PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Two thick, beefy strong boys with snug polos and holstered pistols walked, chests out, up to the area behind TPC Sawgrass’ 12th green Sunday. As they approached the hill, another security officer smiled at two of the day’s main characters. “It’s the Bash Brothers!” the man joked. The three of … Read more
LOS ANGELES — USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb and her star player, JuJu Watkins, were invited to the annual Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation Blue Diamond Gala in May. In a who’s-who world of L.A. glitterati, Gottlieb was astounded by how many people flocked to Watkins. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and owner Mark Walter wanted to meet … Read more
The Athletic has appointed Chris Weatherspoon as its first dedicated football finance writer. Chris is a chartered accountant who will be using his financial acumen as The BookKeeper to explore the money behind the game. He is starting with a series this week analysing the financial health of some of the Premier League’s biggest clubs. You … Read more
The NCAA Tournament’s 32-game feast across Thursday and Friday is one of the most highly anticipated TV stretches of the sports year. You should watch as many games as you can, but if you need to prioritize, here are the “can’t-miss” ones to watch, informed by full-bracket predictions from The Athletic’s Brendan Marks, C.J. Moore … Read more
One Tuesday morning in late February, a fan in New York who logged into FanDuel’s online sportsbook would’ve found 33 men’s college basketball games listed to bet on and zero women’s games. That fan could place an online wager on some midmajor men’s contests, such as Western Illinois vs. Lindenwood, Troy vs. Texas State and … Read more
TOKYO — During the early innings of a nighttime exhibition between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Yomiuri Giants, Nori Kawana walked through the concourse of the Tokyo Dome in disbelief. As the head of Fanatics’ East Asia operation, Kawana leads MLB’s merchandising in Japan, and the day had already set his company’s sales record in … Read more
TAMPA, Fla. — In September 2021, Will Weatherford stood between green and gold balloons under a white canopy and made the proclamation that could change the trajectory of South Florida football. After playing their first 25 years across town at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ stadium, the Bulls were ready for their own home. Weatherford vowed … Read more
Editor’s note: This article is part of our Rankings & Tiers series, an evaluation across sport about the key players, front offices, teams, franchises and much more. They’re not always talked about as much as star players, head coaches and general managers. And, in many cases, they’re not in the limelight. But one thing I’ve seen repeatedly covering … Read more
ESPN college basketball broadcaster Dick Vitale had an emotional moment at the end of the ACC men’s basketball championship game Saturday, expressing how grateful he was to be back in the broadcast booth after nearly two years away due to health issues. “It’s been, to me, a miracle, really, to sit here with you guys. … Read more
The Athletic has live coverage of the 2025 Men’s March Madness Selection Show Ever the gentleman, Greg Gumbel reached out to offer a welcoming handshake. Ernie Johnson responded with … a fist bump? The awkward exchange — one Johnson still describes, a decade later, as “so embarrassing” — lasted maybe two seconds. To Johnson, a … Read more