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Source: SOPA Images / Getty / Charter Spectrum
Charter Spectrum customers, unfortunately, got caught up in Charter Communications’ dispute with Disney.
Reuters reports Disney let Charter Communications and its customers know it was not playing when it pulled several channels, including ESPN and ABC, over an unresolved distribution agreement.
The move left Spectrum customers in massive markets like New York and Los Angeles in the dark and during significant sporting events like the return of College Football and the U.S. Open.
Charter Spectrum serves more than 32 million customers in 41 states and was paying Disney roughly $2.2 billion in annual programming costs.
Per Reuters:
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Charter flashed a message on screen that urged viewers to contact Disney. “We offered Disney a fair deal, yet they are demanding an excessive increase,” it read.
“The rising cost of programming is the single greatest factor in higher cable TV prices, and we are fighting to hold the line on programming rates imposed on us by companies like Disney.”
The dispute is mainly over sports network ESPN, which does not have a streaming service and is a big cable attraction despite losing subscribers each year to cord-cutting.
This Dispute Could Push Disney Into A Direct-to-Consumer Model
As expected, the “unresolved distribution” between the two companies is hurting both company’s stock prices. Reuters reports Spectrum’s shares fell 2% after losing what it describes as the “lynchpin” of its video service in ESPN.
Disney’s shares fell to 2.7%, joining other media companies, Warner Bros Discovery and Paramount Global, which lost between 4% and 6% thanks to down numbers on their streaming platforms.
The website further reports if this dispute continues, it could speed up the House of The Mouse’s direct-to-consumer ambitions. Returning CEO Bob Iger said the company is actively searching for a “strategic partner” to start a joint venture or purchase a stake in the sports network to bring it directly to customers.
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Controversial sportscaster, Sage Steele, is officially a free agent after settling her lawsuit with ESPN after being suspended by the network for her public comments previously made on an outside podcast about getting vaccinated, how women dress, and former President Barack Obama’s lineage.
Taking to social media, Steele, who joined ESPN in 2007, announced that she recently settled a lawsuit with her employer after she was suspended in 2021 for the problematic comments.
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“Having successfully settled my case with ESPN/Disney, I have decided to leave so I can exercise my first amendment rights more freely,” Steele said. “I am grateful for so many wonderful experiences over the past 16 years and am excited for my next chapter!”
As noted previously reported, in a 2022 lawsuit, Steele charged the companies had breached her contract and violated her free-speech rights; alleging that Disney and ESPN retaliated against her for the comments she made during the podcast, hosted by Jay Cutler, taking away high-profile assignments.
An ESPN spokesperson confirmed her departure in a statement to CNN, noting that the decision to depart was mutual.
“ESPN and Sage Steele have mutually agreed to part ways. We thank her for her many contributions over the years,” the network said.
As previously reported, in 2021, Steele made a number of controversial comments on a podcast. While talking about ESPN’s company vaccine mandate, Steele said she respects an individual’s decision to get the Covid-19 vaccine “but to mandate it is sick, and it’s scary to me.”
In addition to questioning mandates, she also questioned former President, Barack Obama’s, decision to identify as Black on the national census, saying:
“I’m like, ‘Well, congratulations to the president.’ That’s his thing. I think that’s fascinating considering his Black dad was nowhere to be found, but his White mom and grandma raised him, but hey, you do you. I’m going to do me.”
Steele also trended heavily that year, for the comments she made regarding female sports reporters and sexual harassment, saying that women need to “be responsible” and it “isn’t just on players and athletes and coaches to act a certain way, saying:
“I’ve had talks with young women … they’re like, ‘Oh, would you look at my tape?’ and I’ve said listen, I would love to. But the way you present yourself is not something I want to be associated with. So when you dress like that, I’m not saying you deserve the gross comments, but you know what you’re doing when you’re putting that outfit on, too.”
As noted by CNN, in response, Steele apologized saying her comments “created controversy” and that “we are in the midst of an extremely challenging time that impacts all of us, and it’s more critical than ever that we communicate constructively and thoughtfully.”
