The estate of basketball legend Kobe Bryant declined to renew its deal with Nike this month as talks between the parties fell apart, according to an exclusive report from Complex that was later confirmed by Nike. Unless something changes, that could end the long-established relationship between Bryant and Nike. Potentially, Bryant’s estate could also partner with an outside … [Read more...] about Nike Loses Kobe Bryant License As Talks Fail
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Key Indicators Point to Strong Recovery in Licensing and Retail
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief Yeah, it's been a tough couple of years for the licensing industry, and the grind through the COVID-19 pandemic isn't over yet, but there are encouraging signs that a full recovery is right around the corner. One of those indicators is the soaring numbers for retail sales in March, after an extremely disappointing February. The US Commerce … [Read more...] about Key Indicators Point to Strong Recovery in Licensing and Retail
Paris Olympics Releases Calls for Interest in Licensing Program
Let the Licensing Games Begin! The Paris 2024 Olympics has begun releasing calls for interest in its official licensing programs for both the Olympics and the Paralympic Games. The Paris 2024 committee expects to sign agreements with roughly 60 companies to develop an expected 10,000 branded products for the Games. The committee's Chief Commercial Officer, Marlene Masure, says … [Read more...] about Paris Olympics Releases Calls for Interest in Licensing Program
Topps Going Public in $1.3 Billion SPAC Deal
The venerable collectibles company Topps Co. has announced it is going public through a merger with a 'blank cheque firm' in a deal that values the combined company at $1.3 billion. Michael D. Eisner, former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Disney and Chairman of The Topps Company, will become Chairman of the combined company’s board of directors. The combined company … [Read more...] about Topps Going Public in $1.3 Billion SPAC Deal
Special Report: The Downside of NFTs
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief If you're like me, you've likely been reading about the recent NFT craze and wondering if these 'Non-Fungible Tokens' will be used in the licensing industry as a means to establish intellectual property ownership and licensing rights. The answer is both yes ... and maybe no. Most of the news about NFTs over the past month has focused on … [Read more...] about Special Report: The Downside of NFTs
Songwriters Demand Musicians Stop Taking Credit For Their Work
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief A group of the world's top songwriters are launching a rebellion of sorts against "a growing number of (recording) artists" who they say are taking credit—and royalties—for songs they had no hand in writing. Called The Pact, the group includes writers who have penned massive hits for Dua Lipa, Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, One … [Read more...] about Songwriters Demand Musicians Stop Taking Credit For Their Work
China Continues Attack on Western Brands
By Gary Symons Editor in Chief Under attack by Western countries and some corporations over its treatment of the minority Muslim Uyghur population in the province of Xingiang, China has been lashing out at European and North American luxury brands over the past week, and took another shot at British fashion firm Burberry. The company, like H&M, Nike, and others, had … [Read more...] about China Continues Attack on Western Brands
Schitt’s Creek Goes Down Under With Merchantwise
MERCHANTWISE LICENSING HAS BEEN APPOINTED BY ITV STUDIOS TO REPRESENT SCHITT’S CREEK IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND The Canadian comedy that became a global megahit is now being represented by Merchantwise Licensing in both Australia and New Zealand on behalf of ITV Studios. Schitt's Creek originally aired on CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corp.), but the quirky comedy quickly … [Read more...] about Schitt’s Creek Goes Down Under With Merchantwise
Beijing Lashes Out at Western Fashion Brands
WAR OF WORDS OVER HUMAN RIGHTS SPILLS OVER INTO LICENSING, AS CHINA HITS BACK AGAINST H&M, ADIDAS, NIKE, AND MORE Stung by accusations of human rights abuses in the Xinjiang region, Beijing is lashing out at Western fashion brands that have criticized the Chinese government. Already, Chinese state TV has called for a boycott of the Swedish retailer H&M, following … [Read more...] about Beijing Lashes Out at Western Fashion Brands
Disney Confirms ‘Flexible’ Summer Film Release Schedule
The world's dominant entertainment company confirmed on March 24 its summer film release schedule, committing to a "flexible distribution strategy" similar to what Warner Bros did earlier this year with HBO Max. Disney says it will use both theaters and its Disney+ streaming service to release its major films this year, in a strategy calculated to maximize returns and … [Read more...] about Disney Confirms ‘Flexible’ Summer Film Release Schedule