NYSportsJournalism.com - NFL Adds Berlin In '25, Building Global Footprint

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NEWS REAL

• CNN: Ozzy Osbourne, the hellraising frontman of Black Sabbath and reality TV star, died Tuesday, his family shared.

He was 76 (Dec. 3, 1948-July 22, 2025).

A statement from the Osbourne family reads: “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”

No cause of death was given, though Osbourne had experienced various forms of ill health in recent years.

Often referred to as the Godfather of Heavy Metal, Osbourne preferred his other “title,” The Prince of Darkness.

On July 5, Osbourne reunited with his original bandmates in the pioneering group Black Sabbath for the first time since 2005, for Back to the Beginning innVilla Park, Birmingham.

Osbourne leaves behind his wife Sharon, three children from his first marriage, and three with Sharon; Jack, Kelly and Aimee. (Full story here.)

• The WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis July 19 drew an average of 2.19 million viewers on ABC-TV, a 36% drop from last year’s record viewership number, according to industry analysts, but was only the second WNBA All-Star Game to draw more than 2 million viewers. The 2024 All-Star Game with then-rookie Clark and the WNBA All-Star team va. the USA Olympic team drew a record 3.44 million viewers. This year’s WNBA Starry 3-Point Contest and Kia WNBA Skills Challenge July 18 averaged 1.3 million viewers, a record for that event.

WNBA Sky Alliance Confronts Online Attacks

• AP Sports: The NBA may finally be one step closer on the long road to expansion.

Saying owners have a “curiosity” about the notion, Commissioner Adam Silver said Tuesday that the league will now study the issue more formally as part of an in-depth analysis, which would be the first official move in a long process toward adding franchises.

There’s no timetable for how long the process will take, nor have any decisions been made on what the expansion fee will be, when the new teams will start play — or even if expansion is going to actually happen. (Full story here.)

• Aliyah Boston of the WNBA Indiana Fever has become an investor in the NWSL Boston Legacy, scheduled to debut in 2026. Boston said vithe team, "This city helped raise me, and the support I felt here shaped so much of who I am. I couldn't be more excited to have the opportunity to invest into a franchise that's building something special for its players, for the city, and for women's sports as a whole." The club also unveiled the development of a privately funded $27 million performance center in Brockton, MA.

• Special Olympics and Nike have signed a three-year global partnership to extend their longtime collaboration to create access to sport for all youth. This global phase of the partnership elevates and expands upon Nike's more than two decades of support of Special Olympics Oregon, recent support of Special Olympics Berlin and grants to other local programs.

• CBS Sports: The NCAA Tournament is remaining at 68 teams — for now.

Both the NCAA Division I men's and women's basketball committees met this week to discuss potentially expanding the NCAA Tournament field beyond its current 68-team format. Remaining at 68 or expanding to either 72 or 76 teams before 2026 or 2027 was on the table, but ultimately nothing was decided,according to NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt.

"The NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Basketball Committees met this week, with the men's meeting taking place in Savannah and the women's meeting in Philadelphia," Gavitt said in a statement. "The topic of expanding the field for each championship was discussed at length but no decision or recommendation was made. The still viable outcomes include the tournaments remaining at 68 teams or expanding the fields to either 72 or 76 teams in advance of the 2026 or 2027 championships." (Full story here.)

• AP Sports: An independent investigation found that Bay FC coach Albertin Montoya did not violate the National Women’s Soccer League’s anti-harassment, discrimination and bullying policy, but found shortcomings in his communication style.

The investigation stemmed from a report in the San Francisco Chronicle in March that described a “toxic” work environment. At least two formal complaints had been made about the team, the newspaper reported. (Full story here.)

NWSL Unveils ’26 Schedule

• The Seattle Storm, in partnership with Climate Pledge Arena, said a statue honoring WNBA legend and Hall of Famer Sue Bird is scheduled to be unveiled Aug. 17. The Storm said they would be the first franchise in WNBA history to dedicate a statue to a former player. Current Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson’s statue at the University of South Carolina to honor her time at the school. A free FanFest will follow the unveiling and precede the “Forever Sue” game later that day when the Storm host the Phoenix Mercury.

“Sue’s legacy isn’t just written in championships—it’s woven into the fabric of Seattle,” Storm president and CEO Alisha Valavanis said via the team. “Her leadership transcended basketball and helped shape a cultural shift—one that expanded who gets to lead, who gets seen and who gets celebrated.”

