Less than 20 years ago, 95% of NFL kickoffs were returned. Next season, that number is projected to be 31%, Axios' Jeff Tracy writes.

State of play: Kickoff returns have been trending down for years as a result of rule changes designed to make football safer. The latest change, announced this week, will send them even closer to extinction.

Driving the news: NFL owners on Tuesday approved a rule change wherein a kickoff that is fair caught anywhere behind the 25-yard line will get placed on the 25. In the past, it would get placed at the spot of the fair catch (and thus, almost never happened), and kickoffs were only placed at the 25 on a touchback.

• The impetus for the change was a surge in concussions on kickoff returns, with nearly twice as many last year (19) as there were in 2020 (10).
• The league estimates that this new rule will decrease the rate of kickoff returns from 38% to 31% and thus reduce concussion rates on those plays by 15%.

The backdrop: The 95% return rate in 2005 was uniquely high, but it was still 80% in 2010 when the league made its biggest recent rule change, moving kickoffs up from the 30-yard line to the 35-yard line. The ensuing increase in touchbacks saw the return rate drop to 54%.

• It's hovered between 36-42% since 2015 after two additional rule changes were made, moving the spot of a touchback up five yards to incentivize taking them and eliminating running starts for the kicking team to reduce high-impact collisions.
• But the rate was up slightly the last two years compared to the previous three due to the new trend of "pop-up" kicks, which teams use to pin their opponents down near the goal line rather than blast it into the end zone for a touchback.
• Those are the plays the NFL attributes the concussion surge to, and thus the plays it hopes to eliminate with this rule.

What they're saying: "The data is very clear about the higher rate of injury on that play," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told ESPN. "This was a step that we think was appropriate to address that."

Yes, but: The data may be misleading, SI notes. 99.3% of kickoffs last season were concussion-free and 11 of the 19 concussions on kickoffs happened when a returner took the ball out of the end zone — a play unaffected by the new rule.

• Special teams coordinators "unanimously opposed the change," according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
• Some coaches fear it will have the opposite effect as intended, yielding a new strategy of squib kicks that cause more chaotic, high-risk plays.

The intrigue: The new kickoff rule — which is the same as the one the NCAA implemented in 2018 — is only for this season, after which it will be reassessed. If it doesn't go as planned, there are two other existing options the league could explore instead.

• The USFL kicks off from the 25-yard line, and that extra space "has produced really solid results from an injury standpoint," per SI.
• The XFL kicks off from the 30, with the rest of the kicking team lining up five yards away from the return team. Drastically reducing the space between them limits dangerous collisions.

The big picture: Kickoffs are as old as football itself, but they could eventually become a thing of the past. "We want to keep it in the game," NFL Competition Committee chair Rich McKay said this week. "[But] I don't know that we know we can keep it in the game."

Go deeper: The kick return is dead, long live the kick return (WashPost)

The Panthers were the final team to qualify for the playoffs. Now they're headed to their first Stanley Cup Final in 27 years.

Driving the news: Matthew Tkachuk scored his third game-winner of the series with 4.9 seconds left to lift the Panthers to a 4-3 win and their first-ever postseason sweep.

• "Who else, right?" said teammate Aaron Ekblad. "What he's done [this season] is unexplainable."
• Since falling behind 3-1 to the record-setting Bruins in the first round, the Panthers have now gone 11-1 against the East's top three teams.

The other side: The Hurricanes lost their 12th straight conference finals game (three straight sweeps), and lost every game this series by one goal. Brutal.

The big picture: It's the year of the eight seed in the NHL and NBA, with the Panthers and Heat — two Miami-based teams — taking their respective leagues by storm.

• The Panthers are the fourth No. 8 seed to make the Stanley Cup Final, joining the 2006 Oilers (lost), 2012 Kings (won) and 2017 Predators (lost).
• With a win tonight, the Heat would become the second No. 8 seed to make the NBA Finals, joining the 1999 Knicks (lost).

