🤝 “TikTaken” — TikTok (finally) sold. Diet Coke vs Coke Zero. Madison Square Garden 5.0. +Chimney Sweep Surge

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Best One Yet

Episode Title: 🤝 “TikTaken” — TikTok (finally) sold. Diet Coke vs Coke Zero. Madison Square Garden 5.0. + Chimney Sweep Surge

Date: January 26, 2026
Hosts: Jack Crivici-Kramer & Nick Martell

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Episode Overview

This lively, fast-paced episode of "The Best One Yet" delivers three big business stories designed for pop-biz enthusiasts. Nick and Jack discuss the long-awaited TikTok US sale, the subtle but massive shift from “diet” to “zero sugar” sodas, and New York City’s grand plans to renovate Penn Station—possibly requiring Madison Square Garden to move. Sprinkled throughout are memorable quips, pop culture analogies, and practical takeaways, all in the show’s upbeat and approachable style.

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Key Stories and Discussion Points

1. TikTok’s US Sale: “We Got the Chassis, China Kept the Engine”

Timestamps: 05:21 – 10:02

• Summary:
  After six years of legislative wrangling, TikTok’s US business has officially been sold to a consortium of mostly American investors, preventing a national ban.

• New Ownership Breakdown:

  • US consortium now owns 80%; ByteDance (China) retains 20%.
  • Major stakeholders: Oracle (15%, led by Larry Ellison), Silverlake (15%, private equity), MGX (15%, a Middle Eastern sovereign wealth fund), plus other investors like Michael Dell and several VCs. MrBeast was interested, but not included.
  • ByteDance, while a minority owner, still holds the largest single stake and a board seat.

• Valuation:

  • US TikTok valued at $14B (same as Snap)—seen by hosts as a “sweet deal.”

    “TikTok was on the TJ Maxx sale rack lately.” — Nick (06:47)

• Control & Controversy:

  • The US consortium got “the chassis,” but ByteDance essentially “kept the engine”—the underlying recommendation algorithm remains in China.
  • Oracle will house and audit TikTok’s source code on US servers, but the key algorithm is licensed from ByteDance.

    “We Americans got the chassis, but China is keeping the engine.” — Jack (09:57)

• Takeaway:

  • The sale satisfies the letter, not the spirit, of US security law. China can still influence what Americans see on TikTok.

    “It may follow the text of the law, but not the spirit of the law. Because the most important part of TikTok is not being sold at all. The algorithm.” — Jack (08:52)
    “Where’s the beef? Where’s the algo?” — Nick (10:02)

• Memorable Analogy:

  • Compared to a McDonald’s franchise paying HQ to use the Big Mac recipe.

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2. Soda Wars: Diet Coke vs. Coke Zero | “Boomers do diet, zoomers do zero”

Timestamps: 10:17 – 14:17

• Summary:
  The beverage world is shifting: Zero-sugar sodas are soaring among young consumers, while “diet” sodas fade, despite being nearly identical products.

• Key Data:

  • Diet Coke up 1% last year; Coke Zero up 5%.
  • Diet Pepsi down 4%; Pepsi Zero up 18%.

• Branding Tactics:

  • Companies (Pepsi, Dr. Pepper) are pouring marketing dollars into “Zero Sugar” lines.
  • Dr. Pepper expanded from a handful to 40 zero-sugar sodas in five years.

• Why the Change?

  • Host insight: “Boomers” embrace “diet” (conjuring Weight Watchers and calorie counting), but the term is “radioactive” to zillennials (the under-40 crowd focused on wellness, not diets).
  • “Diet is like Voldemort. You don’t say it.” — Nick (12:54)

• Functional Differences:

  • Dietary differences are negligible: both “diet” and “zero sugar” are calorie-free and nearly identical in ingredients.
  • Coke Zero is “a little tamer on the aspartame, but 99% Diet Coke.” — Jack (11:45)

• Pop Culture Comparison:

  • Compared to The Parent Trap: Two products, “same DNA, just different outfits.” — Jack (11:54)

• Takeaway:

  • Consumer perception, surface branding, and “psychonomics” outweigh actual product differences in shaping sales success.

