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ESPORTS 30 WITH KEVIN KNOCKE LAUNCHES ON WESTWOOD ONE PODCAST NETWORK

CUMULUS MEDIA’s Westwood One, America’s largest audio network, is inviting you to press play on Esports 30 with Kevin Knocke, the newest addition to Westwood One Podcast Network. Esports 30 with Kevin Knocke is an original podcast covering esports news and in-depth interviews with industry personalities, celebrities, athletes, influencers, and enthusiasts.   Host Kevin Knocke is a gaming industry veteran, professionally involved in esports for nearly a decade as both an executive and personality, first as a commentator for tournaments and later as a popular event host. Initial episodes of Esports 30 have featured Indiana "Froskurinn" Black, Caleb “WavePunk” Simmons, and Alberto “Crumbz” Rengifo. Other notables are slated to appear in the future, including Dr. Lupo. "Esports is now big enough that it can't rely on the sunshine and rainbows perspective that it’s the 'next big thing' so we need to understand how to develop a sustainable infrastructure for the long term,” said Knocke. “I'll be inviting on guests with a broad viewpoint of the industry as a whole as well as game-specific experts who are willing to take an honest look at their game and reflect on improvements needed." “Kevin has a clear vision, deep-rooted experience, and a genuine passion for esports,” said Suzanne Grimes, EVP Marketing, CUMULUS MEDIA and President, Westwood One. “He’s a relatable expert offering a unique blend of interviews and honest discourse on what's happening behind the scenes.” In addition to breaking down the news and business side of esports, Esports 30 with Kevin Knocke offers a look at fascinating cross-industry connections - such as the relationship between gaming and mental health, as well as the crossroads of esports and fashion. New episodes drop every Tuesday at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Bud Light Returns To Super Bowl in Miami with Second Music Festival

On Location Experiences ("On Location" or "OLE"), the official hospitality partner of the National Football League ("NFL" or "The League") and Bud Light, the official beer sponsor of the NFL, today announces the return of the Bud Light Super Bowl Music Fest. Celebrating its second year, the three-night festival will give football fans and the entire city of Miami an opportunity to enjoy the artists they love starting Thursday, January 30th through Saturday, February 1st at Miami's vibrant waterfront venue AmericanAirlines Arena. On Friday Night, the Bud Light Super Bowl Music Fest will feature Guns N' Roses. Saturday's Super Bowl Eve concert lineup will feature Maroon 5 and special guest. EA SPORTS BOWL will once again serve as the unofficial kickoff to the biggest weekend in the NFL season Thursday night with a Welcome to Miami Showcase that features some of the biggest names in hip-hop including DaBaby and headlined by DJ Khaled and friends. More of the hottest acts in music set to perform at EA SPORTS BOWL will be announced in the coming weeks. In 2019, the Bud Light Super Bowl Music Fest redefined the role of music at one of the biggest sporting events in the world with unforgettable performances from all-star acts Bruno Mars, Cardi B., Post Malone, Aerosmith, Ludacris, Ciara, Migos, T.I., Lil Jon, Young Jeezy and more. Throughout the course of three nights, over 41,000 music and NFL fans filled State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA and over 4.7 million fans streamed the shows on Twitter. The Bruno Mars and Cardi B. concert was the highest-grossing evening in State Farm Arena's 20-year history. The New York Times raved, "Atlanta Is Throwing Its Own Extended Super Bowl Halftime Show" and People Magazine declared the fest "Super Bowl dominance." "After a tremendously successful launch last year, we are thrilled to bring the Bud Light Super Bowl Music Fest back for its second year and to the city of Miami. The Music Fest is a revolutionary event that allows more fans, both of music and the NFL, to participate in Super Bowl events, while also offering activation opportunities for sponsors and a unique entertainment space for corporate clients," said John Collins, CEO of On Location Experiences. "None of this would be possible without the support of our fantastic partners at Anheuser-Busch, EA SPORTS and AmericanAirlines Arena. We look forward to kicking off another Super Bowl weekend and providing all fans with an exceptional Super Bowl experience." "We were so happy to bring an event like Bud Light Super Bowl Music Fest to the city of Atlanta last year and are looking forward to bringing another incredible show to Miami this year," said Shana Barry, Director of Experiential, Bud Light. "Super Bowl Music Fest allows us to bring two of our brand's biggest passion points - sports and music together in the same place. We are thrilled to bring another set of A-list artists for an even bigger show this year." "EA SPORTS has a reputation for hosting one of the most anticipated events of Super Bowl Week, and we're excited to be partnering with the Bud Light Super Bowl Music Fest for the second time," said Josh Rabenovets, Sr. Director of Global Brand Management at EA SPORTS. "Thursday promises to be an unforgettable night for fans in Miami with Miami-local DJ Khaled, DaBaby and more stars taking the stage to celebrate one of the greatest weekends in sports." "As we culminate our 100th season, we're proud to continue to build upon our partnership with On Location Experiences through the Bud Light Super Bowl Music Fest. This energetic series of concerts will further add to our already exciting week, and will give our fans another opportunity to experience the power and energy of the Super Bowl," says Peter O'Reilly, Executive Vice President, Club Business and League Events, National Football League." In addition to top-level talent spanning a multitude of genres, the festival will feature celebrity and athlete appearances. An array of premium seating offerings, including suites and club packages, will be available also featuring options for premium hospitality. For updates, visit superbowlmusicfest.com. The Bud Light Super Bowl Music Fest is executive-produced by On Location Experiences and SYNERGY Productions, LLC with production support from Live Nation Urban. BUD LIGHT SUPER BOWL MUSIC FEST SCHEDULE Thursday, January 30 - EA SPORTS BOWL featuring DJ Khaled and Friends, DaBaby, and more Friday January 31 - Guns N' Roses Saturday, February 1 - Maroon 5

