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$70 for a popcorn bucket? Movie theaters are seeing big business with blockbuster collectables
AMC, the world’s largest theater chain, estimates it will see $100 million in revenue this year alone from its collectable popcorn buckets.
Collectable popcorn buckets are big business for movie theaters
Theaters that are always in search of revenue streams have clearly hit upon a winner in those very lucrative collectable popcorn buckets that seem to be ubiquitous with blockbuster movies. KTLA's David Lazarus explains.
$70 for a popcorn bucket? Movie theaters are seeing big business with blockbuster collectables
AMC, the world’s largest theater chain, estimates it will see $100 million in revenue this year alone from its collectable popcorn buckets.
$70 for a popcorn bucket? Movie theaters are seeing big business with blockbuster collectables
AMC, the world’s largest theater chain, estimates it will see $100 million in revenue this year alone from its collectable popcorn buckets.
How Oral Bacteria and Gum Disease Impact Heart Health and Life Expectancy
As scientists link oral bacteria to heart disease and cognitive decline, a push is under way to treat the mouth as a source of bodywide inflammation
CNN Exclusive: How IndyCar’s most ambitious street race became a test of politics, security and spectacle in Trump’s DC
As Bud Denker dreamed last summer of holding an IndyCar race in downtown Washington, DC, he walked the city’s streets in the stifling heat and tried to design the course in his mind. Denker, the president of Penske Corp., a transportation company that also owns motorsports teams, had put on IndyCar races in other cities. But the nation’s capital presented a unique challenge.
Longer lives, worse health? Scientists uncover troubling trend across generations
The morbidity gap between life expectancy and healthy life expectancy is widest in America, where people spend about 14 years in poor health.
Cowboys fans’ verdict on Javonte Williams’ 2026 rushing yards
What are your expectations for Javonte Williams this season?
Before You Start a Business Partnership, Have These 5 Conversations
A strong partnership is built not only on shared vision and trust but on planning for change through clear expectations and communication.
Revealed: history of Spain’s fearless 1970s trans-rights political collective
Pioneering activists risked arrest and imprisonment amid lingering persecution after Franco dictatorship
Choctaw Nation Public Health Advisory: Multistate Cyclosporiasis Outbreak
Choctaw Nation Public Health is monitoring a multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to produce.
High School Science That Teaches an ID Perspective? Yes, Please!
Kristin Marais and Summer Edwards explain why they’re so passionate about teaching their subject and how the courses are designed with maximum flexibility.
Mayo relishing 'step up in pressure' at Aberdeen
Defender Lewis Mayo has described his move to Aberdeen as "a step up in expectation and pressure". Mayo arrived at Pittodrie from Kilmarnock on a three-year deal earlier this summer and has settled in well, being deployed at centre half – and right back – helping the Dons to victory in all three of their League Cup group stage games so far. "It is a fresh start for me," the 26-year-old said ahead of Aberdeen's next League Cup game against Kelty Hearts.
AmEx raises 2026 revenue growth forecast as affluent cardholders keep spending
American Express increased its full-year revenue growth forecast and beat Wall Street expectations for second-quarter profit on Friday as its affluent customers continued to swipe their cards for travel and dining despite lingering economic uncertainty.
I'm job-searching at 55. My 32 years of experience is a liability.
After being laid off, a 55-year-old communications professional applied to more than 300 jobs. She feels defeated and is lowering her expectations.
Secrets of birdsongs' 'spectacular diversity' revealed
A scientific study has revealed the acoustic secret that connects all birdsong - and it is surprisingly simple
Intel's AI business helps fuel strongest revenue growth in 15 years
Intel beat expectations with its strongest revenue growth in more than 15 years as CEO Lip-Bu Tan credited better execution.
Intel's PC business will be dictated by AI data center momentum: CFRA
Intel (INTC) stock is surging by over 11% in Thursday's extended hours after smashing second quarter expectations, reporting adjusted earnings of $0.42 per share (vs. estimates of $0.21) and revenue of $16.1 billion (vs. estimates of $14.43 billion). CFRA Research senior vice president and equity analyst Angelo Zino dives into Intel's earnings release and what he can garner about the trajectory of the company's PC business.
The 'World Series of Stickball' honors Choctaw heritage, sports culture in Mississippi
The Gulf States Newsroom’s Joseph King went to a few games at the 76th annual Choctaw Indian Fair to report on one of the oldest sports in the nation.
Microplastics detected in most heart attack patients' blood in startling new study
Nearly 84% of severe heart attack patients had detectable microplastics in their coronary artery blood, with polyethylene found in 97% of cases.
