Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

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⚽️ Venezuela advances: Venezuela clinched a berth in the Copa América quarterfinals with a 1-0 win over heavily-favored Mexico. ‌ 🏀 OG gets paid: Knicks star OG Anunoby, who declined his player option to become an unrestricted free agent, is staying in New York on a five-year, $212.5 million deal. ‌ ⚾️ Mets sweep Yankees: The Mets beat the Yankees, 12-2, to sweep the two-game Subway Series and climb back to .500 for the first time since May 7. These guys are good. ‌ 🏒 Mighty Ducks are back: The Ducks are bringing back their old Mighty Ducks logo and revamping it for the 2024-25 NHL season. ‌ 🏈 Prescott lawsuit dismissed: A Texas judge has dismissed a sexual assault lawsuit against Dak Prescott, ending a months-long legal battle over an alleged 2017 incident.

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🏒 NHL Awards: Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon won his first Hart Trophy as league MVP. The night's other big winners included Chicago's Connor Bedard (rookie), Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck (goalie) and Vancouver's Quinn Hughes (defenseman). ‌ 🏈 NFL antitrust lawsuit: The NFL has been ordered to pay $4.7 billion in damages in a class-action antitrust suit filed by subscribers of "NFL Sunday Ticket." Under federal antitrust law, that payout becomes over $12 billion in actuality. The league intends to appeal. ‌ 🏀 Reese ties Parker: Sky rookie Angel Reese had her ninth consecutive double-double in Thursday's loss to the Aces, tying Candace Parker's mark from 2015 for the longest such single-season streak in WNBA history. ‌ ⚾️ Birds overtake Yanks: The Orioles (51-30) leapfrogged the reeling Yankees (52-31) atop the AL East as New York lost its fourth straight game, and seventh of eight.

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🏈 SMU joins a new conference

The Mustangs are kicking off a new era. Photo: Carey Schumacher/ISI Photos/Getty Images

SMU's athletics program has joined the Atlantic Coast Conference, transitioning from the American Athletic Conference that the university was a founding member of. Why it matters: Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson says SMU's shift to the ACC is a "pivotal moment" that will elevate the university and college athletics in Dallas. The big picture: College football has gone through a major realignment in recent years, with powerful conferences disintegrating and others picking up new teams to make more money. SMU, meanwhile, has sought for years to join a more prestigious conference. State of play: Starting today, all SMU sports are part of the Atlantic Coast Conference, which is a Power Five conference. The university says it has raised a record-breaking $159 million in the 2024-2025 fiscal year since announcing its ACC membership last year. How they're celebrating: SMU is hosting a community celebration at Happiest Hour in Dallas from 4:30-6:30pm today. The Dallas skyline will light up in SMU colors tonight. What's next: Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley, will join the ACC in August.

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🏀 NBA free agency: Paul George is joining the 76ers (four years, $212M), Chris Paul is joining the Spurs (one year, $11M) and more headlines from the start of free agency. ‌ 🇺🇸 Meet Team USA: Simone Biles won at U.S. Trials to make her third Olympics, where she'll be joined by Sunisa Lee, Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles and newcomer Hezley Rivera on the hardest team in the world to make. ‌ ⚾️ First cycle of 2024: Rangers rookie Wyatt Langford recorded the first cycle of the season on Sunday, in just his 59th career game. ‌ 🏀 WNBA record books: Breanna Stewart passed Diana Taurasi as the fastest to 5,000 points (242 games); Angel Reese set a league record with her 10th straight double-double. ‌ ⚾️ Derby announcements: Orioles star shortstop Gunnar Henderson is the first known participant in the 2024 Home Run Derby, which will have a slightly different format. ‌ 🏀 Bickerstaff to Detroit: Five weeks after he was fired by the Cavaliers, J.B. Bickerstaff is set to become the next head coach of the Pistons. ‌ ⛳️ Davis wins in Detroit: Cam Davis (-18) won his second Rocket Mortgage Classic after Akshay Bhatia (-17), who led all weekend, had his only three-putt on the 72nd hole. ‌ ⚽️ Royals clean house: The NWSL's Utah Royals fired their head coach, team president and goalie coach over the weekend amid a terrible start to the season (2-11-2, -20 goal differential).

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⚽️ THE BEAUTIFUL GAME

THE SUMMER OF SOCCER: EUROS, COPA IN FULL SWING

Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane saved England on Sunday. (Michael Regan/UEFA via Getty Images)

The summer of soccer has kicked into full gear, with the European Championship and Copa América both nearing their final eight. ‌ Weekend recap: England (over Slovakia), Switzerland (over Italy), Germany (over Denmark) and Spain (over Georgia) advanced to the Euro quarterfinals, while Argentina, Ecuador, Venezuela and Canada qualified for the Copa América knockout round. ‌ Late goals save England: Slovakia had England on the ropes — then Jude Bellingham scored a 95th-minute bicycle kick and Harry Kane won it in extra time. Mexico heads home: "Mexico didn't quite crash out of the 2024 Copa América; it slumped, gradually, impotently, to an early exit," writes Yahoo Sports' Henry Bushnell. Today's slate: We begin with two elimination games in Germany, followed by the USMNT in primetime. ‌ Game 1: France vs. Belgium (12pm ET, Fox) in a clash of titans. France is No. 2 in the world, Belgium is No. 3. Game 2: Portugal vs. Slovenia (3pm, Fox) in what could be Cristiano Ronaldo's final Euros appearance for his country. Games 3 and 4: The USMNT takes on Uruguay (9pm, FS1) in Kansas City, while Panama plays Bolivia (9pm, FS2) in Orlando in their group stage finale. USMNT scenarios: ‌ With a win: The U.S. advance as long as Panama draw or lose. If Panama win, the U.S. will need a better goal differential (currently have a two-goal advantage). With a draw: The U.S. will only advance with a Panama draw or loss. With a loss: The U.S. will only advance with a Panama loss, and if they have a better goal differential than Panama. USA-Uruguay preview: A match full of mystery

