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bluemagic-girl · 5 years ago

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Rising star Felix Auger-Aliassime moves on at Citi Open

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Felix Auger-Aliassime is popping heads at the Citi Open. (Rob Carr/Getty Pictures) Ava Wallace Reporter overlaying native schools and universities July 31 at 9:43 PM Felix Auger-Aliassime has been coaching so laborious and for therefore a few years on a tennis courtroom that the 18-year-old from Montreal has not but discovered the time to decelerate and get a driver’s license. Fortunately for him, ought to he want a trip anyplace round Washington these subsequent few days, he has just a few volunteer drivers lined up. “Possibly anyone could possibly be my co-pilot?” Auger-Aliassime joked in a French-accented lilt Wednesday at a Citi Open fan occasion after his second-round win over Reilly Opelka, 6-Four, Three-6, 6-Four. Fingers shot up all through the gang. Wednesday’s match, which units Auger-Aliassime up for a third-round assembly with No. 6 seed Marin Cilic, was ’s first at the Citi Open. It was theoretically an introduction to followers in Washington who could not have seen a few of Auger-Aliassime’s largest moments of the 12 months, which got here in such locales as Indian Wells, Calif., Miami and Rio. [Lauren Davis rallies past Sofia Kenin into Citi Open quarterfinals] However this 12 months, Auger-Aliassime, now No. 22 on this planet and turning 19 subsequent week, has turn out to be a identified amount even with out logging a significant run at a Grand Slam. That a lot was clear when he performed Opelka, an American, on Wednesday and had at least half the late-afternoon crowd behind him. “To obtain that form of help away from residence, even typically in Europe or all over the place on this planet, it’s very particular for a man like me,” Auger-Aliassime stated. Auger-Aliassime has gained followers the world over due to the milestones he has logged at such a younger age. A much-heralded participant on the junior circuit, the 6-foot-Four Canadian broke into the highest 100 in February after changing into the youngest finalist at an ATP 500 event in Rio. He logged his first win over a top-10 participant — Stefanos Tsitsipas, the top-seeded man at the Citi Open — in March at Indian Wells. He grew to become the youngest man to ever attain the semifinals of the Miami Open the event after that. In a spring and summer time season filled with younger stars rising on tennis’s largest phases, many shut observers of the game consider Auger-Aliassime is a minimize above the remaining. When he broke into the highest 200 for the primary time in 2017 when he was 17 years 1 month previous, he was the youngest man to take action since Rafael Nadal in 2002. “It’s not regular, what he’s doing, at 18,” stated Auger-Aliassime’s coach, Guillaume Marx. Tall and skinny with room so as to add muscle, Auger-Aliassime has a clean but highly effective all-court sport, with the power to crack serves — he hit 12 aces Wednesday — and switch protection into offense even in opposition to a robust, 6-foot-11 server comparable to Opelka. He prefers to be the aggressor, dictating factors, and is clearly comfy at the online. However what stands out most about Auger-Aliassime is his preternatural management on the courtroom and maturity off it. He lists getting pissed off and being impatient as his main flaws, however he by no means confirmed it Wednesday, even in a tough second set, past the occasional exasperated look at his coach. He holds eye contact when he speaks and will be extra reflective of his brief profession than many tour veterans. “It’s probably not on courtroom that I’ll have an outburst,” Auger-Aliassime stated. “Simply in my head, little demons in my head inform me like, ‘It is best to do that higher, try to be doing that as a substitute.’” The power to maintain these demons in examine and go about enterprise is what his fellow execs have observed most. “He’s 18, however he acts like he’s 35,” longtime buddy Frances Tiafoe stated. Mentioned Tsitsipas: “I’m not stunned to see him doing effectively at 18. He’s obtained a really vibrant future. He’s very humble, very well mannered. He’s very — moral? He does all the things the proper approach.” Mentioned fellow Canadian Milos Raonic: “He’s simply very skilled. He’s meticulous.” [Andy Murray, brother Jamie advance in doubles at Citi Open] The son of French Canadian schoolteacher Marie Auger and Togolese tennis teacher Sam Aliassime, he realized tennis from his father, who started enjoying as a younger man after European vacationers visited Togo and performed the sport. “I don’t have reminiscences of not being on the courtroom,” Auger-Aliassime stated. When Auger-Aliassime began getting critical about tennis when he was round 7 or eight, his father taught him a visualization approach. Day-after-day in observe, he wouldn’t simply undergo drills on courtroom. Auger-Aliassime would visualize moments in matches wherein the shot they had been training would turn out to be useful. He would take the time to consider why observe was necessary — as a result of he’s making an attempt to be No. 1 on this planet. These methods helped him keep calm so he may shut out the match in opposition to Tsitsipas in March and make his run in Miami. They’ve helped him climate the extraordinary enhance in consideration from journalists world wide, however particularly again residence in Canada. “Each time I’m coaching or doing one thing tennis-wise, I at all times assume, ‘Okay, I’m doing this for the long run to be one of the best participant I can.’ I’m visualizing myself being at that stage,” Auger-Aliassime stated. “I don’t really feel at any time like I’m not purported to be right here.” Auger-Aliassime’s two coaches — Marx and Frederic Fontang, who break up the yearly journey and have turn out to be like second dad and mom to the younger participant — have continued this visualization pattern in observe. The three discuss so much on courtroom, in regards to the objective of each drill and Auger-Aliassime’s targets. “We needed to work on persistence,” Marx stated. “He’s very mature, however at the start of the 12 months he was out of the highest 100 and the principle phrase we needed to say at all times was to be affected person, affected person, affected person. Don’t rush the issues. They gained’t occur should you rush the issues.” There are reminders that Auger-Aliassime continues to be new to the highlight. After his large win over Tsitsipas at Indian Wells, he and his older sister, who he counts as his finest buddy, went purchasing in Los Angeles. He purchased his sister Gucci footwear and himself a Tom Ford sports activities coat. “I knew once I got here again there could be TV exhibits and issues and I wished to be suited up effectively,” Auger-Aliassime stated with a toothy grin. “I simply look at it like, you do one thing good, typically you’re in a position to deal with your self. It was good. I used to be trying good on TV. Proper outfit for the proper event.” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

