The UFC wraps up a busy stretch at its unconventional (and brilliant) Fight Island in Abu Dhabi with its third card in a week on Saturday, headlined by a flyweight title fight and rematch between Brazil’s Deiveson Figueiredo and American Joseph Benavidez. The main card overall begins at 8 p.m. ET from the United Arab Emirates.
The flyweight title became vacant late December of last year when champion Henry Cejudo announced he was moving up full time to bantamweight – he would defend that belt in May with a win over Dominick Cruz but then shockingly retire.
Cejudo’s vacation of the flyweight belt came when a bout between Figueiredo and Benavidez was announced. They battled on Leap Day in UFC Fight Night 169 in Virginia, and Figueiredo won by second-round TKO (punches).
Cricket Australia took the first steps to re-establishing themselves for the traditional Aussie cricket summer by releasing an extended Big Bash League (BBL) schedule. The 10th edition of the tournament has been tentatively scheduled to run for 9 weeks, with the first match to start on December 3rd.
The tournament will be played over 56 games and run for more than two months; the longest in Big Bash history.
There’s more important things in the world than cricket right now, but here’s how we’d love to see the summer of BBL unfold. Stay safe and healthy everyone! #BBL10 pic.twitter.com/yE3tKuAEGp
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) July 15, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
The last time the PGA Tour staged events back-to-back weeks on the same course was 1957. Thanks to the coronavirus, it will accomplish the feat again starting Thursday at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, with the prestigious Memorial Tournament hosted by Jack Nicklaus. The Golden Bear is from that area of the country, starred at nearby Ohio State and designed this course.
Muirfield Village hosted the one-off Workday Charity Open last week as a replacement for the canceled John Deere Classic, which wasn’t suited to host a tournament during a coronavirus pandemic. Collin Morikawa (+2000 this week) beat Justin Thomas (+1000) in a playoff to win the Workday Charity Open, but Muirfield Village will be set up much tougher this week. It plays to par 72 at approximately 7,400 yards and hosted the 1987 Ryder Cup.
The original plan was for a limited number of fans – about 25 percent of a usual crowd – to return this week, but the coronavirus spiking all around the USA will keep the fans away from PGA Tour events for the rest of the year.
The Denver Broncos and BetMGM, a market-leading sports betting and gaming platform from ROAR Digital, LLC – the joint venture between MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) and GVC Holdings (LSE: GVC), announced today that they have entered into a multi-year agreement.
As an official sports betting partner of the Broncos, BetMGM and MGM Resorts will provide premium fan experiences, including a new BetMGM Lounge at Empower Field at Mile High Stadium, VIP travel packages, and benefits through MGM Resorts’ loyalty program, M life Rewards. The strategic partnership also includes a free-to-play mobile game, digital marketing assets, and in-stadium promotions and signage.
“This partnership with the Broncos allows us to showcase not only a premier BetMGM sports betting and gaming platform, but also the world-class entertainment experiences delivered by MGM Resorts,” said BetMGM’s Chief Marketing Officer Matt Prevost. “We’re excited to bring both of these to Broncos fans at Empower Field at Mile High Stadium and across the country, while offering BetMGM users new ways to engage with their favorite football team.”
The BetMGM Lounge, located on the Level 1 concourse adjacent to Gate 4 and outside Section 111/112, will allow fans 21 years of age and older access to a full-service premium bar, a luxury lounge, live odds and assistance with BetMGM’s mobile app. Additional in-stadium promotions, highlighted by BetMGM’s season-long First Possession Payoff, will be announced at a later date.
The free-to-play game will be available to Broncos fans directly on The Bronco’s official mobile app. The game will offer eligible fans the opportunity to test their sports prediction skills and win MGM Resorts prizes, including trips to MGM Resorts properties nationwide.
Denver Broncos Chief Commercial Officer Mac Freeman said, “When we began the process of identifying potential partners in this category, our goal was to provide Broncos fans with unique ways to engage with sports betting. Together with BetMGM, we can now offer our fans and M life Rewards members in Colorado new opportunities such as in-stadium gaming lounge, VIP travel packages to MGM Resorts around the country and a free-to-play game through our mobile app.”
