Latest news with #SunBelt
New York Times
a day ago
- Business
- New York Times
Mirtle: The NHL's Sun Belt ‘problem' has no easy solution. But does it need one?
For years — even decades, you could argue — the NHL's Sun Belt franchises in the United States were mere cannon fodder for the league's established franchises. It started with expansion into California in the late 1960s, but the Los Angeles Kings and Oakland Seals held winning records in just five of their first 30 seasons combined until Wayne Gretzky's arrival in L.A. in 1988. (The Seals relocated to Cleveland after nine years.) Advertisement The NHL tried again in the '90s, pumping strangely named teams into what felt like weird places at a rapid pace: the Sharks in San Jose, Lightning in Tampa, Panthers in South Florida, Mighty Ducks in Anaheim, Stars in Dallas, Coyotes in Phoenix, Hurricanes in Raleigh, Predators in Nashville and Thrashers in Atlanta. In what felt like overnight, the league went from having one warm-weather team, in Southern California, to double digits. For the most part, these new clubs lost a ton of games too. Between 1991-92, when the Sharks arrived in the Bay Area, and the 2003-04 season, only the Stars managed to post a top-15 record. Fittingly, in 1999, Dallas became the first Sun Belt club to win the Stanley Cup. Then, after the Lightning won in 2004 to join the Stars, the league went through a full-season lockout, which led to a hard salary cap and revenue sharing, increasing the chances of success for its fledgling markets. Over time, these markets finally started to win — and win big: heading into next week's Stanley Cup Final, where the Panthers will be looking to repeat, nine of the NHL's last 20 winners (and four of the past five) have hailed from the Sun Belt. Three of the conference finalists this spring — Carolina, Dallas and Florida — were warm-weather teams, following up on a 2023 playoffs when all four were in that group. In fact, nearly 60 percent of all conference finalists the last decade are Sun Belt teams. It's all pretty incredible representation for a group of teams that currently makes up only 28 percent of the league. In many ways, the rise of the NHL Sun Belt has been a good thing. Buildings are largely full in these markets. New fans are being created. And talk of relocating franchises, as happened with Phoenix and Atlanta (twice), has subsided. Some of the Sun Belt franchises — led by the Kings, Vegas Golden Knights and Stars — are now some of the most valuable in the league. Advertisement The downside, however, has been threefold. 1. TV ratings are well down in the U.S., and network partners there are stressed about the matchups they've been given this postseason. With no Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, Pittsburgh or New York teams in the postseason — for the first time in NHL history — there hasn't been an easy, big-hockey-market win for ESPN or TNT all playoffs. And with all of those franchises in various stages of rebuilding or retooling, Cup contention feels a ways off for most of the top U.S. markets. 2. Playoff revenues are simply higher in the more established markets, which drives more revenue league-wide and boosts the cap, player pay and overall outlook. More small markets playing the biggest games of the season means lower revenue growth. Revenue in Original Six markets, for example, is roughly 35 percent higher than that of the nine Sun Belt teams. 3. Fans in hockey's more traditional markets are increasingly crying foul when it comes to a perceived advantage some of these teams have due to their more favorable state tax laws. You hear this complaint a ton, especially in Canada, where there hasn't been a Cup winner for 32 years now. And there's no doubt that for some free agents, the combination of warm weather and a lower tax rate is a draw. Many player agents will tell you, however, that this conversation is overblown, as players choose where to sign for many reasons beyond salary. This also wasn't an issue that was talked about when the three teams in high-tax California were among the best in the league for a decade and won three of eight Cups between 2007 and 2014. The reality is that out of the top 10 U.S. teams in the first 10 years under the salary cap, only Nashville was located in a tax-free state. Why would it be an insurmountable advantage today and not then? Advertisement Whether this Sun Belt market dominance poses a real problem for the NHL depends largely on your perspective. Over the longer term, it's likely going to be a positive. More people than ever are playing hockey and attending games in the U.S. as the sport's footprint continues to expand rapidly at the grassroots level, especially in the Sun Belt. And the U.S. national team is more competitive than ever, as evidenced by their roster and play at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February. It may take a generation or two to pay off in things like national TV ratings, but the reality is the NHL has always been more of a local audience league than one drawing national interest. The fact the league can't compete for eyeballs with the NBA and NFL is not all on the successful Sun Belt teams. One key factor that will likely affect this trend over the coming years is the rapidly rising salary cap. The pandemic-era NHL has dealt with a nearly flat cap for years, with the entire league bunching together in the same payroll band and Sun Belt teams rewarded to a greater degree. Teams in more established markets with higher revenues are going to be far more likely