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The Orioles are altering Camden Yards' playing dimensions ahead of the 2022 season in an effort to reduce the park's propensity for home runs.

Details: The left field wall will be pushed back "as much as 30 feet" and raised approximately five feet, per the team. Last year's dimensions were 333 feet to left and 364 to left-center. The fence was seven feet high.

"While Oriole Park will remain a hitter's ballpark, it will no longer be an outlier."

By the numbers: 72 more homers have been hit at Camden Yards than any other ballpark over the past three seasons, a difference larger than the gap between second and 13th place, per the Baltimore Sun.

Fun fact: Camden Yards is responsible for two of the top five seasons in MLB history in terms of home runs hit at a single ballpark:

Between the lines: Those astronomical numbers are partly due to the O's atrocious pitching and overall lack of talent in recent years. But their iconic ballpark being a hitter's haven certainly hasn't helped.

The big picture: Camden Yards, which turns 30 next season, has seen 5,911 home runs since opening in 1992. That's the most of any ballpark in that time, with nine having been open the entirety of that span.

Go deeper: The evolution of MLB ballparks (Axios)

Why Orioles' Camden Yards may see fewer home runs this year

The left field wall will be pushed back "as much as 30 feet" and raised approximately five feet.

Baseball

NFL, NBA, MLB & NHL

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.

A judge's ruling has removed a major roadblock to the sale of the Denver Broncos, which now appears imminent.

Driving the news: In 1984, Pat Bowlen bought the Broncos from Edgar Kaiser Jr., who secured a right of first refusal on a potential future sale. On Tuesday, a Denver judge ruled that agreement was no longer valid.

Why it matters: The Broncos are valued at $3.8 billion, per Sportico. A sale would smash the record for richest in sports history (currently: Brooklyn Nets, $2.35 billion).

The backdrop: With the Kaisers out of the picture, all eyes are on the Bowlens — a family whose infighting over the line of succession would make the Roy family blush.

When Pat stepped down from day-to-day operations in 2014 with advanced Alzheimer's, team ownership was put into a trust. Trustees then had two options: choose a successor, or sell the team.

No successor had been named when Pat died in 2019, and his seven children are no closer to picking one now.

In fact, they've split into factions, with two daughters from Bowlen's first marriage suing the trust last year in an effort to dissolve it (the case was ultimately dismissed).

Data: Sportico; Chart: Thomas Oide/Axios 

What to watch: With the Bowlen family drama unlikely to resolve itself, six groups plan to submit bids, per the Denver Gazette's Woody Paige. Peyton Manning and John Elway are both expected to be involved.

Whoever places the winning bid will inherit a team in flux. Head coach Vic Fangio was fired on Sunday, and starting QB Teddy Bridgewater (their 11th since Manning retired) is a free agent.

Denver hasn't made the postseason since winning Super Bowl 50 in 2016, the longest post-championship playoff drought in NFL history.

Go deeper: NFL eliminating Wonderlic test from draft process

Denver

Picture of the Denver skyline with DEN written across it.

Get smarter, faster about what’s happening in your backyard with local reporters John Frank and Alayna Alvarez.

Axios Denver

Denver Alerts

Axios Denver Thought Bubble

Judge clears path for potential Denver Broncos sale

The team is valued at $3.8 billion, and a sale would smash the record for the richest in sports history.

Illustration of the Denver Bronco's mascot logo with a "for sale" sign hanging from it's mouth.

Patrick Mahomes is the most-liked skill position player in the NFL, per Morning Consult's annual survey of U.S. adults.

By the numbers: Mahomes scored a net favorability rating of 34, which was calculated by taking the 41% of respondents with a favorable opinion of him and subtracting the 7% with an unfavorable opinion.

Aaron Rodgers, who trailed only Drew Brees and Mahomes last season, saw his net favorability plummet from 32 to 15 this year.

Brady remains polarizing. 47% of respondents had a favorable opinion of him (highest of any player), while 22% had an unfavorable opinion (second-highest behind former teammate Antonio Brown).

Poll: Patrick Mahomes is most liked NFL skill position player

Russell Wilson and Rob Gronkowski were Americans' second and third favorites, respectively.