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Mark Jackson, one of the most reliable voices regarding NBA coverage, was yet another big name to be shown the door by ESPN. In a statement, the former NBA player and coach reflected on his time with the cable sports network via a classy response.
Mark Jackson, 58, took to his Instagram page on Monday (July 31) and revealed details of his ouster from ESPN, joining the likes of Jalen Rose, Jeff Van Gundy, and a host of other notable names.
From Instagram
“This morning, unexpectedly, I was informed that my services were no longer needed at ESPN. Although shocked and dismayed with the suddenness of it all, I would like to thank ESPN and all the staff of the NBA ESPN crew for allowing me to be a part of the organization for the past 15+ years.
Jackson remained gracious throughout the statement, thanking fans for tuning in to hear his play-by-play analysis of NBA games. Jackson’s basketball knowledge and straight talk were appreciated aspects of his coverage, along with his signature “Mama there go that man” tagline whenever a player made a spectacular play.
According to a report from Deadline, Jackson will be replaced by former Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers and Doris Burke in the slot he occupied with Van Gundy alongside main play caller, Mike Breen.
Many thanks to Coach Mark Jackson for his contributions to the game.
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The dividing line between music fans and sports fans was all but erased at the 31st annual ESPY Awards, which were presented at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Wednesday (July 12). Lil Wayne opened the show performing his 2008 hit “A Milli.” H.E.R. performed her latest single, the elegant power ballad “The Journey,” as a tribute to the 30th anniversary of basketball coach Jimmy Valvano’s inspirational speech at the first ESPYS in 1993 when he was terminally ill with cancer.
Several other music stars were also on board for the three-hour show, which was telecast on ABC. Quavo and Lil Dicky were among the presenters. Common narrated a segment paying tribute to Liam Hendriks, who battled back from Stage 4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Angel Reese, who won best breakthrough athlete for leading the Louisiana State University women’s basketball team to the college title this past spring, has become a pop-culture star. Reese recently made a cameo in Latto’s “Put It On Da Floor Again” music video, in which featured act Cardi B raps, “I been ballin’ so damn hard could’ve went to LSU.”
This is the second year in a row that a woman has won in the gender-neutral best breakthrough athlete category. Skier Eileen Gu won last year. This is the first time in the history of the ESPYS that women have won back-to-back awards in this category.
Reese competed in the category with Iowa basketball star Caitlin Clark, her NCAA finals foe. But Clark also won an award this year – best college athlete, women’s sports.
Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs won two awards – best athlete, men’s sports and best NFL player. The Chiefs also won as best team. Argentina soccer superstar Lionel Messi also won two awards – best championship performance and best soccer player.
ESPN sports analyst Pat McAfee gave an opening monologue, though there was no formal host, due to the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike.
The show, which was co-produced by ESPN and Full Day Productions, was a lot like a music awards show in a couple of respects. Even with a generous three-hour time slot, it ran over by about 10 minutes. And only eight competitive awards were announced on the show. The other 14 competitive awards didn’t rate so much as a mention (but we have them here for you).
Here’s the full list of winners, including special awards and sports humanitarian awards.
Best Athlete, Men’s SportsNikola Jokić, Denver NuggetsAaron Judge, New York YankeesWINNER: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City ChiefsLionel Messi, Argentina
Best Athlete, Women’s SportsWINNER: Mikaela Shiffrin, SkiSophia Smith, Portland ThornsIga Świątek, TennisA’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
Best Breakthrough AthleteCaitlin Clark, Iowa Women’s BasketballBrock Purdy, San Francisco 49ersWINNER: Angel Reese, LSU Women’s BasketballJulio Rodríguez, Seattle Mariners
Best Record-Breaking Performance–Novak Djokovic wins his 23rd Grand Slam title, breaking a tie with Rafael Nadal for the most major singles trophies in the history of men’s tennis.–WINNER: LeBron James surpasses Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for NBA career scoring record.–Mikaela Shiffrin breaks the record for the most World Cup victories with her 87th win.–Max Verstappen wins the Mexican Grand Prix, breaking the record for most wins in a season.
