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NEWS REAL

MLB All-Star Game 2025 Voting

MLB, Partners Plan Speedway Classic Fan Zone

Barkley No. 1 On NFLPA Year-End Sales List

NFL Seeks Responsible Gaming Among College Athletes, Students

• PayPal Holdings has signed multi-year agreements with the Big Ten and Big 12 Conferences designed to “modernize the distribution of institutional payments from universities to student-athletes in a new revenue-sharing model.

The new institutional payments initiative enables athletic departments to seamlessly dispense payments through PayPal, which said the recent court decision that allows colleges and universities to share revenue directly with student-athletes “stands to revolutionize college sports. This partnership helps make that real by distributing those funds to student-athletes in a fast, simple, and secure way.”

• 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.

• The NFL said NFL Flag teams and players will represent all 32 NFL clubs at the second annual NFL Flag Championships presented by Toyota, July 17-20, at ForeverLawn Park by Unrivaled Sports at the Hall of Fame Village in Canton, Ohio.

The Championships, operated by RCX Sports, will feature approximately 300 NFL Flag regional winning teams of girls and boys participating across 12 divisions, including eight international teams. ESPN, ABC, Disney and the NFL will provide coverage, spanning 33 hours Toyota is the Presenting Partner of NFL Flag tournaments across the U.S Gatorade, Oakley and Visa all return as sponsors for the 2025 NFL Flag Championships while new partners this year include Jersey Mike’s and brands like Downy, Gillette, Old Spice and Tide.

New for 2025, Nike will be providing on-field uniforms and apparel, and New Era will be providing caps for players, including a Champions cap immediately postgame. Wilson and Franklin will return providing flags and footballs.

The International Olympic Committee said in October 2023 that flag football will be included in the 2028 Summer Olympic Games program in Los Angeles.

• Businessman and philanthropist Mark Walter has officially reached an agreement with the Buss Family Trust to acquire a majority stake in the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers. Jeanie Buss will remain governor of the franchise and continue to oversee all team operations on a day-to-day basis for the foreseeable future.

Walter has been a minority owner of the Lakers since 2021. He is chairman and CEO of TWG Global, a diversified holding company he leads with Co-Chairman Thomas Tull, and has ownership interests in several professional sports teams and organizations, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, the Billie Jean King Cup, the new Cadillac Formula 1 Team, and the Professional Women’s Hockey League.

• Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever and Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx lead the voting after the first fan returns in WNBA All-Star Voting 2025 presented by Ally. Each player’s score will be calculated by averaging the weighted rank from the fan votes, player votes and media votes. Four guards and six frontcourt players with the best score will be named as starters for AT&T WNBA All-Star 2025. The league’s head coaches will select the 12 reserves. The 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game will be in Indianapolis’ Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the Fever, July 19 (ABC 8:30 PM ET).

1. Caitlin Clark, Guard (IND) 515,993

Napheesa Collier, Frontcourt (MIN) 484,758

Aliyah Boston, Frontcourt (IND) 446,961

A’ja Wilson, Frontcourt (LVA) 394,600

Breanna Stewart, Frontcourt (NYL) 367,819

Paige Bueckers, Guard (DAL) 312,920

Kelsey Mitchell, Guard (IND) 277,664

Sabrina Ionescu, Guard (NYL) 234,684

Lexie Hull, Guard (IND), 217,438

10. Kiki Iriafen, Frontcourt (WAS) 213,500

Kelsey Plum, Guard (LAS) 204,845

Satou Sabally, Frontcourt (PHX) 175,611

Angel Reese, Frontcourt (CHI) 173,363

Allisha Gray, Guard (ATL) 168,349

15. Jonquel Jones, Frontcourt (NYL) 162,259

• CBS Sports: The NCAA will no longer maintain sport-specific scholarship limits, as its Division I Board of Directors on Monday formally adopted new roster limit rules to align with the recently approved House settlement. The changes go into effect July 1.

All schools that opt into the House settlement will, in turn, be allowed to award scholarships to as many players as they wish as their teams fall in line with the roster size caps outlined in the settlement. Football, for example, will have a roster cap of 105 players.

