Sports News

LIV Golf's controversial growth raises questions over Saudi 'sportswashing'

Bubba Watson was one of the first pro golfers to join LIV Golf. -- ABC News

(NEW YORK) -- For the past three years, LIV Golf has taken the world of professional golf by storm.

The newly formed professional league has already lured away superstars like Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson with unmatchable salaries and a whole new attitude -- turning golf tournaments into open-air parties.

But not everyone is on board. Tiger Woods, who reportedly turned down $800 million to join LIV golf, and 24-time PGA Winner Rory McIlroy have been among LIV golf’s most vocal critics.

“What we're doing here is incredibly additive to the sport,” said Monica Fee, Global Head of Partnerships at LIV Golf. “When you look outside and you see 20-somethings coming out to experience golf for the very first time, 30% of our fans have never come out to a golf event before. And they're coming out to experience it through LIV. That's good for the sport of golf.”

But with all the fanfare, LIV Golf has come under fire and controversy because it’s created and fully funded by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The country's Public Investment Fund, or PIF, has reportedly poured more than $2 billion into LIV Golf, and billions more into other sports ventures as part of its plan to diversify the country’s economy beyond oil.

The PIF, which also owns a minority stake in Disney, the parent company of ABC News and Hulu, has been rapidly increasing its investments into sports and entertainment businesses. According to Global SWF, an organization that tracks sovereign wealth funds, the fund has invested $13.5 billion into sports alone since its inception.

The fund's expansion has been called out by human rights groups and Congressional leaders who point to the Saudi government's human rights violations, its ties to the 9/11 attacks and the murder of the Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a vocal critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.

"Big governments, and big corporations included, use sports-related content and the media stories tied to sports, in order to alter the information that reached their target audiences," Sarath Ganji, the director of the Autocracy and Global Sports Initiative told Impact. "Saudi Arabia can use the media cycle of good sports stories in the United States to push out all those negative stories."

Although the Saudi government has repeatedly denied allegations of its involvement in the 9/11 attacks, it has faced pushback from families of the victims through an ongoing class action lawsuit.

When LIV Golf was first announced in 2021, Terry Strada, chair of 9/11 Families United, said she was outraged as PGA stars started to join the new league.

"I wrote the first letter that went to Phil [Mickelson] and a few of the other players, and called them traitors," she told Impact.

Mickelson responded to the criticism from the 9/11 families during the 2022 U.S. Open, telling reporters, "We feel the deepest of sympathies for those who have lost loved ones, friends, in 9/11."

Mickelson also told Sky Sports Golf in June 2022, " I don't condone human rights violations, I don't know how I can be any more clear."

Former PGA pro Bubba Watson signed a multi-year contract worth more than $566 million with LIV Golf in 2022, telling Impact he has no regrets about joining the organization.

"I'm doing something that's fun, energetic, and new. And if you're going to grow the game of golf, this is the way, I believe, to do that," Watson told "Impact". "And so for me, it's all about me and my family."

Strada, whose husband was killed on 9/11, pushed back against Watson's rationale.

"Weren't they making millions on the PGAT? You didn't have to go to LIV Golf to provide for your family. You know, that's just another Saudi talking point," she said.

Initially, PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan suspended players who took deals with LIV Golf and allied himself with 9/11 Families United in criticizing the Saudi government.

"Some of the early criticisms that the PGA Tour launched against the LIV Golf tour were couched in moral terms," Ganji said.

Still, LIV Golf continued to grow, signing on more pro golfers, and putting the future of the PGA at risk, Jay Monahan told The New York Times. After months of media fights between the rival leagues, a surprise announcement was made last June, the PGA and LIV would join forces under one umbrella.

The PGA did not provide comment to Impact about the story.

In November Monahan told the New York Times, "the PGA Tour was facing an existential threat," from the Saudi investment fund.

