The Corporate Culture Wars Have a Strange New Coalition
A new development in the culture wars is about to create a fresh set of headaches for corporate America.
Issues that left-wing advocacy groups have been heckling companies about for decades are increasingly being taken up by the right — a shift that's adding complexity and risk for CEOs already struggling to navigate this moment's deep ideological rifts.
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Forbes
16 minutes ago
- Forbes
Poarch Returns To The Scene Of His Greatest Triumph, At The TST
On Wednesday, the highly anticipated The Soccer Tournament kicks off in Cary, North Carolina. The $1 million winner-take-all 7 v 7 competition for men and women will bring together former players and personalities from the beautiful game and in the sports world as well. Here are some of the movers and shakers who are expected to participate in the third-year tourney: Carli Lloyd. Michelle Akers. Hope Solo. Sergio Aguero. Geoff Cameron. Brek Shea. And Chad Poarch. Wait, let's back up just a minute. Chad Poarch? Just who is this Chad Poarch? Well, he is the player who scored the winning goal for La Bombonera in last year's final as he and his teammates split the million-dollar prize money. Poarch (pronounced porch) is back with another team - CONCAFA Soccer Club - as he tries to make it two titles in as many years. He is looking forward to the event, on and off the pitch. "I'm excited, man," he said. Last year he excited about meeting NBA great Chris Paul and former NFL wide receiver Chad (Ochocinco) Johnson. "I'm excited to meet all the celebrities and the guys who have already had successful careers, whatever they have," he added. "So that should be great." Of course, Poarch isn't going to be a paparazzi. He plans on having another memorable experience on the field at WakeMed Soccer Park. "I'm just looking forward to playing in that tournament, a professionally run tournament again, especially what they do with the media," he said. "This being the third year for TST hosting a tournament, I expect the competition is going to be better than the last two years.' Poarch's story, before and after the tournament, is two divergent tales. Prior to that competition, he had struggled to find a professional soccer team. Poarch attended High Point University and then the University of Delaware before deciding to pursue a pro career. That included tryouts in Portugal, Atlanta United and stints in the National Premier Soccer League, USL League Two and USL Championship. "I've been through some stuff," he said. But that all changed in Cary. Not only did he play well, the 5-11, 180-lb. Poarch received national publicity for connecting on the tournament-winning goal and an opportunity to play for the indoor Baltimore Blast in the Major Arena Soccer League. With that in mind, let's return to the TST final against Nani FC on June 10, 2024. Yes, that Nani, the former Portuguese international. Tournament officials ruled that the first team that reached four goals would win the title (the competition's rules are quite different from the rest of the sport). With La Bombonera leading 3-0, Poarch put a tough tackle on Nani, winning a 50-50 ball in his team's defensive zone. Racing into the penalty area on a 2-on-1 break, he launched a right-footed shot from the top of the box that nestled into the lower left corner to lift his team to the title. LA BOMBONERA DEFEAT NANI FC TO WIN TST 2024 🏆 CHAD POARCH SCORES $1M GOAL 💰 | TST "I was able to read the goalkeeper's pass," Poarch said. "As soon as I picked it off, I saw nothing but green grass in front. As soon as I got the ball, it just went silent. It was like a movie. He [the goalkeeper] "After I scored, man, it was like all the relief, all the pressure, everything just was taken off my shoulders, and then obviously we're celebrating with family and friends. It was a whirlwind. Unforgettable." Poarch's story hardly ends there. Blast player Oumar Sylla had told head coach David Bascome that Poarch was one of the players that he should watch at the tournament. Bascome was impressed with Poarch, who had scored five goals, and offered him a contract. "Fortunately for me, I had a good showing last year," Poarch said. 'I benefited from it." Just as he did at the TST, Poarch made the most of his opportunity with the Blast. As a defender, he scored 23 goals in as many regular season games, not bad for a forward, excellent for a defender. He added 10 assists and was voted the MASL newcomer of the year. Poarch, 27, called his past 12 months "a whirlwind experience." "It's been a great year for me as a player," he added. "I've been through a lot as a player, so like, it just feels good to finally get like recognition for doing well and achieving these great achievements. I've been super thankful and grateful for every opportunity that has come my way. I'm looking forward to the future. I'm trying to stay as much in the moment as possible and just take every opportunity as they come." His next opportunity will be to win the tournament with his new team. The CONCAFA Soccer Club, coached by former U.S. men's international goalkeeper Tony Meola, has some players who you might recognize. The higher profile players include former U.S. internationals Cameron and Shea, one-time New York Red Bulls standout Mike Grella and former Iraqi international and Columbus Crew star Justin Meram. For those indoor soccer aficionados, there's MASL all-stars Derek Huffman and Mario Alvarez (Milwaukee Wave), Gordy Gurson (Utica City FC), Zach Reget and Phillip Ejimadu Kansas City Comets) and Drew Ruggles (San Diego Sockers). ESPN analyst Pat McAfee is also on the team. Poarch said that the team had a "good atmosphere and good people to be around." Given the publicity the tournament has received in its short two-year existence, more serious players have wanted to participate. So, finding a pathway to the final has become that more difficult. "Obviously, the goal is to win the tournament," Poarch said. "I want to play well. I've been training and getting as fit as possible since the Blast season ended. For us to go all the way, and then for me to go back-to-back and win TST again will be phenomenal." If CONCAFA prevails, Poarch said that he will use his prize money in some practical ways, such as paying off his student loan, continue saving that he could buy a house and invest in his soccer training business. And even go on vacation. "Good things," he said. "To win a tournament will create a big boost for me in those areas," he said. And create some more history and perhaps another opportunity for Chad Poarch.