The Athletic brings video content to Fubo in expanded partnership
The Athletic is partnering with Fubo to bring the outlet’s video content to a streaming platform for the first time. The announcement expands on an October 2024 agreement which named Fubo as The Athletic’s first streaming partner by integrating the service into live game blogs and other content on The Athletic’s website. This time, the…
CCTA being used more and more to plan ahead before complex PCI
Interventional cardiologist Yader Sandoval, MD, discusses the growing trend of using CCTA imaging to plan ahead before complex PCI procedures.
SCCT highlights payment gains, policy challenges as coronary CT use surges
An increase of nearly 200% in the use of CCTA over the past year has driven policy changes.
Coronary CT imaging is reshaping cardiovascular prevention
Cardiac imaging expert Ron Blankstein, MD, Brigham and Women's Hospital, provides an overview of how CCTA may soon become a paradigm shift in cardiac prevention.
Why aren’t health insurers rushing to cover GLP-1 prescriptions for beneficial weight loss?
In theory, GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs like semaglutide and tirzepatide should save a lot of money for the health insurers that pay for them. As it turns out, the lived reality is not keeping pace with the idealistic expectation.
Choctaw Casinos launches free-to-play sports prediction app
Choctaw Casinos & Resorts launched Choctaw Sports, a free-to-play app for sports predictions without real-money wagering, expanding digital gaming in Oklahoma.
Reducing muscle protein activity strengthens bone health, study suggests
Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), or "brittle bone disorder," is a connective tissue disorder that affects collagen, a protein that makes up much of the body's structure. There are more than 10 different ...
Cowboys, Eagles among NFL’s overrated teams, per The Athletic
Could the Giants take advantage if those teams fall short of expectations?
AMD to invest up to $5 billion in Anthropic, WSJ Reports
Advanced Micro Devices will invest up to $5 billion in Anthropic as part of a deal under which the AI startup will purchase up to 2 gigawatts of AMD's next-generation AI chips, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.
Model the Transformation You Expect Employees to Deliver
Leaders must model the transformation they expect others to deliver. Yet many leadership teams undermine their own ambitions by promoting agility, experimentation, and innovation while continuing to govern through legacy processes that reward predictability and risk avoidance. Employees notice the disconnect and follow what leaders do, not what they say. The most successful transformations occur when senior leaders personally sponsor the organization’s most uncertain initiatives, devote meaningful time to change, embrace learning, and demonstrate a willingness to change course when evidence demands it. Executives can test whether they are truly modeling the by examining how they spend their time (the calendar test), how they manage ambiguity as an executive team (the uncertainty test as a team, and whether they openly retire initiatives that no longer create value (the cancellation test).
Devonian’s Phase II/III Thykamine paediatric study secures Health Canada approval
Devonian Health Group has received authorisation from Health Canada for its CTA to begin a Phase II/III study of Thykamine cream to treat mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis in paediatric patients.
Judge to rule on state’s reluctance to expand children’s health insurance program
A Florida circuit court judge listened to arguments Tuesday regarding the state’s reluctance to expand Florida KidCare – a subsidized children’s health insurance program.
Broward Health hosts 1st Bump, Baby and Beyond Fair to help expectant parents
Broward Health is working to make preparing for a baby a little less intimidating by connecting expectant families with resources, doctors and information before delivery day.
Browns free agent signings who overperformed expectations, last 10 years
These players delivered more than expected and became some of the Cleveland Browns' best signings of the last 10 years
6 NFL Quarterbacks Facing the Most Pressure Heading Into 2026
Jordan Love is among six NFL quarterbacks who need to deliver in 2026 if they want to live up to their expectations and lead their respective teams to success.
‘Marathon’ PvE Mode Is Live Today, But Expectations Should Be Tempered
Marathon is launching its Vault Breaker PvE experimental mode today, a type of run that removes all opposing teams, sends players into its hardest map
MLB fan slaps spectator for sitting during national anthem in viral video
The incident went viral on Sunday.
Caesars Entertainment (CZR) Earnings Expected to Grow: Should You Buy?
Caesars Entertainment (CZR) possesses the right combination of the two key ingredients for a likely earnings beat in its upcoming report. Get prepared with the key expectations.
5 college football coaches on the hot seat in 2026
Every college football season comes with pressure. But for some head coaches, the 2026 season could be make-or-break. Expectations have never been higher. With the expanded College Football Playoff, bigger NIL budgets, stronger recruiting classes and heavy use of the…
Trump rejected nearly 6,000 clemency applications amid hope of pardon wave
Expectations were raised for a raft of pardons in connection with the country’s 250th birthday but the president granted fewer than 20 on July 3.
