Key Points
- S&P Dow Jones Indices drops Nike from the S&P 100 before markets open on September 21. Dell, Palo Alto Networks, Arista Networks and SanDisk take the open slots.
- The Dodgers clinched their 14th straight postseason berth with a 4-1 win over Cincinnati on September 14, tying Atlanta's 1991–2005 record.
- Drake aired his "FOMO" (Fear of Missing Out) livestream on YouTube on September 15 and previewed a new song with Don Toliver.
- Profound, the New York company that tracks how brands show up in AI search answers, raised a $180 million Series D co-led by Sequoia Capital and Kleiner Perkins.
The Daily Briefing
Nike leaves the S&P 100 next Monday after nearly 18 years. The Dodgers tied an MLB record with their 14th straight playoff berth. Drake's "FOMO" rollout finally went live on YouTube. Profound raised $180 million less than seven months after its Series C. The Lions visit the Bills Thursday night.
Sneakers
Nike exits the S&P 100 on September 21, ending a run of nearly 18 years in the index. S&P Dow Jones Indices is adding Dell, Palo Alto Networks, Arista Networks and SanDisk in the same rebalance. Nike stays in the S&P 500. The index change follows a roughly $200 billion drop in Nike's market value from its peak.
On the release calendar, the Air Jordan 9 OG "Space Jam" drops Saturday, September 19. It comes in white leather and black suede, style code IX6179-100, and costs $215 for adults and $165 for grade-school sizes. The release marks the film's 30th anniversary, and pairs go through Nike SNKRS and select Jordan Brand retailers. For the rest of the week's drops, see Sneaker News' September 13–19 calendar.
Sports
The Dodgers clinched their 14th consecutive postseason berth with a 4-1 win over Cincinnati on September 14. That ties the record Atlanta set from 1991 to 2005. If Los Angeles makes the playoffs next season, it holds the record alone.
In the NFL, Week 3 opens Thursday, September 17: the Lions visit the Bills at Highmark Stadium at 8:15 p.m. ET on Prime Video. Kansas City comes in off a 31-10 Monday night win over Denver in Patrick Mahomes' return, covered in yesterday's roundup.
Culture
Drake's "FOMO" livestream aired on his YouTube channel on the night of September 15, and he previewed a new song with Don Toliver during the stream. Drake started teasing the project on August 12 with an Instagram post captioned "FOMO 2026." On August 21 he posted a CD case titled "Fear of Missing Out." No album release date had been confirmed at press time. The rollout comes three weeks after Authentic Brands Group bought 51% of Drake's OVO.
On the road, Logic and G-Eazy's Endless Summer Part II tour opened September 15 in Kansas City. It's their first co-headlining run since 2016. The 23-city tour stops in Wantagh, New York, and ends October 28 at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California.
Technology
Profound raised a $180 million Series D at a $1.8 billion valuation. The two-year-old New York company sells software that tracks how brands appear in AI-generated search answers. Sequoia Capital and Kleiner Perkins co-led the round, which closed less than seven months after a $96 million Series C.
At OpenAI, Sam Altman ruled out an IPO in 2026. He told Fortune that "right now would be an ill-advised moment to go public," given recent safety issues. In networking, Intel spinoff Cornelis Networks raised $205 million and introduced Active Compute Fabric, a GPU-agnostic networking layer for AI clusters.
Today on Uristocrat
Nike's S&P 100 exit is the business story sneaker readers should know this week. The company has been in the index since late 2008, and its roughly $200 billion drop in value cost it the spot. Read the full breakdown of Nike's S&P 100 exit.
Sneakers: Nike Exits the S&P 100 on September 21 After Nearly 18 Years and a $200 Billion Decline covers the replacements and what the move means for Nike's index weight.
Sports: Dodgers Clinch 14th Straight Playoff Berth, Tying the Braves' MLB Record recaps the win over Cincinnati.
Technology: Profound Raises $180 Million Series D at $1.8 Billion Valuation covers the round and the growing market for answer engine optimization.
The Uristocrat Store
Everything the Modern Culturalist needs, curated and ready. Shop the latest drops at The Uristocrat Store, from apparel to accessories built for the culture.
Comments