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☆ Xabi Alonso: ‘Not winning treble with Bayer Leverkusen will make me a better manager’
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-04 | by ( Amanda Davies | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Xabi Alonso and Bayer Leverkusen are a living, breathing testament to that. “During the first weeks of the competition, I had a good feeling that we could make a good season. “For sure, I was not that optimistic that we could fight until the last week, but that we could have a good season? Could Leverkusen become just the second German team in history to complete a treble after Bayern Munich? “For the whole of Europe or even the whole world to see how good the teams are, how good the players are … it’s really, really important.

Persons: it’s, Xabi Alonso, they’ve, ‘, ’, ” Alonso, Amanda Davies, Alonso, ”, “, Francis Gonzalez, Granit, Victor Boniface, Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Ina Fassbender, “ We’re, Alonso applauds, Alex Grimm, It’s, Atalanta, That’s, Premier League …, Hesham, Jeremie, Frimpong, ” It’s, Vincent Kompany, Arne, he’d Organizations: Italy CNN, Bayer Leverkusen, CNN, Globe Soccer, “, Real Madrid’s, Real, Sociedad, Real Sociedad, Real Sociedad B, Bundesliga, Champions, Champions League, Bayern Munich, –, Leverkusen, Real Madrid, League, Getty, Augsburg, Invincibles, Benfica, Atalanta, Europa League, Kaiserslautern, Leverkusen's Europa League, Borussia Dortmund, ‘ Farmers League, Liga, Premier League, – Bayern Munich, Liverpool Locations: Sardinia, Italy, AFP, Germany, Europe, Dortmund, San Francisco, Delhi, Liverpool, Merseyside

☆ N.H.L.’s Move to Salt Lake City Is Latest Sports Downsizing
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-02 | by ( Ken Belson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The team, which will be renamed, will begin play next season in the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, home of one of the Smiths’ other teams, the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association. Salt Lake City’s metropolitan area is less than half the size of Phoenix’s; Salt Lake City is the 29th-largest media market while Phoenix is the 11th largest. But the league’s decision was less about the size of Salt Lake City and more about its demographics. Like Phoenix, Salt Lake City is one of the country’s fastest-growing cities. But in Utah, a thriving tech industry has attracted an influx of young workers with disposable incomes.

Persons: Ryan Smith, Ashley Organizations: National Hockey League, Arizona Coyotes, Delta Center, Smiths, Utah Jazz, National Basketball Association, . Locations: Oklahoma City, Las Vegas, Winnipeg , Manitoba, Salt Lake City, Salt, City’s, Phoenix, . Utah, Utah

☆ The Champions League’s Most Bitter Rivalry May Be Off the Field
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-01 | by ( Rory Smith | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Real Madrid had the celebratory jerseys ready as soon as its place in the Champions League final was secured. As the players raced to one another, exulting in yet another heart-stopping, nerve-shredding win, staff members sprinted onto the field after them, ensuring each star was correctly attired. The shorthand ran the risk of coming across as hubris: Real Madrid’s 15th Champions League title was still one win away. The Champions League, as far as the team that has won it twice as often as anyone else is concerned, very much belongs to Real Madrid. That belief has put the Spanish club at the center of a power struggle whose stakes include nothing less than control over the future of European soccer.

Persons: Florentino Pérez, Aleksander Ceferin Organizations: Real, Champions League Locations: Real Madrid, Spanish

☆ Real Madrid are Champions League winners again – and their power only looks set to grow
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-01 | by ( Dermot Corrigan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +16 min

The easier bit was the 90 minutes as Real Madrid won a record-extending 15th Champions League title by beating Borussia Dortmund in Saturday’s final. Off the pitch, Madrid topped Deloitte’s Football Money League 2024 with the highest revenues across the game over 2022-23. Madrid had been thrashed 4-0 by Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in their Champions League semi-final second leg, while Xavi’s Barcelona easily won La Liga title. The ratings below, based on a model devised by sports intelligence firm Twenty First Group, help show the strength of many Madrid players whose best days are still ahead of them. Another key part of Madrid’s club value is its global reach and brand.

