Daily Archives: April 22, 2022

This article first appeared in the Morning Brief. Get the Morning Brief sent directly to your inbox every Monday to Friday by 6:30 a.m. ET. Subscribe

Friday, April 22, 2022

Today's newsletter is by Sam Ro, the author of TKer.co. Follow him on Twitter at @SamRo.

This week came with the World Bank and IMF cutting their outlooks for global economic growth.

Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs made waves when its chief economist concluded theres a roughly 35% chance the U.S. economy will go into recession within two years.

Its worth stressing that the World Bank and IMF still expect growth, and Goldman Sachs forecast implies that the U.S. economy will more likely avoid a recession.

Nevertheless, its always good to be vigilant about recessionary risks. And few are being more vigilant right now than the Federal Reserve, which is currently engineering monetary policy in a way aimed at cooling the economy to a level that brings inflation down from decades-high levels.

Whether the Feds plan can help the economy avoid recession will become clear in hindsight.

But theres a way to track Feds progress: Job openings and unemployment.

After the March Federal Open Market Committee meeting, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the labor market was tight to an unhealthy level. Specifically, he noted that at the time there were 1.7 job openings for every unemployed person. He argued that this extraordinary demand for labor has fueled significant wage inflation, which in turn has helped spur inflation across the economy.

Powell seems to believe that with the right amount of tighter monetary policy, the level of job openings can come down, relieving wage pressure, without causing unemployment to rise. Assuming unemployment is contained, then the risk of recession should be limited.

As of February, there were 11.27 million job openings. Thats about in line with the 11.28 million openings in January. Unfortunately, the Bureau of Labor Statistics job openings data comes on a significant lag with the March numbers being released on May 3.

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However, job listings site Indeed regularly publishes more current job openings stats based off of its own data. And while job openings remain considerably above pre-pandemic levels, they have been coming down in the weeks going into April 15.

Meanwhile, the unemployment rate continues to be depressed, sitting at 3.6% as of March compared to 13% in the second quarter of 2020. Again, the BLSs official data comes on a bit of a lag the April employment report comes on May 6.

The Department of Labor, however, provides weekly updates on initial claims for unemployment benefits. While not as comprehensive as the BLSs monthly jobs report, initial claims do provide some indication as to whats going on in terms of job cuts.

In the week ending April 16, there were 184,000 initial claims filed. This is down from the prior weeks tally of 186,000. This was the ninth straight week this reading was depressed below the 200,000 level.

Image: Yahoo Finance

Its still early days in the Feds tightening effort. But so far, were getting early indications that job openings can indeed decline without forcing unemployment significantly higher.

If this trend is confirmed and it continues, then the Fed thinks we should begin to see wage growth slow down, which in turn should cause broad inflation reading to cool. We shall see.

Economy

9:45 a.m. ET: S&P Global U.S. Manufacturing PMI, April preliminary (58.0 expected, 58.8 in March)

9:45 a.m. ET: S&P Global U.S. Services PMI, April preliminary (58.0 expected, 58.0 in March)

9:45 a.m. ET: S&P Global U.S. Composite PMI, April preliminary (57.9 in March)

Earnings

Pre-market

7:00 a.m. ET: Verizon (VZ) is expected to report adjusted earnings of $1.35 per share on revenue of $33.59 billion

7:00 a.m. ET: American Express (AXP) is expected to report adjusted earnings of $2.39 per share on revenue of $11.63 billion

7:30 a.m. ET: Schlumberger (SLB) is expected to report adjusted earnings of $0.33 per share on revenue of $5.94 billion

7:30 a.m. ET: Kimberly-Clark (KMB) is expected to report adjusted earnings of $1.24 per share on revenue of $4.91 billion

Post-market

Politics

Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance

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Read more here:

Early signs that the Fed's plan might be working: Morning Brief - Yahoo Finance

Tennis Hall of Famer and ESPN analyst Pam Shriver opened up on Wednesday and revealed that she was in an inappropriate and damaging relationship with my much older coach that started when she was 17.

Shriver told ESPNs Outside the Lines and wrote a story for The Telegraph detailing her relationship with former coach Don Candy.

Shriver, 59, got her professional tennis start at 15 in 1978 the same year she reached the US Open finals as an amateur. She started working with Candy, who served as her coach and chaperone. Their relationship started two years later, she said, and then became sexual when she was 20.

Candy, who was 33 years older than Shriver, died in 2020 at 91.

"It was during a time that was a really difficult time for me to have my first relationship," Shriver told ESPN. "It never should have been with my coach and ... I've just realized that it's time to talk about my story and hopefully make it easier for some other people who've also had stories that are similar."

Shriver who won 21 singles titles on the WTA tour and 21 Grand Slam doubles titles throughout her career said she was never abused sexually by Candy. She did, though, say that she was emotionally abused and that her relationship with him became an open secret.