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📆 ON THIS DAY

JULY 1, 1859: THE FIRST COLLEGE BASEBALL GAME (KIND OF)

The Amherst College baseball team, circa 1870s. (Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images)

165 years ago today, Amherst beat Williams in the first-ever college baseball game, which looked a little different from the modern version. The final score: 73-32 (!!!), Jeff writes. ‌ Baseball, but different: Rather than using the established "Knickerbocker rules," the teams used the recently-developed "Massachusetts rules." The field was square with no foul territory, bases were four-foot tall wooden stakes, beaning runners was allowed, there was just one out per inning, and the game ended after reaching a target score. Amherst and Williams agreed on 65 runs, which took 26 innings to reach. ‌ More on this day: ‌ 🚴‍♂️ 1903: The inaugural Tour de France, created by the sports newspaper L'Auto as a promotion to boost its dwindling circulation, began outside Paris. ⚽️ 2012: Spain crushed Italy, 4-0, in the final of Euro 2012, becoming the first nation to successfully defend its European Championship crown and the first to win three consecutive continental and world titles* after having also won the 2010 World Cup. *They could soon have company: Argentina, favorites in the current Copa América, are sitting on two in a row after winning the 2021 Copa and 2022 World Cup.

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🥇 PARIS 2024

NOAH LYLES EYES UNPRECEDENTED FOUR GOLDS

Lyles poses with a miniature Eiffel Tower after winning the 200m at U.S. Trials. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Only three men* have ever pulled off the sprint treble in a single Olympics, winning the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay. If Noah Lyles gets his way, he'll have a chance to pull off an unprecedented quad, Jeff writes. ‌ Chasing history: Lyles has already guaranteed a shot at the treble by winning the 100m and 200m last week at U.S. Trials, and he'll likely anchor the 4x100m relay. The question is whether USA Track & Field will select him for the 4x400 relay pool, as he's requested. ‌ "I haven't started negotiations yet," Lyles said regarding discussions with his sport's national governing body. "Let's just say it will be hard. But I'm going to let them know that I'm available and I'm ready to go." How are his chances? Well, he's just a year removed from claiming the treble at worlds and he's in excellent form right now: His winning time in the 200m was 19.53 seconds — the fastest time in the world this year and a new U.S. Trials record — and his 9.83 in the 100m was a personal best. ‌ And though he doesn't run the 400m very often, he was part of the silver medal winning relay team this spring at the world indoor championships, where he ran the fastest third leg of anyone in the race. "I'm 100% behind him [getting picked]," said former NCAA indoor 400m champion Noah Williams. *The three treble winners: Usain Bolt (London 2012, Rio 2016), Carl Lewis (Los Angeles 1984) and Bobby Morrow (Melbourne 1956).

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📺 JULY 4TH WEEKEND

WATCHLIST: EURO AND COPA QUARTERS   The Euro and Copa América quarterfinals take place over July 4th weekend, as both continental championships narrow their fields to the final four, Jeff writes. ‌ Thursday: Argentina vs. Ecuador (9pm ET, Fox) Friday: Spain vs. Germany (12pm, Fox); Portugal vs. France (3pm, Fox); Venezuela vs. Canada (9pm, FS1) Saturday: England vs. Switzerland (12pm, Fox); Netherlands vs. Turkey (3pm, Fox); Colombia vs. Panama (6pm, FS1); Uruguay vs. Brazil (9pm, FS1) More to watch: ‌ 🎾 Wimbledon: Second Round through Round of 16 (Wed-Sun, ESPN/ESPN+/ABC) 🚴‍♂️ Tour de France: Stages 5-9 (Wed-Sun, Peacock) 🌭 Competitive Eating: Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest* (Thu. 10:45am, ESPN App/ESPN2) ⚾️ MLB: Tigers at Reds (Fri. 7pm, Apple); Phillies at Braves (Fri. 7pm, Apple); Red Sox at Yankees (Sat. 1pm, FS1; Sun. 7pm, ESPN); Diamondbacks at Padres (Sun. 4pm, Roku) 🏀 WNBA: Sun at Lynx (Thu. 8pm, Prime); Mystics at Aces (Thu. 10pm, Prime); Liberty at Fever (Sat. 1pm, CBS); Wings at Aces (Sun. 3:30pm, ESPN) ⚽️ MLS: 27 games (Wed-Sun, Apple) ⚽️ NWSL: Portland vs. San Diego (Fri. 10pm, Prime); Chicago vs. Houston (Sat. 1pm, ESPN); North Carolina vs. Louisville (Sun. 4:30pm, CBSSN) ⛳️ PGA: John Deere Classic (Thu-Sun, ESPN+/Peacock/Golf/CBS) … At TPC Deere Run in Illinois. 🏁 F1: British Grand Prix (Sun. 10am, ESPN2) 🏁 NASCAR: Chicago Street Course (Sun. 4:30pm, NBC) 🏁 IndyCar: Grand Prix of Lexington (Sun. 1:30pm, NBC) 🥍 PLL: Week 5 (Fri-Sat, ESPN2/ESPN+) 🏀 BIG3: Week 4 (Sun. 1pm, CBS)

