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☆ Queen guitarist May, soccer Lionesses named in king's New Year honours
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Denis Pellerin/Handout via REUTERSLONDON, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Britain recognised Queen guitarist Brian May, several English "Lionesses" who won the European women's soccer championship and diplomats involved in the response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in King Charles' first New Year's honours list. Four members of the England women's soccer team received honours, with captain Leah Williamson awarded an OBE, while the tournament's golden boot winner Beth Mead, defender Lucy Bronze and all-time top scorer Ellen White received MBEs. The team's coach, Dutch national Sarina Wiegman, received an honorary CBE - a type of award given to foreign nationals. Queen Elizabeth died in September, making the New Year's honours the first to be awarded by King Charles since he came to the throne. The list is drawn up by independent committees, before it is approved by the prime minister and the monarch.

☆ Independent investigation of US women's professional soccer reveals 'widespread misconduct' by those in positions of power
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( David Close | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The National Women’s Soccer League and its players’ union have released a 128-page independent investigation report following a 14-month inquiry into accusations of “discrimination, harassment, abuse (physical, emotional or sexual) and retaliation” within the women’s professional league. The joint investigative team, which included members from two law firms, found “widespread misconduct directed at NWSL players” by those in positions of power. Portland Thorns fans hold signs during the first half of the team's National Women's Soccer League soccer match against the Houston Dash in Portland, Oregon, on October 6, 2021. Following Wednesday’s release of the new report, US Soccer released a statement acknowledging the misconduct which mirrored incidents detailed in the Yates report. US officials said a committee looking at implementing recommendations in the Yates report should announce “a robust action plan” by the end of January.

☆ Cameo launches Cameo Kids personalized videos with Candle Media
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Dawn Chmielewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Dec 8 (Reuters) - Celebrity video messaging service Cameo said Thursday it has partnered with Candle Media to launch a new feature aimed at the playground set -- Cameo Kids. The service will offer personalized birthday and holiday video greetings from animated children's characters, including popular figures from Candle Media's Moonbug Entertainment's franchises "Blippi" and "CoComelon." Personalized messages for children expand the potential market for Cameo, which launched five years ago and allows athletes, celebrities and musicians to sell personalized videos to their fans. Cameo had experimented with offering children's content about a year ago, working with Mattel Inc's (MAT.O) 'Thomas the Tank Engine,' but its partnership with Candle Media helped elevate the experience, Galanis said. Blackstone-backed Candle Media spent months figuring out how to use its animated characters to deliver personalized video at scale.

BOSTON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - A former Yale University women's soccer coach who cooperated with authorities investigating the U.S. college admissions scandal was sentenced on Wednesday to five months in prison for accepting bribes to help parents get their children into the Ivy League school. The prison sentence Wolf ordered came despite prosecutors' recommending Meredith, 54, receive a non-custodian punishment after becoming a key witness in the "Operation Varsity Blues" investigation. The investigation centered on William "Rick" Singer, a California college admissions consultant who admitted in 2019 to facilitating college entrance exam cheating and bribing coaches to secure his clients' children's admission as phony athletes. The investigation led 51 people to plead guilty, including actors Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman, two of the many wealthy parents Singer counted as clients. Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Leslie Adler and Christopher CushingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Serena Williams, Justin Timberlake are among big-name investors in Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy's sports venture
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Jessica Golden | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Co-founders Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Founder, CEO Mike McCarley Courtesy: TMRWSportsTiger Woods' and Rory McIlroy's new sports startup — which is already planning a new golf league — is drawing some big-name investors. TMRW Sports' first project is its TGL golf league, which was launched in partnership with the PGA Tour this summer and comes as professional golf is being disrupted by the arrival of upstart league LIV Golf. TMRW Sports is looking to draw in younger sports fans with a format that makes the golf league more compatible with prime-time television. McCarley said the company sought investors who were passionate about golf and would represent a diversity of expertise and backgrounds in media and entertainment. Rendering of the custom built arena where the TGL golf league will play.

☆ Thorns owner stepping down as CEO after NWSL misconduct report
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Amy Tennery | Frank Pingue | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Oct 11 (Reuters) - Merritt Paulson, the CEO of the Portland Thorns and their Major League Soccer counterparts, the Timbers, said he was removing himself effective immediately, following a report that detailed abuse in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). An investigation released earlier this month said that abuse and sexual misconduct were systemic throughout the NWSL and that the league and U.S. Soccer failed to put in "basic measures" to safeguard players. The report also said that the Thorns failed to be transparent about the 2015 firing of a former coach, who was accused of abuse, and that U.S. Soccer and the NWSL did not stop him from coaching elsewhere. A report in The Athletic a year ago detailed allegations of misconduct against Riley, prompting a reckoning throughout the league. "No matter what happens, ensuring the long-term health and success of the Portland Thorns is critical to me, as I know it is for our players and the community."

☆ Women’s soccer is booming in England. But the big money hasn't caught up yet
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-07 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

All available tickets for the 90,000-capacity stadium were snapped up 15 minutes after going on sale, the U.K.'s fastest-ever sellout for the women's game. That trend has continued with the start of the 2022-23 season of the Women's Super League, the top tier of women's soccer in England. More money, more qualityWomen were banned from playing on Football Association grounds until 1971, and there wasn't a fully professional women's league until 2018. Major publishers like BBC Sport have also made moves to include the women's game more prominently in coverage. "Unbundling would attract more brands who see the women's game as their marketing focus and not just an add-on," Baroni said.

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