Shriver said she told her father about the relationship with Candy. It was something that, both while it was happening and after, that led to a lot of shame and guilt.

"I felt also a lot of anger, jealousy when his wife would come to tournaments. Um, so it was just basically, at times really miserable, she told ESPN.

"And because I was, you know, living the life of trying to be the best tennis player I could be, I really didn't understand how difficult the secret and the juggling was. And so I just kept it to myself.

She said her feelings toward Candy, even to this day, are conflicting.

"Yes, he and I became involved in a long and inappropriate affair. Yes, he was cheating on his wife. But there was a lot about him that was honest and authentic. And I loved him, she wrote in The Telegraph. Even so, he was the grown-up here. He should have been the trustworthy adult. In a different world, he would have found a way to keep things professional. Only after therapy did I start to feel a little less responsible. Now, at last, I've come to realize that what happened is on him."

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Pam Shriver at the US Open in 1978. (Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

Shriver was asked why she decided to come forward about her relationship with Candy several decades after it happened.

One big reason, she wrote, is because this still goes on a lot. She said shes witnessed dozens of instances throughout her playing and commentating career in the sport, and that it worries her.

It was also something she said she finally came to terms with during the COVID-19 pandemic and following the death of her mother, who she never told.

"Most of the time in my life, I just kept moving forward and I never allow myself enough time to kind of think about what had happened then and really how damaging the relationship was, how it hurt my tennis, my performance, how it hurt my ability to form healthy relationships moving forward in my life, she told ESPN.

"It really did take a combination of things. The pause of the pandemic, realizing that my kids were of similar age I was when the relationship started. It also took, I think, some reflection when my, my mom died and last August. She died, never knowing that this happened. She always thought that I was being chaperoned by a safe person.

"And so, I just feel like it's time for me. I feel like it's important for my healing. And it's important that I can maybe feel that me coming forward and talking about my story in detail, might just help a few young players. Maybe it'll help coaches to understand that they need to not cross that boundary. So I feel like, for a lot of reasons, it's the right time."

Read the original here:

Hall of Famer Pam Shriver reveals she was in inappropriate relationship with her coach at 17 - Yahoo Sports

Phil Rynda, whose official title is Netflixs Director of Creative Leadership and Development for Original Animation, was let go this week, along with several of his staff, TheWrap can exclusively report and Netflix has confirmed.

According to several creators who spoke to TheWrap, the Kids & Family space at Netflix Animation has changed. Series that benefited from great word-of-mouth and critical praise arent being renewed and several high-profile projects have been unceremoniously canceled, including the long-delayed adaptation of Jeff Smiths beloved comic book series Bone (first announced back in 2019). Netflix, which just saw its stock plummet more than 30% after revealing a subscriber and revenue loss during its first-quarter earning report Tuesday, isnt just in trouble on Wall Street. Its also facing complications in Toon Town.

Ryndas firing was perhaps an inevitable end to a deeply chaotic period for Netflix Animation, particularly its Kids & Family division, which saw a boom of talent and creativity give way to corporate pressure, mixed messages and accusations of staged data.

Netflix Animation, especially when it came to Kids & Family content, was once considered a glittery Utopia. Superstar creators and visionary young talent were swayed by promises of unprecedented creative freedom and healthy production budgets, backed by the financial and promotional might of the Netflix empire.

A few years ago, there was no place more welcoming or seductive to artists and animators than Netflix Animation. Netflixs animation units, like its live-action divisions, were known for being a place that you could bring a project that might not have gained traction anywhere else, and suddenly have it produced, without much studio interference. Animation heavyweights like Craig McCracken, Elizabeth Ito and Jorge Gutierrez rushed to the service and quickly started working on their personal dream projects, while Netflix also courted younger artists and fostered productive licensing agreements, chiefly with DreamWorks Animation (Guillermo del Toros Trollhunters and its assorted spinoffs, Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, and many more).

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But now you are seeing fewer of these creator-driven projects. New series arent as exciting as they once were. Many animators have left the studio, decamping to old standbys like Cartoon Network, Disney and Nickelodeon or other upstarts like Apple TV+ and Amazon. And Netflixs focus has shifted noticeably too.

One producer, whose show on Netflix wasnt renewed, said that when they got to Netflix, Rynda, who served creative roles on groundbreaking animated series like Gravity Falls and Adventure Time, told Netflix creators, We want to be the home of everybodys favorite show. By the time the producer left several years later, there was a new thesis statement: We want to make what our audience wants to see, Reed Hastings, Netflixs Co-CEO, now told animation talent. As far as mission statements go, those are vastly different.

