
New Venture For Virat Kohli, Becomes Strategic Investor In This Sport
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
MLB rights deals update: Apple out; Peacock, ESPN and Netflix still in play
Major League Baseball's national media landscape is reportedly on the verge of a major shake-up, with a new round of broadcast deals nearing completion. According to Yahoo Sports' Kendall Baker, the MLB deal is 'close to being done', with Apple out and ESPN, Peacock, and Netflix sticking on. A general view during the MLB Little League Classic between the Seattle Mariners and the New York Mets at Bowman Field (Getty Images via AFP) As per Baker, the MLB is finalizing agreements that would likely run through 2028, aligning with the league's existing contracts with Fox and TNT Sports. The reported plan marks a dramatic reshuffling of partners and platforms. 'Nothing is finalized (which of course means things could still change) but sounds close,' Baker reported on X, platform formerly known as Twitter. Apple, which previously carried Friday Night Baseball, is reportedly stepping away entirely. In its place, NBC and Peacock are poised to acquire Friday night games, as well as ESPN's vacated Sunday Night Baseball package and Wild Card matchups. That move would give NBC an unprecedented year-round Sunday prime-time sports lineup—adding baseball to its existing football and basketball coverage. However, like Baker mentioned, nothing is finalized. While exiting its traditional rights package, ESPN is reportedly not cutting ties with the sport altogether. As per Baker, the network plans to acquire the league's out-of-market streaming service, as part of its broader push into streaming. The purchase could serve as the backbone of ESPN's soon-to-launch direct-to-consumer service, while also keeping the door open for potential involvement in local rights. Meanwhile, Netflix is reportedly finalizing its entry into MLB by securing rights to the Home Run Derby, another property ESPN previously held. The addition would expand Netflix's growing live-sports portfolio with one of baseball's most-watched annual events. If these deals materialize, the new structure would significantly alter baseball's media reach: Apple bows out, NBC deepens its live-sports dominance, ESPN secures a digital foothold, and Netflix adds a marquee event.


Hindustan Times
8 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
MLB suspends Mariners OF Victor Robles for conduct in Triple-A game
Major League Baseball suspended Seattle Mariners outfielder Victor Robles for 10 games and fined him an undisclosed amount on Tuesday after a bat-throwing incident during a game Sunday while on rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Tacoma. HT Image The suspension would go into effect on the first day that Robles is on an MLB active roster. However, he has elected to file an appeal and the discipline will be held in abeyance until the process is complete, MLB announced. Sidelined since April with a dislocated left shoulder, Robles had fouled off a high and inside pitch from Las Vegas starter Joey Estes in the top of the third inning of the Pacific Coast League game. Robles, who already had been hit by pitches three times during the series at Las Vegas, flung his bat toward Estes in frustration and began walking toward the mound. He was immediately ejected by home plate umpire Joe McCarthy and had to be restrained by teammates. Robles threw a box of snacks toward the field before going into the clubhouse. He later apologized on Instagram for letting his emotions get the best of him. "Coming off a long rehab and being away from the game for most of the season has been physically and mentally challenging," Robles said. "Adding to that, the recent passing of my mother has been incredibly hard, and I've been doing my best to hold it together. That's not an excuse, but some context I feel you deserve to understand where I'm coming from." He added, "Getting hit 5 times in 15 at-bats added to that pressure, and I reacted in a way I'm not proud of. This game means the world to me, and so do the people who play it. I respect every one of you, not just as a player, but as a teammate and competitor." While with the Mariners, Robles was hit twice by Athletics pitchers, including once by Estes, in a road game Sept. 5, 2024. The Athletics have hit Robles with a pitch four times since the start of 2024, per an report. Robles, 28, has been on the injured list since crashing into an outfield wall on April 6 at San Francisco. Playing right field in the series finale against Giants, Robles made a jumping catch of a long ball hit by Patrick Bailey that had barely turned foul in the bottom of the ninth. His glove hand still outstretched, Robles' elbow appeared to make contact with a padded wall and he also got tangled in netting. He was carted off the field. Robles joined the Mariners after being waived by the Washington Nationals during the 2024 season. He served as Seattle's leadoff batter in its first 10 games of this season and was hitting .273 with three doubles, three RBIs, three runs and three stolen bases. He has batted .248 in his 617-game career with Washington (2017-24) and Seattle (2024-25), recording 35 homers, 185 RBIs, 257 runs and 103 stolen bases. He has accrued 79 hit-by-pitches over 2,142 MLB plate appearances -- or one every 27.1 plate appearances. --Field Level Media


News18
17 hours ago
- News18
Asia Cup 2025: 13 Players Who Disappeared From Team India's 2022 Squad
Back in 2022, India's line-up featured heavyweights like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Dinesh Karthik Three years can change the face of any cricket team, and Team India is proving it once again. The squad chosen for the 2025 Asia Cup bears little resemblance to the one that took the field in the UAE back in 2022. Out of the 17 players who were part of the 2022 Asia Cup, only four remain today. The rest, 13 in total, have either retired, been sidelined due to injury, or simply fallen out of the selectors' plans. Back in 2022, India's line-up featured heavyweights like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Dinesh Karthik. It was a team still relying on the old guard, even though the winds of change were beginning to blow. That same year, Rohit and Virat would go on to play pivotal roles in India's 2024 T20 World Cup triumph, but the Asia Cup exit in Dubai was the first clear sign that the side needed an overhaul. By 2025, that transformation is complete. Asia Cup 2025: The Missing 13 The list of absentees from 2022 is long. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Dinesh Karthik have since retired. Rishabh Pant's prolonged injury absence has kept him out, while KL Rahul too failed to find a spot in the current squad. Deepak Hooda's international career has stalled, and bowlers like Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Deepak Chahar and Ravi Bishnoi have been left out due to poor form. The only ones still surviving from that old team are Hardik Pandya, who famously finished off Pakistan with a six in Dubai, along with a handful of others who have managed to adapt to the new demands of modern T20 cricket. Why So Many Changes? By 2022, the T20 format had already started evolving, and India's reliance on its star names and conservative batting template was proving costly. Teams like Sri Lanka and Afghanistan were building line-ups around strike rates, matchups, and fearless cricket. That is why Sri Lanka not only beat India and Pakistan in that Asia Cup but also went on to lift the trophy. Indian selectors realised quickly that reputation alone would not win T20 games anymore. The formula had to change; strike rate mattered more than stature, economy rate mattered more than ego. From the Asia Cup of 2022 through to the 2023 T20 World Cup, the gradual shift began. Veterans faded, and a younger, faster crop of players came in. India's Asia Cup Squad 2022 Rohit Sharma (c), Suryakumar Yadav, K L Rahul, Virat Kohli, Axar Patel, Deepak Hooda, Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Yuzvendra Chahal, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravi Bishnoi India's Asia Cup Squad 2025 India's squad for Asia Cup 2025: Surya Kumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (WK), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Loading comments...