With the biggest sports betting event since the COVID-19 shutdown began in March on the horizon this weekend, both William Hill and the South Point Hotel Casino are offering drive-through sports betting stations in the hopes of signing up new Nevada bettors. South Point announced earlier this week that it […]
MLB to Propose Return-to-Play Plan to Players Association Within Week
ESPN reported Wednesday that Major League Baseball is expecting to present a return-to-play plan to the MLB Players Association within the next week. The proposed plan would begin a second spring training sometime in June, with the regular season beginning in early July. MLB Pushing for Use of Home Stadiums […]
2021 Australian Open Fate Uncertain, Organizers Could Ban Foreign Fans
Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley said Wednesday that the 2021 Australian Open is in jeopardy due to the COVID-19 pandemic, though the tournament currently remains on the schedule for next January. Tiley told the Australian Associated Press that if the tournament goes forward, it will almost certainly do so without […]
Germany’s Bundesliga Announces May Return, First Major European Soccer League to Resume Play
German government officials announced Wednesday that the Bundesliga – the country’s top soccer league – can resume play later this month. Chancellor Angela Merkel and state prime ministers agreed that the Bundesliga could resume as soon as May 15, though league officials may still decide to start a week later […]
UFC 249 Implementing New COVID-19 Safety Measures
UFC 249 will feature some of the best MMA fighters in the world, but it won’t look like a typical pay-per-view event thanks to the extensive safety measures being taken for the show. UFC executive vice president of operations and production Craig Borsari told ESPN that the company is implementing […]
Tennis Tours, Grand Slams Create $6 Million Relief Fund for Lower-Ranked Players
The men’s and women’s global tennis tours, along with the organizers of the four Grand Slam events, are launching a $6 million financial relief fund that will aid about 800 lower-ranked players during the coronavirus pandemic. The Associated Press reported Monday that it had obtained an email showing that the […]
UFC Notebook: UFC 251 Postponed, Nunes vs. Spencer Moving to June 6
Amanda Nunes will defend her UFC women’s featherweight title against challenger Felicia Spencer on June 6, though it remains unknown where that fight will take place. Nunes vs. Spencer was originally part of the UFC 249 card in Florida this Saturday, but the champion asked for a delay to give […]
Former Minnesota Twin Trevor Plouffe Says MLB Season Could Begin July 1
Baseball fans received a glimmer of hope on Monday as former MLB third baseman Trevor Plouffe tweeted that the Major League season could resume as early as July 1. The tweet cited multiple sources and also stated that a second spring training could begin on June 10. No Official Word […]
Ringside Physicians Say Combat Sports Can Resume with Proper Precautions
The Association of Ringside Physicians (ARP) now says that combat sports can resume safely during the COVID-19 pandemic, provided that organizers take all necessarily precautions to ensure the safety of everyone involved. That’s a reversal from the organization’s previous stance, which was that all combat sports events should be postponed […]
Magnus Carlsen Wins Namesake Invitational, Sportsbooks Add More Online Chess Markets
Magnus Carlsen defeated Hikaru Nakamura 2.5-1.5 in a back-and-forth final to win the first-ever Magnus Carlsen Invitational. Carlsen earned the $70,000 first prize in the online chess tournament, which came together due to the COVID-19 pandemic eliminating live chess events. Carlsen Fends Off Nakamura in Back-And-Forth Final The final saw […]
ESPN Broadcasting Korean Baseball Games Starting with Tuesday’s Opening Day
American fans will get the opportunity to watch Korean baseball beginning on Tuesday, as ESPN has reached an agreement to broadcast Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) games for the 2020 season. Under the agreement, ESPN will show six games each week, starting with an Opening Day matchup between the NC Dinos […]
Magnus Carlsen Invitational: Nakamura, Carlsen Overcome Adversity to Reach Finals
The two most prolific speed chess players in the world will meet in the finals of the Magnus Carlsen Invitational, as Hikaru Namakura and Magnus Carlsen each advanced after tightly contested semifinal matches. Both players dealt with frustrating moments in their semifinals matches before advancing. Nakamura Prevails in Blitz Tiebreaker […]
Legislative Roundup: Colorado Sports Betting Launches Without Much to Wager On
Colorado sports betting went live for the first time on Friday morning, though the current state of the world meant that there was little for gamblers to wager on. The first four authorized internet operators were allowed to begin taking bets at 10 am Mountain Time on May 1, after […]
Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua Discussing Potential Heavyweight Title Unification Fight
ESPN reported Thursday that heavyweight champions Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are in talks for a potential unification bout that could take place somewhere in the Middle East. However, any such bout would have to work around existing agreements that would see both champions fight other opponents in the near […]
Esports: Pandemic Delays The International, Forces Cancellation of Fortnite World Cup
Organizers announced changes to two of the biggest esports events on the 2020 calendar this week, as Valve postponed The International and Epic Games canceled the 2020 Fortnite World Cup. Both events take place in live settings with large crowds, and would be difficult – if not impossible – to […]
Hikaru Nakamura Leads Final Four into Magnus Carlsen Invitational Semifinals
American grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura defeated Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in an Armageddon tiebreak to secure the top seed heading into the semifinal round of the Magnus Carlsen Invitational. Nakamura will next face off against countrymate Fabiano Caruana, who lost to Anish Giri 2.5-1.5 in his Round 7 matchup. Carlsen Punished for Offbeat […]
Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka Among Stars Playing in $1 Million Charity Mario Tennis Tournament
Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, and Naomi Osaka are among the tennis stars who will be participating in the “Stay at Home Slam†this Sunday, a Mario Tennis Aces tournament that aims to raise more than $1 million for charity. Professional tennis players will team up with celebrities to play in […]
Roger Goodell Gives Up $40 Million Salary, Announces Furloughs and Pay Cuts
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced Wednesday that he will give up his entire $40 million salary as part of an effort by the league to cut costs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Goodell announced the move in a memo sent to the NFL league office, NFL Network, and NFL Films. Goodell […]
Semifinalists Set with One Round to Play in Magnus Carlsen Invitational Online Chess Tournament
All four semifinal positions have been sewn up in the Magnus Carlsen Invitational, though seeding and some prize money will still be on the line in the final day of round-robin play on Thursday. World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen will be joined in the knockout rounds by world No. 2 […]
Nevada Sports Betting Handle Plummets 76 Percent in March During COVID-19 Pandemic
The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) reported Wednesday that the state’s sportsbooks took in a handle of just $141.2 million in March, down about 76% from March 2019. The Nevada sports betting industry took a dramatic hit due to the coronavirus pandemic, which began impacting leagues, tournaments, and other competitions […]