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vsplusonline · 5 years ago

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Sports stars and adventure enthusiasts offer tips for a proactive routine during the COVID-19 lockdown

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Sports stars and adventure enthusiasts offer tips for a proactive routine during the COVID-19 lockdown

PV Sindhu

Meditation, innovative fitness regimen and onion pakodas! For badminton champion PV Sindhu, the current lockdown is proving to be an unusual experience. While she still focusses on fitness, this phase is also helping the shuttler dabble in new things, such as cooking. And, yes, cleaning the house.

The 24-year-old insists that it is important to be patient and stay positive. “I have been trying to prepare snacks like onion pakodas,” she says. “My mom (P Vijaya, a former international volleyballer) is giving me invaluable tips.” Despite the pakodas, Sindhu is still fairly disciplined about her diet. “I am not supposed to eat much even if there is mutton kheema which I like a lot. Occasionally, I manage to taste it now,” she laughs, adding, “I am also helping my mom keep the house clean.”

To keep fit, she follows a fitness app, issued by her trainer VM Srikanth, under the guidance of her father (PV Ramana). “There are fitness routines using terra bands, weight jackets and dumbbells of different weights,” says Sindhu, adding “I do meditation thanks to the guidance of Sri Ram Chandra Mission (Hyderabad).” And what about practice? “I have to stay in touch with the sport and my father conducts wall-practice sessions for 45 minutes which maintains the desired reflexes.”

The champion performer says she also gets to spend time with her nephew Aaryan now, besides listening to music and watching Netflix.

Can sports be a priority now? Sindhu says, “No one can think of anything else except fighting the virus. It is the responsibility of every citizen to respect the guidelines of both the Central and the State Governments which are doing a great job.”

-VV Subrahmanyam

Sathiyan Gnanasekaran

When international table tennis star Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, 27, usually returns home to Chennai after a long tour, his mother says in jest that he is back at his guest house. For, like many professional sportspeople, his visits home are sparse and short. So, even a quotidian affair, like a family dinner, becomes special. The COVID-19 lockdown, in this regard, has been an unasked-for boon for Sathiyan. He has been eating home-cooked meals, watching Malayalam movies (he mentions Trance, Kumbalangi Nights and Ustad Hotel) with his mother, and restarted a hobby he had abandoned after college: reading. (He is currently reading Usain Bolt’s autobiography, Faster Than Lightning and Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life.)

But Sathiyan understands he is not in the middle of a summer vacation. “This is an unprecedented situation and it’s been tough for all of us,” he says, “You got to keep your mind and body active to not lose track of your game and fitness.”

