Advocates are concerned that increased commercial pressure from big college sports like football and basketball could harm women’s and Olympic sports programs. They urge donors to support these smaller sports through scholarships and funding to help them thrive amid changing college athlete payment rules.
Key Facts
College sports programs supply about 75% of U.S. Olympians in typical Summer Games.
A $2.8 billion settlement now allows schools to share over $20 million annually with athletes, mostly benefiting football and basketball.
Some believe this focus on lucrative sports risks underfunding women’s and Olympic sports.
A Senate bill is proposed to protect and fund women’s and Olympic sports.
Donors and philanthropists are encouraged to support women’s and men’s Olympic sports directly.
Tennessee Education Lottery CEO Rebecca Paul gave $12 million to create an endowed fund for women’s athletics at Butler University.
Paul noted past disparities in sports opportunities for women, highlighting the need for continued support.
Financial adviser Celene Funke warns that commercial pressures could harm entire athletic departments without proper safeguards.
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University of Louisville and other colleges are creating nonprofit groups to raise money and compete better in college sports. These nonprofits handle things like media deals and events to generate income, helping athletic programs cover rising costs and stay competitive.
Key Facts
Louisville spends over $40 million yearly on college sports but only football and men’s basketball make money.
Louisville created a nonprofit called Cardinal Ventures to find new ways to earn money from its sports brand.
Other schools like University of Kentucky, University of North Carolina, and LSU are also forming nonprofits or similar organizations.
These groups manage things like multimedia deals, hospitality packages, and events to boost revenue.
College sports programs face financial pressure due to paying athletes for using their name, image, and likeness (NIL).
Some universities are turning to private investments and large donations to support these nonprofits.
Louisville’s football stadium is also used for concerts by popular artists to generate extra profits.
There is concern that these nonprofits could make universities behave more like professional sports businesses.
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College athletes can now earn money from endorsements due to a 2021 Supreme Court decision. While nonprofits initially hoped to benefit from this change, most of the large payments have gone directly to the athletes. Some nonprofits have gained from partnerships with athletes, but their financial benefits remain small.
Key Facts
The 2021 Supreme Court case NCAA v. Alston allowed college athletes to receive payments for their name, image, and likeness (NIL).
Payments to college athletes have grown to nearly $2 billion annually.
Some nonprofits partnered with athletes for mentorship and community programs, such as Maryland's Youth Leadership Foundation.
Many NIL collectives were formed as nonprofits and allowed tax-deductible donations.
The IRS ruled in 2023 that NIL collectives do not qualify as tax-exempt nonprofits because their main purpose is paying athletes, which benefits private individuals rather than the public.
A 2025 settlement in House v. NCAA lets big universities share revenue from TV and ticket sales to pay athletes about $20.5 million per school annually.
Experts agree that nonprofits have seen only minor financial gains compared to athletes and colleges.
The hope that charities would gain significant benefits from NIL payments was short-lived.
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The Philadelphia 76ers have added LeBron James and Jaylen Brown to their team, joining existing stars Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. Maxey recently worked out with Brown and James, saying their first workout went well and they communicated and worked hard together.
Key Facts
The 76ers signed NBA legend LeBron James and former NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown in the offseason.
Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid are already All-Star players on the team.
Maxey described their first workout as having great communication, energy, and serious effort.
Last season, Maxey averaged 28.3 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game.
Embiid averaged 26.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game last season.
Brown averaged 28.7 points, nearly 7 rebounds, and over 5 assists per game with his previous team.
LeBron James has shifted from a leading role to more of a supporting role recently but remains a strong player.
The players are building chemistry in the offseason to improve their chances of winning a championship this season.
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The Philadelphia 76ers have added Jaylen Brown and LeBron James to their team for the 2026-27 NBA season. Shaquille O'Neal expects the team to win an NBA championship this year with their strong lineup.
Key Facts
The 76ers traded for Jaylen Brown during the offseason.
LeBron James signed a two-year contract with the 76ers.
The expected starting lineup includes Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Brown, and James.
Shaquille O'Neal said the team has a "championship or bust" goal this season.
O'Neal believes Embiid and LeBron want to win a championship now.
