Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Callaway <keyword id="1226" type="SPORT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Golf">Golf</keyword>, the $1.8 billion golf club maker, just bought <keyword id="10179586" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="topgolf">Topgolf</keyword>. The deal would value Topgolf at $2 billion, per a <a href="https://ir.callawaygolf.com/news-releases/news-release-details/callaway-and-topgolf-combine-creating-global-golf-and">release</a>.</li><li>Topgolf is an entertainment company that operates outdoor and indoor golf games. The company generated $1.1 billion in revenue in 2019 and has grown at a 30% compound annual rate since. </li><li>"Topgolf is the best thing that happened to golf since Tiger Woods," Callaway CEO Chip Brewer said in an interview with <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/callaway-nears-deal-to-buy-rest-of-topgolf-11603816074">The Wall Street Journal</a>. "It's going to be the largest source of new golfers for our industry."</li><li>Callaway initially invested in Topgolf in 2006 for 14% of the company.</li><li>Callaway expects Topgolf to grow significantly after reporting a 233% increase in revenue in the past three years. Topgolf had 23 million total guests in 2019, with over half of customers identifying as non-golfers. </li><li>"Millennials want a parallel experience, and Topgolf is built on four things everyone loves – play, food and drinks, music and community" Erik Anderson, co-chairman Topgolf Entertainment Group, told <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/12/millennials-breathing-new-life-into-golf-and-heres-how-the-industry-is-responding.html">CNBC</a>.</li></ul>

Callaway Golf just acquired all of Topgolf in an appeal to millennial customers

<p class="source"><span>Jason Kempin/Getty Images</span></p><ul><li><strong>Topgolf International has selected its partner banks for an initial public offering that could arrive as early as this year, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-01-06/topgolf-is-said-to-work-with-morgan-stanley-on-u-s-ipo">Bloomberg</a> reported Monday.</strong></li><li><strong>The offering would value Topgolf at $4 billion, Bloomberg reported. The partner banks include <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/ms-stock">Morgan Stanley</a>, <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/jpm-stock">JPMorgan Chase</a>, and <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/bac-stock">Bank of America</a>.</strong></li><li><strong>Callaway Golf, an early investor in Topgolf, saw its shares close 3.3% higher Monday following the news.</strong></li><li><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/">Visit the Business Insider homepage for more stories</a>.</strong></li></ul><p>Topgolf International has picked its partner banks for an initial public offering that could arrive as soon as this year, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-01-06/topgolf-is-said-to-work-with-morgan-stanley-on-u-s-ipo">Bloomberg</a> reported, citing people familiar with the matter.</p><p>The IPO would value Topgolf at about $4 billion. The partner banks for the deal include <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/ms-stock">Morgan Stanley</a>, <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/jpm-stock">JPMorgan Chase</a>, and <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/bac-stock">Bank of America</a>, sources told Bloomberg.</p><p>Topgolf has $525 million in outstanding debt, Bloomberg reported. The company has not yet responded to a request for comment.</p><p>Topgolf operates driving ranges with group bays, electronic ball tracking, and food and drink offerings. Certain venues host additional entertainment options including concert stages, shops, pools, and rooftop lounges. The company serves more than 20 million customers annually across 50 locations around the world, according to its website.</p><p>Topgolf's early backers include <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/ely-stock">Callaway Golf</a>, which invested in the company as early as 2006. Callaway stock climbed following news of Topgolf's IPO, and closed roughly 3.3% higher Monday.</p><p>Topgolf's public debut would arrive in the wake of 2019's <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/ipo-market-status-lawyer-managing-director-startup-ceo-weigh-in-2019-11-1028685225?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingest">IPO meltdown</a>. Major startups including Uber, Lyft, and Peloton sank in their first days of trading, collectively wiping out billions of dollars of investor wealth as traders balked at the firms' lack of profitability.</p><p>WeWork and Endeavor were days away from entering public markets before analyst scrutiny and market volatility prompted them to cancel their highly anticipated IPOs.</p><p>The collection of IPO slumps is now creating <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/ipo-market-outlook-2020-election-market-chaos-impact-previn-waas-2019-12-1028780625">two distinct windows</a> for companies to go public in 2020, according to Deloitte IPO expert Previn Waas. Some firms will look to go public before 2020 presidential campaigns ramp up in July, while others will wait until after November to issue their first tradable shares, he said.</p><p>"The political climate certainly has an impact and they're certainly trying to time that," he added. </p><p><em><strong>Now read more markets coverage from Markets Insider and Business Insider:</strong></em></p><p><em><strong><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/apple-unlikely-repeat-2019-performance-stock-price-decline-deutsche-bank-2020-1-1028797380">Apple is 'unlikely' to repeat its 89% leap from 2019 in the new year, Deutsche Bank says</a></strong></em></p><p><em><strong><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/citibank-hire-coders-trading-investment-banking-units-algorithmic-programmers-electronic-2020-1-1028796852">Citibank will reportedly hire 2,500 coders to bolster its trading and investment banking units</a></strong></em></p><p><em><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cowen-biotech-surprises-for-2020-alexion-patents-hemophilia-treatments-2020-1">10 surprises that could rock biotech stocks in 2020, from a Regeneron acquisition, to big sales for key drugs on the cusp of launching</a></strong></em></p><p class="tagline">Get the latest Bank of America stock price<a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/stock/BAC-Quote"> here.</a></p>            <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-wrap-gift-present-fast-2017-12">Last minute gift wrapping? Here's how to wrap your present in under 2 minutes.</a></h3>

Driving-range chain Topgolf could reportedly IPO as soon as this year with a $4 billion valuation