    “If a brand is a book, we have to judge it by its cover.” — Nick (13:34)

  • Extends to other consumer choices: YouTube thumbnails, lip gloss weight, etc.

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3. Penn Station & MSG: The $7.5 Billion Real Estate Domino

Timestamps: 15:24 – 20:04

• Summary:
  After decades of decay, New York’s Penn Station—currently America’s busiest transit hub—may finally be rebuilt, but only if Madison Square Garden (sitting atop the station) relocates.

• New Plans:

  • Three redevelopment proposals led by Amtrak; “Grand Penn Grand Plan” would revive classical architecture and add public parks and a new grand transit hall.
  • Design inspired by the original Penn Station’s “ancient Roman riz.” (17:43)

• The MSG Problem:

  • The arena’s columns make Penn under cramped, “subterranean Hunger Games” conditions for 107M annual passengers.
  • To proceed, MSG must move to a vacant lot (the demolished Hotel Pennsylvania site).

• Political Momentum:

  • President Trump, a NY real estate mogul, is pushing the project for legacy reasons.

• Financials:

  • Estimated $7.5B cost (for both MSG’s move and new Penn Station)—framed as “pocket change” compared to other government bailouts. (18:42)

• Stock Market Angle:

  • MSG Entertainment, owner of Madison Square Garden, “owns the veto”—the project can’t proceed without their consent and a multi-billion dollar payout.

    “In real estate, it’s all about the veto.” — Jack (19:08)

  • Arena to get brand new home and an even bigger payout.

• Takeaway:

  • Property rights, not public desire, will dictate if Penn Station is reborn.
  • “Madison Square Garden owns the veto to renovate Penn Station, and that veto is very valuable.” — Jack (20:04)

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Additional Noteworthy Segments

Chimney Sweep Surge (01:54 – 02:54)

• Unexpected business winner during winter storms: chimney sweepers; UK association membership up 27% in 5 years due to high energy prices.

  “The hottest new job is literally hot.” — Nick (01:58) “2026 is the biggest year for chimney sweepers since Charles Dickens.” — Jack (02:36)

Lightning News Round (20:52+)

• Tom Holland (Spider-Man) and Yeti John Herman’s non-alcoholic beer, Beero, reaches $100M valuation and partnerships with Aston Martin, Barry’s Bootcamp.
• USPS wants to glam up its image with help from an ad agency, even redesigning post office lobbies.
• French sunglasses startup Maison Henri Julien wins big after President Macron wears their glasses at Davos, causing €4M in new sales.

Best Fact Yet: MSG Trivia (22:22 – 22:54)

• Madison Square Garden’s current building is its fourth iteration; a move would make it MSG 5.0.

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Selected Quotes & Moments

TikTok Story

• “For the TikTok sale, where’s the algorithm?” — Jack (08:37)
• “Like a McDonald’s franchise paying McDonald’s corporate to license the Big Mac.” — Nick (09:50)

Soda Wars

• “Boomers have embraced the word diet ever since Diet Coke was invented in 1982.” — Jack (12:09)
• “For anyone under the age of 40, diet is a radioactive term.” — Jack (12:46)

Penn Station & MSG

• “If you enter NY through Grand Central, you feel like royalty; if you enter through Penn Station, you feel like a rat.” — Nick (16:09)
• “The only way this plan happens is if MSG moves across the street…” — Jack (18:03)
• “That veto is very, very, very valuable.” — Nick (20:44)

Chimney Sweeps

• “Mary Poppins level pop over there.” — Jack (02:40)

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Key Timestamps

• 05:21 – TikTok US Sale: Who really controls TikTok now?
• 10:17 – Diet Soda vs Zero Sugar: Why do labels matter so much?
• 15:24 – Penn Station Renovation: Can it happen without moving MSG?
• 01:54 – Chimney Sweep Surge: Unexpected industry winner
• 20:52 – Quick news on Beero, USPS, and luxury sunglasses
• 22:22 – Best Fact Yet: MSG has moved three times before

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Tone & Style

Nick and Jack keep a playful, fast-moving, often irreverent tone loaded with cultural references, dad jokes, and puns. Their banter is accessible but informative, designed to make listeners feel in-the-know and ready to share these business takes at any brunch table.

