Athletes tend to be front and center in most brands’ sports campaigns. But how many pro athletes regularly use accounting software?

The answer is likely very few—with the exception of the ones who have also started their own businesses. That’s why QuickBooks, the Intuit-owned accounting software company, chose to focus on leaders from the business side of women’s sports in its “Power Moves” campaign, which is geared toward driving consideration among small-business owners, according to QuickBooks VP of Marketing Cathleen Ryan.

“QuickBooks will always try to tap into culturally relevant moments with authenticity, and nothing says that more than female sports right now,” Ryan told Marketing Brew.

The playbook

The “Power Moves” campaign consists of five videos focused on various women entrepreneurs in the sports industry talking about their businesses and how they use QuickBooks’s software. The episodes are about two minutes long and were shot at women’s sports bars around the country. The series debuted March 3 with an episode featuring Jax Diener, the owner of Watch Me! Sports Bar, and Tobin Heath and Christen Press, the USWNT icons who co-founded lifestyle brand and media company re—inc.

The episodes are being distributed across digital media company She Media’s platforms, which include websites like parenting outlet SheKnows and entertainment publication TVLine and which reach about 74 million unique viewers a month, according to She Media. QuickBooks is further amplifying the content with a media buy across The Gist, a sports media company whose founders, Jacie deHoop and Ellen Hyslop, are featured in the campaign.

The roster

Also spotlighted in the series are Allyson Felix, seven-time Olympic gold medalist and founder of women’s sports management firm Always Alpha; Jasmine Maietta, former pro basketball player and founder of sports lifestyle and apparel brand Round 21; Jenny Nguyen, CEO and founder of the women’s sports bar The Sports Bra in Portland, Oregon; and Jen Barnes, founder and CEO of The Rough & Tumble sports bar in Seattle.

It’s a full slate of partners meant to represent various off-field aspects of the women’s sports industry, from media to merchandise, Ryan said. Even the production company behind the videos, Impakt Partners, is run by women, and the entire effort was spearheaded by Trailblazing Sports Group, the women’s sports commercial partnership firm founded by former ESPN ad sales exec Sara Gotfredson, who said she was tapped for the project by QuickBooks’s media agency, Initiative.

“We look for partners that are authentic, that share our values, [and] that have reach and an engaging platform,” Ryan said. “One thing that we really wanted to do with this QuickBooks ‘Power Moves’ campaign is try to embrace the entire women’s sports ecosystem.”

Though the women who star in the videos come from different sectors of sports, they all have one thing in common: They all “live and die in QuickBooks,” Gotfredson said.

The goal

In addition to expanding Intuit’s efforts across women’s sports, which included a March Madness campaign with Paige Bueckers this year, Ryan said the campaign is meant to frame QuickBooks as a tool for athletes turned founders, as well as create a “long-term connection” between the brand and entrepreneurs.

Even though the women who lead the sports industry off the courts and the fields don’t always find themselves in the spotlight, deHoop said The Gist’s audience has reacted positively to campaign content like behind-the-scenes videos promoting the company’s episode.

“My ethos in general has been [that] we should center the athletes in what we’re doing, so it’s just not something that I thought people would be very interested in, but it’s been really cool to see that that’s not the case,” deHoop said.

Ally Davis and Melissa Forman, co-founders of Impakt Partners, don’t work exclusively on branded content around women’s sports, so they were focused on creating an “integration that is seamless” in order to keep viewers interested, Forman said.

“When you do branded content, it can be really tricky, and it can sometimes turn people off,” Davis said. “But in women’s sports…the fans are so looking for this type of content, any content about women’s sports, they actually are appreciative of the brands that are stepping into the space.”

Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger speaks while holding a new chip called the Gaudi 3 during an event called AI Everywhere in New York on Dec. 14, 2023. (AP file photo)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Before “America First” became the Trump administration’s mandate for foreign policy and trade, one sector was already working to bring business back to the United States: the semiconductor industry.

Aided by government incentives, American and foreign tech companies alike have invested hundreds of billions of dollars to bolstering semiconductor operations — research and development, manufacturing and facility modernization — across the country in recent years.

In few places is the growth of the U.S. semiconductor industry clearer than in the Greater Sacramento region, where tech leaders and lawmakers have, for years, sought to grow California’s role in producing the chips that power everyday necessities like cars, refrigerators and smartphones. Semiconductor giants clustered in cities just outside Silicon Valley — Intel, AMD, Bosch, Samsung and Micron — are building on a tech foothold Intel first established when it opened its Sacramento-County campus in 1984.