• The International Ice Hockey Federation said it finalized a “landmark agreement confirming the participation of NHL players in the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. This agreement, which has also opened the door for participation of NHL players in the Olympic Winter Games French Alps 2030, officially marks the return of NHL players to the Olympic stage for the first time since the Olympic Winter Games 2014 in Sochi, Russia."

According to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman via the IIHF, “Olympic participation will showcase the skill and talent of NHL players on an international stage. We are proud to collaborate with the IIHF, NHLPA, and IOC to bring the best hockey players in the world to the Olympics and make this happen in a way that benefits the game globally.”

MLB, Partners Plan Speedway Classic Fan Zone

Dodgers Donate $1M To Support Local Immigrants

Saquon Gets NFL Madden 26 Covers

Barkley No. 1 On NFLPA Year-End Sales List

NFL Seeks Responsible Gaming Among College Athletes, Students

• The PGA Tour and Genesis have expanded their alliance, unveiling a global official marketing partnership naming the luxury vehicle brand the first global official vehicle of the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions through 2030. The brand is also named an official Mobility partner of the PGA Tour.

The PGA Tour and Genesis have been aligned since 2015, when the automotive brand became an official sponsor of the Presidents Cup in South Korea. Genesis later the title sponsor of the Genesis Invitational at The Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif.

NFL Exec Rolapp Named PGA Tour CEO

NCAA Sees Decline In Harassment Of Athletes

• WWE in partnership with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority that Las Vegas will host WrestleMania 42 in Allegiant Stadium on Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19, 2026.

WWE said WrestleMania 41 this past April in Las Vegas was the most successful and highest-grossing event in its history, drawing 124,693 fans over two nights in Allegiant Stadium. WrestleMania 42 will mark the third time Las Vegas has hosted WWE's biggest event of the year (2026, 2025 and 1993).

WWE will also bring Monday Night Raw, Friday Night SmackDown, Stand & Deliver and WWE World – a multi-day interactive fan experience hosted in partnership with Fanatics Events – to Las Vegas, as well as a variety of other fan and community events designed to give back to the local region.

• AP Sports: The global watchdog of doping in sports said it will urge public authorities to shut down the drug-fueled Enhanced Games planned in Las Vegas next year.

"We will urge the U.S. authorities to find legal ways to block this initiative," World Anti-Doping Agency president Witold Banka said on the sidelines of a meeting of Olympic sports bodies. "This initiative seeks to normalize the use of potentially dangerous drugs.This initiative seeks to normalize the use of potentially dangerous drugs,"

Organizers of the games scheduled for next May promise $1 million bonuses to beat world record times by athletes who will be encouraged to use performance-enhancing drugs under medical supervision. (Full story here.)

• RIP John Bresnkus “Sport Science”

NBC Sports: If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network, previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.

LPGA Names New Commissioner

NFL ’25 International Flight Plan

• Sky Sports: The Women's World Cup will be expanded from 32 to 48 teams in time for the 2035 tournament in the United Kingdom. The decision was taken during a virtual FIFA Council meeting on Friday. It will take effect from 2031 when the Women's World Cup is due to be staged in the United States. The number of matches will jump from 64 under the 32-team format to 104 - as will be the case at the men's World Cup in 2026 in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

"This decision ensures we are maintaining the momentum in terms of growing women's football globally," said FIFA president Gianni Infantino. (Full story here.)

Fever Marketing Puts Clark, Team In Spotlight

PWHL Adds Seattle To Roster, More TK?

NFL Commanders $3B Stadium Plan

NBA Awards 2024-25

NHL Awards 2024-25

• CBS Sports: The NWSL has filed an application with U.S. Soccer to launch a Div. II league in 2026 with the intention of furthering player development, marking the latest development in the evolving lower-league club landscape in women's soccer in the United States.

The NWSL has eight affiliated teams from its existing Division I league lined up for the inaugural season of the Division II league -- Bay FC, Kansas City Current, North Carolina Courage, NJ/NY Gotham FC, Orlando Pride, Racing Louisville, Seattle Reign and the Washington Spirit.

The league confirmed the proposal to CBS Sports. (Full story here,)

NHL Sets Attendance Mark: 23M

• CBS Sports: Five years ago, more than 4,400 Division I men's basketball players were legally and collectively paid a grand total of $0 in NIL earnings. That number is now promised to be in the hundreds of millions. A year ago, a handful of schools were able to easily clear $5 million. But now? That budget number has doubled — minimally.

