Rodgers, Packers Roll Lions on Monday Night Football
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers and running back Aaron Jones put on a show Monday night, silencing the “trolls” with a 35-17 win over the Detroit Lions. The victory comes after a disappointing loss for the Pack in Week 1, and in his post-game conference, AR12 told reporters he is hopeful the performance will “get the trolls off our back.”
Royals’ Salvador Perez Goes Deep, Sets New Catcher HR Record
Kansas City Royals C Salvador Perez hit his 46th home run on Monday, breaking Johnny Bench’s record from 1970 for homers by a catcher in a season. The record-setting home run was a two-run homer in the fifth inning of what would end up being a 7-2 win against the Cleveland Indians.
Barcelona Considering Replacing Manager Ronald Koeman
Following a disappointing 1-1 draw against Granada in LaLiga play over the weekend, FC Barcelona’s board held an emergency meeting to discuss potential long-term replacements for manager Ronald Koeman, reports ESPN’s Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens. Barça currently sit sixth in the league table, but are just one point ahead of 10th-place Rayo Vallecano.
DraftKings Reportedly Makes $20B Offer to Acquire UK Betting Brand Entain
In recent days, DraftKings made an offer of approximately $20 billion to acquire Entain, an online sports betting company based in Britain, as first reported by CNBC’s David Faber. DK later confirmed that an offer was submitted. If the deal is consummated, it marks the first major move from the fantasy and betting giant outside the United States. Earlier this year, Entain declined a reported $11 million takeover bid from BetMGM.
Duke Men’s BBall Locks in 2022 No. 2 Recruit Dereck Lively
Dereck Lively II, the second-ranked recruit in the Class of 2022, announced Monday he is committing to Duke. Lively, a 7-foot-1 center from Bellefonte, Pennsylvania’s Westtown School, is the third five-star commitment for Duke in the 2022 class.
WNBA Announces DICK’S Sporting Goods as Official Retail Partner
DICK’S Sporting Goods becomes the official retail partner of the WNBA as part of a multi-year deal that begins with the start of the 2021 postseason. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert called the partnership a “significant opportunity for the WNBA as we celebrate our landmark 25th season, with DICK’S Sporting Goods playing a substantial role in driving continued interest and engagement surrounding our league.”
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Sorare Announces $680M Funding Round, $4.3B Valuation
Gamified NFT collectibles platform Sorare announced another fundraising round to the tune of $680 million led by Softbank. Built around a flagship crypto-powered fantasy soccer game featuring officially licensed player cards, the company now reports an estimated valuation of $4.3 billion.
Lakers Link with Korean Food Maker Bibigo for $100M Jersey Patch Sponsorship Deal
On Monday, LeBron James was among the Lakers to debut the new global marketing partnership between the Lakers and Korean company Bibigo. The five-year deal is said to be worth $100 million and makes the company the first international sponsor for the Lakers.
Motion-based Entertainment Company Nex Announces $25M in Series B Funding
Nex, a technology company specializing in gamifying digital entertainment to help people stay active, announced a $25 million Series B funding round Tuesday. The round was led by Blue Pool Capital and Samsung Ventures and joined by Susquehanna, SparkLabs, sports figures like Thierry Henry, Albert Pujols, and Sabrina Ionescu, and top-level executives from companies like Alchemy, Dapper Labs, OpenDoor, WordPress, and YouTube.
Over 500 Women Athlete File Amicus Brief in Support of Abortion Access
Over 500 athletes, spanning in experience from high school to the pros, signed a letter to the highest court in the land in support of the protection of women’s right to choose. Megan Rapinoe and Diana Taurasi were among the long list of NWSL and WNBA players who included their names as a case in Mississippi is set to directly challenge Roe v. Wade.
ESPN Taps Malika Andrews to Host NBA Today
Up-and-coming NBA personality Malika Andrews, 26, will be the host of a new NBA studio show this fall called NBA Today, ESPN announced Monday. The new show, which will debut in October ahead of the NBA season and will air from 3 to 4 p.m. ET every weekday, is expected to include regular guests such as former NBA players Vince Carter and Kendrick Perkins, current WNBA player Chiney Ogwumike and more.
NHL Showcases Diversity of the Sport in “All for Hockey” Campaign
With a new season slated to start next month, the NHL on Monday night released a new 60-second creative spot on ESPN celebrating the diversity of the sport. The “All for Hockey” anthem aired on the network not long after halftime of Monday Night Football.
Autograph Tiger Woods NFT Drops Today on DraftKings
Autograph will release its latest round of NFTs featuring Tiger Woods later today on DraftKings Marketplace. Today’s drop involves non-fungible tokens — Carbon Premier edition ($12) at 3 p.m. ET and Platinum Premier ($25) edition at 4 p.m. More drops of the Tiger Woods NFTs are expected in the days to come.
JJ Redick Retires After 15 NBA Seasons
Longtime NBA shooting guard JJ Redick announced Tuesday on his podcast Old Man and the Three, that he is retiring from the NBA after 15 seasons. The 37-year-old Redick, a former National Player of the Year at Duke, bows out as one of the best three-point shooters in NBA history, averaging 41.5% from deep for his career.