"I knew in the short term it was going to be difficult because it was something that was going to be a surprise to people, but I firmly believed that the decision that I was making … was the right decision for the game," he told the Times.

Some PGA players who swore against LIV Golf, such as Rory McIlroy, said they felt blindsided by the surprise announcement.

"It’s hard for me to not sit up here and feel somewhat like a sacrificial lamb," he told reporters shortly after the announcement.

Strada said she was disappointed in the commissioner and felt betrayed.

"They definitely took advantage of the 9/11 story," she said. "You have to have a strong moral compass to stand up against the Kingdom."

Monahan responded to the criticism in a June 2023 interview with Golf Today.

"As we sit here today I understand the criticism that I’m receiving around the hypocrisy and me being hypocritical given my commentary and my actions over the past last couple of years," he said.

But in recent months, the investment group Strategic Sports Group, or SSG, announced it would invest upwards of $3 billion into the PGA tour, creating a new for profit venture “PGA tour enterprises.” The investment could force PIF to be a minority investor in the PGA, according to experts.

Although the future of the PGA Tour and LIV Golf partnership is still uncertain, Saudi influence in the sports world continues to grow as it invests in clubs, leagues and other sports groups throughout the world.

Ganji cautioned against letting these investments distract from the Kingdom’s human rights record.

"Sportswashing is such an interesting word…the washing part at the end of it is what's key. It implies that there was something stained, something dirty, fundamentally something problematic and wrong," he said. "But here's the thing: When you do something wrong as a political regime, you can't just get rid of the stain. It's a forever fact."

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


'Bee invasion' leads to suspended tennis match at BNP Paribas Open

A swarm of bees cover the spider cam after suddenly invading the court while Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Alexander Zverev of Germany were playing in their Quarterfinal match during the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 14, 2024 in Indian Wells, California. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

(INDIAN WELLS, California) -- A professional tennis match at a tournament in California was suspended Thursday due to a rare "bee invasion," officials said.

Bees swarmed the primary showcourt Thursday afternoon at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, near Palm Springs, during the quarter-final match between Spain's Carlos Alcaraz and Germany's Alexander Zverev.

The bees began to swarm Alcaraz, the defending champion, while he was serving early in the first set, according to the ATP Tour, which called the incident a "rare occurrence."

The bees could also be seen crawling on the Spidercam.

"It's horrendous," an announcer said as Alcaraz was seen swatting his racquet at the bees and running off the court.

Alcaraz and Zverev ducked for cover in the locker room.

The chair umpire announced the match would be suspended until further notice.

"Play has been suspended due to bee invasion," the BNP Paribas Open said on social media.

The winner of the match will ultimately go on to face Italy's Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals.

The BNP Paribas Open is the first of nine ATP Masters 1000 tournaments yearly.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Scoreboard roundup -- 3/14/24

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(NEW YORK) -- Here are the scores from Thursday's sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE
Philadelphia 6, Boston 1
Tampa Bay 3, Atlanta 1
Baltimore 5, Pittsburgh 2
Seattle 4, Milwaukee 2
Chi Cubs 3, Oakland 1
Cleveland 13, Colorado 7
Kansas City 6, Arizona 0
Washington 5, Houston 3
Texas 7, Cincinnati 4

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Toronto 5, Minnesota 1
Detroit 7, NY Yankees 0
Chi White Sox 5, LA Angels 1

NATIONAL LEAGUE
NY Mets 0, St. Louis 0

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Boston 127, Phoenix 112
LA Clippers 126, Chicago 111
Houston 135, Washington 119
Milwaukee 114, Philadelphia 105
New York 105, Portland 93
Oklahoma City 126, Dallas 119

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Buffalo 4, NY Islanders 0
Boston 2, Montreal 1 (OT)
Arizona 4, Detroit 1
Carolina 4, Florida 0
Pittsburgh 6, San Jose 3
Tampa Bay 6, NY Rangers 3
Ottawa 3, Columbus 2 (SO)
Toronto 6, Philadelphia 2
Minnesota 2, Anaheim 0
New Jersey 6, Dallas 2
Calgary 4, Vegas 1
Washington 2, Seattle 1

TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Houston 60, TCU 45
UConn 87, Xavier 60
North Carolina 92, Florida St. 67
Arizona 70, Southern Cal 49
Iowa St. 76, Kansas St. 57
Providence 78, Creighton 73
Marquette 71, Villanova 65
NC State 74, Duke 69
Baylor 68, Cincinnati 56
South Carolina 80, Arkansas 66
Utah St. 87, Fresno St. 75
Texas Tech 81, BYU 67
Washington St. 79, Stanford 62
Colorado St. 85, Nevada 78
Duquesne 65, Dayton 57

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Scoreboard roundup -- 3/13/24

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(NEW YORK) -- Here are the scores from Wednesday's sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE
Philadelphia 4, Detroit 1
Toronto 10, Pittsburgh 3
Seattle 8, LA Dodgers 1
Chi Cubs 8, Cleveland 3
Chi White Sox 15, Milwaukee 4
San Diego 12, Oakland 11
Atlanta 7, Baltimore 5
NY Mets 6, Houston 5
St. Louis 1, Minnesota 1

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Tampa Bay 4, Minnesota 3
Boston 9, NY Yankees 4
Kansas City 3, LA Angels 2

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Washington 2, Miami 1
Colorado 7, Arizona 5
Cincinnati 19, San Francisco 11

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Detroit 113, Toronto 104
Orlando 114, Brooklyn 106
Denver 100, Miami 88
Cleveland 116, New Orleans 95
Charlotte 110, Memphis 98
Chicago 132, Indiana 129 (OT)
Dallas 109, Golden State 99
Portland 106, Atlanta 102
Sacramento 120, LA Lakers 107

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Edmonton 7, Washington 2
Colorado 4, Vancouver 3 (OT)
St. Louis 3, Los Angeles 1
Nashville 4, Winnipeg 2

TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Cincinnati 72, Kansas 52
BYU 87, UCF 73

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Scoreboard roundup -- 3/12/24

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(NEW YORK) -- Here are the scores from Tuesday's sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE
St. Louis 8, Boston 6
Houston 9, Miami 1
Colorado 4, Kansas City 2
Chi White Sox 14, Cincinnati 1

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Detroit 1, Minnesota 0
Baltimore 12, Tampa Bay 8
Toronto 8, NY Yankees 1
Cleveland 3, Texas 0
Oakland 4, Seattle 2

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Pittsburgh 5, Atlanta 1
LA Dodgers 6, San Francisco 4
Washington 4, NY Mets 1
Chi Cubs 6, Milwaukee 5
Arizona 2, San Diego 2

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
New York 106, Philadelphia 79
Indiana 121, Oklahoma City 111
Memphis 109, Washington 97
Houston 103, San Antonio 101
Boston 123, Utah 107
Minnesota 118, LA Clippers 100
Sacramento 129, Milwaukee 94

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Vegas 5, Seattle 4 (OT)
NY Rangers 1, Carolina 0
Montreal 3, Columbus 0
Buffalo 7, Detroit 3
Ottawa 2, Pittsburgh 1 (OT)
Philadelphia 3, San Jose 2
Minnesota 4, Arizona 1
Florida 4, Dallas 3
Chicago 7, Anaheim 2
Colorado 6, Calgary 2

TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Saint Mary's (Cal.) 69, Gonzaga 60

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Scoreboard roundup -- 3/11/24

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(NEW YORK) -- Here are the scores from Monday's sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE
Boston 1, Pittsburgh 0
Atlanta 3, Minnesota 0
NY Yankees 2, Philadelphia 1
Cleveland 5, LA Dodgers 1
Colorado 7, Chicago White Sox 2
San Diego 13, Seattle 3
San Francisco 12, Kansas City 9
Oakland 6, Arizona 5

