Weekend Rap

JPMorgan Chase is “closing in on a deal” to become an IOC TOP sponsor ahead of the 2028 L.A. Games, according to sources cited by the FINANCIAL TIMES. The move “underlines the enduring appeal of the elite sporting competition to the world’s biggest companies” and serves as a “major boost to the IOC … after big names including Intel, Toyota and Panasonic ended their top-tier sponsorship deals following the 2024 Paris Games.” Sources said that beginning the deal with the L.A. Games would give JPMorgan “prominent exposure in its home market” (FINANCIAL TIMES, 4/10).

Sunday is the final day of the NBA regular season, and none of the playoff matchups have been decided. There are 10 teams that are “locked into specific seeds” in the Eastern and Western Conferences, while there are 10 other teams that “know their seasons will end on Sunday.” Meanwhile, the 65-game rule for award eligibility is a major storyline. Lakers G Luka Doncic will not play Sunday and will “fall short” of the mark, while Nuggets C Nikola Jokic needs to play Sunday “to hit that number.” That means it is possible the NBA scoring (Doncic) and rebound and assist (Jokic) champions will “be ineligible to appear on the ballots that will decide the All-NBA teams, MVP and other major awards.” There were “no fewer than 168 players officially ruled out of Friday’s games, and it’ll likely be a similar number ruled out of Sunday’s games” (AP, 4/11).

The BOSTON GLOBE’s Gary Washburn noted the final few weeks of the NBA regular season have “been an abysmal example of porous competition and listless matchups.” The play-in tournament was created to provide two extra postseason spots, but the Warriors have been locked into 10th slot “for weeks.” Warriors F Draymond Green said, “I think (the play-in) worked initially, and now to have a team stuck in 10th, it ain’t working. We could have lost our last 15 games and been stuck in 10th. It ain’t working. The play-in was made for teams not to tank. I think that’s the part that everyone forgets. The play-in was made for teams that were like 12th or 13th to keep going, and they ain’t keep going. They slowed down and then they hit the brakes” (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/11).

The Univ. of California on Friday in an email announced that all members of the athletic department’s “marketing, athletic communications and creative services units -- possibly as many as 25 people -- will be laid off, effective early June.” The move is part of a “complete redefinition” of how the department works. That includes moving forward with what the email called a “new, integrated external model called Strawberry Creek Studios, which will align all external efforts around two primary objectives: revenue generation and authentic storytelling.” It is unclear “how the athletic department intends to fulfill the functions of those being let go.” Cal co-ADs Jenny Simon-O’Neill and Jay Larson in the email noted that they “plans to share more details in the coming weeks about the vision going forward” (SI.com, 4/10).

A sellout crowd of 17,850 welcomed Saturday’s Montreal Victoire-Boston Fleet game at TD Garden, succeeding in a “test run” for potentially more PWHL games at the venue. The game, which the Victoire won 1-0, “marked the second-largest women’s professional hockey crowd” in U.S. history, behind only last Saturday’s sellout at MSG for Seattle Torrent-N.Y. Sirens. Contributing to a playoff atmosphere “was the raucous crowd” at the Garden. Hockey HOFer Zdeno Chara dropped the opening puck, and other notable fans in attendance included former NHLer Patrice Bergeron, Celtics G Derrick White and the 1998 gold medal-winning U.S. women’s hockey team. Bruins COO and TD Garden President Glen Thornborough noted that selling out a building of this size “is an indicator that the Fleet will play more games ... down the line” at the arena (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/12).

The N.Y. Times is investigating The Athletic’s Dianna Russini after she “was photographed embracing” Patriots coach Mike Vrabel at a resort in Arizona, according to a source cited by STATUS. The source noted The Athletic “immediately began an investigation upon learning of the photos.” The source added that Russini “will not be reporting for the outlet until the investigation is complete.” The revelation of an internal probe came after The Athletic Exec Editor Steven Ginsberg “initially defended Russini in a statement.” Ginsberg in that statement noted that the photos of Russini and Vrabel, which first appeared in the N.Y. Post’s Page Six, were “misleading and lack essential context” (STATUS, 4/10). Sources at The Athletic noted that Russini is “among the highest-paid reporters” within the N.Y. Times Co. Her contract is “set to expire this summer” (ESPN.com, 4/10).