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Tiger Woods is returning to the PGA Tour with a new golf-accessory line named "Sun Day Red."</li><li>Woods' new partnership with TaylorMade ended his $500 million endorsement with Nike.</li></ul><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiger-woods-debuts-new-taylormade-look-after-ending-nike-partnership-2024-2">Tiger Woods</a> is set to return to the PGA Tour on Thursday for this week's Genesis Open in Los Angeles but without his iconic <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiger-woods-ends-nike-partnership-2024-1">Nike swoosh logo</a>.</p><p>On Tuesday, Tiger Woods and TaylorMade, a maker of golf equipment and apparel, announced an expanded partnership with a new golf-accessory line named "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.sundayred.com/news/tiger-woods-sets-new-course-with-sun-day-red">Sun Day Red</a>."</p><p>Nike had been Woods' main sponsorship partner since he turned pro in 1996. Forbes reported that his relationship with Nike was worth about <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brettknight/2024/01/08/where-tiger-woods-may-go-next-after-ending-his-500-million-nike-partnership/?sh=35f2317ff001">$500 million</a>, helping Woods to become one of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiger-woods-wife-net-worth-majors-golf-pga">first billionaire athletes</a>.</p><p>But what Nike never did was make Woods a full-fledged partner and give him an ownership stake in his brand at the company. Several reports say <a target="_blank" href="https://frontofficesports.com/tigers-post-nike-future-comes-with-a-new-business-plan/">Woods never owned equity in Nike</a> or the Woods brands.</p><p>So when Woods' most recent contract expired, that appears to be exactly what TaylorMade did.</p><p>Josh Gerben, a trademark attorney and the founder of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gerbenlaw.com/">Gerben IP</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/JoshGerben/status/1757417329950879850">analyzed the trademark filings</a> and found they were consistent with sharing ownership between TaylorMade and Woods.</p><p>"Tiger and TaylorMade set up a completely new company to sell Tiger's products," Gerben wrote on X. "The deal structure suggests that Tiger and TaylorMade are sharing ownership (and profits) of the new company."</p><p>In a breakdown of the trademark filings, Gerben highlighted some of the details that stood out.</p><p>"The fact that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gerbenlaw.com/blog/how-the-taylormade-and-tiger-woods-partnership-might-have-teed-off/">TaylorMade filed for an LLC</a> (vs a corporation) is really interesting," Gerben wrote. "Typically, an LLC is formed when the entity in question will be owned by multiple individuals or companies."</p><p>Gerben also said it was highly unusual for a company to create a new entity unless there was an ownership stake in the new venture for the athlete.</p><p>"The fact that TaylorMade created a new company to own these trademarks also indicates that the entity was created solely for the partnership with Woods," Gerben wrote. "This suggests that Woods will have equity in both the trademarks and whatever project he is launching with TaylorMade."</p><p>Tyrone Walker, an intellectual-property attorney for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hunthunt.com.au/people/tyrone-walker/">Hunt &amp; Hunt Lawyers</a> in Australia, where some of Sun Day Red's trademark filings were made in January, agreed.</p><p>He said<strong> </strong>the filings were made in the name of "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hunthunt.com.au/insights/the-strategic-moves-in-tiger-woods-new-brand-launch-and-trademark-insights/">TaylorMade Lifestyle Ventures LLC</a>," suggesting a joint venture rather than ownership by a single entity.</p><p>Gerben also noted that TaylorMade Lifestyle Ventures LLC was a new entity different from Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc., the one that handles other TaylorMade trademark filings.</p><p>David Rumsey of <a target="_blank" href="https://frontofficesports.com/tigers-post-nike-future-comes-with-a-new-business-plan/">Front Office Sports</a> said co-ownership was also supported by Sun Day Red being sold under a newly created company, separate from TaylorMade. In addition, the new business is set to be based in San Clemente, California, away from TaylorMade's headquarters in Carlsbad, California.</p><p>TaylorMade CEO David Abeles even suggested during the press conference that this was Woods' company and others were just there for support.</p><p>"This is a full-blown unequivocal partnership," Abeles said. "There's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/12/tiger-woods-taylormade-sign-apparel-deal.html">no influence from TaylorMade</a> on this brand. The brand stands alone."</p><div type="image" title="Tiger Woods" height="1667" width="2500" msid="107755846" hostid="261"></div><p>Many companies have offered partial ownership as part of deals with megastar athletes in recent years. This includes the two-time major golf champion Jon Rahm, who signed a new contract with the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.golfdigest.com/story/jon-rahm-signs-long-term-extension-with-callaway-receives-equity-position">Topgolf Callaway</a> brand in July that includes equity in the company.</p><p>The list of Nike athletes who have been on Woods' level over the past 30 years is short and includes <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/michael-jordan-net-worth-wife-house-nba-bulls-hornets-2015-3">Michael Jordan</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/24/serena-williams-on-what-shes-learned-from-working-with-nike.html">Serena Willams</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lebron-james-nike-lifetime-contract-game-changer-2015-12">LeBron James</a>.</p><p>What those athletes have that Woods didn't was a partnership with Nike that went beyond the typical athlete endorsement and included a financial stake in their brands in businesses created separately from Nike in conjunction with the apparel giant.</p><h2>Self-inflicted damage and bad timing for Tiger</h2><p>While we may never know why Nike and Woods never expanded their partnership, the timing of certain events over the past 15 years suggests a combination of his own doing and bad luck.</p><p>Nike first expanded their presence in the golf world in the early 2000s, going beyond apparel and making clubs and other equipment. At the end of the decade, in 2009, Woods had the first major blemish to his legacy when he was involved in a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2021-02-23/tiger-woods-single-car-accident-2009-crash-florida">Thanksgiving night single-car crash</a> that helped launch the scandal involving numerous infidelities<strong> </strong>that ended his marriage.</p><p>While several companies, including <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sportskeeda.com/golf/news-why-gatorade-drop-100-000-000-tiger-woods-sponsorship#:~:text=However%2C%20the%20deal%20fell%20apart,and%20Gillette%20followed%20soon%20after.">Gatorade</a>, dropped their endorsement deals with Woods, Nike kept him as part of their team even though he retreated from the public eye, played in limited tournaments, and didn't win an event for three years.</p><p>But while Nike stayed with Woods, it symbolically passed the torch in 2013 when it <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rumor-rory-mcilroy-to-sign-with-nike-golf-for-250-million-2012-10">signed Rory McIlroy to a $250 million contract</a>, effectively making him the new face of the brand's golf division.</p><div type="image" title="Tiger Woods Rory McIlroy" height="1000" width="1500" msid="107755848" hostid="261"></div><p>Over the next 10 years, Woods rehabilitated his image despite some setbacks, including <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiger-woods-is-back-read-all-about-his-journey-to-return-to-golf-2017-12">several back surgeries</a>, an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiger-woods-drugs-dui-arrest-thc-2017-8">arrest on a charge of DUI</a>, and a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/timeline-tiger-woods-car-crash-los-angeles-2021-2">scary car crash</a> that nearly cost him his leg and effectively forced Woods to retire from playing full-time on the PGA Tour.</p><p>Unfortunately for Woods, his return to likability coincided with Nike pulling back a bit from the golf world. In 2016, <a target="_blank" href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=9519706f526cb1538212233602ee28024118971cad6135bcb58e6a86b22ba530&amp;postID=65ccd982ef49b4ccc9795760&amp;postSlug=tiger-woods-sun-day-red-taylormade-nike-golf-apparel-contract-2024-2&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fgolf%2Fstory%2F_%2Fid%2F17212815%2Fnike-announces-exit-golf-equipment-business">Nike announced</a> it would no longer make golf equipment. This opened the door for other companies to partner with Woods.</p><p>A few months later, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiger-woods-taylormade-golf-clubs-2017-1">Woods signed with TaylorMade</a> to use their equipment. Meanwhile, Woods kept wearing Nike apparel on the course.</p><div type="image" title="Tiger Woods" height="1666" width="2500" msid="107755850" hostid="261"></div><p>As for the new brand, the venture's name, "Sun Day Red," refers to Woods' wearing red during the final round of golf tournaments. Woods said during the press conference announcing his new brand that his love of red came from his mother, who thought it was a good power color for Woods, a Capricorn.</p><p>The logo includes 15 stripes for Tiger's 15 major championships, and <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/GOLF_com/status/1757221657322868749">TaylorMade</a> said during the announcement that "Sun Day" is two words because of the power of the "rule of three" in everyday life.</p><div type="image" title="tiger woods sun day red logo" height="1403" width="2500" msid="107755853" hostid="261"></div><p>But more importantly, for the golf world, the new brand ends one of the most iconic and lucrative partnerships in sports history between Woods and Nike.</p><p>Business Insider reached out to TaylorMade, Nike, and representatives for Woods. As of the time of publication, they hadn't responded.</p>

TaylorMade seems to be giving Tiger Woods the one thing Nike never did, ending a historic sports endorsement deal

