Branca on Michael Jackson-Cirque deal

BEAT IT, JUST BEAT IT: Rack up another one for the estate team led by Branca, who has spent much of his career filling Jackson’s coffers with money. The Cirque deal, which lines up another potentially huge revenue source, goes down a month after the estate’s historic $250 million record contract with Sony, with more deals for M.J. products and attractions likely to come. The pact creates a joint venture between Cirque and the estate, with each entity owning half of the productions and splitting profits and costs, according to the announcement. In addition to profits from the production, the estate will earn royalties on the music used in the shows. As with the Beatles’ Love, the show will be accompanied by a Jackson-themed nightclub, and there will, of course, be tons of branded merch for sale. (4/21a)