These programs either have $10 million committed already or are easily capable of reaching that total in roster-building efforts by the end of this year's transfer cycle: Arkansas, BYU, Duke, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan, North Carolina, St. John's and Texas Tech. (Full story here.)

LA28 Unveils Venues: Dodger Stadium, Rose Bowl, SoFi

Leader Of The Ice Pack: Crosby Remains Atop NHLPA Poll

Dončić Wins Best-Selling NBA Jersey Title

FIFA: U.S. Lone Bid For ’31 Women’s World Cup

NFL: Sony’s Hawk-Eye In Place For All Games

Dodgers Capture Most Popular Jersey Title

Show And Telecom: NWSL, AT&T Alliance

Yankees Most Valuable MLB Team ($8.2B)

Unrivaled First Season Reviews, Rewards

Dick’s Gets Skenes Topps Card For $1.1M

Report: Impact Of Women’s Sports On TV Growing

UFC’s Dana White Boosts Global Boxing

• AP Sports: The U.S. Olympic team received its biggest donation ever — $100 million — to fund $100,000 payments and matching life insurance benefits for anyone who earns a spot on Team USA starting next year.

The donation to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Foundation is from Ross Stevens, the founder and CEO of Stone Ridge Holdings Group, a finance firm that focuses on “nontraditional” investment options such as crypto and fine art. (Full storu jere.)

• Mothers Against Drunk Driving is calling on everyone to make safety a top priority. By planning a safe ride home before kickoff, fans can help save lives and ensure game day is unforgettable for all the right reasons.

Alcohol consumption and impaired driving often increase during major sporting events like the Super Bowl, particularly around pre-game gatherings, halftime, and post-game celebrations. According to the latest data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration cited by MADD, 45% of all fatal crashes on Super Bowl Sunday in 2022 involved alcohol.

• College Football Playoff has named Las Vegas to host the national championship game in Allegiant Stadium Jan. 25, 2027. Miami will host the next national championship game on Jan. 19, 2026 in Hard Rock Stadium. (Promo spot here.)

• The NFL Alumni Assn. and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Cancer Prevention and Control have launched "GEAR UP Against Cancer,” which aims to raise awareness about the impact of colorectal cancer, emphasize the importance of regular screenings, and create a deeper understanding of the unique needs of cancer survivors.

According to the CDC, colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer death among men and women in the United States.

• Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, has launched through his Foundation to Combat Antisemitism “Stand Up to Jewish Hate,” a $25 million multi-media campaign to “raise awareness nationwide about soaring incidents of antisemitism online and in person.”

• AP: Attempted book bans and restrictions at school and public libraries continue to surge, setting a record in 2023, according to a new report from the American Library Assn. Full story here.

POLL POSITION

Top Ten Most Valuable NFL Franchises 2024

1. Dallas Cowboys $10.32B

2. Los Angeles Rams $7.79B

3. .New York Giants $7.65B

4. New England Patriots $7.31B

5. San Francisco 49ers $6.86B

6. New York Jets $6.8B

7. Miami Dolphins $6.76B

8. Philadelphia Eagles $6.75B

9. Las Vegas Raiders $6.7B

10. Washington Commanders $6.3B

The 32 NFL franchises collectively are worth $190 billion (including team-related businesses and real estate held by the owners).

Source: Sportico

AVERAGE TEAM VALUES

1. NFL (32 teams): $5.11B
2. NBA (30 teams): $2.86B
3. MLB (30 teams): $2.32B
4. Soccer (top 30 teams): $2.17B
5. Formula 1 (10 teams): $1.88B
6. Indian Premier League (10 teams): $1.04
7. NHL (32 teams): $1.03B
8. MLS (28 teams) $579M
Source: Forbes

Forbes MLB Most Valuable Teams 2023

1. New York Yankees $7.1B (+18% from 2022)
2. Los Angeles Dodgers $4.8B (+18%)
3. Boston Red Sox $4.5B (+15%)
4. Chicago Cubs $4.1B (+8%
5. San Francisco Giants $3.7B (+6%)
6. New York Mets $2.9B (+9%)
7. Los Angeles Angels $2.7B (+23%)
8. Atlanta Braves $2.6B (+24%)
9. Philadelphia Phillies $2.575B (+12%)
10. St. Louis Cardinals $2.55B (+4)

