Sources said that the Big 12 and Pac-12 ended talks of a partnership, which had been heavily discussed over the past two weeks and featured at least three Zoom calls between top officials from both conferences. One Big 12 source said that a partnership didn't work for the conference for multiple reasons, including that any potential tie-up between the two leagues wouldn't have driven much revenue for the conference. (ESPN)
Washington Nationals star Juan Soto hit 53 total homers to claim the Home Run Derby at Dodger Stadium. The 23-year-old, who turned down a reported $440 million contract offer from the Nationals last weekend, defeated the Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodríguez 19-18 in the final round. (The Associated Press)
Notre Dame would reportedly remain independent if it can secure at least $75 million annually in rights revenue from current media partner NBC Sports, whose agreement with the Fighting Irish expires in 2025. NBC is seeking "shoulder programming" from a Power Five conference to bolster its college football coverage, with the Big 12 emerging as a strong option to feature games before or after Notre Dame contests. (CBS Sports)
Cameron Smith, winner of the 2022 British Open and the world's second-ranked golfer, is nearing a deal to join the new Saudi-backed LIV Golf venture, sources said. (TMZ)
COLLEGE SPORTS
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey: 'No sense of urgency' for league to expand beyond 16 teams Heather Dinich, ESPN
In his first public media appearance since USC and UCLA announced their intent to eventually join the Big Ten, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said on Monday his conference is in no rush to expand beyond 16 teams, but that the league will "be nimble" as it continues to monitor the landscape.
College athletes scoring lucrative modeling contracts — here are the haute-est players Kirsten Fleming, New York Post
Given her athletic 5-foot-7-inch frame, Harvard hockey player Chloe Ashton has always held a casual interest in the modeling world. A meaningful introduction to the industry came through her now-ex-boyfriend, who was signed with Wilhelmina, and the agency had in turn asked him about Ashton.
