A WARNING TO EVERY OOH COMPANY IN AMERICA: PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT’S HAPPENING IN INGLEWOOD. YOU COULD BE NEXT.
Today it’s WOW. Tomorrow it could be YOU.
By Scott Kranz, Founder and CEO of WOW Media
Let’s name names: Stan Kroenke, owner of the Los Angeles Rams and SoFi Stadium, and Steve Ballmer, the man behind Intuit Dome and the Kia Forum — two billionaires among the wealthiest men in America. Their affiliated companies challenged WOW’s agreement with the City of Inglewood.
THEY LOST IN TRIAL COURT.
But that didn’t stop them. Stadium-backed interests now push Measure BB, a ballot initiative to restrict commercial advertising on public rights-of-way.
AND HERE’S THE MOST OUTRAGEOUS PART.
Measure BB conveniently leaves the stadiums’ own advertising signs on private property untouched.
Their signs stay. Their advertising revenue stays. But competing municipal advertising goes.
You can’t make this stuff up.
WOW made a promise to the City of Inglewood — to be a partner in building a brighter future. A promise to invest and help the city prosper. We intend to keep that promise.
But some would rather break that promise, control the city, and bend it to their will — no matter the cost.
THAT’S JUST WRONG.
To every OOH operator — big or small — reading this:
YOU BETTER BELIEVE EVERY STADIUM OWNER, EVERY MAJOR DEVELOPER, AND EVERY POWERFUL COMMERCIAL INTEREST THAT VIEWS YOUR ADVERTISING AS COMPETITION IS WATCHING INGLEWOOD RIGHT NOW.
They’re watching to see if it works.
Because if billionaires can use their financial resources to challenge an advertising agreement, lose in trial court, and then attempt to change the rules through a ballot initiative, what’s stopping someone from using the same playbook in your market?
Your municipal contracts. Your billboard permits. Your transit shelters. Your digital displays. Your investments.
ALL OF IT COULD BE NEXT.
Make no mistake: Measure BB raises serious constitutional issues. If it passes, it will face legal challenges — all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court — if necessary. In the end, we are confident we will prevail.
But don’t miss the bigger picture.
This is not just about WOW. This is about the future of the entire OOH industry.
If this approach succeeds, it could become a blueprint for any well-funded commercial interest seeking to eliminate advertising competition outside its own gates.
No one is immune.
So pay very close attention to Inglewood.
Because the next time you see this playbook, it may not be in a Billboard Insider article.
IT MAY BE ON YOUR CITY COUNCIL’S AGENDA.
IT MAY BE ON YOUR LOCAL BALLOT.
AND IT MAY HAVE YOUR COMPANY’S NAME WRITTEN ALL OVER IT.
Make no mistake. Inglewood isn’t just a fight over billboards. It’s a test case — and the entire industry is being watched.
TODAY, THEY’RE COMING AFTER WOW.
TOMORROW, THEY MAY BE COMING AFTER YOU.
To receive a free morning newsletter with each day’s Billboard insider articles email info@billboardinsider.com with the word “Subscribe” in the title. Our newsletter is free and we don’t sell our subscriber list.
Paoid Advertisement
