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 $4 million salary pool for his staff, and revenue‑sharing that guarantees players at least $6.75 million per year. Malone’s buyout is $8 million, decreasing by $1.5 million each year, and the contract makes him the second‑highest paid college basketball coach behind Kansas’s Bill Self. The aggressive compensation reflects UNC’s intent to compete at the top of the ACC and national level.
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...
College Athletic Departments Are Becoming Full-Blown Media Companies
College athletic departments are transforming into full‑scale media enterprises, investing heavily in studios, podcasts, and digital studios to produce 24/7 content. Clemson’s 12,000‑square‑foot CAB facility operates as a profit‑center under Clemson Ventures, generating millions through licensing and branded partnerships. LSU’s...
Tom Dundon’s Group Buying 80% of Blazers in Deal’s First Phase
Tom Dundon’s investment group is set to acquire 80% of the Portland Trail Blazers in the first phase of a multi‑stage transaction, valuing the franchise at over $4 billion. The group will inject more than $3 billion by month‑end, with the remaining...
WBC Is Bigger Than You Think Now
Aaron Judge, a multiple‑MVP star, recently said the World Baseball Classic (WBC) has become bigger and better than the World Series. The latest tournament saw the United States nearly eliminated due to a coaching misstep and a complex tiebreaker, while...
The Case for College Athlete Unions
The NCAA posted roughly $1.4 billion in revenue for 2024, while the College Football Playoff posted record profits. Labor activist Jennifer Abruzzo, former NLRB general counsel, has been spearheading unionization drives at schools such as Northwestern, Dartmouth and USC. Federal momentum...
Why the NFL’s 2026 Schedule Could Look Very Different
The NFL’s 2026 schedule is shaping up to be markedly different, emphasizing more standalone broadcast windows and a possible Wednesday kickoff to accommodate the league’s first regular‑season game in Australia. The Thanksgiving lineup may expand with a Thanksgiving Eve matchup,...
PGA Tour Pumps Brakes on Players Championship ‘Major’ Talk
PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp announced the organization will not pursue elevating the Players Championship to major status at this time. He said the decision lies beyond the Tour and the focus remains on finalizing a comprehensive schedule and structural...
NFL Network Talents Learn Their Fate After ESPN Takeover
ESPN has officially taken over NFL Network, absorbing all existing on‑air talent contracts as of April 1. Employees will remain under their current deals until expiration, after which they must negotiate new agreements with Disney’s ESPN division. The transition has sparked...
Creditors Bash Grand Slam Track, Threaten to Sue: ‘Shocking Levels of Incompetence’
Grand Slam Track’s Chapter 11 plan proposes paying athletes a $6 million boost while offering unsecured vendors a combined $200,000 on the $13 million they are owed. A committee of three vendors filed a court motion accusing the league of incompetence, self‑dealing, and...
Why a College Basketball Game Organizer Is Fighting With Photo Services
A dispute over credential policies forced the Associated Press, Getty Images, and Thomson Reuters' Imagn to boycott a high‑profile Duke‑Michigan neutral‑site game organized by The Gazelle Group. The organizer required photographers to grant the company free, unrestricted use of any...
Underdog Makes Major Job Cuts in Pivot to Prediction Markets
Underdog Fantasy announced layoffs affecting at least 125 employees, roughly 20% of its staff, with two‑thirds of its fraud operations team eliminated. The cuts accompany a strategic pivot from state‑by‑state sports betting and fantasy drafts to a national prediction‑market platform...
ESPN Exec: Caitlin Clark Is ‘Gateway Drug’ to Women’s Sports
ESPN’s women’s sports programming chief, Susie Piotrkowski, called rookie star Caitlin Clark a “gateway drug” for attracting new fans to women’s sports. Even after Clark’s season‑ending injury, the WNBA saw a 3% viewership increase and recorded its most‑watched regular season...
Paramount Plans to Merge Streaming Service with HBO Max After WBD Deal Closes
Paramount plans to merge its Paramount+ service with HBO Max once its $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery closes, creating a single streaming platform with over 200 million direct‑to‑consumer subscribers. The combined service will sit between Netflix’s 325 million global base and...
How Much of UFC White House Bonanza Will Air on CBS?
The UFC is staging a high‑profile White House fight on June 14 as part of President Trump’s “America 250” celebration, with production costs projected above $60 million. The bout falls under the new seven‑year, $7.7 billion UFC‑Paramount partnership, which primarily streams fights...
F1 CEO Defends Apple Leap: ‘Bigger’ Reach With ‘Other People’
Formula One has shifted its U.S. broadcast rights from ESPN to Apple, securing a $140 million per‑year deal that eclipses ESPN’s $80‑90 million payments. CEO Stefano Domenicali argues the Apple partnership will ultimately reach a larger audience, especially among cord‑never viewers, by...
Penn Settles Long-Running Fight With Activist Investor
Penn Entertainment announced the appointment of three independent directors—Heather Ace, Jeffrey Fox and Fabio Schiavolin—expanding its board from eight to eleven members and ending a two‑year dispute with activist investor HG Vora Capital Management. In exchange, Vora withdrew the lawsuit it...