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Detroit 5, Houston 3
Toronto 9, Tampa Bay 2
NY Yankees 5, Baltimore 3
Texas 15, LA Angels 5

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Washington 11, St. Louis 4
Miami 1, NY Mets 0

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Detroit 114, Charlotte 97
Phoenix 117, Cleveland 111
Dallas 127, Chicago 92
Golden State 112, San Antonio 102
Denver 125, Toronto 119
Boston 121, Portland 99

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
NY Rangers 3, New Jersey 1
St. Louis 5, Boston 1
Winnipeg 3, Washington 0
Los Angeles 3, NY Islanders 0

TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Gonzaga 89, San Francisco 77
Saint Mary's (Cal.) 79, Santa Clara 65

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Scoreboard roundup -- 3/10/24

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(NEW YORK) -- Here are the scores from Sunday's sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE
Miami 3, Houston 0
Detroit 3, NY Mets 2
Washington 7, Minnesota 3
NY Yankees 9, Atlanta 8
Cincinnati 5, Cleveland 3
LA Angels 5 San Diego 4
Chi Cubs 5, Texas 1
Seattle 8, San Francisco 3
San Francisco 5, Chi White Sox 4

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Baltimore 11, Toronto 6
Boston 7, Tampa Bay 6
Oakland 6, Kansas City 3
Toronto 6, Baltimore 6

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Philadelphia 9, Pittsburgh 7
St. Louis 12, Miami 8
Colorado 3, Milwaukee 1
LA Dodgers 12 Arizona 1

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Milwaukee 124, L.A. Clippers 117
New Orleans 116, Atlanta 103
Washington 110, Miami 108
Houston 112, Sacramento 104
Indiana 111, Orlando 97
Oklahoma City 124, Memphis 93
Brooklyn 120, Cleveland 101
Philadelphia 79, New York 73
LA Lakers 120, Minnesota 109

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Edmonton 4, Pittsburgh 0
Minnesota 4, Nashville 3 (OT)
Carolina 7, Calgary 2
Final Chicago 7 Arizona 4
Final N-Y Islanders 6 Anaheim 1

TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Purdue 78, Wisconsin 70
Illinois 73, Iowa 61

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
D.C. United 0, Cincinnati 0 (Tie)
LA Galaxy 2, Nashville 2 (Tie)
CF Montreal 3, Miami 2

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Scoreboard roundup -- 3/7/24

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(NEW YORK) -- Here are the scores from Thursday's sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE
Kansas City at Colorado (Canceled)
Tampa Bay 3, Philadelphia 2
Atlanta 3, Boston 2
Houston 6, St. Louis 3
Milwaukee 8, Chi White Sox 2
Texas 7, Arizona 5

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Cleveland at Oakland (Canceled)
Seattle 5, LA Angels 0
Toronto 5, Detroit 4
Detroit 11, NY Yankees 5

NATIONAL LEAGUE
LA Dodgers at San Francisco (Canceled)
NY Mets 3, Washington 1
Chi Cubs 2, Cincinnati 2

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Detroit 118, Brooklyn 112
Minnesota 113, Indiana 111
Dallas 114, Miami 108
Phoenix 120, Toronto 113
Sacramento 131, San Antonio 129
Chicago 125, Golden State 122
Denver 115, Boston 109

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
NY Islanders 7, San Jose 2
Los Angeles 4, Ottawa 3 (OT)
Philadelphia 2, Florida 1
Columbus 4, Edmonton 2
Washington 6, Pittsburgh 0
New Jersey 4, St. Louis 1
Calgary 6, Tampa Bay 3
Carolina 4, Montreal 1
Final Boston 4 Toronto 1
Nashville 4, Buffalo 2
Minnesota 5, Arizona 2
Vancouver 3, Vegas 1

TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Arizona 88, UCLA 65
Washington 74, Washington St. 68

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Caitlin Clark says she's 'ready for the next chapter' after breaking scoring records, declaring for WNBA draft

ABC News

(NEW YORK) -- The all-time leading NCAA college basketball scorer for men and women Caitlin Clark is ready for the next chapter of her career.

