Entertainment, Media & Sports · Week of Nov 2, 2026
Earnings and audience data lead the week in media and sports
Quarterly results from BCE and Under Armour led a mixed week that also brought consumer trend reports, a Callaway factory and a Verizon network deal.
There was no single theme this week. Earnings set the tone. BCE Inc. reported third quarter 2026 operating revenues up 2.2% to $6,182 million. Its net earnings fell 84.6%, which the company attributes mainly to lower investment gains after the 2025 sale of its MLSE stake. Under Armour said second-quarter fiscal 2027 revenue fell 7 percent to $1.2 billion and trimmed its expected gross margin improvement.
Several companies published audience and consumer data. GameSquare's Hatchet reported 29.5B hours of live streaming watched in Q3 2026. OpenTable released a 2027 dining report linking restaurant visits to entertainment and live events. IHG's Holiday Inn Express paired a podcast-creator campaign with a Gen Z and millennial survey. Elsewhere, Callaway Golf committed $15 million to a 3D printing facility in Texas, FiEE reported results from a Kyoto art auction, and Verizon and Ericsson expanded their work on AI-driven network automation.
BCE Inc.
BCE reports third quarter 2026 results
BCE reported Q3 2026 operating revenues of $6,182 million, up 2.2%, and net earnings of $701 million, down 84.6%. It confirmed its 2026 guidance and declared a $0.4375 quarterly dividend, while capital spending on Bell AI Fabric data centres and Ziply Fiber's network rose 49.3% and free cash flow fell 14.9%.
Under Armour, Inc.
UNDER ARMOUR REPORTS SECOND QUARTER FISCAL 2027 RESULTS
Under Armour said revenue for the quarter ended September 30, 2026 fell 7 percent to $1.2 billion, with a net loss of $0.4 million. The company lowered its fiscal 2027 gross margin improvement to 170 to 220 basis points and kept adjusted operating income guidance at $140 million to $160 million.
IHG Hotels & Resorts
Holiday Inn Express by IHG Taps Brooke Averick and Connor Wood for "Unpacking" Campaign, Bringing Analog Connection Back to the Breakfast Table
Holiday Inn Express by IHG launched an "Unpacking" campaign with podcast creators Brooke Averick and Connor Wood, along with a 30-prompt Morning Debrief card game at select US properties. A company survey with Talker Research found 55% of respondents say the post-event recap is more exciting than the night itself.
FiEE, Inc.
FiEE Advances O2O ArtTech Ecosystem with Approximately US$2.9 Million in Gross Transaction Value at Kyoto Artwork Sales Event, Targeting Art Advisory and Global Collector Networks
FiEE said its Kyoto exhibition and auction, held with the Museum of Kyoto, produced about US$2.9 million in artwork transaction value, which it states is not its revenue, and about US$1.3 million in service revenue. The company says it plans regular events and sees opportunities in art advisory, while cautioning that future events may not match these results.
GameSquare Holdings, Inc.
GameSquare's Hatchet Publishes Q3 2026 Live Streaming Trends Report
GameSquare's Hatchet reported 29.5B hours of live streaming watched in Q3 2026; its totals now include YouTube Non-gaming and TikTok Live data. The report attributes a +22.9% rise in GTA V viewership to the impending GTA VI launch and says streamer-led events by Ibai and Kai Cenat drew peaks on par with major esports tournaments.
Callaway Golf Company
Callaway Golf Announces U.S. Investment to Lead a New Era of Golf Club Performance
Callaway Golf announced a $15 million investment in a 3D printing facility in Fort Worth, Texas, expected to become operational in mid-2027. The company says the facility will initially focus on custom titanium products and begin supporting a portion of its U.S. product needs in 2028.
OpenTable, Inc.
From Payday to Showtime, OpenTable Reveals Americans Are Finding New Reasons to Dine Out in 2027
OpenTable's 2027 Dining Trends Report says dining on its platform rose 11% year-over-year in 2026 and dining through OpenTable Experiences rose 51%. In its survey, 40% of Americans expect entertainment or live events to lead them to dine out more often in 2027.
Ericsson
Verizon and Ericsson partner to transform AI-native Autonomous Networks
Verizon and Ericsson expanded their collaboration on AI in radio access network automation, with Verizon planning a national rollout of the Ericsson Intelligent Controller this year. The companies report field throughput gains of up to 8.9% from rApps and say the work will move Verizon's network autonomy toward L4.
This roundup is written with AI assistance from the press releases listed above, using only what they state. The releases are the companies' own announcements, not Pop News Magazine reporting.