AP Sports: The Indiana Fever, playing in front of another capacity crowd on the road, won their fourth consecutive game Friday, something the franchise had not achieved since 2015. Indiana beat Atlanta 91-79 in front of 17,575 fans at State Farm Arena, setting a Dream record for single-game home attendance. The previous record was 11,609 for the franchise's inaugural game against the Detroit Shock in 2008 at the same venue, then known as Philips Arena. (Full story here.)
Two-time WNBA champion A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces and 2024 No. 1 overall draft pick Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever lead the voting after the first round of fan returns for AT&T WNBA All-Star 2024. Wilson leads all players with 217,773 votes, followed by Clark (216,427). Clark’s teammate, Aliyah Boston is third (171,864), followed by Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty (151,984), and Arike Ogunbowale of the Dallas Wings (130,838). (See full results here.)
New Balance has unveiled the Shohei Ohtani Signature Collection by New Balance. Cleats will be available with a corresponding apparel line as part of a popup presence July 14 during All-Star Week in Arlington, on New Balance's online shop for Home Run Derby July 15.
National Beverage Corp. said its LaCroix brand has been named the official sparkling water of Inter Miami CF, Leo Messi's MLS team. Both organizations are headquartered in South Florida.
Michael Phelps, who has won more total Olympic medals (28) and gold medals (23) than anyone in history, will join NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Paris Games. Phelps returns to NBCU’s coverage following his role on the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
The International Motor Sports Assn. and NBC Sports have signed a multi-year extension of their media rights agreement, keeping NBC Sports as the home of the flagship IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and other IMSA-sanctioned series. NBC Sports said its IMSA viewership has grown 37% in the past five years since acquiring media rights prior to the 2019 season
Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Danielle Collins and Emma Navarro will compete in women's singles; Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Chris Eubanks and Marcos Giron will compete in men's singles at the Paris 2024 Olympics, the U.S. Tennis Assn. said. Desirae Krawczyk will team with Collins and Gauff with Pegula in women’s doubles, Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek and Fritz and Paul will play men’s doubles. A mixed doubles team will betaken from the qualified players.
ESPN, the NFL and RCX youth sports experience business will stage the inaugural NFL Flag Championships presented by Toyota, July 19-21, at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Village, Canton, Ohio. More than 32 hours of live flag football competition will be available across ESPN, Disney and NFL platforms. The NFL said 2,860 flag players would participate, representing 280 NFL Flag regional winning teams of girls and boys and six international teams.
Cisco has signed a partnership with the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Team USA to serve as the “official network equipment partner.” Since 2012, Cisco has served as an official partner of several editions of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, including London (2012), Rio de Janeiro (2016), Tokyo (2020) and Paris (2024).
The city of San Francisco celebrates every May 24 as Willie Mays Day. If it's not already happening, MLB needs to do this league-wide by 2025, joining Jackie Robinson Day (April 15), Lou Gehrig Day (June 2) and Roberto Clemente Day (Sept. 15). NFL Training Camp Reporting Dates and Locations
Aaron Judge (New York Yankees) leads all MLB players with 1,366,315 votes in the first MLB All-Star Ballot presented by BuildSubmarines.com update for the 2024 MLB All-Star Game presented by MasterCard. Yankees Juan Soto ranks second across MLB with 1,252,020 total votes, First baseman Bryce Harper (Philadelphia Phillies) leads all NL players with 1,110,562 total votes. Overall leaders also include Mookie Betts (Los Angeles Dodgers 1,023,690) now on IR, Alec Bohm (Phillies 1,012,174), and Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers 1,002,377).
RIP Jerry West
Carlos Alcaraz has signed an extension with Nike for approximately ten years, valued at $150-$200 million, according to Spanish sports Web site Relevo, which will include the creation of his own custom logo. He has been with Nike since 2019. His deals also include BMW, Calvin Klein, Louis Vuitton, Rolex and Babolat.
The NBA said the NBA Mexico City Game 2024 will feature the Miami Heat and the Washington Wizards playing a regular-season game hosted by Zignia Live in the Arena CDMX in Mexico City on Nov. 2. The game and surrounding events will be supported by a roster of marketing partners, including AT&T, Betcris, Emirates, Hennessy, Michelob Ultra, Nike and Tissot.
EA Sports said San Francisco 49ers RB and 2023 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey would be on the cover of Madden NFL 25 regular and deluxe editions, launching worldwide Aug. 16.
The NHL and NHL Players' Association, with the V Foundation for Cancer Research, unveiled a funding of $2.9 million that will go directly to life-saving cancer research. More than $4 million was raised this season after the League partnered with the V Foundation during the 25th anniversary of Hockey Fights Cancer.
RIP: Grayson Murray
RIP: Kim Van Gundy
The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources.
'Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity' — #MartinLutherKingJr
'We have come too far, we have sacrificed too much, to disdain the future now' — #JFK
“All of us might wish at times that we lived in a more tranquil world, but we don't. And if our times are difficult and perplexing, so are they challenging and filled with opportunity.” — Robert F. Kennedy d June 6, 1968 @TheSatoProject
