Latest news with #NBAAll-StarGame
San Francisco Chronicle
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Catch this Bay Area Grammy nominee's post-Giants game concert
Oracle Park is about to get icy — and not just because of San Francisco's summertime fog. The Bay Area's 'Icy Girl' Saweetie plans to bring her hip-hop hits to the ballpark for a post-game performance after the San Francisco Giants face off against the Tampa Bay Rays on Aug. 16. The Santa Clara-born star is set to perform on the field approximately 30 minutes after the final out of the game, which starts at 6:05 p.m. Her set is part of the Giants' City Connect Concert series, which previously booked country music star Nate Smith for a performance on June 21. A game ticket is required for admission, and fans can purchase an additional field pass for closer access to the performance. Tickets are on sale now. The upcoming occasion marks Saweetie's first local gig since NBA All-Star Weekend, when she joined fellow Bay Area musicians Too Short, Raphael Saadiq and En Vogue on the court for a performance during the NBA All-Star Game at Chase Center. The two-time Grammy nominee was also featured on the Golden State Warriors' nine-track 'For the Soil' album, which celebrated Northern California's rap scene and was curated by Pinole rapper P-Lo. The record was released just before NBA All-Star Weekend in collaboration with its entertainment division, Golden State Entertainment. Ahead of her concert next month, Saweetie plans to release her new EP, 'Hella Pressure,' on Aug. 1. The project builds on the success of hits like 'My Type,' 'Tap In' and 'Best Friend,' and comes as fans eagerly await her debut album, which has no release date yet. Saweetie released the confident summer anthem 'Boffum,' the EP's lead single named for the slang term meaning 'both of them,' on Friday, July 18, to ring in the new era.
Indianapolis Star
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indianapolis Star
What Caitlin Clark said on 'Good Morning America' as players, fans gather for WNBA All-Star rally
Indy stays ready for the national spotlight. Fresh off of the NBA Finals and a year after the 2024 NBA All-Star Game, national media is again spotlighting the city as WNBA All-Star Weekend kicks off in Indianapolis this weekend. ABC's 'Good Morning America' is broadcasting live Friday morning from downtown. Co-anchor Robin Roberts is onsite at Bicentennial Unity Plaza to kick off WNBA All-Star Weekend, along with players, sports analysts and team mascots. WNBA players joining Roberts at the party on the plaza are: Performing as part of a special edition of the 'GMA Summer Concert Series': ESPN analysts Elle Duncan, Chiney Ogwumike, and Andraya Carter joined Roberts on stage to talk the WNBA and gave predictions for the July 19 All-Star game. Ducan and Ogwumike predicted Team Collier would win. Carter went with Team Clark. Clark, who with Boston, Mitchell and Colson sat with Roberts on stage, said the crowd boosted her spirits in the wake of her not being able to play in the game due to injury. "I'm feeling good. A lot of this cheers me up. It's good to see everybody out there having a really good time," she said. "There are so many people that put in so much time and effort to make this weekend amazing; and this is really just the start to two really great days."