Persons: Dani Carvajal, Vinicius Junior, Nacho, Florentino Perez, Carlo Ancelotti’s, Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr, Federico Valverde, Rodrygo, Eder Militao, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, Endrick, Pep, Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Julian Finney –, Borja Garcia, ”, “ Perez, Lionel Messi, Ronaldo, Thibaut Courtois, David Alaba, Antonio Rudiger, Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham, € 350milllion, Eden Hazard, Luka Jovic, Zidane, Beckham, Boris Horvat, Harry Kane, Perez, Joselu, Arda Guler, — €, €, Valverde, Brahim Diaz, Alphonso Davies, 519million, Bale, Isco, Benzema, Toni Kroos, Garcia, “, Madrid’s Santiago, Florencia Tan Jun, 140million, € 1bn, Taylor Swift, 5million, “ We’ll, Andrea Sartori, trumpeted, ” Garcia, “ They’ve, they’ve, I’ve, 5.1billion, socios, 867million, It’s, Michael Regan – Organizations: Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Madrid, Santiago Bernabeu, Liga, Supercopa de Espana, Atletico Madrid, Copa del Rey, Deloitte’s Football, Football Benchmark, Bernabeu, Manchester City, Champions League, Barcelona, La Liga, League, Julian Finney – UEFA, UEFA, Getty, Sport Management, Loughborough University, “, Juventus, Manchester United, Casemiro, Football, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Bellingham, PSG, Chelsea, City, Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu, €, € 1bn Bernabeu, NFL, 80million, Adidas, Emirates Airline, “ Real, Manchester City FC, Sixth, Providence, Catalan, Barca €, Super League, Super, Justice, Michael Regan – UEFA Locations: Saturday’s, Barcelona, Wembley, Madrid, Kylian Mbappe, “ Madrid, Tchouameni, Bellingham, AFP, England, Chelsea, Lille, Bernabeu, “ Real Madrid, Real, United States

☆ Why the Negro League stats belong in the MLB record books
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Harry Enten | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Fortunately, we got to see other NLB players join an integrated MLB a short time into their careers. Bettmann Archive/Getty ImagesFormer NLB players who joined the integrated MLB got on base more frequently (.361) than the average (.324). Hulton Archive/Getty Images Robinson was a formidable athlete in college, lettering in four sports at UCLA. Bettmann Archive/Getty Images Robinson poses in the dugout with Dodgers teammates as he makes his historic debut on April 15, 1947. Rogers Photo Archive/Getty Images Robinson leaps into the air to try to turn a double play in 1952.

Persons: “, Major League Baseball’s, Neil Paine, –, Todd Peterson, White, Satchel Paige, Dizzy Dean, Mark Rucker, of Famer Dizzy Dean, ”, Dean, Paige, Willie Mays, Mays, Henry “ Hank ” Aaron, Aaron didn’t, Wes Westrum's, It’s, Don Newcombe, Jackie Robinson, Robinson, Rachel Isum, Johnny, Jorgensen, Harold, Pee Wee, Reese, Eddie Stanky, Rickey, Rogers, Richard Nixon, Paul Schutzer, Edd Roush, Bob Feller, Bill McKechnie, Cliff Welch, Ed Sullivan, Rachel, — Jackie Jr, David, Sharon —, Robert Riger, Jackie Robinson's, Larry Doby –, Hall, Hall of Famer –, Josh Gibson, Gibson’s, Gibson, Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Ruth, We’ll, Larry Doby, Stanley Weston, Doby, Cobb, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Walter Johnson, they’ll Organizations: CNN, Negro League Baseball, Major League, MLB, Negro League, Wrigley Field, White MLB, of Famer, White, Birmingham Black Barons, Indianapolis, National Leagues, New York Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, Polo, Bettmann, Getty, National League, Brooklyn Dodgers, Hulton, UCLA, US Army, Kansas City Monarchs, Negro Leagues, Sporting, Montreal Royals, Dodgers, New York Yankees, GOP, Republican, Hall of Fame, CBS, Freedom, American League, Hall of Famer, Baseball, Cleveland Indians, NL, AL Locations: Chicago, , New York, Cairo , Georgia, Pasadena , California, Los Angeles, New York, Stamford , Connecticut, Williamston , North Carolina, Bettmann, Anaheim , California

☆ When do the 2024 NBA Finals start? Mavs vs. Celtics schedule, channel, start time and odds
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Alex Andrejev | Law Murray | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +6 min

The 2024 NBA Finals will feature the league’s best team all season against one of basketball’s most dominant duos. The Mavericks are making their first NBA Finals appearance since winning their only title in 2011. When do the NBA Finals start? In recent years, the league has set an NBA Finals schedule ahead of time for all seven games in consideration of its stakeholders, including broadcast partners and fans. Boston — with star players Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown — is back in the NBA Finals for the second time in three years.