Patrick Mahomes. Photo: Dustin Bradford/Getty Images

Football

Kazuyoshi Miura, a Japanese striker known as "King Kazu," has signed with the Suzuka Point Getters of the fourth-tier Japan Football League.

Catch up quick: Kazu's career began in 1986 with Brazilian side Santos, the first of 15 clubs he's played for across five countries: Brazil, Italy, Croatia, Australia and Japan.

Miura was the face of Japan's top-tier J1 League when it launched in 1993, and he led Verdy Kawasaki to the first two championships.

After a brief European sojourn that saw him become the first Japanese player in Serie A (Genoa), Kazu returned home and joined Yokohama FC, where he played from 2005 to 2021.

Now he joins the Point Getters, where he'll be coached by his older brother, Yasutoshi, a former player himself.

The big picture: Miura still holds the Guinness World Record for oldest goalscorer. He also starred for the Japanese national team, earning 89 caps and scoring 55 goals — second-most in the nation's history.

He is intrinsically tied up with the birth and development of professional football in Japan ... He has achieved a god-like status, in some ways I guess similar to [Diego] Maradona in Argentina.

Sean Carroll, a sports journalist who covers Japanese soccer, via BBC

The bottom line: When he was controversially omitted from Japan's World Cup squad in 1998, the 31-year-old Miura was described in some reports as a "veteran." 24 years later, he's still going.

Go deeper: The world's oldest soccer players (ESPN)

World's oldest soccer goalscorer signs another contract

Kazuyoshi Miura during a 2020 match with Yokohama FC.

Kazuyoshi Miura during a 2020 match with Yokohama FC. Photo: Koji Watanabe/Getty Images

Soccer

The Department of Justice has charged a Texas man with distributing performance-enhancing drugs to athletes ahead of the delayed 2020 Olympic Games, according to a criminal complaint unsealed Wednesday.

Why it matters: It's the first criminal charge brought under an anti-doping law that went into effect last December, according to the DOJ.

Details: The complaint alleges that Eric Lira, a "kinesiologist and naturopathic" therapist in El Paso, Texas, distributed PEDs to at least two athletes ahead of the delayed 2020 Games, held last year in Tokyo. 

Lira allegedly sourced PEDs such as human growth hormone and erythropoietin, known as a "blood building" drug, from Central and South America. 

According to prosecutors, in July, one recipient of Lira's PEDs tested positive for human growth hormone and subsequently was "provisionally suspended" from the competition. 

Lira is in custody and scheduled in court Wednesday, per the DOJ. A lawyer for Lira was not immediately identifiable.

Context: Lira is charged under the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act, which bans involvement in doping schemes at major international sports competitions. 

He faces a maximum prison sentence of 15 years for two charges.

What they're saying: "Today, this Office sends a strong message to those who would taint the Games and seek to profit from that corruption,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said according to the press release. 

DOJ charges man for allegedly distributing performance-enhancing drugs to Olympians

A Texas "naturopathic" therapist is the first person to be charged under a new anti-doping law.

Photo: Samuel Corum/Bloomberg via Getty Images

2020 Olympics

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

Nashville

Axios Nashville

There is support for Nashville to recruit a professional women's soccer or basketball team at a community and corporate level according to a new consultant's report released Wednesday.

It's the latest encouraging sign that the effort to bring a National Women's Soccer League or WNBA franchise to Music City is gaining steam.

Consultant CAA Icon presented its findings on Wednesday to the women's pro sports committee, which is composed of members of the city's Sports Authority board.

The research consisted of approximately 4,400 web surveys mined from the email lists of Nashville's pro sports teams and interviews with top executives at 16 major corporations.

Why it matters: Nashville has three professional teams in men's sports, but no women's team.

53% of those surveyed support the initiative to bring an NWSL or WNBA team to Nashville.

Just 14% do not support the cause, according to the report.

Be smart: The growing popularity of women's soccer and the need for stars that girls can look up to was cited as the main reason supporters back a NWSL franchise.

The state's rich history in women's college basketball combined with the lack of a pro men's team were the top reasons for wanting a WNBA team.

The big picture: There is clear corporate support, necessary for any initiative to lure a pro sports franchise. CAA Icon is continuing interviews with corporate executives.

