Djokovic Captures 21st Grand Slam with Wimbledon Win
It was an eventful afternoon at Centre Court on Sunday as Novak Djokovic took on Nick Kyrgios. Kyrgios found himself in the final after Rafael Nadal resigned from the semis with an injury. The Australian took the first set but spent much of the match yelling to his box for support. Djokovic capitalized on the moment and captured the next three sets and the $2.1 million winning prize. With the victory, Djokovic pulled ahead of Roger Federer for the number two spot in all-time grand slams; however, Nadal remains king with 22. Due to the vaccine mandate, Djokovic is not expected to play at the upcoming U.S. Open.
Kelsey Plum Tapped as WNBA All-Star MVP
The stars of the WNBA were out in Chicago on Sunday for the 2022 All-Star Game. Each player honored the legacy of Brittney Griner, wearing No. 42 and “Griner” on the back of their jerseys for the second half, as she remains detained in Russia. Team Wilson emerged victorious, taking down Team Stewart 134-112. The Las Vegas Aces’ Kelsey Plum took home the game’s MVP title, tying the game’s individual high-score with 30 points.
Steelers Stadium Searches for New Sponsor
It’s the end of an era in Pittsburgh. Reports emerged over the weekend signaling that Heinz decided to end its long-time partnership with the home of the Pittsburgh Steelers. As a result, Heinz Field will be renamed. Heinz purchased the 20-year naming rights in 2001 for a total of $57 million – a cheeky reference to Heinz’ most popular product. While the new sponsor has not yet been revealed, the name change could occur as soon as this week.
New York Generates $302M in Tax Revenue in First Six Months of Legalized Betting
New Yorkers do it big. Thus, it’s no surprise that the state set a new record for its first six months of legalized online betting, according to New York State data. In total, bettors logged $302 million of tax revenue for the state, eclipsing the previous six-month record of $287 million set in New Jersey in 2018. Most recently, the state ushered the ninth and final provider, Bally Bet, online.
Tour de France Gets Fashion-forward with Rapha & Palace Skateboards
The peloton is out in the hills of France. As the Tour de France enters its double-digit days, observers may notice one particularly flossy fit. Rapha teamed up with Palace Skateboards to introduce a “Tour de Force” to the EF Education-TIBCO-SVB and EF Education-EasyPost Team. The collab includes both jersey and bike overhauls for the team and jerseys, hoodies, hats, and Crocs, which go on sale on July 15.
Manchester City Nets $20M Annual Jersey Deal with OKX
The crypto crash has many wondering what will happen to the slew of sports partnerships. For cryptocurrency exchange OKX, the answer is clear: nothing, for now. The company unveiled its new training kit deal with legendary club Manchester City, which serves as an extension to the multi-year deal it inked with the team earlier this year. Reports set the value of the partnership at $20 million for the 2022-23 season.