BMG MOVES INTO ARTIST MANAGEMENT, PARTNERS WITH CARL STUBNER’S SHELTER

BMG has partnered with Carl Stubner, the renowned manager of Fleetwood Mac, ZZ Top, Crowded House, and Neil Finn, among others, in a strategic move into the artist management business. BMG is backing Stubner’s new Shelter Music Group, which will be a music management company with a global presence. Stubner serves as Chairman of Shelter Music Group, with Dino Paredes as President. BMG already works with Shelter artists including ZZ Top, Puscifer and A Perfect Circle whose Eat The Elephant album last year debuted at number three on the Billboard 200. Shelter will retain full independence under the arrangement to sign artists to other labels and music publishers. The deal adds another service option for BMG clients alongside its existing music publishing, recordings, production music, film and book interests. As part of the deal Shelter has already relocated its Nashville operation into BMG’s new office in the city. It gives Shelter access to BMG’s global resources and networks through the company’s 15 offices worldwide. It also gives BMG artists and songwriters located outside the US a unique ability to receive management support and expertise in the North American market BMG CEO Hartwig Masuch said, “Carl Stubner is a force of nature and we are delighted to partner with him. As the lines blur between the services provided by labels and those provided by managers, it is inevitable that these previously separate parts of the business will come together. Ultimately we are both in the business of serving artists and have complementary interests. We believe that combining resources and expertise on certain projects will benefit artists.” Carl Stubner said, “BMG has created the first new music major of the streaming age. This is an opportunity not just to work more closely with the most innovative company in music, but also to build a new kind of management company with a presence in every significant music market. We have ambitions to move into both records and publishing with BMG and are already in advanced discussions to recruit other managers to join us.” Said Masuch, “Artist managers are more important in the music business than they have ever been. You want to stick close to the ones who get things done. Our key insight has been to understand that the same kind of revenue share deal BMG has pioneered for artists could be extended to managers, all while guaranteeing their independence. BMG has consistently pioneered fresh approaches to the music business from our insistence on fairness and transparency, to our revenue share approach to records to our early recognition that streaming favours established artists. Our approach to the artist management business is equally new and will yet again set the pace for the industry.” BMG and Shelter are already collaborating on Mick Fleetwood’s forthcoming sold-out all-star tribute to Peter Green and the early years of Fleetwood Mac due to take place on 25 February 2020 at the London Palladium with guests including Billy Gibbons, David Gilmour, Jonny Lang, Andy Fairweather Low, John Mayall, Christine McVie, Zak Starkey, Steven Tyler and Bill Wyman.

 

Sony unites its top music artists with its groundbreaking technology, gaming, and movies to create exciting content in the innovative, new Sony Collaboration Series campaign

