While LeBron James is currently busy with the 22nd season of his NBA career, the four-time MVP is eyeing a major business move off the court.
According to Bloomberg’s Randall Williams and Lucas Shaw, James is in talks to merge his SpringHill Company film production business with Fulwell 73. Co-owned by former late night talk show host James Corden, the London-based production company is most famous for producing The Kardashians and Carpool Karaoke.
Writes Bloomberg:
The two companies have been talking for months, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the negotiations are ongoing and could fall apart. They didn’t disclose any potential terms.
Executives of both companies see an opportunity to bulk up their businesses around unscripted and live programming, along with the benefits of combining resources across Europe and the US, according to the people.
First founded in 2020 through a merger of SpringHill Entertainment, Robot Company and Uninterrupted, The SpringHill Company has largely focused on sports-related content, both scripted and unscripted. Its most noteworthy projects include the James-starring Space Jam: A New Legacy and Netflix’s recent Starting 5 docuseries focused on the lives of five NBA star players, including James.
As for Fulwell 73, the company predominantly produces unscripted projects such as The Kardashians, as well as live events like the Grammy Awards and an Adele concert. Coincidentally or not, the latter provides a natural connection point between the two companies, with Adele currently engaged to James’ close friend, agent and business partner, Rich Paul.
As for the reasoning behind the merger, Bloomberg notes, “a slowdown in the film and TV business has put pressure on producers to cut costs and become more efficient.” Merging could also put the companies “in a position to make acquisitions” as both entities have a history of focusing on high-profile projects.
While there is some crossover in the type of content the companies produce, SpringHill’s track record with scripted projects and Fulwell 73’s with live events would allow both companies to expand their current portfolios. Like any merger, this appears to be a matter of dollars and sense, with both production companies seemingly being obvious fits with each other.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.