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⚾️ The Texas Rangers will have two players — Marcus Semien and Kirby Yates — in the All-Star Game in Arlington next week. (WFAA)

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🏈 Terrible tragedy: Vikings rookie Khyree Jackson and two of his high school teammates were killed in a car accident on Saturday in their home state of Maryland. ‌ 🏒 Historic hire: Jessica Campbell will be the first woman on an NHL bench after the Kraken promoted her from their AHL affiliate as a full-time assistant. ‌ ⚾️ 12 straight hits: Twins third baseman José Miranda became the fourth player in MLB history to get hits in 12 consecutive at-bats. ‌ 🏀 WNBA record books: Angel Reese set a league record with her 13th consecutive double-double; Caitlin Clark became the first rookie ever with triple-double. ‌ ⚽️ Battle of top two teams: The Orlando Pride beat the KC Current, 2-1, snapping KC's 17-game unbeaten streak (league record) and extending their own unbeaten streak to 17. ‌ 🏀 DeRozan to Kings: DeMar DeRozan is headed to Sacramento on a three-year, $74 million deal. ‌ ⚽️ Cincy on top: FC Cincinnati dominated shorthanded Inter Miami, 6-1, on Saturday to take over the top spot in the MLS standings. ‌ ⛳️ Another 59: Rookie Hayden Springer shot a 12-under 59 at the John Deere Classic for just the 14th sub-60 round in PGA Tour history, and the second in the past two weeks. Davis Thompson (-28) won by four strokes for his first career victory.

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⚾️ MIDSUMMER CLASSIC

MEET YOUR 2024 MLB ALL-STARS

Globe Life Field (opened in May 2020) will host this year's All-Star festivities. (Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

The 2024 MLB All-Star Game rosters were released on Sunday. 32 first-time selections. 17 new pitchers. All ready to rock and roll next week at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. ‌ How it works: Fan voting determined the starting nine (eight position players plus DH) for each team, and voting from other players determined the next 17 spots. The final six were then filled by the commissioner's office, which makes sure all 30 teams have at least one representative. ‌ American League: The Guardians led the way with five selections, followed by the Royals with four then the Orioles, Astros, Yankees and Red Sox with three each. ‌ Starters ‌ Catcher: Adley Rutschman, Orioles (2nd All-Star selection) First base: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays (4th) Second base: José Altuve, Astros (9th) Shortstop: Gunnar Henderson, Orioles (1st) Third base: José Ramírez, Guardians (6th) Outfield: Aaron Judge, Yankees (6th) Outfield: Juan Soto, Yankees (4th) Outfield: Steven Kwan, Guardians (1st) Designated hitter: Yordan Álvarez, Astros (3rd) Pitchers ‌ Starters: LHP Garrett Crochet (White Sox), LHP Tarik Skubal (Tigers), LHP Cole Ragans (Royals), LHP Tyler Anderson (Angels), RHP Corbin Burnes (Orioles), RHP Tanner Houck (Red Sox), RHP Seth Lugo (Royals), RHP Logan Gilbert (Mariners) Relievers: RHP Mason Miller (Athletics), RHP Kirby Yates (Rangers), RHP Clay Holmes (Yankees), RHP Emmanuel Clase (Guardians) Reserves ‌ Catcher: Salvador Pérez (Royals) Infielders: Josh Naylor (Guardians), Marcus Semien (Rangers), Bobby Witt Jr. (Royals), Isaac Paredes (Rays) Outfielders: Kyle Tucker (Astros), Jarren Duran (Red Sox), Riley Greene (Tigers) Designated hitter: David Fry (Guardians) National League: The Phillies led the way with seven selections, followed by the Dodgers with six then the Padres with five. ‌ Starters ‌ Catcher: William Contreras, Brewers (2nd) First base: Bryce Harper, Phillies (9th) Second base: Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks (2nd) Shortstop: Trea Turner, Phillies (3rd) Third base: Alec Bohm, Phillies (1st) Outfield: Christian Yelich, Brewers (3rd) Outfield: Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres (2nd) Outfield: Jurickson Profar, Padres (1st) Designated hitter: Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers (4th) Pitchers ‌ Starters: LHP Ranger Suárez (Phillies), LHP Shōta Imanaga (Cubs), LHP Chris Sale (Braves), RHP Logan Webb (Giants), RHP Paul Skenes* (Pirates), RHP Zack Wheeler (Phillies), RHP Reynaldo López (Braves) Relievers: LHP Tanner Scott (Marlins), LHP Matt Strahm (Phillies), RHP Ryan Helsley (Cardinals), RHP Robert Suarez (Padres), RHP Jeff Hoffman (Phillies) Reserves ‌ Catcher: Will Smith (Dodgers) Infielders: Freddie Freeman (Dodgers), Pete Alonso (Mets), Luis Arráez (Padres), CJ Abrams (Nationals), Ryan McMahon (Rockies) Outfielders: Jackson Merrill (Padres), Heliot Ramos (Giants), Bryan Reynolds (Pirates) Designated hitter: Marcell Ozuna (Braves) *Skenes makes history: Pittsburgh's rookie flamethrower is the only No. 1 overall pick in MLB history to become an All-Star the following season. ‌ The MLB All-Snub Team: A should-be All-Star at every position