Burglars hit Corona collectable card business
Figure 8 high-speed entertainment
Prepare for thrilling near-misses and spectacular crashes during this year’s Figure 8 races. Blending high-speed racing with demolition derby-style drama, the grandstand event is Friday, July …
UFC Freedom 250 Fails to Knock Out The Ratings
(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) If UFC fans wanted one image to say, “Hey, Paramount+ is crushing it with their UFC rights deal,” I could provide that image. Here it is: (Reminder: this is my creation of the Nielsen Top 30, since Nielsen doesn’t combine the lists or include sports. I take all three lists and combine them. Some streaming TV shows probably have higher ratings than many of the films on this list.) Look at that! UFC Freedom 250 is number one! It topped the Nielsen “Top 30” list for shows and films that made the top ten the week of 15-June. So if you’re a UFC fan or supporter of Paramount+, that’s the good news for you this week. This program topped the ratings charts for one week. Everything else is bad news, or at least a huge caveat to that story, which I’ll explain today in the first part of this week’s Streaming Ratings Report—for the weeks of 8-June and 15-June—which is a double issue since I’ve been writing on a bunch of topics recently. UFC Freedom 250 is one of the biggest streaming events of the year, and super relevant to Paramount+’s strategy, so it merited its own article. Let’s dive in! (Reminder: The streaming ratings report focuses on the U.S. market and compiles data from Nielsen’s weekly top ten viewership ranks, Luminate’s Top Ten Data, JustWatch and Reelgood interest data, Samba TV household viewership, company datecdotes, Netflix hours viewed data, Google Trends, and IMDb to determine the most popular content. While most data points are current, Nielsen’s data covers the weeks of June 8th to June 21st 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Check Out My Interview on UFC 250 at MMA Draw After you read this article, if you want even more thoughts on UFC and Paramount-Skydance/Paramount+, I did a written interview with MMA Draw. They asked me to answer some questions about UFC Freedom 250, and I was happy to chat with them. Find it here: [ The MMA Draw Newsletter Did Paramount really overpay for the UFC? What the data tells us so far If you know the history of American television, you also know that combat sports is often a leading indicator of the future… Read more a day ago · 10 likes · 1 comment · Nate Wilcox and Zach Arnold ](https://www.themmadraw.com/p/did-paramount-really-overpay-for?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web) I never thought I’d need a combat sports newsletter in my life, but the good folks at MMA Draw publish an excellent one on UFC, MMA, pro wrestling, boxing and more, analyzing both the sports themselves and the politics, economics and antitrust issues that impact them. Check the article and their newsletter out! Paramount+ Has Its Best Sporting Event of All Time…But Was It Worth It? Before we look at the UFC Freedom 250 data in particular, let’s talk about what we can’t say. Namely, let’s start with the lack of comparisons. First off, I’d love to put a chart out comparing this fight to past UFC fights on Paramount+…but we don’t have the data. This is the first time we’ve gotten Nielsen data about a Paramount+ UFC fight. As far as I can tell, Paramount provided data for the first fight, but it was a proprietary datecdote (saying it had “an average minute audience” of 5 million “views”) and then, for two fights, we got the linear viewership numbers when they aired on CBS, but no streaming data. Everything else was crickets. We also can’t compare this fight to other fights/combat sports on streaming, in particular the MMA and boxing, because Netflix also didn’t use Nielsen to track those events, opting for TVision and VideoAmp, respectively. (This isn’t Paramount’s fault, but does still suck.) We also can’t compare to UFC’s fights that used to be on ESPN+, since we don’t have any data for that, plus Disney+ didn’t have marquee fights. The comparisons would not be apples-to-apples. Can we compare to past Pay-Per-View fights? Absolutely not. The comparisons would absolutely NOT be apples-to-apples. That didn’t stop Paramount+, though, who bragged that their UFC events have reached drastically more people than past PPV fights. Duh. Sorry, but I gotta make this point again. A basic tenet of economics is that the cheaper something becomes, the more people consume or buy it. That’s Econ 101. (Sometimes pundits call things “Econ 101” that are actually like Econ 210 or even PhD-level economics, but no, this is really like first or second class basic economics.) Yet I still see one analytics firm consistently say that more people watch films on streaming than PVOD proves streaming which means that the streaming window is more valuable than the PVOD window. No, it’s not! Same thing here. Pay-Per-View events back in the day could be really, really, really expensive! So whole groups of people pitched in to buy them. That increased the perceived value of, say, the Mike Tyson fight. Or a UFC numbered event. So yes, the fact that Paramount+ makes numbered UFC fights essentially “free” if you’re already a Paramount+ member means consumption will go up. Obviously. Same for Netflix and their boxing matches. They’re talking about fights that used to cost consumers, in some cases, $50 in 1996…which is over $100 in today’s dollars. Over 