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Reuters
4 days ago
- Sport
- Reuters
All-Star Games may be flawed but still a boon for professional sports leagues
July 25 (Reuters) - Once a much-anticipated celebration of a sport's best talents, All-Star games have fallen into a constant state of reinvention amid a high-stakes effort by North American leagues to make their star-studded showcases a ratings hit. Several factors, including a lack of competitive furor and athletes' ability to use social media to engage with fans from around the globe, have left many to wonder whether the standard All-Star Game model is broken. "All-Star Games used to be an opportunity for players to build their brand," Bob Dorfman, a sports marketing analyst in San Francisco, told Reuters. "Now there are so many other ways to do that, that it became less important for players to have to show up in these games and play well." Just this week Argentine great Lionel Messi, who is Major League Soccer's reigning Most Valuable Player, decided not to participate in the MLS All-Star Game held in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday despite not being injured. North America's Big Four sports leagues have for years been tinkering with the formats for their All-Star showcases in hopes of creating more competitiveness and additional interest in an exhibition game. The NHL ditched its All-Star Game this year in favour of an international tournament called 4 Nations Face-Off that proved to be a success in many metrics including attendance, television ratings and, perhaps most importantly, player buy-in. Even NBA Commissioner Adam Silver referenced the NHL's model when discussing future changes to his league's showcase after admitting the new format for February's NBA All-Star Game, which featured a mini-tournament of four teams, was "a miss." The NFL's all-star showcase was often missing many top players who were either injured, uninterested or Super Bowl bound and so in 2022 they replaced it with Pro Bowl Games, which features skills events and a flag football game. Last week's Major League Baseball All-Star Game, which for the first time was decided by a home-run swing-off, averaged 7.19 million viewers on Fox, down 3.5% from last year and the second-lowest for the Midsummer Classic. Still, MLB's showcase drew far better than its counterparts, with the NBA All-Star Game and the NFL's Pro Bowl Games each averaging 4.7 million viewers in February. "There was a time when every All-Star Game was a can't-miss event and people were excited and thrilled," said famed U.S. sports agent Leigh Steinberg, best known as the inspiration for Tom Cruise's character in the film "Jerry Maguire". But despite the idea that All-Star Games and related events are experiencing a decline in popularity, they still provide leagues with an opportunity for massive brand activation, which experts say is where the real value lies. The lead-up to an All-Star Game offers leagues a chance to connect with the city they are in that week through initiatives like community events, upgrading sport facilities, equipment donations, school visits and fan festivals. "When you look at it just as one game on one day, that's not really what the value is," said Joe Favorito, a long-time sports marketing professional and professor at Columbia University. "The value is everything that leads up to it and everything else that is tied into what the culmination of the game is. The reality is the actual game is probably the least important part of what an All-Star activation is these days."
USA Today
17-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Panthers' Jaycee Horn earns spot on ESPN's top-10 CB list
Here's a list Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn might not have an issue with . . . ESPN's Jeremy Fowler wrapped up his offseason positional rankings on Thursday, highlighting the NFL's top corners. And according to the vote—which polled league executives, coaches and scouts—Horn ranks as the seventh-best player at his position. "His only thing is health," an NFC personnel evaluator said, via Fowler. "When he's been on the field the past three years, he's been good. Can play inside and out, urgent and physical in the run game." Due to numerous injuries, Horn was limited to just 22 of a possible 51 games over his first three pro campaigns. He was much more available in 2024, where he played in a career-high 15 contests while also posting bests in tackles (68), sacks (2.0) and passes defensed (13). Horn's efforts earned him his first trip to the Pro Bowl Games. He'd also cash in on a four-year, $100 million contract extension in March—which, for a very brief time, made him the highest-paid cornerback in the sport. As for the guys who settled in above No. 7, Horn is looking up at Denver's Pat Surtain II (No. 1), Houston's Derek Stingley Jr. (No. 2), Cleveland's Denzel Ward (No. 3), Kansas City's Trent McDuffie (No. 4), New York's Sauce Gardner (No. 5) and New England's Christian Gonzalez (No. 6). Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
Fox Sports
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Sam LaPorta on Lions New OC John Morton: He's a 'Brilliant Mind'
Following a 15-2 season that ended in ruins, which was a loss at home to the Washington Commanders in the NFC divisional round following a first-round bye, the Detroit Lions' coaching staff was raided. Among the outgoing faces was offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who became the new head coach of the Chicago Bears. To replace Johnson, the Lions brought in Denver Broncos passing game coordinator John Morton to be their new offensive coordinator. One of Morton's top players, tight end Sam LaPorta, is a huge fan. "[Our offense] might be a little bit different. Fortunately, we kept a couple of our position coaches, specifically, our offensive line coach [Frank Haley]," LaPorta said about Detroit's new coaching staff in an interview on "The Jim Rome Show." "We promoted Hank Fraley to our run game coordinator. So, fortunate for me, we have the same run game system this year, the same verbiage, which, as you can imagine, is a lot. But Johnny Mo, pass game coordinator his entire life. Brilliant mind, I think he's gonna call the offense great." Prior to his two-year stint in Denver under