11. Houston Astros $2.25B
12. Texas Rangers $2.225B
13. Seattle Mariners $2.2B
14. Toronto Blue Jays $2.1B
15. Chicago White Sox $2.05B
16. Washington Commanders $2B
17. San Diego Padres $1.75B
18. Baltimore Orioles $1.87B
19. Milwaukee Brewers $1.6B
20. Colorado Rockies $1.475B

21. Detroit Tigers $1.45B
22. Minnesota Twins $1.39B
23. Arizona Diamondbacks $.38B
24. Pittsburgh Pirates $1.32B
25. Cleveland Guardians $1.3
26. Tampa Bay Rays $1.25B
27. Kansas City Royals $1.2B
28. Cincinnati Reds $1.19B
29. Oakland A’s $1.18B
30. Miami Marlins $1B

Source: Forbes

Forbes World’s Most Valuable Soccer Clubs 2023

1. Real Madrid Spanish La Liga Spain $6.07B
2. Manchester United EPL England $6B
3. Barcelona Spanish La Liga Spain $5.51B
4. Liverpool EPL England $5.29B
5. Manchester City EPL England $4.99B
6. Bayern Munich Bundesliga Germany $4.86B
7. Paris Saint-Germain Ligue 1 France $4.21B
8. Chelsea EPL England $3.1B
9. Tottenham Hotspur EPL England $2.8B
10. Arsenal EPL England $2.26B

See the full list here: Forbes

Forbes NBA Most Valuable Franchises 2022

1. Golden State Warriors $7B
2. New York Knicks $6.1B
3. Los Angeles Lakers $5.9B
4. Chicago Bulls $4.1B
5. Boston Celtics $4 B
6. Loa Angeles Clippers $3.9B
7. Brooklyn Nets $3.5B
8. Dallas Mavericks $3.3B
9. Houston Rockets $3.2B
10. Philadelphia 76ers $3.15B
11. Toronto Raptors $3.1B
12. Miami Heat $3B

26. Indiana Pacers $1.8B
27. Charlotte Hornets $1.7B
28, Minnesota Timberwolves $1.67B
29. Memphis Grizzles $1/65B
30. New Orleans Pelicans $1.6B

See the full list here: Forbes

Most Valuable NHL Franchises 2022
1. Toronto Maple Leafs $2.12B
2. New York Rangers $2.01B
3. Montreal Canadians $1.7B
4. Chicago Blackhawks $1.44B
5. Boston Bruins $1.41B
6. Los Angeles Kings $1.39B
7. Philadelphia Flyers $1.35B
8. Edmonton Oilers $1.29B
9. Washington Capitals $1.22B
10. Detroit Red Wings $1.12B
32. Arizona Coyotes $465M

Source: Sportico

KEEPING SCORE

World’s Richest Sports Franchise Owners 2022
1. Steve Ballmer NBA Los Angeles Clippers $83B
2. Rob Walton NFL Denver Broncos $56.7B
3. David Tepper NFL Carolina Panthers $18.5B
4. Robert Pera NBA Memphis Grizzlies $17.6B
5. Steve Cohen MLB New York Mets $17.5B
6. Dan Gilbert NBA Cleveland Cavaliers $17.3B
7. Jerry Jones NFL Dallas Cowboys $16B
8. Stan Kroenke NFL Los Angeles Rams, NBA Denver Nuggets, NHL Colorado Avalanche $12.9B
9. Stephen Ross NFL Miami Dolphins $11.6B
10. Shahid Khan NFL Jacksonville Jaguars $11.2B

This year’s Forbes 400 includes 50 sports team owners with controlling stakes, up from 43 last year. Among them, 17 own NFL teams, 14 own NBA franchises, 12 own NHL clubs and 9 are MLB owners.

