Latest news with #JomboyMedia
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cubs predicted to acquire Guardians' 3-time All-Star in deadline blockbuster
The Chicago Cubs are going for it this season, and that has to feel both exciting and nerve-wracking as a fan of the team. Chicago hasn't made the playoffs since 2020, and in the offseason, they attempted to change that by acquiring superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker heading into his free-agent year. They've since been one of the best teams in the National League from wire to wire this season. Because they don't know if Tucker will be back, the Cubs should be very aggressive about improving their roster at the trade deadline. And that could include the pursuit of a top-tier closer. One longtime baseball analyst believes that closer will be one of the biggest names in any team's bullpen these days. During the most recent episode of the "Talkin' Baseball" podcast, Jomboy Media's Chris Rose predicted that the Cubs would acquire Cleveland Guardians three-time All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase. "Now, their bullpen has actually been pretty good, and (closer) Daniel Palencia has been one of the really good stories this year," Rose said. "The question is, if you're able to outlast the Brewers, the Cardinals, and to some degree, the Reds to win the Central, how good do you feel giving him the ball in the ninth inning of a playoff game?" Follow The Sporting News On WhatsApp "I want a guy who's not just a rental, who's gonna be there to help us in 2025 and beyond. Which is why Emmanuel Clase is going to end up on the North Side." Clase, 27, is a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year. He's not having as dominant a season as he did in 2024, when he pitched to a ridiculous 0.61 ERA, but a 2.91 mark while leading the majors in games finished for a fourth-straight year is nothing to be ashamed of. Clase's contract runs through 2026, with club options for 2027 and 2028. He'd be in Chicago a long time, but that's all the more reason for the Guardians to demand the moon in potential negotiations.
Express Tribune
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Alex Cooper booed at Wrigley Field after off-key rendition of ‘Take Me Out to the Ballgame'
Alex Cooper, host of the Call Her Daddy podcast, faced a wave of disapproval from the crowd at Wrigley Field on Sunday after her off-pitch rendition of Take Me Out to the Ballgame during the seventh-inning stretch. Cooper's enthusiastic delivery fell flat with Chicago Cubs fans, who responded with loud boos and social media criticism. Appearing during a game between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals, Cooper attempted to entertain the crowd but quickly lost favour. Alex Cooper was loudly booed during her Take Me Out To The Ballgame rendition at Wrigley tonight — Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) July 7, 2025 Fans compared her performance to other less-than-ideal renditions in Wrigley Field history, even ranking it below past infamous efforts by Mike Ditka and Ozzy Osbourne. 'Alex Cooper's Stretch wasn't Ditka or Ozzy Osbourne level bad. It was somehow worse because she was actually trying to do it that way,' one fan posted online. Another added, 'Just saw Alex Cooper get booed at Wrigley Field best day of my life.' Despite her popularity in the podcast world and a $60 million Spotify deal, Cooper struggled to connect with the baseball audience. Known for transforming Call Her Daddy into a solo brand after parting ways with former co-host Sofia Franklyn, Cooper has courted both acclaim and controversy in recent years. In 2024, she received criticism for a tightly managed interview with then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris, including a costly studio setup in Washington, DC. More recently, she threw the first pitch at Fenway Park—another high-profile sports moment met with mixed reactions.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
MLB Invests in Jomboy Media, Embracing Creator Content
Major League Baseball and Jomboy Media announced a partnership Tuesday that includes MLB acquiring a minority stake in the digital sports media brand. The size of the investment was not disclosed, though it is believed to be the league's first direct investment in a creator-led content company. MLB's investment comes from its Baseball Endowment L.P. (BELP) fund, valued at more than $1 billion according to the Atlanta Braves' most recent SEC filings, which was recently used to acquire a stake in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League as well. Advertisement More from In addition to equity, the tie-up includes access to MLB events, IP and sponsorship connections for Jomboy, while the league looks to benefit from Jomboy Media's ability to reach casual fans online. 'Having a strong content creator community is going to be good for baseball in the long run,' MLB EVP, media and business development Kenny Gersh said in an interview. Jimmy 'Jomboy' O'Brien and Jake Storiale started the company in 2017 with a Yankees-focused podcast before expanding to cover the entire league—and other sports too. Last year, the company tallied 93 million engagements across social media and achieved $10 million in revenue. Advertisement Jomboy Media raised $5 million in 2022 in a round led by Connect Ventures, an investment partnership between Creative Artists Agency and New Enterprise Associates. Connect cofounder Jack Davis, a Jomboy board member, helped put the latest deal together, working with recently promoted Jomboy Media CEO Courtney Hirsch. 'It's kind of surreal,' Hirsch said. 'It just shows how important creators are when it comes to sports. It recognizes the fact that meeting people on digital platforms is a way to grow the game. And it shows that our community-centric approach is just really valued and being recognized by the league itself. It just kind of gives us chills.' Hirsch added that the new relationship won't change Jomboy's approach when it comes to the way the company's talent covers the game and its players. Jomboy Media also runs its own lighthearted sports league and corresponding show, 'The Warehouse Games.' Gersh said MLB's work with Jomboy came mainly through the league's media department as baseball looks to foster more connections with online voices. A decade ago, executives took heat for being relatively restrictive with digital rights compared to peer sports. Recently MLB has been more encouraging—both to outsiders and to its own—by recognizing the value of virtual conversation. Advertisement In April, MLB announced an expanded partnership with Boardroom that included player-driven online storytelling. 'We are focused, as we have been, on helping to amplify content creators' voices,' Gersh said, 'We will look for ways with other potential content creators to make sure that they have a platform to continue to produce baseball-related content.' Baseball is witnessing a surge of interest, including post-pandemic highs in attendance, Sunday Night Baseball viewership and streaming usage over the last year. The league's own social handles have also swelled, including a roughly 70% year-over-year gain on X from late 2023 to late 2024. Best of Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