BetMGM recently launched in Colorado in partnership with the Midnight Rose Hotel and Casino. The BetMGM mobile app is available for download in Colorado on both iOS and Android. New customers to the BetMGM Colorado app will receive $100 in free bonus credit when placing a first bet of $10 or more on any Denver Broncos Game or Broncos future wager using bonus code BRONCOS at registration. For more information, follow @BetMGM on Twitter.
After 87 years of using the name, the Washington Redskins have finally gone ahead with the decision to drop their problematic team name and go with something new. News of the name change broke on July 13 after an internal review was conducted by the team (and years of protest from U.S. tribal activists), and the sports books are already taking wagers on what the new team name will be. Thanks to Bodog, we have a look at some of the more likely candidates.
The leading favorites, odds wise, are either the Washington Red Tails Or Washington Red Clouds, both currently sitting at +275. Both of these names would likely keep something close to the team’s color scheme, and each in their way would honor a piece of history. The Red Tails name was one of the nicknames for the Tuskegee Airmen, fighter pilots of World War 2, while Red Cloud was a Native American warrior who defeated U.S. army troops and burned down their forts. These are easy favorites, specially as the Red Tails won a rebrand contest and has the support of local legislators.
But if the public had much of a say in the matter, the Redskins name would have gone away years ago. So what does Dan Snyder Want? The next leading favorite in the odds are the Washington Warriors at +300. Snyder has previously tried to trademark the name, but couldn’t seal the deal.
Next in the odds are the Washington Presidents at +700, but it feels like a pretty unlikely name. The name brings plenty of potential gimmicks and some proud nostalgia to lean on, sure, but think of all the jokes they would invite. ‘He couldn’t make the catch, his hands were too small!’ or ‘He’s listed as questionable for the game with bone spurs.’ Not a fan.
The first thing most sports fans are doing now when they wake up in the morning, after pouring the much-needed cup of coffee, is tuning in to sports news to see what’s going on with the NBA, NHL and the rest of the gang. Between now and September, all the major leagues in the U.S. are expected to get underway, either finishing out their seasons or, as in the case of the NFL, get things going. Things are changing on a daily basis and there is still no guarantee that the coronavirus won’t force schedules to change, but, fortunately, there are plenty of other sports to keep fans occupied. This past weekend, Bodog saw a lot of action, and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 251 ticket proved to be especially hot.
In terms of wager percentages on individual leagues, UFC 251 accounted for 38.27% of all bets seen on Bodog this past weekend. Kamaru Usman took on Jorge Masvidal in the Welterweight main event fight, completely dominating as he has done in almost all of his matches. He won by decision at the end of Round 5 to further his record to 17-1-0. Masvidal was forced to concede defeat and now has a 35-14-0 record.
Sharing the spotlight in main event round were Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway in a Featherweight bout. Volkanovski improved to 22-1 after winning by decision after the two went at it for all five rounds. In the Bantamweight fight on the ticket, Petr Yan scored a victory through a TKO when the referee had to step in and call off the match after a little more than three minutes into Round 5.
The response to UFC 251 was enough to keep soccer from controlling the Bodog boards. Between MLS, the Premier League, La Liga in Spain and Serie A in Italy, they usually make up the majority of wagers; however, this past weekend, soccer accounted for 31.59%. MLS was the overall winner, with 9.86% of the action. NFL 2020 Sims ranked up there once again, as well, taking 8.94% of the wagers. In golf, the Workday Charity Open, which saw Collin Morikawa take his second PGA Tour title, captured 7.96% of the bets.
As baseball prepares for its return to Yankee Stadium and Citi Field this month, some of the standouts from years past take the virtual stage when former Mets Subway Series manager Bobby Valentine, currently A.D. at Sacred Heart University, former Yankees hard-hitting outfielder Roy White, Yankees postseason standout Jim Leyritz, and Amazin’ 1969 Mets World Series champions Ed Kranepool, Ron Swoboda and Art Shamsky appear in a pair of FREE live moderated video Q&A sessions via Wizard World Virtual Experiences (www.wizardworldvirtual.com). Fans can catch Valentine, White and Leyritz on Wednesday, July 15, at 7 p.m. ET, while the ‘69 Mets are live on Thursday, July 16, at 4 p.m. ET.