He wakes up early morning every day for his fitness routines with trainer Ramji Srinivasan (who has had a stint with the Indian cricket team as well). “I head to the terrace and via video call, I work on my fitness with him. I do some jumps, strength training and exercises with some equipment I have.”

In the evenings, he plays table tennis against a remote-operated robot (Butterfly Amicus Prime for advanced players) that he had recently imported from Germany.

He has also taken to yoga and visualisation techniques. He spends the rest of his time talking to junior players and his fans on social media. With the lockdown now extended till May 3, Sathiyan is planning to take up gardening, too.

-Praveen Sudevan

Sajid Chougle

Mumbai-based Saijid Chougle’s joy in life is to jump off cliffs or aeroplanes. A BASE jumper and a sky diver, he travels all over the world exploring new spots to dive from. This includes cliffs in Norway, Chikmagalur in Karnataka and Konkankanda in Maharasthra. “I started skydiving in 2011 when I was in Philadelphia and in 2017 I got hooked on to BASE jumping,” says Chougle.

Now at home, he satiates his adrenaline rush with videos. One of his latest Instagram videos shows him strapped up in safety gear, a helmet and a backpack as he prepares to launch off what looks like a folded rug. He then glides through air, on the way encountering squeaky toy ducks and paper flying past. Shot in his bedroom, the whole sequence was recorded with him lying on the floor as he enacted movements that normally happen during the course of a jump. “The camera was tied to the ceiling fan,” laughs the 37-year-old. “I dragged my mother to help me with the deployment sequence. She had to pull the parachute,” he adds. His latest video shows him leaping out of a plane and landing on his bed.

Chougle is also keeping himself busy with regular abdomen exercises and a stretching routine. “I do three sets of crunches, cycling, wind shields and planks. I use an app called Splits Training to improve my flexibility and get to full splits,” he says.

-Priyadarshini Paitandy

Sunil Chhetri

With football and all other sports coming to a standstill around the world, India and Bengaluru FC (BFC) star Sunil Chhetri is doing his best to keep himself occupied. He tried his hand at cooking, but it didn’t go as planned. The experiment ended with Chhetri being kicked out of the kitchen by his wife, after he somehow managed to get a small bowl stuck inside a bigger one. The normally supremely-fit footballer is not ashamed to admit that he has let himself go a little bit. “I’ve lost the plot at the moment — chole-puri, samosas, vegan pizzas are being demolished at an alarming rate,” Chhetri posted on Twitter a few weeks earlier, accompanied with a ‘gif’ of a man stuffing his face with food.

With cooking out of the picture, Chhetri is back to the more familiar routine of reading. At the moment, he is reading best-selling science book Cosmos, written by astronomer and Pulitzer Prize winner Carl Sagan. “I’m spending time reading, catching up on some fantastic shows on TV, and keeping myself fit. There are household chores that I’ve slowly become very good at. I’m also turning to games of Ludo online every day with a few of the lads on the team. I have to keep the competitive edge alive,” Chhetri says.

Chhetri does miss being on the football field, but he is aware that there are bigger issues to tackle. “What’s made this a little bearable is that we just got done with our season. But I will be honest, football is the last thing on my mind at the moment. It’s easy for us sitting at home to talk about what we miss doing. We’re fortunate. There are so many out there who are struggling to get meals and don’t have a roof over their head,” says the 35-year-old.

-Ashwin Achal

Issack Koshy

24-year-old Isaack Koshy misses his team mates. In this case, two beautiful horses named Unique and Ricardo. He’s been training with Ricardo for eight years and with Unique for six years. Koshy, a former national level equestrian and currently the chief trainer at the Madras School of Equitation, Guindy, is accustomed to the outdoors, starting his day at 4 am with horses. He rides Unique and Ricardo and then trains children in the fine art of equitation. Then by 9.15 he’s at his workplace — Chola Wealth where he is part of the Digital team.

But the recent lockdown has turned his schedule topsy turvy. He now wakes up at 8 am and by 8.30 starts his office work from home. “I miss training, teaching and interacting with students. That is my passion,” says Koshy. The junior and senior instructors whom he has trained reside within the premises of the riding school and they send Koshy videos of the horses. “I give them a weekly plan for the horses. This includes free schooling and lunging,” he explains. In order to make up for the break in training and keep abreast of what is the latest in the world of riding, he watches videos on Show Jumping Clinic, a website where top level riders upload content of what they do.

