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Spain Favored in World Cup

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WASH DC – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Spain remained the favorite to win the 2026 World Cup following Friday’s draw, while the United States men’s national team saw its odds shorten after being placed in what’s widely viewed as a favorable bracket. The top-ranked team in the FIFA Men’s World Ranking, Spain was the +400 pre-draw favorite at BetMGM. Those odds remained unchanged after being placed in Group H with Uruguay, Saudi Arabia and Cabo Verde.

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England holds the second shortest odds at +600, followed by France at +700 and defending champion Argentina at +800 along with Brazil. The odds are similar at DraftKings, where Spain is the +450 favorite ahead of England (+550) and France (+750) with Argentina and Brazil at +800. Spain is BetMGM’s second-biggest liability, leading all countries with 13.0% of all tickets and 17.0% of the money placed on the 2026 World Cup winner.

The biggest liability? That would be the emotional support thrown behind the USMNT.

A +6600 longshot before the draw, the USMNT had still been backed by 6.2% of all money wagered. Those odds shortened to +5000 after the USMNT was placed in Group D along with Australia, Paraguay and a yet-to-be determined European playoff team (Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo). The U.S. will play Paraguay on June 12 (Inglewood, Calif.), Australia on June 19 (Seattle) and the third group member on June 25 (Inglewood, Calif.). It is a +125 favorite to beat Paraguay and the +100 favorite to win Group D.

The USMNT and rival Mexico also share the co-14th shortest odds in the 48-team field at +5000 each to win the title. Mexico will play the first match of the tournament on June 11 against South Africa at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

Mexico and South Africa are in Group A with South Korea and a yet-to-be determined European playoff team (Denmark, North Macedonia, Czechia or Ireland). Mexico opened as a -200 favorite to beat South Africa and as the +130 favorite to win the group.

Joining Canada in Group B are Switzerland, Qatar and a yet-to-be determined European playoff team (Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina). Canada is the only one of the three co-host countries not to be favored to win its group, with the to-be-determined team — presumed to be 12th-ranked Italy — offered at +125 ahead of Switzerland (+175) and Canada (+250).

The USMNT remained +8000 at DraftKings, where it has the same odds as rival Mexico, Ecuador, Morocco and Switzerland. Canada is a +25000 longshot at the book.

2026 FIFA WORLD CUP GROUPS
Group A: Korea, Mexico, South Africa, TBD (Denmark, North Macedonia, Czechia or Ireland)
Group B: Canada, Qatar, Switzerland, TBD (Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina)
Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti
Group D: Australia, Paraguay, USA, TBD ((Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo)
Group E: Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curacao
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, TBD (Ukraine, Sweden, Poland or Albania)
Group G: Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand
Group H: Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cabo Verde
Group I: France, Senegal, Norway, TBD (Bolivia, Suriname or Iraq)
Group J: Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan
Group K: Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, TBD (New Caledonia, Jamaica or Congo DR)
Group L: England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana
Forty-two nations have qualified.

The other six participants are still to be determined through UEFA and inter-confederation playoffs being held in March.

The top two finishers from each group, along with the eight best third-place teams, will advance to the final 32 for the knockout stage.

The championship match will take place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

Matches are taking place in 16 cities across North America, including two in Canada (Toronto, Vancouver) and three in Mexico (Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara).

Locations across the U.S. are Atlanta, Boston (Foxborough, Mass.), Dallas (Arlington, Texas), Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles (Inglewood, Calif.), Miami (Miami Gardens, Fla.), New York/New Jersey (East Rutherford, N.J.), Philadelphia, San Francisco (Santa Clara, Calif.) and Seattle.

–Field Level Media

 

Fleet to Play Garden

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BOSTON – The Boston Fleet announced that the women’s pro ice hockey team will play a game at TD Garden in Boston for the first time. The PWHL club will host the Montreal Victoire on April 11 at the home of the NHL’s Boston Bruins and NBA’s Boston Celtics.

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“Hosting a Fleet game at TD Garden is an exciting milestone for our organization,” Fleet business operations director Laura Marie Davey said. “Playing at such an iconic venue presents an incredible opportunity to showcase the PWHL on one of the biggest stages in sports and to connect with fans from across Greater Boston.”

TD Garden has a capacity for nearly 18,000 spectators for ice hockey, nearly three times more than the Fleet’s home at the Tsongas Center in Lowell.