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⚽️ EUROS/COPA

SUMMER OF SOCCER: EIGHT COUNTRIES REMAIN The Euro semifinals are set after a thrilling weekend that saw two matches end in penalties, one in extra time and one with a flurry of goals, Jeff writes. ‌ 🇪🇸 Spain 2, Germany 1: La Roja knocked out the hosts thanks to second-half sub Mikel Merino, who scored a header in the 119th minute before imitating his father's celebration from 33 years earlier on the same field. 🇫🇷 France 0, Portugal 0 (5-3 pens.): Les Bleus are into the semifinals despite not having scored a single goal from open play (two own goals, one penalty). 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England 1, Switzerland 1 (5-3 pens.): The Three Lions won a shootout to avoid an all too familiar fate, as they've been knocked out of seven major tournaments on penalties since 1990. 🇳🇱 Netherlands 2, Turkey 1: The Oranje escaped the upset (No. 7 vs. No. 42) with two goals in a six-minute span in the second half to reach their first Euro semifinals since 2004. What's next: Four of the world's top eight teams will play for a spot in the championship, with France (No. 2) and Spain (No. 😎 meeting tomorrow followed by England (No. 5) vs. Netherlands (No. 7) on Wednesday.     The Copa América semis are also set after three penalty shootouts and one laugher. ‌ 🇦🇷 Argentina 1, Ecuador 1 (4-2 pens.): La Albiceleste conceded their first goal of the tournament and looked in trouble when Lionel Messi missed the first penalty, but Emi Martínez made two spectacular saves to send the defending champs through. 🇺🇾 Uruguay 0, Brazil 0 (4-2 pens.): La Celeste beat their favored rivals with a level of brutality that "reduced joga bonito to something resembling a street fight," writes Yahoo Sports' Henry Bushnell. 🇨🇦 Canada 1, Venezuela 1 (4-3 pens.): The Canucks have aced their Copa América debut under American manager Jesse Marsch, who was hired in May. 🇨🇴 Colombia 5, Panama 0: They can't all be thrillers, right? Los Cafeteros dominated from the opening whistle to extend their unbeaten streak to 27 matches. What's next: Argentina and Canada meet in the first semifinal tomorrow, followed by Uruguay and Colombia on Wednesday.

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🎾 WIMBLEDON

ALCARAZ CHASING RARE "CHANNEL SLAM"

Carlos Alcaraz joined an exclusive club last month in Paris, and he's two wins away from joining an even more exclusive one in London. ‌ Onto the semifinals: The defending Wimbledon champion defeated American Tommy Paul on Tuesday to set up a semifinal rematch against Daniil Medvedev, who eliminated world No. 1 Jannik Sinner. ‌ Chasing history: Alcaraz's 2024 French Open title made him the seventh man in the Open Era to win Grand Slams on all three surfaces. ‌ Now, he's vying to become just the sixth man to win the French Open and Wimbledon back-to-back. The aptly named "Channel Slam" requires players to adjust from clay (slow, bouncy) to grass (fast, not bouncy) in three short weeks, which is why it's such a rare feat. "Channel Slam" club members: ‌ Rod Laver (1969) Björn Borg (1978-80) Rafael Nadal (2008, 2010) Roger Federer (2009) Novak Djokovic (2021) Looking ahead: Djokovic advanced to the semifinals this morning after Alex de Minaur withdrew due to injury, so this year's final could see the 21-year-old Alcaraz attempting to complete the "Channel Slam" against the man who most recently accomplished it.

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🏀 Kawhi's out, Derrick's in: Team USA removed Kawhi Leonard from the Olympic roster, deciding, along with the Clippers, that the chronically-injured star should instead prepare for the NBA season. They replaced him with Celtics guard Derrick White. ‌ ⚾️ First to 60 wins: The Phillies beat the Dodgers on Wednesday to become the first MLB team to reach 60 wins. At 60-32, they're on pace for a franchise-record 106 wins. ‌ 🏀 Back on top: The Liberty beat the Sun, 71-68, in a battle of the WNBA's top two teams to reclaim sole possession of first place and improve to 18-4, their best start ever. ‌ 🇫🇷 Tour de France update: Two-time defending champion Jonas Vingegaard outsprinted 2020-21 champion Tadej Pogačar to win Stage 11, though Pogačar remains in first. ‌ ⚾️ Immaculate finish: White Sox closer Michael Kopech threw the first immaculate inning of the season (9 pitches, 9 strikes) to close out the Twins in a 3-1 win.

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NBA agrees to terms on a record 11-year, $76 billion media rights deal, AP source says

The NBA has agreed to terms on its new media deals, a record 11-year agreement worth $76 billion that would assure player salaries will continue rising for the foreseeable future and one that will surely change how some viewers access the game for years to come.

https://apnews.com/article/nba-media-deal-tv-07d021c1248bedfe547885a54f0b3f32?