Persons: Luka Dončić, Kyrie Irving, Celtics haven’t, They’ve, Tyrese Haliburton, Anthony Edwards, Dallas ’, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown —, Porziņģis, Tatum, Brown, Dončić, Star Irving, There’s, Irving, Joe Mazzulla, Bill Russell, Russell, Jason Kidd, Kidd, Jaylen Brown, Brian Fluharty Organizations: Boston Celtics, Eastern, Dallas Mavericks, Western Conference, Los Angeles Lakers, Mavericks, NBA, Celtics, Indiana Pacers, Minnesota Timberwolves, ABC, Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, Eastern Conference, Boston, Miami, Cavaliers, Pacers, West . Dallas, LA Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Timberwolves, Wolves, Dallas, Heat, Clippers, Lakers, Luka, Synergy Locations: Boston, Dallas, West

☆ European Super League: Spanish court orders FIFA and UEFA to stop anticompetitive conduct in ESL case
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Sammy Mncwabe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A Spanish court ordered FIFA and UEFA to stop anticompetitive conduct in their opposition of the breakaway European Super League (ESL) in a ruling on Monday. However, in response to the ruling, UEFA said “the court has not given the green light to, nor has it approved, projects like the Super League.”A newsagent shows two pages of the main Italian sports newspapers with a headline regarding the Super League reading 'No!' Laura Lezza/Getty Images“In fact, the judge has asserted that the Super League project has long been abandoned and that she cannot be expected to rule on any abstract projects. FIFA and UEFA can appeal the ruling to a separate section of the Madrid Provincial Court. The Spanish court’s ruling comes just days before UEFA’s showpiece Champions League final between 14-time winner Real and Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

Persons: Judge Sofía Gil García, “, ’, ”, Bernd Reichart, ” Reichart, Laura Lezza, Fran Santiago Organizations: CNN, FIFA, UEFA, Super League, European, Justice, European Union, ESL, CNN Sport, Madrid Provincial Court, Europe’s, League, Real Madrid, Getty, Real, Borussia Dortmund, Wembley Locations: Europe, Madrid, Spanish, Barcelona, Spain, Barça

☆ As MLB changes its records, Josh Gibson, not Ty Cobb, is all-time batting leader
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Tyler Kepner | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +10 min

And as of Wednesday, Josh Gibson will replace Cobb as the leading hitter in the official records of the game. Thorn estimated that about 75 percent of all Negro Leagues box scores have been documented, and that MLB would update the records as more are uncovered. To some extent, Negro League numbers will always be a work in progress. Barnstorming games, essential as a financial lifeline to Negro League teams, are not included in the statistics. The scheduled games range from 26 (Negro American League, 1942) to 91 (Negro National League I, 1927).

Persons: Abner Doubleday, Tyrus Raymond Cobb, Doubleday, Josh Gibson, Cobb, ”, Larry Lester, “, Ty Cobb, Oscar Charleston, Rogers, Jud Wilson, Ed Delahanty, Buck Leonard, Ted Williams, John Thorn, Thorn, ” Lester, I’ve, Gibson, Chino Smith’s, Hugh Duffy’s, Chino Smith, Hugh Duffy, Charlie Blackwell, Ross Barnes, Willie Keeler, Rogers Hornsby, Tetelo Vargas, Vargas, — Lyman Bostock Sr, Bostock, Ted Williams ’, Sean Forman, Ty, Lester, Gary Ashwill, Kevin Johnson, Seamheads, ” Thorn, Elias, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Oscar, Barry Bonds, Jimmie Foxx, Ed Walsh, Addie Joss, Mordecai Brown, John Ward, Christy Mathewson, Rube Waddell, Walter Johnson, Dave Brown, Tommy Bond, White, Willie Mays, Mays, Bullet Rogan, Turkey Stearnes, ’ ” Lester, Simon Bruty Organizations: Major, Baseball, Negro Leagues, MLB, “, Negro League, Negro, Rogers Hornsby, Turkey Stearnes, Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants, Kansas City Monarchs, American, National Leagues, Negro American League, Negro National League I, Boston, New York Cubans, Twins, Red Sox, Sports, Birmingham Black Barons, Graphics, Retrosheet, Oscar Charleston, Barry, Major League Baseball, Birmingham, Giants, Mets Locations: Turkey, Birmingham, Ala, Chicago, Moline, Washington ,