The NCAA says this change will dramatically increase the number of available scholarships and will more than double the previous total offered to women. (Full story here.)

• CBS Sports and the Pac-12 Conference have signed an extension of their partnership, to begin with the 2025 football season. The extended partnership will continue with the league’s transformation and begin with the new Pac-12’s launch ahead of the 2026-27 season and carry through the 2030-31 season.

The new agreement establishes CBS Sports as the primary long-term media partner for the new Pac-12, with additional partners to be named. As part of the extended partnership, football and men’s basketball games for the new Pac-12 will air throughout each season on The CBS Television Network (and streaming on Paramount+) as well as CBS Sports Network.

All current and future members of the new Pac-12 participated in the decision to extend the partnership long term with CBS Sports.

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.

• The WTA has introduced a measure that provides ranking protection for WTA athletes who choose to undergo fertility protection. The WTA said the development and adoption of the Fertility Protection Special Entry Ranking Rule has been championed by WTA players and delivers a further enhancement to the existing package of benefits empowering players to combine professional sport with family life.

Players can now take time away from professional tennis for a fertility protection procedure such as egg or embryo freezing and safely return to competition with a protected ranking.

The rule expands the WTA’s comprehensive Family Focus Program, which includes ranking protection during pregnancy, or another means of parenthood, and postpartum support with a return to play.

• 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.

• Yahoo Sports: The New York Liberty are the most valuable team in the WNBA, worth nearly half a billion dollars based on a recent valuation.

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

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NOW TRENDING

Aviator Nation is launching its first MLB capsule collection with six teams for the 2025 season: Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, New York Mets and Boston Red Sox.

Evian has signed ATP World No. 2-ranked Carlos Alcaraz as its new global brand ambassador, joining such tennis ambassadors as Frances Tiafoe, Emma Raducanu, and Arthur Fils. Evian is the official water of the Wimbledon Grand Slam Championships.

Nascar makes its return to TNT Sports with the inaugural In-Season Challenge presented by DraftKings. Exclusive live race coverage begins June 28, at the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart from Atlanta’s EchoPark Speedway (7 PM ET).

WTA Ventures and Tennis Channel have agreed to a new six-year media rights deal with Tennis Channel platforms continuing to be the exclusive home of WTA tennis in the U.S. through 2032. The deal covers all WTA 1000, 500 and 250 events (except tournaments in the U.S.) through to the season-closing WTA Finals.

PlayVS amateur esports platform has renewed its partnership with Nascar and iRacing to supporting the eNascar College iRacing Series. This renewed collaboration will "continue to bring high-octane, competitive virtual racing to college students across the country, providing unique career and scholarship opportunities through one of the most innovative programs in collegiate esports." This season will also mark the debut of PlayVS as the official league platform, following its recent acquisition of Playfly College Esports. Nascar College iRacing Series launched in 2022,

ESPN and the Premier Lacrosse League powered by Ticketmaster have renewed a five-year media rights agreement that will span ESPN platforms. The deal begins with the 2026 season and encompasses all Premier Lacrosse League regular season, All-Star, Playoff and Championship games, Maybelline Women’s Lacrosse League games, as well as future PLL and WLL Drafts.

Members of the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of ’25 were named, including players Jennifer Botterill, Zdeno Chara, Brianna Decker, Duncan Keith. Alexander Mogilny and. Joe Thornton; and coaches Brianna Decker, Jack Parker and Daniele Sauvageau. They will be inducted on Nov. 10 in Toronto.

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.

NWSL San Diego Wave FC said Alex Morgan’s No. 13 jersey would officially be retired Sept. 7, presented by Alaska Airlines, at Snapdragon Stadium.

Grant Hill, a member of both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, will join NBC Sports’ NBA coverage as a game analyst when the NBA returns to NBC and debuts on Peacock this fall. Hill will also continue his role at TNT Sports, serving as a college basketball analyst for TNT Sports and CBS Sports’ joint coverage of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament as well as TNT’s coverage of Big East and Big 12 basketball.