1.6 million people paid that to watch the Tyson-Holyfield fight! Again, streaming is essentially “free”. Or $10 to $20, depending on what streamer we’re talking about and what tier you’re on. No wonder more people are “watching”. (Plus, Nielsen’s out-of-home viewing also helps these numbers.) UFC Freedom 250 Did Well…But I Have A Lot of Worries So what can we compare the fights to? Well, the good news is Nielsen put out that the fight averaged 7.0 million viewers for UFC Freedom 250, which is a solid number for a fight. We also know the length, at roughly 4 and a half hours. (I saw different run times, but this seems to be the consensus considering it started at 8 pm, had a delay and then finished after midnight on the East Coast. If you assume a shorter run time, then yes, the total hours viewed would go down.) That means I have the two numbers needed to add this to my Nielsen database. And then…I can compare this viewership to the NFL: And, uh, not great. But also within striking distance, mainly because the runtime for this event was so long. I’d also add that this event had viewership equal to a regular season NFL game on streaming, but if anything, it was more comparable to an NFL playoff or Super Bowl-esque event. And you can compare viewership to the top football games on broadcast, cable and streaming, and it’s not impressive at all: We can also compare it to other sports that week, including the NBA Finals and start of the World Cup: Again, not great. The NBA generated roughly four times as many average viewers each game for its NBA Finals. The World Cup has similarly big numbers. Also, that’s just a tiny fraction of the 25 most watched sporting events each week. The NBA, NHL and FIFA World Cup had many, many more games racking up hours. We could also compare this to other streaming programs to get an idea of “is this a good investment?” and here is how it ranks compared to other top Paramount+ programs: The worry here? Well, unlike scripted programming, which has rewatchability, older fights/sporting events have very little library value. Very, very few people are rewatching these fights, especially years from now. Paramount has also released datecdotes bragging about their subscriber numbers. Earlier this year, they claimed that the first UFC fight on Paramount+ brought in 1 million subscribers. Then, in their quarterly earnings report, they only ended up with 700K subs. Not great! They claimed they dropped lower-value international subscribers, but that’s why I tend to discount subscriber additions when they’re leaked to the press.1 I expect we may see a bump again for UFC Freedom 250, but I’d caution using subscriber growth so soon after these events to judge the success, since new subs with high churn (see Peacock) aren’t great either. Also, analysts often want to attribute all subscriber growth to their favorite/pet show, and that just doesn’t make sense. The biggest caveat for UFC Freedom 250 and Paramount’s very first UFC marquee event is that these could be high watermarks for the sport. UFC Freedom 250 had an incredible amount of earned media coverage compared to most UFC fights. I mean, it had wall-to-wall national news coverage in the lead up to the event. (The first fight also had a lot of promotion from Paramount since it was first.) Other fights could reach this bar—say the Conor McGregor return to the Octagon—but they’ll be fewer and far between. Was This Deal Worth It? All to ask: is this Paramount deal worth it? In this case, I think the UFC Freedom 250 numbers are more distracting than helpful. This fight did well and compares well to other top sporting events. But we know that the first marquee event was at least a third smaller, if Paramount’s own data is to be believed. And it’s likely the other fights are much, much, much smaller. And then you get to the paycheck that Paramount-Skydance paid. FIFA’s World Cup cost about the same for Fox, but clearly generated multiples more total viewership. (Though it’s only every four years.) The NBA is much more expensive, but until the playoffs, they likely didn’t pay for itself. Even still, Disney, NBCUniversal and Amazon Prime Video likely overpaid. So, in that context, the NBA may be an overpay that makes the UFC look not so bad. But two overpays don’t make an underpay, to paraphrase the old cliché about wrongs and rights. And looking at UFC Freedom 250 as the likely ceiling of MMA on Paramount+, Paramount-Skydance likely paid too much. Share 1 I would love regular reports on subscriber additions by programs, but as is, it’s mostly leaked or rumored in haphazard ways.
Palmetto Sports Daily: SEC Media Days kick off, Clemson sets expectations for 2026
The crew talks football across South Carolina as college season kicks off with several media days.
AMC Entertainment's Strong Showing Was Well-Deserved (Upgrade)
AMC Entertainment delivered a strong Q2 FY2026, with revenue up 14.2% to $1.60B and adjusted EPS beating expectations. Read more on AMC stock here.
Penguins Interested in Using Connections to Land 44-Point Center
The Pittsburgh Penguins are interested in landing one of the top trade candidates in the market. It was recently revealed that the Seattle Kraken are moving on from Shane Wright this summer. Seattle previously drafted the center with the fourth-overall pick in the 2024 NHL draft. Despite lofty expectations, he regressed during the most recent […] The post Penguins Interested in Using Connections to Land 44-Point Center appeared first on HEAVY.
