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Calgary Herald
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
Major League Baseball proves it's best in class when it comes to all-star content
Bulls-of-the-Week Article content The biggest bull market this week has been Major League Baseball, which consolidated its position as best in class when it comes to its all-star game offering in particular and all-star week content in general. Article content It's typically been the best and most enduring all-star package among the five major North American men's professional sports leagues, long after it relinquished its place as 'America's Pastime' — the most popular sport in the United States in the 1980s and 1990s. Part of that has been that it approximates the real thing more closely than any of the other all-star applications. Another part especially this year — has quite paradoxically been its use of the all-star game as a testing ground for new rules and technology. Article content Article content Make no mistake, the curiosity around automatic balls and strikes helped draw a solid 7.2 million in average national audience in the U.S. Ditto for the first-ever 'swing off' that allowed Kyle Schwarber to steal the show with three home runs in as many swings as the tiebreaker to a roller-coaster 6-6 nine-inning game between the National League and American League in Atlanta. Article content Article content Those U.S. TV numbers eclipse those for the NBA all-star game and NFL Pro Bowl, both of which hovered in the range of 4.7 million this year. Yet even the MLB all-star game couldn't match, let alone exceed, the audiences for the final of the Four Nations Face-Off, the tournament that essentially replaced the NHL all-star game six months ago and drew approximately 16 million viewers in Canada (6.3 million) and the U.S. (9.3 million). Article content Above and beyond TV and radio, baseball's all-star week carried very strong fan engagement numbers on social, especially with the home run derby Monday and the game itself Tuesday setting the stage for two days of no regular season baseball on Wednesday and Thursday. That facilitated significant follow up analysis and discussion on sport television, radio and digital, with the swing off, new rules and odes to Babe Ruth's #3 and Hank Aaron's #44 benefiting from significant afterglow and air time right into the weekend. Article content Article content Bears-of-the-Week Article content Article content The National Football League is known as the Shield for a reason. It is sheer Teflon as the biggest juggernaut in the business of sport, especially in the U.S. You can already feel the build up to the pre-season ramping up. One would think that financial strength would reflect positively for both ownership and the players and, to an extent, it does. Yet it sure seems like the NFL Players Association is the weakest of the players unions in North America. It looked that way on Friday when NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell Jr., announced his resignation after two years of missteps and general disorder. Article content In the meantime, baseball — which still has the most powerful union in professional sport and no salary cap — has most of the stage to itself for the rest of July and the month of August. It's 13 days away from the MLB trade deadline and the final stretch run to the 162-game regular season, one that ideally creates a high-water mark of pennant races and wild card chases in September. Make no mistake that the MLBPA won't be diminishing its place in pro sport labour any time soon, especially with signs of growth and heightened player recognition in this era of Shohei Ohtani.
Ottawa Citizen
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Ottawa Citizen
Major League Baseball proves it's best in class when it comes to all-star content
Bulls-of-the-Week Article content The biggest bull market this week has been Major League Baseball, which consolidated its position as best in class when it comes to its all-star game offering in particular and all-star week content in general. Article content It's typically been the best and most enduring all-star package among the five major North American men's professional sports leagues, long after it relinquished its place as 'America's Pastime' — the most popular sport in the United States in the 1980s and 1990s. Part of that has been that it approximates the real thing more closely than any of the other all-star applications. Another part especially this year — has quite paradoxically been its use of the all-star game as a testing ground for new rules and technology. Article content Article content Make no mistake, the curiosity around automatic balls and strikes helped draw a solid 7.2 million in average national audience in the U.S. Ditto for the first-ever 'swing off' that allowed Kyle Schwarber to steal the show with three home runs in as many swings as the tiebreaker to a roller-coaster 6-6 nine-inning game between the National League and American League in Atlanta. Article content Article content Those U.S. TV numbers eclipse those for the NBA all-star game and NFL Pro Bowl, both of which hovered in the range of 4.7 million this year. Yet even the MLB all-star game couldn't match, let alone exceed, the audiences for the final of the Four Nations Face-Off, the tournament that essentially replaced the NHL all-star game six months ago and drew approximately 16 million viewers in Canada (6.3 million) and the U.S. (9.3 million). Above and beyond TV and radio, baseball's all-star week carried very strong fan engagement numbers on social, especially with the home run derby Monday and the game itself Tuesday setting the stage for two days of no regular season baseball on Wednesday and Thursday. That facilitated significant follow up analysis and discussion on sport television, radio and digital, with the swing off, new rules and odes to Babe Ruth's #3 and Hank Aaron's #44 benefiting from significant afterglow and air time right into the weekend. Article content Article content Bears-of-the-Week Article content Article content The National Football League is known as the Shield for a reason. It is sheer Teflon as the biggest juggernaut in the business of sport, especially in the U.S. You can already feel the build up to the pre-season ramping up. One would think that financial strength would reflect positively for both ownership and the players and, to an extent, it does. Yet it sure seems like the NFL Players Association is the weakest of the players unions in North America. It looked that way on Friday when NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell Jr., announced his resignation after two years of missteps and general disorder. Article content In the meantime, baseball — which still has the most powerful union in professional sport and no salary cap — has most of the stage to itself for the rest of July and the month of August. It's 13 days away from the MLB trade deadline and the final stretch run to the 162-game regular season, one that ideally creates a high-water mark of pennant races and wild card chases in September. Make no mistake that the MLBPA won't be diminishing its place in pro sport labour any time soon, especially with signs of growth and heightened player recognition in this era of Shohei Ohtani.
