NBA Teams To Get Lowest Luxury Tax Check Since Pandemic
The NBA’s luxury‑tax distribution this season is the smallest since the pandemic‑shortened 2020‑21 campaign, with 23 teams avoiding the tax and each slated to receive about $4.9 million. The seven teams that remain on the tax apron—Cavaliers, Warriors, Knicks, Lakers, Rockets, Clippers and Timberwolves—face penalties ranging from $68.7 million down to $6 million, a sharp drop from last year’s average $11.4 million payout. Aggressive mid‑season trades, notably Cleveland’s swap of Darius Garland for James Harden, shaved roughly $100 million off the Cavaliers’ projected liability. Player‑performance bonuses also contracted, with only four athletes actually collecting incentives.
NBA Playoffs Set to Leave Local TV Behind in Streaming-Heavy Shift
The NBA’s postseason will be shown exclusively on national networks and streaming platforms, ending local TV coverage for the first round. The Play‑In Tournament moves to Amazon Prime Video, while first‑round games split among NBC, Peacock, Amazon, ESPN and ABC...
Inside the Masters: PGA Tour Plans, LIV Talks, and Media Moves
Rory McIlroy secured a back‑to‑back Masters victory, capping a dramatic final round at Augusta. PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp announced a June 23 press conference at the Travelers Championship to outline potential schedule reforms, though the most sweeping changes are expected...
Masters Increases Purse To Record $22.5M, Topping Other 3 Majors
The Masters announced a record $22.5 million total purse for 2026, the largest ever for any of golf’s four majors. The champion will collect a $4.5 million first‑place check, up $300,000 from last year’s winner’s share. This marks the fifth straight year...
‘Next Level’: How VIPs Party in Augusta During Masters Week
The Masters week in Augusta has become a high‑stakes hospitality arena where billionaires, corporate CEOs, and celebrities mingle in exclusive venues such as Berckmans Place and sponsor‑run houses. Companies like DraftKings, AT&T, and Delta rent luxury estates and host pop‑up...
Typti U.S. Open Will Launch With $100K in Prize Money
Typti, a hybrid racket sport that mixes tennis, badminton and pickleball court dimensions, will stage its inaugural U.S. Open in California next month with a $100,000 prize purse. NFL Hall of Famer Terrell Owens and former tennis Grand Slam quarter‑finalist...
Billionaire Broncos Owners Buy 40% of Rockies
The Walton‑Penner family, owners of the Denver Broncos, has purchased a 40% minority stake in the Colorado Rockies, becoming the franchise's largest minority investor. Valued at roughly $1.68 billion, the Rockies have long been one of MLB’s lowest‑spending clubs and have...
WNBA Free Agency Tracker: Welcome to the Million-Dollar Era
The WNBA’s free‑agency market has entered a million‑dollar era as the new collective bargaining agreement raises the salary‑cap share for top contracts. Jackie Young became the league’s first player to sign a seven‑figure annual deal, and Nneka Ogwumike is expected to...
Pile of Famous Athletes Quietly Invested in Kalshi Months Ago
Kalshi closed a Series E round that raised $1 billion, pushing its valuation to $11 billion. A $4.7 million slice of the round came from a group of high‑profile athletes—including WNBA stars Breanna Stewart, Nneka Ogwumike and Diana Taurasi, NBA players Ajay Mitchell and Jaime Jaquez Jr., NHL...
Early Olympic Ticket Sales: Fans Met With High Prices, Tech Issues
The LA28 Olympic ticket presale, the earliest in Games history, opened with prices ranging from $28 to $5,519. Nearly 50% of tickets were under $200 and 75% under $400, but a 24% service fee inflated final costs. Fans faced technical...
Amazon Passes Masters Test During Debut
Amazon’s Prime Video made its live‑sports debut by exclusively streaming the first round of the Masters on Thursday, using CBS’s production crew and talent. The broadcast featured the standard CBS commentary team with Amazon’s branding limited to a logo overlay...