Earlier, evenings were spent going for long walks. But Koshy now prefers to remain indoors. “In the evenings I do a 100 each of pushups, squats and crunches. On some days, I also do Tabata workouts,” he says. He confesses he used to be meticulous about his diet, usually two boiled eggs for breakfast. Lunch would be rice, vegetable, dal and chicken; and chicken soup for dinner. “Now I eat whatever mom’s cooking,” he laughs.

-Priyadarshini Paitandy

Prajnesh Gunneswaran

Sports, in these unprecedented times, is inessential — despite millions of us missing it, longing for its return, hoping to watch our favourite stars in action once again. For some of the athletes — especially the accomplished stars — the lockdown is perhaps an unforeseen vacation. But for many, who are still building their career, this is temporary unemployment.

This is especially true in the case of tennis. It’s tough to earn points and money if you are ranked outside the top-50. The lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic for Prajnesh Gunneswaran, ranked 132nd (second-highest Indian in the ATP ladder), is understandably an undesirable situation. But he acknowledges that his struggle pales in comparison to millions of underprivileged people across the world. “Tennis, at this moment, isn’t that important. The main concern should be safety, putting food on the plate,” he says.

Being confined to his home isn’t new for Gunneswaran, a few prior injuries had done this to him. But there is a risk of getting stuck in a rut if the players are fit but aren’t playing. Gunneswaran acknowledges this challenge. “You have to keep your mind sharp and the body fit. So, I do some basic exercises everyday.”

A fan of Tamil movies, Gunneswaran is catching up on the ones he had missed. “Like most Tamilians, I like Rajinikanth. I recently watched Darbar. And, I watch a bunch of shows on Netflix. Money Heist is something that I am currently watching.”

-Praveen Sudevan

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jaeame-blog · 7 years ago

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Roger Federer credits 'relaxed attitude' for 2017 success | Roger Federer

Six of the eight grand slams in 2015 and 2016 were shared between the pair. SHARE THIS STORY. Subscribe to our newsletter. These little things are just so adorable; they always seem to be grinning, and they're quite friendly, too. Nadal leads the head-to-head record between the two players - 23 to 15 - but has lost his last five matches to Federer, with four of them coming in 2017.

ROGER FEDERER may be in the autumn of his career but Mark Petchey believes the Swiss has at least two years left in the tank. That much was evident as he snapped selfies with Perth's famously happy quokkas on Thursday. Players also have more passion for what they do: 'I don't think Federer is out there because he needs to earn a living.Roger Federer is so well loved across the globe, even marsupials are delighted to meet him. PERTH - Roger Federer and family touched down in Western Australia on Thursday, with the Swiss national ready for action when the Hopman Cup mixed team event starts on Saturday.

Speaking to the Hopman Cup website, Bencic says, "Roger and I were just waiting for the matches last year and we had normal conversations about his experiences and it was really great to talk to him. Roger Federer is curbing expectations ahead of the 2018 season after touching down in Perth for the Hopman Cup.As a preview of 2018, Baseline is taking a look at all the Top 10 finishers from the ATP and WTA. See No. 3 here. 2. Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray were dominating men's tennis for the past few years. Tennis superstar Roger Federer's surprise visit to Rottnest could prove to be an international tourism coup for WA. The fan favourite's quokka selfie from Rottnest Island has already racked up more than 100,000 likes online in less than two hours. Tennis legend Roger Federer says a change in mindset and a more relaxed attitude to his game helped him produce one of the great sporting comebacks. The run was enough to keep him atop the tables for the year, despite pulling out of the ATP World Finals with an injury after a defeat to David Goffin. Roger Federer is in Western Australia for the upcoming Hopman Cup but took some time out to take a quokka selfie. Tennis legend Roger Federer says a change in mindset and a more relaxed attitude to his game helped him produce one of the great sporting comebacks. For all the allure of a fluffy kitten or puppy, when it comes to pure cuteness, it's hard to top a quokka.

#Roger Federer

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breakingnewsandsports · 7 years ago

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Roger Federer Champion At Gerry Weber Open

Federer gained a list ninth title in Halle (zimbio.com)

through Cheryl Jones

Roger Federer nevertheless has it. Sunday, within the singles last on the Gerry Weber Open, he faced a young German who has in fact shown promise – Alexander Zverev. In a mere 53 minutes, it became apparent that Federer had studied the shot making capabilities of Zverev and he then capitalized on the chinks within the young man’s video game. There changed into consistency in Federer’s photographs from the moment the first ball omitted the net. The Swiss maestro turned into on hearth!