But President Donald Trump’s economic policies have complicated that growth as the administration takes its next steps toward imposing more tariffs on key imports and launching investigations into imports of computer chips and chip-making equipment — all at a time when deeper semiconductor investments were just starting to have a positive impact on changing supply chains. New tariffs, paired with the administration’s threats against the CHIPS and Science Act, could dramatically slow its goal of ensuring the U.S. maintains a competitive edge in artificial intelligence development.

“You’re starting to see some of it now. Samsung announced a delay in the fabs in Texas,” said Mario Morales, an analyst with the International Data Corp. “That facility was supposed to come online in 2024 now it’s being delayed to 2028. I think some of these companies are delaying it because they now know that they’re not going to likely get funding, or because of the uncertainty around the acts that we’re seeing around the new trade policy.”

Although the U.S. is a major producer of certain types of semiconductor chips, the nation’s share of global chip production — measured by volume and not dollar value — fell from 37% in 1990 to just 10% in 2022, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association. As a result, the country relies heavily on imports from Taiwan and South Korea for advanced chips.

Major manufacturers like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. are investing to build up U.S. facilities, partly due to incentives put in place during former President Joe Biden’s time in office. The CHIPS Act, a law passed in 2022 with bipartisan support, was designed to revive U.S. semiconductor manufacturing while sharpening the U.S. edge in military technology and minimizing future supply chain disruptions.

Because of the CHIPS Act, the U.S. is projected to more than triple its semiconductor manufacturing capacity — the highest rate of growth in the world during that period, according to a May 2024 report from the Semiconductor Industry Association and the Boston Consulting Group.

Barry Broome, president of the Greater Sacramento Economic Council, said weaknesses in the semiconductor supply chain became evident during the pandemic, when the U.S. experienced a shortage in supply. It was “abundantly clear that having these chip products offshore in Vietnam, Taiwan, China for cost savings had serious implications.”

Those pandemic-era challenges, paired with looming tensions between China and Taiwan, have helped drive the industry to the Sacramento area, he said. Northern California’s wealth of tech knowledge and established roots in the semiconductor industry are also attractive traits that have brought investment to the Sacramento region as federal subsidies begin to bolster domestic growth.

German tech company Bosch, for example, announced a $1.9 billion investment in the Greater Sacramento area in 2023 to manufacture chips for electric vehicles, converting its facility in Roseville into a silicon carbide semiconductor production site.

That investment, Bosch said, would create as many as 1,700 jobs in construction, manufacturing, engineering, and research and development. The project marks the largest semiconductor investment in California in three decades, according to Broome.

Tech workers who started out at companies like Intel have spun out companies of their own, including Sacramento-area AI startup Blaize and data storage manufacturer Solidigm.

Dinakar Munagala, cofounder of Blaize, said the company’s AI chips are among the few built domestically. Their chips are made in a Samsung foundry in Texas, he said. The company’s products, Munagala added, help to power systems that analyze traffic patterns and detect suspicious behavior in airports.

“We’re built here,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons we’re actually getting quite a bit of interest from defense, border security, these classes of use cases.”

Lane Bess, board chair of Blaize, pointed to Munagala — who worked at Intel — as an example of the talent the Sacramento region can provide to tech companies. The area is primed to be a main corridor for the semiconductor industry because a lot of skilled workers are looking to develop their own companies, Bess said.

The Trump administration has viewed chip production as a national security issue because it would reduce U.S. reliance on importing chips that are also used by the military. It also intends to study the risks of having computer chip production concentrated in other places and the impact on U.S. competitiveness from foreign government subsidies, “foreign unfair trade practices and state-sponsored overcapacity.”

Alvin Nguyen, senior analyst at Forrester, said the fluidity of the state of administration’s tariffs will cause confusion about the impact on the supply chain “due to the complexity of tracking where materials and manufactured goods are produced and assembled.”

Video game companies, for example, have started to raise prices amid a backdrop of ongoing tariff uncertainty.

“For semiconductors, we may see certain goods no longer making sense to produce due to the cost — see Nintendo Switch 2 — and the value seen from IT purchases diminishing,” he said in an email.

Preorders for Nintendo’s highly anticipated Switch 2 were delayed in April as retailers assessed the potential impact of tariffs. Nintendo later confirmed that some Switch 2 accessories would see price adjustments, but maintained that its baseline price for the console — $449.99 — would remain the same.

