Business

The NFL could begin renegotiating its media rights deals as soon as next year, well ahead of schedule, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told CNBC in an exclusive interview.
Goodell said he believes the NFL is leaving money on the table based on the significant increase in media revenue for other leagues, like the NBA and NHL.
The league would need agreement from its current media partners — Disney, Comcast’s NBCUniversal, Paramount, Amazon and Fox — to start discussions on any new deal before the end of the 2029-30 season.

The NFL could begin renegotiating its media rights deals as soon as 2026, four years ahead of the current agreement’s opt-out clause, Commissioner Roger Goodell told CNBC in an exclusive interview.
A new media rights deal could potentially add billions of dollars to the league’s coffers. The league needs agreement from its current media partners — Disney, Comcast’s NBCUniversal, Paramount, Amazon and Fox — to start discussions on any new deal.

The NFL signed an 11-year, $111 billion media rights deal in 2021 that contains a league opt-out clause after the 2029-30 season for all of its media partners except Disney, which has one extra year of rights.
Both sides may be incentivized to strike new rights agreements if it means the league can increase annual revenue and media partners can extend control of NFL rights for years to come.
“I think our partners would want to sit down and talk to us at any time, and we continue to dialogue with them. I like that opportunity,” Goodell said. “Obviously it’s not going to happen this year. But it could happen as early as next year. That could happen.”
NFL programming is the most watched content on traditional television. Last year, 72 of the top 100 programs were NFL games, according to data collected by Nielsen. The year before, 93 of the top 100 were NFL games.

Get the CNBC Sport newsletter directly to your inbox

The CNBC Sport newsletter with Alex Sherman brings you the biggest news and exclusive interviews from the worlds of sports business and media, delivered weekly to your inbox.
Subscribe here to get access today.

“The reason why we felt so strongly about the option is the landscape is changing. It could be a long-term deal with the benefit of having that stability and security of it. But I think the reality of it is it changes so quickly that you want to have the ability to move. I think those options are going to give us a lot of flexibility to potentially go earlier,” said Goodell.

Other major professional leagues, such as the NBA and NHL, have dramatically increased their TV revenue in the last year by striking new deals with media partners. Goodell admitted to watching other recent sports’ media deals and said, in comparison, the NFL is leaving money on the table.
Representatives for Amazon, Disney’s ESPN, Fox, NBCUniversal and Paramount-owned CBS declined to comment.

Accelerating to 2026

Accelerating media talks may be tricky in the early part of 2026 from a regulatory perspective, as ESPN has a pending deal with the NFL that would see the league acquire a 10% stake in the network. Renegotiating a media rights deal while that acquisition is still pending may present a conflict of interest both sides would like to avoid.
If that deal goes through, ESPN may be more open to play ball with the NFL on a future media deal given the league’s minority ownership.
Another delay to expedited renegotiations could come courtesy of a potential 18th week of regular season play. The league may want the additional week before it locks in new media deals, but such a change would require approval by the NFL Players Association, which currently only has an interim leader.
The NFL will want to weigh any new deal with flexibility to add new partners, such as YouTube and Netflix. Both companies have now carried games for the NFL. YouTube streamed a Week 1 game this year, and Netflix made its NFL debut on Christmas Day last year and will continue that tradition this season with two more games.
Accelerating new media deals for professional football could affect MLB as well.
That league plans on renegotiating its media rights at the end of the 2028 season. If the NFL moves first and scores big increases from media partners, it’s possible media companies will feel more constrained to spend on other sports. It’s also possible MLB could use a large NFL increase as evidence for why its content should get a bigger bump in fees as well, given the value inherent in live sports where commercials can’t be skipped.
A new deal for the NFL could also increase the league’s salary cap in future seasons, giving teams more money to spend on players and potentially leading to roster expansion.
NFL team valuations are also largely tied to the league’s TV deals. Franchise valuations have soared in recent years, with the average NFL team now worth $7.65 billion, according to CNBC’s Official 2025 NFL Team Valuations — up 18% from last year.
A large bump in revenue would likely keep that momentum going.
Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal, which owns CNBC. Versant would become the new parent company of CNBC upon Comcast’s planned spinoff of Versant. More

Labubu dolls have become a $27 status symbol. Now, high-end brands are testing whether fans are willing to pay luxury prices for crystal-encrusted Labubus or $2,500 bags with the ugly-cute monster.
While Labubu mania is new, luxury labels have capitalized on cuteness with other characters from Snoopy to Totoro.
Luxury industry experts told CNBC why these high-end character collaborations are here to stay.