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Ryan Reynolds is expanding his sports portfolio, and it reportedly cost him nothing.</li><li>He and Rob McElhanney have driven their success with Welsh soccer club Wrexham into an ownership stake in Alpine F1 team.</li></ul><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/ryan-reynolds-worth-makes-spends-money-2023-3">Ryan Reynolds's investment in a Welsh soccer club</a> has been so successful that now sports teams are giving him and his partner Rob McElhenney ownership stakes for free.</p><p>Reynolds and McElhenney partnered with American investment firms Otro Capital and RedBird Capital Partners <a href="https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/37916753/reynolds-mcelhenney-join-group-investing-alpine-f1-team">to buy 24% of the Alpine Formula One team</a>. The combined group paid $220 million (£171 million) for the piece, based on a $900 million valuation (£700 million). Reynolds and McElhenney's investment firm, Maximum Effort Investments, which also includes actor Michael B. Jordan as a partner, now own 2-3% of the team, which would be valued at $18-27 million. But <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-12254679/Wrexhams-Hollywood-owners-Ryan-Reynolds-Rob-McElhenneys-stake-Alpine-cost-NOTHING.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Nick Harris and Alex Miller of the UK Daily Mail</a>, Reynolds and McElhenney got in for free.</p><p>That's right: zip, $0, nada.</p><p>According to the report, the payoff for Alpine will come in the form of sweat equity from the Hollywood stars. Reynolds and McElhenney are expected to contribute "their storytelling prowess, and perhaps a documentary series," similar to what they have achieved with the Wrexham football club in exchange for the stake.</p><div type="image" title="Alpine F1 car driven by Esteban Ocon" height="1667" width="2500" msid="101966753" hostid="261"></div><p>Reynolds and McElhenney purchased the struggling soccer club in 2020 for about $2.5 million (£2.0 million). Following <a href="https://www.insider.com/ryan-reynolds-rob-mcelhenney-teary-eyed-speechless-wrexham-afc-promotion-2023-4">the success of the team</a> and the docuseries "Welcome to Wrexham," it is now believed that the <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/wrexham-now-worth-300-more-165831575.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAEKJUUHtmAXtLTMdJvR_2zeixFn9FMHMIVh8AuqE2vC-VYyQymRoEfOi2SGqnW9SuUzYipqmLXWlqNXRJw-gOCtBU8_QMx8j-pAzCEPcJ2CJRTihyR_jBBk6nSUzRleDnU-0do56N6P2pCgE3SpzB6n6Z3Vn7qveFcleXv2qquy4#:~:text=Wrexham%20have%20recently%20been%20crowned,value%20after%20reaching%20League%20Two.">club's value has tripled in three years</a>.</p><p>Having famous owners to help promote a sports team is not new. Jay-Z once owned a piece of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets, and Jennifer Lopez was among several celebrity owners for the NFL's Miami Dolphins. However, in those cases, the celebs were given paltry pieces of the team, and they actually paid for them. When Jay-Z sold his portion of the Nets, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jay-z-sells-brooklyn-nets-stake-2013-4">it was only worth $355,000</a>.</p><p>Just giving a celeb or athlete ownership stake appears to be a growing trend and a brilliant strategy to get some free or cheap PR.</p><p>Soccer legend <a href="https://www.si.com/soccer/2023/07/03/inter-miami-owner-reveals-lionel-messi-mls-salary">Lionel Messi was promised a piece of the Inter Miami team</a> as part of his deal to join MLS. Two-time golf major champion Jon Rahm recently signed an extension with Callaway Golf, which included equity in the TopGolf Callaway Brands, <a href="https://www.golfdigest.com/story/jon-rahm-signs-long-term-extension-with-callaway-receives-equity-position">according to Golf Digest</a>.</p><p>Does your favorite sports team have a famous owner yet? If not, don't worry, it will probably happen soon.</p>

An F1 team gave Ryan Reynolds an ownership stake in their team for $0 &mdash; and the free deals are brilliant way for growing franchises to get a PR boost

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Three weeks ago, a TikToker felt something sharp lodge into her cheek while eating a salad with edible flowers.</li><li>After the mysterious saga went viral, she captured the moment she finally expelled the seed from a salivary gland.</li></ul><p>A TikToker who had gone viral earlier this month for documenting what she believed to be <a href="https://www.insider.com/tiktoker-plant-particle-stuck-in-cheek-flower-cactus-captivates-commenters-2023-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a plant particle "embedded" in her cheek</a> has a satisfying and shocking update: After three weeks of discomfort — and a doctor's visit that came up inconclusive — a marigold seed was expelled out of her salivary gland. </p><p>Alexa Hendricks shared the update with her fans last Thursday, as commenters breathed a sigh of relief. She told Insider that the restaurant that served her the salad that may have been the culprit has also vowed to make things right.</p><p>Earlier this month, Hendricks captivated millions of viewers when she initially shared her story. The Kentucky-based influencer was eating a salad with edible flowers at Ruby's restaurant in New York City when she felt a sharp particle stab and disappear into her left cheek.</p><p>Subsequent trips to the dentist and oral surgeon were inconclusive, as one doctor believed her cheek was merely swollen due to trauma from the stab. </p><p>"I kind of started to believe the doctors and think that there wasn't really anything in there," Hendricks told Insider on Monday. "I went on vacation and the pain started going down a little bit."</p><p>But, last week, while driving to Topgolf and snacking on an apple, Hendricks suddenly felt the object again, and her jaw started to pinch and lock, she said. She started massaging the area with her fingers and urged her boyfriend to pull over and start filming.</p> <p>"I had two fingers on my jaw and pushed it forward a little bit," she told Insider. "I was looking in the mirror to see, and as I opened my mouth, it popped out of that gland."</p><p>Hendricks captured the moment and <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@achendricks/video/7213489613896437038?embed_source=121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_blank&amp;refer=embed&amp;referer_url=www.insider.com%2Fpost%2Fpreview%3Fpost_id%3D6421ce7b2328217d605a2b85%26mode%3Ddesktop&amp;referer_video_id=7213489613896437038" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted it to TikTok,</a> where it's gained 4.4 million views. (Her initial storytime and updates have also accrued millions of views). "It's finally over," she remembers thinking to herself.</p><p>Her concerned followers also shared that sentiment.</p><h2>'You don't understand how satisfying this is for us'</h2><p>Thousands of commenters told the creator that they, too, are relieved by the update, as if it also happened to them. "You don't understand how satisfying this is for us," one wrote. "I can finally rest now," another added.</p><p>The next day, however, Hendricks told fans she was still sore, wondering, "<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@achendricks/video/7213907535617658158" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What if there's more still in there?</a>" </p><p>Luckily, as of Monday, she told Insider she's feeling a lot better and assumes the pain was from "a little bit of trauma from it coming out." She's not experiencing much pain this week.</p><p>Hendricks said Ruby's has also reached out to her to try to atone for the incident. (She had initially called the restaurant when she was first investigating the matter, but she had not heard back until last week.)</p> <p>She said a manager was "very apologetic" and offered to cover her medical bills, which she's accepted. He also apparently offered her a meal on the house and is sending her some merch. Insider has reached out to Ruby's for comment.</p><p>Hendricks' saga is a part of a growing trend of corporal medical mysteries on TikTok. Last month, another woman on the app also went viral after sharing that she believed a <a href="https://www.insider.com/tiktoker-thought-sewing-needle-stuck-in-foot-viral-support-paranoia-2023-2">sewing needle had been stuck in her foot.</a> While she does not have a tangible conclusion for her mystery, she's also <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@rbca.hlr/video/7203965234942332166" target="_blank" rel="noopener">kept enthralled followers updated</a> on her healing progress.</p>