Sony Corporation today unveiled an innovative, new brand campaign that will showcase all that the world of Sony has to offer through the power of creativity and technology. The Sony Collaboration Series campaign features experimental projects built by pairing the hottest Sony Music Entertainment (SME) artists with the latest Sony technology, gaming, and movies. Launching on December 6 the campaign kicks off with a collaboration featuring SME artist, rapper and YouTube personality DDG; and comes on the heels of Sony’s successful, three-year Lost in Music campaign. The multidiscipline campaign is comprised of four unique activations resulting in online content, and is part of an ongoing strategy to further highlight the ties between SME artists; Sony assets including technology, gaming and film; and passionate fan communities. The campaign kicks off with a project bringing together DDG, pro-skater Neen Williams and cutting-edge Sony MESHTM IoT blocks. MESH, a platform of app-enabled smart sensors, can add clever features to everyday objects and you can program how they work. Filmed at The Berrics, an iconic skatepark in Los Angeles, the collaboration creates something truly unique as a gravity-defying skate performance is combined with extraordinary audio and visuals triggered by the MESH. “The Sony collaboration with Neen was a dope new way to turn my song into a whole different vibe. I never envisioned a skateboarding song when I made ‘Push’, but seeing Neen vibe out to the record and Sony’s MESH sensors and projectors’ lights going crazy to my song convinced me. I’ve never been a part of something so innovative. It came out so dope,” said DDG. Another upcoming Sony Collaboration Series campaign moment will involve Sony’s flagship smartphone, Xperia 1, known for its exceptional camera capabilities, being used to create an explosive, action-packed piece of content surrounding the upcoming 2020 “Bad Boys for Life” film release from Sony Pictures Entertainment. A later collaboration includes Sony’s 360 Reality Audio (360 RA) technology being used to create a new immersive music experience. Sony’s 360 RA allows for audio mapping in true 360-degree space, creating an immersion into sound that closely mimics the omni-directional sound scape of a live musical experience. Another exciting component of the Sony Collaboration Series directly involves the “Dreams Universe”. Dreams is an ever-expanding game universe – exclusive to PS4 – where you create, explore, experience and play in the limitless imagination of players around the world. Dreams creators will be asked to rise to the challenge of designing a virtual, innovative, live performance arena for the SME artist, all built using a DUALSHOCK 4 controller with 3D elements built completely within the Dreams environment. Art and imagery created in Dreams will be brought into a real world music performance. “Sony's purpose is to ‘Fill the world with emotion, through the power of creativity and technology’,” said Midori Tomita, VP in charge of Brand Communication, Sony Corporation. “We invite you to enjoy these unique experiences that only Sony can deliver by combining the power of SME's artists with Sony's technology and content.”

DEADLINE HOLLYWOOD PARTNERS WITH THE AFRICAN AMERICAN FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION

The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) and Deadline Hollywood (Deadline.com) will partner throughout 2020 to produce a slate of events that target Next Gen entertainment creative professionals, and a select group of U.S. cities that are showing growth in the entertainment industry. The collaboration kicks off with a New Hollywood Next Gen celebration hosted by Deadline reporters Amanda N’Duka and Dina Ray Ramos, cohosts of the New Hollywood podcast, and AAFCA founder/president Gil Robertson on January 21 at Fig & Olive in West Hollywood. The celebratory experience includes a panel discussion featuring some of the brightest names in film & television, plus an after-party with bites and cocktails courtesy of Fig & Olive. “AAFCA is elated to work with the amazing team at Deadline whose leadership shines through action, not words, especially when it comes to their commitment to diversity and inclusion,” said Robertson. “Celebrating tomorrow’s talent is vital to ensuring Hollywood’s future. Our next generation celebration is an excellent way to engage with this important community and provide them with the tools and resources, along with fantastic networking, to govern their next steps. And, of course, it’s a great prelude to the 11th AAFCA Awards Gala.” The New Hollywood Next Gen celebration is the first event of the exciting partnership between Deadline and AAFCA that includes a series of events called “Hot Spots.” An immersive one-day conference presented by the two venerable brands, “Hot Spots” offers panel discussions, seminars and mixers highlighting the best in emerging film communities. “Hot Spots” officially launches March 9, 2020 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Additional cities will be announced in 2020. “Deadline Hollywood is thrilled to debut our new Hot Spots conference series in Albuquerque,” said Stacey Farish, General Manager of Deadline Hollywood. “Hot Spots is all about shining a light on Hollywood filming locations outside of Hollywood. And we think there is no better place to launch this exciting new event than New Mexico.” Hot Spots will connect the top decision-makers in Hollywood with local film commissions, studios, production companies and other businesses that cater to the entertainment industry. “We are also thrilled to partner with AAFCA on our premiere Hot Spots event,” Farish said, “which will shine a bright light on diversity and inclusion as this industry continues to grow and prosper in New Mexico.” The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) and Deadline Hollywood (Deadline.com) will partner throughout 2020 to produce a slate of events that target Next Gen entertainment creative professionals, and a select group of U.S. cities that are showing growth in the entertainment industry. The collaboration kicks off with a New Hollywood Next Gen celebration hosted by Deadline reporters Amanda N’Duka and Dina Ray Ramos, cohosts of the New Hollywood podcast, and AAFCA founder/president Gil Robertson on January 21 at Fig & Olive in West Hollywood. The celebratory experience includes a panel discussion featuring some of the brightest names in film & television, plus an after-party with bites and cocktails courtesy of Fig & Olive. “AAFCA is elated to work with the amazing team at Deadline whose leadership shines through action, not words, especially when it comes to their commitment to diversity and inclusion,” said Robertson. “Celebrating tomorrow’s talent is vital to ensuring Hollywood’s future. Our next generation celebration is an excellent way to engage with this important community and provide them with the tools and resources, along with fantastic networking, to govern their next steps. And, of course, it’s a great prelude to the 11th AAFCA Awards Gala.” The New Hollywood Next Gen celebration is the first event of the exciting partnership between Deadline and AAFCA that includes a series of events called “Hot Spots.” An immersive one-day conference presented by the two venerable brands, “Hot Spots” offers panel discussions, seminars and mixers highlighting the best in emerging film communities. “Hot Spots” officially launches March 9, 2020 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Additional cities will be announced in 2020. “Deadline Hollywood is thrilled to debut our new Hot Spots conference series in Albuquerque,” said Stacey Farish, General Manager of Deadline Hollywood. “Hot Spots is all about shining a light on Hollywood filming locations outside of Hollywood. And we think there is no better place to launch this exciting new event than New Mexico.” Hot Spots will connect the top decision-makers in Hollywood with local film commissions, studios, production companies and other businesses that cater to the entertainment industry. “We are also thrilled to partner with AAFCA on our premiere Hot Spots event,” Farish said, “which will shine a bright light on diversity and inclusion as this industry continues to grow and prosper in New Mexico.”