True to this new thesis statement, several high-profile animated projects in the Kids & Family space have been outright canceled, including Bone (which Netflix confirmed), an adaptation of Roald Dahls The Twits that was meant to be part of several Dahl-based projects (Netflix insists The Twits is still alive, potentially now as a feature film) and Lauren Fausts witchy Toil and Trouble. Netflix currently touts Boss Baby as the ideal of what an animated series on the platform should be and what kind of numbers those animated series should be bringing in (this was reiterated by almost everyone we spoke to) although Netflix doesnt even own Boss Baby it licenses the series from DreamWorks Animation. (A new Boss Baby series premieres next month.)

Elizabeth Ito, whose deeply brilliant City of Ghosts was recently nominated for a Peabody Award and currently sports a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, reiterated, as many did, how much they enjoyed working with both the executive teams and Netflixs marketing department. But she suggested that Netflixs 360-feedback culture, which is espoused in its culture memo and trumpets full transparency as one of its core tenets, went out the window when the show was threatened with cancelation. Ito and others have complained of being presented with staged data, data meant to prove a point that Netflix has and squash conversation around it. Ito described the data as explaining, for the first time, What they should have gotten for what they spent on the show. (Netflix confirms their decisions are made using data, which takes into account viewing versus cost.) Creators have described the process as manipulative. One producer sent the data back, asked questions, and received a separate, different set of data that still reinforced Netflixs position. Ito was left wondering, Well, are you going to make more or not? Netflix did not. Ito is now at Apple.

Making matters more frustrating for creators are a set of imposed corporate guidelines that dictate, with Draconian exactness, the marketing and distribution of the series. Promotion doesnt typically begin until a month before the shows premiere. (Sometimes they havent even been announced before then.) This leaves a very small window to build awareness and anticipation, much less cultivate genuine excitement. And once the show debuts on the platform, it can often get lost in the shuffle (how many times have you ever seen an animated series above the fold on the homepage?), leading many creators to become their own hype machines via various social media platforms.

Levers that other animation studios at bigger corporations can pull, like consumer products releases or promotional tie-ins, arent pulled at Netflix. There werent Kid Cosmic action figures lining the shelves of Target. You couldnt get a City of Ghosts Happy Meal toy at McDonalds. Theres no theme park or dedicated retail space to exploit either. On the official Netflix Shop, there isnt a single Kids & Family animated series represented.

Guidelines that usually indicate the way Netflix shows are introduced fail for series in the Kids & Family Animation space. Ito, who has small children, says that kids are complicated. Netflix says that one of the things that sway the relative success of series is word of mouth. But kids dont talk to each other like that, Ito said.

Dominic Bisignano, an executive producer on Megan Nicole Dongs musical animated series Centaur World, said that Netflix is proud of its data. He admits that this approach brings up a lot of questions. While Bisignano says that Dong was able to tell the story she wanted to over the course of Centaurworlds episodes, Dong told the streamer, If you want more, we can do that. Instead, the team was presented with data but not given context for what that data means to Netflix. It seemed Centaurworld wouldnt go beyond its initial commitment. When Bisignano asked questions about the data, Netflix stonewalled him. Bisignano is now at Cartoon Network.

If an animated series receives accolades after its cancellation, as City of Ghosts did with several awards and nominations, including the Peabody, Netflix is even slower to act, if at all. (Look at Itos personal Twitter account for the one-woman campaign that finally got Netflix, after several hours, to release a single City of Ghosts Peabody sharable.) This is a dramatically different approach to their Kids & Family series content than even the Animated Feature space at Netflix, which launched an endless, elaborate campaign for The Mitchells vs. the Machines Best Animated Feature Oscar this year.

With Netflix stock precipitously dropping and budgets being tightened or slimmed company-wide (from production to hiring), maybe these animation creators knew long ago what everybody else is figuring out now: that Netflix, while filled with great people, can be a wonderful place. But when you are being driven purely by algorithms and numbers, sometimes the math doesnt add up.

Read more from the original source:

Netflix Animation Erased: Executives Fired, Shows Canceled and Accusations of Staged Data (Exclusive) - Yahoo Entertainment

Corporate executives are demanding their employees come back to the officeyet a recent survey finds that the bosses are often staying at home themselves. Or, at least, working somewhere else.

After two years of remote work from the COVID-19 pandemic, companies are trying to return to in-person work. Corporate leaders, from Goldman Sachs David Solomon to JPMorgans Jamie Dimon, are trying to use carrots and, increasingly, sticks to get their employees back to their desks.

Even President Joe Biden is exhorting workers to start commuting again, saying that its time for Americans to get back to work and fill our great downtowns again at his State of the Union address in March.

However, a recent survey from the Future Forum, a consortium backed by Slack that conducts research on working culture, is finding that some executives arent walking the walk when it comes to returning to the office.

Future Forums April 2022 Pulse Survey of more than 10,000 "knowledge workers" across the U.S., Australia, France, Germany, Japan, and the U.K. found that 35% of non-executives were now commuting into the office each daywhile only 19% of executives were doing the same. Future Forum defines executives to be anyone in the C-suite, or those with the title of president.