On paper, it appeared as if the twenty-year-historic lanky younger German can be a suit for the professional Federer who's thirty-five. for example, before the closing, the tournament tallies printed that Zverev served 47 aces to Federer’s 27. Zverev had 69% of his first serves land where they had been presupposed to land and he then received 86% of the points linked to them. Federer had sixty three% of his first serves fall on target and he received eighty one% of those aspects. in reality, all the manner round, it become a nearly even comparison of information. but that didn’t remember in the long run. as with all sport, the handiest component that does rely is the final numbers on the scoreboard. When the clock made its ultimate tick of the in shape, the ranking turned into 6-1, 6-three and it gave the Swiss maestro his ninth win on the Gerry Weber Open.

a couple of years ago, it seemed as if Federer’s game changed into faltering when he needed to deal with a spate of maladies that protected back and knee problems. He begun 2017 with an unheard of win on the Australian Open the place he won his 18th Grand Slam title. (It also gave him the big difference of being the 2nd oldest Slam champ of the Open period. Ken Rosewall remains the reigning oldster with wins on the 1970 US Open and the 1971-seventy two Australian Open.) soon after Australia, Federer gained a couple of ATP 1000 hobbies to backup his extra special return to aggressive tennis – BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells and the Miami Open presented through ITAÙ. (He selected to bypass Roland Garros to work on his grass court docket talents.)

It became the fifth game of the primary set earlier than Zverev managed to chalk up his first profitable game. Federer turned into masterful in his inclusion of a large number of drop photographs that pressured Zverev to abandon his baseline stance where in the past he has contended with considerations about the success of his returns. It become basically a controversy in his past suits in Halle. It’s as if he cannot make his prolonged body follow his legs towards the ball, let alone have the capability to then make contact with it. (considered one of my sons is a similar peak as Zverev and even if he is plenty older, there was a lanky stage in his construction until his physique filled within the traces that his skeleton had provided.) nowadays, he become no match for the man whom many declare to be the most efficient tennis participant, ever.

The Gerry Weber Open became celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary. (That’s the Silver one in response to folks that maintain track of that variety of aspect.) It could just be that the silver this day out can be the equal to gold for the tournament and for Federer who has often long past on from Halle to take the Wimbledon title, too. That might make eight titles there, only 1 at the back of his now nine here on the Gerry Weber Open. but, that is just speculation.

The audience who had stuffed each useable seat within the arena watched a masterful tennis exhibition the likes of which won’t be duplicated any time soon. Federer is all the time gracious past examine. He blazed via a younger man’s online game that has the promise of a good deal greater than a ho-hum career. Zverev slipped on the grass near the web within the third online game of the 2d set. Federer made bound his opponent became now not injured and as soon as the German had regained his bearings the match moved on with out a grievance or a glitch of any ilk from either participant.

After the healthy, Zverev spoke of, “I think Roger is enjoying in fact, in fact well. I consider going into Wimbledon he’s going to be probably the favorite to win the entire factor. So, credits to him. He played an incredible fit. Of course, I may have performed more advantageous but he didn’t basically let me play my premier tennis. He blended with the ball a whole lot. He performed very aggressive. I consider he deserved to win.” There are folks that can predict greatness within the making and if they had spoken to Zverev these days after the match, they might also have provided a prediction that put ditto marks below a protracted ago guesstimate for Roger Federer’s profession. Wimbledon is waiting to welcome Federer and Zverev and, as all the time they are hoping the best man will win.

For these fortunate ample to have followed the profession of a younger fellow from Switzerland there become delight nowadays that became essentially own. Greatness isn’t an anomaly that ebbs and flows with the tide. With Federer, it is part of who he's. it is very nearly as if his coronary heart is buoyed by using the hearts of people who admire his tennis prowess in addition to his magnanimous persona. It’s a kit that many strive for, but few in lifestyles are ever granted the possession of.

The Gerry Weber Open had a winner today. however with Roger Federer’s victory, the complete community that surrounds Halle received. Federer’s ninth victory on the remaining Sunday of the Gerry Weber Open no longer only awarded him a different trophy, however it underscored the hope of folks that follow tennis closely that the most excellent is yet to come.

