business, soccer

Austin FC Inaugural Season ‘Absolutely a Success’ Despite On-Field Struggles

Austin FC was built on the mission of uniting the community around soccer while also becoming a flag bearer for the Texas capital.

While Austin FC struggled on the field during its inaugural season, finishing 12th out of 13 teams in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference, the club’s off-field successes laid a promising foundation for future prosperity for the city’s first professional sports franchise.

Continue reading “Austin FC Inaugural Season ‘Absolutely a Success’ Despite On-Field Struggles” →
business

Torrie Wilson, Tom Brady, Rory McIlroy Among SageSpot Investors

Torrie Wilson has been in the public eye for more than two decades despite growing up extremely shy as a teenager. Wilson won the Miss Galaxy pageant in 1998 before leveraging her interest, knowledge and lifestyle in fitness into a professional wrestling career.

She was a regular in WCW and WWF/WWE through 2008, and has made sporadic appearances since, including most recently at the 2021 Royal Rumble in January.

Continue reading “Torrie Wilson, Tom Brady, Rory McIlroy Among SageSpot Investors” →
basketball, business

Why Candace Parker Does Everything ‘With a Purpose’

Candace Parker had just finished filming content for NBA 2K20, the latest edition of 2K Games’ basketball franchise. It was a banner moment for Parker and women’s basketball players as the video game publisher was including all 12 WNBA teams in the series for the first time.

Still donning the full body motion capture suit, Parker chatted with 2K engineers at the company’s headquarters in Novato, California, for an hour about the nuances of women’s basketball and the WNBA as both star athlete and game creators knew they couldn’t just add a ponytail to a character in a WNBA jersey and truly call it women’s basketball.

Continue reading “Why Candace Parker Does Everything ‘With a Purpose’” →
basketball, business

Showtime Basketball Succeeding by Empowering Athletes to Be Raw, Authentic Selves

Over the years, Showtime Sports has amassed a library of documentaries, especially about basketball, including Kobe Bryant’s Muse (2015), One & Done/Ben Simmons (2016), Shut Up and Dribble (2018), The Resurgence: DeMarcus Cousins (2018), and Quiet Storm: The Ron Artest Story (2019).

In an effort to further its documentary strategy of focusing on conversations and issues at the intersection of sports, culture, society and politics while leveraging both premium linear TV as well as social media, Showtime Basketball was born in 2019.

Continue reading “Showtime Basketball Succeeding by Empowering Athletes to Be Raw, Authentic Selves” →
basketball, business

Jayson Tatum, Rory McIlroy, Connor McDavid Among New Hyperice Investors

Two months after announcing a strategic shift from being a sports recovery brand to a holistic high-performance wellness one, Hyperice continues its growth and evolution following new investments from Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, four-time PGA Tour major champion Rory McIlroy, Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, and Formula 1 driver Daniel Ricciardo.

Continue reading “Jayson Tatum, Rory McIlroy, Connor McDavid Among New Hyperice Investors” →
business, football

Eli Manning Enjoying Being On TV Even Though it ‘Was Not the Game Plan’ in Retirement

Eli Manning’s job and responsibility for 16 seasons with the New York Giants was to execute a game plan to the best of his ability. The plan, which varied depending on the week’s opponent, was devised to put the quarterback and his teammates in the best position for success.

Since retiring after the 2019 season, the two-time Super Bowl champion’s game plan—and execution—has been a little more fluid.

Continue reading “Eli Manning Enjoying Being On TV Even Though it ‘Was Not the Game Plan’ in Retirement” →
business

Invesco QQQ Unveils ‘How Not To Suck at Money’

For Grant Hill’s 18th birthday, the Duke University freshman basketball player and some of his teammates went out to dinner at a Japanese steak house with Hill’s father, Calvin.

During the course of dinner a hypothetical question came up: What would you do with $1 million?

Continue reading “Invesco QQQ Unveils ‘How Not To Suck at Money’” →
basketball, business

No Slowing Down for Rich Kleiman, Thirty Five Ventures Co-Founder

Rich Kleiman has always been fascinated with business.

Growing up on the Upper West Side in New York City, a curious Kleiman would venture into Baronets on 83rd and Broadway, finding the stationary store’s proprietors to be “the most incredible people ever” because they ran the store, had access to the cash register, set the culture and were part of the neighborhood. Kleiman was equally intrigued by the hordes of people rushing to and from office buildings with briefcases in tow as he explored the Concrete Jungle in the 1980s.

