Adrian Wojnarowski Leaving ESPN, Sports Media for GM Role at St. Bonaventure
In a surprise to the sports media community, longtime NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski announced he’s leaving ESPN and the news industry overall. Throughout his illustrious career that includes nearly a 10-year stint leading Yahoo Sports’ NBA coverage, Wojnarowski has built up his personal brand to the tune of 6.5 million followers on X, where he frequently dropped “Woj Bombs” to break news. As for what’s next, Woj revealed he’s returning to his alma mater, St. Bonaventure University, to become general manager of the men’s basketball program. In the new role, Wojnarowski will “serve the coaching staff in managing a wide range of responsibilities,” including NIL, recruiting, transfer portal, and more.
WNBA Officially Expands to Portland, Set to Begin Play in 2026
It’s official: Portland is set to become the host city of the WNBA’s 15th franchise, the league confirmed Wednesday. In a statement, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said the Rose City was selected because it “has been an epicenter of the women’s sports movement and is home to a passionate community of basketball fans.” Ownership will be led by the Bhathal family, who also own Portland Thorns FC and have been limited partners of the Sacramento Kings for the last decade. The new team in Portland will begin play in 2026; a name and logo will be announced at a later date.
Federal Reserve Announces First Interest Rate Cut in 4 Years
The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by half a percentage point on Wednesday, its first cut to borrowing costs in four years. “The Committee has gained greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably toward 2%, and judges that the risks to achieving its employment and inflation goals are roughly in balance,” the Fed said in a statement justifying the decision. Consumers can expect to see an impact of the cut on items such as mortgage, car loan, and credit card rates in the coming weeks. According to NBC News, the central bank anticipates more reductions at its final two meetings of 2024.
Eli Manning, Marshawn Lynch Among 16 First-Time Pro Football Hall of Fame Nominees
The Pro Football Hall of Fame revealed the nominees for its Class of 2025 on Wednesday, and headlining the 16 first-time honorees include Super Bowl champions Eli Manning and Marshawn Lynch, Luke Kuechly, Terrell Suggs, and the late Demaryius Thomas, among others. In total, 167 players populate this year’s list, though a panel will trim the list to 50 names next month before moving on to the final rounds of the selection process. Athletes must receive 80% of votes to get in, with 3-5 players getting in as modern-era inductees.
YouTube CEO Announces New AI Features Coming to Platform
As artificial intelligence continues to fuse itself into our daily lives, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan revealed a slew of new changes coming to the platform on Wednesday. Among the new features, which YouTube says will be integrated at unspecified times throughout the year, includes the ability to take six-second AI-generated video clips and merge them into YouTube Shorts through a feature powered by Google’s DeepMind AI technology. Furthermore, YouTube will also incorporate generative AI text and image output into an “Inspiration” feature for users, with the goal of providing insight and suggestions for video content. Additionally, generative AI will provide “AI-enhanced” advice on how creators can engage with commenters.
Cher, Tyla to Headline Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show’s All-Women Lineup
After a six-year hiatus, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is officially making its return next month. To celebrate this new era, the brand called on an all-women lineup headlined by veteran performer Cher and rising star Tyla. Scheduled for Oct. 15, VS promises that more entertainers will be announced in the near future. Past performers at the VSFS include Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, Selena Gomez, and more.
BlackRock, Microsoft Launch $30B AI Infrastructure Fund
Microsoft recently announced that it has joined BlackRock in a group looking to raise $30 billion to invest in data centers and related energy infrastructure. Called the Global AI Infrastructure Investment Partnership (GAIIP), its mission is to help boost AI supply chains and energy sourcing. The investments will be largely in the United States and the remainder in its partner countries, per the statement. MGX, the Abu Dhabi-backed investment firm, will be a general partner in the fund, while AI chip firm Nvidia will serve as a consultant.
Formula 1 & LEGO Enter New Strategic Partnership
Formula 1 and The LEGO Group confirmed a new multi-year strategic partnership on Wednesday that’s scheduled to launch next season. Fans of the toy company can look forward to even more Formula 1-themed LEGO sets made for all ages, in addition to on-site activations when the 2025 F1 calendar kicks off with the Australian Grand Prix next year. The LEGO Group will have a presence at other key races throughout the 2025 season, leveraging F1’s growing popularity worldwide to attract a new group of LEGO enthusiasts.
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