The record-smashing University of Iowa women's basketball phenom spoke with ABC News' Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts at the University of Iowa campus to discuss her recent announcement that she will forego her last season of college hoops to enter the WNBA draft.

"I think there were pros and cons to both sides. And that's what made the decision so difficult," said Clark, who called the decision simultaneously a "win-win" and a "lose-lose."

"I'm just kind of ready for the next chapter and a new challenge in my life. And what I've been able to do here has been very, very special. But I think the reason I decided to announce it when I did was just to have that closure," she said.

Clark made history last week during her last regular-season game, cracking the all-time NCAA scoring record.

Clark, who has called Iowa home for the entirety of her life, acknowledged the importance the state holds in her heart.

"I wanted to play for my home state. I wanted to do something that really had never been done before," the 22-year-old noted.

With the WNBA draft about a month away, excitement has picked up around Clark’s entrance on the professional stage. The Indiana Fever have the first pick of the draft and will, in all likelihood, select Clark with the pick.

Roberts asked Clark what she believes gets the larger basketball community excited about her next chapter.

"I think it's just the style of basketball that I play. But also I think people like love the fire and the emotion that I have and like the smile I always have on my face," she said, claiming the smile is not just for show. "This is fun for me."

As for her fiery on court energy, she said some of the criticism she hears came as a surprise.

"I think it still does surprise me that people like get a little distraught about like women being competitive and getting into little arguments on the court or having a little trash talk," said Clark. "You see that every single day in men sports like why can't women do that too," she continued. "That's how it's always been and that's how it should be. That's what makes the game so fun."

Clark played multiple sports in her youth, but was drawn to basketball where her dad served as her first coach. She said she still acknowledges her dad with a head nod before each game.

Despite her collegiate success, Clark remembers being cut from the Team USA U-16 squad in high school, despite making the team the previous year. She called the event "one of the lowest points" of her career, but said she still uses the experience as motivation.

Clark and Roberts stepped out onto the University of Iowa court to survey the spot on the court where Clark broke the women’s scoring record.

"I dreamed of playing in front of these types of crowds in these types of environments," said Clark. "During every national anthem, or every pregame. Like I just try to take a deep breath and look around and, you know, soak in the environment because it seriously never gets old."

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


How Jason Kelce knew retirement was the right decision

Jason Kelce #62 of the Philadelphia Eagles plays during the NFC Wild Card game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on Jan. 15, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) -- Philadelphia Eagles star center Jason Kelce tearfully announced his NFL retirement on Tuesday after 13 seasons.

In a new episode of his hit podcast "New Heights," he addressed "everything that [was] involved in making that decision."

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, Jason Kelce's brother and podcast co-host, kicked off the episode by saying, "Jason has just made his big announcement and we've got to talk about it."

"Seven Pro Bowls, six first team All-Pro seasons, 193 total games, 156 consecutive starts and a Super Bowl champion -- you have officially decided to hang 'em up dude, and we couldn't be more proud of you man," he continued. "The retirement speech was one for the ages -- if you haven't seen it, grab a box of Kleenex before you do it. The guy poured his heart out as he does every single time talking about the things that he loves."

Jason Kelce then noted the decision had been "a long time coming."

"Obviously I've debated retiring for the last few seasons," he said, adding, "I knew that that's what I wanted to do and it was nerve wracking getting to that day."

Regarding his lengthy and emotional retirement speech, he said much of what he included came from "notes that I've compiled throughout my career."

"It felt good to finally get it out there in some ways -- in other ways, it's still hard and it hurts ... more just hard to come to grips with the finality of it," the 36-year-old said.

