The Super Bowl is in the books, with the Philadelphia Eagles delivering a commanding win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Companies paid a steep $8 million for a 30-second TV spot, up from $7 million in 2024. Now, sports and media watchers can return to their regularly scheduled programming. That programming is of high intrigue. For one, rights deals for Formula 1 and the UFC are on the table in 2025. The UFC alone could command a $1 billion a year deal, more than double the one it currently has with Disney-owned ESPN. Media watchers will be looking out for whether both sports end up on streaming channels amid the struggles at legacy media giants.

In the meantime, the NFL can opt out of its rights deal with all media partners except for Disney after the 2028-2029 season. If they do opt out and head to a Netflix that is not hiding its appetite for live sports, it could alter the TV business forever. Yahoo Finance executive editor Brian Sozzi chats with longtime media executive David Levy about these tectonic shifts in the industry, especially on the sports front. Levy spent 32 years running Turner, leading its sports portfolio and even the Cartoon Network. Today, Levy is the founder and co-CEO of Horizon Sports & Experiences—which is making a bold bet on pickleball.

Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid, brings you a high-octane take on the freshest analyst calls, wildest stock moves and shrewdest commentary in the business world. Executive Editor Brian Sozzi puts Wall Street's finest through their paces in this essential conversation for every investor - before the stock market opens.

Find this episode's transcripts and more episodes of Opening Bid at http://finance.yahoo.com/videos/series/opening-bid/.

Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at [email protected].

00:00-David Levy on Opening Bid

02:30-What Superbowl numbers say about streaming

05:09-Changing times for established media like Turner, ESPN, ABC

08:50-Podcasters making money has nothing to do with TV

10:45-The rise of pickleball

13:30-Opportunities in women's sports

16:10-Reinvention of sports for programming like fantasy football

21:30-HOT TAKE

Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid is hosted by Brian Sozzi, and produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky.

Long regarded as one of the media industry’s most influential executives, David Levy currently serves as the co-CEO and founder of Horizon Sports & Experiences – HS&E. HS&E has a core focus on IP creation, and monetization, strategic advisory and consulting media rights, sponsorships, sales and experiential. Prior to HS&E, Levy served as President of Turner, offering content and advertising solutions to some of the most valuable brands in the world to audiences in sports, entertainment, news and children’s programming.

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