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MLB All-Star Game comes to D-FW

All-Star Week kicks off today with the HBCU Swingman Classic. Photo: Chris Torres/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Arlington is hosting the MLB All-Star Game next week for the first time in nearly 30 years, and the dayslong event is expected to bring nearly $90 million into the city. Why it matters: The All-Star Game and surrounding events give even the most casual baseball fans a chance to see the best in the game. State of play: The All-Star break is the midpoint in the grueling 162-game baseball season and gives teams a chance to take a breather. The reigning World Series champions — and hosts of this year's game — might most be in need of a reset. The Texas Rangers have a losing record and are third in their division. The latest: The MLB All-Star Week starts today in Arlington with the HBCU Swingman Classic, which showcases athletes from historically Black schools. The event will also feature a battle of the marching bands between Prairie View A&M University and Texas Southern University. The game starts at 7pm at Globe Life Field. Tickets start at $15. Context: The All-Star Village will open tomorrow inside Choctaw Stadium, the former home of the Rangers. There will be events and autograph opportunities inside the village all weekend. The activities and events leading to Tuesday's All-Star Game are drawing enough visitors to bring at least $85 million in economic impacts, per the Fort Worth Report. Flashback: Arlington last hosted the MLB All-Star Game in 1995, a year after the city opened the Ballpark in Arlington. The American League, where the Texas Rangers play, lost that game 3-2. Fun fact: Rangers catcher Pudge Rodriguez played in the 1995 All-Star Game. This year he is one of the All-Star ambassadors along with Texas favorites Adrián Beltré and Michael Young. Ken Griffey Jr., who also played in the 1995 game, is hosting the Swingman Classic tonight and helped select the team rosters.   Two former Texas Rangers will manage teams during tomorrow's All-Star Futures Game. The game pits the top prospects in the American League against the young talent of the National League. Context: Beltré will manage the AL team and Young will manage the NL team. Former Ranger Prince Fielder will serve as the batting coach for the AL prospects and former Ranger Ian Kinsler will be bench coach for the NL team. The game starts at 3:10pm at Globe Life Field. All-Star Saturday: The event-filled day will also feature a future skills showcase after the afternoon game. Tickets start at $35. The MLB Celebrity All-Star Softball Game follows at 7:45pm. Former Cowboys players Terrell Owens and Dez Bryant are among the players. Home Run Derby: The Derby is probably the most popular of the All-Star events. Baseball's best sluggers will battle to see who can hit the most homers. The event is 7pm Monday. Adolis García of the Rangers will compete against seven others, including Baltimore Oriole Gunnar Henderson, one of the top home-run hitters in the MLB. All-Star Game: The Rangers only have two players on the All-Star roster: second baseman Marcus Semien and pitcher Kirby Yates. Park gates open at 4pm Tuesday. The game starts at 7pm. Tickets start at $300. How to watch: The Swingman Classic, Futures Game and Celebrity Softball Game will air on the MLB Network. The Derby will be on ESPN. Tuesday's All-Star Game will air on Fox.

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SKENES MAKES HIS CASE TO START FOR THE NL

Pirates rookie Paul Skenes dazzled again on Thursday, striking out 11 Brewers in seven hitless innings before exiting with his pitch count at 99.

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By the numbers: Skenes is now 6-0 with 89 strikeouts, 13 walks and a microscopic 1.90 ERA in 11 starts, and this is the second time he's been pulled with a no-hitter intact (which is annoying… but that's modern baseball).

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The burning question: Could Skenes become the fifth rookie pitcher in MLB history to start the All-Star Game, and the first since 1995?

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The only four who have:

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• Hideo Nomo, Dodgers (1995)
• Fernando Valenzuela, Dodgers (1981)
• Mark Fidrych, Tigers (1976)
• Dave Stenhouse, Senators (1962)

What they're saying: "Things have begun to fall in Skenes' favor and it is becoming increasingly likely that he will get the start," Yahoo Sports' Russell Dorsey writes:

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Braves ace Chris Sale is starting for Atlanta on Sunday and will not be available to pitch in the All-Star Game, and the Phillies' Zack Wheeler was scratched from his start Sunday as he's dealing with lower back issues. Skenes would be pitching on normal rest.

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There was a lot of pressure on Skenes when he was taken first in the draft and even more when he made his MLB debut just a year later. Despite all of that, he's continuing to exceed expectations.

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What the 22-year-old right-hander has accomplished this season is remarkable, and his seven innings of no-hit ball on Thursday was the perfect bookend to an All-Star worthy first half.

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The bottom line: Whether or not he gets the start, Skenes will play a starring role during All-Star Weekend as the buzz around him builds and his star rapidly ascends. He has "future face of the league" potential and MLB knows it.

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More All-Star Game: One thing to know about every All-Star

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Barbora Krejcikova wins Wimbledon by beating Jasmine Paolini for her second Grand Slam trophy

LONDON (AP) — At age 18, a decade before Barbora Krejcikova won Wimbledon on Saturday, she was done with junior tennis and couldn’t decide whether to pursue a professional tennis career or move on, go to school and find a different path.

https://apnews.com/article/wimbledon-7-13-2024-women-final-paolini-krejcikova-a4d163d5e2203e81f08362ba0c28e21c?

