Rams-Vikings Moved Due to Fires

The NFL Moves the Rams-Vikings Games to AZ “In the Interest Of Public Safety”

January 10, 2025

NFL Moves Rams-Vikings Game From Los Angeles Area to Arizona Due to Wildfires
USA Today’s Nate Davis writes, “The NFL didn't wait any longer for what was trending toward an inevitable decision.

“The league announced Thursday evening that – ‘(i)n the interest of public safety’ – Monday night's wild-card game between the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings, which was scheduled to be played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, will be moved to Arizona due to the wildfires that continue to rage through the greater Los Angeles area.”
^{USA Today}

Unrivaled Names Samsung Official Tech Partner
Just eight days before its launch and doubling down on its premise of being a “customized sports league," the 3-on-3 women’s basketball venture Unrivaled has named Samsung its official technology and presenting partner.

As part of the deal, the league’s 36 players will wear Samsung’s Galaxy Ring and Galaxy Watch to track their training regimens, performance levels and overall health. In addition, coaching staffs will lean on Galaxy tablets for real-time analytics throughout the eight-week season.
^{Sports Business Journal}

New York Yankees Done With Big Spending in Busy Offseason
Sportico’s Barry M. Bloom writes, “The New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox are among teams still shopping. But not the Yanks. They made all their signings and trades in the wake of losing Juan Soto, who signed with the Mets for 15 years, $765 million just before the Winter Meetings opened in Dallas in early December.
^Sportico

Mike Keith Hired as 'Voice of the Vols,' Returning to Tennessee and Vol Network
"When we discussed potential candidates, one name topped our list without question: bringing Mike and his family back to Rocky Top," athletics director Danny White said in a school release. "He is a true icon in the broadcasting industry, and we are excited to harness Mike's exceptional skill set to further elevate both the Vol Network and Tennessee Athletics in bold, innovative ways."
^{The Tennesseean}

NFL Viewership Down 2% After Late-Season Drop
NFL regular-season viewership dropped 2% this season after pacing toward the league’s best mark for most of the schedule. A dip at the end of the season in terms of competitive games hampered numbers for many media partners. Prime Video and NBC saw gains, while Fox, CBS and ESPN were lower this season.
^{Sports Business Journal}

Despite Disney’s Surprise Fubo Deal, DirecTV and Dish Signal They May Hold Up Venu Launch
“Through the settlement and acquisition, the defendants have purchased their way out of their antitrust violation,” lawyers for EchoStar wrote the court. For its part, DirecTV joined EchoStar in asking the court to potentially block the launch of Venu, despite the settlement of outstanding litigation involving Fubo and the proposed sports streamer. 
^{The Hollywood Reporter}

Raiders Fire General Manager Tom Telesco, 2 Days After Firing Coach Antonio Pierce
Yahoo Sports’ Frank Schwab writes, “The Las Vegas Raiders took some time before making some major decisions. On Tuesday, a day after Antonio Pierce met with the media and said he anticipated being back as Raiders coach, he was fired. Then on Thursday came more big news: The Raiders fired general manager Tom Telesco.

“That's a clean sweep for the Raiders at the top, which might help them land a head coach who either wants personnel power or can come in with a general manager he has worked with before.”
^{Yahoo! Sports}

Jets Interview Lions DC Aaron Glenn for Their Coach Vacancy and Rams Exec Ray Farmer for the GM Job
AP News’ Dennis Waszak Jr. reports: “The New York Jets interviewed Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn for the head coach job Thursday and Los Angeles Rams executive Ray Farmer for their general manager vacancy.

“Glenn, a former star cornerback for the Jets, is the fifth known candidate to interview for the team’s head coaching gig. New York has also interviewed Mike Vrabel, Ron Rivera, Rex Ryan and Matt Nagy.”
^{AP News}

49ers Interview Ex-Jets Coach Robert Saleh for Defensive Coordinator Job
The Athletic’s Matt Barrows and Cale Clinton write, “The San Francisco 49ers might be turning back the clock by interviewing former New York Jets coach Robert Saleh for their open defensive coordinator position. Saleh left the exact role with the 49ers following the 2020 season to become the Jets coach.
^{The Athletic}

Cosm Set to Show WWE Programming at Venues
Cosm is adding pro wrestling to the programming docket of its experiential venues in L.A. and Dallas through a new multiyear partnership with WWE. The deal, for which financial terms were not disclosed, will grant Cosm rights to produce and present select WWE Premium Live Events (i.e., WrestleMania, Summer Slam, Royal Rumble) in its immersive, 87-foot-diameter LED domes. The first two on its schedule are Royal Rumble on February 1 and Elimination Chamber on March 1.
^{Sports Business Journal}

Take An Inside Look at TGL’s Debut (Video)
TGL debuted on Tuesday in front of 1,500 fans, drawing an average of more than 900,000 viewers. SBJ's Josh Carpenter takes a tour of the new SoFi Center in South Florida.
^{AP News}

Federal Judge Strikes Down Biden’s Title IX Interpretation
FOS’ Amanda Christovich reports: “A federal judge on Thursday struck down the U.S. Department of Education’s interpretation of Title IX that would have made gender identity, as well as biological sex, a protected class under the statute. 

“The lawsuit was brought against President Biden’s DOE in April by the attorneys general for Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, and West Virginia. At the center of the case: Title IX, the 50-year-old statute that prohibits any educational institution that receives federal funding from discriminating “on the basis of sex”—and is the statute used to require equal sports participation opportunities and resources for women’s sports at all school levels.”
^{Front Office Sports}

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