Yes, but: Business leaders were optimistic Nashville could support a franchise, but told the consultant success of a new team would depend on the quality of the ownership group.

Finding a facility is a major issue for a possible WNBA team. While the city's state of the art soccer facility will be completed this year for the MLS' Nashville SC, which would serve as a perfect home for a NWSL franchise, there were concerns about the options for a basketball venue.

Bridgestone Arena may be too large for the crowds WNBA franchises typically draw. The city-owned Municipal Auditorium would need major investment in upgrades.

Meanwhile, top WNBA players told the New York Times that the time is right for the league to expand. But commissioner Cathy Engelbert says that while expansion is part of the league's transition plan, it isn't imminent. 

"We're going to absolutely expand down the road, but we don't just expand for expansion’s sake until we get the economic model further along," Engelbert told the newspaper.

Next steps: CAA Icon plans to reach out to the NWSL and WNBA to discuss opportunities for Nashville. The consultant will also conduct an economic impact analysis to determine how much money a women's pro team would generate for Nashville. 

CAA Icon: Nashville would back women's pro team

53% support the initiative to bring an NWSL or WNBA team to Nashville.

Illustration of the TN flag with a basketball at the center.

Women in sports

Rachel Balkovec will become the first woman to lead a minor league baseball team after the New York Yankees this week named her manager of the Tampa Tarpons.

Driving the news: Balkovec, 34, will manage the Tarpons, the low Class A affiliate of the Yankees, for the 2022 season, which begins in April. 

The Yankees hired Balkovec in November 2019 as a minor league hitting coach, when she became the first woman be named to that role in the history of professional baseball.

Before joining the Yankees, Balkovec spent three seasons with the Houston Astros organization, working as the strength and conditioning coach for Double-A Corpus Christi in 2018 and the Rookie-level GCL Astros in 2017.

Balkovec began her professional baseball career with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2012 as a minor league strength and conditioning coaching intern.

Between the lines: Balkovec said Wednesday she faced numerous rejections when applying for strength and conditioning jobs at the beginning of her career.

After multiple rejections,  Balkovec, encouraged by her sister, briefly changed her name on her resume and applications from "Rachel" to "Rae," and she began getting calls back for job interviews, she said at a press conference. 

Still, she would get rejected once officials realized she was a woman, she said.

"It was pretty short lived that I changed my name because at the end of the day, you just have to look yourself in the mirror and be like, well, you know, if they don't want to hire me because I'm a woman I probably don't want to work for those people," Balkovec said.

What she's saying: "I want to be a visible idea for young women. I want to be a visible idea for dads that that have daughters, I want to be out there," she said. 

"I'm glad my path was difficult and it still serves me to this day, and so if you're feeling like you're not welcome or it's a difficult path, good. Try to look at yourself and go, 'this is going to be good for me in the future,' even if it doesn't feel good in the moment."

Yankees name Rachel Balkovec as 1st woman to manage minor league team

Balkovec, 34, will manage the Tampa Tarpons, an affiliate of the Yankees.

Hitting coach Rachel Balkovec of the Yankees looks on during the Florida Complex League (FCL) game between the FCL New York Yankees and FCL Detroit Tigers.

Hitting coach Rachel Balkovec looks on during the Florida Complex League (FCL) game between the FCL New York Yankees and FCL Detroit Tigers on July 9, 2021 at the Tigers Minor League Complex in Lakeland, FL. Photo: Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Lia Thomas, a 22-year-old transgender woman who swims for the University of Pennsylvania, is dominating in the pool this season.

Why it matters: Thomas' record-breaking campaign comes amid a debate over transgender inclusion in sport — one that has become increasingly politicized as anti-trans legislation sweeps across the U.S.

Catch up quick: Thomas, assigned male at birth, competed on the men's team at Penn from 2017-20, though in 2018 she realized that she identified as a woman.

In May 2019, she began testosterone suppression therapy, and after the Ivy League canceled the 2020-21 season, she joined the women's team last fall as a fifth-year senior.

NCAA rules state that a trans woman can compete against women as long as she's undergone one year of testosterone suppression.

By the numbers: At one meet in early December, Thomas won the 200-yard free by seven seconds, the 500 free by 14 seconds and the 1,650 free by 38 seconds, setting two Ivy League records and posting the fastest time of the year among college women in the 200 and 500.

