Latest news with #RedZone
Bangkok Post
5 days ago
- Health
- Bangkok Post
Wellness event showcases ways to boost lifespan, fight disease
The recent HEAT International Congress on Wellness Management 2025 focused on the theme of 'Blue Zone Wellness,' with an emphasis on healthspan, longevity and wellness. Such concepts were introduced by Asst Prof Dr Patana Teng-umnuay, CEO of Health Education & Academics Thailand (HEAT), at the event, which was held from Thursday to Saturday at the Athenee Hotel, A Luxury Collection hotel, Bangkok, Thailand. Inspired by global 'Blue Zones' like Okinawa and Sardinia, the congress examined how regular activity, low stress, social bonds and whole food diets promote longevity and vitality. Many in these regions live past the age of 100 in good health. Conversely, 'Red Zone' populations face obesity, chronic disease and poor lifestyles. The congress urged a shift from pharmaceutical reliance to holistic, integrative approaches, developing medical interventions to help both healthy and ill individuals achieve Blue Zone-level wellness without depending solely on medication. Dr Patana said that elders who rely less on medication tend to enjoy longer health spans. He pointed out that Thailand ranks among the countries with the highest rates of kidney disease, largely due to long-term drug use and poor dietary habits. During the event, several new medical interventions were introduced, and their potential benefits and side effects were discussed in depth. Prof Dr Nick Finer, a British consultant in obesity medicine and endocrinology, spoke on the significance of semaglutide — a GLP-1 receptor agonist — which plays a key role in regulating appetite, particularly in individuals who eat due to hunger. He said hedonic or pleasure-driven eating is more complex, as it is tied to GLP-1 produced by PPG neurons and their synaptic release. In obesity, the expansion of adipose tissue leads to inflammation and metabolic dysregulation, which are closely associated with ageing and chronic conditions. A clinical trial conducted in Korea and Thailand using 2.3mg of semaglutide combined with a 500 kcal/day reduction through lifestyle intervention yielded promising results, such as 12cm waist loss, improved HbA1c levels and downregulated inflammatory genes. Benefits extended to cardiovascular, liver, renal health and potentially coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19) and certain cancers. Dr Finer warned it should not be used by people of normal weight solely for slimming. While short-term outcomes are encouraging, more long-term research is needed to assess its safety and effectiveness beyond one year of use. Dr Edwin Lee, a leading American expert on hormonal balance, presented updates on senolytic therapy in humans. He explained that senescent cells — damaged cells that have stopped dividing — begin accumulating even from birth and contribute to ageing and age-related diseases. One of the most discussed interventions was rapamycin, a drug initially developed for other uses but now being studied for its anti-ageing potential. Clinical observations since 2017 involving 1,500 patients showed that 2mg rapamycin weekly did not alter DNA, while 6mg reversed heart failure in some cases. Senolytic therapies, including fisetin, dasatinib and quercetin, improved endurance and treated conditions like idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Effects on early Alzheimer's and certain lung diseases remain limited. Outcomes vary by individual health and treatment duration, and further research is ongoing to assess long-term safety and risks, he said. While the future of medical innovation in wellness is promising, all speakers at the congress agreed on the enduring importance of lifestyle choices in slowing ageing and promoting wellness. They emphasised that key ageing risk factors, including chronic stress, smoking and excess alcohol, should be managed through practical lifestyle changes. Adopting a balanced diet, exercise, stress control, periodic detox, regular check-ups, judicious supplement and pharmaceutical use, bio-identical hormones if needed and thoughtful integration of modern medical technologies are beneficial.
Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Sky Sports unveil six major changes to how they'll show new Premier League season
Sky Sports have unveiled a rebrand of their Premier League coverage ahead of the first season of the new £6.7billion broadcast deal, with Multiview the biggest change Sky Sports have made major changes to the way they broadcast Premier League football ahead of the 2025/26 season. Sky will show 215 matches this season – up from 128 in 2024/25 – and are attempting to freshen up their offering for fans in the first year of their new four-year £6.7billion rights deal. The broadcaster has made no secret about their desire to court a younger audience and have undergone sweeping personnel changes in recent years. And ahead of the start of the Premier League season this weekend, Sky have announced a raft of fresh changes. The headline change is the introduction of Multiview, where viewers will be able to follow up to four matches simultaneously. The move echoes the famous Red Zone programme from NFL and is most likely to be seen on Sundays in the new season, with one match as the main screen and three others shown smaller and one commentary team flitting between them. 'The question for us has been how can we enhance what we've got? And how can we utilise the new rights?' said Sky's director of football Gary Hughes. 'Having four simultaneous games, we might even have five on some midweeks, means it's just the best way we can offer the best use of the assets that we've got. There could be some chaos to it, but that's the beauty of having all those games at once.' All the final games on the last day of the season will be live, while Sky have also changed their theme music, replacing Celeste's Stop This Flame with a revamped version of G.O.A.T by Kasabian ft. Cristale. Their desire to chase younger viewers was shown by the hiring of Roman Kemp to front a show called Premier League Friday and it's also clear in the use of fans from each of the 20 Premier league clubs in their coverage. Meanwhile, there is a new role for Jamie Carragher, who will front a new show called Extra Time on Sundays, after the classic Super Sunday programme. There is a new, if familiar, presenter in the form of Mark Chapman, who – like Kelly Cates – will combine presenting Match of the Day on the BBC with working for Sky. Chief sports officer for Sky, Jonathan Licht, said: 'This is a landmark season for Sky Sports and the Premier League. For the first time, we'll bring fans over 215 live matches, including every 2pm kick-off on Super Sunday. 'We're introducing new innovations like Multiview, new programmes like Super Sunday: Extra Time, and a new look schedule for Sky Sports News. From the moment the season kicks off, we'll be helping fans stay across all the biggest stories and making sure they never miss a moment of the action.'