Source: Forbes

BUY SELL

Forbes' World’s Highest Paid Athletes 2024

1. Cristiano Ronaldo, soccer: $260m
2. Jon Rahm, golf: $218m
3. Lionel Messi, soccer: $135m
4. LeBron James, NBA: $128.2m
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo, NBA $111m

6. Kylian Mbappe, football: $110m
7. Neymar, soccer $108m/$28m
8. Karim Benzema ,soccer: $106m
9. Stephen Curry, basketball: $102m
10. Lamar Jackson, NFL: $100.5m

11. Joe Burrow NFL $100m/$4m
12. Kevin Durant NBA $93.3m
13. Shohei Ohtani MLB $85.3m
14. Canelo Alvarez boxing $8l
15. Patrick Mahomes NFL $84.4m
16. Anthony Joshua boxing $$83m
17. Mox Verstappen F1 $81m
18. Aaron Rodgers NFL $80.8m
19. Rory McElroy golf $80.1m
20. Justin Herbert NFL $78.7m

21. Lewis Hamilton F1 $69m
22. Nick Bosa NFL $68m
23. Tiger Woods golf $67.2m
24. Kirk Cousins NFL $62.5m
25. Klay Thompson NBA $62.2m

See the full list here.
Source: Forbes

Forbes' Top 11 Highest-Paid Soccer Players 2023

1. Cristiano Ronaldo ($260m)
2. Lionel Messi ($135m)
3. Neymar ($112m)
4. Kylian Mbappé ($110m)
5. Karim Benzema ($106m)
6. Erling Haaland ($58m)
7. Mohamed Salah ($53m)
8. Sadio Mané ($52m)
9. Kevin De Bruyne ($39m)
10. Harry Kane ($36m)
11. Robert Lewandowski ($34m)

Source: Forbes

Forbes' Highest-Paid Female Athletes 2022
1. Naomi Osaka WTA ($51.1M) On-Field: $1.1M Off-Field: $50M
2. Serena Williams WTA ($41.3M) On-Field: $0.3M Off-Field: $41M
3. Eileen Gu Freestyle skiing ($20.1M) On-Field: $0.1M Off-Field: $20M
4. Emma Raducanu WTA ($18.7M) On-Field: $0.7M Off-Field: $18M
5. Iga Swiatek WTA ($14.9M) On-Field: $9.9M Off-Field: $5M
6. Venus Williams WTA ($12.1M) On-Field: $0.1M Off-Field: $12M
7. Coco Gauff WTA ($11.1M) On-Field: $3.1M Off-Field: $8M
8. Simone Biles Gymnastics ($10M) On-Field: $0 Off-Field: $10M
9. Jessica Pegula WTA ($7.6M) On-Field: $3.6M Off-Field: $4M
10. Minjee Lee Golf ($7.3M) On-Field: $4.8M Off-Field: $2.5M

11. Candice Parker WNBA ($7.2M) On-Field: $0.2M Off-Field: $7M
12. P.V. Sindhu Badminton ($7.1M) On-Field: $0.1M Off-Field: $7M
13. Leylah Fernandez WTA ($7M) On-Field: $1M Off-Field: $6M
14. Lydia Ko golf ($6.9M) On-Field: $4.4M Off-Field: $2.5M
15: Ons Jabeur WTA ($6.5M) On-Field: $5M Off-Field: $1.5M

16. Paula Badosa WTA ($6.2M) On-Field: $1.7M Off-Field: $4.5M
17. Lexi Thompson golf ($5.9M) On-Field: $1.9M Off-Field: $4M
18. Jin Young Ko golf ($5.8M) On-Field: $1.3M Off-Field: $4.5M
19. In Gee Chun golf ($5.7M) On-Field: $2.7M Off-Field: $3M
20. Alex Morgan soccer ($5.7M) On-Field: $0.7M Off-Field: $5M

21. Megan Rapinor soccer ($5.7M) On-Field: $0.7M Off-Field: $5M
22. Brooke Henderson golf ($5.4M) On-Field: $2.4M Off-Field: $3M
23. Nelly Korda golf ($5.4M) On-Field: $1.4M Off-Field: $4M
24, Caroline Garcia WTA ($5.2M) On-Field: $3.7M Off-Field: $1.5M
25. Garbiñe Muguruza WTA ($5.2M) On-Field: $0.7M Off-Field: $4.5M
Source: Forbes

SUPER BOWL WATCH

Upcoming Super Bowls
• Super Bowl LVIX (2024 Season) Caesars Superdome New Orleans Feb. 9, 2025 Fox
• Super Bowl LX (2025 Season) Levi's Stadium Santa Calra, Calif. Feb. 9, 2026 NBC
• Super Bowl LXI (2026 Season) Site TBD February 2027 ABC
• Super Bowl LXII (2027 Season) Site TBD February 2028 CBS
• Super Bowl LXIII (2028 Season) Site TBD February 2029 FOX
• Super Bowl LXIV (2029 Season) Site TBD February 2030 NBC
• Super Bowl LXV (2030 Season) Site TBD February 2031 ABC
• Super Bowl LXVI (2031 Season) Site TBD February 2032 CBS
• Super Bowl LXVII (2032 Season) Site TBD February 2033 FOX
• Super Bowl LVIII (2033 Season) Site TBD February 2034 NBC