Go deeper: Five keys to the Panthers' surprise postseason run (ESPN)

Real Madrid is a historically dominant juggernaut with more major titles than any other club in Europe. Their soccer team is pretty good, too, Jeff writes.

Driving the news: Real Madrid's basketball team won its record-extending 11th EuroLeague championship on Sunday, beating Olympiacos, 79-78, thanks to a game-winning jumper with 3 seconds left from team captain Sergio Llull.

• Madrid was led by Walter Tavares' double-double (13-10), which helped earn him Final Four MVP honors. Tavares is one of five former NBA players on Real Madrid, joining Mario Hezonja, Anthony Randolph, Rudy Fernández and Sergio Rodríguez.
• Impressive in defeat: EuroLeague MVP and 2017 NBA draft pick Sasha Vezenkov (29-9-4) and former NBA player Isaiah Canaan (21 points) led the way for Olympiacos, which is based in Greece and has won three EuroLeague titles.

Between the lines: Multisport clubs like Madrid are the norm in Europe. That's much different from what we're used to in the States, where fans root for independent franchises across sports that usually have no relation, like a New Yorker who supports the Yankees and Knicks.

• Take the EuroLeague's final four: Real Madrid (men's and women's soccer, men's basketball), Olympiacos (men's soccer, men's and women's basketball, 13 other sports), Barcelona (men's and women's soccer, men's basketball, 11 other sports) and Monaco (men's soccer and basketball) operate numerous sports for both men and women.
• It's a bit like American college sports in that way, with numerous teams — each with their own staff and players — competing under one organizational umbrella. The difference, of course, is that these European clubs aren't also institutions of higher learning.
• Ownership can be different, too. Madrid, for example, is owned by over 90,000 dues-paying members whose general assembly (2,000 representative members) elects a president, approves the budget, and more. Some other major clubs are similarly member-owned.

The big picture: None of those clubs have been as successful as Madrid, which is the world's 13th-most valuable sports franchise. Men's soccer is, of course, their crown jewel, but don't sleep on their hoops program, which helped develop Luka Dončić (played there from 2015-18).

⚽️ Inter wins Coppa Italia: Lautaro Martínez scored twice as Inter Milan beat Fiorentina, 2-1, to secure their ninth Coppa Italia title. They'll chase another trophy next month, when they take on Manchester City in the Champions League final.

📺 ESPN's NBA ratings: The 2023 NBA Playoffs are the most-watched on ESPN platforms in 11 years, per Nielsen. Broadcasts have averaged 5.58 million viewers through 31 games, up 9% from last year, ESPN said in a news release.

🧑‍⚖️ Miles denied bail: A judge denied bail Wednesday for former Alabama basketball player Darius Miles, who's facing a capital murder charge in the January 15 shooting death of 23-year-old Jamea Harris.

🏀 Morant scare: Police in Tennessee conducted a welfare check on Ja Morant on Wednesday following cryptic messages on Instagram that ended with him saying, "Bye." Police said Morant is "fine" and just "taking a break from social media."

The top five stayed the same this week, with three AL teams (Rays, Orioles, Rangers) and two NL teams (Dodgers, Braves) holding firm atop the league, Jeff writes.

By the numbers: Our top 10 is a near-even split of big- and small-spending teams.

• Big payrolls: Yankees (2nd-largest payroll), Dodgers (5th), Blue Jays (7th), Braves (8th), Rangers (9th), Astros (10th)
• Small payrolls: Brewers (20th), Diamondbacks (21st), Rays (27th), Orioles (29th)

Elsewhere: There was lots of movement across the league this week as we near the season's one-third mark. How are you feeling about your squad?

The NCAA softball Super Regionals begin today, and the 16 teams who emerged from regionals now have one clear goal: win two games and reach the Women's College World Series, Jeff writes.

The intrigue: If anyone beats No. 1 Oklahoma it would register as a massive upset. The two-time defending champs are one win shy of tying the NCAA record for consecutive wins (47), and nearly half of their victories during the streak (22 of 46) have come via the mercy rule.