☆ Seven years and 11 trophies, but no Champions League: Has Kylian Mbappé’s time at Paris Saint-Germain been a success?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-25 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

He’s won six Ligue 1 titles, three French Cups, two League Cups and a record five Player of the Year awards. The closest Mbappé came to winning the Champions League was reaching the final in 2020. Even if Mbappé was to lift one more trophy, can his time in Paris be considered a success if he didn’t achieve the club’s ultimate goal? “He’s their all-time top scorer, he’s won the league’s Player of the Year award five times in a row. “What’s interesting is he’s not necessarily captured the hearts of fans, especially in the way he’s left the club.

Persons: Kylian Mbappé, Germain, Nasser Al, Khelaifi, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Lionel Messi, Neymar, He’s, Julian Finney, ” Mbappé, Mbappé, ”, Raphaël Jucobin, “, ” Jucobin, he’s, Michael Regan, Real, –, Frenchman, Jucobin, “ He’s, Marco, Verratti, Thomas Meunier, L’Equipe, ‘ Kyks, Neymar Jr, Aurelien Meunier, Messi, Vinícius Jr, Jude Bellingham, relishes, It’s Organizations: CNN, Paris Saint, PSG, Monaco, Ligue, Champions League, Qatari, Bayern Munich, League, UEFA, French, Lyon, Real Madrid, FIFA, Mbappé, Independent, Al, Parc des Princes, Toulouse, Qatar, Ouest, European, ”, Los Blancos, French national Locations: Paris, France, €, Saudi, Hilal, Parc des, Ouest France, ” Real Madrid, Real

☆ Talking politics at work: If you must, tread carefully
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Sometimes someone with strong views can be unnerved by a person who thinks nothing is ever a big deal, and vice-versa. Either way, the question is: How can we keep our conversations about any of these lightening rod issues from derailing our ability to work well together? For employers: Stress civility and set guardrailsRegardless of any one hot-button issue, it seems like US culture has become less civil over time. And many polarizing conversations are happening at work in ways they weren’t years ago, according to SHRM, the leading human resources membership association. … Recognize that while his opinion may be contrary to yours, what is the goal of being at work?

Persons: New York CNN —, Donald Trump’s, ’ ”, Christy Pruitt, Haynes, Pruitt, Oliver Brecht, Cindy O’Peka, It’s, ” Pruitt, “ Compartmentalize, –, ”, “, ” Brecht, it’s, O’Peka Organizations: New, New York CNN, NeuroLeadership Institute, Consulting Locations: New York, Gaza

☆ Opinion | Pay Caitlin Clark What She’s Worth
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Joshua Mendelsohn | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

In 1969, the National Basketball Association was a relatively young professional basketball league fighting to establish itself. But the league was facing economic problems, and it was unclear how successful it would be monetizing the game’s appeal to young people. Desperate for credibility (and fighting off a rival league also seeking to establish itself), the N.B.A. Today, the Women’s National Basketball Association, established about 50 years after the N.B.A., finds itself at a similar crossroads. has decided that Clark will be paid a salary of $76,535 in her first year.