The U.S. Open Mixed Doubles Championship for 2025 has been moved from the third week of the tournament to U.S. Open Fan Week Aug. 19-20, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, with $1 million in prize money being awarded to the winning team. Ten of the current Top 11 women in the WTA singles rankings (Coco Gauff is not as yet entered) and ten of the current Top 11 men on the ATP Tour (Holger Rune is not currently included) have registered to compete for $1 million in prize money awarded to the winning team. It will air across ESPN platforms.

The ATP and LALIGA will offer an international MBA in sports management created exclusively for professional and former elite athletes. In collaboration with the ATP, the program is developed and coordinated by LALIGA BUSINESS SCHOOL, the educational branch of LALIGA. The inaugural edition, scheduled to begin in January 2026, builds upon the existing educational alliance between the ATP and LALIGA, which began three years ago with the launch of the “ATP & LALIGA Business Education Program.”

The NWSL said PayPal Park, San Jose, would host the 2025 NWSL Championship, presented by Google Pixel, scheduled for Nov. 22. The 18K-seat PayPal Park is home to NWSL Bay FC and MLS San Jose Earthquakes. The NWSL Championship will air live in primetime on the CBS Television Network and stream on Paramount+.

The E.W. Scripps Company has signed a new, multi-year agreement with the WNBA to continue airing regular season Friday night matchups on ION – the league's Friday night national network home since 2023.

The NBA, WNBA, National Basketball Players Assn., Women's National Basketball Players Assn. and 2K, a wholly owned label of Take-Two Interactive Software and publisher of the NBA 2K series, said they have agreed in principle to terms for a new multiyear global partnership expansion. The NBA and Take-Two Interactive are also launching NBA Take-Two Media, an entertainment company "that will bring fans and players together through competitive gaming, social-first content, original programming and live events."

Top-ranked American tennis player Ben Shelton has signed with William Morris Endeavor, which also represents Serena Williams, Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek, Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe. He had been with Team8 since 2022, the management firm co-founded by Roger Federer and his agent Tony Godsick. Coco Gauff left Team8 this past April to form her own management agency, Coco Gauff Enterprises, which has support from WME.

The WNBA has launched the Line 'Em Up initiative to give girls and women "undeniable equity at the park" by painting the Fire Orange WNBA 3-point line on park courts across the country. It begins with Brooklyn (NY) Bridge Park and Rockefeller Battery Park in New York. “This line is more than paint. It's a landmark that honors the women who built this game — and an open invitation to the ones who'll take it even further. We're laying down the line. Make it yours."

ESPN Events, in collaboration with the Charlotte Sports Foundation, has unveiled the Dick Vitale Invitational, a men’s college basketball event that will annually honor Dick Vitale, the Hall of Fame broadcaster and one of the sport’s most iconic voices and ambassadors, who celebrates his 86th birthday today. The inaugural Dick Vitale Invitational will feature Texas Longhorns vs. Duke Blue Devils the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C., The game is scheduled for Nov. 4, 2025 on ESPN.

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.

According to the Boston Globe, NWSL expansion team Boston Legacy FC (2026) will play its first season in Gillette Stadium, home to the NFL New England Patriots and MLS New England Revolution while its permanent home venue, White Stadium, continues to undergo a $200 million renovation.

The New York Times: NWSL CMO and CCO Julie Haddon and chief sporting director Tatjana Haenni will leave the league this year as part of a front-office restructure.

HBO and NFL Films will present two upcoming editions of the Hard Knocks series: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Buffalo Bills debuting Aug. 5, with new episodes of the five-part series premiering on subsequent Tuesdays through Sept. 2; and Hard Knocks: In Season with the NFC East debuting this December. Both series will be available to stream on HBO Max.

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 Tuesday 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.

U.S. Bank has become a partner of the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, to be held in Minnesota from June 20-26, 2026. U.S. Bank is both the Official Volunteer Sponsor and the Official Competitive Cheer Sponsor of the USA Games. Jersey Mike’s Subs and United Healthcare are co-presenting partners.