Los Angeles World Cup Fan Fests Will Not Be Free
Los Angeles will charge admission for its World Cup Fan Fest events, a first for the traditionally free FIFA watch parties. The opening celebration at USC’s Memorial Coliseum and ten additional regional zones will require tickets for anyone 12 and...
Masters Ticket Crackdown Playing Out Behind Closed Doors
Augusta National intensified its crackdown on Masters ticket resale during the 2026 tournament, detaining and questioning patrons whose badges scanned irregularly. At the north gate, about two dozen fans waited up to an hour while security escorted them to a...
Top Sports Lawyers Command $10 Million Salaries Amid Poaching Frenzy
Top sports lawyers are commanding compensation packages that exceed $10 million annually as elite law firms scramble to poach talent. Firms such as Latham & Watkins, Kirkland & Ellis, Davis Polk and Simpson Thacher have hired marquee attorneys who brought book‑of‑business...
NFL’s Melbourne Opener Sparks Frenzy, Ticket Issues, Team Unease
The NFL’s inaugural regular‑season game in Melbourne on Sept. 10 sparked a ticket frenzy, with 151,000 fans vying for seats at the 100,000‑capacity MCG. General sales sold out in under 30 minutes, leaving only VIP tickets priced from $1,750 AUS (≈$1,234 USD). The...
North Carolina Makes Michael Malone Among College Basketball’s Richest
North Carolina has hired former NBA champion coach Michael Malone as its men’s basketball head coach, signing him to a six‑year, $50 million contract that starts at $7.5 million and climbs to $9 million. The deal includes $1.475 million in annual performance bonuses, a...
Chicago Mayor Pushing for Rejected Downtown Bears Stadium Site
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is reviving a downtown stadium proposal at the former Michael Reese Hospital site, despite the NFL and the Bears deeming it unviable. The Bears remain focused on two suburban options—team‑owned land in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and...
Bulls Finally Pull Plug on Karnišovas–Eversley Era
The Chicago Bulls fired executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas and general manager Marc Eversley six days before the regular season ends, ending a six‑year tenure that produced only one playoff appearance. The decision follows mounting fan frustration,...
Vegas Tourism Drops $100K Aces Deals With No Word on Investigation
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) has ended its $100,000‑per‑player sponsorship with the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces after two seasons. The deal, announced in May 2024, was scrutinized for potentially circumventing the league’s salary cap, prompting a second...
Rays Return to Rebuilt Tropicana Field, but Bigger Questions Remain
The Tampa Bay Rays are back at Tropicana Field for their 2026 home opener after a $60 million, year‑long renovation that added a new roof, upgraded suites, turf, video board and locker rooms. The upgrades, praised by CEO Ken Babby, leave...
PWHL Breaks Women’s Hockey Attendance Record With MSG Game
The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) set a new attendance record by drawing 18,006 fans to a sold‑out Madison Square Garden showdown between the New York Sirens and Seattle Torrent. The milestone follows a 25% jump in average attendance after...
Caleb Williams Beyond the Gridiron
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is expanding his brand beyond football through his investment firm 888 Midas, which he launched before his NFL debut. His diversified portfolio spans a Peruvian berry farm, an NWSL franchise, and a stake in AI startup...
Millions in Prize Money on the Line at Men’s, Women’s Final Fours
The NCAA has expanded its long‑standing "units" payout system to include the men’s and women’s championship games, adding $2 million for each team that reaches the title match and another $2 million for the winner. This change pushes total tournament‑related payouts beyond...
Caleb Williams Didn’t Mean to Start an ‘Iceman’ Fight
Caleb Williams, the 2024 NFL first‑overall pick, filed a trademark for his nickname “Iceman” on March 16, aiming to control merchandise bearing his name. The filing sparked an IP clash with NBA Hall of Famer George Gervin, who filed a...
