Latest news with #NBAAllStarWeekend
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Wayne Gretzky Names Greatest Basketball Player of All Time
Social media can tend to be a disaster when it comes to debating almost anything, right down to something relatively innocent, like "hot dogs vs. hamburgers." That notion is particularly true any time the topic of "GOAT" (Greatest of All Time) comes up. Advertisement Whether it's in regard to the greatest rapper of all time—the Tupac/Biggie debate will likely never end—or the greatest athlete of all time, it's kind of become a continuous carousel of noise where no one really ever changes their mind. One of the most common debates that can be found on a daily, nearly hourly basis is whether or not LeBron James has surpassed Michael Jordan as the NBA's quintessential "GOAT." Michael Jordan and LeBron James shake hands during the 2022 NBA All-Star Game as part of NBA All Star Weekend on February 20, 2022. Jesse D. Garrabrant/Getty Images For topics that typically end up getting as heated as the LeBron vs. MJ "conversation," sometimes it might make the most sense to lean on the big guns for a definitive declaration. And who better than hockey royalty like Wayne Gretzky—quite literally known as "The Great One"—to put a very clear stamp on said debate? Advertisement So, during a recent appearance on the New Heights podcast with Jason and Travis Kelce, Gretzky was asked for his opinion on that very topic. "Well the NBA's pretty easy," Gretzky casually stated. "Twenty-three, that one's pretty easy, right." While James and Jordan both stake claim to No. 23, Travis quickly confirmed by saying, "Mike, yeah," seemingly to prevent any kind of confusion before moving on. Now, while this is just Gretzky's opinion, the beauty of the great No. 99 throwing his opinion into the often tense NBA "GOAT" conversation is that it's offered up a brand new layer to the social media chatter, as basketball fans can now begin debating as to whether or not Wayne Gretzky is right or wrong. Advertisement The four-time Stanley Cup champion went on to discuss the greatest to ever do it in each of the other major sports—MLB, NFL and NHL—and did not name himself when it came to the hockey "GOAT" even though there are many sports fans out there who deem him as such. Related: Scottie Scheffler's Son Had Unfortunate Bathroom Accident at Memorial Tournament Wayne Gretzky Names Greatest Basketball Player of All Time first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 2, 2025
Fast Company
13-05-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
Level from the start: Pro sports reimagined
The 2025 WNBA season is upon us, and it's already making waves. From Caitlin Clark draining logo threes to Paige Bueckers debuting for the Dallas Wings, and the Golden State Valkyries hitting the court for the first time, pre-season coverage has been electric. For those of us who've spent years advocating for women's sports, the buzz surrounding this season isn't just exciting, it's a powerful reflection of the league's progress and promise. Rising viewership. New sponsorships. Sold-out arenas. Long-overdue increases in minimum salaries making their way into collective bargaining agreements. These are signs that the tide is turning. But let's not mistake momentum for a final destination. The truth is, we're still playing catch-up inside systems that were never built with equity in mind. Earlier this year, I sat on a panel during NBA All-Star Weekend titled, 'It's Not Women's Sports, It's Sports, Stupid.' I loved the sentiment of this framing. If you're into professional sports, it doesn't matter whether you're watching men or women play—the competition has the same power to captivate and inspire. It's why some of us dare to dream of a future where the label 'women's sports' is no longer needed. But while we may aspire to treat all sports equally, pretending the playing field is already level overlooks decades of systemic inequity built into the longer-running, more prominent sports structures. Build equity into the foundation Take the WNBA. While the league continues to break new ground, it operates within a framework borrowed from a time before it existed. Revenue sharing, salary caps, travel accommodations, facilities, and even All-Star Game bonuses—none were designed with parity in mind. Even the most groundbreaking updates to collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) represent incremental fixes within outdated architecture. A stark example: The NBA's salary cap is orders of magnitude higher than the WNBA's, despite surging fan engagement with the women's game. These legacy constraints hamper growth, no matter how bold the vision. But what if it didn't have to be this way? At Parity, we work with a community of 1,100+ professional women