Nguyen said that in the medium term, the growth of foundries around the world will be beneficial to easing dependence on Taiwan for chip production. Down the road, “we should see a healthier global ecosystem for semiconductor manufacturing and more supply chain options in where chips are produced and can be procured,” he said.

Broome, of the economic council, said he believes the Trump administration’s tariffs are aimed at restructuring global relationships. He said he hopes that “concludes quickly” because uncertainty over trade policy doesn’t favor the markets.

“If the tariffs are used for leverage to get better agreements in the next two or three months, then we’ll come back quickly, and will benefit from it,” Broome said. “If they’re considered long-term policy, I think it’ll really ice the capital markets from putting real money on the table.”

Gaming Laptop Market

The global gaming laptop market is undergoing a transformative evolution, driven by rapid innovation in graphics and processing technologies, the rise of esports, and the growing popularity of immersive gaming experiences. Valued at US$12.8 Bn in 2023, the market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.7%, reaching US$17.6 Bn by 2030. This growth trajectory highlights a strong consumer appetite for portable high-performance computing devices.

Key growth drivers include advancements in GPU and CPU technology, expanding online multiplayer ecosystems, and the increasing need for hybrid-use laptops that serve both professional and recreational purposes. North America leads the global market owing to its mature gaming culture and high disposable income, while the graphic card segment dominates the product landscape due to the increasing emphasis on visual performance and realism.

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➤ Key Highlights from the Report

➤ The global gaming laptop market is expected to reach US$17.6 Bn by 2030 from US$12.8 Bn in 2023.

➤ North America leads the market due to a well-established gaming infrastructure and high disposable income.

➤ Graphic cards dominate the component category owing to demand for high-fidelity visuals.

➤ Casual gamers remain the largest end-user segment, while professional gamers show fastest growth.

➤ South Asia and Oceania are forecasted to witness the fastest market growth.

➤ The rise in remote work has boosted demand for dual-purpose gaming laptops.

Market Segmentation

Gaming laptops are segmented based on key components and end-user profiles. Graphic cards continue to be the cornerstone of performance enhancement, as users prioritize vivid and realistic visual experiences. The growing popularity of ray tracing, high refresh rate displays, and real-time rendering positions GPUs as indispensable. Following closely is the storage segment, which is witnessing rapid expansion due to larger game file sizes and demand for faster data access, particularly via SSDs.

From an end-user perspective, casual gamers dominate the market share as the accessibility and affordability of entry- to mid-range gaming laptops widen their appeal. However, professional gamers are emerging as a fast-growing segment, fueled by the rise of esports, streaming, and competitive gaming circuits. This demographic demands superior graphics, refresh rates, and thermals, thereby pushing manufacturers toward innovation in premium gaming laptops.

Regional Insights

North America retains its leadership in the gaming laptop industry. This dominance is underpinned by a deeply rooted gaming culture, high per capita income, and robust internet infrastructure. The presence of key manufacturers and an enthusiastic gaming community further reinforce the region’s market leadership.

Conversely, Asia Pacific, particularly South Asia and Oceania, is experiencing explosive growth. A combination of rising disposable income, expanding youth population, and improving digital infrastructure is encouraging more consumers to invest in gaming hardware. India, Indonesia, and Australia are among the key contributors to this momentum.

Market Drivers, Restraints, and Opportunities

Market Drivers

The technological innovation in GPUs and CPUs is a major catalyst for market growth. With companies like NVIDIA and AMD launching increasingly efficient chipsets, gaming laptops now rival desktops in performance. Features like ray tracing, AI-enhanced rendering, and higher refresh rate displays significantly enhance user experience. Additionally, the growth of esports and the increasing appeal of online multiplayer gaming further boost demand for high-performance, portable gaming systems.

Market Restraints

Despite innovations, gaming laptops face thermal and performance balance issues due to their compact size. High-performance components generate considerable heat, which demands advanced cooling systems. However, maintaining slim profiles while ensuring thermal efficiency remains a design challenge. Another critical restraint is rising production costs due to premium components, which limits price flexibility and may deter budget-conscious buyers.

Market Opportunities

The ongoing normalization of remote work and the convergence of gaming and productivity offer a unique market opportunity. Professionals are now opting for gaming laptops not just for leisure but also for high-demand work tasks like video editing, programming, and 3D design. This dual-functionality makes gaming laptops an attractive purchase. Furthermore, the rise of cloud-based gaming and 5G connectivity is expected to fuel future demand by enhancing mobility and streaming quality.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

➤ How big is the gaming laptop market in 2023?

