Posts tagged with "espn"

NBA Finals 2020 Viewership Drops 50%

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The sports world is one of the most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic with many major sports all over the world coming to a complete halt. Even after many leagues returned it was clear that the “new normal” will have a significant effect on the entire sports world. With the pandemic throwing many sporting calendars and seasons in chaos, the makeshift calendars proved detrimental to viewership numbers. According to data presented by Safe Betting Sites, the 2020 NBA Finals recorded a 50% drop in viewership compared to the 2019 Finals.

COVID-19 Positive Tests Suspended NBA Season “Until Further Notice”

On March 11, 2020, The Utah Jazz were scheduled to play the Oklahoma City Thunder despite the threat of COVID-19 already rising in other parts of the world. This was until The Jazz’s star centre Rudy Gobert of France tested positive for the virus. This prompted the league to cancel the game merely minutes from tip-off. The league subsequently suspended the remainder of the 2019-2020 season until further notice. In June it was then announced that the season will be restarted on July 31st with an improvised schedule taking in consideration teams current position on the standings when play was suspended. It was agreed that seeding games would be played for all teams that finished within six games of a playoff spot when play was halted.

Season Restarted Under “Bubble Conditions”

As part of the plans for a restart, the NBA instituted a strict medical protocol leading up to the restart as well as during the entire playoffs were played. The games were played in controlled venues within Walt Disney World’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida which was popularly referred to as “the bubble.” The entire playoffs were played in the bubble with no physical fans in attendance. Many players likened the experience to their days as AAU players before their NBA careers.

The 2020 NBA Finals pitted the Eastern Conference Champions Miami Heat against the Western Conference Champions, LA Lakers. The finals are traditionally played sometime in June but the pandemic forced an almost 4-month delay with Game 1 played on September 30. This delay, as well as the unique atmosphere the bubble brought, were a clear contributor to the significant decline in viewership numbers.

Tumultuous Time In US History Leads To Decrease In Ratings

The 2020 NBA finals saw an average viewership of 7.5 million viewers. This is a 51% drop compared to the 2019 Finals which recorded an average of 15.14 million viewers. It is also the lowest number of average viewers of any Finals in the last two decades. Expectedly, the 2020 Finals also saw the lowest TV ratings in the last two decades with a rating of 4 compared to 8.8 in 2019.

At around the time of the improvised Playoffs, the US was going through a tumultuous time in its history in several aspects that also contributed to the decrease in viewers. The COVID-19 pandemic was still ravaging through several states which completely altered many people’s daily routine. The pandemic also meant that sports bars and other venues such as casinos were unavailable and thus the Finals reached far fewer people than in previous years.

The delay in the playoffs also meant that the Finals were staged closer to the critical November 2020 US Presidential elections which meant that people’s focus was dramatically shifted. This combined with the pandemic meant more people were tuning in to news programs rather than sporting events.

Significantly, before and during the NBA’s restart the Black Lives Matter movement was also in full swing as cities around the US protested the infamous death of George Floyd in the hands of police. Another shooting of an African-American man in the city of Milwaukee prompted the Milwaukee Bucks to boycott their playoff game against the Orlando Magic and refused to take to the court. After discussions were held NBA players agreed to play on deciding instead to use their platform to bring awareness to social justice causes. This included wearing NBA jerseys with social justice messages chosen by the player. While the move was commended by many, the polarizing nature of the issue meant that the NBA inevitably lost some viewers who had opposing views.

Robinson Cano Suspended for PED

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By Hannah DiPilato

Major League Baseball player Robinson Cano has been suspended after testing positive for stanozolol, a performance-enhancing drug. MLB commissioner, Rob Manfred, confirmed on Wednesday in a statement that Cano will be banned for the entire 2021 season.

This is the 38-year-old’s second suspension due to testing positive for PED. In 2018, while Cano played for the Seattle Mariners, he tested positive for using diuretic and missed 80 games according to ESPN.

At the time of his first offense, Cano said the diuretic “was given to me by a licensed doctor in the Dominican Republic to treat a medical ailment.” He said he was unaware the drug was banned in the MLB.

In the MLB, testing positive for a PED a second time will result in an automatic 162 game suspension. This rule is an agreement between Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association.

Neither Cano nor the players’ union has made a statement about his second positive test for a PED.