Persons: Lew Alcindor, Alcindor, Kareem Abdul, Jabbar, Caitlin Clark, Clark Organizations: National Basketball Association, University of California, Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Fever Locations: Los Angeles, Milwaukee

☆ WNBA officially expanding to Toronto, first franchise to exist outside U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Lukas Weese | Eric Koreen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

Toronto, the most populous city in Canada, will be home to the league’s 14th franchise, the WNBA announced Thursday at a news conference. AdvertisementLed by Toronto billionaire Larry Tanenbaum’s Kilmer Sports Venture, the unnamed franchise will use the 8,000-seat Coca-Cola Coliseum as its home arena. Tips off in 2026. pic.twitter.com/NjwjmetAiY — WNBA (@WNBA) May 23, 2024Teresa Resch, a former Raptors executive and the executive vice president for Kilmer Sports Venture, will serve as team president. Engelbert called it a “seminal moment” for Toronto in its feasibility to receive a WNBA expansion team. The WNBA team will add to the list of Toronto’s professional women’s sports franchises.

Persons: Larry Tanenbaum’s, Tanenbaum, ” Tanenbaum, “, Justin Trudeau, Doug Ford, Olivia Chow, Masai Ujiri, Scottie Barnes, Kyle Lowry —, ” Trudeau Organizations: WNBA, Area, Toronto, Larry Tanenbaum’s Kilmer Sports Venture, Cola, Associated Press, University of Toronto’s, ”, Toronto Raptors, Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers Locations: United States, Toronto, Canada, Vancouver, Montreal, Ontario

☆ ‘It sucks for all of us.’ Charles Barkley says the quiet part aloud as TNT’s NBA future in doubt
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The situation at Warner Bros. Discovery’s TNT network “sucks, plain and simple,” Charles Barkley bluntly said Thursday. Barkley, who said he feels “so bad for the people” he works with, laid blame at the feet of the “clowns” atop WBD. Wall Street has responded quite negatively to the possibility WBD, which has built a programming slate around the NBA, could lose the rights to air the games. And TNT has built a programming slate around the NBA games, most notably the highly rated “Inside the NBA” show. Losing the rights to NBA games could throw aspects of that business partnership into question.

Persons: ” Charles Barkley, NBA ”, Dan Patrick, ”, Barkley, ” Barkley, David Zaslav’s, Adam Silver, Turner, Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw, WBD, “, Shaw, ” Shaw, Joe Flint, Amol Sharma, Isabella Simonetti, Zaslav, Venu, That’s, Gunnar Wiedenfels, Wiedenfels, ” Wiedenfels, there’s, you’ve Organizations: CNN, Warner Bros, TNT, NBA, Turner, Comcast, WSJ, WBD, NCAA, MLB, NHL, NASCAR, College Football, ESPN —, Disney, Fox Corp, Morgan’s Technology, Media & Communications Locations: WBD

☆ Harrison Butker: Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes defends player following controversial commencement speech
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Jacob Lev | Wayne Sterling | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

“I’ve known him for seven years,” the two-time NFL MVP said after the team’s organized team activities (OTA’s). Mahomes, 28, reiterated that he didn’t “necessarily agree” with what was said when asked what part of Butker’s speech he disagreed with. Mahomes said Butker is a “good person” despite “not necessarily agreeing” with his comments. “Everybody is from different areas, different religions, different races and we all get along. “Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity.

Persons: Patrick Mahomes, Harrison Butker, Mahomes, “, ” Mahomes, “ We’re, ”, –, Taylor Swift, “ I’m, I’m, Andy Reid, Butker, Ryan Kang, ” Reid, Reid, Roger Goodell, ” Goodell, “ Harrison Butker, Jonathan Beane Organizations: CNN, Kansas City Chiefs, Benedictine College, ” Chiefs, National Football League’s, NFL Locations: Atchison , Kansas, Nashville, America

☆ Chelsea players react to Mauricio Pochettino’s surprise sacking as manager
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Chelsea’s players have been full of praise for departed manager Mauricio Pochettino, who somewhat surprisingly left his position by mutual consent on Tuesday after only 11 months in the job. Pochettino also took Chelsea to the League Cup final, where it lost to Liverpool, and the semifinals of the FA Cup. The majority of the players Chelsea have purchased in the Boehly era have been young and inexperienced, while key senior players – including César Azpilicueta, N’Golo Kanté, Mateo Kovačić and Mason Mount – left before the season started. Henry Nicholls/AFP/Getty ImagesDespite Chelsea’s rollercoaster season, Pochettino clearly remained well-liked among the squad, with several players expressing their thanks to the Argentine, as well as surprise at his departure. “Gaffer, thank you for everything you have done for me & making my dreams come true,” Palmer wrote on Instagram.