A TikToker captured the moment a flower seed 'popped out' of her cheek after being lodged there for three weeks, as followers breathed a sigh of relief

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Back in April, Oscar winner Jamie Foxx suffered a medical emergency while filming in Atlanta.</li><li>Although it's been months, his fans still don't know what happened to him.</li></ul><p>Nobody knows what's going on with <a href="https://www.insider.com/jamie-foxx-hospitalized-medical-complication-condition-update-2023-5">Jamie Foxx</a> — and after months of confusion, that may be intentional.</p><p>Last week, the Oscar-winning actor was seen publicly for the first time since being hospitalized in April. <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2023/07/09/jamie-foxx-waves-fans-boat-first-sighting-since-hospitalization/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In a video obtained by TMZ</a>, Foxx waved to fans while cruising down the Chicago River in a yacht, blaring his 2008 hit, "Blame It." A <a href="https://twitter.com/iamjamiefoxx/status/1678209246888951810" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweet</a>, promoting his own brand of whiskey, then popped up on his Twitter account — his first since mid-March."Boat life ," the July 9 message read. "Celebrating summer with @brownsugarbbn Stay blessed!"</p><p>Foxx's wave and subsequent tweet sent the media into a frenzy, making international headlines. <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2023/07/10/jamie-foxx-topgolf-swing-recovery-video-boat-chicago/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Another video</a> then surfaced showing the comedian at a Topgolf driving range in Naperville, Illinois. In the clip, Foxx appeared healthy, hitting a golf ball with some real force.</p><p>We hope that Foxx is well, and indeed he <em>looks </em>well, but there's been no official word from his camp. In fact, there's been a dearth of information about Foxx's health since April. </p><p>On April 11, his daughter, Corinne, shared a family statement, revealing that Foxx had "experienced a medical complication," adding that "due to quick action and great care, he is already on his way to recovery."<br /><br /><a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2023/04/17/entertainment/jamie-foxx-remains-hospitalized/index.html?utm_source=twCNN&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_term=link&amp;utm_content=2023-04-18T01%3A00%3A08" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a> reported at the time that the actor was taken to a hospital in Atlanta. Foxx was in the Georgian city filming his new Netflix film "Back in Action," opposite Cameron Diaz and Glenn Close and was not on set at the time. Days later, <a href="https://people.com/movies/jamie-foxx-still-in-georgia-hospital-for-more-tests-after-medical-complication/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports surfaced</a> that Foxx was still receiving medical care in a facility.</p><p>During the month of April, the only news about Foxx's recovery made public didn't come from his family. Instead, they trickled out from his famous friends: Martin Lawrence told <a href="https://extratv.com/2023/04/20/martin-lawrence-gives-jamie-foxx-update-he-s-doing-better-exclusive/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Extra</a> that he heard Foxx was "doing better," while Nick Cannon told <a href="https://www.etonline.com/interview-nick-cannon-gives-update-on-jamie-foxx-amid-hospitalization-exclusive-203191" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Entertainment Tonight</a> that he was "awake" and "alert." Kevin Hart added that although he didn't know "the exact details," Foxx was showing "a lot of progression."</p><p>For a person of Foxx's level of celebrity, where was the coordinated and perfectly-crafted message from a public relations professional on his health updates? Where was the official statement from his talent agent? Do celebrities owe their fans access to the most intimate parts of their lives, especially when it comes to health issues? </p><p>Well, it's complicated.</p><h2><strong>Part of being a celebrity is 'giving people updates,' one blogger said</strong></h2><p><strong></strong></p><div type="image" title="Jamie Foxx at the 2023 Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on March 30, 2023" height="2600" width="3900" msid="101834873" hostid="261" sizebytes="539768"></div><p>Blogger and podcast host B. Scott said that the answer is nuanced. </p><p>"When you have a fanbase of people who know and love you, that is a part of being a celebrity — the good and the bad — of giving people updates is life. And life happens to you, too. And you've got to update the people," Scott said in the<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/life-has-been-life-ing/id1195238167?i=1000615773983" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> "Life Has Been Life-ing"</a> episode of "The B. Scott Show" podcast around the 40-minute mark.</p><p>"That's how you make your money — from your celebrity and from people coming to your movies and television shows and things of that nature," B. Scott, who noted that Foxx gave them their first show on SiriusXM, added.</p><p>Despite being a celebrity, B. Scott admitted that they "do not know" if Foxx is "obligated" to share his health issues publicly. They added, "I don't know that to be true." </p><p>Many celebrities have an extraordinary talent that's brought them into the public's eye. Fans gravitate towards them and make these rare talents stars. It's the fandom that creates the celebrity and there's undoubtedly a symbiotic relationship where both feed on each other.</p><p>Still, celebrities are human and it's impossible for them to share everything all the time, in real-time. So whether or not celebrities owe their fans their personal lives, what's clear in Foxx's case is that he doesn't want us to know what happened. At least not right now.</p><h2><strong>Foxx's fans are accusing Corrine Foxx of spreading misinformation</strong></h2><p><strong></strong></p><div type="image" title="Foxx with his eldest daughter Corrine Foxx at The Weinstein Company's 2016 Golden Globe Awards After Party at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in 2016." height="3072" width="4004" msid="101834875" hostid="261" sizebytes="464560"></div><p>The world <a href="https://www.insider.com/jamie-foxx-hospitalized-medical-complication-condition-update-2023-5">first heard of Foxx's health incident from his daughter</a>, Corinne. In April, the 29-year-old revealed in a family statement that her father was hospitalized and recovering from an undisclosed emergency. </p><p>Her now-deleted post read, "Luckily, due to quick action and great care, he is already on his way to recovery." The post continued, "We know how beloved he is and appreciate your prayers. The family asks for privacy during this time." </p><p>Rumors regarding Foxx's health began to swirl immediately. Notably,<a href="https://pagesix.com/2023/05/23/mike-tyson-claims-jamie-foxx-had-stroke-before-hospitalization/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Mike Tyson shared that Foxx</a>, who has been tapped to play the former boxing superstar in a forthcoming biopic series, had a stroke. </p><p>On May 12, <a href="https://www.insider.com/jamie-foxx-hospitalized-medical-complication-condition-update-2023-5#just-a-few-days-later-it-was-announced-that-foxx-would-be-returning-to-television-9">Corinne took to Instagram again</a> to respond after she said the media was running "wild." In an update, she said that her father was well, playing pickleball, and has "been <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/12/entertainment/jamie-foxx-out-of-the-hospital/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">out of the hospital for weeks, </a>recuperating." But two days later, a seemingly conflicting update said that Foxx was at <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2023/05/16/entertainment/jamie-foxx-physical-therapy-medical-complication/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rehab center</a> in Chicago. According to CNN, the center "specializes in rehabilitation care for patients with physical impairments, brain or spine injuries."</p><p>Scott pointed out on their podcast how his daughter's statement was inconsistent with reports and appeared to be misinformation. </p><p>"His daughter said that he was playing pickleball. Do you know how active you have to be and how coordinated you have to be to be playing pickleball?" they asked. </p><p>Scott noted that if Foxx could play a game of pickleball, the Oscar winner could certainly host his show, "Beat Shazam." However, in May, Fox, the network behind the interactive song-recognition game show, announced that <a href="https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/nick-cannon-jamie-foxx-beat-shazam-host-hospitalized-1235602231/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cannon would fill in for Foxx as a guest host</a>, due to his ongoing health issues. </p><p>"Nothing is adding up," B. Scott concluded.</p><p>Insider reached out to Corinne but didn't immediately hear back.</p><p>The host also noted that Foxx, who seems to be fond of social media, typically wouldn't have an issue "going straight to camera," or talking directly to his audience to clear up rumors around his health — unless there was truth to the reports that he had a stroke. </p><p>I took a look at his Instagram account to do my own "investigation," and in February, Foxx posted 42 times. In March, one month before Foxx's medical emergency, the comedian posted 25 times. Many were photos or videos of himself, promoting his pickleball company and other projects from himself and his famous friends. In April, that number dropped to six. In May and June, the actor posted once each.</p><p>Based on the actor's pattern of posting, fans continued to question whether or not the beloved actor is even <em>well enough </em>to post. The proof seems to be in the posting.</p><h2><strong>It doesn't 'serve' a celebrity to give real-time updates, one celebrity publicist said</strong></h2><p><strong></strong></p><div type="image" title="Jamie Foxx in a hat and jacket standing next to Cameron Diaz in a black sweater" height="1619" width="2159" msid="101834876" hostid="261" sizebytes="240940"></div><p>The lack of messaging around the actor's health has given way to wild conspiracy theories, too. Some have<a href="https://twitter.com/unhealthytruth/status/1646600350932008960?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> connected Foxx's illness to the COVID-19 vaccination</a> while others have claimed that <a href="https://www.theroot.com/yall-need-to-stop-with-the-jamie-foxx-conspiracies-1850409668" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Foxx died</a>. </p><p>If we know that the Internet is a breeding ground for misinformation, why not set the record straight? </p><p>Celebrity publicist Ernest Dukes told Insider there could be several reasons why Foxx is taking his time to speak on the record.</p><p>"We live in a world where we're so used to getting everything in real-time," he began. "Fans want instant gratification to know what's happening. When it comes to health stuff though, you may not know what's happening yourself or it's an evolving thing."</p><p>Dukes, who serves as the publicist for Babyface, Jeezy, and Charlie Wilson, added that it doesn't "serve" a celebrity to give real-time updates, especially when it comes to one's health as you could be "good today or bad tomorrow." </p><p>Still, Dukes said if Foxx were his client he'd eventually advise him to speak on the record — as much as he's comfortable sharing."It's important for him to own his own narrative. If he were my client, I'd be thinking about, 'Well, what's the best outlet where we can go do a sit-down so we can talk about it once and then get back to work,'" he added.</p><p>Dukes, who also owns a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nottinghamagency/?hl=en">marketing and public relations agency</a>, continued that fans have to exercise patience "and not be so entitled."</p><p>"He makes his music, we buy the album. He makes a movie, we support the film," he said of Foxx. "We're getting what we deserve and owed when we support those things."</p><p>Foxx is a performer who has brought joy to generations of people around the globe, and the public's concern for his health feels genuine. Whether Foxx lets us know what actually happened to him, or keeps his medical history to himself, which he has every right to do, we as fans have only one ask: Speak on it for yourself. </p>