Future Forum found that just 21% of both executives and non-executives wanted to return to in-person work, which suggests that at least some non-executives who are back at the office dont want to be there. Both executives and non-executives also reported that their work-life balance had deteriorated in the first quarter, although non-executives reported a decline in work-life balance at least five times greater than their bosses.

Non-executives also reported worse scores when it came to work-related anxiety, which Future Forum called a troubling double standard in who is feeling the pain of return-to-office policies.

Companies that publicly committed to bring workers back to the office have struggled to actually get their employees commuting again. Goldman Sachs, which initially demanded that workers return to the office in February, found that only half its workers showed up on the first day of the offices reopening. JPMorgan is also letting half its employees work in hybrid or fully remote settings, despite CEO Jamie Dimon saying that work from home doesnt work for people who want to hustle" last year.

Getting the balance between in-person and remote work wrong could have dire consequences for companies. Future Forums survey found that workers dissatisfied with their level of flexibility are now three times more likely to say they will definitely look for a new job in the coming year.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

The rest is here:

Bosses are demanding employees return to the office, but a new survey shows executives are staying at home themselves - Yahoo Finance

SALT LAKE CITY The Utah Jazz entered Game 3 of their Western Conference first-round series coming off a loss to a shorthanded Dallas Mavericks, and Thursday night was no different as the Mavericks (still without Luka Doncic) took the win on the road, 126-118.

The Mavs came out loose and looked comfortable playing together without their star player. Second-year guard Josh Green was the difference-maker for the Mavs in the first half, putting up 10 points, six assists and two steals in 11 minutes off the bench before halftime.

The Mavs had a comfortable 17-point lead at halftime after connecting on 13 3-pointers to the Jazzs three, prompting boos from the 18,306 fans in Vivint Arena as they walked off the court.

"We weren't playing well, we got booed," Jazz star Donovan Mitchell said. "It's part of the game. I've booed the hell out of a TV as a kid and it's nothing personal. It is what it is."

The Jazz looked lost on defense during the first half. Jalen Brunson was getting to the lane with ease and dishing it out for open shots. The Jazz struggled in help-side defense, they weren't shooting the gap and were slow on rotations.

"In the end, we still have to contain the ball," Jazz head coach Quin Snyder said. "When the ball gets in the paint, that creates problems for us because we're coming over to help and they're kicking it out for open threes."

Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson shoots as Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell defends during Game 3 of their NBA playoffs first-round playoff series on April 21, 2022, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Snyder switched it up with a small-ball lineup, taking Rudy Gobert out and subbing in Eric Paschall with five minutes left in the third quarter. Gobert didnt sub back into the game until the eight-minute mark in the fourth.

It opened up the spacing on the floor and allowed for players like Mitchell and Mike Conley to get downhill. Mitchell took over, electrifying the sold-out crowd with two impressive dunks to bring the Jazz within six points heading into the fourth quarter. The Jazz cut it to one point with under seven minutes to go, but they couldnt contain Brunson (who is averaging 32 points in the series) as he closed out the game with eight points and finished with 31.

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"I like what we did in the second half," Gobert said. "The thing for us now is, can we have that intensity defensively for 48 minutes? And we're going to have to do it if we want to win any games."

The narrative around the Jazz has been the same for the past six seasons. Theyre great during the regular season and cant bring it all together during postseason play.

Last season, they had an All-Star-caliber backcourt with Mitchell and Conley, Defensive Player of the Year Gobert, Sixth Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson and they still couldnt beat the Los Angeles Clippers, even with Kawhi Leonard missing the final two games.

After failing to make the postseason in Snyder's first two seasons, the Jazz have lost in the first or second round each season since 2016-17.

The speculation of tension between Mitchell and Gobert the past two seasons came alive again late this season.

A tweet went viral noting the number of passes between the pair each game, prompting Snyder to unleash on a 19-minute rant defending the duo during a pregame news conference earlier this month.

The suggestion that Donovan would look Rudy off when Rudys deep in the paint When it gets to the point where Donovans answering questions [about it after shootaround], the inference there is that he doesnt pass to him and theres a problem between the two, Snyder said at the time. I havent seen that at all. They sit at the same table when they eat sometimes.

Snyder can defend the pairs on-court chemistry until hes blue in the face, but something needs to change with this team. Snyder has one more year on his contract, but there are already several teams reportedly interested if the Jazz decide to part ways with him after this season.

There is also speculation that the New York Knicks are planning a move for Mitchell. Something has to give because this team isnt working.

Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder already reportedly has suitors if the Jazz decide to part ways with the coach this offseason. (Scott Wachter/USA TODAY Sports)

The front office isnt helping either, making questionable draft picks the past two years.