to spend to a $113 million cap in 2027-28, however, which should give the New Yorks, Bostons and Chicagos a leg up in roster building over the coming years. But a thing that I don't think gets talked about enough with this trend is that the Sun Belt teams are winning in part because they've simply innovated more than many of the more traditional markets. Excellent owners in places like Tampa and Vegas have hired differently, encouraging their front offices to think outside the box and be more aggressive than the norm. These management teams, in turn, have drafted better and unearthed more overlooked players, as evidenced by the fact that executives like Florida's Bill Zito and Dallas' Jim Nill are up for the GM of the Year Award basically every year. I can see a world where this run of success for teams like Dallas, Florida, Tampa and Vegas pushes their competition in more traditional markets to step up their game. The Original Six and other Canadian and northeastern U.S. teams will always have their own advantages and a different type of pull for bringing in top management and players, whether it's coming to play at home close to family or to a place where hockey is ingrained in a more fundamental way. Some of this, too, will likely be cyclical. For years, the Sun Belt clubs were derided as lesser-than by many fans in northern cities, something that was easy to do when they struggled to draw crowds and often fell on the losing end of games and playoff series. Advertisement Now the tables have turned, and I don't see the league intervening in any artificial way to change that. It may not be as good for business in the moment, but as the NHL looks to expand into Houston and back into Atlanta and Phoenix in the coming years, it needs a strong Sun Belt to keep those expansion fees up and owners (and their fans) believing they can win, too.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Kimco Realty® Management to Present at Nareit's REITweek: 2025 Investor Conference
JERICHO, N.Y., May 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kimco Realty® (NYSE: KIM) announced today that members of its management team will present at the Nareit REITweek Investor Conference on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. The webcast information is as follows: When: Wednesday, June 4, 2025 from 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM, ET Live Webcast: Kimco Realty Presentation Link, or enter into your browser. Audio from the conference will be available on Kimco Realty's investor relations website until July 5, 2025. About Kimco Realty®Kimco Realty® (NYSE: KIM) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) and leading owner and operator of high-quality, open-air, grocery-anchored shopping centers and mixed-use properties in the United States. The company's portfolio is strategically concentrated in the first-ring suburbs of the top major metropolitan markets, including high-barrier-to-entry coastal markets and Sun Belt cities. Its tenant mix is focused on essential, necessity-based goods and services that drive multiple shopping trips per week. Publicly traded on the NYSE since 1991 and included in the S&P 500 Index, the company has specialized in shopping center ownership, management, acquisitions, and value-enhancing redevelopment activities for more than 65 years. With a proven commitment to corporate responsibility, Kimco Realty is a recognized industry leader in this area. As of March 31, 2025, the company owned interests in 567 U.S. shopping centers and mixed-use assets comprising 101 million square feet of gross leasable space. The company announces material information to its investors using the company's investor relations website ( SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls, and webcasts. The company also uses social media to communicate with its investors and the public, and the information the company posts on social media may be deemed material information. Therefore, the company encourages investors, the media, and others interested in the company to review the information that it posts on the social media channels, including Facebook ( and LinkedIn ( The list of social media channels that the company uses may be updated on its investor relations website from time to time. CONTACT:David F. BujnickiSenior Vice President, Investor Relations and StrategyKimco Realty Corporation(833) 800-4343dbujnicki@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Where Alabama lands in Top 25 college baseball polls, rankings entering NCAA Tournament
Where Alabama lands in Top 25 college baseball polls, rankings entering NCAA Tournament Alabama baseball is coming off its best regular season in the recent history of the program. With a roster that includes a top MLB draft prospect heading into next year in shortstop Justin Lebron, Alabama (41-16) reached 40 wins in a regular season for the first time since 2002. Dropping two of three to the Florida Gators to close the regular season and then losing on Day 2 of the SEC Tournament to Tennessee cost Alabama a shot at a host site regional for the 2025 NCAA Tournament, but the Crimson Tide got a pretty favorable postseason draw regardless. They're in the Hattiesburg Regional featuring No. 16 overall seed and host Southern Miss (44-14). To look at it another way, Alabama essentially finished one spot below the host seed line and drew the lowest-seeded team of the 16 regional hosts. The Crimson Tide join the Miami Hurricanes (31-24) and Columbia Lions (29-17) from the Ivy League in Hattiesburg, only about