AMC Entertainment (AMC) Stock Trades Up, Here Is Why
Shares of theater company AMC Entertainment (NYSE:AMC) jumped 17.3% in the morning session after the company reported impressive Q2 2026 earnings results with revenue and Adjusted EBITDA crushing expectations.The cinema chain delivered a blowout second quarter, posting total revenues of $1.60 billion—representing 14.2% year-over-year growth and easily surpassing analyst estimates of $1.47 billion. Profitability metrics were particularly strong, with Adjusted EBITDA soaring to $321.4 million comp
Cinema Operator AMC Entertainment Rides the Box Office Boom
AMC shares surged after Q2 results beat expectations, with record $321 million adjusted EBITDA, higher attendance and strong box office growth.
AMC Entertainment delivers record Q2 results as summer releases boost results
AMC Entertainment Holdings (NYSE:AMC) shares rose 11% after the movie theater chain reported second-quarter results that exceeded Wall Street expectations, driven by a strong slate of summer blockbuster releases. The company reported adjusted earnings per share of $0.14 for the quarter ended...
Trump’s attacks on democracy reveal his authoritarian ambitions | LSE United States Politics and Policy
Trump is becoming a dictator, one who combines the transactional pursuit of profit and power with racism, white supremacy, and personalised rule.
AMC Entertainment (NYSE:AMC) Reports Upbeat Q2 CY2026, Stock Jumps 15.2%
Theater company AMC Entertainment (NYSE:AMC) reported Q2 CY2026 results exceeding the market’s revenue expectations, with sales up 14.2% year on year to $1.6...
AMC Entertainment (NYSE:AMC) Reports Upbeat Q2 CY2026, Stock Jumps 15.2%
Theater company AMC Entertainment (NYSE:AMC) reported Q2 CY2026 results exceeding the market’s revenue expectations, with sales up 14.2% year on year to $1.60 billion. Its non-GAAP profit of $0.14 per share was significantly above analysts’ consensus estimates.
AMC Entertainment delivers record Q2 results as summer releases boost results
AMC Entertainment Holdings (NYSE:AMC) shares rose 11% after the movie theater chain reported second-quarter results that exceeded Wall Street expectations,...
WNBA 30: These are the 10 greatest point guards the league has seen
The greatest point guards aren't defined by assists alone. They dictate pace, elevate those around them and control the game with poise and basketball IQ.
Bayer and Henry Ford Health partner to boost clinical trial access
Bayer and Henry Ford Health have entered a strategic research partnership aimed at expanding access to clinical trials for patients.
Why has Britain’s oldest political magazine become such a rabid cheerleader for Islamophobia?
A report on the Spectator’s coverage of Muslims makes for grim reading. Conservatism is now focused on this minority to the exclusion of everything else, says Guardian columnist Nesrine Malik
What stat will define success for the Bucs in 2026?
The Bucs' defense is going to see their season dictated based one stat.
The World Cup's First Halftime Show Did Too Much and Meant Too Little
Madonna, BTS, Justin Bieber, Shakira, and more headlined a spectacle too bland and overstuffed to be memorable
World Cup, the highest-scoring finals ⚽️
World Cup finals are often tight, cagey matches, where every mistake can prove very costly. Yet several of them have produced especially spectacular, high-scoring encounters.Just hours before the bloc...
‘White men get to fail’: Graham Platner collapse illuminates toxic double standard in US politics
Expectations that prioritize privileged identities keep women and people of color from even running for office
🫨 Why he's irreplaceable: France star breaks Pelé record
France may have lost the spectacular third-place match against England 4–6, but Michael Olise still broke an incredible record once set by Pelé. With a total of seven assists, he is now the player ...
This Is The Alabama’s Biggest Question Entering 2026
Alabama enters the 2026 season with expectations as high as ever, but unlike many recent Crimson Tide teams, there is one glaring question that could determine whether Kalen DeBoer’s third season ends with a College Football Playoff run or another disappointing finish. Can Alabama finally establish a consistent running game? The numbers from last season…
Cowboys 2026 roster rundown: CB Caelen Carson
What are your expectations for Caelen Carson?
Josh Allen’s Bills facing ‘formality’ regular season, says Tim Hasselbeck
The Buffalo Bills enter the 2026 NFL season with championship expectations, but ESPN analyst Tim Hasselbeck believes that creates a unique challenge. Speaking on NFL on ESPN, he said the regular season has almost become secondary for Josh Allen‘s team.…
Cowboys’ Dak Prescott Sends Emphatic Message Before Training Camp
The Dallas Cowboys are entering the 2026 season with high expectations, and Dak Prescott had something to say about that. The post Cowboys’ Dak Prescott Sends Emphatic Message Before Training Camp appeared first on HEAVY.
Perspective: Extreme heat is a fact of summer. Its health harms don’t have to be
As yet another heat dome settles over part of the U.S., a depressingly predictable news cycle is unfolding. This week, the headlines will warn of dangerously high temperatures; next week, they'll chronicle the human toll.