The 76ers’ first game of the season is against the reigning champions, the New York Knicks, on October 20.
Shaquille O’Neal emphasized that the team has all the pieces needed to win immediately.
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Australian cyclist Maeve Plouffe said she was almost hit by a car during the first stage of the Tour of Britain Women race. The event honored British rider Fin Tarling, who recently died in a crash during another race, and organizers said they are taking rider safety very seriously after Plouffe’s report.
Key Facts
Maeve Plouffe, an Australian rider, nearly got hit by a car while racing on a roundabout.
The incident happened as she was trying to catch up to the main group after a tire puncture.
Cars from the public were on the course even though the race convoy was still nearby.
The moto escort (motorcycle officials) later improved safety conditions during the race.
This incident comes soon after the death of 19-year-old British rider Fin Tarling in a road accident during the Volta a Portugal race.
A tribute to Fin Tarling was held before the Tour of Britain Women started, including a photo and a minute of applause.
British Cycling Ventures, the race organizer, said rider safety is their top priority and they will investigate Plouffe’s experience.
Josh Tarling, Fin’s brother, is also a professional rider and is set to race in the upcoming Vuelta a Espana.
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The Southeastern Conference (SEC) in college football has not won a national championship for three years, breaking its long history of success. This season, the SEC hopes to end this drought despite facing tougher schedules with the addition of a ninth conference game.
Key Facts
The SEC won 19 national championships from 1990 until recently.
The last SEC national championship was won by Georgia in the 2021-22 seasons.
No SEC team has reached the national title game in the last three years.
The SEC added a ninth conference game this season, increasing the difficulty of schedules.
SEC teams have a combined record of 5 wins and 8 losses in the last three College Football Playoffs.
The Big Ten conference has won the last three national titles.
SEC coaches agreed to the tougher schedule hoping for future expansion of the playoff from 12 to 16 or 24 teams.
Coaches acknowledge the risks of a harder schedule but believe strong competition prepares their teams better.
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The U.S. Open tennis tournament will award singles champions $5.5 million each, the highest prize in Grand Slam history. Total prize money for the event will reach $108 million, a 20% increase from last year.
Key Facts
Singles winners will get $5.5 million each, up from $5 million last year.
Total prize money for the U.S. Open is $108 million, 20% more than the previous year.
Players entering the main singles draw will earn $140,000 each, a record amount.
The Jacksonville Jaguars planned to use Travis Hunter as both a wide receiver and cornerback, but so far, he mostly plays defense. The team’s coach says Hunter watches defensive plays in practice more than playing offense, suggesting they see him as stronger on defense.
Key Facts
Travis Hunter is a player for the Jacksonville Jaguars who can play offense (wide receiver) and defense (cornerback).
Hunter wanted to play both offense and defense during games.
Recently, the Jaguars have used Hunter mainly on defense.
Hunter is listed as a starting cornerback and a backup wide receiver on the team’s depth chart.
Last season, Hunter caught 28 passes for 298 yards and one touchdown before getting injured.
He had surgery to fix a knee injury (torn lateral collateral ligament).
Jaguars coach Liam Coen said Hunter practices more on defense and studies defensive plays even when off the field.
Hunter was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and played college football at Jackson State and Colorado, where he was successful both on offense and defense.
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Pete Alonso hit a ball that looked like a home run during a baseball game, but the umpire called it foul. After review, the call was not changed because there was only one camera angle, and it was ruled foul, which led to the Baltimore Orioles losing the game to the New York Yankees.
Key Facts
Pete Alonso hit what appeared to be a second home run in the seventh inning.
The ball was initially called foul by the umpire.
Video replay confirmed the foul call because only one camera angle was available.
MLB rules require at least two camera angles to overturn a call.
Orioles broadcasters and Alonso believed the ball was fair based on available footage.
Orioles manager and starting pitcher criticized the lack of technology to verify fair or foul calls.
Alonso suggested installing tracking technology like the cameras used in football to make more accurate calls.
The game ended with the Orioles losing 5-3 to the Yankees.