Best Championship Performance–Leon Edwards, UFC – defeats Kamaru Usman by fifth-round KO to win UFC welterweight title, handing Usman his first UFC loss.–Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets – 2023 NBA Finals MVP.–WINNER: Lionel Messi, Argentina – 2022 World Cup Final – scored two goals and scored in the penalty shootout to win Man of the Match. He won the Golden Ball as FIFA’s best player of the tournament.–Rose Zhang, LPGA – defeated Jennifer Kupcho in a two-hole sudden death playoff, becoming the first woman in 72 years to win her first professional start.
Best Comeback Athlete–Jon Jones, UFC – Jones’ first fight in the UFC since 2020. He was last seen in action against Dominick Reyes, where he defended his light-heavyweight championship at UFC 247.–WINNER: Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets – Murray missed the entirety of last season due to a torn ACL in his left knee. He suffered the injury on April 12, 2021, and didn’t play in the 18 months since then.–Alyssa Thomas, Connecticut Sun – 2022 WNBA Comeback Player of the Year. Thomas missed all but six games last season while recovering from a torn Achilles tendon. The eight-year veteran started all 36 of Connecticut’s games in 2022, and was an All-Star earlier this season.–Justin Verlander, Current New York Mets / Houston Astros – 2022 NL Comeback Player of the Year, after being limited to only six innings in 2020 and missing the entire ’21 season due to Tommy John surgery, the Astros’ ace returned this season to go 18-4 with a 1.75 ERA.
Best PlayMichael Block Hole-in-One! GOLFWINNER: Justin Jefferson with the Catch of the Century NFLAlly Lemos with the perfect corner to tie the National Championship game NCAATrinity Thomas Perfect 10 Tying the All-Time NCAA Record NCAA
Best TeamDenver Nuggets, NBAGeorgia Bulldogs, NCAA FootballWINNER: Kansas City Chiefs, NFLLas Vegas Aces, WNBALouisiana State Tigers, NCAA Women’s BasketballOklahoma Sooners, NCAA SoftballVegas Golden Knights, NHL
Best College Athlete, Men’s SportsZach Edey, Purdue Men’s BasketballDuncan McGuire, Creighton SoccerBrennan O’Neill, Duke LacrosseWINNER: Caleb Williams, USC Football
Best College Athlete, Women’s SportsJordy Bahl, Oklahoma SoftballWINNER: Caitlin Clark, Iowa Women’s BasketballIzzy Scane, Northwestern LacrosseTrinity Thomas, Florida Gators Gymnastics
Best Athlete With a DisabilityErica McKee, Sled Hockey TeamWINNER: Zach Miller, SnowboardingAaron Pike, Wheelchair Racing & Cross-Country SkiingSusannah Scaroni, Wheelchair Racing
Best NFL PlayerNick Bosa, San Francisco 49ersJalen Hurts, Philadelphia EaglesJustin Jefferson, Minnesota VikingsWINNER: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Best MLB PlayerPaul Goldschmidt, St. Louis CardinalsAaron Judge, New York YankeesWINNER: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles AngelsJustin Verlander, Houston Astros
Best NHL PlayerJonathan Marchessault, Vegas Golden KnightsWINNER: Connor McDavid, Edmonton OilersDavid Pastrňák, Boston BruinsLinus Ullmark, Boston Bruins
Best NBA PlayerJimmy Butler, Miami HeatJoel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ersWINNER: Nikola Jokić, Denver NuggetsJayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Best WNBA PlayerSkylar Diggins-Smith, Phoenix MercuryCandace Parker, Chicago Sky (Current Las Vegas Aces)Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm (Current New York Liberty)WINNER: A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
Best DriverBrittany Force, NHRAKyle Larson, NASCARJosef Newgarden, IndyCarWINNER: Max Verstappen, F1
Best UFC FighterLeon EdwardsWINNER: Jon JonesIslam MakhachevAmanda Nunes
Best BoxerGervonta DavisDevin HaneyWINNER: Claressa ShieldsShakur Stevenson
Best Soccer PlayerAitana Bonmatí, Spain/BarcelonaErling Haaland, Norway/Manchester CityWINNER: Lionel Messi, Argentina/PSGSophia Smith, USWNT/Portland Thorns
Best GolferWyndham ClarkNelly KordaJon RahmWINNER: Scottie Scheffler
Best Tennis PlayerCarlos AlcarazWINNER: Novak DjokovicAryna SabalenkaIga Świątek
Special Awards
Pat Tillman Award for Service: Buffalo Bills’ training staff for helping Damar Hamlin recover from a devastating injury
Arthur Ashe Award for Courage: The U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team for successfully fighting for pay parity.