Despite the prep that went into his speech, Jason Kelce admitted, "I was hoping I had said it enough times that I wouldn't cry as much as I did. I think it's good to show emotion through it, but I was sobbing before I even started."

Travis Kelce asked his brother whether anyone had helped influence his decision, to which Jason Kelce replied, "Me."

"And that's how I knew ... because it was more firm than it's ever been this year that I just don't think physically I can compete at the level that I want to anymore," he said.

He cited elbow and knee issues -- with possible worsening recovery and deterioration -- as a potential problem on the gridiron, which he said "hasn't really manifested on game day yet, but I know it's going to start doing that."

"I'm hard on myself. If I go out there and I'm not the player that I want to be, it'll crush me. So, I feel very confident in the decision I made. I know that it's time, I've had a really good run," he said.

While Jason Kelce said teammates and friends would support him and want him to play if that's what he wanted, he noted, "The reality is, I don't want to do that anymore."

"There will always be parts of me that want to go out on game day and play and want to compete and want to be there with your teammates -- that stuff will never go away -- but just the physical portion was at a point that it's not a desire to continue to do, and that's something that I think I can do and be happy about it," he said.

He added, "So yeah, it's over. And that's good."

The dad of three, who has been married to wife Kylie Kelce since 2018, said that life after the NFL seems "terrifying in some ways," as he has "only really played football my whole life," but he sounded optimistic for what lies ahead.

"At the end of the day, it's still a new chapter, so I'm incredibly excited about what could happen and also nervous about what life is gonna look like now," he said.

The Super Bowl 58 champion also asked his big brother to walk listeners through his retirement announcement outfit choice.

"This is a shirt that has holes in it, and I've worn and practiced [in it], every year I've lifted weights in it," Jason Kelce explained of his black sleeveless Eagles top. "This shirt, in some ways, was a part of this journey with me more than anything else in the closet."

Longtime Eagles trainer Joe O'Pella also supported part of the retirement day look. According to Jason Kelce, O'Pella is in remission after battling cancer all season long, and hadn't been able to tape his ankles during his final season.

"He's taped my ankles my whole career, so he taped my ankles for the press conference one last time," Jason Kelce said.

The football duo from Westlake, Ohio attended the Kelce Brothers bobblehead night with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday. In their podcast, Travis Kelce jokingly asked his brother if his bobblehead is what he expects to look like now that he's retired.

"It's hard to gauge cause my head's so large," the retired NFL star answered, looking at himself in bobblehead form. "That is one thing that happens with offensive linemen, when they lose a bunch of weight they go too far and it never really shrinks back down -- so if I go too light, then I'll actually look like this bobblehead, and I don't want to look like that."

In the episode, the brothers also chatted about Travis Kelce's recent trip to Australia following the Super Bowl and his experiences in Sydney, the brothers' bobblehead night with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Jason Kelce's retirement announcement outfit choice.

The full podcast episode is streaming now and available to watch on YouTube. 

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Scoreboard roundup -- 3/6/24

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(NEW YORK) -- Here are the scores from Wednesday's sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE
NY Mets at Houston (Canceled)
Chi Cubs 6, LA Angels 5
LA Dodgers 12, Chi White Sox 9
Baltimore 6, Pittsburgh 4
Texas 6, Colorado 6
Cleveland 3, Milwaukee 3

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Tampa Bay 4, NY Yankees 3
Minnesota 7, Boston 1
Seattle 8, Kansas City 7
Oakland 12, LA Angels 5

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Washington 9, Miami 3
Milwaukee 2, Cincinnati 0
Cincinnati 6, San Diego 2

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Sacramento 130, LA Lakers 120
Orlando 119, Washington 109
Atlanta 112, Cleveland 101
LA Clippers 122, Houston 116
Memphis 115, Philadelphia 109
Chicago 119, Utah 117
Golden State 125, Milwaukee 90
Oklahoma City 128, Portland 120