ESPN had its second-most-watched Masters Par 3 contest ever on Wednesday, despite some vocal pushback against its inclusion of Jason Kelce in the coverage.

Wednesday’s coverage averaged 956,000 viewers from 2:00-4:30pm ET (Nielsen Big Data + Panel), a 52% increase over 628,108 last year (Nielsen Panel). It was the most-watched Par 3 contest on the network in 11 years, with the 2015 event drawing 1.1 million, which set an all-time record.

The network drew significant criticism over the past week for having Kelce as an on-course reporter. Kelce already had been part of ESPN’s TGL coverage earlier in 2026.

On Friday night, ESPN President of Content Burke Magnus posted on X that the telecast was up 42% year-over-year in the 18-49 demographic.

The “main attraction” early at UFC 327 on Saturday night in Miami was President Trump, who entered Kaseya Center shortly after 9pm ET “to watch the light heavyweight fight between Jiri Prochazka and Carlos Ulberg.” He was accompanied by UFC President & CEO Dana White and “several members of the Trump family.” Trump sat with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and “also nearby” was U.S. ambassador to India Sergio Gor. Trump “shook hands with attendees on the floor and made a point of greeting” podcast and UFC analyst Joe Rogan (AP, 4/11).

Meanwhile, UFC “added all-time knockout leader Derrick Lewis to its summer card at the White House." White indicated that the move “was requested” specifically by Trump. White unveiled that Lewis will fight Josh Hokit on Saturday, “just moments after” Hokit defeated Curtis Blaydes at UFC 327. White said that Trump “asked earlier in the evening why Lewis was not fighting on the White House card.” After the Hokit fight Saturday, White “decided to make the matchup” for the June 14 event (ESPN.com, 4/11).

With two months until the UFC Freedom 250 event on June 14 at the White House, UFC and the White House made a number of announcements on plans:

• Fight poster: President Trump unveiled the promotional poster for the event via Truth Social on Saturday night. The poster includes the tagline, “The Most Historic Sporting Event of All Time,” and features Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje, who fight in a lightweight title unification bout, and Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane, who fight in an interim heavyweight title bout.

• Hype video: UFC revealed additional renderings for the White House site in a promotional video.

• Sponsors: Ram and Crypto.com are the two co-presenting partners. Ram signed a multiyear partnership in December with TKO Group Holdings to become the official truck of UFC, WWE and PBR.
• $1M bonus: Crypto.com announced an additional $1M in fighter bonuses for the card to be awarded in CRO to mark the partnership and also its 10^th anniversary. A million dollars is roughly 14.4M CRO. UFC also will distribute the usual fight/performance of the night awards (Crypto.com).
• Tickets: UFC announced a lottery system to distribute the 85,000 free tickets for White House events. Registration at ufcfreedom250.com to express interest began Saturday and continues through Thursday, with fans required to provide a temporary $1 authorization charge. A separate link will be sent Friday with “with instructions to complete the form by 8 a.m. ET the following day.” Tickets will be assigned via random draw, with those selected notified by email. Requests are limited to two tickets and tickets “cannot be transferred or sold” (DAILY EXPRESS U.S., 4/11).
• Fan events: A pre-fight news conference is scheduled for 8pm ET June 12 at the Lincoln Memorial. The event is free and open to the public. A two-day Fan Fest on the Ellipse is scheduled for June 13-14, starting at 3:30pm each day with live music, fighter meet and greets, panels and Q&A sessions. The weigh-in will take place at the Fan Fest on June 13 with a watch party scheduled June 14 (X, 4/11).
• Music: Zac Brown Brand will headline the Fan Fest with a concert June 13 on the Ellipse (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 4/11).

Boxer Tyson Fury made his latest return on Saturday with a win over Arslanbek Makhmudov, but he “did not celebrate his victory with the usual bravado” -- instead turning “his gaze immediately to the ringside seats” where fellow boxer Anthony Joshua was sitting. The “sub-plot to the night” was whether an anticipated Fury-Joshua fight would finally happen. Netflix, which would air Fury-Joshua, earlier in the night posted on social media “officially announcing the fight.” Saudi minister Turki Alalshikh following Saturday’s bout “took the microphone and compelled Joshua to accept the challenge.” It was “delivered as if this were the next chapter of a WWE saga,” but “as the crowd roared, Joshua remained calm.” While Fury said at the post-fight news conference that he “had signed his part of the deal,” it “appears that Joshua’s side is not complete” (London TELEGRAPH, 4/12).

