International
LeBron James’ essay in Chinese newspaper signals warming NBA-China ties
Lakers F LeBron James has become the first NBA player to author a piece in China’s state-run People’s Daily newspaper, an “unusual move” suggesting the NBA’s years-long row with Beijing could be “coming to an end,” according to Eduardo Baptista of REUTERS. When 76ers President/Basketball Operations ...
YouTube hoping to prove its live sports capabilities with Chiefs-Chargers broadcast
YouTube is “pulling out all the bells and whistles” for today’s Chiefs-Chargers broadcast in Brazil, the “first time YouTube has hosted such a high-caliber US sports event in front of the paywall,” according to Janko Roettgers of THE VERGE. There will “be drones” and “over 50 cameras.” Karol G “will...
Chiefs see international games as chance to grow their brand
The Chiefs have “grown to love playing abroad,” seeing it as “an opportunity to exhibit their winning style to as many fans in the world as they can,” according to Nate Taylor of ESPN.com. The Chiefs’ “success overseas” led team owner Clark Hunt to express in late March that his “desire is for his t...
Corinthians Arena field in Brazil upgraded for Chiefs-Chargers after past complaints
The NFL partnered with Brazilian soccer club Corinthians to improve the field conditions at Corinthians Arena in São Paulo for tonight’s Chiefs-Chargers game, “investing half a million dollars,” according to Fernando Cardoso of REUTERS. After last year’s opening week game between the Eagles and the ...
Son Heung-min’s LAFC home debut electrifies fans, community despite loss
While LAFC F Son Heung-min’s “legions of new and longtime fans didn’t get to see a goal from their hero or a team victory” during his home debut at BMO Stadium -- falling short 2-1 against San Diego FC Sunday night -- at least they “got a glimpse of the tantalizing potential in Son’s new team after ...
Son Heung-Min’s stardom brings immediate impact to MLS, LAFC
LAFC F Son Heung-Min’s early days in MLS has “quickly painted a picture of what the ideal MLS star signing of the present and future might look like in terms of improving the product on the field and visibility off of it,” according to Ian Quillen of FORBES. Son, who arrived earlier this month from ...
NHL’s Bill Daly outlines 2028 World Cup of Hockey format
NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the 2028 World Cup of Hockey will feature eight teams, with the first iteration made up of “separate teams, representing their countries,” without any “hybrid teams.” Appearing on “32 Thoughts: The Podcast ‚” he noted it will be a “mid-season tournament,” in Fe...
March Madness-inspired Asian basketball league aims to capitalize on sport’s popularity
A new pan-Asian college basketball league, styled after the March Madness tournament, that launched this week is the “latest attempt to capitalise on the popularity of the sport in the region,” according to Thomas Hale of the FINANCIAL TIMES. Alibaba Chair and Nets owner Joe Tsai is “backing" the As...
WNBA’s Vancouver game highlights sport’s growth in Canada
After the Dream-Storm game drew a sellout crowd to Rogers Arena on Friday, there is “no denying the momentum the WNBA and women’s pro sports in general is seeing in Canada,” according to Patrick Johnston of the Vancouver PROVINCE. NBA Canada Associate VP/Global Partnerships Cheryl Sebastian said tha...
Premier League CEO rejects overseas matches as La Liga eyes Miami
Premier League CEO Richard Masters has said that “there is no desire among clubs to play domestic matches abroad,” despite the Spanish FA’s move to “stage a La Liga match” in the U.S., according to Martyn Ziegler of the London TIMES. Masters said that it would be “interesting to observe” if La Liga’...
Son Heung-min’s MLS move expected to boost league’s international reach
MLS “seems set to benefit in a variety of manners” with the recent signing of LAFC F Son Heung-min, “expanding the league’s reach in ways that they couldn’t have imagined with any other signing,” according to Ryan Tolmich of GOAL. And with Son’s arrival, MLS streams in Asia are “expected to skyrocke...
Heat, Magic set for NBA’s first Puerto Rico exhibition matchup since ’06
The Heat yesterday formally announced their Oct. 4 exhibition game against the Magic at Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico, marking the first NBA exhibition game in the territory since 2006, according to Ira Winderman of South Florida SUN-SENTINEL. Heat EVP & Chief Commercial Office...
EuroLeague eyes collaboration with NBA as it considers its own European operation
EuroLeague CEO Paulius Motiejunas has said that his league would “prefer to cooperate with the NBA on a possible joint venture,” but if the NBA insists on starting a second operation, then the EuroLeague is “prepared to dig in for a fight,” according to Robert O’Connell of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. T...
LAFC’s Son signing to resonate in SoCal’s Korean community
In few places will the influence of LAFC’s signing of Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur F Son Heung-min, which was “expected to be completed” yesterday, be “felt more directly than in Southern California’s Korean community, the largest in the U.S.,” according to a front-page piece by Kevin Baxte...
EU court allows challenges to FIFA outside Switzerland
The European Union’s top court ruled today that the decisions of FIFA can be “challenged outside” Switzerland, “opening up a system that currently binds athletes, officials and clubs to accept verdicts there.” The European Court of Justice said tribunals in the 27 EU member states “must be able to c...
Michigan fans puzzled by potential 2026 season opener in Germany
Univ. of Michigan fans have been doing “quite a lot of head scratching” regarding the school wanting to move it 2026 game against Western Michigan to Germany, according to MLIVE.com’s Aaron McMann. UM over the last six months has made a big deal “about the need to bring in more revenue from events a...
Silver, Tatum visit London for NBA Europe meeting
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum “met today in London” with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer “as part of Silver and Tatum’s trip to meet with various potential stakeholders in a new NBA Europe league” (X, 7/30). Silver and Tatum “also met with” U.S. Ambassador to t...
Michigan-WMU looking to be first major CFB game in Germany
Michigan and Western Michigan plan to “open the 2026 college football season in Frankfurt, Germany,” during Week 0, marking the “first FBS college football game played on German soil,” according to Austin Meek of THE ATHLETIC. The planned game will be at Deutsche Bank Park, a 55,000-seat venue that ...
FC Barcelona facing delay for return to Camp Nou
La Liga club FC Barcelona’s planned return to Camp Nou on Aug. 10 is “looking increasingly unlikely as the club struggles to complete the necessary work” to allow 62,000 people in the stands. The city council will “only grant licenses to the club for that many supporters” to attend the Joan Gamper T...
NBA Europe, NBA Africa remain on track
NBA Europe, a hypothetical 16-team league that could include EuroLeague franchises, was again perceived favorably at Tuesday’s Board of Governors session, where owners were told the NBA is vetting international stakeholders, weighing expansion fees and conferring with potential franchises in-person.
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We’re going to play the game with the roof open. If it’s 80 degrees out, we’ll take that chance.-- NHL President of Content & Events Steve Mayer, on the league planning to play the Jan. 2 Winter Classic game at Miami's loanDepot Park with the roof open, regardless of the outside temperature.
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