Persons: Mauricio Pochettino, Pochettino, Mauricio, Laurence Stewart, Paul Winstanley, “, ” Chelsea, Todd Boehly, César Azpilicueta, N’Golo Kanté, Mateo Kovačić, Mason Mount –, Chelsea's, Henry Nicholls, Nicolas Jackson, ”, Moises Caicedo, ” Cole Palmer, ” Palmer, Marc Cucurella, emojis, Cole Palmer, Justin Setterfield Organizations: CNN, Chelsea, Europa League football, League, Liverpool, FA, Stamford, Argentine, Premier League’s, Mister, Premier League and Europe Locations: AFP, Ecuadorian, Manchester City

☆ Wilson deal: Caitlin Clark just did something no athlete has done since Michael Jordan
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Breakout basketball star Caitlin Clark has a new achievement that hasn’t been accomplished since Michael Jordan. The WNBA player signed a multiyear deal with Wilson Sporting Goods Co., the league’s official basketball supplier, for “signature basketball collections celebrating Clark’s continued legacy,” the company announced Tuesday. In addition, she will “creatively direct her first-ever signature basketball line” that will roll out later this year. Wilson, which has produced the basketballs for the NBA for several decades, became the official game ball of the WNBA in 2020. Nike is also reportedly on the verge of signing Clark to design her shoe line, but no official deal has been formally announced.

Persons: Caitlin Clark, hasn’t, Michael Jordan, Clark’s, Wilson, Clark, “ Wilson, ” Clark, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, WNBA, Wilson Sporting Goods Co, CNN, NBA, Indiana Fever, ESPN2, ESPN, Nike, Farm, Gatorade, Panini Locations: New York

☆ Caitlin Clark Is Here. Can the Business of the W.N.B.A. Flourish?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-18 | by ( Jacob Meschke | Santul Nerkar | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

And the start of the 2024 W.N.B.A. season has many wondering if the sport is entering a new economic era. The arrival of stars like Caitlin Clark, the former University of Iowa phenom who is now a rookie with the Indiana Fever, has boosted interest and ticket sales. But there are still obstacles the league needs to overcome before attaining the kind of stature that other professional sports leagues have. The league has long had stars, but it has struggled to market their skills and personalities to a mass audience.

Persons: Caitlin Clark, capitalizes Organizations: University of Iowa, Indiana Fever

☆ Under Armour was a real threat to Nike. Now it’s fighting to stay relevant
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-18 | by ( Parija Bhatnagar | Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

It was the upstart athletic brand that was making real inroads against Nike, the dominant name in the industry. People saw it as a company that actually could break through and take market share from Nike among the hardcore athletes,” Swartz said. String of controversiesThe period from 2016 onward is when “things really started to fall apart” at Under Armour, Swartz said. A bulk of Under Armour products are sold through sporting goods retailers and department stores, including Macy’s and Kohl’s, and online. The basketball superstar Curry, arguably the best shooter in history, famously signed with Under Armour instead of Nike in 2013.

Persons: Armour, Stephen Curry, Jordan Spieth, Kevin Plank, Howard Schultz’s, Bob Iger’s, Plank, ”, David Swartz, Morningstar, ” Swartz, Justin Sullivan, Tommy Gilligan, ” Plank, Swartz, “, —, Stephanie Linnartz, ” Schwartz, Andrew Kelly, Merrell, Zak Stambor, Stambor, Plank’s, Noel Celis, Eric Smallwood, Dwayne Johnson, Johnson, ” Smallwood, Smallwood, Curry, Joel Embiid, Embiid, Skechers, Caitlin Clark Organizations: New, New York CNN, Nike, Starbucks, Disney, CNN, Sports, North, Maryland Terrapins, Southern Methodist Mustangs, Capital, Maryland, Reuters, —, Armour, Sports Authority, Sporting Goods, UCLA, US Securities and Exchange Commission, Footwear News, Adidas, NBA Golden State Warriors, UA Curry II, Getty, Apex Marketing, United Football League, NBA, WNBA Locations: New York, San Rafael , California, North America, College Park , Maryland, Manhattan , New York, Petaluma , California, Manila, AFP

