After breathing life into Colorado, head coach Deion Sanders has been named Sports Illustrated‘s 2023 Sportsperson of the Year. Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors earned the honor in 2022. After the football program won just a single game in 2022, Sanders led the Buffaloes to an impressive 3-0 start in his first season at the helm, garnering the attention of national media and making Boulder the place to be in college football. “Prime” and Co. would then lose eight of their last nine games to finish 4-8 and out of bowl contention. Still, SI Editor-in-chief Stephen Cannella cited Deion Sanders’ overall impact as the main reasoning behind SI’s selection: “On and off the field, he represents a new model for the modern college coach.” Sanders has now appeared on the SI cover seven times, five times as a player and one other time during his coaching career at Jackson State.

Check out Boardroom’s full timeline of Deion Sanders’ first season in Boulder. 

Max Verstappen‘s record-breaking success on the Formula 1 track this year translated to a massive payday for the Red Bull Racing driver. With an estimated $70 million earned in salary and bonus pay this year, Verstappen sits at No. 1 on Forbes’ list of highest-paid F1 drivers for 2023. Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton ($55 million) and Aston Martin‘s Fernando Alonso ($34 million) followed Verstappen in third and fourth, respectively, while Red Bull‘s Sergio Pérez ($26 million) and Ferrari racer Charles Leclerc ($26 million) rounded out the top five. For reference, unlike in other sports’ rankings, Forbes excludes “income from business endeavors such as endorsements, focusing solely on the sport’s salaries and bonuses.”

Boardroom’s Vinciane Ngomsi has more on the full list of highest-paid F1 drivers for 2023.

An unprecedented number of people attended concerts this year worldwide, and Billboard Boxscore has the numbers on which artists attracted the most guests and earned the most. Topping the list was Beyoncé‘s Renaissance World Tour, which attracted 2.8 million people over 56 shows and made $579.8 million. Coming in second was Coldplay, with $342.5 million grossed over 55 shows attended by 3.2 million guests. Rounding out the top three is Harry Styles, with $338.2 million made over 69 shows attended by 3.2 million people. One notable omission from the rankings is Taylor Swift, but according to Billboard, “figures for The Eras Tour have not yet been reported and therefore it does not qualify for official year-end Boxscore charts.” However, the outlet estimates TSwift would have topped this chart as well, projecting $906.1 million over 66 shows where 4.1 million attended.

Jay-Z and his entertainment company, Roc Nation, are teaming up with Christie’s auction house to support the Brooklyn Public Library, home of the ongoing The Book of HOV tribute exhibit. With the help of his partners, Jay-Z will auction off one-of-a-kind The Book of HOV memorabilia, a Pinel et Pinel black leather case signed by the 24-time Grammy winner himself. The case also contains a metal bookmark, a commemorative card, and 13 metal library cards showcasing different artwork from Jay-Z’s solo studio albums, per People. Proceeds from the sale will go toward the library.

Bronny James, USC basketball freshman and the oldest son of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, has been cleared to make a full return to basketball after going into cardiac arrest during a preseason practice on July 24. “Bronny will have a final evaluation with USC staff this week, resume practice next week, and return to games soon after,” a statement from the James family spokesperson reads in part. The Trojans are 5-2 on the season without Bronny, with wins over Kansas State and Seton Hall and losses to Oklahoma and UC Irvine. The team’s next game is on Saturday against Gonzaga, although Bronny will not be playing just yet.

Sam Cassell, a three-time NBA champion as a player and currently an assistant coach for the league-leading Boston Celtics, is adding to his resume. In addition to leading the Cs to the top spot in the East, the former All-Star point guard is launching an eyewear collection with Zenni Optical. The bespectacled basketball lifer admitted it was the first time a brand had reached out to him since making the move from the backcourt to the sideline.  “I can’t wear shades during the game,” Cassell told Boardroom with a laugh. “I wish, but I don’t think Adam Silver will allow me to wear shades on the bench. Maybe a little tint, but not shades.” The collection went on sale on Nov. 30.