Roughly half of American adults believe colleges should pay their athletes, according to a new survey from the Marist Poll.
The intrigue: The responses vary widely by age, race, ethnicity and gender — a reflection of the rapidly-evolving debate about amateurism and wide-ranging definitions of what it means to be a college athlete.
Kyrie Irving scored a career-high 60 points on Tuesday in a blowout 150-108 win over the Magic — one night after Karl-Anthony Towns scored 60 points himself.
Driving the news: Irving scored 41 points in the first half alone en route to setting the Nets' franchise record. He exited with over eight minutes remaining.
Deshaun Watson will not face criminal charges for sexual misconduct after a grand jury rejected all nine criminal cases on Friday.
Why it matters: This clears the way for Watson's career to resume, but the allegations are still the subject of civil suits and an NFL investigation, creating an uncomfortable situation for the league.
Cameron Smith won the Players Championship on Monday, outplaying the best field of the year over the course of five days of thunderstorms, frigid temperatures and impossible winds.
Why it matters: This year's $20 million purse is easily the biggest in golf history — and nearly double any of the four majors. The entire top 36 made at least six figures, and Smith earned a whopping $3.6 million.
With legal sports betting markets in 30 states plus Washington, D.C., this year's March Madness will generate the most betting in tournament history.
By the numbers: An estimated 45 million Americans could combine to wager $3.1 billion on the 2022 men's tournament, according to the American Gaming Association.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine was a "game changer" for international sport and while banning athletes from Russia and Belarus "set precedents," suspensions must remain in place, World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said Monday, per AP.
Why it matters: International sports organizations have taken unprecedented action against the Kremlin, which has spent large amounts of money to host global events including the 2014 Winter Olympics and the 2018 World Cup, as President Vladimir Putin sought to bolster the country's reputation abroad.
