Latest news with #TennisPrize
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Viral McNeese Hoops Manager Has His Own Manager Now
McNeese State didn't wait for March to go dancing—or to go viral. In late February, a video of the Cowboys bopping onto the court before their game against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi garnered millions of views thanks to team manager Amir Khan's performance rapping the lyrics of Lud Foe's 'In & Out.' More from Columbia Women's Deals Display Ivy League's NIL Potential The NCAA Has Diversified Its Revenue Beyond March Madness TV Deal Financial Favorites: March Madness Money-Based Brackets Since this is 2025, that explosion of interest precipitated a flood of promotional opportunities. Khan has since signed NIL deals with Insomnia Cookies, TickPick and Buffalo Wild Wings, who sent the team a new boom box to use as they emerge for Thursday's first-round game against Clemson. The team didn't disclose the financial terms of those tie-ups, though Khan said the cash is significant to him. His position is otherwise unpaid. Special assistant to the head coach Reed Vial has stepped in to help manage the inbound—and negotiate for Khan. 'It's been the craziest s— I've ever seen in my entire life. So we've been leaning into it,' Vial said. 'I'm here as a layer for him to be able to do his thing, and let's make some money off of it, and he's getting compensated.' If McNeese pulls off the upset, the price is only going up. Khan has been lugging a boom box through the tunnel before Cowboys games since he joined the team in 2023. He had no idea the February moment had hit it big—getting picked up by a series of progressively larger outlets like an ocean food chain diorama—until his cousins told him he was on Barstool Sports' site. 'That's when I got the idea that this was bigger than I thought,' Khan said. He's still hoping to collaborate with Under Armour or Nike. Khan initially applied for the role after hearing that Will Wade was taking over as coach. Before joining McNeese, Wade led LSU—two hours east of Lake Charles—until he got the boot in March 2022 amid allegations of recruiting violations. Wade has been 'extremely supportive' of Khan embracing his newfound opportunities, Khan said. So have Khan's parents, who signed up for nearly every social media site to see the posts tracking their son. Now, Wade is reportedly on the cusp of jumping to North Carolina State. Khan, meanwhile, is set to graduate later this year, with aspirations of becoming a coach himself. For now though, they and the rest of their Cowboy posse will try to make the most of their shining moment. The brand sponsors hustling to join the crew hope the ride is just getting started. 'The value of this collaboration only increases the further that McNeese advances,' TickPick content strategy lead Kyle Zorn said. 'We are rooting for McNeese.' Outside of Clemson affiliates, who isn't? Best of MLS Franchise Valuations Ranking List: From LAFC to CF Montréal Tennis Prize Money Tracker: Which Player Has Earned the Most in 2025? Who Is Josh Harris, the Washington Commanders' Owner?
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tampa Bay Rays Won't Meet Deadline for New Ballpark Deal
The Tampa Bay Rays said Thursday the team will not meet the March 31 deadline to execute its part in the pending $1.3 billion new ballpark deal with the city of St. Petersburg, Fla. The decision, coming two weeks prior to the deadline, was announced by the Rays on X, and it calls into question the future of the beleaguered franchise in the Tampa Bay area. The deal for a new ballpark had been largely negotiated before Hurricane Milton tore the roof off the Rays' home, Tropicana Field, in October. Rays owner Stuart Sternberg relayed the team's decision to St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch in a phone call. More from DirecTV's MySports Adds RSNs in 18 Markets, Including Chicago Barry Bonds: It's Best for Shohei Ohtani to Give Up Pitching Fox May Look to Bolster MLB Deal Following ESPN's Exit 'After careful deliberation we have concluded we cannot move forward with the new ballpark and development project at this moment,' the statement read in part. 'A series of events beginning in October that no one could have anticipated led to this decision.' The Rays—who will play this season at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., the spring training home of the New York Yankees—have no place to play in the area beyond this season unless repairs are complete at the Trop. They open their season against the Colorado Rockies on March 28. The deal was already under siege from the St. Petersburg City Council and Pinellas County Commission. Both bodies approved public dollars for the project earmarked for the Historic Gaslamp District adjacent to the damaged domed facility, where the Rays had played since expanding into the American League in 1998. Hurricane Milton last year blew off the Teflon panels that constituted the roof, causing flood damage inside of the building. The estimate to repair the building is $55.7 million. Since the initial damage, the stadium has remained susceptible to the elements. The Rays have a stadium lease with St. Petersburg through 2028. The lease says the city is responsible for fixing the damage. The Rays said that the city is 'currently advancing plans to restore Tropicana Field for the 2026 season,' adding, 'we continue to focus on finding a ballpark solution that serves the best interests of our region, Major League Baseball and our organization.' Best of MLS Franchise Valuations Ranking List: From LAFC to CF Montréal Tennis Prize Money Tracker: Which Player Has Earned the Most in 2025? Who Is Josh Harris, the Washington Commanders' Owner?