The Washington Redskins will stop using their controversial name and logo following mounting public and corporate pressure.
On Monday, the Redskins’ corporate office issued a statement saying that it would be “retiring the Redskins name and logo upon completion” of the internal review it announced earlier this month. The team’s identity has long been the subject of protest by US tribal activists who viewed the name as racially offensive.
The National Football League franchise said it was in the process of developing “a new name and design approach that will enhance the standing of our proud, tradition rich franchise and inspire our sponsors, fans and community for the next 100 years.”
There’s no indication as to what the team’s new identity might be, nor if it will be in place by the time the new NFL season kicks off (hopefully) in September. Owner Daniel Snyder, who previously vowed that the team would “NEVER” bow to pressure to change the name, is said to be “working closely” with other stakeholders in choosing a new identity.
The Seattle Seahawks won their only Super Bowl Championship back in 2014, defeating the Denver Broncos 43–8 on February 2nd. Could they win their second seven years on from that famously one-sided victory?
Before we talk about how they might repeat that trick, let’s take a look back at that glorious moment in The ‘Hawks history.
This season, there is tentative optimism about The Seahawks hopes, with the team a best price of 10/13 to make the play-offs, as well as being 10/11 to gain over nine regular season wins. Somehow, despite that confidence in the betting markets that The Seahawks will make the post-season, the 2014 Lombardi Cup winners are a best price of 22/1 to repeat the feat in early 2021.
Virtually all sports leagues in the US, provided they see players suit up, are going to hold competitions on courts, fields and rinks in front of empty stands. The coronavirus is forcing organizations like the NFL, NHL and NBA, in accordance with state and federal directives, to keep fans away until there is more confidence that the pandemic is under control, which creates a unique situation for the leagues. Part of the thrill athletes experience in the games is the crowd noise, as fans cheer, holler, root and sometimes rant. Different leagues have formulated plans on how to address the lack of live fan participation and, in some cases, piped-in audio clips or soundtracks from video games are being used. The NHL is taking a different approach, and wants to hear from hockey fans.
NHL team season-ticket holders are beginning to receive correspondence from the teams, asking them to get involved. They, instead of all fans, were probably chosen because of the easy access to databases, and will have the ability to record and submit 30-second video and sound bites that could be included in the league’s upcoming games – more colorful commentary probably won’t pass muster.
The NHL will be holding the final matches of the 2019-20 season in Toronto and Edmonton. The fan-provided sounds will be heard live by players at the rinks, as well as used in game broadcasts and on NHL social media accounts. The league explained that submissions need to be free of any possible copyright or trademark issues and told the recipients to avoid “the appearance of paintings, posters, professional photography or any other art in the background,” as well as to avoid “wearing apparel that shows any brands.”
The material submitted should include expected reactions to goals being scored and can be specific for each team. For example, Boston Bruins fans can provide a clip of the famous “TUUUUUUUUKKKKKKK” chant, which is heard every time goalie Tuukka Rask successfully protects the net. Chicago Blackhawks fans can provide clips of a “slow clap” and “30 seconds of how you act/cheer during the National Anthem at a home game.” Fans of the Winnipeg Jets were requested to provide clips on why they’re proud to support the team and to include a “We Are Winnipeg” shoutout.
Gaming can be a very hard business, and a demanding pursuit. When the game is your life, switching off isn’t as simple as flicking the off button on your computer set-up.
We’ve seen in recent weeks how the business of Esports can impact the players who play the game, with the tragic death of 31-year-old Twitch streamer Byron ‘Reckful’ Bernstein, whose death was confirmed by his girlfriend and remains a suspected suicide. Bernstein was a very popular player in the World of Warcraft community, and an outpouring of love for him in the aftermath of his death has only confirmed what we already know.
More needs doing to protect the mental health of Esports players and those gamers who are most at risk in the gaming community.
One positive towards this end is the initiative by Esports platform GLHF.gg, who have pledged to donate funds from a unique forthcoming tournament. The event, which will take place during July, will have a top prize of £5,000 that is donated to MIND, the charity for Mental Health.