“We’re honored to welcome the PWHL’s Boston Fleet to TD Garden for their first game this April,” said Glen Thornborough, president of TD Garden and COO of the Boston Bruins.

“TD Garden is built to give world-class athletes and fans a world-class stage, and we’re proud to bring the PWHL onto a platform that delivers the full NHL-level experience they deserve. The growth of women’s sports is inspiring, and adding more premier women’s events to our calendar is something we’re energized to champion.”

TD Garden also hosted the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun for games in each of the past two summers, with both games selling out.

–Field Level Media

Globetrotters Get Lottery Picks

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ANNAPOLIS – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The world-famous Harlem Globetrotters and lottery vendor EQL Games announced a joint partnership to identify and launch State lottery games across the country in celebration of the organization’s centennial season. The program, the first-ever lottery series connected to the Globetrotters, will officially begin in December with a scratch-off ticket released by the Maryland Lottery.

The Globetrotters Centennial season will officially tip-off with a special event at Madison Square Garden on December 14. The barnstorming team will begin touring again thereafter.

“The growth of casual gaming continues to be a key engagement point for consumers and we are proud to be able to use this partnership with EQL Games to have our brand story in front of millions of consumers who might not be our traditional fanbase,” said Keith Dawkins, President, Harlem Globetrotters & Herschend Entertainment Studios. “This is yet another great example of the fun and unique ways the organization will grow our areas of consumer engagement as our Centennial season tips off.”

“The 2026 season marks 100 years of the Globetrotters being synonymous with fun and entertainment, two of the biggest reasons people play the lottery,” said Brad Cummings, CEO of EQL Games. “We are honored to tip-off this partnership with the Maryland Lottery, and we are looking forward to expanding it to other lotteries in the coming months. Players will have the best of both worlds – a chance to win money and the opportunity to see the Globetrotters.”

Released on the eve of the team’s 100th year celebration in 2026, the new $2 Maryland tickets feature vintage Harlem Globetrotters designs, including the iconic basketball spinning on a finger. The offering provides a chance to win prizes, both instantly and through a second-chance promotion. Similar programs are in discussion with other States and will be announced in the coming months.

The full 100th Anniversary Tour will continue in Boston and Pittsburgh on Friday, December 26th and then roll out across 200+ domestic markets and over 125 markets internationally. Fans can also expect all-new surprises like the Golden Basketball by Spalding, epic pre-game Magic Pass experiences, 100 Year limited edition merchandise and many other new innovations for the “Ambassadors of Basketball.”

International markets such as France, United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Mexico, and across Asia are just a few of the many locations the Harlem Globetrotters will be touring in winter of 2026 and running through the remainder of the year.

Arrests Come Down on MLB Pitchers

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BROOKLYN – (Wire Service Report) – Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been indicted after being accused of rigging bets in Major League Baseball games. The indictment was handed down earlier this week in U.S. District Court of the Eastern Division of New York and made public on Sunday by the Department of Justice.

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In the case of Clase — a three-time All-Star and two-time Marino Rivera American League Reliever of the Year — investigators tied him to pitches he allegedly rigged for bettors, tipping them off about what he would throw and when. According to the indictment, he sometimes communicated his upcoming pitches via cellphone during games.

Both players face four charges: wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy. If found guilty of all charges, they could spend a maximum of 65 years in prison.

Ortiz was arrested Sunday in Boston and scheduled to appear in federal court on Monday. Clase is not in custody in the United States.

In a statement to ESPN, Major League Baseball said: “MLB contacted federal law enforcement at the outset of its investigation and has fully cooperated throughout the process. We are aware of the indictment and today’s arrest, and our investigation is ongoing.”

Law enforcement began its investigation in the spring.

“Beginning in or around May 2023, Clase, a relief pitcher for the Cleveland Guardians, agreed with corrupt sports bettors to rig proposition bets — or ‘prop’ bets — on particular pitches he threw,” per a news release from the Justice Department.

“The bettors wagered on the speed and type of Clase’s pitches, based on information they knew in advance by coordinating with Clase, sometimes even during MLB games. Clase often threw these rigged pitches on the first pitch of an at-bat. To ensure certain pitches were called as balls, Clase threw many of them in the dirt, well outside the strike zone. The bettors used the advanced, inside information that Clase provided about his future pitches to wager thousands of dollars at online sportsbooks.