Jimmy V Award for Perseverance: Chicago White Sox pitcher and cancer survivorLiam Hendriks for battling back from a diagnosis of Stage 4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Sports Humanitarian Awards
Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award:Jrue Holiday (Milwaukee Bucks) & Lauren Holiday (retired U.S. Women’s National Team)
Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award: Jordan Adeyemi, Ashley Badis, Rishan Patel
Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year: San Antonio Spurs
Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award Honoree: Dr. Richard Lapchick
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Saturday (July 8) will finally see Alex Volkanovski go up against Yair Rodriguez during the UFC 290 featherweight championship. This event will also feature co-headliners Brandon Moreno and Alexandre Pantoja who will face off for the flyweight title.
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These matches along with preliminary fights will happen in-person at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. That means unless you’ve scored tickets and hopped on some travel deals, you’ll need to tune into ESPN+ to catch all the action.
On Friday (July 7), UFC took to Twitter to post the official fighter odds featuring a graphic of the contenders and the predicted outcome for each match.
If you can’t make it to Las Vegas this time around, take advantage of streaming options and catch all the excitement from the comfort of your sofa. Other fights you can look forward to viewing include Robert Whittaker vs. Dricus Du Plessis (middleweight), Jalin Turner vs. Dan Hooker (lightweight), Bo Nickal vs. Val Woodburn (middleweight), Robbie Lawler vs. Niko Price (welterweight), Jack Della Maddalena vs. Josiah Harrell (welterweight), Yazmin Jauregui vs. Denis Gnomes and more.
Early preliminary matches will begin at 8 p.m. ET all leading up to the championship matchup of Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez at 10 p.m.
Keep reading to learn how to watch UFC 290 below.
How to Watch Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez
UFC 290 is available to watch exclusively through pay-per-view on ESPN+.
You can get an ESPN+ subscription for $9.99/month, or save over 15% with an ESPN+ Annual Plan at $99.99/year. You can also bundle ESPN+ with Disney+ and Hulu for $13.99/month here.
ESPN+ $9.99/month
You won’t just have access to the UFC 290 fight through an ESPN+ membership. You’ll also be able to watch live games in other sports, NFL drafts, NFL playoffs, MLB games and exclusive on-demand videos, as well as access content from what was formerly known as ESPN Insider. In addition to games, ESPN+ has original shows to stream on-demand, including game recaps, NBA finals and analyses hosted by Peyton Manning, a shorter version of NFL Primetime, as well as full replays of historic NFL games and limited series such as Man in the Arena: Tom Brady and Derek Jeter’s documentary series The Captain.
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Source: Justin Casterline / Getty / Stephen A. Smith
Stephen A. Smith had plenty to say about the mass layoffs at his employer ESPN last week on his podcast, The Stephen A. Smith Show.
Sports fans were following the massive layoffs that saw ESPN lay off about 20 on-air personalities on Twitter, like following Adrian Wojnarawski’s timeline during the beginning of NBA free agency.
On the latest episode of his show, the Disney-owned sports network’s workhorse, Stephen A. Smith spoke about long-time on-air talents like Jalen Rose, Neil Everett, and more being let go.
He gave a shoutout to Rose, who he worked alongside during NBA Countdown and numerous appearances on his weekly sports debate show, First Take, and former NBA head coach Jeff Van Gundy.
Per Deadline:
“ESPN laid off about 20 members of its on-air talent … friends of mine, actually, definitely respected colleagues who’d done a phenomenal job and deserved better,” the sports analyst said on The Stephen A. Smith Show. “It’s not Disney or ESPN that they deserved better from. They deserved better than the times we’re living in.”