In the 2020 draft, Utah selected 7-footer Udoka Azubuike with the 27th overall pick (breakout Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane was still on the board). Azubuike has averaged only three points in eight minutes over the past two seasons.

A year later, the Jazz had the 30th pick in the draft and traded down to No. 45 for Jared Butler, passing on New Orleans Pelicans rookie standout Herbert Jones.

In December, the Jazz hired former Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge as CEO of the team. Ainge is credited with rebuilding the Celtics, bringing in Brad Stevens as the head coach and drafting Jayson Tatum. The Jazz may be looking for him to do something similar this offseason. Whether its completely blowing up the team or trading one of their star players, many around the organization have confidence in Ainge to eventually get over the hump and bring a championship to Utah for the first time in franchise history.

The end is most likely near for this version of the Jazz. It's an uphill battle getting past a Mavs team with or without Doncic in Game 4 on Saturday.

"We just have to win. That's it," Mitchell said. "Our main focus is the next game, and we'll just go from there. We can't lose two games at home."

Clearly, it's not that simple.

More here:

NBA playoffs: Is this the end for the Utah Jazz? - Yahoo Sports

By Noel Randewich

(Reuters) - With Tesla's strong quarterly report on Wednesday, Chief Executive Elon Musk has scored a hat trick of performance goals worth a combined $23 billion in new compensation.

The world's most valuable carmaker posted March quarter revenue and profit that surged past Wall Street estimates as it raised prices in response to inflation, offsetting the impact of a Shanghai factory shutdown.

Musk's latest compensation windfall, which must be certified by Tesla's board, comes days after he offered to buy Twitter Inc for $43 billion, with analysts suggesting he could sell Tesla shares to help finance the deal.

Musk already is the world's richest person, according to Forbes.

Tesla reported quarterly revenue of $18.76 billion and so-called adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of $5.02 billion. Combined with the previous three quarters' results, that surpasses milestones that trigger the vesting of the ninth through 11th of 12 tranches of options granted to Musk in his 2018 pay package.

Musk said Wednesday there were no discussions underway about incremental compensation.

Musk, who is also a major shareholder and CEO of rocket maker SpaceX, receives no salary at Tesla. His pay package requires Tesla's market capitalization and financial growth to hit a series of escalating targets.

Each tranche gives Musk the option to buy 8.4 million Tesla shares at $70.01 each, a discount of about 90% from Wednesday's closing price of $977.20. At the stock's current price, the three options tranches that will vest as a result of Tesla's March-quarter performance could generate a profit of about $23 billion, or almost $7.7 billion per tranche.

Late last year, Musk netted $16.4 billion from selling about 10% of his stake in Tesla to meet to meet tax withholding obligations related to the exercise of stock options.

(Reporting by Noel Randewich; Editing by Peter Henderson and Lisa Shumaker)

More here:

Elon Musk scores hat trick of Tesla compensation goals worth $23 billion - Yahoo Finance

NEW YORK, April 21, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Allied Esports Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AESE) (the "Company" or "AESE"), a global esports entertainment company, today filed a Current Report on Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") announcing the Company's receipt of a notice (the "Notice") from Nasdaq notifying the Company that the Company is not in compliance with the periodic filing requirements for continued listing set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) (the "Rule") as a result of its failure to file its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 (the "Form 10-K") with the SEC by the required due date.

Under the Nasdaq rules, the Company has 60 calendar days from receipt of the Notice to submit a plan to regain compliance with the Rule. If Nasdaq accepts the Company's plan, then Nasdaq may grant an exception of up to 180 calendar days from the due date of the Form 10-K to regain compliance. However, there can be no assurance that Nasdaq will accept the Company's plan to regain compliance or that the Company will be able to regain compliance within any extension period granted by Nasdaq. If Nasdaq does not accept the Company's plan, then the Company will have the opportunity to appeal that decision to a Nasdaq hearings panel. The notice received from Nasdaq has no immediate effect on the listing or trading of the Company's shares of common stock. However, if the Company fails to timely regain compliance with the Rule, the Company's shares of common stock will be subject to delisting from Nasdaq.

In July 2021, the Company sold its World Poker Tour business (the "WPT") to a third party. The Companys auditors have requested the verification of certain information related to the operations of WPT prior to the sale as part of the preparation of the Form 10-K, which the Company is coordinating with WPT to provide as expeditiously as possible.