“Clase at times received bribes and kickbacks from the bettors in exchange for providing advanced, non-public information. He also sometimes provided money to the bettors in advance to fund the scheme. The indictment includes numerous examples of pitches that Clase rigged, including one in the Eastern District of New York in a game against the New York Mets. In total, by rigging pitches, Clase caused his co-conspirator bettors to win at least $400,000 in fraudulent wagers.”

Ortiz is alleged to have joined the scheme in June 2025 and received bribes and kickbacks for throwing balls instead of strikes. Clase was the connection between Ortiz and the bettors, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Ortiz allegedly was paid $5,000 to throw a ball on purpose in Cleveland’s June 15 game against the Seattle Mariners, with Clase getting the same amount for setting it up. For a June 27 game against the St. Louis Cardinals, they each received $7,000 for a similar act, according to the indictment.

That was the final game Ortiz pitched in 2025.

Ortiz and Clase were placed on leave July 3 and July 28, respectively. On Aug. 31, Major League Baseball and its players association extended the non-disciplinary paid leave of the right-handers “until further notice” amid an ongoing sports betting investigation.

Clase, 27, was 5-3 with a 3.23 ERA and 24 saves in 48 appearances in the 2025 season. He had a career-high 47 saves in 2024.

Clase is 21-26 with 182 saves and a 1.88 ERA in 366 career games (one start) with the Texas Rangers (2019) and the Guardians.

Ortiz, 26, was 4-9 with a 4.36 ERA in 16 starts this season. He was acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates as part of a three-team trade that included the Toronto Blue Jays last Dec. 10.

–Field Level Media

NFL’s Tagliabue, Dead at 84

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CHEVY CHASE – (Wire Service Report) – Paul Tagliabue, who served as the NFL’s commissioner for 17 seasons, died Sunday morning at the age of 84. Per Tagliabue’s family, the apparent cause of death was heart failure complicated by Parkinson’s disease. He passed away at his home in Maryland.

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Tagliabue replaced Pete Rozelle as the NFL’s commissioner in 1989. He was succeeded by current commissioner Roger Goodell in 2006.

Under Tagliabue’s watch, the league signed what was then the largest television contract for the NFL, enjoyed 17 seasons of labor peace, and expanded to 32 teams after adding the Carolina Panthers (1995), Jacksonville Jaguars (1995), the reborn Cleveland Browns (1999) and Houston Texans (2002).

Tagliabue, who also ushered in an era of state-of-the-art stadiums, was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a contributor in 2020.

“All of us in the NFL are deeply saddened by the passing of Paul Tagliabue, whose principled leadership and vision put the NFL on the path to unparalleled success,” Goodell said.

“Throughout his decades-long leadership on behalf of the NFL, first as outside counsel and then during a powerful 17-year tenure as commissioner, Paul served with integrity, passion and an unwavering conviction to do what was best for the league.

“Paul was the ultimate steward of the game — tall in stature, humble in presence and decisive in his loyalty to the NFL. He viewed every challenge and opportunity through the lens of what was best for the greater good, a principle he inherited from Pete Rozelle and passed on to me.”

The terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, and Hurricanes Katrina in 2005 also came to pass during Tagliabue’s time as commissioner. He canceled the weekend’s NFL games in the aftermath of Sept. 11, and ensured the Saints would return to New Orleans after being dispatched to San Antonio during the 2005 season.

A native of New Jersey who captained the basketball team at Georgetown in college, Tagliabue is survived by his wife, Chandler, son Drew and daughter Emily.

–Field Level Media

So, It’s Not Just The NBA?

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LAS VEGAS – With the UFC potentially facing its second betting scandal in the past three years, CEO Dana White told tabloid TV TMZ that his UFC staff is in close contact with the FBI after heavily favored featherweight Isaac Dulgarian lost on Saturday at UFC Vegas 110.

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Confirming reports from Uncrowned and Yahoo Sports, White said IC360, UFC’s betting integrity partner, alerted the UFC hours before Dulgarian’s featherweight fight against Yadier del Valle that the underdog was drawing plenty of betting action to win along with first-round prop bets.

 

Wash Wizards Always Innovating

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WASH DC – (Staff Report from Official Team News Release) – The Washington Wizards are launching of the “Wizards 529” season ticket plan for the upcoming 2025-26 NBA season. This limited-quantity package offers fans full access to all 41 home games for just $529 – less than $13 per game. Designed as an innovative and affordable season ticket option, the “529 Plan” includes reserved seating in select value sections, along with early access to marquee matchups, exclusive fan events, and loyalty incentives.