“Got a lot of love for that brother,” he added. “A lot of the great work he’s done over the years, what he’s represented for the company… I’m going to miss him. Jalen Rose has always been good to me, and I loved working with him on NBA Countdown. He is a brilliant basketball mind. He is somebody that worked his ass off all the time. There was never an assignment he backed away from. There was never a time he didn’t want to work.”
Smith also name-dropped former NBA coach and ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy saying, “Jeff was an outstanding, brilliant basketball analyst for ESPN for years. I could say I’m gonna miss him, but I just can’t imagine he’s gonna be out of work for long. I’m sure I’ll see him on-air doing his thing. He’s been a Hall of Fame analyst and commentator.”
Stephen A. Smith Says ESPN Is Not Done & He Could Be Next
After talking about his former colleagues, Smith hinted at more possible layoffs coming, even suggesting that he could be next on the chopping block.
“If we’re going to be real about it, let’s deal with reality. This ain’t the end. More is coming,” Smith said. “And yes, ladies and gentlemen, I could be next.”
Interestingly, we do think it’s unlikely that ESPN would let go of one of its most popular personalities, joining his former First Take co-host Max Kellerman, Keyshawn Johnson, Matt Hasselbeck, Chris Chelios, Steve Young, Rob Ninkovich, Neil Everett, Ashley Brewer, Joon Lee, LaPhonso Ellis, Todd McShay, and Jason Fitz.
You can watch the entire episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show below.
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Formula 1 is the worldwide racing event, featuring the best of the best weaving their way to first place. Antsy for the next race? Get revved up as the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix will start on Friday (June 30) in Austria.
If you couldn’t snag a travel deal to watch it live and in person, ESPN+ is airing live coverage of every twist and turn. Clear your weekend schedule as F1 will take place all weekend long. Whether you’re new to F1 or have been a fan for years, you can catch the main event Sunday (July 2) at 9 a.m. ET. Avid fans who don’t want to miss a single minute from the big weekend can tune in starting Friday to view the practice session at 7:30 a.m. ET and the qualifying round at 11 a.m. ET.
Saturday (July 1) will see remaining racers come together again for the sprint shootout at 6 a.m. ET and the final sprint at 10:30 a.m. before the main race starts.
All qualifying racers will then take to the race track to partake in 71 laps before determining who the winner is.
Keep reading to find out how to watch every second of the global event.
How to Stream F1 Rolex Austrian Grand Prix
ESPN and ESPN+ will be airing every moment from the F1 Rolex Austrian GP. If you’re already a subscriber, you can tune in for free — otherwise, you’ll need a subscription to watch.
You can get an ESPN+ subscription for $9.99/month, or save over 15% with an ESPN+ Annual Plan at $99.99. You can also bundle ESPN+ with Disney+ and Hulu for $13.99/month.
ESPN+ $9.99/month
Besides F1 Regular Season, ESPN+ members can watch live games for other sports, NFL drafts, NFL playoffs, MLB games and exclusive on-demand videos, as well as access content from what was formerly known as ESPN Insider. In addition to games, ESPN+ has original shows to stream on demand, including game recaps, NBA finals and analyses hosted by Peyton Manning, a shorter version of NFL Primetime, as well as full replays of historic NFL games.
For those looking for a money-saving option: Hulu + Live TV gets you 75+ channels in edition to ESPN+, Hulu and Disney+, and DVR storage for less than $70 a month. Other options for ESPN include Vidgo, DirecTV Stream, Fubo and Sling TV, which start at around $15-$75 and provide live and on-demand streaming, including ESPN and other sports channels as well as DVR recording and a free trial (with certain streamers).
From an NCAA women’s national championship, to a Cardi B lyrical shout-out and Latto music video cameo, and now a 2023 ESPY Award nomination — LSU’s Angel Reese is having an unstoppable year.