A brown Louis Vuitton Monogram coated-canvas mini top-handle bag with tan vachetta leather rolled handles and a yellow-and-orange pumpkin motif is carried with two Labubu plush bag charms during Copenhagen Fashion Week, on August 07, 2025 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Edward Berthelot | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images

Labubu dolls have emerged as a must-have accessory in luxury fashion, with celebrities like Blackpink’s Lisa pairing the toys with Louis Vuitton and Hermès bags.
The coveted blind box toys — collectible plushes that look like a rabbit-esque monster with jagged teeth — are a relatively inexpensive status symbol at $27, though they routinely sell at a premium on the resale market. Now, high-end brands are testing whether Labubu fans are willing to pay luxury price points.

In June, a collection of 14 customized Labubus dressed in designs by Carhartt and Japanese brand Sacai raised $337,500 at auction with the top lot fetching $31,250. At the recent U.S. Open, tennis champion Naomi Osaka touted crystal-encrusted Labubus that cost some $500 from A-Morir. Due to high demand, the “Lablingblings” take four to six weeks for delivery, according to the New York custom eyewear and accessories maker.
Next up, the dolls are teaming up with Parisian maison Moynat. In just over two weeks, the fashion house is releasing a collection of handbags, leather accessories and, of course, bag charms that feature Labubus and two other characters by artist Kasing Lung, the Hong Kong Dutch artist who created Labubu. Moynat’s signature monogrammed canvas totes start at $2,150 and bag charms retail for $450.
While Labubu mania is new, high-end brands from Tiffany to Loewe are increasingly featuring characters like Pikachu and Totoro to court younger and digitally savvy customers. Done right, these collaborations not only generate hype, but pay off.
Omega’s “Silver Snoopy” Speedmaster watches are coveted collectors items, with its 2015 model, originally priced at $7,350, worth nearly $38,000 on the secondary market, according to market data provider WatchCharts. Jimmy Choo’s two collections with Sailor Moon, with the most recent one released in October, quickly sold out. Some brands create their own endearing characters, like Louis Vuitton dropping a line of “Louis Bear” stuffed animal bag charms in July.
Boston Consulting Group’s Jeff Lindquist told CNBC that these collaborations have picked up in popularity in the past decade to target customers who can afford high-end items but aren’t fashion-obsessed.

“Cute is not trivial. It is strategic,” said Lindquist, partner at BCG, where he advises luxury fashion and beauty brands. “It performs incredibly well on platforms like TikTok where virality and cultural relevance are what drives the visibility and the desirability of the brands.”
Moynat’s Bertrand Le Gall said the collaboration with Lung is a way for the 176-year-old maison to stay culturally relevant and resonate with customers.
“The cute elements, even though they have this deep artistic value and this deeper design value, I think we are playing on the emotional value of of everything,” said Le Gall, the image and communication director. “This emotional value is so important when it comes to a house like ours with a very long legacy and historical background.”

‘Element of cute’

French maison Moynat has partnered with Kasing Lung, the artist behind Labubu, on a limited collection of handbags and accessories.
Courtesy of Moynat

Gen Z customers are especially looking for emotional value, according to Lindquist. Many have pulled back their spending as they have felt the effect of inflation and see less value in traditional luxury goods.
“Gen Z sees luxury less as craftmanship and artistry and status and more as mirrors to their identities and their beliefs,” he said.
Daniel Langer, professor of luxury strategy at Pepperdine University, compared the draw of characters to that of celebrities.
“The characters stand for something, and those characters also have a fan base,” he said. “There’s people who really love them.”
But to drum up hype, collaborations, like Labubu blind boxes, should tap into the thrill of the hunt, he added. In the case of the Moynat collection, it will not retail online and only sell at one Moynat boutique at a time from Oct. 11 to early 2026
“Everyone who has a Labubu can tell a personal story about how they got them,” said Langer, who described buying an authentic but reasonably priced one for his daughter as “quite an undertaking.”