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⚽ 1 for the road: Two huge games

Spain celebrates after beating England to win the Euro 2024 finals. Photo: Frank Augstein/AP Spain is king of European soccer for a record fourth time after a thrilling 2-1 win over England in the Euro 2024 final. For England, it's another agonizing near-miss in the team's decades-long tale of underachievement. Go deeper. Photo: Nathan Ray Seebeck/USA Today Sports via Reuters Above: The Copa America championship between Argentina and Colombia in Miami was delayed more than an hour after fans without tickets rushed the gates. Argentina won the South American tournament — which also included six teams from North America, Central America and the Caribbean — 1-0 in extra time.

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🚨 ICYMI

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⚾️ MLB Draft: The Guardians took Oregon State's Travis Bazzana at No. 1, making him the first second baseman ever taken first overall. The draft resumes today with rounds 3-10 at 2pm ET. Full draft tracker. ‌ 🏀 Brunson's extension: Jalen Brunson signed a team-friendly four-year, $156.5 million extension with the Knicks to help them build a stronger roster around him. He would have been eligible for five years and $269 million next summer. ‌ 💔 RIP, Jacoby: Former NFL receiver Jacoby Jones, best known for his record 108-yard kick return TD for the Ravens in the 2013 Super Bowl, died Saturday night in his sleep. He was 40. ‌ ⚾️ A's mash eight homers: The lowly A's stunned the MLB-best Phillies on Sunday with an 18-3 victory in which they hit eight home runs — the most by any team in three years. ‌ 🏀 Clark makes history: Caitlin Clark had 20 points and 13 assists on Friday after dropping 29 and 13 on Wednesday, making her the first WNBA rookie to post multiple games with 20 points and 10 assists. ‌ 🏁 Scary scene: IndyCar driver Sting Ray Robb was in a terrifying crash during the final lap of Sunday's race at Iowa Speedway, but was fortunately released from the hospital later that day.   ⚽️ COPA AMÉRICA ARGENTINA DEFENDS ITS CROWN (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) Argentina beat Colombia, 1-0 in extra time on Sunday night in Miami, to win their second straight Copa América title and 16th overall, breaking a tie with Uruguay for the most all-time, Jeff writes. ‌ Quick recap: The two sides played to a stalemate until Lautaro Martínez, subbed on during extra time, scored the game-winner in the 112th minute. It was the striker's fifth goal of the tournament, earning him the Golden Boot as Copa's leading scorer. ‌ Lionel Messi exited the game in the 65th minute with an ankle injury, which he'd hurt in the first half but began to really swell up in the second as he sat on the sideline in tears. Emi Martínez continued his brilliant play with four more saves to earn the Golden Glove as the Copa's top keeper. He allowed just one goal all tournament. Ángel di María ended his career as a champion, exiting the pitch one last time after scoring 31 goals in 145 appearances for La Albiceleste. Exclusive club: Argentina, coming off victories at the 2021 Copa and 2022 World Cup, joins Spain (2010 World Cup, Euro 2008 and 2012) as the only nations to win three consecutive world and continental trophies. ‌ Streak snapped: Los Cafeteros fell just shy of winning their second Copa title, and with the loss snapped an incredible 28-game unbeaten run that dated back to a loss in February 2022… against Argentina. Fans try to enter the stadium through the crowded gates. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) Ugly scene: The game was delayed over an hour due to a chaotic scene outside the stadium, where hordes of fans — including many without tickets — crowded around the gates and caused a crush. And when the gates were eventually opened, it became a mad dash to get into the stadium, which wreaked even more havoc. ‌ "People piled on. There was more and more pressure and people were fainting. There are children vomiting, a lot of people there, and you can't move ... you don't have control of your body; you go where they push you. And on top of that, there is no one to organize or help with anything." — A fan to The Athletic ($)

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⚾️ ALL-STAR GAME

SKENES VS. BURNES: THE DROUGHTS ARE OVER

(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

Paul Skenes and Corbin Burnes will take the mound first for the NL and AL in tonight's Midsummer Classic, ending two of MLB's three longest All-Star Game starting pitcher droughts, Jeff writes. ‌ It's been a while: Skenes' Pirates haven't had a pitcher start the All-Star Game since Jerry Reuss in 1975, and Burnes' Orioles haven't had one since Steve Stone in 1980. Only the Cubs have a longer drought (Claude Passeau in 1946). ‌ Skenes is also the first rookie All-Star starter since Hideo Nomo in 1995, and just the fifth ever. And in a fun coincidence, Nomo's start also came in Arlington, which hosts tonight's game as well. The pitch that made Skenes an ace: When Skenes toes the rubber this evening, he'll unleash a dazzling array of five pitches, but none more lethal than the "splinker" he crafted last offseason — "a whiff-snatching, grounder-inducing cheat code that has helped fast-track Skenes to superstardom," write Yahoo Sports' Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman. They continue: ‌ The development of such an effective pitch in such a short period of time exemplifies so much about what makes Skenes unique. Only someone with his rare combination of athletic aptitude, competitive intensity, work ethic and intellectual humility could have learned and deployed such an offering. ‌ Skenes made the splinker, and in turn, the splinker made Skenes. ‌ The finished product is a pitch unlike any other: an offering with so much vertical movement that Statcast classifies it as a splitter. Yet it averages 94.1 mph and has touched as high as 97 mph on multiple occasions. On a rate basis, the pitch — which Skenes refers to as a sinker — has already become the single most effective offering in MLB this season, according to Statcast's Run Value metric. ‌ This is what it's all about: The All-Star Game might not "matter" inasmuch as it's purely an exhibition. But when Skenes brings out his splinker against the likes of Gunnar Henderson, Juan Soto and Aaron Judge, and Burnes responds with his own devastating arsenal against Shohei Ohtani, Trea Turner and Bryce Harper, you're reminded why we love this game so much. ‌ First pitch is tonight at 8pm ET on Fox.