Democrats and the siren call of socialism
The political pendulum continues to swing, though its arc these days seems far more volatile and exaggerated. While there have always been outliers and more extreme actors on the political spectrum, the pendulum for many years was more of a steady, often predictable metronome. The country would experience periods of ascendancy on the left, followed […]
Cowboys news: Dak Prescott embraces high expectations in Dallas
Here's the latest Dallas Cowboys news!
Oscar winner Octavia Spencer receiving George Eastman Award in Rochester
Spencer made sure to praise George Eastman and the impact he had on her during an event on Friday.
MWC Media Days: Day 2 Recap
Mountain West Media Days concluded yesterday and the event gave us the chance to familiarize ourselves with the new faces in the conference. It also gives us the opportunity to set our expectations for this fall, despite the league not releasing a preseason poll. Yesterday, Jeremy gave us an excellent rundown of the opening day […]
FDA raised conflict of interest concerns ahead of new peptide panel
That panel will meet to weigh whether the agency should allow Americans to have broader access to seven injectable peptides previously restricted over potential safety concerns.
Eight Patriots facing the most pressure ahead of training camp
Last year, expectations for the Patriots were bare-bones. But heavy lies the crown for the reigning AFC champs.
Sports without politics is a fantasy and the World Cup proves it
From ancient Greece to Nazi Germany, sport and politics have long been intertwined. Nevertheless, we still imagine that international sport can be kept above the fray and serve as a neutral arena where nations compete on merit alone. In this article, diplomacy scholar Geoffrey Allen Pigman argues the 2026 FIFA World Cup shows this is a dangerous illusion. When international sport is left entirely to revenue-maximizing private bodies like FIFA, it doesn't escape politics, but rather surrenders to its worst expressions. With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics fast approaching, the IOC must decide whether to learn that lesson or repeat the same mistakes. The largest and most lucrative FIFA World Cup ever draws toward its climactic conclusion amidst a swirl of controversy. Team members, staff, fans, and spectators have been denied their right to enter the United States to participate, and US President Donald Trump intervened with FIFA boss Gianni Infantino to overturn a referee’s call that Trump believed disadvantaged the US national team. It is a moment to step back and reflect on what the purposes of international sport mega-events like the World Cup, and international sport more broadly, are, and what they should be. Does international sport serve public purposes? Is there a public interest? Or is it primarily a private endeavor organized by commercial enterprises to entertain the global public (and generate profit in the process), which is occasionally used by governments and leaders for raisons d’etat? Central to the idea of sport is the principle of fair play, which in the international context demands that games be free from political interference. However, it is impossible to separate sport from politics, all claims to the contrary notwithstanding. The most positive political use of international sport through the millennia has been to facilitate diplomacy. The use of international sport for diplomatic objectives has existed since at least the time of the ancient Olympic Games, around which was instituted the custom of the Ekecheiria, or Olympic Truce, between participating states to facilitate fair competition and diplomatic achievements by ensuring that participants could travel safely to the Olympiad. In his seminal work On Diplomacy (1987), diplomacy scholar James Der Derian characterized the objectives of diplomacy as overcoming alienation and mediating estrangement between governments and between peoples. One increasingly important diplomatic tool in the technology-infused media environment over the past century has been public diplomacy, under which governments and non-state diplomatic actors (e.g. transnational corporations) communicate to global publics about their international policy objectives and to shape their global brand image. Political scientist Michał Kobierecki, in his important book Sports Diplomacy (2020), views sports diplomacy as falling broadly within the ambit of public diplomacy, as international sport intimately involves the participation of global publics as spectators and consumers of global media. Diplomacy scholar Stuart Murray and this author, in a 2013 article, distinguish between international sport used for diplomatic purposes and international sport-as-diplomacy, which encompasses the range of diplomacy that occurs as teams and competitors, spectators and fans, and government officials all converge for international sporting events like the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup. Diplomacy scholar H.E. Chehabi, in a 2001 article on US-Iran sports diplomacy, describes the interaction between spectators and fans at international sporting events as “people-to-people diplomacy,” in which relationships develop independently of governments and their objectives. Diplomacy by the aforementioned definitions is often unsuccessful. Moreover, all too often the tools of diplomacy may be employed by governments and other actors to thwart or oppose the objectives of diplomacy as characterized by Der Derian. Governments routinely use the tools of public diplomacy to disseminate propaganda, spreading misinformation in the attempt to deceive global publics about their objectives and to create misleading impressions about their brand identity. Within sports diplomacy, the term “sportswashing” has been coined recently to describe how governments invest in and promote international sport to create positive global public impressions of their nations and, in doing so, to distract the global public from their deficient records in areas such as human rights and democratic governance. Murray, in