Naomi Osaka of Japan poses for a photo with her Labubu after defeating Greet Minnen of Belgium in the first round on Day 3 of the US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 26, 2025 in New York City.
Robert Prange | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images

Capsule collections give brands the opportunity to experiment with new looks and broaden their audience, according to consultant Alexander Thiel.
“Collabs give you a license in the eye of the consumer to do something that otherwise for your brand would be unexpected and therefore opening it up to new audience,” said Thiel, who led McKinsey’s consumer packaged goods and retail business in Switzerland until September.
That said, brands run the risk of alienating their core audience, according to Thomai Serdari, marketing professor at New York University. For instance, while Loewe’s three collections with Studio Ghibli were successful, it would not have made sense for a more traditional brand to sell Totoro purses or wallets with the mouse from “Spirited Away.”
“In the case of Loewe, it made perfect sense, because they had an intentional shift from something very low-key and very traditional quiet luxury before the acquisition by LVMH,” she said. “Then within the portfolio of LVMH, they became the creative kid, the smaller brand that experiments and is playful.”
She also cautioned against trend chasing, saying a phenomenon like Labubu mania can “collapse as quickly as it was built.”
Shares of Pop Mart, the manufacturer of Labubu dolls, have sunk by roughly 21% since peaking in late August on analyst fears that the frenzy is fading. However, the stock is still up nearly 200% year to date, and some analysts are still bullish on Pop Mart’s prospects. HSBC’s Lina Yan noted that Labubu only started actively collaborating with brands like Coca-Cola in 2024.
“The supply and demand of Labubus won’t tilt 180 degrees,” Yan wrote. “We believe it is too early to call for a peak.”
It’s too soon to judge Labubu’s staying power. But Thiel said he thinks that the Labubu craze and influx of bag charms like Louis Bear indicate consumers are looking for innocent distractions from economic anxiety.
“We see that there’s a lot of anxiety and a lot of uncertainty, and not only in the parts of the socioeconomic demographic that are struggling economically, but across all levels,” he said. “I think it’s not surprising that there’s a bit of clinging to wholesomeness and that element of cute. I think it speaks to something deeper.”

Get Inside Wealth directly to your inbox More

“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” returned to air Tuesday night, roughly one week after the late night show was suspended by Disney’s ABC broadcast network.
The program was initially pulled “indefinitely” following comments by host Kimmel during a show monologue that criticized members of President Donald Trump’s MAGA movement for their reaction to conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s killing.
“It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” Kimmel said Tuesday, getting choked up. “I don’t think there’s anything funny about it.”

“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” returned to air with an emotional monologue Tuesday night, roughly one week after the late night show was suspended by Disney’s ABC broadcast network.
The program was initially pulled “indefinitely” following comments by host Kimmel during a show monologue that criticized members of President Donald Trump’s MAGA movement for their reaction to conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s killing.

“It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” Kimmel said Tuesday, getting choked up. “I don’t think there’s anything funny about it.”
Kimmel went on: “Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what was obviously a deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make. But I understand that to some that felt either ill-timed or unclear, or maybe both. And for those who think I did point a finger, I get why you’re upset. If the situation was reversed, it’s a good chance I’d have felt the same way.”
The comedian’s pre-taped monologue marked the first time he had publicly addressed the matter.
“I’m happy to be here tonight,” Kimmel said to massive applause from the audience. “It’s been overwhelming. I’ve heard from a lot of people over the last six days. I’ve heard from all the people in the world over the last six days. Everyone I have ever met has reached out 10 or 11 times.”

JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE! “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” airs every weeknight at 11:35 p.m. ET and features a diverse lineup of guests that include celebrities, athletes, musical acts, comedians and human interest subjects, along with comedy bits and a house band.
Randy Holmes | Disney General Entertainment Content | Getty Images

Earlier Tuesday, Kimmel’s show posted a photo to Instagram with the caption, “We are back full of love.” Kimmel’s personal account posted a photo of the host with the late screenwriter Norman Lear, who in 1981 founded People For The American Way, an organization dedicated to First Amendment rights.