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Inspired by both the Wizards’ youth movement and the widely recognized 529 college savings plan, the “529 Plan” encourages fans to invest in the future of D.C. basketball.  Tailored for first-time season ticket buyers, students, families, and young professionals, the package offers an accessible and affordable long-term way to witness the next era of the Wizards, and the growth of the game in the nation’s capital firsthand.

“Our Basketball leadership is building a talented roster for the future, and we want our fans to be part of that journey,” said Hunter Lochmann, Monumental Sports and Entertainment Chief Marketing Officer. “Just like a 529 savings plan, this ticket package is all about smart investing – in this case, investing in the future of D.C. basketball.”

In addition, the Wizards’ College Series and Student Rush ticket packages are returning for the 2025-26 season. The College Series features a 10-game lineup highlighted by UNC, UVA, UMD, and Pittsburgh, and purchases include a limited edition, co-branded school and Wizards Hawaiian shirt, while supplies last. Student Rush presented by Chick-fil-A, will be offered for select home games throughout the season, with tickets starting at just $15. Students will also receive a Chick-fil-A meal voucher with their purchase.

Washington will also have custom player designed giveaways. On Nov. 25, the first 10,000 fans in attendance will receive pajama pants designed by guard Bub Carrington. Fans can also take home a City Edition themed hat designed by second-year man AJ Johnson on Feb. 3.

This season, the Wizards will host a variety of theme nights. For the second consecutive season, Washington will host Hoops & Hounds Night presented by Brandywine Valley SPCA on Feb. 22, inviting fans and their dog to watch the Wizards vs. Hornets matchup at Capital One Arena. In addition, the SPCA will be on the concourse with dogs available for adoption. Further details will be announced later in the season.

Bettman On Hand to Open NHL ’25-26

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SUNRISE – (Miami) – NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was on hand as the league opened its 109th season with the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers hosting the Chicago Blackhawks.

Among other topics, Bettman shared his opinion on NHL players returning to the Olympics next year after a 12-year hiatus.

“I think it’s going to be great,” Bettman said about the Olympics’ competition and the nearly three-week break and stoppage of league play. “It’s important to our players. That’s why we’re doing it. Listen, there are lots of reasons that I’m never thrilled about taking a couple of week break in the season. Changes a lot of things.

“But on balance, I think it’ll be worth it, A) for the exposure, B) for the fan engagement, but C) and most importantly, this is and has always been very important to our players. And that’s why we’re doing this.”

League games will pause from Feb. 6-24 to accommodate the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. The last time NHL players competed in the Olympics was in 2014, when Canada won gold in Sochi, Russia.

If the exposure that the league earned with the 4 Nations Face-Off is any indication, the Olympics will be another feather in the NHL’s cap.

“We came off of 4 Nations on a high,” Bettman said. “It shows you what our players can do representing hockey and what we think is the best best-on-best in international competition.”

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Bettman also addressed the Tampa Bay Lightning’s actions in the preseason finale against Florida on Saturday night.

One night after the two teams combined for 49 penalties and 186 penalty minutes, Tampa Bay recalled six players from its AHL affiliate in Syracuse to play on Saturday. That group amassed 77 penalty minutes and five of the six were assessed match penalties, misconducts or game misconducts.

The league suspended Tampa Bay forward Scott Sabourin four games and defenseman J.J. Moser for two games on Monday. Sabourin was one of the six players who was recalled for Saturday’s game. The NHL also fined the organization $100, 000 while Lightning coach Jon Cooper was fined $25,000.

“I think we made our position clear in terms of our response,” Bettman said. “That’s not what the game is all about.

“We didn’t think what happened was appropriate for a variety of reasons.”

–Field Level Media

33.8 Million Crazy Eagles Fans

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KANSAS CITY – (Wire Service Report) – The Super Bowl LIX rematch between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday captured the attention of 33.8 million viewers on Fox Sports, the network announced.

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That number served as the highest-ever viewership for a Week 2 game, surpassing the nearly 28 million people who watched the Chiefs against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2024.

Jalen Hurts and the Eagles got the better of Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs on Sunday for the second time in just over seven months with a 20-17 victory in Kansas City. Philadelphia posted a 40-22 win over the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans on Feb. 9.

While the 33.8 million viewers serve as a regular-season record for Fox Sports, it matched a November 2007 regular-season game putting the New England Patriots against the Indianapolis Colts on CBS.