What really happened to Jamie Foxx? It's clear he doesn't want us to know — yet.

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Mike Segar/Reuters</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul><li><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiger-woods-wins-the-masters-2019-4">Tiger Woods won his fifth Masters</a> earlier this month, causing many to speculate his comeback would ignite a golf renaissance after years of declining participation.</strong></li><li><strong>Golf was already making a comeback, adding players in 2018 for the first time in 14 years.</strong></li><li><strong>Jefferies analyst Randal Konik thinks <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/ely-stock">Calloway Golf</a> will capitalize on the sport's resurgence.</strong></li><li><strong><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/ely-stock">Watch Calloway Golf trade live</a>.</strong></li></ul><p>The "roar" returned to Augusta National last weekend as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiger-woods-final-hole-masters-crowd-2019-4">massive crowds</a> watched <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiger-woods-wins-the-masters-2019-4">Tiger Woods win his fifth Masters</a> and first major in 11 years.</p><p>Many observers quickly began speculating that Woods' long-awaited comeback would ignite a golf renaissance after years of declining participation. But truth be told, golf was making a comeback even before Woods' big win.</p><p>The number of on-course golf participants in the US rose 2% in 2018 to 24.2 million, making for the first increase in 14 years, according Jefferies analyst Randal Konik. Still, the sport has a long way to go to get back to the 29.8 million golfers in 2006, the year after Woods won his fourth green jacket. </p><p>"Sure, 2% growth may not sound heroic, but for those who view the sport of golf as 'dead,' we believe this should serve as a potent correction, particularly given that it was driven by a healthy, sustained level of beginners to the sport," he wrote.</p><p>More than 2.5 million Americans started golfing last year, the highest since at least 1987, eclipsing the levels seen during the "Tigermania" of the late 1990s and early 2000s, according to Konik.</p><p>And while more players are heading to the golf course, the real growth for the sport is coming in the form of off-course play. The number of off-course golfers surged 12% last year to 23 million, nearly equal to the number of on-course golfers. </p><p>Konik says the entertainment venue <a href="https://topgolf.com/us/">Topgolf</a>, which provides golf games for players of all skill levels, a full-service bar and restaurant, and a climate-controlled setting, has been a boon for the game. He estimates half of Topgolf's visitors, or about 13 million annually, are trying out golf for the first time. </p><p>"We conducted a scenario analysis to quantify this potential impact, leading us to estimate that Topgolf could add 100-200bps to golf equipment/gear industry growth by 2021, a view that could prove conservative given the steep ramp in offcourse participants seen in 2018," Konik wrote. </p><p>He sees Callaway Golf, which owns a 14% stake in Topgolf, as a big winner in the space. In a deep dive into the golf industry that he conducted in February, Konik pointed to strong demand for its golf clubs and golf balls and the growth potential for Topgolf as reasons for his excitement. </p><p>He has a "buy" rating and $26 price target - 53% above where shares settled on Thursday.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/ely-stock"></a><p class="source"><span><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/ely-stock">Markets Insider</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/game-thrones-season-8-episode-1-premiere-details-you-missed-jon-snow-2019-4">13 details you missed in the 'Game of Thrones' season 8 premiere</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

Golf was making a comeback even before Tiger Woods won the Masters. Here's one way investors can capitalize.