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The Chicago Bears' backup quarterback, Tyson Bagent, is dealing with a hamstring injury and is expected to miss some time. Head coach Ben Johnson said Bagent is "week to week" and will not play in the upcoming preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Key Facts
Tyson Bagent is the Bears' second-string quarterback and has played limited games since Caleb Williams became the starter.
Bagent impressed in the preseason opener by completing 13 of 22 passes for 169 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
Bagent is currently injured with a hamstring strain, which means he could miss the start of the regular season.
Hamstring injuries are tricky because they can last weeks and may worsen if the player returns too soon.
The Bears open their regular season on September 13 against the Carolina Panthers.
Other quarterbacks on the Bears' roster include Caleb Williams (starter), veteran Case Keenum, and rookie Miller Moss.
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The US Open tennis tournament will pay its singles winners $5.5 million, the highest prize in grand slam history. Total prize money has increased to $108 million, up 20% from last year, with higher earnings for players at all stages of the event.
Key Facts
The singles champions at the US Open will each receive $5.5 million.
Total prize money for the tournament is $108 million, a 20% increase from last year.
Players who make it into the 128-player singles main draw will earn $140,000 each.
Quarter-finalists will earn $780,000, semi-finalists $1.45 million, and the runner-up $2.8 million.
Prize money for US Open singles winners increased from $5 million in the previous year.
Winners of men’s, women’s, and mixed doubles will share $1 million, with runner-ups earning $500,000.
Wheelchair singles champions will receive $104,000.
A new player support program will start with $2 million to help male and female players, adding to pension funds and other benefits.
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Brian Burns had his best NFL season in 2025 playing for the New York Giants, achieving a career-high in sacks and other defensive stats. He was voted the 14th best player in the league for 2026 by active NFL players, and the Giants team and his teammates praised his skills and work ethic.
Key Facts
Brian Burns had 16.5 sacks, 31 quarterback hits, 22 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, and seven passes defended in the 2025 season.
He was selected for the Pro Bowl for the third time in his career.
Burns was ranked No. 14 on the 2026 NFL Top 100 players list by votes from current NFL players.
He was not on the Top 100 list in the previous year.
Burns started his NFL career playing five seasons with the Carolina Panthers.
He joined the New York Giants in a trade before the 2024 season.
Giants teammates praised his speed, studying of quarterbacks, and understanding of defensive play.
The Giants will open their 2026 regular season against the Dallas Cowboys on September 13.
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The Washington Commanders won their preseason opener without key players Jayden Daniels and Rachaad White. Coach Dan Quinn said some starters will play in the next game against the Detroit Lions, but White will miss it due to a hamstring injury, and Daniels’ playing time depends on the lineup.
Key Facts
The Commanders beat the Miami Dolphins 20-7 in their preseason opener.
Jayden Daniels (quarterback) and Rachaad White (running back) did not play in that game.
Coach Dan Quinn plans to play many starters against the Detroit Lions.
Rachaad White will miss the Lions game because of a hamstring injury.
Jayden Daniels’ participation depends on who else is available.
Marcus Mariota is still recovering from an MCL injury.
Backup quarterbacks Sam Hartman and rookie Athan Kaliakmanis played against Miami; Kaliakmanis had good stats.
Daniels missed most of last season due to injury but was a Pro Bowl player as a rookie.
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Victor Wembanyama was named captain of the French national basketball team ahead of the FIBA World Cup European qualifiers. At 22 years old, he recently led the San Antonio Spurs to the NBA Finals and earned several honors for his performance.
Key Facts
Victor Wembanyama is 22 years old.
He was chosen as the captain of France’s national basketball team.
Wembanyama led the San Antonio Spurs to the NBA Finals.
He won Defensive Player of the Year and Western Conference Finals MVP awards.
The French team will play friendly games against Serbia before starting qualifiers against Slovenia.
Wembanyama said being captain means leading by example and knowing the game well.
The Spurs will start their next NBA season on October 20 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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The Boston Red Sox have faced many injuries among their pitchers in the 2026 season, but their pitching has remained strong overall. Tanner Houck, one of their injured pitchers recovering from elbow surgery, recently started throwing to hitters again, showing good progress toward a possible return.
