pandemic-recovery-local-art-audiences-/

Dennis Severs House
https://dennissevershouse.co.uk/about/the-house

Paramount Wins Rights to UEFA, Including Champions League, in $1.5B Deal
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/paramount-tv-streaming-rights-uefa-champions-league-1235202236/

Streaming Viewership Has Surpassed Cable TV Tune-In For The First Time, Per Nielsen
https://deadline.com/2022/08/streaming-viewership-surpassed-cable-tv-for-first-time-in-july-nielsen-1235095173/

HBO Max Removes About 200 ‘Sesame Street’ Episodes
https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/hbo-max-removes-sesame-street-episodes-1235345685/

Disney Star Scores ICC India Cricket Rights Through 2027
https://variety.com/2022/tv/global/disney-star-india-cricket-rights-icc-1235352645/

Mariah Carey’s Move to Trademark ‘Queen of Christmas’ Angers Fellow Holiday Music Singers Darlene Love and Elizabeth Chan
https://variety.com/2022/music/news/mariah-carey-trademark-queen-christmas-darlene-love-elizabeth-chan-1235341993/

SAG-AFTRA Board Overwhelmingly Approves Deal With AMPTP That Sharply Limits Exclusivity
https://deadline.com/2022/08/sag-aftra-board-approves-deal-amptp-limits-exclusivity-tv-actors-personal-service-agreements-1235096870/

‘The View’ Tops Daytime Talk Show Ratings for 2021-2022 Season
https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/the-view-ratings-2021-2022-1235342918/

Amazon and Nielsen Close ‘Thursday Night Football’ Ratings Deal
https://techcrunch.com/2022/08/16/amazon-and-nielsen-close-thursday-night-football-ratings-deal/

SVoD Subscriptions Fell By 350,000 Last Quarter In UK After Record Year For High-End TV Production – Ofcom Report
https://deadline.com/2022/08/netflix-amazon-prime-video-disney-subscriptions-ofcom-media-nations-1235094242/

Raymond Briggs, ‘The Snowman’ Creator, Dies at 88
https://variety.com/2022/tv/global/raymond-briggs-dead-dies-the-snowman-1235337694/

Bill Pitman Dies: Wrecking Crew Guitarist Who Played On Countless Hits, TV & Film Soundtracks Was 102
https://deadline.com/2022/08/bill-pitman-dead-wrecking-crew-guitarist-obituary-1235091021/

Gerald Potterton Dies: ‘Heavy Metal’ Director, Animator On ‘Yellow Submarine’ Was 91
https://deadline.com/2022/08/gerald-potterton-dead-heavy-metal-director-yellow-submarine-1235099511/

Anne Heche Remembered: A Sad End to a Beautifully Human Hollywood Story (Column)
https://variety.com/2022/tv/columns/anne-heche-appreciation-complicated-legacy-1235339924/

Creed Taylor, Producer Who Shaped Jazz for Decades, Dies at 93
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/25/arts/music/creed-taylor-dead.html

Sy Johnson, Arranger Who Worked Closely With Mingus, Dies at 92
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/26/arts/music/sy-johnson-dead.html

Bob LuPone, Actor Who Helped Found and Lead Off-Broadway’s MCC Theater, Dies at 76
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/arts/bob-lupone-dead-patti-lupone-brother-actor-mcc-1235207203/

Gene LeBell, Famed Stuntman and “Godfather of Grappling,” Dies at 89
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/gene-lebell-dead-famed-stuntman-godfather-of-grappling-dies-1235196322/

Lamont Dozier, Motown Songwriter, Dies Aged 81
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/aug/09/lamont-dozier-motown-songwriter-dies-age-81

Mable John Dies: First Female Solo Artist Signed By Motown Records Founder Was 91
https://deadline.com/2022/08/mable-john-dead-first-female-solo-artist-signed-motown-records-was-91-obituary-1235101753/

Jean-Jacques Sempé, Cartoonist of Droll Whimsy, Dies at 89
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/11/arts/jean-jacques-sempe-dead.html

Wolfgang Petersen, Director of ‘Das Boot,’ Is Dead at 81
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/16/movies/wolfgang-petersen-dead.html

Leon Vitali, Stanley Kubrick Collaborator and Barry Lyndon Actor, Dies Aged 74
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/aug/22/leon-vitali-stanley-kubrick-collaborator-and-barry-lyndon-actor-dies-aged-74