Sports

Chicago

Axios Chicago

More than a year  after Lane Tech College Prep dropped its use of "Indian" as a mascot, the school is renaming its athletic field after a groundbreaking alum. 

Driving the news: Lane is dedicating the field to Fritz Pollard, a largely unsung 1912 alum who became the first Black professional quarterback and coach.

What's more: An NFL Hall of Famer, Pollard was the first Black player in the Rose Bowl, representing Brown University. 

He later started the first Black-owned tabloid, The New York Independent, and founded a talent agency where he represented Paul Robeson and Lena Horne. 

Pollard also created two independent football teams, the Chicago Black Hawks and Harlem Brown Bombers, to give exposure to Black football players. 

What they're saying: "We couldn't be more excited for Fritz Pollard to finally get even a fraction of the recognition he deserves," Michelle Weiner of the Lane Tech Alumni Association, which led the Pollard renaming effort, tells Axios. 

If you go: The pregame rededication ceremony starts at 11am Saturday featuring Pollard's grandson and an unveiling of plaques detailing the alum's achievements.

What's next: Wiener hopes the Pollard dedication will bring together Lane alums who, she says, are still divided on the decision to drop the Indian mascot. 

Meanwhile, the Rogers Park Historical Society is working to name a park at Damen and Lunt after the Pollard family.

💭 Monica's thought bubble: I come from a big Lane alum family whose brothers are split on the mascot issue.

But in an era when the Cleveland Indians and Washington Redskins have become the Guardians and Commanders, I think Lane can move forward, too.

Fritz Pollard getting his due from Lane Tech

The school is renaming its athletic field after the groundbreaking alum.

A flyer promoting "Fritz Pollard Day" showing a man throwing a football. 

Flyer courtesy of Lane Tech Alumni Association 

Twin Cities

Axios Twin Cities

The Twins are coming out with new branding for next season, and that includes a tweak to the Minnie and Paul logo beyond centerfield. 

Between the lines: One local doctor and consulting physician to the Twins has been pushing for a more diverse Minnie and Paul logo than the two white ballplayers shaking hands after home runs. 

A Twins spokesperson said the team wouldn't comment on "specific design elements until the entire system is unveiled."

What's ahead: The Twins plan to reveal new logos and jerseys after the season, according to the Star Tribune.

The team and the Minnesota Ballpark Authority will also spend $30 million on a new video board in left field that is 76% larger than the current one. 

💭 Nick's thought bubble: The Twins are missing out on a great mascot opportunity. They should ditch T.C. Bear and replace him with Minnie and Paul, a pair of mascots who team up on stunts, and also prank one another. 

Minnesota Twins float redesign for Minnie and Paul logo

One consulting physician to the team has been pushing for it

The Minnie and Paul sign at Target Field 

Axios Twin Cities, anchored by Torey Van Oot, Nick Halter and Audrey Kennedy, is here to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news and developments unfolding in their own backyard

Des Moines

Axios Des Moines

Step aside, boys — Des Moines Public Schools is launching its first-ever girl's wrestling program this year.

Why it matters: Wrestling has deep roots in Iowa, but girls who want to participate often have to join a boy's team. 

Establishing a girl's program will likely raise local participation in the sport, which is seeing growing nationwide popularity.

State of play: DMPS will offer the girls program to all high schoolers with practice beginning Oct. 31 and competition beginning Nov. 14.

The district hired Samantha Bush, the assistant coach of Grand View University's women's wrestling club to lead the program, along with assistant coaches that will work in each school.

Of note: Wrestling was sanctioned by the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union for the first time this year.

The bottom line: Let's hear it for the girls.

Girls wrestling coming to Des Moines schools

DMPS will offer the girls program to all high schoolers with practice beginning Oct. 31.

Samantha Bush, head coach of DMPS' girl's wrestling program. Photo courtesy of DMPS

Axios Des Moines, anchored by Jason Clayworth and Linh Ta, is here to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news and developments unfolding in their own backyard.