• The Sooners have gone a mind-blowing 171-8 over the past three seasons, and a national title this year would see them join UCLA (1989-91) as the only programs to three-peat.
• This year might be their best yet: In addition to the aforementioned win streak, they're 54-1 and lead the nation in most offensive categories and also ERA, where the gap between them (0.88) and second-place (1.36) is the same as the gap between second and 11th (1.84).

State of play: Eight best-of-three series will be played today through Sunday, with higher seeds hosting and the winners advancing to the WCWS in Oklahoma City. Here are the matchups…

Starting today:

• Tallahassee: No. 3 Florida State (53-9) vs. No. 14 Georgia (42-13)
• Stillwater: No. 6 Oklahoma State (44-14) vs. Oregon (38-15)

Starting tomorrow:

• Norman: No. 1 Oklahoma (54-1) vs. No. 16 Clemson (49-10)
• Durham: No. 8 Duke (48-10) vs. No. 9 Stanford (43-13)
• Tuscaloosa: No. 5 Alabama (43-19) vs. No. 12 Northwestern (41-11)
• Knoxville: No. 4 Tennessee (47-8) vs. No. 13 Texas (45-13-1)
• Seattle: No. 7 Washington (41-13) vs. Louisiana (50-14)
• Salt Lake City: No. 15 Utah (40-13) vs. San Diego State (38-15)

ICYMI … Florida State reached this round thanks to the heroics of Kat Sandercock, who threw a perfect game in Sunday's winner-take-all matchup against South Carolina. Not a single ball left the infield.

Go deeper: The final 16 teams, re-ranked (NCAA)

The Celtics host the Heat tonight (8:30pm ET, TNT) with their season yet again on the line. They're down 3-1 after Tuesday's Game 4 victory.

• State of play: Boston has faced elimination three times this postseason and hasn't lost yet.
• Yes, but: Miami hasn't lost consecutive games in these playoffs. Something's gotta give.

More to watch:

• 🏒 NHL Playoffs: Golden Knights (up 3-0) at Stars (8pm, ESPN)
• 🥎 Softball Super Regionals: No. 14 Georgia at No. 3 FSU (7pm, ESPN2); Oregon at No. 6 Oklahoma State (9pm, ESPN2) … Game 1 in best-of-three series.
• ⚽️ Premier League: Manchester United vs. Chelsea (3pm, Peacock) … With two games left, United need just one point to clinch a berth in next year's Champions League.
• ⚾️ MLB: Phillies at Braves or Mets at Cubs (7:30pm, MLB)
• 🏀 WNBA: Aces at Sparks (10pm, CBSSN); Lynx at Mercury (10pm, Prime)
• 🏒 Hockey Worlds: USA vs. Czechia (9:20am, NHL); Canada vs. Finland (1:20pm, NHL) … Quarterfinals.
• ⛳️ PGA: Charles Schwab Challenge (8:15am, ESPN+, 4pm, Golf) … At Colonial Country Club in Forth Worth, Texas.
• 🎾 Tennis: Morocco Open (7am, Tennis) … Quarterfinals.

Source: Giphy

Drag racing is huge in Thailand, whether in cars, motorcycles … or even rice tractors, Jeff writes.

Details: Racers modify the same tractors they use to farm rice, speeding through both dry fields and muddy rice paddies.

• Some have seats, some look more like chariots, and many are customized with neon paint jobs and even carbon fiber fuel tanks, intakes and gearshifts.
• It's less about intense competition than a shared love of drag racing, with hundreds of people enjoying the day — and a few drinks — together.

Seven college football programs have active streaks of at least 10 consecutive winning seasons.

• Question: Can you name all seven?
• Hint: Three Big Ten, two SEC, one Big 12, one ACC.

Answer at the bottom.

Five of the 12 managers in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball League have MLB experience, and all five played for the Mets, NYT notes.

• Masato Yoshii, Chiba Lotte Marines
• Kazuo Matsui, Seibu Lions
• Tsuyoshi Shinjo, Nippon-Ham Fighters
• Shingo Takatsu, Yakult Swallows
• Kazuhisa Ishii, Rakuten Golden Eagles