MLB umpires are offering more than 400 items including autographed sports memorabilia and experiences during the 17th Annual UMPS CARE Charities Online Auction. Items include a Wrigley Field scoreboard tour (complete with four tickets and pregame access on the field) and tickets to MLB’s All-Star Game and Home Run Derby in Atlanta and Los Angeles Dodgers four tickets in the "Sinatra Family Seats.”

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

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“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

“All of us might wish at times that we lived in a more tranquil world, but we don't. And if our times are difficult and perplexing, so are they challenging and filled with opportunity.” — Robert F. Kennedy d June 6, 1968

@TheSatoProject #SatoStrong rescues #dogs in #PuertoRico & finds U.S. homes 2.5k+ in 10+ yrs https://www.thesatoproject.org Milo & siblings now in U.S. 6+ years

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1. Dallas Cowboys $8B
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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
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T13. Real Madrid $5.1B
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15. Barcelona $5B
16. Philadelphia Eagles $4.9B
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T19. Manchester United $4.6B
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21. Seattle Seahawks $4.5B
22. Liverpool $4.45B
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Thursday

Jul132023

Wembanyama Signs With Barcode Fitness Drink, Foreshadowing $150M In Deals

Thursday, July 13, 2023 at 06:52PM

By Barry Janoff

Photo: Jamie Pearl, BarcodeJuly 13, 2023: Victor Wembanyama stands 7’4” with an eight-foot wingspan, but his marketing potential is much bigger than that.

Wembanyama, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs, has added to his Nike deal by signing as an investor, brand partner and spokesperson for Barcode fitness drink.

Los Angeles-based Barcode was developed and co-founded by Mubarak "Bar" Malik, former New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers Director of Performance with NBA player Kyle Kuzma.

Barcode said Wembanyama would “play a vital role in sharing Barcode's fundamental values, as well as participating in their philanthropic initiatives.”

The 19-year-old from France has taken an equity investment in the company, will be involved with research and development on future products and will appear as the face of the brand in digital, out-of-home and in-store advertising.

"I'm conscious of the ingredients I put into my body to ensure I stay healthy and perform at the highest level," said Wembanyama via Barcode.

"The partnership with Barcode allows me not only to be a spokesmodel, but a role model. I want to be elite, on and off the court, and want my body to be the healthiest it has ever been. That's why I chose Barcode over anything else."

Wembanyama’s Nike deal preceded his arrival in the NBA while he was playing in France. The shoe company could be preparing a massive new contact for the NBA rookie, potentially topping $100 million with a signature shoe and apparel line, according to industry analysts.

His overall sponsorship roster is unlimited and could exceed $150 million if his on-court play lives up to expectations, according to analysts.

He recently appeared on a limited-edition Topps Now card pictured in a New York Yankees jersey when he threw out a ceremonial first pitch in Yankee Stadium prior to the NBA Draft in June. It sold out in the one day it was made available.

ESPN and the NBA said Wembanyama’s first game with the San Antonio Spurs on July 7 was the second most-watched game in NBA Summer League history with 1.39 million viewers on ESPN.

It was topped only by Zion Williamson’s Summer League debut July 5, 2019 as the most-watched Summer League game on record (New Orleans Pelicans vs. New York Knicks: 1.61 million.

He has 2.7 million followers on Facebook, 2.4 million on Instagram.

Wembanyama’s agent is Bouna Ndiaye.

"I'm so proud of Barcode's rapid growth, and having Victor join our team further places us as a breakout brand disrupting the beverage industry," said Kuzma via Barcode.

"Victor's skillset and determination, on and off the court, align with our values at Barcode, and we're excited to be working with him as he begins his NBA career and establishes himself as a successful businessman."

Barcode said it has recently undergone a valuation of $30 million and has expanded its retail availability to include HEB, Krogers, Safeway/Albertsons,Buc-Cee's and 7-Eleven, mainly in the Texas market.

Investors also include Carmelo Anthony, Gervonta Davis, Derek Fisher, Jordan Clarkson, Chelsea Gray, Jae'sean Tate, Isaiah Hartenstein, Wayne Ellington and Lexie Brown.

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