Forbes
09-08-2025
- Business
- Forbes
How The NFL's ESPN Deal Will Crush The Dreams Of New Sports
By Leonard Armato, Contributor The NFL just scored a game-changing touchdown: a 10% equity stake in ESPN, valued at $2-3 billion, in exchange for assets like NFL Network and RedZone. This isn't just a business deal—it's an expansion of existing monopoly like power that could suffocate the dreams of emerging sports fighting for fans. As someone who's built brands like Shaq's and AVP Beach Volleyball, I see trouble ahead for second-tier leagues and new sports. The NFL's grip on ESPN, the sports media kingpin, means less room for everyone else. ESPN's Iron Grip On Sports Media ESPN isn't just a network—it's the destination for sports fans. It commands 31% of linear TV sports viewership. Online, it's a beast, reaching 175 million unique users monthly—over two-thirds of American adults. When you want scores, highlights, or hot takes, ESPN is the self proclaimed 'world wide leader in sports'. It's massive influence shapes what we watch, cheer for, and talk about. Now, the NFL goes from ESPN's most important property to part owner, ESPN's priorities are clear: protect the NFL Golden Goose at all costs-- and above all grow it and protect it. This deal, ties the league's fortunes to ESPN's, ensuring NFL content—games, drafts, even off-season drama—gets prime billing. And there's ample incentive to bury anything newsworthy that might damage the NFL's reputation. That's bad news for smaller sports craving exposure to grow their fandom. Why Emerging Sports Are Getting Sidelined Building a fanbase takes more than great games; it's about stories, stars, and viral moments which is one of the most difficult things for emerging sports to achieve. ESPN is the ultimate stage for that, but if you're not in the NFL's orbit, you're lucky to get a cameo. Sports like women's pro volleyball, pro lacrosse, ultimate frisbee, or esports variants are already fighting for scraps. Now, with the NFL-ESPN alliance tighter than ever, those scraps are shrinking. Here's why: As the NFL flexes its muscle, it makes it far more difficult for emerging sports to find both distribution for its live matches and journalistic coverage. The NFL has made women's flag football a priority so ESPN lavishes it with over 33 hours of coverage for events like the NFL Flag Championships, complete with slick production—mics on coaches, highlight reels, the works. Why? Flag football feeds the NFL's pipeline, growing young fans and eyeing the 2028 Olympics. Women's Pro Volleyball? It's got no NFL connection, so it's pretty much left with few matches, lower tier distribution and relatively no reporting. The Underdog Fight for Attention These emerging sports underdogs aren't just competing with the NFL—they're battling a media giant now incentivized to prioritize one sport above all. That's not to mention the other major sports at the top of the food chain like the NBA The WNBA's rise shows what's possible with exposure, but it took years of grit, cultural shifts and the support of the NBA. Today's new sports face a steeper climb. Without ESPN's spotlight, they miss out on: The NFL's ESPN deal could turn sports media into a football oligopoly, where only the NFL and other major sports thrive. Flag football gets love because it's NFL-adjacent, women's volleyball, despite its Olympic buzz, doesn't. This isn't just unfair—it's a threat to sports diversity. How New Sports Can Break Through Hope isn't lost. Emerging sports can fight back with creativity: In short, the bad news is that it will be difficult for these new and emerging sports to grow in the traditional manner, namely, getting broad TV distribution and media coverage. The good news is that with the rapid evolution of technology, and particularly with the advent of social media, individuals and even leagues themselves can become media companies and go directly to fans. Moreover, AI will level the playing field by providing expert and scalable capabilities at lightning speed which will arms those with a great product the ability to compete. So while traditional sports media is still a powerful force, all hope is not lost for those emerging sports trying to break through.