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About Allied Esports Entertainment

Allied Esports Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: AESE) is a global esports entertainment venture dedicated to providing transformative live experiences, multiplatform content and interactive services to audiences worldwide. For more information, visit alliedesports.gg.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains certain forward-looking statements under federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements may include our statements regarding our goals, beliefs, strategies, objectives, plans, including product and service developments, future financial conditions, results or projections or current expectations. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "intend" or "continue," the negative of such terms, or other comparable terminology. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside our control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in these forward-looking statements. Important factors, among others, that may affect actual results or outcomes include: the ability to meet Nasdaqs continued listing standards; our ability to execute on our business plan; the ability to retain key personnel; potential litigation; general economic and market conditions impacting demand for our services; a change in our plans to retain the net cash proceeds from the WPT sale transaction; our inability to enter into one or more future acquisition or strategic transactions using the net proceeds from the WPT sale transaction; and our ability, or a decision not to pursue strategic options for the esports business. You should consider the areas of risk described in connection with any forward-looking statements that may be made herein. The business and operations of AESE are subject to substantial risks, which increase the uncertainty inherent in the forward-looking statements contained in this communication. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to release publicly the result of any revision to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Further information on potential factors that could affect our business and results is described under "Item 1A. Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, as filed with the SEC on April 13, 2021, as well as subsequent reports we file with the SEC. Readers are also urged to carefully review and consider the various disclosures we made in such Annual Report on Form 10-K and in subsequent reports with the SEC.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220421005976/en/

Contacts

Investor Contact: Lasse GlassenAddo Investor Relationslglassen@addo.com 424-238-6249

Media Contact: Brian FisherAllied Esports Entertainmentbrian@alliedesports.com

Visit link:

Allied Esports Entertainment Receives Notification from Nasdaq Related to Delayed Annual Report on Form 10-K - Yahoo Finance

Welcome to the 2022 edition of the Fantasy Football Rookie Snapshot NFL draft series! In this space, fantasy football expert Liz Loza will analyze the incoming class of first-year stars and gauge their impact be it immediate or latent on our fake football game.

Next up, the wide receivers. Liz covered Treylon Burkshere. Then, Ohio State standout, Garrett Wilson. She also profiledDrake London and the elite Buckeye, Chris Olave. Finally, we have Alabama's very own Jameson Williams!

Size: 6-foot-2 and 179 pounds

Age: 21-years-old (3/26/2001)

Bio: Williams was off to a fast start long before he arrived in Tuscaloosa. A track-and-field star at Cardinal Ritter Prep, Williams holds the state record for the 300-meter hurdles (previously set by Ezekiel Elliott). While the track and field titles were gratifying, football remained Williams primary passion. He exited high school a four-star prospect and Missouris No. 2-rated player at the position (per 247Sports). After being heavily recruited by top schools (including Alabama) and receiving 46 offers, Williams enrolled at Ohio State.

Williams contributed on special teams as a true freshman but was minimally involved. The following year he started six of eight games and flashed with a TD grab in the 2021 Sugar Bowl. However, given the Buckeyes stacked receiving corps, Williams opportunities were limited. As such, he entered the transfer portal and suited up for the Tide in the fall of 2021.

With Jaylen Waddle and Devonta Smith in the NFL, the St. Louis native filled an obvious void. Williams closed out his college career as a Biletnikoff Award finalist (79-1,572-15) and was named a first-team Associated Press All-American. Unfortunately, all of the good juju came to an abrupt halt when he tore his ACL in the National Championship loss to Georgia.

Pros: Elite athlete with game-breaking speed, footwork is next level, added value on special teams (2 TDs on 10 returns in 2021)

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Cons: Ultra-lean build with below-average play strength, spotty hands technique, only one year of starting quality ball, tore his ACL in January of 2022

Watching Williams play is like listening to jazz (or 90s country, if youre me). There are no wasted movements in his play. Everything is executed with fluidity and purpose. From the stutter steps to the head-fakes and the cut-backs, Williams' footwork is a masterclass on smooth transitions. His routes have tempo and his acceleration is swift (without being herky-jerky).

Undoubtedly, his deep speed is the hallmark of his game, making him one of the most accomplished deep threats (20.7 YPR) in the 2022 class.

The NFL draft is replete with talented WR prospects, and Jameson Williams is one of them. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

There is a question, however, of whether or not that speed would be hindered by an increase in mass. Given Williams wiry frame and thin legs its not surprising to discover that he lacks play strength. That lack of physical brute might prevent him from consistently winning on the outside at the next level. Obviously, smaller receivers have learned to adjust their game accordingly but there is concern Williams could struggle to make that adjustment in the pros.

NFL Comp: I see a lot of Robby Anderson (those potential TDs!) ... #DraftTwitter is feeling the Will Fuller comp, though.

Unfortunately, we dont have an exact 40 time for Williams because of that torn ACL and he wasnt able to participate in drills at the Combine or Alabamas Pro Day. The tape, however, clearly illustrates his long speed and prowess as a vertical threat. I think hell get there eventually, but the transition wont be seamless or fast.

From a fantasy point of view, the slowed maturation process figures to depress his immediate value in redraft.