“We were extremely disappointed to be informed about Robinson’s suspension for violating Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program,” said Mets president Sandy Alderson in a statement. “The violation is very unfortunate for him, the organization, our fans, and the sport. The Mets fully support MLB’s efforts toward eliminating performance-enhancing substances from the game.”

Cano will have to forfeit his 2021 salary where he was set to make $24 million. According to Fox Business, Cano is still set to make $48 million between 2022 and 2023. The Mets are responsible for $40 million while the Mariners agreed to pay the remaining $8 million.

The news of Cano’s suspension is great news for player DJ LeMaiheu. According to the New York Post, LeMaiheu would be the perfect player for either the New York Mets or the New York Yankees to add to their rosters. After rejecting an $18.9 million qualifying offer from the Yankees, LeMaiheu is a free agent.

After the loss of Cano for the 2021 season, the Mets are now in need of a starting second baseman. This adds to the list of starting positions that the Mets are seeking out since they are already looking for a starting pitcher, catcher and center field. The Mets could also start Jeff McNeil at second base, a position he would be comfortable in.

Cano was traded to the Mets in 2018 sending player Jared Kelenic to the Mariners. Throughout his 16 seasons playing the sport, Cano is a .303 hitter with 334 home runs, 1,302 RBIs and two Gold Gloves according to ESPN.

Cano was on his way to achieving 3,000 career hits and was at 2,624 before his suspension. This suspension will certainly create uncertainty for the future of his baseball career.

Tyrod Taylor

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By Justin Lyons

Justin Herbert lined up under center on the first drive Sunday for the Los Angeles Chargers, which was a surprise.

Herbert was selected with the sixth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, but Tyrod Taylor was supposed to be the starter while Herbert learned from the bench. Herbert had a successful day, scoring on his first drive and going on to throw for 311 yards and a touchdown, but he came up a bit short of the Patrick Mahomes-led Chiefs in overtime.

It’s now clear why Taylor didn’t play quarterback Sunday. Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn told ESPN’s Shelley Smith that Taylor’s lung was punctured by a team doctor attempting to administer a pain relief injection just before kickoff.

Lynn told Smith that the injury is not career-threatening, and Taylor isn’t mad or upset. Lynn appeared to reaffirm Taylor’s status as a starter when he is cleared to return, saying there was a lot the Chargers didn’t get done with Herbert as their quarterback and that Herbert is a backup “for a reason.”

George Atallah, the assistant executive director of external affairs for the NFL Players Association, tweeted that the union’s medical and legal teams are looking into the incident. He also confirmed that the NFLPA has initiated an investigation.

According to ESPN, the injection is not uncommon, but the doctor is unable to see where the needle is going, which can be difficult. Though the procedure is standard, it is rare that a player’s lung is punctured.

Lynn said Herbert will start Sunday at home against the Carolina Panthers, as Taylor won’t be fully healthy.

“I am looking forward to seeing him play with a week of preparation and knowing he is the starter,” Lynn said.

The Panthers and Chargers will kick off at 1:05 p.m. local time Sunday.

NBA Protests

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by Justin Lyons

The clock struck 4:05 p.m. on Aug 26 in Orlando, and neither the Magic nor the Bucks were on the court for the tip-off of the fifth game of their playoff series.

Playing their home games just 40 miles from Kenosha, Wisconsin, it’s safe to say that the shooting of Jacob Blake by Kenosha police literally hit close to home for the Bucks players.

The Orlando Magic originally took the court for their game, but they decided to leave when it appeared the Bucks weren’t coming. That court was now empty aside from the NBA logos, the regulation markings and “Black Lives Matter” in bold text across the side closest to the scorer’s table.

Then, the tweet from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski came at 4:13 p.m. Orlando time saying that the Bucks officially decided to boycott the fifth game of the series.

News broke later that the Rockets, Thunder, Trail Blazers and Lakers all decided to boycott their games, as well, in a show of unity.

It was the spark that started the fire, as basketball wouldn’t be played again until Aug. 29.

Bucks guard George Hill was one of the most outspoken players on the team regarding the shooting of Jacob Blake, making it very clear that he couldn’t continue to play basketball to distract from the reality of what’s happening in the United States.

The Brewers, the Milwaukee baseball team that plays its home games just a short drive from where the Bucks play, also decided to cancel their Aug. 26 game against the Reds.