The viewership numbers for those contests are staggering considering the only regular-season games that topped those have been played on Thanksgiving or a pair of “Monday Night Football games.”

– Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Aug. 24

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While We’re Young (Ideas) on the Worldwide Leader/D.T.C.

By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

“Friends, Roman Anthony, countrymen, lend me your ears;

I come not to bury ESPN, but to praise it.

But, the evil that TV types do, lives long after them;

The good is oft interred with their bones in the vast, growing cemetery that are the aging trends of sports, technology and television”

BRISTOL – We are in the age of constantly changing and ever evolving technology. Our iPhones number 16. Our Chicago (Transit Authority) albums have unpleasantly reached Chicago XXXVIII (38). The iPhones have improved over the years. Not so much for Chicago.

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Change is good, but often, change is difficult.

Take the launch of ESPN’s direct-to-consumer (DTC) offerings unveiled this week; the product is good but the pre-launch instructions to the consumer (we call ‘em fans) was not so good.

Case in point: The new and improved ESPN launched just as the PGA Tour was ready to tee-off its Super Bowl Weekend – a la the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. For you non-Tour fans, pro golf’s season draws to a close with the annual FedEx Cup Playoffs. This year, 70 golfers qualified and played the FedEx St. Jude Championship three weekends ago. Fifty golfers moved on to last week’s BMW Championship and only the Top 30 PGA Tour pros qualified for the TOUR Championship (held this Thursday through Sunday).

For those of us who follow the TOUR in religious fashion (see PGATourBrunch.com), we purchased ESPN+ to watch the early rounds each week from January to September with full coverage, especially in the 6am-2:00pm range before Golf Channel airs its excellent coverage. ESPN/Disney bought what used to be known as PGA Tour Live and transitioned it to the paywalled ESPN+ platform.

When the editors of PGATourBrunch woke up on Thursday, we had no idea if ESPN’s new app was going to automatically recognize those who had purchased ESPN+. It certainly wasn’t made clear (by communication or call-outs from the ESPN.com site) whether our hefty payment(s) for add ons, or sports tiers with our Cable TV provider would qualify us for the new ESPN App unlimited levels of coverage.

Those levels of coverage are:

  • Disney+, HULU, ESPN Unlimited Bundle ($29.99 a month)
  • ESPN Unlimited ($29.99 a month)
  • ESPN’s Unlimited plan subscribers have access to all ESPN networks and services, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, SECN, ACCN, ESPN+, ESPN on ABC, SECN+, ACCNX, and ESPN3.
  • ESPN Select includes ESPN+ content only. Fans who want ESPN+ exclusively may subscribe to the ESPN Select plan.
  • All of these details were hard to find and not on the home page to subscribe or log-in if you already have a Cable TV provider, such as Verizon FIOS)

Now, it really gets confusing:

If you’re changing from the Select plan to the Unlimited plan, the change takes effect immediately. You will be charged a pro-rated amount for the first month or year of your new plan. Moving forward, you will remain on your new plan for the life of your subscription and will be charged in accordance with the then applicable price of this plan. If you’re changing to the Select plan, the change takes effect on your next billing date.
Note: Once you’ve been charged for an annual plan, you will not be able to immediately change to monthly billing for the same plan.

Now, let’s dig-in some more:

Hulu + Live TV, DIRECTV (streaming only), Fubo TV, and Spectrum TV customers may already get ESPN Unlimited as part of their pay-TV package. You will need to activate your ESPN plan and connect your MyDisney login. To activate your ESPN plan or to learn more, please visit the links below. Keep in mind that if you cancel or switch out of an eligible TV provider plan, your ESPN subscription will also be canceled in accordance with your provider’s terms, conditions, and policies.
So, let’s get that straight: If you already have Hulu+ Live, then you already get ESPN Unlimited but you need to activate an ESPN Plan by connecting to MyDisney.

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Got it? It’s almost as tough as ‘Person, woman, man, camera, TV.’

If you own a business (a la Sports Bar), it is rather simple but still very expensive.

There is no change to the “ESPN+ for Business” product.
Now, what if you’re a subscriber to Verizon FIOS and you’ve paid a steep price for their Sports Tier?