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Angel Reese Tips WNBA Strike Plans Ahead of CBA Talks
Chicago Sky star Angel Reese, the runner-up in 2024 Rookie of the Year voting, said she is hearing from fellow players that a player strike is on the table after this coming season. The WNBPA has already opted out of its current collective bargaining agreement, meaning the deal will expire this fall rather than in 2027. With several sticking points between players and the league office, a prolonged labor dispute is looming. Reese said the players are ready to take action. More from TGL Golf, Unrivaled TV Ratings Don't Tell Full Story of First Seasons Caitlin Clark's Fever Boss Sees 'America's Team' Potential Sporticast 425: It's Christmas Morning for Hockey Fans 'I need to be in the [players' union] meetings because I'm hearing that if [the league] don't give us what we want, we're sitting out,' Reese told recent Dallas Wings addition Dijonai Carrington on her Unapologetically Angel podcast released Friday night. 'That's a possibility, for real,' Carrington responded. Carrington was the WNBPA union rep for the Connecticut Sun last season before being traded to Dallas in February. Diamond DeShields served as the Sky's rep in 2024, while Reese doesn't have a formal role in the organization. Her teammate Elizabeth Williams and Brianna Turner, now with Indiana Fever, are the WNBPA's secretary and treasurer, respectively. The WNBA and the WNBPA didn't immediately respond to requests for comment sent Friday night. Among the 'transformational change' requests players may make in CBA talks are a larger share of league revenue and the elimination of a hard salary cap, WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson said in October. Reese was part of a rookie class that helped change the dynamics of the WNBA last year as the league turned a corner as a business. A $2.2 billion media deal with Disney, NBC and Amazon will inject more money into the W awhile expansion teams in San Francisco, Portland and Toronto have been confirmed. During her conversation with Carrington, Reese noted how the 2025 WNBA Draft class will probably make significantly less money than the one that follows due to the next CBA changing the salary structure. It is even possible for rookies under the next CBA to out-earn veterans. The potential for much higher salaries after 2025 has led several stars, including Brittney Griner and Satou Sabally, to sign one-year contracts so they can hit the market again next offseason. Best of MLS Franchise Valuations Ranking List: From LAFC to CF Montréal Tennis Prize Money Tracker: Which Player Has Earned the Most in 2025? Who Is Josh Harris, the Washington Commanders' Owner?