Quiet WNBA Expansion Draft Clears Way for Busy Free Agency
The WNBA’s two 2026 expansion franchises, Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo, completed a quiet draft that yielded no marquee superstars. Portland used its No. 1 pick to secure forward Bridget Carleton, while Toronto selected wing Marina Mabrey, both tagged as Potential...
Trump Signs Executive Order Targeting Transfers, Eligibility Rules
President Donald Trump issued a second executive order aimed at reshaping college athletics by imposing a five‑year eligibility window, limiting transfers to one free move and a second after a four‑year degree, and banning "professional" athlete participation. The order also...
Tommy Lloyd Turns Down UNC To Stay At Arizona
Arizona assistant coach Tommy Lloyd declined UNC's offer, signing a five‑year extension with Arizona that makes him one of the highest‑paid college coaches. The contract averages about $7.5 million per year, includes a $9 million buyout and larger bonuses, and raises his...
NCAA May Remove Prize Money Limits After Landmark Settlement
The NCAA is reviewing three rule proposals that would let college athletes accept prize money without jeopardizing eligibility, a move likely spurred by a February settlement with tennis players Reese Brantmeier and Maya Joint. Currently, athletes may only keep prize...
UConn’s Braylon Mullins Waiting to Cash In On Game-Winning Shot
Braylon Mullins’ deep three-pointer with seconds remaining knocked Duke out and propelled UConn to its third Final Four in four years. The shot places him among March Madness legends, but unlike past heroes, he now faces potential NIL deals worth...
As Concussions Rise, NFL Shifts Focus to Face Masks
The NFL reported a 30% jump in game‑time concussions last season, reaching 168 cases, with face‑mask impacts now accounting for 44% of those injuries. After banning seven helmet models and flagging three more as non‑recommended, the league noted that helmet...
Why a Furniture Store Is Risking $50M on UConn Basketball
Jordan's Furniture has pledged to refund all sales made between Jan. 20 and March 1—about $50 million—if both UConn men’s and women’s basketball teams reach the national championship. The promotion is backed by a custom insurance policy that caps the retailer’s direct exposure....
Goodell: Tisch Is No Longer Giants Owner, No Policy Violation
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed that Steve Tisch is no longer an owner of the New York Giants, having transferred his stake to family trusts as part of estate planning. The league’s investigation found no violation of the NFL’s personal...
Customers Sue Lululemon for Piece of Eventual Tariff Refund
Lululemon faces a proposed class‑action lawsuit in Michigan federal court alleging it will receive a large tariff refund while consumers bore the cost. The suit claims the company paid roughly $240 million in tariffs, passed those costs to shoppers through price...
Steelers Waiting on Aaron Rodgers (Again)—With Higher Stakes
Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy says talks with veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers are progressing, after Rodgers signed a one‑year, $13.65 million contract with a $500,000 playoff bonus in June 2025. The decision on whether Rodgers will return is expected soon, potentially...
NFL Warns Prediction Markets Operators Over Vulnerable Bets
The NFL has formally warned prediction‑market operators such as Kalshi and Polymarket to stop offering trades on events that could be easily manipulated, sending letters that outline specific vulnerable bets. EVP Jeff Miller said the league will not pursue any...
Senator Slams the WNBA: ‘Thumb on the Scale’ in Sun’s Relocation
The WNBA's Connecticut Sun is being sold to Tilman Fertitta’s Fertitta Entertainment for a reported $300 million and will relocate to Houston as the new Comets after the upcoming season. A competing $325 million offer from former Bucks co‑owner Marc Lasry, which could...
Fertittas to Purchase Connecticut Sun for Record $300 Million
The Fertitta family, owners of the Houston Rockets, are set to buy the WNBA's Connecticut Sun for a record $300 million, with the franchise slated to move to Houston for the 2026 season and be renamed the Comets. Tilman Fertitta, a...
Jack Nicklaus Re-Acquires Nicklaus Companies After $50M Lawsuit
Jack Nicklaus has reclaimed the rights to his name, image and likeness by purchasing the assets of Nicklaus Companies for $35.7 million, five months after winning a $50 million defamation lawsuit. The acquisition was approved by a Florida bankruptcy court and was...
