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Business

Jeff Jarrett and IMPACT Wrestling lawsuit gets a trial date

The legal battle between TNA Wrestling founder Jeff Jarrett and the current owners of IMPACT Wrestling Anthem Sports is coming to a head. The judge presiding over the case has set a trial date of June 30th, pending the Covid-19 situation.

Jarrett and Anthem Sports have been battling over the intellectual property of Global Force Wrestling. Jarrett founded Global Force Wrestling in 2014 and after failing to land a TV deal, Jarrett attempted to merge with Anthem Sports in 2017. Jarrett became the Chief Creative Officer and would gain a minority share in the new IMPACT Wrestling/Global Force Wrestling corporation.

Jarrett left Anthem in September of 2017 and subsequently the merger between Global Force and Anthem was called off. Anthem went ahead with plans to air footage that Jarrett shot in Las Vegas called Global Force Wrestling: AMPED!.

Jarrett is not claiming that Anthem did not have the proper permission to use the footage or distribute the content. Anthem then deleted the master copies of GFW: AMPED! and Jarrett was unable to get the footage copyrighted.

The judge presiding over the case ordered the two partied to go through mediation. The two parties were unable to come to terms in mediation, hence a trial date of June 30th. Since leaving Anthem in 2017, Jarrett has worked for the WWE in a creative capacity.

IMPACT Wrestling airs on AXS TV.

26 May, 2020 0 comment

Business

Hotel chains pivot into providing office spaces

written by Ruben Jay

In a Coronavirus world, hotel chains have pivoted away from renting rooms to sleep in and now offer office hours for parents working at home. Yes, hotels have adopted a WeWork style rental program allowing people to rent their hotel rooms as office spaces.

If you need a quiet place to do a few Zoom calls without being interrupted by screaming children, you might be able to find a room available at your local Hilton, Sheraton, or Marriott hotel. For $69 at the Hilton in Cincinnati, you can get a quiet work space, complimentary coffee, and access to their gym!

Hotels have also been upgrading their snack offerings to the guests who rent out their rooms for office since they are not able to operate the hotel restaurant.

26 May, 2020 0 comment

Business Entertainment HBO Max Streaming Tech

The incredible library launching at HBO Max

written by Ruben Jay

HBO MAX has released the full library of content that will be available from the new service launching May 27. Check out this incredible library:

HBO Max launches May 27th, but that’s just the beginning of what this exciting new streaming bundle has to offer. The month of June brings hundreds of sizzling hot movies and series to keep everyone in the family entertained all month long.

New Max Originals this June include kids’ adventure competition series Karma, the Adventure Time: Distant Lands BMO special, the third season of the critically-acclaimed comedy Search Party, the second seasons of Doom Patrol, Esme & Roy, and Summer Camp Island.

HBO Max theatrical highlights include Academy Award®-winner Titanic, Veronica Mars, Magic Mike starring Channing Tatum, Chicago, Cabaret, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and timeless romantics You’ve Got Mail and When Harry Met Sally.

New HBO original series will be also be available on HBO Max: Perry Mason starring Emmy^®winner Matthew Rhys, I May Destroy You from executive producer and star Michaela Coel, and the docu-series I’ll Be Gone in the Dark premiere alongside comedy special Yvonne Orji: Momma, I Made It!. HBO finales this month include I Know This Much is True starring Mark Ruffalo, We’re Here, which features renowned drag queens Bob the Drag Queen, Eureka O’Hara and Shangela Laquifa Wadley, and Insecure starring Golden Globe®-nominated actress Issa Rae. In honor of Pride month, HBO documentaries Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn, Transhood, and Welcome to Chechnya will debut in the month.

To top it off, blockbusters such as Ad Astra starring Brad Pitt, Academy Award® Nominee for Best Picture Ford V. Ferrari, horror film Doctor Sleep, and The Good Liar will join the HBO service starting this June as well.