Key Facts
Garrett Crochet, the team's top starting pitcher, has missed games since April due to shoulder inflammation.
Johan Oviedo and Kutter Crawford are unlikely to play again this season because of injuries.
Two key bullpen pitchers, Garrett Whitlock and Justin Slaten, also recently went on the injured list but may begin throwing soon.
Despite these injuries, the Red Sox's starting pitchers have a 3.94 ERA, ranked 10th in Major League Baseball.
Their bullpen has the best ERA in MLB at 2.95.
Tanner Houck threw 20-25 pitches to live batters for the first time in over a year.
Houck averaged about 93 mph in this throwing session, which is a positive sign during his recovery.
Houck had surgery on his right elbow’s ulnar collateral ligament and struggled with performance in 2025 after a strong 2024 season.
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Scottie Scheffler is close to breaking Tiger Woods' record for the most money earned on the PGA Tour. Scheffler recently won the St. Jude Championship and continues to lead the FedEx Cup standings as he approaches the final playoff events.
Key Facts
Scottie Scheffler is nearing Tiger Woods' PGA Tour career earnings record of about $121 million.
Scheffler has earned nearly $120 million in career PGA Tour prize money so far.
He won the St. Jude Championship recently, adding $3.6 million to his earnings.
Scheffler has multiple second-place finishes this year, including a high-earning second at The Masters.
The BMW Championship, coming up next, offers $3.6 million to the winner.
The FedEx Cup winner receives a $10 million bonus prize.
Scheffler won the FedEx Cup two years ago and aims for another win this year.
Scheffler acknowledges Tiger Woods’ impact on increasing prize money and growing the sport.
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Manchester United finished third in the Premier League last season, securing a spot in the UEFA Champions League and showing signs of improvement. The team is preparing for the 2026-27 season with new midfield players to replace Casemiro, hoping to compete for the Premier League title again.
Key Facts
Manchester United finished third in the Premier League last season, their best result since 2023.
This finish qualified them for the UEFA Champions League.
Since manager Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, United has mostly struggled to reach top positions.
Michael Carrick replaced Ruben Amorim as manager mid-last season and has improved the team’s performance.
United’s main challenge is replacing midfielder Casemiro, who moved to Inter Miami.
The club bought Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £85 million ($115 million) as a defensive midfielder.
They also signed Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa, a creative and versatile midfielder.
The team hopes these changes and Carrick’s leadership will help them compete for the Premier League title.
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Tyler Warren, a tight end for the Indianapolis Colts, left practice with a minor groin injury but is expected to miss only about a week. Warren should be ready to play by the start of the NFL season, which begins with the Colts facing the Baltimore Ravens on September 13.
Key Facts
Tyler Warren left Colts practice with a groin injury.
He is expected to miss about one week.
Warren is likely to be ready for Week 1 of the NFL season.
Warren had 76 catches, 817 yards, and 4 touchdowns last season.
He earned Pro-Bowl honors in his rookie year.
Warren also scored a rushing touchdown in goal-line plays.
Wide receiver Alec Pierce is still recovering from ankle surgery.
The Colts start the season on September 13 against the Baltimore Ravens.
Warren was the 14th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and played college football at Penn State.
He won the John Mackey Award for the best tight end in college football.
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Houston Astros manager Joe Espada was ejected during a game after arguing about a checked swing call on Mike Trout. The umpires ruled Trout did not swing, while earlier a similar play involving Jeremy Pena was called differently, which led to the dispute. The Astros won the game 3-2 against the Los Angeles Angels.
Key Facts
Joe Espada argued about a checked swing call on Mike Trout in the third inning.
Umpires ruled that Trout’s bat held back and the ball hit his hand.
Earlier, Jeremy Pena was called out for a swing that also hit his hand.
Espada felt the two plays should have been judged the same way.
First base umpire Lance Barrett asked Espada to stop arguing, and when he didn’t, Espada was ejected.
Espada said he planned to apologize to Barrett after the game.
The Astros won the game 3-2 and increased their lead in the American League West division.
The umpiring crew followed MLB rules during the incident.
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