#Breaking News

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rickhorrow · 8 years ago

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15 TO WATCH: RICK HORROW’S TOP SPORTS/BUSINESS/ MARKETING/ENDORSEMENT ISSUES FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 6

with Jamie Swimmer

This week, over 300 of the world’s best tennis players, including seven former tournament champions, descend on Indian Wells, CA to compete for more than $14 million in front of 400,000+ fans at tennis’ “Fifth Major.” Every top-10 player from the ATP World Tour and WTA is entered for the 2017 BNP Paribas Open. This includes 22-time Grand Slam Singles Champion Serena Williams, seeking to become the first WTA player to win three singles titles at Indian Wells. She joins 17-time Grand Slam Singles Champion and four time BNP Paribas Open singles winner Roger Federer. The tournament also showcases ongoing Indian Wells Tennis Garden renovations, designed to enhance the experience for players and fans alike. Upgrades include top restaurants like Spago; a new year-round hospitality space holding up to 200; satellite broadcast studio; fitness center; and club pro shop. Owner Larry Ellison and staff have truly created a desert tennis oasis, ensuring the game’s top players (and their thousands of adoring fans) return to the Coachella Valley year after year and creating an enviable benchmark for every other tournament worldwide.

Coming off their first World Series title in over 100 years, the Chicago Cubs are now submitting a bid to host the 2020 MLB All-Star Game. According to the Chicago Tribune, Cubs Chair Tom Ricketts is working with city officials to put together an “attractive bid” to bring the event to Wrigley Field. Logistics are still being worked out, for the entire weekend spans “essentially five days of festivals and events.” Cubs President of Business Operations Crane Kenney said that the team has “been in contact” with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's office and MLB “regarding efforts to fulfill requirements to host the game.” The last time Wrigley played host to the All-Star Game was 1990, so the team hopes that its recent on-field success and ballpark renovations will lure the game back to the Windy City. Baseball’s major “event leverage” comes with the All-Star Game annually. They award new ballparks, renovations, civic accomplishments, and (in the Cubs’ case) the end of monumental frustration. The game goes to South Florida this year amid rumors of an impending Marlins sale.

The NFL’s first outdoor draft is being hyped up weeks ahead of the selection show. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia is “expecting 200,000 football fans” to show up to the outdoor theatre being constructed in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The theatre will only seat around 3,000 people, and tickets are limited, yet the event should bring hundreds of thousands to the city center. To keep fans engaged, standing room on the Parkway will be “transformed into a festival the size of 25 football fields, open free to the public before and during the draft.” Staging the three-day event is said to cost around $20-25 million, though most of that will be covered by the NFL. The Draft joins the Pro Bowl and Super Bowl as the NFL’s “rotating mega-events.” Each year it is expected to outdraw, outhustle, and outperform the predecessor – leading to more leverage, better public support, and more choices for NFL public/private partnerships.

MLS is off and running as it opens its 2017 season bookended by two new expansion franchises. Newcomer Atlanta United has sold more than 30,000 season tickets, appealing to millennials and Hispanic fans alike. Atlanta United will host eight games at Georgia Tech’s Bobby Dodd Stadium before moving into Mercedes-Benz Stadium on July 30. In Minneapolis, Minnesota United is "confident the club’s first home match" as a MLS franchise will "exceed 30,000 tickets sold," according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. United has "sold out the lower bowl" at TCF Bank Stadium for the March 12 match against Atlanta United, and is "closing in on 11,000 season tickets sold, with a team-imposed limit of 11,842 (tied to state’s lake total)." Elsewhere in the league, Orlando City SC moved in to its new home as it hosted NYCFC for its 2017 MLS season opener. The game at Orlando City Stadium was "sold out for weeks" and was broadcast nationally on ESPN. In front of MLS Commissioner Don Garber, Real Salt Lake drew 19,519 fans for its match against Toronto FC. And a would-be expansion franchise in San Diego announced Landon Donovan as a new member of its ownership group. San Diego could well be a test case – is soccer chipping away at the NFL’s American sports dominance?

Fortress Investment Group is not giving up on its goal to keep the Raiders in Oakland. According to SportsBusiness Journal, the investment group sent “the NFL and the Raiders a proposal to build a new stadium for the team next to their existing venue.” The team is currently committed to relocating to Las Vegas, but league owners still need to meet and vote on the potential move “as soon as the end of March.” “It is unclear how different the proposal Fortress sent in is from the model it agreed to with Oakland in December, which the NFL has rejected.” Commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL declined to comment on the proposal or the previously rejected bid, but those close to the matter note that under the last proposal, “Fortress would have developed the land and kept key revenue streams.” To many, this proposal is viewed as the last effort to keep the Raiders in the Bay Area. The Las Vegas deal has a much stronger financial foundation – public support and NFL/Raiders equity. What Oakland has is a tradition of fan support and the presumption that the process be given “one last best chance” to work.