Joe West has, for years, been a controversial umpire in MLB. He has unparalleled experience in the league, but is also known as the umpire with the “second worst percentage of bad calls,” a description he earned from a study conducted by Boston University after the 2018 season. The 67-year-old head of the MLB Umpires Association (MLBUA) has called baseball games since 1976, has appeared on radio and TV (even picking up a role in the movie “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!”), has released two country music albums and is never afraid to speak his mind. That latter trait is what has put him under the spotlight now, and it could be enough to end his career. According to West, who is at high risk for contracting COVID-19, people aren’t dying from the virus, and it’s just an excuse for hospitals to make money.
[Image credit: Wikimedia Commons]
West’s comments were made to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. He asserted, “Those statistics aren’t accurate, I don’t care who’s counting them. When country music [singer] Joe Diffie died, they said he died of the coronavirus. He had Stage 4 lung cancer. The coronavirus may have accelerated his death, but let’s be realistic. Our system is so messed up they have emptied hospitals because there’s no elective surgery. The government has been giving these hospitals extra money if someone dies of the coronavirus. So, everybody that dies is because of coronavirus. I don’t care if you get hit by a car, it’s coronavirus.’’
Given that over 130,000 people have died from COVID-19, according to health statistics, the remarks didn’t go over well with virtually anyone except West’s closest friends. West has shown, on more than a few occasions, that his ability to provide proper scrutiny of baseball action has waned over the years, and this may be the proverbial nail in the coffin.
Will the NBA’s ambitious 22-team restart in the “bubble” of the Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando actually work when that begins later this month in the wake of record-setting coronavirus numbers in Florida? Sports fans may get an answer this week if it’s possible to stage such a sporting event when the MLS is Back Tournament kicks off Wednesday at the same complex.
Already, the challenges facing all sports league in a pandemic have shown up with several players from FC Dallas reportedly testing positive for COVID-19 last week, forcing the entire team into quarantine. What’s worrisome is that the team said no player tested positive before leaving for Florida.
FC Dallas had been scheduled to open the tournament with a group stage match against the Vancouver Whitecaps on Thursday. That has been pushed back. All of the league’s 26 teams are being sequestered in hotels in advance of the tournament and players are tested for the virus every two days.
Dak Prescott is fourth favourite to be regular MVP of the 2020 NFL at 16/1 and a lot shorter to throw the most passing yards at a very attractive 13/2. He’s also the Dallas Cowboy contract rebel who might scupper their plans for a record-breaking NFL season.
The Dallas Cowboys are in with a real chance of winning Super Bowl 55, nestled into the betting market at 20/1 and with coach Mike McCarthy second favourite at 14/1 to win the NFL Coach of the Year award at the season’s close, it’s clear that the Cowboys have a lot going for them.
So why is Dak Prescott stalling on a contract offer?
The Dallas Cowboys have a lot of history and a bright future, but they have also existed in a recent period of change initiated by tough and some say uncompromising owner Jerry Jones. With recent coach Jason Garrett let go after 10 seasons at the club, their new manager McCarthy brings with him plenty of nous that is likely to help them come the season’s start.
While Valtteri Bottas claimed the win at the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix, it was the actions of his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton prior to the race that were talked about.
The six-time world champion has been vocal in his call for diversity in Formula One, and before the race took a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Hamilton had called out his fellow drivers to show their support, but not all were willing at the Austrian event.
The coronavirus has forced every sports league in the world to adjust its schedule in one way or another and has led to some very unique circumstances. The NBA sending 22 teams to a “bubble” in Orlando, for example. The NHL choosing 24 teams for the Stanley Cup playoffs in two hub cities. Major League Baseball staging its shortest season in more than a century. NASCAR having races on back-to-back days at the same track.
The PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic was scheduled to tee off this week from Silvis, Illinois, which is right on the border with Iowa. That tournament is annually known as being played the week before the British Open with the winner earning the final spot in that major tournament. John Deere Classic officials also charter a plane for any players who compete in their tournament and then have to head overseas. They do that not just out of the goodness of their heart but to try and lure a better field.
The John Deere is also arguably the “folksiest” event on Tour. Some PGA Tour courses have incredible amenities as they cater to the super-rich. Not TPC Deere Run, as it’s true Middle America. Finally, the John Deere Classic only makes a profit with fans in attendance. It’s the biggest event of the year in that area of the country by far.
