Just when the global record industry was jumping in the first half of this year because of the sale of Warner Records and the rumors of Apple's digital store, another sudden news also broke the peace of Hollywood Tungsten again.

Philip Anschutz surpassed AMC Cinemas through the merger and acquisition of three existing North American cinema companies, and formed a new No. 1 cinema chain in North America - "Imperial Entertainment Regal"!

Who is Philip Anschchutz?

If the West Coast forces represented by Sid and Jobs are representatives of the new rich in North America, then Philip Anschutz is the standard North American traditional rich.

His father used to make a fortune from oil, but in his generation, he was not interested in the family oil, but instead devoted himself to real estate and railways, and then he was passionate about sports and entertainment, and was the head of his AEG Group.

In 2000, Fortune magazine estimated his personal wealth at $16 billion, and although his personal assets have shrunk by more than half for various reasons ten years later, he is still one of the big predators behind the stirring of the sports and entertainment worlds.

And Philip Anschchutz's connection with the entertainment industry has long existed, and the Staples Center, the official venue of the Grammys, belongs to him, and he is also the majority shareholder of the NBA Lakers and a shareholder of the Los Angeles Galaxy Football Club.

Therefore, this time he entered the field of cinema chains in a big way, although it was somewhat unexpected, but it was reasonable.

In the process, Philip Anschutz acquired Regal Cinemas, headquartered in East Tennessee, Edards Theaters in California, and United Artists Theaters, which dates back to 1924.

The new "Emperor Entertainment Regal" is a cinema chain with more than 500 multiplex theaters, more than 6,000 screens, and according to industry evaluation, the average annual audience can reach more than 211 million people.

But, Sid knows that this seemingly menacing "Emperor Entertainment Regal" is actually not efficient, the average screen profit is low, and the total revenue is only 7% higher than the previous first and current second largest AMC theater chain.

Such a pattern, although the Imperial Entertainment Regal looks menacing, but its operating space is not large, only relying on the volume to win, although it can rely on the scale effect to produce a certain competitive effect on AMC.

However, for a film company like Fire Lion, because there are more competitors like Emperor Entertainment, AMC, the partner of cooperation, will pay more attention to strategic cooperation with them, so the establishment of Emperor Entertainment is a more powerful thing.

Moreover, Fire Lion still continues the exclusive agreement with AMC, so that it can not only maximize revenue through regional exclusive screening + rapid distribution, but also get the maximum number of premiere screens from AMC.

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In May in Los Angeles, California, the sun has begun to blow its tongue, and the Pacific monsoon has begun to wave its fists, showing the world the charm of summer.

After the sale of Warner Records for $3 billion, the buyer was neat, and the seller also made a lot of money.

And their chairman, Steve Case, and new director, Carl Icahn, even have the leisure to come to the golf club in Ranch Park downtown, and tee off on the endless, grassy golf course.

Of course, the two of them didn't just play for leisure today, but they actually had another meeting that allowed them to run to the golf club on their day off.

"Do you think they're going to make a fuss about what we did last time?" asked Steve Keys, a little worried.

"You mean about the public auction of Warner Records?" Carl Icahn looked at each other like fools, "Don't say they have no reason to challenge us, and even if they do, it's all a verbal agreement, and it doesn't count at all." ”

"Besides, we are also a publicly-owned company, and if we really sell the subsidiary privately, then we can't eat and walk around!" Karl Icahn's voice just fell.

Another voice rang out from time to time: "That's right, if you really sell the company privately, then you two should be in the prison of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the FBI now." ”

Even Carl Icahn was startled by the sudden sound, and he and Steve Keys looked back to see that it was Sid standing behind them with a smile.

"Hee, Sid!?" Steve Keys said, "You, why are you here?"

"Why, didn't we make an appointment to play golf? forgot about it so quickly?" Sid looked like he was playing golf in a casual polo shirt and white deerskin gloves on his hands.

"But, we're not ......" it was Steve Keys who remembered that they had originally met with Shirley Sandberg, COO of the Fire Lion Group.

After the dust settled on Warner Records, they were immediately "frightened" by the invitation sent by the Fire Lion Group.

It's not that they're afraid of the Fire Lion Group, but they were four points out of AOL Time Warner's plan, and Sid and Shirley are not only informed, but even matchmakers.

Therefore, even Steve Keys and Carl Icahn would never want to tear their faces apart, and today's golf meeting is actually a signal that they want to reconcile with the Fire Lions.

It's just that I didn't think that Shirley Sandberg didn't show up, but Sid, the big boss, ran over.

"Shirley is so busy at work, how can I be embarrassed to let her go to work on her days off. Sid said with a smile, then looked at the two old foxes opposite.

Sid's appearance was very sudden, but the golf still had to be played.

Steve Keys and Carl Icahn, one of them wanted to get by, the other didn't care, and a round of golf was played by three people with their own ghosts and absent-mindedness.

It wasn't until the three of them finished the game that Steve Keys secretly breathed a sigh of relief, which couldn't help but make Carl Icahn on the side secretly disdainful.

How can Steve Keys also be the chairman of a business predator like AOL Time Warner, and now he is actually suppressed by the aura of Sid, the boss of the fire lion, which is simply ugly.

In fact, this is Carl Icahn's mistake to blame Steve Case, as a man of the year who can squeeze President George W. Bush on the cover of Time magazine in the past, Steve Keys has certainly had his own peak in life.

It's just that with the bursting of the Internet bubble and the multiple blows of 911, AOL Time Warner has gone from being the darling of the era in the new millennium to a street rat that everyone shouts and beats.