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This episode brings you the essential pop-biz news with insights you wouldn’t get from the headlines alone, all delivered in the best one yet.

Transcript

[A]

This is Nick, this is Jack. Welcome back. It is Monday, January 26th and today's pod is the best one yet. This is a T boy, the top.

[B]

Three pop business news stories you need to know today.

[A]

Jack, I got another update for you. You know my birthday wish was for guac to be free.

[B]

Uh huh.

[A]

And then some YETI sent us a gift certificate for free guac.

[B]

Amazing.

[A]

We just got a DM from Chipotle for free. Guacamole, my friend.

[B]

Seriously?

[A]

Yeah, they're yetis over at Chipotle. They just broke the laws of economic and made guac not extra for us.

[B]

That is a first ever. They've never done this for anybody.

[A]

Nick. Chipotle, thank you for the warm capitalist hugs, Jack. Three fantastic stories for today's show. What do we got on the tea boy?

[B]

For our first story, TikTok has finally officially been sold. But while the US got the chassis, China kept the engine.

[A]

Because the M and a of TikTok's US business actually stands for messy and ambiguous.

[B]

For our second story, why are zero sugar sodas surging while diet sodas, pretty much the same thing, are dying?

[A]

Well, because boomers do diet, zoomers do zero.

[B]

And our third and final story, Harry Styles is performing at Madison Square Garden for 30 shows starting in May.

[A]

Lovely.

[B]

Unless the Garden gets moved.

[A]

Get this, Penn station is coming back and MSG is getting the boot.

[B]

But yetis, before we hit that wonderful mix of stories.

[A]

What a mix of stories to kick off the week. Love the mix.

[B]

Jack, welcome back from an outrageously cold weekend.

[A]

I mean Jack, I'm checking the numbers here. One half of the US was hit with some kind of SN or ice or wintry friggin mix.

[B]

The high on Saturday here in Vermont was negative four the high. And I'm not talking about a wind chill.

[A]

Jack had to wear three yak sweaters. I saw a picture of it. He's like a giant meatball.

[B]

But Nick and I were at business show and we found one surprise winner of the biggest snowstorm in like maybe ever.

[A]

It's actually one of the oldest industries, is it not Jack?

[B]

Chimney sweepers.

[A]

Chimney sweepers. The hottest new job is literally hot.

[B]

According to the New York Times, the profession of chimney cleaning is surging over in London.

[A]

Get this, the Chimney Sweepers association membership is up 27% in the last five years.

[B]

And the reason is high and volatile energy prices.

[A]

Just last week, with that storm on its way, natural gas prices rose 75%.

[B]

In the US and when prices pop, you search for a cheaper substitute.

[A]

Grab the marshmallows, honey. You pivot to the fireplace if you got one.

[B]

The wood stove in Europe in particular, Russian gas is no longer a reliable heat source.

[A]

So those Londonites are going all in again on logs.

[B]

That's why 2026 is the biggest year for Chimney Swee since Charles Dickens.

[A]

I mean, we're getting a Mary Poppins level. Pop over there. Jack.

[B]

Chim chimney chim. Chimney chim chim.

[A]

Drew.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Congratulations to Dick Van Dyke.

[B]

Still living, by the way.

[A]

Not too shabby.

[B]

Still chimney sweeping, I think too.

[A]

So in this economy, a chimney. It's a profit buffet. Jack. Let's hear that free story.

[D]

Fifteen years before this song, two boys from the Northeast met in the dorm. They had an idea to cause a cultural storm. It's the best one yet, but the best is the norm. Jack the Nick. That's it. I don't even think they need to practice. 50%, that's a fat tip. T Boy city on your at list. If you know, you know. Cause we read to go. We can't wait no more.

[A]

So just start the show.

[D]

Start the show.

[A]

First, a quick word from our sponsor.

[C]

This is Paige Desorbo from Gigli Squad. Boost Mobile gives you the same network coverage, speed and service you're used to, just at a more affordable price. Why pay more if you don't have to? Offering reliable nationwide coverage backed by a 30 day money back guarantee. Love your service or get your money back, no questions asked. Visit your nearest Boost Mobile store or head to boostmobile.com to learn more. After 30 gigabytes, customers may experience slower speeds. Customers who cancel within 30 days of activation will have Boost service fees refunded activation fees if applicable, and phone payments will not be refunded.