Vancouver Sun
6 days ago
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
Major League Baseball proves it's best in class when it comes to all-star content
The biggest bull market this week has been Major League Baseball, which consolidated its position as best in class when it comes to its all-star game offering in particular and all-star week content in general. It's typically been the best and most enduring all-star package among the five major North American men's professional sports leagues, long after it relinquished its place as 'America's Pastime' — the most popular sport in the United States in the 1980s and 1990s. Part of that has been that it approximates the real thing more closely than any of the other all-star applications. Another part especially this year — has quite paradoxically been its use of the all-star game as a testing ground for new rules and technology. Make no mistake, the curiosity around automatic balls and strikes helped draw a solid 7.2 million in average national audience in the U.S. Ditto for the first-ever 'swing off' that allowed Kyle Schwarber to steal the show with three home runs in as many swings as the tiebreaker to a roller-coaster 6-6 nine-inning game between the National League and American League in Atlanta. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Those U.S. TV numbers eclipse those for the NBA all-star game and NFL Pro Bowl, both of which hovered in the range of 4.7 million this year. Yet even the MLB all-star game couldn't match, let alone exceed, the audiences for the final of the Four Nations Face-Off, the tournament that essentially replaced the NHL all-star game six months ago and drew approximately 16 million viewers in Canada (6.3 million) and the U.S. (9.3 million). Above and beyond TV and radio, baseball's all-star week carried very strong fan engagement numbers on social, especially with the home run derby Monday and the game itself Tuesday setting the stage for two days of no regular season baseball on Wednesday and Thursday. That facilitated significant follow up analysis and discussion on sport television, radio and digital, with the swing off, new rules and odes to Babe Ruth's #3 and Hank Aaron's #44 benefiting from significant afterglow and air time right into the weekend. The National Football League is known as the Shield for a reason. It is sheer Teflon as the biggest juggernaut in the business of sport, especially in the U.S. You can already feel the build up to the pre-season ramping up. One would think that financial strength would reflect positively for both ownership and the players and, to an extent, it does. Yet it sure seems like the NFL Players Association is the weakest of the players unions in North America. It looked that way on Friday when NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell Jr., announced his resignation after two years of missteps and general disorder. In the meantime, baseball — which still has the most powerful union in professional sport and no salary cap — has most of the stage to itself for the rest of July and the month of August. It's 13 days away from the MLB trade deadline and the final stretch run to the 162-game regular season, one that ideally creates a high-water mark of pennant races and wild card chases in September. Make no mistake that the MLBPA won't be diminishing its place in pro sport labour any time soon, especially with signs of growth and heightened player recognition in this era of Shohei Ohtani. Tom Mayenknecht is the host of The Sport Market on Sportsnet 650 on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Vancouver-based sport business commentator and principal in Emblematica Brand Builders provides a behind-the-scenes look at the sport business stories that matter most to fans. Follow Mayenknecht at:
Newsweek
6 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
How to Watch 2025 NFL Flag Championships: Live Stream Girls 18U, Boys 15U, High School, Schedule, TV Channel
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The 2025 NFL Flag Championships begin on Friday in Canton, Ohio, as the top flag teams across the nation compete throughout the weekend. Finalists of the NFL Flag Football Championship compete during the NFL Pro Bowl between the AFC and NFC at Camping World Stadium on January 28, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. Finalists of the NFL Flag Football Championship compete during the NFL Pro Bowl between the AFC and NFC at Camping World Stadium on January 28, 2018 in Orlando, to Watch 2025 NFL Flag Championships Date: Friday, July 18, 2025 - Sunday, July 20, 2025 TV Channel: NFL Network, ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, Disney Channel Live Stream: Fubo (TRY FOR FREE) The top boys' and girls' 8U, 10U, 12U, 14U, and high school division flag football teams make the trip to Canton as they look to prove they have what it takes to be crowned the top teams in the nation this weekend. Flag football has grown in popularity in recent years, with it also getting a spot at the upcoming 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. By the time the next Olympic Games roll around, some of the future stars of the sport could be making a name for themselves this week at the NFL Flag Championships. This is a great weekend of flag football that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action. TV Schedule: Friday Boys 14U, Round of 16 - 10:00 AM - NFL Network High School Girls Division, Round of 16 - 12:00 PM - NFL Network Boys 14U, Round of 16 - 1:00 PM - ESPN2 Boys 14U, Round of 16 - 2:00 PM - ESPN2 High School Girls Division, Round of 16 - 3:00 PM - ESPN2 High School Girls Division, Round of 16 - 4:00 PM - ESPN2 Saturday High School Girls Division, Quarterfinal - 10:00 AM - NFL Network High School Girls Division, Quarterfinal - 12:00 PM - ESPN High School Girls Division, Quarterfinal - 1:00 PM - ESPN Boys 14U, Quarterfinal - 2:00 PM - ESPN Boys 14U, Quarterfinal - 3:00 PM - ESPN International 14U Championship - 5:00 PM - NFL Network Sunday Boys 14U, First Semifinal - 12:00 PM - ESPN Boys 14U, Second Semifinal - 1:00 PM - ESPN High School Girls Division, Semifinal - 2:00 PM - ESPN Boys 15U Championship - 4:00 PM - ABC Boys 14U Championship - 4:00 PM - Disney Channel High School Girls Division, Championship - 5:00 PM - Disney Channel Live stream 2025 NFL Flag Championships on ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network for free with Fubo: Start your subscription now! Regional restrictions may apply. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.
USA Today
06-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Syracuse football lands commitment from four-star, top-50 WR Calvin Russell
Syracuse football made waves in Fran Brown's first season as coach, notching a 10-win season and lighting up scoreboards with a prolific passing offense. That momentum has continued heading into Brown's second season. The Orange landed a commitment on July 5 from wide receiver Calvin Russell, a four-star prospect from the class of 2026 who, if he signs, will be the third-highest-rated recruit that Syracuse has ever landed in 247Sports' history. REQUIRED READING: Heisman Trophy sleepers: Five unlikely contenders for college football's top award The 6-foot-5, 195-pound Russell chose the Orange over his other finalists, Michigan, Oregon and Florida State. A star at powerhouse Miami Northwestern High School, where he plays for former NFL Pro Bowl quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, Russell is rated as a four-star prospect by 247's composite rankings, which have him as the No. 47 overall prospect nationally in the 2026 class and the No. 5 wide receiver. As a junior last season, Russell caught 39 passes for 704 yards and 13 touchdowns while helping lead Northwestern to a Florida 3A state title. He also averaged 21 points and seven rebounds per game as a sophomore for the school's basketball team. According to ESPN, he is expected to "pursue the opportunity" to play for the Orange's men's basketball team. Russell becomes the 26th commitment in Syracuse's 2026 recruiting class, which is ranked 20th nationally by 247 and fifth in the ACC. In its first season under Brown, who arrived after two seasons as Georgia's defensive backs coach, the Orange went 10-3, just its second 10-win season since 2002. Syracuse had finished with a losing record in eight of the previous 10 seasons. The Orange finished 21st among 134 FBS programs in scoring offense, averaging 34.1 points per game, while quarterback Kyle McCord was the nation's leading passer in his first and ultimately only season with the program, throwing for 4,779 yards.