Associated Press
20 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Los Angeles unveils compact, athlete-friendly venue plan for 2028 Paralympics
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Every venue for the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles will be within a 35-mile radius, and athletes will be housed together, on the UCLA campus, for the first time since the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. LA28 announced an updated venue plan Tuesday following approval from the International Paralympic Committee's governing board. The Paralympics will run Aug. 15-27, 2028, about two weeks after the the Los Angeles Olympics end. The majority of sports will be held in Los Angeles, with the downtown and Exposition Park sites serving as the main competition hubs. The Los Angeles Convention Center will host boccia, para judo, para table tennis, para taekwondo and wheelchair fencing. Adjacent to the Convention Center, Arena will host wheelchair basketball. Across the street, Peacock Theater will host goalball in an acoustically optimized setting. The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum will host para track and field, as well as the closing ceremony. The nearby Galen Center will host wheelchair rugby and para badminton. Venice Beach on the city's westside will be the site of para triathlon and the starting point of the marathon. The Dignity Health Sports Park complex in Carson will host para archery, wheelchair tennis and para track cycling in the velodrome. Climbing will make its Paralympic debut in 2028, with four men's and four women's events in the parking lot of the Long Beach Convention Center. Para swimming will be on the same site in a temporary pool. Sport shooting will be inside the convention center at a temporary range. Long Beach Arena will host sitting volleyball. A temporary arena at Alamitos Beach along the Pacific Ocean will be the site of blind football. Para rowing and para canoe-sprint events will be held at Marine Stadium. Para equestrian events will take place at Santa Anita racetrack in Arcadia. ___ AP Olympics:
Motor Trend
23 minutes ago
- Motor Trend
What's Going on With Ram? CEO Promises Turnaround
You will be forgiven for thinking Ram is down and out these days. The brand killed the Hemi V-8 that was a highlight of its 1500 full-size pickups, stopped building the affordable (but old) Ram Classic, and had a difficult launch of the Hemi-less 2025 Ram 1500 that included problems getting trims with all the bells and whistles out the door while also trying to start producing new Heavy Duties at the same plant. EV plans were pushed back, both for the range-extending Ramcharger and the entirely battery electric Ram 1500 REV. It adds up to a bad stretch for a brand critical to parent company Stellantis' U.S. fortunes. 0:00 / 0:00 Don't count the brand out yet, says Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis, the man who retired from Stellantis a year ago and returned in December to try to turn things around. The longtime executive returned after former Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares resigned and was exasperated at the botched Ram 1500 launch and high prices that were dragging down sales of a brand that had been flying high for years. The Fix Is In? Sales are better, he insists. With production volumes limited, the focus pivoted to fulfilling U.S. retail customers while foregoing fleet sales, especially to rental companies. The result: Retail sales were up 16 percent in the first quarter, will be closer to 40 percent higher in the second quarter, and likely will end the half about 25 percent up. At the same time, rental fleet sales will be down 90 percent. Losing the more affordable Ram Classic truck has hurt sales somewhat but there are plans to claw back some of those sales. But if anyone is expecting the return of a $40,000 stripped-down truck, those days are gone, Kuniskis says. With mandates and the tech needed, you can't strip a full-size truck down far enough and make money, he says. 'That's a midsize pickup,' he quips, and then says yes, a midsize to replace the Dakota is still in the plan but won't offer more detail right now. The 2026 Ram 1500 comes close to the old Classic's bogey, starting at $44,495. And there are 25 product and product-related announcements coming, the CEO says. EVs Will Come in Time And yes, EVs have been delayed. The Ramcharger goes into production later this year; the all-electric REV could arrive as late as summer 2027. The long-term commitment to these electrified trucks remains intact and Ram is enjoying the luxury of timing working in its favor. Being a bit of a laggard in the full-size electric pickup space allowed Ram to see how the forerunners were received. Executives watched the marketplace and saw prices increase and demand wane. Stellantis took advantage of Ram's tardiness to push back deadlines until a later date in the hopes profit margins on these products will improve. Bottom line: 'We have to get there,' Kuniskis says of EVs. Regulations and the need for compliance still exist despite some changes, so some form of electrification is needed. But the late launch will help the business case. 'We are able to delay until we can get a better margin.' Ram will still be first among a new crop to offer an extended-range EV (EREV) with the Ramcharger, which uses its gas engine only as a generator for its smaller-than-REV battery. (Vehicles that use the engine to power the wheels at all are considered to be plug-in hybrids, but the Ramcharger does not.) Everyone else will follow the Ramcharger's lead, Kuniskis says.