Kimmel touched on free speech protections Tuesday during his remarks.
“This show is not important. What is important is that we get to live in a country that allows us to have a show like this,” he said. “I had the opportunity to meet and spend time with comedians and talk show hosts from countries like Russia, countries in the Middle East, who told me they would get thrown in prison for making fun of those in power … They know how lucky we are here. Our freedom to speak is what they admire most about this country.”
Audience members leaving the taping described the monologue as “emotional” and described a warm reception from fans.
“It was just standing ovation after standing ovation,” said Veronica Ament of Fresno, California, who secured her tickets for the taping weeks ago. “My voice is almost gone.”

Political pressure

Disney said in a statement Monday it made the decision to suspend production of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” following comments that were “ill-timed and thus insensitive.”
Those comments came during Kimmel’s monologue last Monday, in reference to Tyler Robinson, who is charged with fatally shooting Kirk on Sept. 10. Kimmel said then the “MAGA gang” was “desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”
“In between the finger-pointing there was grieving. On Friday the White House flew the flags at half-staff, which got some criticism, but on a human level you can see how hard the president is taking this,” he continued, teeing up a clip of Trump on the White House lawn in which the president fields a question on Kirk but swiftly pivots to talking about construction.

Read more CNBC Jimmy Kimmel coverage

Kimmel’s suspension came amid statements from Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr that suggested ABC and its affiliate stations could be at risk of losing broadcast licenses over the comments.
Local station owners Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair both said they would preempt the show’s return on Tuesday, meaning many markets across the country were not able to watch the program through local channels. Together, the two companies own roughly 70 ABC affiliate stations.
“We are still on the air in most of the country, except, ironically, from Washington, D.C., where we have been preempted,” Kimmel said after a commercial break. “After almost 23 years on the air, we’re suddenly not being broadcast in 20% of the country, which is not a situation we relish.”

Gregg Donovan and Dandidi or “Hollywood Harlequin” display signs at the El Capitan Entertainment Centre, where “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is recorded to celebrate the show’s return on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, U.S. on Sept 23, 2025.
Gabriel Cortes | CNBC

Kimmel was then joined via video by famed actor Robert De Niro, who was portraying an aggressive FCC chair.
Kimmel, ABC and Disney are the latest targets of Trump and his administration’s scrutiny of media companies, which has intensified during his second term marked by high-profile defamation lawsuits, the defunding of public broadcasters and regulatory interference from the FCC.
Trump posted to his Truth Social platform late Tuesday railing against Kimmel and saying his administration would “test ABC out on this.”
“Let’s see how we do,” Trump said. “Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even more lucrative.”
In December, ABC agreed to pay $16 million — $15 million toward Trump’s presidential library and $1 million in legal fees — to settle a defamation lawsuit brought by Trump alleging anchor George Stephanopoulos made an inaccurate on-air assertion that the then-president-elect had been found civilly liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll. Trump had been found liable for sexually assaulting and defaming Carroll. Trump denies Carroll’s claims that he attacked her.
Kimmel on Tuesday rallied his audience to continue to speak out against attacks on journalists by the Trump administration.
“It’s so important to have a free press, and it is nuts that we aren’t paying more attention to it,” he said.

Perry Caravello protests at the El Capitan Entertainment Centre, where “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is recorded, in response to the show’s return, on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, U.S. on Sept 23, 2025. “He should be off the air for another full week if not a full month to think about what he said.”
Gabriel Cortes | CNBC

Scenes from Hollywood

Ahead of the Tuesday’s show taping, protesters and supporters appeared outside the El Capitan Entertainment Centre in Hollywood.
“He should be off the air for another full week if not a full month to think about what he said,” Perry Caravello, a YouTuber who was protesting Kimmel’s return to air, told CNBC outside the studio Tuesday prior to the taping.
Meanwhile, Gregg Donovan, who donned a black top hat and red blazer, carried a laminated sign welcoming Kimmel back.
“This is America,” he said. “I don’t think free speech will ever really be threatened.” 
Kimmel’s show is filmed at the El Capitan Entertainment Centre on Hollywood Boulevard, across from the iconic TCL Chinese Theater. The Hollywood Walk of Fame takes up the sidewalk outside Kimmel’s venue, with names as diverse as Roy Disney, Eva Longoria, Kelly Ripa, Paul Rudd and Chris Pratt decorating the pavement.