Continue reading “No Slowing Down for Rich Kleiman, Thirty Five Ventures Co-Founder” →
baseball, football

Joe Buck Prepares for Busiest Month of Year

October is the time of year when the leaves change colors into a vibrant collage of orange, red and yellow, significant others begrudgingly pick apples, pumpkins and gourds at their partner’s behest, everything from lattes to Twinkies is pumpkin spice, everyone brags about their Halloween costume (with only some living up to the hype), and Joe Buck can be seen and heard on TV on a seemingly nightly basis.

Continue reading “Joe Buck Prepares for Busiest Month of Year” →
business, golf, surfing

TravisMathew Finding Success as Lifestyle Performance Brand

TravisMathew isn’t a golf brand. It isn’t a surf brand. Despite emerging from the shores of Surf City USA in Huntington Beach, California, in 2007, TravisMathew is finding success in its niche as lifestyle performance by bridging the gap between performance and casual.

Continue reading “TravisMathew Finding Success as Lifestyle Performance Brand” →
golf

Patrick Cantlay Excited for Ryder Cup Debut

Down the stretch of the 2020-21 PGA Tour season during the FedEx Cup playoffs, Patrick Cantlay’s focus and concentration were on full display as he outlasted Bryson DeChambeau in a six-hole playoff to win the BMW Championship then fended off Jon Rahm a week later to capture the Tour Championship, FedEx Cup and $15 million.

Continue reading “Patrick Cantlay Excited for Ryder Cup Debut” →
basketball, business

How Sports Fueled Michelob Ultra’s Growth During Pandemic

When the coronavirus pandemic began in March 2020, like many brands and organizations, Michelob Ultra needed to figure out how to pivot during the uncertain times.

The brand doubled down its efforts investing heavily in encouraging healthy and active lifestyles—especially at a time where activity was limited with stay-at-home mandates in place—while also broadening its category approach into the sports world.

Continue reading “How Sports Fueled Michelob Ultra’s Growth During Pandemic” →
business

Under Armour Unveils UA Next Platform

Less than one-quarter of children aged 6-17 participate in the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Physical activity decreased while sedentary behavior increased even further due to the coronavirus pandemic with students participating in distance learning from home and after-school sports, clubs and other activities suspended with prior stay-at-home mandates in place.

Continue reading “Under Armour Unveils UA Next Platform” →
basketball, business

CJ McCollum Chats Investment in LaceClips, Upcoming NBA Season

CJ and Errick McCollum spent countless hours on the basketball court growing up in Canton, Ohio. Whether it was blacktop or hardwood, the basketball court became their gym for workouts and training sessions as the brothers honed their skills in the hopes of becoming professionals. It also served as their courtroom as 1-on-1 games helped settle debates, including who was the better player.

Continue reading “CJ McCollum Chats Investment in LaceClips, Upcoming NBA Season” →
business, football

Austin Ekeler Joins Yahoo Sports for 2021 Season

Austin Ekeler became a household name—especially to fantasy football enthusiasts—during the 2019 NFL season as Los Angeles Chargers starting running back Melvin Gordon continued his holdout in the hopes of securing a new contract.

Continue reading “Austin Ekeler Joins Yahoo Sports for 2021 Season” →
business, wrestling

WWE Seeing Big Demand From Brands Ahead of SummerSlam

Traditionally billed as “The Biggest Party of the Summer,” this year’s SummerSlam pay-per-view will actually be WWE’s “Biggest Party of the Year” with more than 40,000 expected in attendance on Saturday, August 21, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Continue reading “WWE Seeing Big Demand From Brands Ahead of SummerSlam” →
business, football

Drew Brees Staying Busy in Retirement

For the first time in two decades, Drew Brees’ offseason regimen is different. While the 42-year-old isn’t preparing mentally and physically for the upcoming NFL season as a player, Brees is conducting the same amount of research and preparation ahead of his debut season in the studio and broadcast booth for NBC Sports.

Continue reading “Drew Brees Staying Busy in Retirement” →
business, wrestling

Roman Reigns, Stephanie McMahon Excited For WWE’s Return to Live Touring

Roman Reigns is the first to admit he wouldn’t be in the position he is in at the head of the table and atop WWE as Universal Champion if it wasn’t for the fans comprising the WWE Universe.