They have:

  • The MOST Fios TV: 425 channels at $139 a month
  • More Fios TV: 325 channels at $119 a month
  • Fios TV Test Drive: Watch for 60 days and they’ll recommend best plan ($95)
  • YouTube TV: 100+ channels, usually $82.99 but on sale for $72.99 for new subscribers for one year (and, if you ask, they’ll toss in the NFL Sunday Ticket).
  • Sports Packages can be ordered semi-a la carte (but on the Verizon page, they do not tell you how much each channel costs, so you have to click Order Now and go into the rabbit hole of signing in, username and password, verifying and sending in your first born child as collateral:
  • NBA TV
  • NHL Center Ice (wow, ICE has a whole new meaning these days, doesn’t it?)
  • MLB Extra Innings
  • MLB TV Premium
  • FOX Soccer Plus (as opposed to +)
  • NFL RedZone (recently purchased by ESPN, and I have no idea whether it’s going to be on my system/service tier and will only find out on Sunday, September 7th at 1:00pm – when there’s a chance for “seven hours of commercial free, un-interrupted football.”
  • Looking back this past week, the ESPN home page was amazingly unchanged, except for the fact my little ESPN+ call-out on the top of my home page was gone. Aside from that, there was no indication that anything was changed or updated. No instructions. No nothing.

I did see the word – Verizon – in the upper right hand corner of the ESPN home page, and I thought that was good. It was there from a previous log-in – (see above with name/pass/first born child).

That was good for my Chrome browser which had been previously used for ESPN+’s PGA TOUR coverage for the BMW the week before. My Safari Browser? – No. My quite popular DuckDuckGo browser? – Nope. And, Firefox? – Nada.

Let’s dig a little deeper and step aside from the new ESPN DTC streaming to see how to stack your sports viewing needs:

  • Peacock Network – If I want to watch English Premier League and the Olympics
  • Paramount+ – If you want to watch English Championship, Leagues One & Two
  • Apple TV+ – If I want to watch MLB Friday Night – including the hometown team
  • Apple TV+ – If you want to watch MLS Futbol
  • ESPN+ (or new service) – If you like Premier Lacrosse
  • Paramount+ or DAZN – If you like Serie A futbol
  • YouTube TV – If you want the NFL’s Sunday Ticket
  • UFC Fight Pass – UFC Fight Pass and soon on ESPN’s new service
  • UFC 319 – Pay-per-View via ESPN+
  • FOX ONE – Some UEFA offerings; LIV Golf; some NASCAR and IndyCar

Suffice to say: It’s all a damn mess, and it seems to be getting messier by the day.

To fix it? That’s a tough question unless you’re in the room where it’s been happening for the last few years. The rights acquisitions and overall planning has been plentiful, but the basic instructions and a “What to Expect” section online would’ve helped this week.

Yes, there are lists of the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions), but the question most sports fans were asking was, “What the hell are you guys doing?”

ESPN, to its credit, is attempting to place everything it offers under one roof. In other words, “ESPN is going anywhere sports fans are,” according to ESPN head honcho Jimmy Pitaro.

That was the strategy employed by the NBA under the late Commissioner David Stern and it still remains true today, under Commissioner Adam Silver. Go where the fans are and be ubiquitous in terms of offerings via every platform on earth. That strategy is a must for every broadcaster and sports property.

ESPN is blending the lines between rights holder/broadcaster and rights seller/sports property. In recent times, ESPN (Disney) has bought out PGA Tour Live, Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLBAM), aka BAMTech, NFL Network and RedZone, the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC Net), Southeast Conference (SEC Network) while FOX Sports has a piece of the Big Ten Network, among others.

The more the lines are blurred, the more expensive the platforms will become for sports fans.

Yes, the leagues and networks will go where sports fans are, but they’ll charge them a fortune to gain admission to the party. And, standing outside, listening to the party on radio is nice, a throwback, but it’s not as much fun.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: There’s been quite a bit of bickering and arguing about the recent $325m bid by Steve Pagliuca (former Celtics minority owner) to bring the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun to play at TD Boston Garden in 2027. Pagliuca promised to build a $100m “State of the Art” practice facility for the WNBA team, as well.

The offer was leaked to the Boston Globe and positioned as if it were a “done deal.” Wow, $325 million to relocate a team while WNBA expansion teams were going for a cool $250 million

Boston rejoiced. The WNBA fans, some who trekked to beautiful Uncasville, Connecticut to see the Sun play at the Mohegan Sun’s wonderful arena – adjacent to a beautiful casino resort, all applauded the effort of Pagliuca. Those fans had just convened as a sellout crowd at TD Garden on July 15th for a Caitlin Clark-less Indiana Fever 85-77 win over the Sun. A year ago was much the same for a Sun vs Los Angeles Sparks game that made fans think of Sam Jones vs. Jerry West or Paul Pierce vs. Kobe Bryant.