Indianapolis Star
15-07-2025
- Business
- Indianapolis Star
'It's been organic': Indy shoots for summer economy bump with WNBA All-Star Game
Streets downtown have been ceremoniously renamed after WNBA teams. Hotels are nearly sold out. Caitlin Clark's shooting form adorns the sky-blue JW Marriott hotel. It's a sign: The WNBA All-Star Game is coming to town — for the first time ever — and Indianapolis leaders, restaurant owners and residents are prepping for what they hope will be a healthy infusion to the local summer economy. On July 18 and 19, all eyes in the sports world will focus on Indianapolis, the city that has arguably catapulted professional women's basketball into the national spotlight and brought a fervor to the sport not seen before in the league's nearly 30-year history. Though the city predicts 70,000 visitors next weekend, the possible economic impact remains a mystery, as no known formal academic studies have analyzed the economic impact of the annual women's All-Star Game, Pacers Sports and Entertainment CEO Mel Raines said. Economic impact, a somewhat vague term used to discuss how certain events drive the economy, looks at direct spending from visiting fans and businesses; indirect revenue, or additional spending in Indianapolis; and the value of viewership, earned media and social media traffic. With such marquee sports events, the host committee typically also sets aside money to invest in local neighborhoods, which can boost the quality of life in Indianapolis. Studies say the NBA All-Star Game brings in hundreds of millions of dollars to host cities. In 2024, Indianapolis saw a $400 million boost to the economy while hosting the festivities, according to experts at Temple University's Sports Industry Research Center. That was the largest economic impact of an NBA All-Star Game recorded to date, even though a winter snowstorm hit the Circle City for most of the weekend. Pacers Sports and Entertainment contracted the same researchers behind the 2024 study to assess how the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game will impact Indianapolis, Raines said. Raines predicts the upcoming All-Star weekend will be bigger than ever before, as Indianapolis flexes its well-oiled tourism muscles and fans rally around women's basketball players like the Fever's Caitlin Clark, captain of one of the All-Star teams, and Aliyah Boston, both of whom have become household names. A 2024 analysis placed Clark's economic value at more than $36 million less than a year after the Fever drafted her. "We often help the host realize how big the event is when Indianapolis hosts events," said Raines, who also leads the weekend's host committee. "It's been organic to get the fans to lean in, and we know there will be some fans coming downtown rooting for Team Clark." Indianapolis landed the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game less than a year ago after scheduling issues with other franchise cities. Indy, just off a successful stint hosting the NBA All-Star Game, seemed like a natural fit. "If we hadn't just hosted the NBA All-Star Game, I might have been a little skeptical," Raines said of the last-minute call-up. At the time, the Fever were regularly selling out home games, with Indianapolis still reaping the rewards of Clark's rise to stardom. Just last week, fans lined the blocks outside Gainbridge Fieldhouse for a Wednesday noon game, an unseen sight until last year. The WNBA All-Star Weekend will have fewer ticketed attractions and a shorter event window than its NBA counterpart, meaning more people will be roaming the city in the span of two days. Downtown bars and restaurants are especially happy about the bump in attendance and foot traffic. The WNBA attracts a high number of families attending games with young daughters. Bryan Hillard, operations manager at The District Tap, said the bar sees women's basketball fans come in a few hours before tip-off for a whole meal compared to NBA fans who stop in for a quick beer right before games. WNBA fans often come in Iowa gear, a tribute to Clark's college days. This week, the bar is offering themed cocktails with nods to Indiana, the Fever and Clark. July is normally a slow month for District Tap, and Hillard predicts the All-Star Game could double the restaurant's sales this Saturday. "We are incredibly excited. I feel like the city in some ways has gotten lucky, but a lot of it has been a great job by the city to get a lot of great attractions," Hillard said. "As a whole with inflation and with a fear of tariffs and other things in the economy, I hear that industry sales are down all over the place, but I feel like we are not seeing that here," he added. On July 10, the 90-degree weather did not stop dozens of kids from playing basketball on a new court unveiled at Al Polin Park at the corner of 29th and Pennsylvania Streets. The court was part of a $1 million investment from the WNBA host committee to uplift communities in the lead up to the 2025 All-Star Game. The Legacy Court initiative included money for new asphalt, custom art, goals, hoops and backboards. With its bright blue color and signature WNBA branding, the court is hard to miss. Indianapolis artist Kierra Ready said she designed the court with fun and girly designs in mind to encourage young girls in the neighborhood to play the sport. "My style is very feminine, and it definitely connects and speaks to girls," Ready said. "I wanted girls to see the court and say 'Hey, I can play, too.'"
