TiVO Signs Entire GA Tech Football Squad to Largest NIL Team Deal
Georgia Tech Football is getting its players paid thanks to a new NIL deal with TiVO, Front Office Sports reported Thursday morning. The arrangement, which is the largest full-team name, image, and likeness deal to date in college sports, has all 90 members of the Yellow Jackets receiving “sponsorship contracts, a TiVo Stream 4K, and access to the newly-upgraded GT media room.”
NBA Players in Markets with COVID Restrictions Face Strict Vaccination Policies
The NBA has put teams in New York City and San Francisco on notice that players will be held to the same vaccination standards as recently issued local laws requiring proof of vaccination to enter certain “covered premises” inside each city — including Barclays Center, Madison Square Garden, and the Chase Center. The announcement affects members of the New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, and Golden State Warriors; however, players with medical or religious exemptions won’t be expected to take part.
Facebook Teams up with Whistle Sports to Make Leap into Fantasy Gaming
Facebook is entering the fantasy sports arena with the launch of a new daily sports prediction game called Pick & Play Sports, the social media platform announced Wednesday. The new fantasy sports game, which is being created in partnership with Whistle Sports, will feature public leaderboards based on successful predictions and allow users to join public leagues or create private leagues with their friends.
PGA Tour Will Not Publicly Reveal Winners of Player Impact Program
PGA Tour officials announced this week that the winners of the $40 million Player Impact Program (PIP) will not be revealed. The program, which launched this year, features a massive bonus pool for the tour’s most popular players who meet specific criteria for fan engagement and reach.
USMNT is the Most Valuable it’s Ever Been
As they head to El Salvador for the World Cup qualifier, the USMNT has emerged as the youngest and the most valuable in the team’s history, according to Sportico. The news comes after the squad put together championship performances at this summer’s Nations League and Gold Cup tournaments.
Extreme Weather Event Wreaks Havoc on US Open
The remnants of Hurricane Ida continue to move up the east coast, leaving spectators at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens running for cover in the wake of flash floods and tornado warnings. Despite its roof covering, the whole court was soaked after two hours of driving rain, halting play between Kevin Anderson and Diego Schwartzman. The match is scheduled to resume on Thursday.
Reds’ Castellanos Gets Rare Bat Check Following Back-to-back HRs
After clocking a home run and a grand slam with a chipped bat in consecutive plate appearances on Wednesday, Cincinnati Reds third baseman Nick Castellanos was subject to a bat test at the request of Cardinals skipper Mike Shildt. The umpires determined that the bat had no impact on the ball, and the runs stood in Cincy’s 12-2 win.
Nickelodeon to Bring Back Kid-friendly Broadcast for NFL Wild Card Playoffs
CBS announced this week that following the success of last year’s broadcast, they would host a kid-friendly simulcast of an NFL Wild Card postseason game on Nickelodeon. The event will feature a dedicated broadcast booth and special in-game graphics, as well as guest appearances from the channel’s stars.
A-Rod SPAC Ends Merger Talks With Panini
Last week, it was revealed that Panini would be replaced by Fanatics as the trading card partner of the NBA, NBAPA, and the NFLPA. In the wake of the news, A-Rod-backed SPAC Slam Corp. announced it would cease considerations of a merger with the Italy-based sports card and collectibles company, a deal that was valued at approximately $3 billion.