CBS News
17-06-2025
- Business
- CBS News
A look at Jomboy Media's rise from podcast to MLB partner
Major League Baseball has struck a partnership deal with Jomboy Media, the sports content company that rose to prominence through viral lip-reading videos and now boasts 2 million YouTube subscribers. The partnership comes as MLB seeks to reach younger audiences through authentic digital content creators. Jomboy Media recorded 93 million social media engagements last year and has grown since its humble beginnings as a hobby podcast in 2017. Co-founder Jake Storiale said the company never envisioned reaching this scale when he and Jimmy O'Brien started their weekly Yankees podcast. "The original dream was maybe like the kooky spring training guys or something like that," Storiale said during an appearance on "CBS Mornings Plus" Monday. "And now it's turned into a 60-person business." The deal represents years of parallel work between the organizations, according to Courtney Hirsch, the CEO of Jomboy Media and O'Brien's sister, who helped broker the partnership. "We both have the same mission to grow the game and to serve baseball fans," Hirsch said. "It took years in the making." What finally pushed the partnership over the finish line after years of discussions was the growing influence of digital content creators in sports, Hirsch said. "I think the power of content creators is really undeniable, and the impact that they're having on sports," she said. "Major League Baseball recognizes that it's important to have authentic voices speaking to fans, and then also creating content on digital platforms like we do to reach people where they're at and create new fans because that's really our superpower." Jomboy Media has expanded beyond baseball commentary to include multiple podcasts, TV shows and warehouse games featuring backyard-style sports competitions. The company's breakdown videos, which often include lip-reading analysis of on-field conversations and confrontations, have become particularly popular for bringing viewers closer to the action. "Sports is the best reality television still," Storiale said. "The breakdown videos that Jimmy does, I mean it brings you on the field and that's kind of what fans want." The company name originated from an iPhone autocorrect error that changed "Jimmy" to "Jomboy," which O'Brien adopted as his social media handle on his mother's advice to use a nickname online, Hirsch said. Financial terms of the partnership were not disclosed.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Major League Baseball Acquires Stake in Creator-Led Jomboy Media
Major League Baseball is getting into business with one of the sport's top creators. The league is acquiring a stake in Jomboy Media, with the company and MLB set to strike a strategic partnership that will lead to the development of new content and IP. Jomboy is led by CEO Courtney Hirsch, who was elevated to the role in March, as well as founders Jimmy O'Brien and Jake Storiale. Advertisement More from The Hollywood Reporter Jomboy's content includes Talkin' Baseball and Talkin' Yanks as well as The Warehouse Games, which applies TV-level production to backyard pick up games. MLB says it will work with Jomboy to get MLB stars and celebrities to participate. Jomboy is also known for his signature 'breakdown' videos on YouTube and other social platforms, including sports highlights, but also pop culture events like his breakdown of the Will Smith-Chris Rock Oscars slap heard round the world. 'I continue to be amazed by what our community enables us to do through their endless support,' O'Brien says. 'When we started talking about baseball on the internet, it was just a fun hobby. Our community is the reason we've been able to turn this from 'just a hobby,' into something bigger than we ever could've imagined. Partnering with MLB marks a huge moment for Jomboy Media, and through this partnership, we'll be able to give back to our community with storytelling that's deeper than ever before.' Advertisement 'We have long admired the passionate fandom of Jimmy O'Brien and his unique ability to connect with baseball fans,' added Noah Garden, MLB deputy commissioner for business and media. 'This partnership will ensure that Jomboy Media will have the resources and access to MLB intellectual property necessary to help it continue to grow. We are looking forward to bringing baseball fans more entertaining content to help further expand baseball's online presence and deeper the connection between our sport and its fans.' MLB has its own in-house studio, but the deal with Jomboy gives it a stake not only in an outside media company, but also a slice of the creator economy, which has become a critical part of the live sports puzzle for every major league. 'This partnership with MLB is a major milestone for Jomboy Media,' said Hirsch. 'We've always believed that deep storytelling and our unique approach to content and community can grow the game — and now we're excited to do that alongside the league itself. This collaboration gives us the opportunity to scale what we do best and reach more fans than ever.' Jomboy's investors include producer Jack Davis, who is said to be critical to this deal getting done, Connect Ventures, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Eli Roth, Cameron Fuller, WWE, Quinn Cook, Billy Crystal, Josh Hader, Gabrielle Union, Dwyane Wade, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, current and former Major League Baseball players Christian Yelich, C.C. Sabathia, Noah Syndergaard and Trea Turner, and NBA player Karl-Anthony Towns. Advertisement Best of The Hollywood Reporter Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
