Fly Eagles fly. Philly fans are ecstatic as news dropped on Monday that the team’s star quarterback inked a long-term deal. Jalen Hurts signed a record-setting five-year, $255 million contract extension, negotiated by his superstar agent Nicole Lynn. On the same day, Hurts landed on the cover of Essence where he spoke with Danyel Smith about his success and the critical role of Black women in getting him where he is today.

Boardroom’s Sam Dunn has all the details on Hurts’ new deal.

CBS and Netflix thrive in the first quarter. For the second consecutive year, they ranked first and second in total hours of original programming viewed per Nielsen ratings for the months of January, February, and March. Netflix posted 337 billion minutes and CBS brought in viewers for 281.66 billion minutes. They were followed by ABC, NBC, and Fox, each of which trailed by a substantial margin.

The WWE is stepping into its new chapter. Following the news of the company’s merger with Endeavor, the wrestling federation has its sights set on a global takeover. Thus, the WWE announced on Tuesday that it is expanding its existing partnership with Fanatics to include the global event merchandise business. Alex Varga, WWE’s Senior Vice President, Head of Corporate Development, said in a statement, “Expanding our partnership will allow WWE to further expand our offering to fans and grow merchandise revenue in 2023 and beyond.”

Shlomo Sprung has all the details on the expanded partnership.

As she settles into retirement from tennis, Serena Williams is staying busy. The 23-time grand slam champion announced her most recent venture: 926 Productions. As part of the reveal, 926 Productions secured a first-look deal with Amazon Studios. Williams told The Hollywood Reporter that the core goal of the company is to “bolster women and diverse individuals through four-quadrant storytelling that appeals to a broad range of age groups and genders.”

Boardroom’s Vinciane Ngomsi has more details on the future of 926 Productions.

We are just weeks away from what could be a major moment in Hollywood. The Writers Guild of America voted on Monday to approve an impending strike, which would kick off with the expiration of their contracts on May 1. Nearly 98% of voting members backed the decision if no deal can be made prior to the deadline. Key items on the bargaining table include a higher minimum compensation, a key rework of residual payments, and staffing minimums for television writing. The Writers Guild last walked out in 2007.

Gary Vaynerchuk is expanding his sports portfolio. The serial entrepreneur and founder of Vayner Sports seeks to expand his impact into hoops, announcing the launch of VaynerBasketball. He has tapped legendary business manager Bay Frazier, who worked alongside future Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony, to serve as President and CEO of Vayner Sports’ newest vertical. The new outfit will help enhance opportunities for both professional and collegiate athletes.

LL Cool J and Paramount Global led a $15 million Series B funding round for the return of Rock the Bells. In addition, Paramount inked a first-look deal with the media brand. Per the release, the hip-hop platform founded by LL Cool J in 2018 will focus primarily on content, commerce, and live experiences. Raine Ventures and Irving Azoff joined Paramount Global in leading the funding round. AME Cloud Ventures, ASK Capital, North Island, and XO Capital also joined the effort, per an official news release.