Boston Globe
09-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
What we know about the deal between ESPN and the NFL, and other thoughts
Related : Yes, 2026, not this season. The deal must go through the regulatory process, which may bring complications and demands that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro can't predict at the moment. There are some rickety bridges to cross before the deal is activated. Advertisement So the status quo remains for this season. But here are a few things we know, and a few we're wondering about … ▪ Most of the questions I've received from readers since the deal was formally announced last Wednesday relates to how it will eventually affect RedZone. Turns out there are a lot of Scott Hansen fans out there, for good reason. He's been the host since this version of RedZone's advent in 2009, and its hard to imagine anyone doing the job better. Good news: Hansen won't be going anywhere — he recently signed a four-year contract extension, so go ahead and erase those fears of RedZone host Pat McAfee . Besides, while ESPN will have distribution rights for RedZone, the NFL will still produce and operate the show. While I'm always slightly skeptical that ESPN won't meddle when it acquires distribution rights to a new program (please keep your hands off of 'Inside the NBA,'' ESPN suits), it is highly unlikely that anything changes with RedZone. Advertisement ▪ Now, as far as watching RedZone, that might get tricky, depending upon how you do so now. ESPN will gain the linear rights — meaning the rights to stream or broadcast on traditional channels, such as the ones you probably get with your cable subscription. But it does not have digital rights. So for those who are not cable or YouTube TV subscribers (or subscribers to another linear package that carries ESPN), the NFL+ Premium app will be the way you can still watch RedZone. As Pitaro explained to The Athletic's Richard Deitsch this week, 'We've agreed to bundle ESPN direct-to-consumer [a standalone app that launches Aug. 21] with NFL+ Premium which includes RedZone. From our perspective, that is how our fans and customers are going to be able to access all of ESPN, plus RedZone in the NFL+ Premium app.' Perhaps this will become less complicated by the time the deal is in place. Let's hope. ▪ ESPN can and almost certainly will create other similar jump-around channels for other sports. It makes all the sense to do so for college football, but less so for something like the NBA. ▪ The NFL Network will retain seven live game broadcasts per season. But with ESPN acquiring NFL Network (rather just having a distribution deal like it will with RedZone), the announcers are likely to have at least some ESPN personalities, though I'd expect Rich Eisen to remain as a play-by-play voice given his history with both ESPN and NFL Network. ESPN will begin broadcasting his eponymous radio show in September. Advertisement ▪ As for the biggest question that cannot be answered well into the partnership: Can and will ESPN still cover the NFL unsparingly? The suggestion that ESPN abandoned journalism long ago — or at least when Bob Ley left and 'Outside the Lines' was buried — is a common one, but it's not entirely true. Don Van Natta , Seth Wickersham , and Kalyn Kahler in particular have done repeatedly exceptional work covering stories the NFL would prefer be marginalized or outright ignored. But now that the NFL will actually own a piece of ESPN, it's logical and necessary to wonder what the impact will be until the deal is in effect. Here's hoping the network's remaining ace reporters break a big story that doesn't put the league in a positive light early in this partnership, because that's the only way a clear answer will come. Related : Making the calls CBS and Fox revealed their NFL broadcaster lineups. The big change is JJ Watt joining Ian Eagle on CBS's No. 2 team, with Charles Davis moving to the No. 4 team with Andrew Catalon and Jason McCourty (and some college football broadcasts). Another former Patriots defensive back, Logan Ryan , will be an analyst on select CBS games. As far as Fox goes, yes, despite his conflict of interest as a part owner of the Raiders, Tom Brady remains on the No. 1 team with Kevin Burkhardt . Hopefully in Year 2 Brady will figure out how to be more animated than that new statue at Gillette Stadium … Fox announced Friday afternoon that Rob Gronkowski — perhaps you know him as Gronk? — will join its 'Fox NFL Sunday' pregame show full time, replacing the retired Jimmy Johnson . Host Curt Menefee and analysts Terry Bradshaw , Howie Long , and Michael Strahan all return … NBC Sports Boston announced a partnership with Shadow Lion to present 'The Quick Snap,' a podcast hosted by former Patriots David Andrews and Brian Hoyer . It will debut Sept. 3 and be available on NBC Sports Boston, NBC Sports Boston's YouTube channel, and all major podcast platforms. Advertisement Chad Finn can be reached at
Yahoo
07-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'GMFB' reacts to NFL and ESPN agreement
"Good Morning Football" shares their thoughts on the recent deal made between the National Football League and ESPN to sell the NFL Network and RedZone pay-television distribution rights in exchange for a 10% stake in ESPN.