Whether they’re cheering or booing The Tribal Chief, Reigns, who made his main roster debut in November 2012, still draws some of the loudest reactions from fans.

Continue reading “Roman Reigns, Stephanie McMahon Excited For WWE’s Return to Live Touring” →
basketball, business

LaMelo Ball Joins Powerhandz as General Partner

Less than one month after adding NBA rookie of the year to his résumé, Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball is adding general partner and board member to it as well.

Ball, the No. 3 overall selection in the 2020 NBA draft, joins double-minority-owned athletic training and rehabilitation product tech platform Powerhandz as part of its $3 million Series A fundraise.

Continue reading “LaMelo Ball Joins Powerhandz as General Partner” →
basketball, business

Sabrina Ionescu, Dick’s Sporting Goods Supply Young Athletes with Equipment

Sabrina Ionescu just wanted to play basketball. She started her foray into the sport at 3 years old by “just throwing the ball around.” From there she gained experience playing on her brothers’ 10-foot hoop. In middle school, she would bring her sneakers with her as she watched twin brother Eddy play on the boys’ team, not only because the school didn’t field a girls’ program, but because the boys’ team would need extra bodies from time to time.

Continue reading “Sabrina Ionescu, Dick’s Sporting Goods Supply Young Athletes with Equipment” →
business

Austin Welcomes First Pro Team: Austin FC

Already covered by an abundance of luscious tree canopy, the amount of green throughout Austin, Texas, grew exponentially ahead of the Austin FC inaugural home opener on June 19.

An Austin FC flag proudly flew outside The Bon Aire, in-game food and drink specials were promoted at Cover 2, and the club’s verde-and-black home kit was donned by countless runners up and down the Colorado River ahead of the evening’s match.

Continue reading “Austin Welcomes First Pro Team: Austin FC” →
soccer

Carli Lloyd Hopes to Play for USWNT at 2020 Olympics

Carli Lloyd doesn’t take anything for granted. While her career resume is one every aspiring professional soccer player can only dream of, she knows in this game, especially ahead of a major tournament, the focus isn’t on career success, but more on present performance and future potential.

Continue reading “Carli Lloyd Hopes to Play for USWNT at 2020 Olympics” →
business, tech

Kevin Garnett Launches Gaming Society to Educate, Empower Bettors

Parlay. Hedging. Lines. Over/under. ATS. Dog. Cover. Spread.

Betting terminology may seem confusing and intimidating to the casual sports fan looking to get a piece of the action on his or her favorite team as sports betting continues to grow throughout the United States, which is part of the reason why NBA Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett and Players’ Tribune co-founder Jaymee Messler created gamification and content company Gaming Society.

Continue reading “Kevin Garnett Launches Gaming Society to Educate, Empower Bettors” →
golf

Billy Horschel Launches APGA Tour Event to Promote Diversity in Golf

Growing up in Grant, Florida, Billy Horschel didn’t come from a lot of money. He and brothers Chris and Brian were taught by their parents, Bill and Kathy, that if someone needed help, you helped them, which often meant offering a friendly hand cleaning up debris from a hurricane that passed through the rural town along the Indian River Lagoon on Florida’s Atlantic coast.

Continue reading “Billy Horschel Launches APGA Tour Event to Promote Diversity in Golf” →
business, football

Kyle Brandt’s Career of Taking Chances Continues to Pay Off

As top running back at Stevenson High School in the Chicago suburb of Lincolnshire, Illinois, Kyle Brandt would strut down the halls in his letterman jacket and blast Pearl Jam from his eight-disc CD changer as he drove around in his Jeep.

But then something struck him during his senior year as he began resenting “being the jock.”

Continue reading “Kyle Brandt’s Career of Taking Chances Continues to Pay Off” →
basketball, business, football

Patricof Co Career Development Services Empowers and Supports Athletes

Paul Posluszny had a plan: play football for as long as he could, go to business school and get a job.

A second-round selection (No. 34 overall) in the 2007 NFL Draft, the former middle linebacker played 11 seasons with the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars before announcing his retirement in March 2018. While the Jaguars’ No. 2 all-time leading tackler is done chasing down ball carriers, Posluszny is currently in pursuit of his MBA from Carnegie Mellon University.

