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College Sports Act Moves Forward in DC

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WASH DC – (Wire Service Report) – The Protect College Sports Act took a step forward on Tuesday when the U.S. Senate voted 74-24 to move the bipartisan measure closer to a vote of the full body.

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The vote count to invoke cloture easily exceeded the 60 needed to prevent a potential filibuster.

One of the bill’s co-sponsors, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), said ahead of the vote on the Senate floor, “This bill brings order to (college  sports). It helps women and Olympic sports, and it sets up a commission to look at the real future, which I think should include collective bargaining. …

“Let’s bring some sanity. Recognize that athletes do deserve revenue sharing, and that this bill will put that into law for the first time.”

The other co-sponsor is Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

The multifaceted bill would, among many other items,:

–Nationalize the name, image and likeness policies that are currently different in each state.

–Cap the amount of revenue schools can share with student-athletes at 22%, which currently comes out at $21.5 million.

–Institute a “retention pool” of $27.5 million that would cut down on third-party NIL involvement.

–Ensure athletes could continue to use their scholarships for 10 years following the expiration of their eligibility to pursue a degree.

–Bans schools from pulling scholarships due to an injury or a poor performance.

–Permit athletes one transfer with immediate eligibility at the new school.

–Allow conferences to choose whether to pool media rights revenue.

–Permanently codify the NCAA’s new five-year eligibility rule.

–Stop football coaches from moving to a new school midseason, a provision that is being referred to as the “Lane Kiffin rule” as a nod to the coach who left Ole Miss ahead of last season’s College Football Playoff to take over at LSU.

Should the Senate approve the bill, it then must get the OK from the House of Representatives, where a close vote is expected.

If both chambers pass the Protect College Sports Act, it would move to President Donald Trump for his signature. Trump has said he would sign the bill to make it law.

–Field Level Media

US Open: The Latest Night Show

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FLUSHING MEADOW – (Wire Service Report) – Ben Shelton is New York’s new late-night king.

The eighth-seeded Atlanta native pulled off an upset at the U.S. Open for one of the biggest wins of his career, overtaking the defending champion, second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, for a 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (7) win in the quarterfinals early Wednesday morning.

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The 4-hour, 28-minute match ended at 3:33 a.m. local time, the latest-ever finish at the U.S. Open. The old record? A 2:50 a.m. finish in the 2022 quarterfinals, when Alcaraz defeated Italy’s Jannik Sinner en route to his first U.S. title.

A large crowd stayed until the end, rooting on the home-country competitor.

‘For me, it’s always about the people in the crowd, whether it’s my coaches and my team over there, all my family and friends over here or the city of New York,’ Shelton said postmatch on court. ‘They showed up tonight until 3 a.m. with the USA chants until the very end. That’s what kept me going and that’s what got me this win tonight. …

‘I always say that this is the greatest sports city in the world. I say that this is the greatest stadium in the world. … I’m just so grateful, so blessed … to be here in front of you (fans) tonight, it’s an absolute honor. Sharing the court with Carlos is an absolute honor, and I cherish every moment I have out here.’

Shelton set up an all-U.S. semifinal, as he will oppose Frances Tiafoe on Friday. The No. 11 seed completed a dramatic comeback on Tuesday, defeating fellow American Alex Michelsen 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (6).

The Shelton-Tiafoe winner will be just the second U.S. man to appear in a U.S. Open final over the past 20 years. Taylor Fritz lost the 2024 championship match to Italy’s Jannik Sinner. The last U.S. player to capture the men’s singles crown at Flushing Meadows was Andy Roddick in 2003.

Shelton, 23, is through to his third career Grand Slam semifinal as he seeks his first appearance in a major final. He lost in the semis at the 2023 U.S. Open and the 2025 Australian Open.

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For Alcaraz, the quarterfinal defeat completes a disappointing summer. He won the Australian Open to begin the year but subsequently missed four months due to a wrist injury that kept him out of the French Open and Wimbledon.

Shelton had lost all three of his previous matches against Alcaraz, though the two hadn’t squared off in more than a year.

Earlier, Michelsen built a two-sets-to-love lead at Arthur Ashe Stadium. He served for the victory in the third set before Tiafoe broke and rallied to win three straight games, forcing a fourth set.

‘He’s a hell of a player, and he easily could have won today,’ Tiafoe said in the post-match on-court interview.

After powering through the fourth set, Tiafoe overcame an early three-game deficit to force a fifth-set tiebreak.

The 4-hour, 39-minute marathon finally came to an end when Tiafoe built a 9-6 advantage in the tiebreak and then connected on his winner in front of an energetic crowd.