Of note: While Thomas' broken records have made news, her times relative to the women's field are generally comparable to what her times relative to the men's field had been.

Her best time in the 500 pre-transition (4:18.72) was 12 seconds off the men's record (4:06.32); now, her best time (4:34.06) is 10 seconds off the women's record (4:24.06), having lost 16 seconds post-transition.

Driving the news: Thomas won two races at her final home meet on Saturday. She also lost two to Yale's Iszac Henig, a transgender man who can compete against women because he hasn't begun hormone therapy.

Picture of Lia Thomas shaking hands with another swimmer in a pool

Thomas is congratulated after winning the 200-yard freestyle event. Photo: Hunter Martin/Getty Images

What they're saying: Thomas just wants to "continue to do the sport I love as my authentic self," she told SwimSwam last month.

"My mental health was not very good," she said of the 2018-19 season. "It was a lot of unease, basically just feeling trapped in my body."

Since transitioning, that's improved: "Being in a swimsuit 20 hours a week has helped me accept my body as it is [and] be comfortable in who I am."

The other side: Some believe Thomas holds an unfair advantage even after two-plus years of testosterone suppression.

"At stake here is the integrity of women's sports," a group of Penn swim parents wrote after that December meet. "The precedent being set ... is a direct threat to female athletes."

"I think the NCAA policy issued in 2011 was not really based much on scientific knowledge," one parent told WashPost. "So this is all about the rules. It's not really about Lia. She followed the rules."

What's next: Thomas, an Austin native, will be a favorite at next month's Ivy League championships, and she's already qualified for the NCAA championships in March.

The story of trans Penn swimmer Lia Thomas

Thomas' record-breaking campaign comes amid a debate over transgender inclusion in sport.

Picture of Lia Thomas wearing a one-piece swimsuit with a cap and holding a towel

Penn's Lia Thomas during a meet with Yale and Dartmouth on Saturday. Photo: Hunter Martin/Getty Images

Pennsylvania

NCAA

 Data: Basketball Reference; Chart: Will Chase/Axios 

After two decades of non-stop media attention, you'd be forgiven for developing LeBron James fatigue and taking "The King" for granted. But I'm begging you: Please don't.

By the numbers: Currently in his 19th NBA season, James is putting up almost identical numbers at age 37 as he was at age 27. It's utterly insane.

Age 27 (2011-12): 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 53.1% FG, 36.2% 3PT, 77.1% FT, 37.5 minutes

Age 37 (2021-22): 28.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 52.8% FG, 37.2% 3PT, 78.5% FT, 36.8 minutes

The big picture: James' longevity is perhaps best illustrated by his annual player efficiency rating (PER), a popular all-in-one statistic that measures per-minute productivity.

Outside of his rookie year, James' PER has been between 24.2 and 31.7 every season. He may have peaked at age 24 (31.7 PER), but his decline has been virtually non-existent.

James' career PER average is 27.4, which is the second-best mark ever behind Michael Jordan (27.9). His PER this season as one of the NBA's oldest players? 27.5.

Wild stat: James has had four seasons with at least 27.0 PER since turning 30. Only six players in NBA history have had more in their entire careers.

Coming up: James enters tonight's game against the Kings (10pm ET) having scored 25+ points in 11 straight games. 

He's also been starting at center in Anthony Davis' absence, and shining in that role. 

LeBron James: The ageless wonder

Lebron James

Georgia fans are buying championship gear at a historic rate. 41 years of waiting will do that to you.

Driving the news: Fanatics says it sold more Georgia championship merchandise in the first 24 hours after the Bulldogs' victory than the previous best-selling school (2021 Alabama) sold in the first 30 days.

The big picture: "Merchandise sales are just one of the many ways the Bulldogs will capitalize on this national title," notes Sportico's Eben Novy-Williams (subscription).

"High-profile victories generally produce short-term increases in sponsorship and licensing revenue, and larger impacts in the form of donations, future ticket sales and future recruiting."

Georgia already generates more football revenue than almost any other school ($134.4 million in Fiscal 2020). Naturally, it also ranks near the top in spending ($48.5 million budget).