Brewers star Christian Yelich said it was a unanimous decision from the team to not play.

“I think the Bucks spearheaded it for us,” Yelich said. “They started the discussion. It gave us a conversation to have. It was eye-opening for us, and we felt like it was the right thing to do.”

The NHL also joined in the protests, postponing games Aug. 27 and Aug. 28.

Later on the night of Aug. 26, Shams Charania reported via Twitter that the Lakers and Clippers, both of which are still contenders for the title, voted to boycott the rest of the season. LeBron James reportedly led the movement to cancel the season, which is no surprise given his history of fighting for social justice.

Giannis Antetokounmpo said the Bucks were able to get in contact with Blake’s father very quickly. Blake’s father was moved to tears by the gesture.

According to an article from ESPN, Antetokounmpo said, “Obviously, it’s gonna be games that you come in and score 30, 35, 50 or whatever the case might be, but that you’re going to remember. The way we felt, we’re going to remember the way we felt for the rest of our lives.”

The Bucks were eliminated from the playoffs Tuesday, which begs the question of how they will respond. Hill expressed disappointment that he had to be in the Orlando bubble instead of fighting for justice, so it should be interesting to see where the Bucks go from here.

Eyes are also shifting to the NFL, which starts Thursday. The entire nation will have its eyes on protests and social justice initiatives from a league that has been just as outspoken as the NBA.

SiriusXM – Sports and the Pandemic

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SiriusXM has announced a live special on “The Business of Sports Reopening During a Pandemic” which will air on Business Radio channel 132 on July 23 from 10am-12pm ET.

COVID-19 has changed the world in which we know it, affecting everyone across the globe, and making a drastic impact on the world of sports which came to a halt as seasons were suspended and canceled.

Today, many teams are allowing individual players to train in their practice facilities and leagues are beginning to discuss plans to reopen, while proceeding with caution in getting back on the field, ring or court safely and under different circumstances.

Dan Loney, host of Wharton Business Daily on SiriusXM’s Business Radio, will be leading the discussion and speaking to some high ranking executives in the world of sports who will discuss their plans on moving forward in the face of this global pandemic.

GUESTS:

Jamey Rootes – President of the Houston Texans

Ilan Ben-Hanan – Senior Vice President of Programming and Acquisitions at ESPN

Larry Baer – CEO of San Francisco Giants

Tim Connelly – Denver Nuggets President of Basketball Operations

Chris Zimmerman – CEO of St. Louis Blues

Drew Rosenhaus – Sports Agent, Owner, Rosenhaus Sports Representation

Bill Mulvihill – Head of U.S. Bank Sports and Entertainment Group

Andy Pazder – PGA Tour Chief Tournaments & Competitions Officer

Sean Gleason – CEO, Professional Bull Riders

Brad Sims – CEO of NYCFC (MLS Team)

To hear the special tune in to Business Radio (ch. 132) on Thursday, July 23 from 10:00am-12:00 pm ET. The special will re-air that night at 8:00pm ET.

SiriusXM Business Radio offers listeners the latest breaking news trends with an emphasis on issues impacting both consumers and the business world and the economy and is available to subscribers nationwide on SiriusXM radios (ch. 132).

Colin Kaepernick × Disney

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By Mina Tocalini

Civil rights activist and former football quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, partners with the Walt Disney Company via his production company Ra Vision Media. The collaboration will direct their projects towards elevating Black and Brown directors, creators, storytellers, and producers, in an effort to inspire today’s youth, announced Kaepernick on media. The first project will follow Kapernick’s life story in a docuseries.

While playing for the San Francisco 49ers, Kaepernick’s protest of the national anthem became the topic of national debate. Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem to draw attention to the social injustice and police brutality faced by African Americans every day in the United States. In light of the recent uproar of activism after the death of George Floyd, Kaepernick’s partnership with Disney will provide the much-needed stories and perspectives that have been denied in our society.

The Undefeated will be working side by side with Kaepernick to develop future projects committed to create compelling stories that will educate, enlighten and entertain. The Undefeated is a platform established with ESPN that explores the intersections of race, sports and culture. Nonetheless, the partnership will work with all Walt Disney affiliates: Walt Disney Television, ESPN, Hulu, Pixar.