‘The energy was incredible, as it is always,’ Tiafoe said to the appreciative crowd afterward. ‘You guys were really for me and I really appreciate that.’

Tiafoe, 28, improved to 3-0 against the 22-year-old Michelsen, who acquitted himself well despite the loss.

Michelsen at times showed dominant form with 21 aces. The world’s 46th-ranked player also endured 61 unforced errors, helping to open the door for the Tiafoe comeback.

‘He gave me some gifts, a couple double faults there, but then I slowly, slowly started to get my rhythm there,’ Tiafoe acknowledged.

Tiafoe is headed to his third career major semifinal, all at the U.S. Open (2022, 2024).

–Field Level Media

Goodell Gets Multi-Million Extension

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NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The NFL announced Sunday that NFL owners agreed to a four-year contract extension with commissioner Roger Goodell that runs through the 2030 season, ending on March 31, 2031.

The length of the deal is significant because the current collective bargaining agreement between owners and players expires in March 2031.

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One of the main topics to be sorted out between the two parties is the potential introduction of an 18-game regular season. The NFL moved from a 16-game schedule to 17 games in 2021.

Contracts with broadcast partners are also expected to be renegotiated by 2030.

The extension, which was reported last week as certain, is Goodell’s fifth and his first since he signed a three-year deal in October 2023. Goodell, 67, has been NFL commissioner since 2006.

The NFL does not publicly disclose Goodell’s compensation. His most recent reported earnings, for the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 seasons, were $63.9 million annually.

Owners met in Atlanta last week, but it was reported that a Goodell extension was not discussed. The new deal was announced four days after that owners’ meeting.

“The Compensation Committee notified the full ownership today that an agreement has been reached on a four-season contract extension for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell through the 2030 League season, ending on March 31, 2031,” the NFL said in a release Sunday.

–Field Level Media

Good Good Golf Went Bad, Bad

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FRISCO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The controversy over an ill-received advertisement promoting a new golf club cost two top Good Good Golf executives their jobs on Wednesday.

The company parted ways with chief executive officer Matt Kendrick and president Joe Flannery, Good Good head of finance and operations Alex Puchala announced.

Puchala’s memo to the company’s staff included, “This is a difficult day for the entire Good Good family. Matt helped build something extraordinary that exceeded all expectations and continues to bring countless new fans to the  sport. What began as a small group of friends playing golf is now a growing global community.”

Nahid Giga, a board member and investor in Good Good, was installed as the interim CEO of the company that began in 2020 as a YouTube channel and rapidly gained popularity as a mainstream golf and lifestyle brand.

Good Good vice president of brand and marketing Jeffrey Lefkovits was fired earlier this week.

Good Good’s troubles began on Aug. 21 with the release of an ad for a driver co-branded with Callaway. The video showed Good Good co-founder Garrett Clark pushing another Good Good personality, Alexis Miestowski, to the ground as she went to pull the club out of his bag. Clark then said, “Do not touch my new driver,” while standing over her.

A swift public backlash, decrying an act of violence against a woman, led to multiple apologies from Callaway and Good Good. Callaway severed its ties with Good Good, which prompted Kendrick to criticize Callaway on social media.

The fallout also led to Good Good no longer serving as the title sponsor of the PGA Tour event scheduled for mid-November in Austin, Texas. Golf Channel canceled a reboot of the “Big Break” show that was to be produced in conjunction with Good Good. Meanwhile, Good Good products were pulled from the shelves of retailers including Dick’s Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy.

Puchala’s memo added, “We’re encouraged by the continued support of the Good Good community, and we remain focused on moving forward and building the next chapter of the company.”

–Field Level Media

Arctos Buys 10% of NFL’s Falcons

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ATLANTA – (Wire Service Report) Arctos Partners is adding a fourth NFL franchise to its portfolio by purchasing a 10% stake in the Atlanta Falcons, Front Office Sports and CNBC reported.

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The private equity firm already owns stakes in the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Chargers.

The deal with Arctos includes a $10.6 billion valuation for the Falcons. Arctos will acquire the 10% stake in two stages, starting with a 7.5% stake, according to Sportico. A vote on the transaction is planned for October.

According to NFL rules, a private equity firm can invest in no more than six teams and the maximum stake size is 10%.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank owns about 73% of the team but it is unclear whether his shares are involved in the deal with Arctos, according to Front Office Sports.

Arctos, which is owned by the sports management company KKR & Co. Inc., also holds a stake in several franchises in the NBA, NHL and MLB.