Continue reading “Patricof Co Career Development Services Empowers and Supports Athletes” →
business, football

Former NFL Exec Mike Tannenbaum Still Learning and Helping Others

Mike Tannenbaum is grateful. For the love, support and advice his parents, Marilyn and Richie, gave him growing up. For the four years he “wouldn’t trade for anything” working with and learning from legendary NFL coach Bill Parcells. For his time as general manager and senior vice-president of football operations with the New York Jets. For his time as executive vice-president of football operations with the Miami Dolphins. For each and every opportunity that’s come across his desk.

Continue reading “Former NFL Exec Mike Tannenbaum Still Learning and Helping Others” →
baseball

Mookie Betts: Dodgers-Padres Rivarly ‘Great for the Game of Baseball’

For the first six years of his Major League Baseball career, Mookie Betts was an integral part of the greatest rivalry in baseball, and arguably one of the best rivalries in all of sports: the Boston Red Sox vs. the New York Yankees.

Continue reading “Mookie Betts: Dodgers-Padres Rivarly ‘Great for the Game of Baseball’” →
business, wrestling

The Miz: WrestleMania 37 is ‘Going to be Absolute Insanity’

The Miz has been cheered. He’s been jeered. He’s been laughed at. He’s been celebrated. A mainstay on the WWE roster since 2006, The Miz boasts a list of accomplishments as long as he holds out the word “Awesome” before his entrance music hits and he struts down the ramp toward the ring.

Continue reading “The Miz: WrestleMania 37 is ‘Going to be Absolute Insanity’” →
business, wrestling

How WWE Partners are Activating at WrestleMania 37

Thanks to its expansive roster of more than 250 superstars, WWE has the unique ability to offer something to everyone, whether they’re interested in technical wrestling, larger-than-life characters, women’s wrestling, high-flying cruiserweights, trash talkers or even the supernatural.

The leader in sports entertainment doesn’t just offer a variety of options to the WWE Universe, but partners and sponsors are able to work with the company to find an activation or integration that’s just right.

Continue reading “How WWE Partners are Activating at WrestleMania 37” →
basketball, business, football

PepsiCo Strikes Deal With SWAC to Support HBCUs

Derek Lewis is a proud Hampton University alumnus. The South Division president at PepsiCo Beverages North America said his experience at the Virginia institution taught him what is possible when people support each other and how influential a strong network can be.

Continue reading “PepsiCo Strikes Deal With SWAC to Support HBCUs” →
basketball

Chef Shumu Adem’s Journey From War-Torn Ethiopia to NCAA Final Four

Ethiopia was in chaos. In 1974, Emperor Haile Selassie was overthrown and the Ethiopian monarchy was abolished. Military leaders responsible for the coup not only sought to consolidate power, but also to eliminate any and all opposition.

Continue reading “Chef Shumu Adem’s Journey From War-Torn Ethiopia to NCAA Final Four” →
golf

FootJoy’s Premiere Series Retells Golf Company’s Storied History

Known for being the company behind golf’s top-selling shoe, FootJoy traces its roots back as far as 1857. Founded as the Burt and Packard Shoe Company, and soon thereafter the Field and Flint Company, the Brockton, Massachusetts-based company was one of the first to manufacture left and right shoes, which were sold to Union soldiers during the Civil War.

“From the very beginning, innovation has been the root of every project, every first step, every pen-to-paper on what we do,” said Chris Tobias, FootJoy vice-president of global footwear.

Continue reading “FootJoy’s Premiere Series Retells Golf Company’s Storied History” →
basketball

Overtime Launches Basketball League That Pays Top High School Prospects

On May 18, 2019, Overtime, the sports network geared towards the digital generation, transformed the Greenpoint Terminal Warehouse in Brooklyn, New York, into a one-day basketball experience, highlighted by 3-on-3 games and a dunk showcase among 24 of the top boys and girls high school basketball prospects.

Continue reading “Overtime Launches Basketball League That Pays Top High School Prospects” →
football

Kyle Murray Knows Cardinals Taking Next Step ‘Starts With Me’

The Arizona Cardinals went into their bye week with a 5-2 record, certainly well positioned for a strong second half of the season. A subsequent 34-31 loss to the Miami Dolphins was emphatically erased after a walkoff 32-30 victory against the Buffalo Bills on November 15.

Unfortunately, the 6-3 Cardinals couldn’t continue to build momentum after the last-second Hail Mary, losing their next three games and five of their final seven to finish the season at an even 8-8.