Follow Colin Kaepernick: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Follow Disney: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Follow The Undefeated: Facebook | Twitter

ESPN Leadership Dinner

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On Thursday, November 14th at 6:30 PM ESPN celebrated today’s visionaries and their role on leveraging innovation to impact change. The dinner will take place ahead of Beyond Innovation – an annual event hosted by Beyond Sport, which will convene a series of leaders and innovators across sports, technology, government and education to inspire cross-sector discussion and partnership on innovative solutions to the global STEM workforce crisis.

Both Thursday’s dinner and Beyond Innovation are private, invite only events. Thursday’s dinner kicked things off and was headlined by David Goldstein of SpaceX. Goldstein will give his perspective on the tech space and the opportunity to advance, such as landscape, insights on where the tech world is sitting at the moment, what does it take to work as a leader in tech, and lightly touch on the sport angle and how they can connect/engage.

Thursday night’s turnout was phenomenal at the iconic Dodger Stadium. Beyond Innovation started the topic of conversation about how important the role of sports and STEM education is to our community.

David Goldstein, retired Air Force colonel, gave a very motivating speech on what it takes to be a good leader.

“You need to inspire, engage and have grit in what you do to help others get to their destination and be able to pass that knowledge on to our upcoming leaders as well.”

BZEES RALLY COLLECTION

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By Armon Hayes × Vaughn Lowery

360 Magazine attended the ultimate tailgate party held at the Arlo Hotel Soho in NYC. Bzees new FALL/WINTER 19 Rally Collection launch showed off the brands spirit of women’s empowerment to live boldly. Special guest Sage Steele and daughters featured the following trendy footwear styles – Secret Peep Toe (sandal starting at $59) and Romance Bootie (at $69). Certainly these ladies know about active life styles.

Founder/CEO Lori McDermid birth the collection inspired by sports and the women’s interaction of life’s daily demands. Taking their best selling silhouettes in a boot and sandal, available in your favorite team colors for the sporty girl in you. Comfy and made for any women who means Bzeesness.

A dynamic design; an upper soft stretch knit with no seam and binding for a custom fit. Engineered soles with cloud technology weighing in at 4-6 oz, making it extremely lightweight. This collection is on trend to the fashion footwear community and effortlessly transitions from day to night (even moms preparing for back to school). The desire for comfort and functionality while trendsetting can be a sacrifice; that’s an old stigma washed away with these machine washable air-dry styles.

NBA Expands Second Annual Jr. NBA Global Championship

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The National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced details of the second annual Jr. NBA Global Championship, a youth basketball tournament for the top 13- and 14-year-old boys and girls teams from around the world that will be held Aug. 6-11 at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Fla. Thirty-two teams will participate in a week of on-court competition and off-court programming centered on the Jr. NBA’s core values of teamwork, respect, determination and community.

The NBA will introduce a new layer of local competitions, including more than 20 local tournaments – 14 of which will be hosted by NBA teams in their respective markets – to expand the pool of participating boys and girls teams in the U.S. The Dallas Mavericks will host a local qualifying tournament and teams that win at The Sportsplex Dallas, March 22-24^th, 2019, will receive an automatic bid to Jr. NBA Global Championship South Regional Tournament in Dallas, June 7-9^th, 2019.

Long-time league partner and leading basketball stakeholder USA Basketball will enhance all domestic competitions and help increase accessibility by accrediting local tournaments, again licensing participating coaches, supporting all eight U.S. regional tournaments and promoting best practices through the implementation of the NBA and USA Basketball Youth Guidelines.

Qualifying competitions will tip off in January 2019 and run through June 2019. In the U.S., the winning boys and girls teams from each of the new local tournaments will advance to one of eight regional tournaments in the spring.

The international competition, which will once again leverage the Jr. NBA’s extensive global reach, will expand to additional countries and territories. Top players from the Caribbean will now have the opportunity to compete alongside players from South America for a chance to represent Latin America in the Jr. NBA Global Championship. The Asia Pacific regional competition will expand to include youth from Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The winning boys and girls teams from each of the eight U.S. regional tournaments (Central, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast, Northwest, South, Southeast and West) and the boys and girls teams representing the eight international regions (Africa, Asia Pacific, Canada, China, Europe & Middle East, India, Latin America, and Mexico) will receive all-expenses-paid trips to compete in the culminating event in Orlando. U.S. teams will have the opportunity to register online for a chance to compete in their respective regional tournament.