AHMIR “QUESTLOVE” THOMPSON SET TO DIRECT “BLACK WOODSTOCK”

Producers Robert Fyvolent and David Dinerstein have announced the start of production on Black Woodstock, a feature documentary about the Harlem Cultural Festival directed by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson. This film marks Thompson’s feature directorial debut and focuses on the 1969 outdoor festival in Harlem’s Mount Morris Park. The festival featured dozens of extraordinary performances by artists including Stevie Wonder, Sly and the Family Stone, Nina Simone, B.B. King, the Staple Singers, the 5th Dimension, David Ruffin, Mahalia Jackson and Gladys Knight and the Pips. The Harlem Cultural Festival took place the same summer as the famed Woodstock festival, and boasted an attendance on par with that concert 100 miles away. Over 300,000 people attended, yet it received virtually no coverage from the mainstream media. The 40 hours of never-seen-before footage was originally shot by the late television pioneer Hal Tulchin, but has remained in storage for the past 50 years, keeping this incredible event in America’s history lost - until now. “I am truly excited to help bring the passion, the story and the music of the Harlem Cultural Festival to audiences around the world," said Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson. “The performances are extraordinary. I was stunned when I saw the lost footage for the first time. It’s incredible to look at 50 years of history that’s never been told, and I’m eager and humbled to tell that story.” Producers Fyvolent and Dinerstein (Cries From Syria; Winter On Fire: Ukraine’s Fight For Freedom) have tapped the award-winning RadicalMedia (What Happened, Miss Simone?) as creative and production partners, with Jon Kamen and Dave Sirulnick serving as executive producers. The film is co-produced by Vulcan Productions. Concordia Studio, Play/Action Pictures and Beth Hubbard will also serve as executive producers. Joseph Patel will serve as a producer with Joshua L. Pearson (What Happened, Miss Simone?) on board as editor and Randall Poster (Grand Budapest Hotel ) as the music supervisor. “The music and performances in Black Woodstock will knock audiences out of their seats,” said producers David Dinerstein and Robert Fyvolent. “The footage is unusually rich in texture and feel. We are so proud to be working alongside Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson on his directorial debut. We are confident he will bring an authenticity and unique vision to the film. We are thrilled to partner with some of the best people and organizations working in the documentary space today including Vulcan Productions, Concordia Studio, Play/Action Pictures and RadicalMedia.” The 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival came to be known as “Black Woodstock” by local Harlem residents. It was organized and produced by Tony Lawrence who also served as the master of ceremonies. The idea behind this festival, which took place one year after the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, was to celebrate African American music, culture and politics, and to promote black pride and unity. While young white America was defining itself as the Woodstock generation, young black America was finding its own voice. Over six consecutive weekends, the legendary 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival captured a community in transition. Sly Stone and Stevie Wonder were bursting with youthful vitality and a young Jesse Jackson delivered hard-hitting sermons. Some of the most influential black performers from R&B, soul, pop, jazz, latin, gospel, and stand-up comedy all shared the stage. The musicianship was top notch. The range of performances presented by the festival is a time capsule of African-American entertainment.