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New Title IX Controversy Arises
Sport & Story Daily August 4, 2025: A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction against Stephen F. Austin State University, temporarily preventing the school from eliminating three women's sports teams.

A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction against Stephen F. Austin State University, temporarily preventing the school from eliminating three women's sports teams
August 4, 2025

Photo by Jay LaPrete/NCAA Photos via Getty Images; Illustration by Sportico
Judge Halts Stephen F. Austin’s Female Sports Cuts Amid Title IX Suit
Sportico’s Daniel Libit writes, “A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction against Stephen F. Austin State University, temporarily preventing the school from eliminating its women’s beach volleyball, bowling and golf teams while a Title IX lawsuit filed by six female athletes proceeds.
“An SFA spokesperson told Sportico Saturday that the university plans to immediately file an appeal with the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
“We remain confident in the legality and rationale behind our decision to reduce the number of sports we sponsor,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “The text of Title IX states that institutions may not discriminate on the basis of sex, and there was no evidence presented that SFA’s decision was based on sex. The evidence was overwhelming that the decision was based on economics.”
Sportico

Statement from WNBA spokesperson re: the sale and potential relocation of the Connecticut Sun
— Annie Costabile (@AnnieCostabile)
6:52 PM • Aug 2, 2025
Connecticut Sun Will Reportedly Be Sold for $325M and Could Relocate to Boston by 2027
The Connecticut Sun could be on the move by 2027 after a group led by Boston Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca reportedly reached a deal to purchase the WNBA franchise from the Mohegan Tribe for $325 million, according to the Boston Globe via Yahoo Sports. The $325 million would be the highest price ever paid for a professional women's team.
The deal, which would require approval from the WNBA's Board of Governors, would see Pagliuca spend $100 million for a new practice facility in Boston and for the Sun to move from Connecticut.
A later report from SBJ read: “The Mohegan Tribe’s ambition to sell and relocate the Connecticut Sun to Boston for a record $325M has created tension within the league office, sources said, leading to a terse WNBA statement Saturday that the nine cities who lost recent expansion bids ‘currently have priority over Boston and inferring that the Tribe could be forced to sell to one of those cities instead.”
Boston Globe via Yahoo! Sports, Sports Business Journal

NFL Deals Red Zone, NFL Media Assets to ESPN in Blockbuster Billion-Dollar Agreement: Sources
The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand writes, “The discussions about the monumental deal were on and off for four years and have resulted in what is said to be a complicated agreement, according to the sources. ESPN is expected to have access to RedZone, NFL Network, seven more regular-season games, the NFL’s fantasy football business, as well as the potential to integrate special features (including betting) and potentially more assets. The agreement coincides with ESPN’s forthcoming direct-to-consumer service that will formally launch in the next few weeks.”
The Athletic


MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Detroit Tigers are Rolling, and a New Premium Space is Their Latest Reason to Roar
SBJ’s Mike Mazzeo writes, “There is much for Tigers fans to be thankful for, from a team cruising to its first AL Central title in 11 years, to an ownership group that has made a nine-figure investment in the franchise, to its Priority Club, a 13,000-square-foot premium space that opened that night, transformed from dirt underneath the stands into a lavish setting befitting a championship contender.”
Denver Post via Sports Business Journal
2027 MLB All-Star Game to Be Held at Wrigley Field
“It is my honor to award the 2027 All-Star Game to the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announced on Friday from a podium near home plate. “The amazing transformation that has taken place at Wrigley Field and, indeed, Wrigleyville will provide a great setting for one of our most important events.”
MLB
Fisher: Price of A’s Las Vegas Ballpark Up to $2B
A’s owner John Fisher said the planned 33,000-capacity Las Vegas ballpark, initially billed at $1.5B before rising to $1.75B in December, is “is now ‘up in the $2 billion range.’” Fisher: “The costs have gone up as more detail comes in. That’s fine. From the very beginning, we wanted a design that was unique.” Following June’s ceremonial groundbreaking, A’s President Marc Badain said the team “has contingency plans in place should costs for the stadium increase, given rising prices for steel and other building products.” Fisher said he is “seeking partnerships for the team.”
Nevada Independent via Sports Business Journal


Damian Lillard to Serve in General Manager Role at Alma Mater Weber State
Lillard, 35, announced the move while hosting the Weber State Basketball Alumni Classic in Ogden, Utah. The 13-year NBA veteran adds his new role just two weeks after agreeing to return to the Trail Blazers on a three-year deal.
The Athletic

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Illustration by Lorenzo Gordon. Photos: Getty
F-1 or Done: The Lawyer Behind College Sports’ NIL Visa Gamble
Sportico’s Daniel Libit writes, “The conventional wisdom, then, held that international athletes could only participate in NIL activities while physically outside the United States. But [North Carolina-based immigration lawyer Benjamin] Snyder read the situation differently. After examining the legal landscape, he concluded that many NIL deals qualified as passive income rather than active employment—income that F-1 visa holders are not explicitly barred from receiving. Based on this interpretation, Snyder argued that international athletes could legally accept third-party NIL payments even while residing in the U.S.”
Sportico
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