June 1:

4th & Forever: Muck City, Season One

Adventures In Babysitting, 1987 (HBO)

Amelie, 2001 (HBO)

An American Werewolf in London, 1981 (HBO)

The American, 2010 (HBO)

Another Cinderella Story, 2008

Beautiful Girls, 1996 (HBO)

Black Beauty, 1994

Bridget Jones’s Baby, 2016

The Bucket List, 2007

Cabaret, 1972

The Champ, 1979

Chicago, 2002

A Cinderella Story, 2004

A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song, 2011

Clash Of The Titans, 2010

Cradle 2 the Grave, 2003

Crash, 2005 (Director’s Cut) (HBO)

Doubt, 2008 (HBO)

Dreaming Of Joseph Lees, 1999 (HBO)

Drop Dead Gorgeous, 1999

Dune, 1984 (HBO)

Elf, 2003

Enter The Dragon, 1973

Far and Away, 1992 (HBO)

Final Destination, 2000

Final Destination 2, 2003

Final Destination 3, 2006

The Final Destination, 2009

Firewall, 2006

Flipped, 2010

Forces of Nature, 1999 (HBO)

The Fountain, 2006 (HBO)

Frantic, 1988

From Dusk Til Dawn, 1996

Full Metal Jacket, 1987
Gente De Zona: En Letra De Otro, 2018 (HBO)

The Good Son, 1993 (HBO)

The Goonies, 1985

Hanna, 2011 (HBO)

Havana, 1990 (HBO)

He Got Game, 1998 (HBO)

Heaven Can Wait, 1978

Heidi, 2006

Hello Again, 1987 (HBO)

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, 2012

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, 2013

The Hunger, 1983

In Her Shoes, 2005 (HBO)

In Like Flint, 1967 (HBO)

The Iron Giant, 1999

It Takes Two, 1995

Juice, 1992

The Last Mimzy, 2007

License To Wed, 2007

Life, 1999 (HBO)

Lifeforce, 1985 (HBO)

Lights Out, 2016 (HBO)

Like Water For Chocolate, 1993 (HBO)

Looney Tunes: Back in Action, 2003

The Losers, 2010

Love Jones, 1997
Lucy, 2020 (HBO)

Magic Mike, 2012

McCabe and Mrs. Miller, 1971

Misery, 1990

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, 2008 (HBO)

A Monster Calls, 2016 (HBO)

Mr. Wonderful, 1993 (HBO)

Must Love Dogs, 2005

My Dog Skip, 2000

Mystic River, 2003

The Neverending Story II: The Next Chapter, 1991

The Neverending Story, 1984

New York Minute, 2004

Nights In Rodanthe, 2008

No Reservations, 2007

Ordinary People, 1980

Our Man Flint, 1966 (HBO)

The Parallax View, 1974

Patch Adams, 1998 (HBO)

A Perfect World, 1993
Pedro Capo: En Letra Otro, 2017 (HBO)

Personal Best, 1982

Presumed Innocent, 1990

Ray, 2004 (HBO)

Richie Rich (Movie), 1994

Rosewood, 1997

Rugrats Go Wild, 2003

Running on Empty, 1988

Secondhand Lions, 2003

She’s The Man, 2006 (HBO)

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, 2011 (HBO)

Space Cowboys, 2000

Speed Racer, 2008

Splendor in the Grass, 1961

The Stepfather, 1987 (HBO)

Summer Catch, 2001

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, 1990

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2, 1991

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3, 1993

Tess, 1980 (HBO)

Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride, 2005

The Time Traveler’s Wife, 2009

Titanic, 1997

TMNT, 2007

Torch Song Trilogy, 1988

Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie, 1997 (HBO)

Tweety’s High-Flying Adventures, 2000

U-571, 2000 (HBO)

U.S. Marshals, 1998

Unaccompanied Minors, 2006

Uncle Buck, 1989 (HBO)

Veronica Mars, 2014

Walking and Talking, 1996 (HBO)

We Are Marshall, 2006

Weird Science, 1985 (HBO)

When Harry Met Sally, 1989

Wild Wild West, 1999

Wonder, 2019 (HBO)

X-Men: First Class, 2011 (HBO)

You’ve Got Mail, 1998

June 2:

Inside Carbonaro, Season One (TruTV)
June 4:

HBO First Look: The King of Staten Island (HBO)
We’re Here, Season Finale (HBO)

June 5:

Betty, Season Finale (HBO)
June 6:

Ad Astra, 2019 (HBO)

Yvonne Orji: Momma, I Made It! (HBO)

June 7:

I May Destroy You, Series Premiere (HBO)
June 10:

Infinity Train, Season 2 Premiere

June 12:

El asesino de los caprichos (AKA The Goya Murders), 2020 (HBO)

June 13:

The Good Liar, 2019 (HBO)

June 14:

I Know This Much Is True, Limited Series Finale (HBO)

Insecure, Season 4 Finale (HBO)

June 16:
#GeorgeWashington, 2017

Age of Big Cats, Season One

Ancient Earth, Season One

Apocalypse: WWI, Season One

Big World in A Small Garden, 2016

The Celts: Blood, Iron & Sacrifice, Season One
Cornfield Shipwreck, 2019

The Daunting Fortress of Richard the Lionheart, 2019

David Attenborough’s Ant Mountain, 2016

David Attenbourough’s Light on Earth, 2016

DeBugged, 2018

Digits, Season One

Dragons & Damsels, 2019

Ebony: The Last Years of The Atlantic Slave Trade, 2016

Expedition: Black Sea Wrecks, Season One

First Man, 2017

Going Nuts: Tales from Squirrel World, 2019

Hack the Moon: Unsung Heroes of Apollo, 2019

The History of Food, Season One

Hurricane the Anatomy, Season One, 2018

Into the Lost Crystal Caves, 2016

Jason Silva: Transhumanism, 2016

King: A Filmed Record… Montgomery to Memphis (Part 1 & Part 2), Season One

Knuckleball!, 2019

Leonardo: The Mystery of The Lost Portrait, 2018

Looney Tunes (Batch 2) (6/22), Season One

Man’s First Friend, 2018

Penguin Central, 2019

Pompeii: Disaster Street, 2020

Popeye (Batch 2) (6/22), Season One

Pyramids Builders: New Clues, 2019

Realm of the Volga, Season One

Sacred Spaces, Season One
Scandalous: The Untold Story of the National Enquirer, Documentary Premiere (CNN)

Scandalous: The Untold Story of the National Enquirer is the sensational true story of the most infamous tabloid in US history, a wild, probing look at how one newspaper’s prescient grasp of its readers’ darkest curiosities led it to massive profits and influence

Scanning the Pyramids, 2018

Science vs. Terrorism, Season One

The Secret Lives of Big Cats, Season One

Secret Life of Lakes, Season One

Secret Life Underground, Season One

Secrets of the Solar System, Season One

Space Probes!, Season One

Speed, Season One

Spies of War , Season One

Tales of Nature, Season One

Tsunamis: Facing a Global Threat, 2020

Versailles Rediscovered: The Sun King’s Vanished Palace, 2019

Viking Women, Season One

Vitamania, 2018

Whale Wisdom, 2019

The Woodstock Bus, 2019

June 18:
Summer Camp Island, Season 2 Premiere
Karma, Series Premiere

Karma takes sixteen contestants, ranging in age from 12 to 15, completely off the grid, away from parents and the normal comforts of home, to solve puzzles and overcome physical challenges, with the laws of karma setting the rules. This adventure competition series, led by YouTube host Michelle Khare, will test the mental and physical stamina of its young contestants as they unravel how their social actions impact their success in the game.

June 19:

Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn, Documentary Premiere (HBO)

Entre Nos: The Winners (HBO)

Bajo el mismo techo (AKA Under the Same Roof), 2020 (HBO)

June 20:

Ford V. Ferrari, 2020 (HBO)

June 21:

Perry Mason, Limited Series Premiere (HBO)

This drama series follows the origins of American fiction’s most legendary criminal defense lawyer, Perry Mason. When the case of the decade breaks down his door, Mason’s relentless pursuit of the truth reveals a fractured city and just maybe, a pathway to redemption for himself.