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Toronto 2, Buffalo 1 (OT)
Anaheim 2, Ottawa 1
Colorado 7, Detroit 2

TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Houston 67, UCF 59
UConn 74, Marquette 67
Tennessee 66, South Carolina 59
Iowa St. 68, BYU 63
Kentucky 93, Vanderbilt 77
Utah St. 90, San Jose St. 70

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Scoreboard roundup -- 3/5/24

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(NEW YORK) -- Here are the scores from Tuesday's sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE
Miami 2, Houston 0
St. Louis 5, Minnesota 4
Baltimore 3, Philadelphia 2
Atlanta 3, Detroit 0
Pittsburgh 6, Toronto 5
NY Mets 5, N.Y. Yankees 4
Kansas City 4, Chi Cubs 0
LA Angels 4, LA Dodgers 0

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Boston 7, Tampa Bay 4
Cleveland 4, Seattle 1
Texas 10, Seattle 9

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Arizona 5, San Diego 3
San Francisco 13, Milwaukee 8

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Phoenix 117, Denver 107 (OT)
Orlando 101, Charlotte 89
New Orleans 139, Toronto 98
Atlanta 116, New York 100
Miami 118, Detroit 110
Cleveland 105, Boston 104
Brooklyn 112, Philadelphia 107
Houston 114, San Antonio 101
Indiana 137, Dallas 120

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Dallas 7, San Jose 6 (OT)
Vancouver 2 Los Angeles 1 (OT)
Pittsburgh 5, Columbus 3
Florida 5, New Jersey 3
NY Islanders 4, St. Louis 2
Edmonton 2, Boston 1 (OT)
Seattle 4, Winnipeg 3
Montreal 4 Nashville 3 (OT)
Chicago 5, Arizona 2

TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
UNLV 61, San Diego St. 58
Purdue 77, Illinois 71
North Carolina 84, Notre Dame 51
Auburn 101, Missouri 74
Kansas 90, Kansas St. 68
Florida 105, Alabama 87
South Florida 85, Tulane 72
Dayton 100, Saint Louis 83

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Philadelphia Eagles' Jason Kelce announces NFL retirement after 13 seasons

Jason Kelce #62 of the Philadelphia Eagles reacts after announcing his retirement from the NFL at NovaCare Complex on March 04, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

(PHILADELPHIA) -- Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce announced his retirement on Monday after 13 seasons in the NFL.

The Super Bowl champion and seven-time Pro Bowler held a press conference at the Eagles facility to share the announcement.

In an emotional speech, Jason Kelce highlighted the many highs and lows of his time in the NFL and his college years, explaining what drew him to the game.

"I've been asked many times: Why did I choose football? What drew me to the game? And I never have an answer that gets it right," he said. "The best way I could explain it is what draws you to your favorite song ... your favorite book. It's what it makes you feel. The seriousness of it. The intensity of it. Stepping on the field was the most alive and free I had ever felt."

He also looked back on his 13-year career with the Eagles, which he recounted as "filled with ups and downs."

"This all brings us here to today, where I announce ... I am retiring from the NFL after 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles," he said.

In addition to thanking his coaches, support staff, college trainers and loved ones for their support through the years, Jason Kelce also gave a special shoutout to his wife Kylie Kelce, with whom he shares three children.

"I think it's no coincidence, I have enjoyed my best years of my career with Kylie by my side," he said. "Every accolade I have ever received has come with her in my life. She's brought the best out of me through love, devotion, support, honesty, intelligence, and, of course, a swift kick in the a-- from time to time."

Jason Kelce also took time to recognize his brother Travis Kelce for his role in shaping the man and player he became.

"There is no chance I'd be here without the bond Travis and I share. It made me stronger, tougher, smarter, and it taught me the values of cooperation loyalty, patience and understanding. It's only too poetic that I found my career being fulfilled in the City of Brotherly Love. I knew that relationship all too well," he said.