[E]

Lunch was great, but this traffic is awful. Um, can we stop at a bathroom? Are you alright? I keep having stomach issues after eating.

[C]

Like diarrhea, gas and bloating, abdominal pain.

[E]

And sometimes oily stools. Sound familiar? Those stomach issues may actually be a pancreas issue called exocrine pancreatic insufficiency or epi. Creon. Pancrelipase may help manage epi. Creon is a prescription medicine used to treat people who can't digest food normally because their pancreas doesn't make enough enzymes.

[F]

Creon may increase your chance of fibrosing colonopathy, a rare bowel disorder. Tell your doctor if you have a history of intestinal blockage or scarring or thickening of your bowel wall, if you are allergic to pork, or if you have gout kidney problems or worsening of painful swollen joints. Call your doctor if you have any unusual or severe gastrointestinal symptoms or allergic reactions. Take Creon's by your doctor and always with food. Do not chew capsules, as this may cause mouth irritation. Other side effects may include blood sugar changes, gas, dizziness, sore throat, and cough. These are not all the side effects of Creon. Call 800-633-9110 or visit creoninfo.com to learn more. That's C R E o-ninfo.com I'm asking.

[E]

My doctor about epi and if Creon could help.

[A]

For our first story, it's final and official. TikTok's US business is now American owned. TikTok will not be be banned.

[B]

We'll tell you who the new owners of TikTok are and if they're actually in charge or not yetis the President.

[A]

Of the United States, the House of Representatives, the US Senate, and all nine Supreme Court justices agree on one thing.

[B]

TikTok cannot be legal in the United States if it continues to be owned by China.

[A]

Well, now, six years into this TikTok saga, TikTok US is not owned by China anymore as of last week.

[B]

That's the big news. TikTok announced that they have separated off their US business and sold 80% of it to non Chinese investors.

[A]

ByteDance, a Chinese tech company that owned TikTok, is keeping 20%, but they're giving the other 80% to mostly American investors.

[B]

They're giving the other 80% to the consortium. Duh.

[C]

Duh.

[A]

The consortium. I feel like we need a music thing there. Jack.

[B]

The consortium is made up of billionaire investors mostly connected to the Trump White House. And they got a sweet deal.

[A]

We say they got a sweet deal here because they got to buy 80% of TikTok's American business at a $14 billion valuation. Jack, can you sprinkle on some context?

[B]

14 billion. That's the same valuation as Snap. It feels to me like TikTok is more valuable than Snap.

[A]

It's basically one lift if we look at the numbers.

[B]

Jack so what happened here is this consortium, they basically got offered to buy Apple stock, but at a huge discount to Apple stock's actual price.

[A]

TikTok was on the TJ Maxx sale rack lately, but. Jack, pause the pod for a second. When you mentioned the consortium, I'm envisioning like a team of characters in Star wars. The consortium, like what do we mean by the consortium that bought TikTok?

[B]

Leading the pack is Oracle which is owned by Larry Ellison.

[A]

Besties, of course, you know Larry Ellison. In the news for buying Paramount for his son and now trying to buy Warner Brothers Discovery as well.

[B]

Well, now his tech company, Oracle, will house and audit TikTok source code on its US located data servers.

[A]

Okay, so we got Oracle owning 15% of TikTok US and Silverlake, a random private equity firm in California, they own another 15. 15% of American TikTok.

[B]

Oh, you want random? How about MGX, a Middle Eastern sovereign wealth fund? They're going to get 15% of TikTok US as well.

[A]

All right, so Jack, let me whip out the whiteboard and calculator here. 3 times 15%. That's 45%, Jack. Who owns the other 55% of American TikTok?

[B]

We didn't get exact percentages of the rest of the investors, but they include.

[A]

Michael Dell, billionaire founder of dell computers, and VC firms like Susquehanna, General Atlantic and seven other VCs who previously had invested in China. Is ByteDance Mr.

[B]

Beast, the YouTube star. He tossed his hat publicly in the ring and said he'd love to own a piece of TikTok. He got left out.