Reese is among the newly announced 2023 nominees for ESPN’s ESPY Awards, nabbing a best breakthrough athlete nod for her starmaking turn leading the Louisiana State University women’s basketball team to the college title this past spring. And the championship was just the beginning: Reese recently made a cameo in Latto’s “Put It On Da Floor Again” music video, in which featured act Cardi B raps, “I been ballin’ so damn hard could’ve went to LSU.”
Reese will once again face off against Iowa basketball star Caitlin Clark, her NCAA finals foe, in the best breakthrough athlete category, as well as the San Francisco 49ers’ Brock Purdy and the Seattle Mariners’ Julio Rodríguez. (In addition to the individual nom, Reese’s Louisiana State Tigers are also up for best team at the awards show.)
In the top two fields, Nikola Jokić of reigning NBA champs the Denver Nuggets will compete against New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and Argentinean soccer superstar Lionel Messi for the best athlete, men’s sports prize; while the best athlete, women’s sports category is between Olympic skier Mikaela Shiffrin, Portland Thorns soccer star Sophia Smith, Polish tennis champ Iga Świątek, and Las Vegas Aces WNBA player A’ja Wilson.
The 2023 ESPYs will broadcast live on Wednesday, July 12, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC from Los Angeles. Recipients of the ESPYs’ three pillar awards — the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage, the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, and the Pat Tillman Award for Service — will be announced next week.
BEST ATHLETE, MEN’S SPORTSNikola Jokić, Denver NuggetsAaron Judge, New York YankeesPatrick Mahomes, Kansas City ChiefsLionel Messi, Argentina
BEST ATHLETE, WOMEN’S SPORTSMikaela Shiffrin, SkiSophia Smith, Portland ThornsIga Świątek, TennisA’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
BEST BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETECaitlin Clark, Iowa Women’s BasketballBrock Purdy, San Francisco 49ersAngel Reese, LSU Women’s BasketballJulio Rodríguez, Seattle Mariners
BEST RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCE–Novak Djokovic wins his 23rd Grand Slam title, defeating Casper Ruud in the French Open final. Breaking a tie with rival Rafael Nadal for the most major singles trophies in the history of men’s tennis, which dates to the 1800s–LeBron James surpasses Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for NBA career scoring record–Mikaela Shiffrin breaks the record for the most World Cup victories with her 87th win–Max Verstappen wins the Mexican Grand Prix, breaking the record for most wins in a season
BEST CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE–Leon Edwards, UFC – defeats Kamaru Usman by 5th-round KO to win UFC welterweight title, handing Usman his first UFC loss–Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets – 2023 NBA Finals MVP–Lionel Messi, Argentina – 2022 World Cup Final – scored 2 goals and scored in the penalty shootout to win Man of the Match and he won the Golden Ball as FIFA’s best player of the tournament–Rose Zhang, LPGA – defeated Jennifer Kupcho in a two-hole sudden death playoff, making history by winning by becoming the first woman in 72 years to win her first professional start.
BEST COMEBACK ATHLETE–Jon Jones, UFC – Jones’ first fight in the UFC since 2020. He was last seen in action against Dominick Reyes, where he defended his light-heavyweight championship at UFC 247. While Jon Jones was plotting a move to the heavyweight division, he and the UFC president did not see eye-to-eye over fighter pay. Jones felt that he needed to be paid more for a move up to the heavyweight division, which resulted in him delaying his return.–Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets – Murray missed the entirety of last season due to a torn ACL in his left knee. He suffered the injury in a game against the Golden State Warriors on April 12, 2021, and didn’t play in the 18 months since then.–Alyssa Thomas, Connecticut Sun – 2022 WNBA Comeback Player of the Year. Thomas missed all but six games last season while recovering from a torn Achilles tendon. The eight-year veteran has started all 36 of Connecticut’s games in 2022, and was an All- Star earlier this season. She leads the team in assists (6.1), steals (1.7) and minutes played (32.1).–Justin Verlander, Current New York Mets / Houston Astros – 2022 NL Comeback Player of the Year, after being limited to only six innings in 2020 and missing the entire ’21 season due to Tommy John surgery, the Astros’ ace returned this season to go 18-4 with a 1.75 ERA — the lowest by any AL pitcher since Pedro Martinez posted a 1.74 ERA in 2000.