<ul><li><strong><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/aston_martin-stock">Aston Martin Lagonda</a> stock sank as much as 16% on Tuesday, dragged lower after the automaker <a href="https://otp.tools.investis.com/clients/uk/astonmartin/rns/regulatory-story.aspx?cid=2424&amp;newsid=1357040">announced</a> a massive profit drop for its first year as a publicly traded firm.</strong></li><li><strong>The company, which builds the sports cars preferred by fictional spy James Bond, revised its fiscal 2019 earnings to land between 130 million pounds ($171 million) and 140 million pounds ($184 million). </strong></li><li><strong>The lower end of Aston's new range reflects a 47% drop year-over-year.</strong></li><li><strong>The automaker is betting big on its new DBX model to drive customer growth and boost revenue in 2020. The firm announced it already has 1,800 early orders for its first-ever SUV, and the preorder strength helped Aston secure an additional $100 million loan.</strong></li><li><strong><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/aston_martin-stock">Watch Aston Martin trade live here</a>.</strong></li></ul><p><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/aston_martin-stock">Aston Martin Lagonda</a> stock tanked as much as 16% on Tuesday, pulled lower as the embattled luxury automaker posted a massive profit drop in its first year as a publicly traded company.</p><p>The automaker's adjusted earnings for 2019 are expected to fall between 130 million pounds ($171 million) and 140 million pounds ($184 million), compared to the 247 million pounds ($324) reported in the year prior, the company said in a Tuesday <a href="https://otp.tools.investis.com/clients/uk/astonmartin/rns/regulatory-story.aspx?cid=2424&amp;newsid=1357040">statement</a>. The lower end of Aston's new range reflects a 47% earnings drop year-over-year.</p><p>Core wholesales fell 7% year-over-year to 5,809 vehicles, the company added.</p><p>The company, which makes the cars preferred by fictional spy James Bond, has seen its stock price tumble more than 70% since going public in October 2018. Brexit uncertainty and <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/auto-industry-shrinking-at-peak-car-dragging-global-economy-lower-2019-10-1028644883">shakeup across the automotive industry</a> contributed to the prolonged drop.</p><p>Aston also cited the late December rally in the British pound as a hurdle. The pound's strength created a foreign exchange "headwind" for the company, as a stronger currency can cut into revenue sourced abroad.</p><p>"From a trading perspective, 2019 has been a very disappointing year," CEO Andy Palmer said in the statement. "We are taking a series of actions to manage the business through this difficult period."</p><p>Aston is betting big on its recently introduced DBX model to serve as a fresh revenue driver and attract new customers. The SUV is a first for the company, and will play a crucial role in driving the firm to its goal of doubling annual sales to 14,000 vehicles by 2023.</p><p>Preorders for the new SUV are the "one bright spot" at Aston, Palmer told <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-01-07/aston-martin-warns-profit-fell-in-carmaker-s-disappointing-2019?srnd=markets-vp">Bloomberg</a> in an interview. The company already has 1,800 orders for the DBX, according to the Tuesday release. The early sales strength helped Aston secure an additional $100 million loan. </p><p>"Whilst we are disappointed with trading performance in 2019, our focus is now on revitalizing the business, launching DBX and ensuring profitable growth in the medium-term," Palmer said.</p><p>The automaker is still in talks with potential investors, and new funding could involve an equity investment in the firm, according to the statement. Aston's raising additional capital is "long overdue," Sanford Bernstein analyst Max Warburton wrote in a note seen by Bloomberg.</p><p>"It's extraordinary to see how much the Aston Martin equity story has unravelled since the IPO," the analyst wrote.</p><p>Aston Martin stock traded at 439.80 pence ($5.78) per share at 10:30 a.m. ET Tuesday, down roughly 16% year-to-date.</p><p>The automaker has three "buy" ratings, seven "hold" ratings, and two "sell" ratings from analysts, with a consensus price target of 501.64 pence ($6.60).</p><p><em><strong>Now read more markets coverage from Markets Insider and Business Insider:</strong></em></p><p><em><strong><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/former-fed-chief-standing-repo-market-facility-calm-lending-rate-2020-1-1028799887">A former Fed chief lays out his grand solution to stabilize the repo market</a></strong></em></p><p><em><strong><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/topgolf-ipo-arrive-2020-value-company-4-billion-jpmorgan-bofa-2020-1-1028797513">Driving-range chain Topgolf could reportedly IPO as soon as this year with a $4 billion valuation</a></strong></em></p><p><em><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wall-street-compensation-and-bonus-announcements-for-2020-2020-1">Here's when Wall Street's top banks will announce bonuses to employees</a></strong></em></p>

James Bond won't like this: Aston Martin slips deeper into crisis after reporting a massive profit drop

<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/CanonSeattle/photos/pb.205611186137072.-2207520000.1457017843./1046155312082651/?type=3&amp;theater">Facebook/Canon Seattle</a></span></p><p class="caption">Try the eclectic drinks at Canon in Seattle, Washington.</p></div><p></p></div></div> America is home to some incredible drinking spots.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">We teamed up with <a href="https://foursquare.com/foursquare/list/a-statebystate-guide-to-americas-toprated-bars">Foursquare</a>, the city-guide app for discovering new places, to pull together a list of the top-rated bars in each state and Washington, DC, based on user ratings on the app. </span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The list ranges from upscale cocktail bars and wine joints to craft beer bars.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">From Seattle's Canon, where you can enjoy <span>beer and bacon-infused bourbon, to Topgolf in Virginia, where you can golf and drink all at once, here are 51 top-notch bars to check out across America. </span></span></p>