two and a half hours by car from Tuscaloosa. Here's where Alabama baseball ranks in this week's Top 25 polls entering the NCAA Tournament. NCBWA updated Top 25 ranking for Alabama baseball In the latest Top 25 poll from the NCBWA (National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association), Alabama fell four spots to No. 19 following their 15-10 loss to Tennessee at the SEC Tournament in Hoover. The Crimson Tide enter the NCAA Tournament ranked one spot below No. 18 Northeastern (48-9) and one spot ahead of No. 20 UC Irvine (41-15). Southern Miss, which placed second in the Sun Belt regular season standings to Coastal Carolina and was runner-up in their conference tournament, is ranked No. 13. LSU (43-14) tops the NCBWA poll at No. 1, followed by North Carolina (42-12) at No. 2, Vanderbilt (42-15) at No. 3, and Texas (42-14) at No. 4. Arkansas (43-13) rounds out the top five. The SEC has 10 schools teams in the NCBWA poll as regionals begin, the most of any conference. The ACC is second with five teams in the NCBWA's poll. D1 Baseball updated Top 25 ranking for Alabama D1 Baseball has Alabama at No. 24 in their new rankings, down one spot from last week. UC Irvine ranks one spot ahead of the Tide, while Kansas rounds out the top 25. UNC topped D1 Baseball's rankings at No. 1. The Tar Heels were also No. 1 in this week's USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll and are the No. 5 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. Alabama is ranked No. 20 in the Coaches Poll, up one spot from last week. Baseball America, Perfect Game ranking for Alabama Baseball America and Perfect Game did not unveil new rankings after conference tournaments. In the most recent Baseball America poll on May 19, Alabama was ranked No. 18 following the regular season. The Crimson Tide were No. 20 in Perfect Game and No. 16 in The Athletic's rankings. Alabama's regional schedule The Crimson Tide, the No. 2 seed in the Hattiesburg Regional, opens the 2025 NCAA Tournament against No. 3 seed Miami at Pete Taylor Park Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT. The game can be seen on ESPN2. As the higher seed, Alabama will be the designated home team against Miami. After Alabama-Miami, Southern Miss will face No. 4 seed Columbia at 6 p.m. Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama Crimson Tide news, notes and opinion.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Jasper Wildcat announces transfer to Purdue
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) — Former Jasper running back, Carter Holsworth, announced that he is transferring to Purdue. Holsworth spent last season with the Sun Belt conference champions, the Marshall Thundering Herd. Holsworth did not appear in any game and will have all four years of eligibility. In his final season with the Wildcats, Holsworth rushed for 1,486 yards and 18 touchdowns. He joins fellow southern Indiana product Devin Mockobee in the Boilermaker running back room. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
The NHL's Sun Belt boom
Yahoo Sports AM is our daily newsletter that keeps you up to date on all things sports. Sign up here to get it every weekday morning. ⛳️ TGL expansion: Detroit was awarded TGL's first-ever expansion team, with the Motor City Golf Club set to join Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy's league in 2027. 🏀 All-Rookie team: Spurs ROY Stephon Castle headlined the NBA's All-Rookie first team, joined by Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks), Alex Sarr (Wizards), Jaylen Wells (Grizzlies) and Zach Edey (Grizzlies). 🏀 Clark makes history: Caitlin Clark (27-11) had her 10th career game with 20 points and 10 assists, matching Courtney Vandersloot for the most in WNBA history. Vandersloot has played 430 games; Clark has played 42. ⚾️ Friend charged in PNC Park fall: A 21-year-old friend of the 20-year-old man who fell from the outfield stands in Pittsburgh last month has been charged with providing him alcohol at the game. ♟️ Carlsen vs. The World: Magnus Carlsen, the world's top-ranked chess player, faced 143,000 people in an online game that began in early April. 46 days later, it ended in a draw. The NHL's Final Four includes three teams from the Sun Belt, which despite the name has thrived in the cold-weather sport for over a decade now. By the numbers: Four of the last five Stanley Cup champions hail from the Sun Belt, with the Lightning (2x) joined by the Panthers and Golden Knights. And this year, the Panthers, Hurricanes and Stars have a chance to make it five of the last six. This is the third straight year, and 10th in the last 11, that at least two Sun Belt teams made the conference finals. The high-water mark came in 2023, when all four semifinalists were southern teams. Add it all up, and you've got 57% of conference finalists since 2015 (25 of 44) coming from a group that comprises less than one-third of the league. Growing the game: The NHL added its first Sun Belt teams in 1967 when the Original Six era ended. But the league didn't really start venturing south until 1991, kickstarting a period of robust expansion that includes nine teams (*) currently playing in the Sun Belt. 1967: Los Angeles Kings* and California Seals (folded in 1978) 1972: Atlanta Flames (moved to Calgary in 1980) 1991: San Jose Sharks* 1992: Tampa Bay Lightning* 1993: Florida Panthers,* Anaheim Ducks* and Dallas Stars* (moved from Minnesota) 1996: Phoenix Coyotes (moved from Winnipeg, now in Utah) 1997: Carolina Hurricanes* (moved from Hartford) 1998: Nashville