Jason Kelce gained unique recognition as a center, particularly for the outsized role he played as an offensive lineman, a position that generally does not garner much fanfare.

He is widely considered one of the best centers of his generation, a claim legitimized by his six All-Pro team selections, a distinction awarded at the end of each season.

Last month, during an appearance on "The Big Podcast with Shaq", Jason Kelce opened up about his possible retirement, stating that he was still "figuring it out" at the time.

His comments came a few weeks after the Eagles' season-ending loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL playoffs on Jan. 15, after which reports surfaced that Jason Kelce had announced his retirement to his teammates shortly after the game.

Kelce later denied those reports, saying on an episode of his "New Heights" podcast, which he hosts with Travis Kelce, that he wasn't in the right mindset at that time to make such a big decision.

"I didn't announce what I was doing on purpose," he said at the time. "I just don't think you're in a position after a game like that to really make that decision."

"When it's time to officially announce what's happening in the future, it will be done in a way that's definitive and pays respect to a lot of people and individuals that have meant a lot to me," he said.

Kelce then confirmed reports that he had addressed the Eagles after their loss.

"I got belief in every single one of you guys. Cherish the moments you have in this league," he recalled telling the team.

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Scoreboard roundup -- 3/4/24

iStock

(NEW YORK) -- Here are the scores from Monday's sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE
Minnesota 4, Atlanta 3
Pittsburgh 7, Tampa Bay 3
Toronto 5, Philadelphia 2
Chi White Sox 5, Arizona 2
Cincinnati 15, Oakland 8
NY Yankees 3, Miami 2

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Detroit 2, Boston 1
Minnesota 7, Baltimore 2
LA Angels 3, Texas 2

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Washington 1, St. Louis 0
San Diego 2, Chi Cubs 1
Colorado 12, San Francisco 10

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Chicago 113, Sacramento 109
LA Lakers 116, Oklahoma City 104
Memphis 106, Brooklyn 102
Milwaukee 113, LA Clippers 106
Minnesota 119, Portland 114
Utah 127, Washington 115

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Boston 4, Toronto 1
Florida 4, NY Rangers 2
Columbus 6, Vegas 3
St. Louis 2, Philadelphia 1 (SO)
Colorado 5, Chicago 0
Seattle 4, Calgary 2

TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Duke 79, NC State 64
Baylor 93, Texas 85

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Scoreboard roundup -- 3/3/24

iStock

(NEW YORK) -- Here are the scores from Sunday's sports events:

INTERLEAGUE
Houston 5, NY Mets 2
Baltimore 5, Pittsburgh 2
Kansas City 7, Cincinnati 3
Chi Cubs 5, Cleveland 3
San Diego 12, Seattle 4
San Francisco 6, Cleveland 5

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Boston 3, Toronto 1
Detroit 7, NY Yankees 2
Oakland 5, Texas 2
LA Angels 3, Chi White Sox 1
Tampa Bay 4 Minnesota 4

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Miami at St. Louis (Canceled)
Miami at Washington (Canceled)
Atlanta 3, Philadelphia 2
LA Dodgers 7, Colorado 4
Milwaukee 10, Arizona 4

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Philadelphia 120, Dallas 116
Boston 140, Golden State 88
LA Clippers 89, Minnesota 88
Orlando 113, Detroit 91
Toronto 111, Charlotte 106
New York 107, Cleveland 98
San Antonio 117, Indiana 105
Oklahoma City 118, Phoenix 110

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Arizona 5, Washington 2
Los Angeles 5, New Jersey 1
Winnipeg 5, Buffalo 2
Minnesota 4, San Jose 3
Vancouver 2, Anaheim 1
Edmonton 6, Pittsburgh 1

TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
UConn 91, Seton Hall 61

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Final Toronto FC 1 New England 0

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