Boardroom

Is the NBA trending international?

Spike and Rich give Mark Jackson his well-deserved flowers.

NEWS: Jony Ive, the legendary designer behind the iPhone, is officially teaming up with OpenAI. The company plans to acquire Ive’s design firm, LoveFrom, in a deal valued at around $6.5 billion. Ive will take on a broad role at OpenAI, helping shape the look and feel of future AI devices and tools.⁠ He’s working closely with CEO Sam Altman to develop a new kind of consumer hardware centered on artificial intelligence. While specifics are still under wraps, the goal is to create products that feel as natural and intuitive as the iPod or iPhone once did, now powered by advanced AI.⁠ ⁠ The partnership has been in the works for months and marks one of OpenAI’s biggest steps toward building physical products. With Ive’s design vision and Altman’s AI focus, this collaboration could help define the next era of tech.⁠ ⁠ (via The Wall Street Journal)

Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals at The Garden is making history, according to TickPick. The average purchase price for a seat is a record-setting $1,193, making it the most expensive NBA conference final game ever.⁠ ⁠ If you’re just trying to get in the building, it will still cost you. The current “get-in” price for Game 1 in New York is $580—nearly double the $297 price tag for Game 3 in Indianapolis. That’s a 95% difference just to step through the door.⁠ ⁠ The Knicks’ return to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000 is driving demand to a whole new level. With decades of built-up anticipation, a red-hot team, and the world’s most famous arena as the backdrop, fans are willing to pay a premium to be part of the moment.

BREAKING: Bitcoin’s back on top, hitting an all-time high of $109,486. What’s behind the surge? A ton of money is flowing into Bitcoin ETFs—$3.6 billion in May alone. Big names like Michael Saylor’s ‘Strategy’ and a new firm called Twenty One Capital have been buying in heavy. This time, it’s not just everyday investors driving the run. Wall Street is back in the mix, and Bitcoin’s once again the main character. (h/t CoinDesk)

The top-10 highest-earning athletes raked in serious cash last year, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Stephen Curry, and Tyson Fury leading the pack. 💰️⁠ ⁠ Subscribe to Inside the Boardroom with Shlomo Sprung for more. ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eaNDCaNp

It's all love and admiration for Spike.

NEWS: Levi Strauss is offloading Dockers, striking a deal to sell the brand to Authentic Brands Group for $311 million, plus up to $80 million more based on future performance. The move lets Levi’s sharpen its focus on core labels like Levi’s and Beyond Yoga, while leaning further into direct-to-consumer and international growth. Dockers, once a staple of business-casual wardrobes, has lost ground in the shift toward athleisure.⁠ ⁠ Authentic Brands, which owns Reebok and Eddie Bauer, plans to revamp Dockers with new products and a bigger global push. In the U.S. and Canada, the brand will be run by Centric Brands under a licensing deal.⁠ ⁠ Levi’s is closing the deal in phases through early 2026, and they’re using $100 million from the sale to buy back shares. Last year, they made $6.36 billion in revenue and banked just over $210 million in profit.

JUST IN: The Chicago Sky/Indiana Fever game averaged 2.7 million viewers and peaked at 3.1 million, making it the most-watched WNBA game ever on ESPN—including regular and postseason matchups.⁠ ⁠ The game also saw a 115% jump compared to last year's regular season average on ABC.⁠ ⁠ The Las Vegas Aces vs. New York Liberty game also pulled strong numbers with 1.3 million average viewers and a peak of 1.9 million. Even the ‘WNBA Countdown’ pregame show saw an increase, drawing 804,000 viewers, up 26% from last year’s average.⁠ ⁠ (via ESPN PR)

Don't be fooled by the glitter and high notes—apparently the King of Pop's voice had two settings. 🗣️🔈