Miami

Axios Miami

It's always nice to be a good neighbor, especially in a hurricane.

What's happening: The Miami Dolphins are hosting Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the team evacuates from the path of Hurricane Ian.

 The Bucs will practice at the Dolphins' Baptist Health Training Complex in Miami Gardens Wednesday, NFL.com reports. 

The Dolphins are playing in Cincinnati Thursday night, so they'll be done with their pre-game preparations by Wednesday, per the league. 

What we're watching: The Bucs are scheduled to play the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday in Tampa, but they're working on contingency plans to relocate the game if needed, the Tampa Bay Times reported. 

It would probably be relocated out of Florida to free up resources in the state to assist in the hurricane recovery. 

Tampa Bay

Axios Tampa Bay Thought Bubble

Picture of the Tampa Bay skyline with TPA written across it.

Get smarter, faster about what’s happening in your backyard with local reporter Ben Montgomery.

Axios Tampa Bay

Tom Brady's in town: Buccaneers practicing in Miami

The Bucs are scheduled to play the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday in Tampa, but they're working on contingency plans to relocate the game.

Tom Brady throws a football during practice.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady throws a pass during warm-ups. Photo: Julio Aguilar/Getty Images

National Football League (NFL)

National

Axios Sports

On its surface, the Premier Lacrosse League is a four-year-old sports league. At its core, it's a scrappy startup that still acts like it's Year 1.

Why it matters: This approach has helped the PLL punch above its weight and quickly develop a reputation as one of America's most innovative sports leagues.

Catch up quick: The PLL was unafraid to try new things from the jump, launching with a tour-based model instead of the traditional city-based model that most leagues use.

That spirit of innovation has continued, with fresh ideas routinely being applied to TV broadcasts, postseason formats and everything in between.

"We really haven't done one season yet that's looked like the others," says PLL c0-founder and president Paul Rabil of the league's willingness to experiment and fail along the way.

By the numbers: The PLL's track record of innovation was part of the reason ESPN signed a four-year contract with the league in 2021 — a deal that's already paying dividends.

The average broadcast for the recently-concluded 2022 season drew 157,000 viewers (up 26% from 2021), according to the league.

The Sept. 18 championship game on ABC drew 452,000, making it the most-viewed game in outdoor pro lacrosse history.

Looking ahead: For the PLL's next grand experiment, the top four teams from 2022 will compete in an offseason competition this February called the Championship Series.

The idea was inspired by the success of their 2020 pandemic tournament, says Rabil. "We looked at our bubble as 'wow, this was really successful,' and wanted to add it to our offering post-pandemic."

The Championship Series will take place at a single site and games will be played in the more internationally accessible World Lacrosse Sixes format — part of a push to get lacrosse into the Olympics.

The big picture: The PLL's fast-paced culture has kept things exciting and helped put the league on the map. But eventually, all startups must end — either they fail or they become mature businesses.

A mature PLL won't be able to rely on scrappiness and good ideas. The media and fans, once charmed by innovation, will care more about looming threats like attendance concerns.

That's the big test for the PLL moving forward: Can it succeed where so many other startup leagues have failed and grow beyond the "we're here to shake things up" energy that inevitably fades away?

Premier Lacrosse League continues growth with startup-like approach

The Premier Lacrosse continues to grow using a startup-like approach.

Illustration of a lacrosse stick holding a light bulb

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.

Phil Mickelson and three other golfers dropped out of an antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour, according to court documents filed on Tuesday.

Why it matters: The federal lawsuit seeks to challenge golfers' suspensions from the tour after they chose to participate in LIV Golf, a new Saudi-backed series that's lured several top players away from the PGA Tour.

The Justice Department opened an investigation into the PGA Tour over antitrust violations in July.

What they're saying: "Plaintiff, Phil Mickelson voluntarily dismisses without prejudice his claims against Defendant," one of the filings reads.