[A]

Ah, looks like he got left out.

[B]

Now, ironically, the biggest owner of TikTok US today.

[A]

Who is it, Jack? Still ByteDance. It's ByteDance from China.

[B]

Their 20% is bigger than all the other investors and they get to keep one seat on the board of the company.

[A]

Besties. Like we said at the top of the pod, in this case, M and A doesn't stand for mergers and acquisitions.

[B]

It stands for messi and ambiguous. Especially because of our takeaway.

[A]

T. Boy, VC got left out of the deal too. So, Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over at American TikTok?

[B]

Remember that burger King catchphrase, where's the beef? Well, for the TikTok sale, where's the algorithm?

[A]

Yetis this sale of TikTok US to prevent TikTok getting banned. It may follow the text of the law, but not the spirit of the law.

[B]

Because the most important part of TikTok is not being sold at all. The algorithm. The algorithm that remains in Beijing.

[A]

Now reminder why China owning TikTok was a problem in the first place. It's because of propaganda.

[B]

China is the most sophisticated propagandist the world has ever seen, and they were in charge of Americans media diet. The for you page, which we scroll for like four hours a day.

[A]

But Jack, it appears China is still in charge of that media outlet algorithm situation. TikTok's press release actually said Oracle will secure the algorithm.

[B]

It also said that the US entity will have the power to moderate, I.e. take down content from TikTok it doesn't like.

[A]

But the key here is still the algorithm which determines what you see next and is the reason people like TikTok in the first place. It's still made in China.

[B]

TikTok US will pay ByteDance to use their algorithm. That's the situation here. Like a McDonald's franchise paying McDonald's corporate to license the Big Mac.

[A]

You know what, besties? Lindsey Graham, the senator summed it up. Well, we've gone round and round and ended up not too far from where we started.

[B]

Because if TikTok is a car, we Americans got the chassis, but China is keeping the engine.

[A]

Where's the beef? Where's the algo? For our second story, there's a new business battle brewing between diet soda and zero sugar. Soda boomers love one, zillennials love the other, but they're pretty much the same thing.

[B]

Diet Coke versus Coke Zero sugar. This is the parent trap of branding.

[A]

Ah, besties, whip out the calendars. We got 13 days till the super bowl in San Francisco, but we already know one commercial we're gonna see on TV and one that we won't.

[B]

Diet Pepsi will not have a Super bowl commercial this year. Pepsi Zero will.

[A]

And the reason? Well, Pepsi's CEO put it this way. We've gone all in on zero sugar.

[B]

A majority of Pepsi's marketing budget this year is going to their zero sugar branded sodas.

[A]

We're talking Pepsi zero Sugar, Mountain Dew, zero Sugar Crush, Orange Soda zero sug.

[B]

Across the soda aisle. The words zero sugar are everywhere right now.

[A]

We talk about our buddies over at Dr. Pepper. What's going on with Dr. P, Jack.

[B]

Keurig, Dr. Pepper owns a bunch of soda brands and five years ago they had zero with the word zero sugar on the can.

[A]

Today, Dr. Pepper has 40 different soda brands with the word zero on that label.

[B]

And the reason is in these numbers. Diet Coke Sales are up just 1% in the last year, but Coke Zero sales are up 5%.

[A]

Diet Pepsi sales are down 4% in the last year, but Pepsi Zero sales are up 18%.

[B]

But yet, just so we're clear here, both Diet Pepsi and Pepsi Zero, they're both calorie free, they both use artificial sugar imitators and they're nutritionally 100% the same exact product plot twist here.

[A]

It's basically the same thing. Yeah, there's a slight difference in taste, but like, okay, come on, come on, come on, come on.

[B]

Coke. Zero sugar is a little tamer on the aspartame, but it's 99% Diet Coke.

[A]

I mean, when Jack and I are looking at the strategy here, it's like the plot of the Parent Trap with Lindsay Lohan, right, Jack?

[B]

Yeah, these two are the same. Same DNA, just different outfits.

[A]

Do you want the Napa lifestyle or the London lifestyle? I can never decide, Jack. But here's what we find fascinating. Yetis, it turns out there is a huge generational divide in terms of which soda label you actually reach for.