June 22:
Hard, Series Finale (HBO)

June 24:

South Park, Seasons 1-23

Transhood, Documentary Premiere (HBO)

June 25:

Adventure Time Distant Lands: BMO, Special Premiere

Based on the animated series Adventure Time created by Pendleton Ward and executive produced by Adam Muto, these four breakout specials explore the unseen corners of the world with characters both familiar and brand new. The first of these specials is BMO, which follows the lovable little robot on a new adventure. When there’s a deadly space emergency in the farthest reaches of the galaxy, there’s only one hero to call, and it’s probably not BMO. Except that this time it is!

Doom Patrol, Season 2 Premiere

Esme & Roy, Season 2A Premiere

Search Party, Season 3 Premiere

June 26:

Hormigas (AKA The Awakening of the Ants), 2020
June 27:

Doctor Sleep (Director’s Cut), 2020 (HBO)

June 28:

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, Docuseries Premiere (HBO)

A six-part documentary series based on the book of the same name and explores writer Michelle McNamara’s investigation into the dark world of a violent predator she dubbed the Golden State Killer.

June 30:

Welcome to Chechnya, Documentary Premiere (HBO)

This searing documentary shadows a group of brave activists risking their lives to confront the ongoing anti-LGBTQ persecution in the repressive and closed Russian republic of Chechnya.

22 May, 2020 0 comment

Business Entertainment

John Krasinski sells ‘Some Good News’ to ViacomCBS; won’t be hosting the show

written by Ruben Jay

The Office star, John Krasinski, has sold his viral Youtube show, Some Good News, to ViacomCBS. According to the New York Post, Krasinski has agreed to license the feel-good news show to Viacom for an undisclosed sum. It is believed that the licensing deal is a big money deal for Krasinski.

While terms of the deal were not disclosed, Krasinski will not be hosting the news program. Some Good News will also be leaving Youtube for the Viacom owned CBS All Access. A new host will be named at a later date.

“Could not be more excited and proud to be partnering with CBS/Viacom to be able to bring ‘Some Good News’ to so many more people,” Krasinski told the Hollywood Reporter in a statement. “From the first episode, our goal was to create a news show dedicated entirely to good news. Never did I expect to be joining the ranks of such a historic news organization as CBS.”

Some Good News has 2.5 million subscribers on Youtube and has over 17 million views. One has to wonder if this deal will allow the program to post clips on Youtube or be exclusively on the CBS All Access app.

22 May, 2020 0 comment

Business Sports XFL

XFL Creditors believe Vince McMahon will restart the league

written by Ruben Jay

The XFL may have a third life and the third time is the charm, right?

Vince McMahon brought back the XFL after a 19 year hiatus in February. Shortly there after, the XFL postponed and then cancelled the return season. A month later, the XFL officially filed for bankruptcy. Now, the creditors of the XFL believe that Vince McMahon will be wait out the Coronavirus pandemic and restart the league.

Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic is reporting that the belief is that McMahon will attempt to repurchase the defunct league in a “fire sale”. One of the clue Kaplan is using is the fact that the league has announced plans to repay fans $3.5 million if they were a season pass holder. Many believe that this is an attempt by the league to gain some goodwill from the XFL loyals.

If McMahon were to rebuy the league from bankruptcy, he would be force to rebuild the XFL from the ground up. McMahon had committed to spending up to $500 million on the second run of the XFL.

The XFL President Jeffrey Pollack has reportedly contacted stadiums in St. Louis and Seattle about reinstating the XFL stadium leases.

22 May, 2020 0 comment

Business Tech

Apple’s iPhones may no longer come with free earbuds

written by Ruben Jay

Apple may no longer provide iPhone owners with a new pair of wired earbuds with a purchase of a new phone. Since 2007, Apple has always included a set of earbuds with a new iPhone.

A few years back, Apple redesigned their phone to no longer include the tradition 3.3.5mm headphone jack and redesigned their earbuds to have a lightening connector.

The move to discontinue earbuds from new iPhone purchases is to push consumers to purchase Apple Airpods, their wireless earbuds. Apple also owns Beats by Dre, a line of top-tier bluetooth headphones and earbuds.

