Published Works
Over the past three years with CNBC, I have written nearly 100 articles for CNBC.com.
Here’s some of my work!
How HBO survived mergers and strategy shifts to dominate prestige TV
Starting with uncut movies, live boxing matches, concerts and comedy specials to critically acclaimed shows such as the “The Sopranos,” “Sex and the City,” “Game of Thrones” and “Succession,” HBO has continuously offered viewers some of the most prestigious television in its over 50 years in existence. Despite the reputation of being the gold standard of storytelling on TV, HBO has never had it easy on the business side, undergoing merger after merger.
Why Georgia Is Becoming America’s New Movie-Making Capital
Georgia is one of the few states in the United States with a ‘production-friendly’ tax incentive program, and many projects get filmed in the Peach State. From 2020 to 2021, productions such as Marvel Studios’ Black Panther, Sony’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Netflix’s Ozark filmed in the state. In 2020, Georgia was home to an estimated 242 film productions amid a pandemic. In FY 2020, that added $2.2 billion to the state’s economy. In FY 2019, Georgia was home to 399 productions, raking in $2.9 billion.
Why the Paris Olympics cost so much less than in Rio, London or Tokyo
Spending at the 2024 Paris Olympics is expected to come in at under $10 billion — only about 25% over the initial budget, according to an S&P Global Ratings report. In sharp contrast, the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro and 2020 Games in Tokyo deviated from their original budgets by more than 350% and 280%, respectively, the report said. The chief advantage this time can be summed up in two words: existing infrastructure.
Why the future of the Oscars and Emmys might be in jeopardy
The Oscars and Emmys are the two oldest entertainment award ceremonies. Making their broadcasting debut to millions of televisions in the 1950s, the Oscars and Emmys have had a stronghold on the entertainment award-show zeitgeist. However, in 2021, viewership for award shows has been steadily declining. On top of dwindling in ratings, the prestigious Hollywood events have also been hit with controversies and protests that jeopardize these award shows as we’ve come to know them.
Taxpayers are paying billions for the renovations and construction of NFL stadiums. Here’s how
In 2022, the Tennessee Titans of the NFL unveiled their plan to build a new stadium in the heart of Nashville. The 1.7-million-square-foot stadium will house 60,000 fans and cost $2.1 billion. More than half, or $1.2 billion, will come from taxpayers. Public funds diverted to help build professional sports stadiums and arenas have cost taxpayers $4.3 billion since 2000. While the NFL and team owners contend that stadiums provide economic benefit to a city, researchers claim it’s otherwise.
Why hosting the World Cup can be a bad idea for some countries
Nov. 20 is the opening day of the much-anticipated 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The Persian Gulf country is estimated to have spent roughly $229 billion on hosting the global soccer event, making it the most expensive ever. The hope is that in return the tournament will attract tourism, foreign trade, jobs and new development. But experts say the short- and long-term economic impact can pale in comparison to what the country ends up spending to host the sports extravaganza.
Why it doesn’t pay to be a host city for the Olympics
According to the Council on Foreign Relations, every city hosting the Olympics since 1960 incurred cost overruns, sometimes by tens of billions of dollars. Several cities withdrew their 2022 Winter Olympic bids in 2014, citing the potential costs. The International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Agenda 2020 provides regulations specifically to mitigate cost concerns. However, the IOC was then faced with a new challenge: hosting the Tokyo Olympics amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
How AMC could stage a comeback in 2022
Movie theaters across the U.S. and worldwide have been dealt a massive blow over the past two years. The domestic box office numbers plummeted from 2019′s box office of $11.15 billion to $3.8 billion in 2021. As for AMC Entertainment, the pandemic was chaotic. The theater company was virtually out of cash and nearly bankrupt, yet the 2021 “APE meme-stock” movement possibly saved the company.
Major League Soccer’s mission to make soccer a dominant sport in the U.S.
Major League Soccer has spent over 25 years trying to change the sentiment toward soccer in the U.S. while competing with more fast-paced, high-scoring sports such as the NFL and the NBA. In the last 10 years, the MLS has been increasingly popular. The league garnered the attention of top talent, brought in significant investments and generated a massive presence on social media. However, to overtake MLB as the No. 3 sport, the MLS needs to dominate in one crucial area: television viewership.
Here’s why NBA players make more money than MLB and NFL athletes — both on & off the court
In addition to having a higher average salary per player, NBA pros also make more money off the court than athletes in the NFL and MLB. That’s partly because the NBA has a bigger fan base outside the US. Watch this video to find out the other reasons why there’s such a big pay divide among the three leagues.
How one man went from a 0.9GPA in high school to Harvard
Todd Rose struggled most of his life when it came to education. He was a high school drop out and struggled to make ends meet while working minimum wage jobs and relying on welfare. Todd went back to school and worked his way to becoming a Harvard Professor.
Your kid’s Fortnite obsession could land them a college scholarship
Fortnite has taken the world by storm ever since it launched its Battle Royale mode in September 2017. In fact, the game has become so popular, some parents are hiring gaming coaches for their kids with the high hope their Fortnite skills could land them a college scholarship.