The Jr. NBA Global Championship will feature boys and girls divisions, separated into U.S. and international brackets that begin with round-robin play and continue with single-elimination competition. The winners of the U.S. and international brackets will play in the global championship games on Aug. 11.

FOX and FS1 will televise the Jr. NBA Global Championship in the U.S. as part of the multiyear partnership launched last year, while Tencent, the Exclusive Official Digital Partner of the NBA in China, and China Mobile Migu, the Official Telecom Carrier Immersion Platform of the NBA in China, will livestream the Jr. NBA Global Championship in China. Additional international media partners will be announced at a later date.

More than 300 boys and girls from 35 countries participated in the inaugural Jr. NBA Global Championship in August 2018. During the weeklong event, all 32 teams participated in off-court activities including life skills sessions, Disney park visits, a community service project, and educational meetings with current and former NBA and WNBA players and coaches. The Central girls (Kansas City, Mo.) defeated the Europe girls team 68-38, while the Central boys (Overland Park, Kan.) defeated the Africa & Middle East boys team 60-50 in the global championship games.

More information about the Jr. NBA Global Championship and dates for the U.S. regional tournaments can be found atJrNBA.com/GlobalChampionship. Registration for teams to compete in the Jr. NBA Global Championship is not yet open but those that sign up online will be notified as soon as registration information is available.

QUOTES:

NBA President, Social Responsibility & Player Programs Kathy Behrens:

“We are looking forward to building on the success of the inaugural Jr. NBA Global Championship to host another best-in-class event. The expanded programming and new strategic partnerships will allow more youth players from around the world to participate in this year’s event and have the opportunity to showcase their talents on a global stage.”

USA Basketball Chairman and Jr. NBA Leadership Council Chairman Retired General Martin E. Dempsey

“The Jr. NBA Global Championship is taking another positive step forward by bringing together several of basketball’s leading stakeholders to advance and grow the game at the youth level. The expanded Jr. NBA Global Championship, along with the USA Basketball U.S. Open Basketball Championships, will continue to promote age-appropriate rules, playing standards and safe play to help young players develop on and off the court.”

Three-time NBA Champion and Jr. NBA Global Championship Ambassador Dwyane Wade:

“I attended last year’s Jr. NBA Global Championship and it was incredible to witness the talent and passion displayed by boys and girls from around the world. This event offers a unique opportunity for young players to learn about different cultures while bonding through their love of the game.”

WNBA Champion and Jr. NBA Global Championship Ambassador Candace Parker:

“I’m thrilled to return as an ambassador for the Jr. NBA Global Championship, which is an amazing showcase and development opportunity for talented young players. I’m proud to support a program that will help advance the growth of girls basketball at all levels.”

Cheat Codes x ESPN’s Monday Night Football

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Tonight, ESPN will feature a special performance from multi-platinum, electronic/dance/pop group Cheat Codes (comprised of Trevor Dahl, Matthew Russell and Kevi Ford) during their broadcast of the Chicago Bears against the Seattle Seahawks. The performance of their hit “Feels Great” will include an appearance from track’s featured guest, CVBZ. Kick-off for the game is set for 8:15pm ET, with the performance slated to air during the Genesis Halftime Show (#GenesisHalftimeShow).

This performance marks the second National television appearance behind “Feels Great,” following Cheat Codes’ appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! earlier this year. “Feels Great” is approaching 2 million singles sold around the world and broke top 30 on U.S. pop radio.

2018 has been a banner year for the trio, with their single “No Promises” ft. Demi Lovato approaching 5X platinum certification globally including 1.7 million sales equivalents in North America. Billboard interviewed the trio earlier this summer for their Beat Break segment, in addition to a high-profile appearance at their Hot 100 Festival. The group were also hand picked by The Chainsmokers to join them for select dates this year, in addition to sets at Electric Daisy Carnival, Firefly Music Festival, Summerfest and Ultra Music Festival in Europe.

More recently, the trio collaborated with UK girl group Little Mix on the track “Only You” which is already generating buzz on streaming platforms having passed over 500,000 equivalents globally. The track reached #1 in the UK and is currently #38* in the U.S. and on rotation at 70 radio stations.