Netflix had earlier posted on X that the pair “will meet in the autumn.” Joshua beat Jake Paul last December, which was also on Netflix, but he “had to broker a financial agreement with DAZN, with whom he has an exclusive contract, for that to happen.” He “has not yet agreed a similar deal for the Fury bout, even if it is not expected to be problematic.” It is “one of a few issues that need ironing out, though.” There is also “no location yet.” Dublin’s Croke Park has “emerged as a contender to host,” but London’s Wembley Stadium and other venues “remain in the mix” (THE ATHLETIC, 4/12).

Mavericks Governor Patrick Dumont’s plan for filling the team’s president of basketball operations position -- a process that “unofficially began” after former GM Nico Harrison’s Nov. 11 dismissal -- is “about to shift to hyperdrive” with the season concluding. Dumont said, “Monday morning, we’re going to get active, and we’re going to talk to a lot of people. ... Our goal is to have someone on board by the middle of May.” Along with considering internal candidates such as co-interim GMs Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi, Dumont “made it clear that the search has and will be extensive.” He says that he believes Dallas, as a “dynamic city and top-four media market, is a draw for candidates” (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 4/12).

The Twins are “offering some fans free tickets to an upcoming game” after a power outage at Target Field “disrupted the team’s home opener” on April 3. Fans who had tickets to that game can “receive complimentary tickets to the April 17 home game” against the Reds. Single-game ticket buyers from the April 3 matchup “will get an email with a link to redeem up to four complimentary tickets” for April 17, while season-ticket holders can ”claim up to six free tickets to any Twins home game through May 14” (FOX9.com, 4/10).

The offer comes as the Twins “appeared to struggle to bring fans into the stadium during the team’s opening homestand.” The early April schedule “faced the challenge of chilly temperatures that barely rose above freezing during several games.” A “portion of the fanbase has also remained vocal on social media about their displeasure with continued Pohlad family ownership" after a pulled plan to explore a sale of the team and roster moves that jettisoned key players last season, while “adding few new faces for this year” (KARE11.com, 4/10).

The Mariners on Friday unveiled a statue of Baseball HOFer Ichiro Suzuki outside T-Mobile Park, but the bronze bat Suzuki was holding “snapped at the handle, leaving the rest of the bat dangling at a 45-degree angle.” Fellow HOFers and Mariners legends Ken Griffey Jr. and Edgar Martinez pulled the drapes off the statue, only for Griffey to “put his head on Martinez’s shoulder. He then ”covered his eyes” as Suzuki “laughed and pointed at the bat.” The bat was quickly temporarily fixed. The statue depicts Suzuki’s “classic batting stance -- right arm extended toward the pitcher, left arm folded across his chest.” The Mariners gave away a “miniature replica statue of Ichiro to the first 40,000 fans through the gates” before Friday’s game against the Astros (SEATTLE TIMES, 4/10).

Kings TV play-by-play voice Mark Jones is not “leaving Sacramento” despite his 36-year run as an announcer on ESPN coming to an end this weekend. Jones said that he “will return next season” as the primary TV voice of the Kings on NBC Sports California, a job he has held since 2020. Jones said, “My plan is to be here for a long, long time.” He will call his final game for ESPN on Sunday with Magic-Celtics at 6pm ET. Jones could not “comment when asked if he will call Kings games on a full-time basis next season” (SACRAMENTO BEE, 4/11).

Meanwhile, the Kings on Friday announced “plans to honor” radio play-by-play voice Gary Gerould’s legacy as he completes his 41st season in the booth. The media dining and workspace at Golden 1 Center “will be named the Gary ‘G-Man’ Gerould Media Center next season” (SACRAMENTO BEE, 4/11).

The NFL and the NFLRA convened for a “productive meeting” on Thursday as the two sides attempt to work out a new labor deal, according to sources cited by THE ATHLETIC. News of the meeting came one day after the NFL told teams to expect replacement officials at offseason practices beginning June 1 if the sides could not work out a deal. A source noted Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and co-owner & COO Stephen Jones, Buccaneers co-owner Joel Glazer and Chiefs owner Clark Hunt “joined the negotiations in person.” With “progress made during the meeting,” negotiators are “expected to continue working diligently toward an agreement” (THE ATHLETIC, 4/10).