Apple could also be wanting to see sales of their $9 adapters to turn traditional 3.5mm earbuds into lightening cable. Apple is currently set to release 4 new iPhones this year.

20 May, 2020 0 comment

Business

Vice Media announces a new round of layoffs

written by Ruben Jay

Vice Media has announced a new round of layoffs as they have seen their ad revenue get slashed. Nancy Dubuc, Vice Media CEO, said in a memo to employees that the company is facing “business challenges”. Vice Media is cutting 155 jobs, 55 from the US and 100 Internationally.

“Currently, our digital organization accounts for around 50 percent of our headcount costs, but only brings in about 21 percent of our revenue,” the memo said. “Looking at our business holistically, this imbalance needed to be addressed for the long-term health of our company.”

The 55 American jobs will be cut immediately while the 100 International jobs will be cut over the next few weeks.

“Publishing right now is difficult across the whole industry — plain and simple — and the pandemic has intensified the tensions we all know exist between publishing and advertising,” she wrote.

The New York Post is reporting that a leaked document is planning on laying off 300 employees total. Vice Media laid off employees in 2019 as well.

15 May, 2020 0 comment

Aro Lucha Business Impact Wrestling Wrestling WWE

Rey Mysterio’s WWE contract is coming to an end

written by Ruben Jay

Rey Mysterio was recently written off WWE TV with an injury angle. According to Dave Meltzer, this angle was done in case Mysterio does not renew his WWE deal.

The word on the street is that Mysterio’s current deal is a massive money deal and it is not currently known if WWE would be willing to make a similar deal with the lucha libre legend. Mysterio signed an 18 month contract in December 2018.

It is interesting to note that Mysterio is a partial owner of the slow starting Lucha Libre company, AroLucha. Arolucha was launched by Aroluxe media, former investors of IMPACT Wrestling, in December of 2017. Mysterio was announced as the star of Season 1 and a partial owner, but season 1 has yet to be taped. The Nashville based Lucha company is running another event on July 10, 2020, if it isn’t cancelled due to Covid-19.

Mysterio’s contract is coming to an end close to the next Arolucha event. He could be heading to the company he has an ownership stake in. AEW could also benefit from Mysterio’s signing.

15 May, 2020 0 comment

Business Tech

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey says employees can work from home “forever”

written by Ruben Jay

Twitter has become the first company to allow employees work from home in “forever”. CEO Jack Dorsey said in an email to employees that they could opt into work from home if their job duties allow it.

Dorsey also stated that Twitter is unlikely to open their office doors before September. Twitter has also cancelled all business travel and in-person evens through the end of the year.

Twitter’s share were up 0.6%.

13 May, 2020 0 comment

Business Entertainment Streaming Tech

Short-form video Quibi blames Covid-19 for failed launch

written by Ruben Jay

Quibi, a short-form video platform, is blaming the Coronavirus for the apps failed launch. The New York Post is reporting that Jeffrey Katzenberg (Quibi’s founder) is unhappy with the 1.7 million downloads their app has recieved since launching on April 6.

The App was quickly in the top 50 most downloaded in the Apple App Store. However, Quibi quickly fell from top 50 to number 125.

“I attribute everything that has gone wrong to coronavirus,” Katzenberg said in an interview with the New York Times published Monday. “Everything. But we own it.”

Quibi has signed deals with Jennifer Lopez, Anna Kendrick, Liam Hemsworth, WWE, and many other names. However, they haven’t spent much money to bring current digital creators onto their platform.

The app has been downloaded a total of 3.5 million times and have roughly 1.3 million “active users”.

On a personal note, Quibi is the perfect app for a lockdown like the one we are in. Quibi should be exploding right now. The fact that they are not is 100% on them and 0% on Coronvirus.

The company is offered a 90 day free trial, now 14 days, and have not been promoting all that much. In all fairness, I have only seen a handful of ads. They have not been doing a great job promoting.

Some advice to Quibi: Take the old Netflix model of offering an affiliate program. If a content creator can get people to sign up for your service, give them a cut.

Quibi raised over $1 billion and had former HP CEO and former California Gubernatorial candidate, Meg Whitman.

13 May, 2020 0 comment