athletes across 85 sports, from alpine skiing to American football, wheelchair basketball to windsurfing. From our broad vantage point we see what happens when emerging sports properties reimagine structures, athlete resources, and rewards to build equity into the foundation from day one. Consider Grand Slam Track. Born from the minds of Olympians, it offers equal prize money and visibility for men and women in every meet. Or CrossFit Games, which has featured equal prize money since its earliest days. Premier Rugby Sevens goes even further, with men's and women's teams competing for the same club, their scores aggregated to decide the championship, and all athletes paid equally. Then there's TST (The Soccer Tournament), where both men's and women's brackets offer a $1 million winner-take-all prize. When the women's tournament launched, organizers didn't scale the prize down—they matched it. These aren't just feel-good stories. They're working models. Transparency as a baseline Many up-and-coming leagues didn't inherit inequity; they sidestepped it. They launched with transparent pay, athlete revenue shares, integrated maternity leave policies, and athlete ownership stakes. Sponsorship and content rights are structured to empower players, not just teams. Media distribution is increasingly direct-to-consumer, giving fans deeper access and athletes greater control. And guess what? Brands are noticing. These properties are fast becoming hidden gems of sports marketing, attracting culturally relevant sponsors and a younger, values-driven fan base hungry for authenticity. Now imagine if all sports leagues had started this way. Picture revenue-sharing models that prioritize athletes. Governance that centers the athlete voice. Pay transparency as a baseline. Media rights split equitably. Built-in support for mental health, parenting, and career transition. Fan experiences designed for an inclusive, digitally native audience. This isn't wishful thinking. It's a blueprint for sustainable growth. The opportunity is clear For brands and media companies, the opportunity is clear. The next generation of sports fans is demanding more than entertainment. They want alignment with their values. They want to invest in systems that elevate, not exclude. The organizations that recognize this shift and act now will be the ones who define the future of sports marketing. Of course, we should celebrate the WNBA and NWSL for pushing forward. Their recent CBAs matter. And yes, tennis has made strides too, with equal prize money at Grand Slams, even as disparities persist in smaller tournaments. But we can't limit our ambitions to what can be retrofitted into the past. The real question is: What could we create if we built it right from the start? Let's stop thinking about women's sports as the undercard. Let's stop asking athletes to work twice as hard for half as much. Instead, let's imagine—and build—a future where equity isn't an afterthought. It's the foundation. To the investors, brands, and media companies: The future of sports won't wait. The blueprint is here. The audience is ready. The question is, are you bold enough to build it?
New York Post
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Cops called to Kevin Garnett's house during incident with girlfriend they ‘deeply regret'
NBA legend Kevin Garnett had the cops called to his residence recently for a domestic dispute involving his girlfriend, Teare Candelier. According to TMZ, Candelier called law enforcement around 2 a.m. on April 27 to report that she and Garnett were involved in an argument at their home in the Los Angeles area. 4 Kevin Garnett and Teare Candelier pose together at NBA All Star Weekend in February. NBAE via Getty Images 'We deeply regret that a personal disagreement escalated and inappropriately involved authorities,' the couple wrote in a joint statement on Sunday, per TMZ. 'It was never our intention to involve others in a moment that should have remained private. 'Like most couples, we have disagreements, but our commitment to each other remains strong, and we move forward with renewed respect, understanding, and love.' 4 Kevin Garnett played 14 seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves in his 21-year NBA career. AP The argument was reportedly never physical — except when Garnett was leaving the home and he moved Candelier out of the way of the doorway — and Garnett had left the residence by the time police arrived. Candelier refused any medical aid after being asked if she needed it. 4 Kevin Garnett won the NBA Finals with the Boston Celtics. Getty Images Garnett is widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA players of all time. He was drafted in 1995 out of high school at just 19 years old by the Minnesota Timberwolves and went on to play 21 seasons before retiring in 2016. He spent his first 12 seasons with the Timberwolves before joining the Boston Celtics for six seasons, winning his lone NBA title in 2008. He was then traded to the Brooklyn Nets where he spent a season and a half before closing out his career back in Minnesota. 