☆ Gaza Gets Its First Aid Shipment from U.S. Pier: Israel-Hamas Latest Updates
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Victoria Kim | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

The notion of deploying U.N. peacekeepers into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been mentioned occasionally by diplomats. But the Arab League’s statement appeared to be the first time the group had officially made such a request in a written document, according to Farhan Haq, a U.N. spokesman. U.N. forces, which are typically drawn from the armed forces of multiple countries, do not enter live battle zones and do not engage in fighting. Both Israel and Hamas would also have to agree to having U.N. peacekeepers on the ground. “We don’t go into active combat, and parties themselves have to agree on allowing the presence of peacekeepers.

Persons: Farhan Haq, Mr, Haq, don’t, Israel, Vedant Patel, António Guterres, Guterres Organizations: United Nations, West Bank, . Security, League, Arab League, State Department Locations: Gaza, Israel, Manama, Bahrain, United States, Washington, Bahrain’s, Rafah

☆ The Premier League’s Asterisk Season
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Rory Smith | Tariq Panja | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

With five minutes left in his team’s penultimate game of the Premier League season, Manchester City Manager Pep Guardiola found the tension just a little too much. As a rival striker bore down on his team’s goal, Guardiola — crouching on his haunches on the sideline — lost his balance and toppled over onto his back. Lying on the grass and expecting the worst, he missed what may yet prove to be the pivotal moment in the Premier League’s most enthralling title race in a decade. His effort was parried by goalkeeper Stefan Ortega, sending Manchester City above its title rival Arsenal in the standings and positioning it, if it can win again on Sunday, to become the first English team to win four consecutive championships. “Otherwise, Arsenal is champion.”That the destiny of the championship should have been determined only so late in the season seems fitting for what has, on the surface, been a vintage Premier League campaign.

Persons: Pep Guardiola, Guardiola, —, Stefan Ortega, “ Ortega, ” Guardiola Organizations: Premier League, Manchester City, Premier, Manchester, Arsenal Locations: Manchester City

☆ Arab League Calls for U.N. Peacekeepers in Gaza and the West Bank
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Anushka Patil | Farnaz Fassihi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Arab League called on Thursday for a United Nations peacekeeping force to be deployed in the Gaza Strip and the Israeli-occupied West Bank until a two-state solution can be negotiated, in a statement that also called for the U.N. Security Council to set a time limit for that political process. The notion of deploying U.N. peacekeepers into the Israeli-Palestinian conflicthas been mentioned occasionally by diplomats. It’s unlikely that U.N. peacekeepers would be deployed to Gaza and the West Bank in the near future because sending U.N. peacekeepers into any conflict requires first the authorization of the Council. “We don’t go into active combat, and parties themselves have to agree on allowing the presence of peacekeepers. In addition to calling for an immediate cease-fire and accusing Israel of obstructing those efforts, the Arab League called for “the deployment of United Nations international protection and peacekeeping forces in the occupied Palestinian territory until the two-state solution is implemented.”

Persons: Farhan Haq, Mr, Haq, don’t, Israel, ” Organizations: United Nations, West Bank, . Security, League Locations: Gaza, Palestinian, Israel, Manama, Bahrain

☆ Harrison Butker speech: The biggest mistake he made in his controversial commencement comments
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Aj Willingham | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —The NFL is distancing itself from controversial comments by Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker during a recent commencement address. However, plenty of women (and Taylor Swift fans) have made their feelings plainly known. Harrison Butker of the Kansas City Chiefs speaks to the media ahead of Super Bowl LVIII on February 5, 2024, in Las Vegas. Conservative voices have praised Butker’s speech for being “100% correct” and for reflecting his self-professed deep Catholic faith. Feminists and Taylor Swift fans have fired backButker, 28, has been with the Chiefs for seven seasons.

