*By Max Godnick*
LeBron James is ready to add another title to his already gilded resume: Hollywood mogul.
The three-time NBA champion and four-time MVP redrew the professional basketball landscape when he announced he will join the Los Angeles Lakers. The move allows him to work and live closer to his already impressive entertainment empire. His production company, SpringHill Entertainment, is based on the Warner Bros. lot, just a few miles up the 101 Freeway from his new primary office, the STAPLES Center.
"The ease of him being in the heart of Hollywood is really setting up the next stage of what his professional career is going to be," said Sean O'Connell, the managing editor at Cinemablend, in an interview with Cheddar on Tuesday.
James's slate of upcoming projects includes a remake of the 1990 comedy "House Party," multiple series and documentaries in the works at Netflix and HBO, and the long-rumored sequel to the Michael Jordan-Bugs Bunny collaboration, "Space Jam." He'll be physically much closer to their development, production, and marketing processes in Los Angeles than he was in Cleveland or Miami.
The basketball star is still months away from suiting up as a Laker for the first time, but he's already drawing comparisons to some of the entertainment industry's biggest names.
"I think he's primarily going to become a dominant producing force and maybe becomes like an Oprah-type person who launches his own channel, and it's loaded with content that speaks to his interests," said O'Connell.
The current Hollywood landscape puts a premium on A-list talent with worldwide fan bases. The past few months have seen Winfrey ink a multi-year content partnership with Apple, while Barack and Michelle Obama signed a deal with Netflix.
ESPN recently ranked James second on its [annual list](http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/page/WorldFame/espn-world-fame-100-2018#) of the most famous names in sports - only trailing international soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo. While he clearly doesn't need any help expanding the scope of his fame or influence, James's new home could allow his ambitions and portfolio to reach even higher heights.
"LeBron is a household name and a household face before he even steps into the entertainment realm," said O'Connell. "He can become a true media mogul and make this transition."
For the full segment, [click here.](https://cheddar.com/videos/lebron-james-brings-his-entertainment-empire-to-hollywood)
People are spending less time on Facebook, according to the company's latest earnings report. Twitter doubles the number of users who interacted with Russian-linked trolls. And eBay is parting ways with longtime partner PayPal in favor of Dutch payment processing company Adyen. Plus, we bring you a full hour on the Business of Sports heading into Super Bowl weekend.
Amee Shah, Group Creative Director for Droga5, discusses the business of Super Bowl commercials and why the ad space is so valuable. Droga5 is producing Sprint's big game ad this year.
AJ Perez, sports reporter for USA Today, discusses FOX's huge deal with the NFL and the quarterback trade shaking up the industry. FOX will pay the NFL $3 billion over the next five years for the right to broadcast Thursday Night Football games.
Brad Smith sits down with the San Francisco 49ers President Al Guido to discuss his new venture, how the 49ers are taking advantage of being in Silicon Valley, and declining NFL viewership.
The New York Times debuted a new ad spotlighting its investigations and coverage of the impact of brain injuries to football and other sports. Jason Stallman, Sports Editor at The New York Times, joins Cheddar on a special episode of "The Business of Sports" to discuss what he's seeing in the push for more safety concerns.
Viewership for NFL games is down by double digits this season. Al Guido, president of the San Francisco 49ers, says the league needs to do a better job adapting to the changing media landscape.
"Total Divas" is celebrating 100 episodes of high heels, high stakes, and high drama on its seventh season finale. Stars Lana and Nattie join Cheddar to discuss what to expect from the milestone installment.
Ben Leber, former NFL star linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings, and Nate Bauer, Best Buy's Geek Squad Chief Inspector, give their tips for making your sunday super.
The Washington Post broke the story that GPS tracking and fitness company Strava had revealed the locations of secret U.S. Military bases. Now, Rosie Spinks, reporter at Quartz, joins Cheddar to explain how and why she has been focusing on the privacy issues around Strava since this summer.
Amazon is joining forces with Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase to bring their employees better and cheaper healthcare. EasyJet's CEO is giving himself a pay cut to match the salary of his female predecessor. Actor Jeff Hiller joins us to discuss stepping into a critically-acclaimed off-Broadway solo show already in progress. Plus, we talk to Chat Sports about the Cleveland Indians' decision to do away with their controversial logo.