Sellouts are great, especially when you only have to sell out one game of an entire season.

But, that’s not the point.

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey took the leaked bait hook, line, and sinker. The Guv’nah attended the Sun vs Fever game and was championing Boston’s loyal support of women’s sports, calling for Boston to get a WNBA team as soon as possible.

There was a catch that Healey seemed to either ignore or not even be aware of: Boston hadn’t even applied to the WNBA for an expansion franchise. The WNBA was on an expansion quest, awarding teams to the Bay Area’s Golden State (Valkyries) playing now, in 2025, the Portland (Fire) and Toronto (Tempo) to begin play in 2026, and future expansion to three cities with new teams in Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia. The Cleveland team will begin play in 2028, followed by Detroit in 2029, and Philadelphia in 2030.

It’s a full-scale WNBA nationwide roll-out, carefully planned, and not encouraging relocation of a franchise as part of the plan.

That means the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun are in a bit of a bind, since their own arena is the home venue. A sale of the franchise is one thing, but relocating it goes under a whole other set of league rules, even with a $325m offer on the table.

Another suitor, Marc Lasry, sought a similar deal but to simply drive down New England’s I-91, I-95, or I-84 corridors to Hartford to play home games at the vaunted XL Center. The Mohegan Tribe liked Pagliuca’s green better than Lasry’s and stood aside as the false alarm announcement was leaked. The WNBA slapped some ears of those involved:

“Relocation decisions are made by the WNBA Board of Governors and not by individual teams,” the WNBA said in a statement to the Globe’s Gary Washburn. “As part of our most recent expansion process, in which three new franchises were awarded to Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia on June 30, 2025, nine additional cities also applied for WNBA teams and remain under active consideration. No groups from Boston applied for a team at that time and those other cities remain under consideration based on the extensive work they did as part of the expansion process and currently have priority over Boston. Celtics’ prospective owner Bill Chisholm has also reached out to the league office and asked that Boston receive strong consideration for a WNBA franchise at the appropriate time.”

While Boston media and the Guv’nah hemmed and hawed about Boston being a great city for sports, about the relationship of the WNBA with the NBA, and even Governor Healey going as far as trying to broker a new deal between brand new franchise owner Bill Chisolm (just closed on the $6.1 billion deal) and Pagliuca, everyone in the room seemed to miss a major elephant in that room.

The venue.

Would the WNBA want to place a franchise in a place where the arena is owned by a hockey team, i.e. Delaware North – much like the unfortunate deal the Celtics have been operating under for decades of championships? Would the WNBA award a franchise that might be forced to play at Boston University’s Agganis Arena – light on premium hospitality, suites, parking and all the money-makers of sports property ownership? Might Boston College’s Conte Forum be an option? See the same problems.

Nope.

And, while extending the discussion on a slight tangent, let’s keep in mind that Boston totally punted on a 2014 bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics – a bid the USOC accepted and put forth to the IOC, only to revoke and place Los Angeles’ successful bid for the 2028 Summer Olympics in its place. A major mistake on the world sports scene.

By the way, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts also botched a D-League franchise. Who can forget the 2009 Springfield Armor, banished in 2014 to become the Grand Rapids Drive (and Gold). Another D-League (now G-League) team – the Maine Red Claws – crawled to Portland, Maine rather than navigate the Worcester DCU Center.

For baseball? The City of Worcester reportedly footed 55% of $159 million Polar Park as part of a $240 million redevelopment of Worcester’s Kelley Square and Canal District. That’s $87,450,000 for those scoring at home. It’s not like Governor Healey was ready to commit to building a new venue for the Setting Sun.

If that’s not enough past history proof, how about the fact the great and powerful NFL Oz, Bob Kraft and his New England Patriots, threatened to move to Hartford before settling on building Gillette Stadium out in the middle of nowhere, Massachusetts (Foxboro).