Go deeper: Georgia's unmatched recruiting spending (USA Today)

Georgia fans buying championship apparel at record pace

Georgia already generates more football revenue than almost any other school.

A Georgia fan celebrates after the national championship

College football

Chicago

Axios Chicago

According to some NFL insiders, the Bears are a top destination for head coach candidates this offseason even though the big-market team hasn't won a playoff game in over a decade.

Quick take: Here's a cheat sheet of a few coaches on the Bears' radar. Use it to make you look smarter on your next Zoom happy hour.

Jim Harbaugh: The former Bears quarterback and current head coach at the University of Michigan has reportedly not ruled out a return to the NFL. Seems like a long shot he'll leave, but he did get drafted by Chicago in 1987.

Byron Leftwich: The offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Bucs has designed one of the best offenses in the league. Although let's be honest, it's much easier to execute when Tom Brady is your quarterback.

Todd Bowles: How about the Buccaneers defensive coordinator? He's already been a head coach with the Jets and was lousy, but his defenses usually are the best in the league. And Bears fans looooooovvvvveeee defense.

Leslie Frazier: The Bills defensive coordinator was a starting cornerback for the 1985 Bears. Need we say more? The franchise owes him for that busted reverse punt return in the Super Bowl that ended Frazier's playing career.

Brian Daboll: The Bills offensive coordinator is on everyone's short list. Who knows, maybe he'd bring Mitch Trubisky back.

Honorable mentions: Former head coaches Brian Flores (Miami), Doug Pederson (Philadelphia) and Dan Quinn (Atlanta) are all reportedly on the Bears short list.

How to fake it: Bears coaching choices

Many names are in the running, including Jim Harbaugh.

Jim Harbaugh scrambles during a game in 1990. Photo: Focus on Sport/Getty Images

National Football League (NFL)

Novak Djokovic apologized Wednesday for not isolating after testing positive for COVID-19 and blamed his agent for an "administrative mistake" when making an incorrect declaration in his Australian travel document.

Why it matters: Australia's immigration minister is still considering whether to revoke the men's tennis world No. 1's visa and deport him, despite Djokovic winning his legal case to stay in the country and defend his Australian Open title at the tournament, which begins Monday.

If he wins, the unvaccinated Serbian star would set a record 21st Grand Slam title.

The big picture: Australian border officials last week canceled Djokovic's visa over his COVID-19 vaccination status.

Djokovic said in a statement Wednesday that his support team had completed his travel documents on his behalf before he left for Australia, and they incorrectly ticked a box saying he hadn't traveled in the two weeks before his flight to Australia. He was seen in Spain and Serbia during this period.

"My agent sincerely apologises for the administrative mistake in ticking the incorrect box," the 34-year-old wrote. "This was a human error and certainly not deliberate."

He also told French sports newspaper L'Equipe he'd taken part in an interview and a photo shoot in Serbia after testing positive for the virus in December — an "apparent violation" of the country's pandemic rules, the New York Times notes.

What's next: Australia's immigration minister, Alex Hawke, is expected to make a decision on whether to revoke Djokovic's visa on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Australian Border Force is investigating whether Djokovic made a "false declaration" in the pre-travel declaration. This could also be grounds for a visa cancellation.

Editor's note: This article has been updated with details of Djokovic's interview with L'Equipe and the Australian Border Force investigation.

Djokovic admits travel papers "mistake" as Australia visa decision looms

Australia's immigration minister is still considering whether to revoke the men's tennis world No. 1's visa and deport him.

 Novak Djokovic of Serbia hits a return during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open at the Melbourne Park tennis centre in Melbourne on January 12

Novak Djokovic of Serbia hits a return during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open at the Melbourne Park tennis centre in Melbourne on Jan. 12. Photo: William West/AFP via Getty Images

Australia

Coronavirus

China is becoming the most formidable rival America has faced, and the risk of confrontation with Russia, North Korea or Iran still looms. Authoritarians are rising, the chaotic Afghanistan exit revealed the limits of U.S. power, and the pandemic, climate change and other critical challenges continue to pose grave threats.

World

The U.S. faces a range of health care flashpoints — unaffordable drugs, opioids, vaping — as we debate whether to adopt universal care. For now, the Affordable Care Act is the law of the land, but Republicans want to issue it a final death blow.

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