head coach Sean Payton (2023-24), Morton was a senior offensive assistant with the Lions for the 2022 season. He held the same role with the Las Vegas Raiders from 2019-21 and was the offensive coordinator for the New York Jets in 2017, preceded by several other assistant coaching stints. As for LaPorta, a Pro Bowler in his 2023 rookie campaign, the tight end totaled 60 receptions for 726 yards and seven touchdowns last season. He ranked sixth among tight ends with a 79.1 receiving grade and 10th with a 73.8 overall grade, according to Pro Football Focus. Last season, Detroit's offense was arguably the best in the sport, as the Lions were first in the NFL with 33.2 points per game, second with both 263.2 passing yards and 409.5 total yards and sixth with 146.4 rushing yards. Five of Detroit's 11 offensive starters were initially invited to the 2025 Pro Bowl Games: quarterback Jared Goff, running back Jahmyr Gibbs, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, tackle Penei Sewell and center Frank Ragnow. As for other departing coaches, the Lions lost defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who became the head coach of the New York Jets, while defensive line coach Terrell Williams left to be the defensive coordinator of the New England Patriots. Meanwhile, the Lions lost passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand, who became the offensive coordinator for the Jets under Glenn, and wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El and assistant quarterbacks coach J.T. Barrett each followed Johnson to the Bears. This will be Morton's second NFL offensive coordinator gig, previously holding the same role for the Jets in 2017. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience National Football League Detroit Lions Sam LaPorta recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic
Newsweek
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Cowboys' Micah Parsons Links With NBA Star at Wings-Fever Game
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The WNBA's marquee matchup between the Dallas Wings and the Indiana Fever brought out some stars on Friday night. Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons was in the mix, chopping it up with some other notable athletes during the offseason. Behind the scenes, Parsons was seen having a conversation with the NBA All-Star, Cade Cunningham, of the Detroit Pistons. While Cunningham's not a local pro like Parsons, the former No. 1 overall pick is a Texas-born guard who grew up in the state before traveling for high school, college, and eventually the pros. As for Parsons, the Pennsylvania-born linebacker landed in Dallas a few years back. Since he stepped foot on the field for the Cowboys, he's been an NFL star. The veteran linebacker hopes to continue starring for the Cowboys for years to come. Micah Parsons and Cade Cunningham at the Dallas Wings vs Fever game. @DLLS_Cowboys — DLLS Wings (@DLLS_Wings) June 28, 2025 Read More: Dallas Cowboys Send Message to NBA Star Cooper Flagg Lately, Parsons and the Cowboys have been urged to work out an extension. With Parsons heading into a contract season, he wants to get a long-term deal done sooner rather than later. Many believed that Parsons would potentially become one of the NBA's top holdout candidates. While he wasn't a participant in the team's mandatory minicamp sessions, he was in attendance. So far, Parsons has continued to play a positive leadership role for the Cowboys, despite his situation. Micah Parsons #11 of the Dallas Cowboys and NFC looks on during practice prior to the Pro Bowl Games at Camping World Stadium on February 1, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. Micah Parsons #11 of the Dallas Cowboys and NFC looks on during practice prior to the Pro Bowl Games at Camping World Stadium on February 1, 2025 in Orlando, the Cowboys are taking a break, preparing for training camp, which is roughly a month away. It's unclear if Parsons and the organization have made any progress on contract talks. In the meantime, Parsons is enjoying his time off before he gets back into the grind of the NFL season. He took in Saturday's action between the Wings and the Fever. The game was set to be the meeting of two former No. 1 picks in Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers. Read More: Browns Star Delivered Take On Micah Parsons' Value To Cowboys Unfortunately for Indiana, they were not able to see Clark suit up on Friday night, as the star sharpshooter is dealing with a groin injury, which could keep her off the court for quite some time. As for Bueckers, the star guard shot 50 percent from the field and went 7-7 from the free throw line to score 27 points, while racking up seven assists. The Wings came up short in Dallas with an eight-point loss against the Clark-less Fever. For more Dallas Cowboys and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
USA Today
12-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Panthers DL Derrick Brown reveals when he plans on returning to the practice field
Panthers DL Derrick Brown reveals when he plans on returning to the practice field Carolina Panthers defensive lineman Derrick Brown is zeroing in on his return. The sixth-year veteran spoke with reporters following the third and final session of the team's mandatory minicamp on Thursday. Brown, who has yet to participate in on-field workouts this offseason, was asked when he thinks he'll be back on the practice field. "Hopefully, very close," he replied. "I expect to be out there in training camp. Load management, and hopefully in the next few weeks, I get cleared. So that's the goal and then at that point, it's just getting back in football shape and being able to go out there and play with the team." Brown sustained a season-ending knee injury during Carolina's Week 1 matchup against the New Orleans Saints last September. His absence loomed large over the Panthers defense—which not only relinquished a league-leading 179.8 rushing yards per game, but also set an NFL record of 534 points allowed on the campaign. The season prior saw Brown capture an NFL record of his own, as he amassed the most tackles by a defensive lineman (103). He was selected to his first Pro Bowl Games for his efforts. Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