The best bar in every state

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><ul><li><strong>42-year-old Adam Breeden has been the brains behind popular venues like All Star Lanes, Bounce, and Flight Club.</strong></li><li><strong>The 'social entertainment' venues have changed going out culture in London and across the UK - and they're making their way to the US.</strong></li><li><strong>Under the umbrella of his company Social Entertainment Ventures, Breeden's next launch will be a £6 million digital mini golf venue created alongside the co-founders of Topgolf, and he also plans to launch a bingo venue.</strong></li><li><strong>He told Business Insider how he went from a dishwasher to the founder of some of nightlife's most innovative concepts.</strong></li></ul><p><br>Adam Breeden's first job in the hospitality world involved cleaning dirty plates at a restaurant - and he loved it so much it inspired the rest of his career.</br></p><p>Along with his love of meditation, it was his ability to embrace the restaurant industry's crazy, ever changing culture that has led to his current success.</p><p>Now the 42-year-old cofounder of holding company <a href="https://www.socialentertainmentventures.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Social Entertainment Ventures</a>, Breeden has been the brains behind some of London's most popular going-out spots, such as the bowling venue All Star Lanes, Bounce ping pong, and the Flight Club darts bar - and he's not stopping there.</p><p>Born in Hertfordshire, Breeden told Business Insider: "My mum was a cookery writer, and it gave me quite a lot of inspiration in terms of the culinary arts."</p><p>In school, he said he excelled at "anything creative" - and he knew he wanted to open a restaurant.</p><p>"I couldn't think of anything more creative than an all-sensory experience," he said. "I announced it to my parents at the time, and they said, 'Why would you want to do that? You're only 16.'"</p><p>The first step towards his goal was a job as a dishwasher while he was studying at the University of Newcastle. "I absolutely loved it," he said. "Chefs shouting at eachother, customers coming in... I was only allowed to clean the dirt off the plates, but I realised this is what I've got to do."</p><p>As part of his International Business degree, he spent a year studying in Paris. He also worked at Publicis on their "largest account" and was offered a job at the end of it - but turned it down.</p><h2>Launching London's 'Bar of the Year'</h2><p>Instead, in 2002, and Breeden and his brother Charles launched The Lonsdale cocktail bar in Notting Hill.</p><p>"It was an overnight success," he said. "We won Time Out Bar of the Year, which was like winning the Oscars at the time in the industry."</p><p>He added: "The degree didn't teach me much at all in terms of what it's like to launch your own business. It's like riding a rollercoaster naked with lightning going off at the same time."</p><p>The brothers became well-known in the cocktail industry, and managed to recruit "half of the best mixologists in London."</p><h2>Making bowling cool again</h2><p>Things took a turn when, a few years later, Breeden was introduced to Mark von Westenholz, who had an idea to "take bowling and make it cool again."</p><p>He said that at the time, all bars and restaurants were "versions of the same thing."</p><p>"We had the idea for <a href="https://www.allstarlanes.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">All Star Lanes</a> - bringing the West London Notting Hill premium cocktail experience and high heels glamour to bowling," he said. "We thought cocktails, a bite to eat, and something fun to do had to be more compelling."</p><p>All Star Lanes opened in London's Holborn in 2006, boasting bowling lanes, a cocktail bar, and a restaurant. Luckily, customers loved the idea - and Breeden said they also got a lot of corporate interest.</p><p>"Within the first three to four months of trading we almost broke the operation, it was so busy," he said.</p><p>Breeden is no longer involved in the business, but says it's still "going from strength to strength." It now has four London locations, as well as one in Manchester.</p><p>"I stepped down when I had more inspiration to do other things," he said - the first of which was <a href="http://www.bouncepingpong.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bounce</a>, a ping pong venue.</p><h2>A social ping pong club</h2><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>Breeden's co-founder Dov Penzik, an entrepreneur and previous table tennis player, came to him with the idea, which seemed a bit crazy to Breeden at first.</p><p>However, he said the pair developed the concept to ensure it would be a "fantastic venue" even without the tennis tables.</p><p>"The business was really centering in on that question you have as a group - you want to do something, you don't want to hire a private dining room, you want people to have some fun and do something interesting," he said.</p><p>"There was such a shortage of places to do that."</p><p>They opened Bounce in 2012 in Farringdon - on the site where ping pong was founded by John Jacques III in 1901 - and were quickly surprised by how much people love ping pong. They opened a second venue in Old Street in 2015, which became profitable in its first month.</p><p>Calling itself "Europe's largest purpose built 'Social Ping Pong Club,'" aside from table tennis, Bounce also boasts a cocktail bar and pizza restaurant."</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>"We went straight to the US and opened in Chicago under the brand AceBounce two years ago," Breedem said, adding that the venue is performing "absolutely fantastically" with plans to roll out across the US.</p><p>But Breeden didn't stop there.</p><p>"I thought, if you can do it with ping pong, you can do it with other sport," he said.</p><h2>Making darts digital</h2><p>He began talking to Steve Moore and Paul Barhan about building a social entertainment venue revolving around darts.</p><p>"We needed something else to make it a fun and easy group experience, so the guys went off and nailed what is now trademarked as social darts," he said.</p><p><a href="http://flightclubdarts.com/london/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Flight Club</a> opened in 2015 in Shoreditch, with a second location in Bloomsbury in 2017. It offers darts "ochres" or areas with boards that use digital scoring and non-traditional gaming options - as well as instant video replay.</p><p>Flight Club is not only rolling out across the UK - where it operates as a separate business to the other brands under the <a href="https://www.socialentertainmentventures.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Social Entertainment Ventures</a> holding company umbrella - but also across the US, again starting with Chicago.</p><p>While Breeden still sits on the board, his focus is on the concepts that lie under the Social Entertainment Ventures umbrella - Bounce, Flight Club USA, and his two latest ventures, Puttshack and Hijingo.</p><h2>'The world's finest mini golf experience'</h2><p><a href="https://www.puttshack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Puttshack</a>, a £6 million investment which opens in London's Westfield Shepherd's Bush shopping centre in June, was inspired the technology created by co-founders Steve and Dave Jolliffe of Topgolf, which, with more than 40 sites, is a US phenomenon according to Breeden.</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>"It was arguably the first social entertainment concept," he said, explaining that the technology automatically scores the game for you. "It predates All Star Lanes by three years."</p><p>The Jolliffe brothers have helped Puttshack bring that same technology to mini golf. Breeden says you'll walk through the door, be greeted by screens where you'll punch yourself in and select a tee-time and restaurant booking, be allocated a course, and receive your ball from a dispenser.</p><p>The experience will involve animation reflective the game play and score, sound effects, and cameras around the course which will film you and send you video of your best shots.</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>"I believe it to be the world's finest mini golf experience," he said, adding that the company plans to launch a second venue in the No 1 Poultry Building, another as part of the extension of the intu Lakeside shopping centre in Essex, and four more across the UK a year later.</p><p>"That's not including the US," he added, where he expects to roll out Puttshack in 2019</p><p>While details are minimal, his next venture will take on bingo, infusing "technology and traditional number play to unlock a ground-breaking twist on bingo like never before," according to the company.</p><p>Breeden has partnered with <a href="http://rebelbingo.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rebel Bingo</a> creator James Gordon to launch Hijingo in the UK, with plans to launch three venues within its first 12 months in major UK cities, including London.</p><h2>London is 'way ahead of the rest of the world'</h2><p>While Bounce, Flight Club, and Putthack are all heading Stateside, Breeden said that London is "way ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to social entertainment."</p><p>"Without question the space is exploding," Breeden said. "We've seen a number of other people do different concepts, whether it involves table football, arcades, or other mini gold experiences, or copy cats of Bounce up and down the country."</p><p>He added: "You'd ordinarily expect these things to come from the US... London is spearheading the charge."</p><p>He believes the same applies to the restaurant scene in general.</p><p>"I honestly think London trumps New York now in terms of the restaurant scene," he said.</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><h2>Using meditation to stay creative</h2><p>With so many concepts in his past, present, and future, Breeden certainly knows he has to keep the momentum going to be successful - but he also knows how important it is to take the time to slow down.</p><p>"I meditate every morning," he said. "Without that I don't think I would have the space in my brain to be creative."</p><p>He also recently brought a CEO on board to run Social Entertainment Ventures so he can keep that creativity going.</p><p>"My role is creating new concepts, continuing to innovate," he said. "If you're not moving, you're going backwards, particularly in the restaurant business."</p><p>He added that his role has been a lucky one in many ways, and emerging younger generations have made it a "fascinating time" to be in the business.</p><p>"In the past, when you were young, you drank in order to make friends and meet a love interest," he said. "Now, we have the internet for that.</p><p>"Younger generations aren't turning to alcohol to fulfill their social needs and desires... You have to work harder to make things more interesting."</p><div>    </div><div>    </div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nobel-prize-winning-economist-oliver-hart-what-milton-friedman-got-wrong-2018-5">A Nobel Prize-winning economist explains what Milton Friedman got wrong</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div></hr>

This former dishwasher turned 'social entertainment' bar founder changed drinking culture in London and the US - and he's about to launch a new £6 million concept

