Latest news with #skillschallenge
New York Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
MLS All-Star Game: Messi still a no-show; James, Jordi Alba out of skills competition
AUSTIN, Texas – The MLS All-Star Game will be missing some of its biggest stars over the next two nights. Inter Miami left back Jordi Alba and León midfielder James Rodríguez were both slated to take part in Tuesday night's skills challenge event at Austin FC's Q2 Stadium but were scrapped from the lineup. Advertisement Liga MX confirmed to The Athletic on Tuesday night that Rodríguez did not travel for the game at all, in fact. Monterrey defender and former Real Madrid star Sergio Ramos, another one of Liga MX's headliners, is expected to arrive Wednesday and take part in the match for the second time in his career (2017, with Madrid). MLS has not confirmed whether Alba, who started in last year's event in Columbus, will take part in the game. Meanwhile, superstar Lionel Messi, the league's co-leading scorer and reigning MVP, was also selected to play in the game, but so far has been absent from any events. Multiple sources declined to say whether Messi will attend Wednesday's game – which could result in discipline. MLS rules dictate that players who are not injured and opt to not participate in the All-Star Game are then suspended for one league match, in an effort to encourage involvement. Former LA Galaxy star Zlatan Ibrahimović, for instance, was suspended one game in 2018 for skipping the event. 'I think it is ridiculous, but yeah, no comments,' Ibrahimović told reporters at the time. 'They do whatever they want. I come from a different world, I come from the real world. 'It is what it is. I respect in the end, and I'm sorry for my teammates only that I could not help them in the game. But yeah, people are interested in different things. They lose on it, and for me it doesn't matter.' Should Messi not show, he would potentially be at risk of missing Miami's home match on Saturday night against table-topping FC Cincinnati. He and Miami teammate Luis Suárez both missed last year's All-Star event, but both had injuries coming out of Copa América.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Where to watch MLS All-Star Skills Challenge live stream, TV channel and start time
The stars are aligning once again for the 2025 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge, presented by AT&T, as Major League Soccer and LIGA MX have rolled out their 10-player squads. Headlining the MLS side is none other than American soccer trailblazer Clint Dempsey. The former New England Revolution and Seattle Sounders forward will dust off his boots to take part in the festivities. He'll be joined by USWNT captain and current Lyon dynamo Lindsey Heaps, adding some serious flair to the mix. LIGA MX is bringing the heat too, calling in Mexican football legend Oribe Peralta and Club América's Nicki Hernández, one of the brightest talents in the LIGA MX Femenil. For the second straight year, the Skills Challenge will be more than just a showdown between top-tier leagues—it's a star-studded showcase featuring iconic veterans and North America's elite women's players. With big names and bigger personalities set to square off, this Skills Challenge is shaping up to be one for the highlight reels. Here's everything you need to know about the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge, including TV channel and streaming options. Where to watch MLS All-Star Skills Challenge: Live stream, TV channel TV channel: - Live stream:Apple TV The MLS All-Star Skills Challenge is not available for live TV broadcast in the US. Streaming options are available on Apple TV, with the MLS Season Pass. Fans can sign up for MLS Season Pass for as low as $99 for the full season or $14.99 per month. Current Apple TV+ subscribers can enjoy a special rate of $79 for the full season. New subscribers can enjoy a free trial of AppleTV+ and try before they buy! Apple MLS All-Star Skills Challenge start time Date: Tuesday, Jul. 22 Time: 9 p.m. ET | 6 p.m. PT MLS All-Star Skills Challenge will kick off at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 22, from the Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas. MLS All-Stars 2025 Here is the 2025 MLS All-Stars' roster: Jordi Alba - Inter Miami CF Sebastian Berhalter - Vancouver Whitecaps FC Denis Bouanga - LAFC Anders Dreyer - San Diego FC Evander - FC Cincinnati Alex Freeman - Orlando City Diego Luna - Real Salt Lake Sam Surridge - Nashville SC Brad Stuver - Austin FC Yohei Takoaka - Vancouver Whitecaps FC Clint Dempsey - MLS Great Lindsey Heaps - USWNT Star *Italics indicate the player is a goalkeeper. LIGA MX All-Stars 2025 Here is the 2025 LIGA MX All-Stars' roster: Juan Brunetta - Tigres UANL Sergio Canales - CF Monterrey Rodrigo Dourado - Atlético San Luis Luis Malagón - Club América Kevin Mier - Cruz Azul Paulinho - Toluca Brian Rodríguez - Club América James Rodríguez - Club León Alexis Vega - Toluca Alejandro Zendejas - Club América Nicki Hernández - LIGA MX Femenil Oribe Peralta - LIGA MX Great *Italics indicate the player is a goalkeeper. Related Links Where to watch Lionel Messi with Inter Miami MLS's Designated Player: Roster rules for USA soccer league explained Updated MLS 2025 standings
New York Times
19-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Liberty sweep: Natasha Cloud and Sabrina Ionescu dominate WNBA All-Star Friday
INDIANAPOLIS — Natasha Cloud shot her shot early Friday, proclaiming that the opening of All-Star Weekend would be a clean sweep for the New York Liberty. Cloud was first up, making her All-Star debut in the skills challenge, 10 years into her professional career. She was followed by teammate Sabrina Ionescu in the 3-point shootout, and she predicted both Liberty guards would walk away with hardware. Advertisement 'We're trying to do Liberty Biberty all night tonight,' Cloud said. And her proclamation was fulfilled. Cloud set the tone in the skills challenge, recording the fastest time of 34.1 seconds in the first round. She aced the passing skills and made enough jumpers to advance to the final alongside Seattle Storm guard Erica Wheeler. Allisha Gray, Courtney Williams and Skylar Diggins missed the cut. Wheeler went first in the second round as the challenger, posting a reasonable 37.8 seconds, though the corner 3-pointer over the spinning wheel befuddled Wheeler all night. Cloud had difficulty with the jumpers as well, but had about eight seconds left when she turned for home with the outlet pass and layup. She nailed the outlet pass in one attempt and raced to finish the layup with 1.1 seconds to spare, greeted immediately by a bear hug from Wheeler and then another celebration with Ionescu. 'Once I looked up, I got 3 seconds, I said, 'Don't smoke this layup,'' Cloud said after winning the event. Ionescu kept up her end of the bargain in the second event. Kelsey Plum opened the 3-point shootout with a score of 22, child's play for the type of performances Ionescu has produced in this showcase. Sonia Citron and Lexie Hull followed with 19 and 20 apiece, putting minimal pressure on the Liberty guard. Ionescu responded with a respectable 25 despite missing three moneyballs, securing her place in the final round. Ionescu had to go first in the final when Gray matched her score of 25, and she set an enviable pace. She didn't match the 20 shots in a row she made in 2023, but she drained 12 consecutive, including six moneyballs and a Starry logo shot, to take control. Ionescu's command of the Starry ball (worth three points) was the separator. She made three of four logo shots over two rounds, while Gray missed all four. Advertisement Ionescu's final score of 30 ties Allie Quigley for the second-highest in WNBA history. Ionescu also joined Quigley as the contest's only multi-time winner. The New York guard is still two wins behind the recently retired Quigley's four. This is the second consecutive season the WNBPA has partnered with Aflac to award the skills challenge winner $55,000 — the same amount given to the winner at NBA All-Star Weekend — in addition to the $2,575 from the WNBA. Cloud told ESPN's Holly Rowe after the event that if she won, she planned to use the prize money for a down payment on a house. Upon receiving her trophy, Cloud looked at her partner Isabelle Harrison on the sideline — who was rocking the No. 9 Cloud Liberty jersey — and said, 'Baby, we're gonna get that house.' — Sabreena Merchant Wheeler has had an itinerant WNBA career. She went undrafted in 2013 and didn't debut until 2015, but she latched on with Indiana in 2016 and stayed through 2019, when she made the All-Star Game for the first time and won MVP. She also returned to the Fever in 2023-24 before joining the Seattle Storm this offseason. Wheeler was the clear fan favorite during the first event and thanked Fever fans for showing her love even after leaving Indiana. 'I honestly feel like I got home-court advantage,' Wheeler said after the first round. 'I feel it, and I thank you guys for all the love and for always cheering for me, even when I'm with the Seattle Storm.' Wheeler wasn't the only Storm guard to participate in the skills challenge. Her teammate Skylar Diggins was also a contestant, and Friday served as a homecoming of sorts for the 34-year-old. Diggins, who was eliminated in the first round, is a South Bend, Ind., native. She starred at Washington High School in South Bend and was named Indiana Miss Basketball and a McDonald's All-American in 2009. Diggins went on to lead Notre Dame to three Final Fours before becoming a seven-time All-Star in the WNBA. In her second season in Seattle, Diggins earned her first All-Star selection in 2022. — James Boyd Advertisement The Liberty entered Friday night's festivities looking to win at least one of the two events for the third time in four years. They did that, and more, sweeping both competitions to kick off the weekend festivities. Throughout the regular season, Cloud and Ionescu had instant chemistry and have spoken repeatedly about how much they enjoy playing alongside each other. Their friendship was evident after both competitions as the two players celebrated together after each won their respective event. Ionescu — ever the competitor — said she was still 'disappointed' for leaving points on the table, but she still recorded the second-most points in event history. — Ben Pickman
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Who won WNBA All-Star Skills Challenge, 3-point contest. how much money did they win?
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Fever hosted WNBA All-Star events Friday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, consisting of the skills challenge and 3-point contest. Here's what you need to know, including results and payouts: WNBA All-Star Skills Challenge results: Natasha Cloud wins despite missing all 3s The skills challenge consists of two rounds; the top two times from the first round advance to the finals. New York's Natasha Cloud, Seattle's Erica Wheeler and Skylar Diggins, Atlanta's Allisha Gray and Minnesota's Courtney Williams competed in the challenge. Cloud won both rounds despite missing all three 3-pointers on racks in the first and second round. Players get three chances to make a 3-pointer both at the top of the key and in the corner around a windmill, but they aren't penalized if they miss all three. First round Cloud: 34.1 seconds Wheeler: 36.5 seconds Gray: 39.4 seconds Williams: 42.0 seconds Diggins: 44.3 seconds Second round Cloud: 35.6 Wheeler: 36.7 Cloud, going second, finishes the circuit with 1.1 seconds left on the clock, just barely beating Erica Wheeler's 36.7 second More: Twitch Studbudz Courtney Williams, Natisha Hiedeman stars of All-Star weekend How much money does Natasha Cloud get for winning WNBA skills challenge? The WNBA pays the winner of the skills challenge $2,575, as per the collective bargaining agreement. For the second straight season, however, Aflac and the players' union will partner to give the skills challenge winner an extra $55,000. It amounts to a 28% bonus for Cloud, who is making $200,000 this season. Cloud said following her win that she'll use the money for a down payment on a house. WNBA 3-point contest results: Sabrina Ionescu catches fire, wins again, completes NY Liberty sweep The 3-point challenge gives shooters 70 seconds to shoot up to 27 basketballs, as many as they can get to in that time frame. A regular made shot is one point, and there was a money ball at the end of each rack worth two points. Each player could could choose one of the five racks to be a money ball rack, and all five made shots on that rack are worth two points. There were also two special deep range Starry balls further behind the 3-point line that counted for three points each. The top two players advance to the finals. Los Angeles' Kelsey Plum, Washington's Sonia Citron, Indiana's Lexie Hull, New York's Sabrina Ionescu, and Atlanta's Allisha Gray competed. First round Ionescu: 25 Gray: 25 Plum: 22 Hull: 20 Citron: 19 Second round Ionescu: 30 Gray: 22 How much money does Sabrina Ionescu get for winning WNBA 3-point contest? The WNBA will also pay the winner of the 3-point contest $2,575, per the collective bargaining agreement. Aflac and the players' union also sponsor it, giving the winner an additional $60,000. That makes it a 30% bonus for Ionescu, who is making $208,060 this season. Chloe Peterson is the Indiana Fever beat reporter for IndyStar. Reach her at capeterson@ or follow her on X at @chloepeterson67. Get IndyStar's Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Caitlin Clark Fever newsletter. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Who won 2025 WNBA All-Star Skills Challenge, 3-point contest?