A Jimmy Kimmel supporter displays a sign at the El Capitan Entertainment Centre, where “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is recorded to celebrate the show’s return on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, U.S. on Sept 23, 2025.
Gabriel Cortes | CNBC

The El Capitan Entertainment Centre, where “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is recorded, is seen on the day of the show’s return to air, on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, U.S. on Sept 23, 2025.
Gabriel Cortes | CNBC

Gregg Donovan displays a sign at the El Capitan Entertainment Centre, where “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is recorded to celebrate the show’s return on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, U.S. on Sept 23, 2025.
Gabriel Cortes | CNBC

Dandidi or “Hollywood Harlequin” displays a sign at the El Capitan Entertainment Centre, where “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is recorded to celebrate the show’s return on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, U.S. on Sept 23, 2025.
Gabriel Cortes | CNBC

— CNBC’s Lillian Rizzo and Sara Salinas contributed to this report. More

Disney announced on Tuesday that it will be hiking the prices of many of its subscriptions by $2 to $3.
The new prices will take effect Oct. 21.
The price hikes come as the company faces intense scrutiny over its handling of “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”

Thomas Fuller | Lightrocket | Getty Images

Disney on Tuesday unveiled price increases for its streaming subscription packages beginning Oct. 21.
The stand-alone Disney+ ad-supported plan will see a $2 increase to $11.99 per month, while the premium no-ads plan will jump $3 to $18.99 per month or get a $30 annual hike to $189.99 per year.

The Disney+ and Hulu ad-supported package will increase by $2 per month, and both of the bundles with Disney+, Hulu and ESPN will see a $3 monthly increase. The packages with Disney+, Hulu and HBO Max will also both increase by $3 per month.
The NFL+ plans will remain at the same pricing.
The company previously alluded to the price increases on its third-quarter earnings call, adding that it expects a modest increase in Disney+ subscribers in its fourth fiscal quarter. Disney last raised prices for its packages in October 2024, with most plans increasing by $1 to $2.
The price hikes come as the entertainment company has faced intense scrutiny for its handling of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” after Disney subsidiary ABC pulled the show off air last week over the host’s controversial comments about the alleged killer of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The company announced nearly a week later that the show would return to air on Tuesday, after viewers and late-show hosts criticized Disney for its actions.

In the interim, some fans took to social media to announce they were canceling their Disney+ subscriptions in solidarity with Kimmel.
Disney did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment on the price changes.

Don’t miss these insights from CNBC PRO More

Nexstar Media Group, one of the largest owners of broadcast TV stations, said it would not air the return of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on Tuesday.
The company joins Sinclair, which said Monday it didn’t plan to air the late night show, and instead would show other programming.
Nexstar owns roughly 30 stations affiliated with ABC in markets including Salt Lake City, Nashville and New Orleans. Sinclair owns and operates nearly 40 ABC affiliate stations.

Jimmy Kimmel speaks during the Disney Advertising Upfront showcase event on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at North Javits in New York City.
David Russell | Disney General Entertainment Content | Getty Images

Nexstar Media Group, one of the largest owners of broadcast TV stations, said it would not air the return of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on Tuesday.
The company joins Sinclair, which said Monday it didn’t plan to air the late-night show, and instead would show other programming.

ABC parent Disney announced Monday it would bring back “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” after pausing the show indefinitely last week following comments by host Kimmel that linked the alleged killer of conservative activist Charlie Kirk to President Donald Trump’s MAGA movement.
Nexstar was among the first to respond to Kimmel’s comments.
“We made a decision last week to preempt ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ following what ABC referred to as Mr. Kimmel’s ‘ill-timed and insensitive’ comments at a critical time in our national discourse. We stand by that decision pending assurance that all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue in the markets we serve,” Nexstar said in a Tuesday statement.
“In the meantime, we note that ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ will be available nationwide on multiple Disney-owned streaming products, while our stations will focus on continuing to produce local news and other programming relevant to their respective markets,” the company said.
Nexstar and Sinclair are among the largest broadcast TV station owners in the U.S. The companies own and operate stations in local markets that are affiliated with major networks including ABC, Fox, NBC and CBS.

