Good morning readers. McDonald's is stirring up nostalgia with its latest McFlurry flavor, paying homage to the beloved matriarchs in our lives. Starting May 21, indulge in the "Grandma McFlurry," a delightful blend of syrup, vanilla ice cream, and mysterious candy pieces reminiscent of treasures found in grandma's purse. While the exact candy flavor remains a secret, speculation hints at butterscotch, similar to the timeless Werther's Original. With "Grandmacore" trending among Gen Z on TikTok, McDonald's aims to tap into the sentimental allure of grandma's cozy vibes, while also sweetening the deal amidst recent sales struggles.

Let’s jump into today’s storylines.

In today’s digest:

• All eyes are on the NBA’s talks for media rights

• Headline Hustle: Reddit announces partnership with OpenAI, controversy surrounds Supreme Court Justice’s flag placement, backlash mounts against Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker

• A competition on who can do ‘nothing’…the best

• Pulse Points: What’s Trending

SPORTS

The NBA’s media rights shakeup

Breaking up is hard to do, especially after 40 years. The NBA and Warner Bros. Discovery's Turner Sports have been partners for nearly four decades, but that relationship is now on shaky ground as Comcast’s NBCUniversal makes a play to snatch away the NBA’s game package with a hefty $2.5 billion per-year offer.

Big players, bigger stakes

Since the NBA’s exclusive renewal window with Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery ended on April 22, the league has been busy setting up new partnerships. Disney seems likely to stay, Amazon is joining the mix, and the remaining package is up for grabs between Warner Bros. Discovery and NBCUniversal. The league would see the new deal triple in value from about $24 billion to $76 billion or more.

Warner Bros. Discovery is still in talks with the NBA, but insiders suggest it’s unlikely the league will renew with them. The probable scenario? The NBA signs with NBCUniversal, which would then trigger Warner Bros. Discovery’s option to match the offer.

But here’s where things get tricky.

• Both parties are scrutinizing their contract's legal language to see if the NBA can decline Warner Bros. Discovery’s matching bid.

• The contract is ambiguous, and a refusal could lead to a lawsuit, though Warner Bros. feels confident it’s fairly well protected by the contractual language.

Will Warner Bros. Discovery even match the bid?

Concerns about their financial stability might prevent it. With a market valuation of $20 billion and significant debt, Warner Bros. Discovery’s financial discipline is in the spotlight. In contrast, NBCUniversal’s parent company Comcast boasts a market cap of $154 billion and a healthier balance sheet, making NBA officials more comfortable with its ability to pay.

Meanwhile, Warner Bros. Discovery, Disney, and Fox are gearing up to launch Venu, a new sports streaming platform this fall. Losing the NBA would dent Venu’s value, as NBCUniversal and Amazon aren’t partners in the venture.

Looking ahead…the new NBA rights deal won’t take effect until the end of the 2024-25 season, giving Warner Bros. Discovery some time to adjust. If it loses the NBA, it could redirect funds to other sports like MLB or UFC, potentially enhancing its overall sports portfolio.

IN THE KNOW

Headline Hustle

💻️ Reddit announces it will allow OpenAI to train their AI models using the company’s data. Reddit shares surged 11% after announcing a partnership with OpenAI, allowing the AI developer to train its models on Reddit's rich data via access to its API. This deal also introduces AI-driven features for Reddit users and moderators, while establishing OpenAI as a Reddit advertising partner. The collaboration echoes a similar agreement with Google, underlining Reddit's strategic use of its vast conversation archives to enhance AI technology and expand its user engagement. This announcement follows Reddit's recent IPO success and adds momentum to its stock performance.

🇺🇸 Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito draws criticism over flag controversy. An upside-down American flag, a symbol associated with the "Stop the Steal" movement, was reported by The New York Times to have been displayed at the home of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito after the 2020 election. Justice Alito stated that his wife placed the flag in response to a neighbor's provocative yard signs. This revelation could intensify calls for Alito to recuse himself from upcoming Supreme Court cases related to the election and the January 6 Capitol attack. The incident adds to ongoing scrutiny of the Supreme Court, which recently adopted a code of conduct advising justices to avoid political activity.

🎤 Backlash mounts against Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker. Harrison Butker, kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs, faced significant backlash after controversial remarks during a commencement speech at Benedictine College. Butker criticized Pride Month as a "deadly sin" and suggested women find more fulfillment in marriage and motherhood over careers, comments that ignited criticism, particularly among Taylor Swift fans and feminists. The NFL distanced itself from his views, emphasizing commitment to inclusion. The speech not only sparked outrage among social media users but also poses potential reputational challenges for the NFL, which has been trying to increase its female fanbase. Critics argue Butker’s views conflict with the inclusive values many seek from public figures and organizations today.

GLOBAL

In Seoul, the art of doing nothing takes center stage

Who knew that zoning out could win you a trophy? Over the weekend in Seoul, more than 100 participants rolled out their yoga mats not for a stretch, but to master the art of doing absolutely nothing in the annual Space-out Competition.

The fine art of spacing out

In a society that often feels like a pressure cooker, this event offers a breath of fresh, do-nothing air. Participants aim to zone out for 90 minutes without sleeping, checking phones, or speaking. Heart rates are monitored to ensure calmness, while spectators cast votes for their favorites. The coolest cucumber, boasting the most stable heart rate among the top 10, wins the day.

The Space-out Competition, now in its tenth year, was born from the burned-out brain of a visual artist known as Woopsyang. It challenges the societal taboo that doing nothing is a waste of time. Instead, it celebrates stillness and mindfulness in a buzzing world. This quirky contest not only highlights the therapeutic benefits of taking a pause but also flips the script on productivity, suggesting that sometimes, the best action is inaction.

A relaxation rebellion. What started as a local event has grown legs, or rather, laid them down, across the globe from Beijing to Tokyo. Each iteration encourages participants to hit the pause button, stressing the importance of mental and physical rest in our hyperactive world.

SNIPPETS

Pulse Points

• Online home goods retailer Wayfair is opening its first physical store near Chicago, joining other digital-first companies that have expanded into brick-and-mortar to drive growth.

• TikTok is testing 60-minute video uploads, currently available to select users with no immediate plans for a broader rollout, the company confirmed to TechCrunch.

• Just one month after NASA acknowledged a piece of trash from the International Space Station crashed through a Florida home, a large piece of space debris landed on a farm in Canada.

• Kevin Spacey is challenging the "rush to judgment" against him and is supported by prominent figures, like Liam Neeson, as he attempts to revive his acting career.

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