Taurasi Takes Over in OT, Leads Mercury to 91-86 Win Over Sky
Diana Taurasi scored eight of her 20 points in overtime and Brittney Griner completed her second-career playoff dunk to help the Mercury even the WNBA Finals at one-all with a 91-86 win over the Sky on Wednesday night. Taurasi, who is the league’s all-time leading scorer, was limited to only six points through the first three quarters, but put together an excellent overtime performance on both ends of the court. Griner also had herself a night, with 29 points and 9 rebounds. Game 3 is Friday in Chicago.
USMNT Beats Costa Rica 2-1 in World Cup Qualifier
The US Men’s National Team came from behind to beat Costa Rica Wednesday night in its Concacaf World Cup qualifier match in Columbus. The Americans fell behind in the first minute but managed to tie it up in the 26th with a beautiful goal from Sergino Dest. The US took over the lead around the 60-minute mark following an own-goal from Costa Rica to secure the win.
Ovechkin Nets Two in Capitals Opening Win, Rises to Fifth on All-time Goals List
Alex Ovechkin skated into the history books on Wednesday night. Despite being a game-time decision due to a lower-body injury, Ovechkin had two goals in Washington’s season-opening 5-1 win over the Rangers. The goals lifted the left winger to number five on the NHL’s all-time scoring list, placing him above Hall of Fame icon Marcel Dionne.
LeBron James Partners with Tonal
At-home fitness company Tonal announced LeBron James would join their star-studded lineup of investors, which also includes Serena Williams, Steph Curry, Sue Bird, and many more. As part of the agreement, James will also serve as a brand partner, appearing in an upcoming campaign. The partnership has stirred industry speculation that an IPO may be on the horizon for Tonal, which reported a $1.6 billion valuation following its successful funding round earlier this year.
ESPN to Broadcast MNF Wild Card Game
The major sports network announced Wednesday it has reached a five-year deal with the NFL for the rights to present a wild-card game on Monday night starting this season. The inaugural broadcast is set to debut on Jan. 17, 2022, on ESPN and ABC, but is also expected to include the increasingly popular Manningcast on ESPN2, featuring Peyton and Eli Manning.
Arctos Sports Partners Preps to Expand Sports Portfolio with $3B Fund
Arctos Sports Partners announced it had purchased a 17%-stake in the Sacramento Kings last month, adding to their robust sports portfolio that also includes minority stakes in the Boston Red Sox and the Golden State Warriors. The New York and Dallas-based private equity firm has revealed that they raised over $3 billion earmarked for sports franchises, opening the door to future investments.
DraftKings Announces Partnerships with NHL, Turner Sports
Turner Sports won broadcasting rights for a substantial portion of the upcoming NHL season, and on Wednesday they announced a new partnership with DraftKings. As the official sportsbook of Turner Sports’ NHL coverage, the gaming company will contribute odds, statistics, alerts, and other content as part of live games on TNT. The news comes as DraftKings also announced a commercial partnership deal with the NHL, making them the league’s official sports betting partner.
SeatGeek Preps to Go Public Backed by RedBall SPAC
The mobile technology company, best known for their ticketing services, and RedBall Acquisition Corp announced on Wednesday that they had entered a definitive business combination agreement and will go public as SeatGeek. The combined worth is estimated at a $1.35 billion valuation and has a number of exclusive contacts. The investment will be backed by several major partners, including Utah Jazz majority owner Ryan Smith and Thirty Five Ventures.
Activewear Company Vuori Receives $400M Investment, Nets $4B Valuation
The leisurewear industry was valued at $284.7 billion in 2020, and a new player in the field is positioned to make major moves. Vuori announced that they had received a $400 million investment from SoftBank Vision Fund 2, which will fund efforts to develop new products, plan for international growth, and maintain a commitment to sustainability practices.
Drone Racing League Partners with Global UAV Leader Draganfly
Draganfly, a drone solutions, and systems development company, is the latest official partner of the Drone Racing League. The terms of the deal include the creation of a science and technology innovation lab called DRL Labs.