Nexstar owns roughly 30 stations affiliated with ABC in markets including Salt Lake City, Nashville, Tennessee, and New Orleans. Sinclair owns and operates nearly 40 ABC affiliate stations.
Sinclair last week followed Nexstar in preempting Kimmel’s show. The station owner said late Monday it would still preempt “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” after ABC returned it to broadcast this week.
In a statement, Sinclair said discussions with ABC were “ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return.”
A Disney representative on Monday didn’t comment on the discussions with Sinclair and other affiliate station owners. The company didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.
In its statement on Monday announcing Kimmel’s return, Disney said it “made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country.”
Disney CEO Bob Iger and Dana Walden, co-chair of Disney Entertainment, made the decision to return Kimmel to air and alerted the comedian on Monday, CNBC reported. Local station owners learned on Monday when Disney made the public announcement that Kimmel would return, CNBC reported at the time.

FCC threats

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump speaks to Brendan Carr, his intended pick for Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, as he attends a viewing of the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket on November 19, 2024 in Brownsville, Texas. 
Brandon Bell | Getty Images

While the stations offer local content, such as live news, they also air national programming affiliated with their network, including live sports, late-night TV, national news shows and prime-time series. The station owners license spectrum from the government and the networks are free-to-air — meaning consumers can watch the networks for free with an antenna.
Following Kimmel’s comments last Monday, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr suggested licenses were at risk of being revoked as stations and networks are required by law to operate in the “public interest.”
Carr said on CNBC last week that Kimmel’s comments appeared to “directly mislead the American public about … probably one of the most significant political events we’ve had in a long time.”
During Kimmel’s opening monologue last Monday, Kimmel said the “MAGA gang” was “desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”
“In between the finger-pointing there was grieving. On Friday the White House flew the flags at half-staff, which got some criticism, but on a human level you can see how hard the president is taking this,” he continued, teeing up a clip of Trump on the White House lawn in which the president fields a question on Kirk but swiftly pivots to talking about construction.
The FCC didn’t respond to requests for comment this week, however, Carr took to social media platform X to weigh in earlier on Tuesday.
“On Kimmel, the Democrats are engaged in nothing more than Projection and Distortion,” Carr said in his post on Tuesday, adding, “Distortion because Democrats want to blame anything other than Disney and their local TV stations for Kimmel’s suspension. Those businesses decided that, in their view, a suspension made sense. The reporting on this is clear.”
“Notably, this is the first time recently that any local TV stations have pushed back on a national programmer like Disney. And that is a good thing because we want want empowered local TV stations. After all, local TV stations—not the national programmers—have public interest obligations, and they should be making decisions that in their view meets the needs of their local communities,” Carr posted.
Pressure has been mounting on media companies since Trump entered office for a second term and Carr took his post as head of the FCC earlier this year. Public statements denouncing broadcasters, news outlets and specific programming have raised questions about the protection of free speech.
Trump has barred specific reporters and news organizations from pooled press events, and earlier this week the Pentagon issued further restrictions on journalists.
The Trump administration has also filed lawsuits against news outlets including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. ABC News settled a lawsuit last year in which the network agreed to pay $15 million to Trump’s presidential library to settle a dispute with the president. Before its merger with Skydance Media, which officially closed in August, Paramount paid $16 million to settle a lawsuit with Trump.
Days after the settlement, the FCC granted Paramount and Skydance approval to merge after more than a year of delays. Stephen Colbert, late-night host for Paramount Skydance-owned CBS, referred to the settlement as “a big fat bribe.” CBS later announced the cancellation of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” citing financial reasons.
Nexstar is currently seeking FCC approval for its proposed $6.2 billion merger with fellow broadcast station owner Tegna. And while it has yet to ink a deal, Sinclair is also exploring merger options for its broadcast stations.
Disney, meanwhile, is seeking regulatory approval for a deal in which the NFL would acquire 10% of the company’s ESPN in exchange for NFL Media assets.