➤ Who are the key players in the global gaming laptop market?

➤ What is the projected growth rate of the gaming laptop market from 2023 to 2030?

➤ What is the market forecast for gaming laptops for 2032?

➤ Which region is estimated to dominate the gaming laptop industry through the forecast period?

Company Insights

Leading players in the gaming laptop market are heavily investing in R&D and design innovation to stay ahead of competition. These companies include:

✦ ASUS – Known for its Republic of Gamers (ROG) series, pushing the boundaries of design and performance.

✦ Dell – Through its Alienware line, it offers high-end customizable laptops with premium aesthetics.

✦ HP – Omen series delivers high-performance gaming laptops with strong thermal management.

✦ MSI – Offers a diverse portfolio of gaming laptops known for power and efficiency.

✦ Lenovo – Legion series is favored for its balanced performance and affordability.

Conclusion

The gaming laptop market is on a clear upward trajectory, driven by technological advancements, changing consumer behavior, and the evolution of gaming culture. With a projected market size of US$17.6 Bn by 2030, the industry is poised to benefit from multiple trends-be it the rise of esports, hybrid work scenarios, or the demand for immersive entertainment.

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Stadiums are no longer just venues for live sports; they are evolving into high-tech hubs that enhance both fan engagement and professional operations.

At the forefront of this transformation are industry leaders such as Orange Business, Extreme Networks, and Verizon, all leveraging 5G and edge computing to revolutionise the way spectators and professionals interact with live events.

From seamless connectivity to AI-driven media production and inclusive accessibility features, the future of stadium technology is here.

Guillaume Chabas, head of Innovation at Orange Business and head of the 5G Lab at the Orange Vélodrome, describes the modern stadium as a “small city” that must cater to thousands of fans while also supporting businesses, broadcasters, security personnel, and venue operators.

“It’s a unique environment where we can test innovations in real-time, with real users, in real conditions,” Chabas explains.

One of the most significant upgrades at the Orange Vélodrome has been the deployment of private 5G networks to improve connectivity.

“Fans today expect seamless digital experiences,” Chabas says. “They want to share emotions in real time, stream high-quality videos, and access in-depth insights about the game—all of which require a network that is best-in-class.”

To meet these demands, Orange Business has upgraded the stadium’s infrastructure ahead of major events like the 2023 Rugby World Cup and the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Beyond connectivity, the company is leveraging augmented reality (AR) to bring a new dimension to live sports.

One key innovation is Immersiv.io, an AR-powered solution that allows fans to scan the pitch with their smartphones and instantly access live player stats, heat maps, and game analytics. “At home, you have expert commentary and in-depth analysis,” says Chabas.

“We wanted to bring that same experience inside the stadium, where fans only have the crowd noise.” By integrating low-latency edge computing directly into the stadium’s network, Orange Business ensures that this real-time AR experience remains fluid and responsive.

Beyond enhancing fan experiences, Orange Business is committed to improving stadium accessibility. One of the standout initiatives is Touch2See, a solution designed specifically for visually impaired fans.

Using a tactile tablet, spectators can “feel” the movement of the ball in real time, thanks to haptic feedback paired with live audio descriptions. “One fan told me, ‘I can see the whole field—it’s amazing,’” Chabas recalls. “That was a powerful moment for us because it showed how technology can create profound, inclusive experiences.”

This initiative aligns with a broader trend in stadium design, where accessibility is no longer an afterthought but an essential part of the fan experience. “It’s not just about developing new technologies—it’s about making sure they serve real needs,” says Chabas.

While much of the focus is on fan engagement, 5G is also transforming behind-the-scenes stadium operations. From security teams to media professionals, thousands of people work at live events to ensure everything runs smoothly.

One example is how photographers and press agencies are leveraging 5G+ for Camera to streamline real-time media production.

“Traditionally, photographers had to take pictures, run to their laptops at half-time, upload images, and then rush back to the field,” Chabas explains. “With 5G, they can now instantly send high-quality images from their cameras directly to the press agency.”

AI-powered tools like Moment Lab further enhance this capability, automatically tagging and categorising images based on player recognition and brand placement. “A press agency can now instantly find the perfect shot of a specific player with the ball, rather than sifting through thousands of images,” says Chabas. “It’s about making workflows more efficient so professionals can focus on their craft.”

