🟡 Humans Love GOLD as it reaches $3,076 An Ounce!

In today’s newsletter we discuss how humans love GOLD, Peyton Manning's Omaha Productions is worth $750 million dollars, Mark Zuckerberg is bring back a Friends feed button as a "throwback to OG Facebook" (whatever that means), the upcoming Fyre Festival 2 says they won’t issue any refund for tickets if/when the event is canceled, GameStop invests in Bitcoin, and Ubisoft is spinning off Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six into a new gaming subsidiary.

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WHAT WE’RE READING

🟡 Humans Love GOLD!

The allure of gold can be traced back as far as at least 40,000 years, with evidence of its use found in Paleolithic caves, and its allure has persisted throughout history, evolving from decorative items to symbols of wealth and power. Today it is viewed as an asset that can be used as a safe-haven during tumultuous times, and people watch its price fluctuations in real-time almost as a sport. To understand the current gold market and its potential future trajectory, it's essential to examine its present standing, historical trends, and expert predictions.

Gold is currently trading, at the time of this writing, at $3,076 an ounce. A month ago, on February 28th, 2025, the price of gold was trading around $2,880 per ounce. The price of gold doesn’t typically jump up like this. This elevated level reflects a confluence of factors influencing the market. These factors include geopolitical tensions, inflationary pressures, and the evolving economic landscape.

Gold's historical price movements reveal a complex story. Throughout the 20th century, gold prices were relatively stable, but significant shifts occurred in the 21st century. The 2008 financial crisis spurred a substantial increase in gold prices, as investors sought refuge from market volatility. In August 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, gold surpassed $2,000 per ounce for the first time, highlighting its role as a hedge against economic uncertainty. More recently, the effects of global inflation, and geopolitical events have pushed gold pricing to new highs.

Analysts almost always offer bullish projections for gold's future. You rarely ever hear an analyst predict a drop in the price of gold. Several factors contribute to their optimism. Many analysts point to the continued uncertainty surrounding global economic stability, including concerns about inflation and potential recessions. Geopolitical instability, such as ongoing conflicts and trade tensions, is expected to maintain demand for gold as a safe-haven asset.

Some analysts are predicting the price of gold could continue to rise in the next 18 months, with some projections reaching above $3,180 an ounce. I personally think this is too low of a projection for 18 months from now. With all the upheaval in the markets worldwide, I don’t think it would be out of the realm of possibility for us to see gold hit a price north of $4,000 an ounce by 2027.

🎮 Business

Ubisoft’s shares have shot up after they announced the creation of a new gaming subsidiary focused on its major franchises like Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six, with Tencent investing $1.25 billion for a stake in the unit. This move aims to bolster Ubisoft's financial stability and enhance the development of these key titles, allowing them to expand their multiplayer offerings and integrate more social features. The deal, which values the new subsidiary at approximately $4 billion, reflects a strategic effort to capitalize on Ubisoft's valuable intellectual property while navigating the evolving landscape of the gaming industry.

🎤 Fraud

The upcoming Fyre Festival 2 concert continues to give fraudulent vibes, as organizers have implemented a policy stating that refunds will not be issued in the event of cancellation. This policy, coupled with the high ticket prices, including some reaching $1 million, has generated concern among potential attendees. The organizers' decision to implement a no-refund clause, particularly in light of the original Fyre Festival's well-documented issues, has raised questions about the event's financial security and the level of protection afforded to those who purchase tickets.

As I’ve written about this before, anyone foolish enough to buy a ticket to this concert is just asking for trouble. I mean, people need to take responsibility for their actions, and if they think that buying a ticket to this new concert is a good idea, they should remember that first Fyre Festival ended up being canceled at the last minute after concert goer arrived at the unfinished venue and were served cold cheese sandwiches and slept in leaking tents. After that debacle, the founder Billy McFarland was convicted of wire fraud and actually went to jail.

So make good choices people!

🕹 Gaming

GameStop has announced a big shift in ongoing strategy. They will now be closing a "significant number" of their physical stores, while simultaneously investing in Bitcoin. Yes, you heard that right. They are taking a page out of Michael Saylor’s playbook and investing the company’s capital reserves in Bitcoin.
 
This move signals a major restructuring for the “video game retailer”, if you can still call them that anymore. The company's decision to add Bitcoin to their balance sheet is a bold move. If this works, and that’s a big “IF”, then look for other companies to copy GameStop and Michael Saylor’s company MicroStrategy’s move to invest in Bitcoin.

👫 Social Media

Meta's recent unveiling of the "Friends" tab that has been championed by Mark Zuckerberg as a "throwback to OG Facebook" comes at a time when their users are growing increasingly frustrated with the platform's current state. This nostalgic change seeks to recapture the essence of early Facebook, you know, a time when the feed actually showed you what your friends were up to instead of trying to get you to join groups or buy crap from advertisers.

This shift is a bold admission by Meta, and in short by Mark Zuckerberg himself, that the platform's focus has drifted away from its core purpose, and that users are fed up and leaving in droves.

Here’s hoping they figured things out soon. I personally no longer use Facebook for anything other than their Marketplace, because I’m inundated with videos of cats and ads trying to get me to buy Star Wars t-shirts (which work on me every time)!

🎥 Sports

Did you know Peyton Manning is more than just a football legend and a spokesperson for Nationwide insurance? He’s also the founder of Omaha Productions, and the company’s goal is to bring people together through content. Their most famous show is the Manningcast,which is an alternate live broadcast of Monday Night Football, and is hosted by both Peyton and Eli Manning. Omaha Productions has also produced 37 shows, aired 411 episodes, and partnered with 8 networks including ESPN, ABC, Prime, NBC, Netflix, and Paramount.

Now, Peyton Manning's Omaha Productions has sold a 10% stake in their company to a new platform led by former Endeavor executive Patrick Whitesell. This deal places Omaha Productions' valuation at over $750 million dollars! The investment comes from a new sports, media, and entertainment platform backed by private equity firm Silver Lake, marking a major financial move for Peyton Manning's Omaha Productions, which has seen substantial growth in the media landscape since it was founded in 2020.

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irl Media NEWSLETTER is written, edited, and published by Chris Thompson.