Most Americans support some form of boycott against the Beijing Olympics, per a recent Morning Consult survey.
By the numbers: 55% of respondents said either a diplomatic (31%) or total boycott (24%) would be an appropriate response given the Chinese government's record of human rights violations. Just 12% opposed any form of boycott.
HBO Max's upcoming series about the 1980s "Showtime" Lakers doesn't air until March, but it's already causing drama.
Driving the news: The series — based on Jeff Pearlman's 2014 book, "Showtime" — released its first trailer on Thursday, a day after announcing the title: "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty."
NFL kickers are making 92.4% of their extra points attempts this season, the lowest mark since 1979, when they made 91.3%.
The backdrop: The NFL moved extra points back by 13 yards in 2015 (two-yard line to 15-yard line), turning what had been a sure thing (99.3% success rate in 2014) into much less of one (94.2% a year later).
Simone Biles, a four-time Olympic gold medalist and the world's most decorated gymnast, was named Time's 2021 Athlete of the Year, the magazine revealed on Thursday.
Why it matters: Biles is widely considered the greatest gymnast of all time and is one of the most recognizable athletes in the world. But outside of the gymnastics arena, she's also been an advocate for mental health and vocal in criticizing how institutions have failed to address sexual abuse of young athletes.
Endeavor — the publicly-traded company that owns the UFC, Professional Bull Riders, WME and IMG — is buying nine minor league baseball teams affiliated with MLB's most iconic franchises.
Why it matters: Minor League Baseball was forced to cancel the 2020 season because, unlike MLB, it didn't have media rights to fund games with empty stands. Endeavor, which has experience negotiating large media deals, believes it can change that.
European soccer's Super League fell apart two days after it was announced. That didn't stop America's top high school basketball programs from forming a Super League of their own.
State of play: The National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC) began its first full season this month, with eight of the nation's best teams competing head-to-head at venues across the country.
/2021/12/09/1639056037691.gif?w=3840)