Nike: 'Too Easy Musical' See More Ads Below

NOW TRENDING

Mothers Against Drunk Driving has unveiled a brand identity for its long-standing annual community event fundraiser: Move With MADD. Formerly Walk Like MADD, the annual event unites communities across the nation to take action to end impaired driving and honor victims.

MLB and the Philadelphia Phillies have unveiled the 2026 All-Star Game logo.

Fox Sports and AEG unveiled official dates for the 2026 College Basketball Crown showcasing eight programs that narrowly miss NCAA Tournament selection: April 1–5 in both the MGM Grand Garden Arena and T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and air on Fox and FS1. The 2026 field will feature the top two teams from the Big Ten, Big 12, and Big East conferences that do not receive NCAA Tournament bids, plus two wild card teams selected by committee.

AP Sports: Carlos Alcaraz pulled out of the National Bank Open Toronto ATP 1000 Masters Tournament (July 26-Aug. 7)a day after Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic and Jack Draper withdrew from the hard-court event that begins next week. Alcaraz said Toronto “comes just too soon for me as I recover after Wimbledon,” where he was the runner-up to Sinner on July 13, coming up just short of a third consecutive title at the All England Club.

Entry lists have been unveiled for the 2025 U.S. Open Men’s Singles and Women’s Singles Main Draw, Aug. 24- Sept. 7, USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center,Flushing, N.Y.

As part of the U.S. Open Grand Slam, Stars of the Open presented by Chase will take place Aug. 21, with a portion of the ticket proceeds will support the USTA Foundation. Scheduled players include Coco Gauff, Andre Agassi, Venus Williams, João Fonseca, Andy Roddick, John McEnroe, Juan Martín del Potro, Dana Mathewson and Casey Ratzlaff.

New Era’s latest hire: Joshua P. Allen, Director of Billustration.

MasterCard built on 15 years of support for Stand Up To Cancer with a new partnership with global stars Jonas Brothers. Now through Aug. 22, MasterCard will donate one cent, up to $5 million dollars, to Stand Up To Cancer when cardholders tap or order online with their MasterCard at qualifying restaurants and grocery stores. A video of “I Can’t Lose,” the band’s new single off their upcoming album Greetings from Your Hometown. debuted during the 2025 MLB All-Star Game Presented by MasteCard on Fox following SU2C’s Placard Moment.

Portland’s WNBA expansion team has a name and brand identity: the Portland Fire. "Based in the global epicenter of women’s sports, the Portland Fire is rooted in the resilience, spirit, and passion for sport that defines the Rose City. it is readopting the name that was held by the city's WNBA team from 2000 to 2002." Portland was awarded the league’s 15th expansion team in fall 2024 and is scheduled to begin play in 2026.

General Mills is supporting Year Two of its Cereal Training Camp via alliances with NFL players Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase and Amon-Ra St. Brown, “putting their passion for competition and cereal to the test.” Cereal Training Camp includes a limited-edition custom cereal created by Jefferson, the Jettas Mix, (combining Frosted Lemon Cheerios and the recently released Cinnamon Toast Crunch Strawberry). Boxes showcase a different player sporting a custom cereal jersey on the front, with the back panel capturing their iconic moves in action. Year One featured Travis and Jason Kelce.

ESPN8: The Ocho returns July 31-Aug. 3 as a destination for seldom-seen sports and absurd athleticism The ninth annual event features 65 hours of content across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN Deportes and ESPN digital platforms; 30 sports will make their Ocho debut, Including Soap Hockey, Mailboat Jumping and Outhouse Racing.

The international Board of Directors of Special Olympics has named David Evangelista as the global movement's new president and CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2026. Evangelista will succeed Mary Davis, who is retiring December 31, 2025 after tenyears as president and CEO and 47 years of involvement with Special Olympics. Evangelista is a current member of the Centre for Sports and Human Rights.

The Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation and OneCourt, creators of the first tactile sports broadcast, have joined to improve accessibility for blind and low vision fans by offering free OneCourt devices at Chase Field. The Diamondbacks said they are the first MLB team to offer OneCourt’s tactile broadcasts at a MLB ballpark. Through the collaboration, “blind and low vision fans will now be able to experience baseball in a brand-new way, feeling every pitch, hit, and run with their fingertips. OneCourt’s groundbreaking technology translates live gameplay data, courtesy of MLB, into trackable vibrations and audio bites, so blind and low vision fans can follow live gameplay.”.

The NBA unveiled the groups for the Emirates NBA Cup 2025, which will run Oct. 31-Nov. 28, followed by the Quarterfinals (Dec. 9-10) and then in Las Vegas the Semifinals (Dec. 13) and Championship Game (Dec. 16).

Golden State Warriors star and Square seller Jimmy Butler will bring his BigFace coffee to San Francisco through an exclusive pop-up at Square's Corner Store (1100 Valencia St.) in the Mission District. The two-week pop-up, scheduled for July 10 -27 (9 AM- 6 PM daily local time), marks Butler's first local business venture since joining the Warriors.

Bank of America will serve as a Platinum Partner of the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games (USA Games), scheduled for June 20-26 in Minneapolis and St. Pau;, Special Olympics International and Bank of America also unveiled a three-year $5 million grant expanding programs that help empower athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to serve as leaders in their communities, seek competitive employment, and realize their full potential. The 2026 Special Olympics USA Games has also signed Target as a Platinum Partner.

MLB said that Players’ Weekend would return in 2025 for a second consecutive year, scheduled for the weekend of Aug. 15-17. Players’ Weekend will “showcase players’ backstories and bring attention to the other aspects of their lives that are important to them, including charitable causes.” Players will have the opportunity to auction off custom bats and cleats on MLB.com/Auctions to benefit charities of their choice.

AP Sports: Luka Doncic has stepped up to pay the entire expected cost of restoring a vandalized mural depicting Kobe and Gigi Bryant in downtown Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Lakers’ new guard made a $5,000 donation to cover the entire goal of a GoFundMe page created by artist Louie Palsino. He wants to restore the mural, titled “Mambas Forever,” at 14th and Main streets.

The Luka Dončić Foundation has aligned with the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA and Positive Coaching Alliance to begin bringing the Foundation's "Total Hoops Approach" to life. The Total Hoops Approach emphasizes the importance of teamwork, joy and creativity in teaching the game of basketball to the next generation.

The city of San Francisco celebrates every May 24 as Willie Mays Day. If it's not already happening, MLB needs to do this league-wide by 2025, joining Jackie Robinson Day (April 15), Lou Gehrig Day (June 2) and Roberto Clemente Day (Sept. 15)

2Daze Nwslttr: @NBA In-Season Tourney Goes Hollywood In 'The Heist'; @NHRA Names @MissionFoodsUS Premier Series Title Sponsor; @Spalding Joins w @Crayola For Colorful Products; #NBA ASG Returns To Tradition; @CBSSports To Air 300+ College Hoops Games http://www.NYSportsJournalism.com

9/11 + 23 Years

“We meet aliens every day who have something to give us. They come in the form of people with different opinions.” — William Shatner

"There's not an American in this country free until every one of us is free." — Jackie Robinson

“We all wish we had superpowers. We all wish we could do more than we can do.” — Stan Lee

'Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity' — #MartinLutherKingJr

'We have come too far, we have sacrificed too much, to disdain the future now' — #JFK

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Forbes Top 30 Most Valuable Sports Franchises 2022

1. Dallas Cowboys $8B
2. New England Patriots $6.4B
3. Los Angeles Rams $6.2B
T4. New York Yankees $6B
T4. New York Giants $6B
T6. New York Knicks $5.8B
T6. Chicago Bears $5.8B
T8. Golden State Warriors $5.6B
T8. Washington Commanders $5.6B
10. Los Angeles Lakers $5.5B

11. New York Jets $5.4B
12. San Francisco 49ers $5.2B
T13. Real Madrid $5.1B
T13. Las Vegas Raiders $5.1B
15. Barcelona $5B
16. Philadelphia Eagles $4.9B
17. Houston Texans $4.7B
18. Denver Broncos $4.65B
T19. Manchester United $4.6B
T19. Miami Dolphins $4.6B

21. Seattle Seahawks $4.5B
22. Liverpool $4.45B
23. Bayern Munich $4.28B
T24. Manchester City $4.25B
T24. Green Bay Packers $4.25B
26. Los Angeles Dodgers $4.08B
27. Atlanta Falcons $4B
28. Pittsburgh Steelers $3.98B
29. Minnesota Vikings $3.93B
30. Boston Red Sox $3.9B

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Source: Forbes

Wednesday

Dec112024

Building Global Footprint: NFL Adds Berlin As Part Of ’25 International Schedule

Wednesday, December 11, 2024 at 01:03PM

By Barry Janoff

December 11, 2024: In November, when the NFL was in Munich, Germany playing its final International Series game of the season, commissioner Roger Goodell was asked if the league would also stage a game in Berlin.