Beyond the Orange Vélodrome, Orange Business is looking at how these technologies can be applied in other stadiums and venues across Europe. But Chabas believes the real opportunity extends beyond sports.

“We see stadiums as a testbed for innovation,” he explains. “The same challenges—high-density crowds, real-time connectivity, and business operations- exist in airports, train stations, and major public events.” By applying 5G slicing, edge computing, and AI-driven solutions to these environments, Orange Business is helping venues operate more efficiently and deliver seamless experiences to visitors.

One of the most practical applications of this technology is in cashless payments at food and beverage stands. “During peak times, we saw a 5% failure rate in transactions due to network delays,” Chabas notes. By implementing network slicing, Orange Business ensured that payment services received priority bandwidth, reducing wait times and improving efficiency.

For over 12 years, Extreme Networks has been the official Wifi analytics provider for the NFL and the Super Bowl, delivering cutting-edge connectivity solutions to redefine how fans engage with the game.

“Extreme Networks has continuously worked to enhance the fan experience by delivering high-density Wi-Fi, real-time analytics, and a reliable connectivity backbone that supports everything from biometrics to PoS systems,” says John Burke, VP, Americas systems engineering at Extreme Networks.

In previous Super Bowls, Extreme Networks focused on providing high-performance Wifi that could handle massive data spikes during key moments. Last year, for instance, network traffic surged when Taylor Swift appeared on the jumbotron.

These spikes demonstrate the increasing demand for real-time digital engagement, as fans share photos, videos, and updates instantly. The technology also supports other critical functions, including mobile ticketing, cashless payments, and biometrics, ensuring a smooth, tech-enabled experience for all attendees.

Looking beyond the Super Bowl, the future of stadium connectivity is poised to become even more personalised and immersive.

Burke believes the convergence of digital and physical engagement will redefine live sports experiences. “Fans increasingly expect a blended stadium experience where digital and physical engagement merge seamlessly,” he notes.

As sports and entertainment venues worldwide compete to captivate a new generation of tech-savvy fans, Verizon Business is aiming to redefine what it means to experience a live sporting event.

Leighton Griffiths, global domains lead for sports and venues at Verizon, highlights the transformative role of 5G in stadiums like Manchester United’s Old Trafford and Liverpool’s Anfield.

“Verizon’s expertise in the North American stadium market is exceptional,” Griffiths says. “Week after week, we see announcements for NASCAR or NFL partnerships. I was fascinated by why North America was so advanced compared to international markets.”

This technological lead stems from the structure of American sports, where extensive intervals and quarter breaks create natural opportunities for fans to engage with technology for food, beverage, and merchandise. However, the global market is beginning to adopt a North American approach, especially with the rising popularity of U.S. sports abroad.

At the core of Verizon’s capabilities is 5G technology. “We’re the NFL’s official 5G partner in the U.S., enabling fan-wide 5G access for an enhanced experience. But private networks are essential too, allowing critical services like low-latency communication, which is vital for coach-to-coach dialogue during games,” Griffiths explains.

Griffiths envisions a future where private networks become the standard for stadium operations. “Imagine real-time body-worn cameras, AI-powered analytics for security, and seamless communications across vast venues. The reliability and non-contended nature of private 5G make it ideal for such applications, as traditional public networks often can’t handle the same demand.”

As the industry evolves, 5G and future technologies like 6G will drive the digital ecosystem within stadiums, enabling venues to attract brands and sponsors eager to connect with fans digitally. “With every new spectrum release, we unlock new possibilities,” says Griffiths. “Fans want to engage in more experiential, technology-enhanced ways, and venues that embrace this will stand out.”

For Orange Business, Extreme Networks, and Verizon, the mission is clear: to deliver innovative solutions that elevate the game-day experience. With 5G at the centre of this transformation, the future of live events looks smarter, more immersive, and more connected than ever.

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Billionaire entrepreneur Mike Repole—the mind behind Vitaminwater, BodyArmor, and now NoBull—joins Adam Breneman for one of the most raw and inspiring conversations we’ve had on Next Up. From growing up in Queens as the son of a waiter and a seamstress to selling companies for billions, Repole shares the unfiltered truth about what it takes to win—in business, in sports, and in life.

He opens up about his deep love for St. John’s basketball—the program that shaped his roots—and why he’s gone all in to help rebuild it into a national powerhouse with Rick Pitino at the helm. From NIL deals to the business of college sports, he breaks down why St. John’s success means so much more than just wins.