–Field Level Media

CBS Sports Mum On Tony Romo

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NEW YORK – (Wire Service Report) – CBS Sports president David Berson expressed concern about the brand’s image but did not offer a timeline for a decision about Tony Romo’s future with the network.

CBS held its NFL Media Day on Tuesday without its lead game analyst present. Romo is on leave due to the aftermath of his July 23 arrest in Wisconsin for allegedly operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

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“It’s an evolving situation and we are still assessing,” Berson told reporters Tuesday in New York. “There is no timetable or final decision at this time.”

A 45-minute bodycam video released by authorities showed Romo telling police he had not been drinking, but they found an open bottle of alcohol in his car, and that was enough for CBS to take him off the air, at least temporarily. The ex-Dallas Cowboys quarterback was later cited for refusing to take an intoxication test after his arrest.

Berson and CBS now must handle questions about Romo’s future in their football coverage plans. CBS has elevated former NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt to work aside Jim Nantz in Romo’s place. Tracy Wolfson again will be the sideline reporter for the Nantz crew.

Watt, 37, was the No. 2 analyst for CBS last season, teaming with veteran play-by-play caller Ian Eagle.

“We have to consider the impact on our image and our brand,” Berson said. “That’s very important to us. The focus should be and needs to be on our presentation and this great product and not on any others.

“Fortunately, we have a deep bench and everybody is stepping up.”

Romo, 46, is due in court on Sept. 21, and he likely would not return to the network before then, if he is retained.

Romo was hired by CBS in 2017. He re-signed with the network on a 10-year, $180 million deal that has four years and $72 million remaining.

–Field Level Media

Comcast To Air NFL Red Zone

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PHILADELPHIA – (Wire Service Report) – Comcast, the nation’s second-largest cable television provider under the brand Xfinity, has reached an agreement with Disney to lift the current blackout and resume airing the NFL Network and NFL RedZone to its roughly 11 million subscribers in time for the 2026 season.

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Disney owns 72% of ESPN, which took over NFL Media assets earlier this year. Shortly after the takeover, the contract with Comcast expired and the two parties could not reach an immediate deal.

Xfinity TV subscribers have been in the dark since the end of April.

Financial terms of the agreement were not announced. Disney was believed to have demanded higher fees and additional live game broadcasts, but it is unclear whether Comcast agreed to any of those demands.

The NFL Network was launched in 2003 and, as of June 2023, was available in 51.5 million homes across the United States.

NFL RedZone, hosted by Scott Hanson, was launched in September 2009.
–Field Level Media

Yanks Secure $2.6b in Private Equity

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BRONX – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The New York Yankees are receiving $2.6 billion in a deal with the private equity fund Apollo Sports Capital, the team announced on Tuesday.

The huge capital infusion for Yankee Global Enterprises will allow the team to refinance or retire much of its existing debt and then pursue new ventures, according to The Athletic.

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Hal Steinbrenner remains the Yankees’ managing general partner and the Steinbrenner family maintains full control of the historic franchise. Patriarch George Steinbrenner, who died in 2010, led a group of investors that bought the team from CBS for $10 million in 1973.

“We are continually seeking ways to strengthen our positioning, and this partnership allows us to explore pursuing strategic opportunities,” Hal Steinbrenner said in a news release.

An individual private equity fund can hold no more than a 15 percent stake in a club under the rules of Major League Baseball. The exact percentage of Apollo’s stake was not announced. Forbes’ annual list of MLB franchise valuations listed the Yankees at $8.5 billion in March.

In addition to the baseball team, Yankee Global Enterprises’ assets include the YES Network and stakes in MLS club New York City FC and Italian soccer team AC Milan, all of which could benefit from the new money.

Apollo Sports Capital is a branch of Apollo Global Management, a New York-based firm with nearly $1 trillion in assets under management. Apollo became the majority stakeholder of Spanish soccer power Atletico Madrid in 2025.

–Field Level Media

Tony Romo Arrested

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MILWAUKEE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and current CBS NFL analyst Tony Romo was arrested in Milwaukee Thursday night on suspicion of operating a vehicle while under the influence, according to a Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office arrest report.

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The 46-year-old was stopped Thursday around 6:18 p.m. and “performed poorly” on standardized field sobriety tests, per the report.

He was taken into custody and booked before being released at approximately 11 p.m., and has a court date scheduled for Sept. 21.

A first-offense OWI is generally a civil offense, not a criminal charge, in Wisconsin, with a citation typically carrying a fine between $150-$300.

The police stop occurred while Romo was traveling southbound on Interstate 43.