Don’t miss these insights from CNBC PRO More

Eli Lilly said it will spend $6.5 billion to build a manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas, to boost production of the company’s pipeline of small molecule drugs, including its closely watched experimental obesity pill. 
It is the second in a string of four new planned U.S. plants by the drugmaker, which will all begin making medicine within five years.
The added production capacity for Eli Lilly’s obesity pill, orforglipron, is crucial as the company races to bring it to market and tries to maintain its dominance in the booming market for GLP-1s.

A rendering of Eli Lilly’s manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas.
Courtesy: Eli Lilly

Eli Lilly on Tuesday said it will spend $6.5 billion to build a manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas, to boost production of the company’s pipeline of so-called small molecule drugs, including its closely watched experimental obesity pill. 
It is the second in a string of new planned U.S. investments by the drugmaker. Eli Lilly announced in February that it would spend at least $27 billion to build four new domestic manufacturing plants, adding to $23 billion in previous investments since 2020. 

Eli Lilly said it will announce the two remaining U.S. sites this year. The company expects to begin making medicines at all four facilities within five years. 
That added production capacity for Eli Lilly’s obesity pill, orforglipron, is crucial as the company races to bring it to market and tries to maintain its dominance in the booming market for GLP-1s. Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk have previously faced supply constraints with their existing weekly injections, as demand skyrocketed in the U.S. 
“Our new Houston site will enhance Lilly’s ability to manufacture orforglipron at scale and, if approved, help fulfill the medicine’s potential as an obesity and type 2 diabetes treatment for tens of millions of people worldwide who prefer the ease of a pill that can be taken without food and water restrictions,” Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks said in the release. 
Drugmakers have been scrambling to boost their production in the U.S. as President Donald Trump threatens to impose tariffs on pharmaceuticals imported into the U.S. Trump has said those levies will encourage companies to re-shore production after domestic drug manufacturing shrank dramatically over the past decade.
In a release Tuesday, Eli Lilly said the new Houston plant will focus on manufacturing orforglipron and the company’s pipeline of other small molecule medicines across different disease areas, including cardiometabolic health, oncology, immunology and neuroscience. Small molecule drugs, which often come in pill form, are more convenient for patients to take than injectable medications and are generally easier and cheaper to manufacture at scale.  
Eli Lilly said the site will bring 615 jobs to the Greater Houston area, including highly skilled engineers, scientists, operations personnel and lab technicians, and 4,000 construction jobs. More

Single-family rent prices in July increased 2.3% from the same month last year, which is slower than the 3.1% average increase a year ago, according to the latest data from Cotality.
Rent growth has now fallen below the lower end of the 10-year average range of pre-pandemic growth. 
“Even markets like Los Angeles, which had been buoyed by post-wildfire demand, are now cooling off,” said Molly Boesel, senior principal economist at Cotality. 

A “For Rent” sign in front of a building in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025.
Al Drago | Bloomberg | Getty Images

A version of this article first appeared in the CNBC Property Play newsletter with Diana Olick. Property Play covers new and evolving opportunities for the real estate investor, from individuals to venture capitalists, private equity funds, family offices, institutional investors and large public companies. Sign up to receive future editions, straight to your inbox.
After strengthening in the first half of this year, single-family home rents began to slow in July. This could be a sign that as the consumer struggles, landlords are going to have to move to meet them. 

Single-family rent prices in July increased 2.3% from the same month last year, which is slower than the 3.1% average rise a year ago, according to the latest data from Cotality. Rent growth has now fallen below the lower end of the 10-year average range of pre-pandemic growth. 
“After a strong start to the year, single-family rent growth is clearly losing steam,” said Molly Boesel, senior principal economist at Cotality. “In July, we broadly saw weakening in annual single-family rent growth across metro areas and price tiers.”
Rent growth was just 0.2% higher in July compared with June, which is far below the historical July average monthly growth of 0.7%. That is a notable shift from monthly gains that had been stronger than usual earlier this year. 

Get Property Play directly to your inbox

CNBC’s Property Play with Diana Olick covers new and evolving opportunities for the real estate investor, delivered weekly to your inbox.
Subscribe here to get access today.