Predators* 1999: Atlanta Thrashers (moved to Winnipeg in 2011) 2017: Vegas Golden Knights* The rise of the South: The success of Sun Belt hockey has coincided with a Stanley Cup drought in the birthplace of the sport. Aside from the Kings, Sharks and Lightning, none of the current Sun Belt teams existed in their current form the last time Canada won the Cup (June 1993). Oklahoma City — The Thunder cruised past the Timberwolves, 114-88, in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals behind 31 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Historic start: OKC has a +176 point differential through seven home playoff games. That's the highest over any seven-game home span in NBA postseason history. Raleigh, N.C. — Traveling directly from Toronto after their Game 7 win on Sunday, the Panthers looked plenty fresh as they skated to an impressive 5-2 victory over the Hurricanes. The drought continues: Carolina has now lost 13 straight games in the Eastern Conference Finals. Their last win came in 2006 when star Sebastian Aho was eight years old. Here we go again. For the second time in two months, the tush push is in danger. From Yahoo Sports' Jori Epstein: The Eagles' signature QB sneak play survived debate over its future during April league meetings. But club and league officials did not feel comfortable enough with the play's future to protect it for the long haul. Rather than vote down the ban, officials tabled a vote until this week's league meetings in Minneapolis. Expect that vote to take place today. The Packers amended their proposed ban on Monday to include the elimination of pushing, pulling or lifting of a ball carrier to his feet, and any assistance of a runner "except by individually blocking opponents for him." The proposal needs 24 of 32 votes to pass and would functionally eliminate the tush push in a broader scope. By the numbers: The tush push accounted for just 0.28% of plays last season. It's mostly used by the Eagles and Bills, who ran the play more times over the past three years than the other 30 teams combined. Manchester City's 3-1 win over Bournemouth on Tuesday brought them one step closer to qualifying for the Champions League — a crowded race that will be decided during Sunday's Premier League finale. Five teams, three spots: Liverpool* (83 points) and Arsenal (71) have already clinched, but five teams separated by just three points are still in contention for the final three spots. Manchester City (68): The 2023 Champions League winners are in the driver's seat. They visit Fulham on Sunday, whom they've beaten in 17 straight games. Newcastle United (66): The Magpies host Everton with a chance to reach the Champions League for the second straight year, something they haven't done in two decades. Chelsea (66): The Blues visit fellow contender Nottingham Forest in the biggest game of the weekend. Aston Villa (66): The Lions visit Old Trafford, where Manchester United will try to play spoiler in Villa's attempt to reach the Champions League for the first time since 1983. Nottingham Forest (65): Forest's drought is even longer than Aston Villa's, seeking their first appearance since 1981. What's at stake: The Champions League is the pinnacle of European soccer, and qualifying is a prestigious honor clubs don't take lightly. It's also a highly lucrative endeavor, with this year's tournament featuring a $3.4 billion prize pool that includes roughly $20 million just for showing up and millions more in broadcast rights and gate revenue. *A chance for history: Liverpool's Mo Salah has 46 goal contributions this season (28 goals, 18 assists), one shy of matching the Premier League record jointly held by Alan Shearer (1994-95) and Andrew Cole (1993-94). And while they had 42 games, Salah has just 38. 🏀 Pacers at Knicks (8pm ET, TNT) | East Finals, Game 1 The Knicks' previous three trips to the conference finals came against their bitter rival Pacers (1994, 1999, 2000). This is also a rematch of last year's East semifinals (Pacers in 7), and literally the culmination of a WWE storyline. Get all the popcorn ready. 🏒 Oilers at Stars (8pm, ESPN) | West Finals, Game 1 Speaking of rematches, Edmonton and Dallas also met in this round last year, with the Oilers eliminating the Stars in six games. Can red-hot Mikko Rantanen (NHL-leading 19 points this postseason) help them flip the script? ⚽️ Manchester United vs. Tottenham (3pm, CBSSN) | Europa League Final Two teams who vastly underwhelmed in the Premier League (16th and 17th place with a game left) still have something big to play for, with today's winner qualifying for the Champions League. Plus: ⚾️ MLB: Rangers at Yankees (7:05pm, Prime) … Jacob deGrom (4-1, 2.29 ERA) takes the bump for Texas. 🏀 WNBA: Three games (8-10pm, League Pass) … Final day of free WNBA League Pass preview. ⚽️ U.S. Open Cup: Philadelphia Union vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds (7:30pm, Paramount+) … Pittsburgh is the only non-MLS team that made it to the Round of 16. Today's full slate. The 2025 Western Conference Finals are the first since 1996 not to feature a team from Texas or California. Question: Which two teams played in 1996? Hint: One has since relocated. Answer at the bottom. Which players are on the rise after the combine? The latest projections for every pick. Trivia answer: SuperSonics over Jazz in seven games We hope you enjoyed this edition of Yahoo Sports AM, our daily newsletter that keeps you up to date on all things sports. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox every weekday morning.