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⚾️ American League, Arlington shine in All-Star Game

Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy led the AL team, and Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo coached the NL team. Photo: Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images

The American League won 5-3 in Arlington last night, a better outcome than the last time the city hosted the All-Star Game nearly 30 years ago. Why it matters: The mid-summer classic is a chance for fans to set aside divisional rivalries and enjoy a game together. Fans exuded a similar excitement as they did during last fall's World Series run at Globe Life Field, but stress levels were lower and the stadium felt more collegial. Vibe check: There were enough out-of-town fans to cheer almost as loud as the Texans during a stadium bit between innings. Fans chatted with seatmates about where they were from and ranked their favorite ballparks to visit. And some seemed a little lost during the typical Rangers bits, like singing "Deep In the Heart of Texas." But the visiting mascots seemed to know how to boot scoot. Zoom in: Texas Rangers All-Stars — second baseman Marcus Semien, shortstop Corey Seager and relief pitcher Kirby Yates — got the loudest cheers. The intrigue: The new-ish (and air-conditioned) stadium was likely a major factor in the MLB's decision to host All-Star events in Texas. That the Rangers are the only team to not celebrate Pride Month wasn't a detraction, baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said before the game. The bottom line: All-Star Week and the hubbub in Arlington were a good preview of fan events when AT&T Stadium hosts World Cup matches.

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🏀 WNBA set to land huge media deal

Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever drives to the basket against the Dallas Wings yesterday. Photo: Cooper Neill/Getty Images 💰 The WNBA is circling a media deal that's expected to bring in around $200 million per year for the next 12 years — three times more than its current deal, Axios Pro's Tim Baysinger reports. That's just the revenue from three partners: Disney, Amazon and Comcast. But the league may cut one or two additional side deals for about another $60 million per year. 📺 By the numbers: 15 WNBA games this season have averaged at least 1 million viewers. Before this season, the league hasn't had a game average 1 million viewers since the opening night of 2008. 13 of the 15 were Indiana Fever games. Go deeper ...

