Entertainment, Media & Sports · Week of Oct 26, 2026

F1 weekends draw brand activations: the week in sports and media

Formula 1 weekends in Mexico City and Austin drew brand activations, while Nadal, Polaris and ASICS made athlete and research moves.

Nov 4, 2026 · The Playoff Times newsroom

1. VOLCAN DE MI TIERRA

   Volcan de mi Tierra Brings Mexican Craftsmanship Home as the Official Tequila of Formula 1® at the Formula 1 Gran Premio De La Ciudad De Mexico 2026

   Volcan de mi Tierra, which describes itself as a family co-owned luxury tequila brand, says it is the Official Tequila of Formula 1 at the Formula 1 Gran Premio De La Ciudad De Mexico 2026, with exclusive experiences at Gordon Ramsay at F1 La Terraza and F1 Paddock Club. The activation shows a Mexican brand using its F1 partnership at its home race.

2. 

   MGM Resorts International

   Tennis Legend Rafael Nadal Returns to The Court to Headline "The MGM Slam Presented by Capital One" Sunday, Feb. 28, 2027 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas

   MGM Resorts International says 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal will headline "The MGM Slam Presented by Capital One" on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2027 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Tickets go on sale Friday, Oct. 30 at 10 a.m. PT, according to the company.

3. 

   Brightstar Lottery PLC

   Brightstar Lottery's Cash Pop Game Launched in Canada with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation

   Brightstar Lottery PLC says Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation has launched its Cash Pop draw-based game. According to Brightstar, OLG is the first lottery jurisdiction in Canada to offer the game.

4. Pacsun

   PACSUN TAKES A VICTORY LAP IN AUSTIN WITH ITS BIGGEST FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX WEEKEND YET

   Pacsun says it closed out its fourth Formula 1 United States Grand Prix in Austin with its biggest race weekend yet. The retailer reports trackside sales have grown more than 177% since its first Austin pop-up in 2023, including a 19% increase in 2026.

5. 

   Polaris Inc.

   POLARIS SIGNS OFF-ROAD CHAMPION KYLE CHANEY TO MULTI-YEAR RACING AGREEMENT WITH RZR FACTORY RACING

   Polaris and RZR Factory Racing announced a multi-year agreement with off-road racer Kyle Chaney, whom the company describes as a multi-discipline champion. Polaris says Chaney's program will feature King of the Hammers and select U.S. off-road races.

6. 

   Artmarket.com

   Artprice by Artmarket: Defending Authors' Creative Freedom with AI

   Artmarket.com's Artprice published commentary on AI and authors' creative freedom during the fall 2026 literary season. It points to frequent statements from publishers and literary prize organizations on rejecting AI-generated writing, tolerating AI-assisted research and disclosure.

7. 

   TECNO

   Beyond the Label of Solo Motherhood: TECNO and Angélica Dass Launch the Philippines Portrait Gallery for 100 Portraits of Becoming

   TECNO and artist Angélica Dass launched the Philippines Portrait Gallery for their 100 Portraits of Becoming project in Manila. The gallery features 20 Filipinos whose lives intersect with solo motherhood, which the companies say shows roles and ambitions beyond a single label.

8. 

   ASICS

   ASICS Opens Its First Industry-Academia R&D Lab for Running Innovation with the University of Michigan

   ASICS and the University of Michigan opened the ASICS x Michigan Sport Innovation Center (AMSI) in Ann Arbor, which ASICS calls its first industry-academia R&D lab for running. The company says the center combines multidisciplinary research, athlete insight and innovation expertise for running product development.

This roundup is written with AI assistance from the press releases listed above, using only what they state. The releases are the companies' own announcements, not The Playoff Times reporting.