[B]

Boomers have embraced the word diet ever since Diet Coke was invented in 1982.

[A]

But that word diet, it's kind of like a different era, right, Jack?

[B]

It conjures images of Weight watchers, calorie counting, Jane Fonda fitness videos, just like a life of, I don't know, scarcity and restraint.

[A]

Yeah, if you were born in the 80s or 90s, like your mom definitely had an entire cabinet of snack wells. The diet snack wells, you know what we're talking about.

[B]

But zero sugar, on the other hand, resonates with zillennials who are wellness minded.

[A]

Zillennials. You're not doing diets and you're not counting calories out there.

[B]

Instead, after Pilates, you're checking your oura ring to see your blood sugar levels.

[A]

As one marketing executive put it, besties diet is a radioactive term for anyone under the age of 40.

[B]

Diet is like Voldemort.

[A]

You don't say it. And that's why over Thanksgiving, your parents fridge was filled with soy sauce packets and 2 liters of diet Coke.

[B]

Meanwhile, your roommate has a jar of hot honey in their fridge and a 12 pack of zero sugar.

[A]

Pepsi gets me every time. It's a giveaway. So Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over in the soda wars?

[B]

Man, if a brand is a book, we very much judge it by its cover.

[A]

Okay, so Yeti's Diet and Zero Sugar, they're almost identical products, and yet totally different performance and totally different customer bases.

[B]

I think it's crazy how we consumers can be so turned off by the word diet, Even though it's 95% the same as the word zero, which we love.

[A]

But the truth is, because of consumer psychology psychonomics, we don't drink liquid, we drink the label. And that actually goes way beyond just soda.

[B]

It's a reminder to all of us that for quick consumer decisions like what soda to grab, we make surface level decisions.

[A]

Yeah, like you watch a YouTube video based on a tiny thumbnail picture or you buy a lip gloss brand based on its weight when you hold it in your hand.

[B]

The truth is we're unfair, uninformed on these things. So if a brand is a book, we have to judge it by its cover.

[A]

It's the same in politics, right Jack? Like the same issue presented with different words can provoke very different reactions from people.

[B]

The diet versus zero soda divide. It's a reminder that if a brand is a book, we very much judge it by its cover.

[A]

Now, a quick word from our sponsor.

[E]

Lunch was great, but this traffic is awful. Um, can we stop at a bathroom? Are you alright? And keep having stomach issues after eating.

[C]

Like diarrhea, gas and bloating, abdominal pain.

[E]

And sometimes oily stools. Sound familiar? Those stomach issues may actually be a pancreas issue called exocrine pancreatic insufficiency or epi. Creon pancrelipase may help manage epi. Creon is a prescription medicine used to treat people who can't digest food normally because their pancreas doesn't make enough enzymes.

[F]

Creon may increase your chance of fibrosing colonopathy, a rare bowel disorder. Tell your doctor if you have a history of intestinal blockage or scarring or thickening of your bowel wall, if you are allergic to pork, or if you have gout, kidney problems or worsening of painful swollen joints. Call your doctor if you have any unusual or severe gastrointestinal symptoms or allergic reactions. Take Creon as directed by your doctor and always with food. Do not chew capsules, as this may cause mouth irritation. Other side effects may include blood sugar changes, gas, dizziness, sore throat and cough. These are not all the side effects of Creon. Call 800-633-9110 or visit creoninfo.com to learn more. That's creoninfo.com I'm asking my doctor about.

[C]

Epi and if Creon could help.

[A]

How do you turn a bold dream into a disruptive reality?

[E]

Hear from tech, healthcare and life science.

[A]

Leaders who are doing it.

[E]

This is from Dreamers to Disruptors, a metadata podcast.

[A]

Subscribe wherever you listen. For our third and final story, New York's Penn Station, the most trafficked transit hub in America, is on the brink of finally getting renovated.

[B]

The new Penn Station.

[C]

Glow up.

[B]

Looks incredible.

[A]

It's a glam up baby.

[B]

But the stock market winner is actually Madison Square Garden.

[A]

Oh yeah, it is. You've seen it, you felt it. If you enter New York City through Grand Central Terminal, you feel like A royalty.

[B]

If you enter New York City through Penn Station, you feel like a rat.