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Hollis Johnson/Business Insider</span></p><p class="caption">Casual-dining chains are evolving.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li>Since the recession, the percentage of adult Americans who say they don't eat out as much as they want to has doubled to roughly 42%. </li><li>Restaurant industry consultant Malcolm Knapp says this dissatisfaction can be linked to growing anxieties in the US and doubt in the reality of the American dream. </li><li>Casual-dining chains have been hit especially hard, struggling to boost sales since the recession. </li><li>The solutions - off-premise and more experiential dining - hint at how Americans are attempting to deal with their anxieties in an era of economic distrust. </li><li><a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/4np/drivethru">Sign up for Business Insider's retail newsletter, The Drive-Thru, to get more stories like this in your inbox. </a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul><p>Almost half of Americans are not eating out as much as they want to, according to data from the National Restaurant Association. And, when they do go out, it isn't to the sit-down, casual-dining chains that once represented a cornerstone of the cheery, neighborhood-based American dream. </p><p>In the early 2000s, the percentage of adults who said they weren't eating out as often as they would like to hovered in the mid-20s. </p><p>That percentage climbed during the recession, reaching 41% in 2010, according to a survey done by ORC International for the National Restaurant Association. Yet, as the economy improved, this dissatisfaction remained. In May 2019, 42% of respondents said they were not eating out as often as they liked.</p><p>Many restaurants are similarly dissatisfied with how often diners are visiting. Over the three-month period ending in September, comparable restaurant sales fell by 0.4%, according to Black Box Intelligence data from TDn2K. Comparable foot traffic - <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/too-many-restaurants-sparks-industry-slump-2017-5">which has continued to decline since the recession</a> - fell by 3.5% during the same time period. </p><p>Restaurant industry consultant <a href="http://www.malcolmknapp.com/">Malcolm Knapp</a> says this dissatisfaction with dining out is linked to a growing anxiety seeping into the American consciousness, prompted by a wide variety of factors. In a recent conversation with Business Insider, Knapp pointed to factors such as middle-class Americans receiving smaller-than-expected tax returns, political polarization, and income inequality to explain the state of the industry - and, especially, the state of casual dining. </p><p>"You have people starting to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ian-bremmer-globalism-american-dream-dead-chinese-dream-alive-2018-5">doubt that the American dream is real,"</a> Knapp said. </p><h2>Anxiety is transforming restaurants</h2><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Hollis Johnson/Business Insider</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Sit-down, casual-dining spots - once a go-to for Americans seeking a night out - have seen the biggest sales decline since the recession. Placer.ai data found that there was a 7.4% drop in foot traffic, on average, for the 10 top fast-casual brands between 2018 and 2019, following a 0.4% decline between 2017 and 2018. </p><p>"We're seeing that there is an erosion in traffic. We keep on losing traffic and we have since the recession, for the overall chain-restaurant industry and for casual dining itself," said TDn2K's vice president of insights and knowledge, Victor Fernandez. </p><p>Part of the reason for the decline is simply that there are too many restaurants to continue to grow same-store traffic, according to Fernandez. Casual-dining chains, in particular, have needed to close more locations to boost same-stores sales figures for the industry. </p><p>But, there are other factors that are hitting the casual-dining industry especially hard. </p><p>"There's something to be said in terms of perception, from a lot of those brands, especially when you speak about casual dining, a lot of the ... big, big companies in that space are brands that have been around for a long time," Fernandez said. </p><p>Millennials have been charged with killing casual dining in the past, as chains such as Buffalo Wild Wings, Applebee's, and TGI Fridays struggled to build sales following the recession and shuttered hundreds of locations.</p><p>"Millennial consumers are more attracted than their elders to cooking at home, ordering delivery from restaurants, and eating quickly, in fast-casual or quick-serve restaurants," <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/buffalo-wild-wings-ceo-on-why-restaurants-struggle-2017-5">Buffalo Wild Wings' then-CEO Sally Smith wrote in a letter to shareholders in 2017, prior to leaving the company.</a></p><p>However, some experts - such as Knapp - argue that it is impossible to separate changing tastes from bigger problems looming in the American psyche.</p><p>Two of the main tactics that casual-dining chains have used to distinguish themselves from the competition and boost sales are building up takeout business and making dining in restaurants a more complete experience. These trends can be seen as two approaches to dealing with the anxieties of modern American life: receding into the privacy of one's home or seeking distraction through experiences and connection. </p><p>"Our social fabric has just been ripped. And, it's hard to quantify, but that affects people," Knapp said. </p><h2>Delivery isn't just convenience - it is avoidance</h2><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Hollis Johnson/Business Insider</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>While it is typically seen as a desire for convenience, Knapp says that many people retreated into their homes following the recession to escape the anxieties of daily life. David Portalatin, NPD food industry advisor, points to the rise of streaming, video games, and other ways for people to relax and socialize that have moved to the home. </p><p>"The American consumer has gone through this macro shift, where everything is at home now," Portalatin said. </p><p>With entertainment going from outside the home to inside people's houses, restaurants are also aiming to boost sales by going after these customers eating at home. Many casual-dining chains - along with the rest of the restaurant industry - are making major investments in delivery and carry-out.</p><p>On Wednesday, Chili's announced two weeks of free delivery after rolling out the service nationally in June. In September, Outback Steakhouse announced a partnership with DoorDash. Around the same time, Carrabba's announced partnerships with DoorDash and Uber Eats. Ghost kitchens are an increasingly hot concept, with chains such as Chick-fil-A, Wendy's, and Sweetgreen opening delivery-only locations <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chick-fil-a-wendys-ghost-kitchens-growth-2019-10">in partnership with Kitchen United.</a></p><p>"Going out is a more precious thing than it was," Knapp said. "It's not a disappointment. It's a loss. And people get angry about loss." </p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Hollis Johnson/Business Insider</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>When customers venture outside the home in 2019, they are seeking a more over-the-top experience than old-school casual-dining chains can offer. They can't afford to waste the money or the time on a subpar meal. </p><p>According to TDn2K data, fine dining has been the best performing segment in the restaurant industry for the last three years, with Fernandez saying that people now gravitate towards these pricier options when they're seeking "more of an experience."</p><p><a href="https://www.fsrmagazine.com/emerging-brands/eatertainment-next-frontier-casual-dining">"Eatertainment" chains</a> that offer a full night of events, such as Topgolf and bowling-centric Pinstripes, are swiftly growing. More traditional chains are clearly intrigued by the category. In July, Cracker Barrel announced a $140 million investment in Punch Bowl Social, an entertainment chain that lets customers bowl and play shuffleboard. </p><p>Technomic noted in a roundup of trends that 38% of economists are predicting an economic recession in 2020, while another 41% say a recession is likely to hit in 2021, <a href="https://www.technomic.com/technomics-take/technomics-take-7-hot-trends-watch-2020">according to Blue Chip Economic Indicators.</a> A recession would feed into the anxiety and economic instability that has driven casual-dining chains to provide for customers unwilling to leave the comfort of their homes, as well as to attempt to provide a relief from daily anxieties. </p><p>"Everything that happens in society turns up in the restaurant business," Knapp said.  </p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/popeyes-chick-fil-a-chicken-sandwich-taste-test-comparison-2019-11">Popeyes' famous chicken sandwich is now back 'for good' - so we compared it to 5 other fast-food fried-chicken sandwiches</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

You Searched For "topgolf" and got 11 results

Callaway Golf just acquired all of Topgolf in an appeal to millennial customers

Allana Akhtar

Driving-range chain Topgolf could reportedly IPO as soon as this year with a $4 billion valuation

Ben Winck

TaylorMade seems to be giving Tiger Woods the one thing Nike never did, ending a historic sports endorsement deal

Cork Gaines

An F1 team gave Ryan Reynolds an ownership stake in their team for $0 and the free deals are brilliant way for growing franchises to get a PR boost

Cork Gaines

A TikToker captured the moment a flower seed 'popped out' of her cheek after being lodged there for three weeks, as followers breathed a sigh of relief

Geoff Weiss

What really happened to Jamie Foxx? It's clear he doesn't want us to know — yet.

Felice León

Golf was making a comeback even before Tiger Woods won the Masters. Here's one way investors can capitalize.

Jonathan Garber

James Bond won't like this: Aston Martin slips deeper into crisis after reporting a massive profit drop

Ben Winck

The best bar in every state

Talia Avakian

This former dishwasher turned 'social entertainment' bar founder changed drinking culture in London and the US - and he's about to launch a new £6 million concept

Alison Millington

A perfect storm of anxiety and the death of the American dream are transforming chains like Applebee's and TGI Fridays

Kate Taylor

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides