Tiger Woods said he will make a "game-time decision" on whether to participate in the Masters after returning to Augusta National Golf Club yesterday to continue practicing. Woods, who hasn't played in more than a year after suffering severe injuries as the result of a 2021 car crash, has until his to-be-determined tee time Thursday morning to make a final decision on whether to play in the tournament. (The New York Times)
Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons filed a grievance against his former team, the Philadelphia 76ers, seeking nearly $20 million in salary that he claims the team owes him, according to sources, though the 76ers claim Simmons breached his contract by declining show up to training camp or play during the preseason or regular season. The two sides reportedly held talks in an attempt to avoid going to arbitration, but those efforts were unsuccessful. (ESPN)
The No. 1-seeded South Carolina women's basketball team claimed their second NCAA national championship since 2017 last night via a decisive 64-49 victory over No. 2-seeded Connecticut, handing the Huskies their first loss in 12 national championship games. (USA Today) Meanwhile, the men's basketball national championship game is set for tonight between No. 1-seeded Kansas and No. 8-seeded North Carolina. (The Associated Press)
Media
UNC-Duke Final Four thriller just OK, pending out-of-home lift Sports Media Watch
Saturday's North Carolina-Duke NCAA men's national semifinal averaged 16.3 million viewers across TBS, TNT, TruTV and streaming, per Nielsen fast-nationals that do not include out-of-home viewing — the largest audience for the Final Four since North Carolina-Oregon on CBS in 2017 (18.83M).
MLB likely increasing sportsbook ad slots during game broadcasts Bill King, Sports Business Journal
The league likely will nudge forward once again on the number of sportsbook slots it will allow during both local and national broadcasts, allowing networks to sell up to six during the game and a combined four during pre- and post-game shows.
MLB gets to start play amid red-hot TV ad market John Ourand, Sports Business Journal
Fox, ESPN and Turner all are reporting that they are approaching sellout levels at significant increases this season. Even ad buyers are describing the MLB market as incredibly active.
Sports spending by EVs focused on media rather than sponsorship Terry Lefton, Sports Business Journal
The biggest question in the auto industry is how long its EV transition will take. The corollary of when EV launch budgets will be pumping up sponsorship and experiential marketing budgets in sports is as clear as when the Detroit Lions will win a Super Bowl, and the favorite NFL team of America's automakers has never won an NFC championship.
Blackhawks hire Chris Vosters as play-by-play announcer to replace Pat Foley Scott Powers, The Athletic
Foley announced in June 2021 that he will retire after the 2021-22 season following a 39-season career. He only called a portion of the schedule this year to "pass the torch to his successor," with Vosters among the others who got air time.
Tim McCarver officially retiring from legendary MLB broadcasting career Ethan Sears, New York Post
McCarver, who last called games on the national stage in the 2013 World Series, had worked Cardinals games for Bally Sports Midwest for six years after that and had been on hiatus during the pandemic.
College Sports
Learfield enters free-to-play gaming space with UK firm Michael Smith, Sports Business Journal
North Carolina, N.C. State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss and Texas A&M are offering customized gaming on their mobile apps and official athletic websites. While these games are free to play and do not provide cash rewards, they offer other types of winnings, such as an autographed ball or apparel.
New Era of Deals for College Players Means Business Considerations, Like Taxes Billy Witz, The New York Times
Players at the men's and women's Final Four, already in programs that garner a lot of attention, have gained an even bigger platform during the end of the tournaments. Women's players may stand to attract even more lucrative opportunities.
Headlocks and Cash: College Athletes Can Now Be Pro Wrestlers Kim Bhasin, Bloomberg
At long last, college athletes can get involved in the scripted combat world of pro wrestling while they're still in school, and that's all opportunity for Paul Levesque, better known by his ring name Triple H.
