Amazon's NFL Deal, Panera Buyout, And Comcast's Competitive New Wireless Plan

• (1:30) - Amazon NFL Live Streaming Package
• (5:55) - Panera Bread Bought Out
• (12:00) - Comcast Set To Release Wireless Phone Service
• (23:25) - Telecom Market Overview
• (29:30) - Episode Roundup: Podcast@zacks.com

On today’s episode of the Zacks Friday Finish Line, Content Writer Ryan McQueeney and Editor Maddy Johnson take on this week’s biggest story: Comcast’s new Xfinity Mobile plan and its implications on the entire telecom industry.

Make sure to subscribe and leave the show a rating on iTunes!

Before getting to this week’s main story, the hosts discussed the news that Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) has purchased the rights to stream 10 of the National Football League’s Thursday night games during the upcoming season.

Amazon dropped $50 million on the package, adding 10 NFL games to the growing list of Prime membership benefits. This is quite a bit more than Twitter (NYSE:TWTR) paid for the same deal last year, and it signals an important expansion of Amazon’s media department.

Read more here: Did Amazon Score a Touchdown with Its $50 Million NFL Deal?

Maddy and Ryan also discussed a massive acquisition in the fast-casual restaurant space this week. On Wednesday, bakery-café operator Panera Bread (NASDAQ:PNRA) announced that it was selling itself to JAB, a German conglomerate that owns Krispy Kreme and Caribou Coffee.

The hosts chatted about the success of Panera’s restaurant concept and debated how the brand fits into JAB’s unique portfolio, which also includes a few luxury apparel brands, such as Jimmy Choo.

Find more here: Panera Bread Stock Soars on Buyout from Krispy Kreme Owner

Finally, Maddy filled listeners in on everything they need to know about Comcast’s (NYSE:S) new Xfinity Mobile plan, a $45 per month unlimited data cellular service subscription that was recently announced by the cable provider.

The deal certainly has implications for every corner of the telecom industry, as wireless providers like Verizon (NYSE:VZ) , Sprint (NYSE:S) , AT&T (NYSE:T) , and T-Mobile (NYSE:T) now have new competition, while cable providers like Charter (NYSE:T) might want to take note of Comcast’s expansion.

Get the full details here: Everything You Need to Know About Comcast's Xfinity Mobile

As a reminder, if you feel that we missed something, or if you want us to cover a different story, shoot us an email at podcast@zacks.com. Make sure to check out all of our other audio content at zacks.com/podcast, and remember to subscribe and leave us a rating on iTunes.

As always, thanks for listening to this special edition of the Zacks Friday Finish Line, and check back for even more news from the investment and financial world!

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