4 Since retiring, Kevin Garnett hosts his own podcast and makes many other media appearances. Getty Images for Netflix The Hall of Famer is a 15-time All-Star, nine-time All NBA selection, 12-time All Defensive selection and a member of the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team — which consists of the top 76 players (76 rather than 75 due to a tie in voting) of all-time as selected by a panel of voters. Since retiring, Garnett has made a name for himself in various forms of media. He appeared in the 2019 film 'Uncut Gems' and hosts the 'KG Certified' podcast alongside his former teammate Paul Pierce.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Suns, Mercury Seek Arena Naming Rights Deal After Footprint Exits
The NBA's Phoenix Suns and WNBA's Phoenix Mercury's arena naming rights deal with Footprint, an environmental tech company, has ended early, as removal of arena signage and branding began on Monday. The Footprint Center, where the Suns and the Mercury play their home games, will have a new name next year as the naming rights contract has been reworked. Player 15 Group, the parent company for the Suns and Mercury, will handle the naming rights negotiations internally and expects to name a new partner before the 2025-2026 NBA season. More from Suns' NBA Trade Deadline Woes Date Back to Sarver Ownership Joining the Billionaires at Davos: Lindsey Vonn and Picabo Street It's Time for College Football's Best Mascots to Get Paid, Too Footprint, based in Gilbert, Ariz., will remain a team partner but at a lower level of sponsorship. The arena-rights deal began in 2021. The new partner will be the fourth title sponsor for the 18,000-seat, multi-purpose arena that opened in 1992. 'I expect for us to command significant investment based on the major events that are coming here and that will continue to come here,' executive vice president and chief revenue officer Dan Costello said in a phone interview. 'As long as we have things like All-Star games, tourism and impact from a population growth perspective, this will be a place where brands want to align.' Player 15 Group looks to capitalize on a healthier market than in the last round of rights negotiations, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The arena, which hosted the WNBA All-Star Game last year, is preparing to host the 2026 NCAA Women's Final Four and 2027 NBA All Star Weekend, which will be the fourth All-Star game the city has hosted. The hunt for a new partner comes during a busy time for United Wholesale Mortgage CEO Mat Ishbia, who bought the team for a record $4 billion from ex-Western Alliance chairman Robert Sarver two years ago. Ishbia has been busy since, investing another $100 million to build a new Mercury practice facility and team headquarters downtown that opened last summer. Last year, the Suns also introduced its new G League team, the Valley Suns, the third pro team under the Player Group 15 umbrella. The rise of the WNBA, coupled with increased impressions from both local and national TV broadcasts, positions the parent company to ink a larger naming rights deal than the one with Footprint. The arena is also hosting roughly 40 more events annually, according to Costello. 'It's rare that you have a sports team under new ownership with all these things in our favor,' he said. 'We felt like it was a great opportunity to go into the marketplace. We feel like we're going to have incredible interest.' The financial terms of the original deal are unclear, but it was reported that Footprint signed a 10-year pact worth roughly $9 million per season. The deal still includes integration of Footprint's products including plant-fiber technology, compost containers, among other things. Footprint, which will remain as the official sustainability partner of the Suns and Mercury, has reevaluated its sports-related investments after it saw its valuation drop nearly 38% when its planned merger with SPAC Gores Holding VII unraveled in 2022, preventing the company from going public. Footprint announced its partnership during the Suns' appearance in the 2021 NBA Finals, replacing Talking Stick Resorts. The partnership was inked under Sarver's ownership. (This story has been updated in the first paragraph to clarify that the change was not sudden, as Footprint has been reevaluating its presence for some time.) Best of NFL Private Equity Ownership Rules: PE Can Now Own Stakes in Teams Most Expensive Sports Memorabilia and Collectibles in History Why Sports Tickets Are More Expensive Than Ever
