Why it matters: Shifts in technology and media are changing the way we play, watch and understand sports. Business models are adapting and social change is forcing those in charge of teams and leagues to reconsider decades-old practices.
The University of Connecticut announced Wednesday that it is cancelling its football program for the upcoming school year, citing concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.
Why it matters: It's the first FBS program to back out of this year's season — and it could be just the first domino to fall among other major programs.
Rodions Kurucs (L) and Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot. Photo: Ashley Landis/Pool/Getty Images
The Nets pulled off the largest NBA upset in 27 years on Tuesday, beating the Bucks, 119-116, in a three-point shootout, despite missing their nine best players.
By the numbers: Brooklyn closed as consensus 19-point underdogs thanks to a makeshift roster that featured just one player, Garrett Temple, with more than four starts this season.
The Seattle Storm's Sue Bird wears a shirt in support of Loeffler's opponent. Photo: Julio Aguilar/Getty Images
WNBA players wore T-shirts on Tuesday endorsing the Democratic opponent of Sen. Kelly Loeffler, the co-owner of the Atlanta Dream who has criticized the league for dedicating its season to the Black Lives Matter movement.
What's happening: The shirts had "Vote Warnock" printed on them, a reference to Atlanta pastor Raphael Warnock, one of the top Democrats running against Loeffler in a special election in November.
As local governments go to war over whether high schools can open, the fate of the fall sports season hangs in the balance.
The state of play: The National Federation of State High School Associations has offered a 16-page guide to help states resume athletics, but with so many organizations and school districts involved, there has been little uniformity.
Rafael Nadal at the ATP Mexican Open at Princess Mundo Imperial in February. Photo: Hector Vivas/Getty Images
Defending champion Rafael Nadal tweeted Tuesday that he will not attend the 2020 U.S. Open due to rising coronavirus infections, noting that "it looks like we still don’t have control of it."
The big picture: The tournament was rescheduled over the summer to be held in August and September without spectators. Nadal's absence puts his bid to equal Roger Federer’s record for men's Grand Slam titles on pause.
The 2019 Indianapolis 500. Photo: Clive Rose/Getty Images
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced on Tuesday that it will hold the 2020 Indianapolis 500 on Aug. 23 without fans due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.
Why it matters: It's the first time in the race’s 109-year history that fans won't be in attendance and marks yet another professional sports disruption set off by the virus. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway had originally planned to hold the race at 25% stadium capacity.
Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
Brentford and Fulham match up on Tuesday at world-famous Wembley Stadium in the EFL Championship Playoff Final, with the winner earning promotion to the English Premier League.
Why it matters: The annual match has been dubbed "the richest game in football," with the winner receiving hundreds of millions of dollars thanks to increased TV revenue and other financial perks of joining the world's best soccer league.