Brewers Reveal $20M Hit After RSN Exit
The Milwaukee Brewers disclosed a $20 million financial shortfall after abandoning their regional sports network agreement with Main Street Sports Group in favor of MLB’s league‑run media model. Owner Mark Attanasio said the loss stems from both reduced rights‑fee income and...
Reggie Bush, Terrence Murphy Waste No Time With Deal for LOVB Team
Former NFL star Reggie Bush and ex‑wide receiver Terrence Murphy have turned their on‑field experience into a private‑equity platform, Synergy Sports Capital. The firm, announced three weeks ago with a $150 million fundraising target, already closed its first portfolio transaction by...
Browns Boost Stadium Investment Amid Public Funding Uncertainty
Ohio’s Cleveland Browns have reshaped financing for their new domed stadium, committing at least $1.755 billion of private capital, which now represents roughly 67.5% of the $2.6 billion project. The state of Ohio is slated to contribute $600 million and the city of...
Ex-ESPN Reporter Michele Steele Joins Big Ten Network
Veteran sports journalist Michele Steele has left ESPN after a 14‑year stint to become a contributor for the Big Ten Network. She will serve as a sideline reporter for Nebraska’s Red‑White spring game and anchor studio shows alongside BTN’s veteran...
Adam Silver: No ‘Discussions Yet’ on Cathy Engelbert’s WNBA Future
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, who secured a new seven‑year collective bargaining agreement and nearly $1 billion in expansion fees, remains in charge as the league heads into its 30th season. NBA commissioner Adam Silver confirmed that no discussions have taken place...
ESPN’s Burke Magnus Has Been a ‘Steward’ for Lacrosse: Paul Rabil
Premier Lacrosse League founder Paul Rabil praised ESPN executive Burke Magnus as a long‑time steward of lacrosse, highlighting his role in structuring the sport’s college coverage and negotiating the league’s first ESPN rights deal in 2022. Magnus, who has been...
How Much Will the WNBA’s No. 1 Pick Earn in 2026?
The 2026 WNBA draft’s No. 1 pick will command a $500,000 base salary, more than six times the $78,831 rookie pay of 2025’s top pick, Paige Bueckers. The league’s salary cap expands to roughly $7 million, making the top rookie’s share about...
UFC-Backed Boxing Bill Passes House With Bipartisan Support
The U.S. House approved the Muhammad Ali Boxing Revival Act by voice vote, marking the first boxing‑related legislation to clear the chamber in 26 years. The bipartisan bill creates unified boxing organizations, introduces higher minimum fighter pay, and strengthens health‑safety...
Yankees RSN Bucks Trend Amid Ongoing Industry Pullback
The YES Network is expanding its Yankees game coverage by adding an extra hour of pre‑game analysis and a 30‑minute post‑game segment, pushing total broadcast time to roughly 6.5 hours per weeknight matchup. New shows such as Yankees Rewind, The...
Michael Johnson to Repay $500K in Grand Slam Track Bankruptcy Deal
Grand Slam Track reached a consensual settlement with its creditors, agreeing to amend its bankruptcy plan. The deal returns Olympic champion Michael Johnson's disputed $500,000 payment and adjusts payouts to athletes and vendors, with athletes receiving about 70% of the...
Coinbase Takes Heat for Pushing March Madness Markets
Coinbase is aggressively promoting its new college‑sports prediction‑market offering during March Madness, sending frequent push notifications that many users say feel like gambling prompts. The NCAA has warned it will enforce its trademark rights, recently suing DraftKings and warning others...
NFL Network to Continue Draft Broadcast Under ESPN
ESPN’s acquisition of NFL Network will not eliminate the channel’s own NFL Draft telecast. Instead, Disney plans to run four distinct draft presentations—on ESPN, NFL Network, ABC, and Pat McAfee’s streaming show—through the three‑day event. All on‑air talent will become ESPN/Disney...