Talor Gooch, Ian Poulter and Hudson Swafford also asked to be removed as plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

The big picture: Four other golfers who were included in the original suit —Abraham Ancer, Carlos Ortiz, Pat Perez and Jason Kokrak — are no longer part of it, according to ESPN.

Bryson DeChambeau, Matt Jones and Peter Uihlein remain plaintiffs, as well as LIV Golf, which joined a few weeks after the lawsuit was filed.

Go deeper: PGA Tour denies membership for LIV players

Phil Mickelson drops out of LIV Golf lawsuit against PGA Tour

It seeks to challenge golfers' suspensions from the tour after they chose to participate in LIV Golf.

Phil Mickelson during round one of the Safeway Open golf tournament in Napa, California, on Sept. 10.

Phil Mickelson during round one of the Safeway Open golf tournament in Napa, California, on Sept. 10. Photo: Santiago Mejia/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images

Golf

President Biden has made the COVID-19 crisis and a post-Trump return to national unity and traditional democratic ideals his top priorities. From vaccinations to stimulus to schools, Biden is seeking bipartisan compromise while showing a willingness to use executive authority and bare Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate to implement his policies. Republican leaders are navigating deep party divisions over if and how to move beyond former President Trump.

Politics & Policy

A voting snafu this week shed some light on a process most college football fans know little about: how AP voters submit their Top 25 polls, and how the AP tries to limit mistakes.

Driving the news: Thomas Murphy, one of 63 members of the media that submits votes for the weekly AP college football poll, made a mistake on his submission this week.

"I put UNC at 17, instead of NC State. Put the Wolfpack at 18 and inadvertently left out Oregon, my intended 18," he wrote on Twitter, asking fans for their forgiveness.

AP fixed the mistake and reissued the poll on Monday (it comes out on Sundays). No teams moved spots — the only difference was point totals for NC State and Oregon changed a bit.

Between the lines: AP's Ralph D. Russo took the opportunity to "give a little inside baseball to further explain what happened."

"The voting is automated and I can see the results as the votes come in. That allows me to spot possible mistakes. ... Usually, we catch [them], reach out to the voter and make a quick fix well before the poll is published."

"However, I'm also leery of influencing the way someone votes. Early this year, there was what I thought to be ... a mistake. When I reached out, the voter said, 'no, it was intentional.' So that's not great."

"The deal with Tom was, he had UNC at 17. ... I definitely thought it could have been a mistake but he did have NC State ranked ... so I figured, 'weird but ok.' Clearly, I should have been more aggressive."

"Anyway, glad we could get it fixed ... But that's the process. We want to avoid questioning the voters and potentially influencing their votes but we also want to help them out when possible."

Voting snafu shines light on AP college football poll process

Thomas Murphy made a mistake on his AP college football poll submission this week.

The NFL is replacing the Pro Bowl with a weeklong skills competition and flag football game.

Why it matters: This is as much about getting rid of a struggling event as it is about elevating flag football — a critical piece of the NFL's growth plans.

Details: The new event will be called "The Pro Bowl Games," and the inaugural event will take place in Las Vegas this upcoming February, the week before Super Bowl LVII.

The big picture: This is the NFL's latest push to bring flag football to the masses.

As of 2018, more kids in the U.S. were playing flag than tackle thanks largely to NFL Flag, the nation's largest youth league with over 500,000 participants.

The NFL is pushing for flag football to be included in the Olympics — part of its effort to attract more international fans.

Flag has exploded among girls thanks largely to the NFL and Nike committing $5 million to incentivize high schools to add the sport.

The backdrop: Even without the benefits of raising flag football's profile, the Pro Bowl was long overdue for a makeover.

Players regularly opt out, and those who do play struggle to put on an entertaining show as tackle football at half speed and effort just doesn't really work.

Dwindling interest reached its newest low last year, when the game drew its smallest audience since 2006 (6.7 million).

NFL scraps the Pro Bowl in favor of flag football, skills competition

This is as much about getting rid of a struggling event as it is about elevating flag football.

