By MATT MILLER
By the time you are reading this, all Y2K fears and issues will be a part of history. And probably one of the biggest jokes of the new millennium is the hype and buzz about the gigantic glitches that were going to engulf us and lead to a worldwide state of chaos.
This is not to say that some fears and precautions were not warranted. Left unchecked and ignored, many of the issues that the water-and-cash-hoarders feared would come true would have. Precaution and planning are keys to avoiding catastrophe.
At AICP, as we look toward entering our fourth decade of representation of the commercial film industry (in 2002), we are already addressing the issues that will challenge our business. One of those issues is the definition of who we are. Broadly, commercial production is the world of creating engaging messages for the purposes of marketing products and services. But where and how those messages will run in the future are still to be determined.
Cable and Direct TV gave us tremendous opportunity, but will the spread of the Internet-faster than most expected-take it away? Will the rise of TiVO and other technologies that zap commercials (perhaps adopted more slowly) quash our business, or provide different opportunities? How will the development of digital and hi-def TV affect us? What other applications of science and engineering are on the horizon that will impact spot production?
Studying the future is one of our jobs: Raising these issues and making sure we are familiar with the possibilities and the probabilities is key, so that our members can make informed decisions and continue to provide the finest creative services anywhere.
To this end, the AICP will undertake three important projects in 2000. A new technologies committee will be scoping out just that, and reporting back via the Web and other vehicles to give us a vision of what inventions and innovations are likely to be adopted, and how they’ll function in production’s future. A Delphi study of what experts see as imminent in the next ten years will give us a medium-range view. And a joint AICP/ SHOOT research venture will assess the amplitude of commercial production and provide a benchmark for comparison against successive studies, and a look at trends in our industry.
The combination of these elements should provide our membership with a helpful guide to the future, and will augment the activities that provide services for them on a day-to-day basis.
Preparing for the future is wise. Panicking about it is not. At AICP, we’re looking for the markers that point the way, analyzing the signs, and reading the compass. And, practical sorts that we are, we’ve still got a few water bottles in the cabinet. Happy New Year!
Endeavor Group Sells Professional Bull Riders, On Location and IMG To Parent of WWE and UFC
The parent company of WWE and UFC is buying Professional Bull Riders, On Location, and IMG from Endeavor Group in an all-stock deal valued at $3.25 billion.
The deal is part of Endeavor's efforts to shed some of its assets as it looks to be taken private in a proposed transaction with private equity firm Silver Lake, which was announced in April. Ariel Emanuel, who serves as CEO of Endeavor, is also executive chair and CEO of TKO.
Professional Bull Riders is a bull riding league that has more than 200 annual live events, approximately 1.25 million fans, and reaches more than 285 million households in more than 65 territories. On Location is live event company for more than 1,200 sporting events, such as the Super Bowl, Ryder Cup and NCAA Final Four. IMG is a distributor and producer of sports content, packages and sells media rights and brand partnerships, and provides consulting, digital services and event management to clients such as the National Football League and National Hockey League.
Parent company TKO Group said Thursday that the acquisition from Endeavor Group will complement its existing businesses as well as broaden its reach in the premium sports market.
"PBR, On Location, and IMG are industry-leading assets that meaningfully enhance TKO's portfolio and strengthen our position in premium sports globally," TKO Chief Operating Officer Mark Shapiro said in a statement. "Within TKO, they will help power the growth of our revenue streams and position us to capture even more upside from some of the most attractive parts of our sports ecosystem: media rights, live events, ticket sales, premium experiences, brand partnerships, and site fees."
As part of the deal, Endeavor will receive about 26.14 million common units of TKO... Read More