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That is, unless Williams were to join a prolific offense helmed by one of the most gifted young signal callers in the league. A prolific offense that just lost their No. 1 WR and will need to keep pace in whats shaping up to be the most competitive division in the AFC.

So, yeah, if the Chiefs tap Williams to eventually fill the hole left by Tyreek Hill (calm down, Hardman truthers) then Id anticipate using a fifth-round fantasy draft pick to acquire his virtual services.

Engage with Liz on social @LizLoza_FF

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NFL Draft: Is Jameson Williams the heir-apparent to Tyreek Hill in Kansas City? - Yahoo Sports

The NFL draft is just over a week away. It's one of the best times of the year for football fans as speculation is rampant and football is all over the news cycle. Fans across the league get excited to add young talent to their rosters, convincing themselves that their team's draft picks were all a steal and that they will impact the league for years to come.

However, this year is a bit different. There's no can't-miss prospect at the top of the draft, and there's even uncertainty with the No. 1 pick. That uncertainty has even bled down to the quarterback prospects. We don't know which quarterback will go first, and we don't know where and when quarterbacks will go off the board. However, if you believe the betting odds, quarterbacks might not go as early as we're accustomed to.

The last draft where a quarterback didn't go first overall was 2017 when the Cleveland Browns selected Myles Garrett. In the four drafts since then, Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence were the first overall picks.

The last time a quarterback didn't go in the top 10 of the draft was in 2013, when the Buffalo Bills took EJ Manuel at 16. In the eight drafts since then, 19 quarterbacks have been drafted in the top 10 of their respective drafts.

This is not surprising. There is no position more important in sports than quarterback. There is also no bigger advantage in sports than an elite quarterback on a rookie contract. If a team can hit on a quarterback in the first round, it immediately opens a five-year window where they can build a team around their cheap quarterback and compete.

Oddsmakers aren't convinced Malik Willis goes in the top 10 of the NFL draft. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

However, despite the history of quarterbacks going very early in drafts, oddsmakers aren't convinced that will be the case this year. Malik Willis is the favorite to be the first quarterback drafted, but his over/under is set at 10.5. Kenny Pickett has the second-best odds to be the first quarterback drafted, and his over/under is 12.5.

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If you look at the top 10 of the NFL draft, there are plenty of teams where a quarterback makes some kind of sense. There has been some rumbling about the Lions at pick No. 2 being interested in a quarterback. That would be a bit surprising. However, the Carolina Panthers at No. 6 seem desperate for a quarterback. The Giants pick twice in the top 7, but they seem content to give Daniel Jones another year. Are the Falcons content with Marcus Mariota? What about Seattle and Drew Lock?

You could pencil a quarterback into any of these slots, and it wouldn't be surprising. However, are any of these quarterbacks good enough prospects to warrant that type of investment? I could just as easily see the Lions waiting until the 32nd pick to nab a quarterback, if they take one at all. The Panthers have been linked to Mayfield in recent days, with Ian Rapoport calling them the "most likely spot" for the former first overall pick. Maybe the Falcons and Seahawks are willing to give Mariota and Lock a chance and then reevaluate the position next offseason, when the quarterback prospects are projected to be much better.

History tells us that quarterbacks will go early, but oddsmakers aren't convinced that will be the case this year. If you think recent history will continue, betting Willis to go before pick 11 or Pickett to go before pick 13 seems like a good bet.

There's a whole list of players that oddsmakers are projecting to go before quarterbacks or in the same range as quarterbacks:

Aidan Hutchinson, over/under pick 1.5

Travon Walker, over/under pick 3.5

Ikem Okwonu, over/under pick 3.5

Evan Neal, over/under pick 4.5

Kayvon Thibodeaux, over/under pick 5.5

Ahmad Gardner, over/under pick 5.5

Charles Cross, over/under pick 7.5

Jermaine Johnson, over/under pick 9.5

Malik Willis, over/under pick 10.5

Kyle Hamilton, over/under pick 10.5

Garrett Wilson, over/under pick 10.5

Drake London, over/under pick 10.5

Derek Stingley, over/under pick 11.5

Kenny Pickett, over/under pick 12.5

Jameson Williams, over/under pick 13.5

Jordan Davis, over/under pick 14.5

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NFL draft betting: Oddsmakers aren't convinced a quarterback goes in the top 10 - Yahoo Sports

A few hours after writing about the anonymous BetMGM bettor who nailed a Marcus Smart Defensive Player of the Year bet at 500-to-1 odds for $50,000, I received a message on Twitter from Garrett Seliga, the guy who placed the wager.

"Hey Greg, saw your article check my pinned tweet," he said.

Upon verifying that he was indeed the lucky bettor, I asked Seliga if I could interview him, to which he agreed.

I wasn't sure what type of bettor I would encounter. Would he be one of the countless YOLO personalities who represent such a large chunk of gambling Twitter?