“Even markets like Los Angeles, which had been buoyed by post-wildfire demand, are now cooling off. Chicago stands out as the exception, leading the nation in rent growth amid tight inventory and resilient demand,” said Boesel. 
Looking just at the 10 largest metropolitan markets, Chicago was in the lead at 5.1% rent growth, and the New York City metropolitan area came in second at 3.7%. Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., followed, and while Los Angeles is slowing, it still rounds out the top five for rent growth. 

Dallas and Miami were the lowest of the 10, with Miami seeing no rent growth at all. Compare that with 2022, when pandemic-driven migration to the South caused Miami’s annual rent growth to soar 40%.
Rent growth also weakened at all price points. For high-end properties, national average rents increased 2.9% from a year ago, down from the 3.2% annual gain seen last July. The same trend was seen in low-end rents, which rose 1.6% annually in July, down from the 2.8% gain in July 2024.
Single-family rents had been doing much better than apartment rents over the last few years, as an enormous amount of supply came on the multifamily market. Single-family rentals were also in high demand due to the skyrocketing prices in the for-sale market. Families, which tend to be buyers, were opting for rental homes in good school districts instead. 
Single-family rental REITs, like Invitation Homes and American Homes 4 Rent, have actually been building more rental communities just to keep up with that demand, so it will be interesting to see if this latest weakening causes them to pull back. 
As Property Play noted in July, the largest single-family rental REITs were selling more homes than they were buying, according to a count by Parcl Labs. That, however, was because they were trying to consolidate away from stand-alone properties and more into full rental communities, some of which they were building.  More

Aescape will commercialize the recovery protocols developed by Tom Brady.
Aescape has over 100 locations and has provided more than 25,000 massages using automated robots.
Brady has been given the title of Aescape’s chief innovation officer and will help support product development.

Tom Brady.
Mike Ehrmann | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images

Tom Brady struck a partnership with robotic massage device maker Aescape to provide the company with exclusive rights to his recovery and longevity protocols, Aescape announced on Tuesday.
As part of the deal Brady has been given the title of chief innovation officer for the company. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Brady’s business partner Alex Spiro will also join Aescape, as a strategic advisor. They will support both product development and Aescape’s growth into capital markets, the company said.
Brady, a 7-time Super Bowl champion, played in the NFL until age 45 and is arguably one of the best quarterbacks to ever play in the league. He attributes much of his success and longevity to his training and recovery efforts. Aescape will work with the MVP to integrate his daily routines into its personalized robotics platform.
“After 23 years playing professionally, there’s no way I could have accomplished what I did professionally without all the massage work and recovery protocols,” Brady told CNBC. “The reason why I’m still able to do what I love to do is because of the bodywork, the care that I received on a daily and weekly basis, and I want to try to make that available for everybody.”

Aescape is a New York-based robotics company with over 100 locations in North America.

Aescape was founded in 2017 by entrepreneur Eric Litman. The New York-based company uses AI technology to provide a fully automated and customizable massage. It has more than 100 locations and has delivered more than 25,000 massages using its automated robots.
Aescape’s partners include high-end fitness company Equinox and select Four Seasons, Marriott, and Ritz-Carlton hotel properties across North America. The company is backed by $130 million in funding from investors that include Valor Siren Ventures, Valor Equity Partners, BroadLight Capital, Crosslink Capital and AlleyCorp.

“Our bodies are these machines that need significant ongoing maintenance, and with better maintenance and better care, they can last substantially longer,” said Litman, Aescape’s CEO.
Litman said he has seen firsthand the growth of massages in consumers’ habits. He said Aescape is an attractive option for many customers because it’s lower in cost (starting around $30 per service), you don’t have to shower before or after a session, and treatments can be shorter than a traditional massage.
For Spiro, an investor and attorney, the focus is on Aescape’s scale and growth plan — whether it’s in the football training room, internationally or one day getting massage robots into people’s homes.
“As the machine’s price comes down and this company becomes better known, it will democratize access so that everyday people can use it, get their backs better, return to work, and allow us to do something really good for society,” he said.

Get the CNBC Sport newsletter directly to your inbox

The CNBC Sport newsletter with Alex Sherman brings you the biggest news and exclusive interviews from the worlds of sports business and media, delivered weekly to your inbox.
Subscribe here to get access today. More