Persons: Harrison Butker, Butker, –, Taylor Swift, “ Harrison Butker, ”, Jonathan Beane, “, —, ” Butker, Isabelle, Robin Alam, Sam McDowell, Swift, Travis Kelce, Taylor, ’ ” Butker, Travis, ” Taylor Swift, Ezra Shaw, Harrison, I’ll, influencers, Elizabeth Keller Butker, Emory University’s, Vicki Chan, Kelce, Roger Goodell, Lisa Guerrero, • Butker, Joe Biden, Andrea Williams, Patrick Mahomes, “ Harrison Butker doesn’t, doesn’t, Yvette Walker, CNN’s Kevin Dotson Organizations: CNN, Kansas City Chiefs, Pride, Benedictine College, NFL, Chiefs, Super Bowl, Kansas City Star, Conservative, San Francisco 49ers, Getty, Emory, Emory University’s Winship Cancer Institute, Smith College, Football, Catholic, America Locations: Atchison , Kansas, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Massachusetts

☆ NBA playoffs: Nikola Jokić erupts for 40 points as Denver Nuggets take 3-2 series lead over Minnesota Timberwolves
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Newly crowned three-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Nikola Jokić put on a show and proved why he is the rightful recipient of the award in the Denver Nuggets’ 112-97 playoff victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday. So good was Jokić’s performance that teammates and opponents alike were lavishing him with praise after the game. He’s the best player in the NBA, he showed it the last three games, three games in a row. Only five teams in NBA history have come back to win a best-of-seven series when losing the first two at home. Brunson, who bounced back impressively after a poor showing in Game 4, also added seven assists and four rebounds.

Persons: Nikola Jokić, Rudy Gobert, Aaron Gordon, “, ”, Anthony Edwards, Jokić “, ” “, ” Edwards, He’s, ” Gordon, Jamal Murray, Karl, Anthony Towns, Edwards, Garrett Ellwood, “ Nikola, Michael Malone, Brunson, Pacers Jalen Brunson, LeBron James, Pascal Siakam, Tyrese Haliburton Organizations: CNN, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver, Nuggets, ESPN, “, NBA, Timberwolves, Western, Knicks, Pacers, New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers, Eastern Locations: Serbian, Minnesota, Minneapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana

☆ Netflix to air NFL games on Christmas Day in major expansion into live sports
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

The streaming service announced Wednesday a three-year deal to broadcast the league’s Christmas Day games, marking a major milestone for Netflix, whose sports ambitions have largely focused on producing documentaries and creating live specials about golf and tennis. This deal kicks off this year with Netflix airing globally two NFL games on Christmas. We’re so excited that the NFL’s Christmas Day games will be only on Netflix,” said Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s chief content officer, in a release. This year’s Christmas Day games will be revealed Wednesday night on the NFL Network and website. The deal means NFL is also partners with all the major US broadcast networks and most major streaming platforms, including a Thursday night game package with Amazon and Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV.

Persons: ”, Bela Bajaria, “, Hans Schroeder Organizations: New, New York CNN, Netflix, NFL, NFL Network, US, Amazon, YouTube Locations: New York

☆ Premier League clubs to vote on scrapping VAR from next season
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( David Ornstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +8 min

Premier League clubs are set to hold a vote at their annual general meeting next month on a proposal to abolish the video assistant referee (VAR) system from the start of next season. A Wolves statement said the move came “after careful consideration and with the utmost respect for the Premier League, (referees body) PGMOL and our fellow competitors. “However, after five seasons of VAR in the Premier League, it is time for a constructive and critical debate on its future. GO DEEPER Should Premier League clubs vote to scrap VAR? Has VAR worked in the Premier League?

Persons: ”, Shaun Botterill, “, Liverpool’s Luis Diaz, Mikel Arteta, Anthony Gordon’s, —, — PGMOL, Stuart Attwell, Diaz’s, Marc Atkins, Fredrik Reinfeldt, Phil Buckingham, Tony Scholes, Scholes, Johan Lindvall, David Rogers Organizations: Premier League, Wolverhampton Wanderers, —, ” Wolves, Premier, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, Everton, International Football Association Board, Swedish Football Association, Premier League’s, Allsvenskan, Europe’s, Swedish Professional Football Leagues, Getty Locations: Harrogate, Sweden, —, Russia, “ Sweden

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