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🚨 ICYMI headlineS 🚴‍♂️ The Tour's final weekend: Tadej Pogačar has all but wrapped up his third Tour de France title, leading two-time defending champ Jonas Vingegaard by 3 minutes, 11 seconds with three stages left. The race ends on Sunday in a time trial for the first time since 1989. ‌ 🏈 A new era: ESPN unveiled its "SEC on ABC" graphics package that will debut this fall, as the days of SEC football on CBS come to an end after nearly 30 years. ‌ 🏀 Russ on the move: The Clippers traded Russell Westbrook to the Jazz, where he's expected to agree to a buyout and eventually join the Nuggets. ‌ ⚽️ USMNT tumbles: The U.S. men's national team fell five spots to No. 16 in FIFA's latest world rankings — their lowest in two years — after their disappointing showing at Copa América. ‌ ⚾️ Mark your calendar: The 2025 MLB season will open with a two-game series in Japan featuring four of the country's biggest stars as Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto's Dodgers will take on Seiya Suzuki and Shōta Imanaga's Cubs.   ⚾️ BASEBALL'S BACK BRING ON THE SECOND HALF The playoff picture entering the second half. (Taylar Sievert/Yahoo Sports) With the All-Star break in the rearview, there's nothing but two-and-a-half months of uninterrupted baseball on the horizon. Here are 10 things to watch as the season's second half gets underway, Jeff writes. ‌ The NL's crowded Wild Card race: Nine teams are locked in a battle for three spots, and though the Braves have a 3.5-game lead at the top, the other eight (Cardinals, Mets, D-Backs, Padres, Pirates, Giants, Reds, Cubs) are separated by just four games. You better believe this is going to come down to the final week. O's or Yankees? Baltimore has a one-game lead in the heated divisional race, and both teams are powered by AL MVP favorites in Gunnar Henderson and Aaron Judge, who could threaten to hit 60 homers for the second time in three years (on pace for 57). Can Seattle break through? Speaking of competitive divisions, the Mariners have seen their 10-game lead over the Astros shrink to just one as they seek their first AL West title since 2001. Philly's special: The MLB-best Phils (62-34) are on pace for a franchise-record 105 wins. After reaching the NLCS (or better) two years in a row as a wild card, they'll try to do so this season as a frontrunner. Ending the droughts: The Royals (52-45) and Pirates (48-48) have each missed the playoffs eight seasons in a row, tied for the second-longest active drought in the league, but both are within two games of a wild card spot. Chasing Fernando: Paul Skenes is basically a shoo-in for the Rookie of the Year at this point. The question now is whether the fireballer with a 1.90 ERA and the third-most WAR among NL pitchers can join Fernando Valenzuela in 1981 as the only rookies to win Cy Young. Ohtani's worth every penny: Here are Shohei Ohtani's numbers in his first 94 games since signing a $700 million deal with the Dodgers: .316 AVG (2nd in NL), 29 HR (1st), 69 RBI (3rd), 23 SB (3rd), 1.036 OPS (1st). Third MVP incoming? The Elly show: Reds SS Elly De La Cruz has quickly become one of the most exciting players in the game, and with 46 stolen bases he could threaten to become the first player with 80 steals in a season since 1988 (on pace for 77). Farewell, Oakland: The A's time in Oakland is up at the end of the season, as they'll head to their temporary home in Sacramento next year before moving to Vegas in 2028. Who's winning it all? The Dodgers are currently World Series favorites (+333 at BetMGM), followed by the Phillies (+450), Yankees (+550), Orioles (+600), Braves (+900), Guardians (+1600), Astros (+1600) and Twins (+1600). What to watch: Here are five players who should be moved before the trade deadline, which is less than two weeks away on July 30.   📺 WOMEN'S HOOPS WATCHLIST: WNBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND (Christian Petersen/Getty Images) WNBA All-Star weekend begins tonight in Phoenix with the Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest (9pm ET, ESPN) before tomorrow night's main event (8:30pm, ABC) — a pre-Olympics exhibition between the U.S. Women's National Team and the WNBA All-Stars*. ‌ Team USA: A'ja Wilson (Aces), Breanna Stewart (Liberty), Sabrina Ionescu (Liberty), Diana Taurasi (Mercury), Kelsey Plum (Aces), Brittney Griner (Mercury), Napheesa Collier (Lynx), Kahleah Copper (Mercury), Chelsea Gray (Aces), Jewell Loyd (Storm), Alyssa Thomas (Sun), Jackie Young (Aces) WNBA All-Stars: Caitlin Clark (Fever), Angel Reese (Sky), Arike Ogunbowale (Wings), Aliyah Boston (Fever), DeWanna Bonner (Sun), Allisha Gray (Dream), Dearica Hamby (Sparks), Brionna Jones (Sun), Jonquel Jones (Liberty), Kayla McBride (Lynx), Kelsey Mitchell (Fever), Nneka Ogwumike (Storm) More to watch: ‌ ⛳️ PGA: The Open Championship (Fri-Sun, NBC/USA/Peacock) 🚴‍♂️ Tour de France: Stages 19-21 (Fri-Sun, NBC/Peacock) … The race ends on Sunday. ⚾️ MLB: Tigers at Blue Jays (Fri. 7pm, Apple); Padres at Guardians (Fri. 7pm, Apple); Brewers at Twins (Sun. 1pm, Roku); Red Sox at Dodgers (Sun. 7pm, ESPN) ⚾️ Hall of Fame: Induction Ceremony (Sun. 1:30pm, MLB) … Adrián Beltré, Joe Mauer, Todd Helton and Jim Leyland comprise the Class of 2024. ⚽️ MLS: Sporting KC vs. St. Louis (Sat. 8:30pm, FS1); LA Galaxy vs. Portland (Sat. 10:45pm, FS1) … 12 additional games on Apple. ⚽️ NWSL: 10 games (Fri-Sun, CBSSN/Paramount+) … The inaugural NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup kicks off, featuring all 14 NWSL teams and six from the Mexican league. 🏀 Exhibition: Team USA vs. South Sudan (Sat. 3pm, Fox) 🏁 F1: Hungarian GP (Sun. 9am, ESPN) 🏁 NASCAR: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Sun. 2:30pm, NBC) 🏁 IndyCar: Streets of Toronto (Sun. 1pm, Peacock) 🥍 PLL: Week 6 (Fri-Sat, ABC/ESPN+) 🏀 NBA Summer League: 23 games (Fri-Sun, ESPN/NBA) 🏀 The Basketball Tournament: Rounds of 64 and 32 (Fri-Sun, free stream) … The 11th annual tournament with a $1 million winner-take-all prize tips off. 🏀 BIG3: Week 6 (Sat. 4pm, CBS) *Another upset? Team WNBA upset Team USA in this event three years ago before the Tokyo Games, so don't hand this one to the Olympians just yet.

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🏄 Hot sports summer

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

It's been the best summer in recent memory to be a sports fan — and there's no end to the action in sight, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick writes. The Summer Olympics open Friday in Paris. 📺 Zoom in: While Olympic ratings have long been declining, 60% of Americans are still expected to tune in this year, per Morning Consult. On offer this year: longtime draws like basketball, gymnastics and swimming, plus relative newcomers like skateboarding and surfing. But the Summer of Sports has been offering up gems for weeks: ⚾️ Major League Baseball went into the All-Star break with no shortage of storylines: Pittsburgh is falling in love with rookie pitching sensation Paul Skenes ... The once high-flying Yanks have seemingly forgotten how baseball works ... The Mets are suddenly in the playoff picture thanks to Grimace, somehow. 🌡️ WNBA rookie sensations Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever and Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky are drawing record crowds and putting women's basketball in the spotlight. ⚽️ Soccer fans have been especially spoiled, with both the UEFA European Championship (Euros) and Copa América offering up high drama to whet palettes as the 2026 World Cup draws closer. 💡 Pro tip: If you're lucky enough to be in northern Minnesota this week, you can enjoy the bizarre spectacle of the world unicycling championships.