[A]

Yeah, because when New York demolished the old Penn station back in 1963, and my dad has still never forgiven him for it, it was a crime against humanity.

[B]

Penn Station's replacement, which we still have today, makes 107 million transit passengers a year. Feel like they're in some kind of a subterranean Hunger Games.

[A]

Hey, Amtrak. I volunteer myself as tribute.

[B]

Nick, you're in survival mode down there.

[A]

Oh, it's every commuter for themselves, Jack. For decades, city leaders have tried and failed to redo Penn Station, but continually failed.

[B]

A big reason. Madison Square Garden, which was built on top of the new Penn Station, in place of the old Penn station.

[A]

You see Yetis, the world's most famous arena, actually requires 1,000 columns to support that arena.

[B]

That's why Penn Station, which is underneath it, feels so cramped. All those columns are holding up the Garden right above it.

[A]

But here's the the political planets appear to be finally financially aligning, largely because of President Trump.

[B]

The New York City real estate tycoon wants to leave a legacy on the city, so he's prioritizing a Penn Station glam up like no other president has before.

[A]

And we dove in T boy style. Last week, Amtrak named three finalists to redevelop Penn Station from top to bottom. This is the project of a generation.

[B]

And the most exciting of the three plans is called Grand Penn Grand Plan.

[A]

And honestly, the plans are Napoleonically grand. Napoleonically. I'm gonna go with that one, Jack. It's a rebirth of classical architecture inspired by the original Penn Station. It looks fantastic.

[B]

It looks kind of like the Coliseum.

[A]

Oh, yeah, it's got a ancient Roman riz, Jack. That's what it's got.

[B]

The plan also calls for a public park and a grand commuter train hall for the passengers, all above the ground, not below the ground. But.

[A]

Pause the pod, Jack. I'm no architect, but if there's gonna be a grand public park in a grand tr. What's there right now, man, Madison Square Garden is there.

[B]

So the only way this plan happens is if this famous basketball and hockey arena moves across the street to a giant vacant lot where the Hotel Pennsylvania used to stand until it was recently demolished.

[A]

That's the key. Nothing can change about the current Penn Station as long as MSG is squadding on top of it.

[B]

And with the famous basketball and hockey arena out of the way, that would open up America's biggest development opportunity.

[A]

Which leads me, Jack, to the paycheck. What is the cost of this. Where is the bill? How are we doing this?

[B]

It's up there. The cost is estimated at seven and a half billion dollars for moving the arena and building the news station.

[A]

Okay, but yeah, considering President Trump's administration just gave Argentina a $20 billion bailout, seven and a half billion feels like, you know, pocket change. Billions right here, man.

[B]

Which leads to the interesting stock market angle here.

[A]

And what is that?

[B]

The winner. If this happens. This is Madison Square Garden.

[A]

Madison Square Garden. Not on Madison Avenue. A circle, not a square. And no gardens on the premises. So, Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over at msg?

[B]

In real estate, it's all about the veto.

[A]

Yetis America's law and order holds property right, right up there with life and liberty as the most important thing.

[B]

And Madison Square Garden Entertainment, the $7 billion publicly traded company, owns the arena that is blocking this megaproject.

[A]

And only, only if they agree to move across the street will the new Penn Station ever become a reality.

[B]

That's why regardless of which developer and which plan gets chosen by Amtrak and the Trump White House, it will only happen if MSG Entertainment gets a humongous check, like billions of dollars and gets.

[A]

A brand new arena in the world's richest city and capital of live entertainment.

[B]

Msge, as it's called, is already one of the greatest entertainment stocks.

[A]

I mean, totally, Jack.

[B]

They own the New York KN Rangers, and they're hosting Harry Styles for 30 shows this year starting in May.

[A]

But Madison Square Garden also owns the veto to renovate Penn Station, and that.

[B]

Veto is very valuable.

[A]

Jack, could you whip up the takeaways for us to kick off the week?

[B]

TikTok US is not owned by China anymore. It's owned by a consortium of mostly US investors.

[A]

Burger King asks, where's the beef? We're asking where's the alcohol go. Because it. It's actually still in China.

