*By Britt Terrell*
Golfers gotta eat and drink, right?
That's why Topgolf is expanding its so-called eater-tainment model with sports enthusiasts looking to enjoy the games they love while eating, drinking, and listening to live music.
The company has 41 locations around the world that feature driving ranges with restaurants serving food and drink.
"We've introduced millions of people to the game," said Erik Anderson, the executive chairman of Topgolf.
Celebrities including Justin Timberlake and the golfer Jordan Speith have been spotted at Topgolf locations recently, and the company is launching initiatives to reach new customers.
The company set up a "Topgolf Crush" [pop-up at Heinz field in Pittsburgh](https://topgolf.com/us/crush/pittsburgh/), where visitors hit golf balls in hitting bays using Topgolf's range technology that tracks the speed of your ball. General admission tickets cost $55 for all-day access to the event during non-peak hours, and $65 during peak.
The company will use customer feedback from Topgolf Crush events to decide where to open new Topgolf driving/eating/drinking ranges.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/topgolf-exec-chairman-talks-the-rise-of-eater-tainment).
The sports world has been at the forefront of dealing with the pandemic ever since the NBA temporarily halted operations in March 2020 and opted to play in their Florida bubble. As the omicron variant and current COVID surge forces game postponements and player quarantines, how leagues manage to continue operations through the outbreaks could be a sign of what is to come for the general public. Dr. Robby Sikka, chair of the COVID Sports Society Workgroup and a former VP with the Minnesota Timberwolves, joined Cheddar's "Closing Bell" to talk about the ways in which the NBA, NHL, and NFL are innovating amid the disruptions.
Tom Shannon, Bowlero CEO, joined Cheddar to discuss the decision to bring the company to the New York Stock Exchange via a SPAC merger with Isos Acquisition Corporation. Shannon said one of the goals of the public offering is to expand operations internationally, noting that Bowlero has the potential to reach worldwide markets due to the sport's popularity. "Bowling is a global market, and I'll give you an example. In South Korea, there are three million league bowlers and 1,200 bowling centers in South Korea alone," he said.
Stefan Olander, Co-Founder of Omorpho, joins Cheddar Innovates to discuss how they are bringing innovation into athleticwear by creating 'gravity sportswear.'
This year on Black Friday, the National Basketball Players Association launched a traveling NBPA-branded holiday pop-up called 'NBPA 450 Gives.' This was a 14-day long experiential and digital activation showcasing the best gifts for this holiday season, featuring items from black-owned businesses to celebrate Google's black-owned Friday initiative. JD sat down with Brooklyn Nets player, Blake Griffin, who helped launch this initiative.
We're entering a brave new world of broadly legal sports betting. Over 30 states and Washington, DC, have legalized sports betting in the year and a half since the supreme court struck down the federal ban on the activity.
But legalization isn't a simple proposition. The federal law might be struck down but its still up to each state to decide whether to legalize sports betting, and answer a litany of questions that come with it. Should you include online gambling? How much should people be allowed to bet? Should there be limits on advertising for sports betting?
Darren Heitner, founder of Heitner Legal, and Daniel Wallach, founder of Wallach Legal, join None of the Above's "Business of Sports: The Year Gambling Took Over" special to discuss.
Carlo and Baker cover the latest data showing the Omicron wave has likely started, Pfizer's Covid pill, Jan. 6 and a box office rescue attempt courtesy of Spider-Man.
Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas is slated to be the home of Super Bowl LVIII in 2024. The stadium was completed in July 2020 for a price tag of $1.8 billion.