With the 2024 Olympic bid down to only two cities, LA 2024 is ramping up its promotion efforts overseas after signing PR firm Weber Shandwick. According to Ad Age, the PR firm is tasked with providing the bid group with communications support in international markets “where Olympic stakeholders live and work, as well as providing strategic insight into the entire process.” Weber Shandwick “helped support winning Olympic bids for the 2022 Beijing Games, the 2020 Tokyo Games and the 2014 Sochi Games.” Unlike past projects, this firm will not have to roll out a domestic campaign in Los Angeles to win over public support because 88% of the city already supports the bid. This move to hire an international PR agency marks another significant step for LA 2024 to land the Olympics after Budapest recently withdrew its bid; Paris is the only other competing city. While we all know that the Olympic selection process is inherently political, the PR message will focus on legacy, infrastructure support, and an “expectation” that the U.S. should participate in a Summer Games sooner than later. Look for drama in the boardroom between now and the end of the summer.

UCLA guard Lonzo Ball’s father made a bold prediction: his son will be the first player drafted with his own brand. According to ESPN, Lonzo’s father, LaVar Ball, said in a radio interview that if the UCLA star “doesn’t sign with adidas, Nike or Under Armour, whoever…I’ll sign the Big Baller Brand.” The “Triple B” brand is already an active apparel company that was started by the Ball family; it is the brand that Lonzo could be touting upon Draft Day later this year. While this move is still up in the air, LaVar boldly stated his view on the situation, “I’m not looking for no endorsement deal. I’m looking for a marketing and distribution deal.” LaVar has received a great deal of criticism this past season for making outlandish and egotistical comments on behalf of his son, such as Lonzo is “better than Steph Curry” and that “Lonzo would only play for the Lakers.” It is that time of year for hype – family, or otherwise. The astronomical NBA salary cap increase this next year will give this year’s rookie class a significant bounty.

What is already the wealthiest soccer league in the world, the EPL is still finding new ways to bring in millions of dollars annually. According to the London Daily Mail, Premier League clubs are now “set to earn up to $12.4 million more from sponsorships after talks” to add sleeve sponsorships for next season opened up between league and team executives. Sleeve sponsorships are valued at around one-fifth of a main kit sponsor, which means that clubs such as Manchester United, which receives “$58.3 million-a-year from Chevrolet to be on its shirts, could see a further $11 million invested in the club” on a yearly basis. Contract stipulations with main kit sponsors for a couple of the EPL’s best teams mean that a few notable clubs “will not be able to participate in the deal for next season,” though they will be able to sign a secondary sponsor in following years. Purists beware – the EPL is looking more like NASCAR every day. Why wouldn’t it? Especially if an unused square inch of clothing should now command over $12 million annually for each club.

As online streaming becomes an increasingly popular way to watch TV, Google has entered the race to win over sports fans. According to the Wall Street Journal, YouTube, whose parent company is Google, is now offering a web-TV service that packages over 40 broadcast and cable channels for $35 a month. YouTube TV will “have all the major broadcasters, including ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, as well as several dozen well-known cable channels, such as ESPN, FX, USA, MSNBC and Fox News.” YouTube TV is set to offer an expansive list of sports channels as well: Fox Sports, FS1, FS2, NBC Sports, Comcast SportsNet, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN News, Big Ten Network, SEC Network, and Golf Channel will all be available for subscribers. A start date has not yet been announced, but YouTube did confirm that it will “roll out the service first in markets where it had secured rights from local affiliates.” The next round of sports rights bids should be one for the ages: the traditionalists (networks) vs. the “newcomers” (YouTube, Google, Facebook, Amazon, etc.). Impact: more money for teams, leagues, and players.

With the goal of turning their arena into a “12-month destination,” the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks have unveiled the newly-renovated east side of the United Center. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, renovations include a new office building, fan atrium, restaurants, and a team store. They also provide an “indoor, climate-controlled space for fans to visit the Michael Jordan statue, and to use the ticket windows.” The new atrium is 190,000 square feet and will be open every day from 10:00am-6:00pm, year round. The Bulls and Blackhawks never have much trouble filling seats at the United Center for home games, but this marks a great step for the premier Chicago sports franchises to engage with their fans outside of just game days. Adding the store and restaurants should create a significant amount of buzz around the United Center, as well as a nice bit of extra revenue for the teams. Facility renovations all over the country enter new phases: lease renegotiations; financial creativity; high-tech tweaks; and new space for merchandise and concessions. Obviously, better for the fans.

