Pew Research says that two-thirds of Americans will not be following the World Cup, hosted here in the United States. We call these poeple... normal! Who cares about kickball?
James Dolan licensed “The Wizard of Oz” and spent $100m put it on the Sphere’s 160,000 sq foot LED screen.
Since its release in August, the adapted 1939 classic film has made ~$300m (and sells $2m tickets a day).
Sphere stock up 2x (to $4B) over the span and the playbook for global expansion is clear.
Right now, ~5k people are paying $150-200 each per show and there are 2-3x shows a day.
At the Sphere, films are much more lucrative than live acts because the venue can play them more often and the margins (70%) are higher than paying out pop stars (musicians get to keep most of the ticket sales while Sphere gets the F&B).
Here is a breakdown of the Sphere’s $782m revenue in 2025:
▫️Films: 48% of total revenue
▫️Live Events: 24%
▫️F&B and Merchandise: 14%
▫️Sponsorship and Exosphere Ads: 14%
Editing of “The Wizard of Oz” included using AI to update scenes and cutting off ~30 minutes of run time (the viewing length is 70 minutes).
The $2.3B venue also has 4D effects with the film (wind during tornado, falling apples, lots of fog, flames).
Dolan wants “Wizard of Oz” to hit $1B and its own pace by early 2027.
For comparison, Darren Aronofsky’s “Postcard From Earth” has sold 4m+ tickets at ~$100 a pop (so, over $400m) since launching in October 2023.
Find other IP. License building plans for mini-Spheres (5k seats, with planned locations in Maryland and Abu Dhabi).
I’m very intrigued at what other old films could get The Sphere treatment and nominate “The Big Lebowski”.
Another ominous sign for tax hikes on the November ballot like the CTA’s efforts to hike the expiring limit income tax rate, and the SEIU’s Billionaire “Tax” taking). A bunch of high profile taxes went down while the news has focused on Governor and LA Mayor.
Prospects Have Dimmed For Spender Pratt, Los Angeles (My New Column in the @californiapost@capostopinion)
And A Shorter Version of "What's Jon Reading" - A Compendium Of Interesting Things I Found Online This Week
I am perusing the web all week, and I write about some of the things I find. But I there is so much great stuff that I do not write about, but I collect for this Saturday column. Enjoy.
https://t.co/9ESSFwj7rJ
Prospects Have Dimmed For Spender Pratt, Los Angeles (My New Column in the @californiapost@capostopinion)
And A Shorter Version of "What's Jon Reading" - A Compendium Of Interesting Things I Found Online This Week
I am perusing the web all week, and I write about some of the things I find. But I there is so much great stuff that I do not write about, but I collect for this Saturday column. Enjoy.
Link in first comment below.
Consider the implications of a voting system that REGULARLY creates the impression of one result and then delivers another.
Now ADD the fact that if Raman moves ahead of Pratt, there will be NO opposition voice in the general election to challenge a mayor who let the town burn.
82 years ago today was D-Day. So many soldiers gave their lives in sacrifice to take on the Nazi Regime and free all of those living under their tyranny.
On this day, take a little less than ten minutes and watch this scene from Saving Private Ryan of the invasion of Normandy Beach. This was so realistic that survivors of that day who went into the theater had to leave due to its realism and PTSD episodes.
Then remember that freedom is not free.
https://t.co/nKhjT2nxfR
This isn't fraud. These are ballots postmarked by June 2 that have arrived at ROV's. It's a terrible policy to allow ballots to be received after election day, but that is what is causing this. I mailed my ballot on Monday...
It's official! The California Post newspaper is now available for home delivery in the San Francisco Bay Area. 📰 Order a home delivery subscription for just $1/week for 12 weeks. https://t.co/Mf5HbhRLSg
You can't read this article and wonder if someone is going to be sent back from the future to stop this before it actually happens. https://t.co/cc5SL2phQ2
LA County suddenly fires up the ballot factory the day AFTER Election Day, while 638,000 mail-in ballots sit “uncounted” in tight races for Mayor & Governor?
Yesterday the place looked like a ghost town. Today it’s full steam ahead with signature verification and counting machines humming.
How convenient.
California’s mail-in “system” already lets ballots trickle in days late if postmarked “on time.” This isn’t transparency, it’s a plan for theft.
Federal probe incoming for a reason.
We’re watching. The world is watching. Every single ballot better be legitimate…bitches.