The Gold Coast Titans have made the richest contract offer in the history of the competition to boom Brisbane Broncos young gun David Fifita. The Broncos forward has struggled with the decision, changing his mind several times as the Titans offered a massive $873,562 USD per season to switch to the Broncos local rivals.
The Gold Coast Titans, have been desperate for a franchise player and see Fifita as the fish they have been chasing. The Broncos forward is a franchise player and viewed as one of the best young players in the game.
Fifita is expected to sacrifice at least $350,000 USD per season to remain in Brisbane.
Under siege, Brisbane Broncos coach Anthony Seibold is uncomfortable with the contract drama over his young star being played out in the media. “I don’t think it is fair to talk about whatever is bubbling away behind the scenes with regards to money, most clubs have a committee. In the old days, the coach ran it and had someone looking after the numbers. Some clubs might go rogue and make crazy offers to young players but you don’t know what every club is working towards or what they have in their cap,” Seibold said.
How is your marriage doing? Are things going well? Not fighting on the weekends, and no strange texts coming in at all hours of the day? Have you ever wondered if you might have found the happiness you were looking for, or were people placing bets on how long you’d last as soon as your partner said “I do?”
If they were serious about those bets, the book makers at MyBookie.ag are ready to offer them competitive lines for their action. Using their Divorce Bet tool, any anxious individual can answer 30 questions and get odds for if they are in a solid relationship, or one call away from divorce court. And then for comparison, they’ll let you know how your doing compared to some famous celebrity couples.
The questions asked are both personal and timely. Does your partner more frequently say ‘I Love You,’ or ‘I Hate You?’ Have they gained any weight lately? Do you have children? What are the ways coronavirus has affected your life and relationship? Have you tried anything kinky in bed lately, or taken advantage of PornHub’s free Premium offers?
While they don’t tell you exactly how each answer affects your odds (and I’d really love to know if my preference for handcuffs in bed made a positive difference in my love life), they do provide a final break down of a percentage chance that you’ll need a divorce and betting lines.
Spurs point guard Patty Mills has made the bold decision to donate his entire NBA salary to the Black Lives Matter movement in Australia. The Australian guard is putting his money where his mouth is, and donating the entire salary from the remaining eight games in Florida to social justice causes in Australia. Mills will donate $1.45 million to the Black Deaths in Custody and The We Got You campaign.
When allies who stand up and speak out against racism, although a small gesture, this is one of many actions that have a tremendous impact on the person being targeted because they feel the support. It can also make whoever racially vilifies that person reconsider own behavior. pic.twitter.com/MqH3Fc1CqX
— Patrick Mills (@Patty_Mills) July 7, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Mills has been an outspoken ambassador for social justice issues in Aboriginal communities in Australia.
At this rate, the NFL might be called for intentional grounding. The league is close to raising the anger level of players to the point that a season might never happen, and team owners need to realize that they’re starting to slip on the same slope that cost MLB a big part of its reputation. According to rumors that are beginning to circulate in the sports world, NFL wants players to agree to essentially put part of their salary in escrow (although it wouldn’t physically happen that way) in order to counter the impact caused by the coronavirus, and the players union has told the league to pound sand.
The league has suggested that players allow 35% of their 2020 salaries to be put aside to help the league recover costs that have mounted because of COVID-19. However, that 35% wouldn’t be dissected and placed in an escrow account to be released later. Instead, the league is putting lipstick on a pig and doesn’t want to acknowledge that it may not be able to cover all its expenses this year. With the possibility of games being played in front of empty stadiums looming, many teams are concerned they won’t generate the revenue that would have partly gone to cover the players’ pay.
MLB already showed what happens when teams try to mess with players’ salaries, but NFL owners apparently weren’t paying attention. The news hasn’t sat well with the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), which held a conference call with players to break the news. According to NFLPA executive Don Davis, the union’s response to the league was for it to “kick rocks.”
The NFL should have remained quiet and figured out some other way to cover any damages caused by the coronavirus. Players won’t stand for losing any of their salary, especially as owners continue to “fly in their private jets and sit in their private sky boxes,” as one insider put it. Since the conference call was held and the news began rolling out to everyone, several players have already come forward and said that the entire league is ready to sit out if the owners stand their grounds and try to force their “escrow” deal on them.