Professional golf may soon experience one of the “biggest shake-ups” in recent history with rule changes looming. According to the BBC, the R&A and USGA are in talks to “make golf quicker and played under more simple, consistent and fair rules.” The new rulebook will be drawn up in “a modern, plain style” that will be written from a “player's perspective.” Some of the most significant changes being considered include removing a penalty for accidentally moving your ball, reducing ball search time from five to three minutes, and relaxing the protocols for “taking free or penalty drops, with the ball dropped from only an inch above the ground, rather than shoulder height.” This comes as the first “substantial review” of the rules in professional golf since 1984. The two governing bodies want to see a simpler game with less contention over some of the nuances affiliated with the game today. Even the most traditional and historical of games undergoes substantial tinkering from time to time. First, baseball’s quest to shorten its game. Is golf close behind?

Following a poor year of ratings, the NFL is looking to win over a few more fans this coming season. According to SportsBusiness Journal, one key way the NFL is trying to garner more public support is by possibly relaxing its laughable touchdown celebration rules. The Competition Committee is in talks to let players “have fun again” after scoring touchdowns – an area they have cracked down on in recent years following the likes of Chad Ocho Cinco and Terrell Owens. The league’s reputation and ratings plummeted this past season following a series of events. “You think of concussions, you think of serious injuries, you think of domestic violence, you think of people protesting the flag and other things,” noted EPSN’s Israel Gutierrez. “Maybe if you introduce some fun into this and not maintain yourselves as the ‘No Fun League,’ then maybe there are different ways to get your product a little more desirable.” While the NFL aspires to $25 billion per year in revenue, there is always the need to generate new fan support – diverse demographics, superstar promotion, and fan enthusiasm.

On the heels of the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, an economic impact study from the league’s International Series game in Mexico City revealed an “incremental increase” in the city’s GDP. According to the Sports Industry group at EY, the Mexico City game this past season between the Texans and Raiders supported “2,840 jobs in the city” and contributed toward $43 million of total domestic and international tourist spending; the overall economic impact was $45 million. The sellout crowd at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium consisted mainly of domestic fans, though over 9,500 international fans attended and 21,500 fans traveled from other parts of Mexico to get in on the action. These numbers come as great news for the NFL, which has tried to expand its international footprint in all directions. The league currently has more games planned in Mexico and throughout Europe in the coming years. Most recent news about Mexico has not been good. However, the combination of the WGC Golf Championship and the long-term interest for the NFL in Mexico is welcome news for our southern neighbor.

With March Madness right around the corner, Pizza Hut is “stepping up its game with high-top sneakers that allow their wearers to order pizza with a push of a button…” According to Ad Age, Pizza Hut is handing out 64 pairs of their “Pie Tops” to honor the 64 teams that annually compete in March Madness. The shoes are Bluetooth-enabled, making ordering pizza as easy as can be. To promote the release of the shoes, Pizza Hut also released a promotional commercial featuring Grant Hill playing basketball in the shoes before sitting down, pressing the button on the tongue of the shoes, and having a two-topping pizza delivered moments after. Pizza Hut Vice President/Media & Advertising David Daniels said, “We're planning to feature the pie tops with on-air talent.” However, Pizza Hut has not announced yet which people will “wear and interact with the shoes during the broadcasts.” Never too early for basketball promotion, especially with ongoing streaming, constant hype and promotion, and the inevitable appeal to young demographics.

The Las Vegas Golden Knights are officially an NHL team. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Owner Bill Foley made the third and final $500 million expansion payment on behalf of the franchise. “This is the most extensive transaction I've ever done, and I've made $5 billion deals. Even my wife had to sign 20 documents,” noted Foley. Other NHL team owners and Commissioner Gary Bettman were quick to congratulate Foley on officially joining the league. The Knights are the most recent expansion team in the NHL, bringing the total team count up to 31 for next season. The teams’ final expansion payment was not supposed to be completed and processed until April 5, but the league expedited and finalized the transaction five weeks ahead of time. Team General Manager George McPhee was thankful for the quick response on behalf of the league, meaning that the Golden Knights can now participate in transactions before the trade deadline. Las Vegas went from being “radioactive” as a franchise location to the home of one (and maybe two) in the not-too-distant future. Fan orientation, significant public money, and tourism infrastructure all add to the possibilities for success.

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