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NFL Preps First-Down Tech for 2025, Chain Gang Sidelined
The NFL expects to adopt automated measurement of potential first-down calls in 2025, league officials told reporters on Wednesday, but fans will still have plenty of chances to get irrationally upset with human refs. While cameras will replace the chain gang in determining whether the first down line-to-gain was reached—a major tech development for the league—live game officials will continue to spot the football between plays. The physical chains will remain on NFL sidelines in 2025, both as a backup in case of tech failure and as a persistent aid for players and coaches. According to CBS Sports, competition committee sign-off is required for the new policy to go into effect. More from NFLPA Report Cards: Josh Harris' Commanders Leap From Last to 11th Fanatics 'Hype Drop' Strategy Is Scoring First-Time Customers City of Cleveland Asks for Dismissal of Browns Stadium Lawsuit The NFL tested Sony Hawk-Eye technology during the 2024 preseason, though some complained about the time required for certain checks. According to NFL data, the automated process takes an average of 30 seconds, compared to 75 seconds for the existing manual process. The league said an average of 12 old-school measurements were made during each week of the regular season. 'Our general philosophy around any innovation is it really has to improve upon the process that we currently have,' NFL SVP of football business and innovation strategy Kimberly Fields said in an interview in August. '[Otherwise], we're not going to roll it out or test it.' Replay technicians in the NFL's review center will train with the system during the upcoming UFL season, while broadcasters and stadium presenters will have the NFL preseason to adjust to the new flow. Hawk-Eye technology is already used by others, including major tennis tournaments and the NBA. In tennis, Hawk-Eye boasts an average accuracy within a couple millimeters, though that hasn't totally prevented controversy. The tool is currently being tested for use in MLB strike zone reviews. The NFL system relies on six cameras with 8k resolution installed in each stadium. NFL play still presents myriad challenges to a potentially fully automated ball-spotting system. While NFL game balls include position-tracking microchips, identifying the correct spot requires a combination of recognizing when a player is down, the orientation of the prolate spheroid at that point, and so on. 'There are a combination of factors there, but I do think that technology will exist sometime in the future,' NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said during his annual pre-Super Bowl press conference, when asked about automated first-down calls. 'We're continuing a lot with our partners. It's how to advance that as quickly as possible so we can get to that place.' Best of MLS Franchise Valuations Ranking List: From LAFC to CF Montréal Tennis Prize Money Tracker: Which Player Has Earned the Most in 2025? Who Is Josh Harris, the Washington Commanders' Owner?
Yahoo
26-01-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jannik Sinner Wins Australian Open, Earns $2.2M in Prize Money
Italian Jannik Sinner on Sunday won a second straight Australian Open, 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-3, over Germany's Alexander Zverev. The 23-year-old dropped only two sets during the year's first major tournament and earned $2.2 million for the title. Zverev made $1.2 million and is still seeking his first slam after losing for a third time in the final of one. On Saturday, American Madison Keys won her first Grand Slam title beating top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka in three sets. More from Madison Keys Wins Aussie Open, Passes $21M in Career Earnings Tennis Prize Money Tracker: Which Player Earned the Most in 2024? Jannik Sinner Wins ATP Finals and Record $4.9 Million Sinner continues his dominant run that kicked off at last year's Australian Open where he won his first major title. He added a win at the U.S. Open among his eight official ATP 2024 tournament wins. In June, he ascended to the No. 1 ranking—becoming the first Italian to do so since the rankings were introduced in 1973. For the year, Sinner made $19.7 million in official tournament winnings and bonuses—he also earned $6 million for an unofficial event in Saudi Arabia, the Six Kings Slam. The earnings haul was the second highest for a single season after Novak Djokovic's dominant 2015 that included 11 titles and $21.1 million in winnings. Sinner's on-court record is 80-6 since the start of 2024. The run has boosted his off-court earnings from more than a dozen sponsors, including Nike, Head, Gucci, Lavazza and Rolex. The one blemish on Sinner's year was over revelations that he twice tested positive in March for low levels of a banned anabolic steroid. In August, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) revealed that its investigation found that Sinner had 'no fault or negligence.' The ITIA concluded that Sinner's physiotherapist used a spray containing clostebol, an anabolic steroid. The decision to clear Sinner was appealed by the World Anti-Doping Agency, with a final ruling expected this April. Best of Who Is Josh Harris, the Washington Commanders' Owner? Tennis Prize Money Tracker: Which Player Earned the Most in 2024? College Football Bowl Schedule and Scores for This Season