USA Today
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
The controversial Orioles' national anthem performance actually rocked
I think the Orioles have officially hit rock bottom The Baltimore Orioles caught some fans by surprise during a rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" by electronic musician Dan Deacon. Perhaps the folks at Camden Yards should have given those attending the Thursday afternoon inter-league game, which was the first of a double-header against the New York Mets, some notice. This performance of the national anthem might not sound like what they are used to hearing at the ballpark. An obvious change of pace compared to expectations and not necessarily the same cup of tea that everyone was looking for while at the stadium, Deacon's version got a mixed reaction from those who watched it live and online: Some on social media said that the Orioles have "officially hit rock bottom" when the video was posted. Other outlets like Jomboy said that the performance was "certainly something" and that isn't exactly a resounding review, either. Here is the thing, though: Once you get over the initial shock that this isn't your mother's idea of what the song sounds like, it's actually fantastic. Dan Deacon is an American hero around these parts 🇺🇸 Deacon is a critically-acclaimed, Baltimore-based musician who has turned heads with his experimental music since 2003. He originally appeared on the morning show of a local NBC affiliate in Georgia two decades ago with a comparably unexpected eyebrow raiser. It's kind of his whole thing! More: The 5 worst national anthems in sports history, from Ingrid Andress to Fergie to Carl Lewis But just because it's different doesn't mean it's bad. We aren't talking about Fergie, who did something genuinely bizarre in 2011 at the NBA All-Star Game. Maybe this wasn't exactly hitting the same notes that Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth reached during the 2025 NBA Finals. Deacon, however, is a legend in his own right and deserves praise not ridicule for trying something a bit different. Not for nothing: The Orioles beat the Mets in both games of the double-header. Orioles are undefeated since Dan Deacon did the Star Spangled Banner Remember, the parents of rock-and-roll fans weren't happy when Jimi Hendrix famously tried his hand at the song, either. Now, it's regarded as one of the best covers to exist of any song ever. Sure, maybe Dean isn't Hendrix. Perhaps this stab at it was a little weird, strange, and (as Consequence of Sound described) haunting. But maybe that's fitting for a song representing the country, which sometimes feels a bit unusual to live in as well.
New York Post
10-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Frank Layden, beloved Jazz head coach and GM, dead at 93
Frank Layden, the man who led the Jazz to their first NBA playoffs appearance in 1984 and helped build the foundations for successful teams in the 1990s, died Wednesday. He was 93. A cause of death was not announced. Frank Layden, former president of the Utah Jazz, is introduced during a 20-year reunion ceremony for the team that reached the 1997 NBA Finals, at halftime of the team's game against the Knicks on March 22, 2017, in Salt Lake City. AP The Brooklyn native helped the Jazz style into their new home in Utah after their move from New Orleans to Salt Lake City, taking over as general manager in 1979 and later becoming head coach in 1981. 'Frank Layden made a lasting impact on the Jazz, the state of Utah, and the NBA,' the Jazz posted on X. 'There will never be another like him. Our thoughts go out to his family as we join in mourning his loss and celebrating his life. Rest easy, Coach.' Layden began his coaching career at the collegiate level at his alma mater, Niagara University, where he coached for eight seasons and helped lead the program to an NCAA tournament appearance in 1970, the school's first. 'Frank had the unique ability to be larger than life yet able to care for those in his circle on a personal level,' Simon Gray, Niagara University's associate vice president for athletics, said in a statement. 'Although it has been 70 years since he graduated, I am confident that Niagara was on his mind at some point of every day since. He consistently checked in with his alma mater and showed his love for Monteagle Ridge in a myriad of ways. We will miss him dearly.' He moved to the professional ranks in 1976 as an assistant coach with the Hawks before taking the GM job with the Jazz three years later. During his time in the Jazz front office, Layden made two of the biggest picks in franchise history when he selected Karl Malone 16th overall in 1984 and John Stockton in 1985 at 13th overall. Head coach Frank Layden of the Jazz calls a play against the Kings on Jan. 2, 1988 at Arco Arena in Sacramento California. NBAE via Getty Images Malone and Stockton would go on to become the faces of basketball in Utah and were both enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame. It turns out 1984 may have been the best year for Layden. He led the Jazz to the playoffs — a feat the team would pull off five times during his tenure — and coached in the NBA All-Star Game before getting named the NBA Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year. Layden went 277-294 as Jazz head coach in the regular season. In December 1988, he stepped down as head coach, while retaining the role of team president and general manager. The move paved the way for Jerry Sloan to lead the Jazz to back-to-back NBA Finals appearances in 1997 and 1998. Layden briefly coached the WNBA's Utah Starzz — who would later become the Las Vegas Aces — and served a short time as a consultant for the Knicks when his son, Scott Layden, was general manager.
