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UFC Boss Says White House Fight Is ‘Going to Happen’; AMC Posts Narrower Loss as Sales Surge; How Warby Parker Still Sells Glasses at $95
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Good morning. Today, a formerly frowned-upon sport plots an event at the White House, resurgent moviegoers reward premium theaters and Warby Parker keeps its eye on price.
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UFC CEO Dana White and President Trump at UFC 316 in Newark, N.J. on June 7. Photo: Frank Franklin II/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
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The UFC is eyeing an unprecedented fight at a headline-grabbing venue, Jason Gay writes: the White House.
“That is going to happen,” UFC maestro-slash-manosphere whisperer Dana White said.
Once a rogue in the corner, demonized by politicians, the UFC today is the preferred sport of a president who flocks to fights with close associates, neo-emperors drawn to spandexed gladiators.
It is also a global behemoth, a pillar of a publicly traded company, about to wrap a $550 million a year deal with ESPN and start a new one with Paramount for an average of $1.1 billion a year.
Its fight on the South Lawn would be part of the country’s 250th anniversary celebration in 2026.
“Fighters will be warming up in the White House,” White said. “It’s incredible.”
More sports: ESPN and Fox will offer their upcoming streaming services as a bundle. [SportsPro]
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Content from our sponsor: Deloitte
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Modern Personalization Demands Trust, Tech, and Collaboration
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To tap into the potential of personalization, leading brands are empowering customers to control their data, integrating AI into tech stacks, and collaborating across the enterprise. Read More
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AMC Entertainment narrowed its second-quarter loss as revenue jumped. Photo: Bloomberg News
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AMC Entertainment narrowed its second-quarter loss as revenue jumped, fueled by a rebound in the box office and the chain’s emphasis on premium moviegoing experiences, Connor Hart reports.
The movie-theater operator on Monday said admissions revenue rose 35% to $762.6 million, while food-and-beverage sales increased 36% to $499.6 million, with both segments beating estimates.
CEO Adam Aron said AMC’s premium auditoriums run at nearly three times the occupancy of regular screens and command higher prices too.
“Even before the industry box office roared back to life in the second quarter, we recognized that state-of-the-art laser projection, more comfortable seating, expanded food and beverage offerings, and a growing focus on premium large format and extra-large format experiences make visits to our theatres even better,” Aron said.
More movie business: AMC’s CEO also confirmed that the company would cut four to five minutes from its preshow as it increases the amount of paid advertising before movies. [Deadline]
The Eminem documentary “Stans” shows that not every movie should have its own collectible popcorn bucket. [Creative Bloq]
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Warby Parker owns two optical labs in the U.S. and operates its own stores and online distribution, helping it avoid some tariff costs. Photo: Levi Mandel for WSJ
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Many things have gotten pricier in the past 15 years, but not Warby Parker’s most affordable glasses, which have cost $95 since the brand’s inception in 2010, Haley Zimmerman writes.
Warby Parker’s strategy breaks from other buzzy brands that adopted the eyewear company’s model during the 2010s-era direct-to-consumer boom, like mattress maker Casper and Naadam, which sells cashmere sweaters.
Marketing for Naadam’s basic sweater once prominently featured its $75 price; now the same crew neck retails for $98. A twin mattress at Casper cost $500 in 2014 and now starts at $749.
Warby’s long-held strategy is to remain under the price umbrella of its competitors. This year, it told investors that the markups of name-brand competitors were so large that Warby had room to raise some prices while remaining more affordable.
Would Warby ever budge from $95? Co-CEO Neil Blumenthal won’t say never.
“We may have to increase that price at some point, but we’re going to do everything possible for as long as possible to not,” he said.
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10.7%
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Steak n Shake’s same-store sales lift in the second quarter after heavily marketing its MAHA-friendly switch to cooking fries in beef tallow. (See Megan Graham’s CMO Today article from March, “‘We RFK’d the Fries.’”) The chain hadn’t reported same-store sales since dropping the stat during the pandemic.
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“Sometimes you just have to run through the bees, and it’s better if you don’t scream.”
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— “Curb Your Enthusiasm” star Cheryl Hines on facing life’s challenges, including getting swept up in politics as a result of her marriage to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s polarizing Secretary of Health and Human Services. Hines is coming out with a memoir expected this fall.
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Ford CEO Jim Farley speaks at a factory in Louisville on Monday. Photo: Darron Cummings/AP
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Ford Motor said it will spend $2 billion to overhaul a Louisville, Ky., factory for a new line of affordable, high-tech EVs designed to answer cheap Chinese electric vehicles. [WSJ]
There’s a reason why all EV logos look so similar. [Fast Company]
Blue Apron is dropping weekly subscriptions to its meal kits, a business model that it helped popularize, and going a la carte to entice customers who need flexibility. [Progressive Grocer]
Century-old perfume brands are coming back to life. [Glossy]
You can thank a Pixar movie that’s not out until next summer for that “lizard lizard lizard” meme now filling your TikTok feed. [NBC News]
Taylor Swift is getting fans riled up again, this time hinting that the singer has an imminent new “era” and an appearance on the Kelce brothers’ podcast to discuss it. [NY Mag]
How to make a great Super Bowl commercial. [Ad Age]
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