Down for distance
NFL fantasy leagues readying for long haul
PROFESSIONALoddsmakers haven’t posted a line yet, but it appears to be more than a fantasy that DraftKings and FanDuel may get together in a merger.
DraftKings Chief Executive Jason Robins is saying he may be open to talking, but adds, “it takes two to tango,” meaning FanDuel CEO Nigel Eccles would have to bring his Agame to the talks.
The explosion in popularity of the fantasy football platforms, with their huge ad budgets, is obviously good news for TV adsales departments.But fantasy sports’ rapid growth is also bestowing riches in some unlikely places — like Tribune’s growing metadata sportsinfo business.
Tribune owns Gracenote which, among many other things, delivers player stats to distributors’ screens. For instance, viewers can press a button on their remote control to access a screen with information such as player stats, tendencies and trade history.
Tribune licenses Gracenote to cable operators to enhance the viewing experience. The technology also does such things as provide functionality for VideoonDemand screens.
Tribune purchased Gracenote from Sony for $170 million last February. Gracenote also provides metadata to music companies, including Apple Music.
On the NFL side, NBC’s broadcast of Thursday’s PatriotsSteelers opener pulled in 27.4 million viewers, scoring a 17.7 overnight rating — up 5 percent over last year’s opening game.
Did Deflategate goose the numbers, or where they enhanced by newbie fantasy football players flocking to the game to get their statgathering operation in midseason form?
Cat power
Cat Greenleaf‘ s (photo) face may be familiar to those who’ve sat in a New York taxicab and watched her interview stars from the steps of her Brooklyn stoop.toop.
The blonde interviewerwer must have buns of steel after all thathat sitting on hard stone. She told On the Money that when she started out inn 2009, few could be persuaded to buy an ad on her show, but now “it’s important real estate.”
Greenleaf, who also stars in a series of shorts on NBCUniversal’sersal’s USA Networks, has become a heroine of the outdoor advertising industry.
She will chat about itss growth with Barry Frey ey, CEO of the Digital Placee Based Advertising Association, at the industry’s Video Everywhere Summit,, coming up Nov. 3 at Crowne Plaza Times Square.
The intimate interviewerwer wants to persuade politicians to come sit and sip coffee.ee.
“I want to have them really talking not just stumping on my stoop,” she said.
Inverviews this fall include Nancy Pelosi, Eli Mannning and Cyndi Lauper er. Catch ’em in the cab!
September $ong
Ellen DeGeneres andnd BergBergdorf Goodman are BFFss —— at least until Sept. 30.
The luxury retailer showcased the comedian’s new lifestyleestyle brand, ED, at a starstudded soirée on the store’s sixth floorr ThursThursday night that attractedd such
KanyeKanye WeWest, Justin Tim, RobinRobin RobertRoberts and Diane
. But the partnership is as fleeting as the party’s air kisses. The pricey merchandisemerchand — throw pillowslows go for $525, and a pairp of cashmere drawstring pants are $895 — will be sold on bergdorfgoodman.com only through the end of the month, while the home goods will be available in stores only through Sept. 22. ThThe partners call it an online popup store. DeGeneres also has a partnnership with QQVC, which is selselling less expensivesive ED wares.
NetworkingNet
Not contecontent to merely watch the US Open finals, Wall Street’s tennisten nuts are holding their own tourney.
The Finance CupCu will take place across the EEast River from Arthur Ashe StadiStadium, at the New York Athletic ClubClub’s tennis courts in Pelham this weeweekend.
The doubles tenntennisfest pits some of Wall StreetStreet’s best players — including captain Jeffrey Appel,, a senior directordirecto at Broadband Capital, and cocaptaincocapta Bill Ackman,, founder of PersPershing Square Capital Management — against some of Europe’s fearsome financial servers, including captain David Anvig of Global AsseAsset Capital in London and cocaptain Christer
, founder of Cevian Capital. Next year’s matchmatches will be held across the pond, in London.L