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RNC chairman claims more people watched UFC Freedom 250 than Super Bowl

In the era of alternative facts, no data point nor statistic should get in the way of good old-fashioned hyperbole. That’s apparently the motto of Joe Gruters, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, who is doing his best to uphold the rigorous fact-checking standards his party has become known for. During a recent appearance…

World Cup viewership off to a red-hot start on Fox, Telemundo

A home World Cup and the associated American-friendly time zones are paying off in a big way for Fox and Telemundo. Through Sunday’s matches, viewership for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is up a whopping 152% across Fox and FS1 versus the Group Stage average during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Fox Sports…

Former Nationals GM Mike Rizzo joins MLB Network’s Draft Combine coverage

MLB Network is adding another decorated front-office voice to its Draft Combine coverage. Mike Rizzo will serve as an analyst for the network’s June 23 Draft Combine coverage at Chase Field, according to Sports Business Journal, joining Dan O’Dowd as the second former MLB general manager on the broadcast. Rizzo spent 17 seasons running the…

CNBC to simulcast 11 WNBA games this season

CNBC’s stock tickers are making room for basketball on Wednesday nights. According to Alex Sherman, the business news network will simulcast 11 WNBA games this season as part of Versant’s media rights deal with the league, starting with defending champion Las Vegas Aces hosting the Phoenix Mercury at 10 p.m. ET on Wednesday. That game…

The Athletic’s Fred Katz on fortuitous timing of upcoming Knicks book

If the New York Knicks were a team of destiny, perhaps Fred Katz’s first-ever book will be a work of destiny. How else could you explain the fact that a book that was supposed to be released this spring was delayed, and as a result, it will now include the Knicks’ championship run? Under the…

Sixers president jinxes no-hit bid on Phillies broadcast

The Philadelphia 76ers recently hired Mike Gansey to become the new president of basketball operations after he spent the last four years as general manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers. And it didn’t take long for Gansey to frustrate some superstitious Philadelphia sports fans. Gansey and Sixers head coach Nick Nurse joined NBC Sports Philadelphia play-by-play…

Jim Rome brings his show to YouTube

There is no shortage of ways to consume The Jim Rome Show, and now the legendary radio host is offering one more in YouTube. Beginning next Monday, June 22, Rome will air his show live on YouTube, in addition to all of the other platforms it’s currently available on. The YouTube addition continues the trend…

Turkish broadcaster pulls commentator after mixing up Iran and New Zealand at World Cup

In the annals of bizarre World Cup broadcast errors, Turkish state broadcaster TRT’s handling of Monday’s Iran-New Zealand match is going to be hard to top. Iran and New Zealand were playing to a 2-2 draw in Los Angeles when TRT commentator Murat Ekrem Çimen started the broadcast with the two teams completely mixed up…

CNN to debut new doc ‘Chasing Soccer Glory: America’s Long Game’

CNN is jumping into the World Cup content game. The cable news network will debut a “FlashDoc” called Chasing Soccer Glory: America’s Long Game, which is available now to stream on the CNN app and will premiere Sunday, June 21 at 8 p.m. ET on CNN. The documentary will explore “soccer’s rise in the United States…

MLS

Kylian Mbappé delivers on World Cup flute celebration promise to James Corden

French soccer superstar Kylian Mbappé appeared on the Fox FIFA World Cup late-night show After Hours with host James Corden recently. During that appearance, Mbappé talked about how he played the flute in childhood, and Corden even had Mbappé try to play the flute during their conversation. Corden explained that it would be great if…

Listen: Fox, Telemundo calls of Lionel Messi’s historic hat trick in World Cup

Lionel Messi is considered by many to be the greatest soccer player of all time, and he certainly showed why in Argentina’s first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Argentina took down Algeria 3-0 on Tuesday night at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. Messi scored all three goals, giving him his first hat trick…

ESPN sets ‘Women’s Sports Sundays’ lineup, leaning heavily on the WNBA

ESPN has revealed the schedule for its new Women’s Sports Sundays, with the WNBA serving as the primary focus. The Women’s Sports Sundays brand was announced by ESPN earlier this year, intended to replace Sunday Night Baseball, which moved from ESPN to NBC. At the time, ESPN described the programming block as representing “a bold…

ESPN criticized for signing high school recruits, which it ranks, to merch deals

ESPN has reached agreements with two high school basketball stars to become the face of SportsCenter’s new merchandise brand, but some fear it could compromise its ability to cover the sport. ESPN revealed today an agreement with high school basketball stars Kaleena Smith and Beckham Black to become the faces of SportsCenter NEXT’s new content…

NBA

ESPN/ABC earns most-watched Stanley Cup Final since 2019

Just hours after ESPN announced it had aired the most-watched NBA Finals since 1998, the network revealed the Stanley Cup Final set a pretty nice multiyear record itself. The 2026 Stanley Cup Final between the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights averaged 5.2 million viewers across six games on ABC, making it the most-watched Stanley…

ESPN re-signs veteran investigative reporter Don Van Natta Jr.

Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter Don Van Natta Jr. has reached a new multiyear contract with ESPN. Per Sports Business Journal’s Richard Deitsch, the contract term is four years. Van Natta joined ESPN in 2012 and has worked as a senior writer within ESPN’s Investigative, Enterprise and Digital Journalism Unit since then. “Don brings experience, expertise…

ESPN/ABC secures most-watched NBA Finals since 1998 for Knicks win

The New York Knicks’ first championship in 53 years provided ESPN the most-watched NBA Finals since 1998. Saturday’s title-clinching Game 5 between the Knicks and San Antonio Spurs averaged 24.5 million viewers on ABC, good for the most-watched NBA game since Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State…

Shannon Sharpe suggests Michelle Obama should sue Josh Hokit for defamation

Unsurprisingly, the UFC event at the White House caused a totally unnecessary and disgusting firestorm thanks to controversial comments from fighter Josh Hokit about former first lady Michelle Obama. In spite of cries from conservatives to keep politics out of sport, there was Dana White and Donald Trump walking side by side out of the…