Illustration of a football end zone goal post with two attached flags waving

Axios Login

The NBA's newly refreshed free mobile app include new videos and other features that aim to increase its engagement with fans while not angering the companies that pay billions to broadcast live games.

Why it matters: The NBA (along with its content partner Turner Sports, a division of Warner Bros. Discovery) wants its app to build a stronger direct relationship with fans, but can’t afford to alienate ESPN and the regional sports networks.

Driving the news: The new NBA app, being unveiled today, includes a range of archived content and new documentaries, including more than 500 hours of classic games.

The app will also offer live video, including pregame and postgame press conferences, pregame shows from regional sports networks and "Crunch Time," a new show hosted by Jared Greenberg offering "whip-around" coverage of multiple games in progress.

The league is relying on its partnership with Microsoft to provide the cloud and AI know-how for new personalized elements of the app.. "We want to focus on the things that are very specific to basketball," NBA executive VP Chris Benyarko told reporters at a briefing earlier this month.

The intrigue: League officials downplayed the notion that the new app will step on the toes of ESPN and other broadcast partners. "It’s about making it easier to be an NBA fan," said NBA senior VP Andrew Yaffe. "We’ve worked with them (and) showed them what we’re thinking."

Turner Sports is in a bit of a different boat, as it not only broadcasts games on TNT, but is also the NBA's joint venture partner in all things digital, including the new app and NBA.com.

Between the lines: The new app also comes at a time when sports gambling is taking on new importance.

Again, the league is trying to strike a balance of producing content of interest to those betting on sports without appearing to be pushing fans in that direction.

Yaffe acknowledged the company is trying to thread the needle here, noting that all the gaming-specific content is produced by partners and that the revamped app offers a toggle switch allowing fans to choose not to see content specifically related to gambling.

"We won’t be taking actual bets through our experiences," Benyarko added.

The NBA also sees international markets as a key target for the new app. 

The league has been seeking to grow its audience, especially overseas, with games scheduled to take place this year in Japan and Abu Dhabi.

Editor’s note: This story has been corrected to show that the NBA’s content parter is Turner Sports, not Warner Sports.

NBA pushes boundaries with new mobile app

The app's update includes a lot more video as well as content aimed at gamblers.

National Basketball Association (NBA)

Media

From the Valley to D.C., Big Tech players like Facebook, Google and Amazon are under more scrutiny than ever as new technology develops and privacy and antitrust concerns grow in lockstep with companies’ ambitions.

Technology

After a record economic expansion, the coronavirus pandemic sent the U.S. economy into a recession as unemployment soared to staggering heights. The country now faces urgent questions about how much stimulus is needed for reeling consumers and businesses, and what a recovery might look like.

Economy & Business

Phoenix

Axios Phoenix

Rihanna will perform at the Super Bowl halftime show in Glendale, the NFL and the international superstar announced over the weekend.

This will be Rihanna's first public performance since early 2018. 

Why it matters: Even people who don't like football tune in for the halftime show.

Rihanna's highly anticipated comeback performance is sure to drive additional viewership and will be an opportunity to promote Arizona tourism to more people. 

Flashback: Katy Perry headlined the show in 2015, the last time the big game was in Arizona.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers played at the 2008 Super Bowl — the first in what's now called State Farm Stadium.

Diana Ross played at Sun Devil Stadium in 1996. 

Of note: Rihanna told Vogue in 2019 that she turned down an offer to perform at the Super Bowl in solidarity with free agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

“I couldn’t dare do that. For what? Who gains from that? Not my people. I just couldn’t be a sellout. I couldn’t be an enabler," she told Vogue. 

Kaepernick, who hasn't played in the NFL since the 2016-17 season, said he was blackballed by the league because he knelt during the national anthem to protest police brutality.

What we're watching: In recent years, we've seen a lot of surprise special guest appearances during halftime shows. Who do you hope Rihanna shares the stage with?

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