Entertainment, Media & Sports · Week of Nov 2, 2026
Fox closes Roku deal as sports brands reshuffle: the week in media
Fox closed its Roku deal while sports brands from DICK'S to Callaway made new bets on athletes, manufacturing and marketing tie-ins.
The largest item this week was Fox Corporation's completed acquisition of Roku, which folds Roku into a new FOX Digital Platforms division alongside Tubi and FOX One. Elsewhere in media, talent agency ISO launched in Los Angeles to represent internet-born creators, and KFC unveiled what it calls its largest global collaboration to date, a menu tie-in with Marvel Studios' "Avengers: Doomsday."
Sports business news ran in several directions. DICK'S Sporting Goods signed Caitlin Clark as the first athlete brand partner for both DICK'S and Foot Locker, Callaway Golf Company committed $15 million to a 3D printing facility in Texas, and Under Armour reported a 7 percent revenue decline while trimming its gross margin outlook. Beyond Monumental reported record results at the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, and OpenTable said Americans expect entertainment and live events to drive more restaurant visits in 2027.
Under Armour, Inc.
UNDER ARMOUR REPORTS SECOND QUARTER FISCAL 2027 RESULTS
Under Armour says second-quarter fiscal 2027 revenue fell 7 percent to $1.2 billion, with a net loss of $0.4 million, and it now expects fiscal 2027 gross margin to rise 170 to 220 basis points versus a prior 220 to 270. The company kept its adjusted operating income outlook at $140 million to $160 million and says its Fiscal 2025 Restructuring Plan, which has cost $280 million so far, should be substantially complete by December 31, 2026.
Fox Corporation
FOX CORPORATION COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF ROKU
Fox Corporation completed its acquisition of Roku on Nov. 6, 2026, paying Roku stockholders $95.30 in cash and 0.9799 FOX Class A shares per share, and says it expects about $400 million in run-rate cost synergies within two years. Roku founder Anthony Wood joins the FOX board and becomes Co-Chair of the new FOX Digital Platforms division, which includes Roku, Tubi, FOX One and Red Seat Ventures.
Beyond Monumental
Four Course Records and 28 Olympic Trials Qualifiers Highlight Historic 2026 CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon
Beyond Monumental says four course records fell and 28 athletes hit qualifying times for the 2028 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon at the 19th CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, up from 13 in 2025. Johnnie Guy won the men's marathon in 2:11:47 and Lindsey Bradley won the women's race in 2:29:47, and the event recorded its 14th consecutive sellout.
Kentucky Fried Chicken
KFC Brings the Doom: New Marvel-Inspired Menu Lands Ahead of Marvel Studios' "Avengers: Doomsday"
KFC says its Doctor Doom-inspired menu tied to Marvel Studios' "Avengers: Doomsday" is its largest global collaboration to date, covering 100 countries from 9 November through January 2027. The menu will not be offered in the United States, India or China, and the film opens in cinemas on December 18, 2026.
Callaway Golf Company
Callaway Golf Announces U.S. Investment to Lead a New Era of Golf Club Performance
Callaway Golf Company announced a $15 million investment in a 3D printing facility in Fort Worth, Texas, expected to be operational in mid-2027 and to begin supporting part of its U.S. product needs in 2028, starting with custom titanium products. The company says the facility will let engineers develop club designs that conventional manufacturing cannot achieve.
OpenTable, Inc.
From Payday to Showtime, OpenTable Reveals Americans Are Finding New Reasons to Dine Out in 2027
OpenTable's 2027 Dining Trends Report says dining on its platform rose 11% year-over-year in 2026, and 40% of surveyed Americans expect entertainment or live events to lead them to dine out more often in 2027. The company says younger diners are the most likely to spend more, with 58% of Gen Z expecting to increase dining spending, compared with 44% of Americans overall.
DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc.
DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc. Signs Caitlin Clark as First-Ever Brand Partner Across DICK'S and Foot Locker
DICK'S Sporting Goods signed Caitlin Clark to a multi-year, exclusive brand partnership covering both DICK'S and Foot Locker, the first time either company has signed an athlete as a brand partner. Plans include national and global campaigns and promotion of Clark's signature footwear and apparel; financial terms were not disclosed.
ISO
ISO LAUNCHES TO REDEFINE REPRESENTATION FOR THE INTERNET'S BIGGEST TALENT & BRANDS INCLUDING PLAQUEBOYMAX, VANILLAMACE, ELECTRONIC ARTS, DISCORD & MORE
ISO, a talent representation company co-founded by Mike Lee, formerly of UTA Creators, and Darren Yan, formerly of FaZe Clan, launched in Los Angeles with initial capital from Influence Media Partners. It says it represents more than 90 creators, including PlaqueBoyMax, Ironmouse and Vanillamace, works with brands such as Electronic Arts and Discord, and pays staff an extra commission when they bring opportunities to colleagues' clients.
This roundup is written with AI assistance from the press releases listed above, using only what they state. The releases are the companies' own announcements, not Elle Digest reporting.