4 Nations Face-Off Takes Over

‘Miracle on Ice’ Hero Eruzione says 4 Nations Face-Off buzz eclipses 1980.

February 21, 2025

‘Miracle on Ice’ Hero Eruzione Says U.S. Hockey Buzz Eclipses 1980
Sportico’s Jason Clinkscales writes, “Few people know the intense emotions of international sports rivalries better than Mike Eruzione, who scored the game-winning goal for the U.S. against the heavily favored Soviet Union during the ice hockey medal round at the 1980 Winter Olympics, a triumph known as the ‘Miracle on Ice.’

“Eruzione said the buzz around Thursday night’s final of the 4 Nations Face-Off between the U.S. and Canada has exceeded anything he’s ever witnessed. Even his own defining moment. ‘I didn’t get this many [phone calls] after the Olympics in 1980,’ he said in a phone interview.”
^Sportico

No, It’s Not the Circus. Acrobatics and Tumbling, a Mashup of Gymnastics and Cheer, is Booming
AP News’ Will Graves writes, “There are no balance beams or vaulting tables. No pompoms or megaphones. Just a massive foam mat rolled across an arena floor and a few dozen athletes on both sides ready to spend two hours flipping, soaring, yelling and finding joy in something that feels familiar yet is decidedly not.

“It began in 2009 with a half-dozen schools searching for a way to incorporate elements of those two well-known disciplines — gymnastics and cheerleading — into a showcase for female athletes.”
^{AP News}

Americans Bet $148 Billion on Sports in 2024, Up 23.6%
FOS’ Eric Fisher reports: “There’s still plenty of growth in the U.S. legal sports betting market, as new figures from the American Gaming Association attest. The industry group said that sports wagering in 2024 reached $13.71 billion in revenue, a 25.4% increase from 2023’s figure that had been a record. Overall sports betting handle, meanwhile, rose 23.6% to $147.9 billion during the year, with more than 95% of that activity happening online.” 
^{Front Office Sports}

Tiger Woods Joins Another White House Meeting as PGA Tour Moves Closer to Saudi Deal
AP News’ Doug Ferguson writes, “Tiger Woods joined PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan and player director Adam Scott in a second White House meeting Thursday with President Donald Trump, another sign the sport is moving rapidly toward ending the division brought on by Saudi-funded LIV Golf.

“Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia and the financial muscle behind the rival league, also was part of the meeting.

“‘Thanks to the leadership of President Trump, we have initiated a discussion about the reunification of golf,’ the PGA Tour said in a statement signed by Monahan, Woods and Scott.”
^{AP News}

Top-Ranked Amateur Luke Clanton Inks Apparel Deal With Nike Golf
Golfweek’s Cameron Jourdan writes, “What a week it has been for Luke Clanton.

“The junior at Florida State, who is the top-amateur in the world, earned a spot in next week's Cognizant Classic on the PGA Tour via a sponsor exemption. Then he won his fifth collegiate title at the Watersound Invitational. But perhaps his biggest news came Thursday.

“Clanton announced via his Instagram page he has inked a deal with Nike.”
^Golfweek

IOC Finds Olympic Sponsor in China Through 2032 to Replace Panasonic of Japan
The International Olympic Committee has found a sponsor in China to replace long-term commercial partner Panasonic from Japan. TCL was signed to an eight-year, four-Olympics deal through 2032 in the sponsor category of home audiovisual equipment and appliances, the IOC said on Thursday.
^{AP News}

ESPN and Major League Baseball Will End Their National Television Deal After 2025 Season
“We have had a long and mutually beneficial partnership with ESPN that dates back to its first MLB game in 1990,” MLB said in a statement. “Unfortunately in recent years, we have seen ESPN scale back their baseball coverage and investment in a way that is not consistent with the sport’s appeal or performance on their platform. Given that MLB provides strong viewership, valuable demographics, and the exclusive right to cover unique events like the Home Run Derby, ESPN’s demand to reduce rights fees is simply unacceptable.”
^{AP News}

Bears Announce New Coach Ben Johnson’s Staff
Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson is set to go into his first season with a staff of 28 assistants. The list includes includes new offensive and defensive coordinators Declan Doyle and Dennis Allen, who were hired last month. Special teams coordinator Richard Hightower was one of eight assistants retained from former coach Matt Eberflus’ staff.

The newcomers include former Kansas City Chiefs and Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy as running backs coach; assistant head coach and wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El; and former Green Bay Packers Pro Bowl cornerback Al Harris as defensive backs coach.
^{AP News}

Selling Capital One Arena’s Makeover
Monumental Sports & Entertainment is approaching its $800 million renovation of Capital One Arena as if it were building a new arena from scratch, with an eye on leveraging the fresh sponsorship and premium inventory that will be in play.

Many of the property’s sponsorships are up for renewal during this three-year redevelopment, including the arena’s naming rights, which expire in 2027, providing a sizable runway to boost revenue with long-term deals.
^{Sports Business Journal}

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Texas and USC Canceling Spring Football Games, Joining Nebraska and Florida State
Texas and USC will join Nebraska in not holding a spring football game this year. Citing the workload that the Longhorns have endured through College Football Playoff runs the past two seasons, in addition to several players participating in the upcoming NFL scouting combine, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian revealed the decision during an interview with "Up & Adams" on Thursday.
^{Yahoo! Sports}

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