his 2018 book Sports Diplomacy: Origins, Theory and Practice, introduces the concept of sports anti-diplomacy, wherein governments intentionally use international sport to advance aggressive and nationalistic objectives. Obvious historical examples include Hitler’s use of the 1936 Berlin Olympics to glorify his Third Reich and the 1969 El Salvador-Honduras football “war.” SUGGESTED READING The beautiful game made ugly By Emily Ryall FIFA argues that it is and seeks to be apolitical in its stewardship of international Association Football (soccer). FIFA policies governing bids to host the World Cup require uninhibited and non-discriminatory access for players, team staff, and spectators of all participating countries to host nations and venues. It became clear soon after Trump returned to power in the United States in January 2025 that Trump’s political intentions and objectives to limit non-US citizens from living and working in the United States and, in numerous cases, even visiting the country, would collide with FIFA’s host nation policies. Beginning soon after the start of the second Trump administration, US federal authorities imposed restrictions on entry to the United States of citizens of between 20 and 40 countries for any purpose, with only limited exceptions. Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began arresting non-US citizens in the United States, including persons with and without legal status, holding them in jails, concentration camps, and other detention facilities until they were deported to their home or third countries, where they faced substantive risks to their personal safety. FIFA boss Gianni Infantino, in an effort to ensure the most successful and lucrative World Cup in history, engaged diplomatically with President Trump in an attempt to facilitate entry to the US for World Cup participants. Infantino did all in his power to ingratiate himself with Trump, to the extent of creating a FIFA “Peace Prize,” which he awarded to Trump in December 2025 at a ceremony in the then Trump-controlled John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, on the occasion of the World Cup draw. The prize was an ersatz consolation for someone who aspired in vain to win the rather more prestigious and well-known Nobel Peace Prize. And in the run-up to the World Cup, conditions became worse. In February 2026, Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched a war of aggression against Iran, illegal under international law, under the false pretence that Iran’s government was preparing to attack the United States and Israel. During the US aerial bombardment of Iran, US planes bombed Azadi Stadium, the facility where Iran’s national football team trained. As the 2026 FIFA World Cup began, it was clear that Infantino’s efforts had been for naught: the Trump administration would not adhere to FIFA policies governing access to World Cup host nations. World Cup referee Omar Artan, a citizen of Somalia, was denied a US visa to enter the United States to participate in the World Cup. Trump’s government only granted US visas to Iran’s football team ten days before they were scheduled to arrive for the tournament. Numerous members of the support staff for Iran’s team were denied US visas. Iran’s team, which had been scheduled to train in Arizona, was directed to shift its training site to Tijuana, Mexico, notwithstanding that all three of their group stage matches took place at US venues. The US Department of Homeland Security only permitted the Iranian team to enter the US on the day before each scheduled match and then to return to Mexico immediately after playing. Members of Iraq’s and Switzerland’s football teams were delayed for hours by US officials at the US border, and an Iraqi team photographer was refused entry. Spectators and fans from Haïti and Iran were denied entry to the United States altogether. A large number of fans from a range of countries had their applications for US visas rejected. There were multiple off-ramps through which participants could have avoided the negative consequences of Trump’s decisions for the 2026 World Cup. Once it was clear that the Trump government intended to violate the established expectations for World Cup hosts, FIFA could have shifted the matches scheduled to take place in the United States to Mexico and Canada. The three nations were already designated as co-hosts, and host cities and venues had been selected. Once it was clear that FIFA, governed by FIFA boss Gianni Infantino’s dependent and dysfunctional relationship with Trump, would never consider this option on its own, it fell to the national football federations to act. The national federations, particularly some combination of federations of the leading contenders (France, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Morocco, England, Germany, etc.), could have refused to participate under the US-imposed conditions or, at the least, demanded an ironclad agreement with the Trump government that FIFA policies on access would be respected. ___ International sport is inextricably entangled with diplomacy of different sorts, for good or ill, it cannot be considered to be in the purely private realm and left to revenue-maximizing private actors. ___ Why did neither FIFA nor the national football federations act to protect the interests of players, team staff, referees, fans, and spectators? In essence, the relentless engines of capitalism prevailed over norm observance, ethics, and fair play. The revenue interests of FIFA, sponsors, global media, and host cities won out. FIFA’s managers viewed hosting another World Cup principally in the United States as a veritable pot of gold for FIFA and its collaborators. FIFA has estimated its own revenue over the 2023-26 budget cycle, which includes the 2026 World Cup, at $13 billion, revised up from an initial projection of $11 billion, and 72% higher than the previous revenue cycle. Of that total, FIFA is estimated to have generated $8.9 billion from the Cup itself in revenue from TV rights ($3.92 billion), sponsorships ($2.69 billion), ticket sales ($3.1 billion), licensing