Romo is a native of nearby Burlington, Wis., where he was the first Burlington High School student-athlete to be named all-state in three sports: football, basketball, and golf. His high school football team, the Burlington Demons, plays on a field that was named Tony Romo Field in 2020.

Romo has been the lead NFL game analyst at CBS since 2017, paired with Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson to cover games.

Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2003 out of Eastern Illinois, Romo spent the next 14 seasons with the Cowboys. He became their starting quarterback in 2006 and led Dallas to five playoff appearances.

A four-time Pro Bowler, he holds a 78-49 record in 156 regular-season games (127 starts). He had a career 65.3% completion rate, amassing 34,183 yards with 248 touchdowns and 117 interceptions.

–Field Level Media

It’s All About Spain

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EAST RUTHERFORD – (Wire Service Report) – Ferran Torres believed it was Spain’s destiny to win this World Cup. And he struck his decisive finish like a man certain of his convictions.

Torres powered home an emphatic half-volley from nine yards out in the 106th minute to lift Spain to their second World Cup title with a 1-0 win over gutsy, 10-man Argentina in Sunday’s final.

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“I think that in the end, the goal belonged to 47 million people, not to me or the 26 players here,” Torres said via an interpreter. “I believe that today destiny was written. It was meant for us to win, far from our fans, but we tried to make them feel as close as possible.”

Torres’ deserved decider came 16 years and eight days after Andres Iniesta also scored in extra time to lift the Spaniards to their first World Cup with a 1-0 victory over the Netherlands.

The winning goal came on La Roja’s 20th shot of the contest against the defending champions, who failed to manage any to that point and struggled to wrest possession away from their superior Iberian opponents.

That was true at even strength and became more difficult when the Albiceleste’s numbers were reduced when Enzo Fernandez’s late challenge of Pau Cubarsi left referee Slavko Vincic no choice but to produce a second caution just before the end of normal time.

Spain remain the only nation ever to win the European Championship and World Cup in successive tournaments, having now done so a second time after their Euro 2024 title. They are also the first World Cup champion ever to concede only once across an entire tournament. And they are the first winner of the UEFA Nations League to capture a world title, having triumphed at the eight-year-old competition in 2023.

“We’ve won everything, everything,” Spain manager Luis de la Fuente said through an interpreter. “And that’s wonderful, with a generation of footballers, I’ll say it again and again, who are an example for Spanish  sport, for Spanish youth, for Spain. Together we are stronger, let there be no doubt about that.”

Lionel Messi’s Argentina failed to earn another title after winning their last three major tournaments, having also captured the 2021 and 2024 Copa Americas on either side of their 2022 World Cup triumph.

The 39-year-old, eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi finished the competition with eight goals and four assists, but had little time on the ball until Spain finally took the lead. Even in some nervy late moments for Spain, he never seriously looked like lifting his side to another great moment as he has so many times in the last two World Cup cycles.

“Well, in the end, all finals are difficult, and when you have Messi on the opposing team, you always get nervous,” Torres said. “But ultimately, we’ve always depended on ourselves, on playing our style of football, and I think we demonstrated that once again today.”

Spanish midfielder Rodri won the FIFA Golden Ball for his efforts throughout the tournament, including his help in containing Messi Sunday, despite not tallying a single goal or assist himself.

Emi Martinez made 11 saves for the Albiceleste, who fell short in their bid to be the first consecutive World Cup champions since Brazil won the 1958 and 1962 titles.

“Yes, I think the game should have been decided much earlier,” de la Fuente said. “Dibu’s great saves prevented us from winning the game sooner. We could have taken a more comfortable lead. But this is a world championship final, and even with 10 men, you have to suffer at the end. But since we like to suffer, we’ve shown once again that we’re ready for anything.”

What had felt so difficult for the first 105 minutes suddenly looked easy after 37 seconds of play in the second period of extra time.

Pedro Porro curled in an outswinging cross from the left to the back post. Nico Williams won the header and nodded it back into space, and Torres hammered a half-volley at last past the flailing Martinez. It was his only goal of the tournament, making him the seventh player to score during a tournament in which his side never trailed.

An Argentina side that literally hadn’t managed a shot somehow found its way forward in the dying stages.

Messi curled a speculative effort just over the top left corner of Unai Simon’s goal, and after consecutive corners, Giuliano Simeone fired high from just beyond the top of the six-yard box. But for once this tournament, there was no miracle late drama in the Albiceleste’s favor.

Simon, who took home the Golden Glove award, notched his seventh clean sheet in eight matches this tournament and has nine clean sheets in his World Cup career, one away from tying the all-time mark.

–Field Level Media