[B]

For our second story, Diet Coke is out. Coke 0 is in, 99%. Same product, very different consumer reaction.

[A]

Yeah, it's like the parent trap. If brands are books, we very much read them by the COVID And our.

[B]

Third and final story is Penn Station. It could finally get renovated, bringing it back to its old glory for seven and a half billion dollars, but only.

[A]

If MSG agrees to move across the street. That veto is very, very, very valuable.

[B]

But besties, this pod's not over yet. Here's what else you need to know today.

[A]

First perfect finale to dry January, Jack. Tom Holland, the Spider man actor, is now a British beer mogul. And so is his Co founder, a yeti fan of the pot, John Herman.

[B]

His non alcoholic beer brand, Beero just hit a $100 million valuation.

[A]

Beero. They had 10 million bucks in sales in their first year. Now they're doing 30 million bucks for fancy fake beer.

[B]

Speaking of fancy, they've partnered with Aston Martin in Barry's boot camp.

[A]

Non alk beers. Getting some sex appeal out there.

[B]

Second, the United States Postal Service is hiring an agency to try to glam up their image.

[A]

According to adage, it is a wild and wide ranging opportunity. Not just doing USPS ads. Right, Jack Newman.

[B]

The Postal Service wants to emphasize how it uses AI and show that it works with rivals like Amazon.

[A]

They even want you to redesign the post office lobby. They're looking for a mail in. Glam up, because when you control the.

[B]

Mail, you control information. And finally, the biggest winner from Davos is a small French sunglasses startup.

[A]

That's right, because French president Emmanuel Macron had a sore eye, so he wore aviator style glasses while giving speeches at the Davos events.

[B]

Turns out they're made by Maison Henri Julien, a small French brand that sells them for €700.

[A]

And all that attention on the French president drove 4 million bucks in sunglass shade sales. Now time for the best fact yet. This one, because it's Monday, is T boy. Trivia, Jack, you're the trivia master. What do we got?

[B]

It's about Madison Square Garden. Self proclaimed nickname, right? What do they call it? The most glorious arena on the planet or something?

[A]

It's the world's most famous arena and I think you just got banned by James Dolan because of that, Jack.

[B]

True.

[A]

So Madison Square Garden. Not on Madison Avenue. It's not square and it is not a garden. But the question trivia here is how many Madison Square Gardens have there been?

[B]

This isn't the first or the second or the third.

[A]

Nope.

[B]

It's actually the fourth Madison Square Garden.

[A]

That's right. Madison Square Garden has moved three times. This is the fourth. And a new one would actually be the fifth. Msg.

[B]

Get this. Before it moved to the current location, it was actually on 49th Street.

[A]

It was uptown. It came downtown.

[B]

I don't know if 49th Street's uptown.

[A]

But yetis, you are looking fantastic to kick off the week, Jack and I will be with you here every day to make you the most interesting person in the room. But. But we also want to meet you in a room, don't we, Jack? Yes, we do.

[B]

And we're coming to New York City on April 8th and to Washington D.C. on March 11th, March 11th.

[A]

We've already sold out our live shows in Austin and Los Angeles. We would love to see you in D.C. and New York. Grab your tickets. We got a link in the episode.

[B]

Description and Nick and I will see you tomorrow.

[A]

If you know, you know. And before we go, a Happy Birthday to Tariq Abiola. Turn it Eight years old in Milton, Ontario, the first son of Usman and Bimpe brother Otto is pumped.

[B]

Happy Birthday to ashita swami turning 9 years old up in lakeville, Minnesota and.

[A]

Samantha c. Happy birthday down in Santa clarita, California.

[B]

Happy birthday to Trevor Baldwin in Birmingham.

[A]

And Austin Jacobs got the big 32 down in San Jose.

[B]

Happy Birthday to Caroline Mountain over in.

[A]

Sierra Leone and Christy and Tim enjoy the anniversary celebrating in the big oh.

[B]

Ohio and a huge congratulations. Congratulations to Jana Embry from Kyiv, Ukraine who got promoted to Director of Customer Success and is moving to San Francisco.

[A]

Jana, you're gonna have a blast.

[B]

And to anyone else celebrating something today, make it a T boy.

[A]

Celebrate the win.

[D]

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