Continue reading “Kyle Murray Knows Cardinals Taking Next Step ‘Starts With Me’” →
business, soccer

Chicago Fire FC Reinventing Identity With Help of Fans

On October 8, 1871, legend has it that a cow kicked over a lantern in a barn belonging to Patrick and Catherine O’Leary located at 137 DeKoven Street on the southwest side of Chicago.

Dry weather and an endless supply of wooden buildings provided the ideal fuel as the ensuing fire—whose true cause is still a mystery—spread throughout the Windy City. Over the course of two days, the conflagration turned thousands of buildings into ash and rubble, killed 300 people and led to an estimated $200 million in damages.

Continue reading “Chicago Fire FC Reinventing Identity With Help of Fans” →
basketball

Belgium Women’s Basketball Team Inspiring Next Generation Ahead of Olympic Debut

Ann Wauters remembers her feelings of insecurity while growing up in Sint-Gillis-Waas, Belgium.

“I was that girl who was way too tall and I didn’t have too much confidence,” the 6-foot-4 center recalls.

It wasn’t until a classmate suggested the shy preteen turn her height from an insecurity into an advantage by playing basketball that Wauters was able to truly be herself. The basketball court felt like home; it became a source of confidence.

Continue reading “Belgium Women’s Basketball Team Inspiring Next Generation Ahead of Olympic Debut” →
business, wrestling

WWE, Victoria Beer Partnership Gets Off to Flying Start

It’s safe to say Rey Mysterio is the most famous and successful masked wrestler in sports entertainment history. The future WWE Hall of Famer is a three-time World Champion, two-time Intercontinental Champion, two-time United States Champion, three-time Cruiserweight Champion, and four-time Tag Team Champion.

Continue reading “WWE, Victoria Beer Partnership Gets Off to Flying Start” →
football

Tom Brady Writing His Own Fairytale Ending


It’s Tom Brady’s world and we’re all just living in it. Or at least that’s what it feels like as the quarterback is preparing for his 10th Super Bowl appearance—and potentially seventh victory—after guiding the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to Super Bowl LV on Sunday, February 7, against the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs.

Continue reading “Tom Brady Writing His Own Fairytale Ending” →
football

Eli Manning Impressed With Tom Brady Ahead of Super Bowl LV

When Tom Brady left the New England Patriots after 20 years, questions were raised whether or not the star quarterback was a product of the system and would have as much success without head coach Bill Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.

Continue reading “Eli Manning Impressed With Tom Brady Ahead of Super Bowl LV” →
soccer

How Belgium Soccer’s Golden Generation Helped Unify a Nation


During his tenure at Everton FC from 2013-16, Roberto Martinez managed three Belgian players: Romelu Lukaku, Kevin Mirallas and Marouane Fellaini.

Born to Congolese parents, Lukaku grew up in Antwerp, a large metropolis located in Belgium’s northern Flemish Region where Dutch is the main language. Mirallas, whose father was born in Spain, grew up in Liege, part of Belgium’s French-speaking Walloon Region. Fellaini, born to Moroccan parents, was brought up in Brussels, the focal point of the nation’s bilingual Brussels-Capital Region.

Continue reading “How Belgium Soccer’s Golden Generation Helped Unify a Nation” →
business, tech

DraftKings Named Official Sports Betting Partner of DRL

Drone Racing League continues its ascension towards mainstream popularity thanks to its latest partnership with DraftKings.

Beginning today, bettors will be able to place real-time wagers before and during events as pilots maneuver custom-build racing drones at 90 mph via first-person view (FPV) through obstacle courses on both the DRL Simulator and in real life; the current season is virtual due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Continue reading “DraftKings Named Official Sports Betting Partner of DRL” →
business, soccer

USL-Scottish Premiership Club Partnerships Based on Player Development

Whenever Leland Archer arrives for training at the Hibernian Training Centre, he enters the facility with a smile on his face—even when it’s cloudy or raining, which can often be the case in Scotland.

Part of that is due to his personality, but another major reason for Archer to smile is his appreciation of the opportunity at hand. Originally from Trinidad & Tobago, Archer is one of the first players to benefit from a new partnership between the Charleston Battery of the USL Championship and Scottish Premiership side Hibernian FC.

Continue reading “USL-Scottish Premiership Club Partnerships Based on Player Development” →