After nearly an hour of conversation, I knew that the $50,000 had made its way into the right hands. The 25-year-old Seliga impressed me with his modesty and his sharp, disciplined approach to betting.

The following is a snapshot of that conversation:

Garrett Seliga: I'm a supply-chain student at Penn State University right now. I work a full-time job as well, as a preventative maintenance contract manager. I've always loved sports and following betting markets is something I've been passionate about for a very long time. It's a lot to juggle between all three, but I manage to make it happen, I guess.

GS: I'm in front of a computer all day, so I'll throw in my headphones and just listen to podcasts. NBA-wise, I listen to You Better You Bet. Deep Dive podcast. Establish the Run, they have a lot of good basketball content, as well. Buckets is another one.

When I get home from work, I'll usually hop on my computer and start diving into more advanced statistics and just try to read as much as I can. Then I'll connect with my buddy, Ben, and we'll go back and forth, just spitballing betting ideas and trying to forecast some things.

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GS: It was a little bit of both. Initially, I took a position on Bam Adebayo. I had him on my bet slip at 80-to-1 and never ended up placing it. Then it was basically a FOMO thing, where I grabbed him in early March at 16-to-1. I still thought there was some room for him to get down to a favorite, as he did towards the end. I was looking at other guys, too, and I really started digging into that market as we got into the last two months of the season and people were starting to talk about the Defensive Player of the Year award.

With every sport, I try to understand media members and how the votes are ultimately decided. Defensive Player of the Year was pretty interesting, because I kept hearing about how the Celtics' defense was historically good and how well they were doing. When I got into it and broke it down, I also grabbed Robert Williams III at 33-to-1. I thought he was going to be the one that ultimately won because he was playing for the best defense in the league and had the counting stats and the advanced stats. When we got into the research, everyone was saying how [Smart] was the glue to the defense. He had some advanced stats that were pretty good. It was like, "Oh yeah, 500-to-1 is implying significantly below 1%," and we thought there was value in that bet and it was an off-market price.

Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart was 500-to-1 in early March to win Defensive Player of the Year. (Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports)

GS: I was actually not very confident at all, to be honest. I still thought you could make a really good case for Bam and Mikal Bridges. Bam's biggest knock was his playing time. If he would have played a full season or close to it I think he was another guy well-deserving and would have gotten a lot more votes. Bridges was a super durable player and I could definitely make the case for him, too.

GS: BetMGM offered me a cash-out for $9,233 [in late March]. I just looked at it and figured, "Hey, I'm never gonna remember this hundred dollars. It's not gonna mean much to me in the long run. If I just let it ride and it wins, that money could benefit me." I don't believe in taking most cash-outs unless it's a life-changing amount of money.

GS: It didn't really feel real or process that it was a good bit of money that I had just won. Just being right on the bet and having things go my way, I think that was the biggest thing. It wasn't so much celebrating money. At the end of the day, I'm very grateful and I'm definitely going to appreciate it. Putting in a lot of work between school and work and everything betting-related is very stressful, so having an extra payoff like that was pretty nice. It felt very rewarding.

GS: Yeah. Last year, the NFL draft was my biggest hit I'd had, and that was Trey Lance to go third overall. That was about $8,000. It was mostly third overall pick for Lance and then Mac Jones over his draft position.

GS: Reinvest it. I do have student debt, unfortunately, so I'm sure some of that could go back into there. But just about all of it's gonna be reinvested. I know a lot of athletes usually have some sort of foundation. I'm not too sure if [Smart] has something like that, but I'd definitely be interested in contributing to that, if possible.

GS: I grabbed Jordan Poole at 500-to-1 for Finals MVP. Drew Dinsick made some really good cases throughout the year on the Suns, so I've had some pretty good numbers in my pocket with the Suns. I personally think if we're looking at a Suns-Warriors Western Conference finals, Poole could be a good way to get some exposure to the Warriors. For a team that has a good shot at making the Finals, I thought that was a pretty good number. And I thought it was funny that it was at 500-to-1, so I'm testing my record out on those bets. Hopefully, I can get to 2-0.

GS: I'm gonna put Smart out there. Bridges. Down low, I'd have Gobert. It's a toss-up between Williams and Jaren Jackson Jr. Uh, wow ... let's go with Jaren Jackson Jr. because his counting stats were very good this year and he could definitely get me a big block. And let's go with Bam, out of respect. He's versatile in his switches and his ability to guard.

GS: I'd say just keep playing how he's playing. He plays with a ton of heart, he's hustling, he's diving for balls. He reminds me of Jalen Ramsey. He's in your face and he's just an annoying guy to go up against.

GS: He's got that dawg in him, absolutely.

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NBA betting: Meet the bettor who cashed a 500-to-1 ticket on DPOY Marcus Smart - Yahoo Sports