And lastly, Kraft and his mayoral candidate son, Josh, are hammering current Boston Mayor Michele Wu over squashed plans to build a 25,000 seat stadium in Everett, Mass. – not far from the Encore (Wynn) Casino campus. Wu, in turn, championed a refurbishment of White Stadium in Boston’s Franklin Park at a reported cost of $172 million. That venue would become the home of a NWSL expansion franchise for women’s soccer as the Boston Legacy FC plans to open up shop in 2026.

With all the building, the lack of engagement by Massachusetts or Boston for a new basketball venue is notable and should not be overlooked in the WNBA discussions. Boston Garden/Shawmut Center/Fleet Center/TD Garden was built in 1993-95 and is now one of the oldest arenas in the land. It has next to no parking, and – again, is owned by the Bruins’ parent, Delaware North. Despite massive renovations in 2006-07 and again in 2021-22, the building is nowhere close to the new $1.4 billion Chase Center in San Francisco, now the model for mixed-use arenas and home of the WNBA’s Valkyries.

For Boston and the Honorable WNBA fan and former Harvard point guard Guv’nah, let’s not point fingers at the WNBA and NBA before looking in the very mirror of sports venues aging in the Commonwealth.

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Ron Turcotte riding Secretariat at the ‘73 Belmont Stakes (file photo)

THIS JEST IN: So sadly, we lost legendary jockey and horseman Ron Turcotte this week. It’s been stated by WWYI that Turcotte and his ride, the great Secretariat, are the first part of the two answer question to: “When was perfection reached in the upper echelon of sports?” … Secretariat’s run at The Belmont Stakes (1973) and Don Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series are the only times true perfection was reached. (And, no, a 300 game in Bowling doesn’t count).

Turcotte passed away Friday in Drummond, New Brunswick. He was 84.

YOU CAN’T MAKE IT UP: “We have to reschedule because there’s an Osprey nest in our stadium. You can’t make this type of stuff up, right,” asked Cory Hanson, the athletic director at the school in the Minneapolis suburbs? … Seems the majestic Ospreys built a huge nest to raise their chicks, high up on a light pole at the Apple Valley High School football field. Because of it, the migratory raptors that are protected under State and Federal law, forced the school, known as the Eagles, to rearrange their football and soccer schedules, switching to day games instead of night. Turning on the hot stadium lights might burn the birds or start a fire. Maybe the school might consider a rename to the Apple Valley Ospreys?

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TIDBITS & NUGGETS: The PGA TOUR’s finale, the TOUR Championship will conclude today (Sunday) at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. There’s a crowded leaderboard competing for the $40 million purse/$10 million prize to the winner of the Tour’s most lucrative tournament. Weather wreaked a bit of havoc during Friday’s round and some stiff winds hindered play on Saturday. England’s Tommy Fleetwood, who’s been waving the hottest of sticks during the FedEx Cup Playoffs, has a chance to capture $10mil and the FedEx Cup for 2025.

KEEGAN: United States Ryder Cup captain, Keegan Bradley, of St. John’s University by way of New England, will name the remaining players for his 2025 team on Wednesday. The Ryder Cup “Captain’s Picks” will be a tough choice. A can’t win unless you win choice. “I know this is the biggest decision of my life,” said Bradley at the TOUR Championship, of which he qualified as one of the Top 30 players on the tour. On Saturday, Bradley was climbing the leaderboard and he’s a legitimate choice to be a Captain’s pick, himself.

“I think we have to get together as captain and vice-captains and look at the data, look at what’s going on and make a decision based on what’s best for the team. So that certainly feels nice to me,” said Bradley, a member of the Boston Common TGL Team. “But when we look at me as a player… we look at the stats, we look at everything, and I’m Player X, basically. Certainly strange, but I’ve wanted them to, if there’s negatives about me playing, I want to hear those things. I would be more upset if they didn’t express those feelings,” he said.

Note: We’ll have more on Keegan Bradley, his aunt, Pat Bradley, and the LPGA next week.

BROWNS: The 2025 NFL schedule maker was not too kind to the Cleveland Browns. Consider the first six games on Cleveland’s schedule this year:

  • September 7 vs Cincinnati
  • September 14 at Baltimore
  • September 21 vs Green Bay
  • September 28 at Detroit
  • October 5 vs Minnesota
  • October 12 at Pittsburgh

That’s 0-6, thank you very much, NFL. A glimmer of light might shine on October 19th, vs. Miami, the first day the Browns might have a chance for a “Dub” and that’ll open a three-game stretch (at New England and at New York Jets) when Cleveland might put a few wins on the ledger.