rights, and other sources. A joint study by FIFA and the World Trade Organization estimates that the World Cup will contribute over $40 billion to global GDP, including nearly $14 billion in direct visitor spending in the three host countries (but principally in the United States, which hosted the lion’s share of the matches). The FIFA World Cup is now reportedly “the single most lucrative recurring commercial property in global sport.” And yet, notwithstanding the Trump government’s uses of the World Cup for sports anti-diplomacy, and the climate of anxiety that this created for participants and spectators, diplomacy that did not depend upon governments was able to thrive at the World Cup. Examples of successful people-to-people diplomacy were legion, as citizens of towns and cities across the States, as well as in Mexico and Canada, welcomed team members, their families and supporters, to training sites across North America. Fans of different teams joined together in person in stadiums for matches, at watch parties and bars, and at welcome events sponsored by host cities. The joy and camaraderie shared between the citizenry of Boston and Scotland’s “Tartan Army” of fans is but one example of how the “Beautiful Game” brings people together. Friendships forged across continents are likely to endure well beyond the Cup final. Even those achievements cannot be seen as unalloyed, however. As South African football fan Byron Pillay commented to Al Jazeera, “Football is called the Beautiful Game for a reason, for its ability to unite people. But it’s hard to believe in that magic with the politics and war rhetoric off the field of play, especially when one of the tournament hosts is central to that.” Ultimately, the experience of the 2026 FIFA World Cup illustrates that, as international sport is inextricably entangled with diplomacy of different sorts, for good or ill, it cannot be considered to be in the purely private realm and left to revenue-maximizing private actors. As long as there is the possibility of diplomatic progress in mediating estrangement between governments or between peoples, there is a broad and overarching public interest in international sport. Likewise, as it would be difficult to put on an international sport mega-event without international sporting organizations like FIFA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), global media firms, and companies purchasing sponsorships, public and private interests in international sport must coexist, most likely somewhere on a shifting spectrum between partnership and rivalry or cross purposes. As the World Cup wraps up, the IOC needs to consider its lessons before the scheduled 2028 Los Angeles Olympics if they want to avoid a media-hyped Trump version of the 1936 Berlin Olympiad. The IOC and the National Olympic Committees need to set conditions on and make demands of Trump’s government with clearly articulated consequences for non-compliance, up to and including cancellation of the Games. Time is running out for the IOC, as unlike with the FIFA World Cup, there is no at-the-ready alternate venue for Los Angeles.
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Chico City Council approves entertainment zones for downtown and Meriam Park
CHICO, Calif. - Chico City Council voted 6 to 0 to approve an ordinance creating entertainment zones in downtown Chico and Meriam Park.The ordinance, taking effect September 18, 2026, will allow customers to carry approved alcoholic beverages and walk around outside within those designated areas."I feel like the downtown could use all the help it could get right now," said Celeste Cramer, general manager of Downtown Chico Business Association. "In the other areas where they have been doing the entertainment zones and throughout California, it has increased their sales. They haven't seen an increase in violence, or tickets, or anything like that. It's a good thing to try out."Numerous other cities around California such as Redding, Sacramento and San Francisco have put their own entertainment zones into effect and have had success.Action News Now stopped by both designated locations and spoke with organizers and bar owners."I'm super excited, I think this is an opportunity for us," said Scott Baldwin, owner of Argus. "We can get a booth at the farmers market. You can order a cocktail from that booth and then we'll have it ready for you at the door as you walk through. Think of it as a picnic situation. You can grab some tacos, you can get a Kentucky Buck. You can sit down anywhere in the entertainment zone and enjoy Argus outside of Argus."Chico's Chamber of Commerce hosted community stakeholder meetings and community engagement sessions to tailor the ordinance to the city's needs as a university town and rural area.The ordinance will allow people 21 and older to walk around with open containers of alcohol within the entertainment zones as long as they have a wristband, stamp or another visible marker showing they're allowed to do so."To us it's more than an ordinance," said Jen Rothenwander, marketing manager at Meriam Park. "It's an opportunity to invest back into the community, and to continue to do what Chico does well – which is to create the spaces for people to stick around and gather, and shop and spend."The Meriam Park entertainment zone will be enclosed by Springfield Drive, Alcott Avenue, Notre Dame Boulevard and E. 20th Street.The Downtown Chico entertainment zone will span mostly from Highway 32 to Lost Park.Chico Chief of Police Billy Aldridge spoke with Redding Police and was informed they had zero problems with their entertainment zone.Chief Aldridge endorses the ordinance in Chico. freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: "actionnewsnow-com_blox_yup-rectangle-one", slotId: "actionnewsnow-com_blox_yup-rectangle-one", targeting: { "pos": "yup-rectangle-one" } });
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Will UK Affordability Checks and Prediction-Market Scrutiny Change Flutter Entertainment's (FLUT) Regulatory Risk Narrative?
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