"Believe it,” he replied.

The league made Goodell a man of his word today, saying that Germany’s capital city would host its first regular season NFL game in 2025.

The 2025 NFL Berlin game will be played in Olympic Stadium “as part of a multiyear commitment to playing games in the sports metropolis (and) as the league continues to prioritize global growth and expand its global footprint.”

"Germany has a rich tradition of American football, and the NFL has a deep history with the city of Berlin," Goodell said today via the league.

“We first held a pre-season game at the Olympic Stadium 34 years ago, before it was home to NFL Europe’s Berlin Thunder in the early 2000s. Now, with almost 20 million NFL fans in Germany, we’ll make a historic return to the city, playing a regular season game for the first time as we open the next chapter in our relationship with Berlin.”

The NFL said its inaugural game in Germany — Tampa Bay vs. Seattle Seahawks — in November 2022 had a $77 million economic impact for Munich, with more than $35 million in direct spending in Munich.

Its two games in Frankfurt in 2023 had an overall economic impact of about $119 million for that city when the Miami Dolphins played the Kansas City Chiefs and the Indianapolis Colts faced the. New England Patriots on consecutive weekends in November.

The Munich game on Nov. 10 this season between the Carolina Panthers and New York Giants attracted a sell-out crowd of 70,132 to Allianz Arena, with economic impact figures still to come.

The NFL will said it would name participating teams, schedule and ticket information for the Berlin game in the coming months.

As it has done with other international games, the one in Berlin will be supported by marketing and fan activation throughout the city and region.

The NFL said it would also work with the Berlin Senate across their major sports development program to grow and develop flag football in Berlin’s schools and clubs. The non-contact format of the game will be included in the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028.

Germany is a key International market for the league.

As part of its Global Markets Program, the NFL has granted rights for Germany to several teams, including the Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, Chiefs, Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as well as the Panthers and Giants.

“This long-term partnership with the NFL will continue to boost Berlin as a global sports metropolis, as well as excite fans at the Olympic Stadium,” Iris Spranger, senator for the Interior and Sports, State of Berlin, said via the group.

“The 2025 NFL Berlin game means worldwide visibility, numerous international guests, increased tourism and high economic value across the city. We’re looking forward to an incredible game and an ongoing successful partnership with the league, as we continue to strengthen the presence of American football throughout the state.”

The league is looking to play upward of eight games outside of the U.S. in 2025, up from five this season.

A commitment to playing two regular season games in London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and one game in Madrid in the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium have already been unveiled.

Other games and locations for 2025 are still TBD.

"We are definitely going to Spain," Goodell told NFL Network in November.

“We expect to return to Mexico City. We expect to return to Brazil. We will certainly be back in the U.K. And we're also looking at the potential of another game in the U.K. area, in Ireland possibly. And we'll certainly be back here in Germany. So if that totals eight, that's what we're shooting for."

In addition to its games in the U.K., the NFL said it would play a game in Madrid’s Bernabéu Stadium next season. The league is also slated to return to Estadio Azteca in Mexico City for the first time since 2022 following stadium innovations. After its debut September in São Paulo, the league is expected to be back in Brazil.

The NFL played five American Bowl pre-season games in Olympic Stadium, home of the football club Hertha BSC, between 1990-94, and it was also home to NFL Europe’s Berlin Thunder from 2003-07.

Olympic Stadium has hosted the 1936 Summer Olympic Games, the FIFA Men’s World Cup (1974, 2006), FIFA Women’s World Cup (2011), six UEFA EURO 2024 matches (including the Final) and world and European athletics championships.

NFL Boosts Game Plan In Germany With Munich Marketing, Merchandise, Fan Impact

NFL Builds Presence In Germany With Games, Marketing, On-Site Activation

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