BEST PLAYMichael Block Hole-in-One! GOLFJustin Jefferson with the Catch of the Century NFLAlly Lemos with the perfect corner to tie the National Championship game NCAATrinity Thomas Perfect 10 Tying the All-Time NCAA Record NCAA
BEST TEAMDenver Nuggets, NBAGeorgia Bulldogs, NCAA FootballKansas City Chiefs, NFLLas Vegas Aces, WNBALouisiana State Tigers, NCAA Women’s BasketballOklahoma Sooners, NCAA SoftballVegas Golden Knights, NHL
BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE, MEN’S SPORTSZach Edey, Purdue Men’s BasketballDuncan McGuire, Creighton SoccerBrennan O’Neill, Duke LacrosseCaleb Williams, USC Football
BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE, WOMEN’S SPORTSJordy Bahl, Oklahoma SoftballCaitlin Clark, Iowa Women’s BasketballIzzy Scane, Northwestern LacrosseTrinity Thomas, Florida Gators Gymnastics
BEST ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITYErica McKee, Sled Hockey TeamZach Miller, SnowboardingAaron Pike, Wheelchair Racing & Cross-Country SkiingSusannah Scaroni, Wheelchair Racing
BEST NFL PLAYERNick Bosa, San Francisco 49ersJalen Hurts, Philadelphia EaglesJustin Jefferson, Minnesota VikingsPatrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
BEST MLB PLAYERPaul Goldschmidt, St. Louis CardinalsAaron Judge, New York YankeesShohei Ohtani, Los Angeles AngelsJustin Verlander, Houston Astros
BEST NHL PLAYERJonathan Marchessault, Vegas Golden KnightsConnor McDavid, Edmonton OilersDavid Pastrňák, Boston BruinsLinus Ullmark, Boston Bruins
BEST NBA PLAYERJimmy Butler, Miami HeatJoel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ersNikola Jokić, Denver NuggetsJayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
BEST WNBA PLAYERSkylar Diggins-Smith, Phoenix MercuryCandace Parker, Chicago Sky (Current Las Vegas Aces)Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm (Current New York Liberty)A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
BEST DRIVERBrittany Force, NHRAKyle Larson, NASCARJosef Newgarden, IndyCarMax Verstappen, F1
BEST UFC FIGHTERLeon EdwardsJon JonesIslam MakhachevAmanda Nunes
BEST BOXERGervonta DavisDevin HaneyClaressa ShieldsShakur Stevenson
BEST SOCCER PLAYERAitana Bonmatí, Spain/BarcelonaErling Haaland, Norway/Manchester CityLionel Messi, Argentina/PSGSophia Smith, USWNT/Portland Thorns
BEST GOLFERWyndham ClarkNelly KordaJon RahmScottie Scheffler
BEST TENNIS PLAYERCarlos AlcarazNovak DjokovicAryna SabalenkaIga Świątek
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The life and career journey of tennis great Serena Williams will be the focus of a new documentary series to premiere on ESPN.
The news was announced on Tuesday (May 16), at the upfront presentation held by the Walt Disney Company in New York City. The series, entitled In the Arena: Serena Williams, was introduced by the superstar on stage. She told the audience that her reason for being there personally was that “you’re talking about building connections with fans and our family is super-obsessed with Disney.” Joking with the audience, she continued: “My big plan was to break my baby news at the Disney upfront, but the Met Gala got in the way of those plans.”
The series, she stated, would be “an unflinching account of my life and my 23 Grand Slam victories — not counting doubles.” It follows the highly-regarded documentary series Man in the Arena: Tom Brady, about the iconic NFL quarterback which also debuted on ESPN, going on to win the 2022 Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary Series. The network will be co-producing the series along with Tom Brady’s 199 Productions and Williams’ production company she has with Caroline Currier, Nine Two Six Productions and Religion of Sports. Gotham Chopra, who was involved in Kobe Bryant’s Muse, will direct.
The series description reads in part: “Several of Serena’s most significant Grand Slam tournaments and defining personal milestones are examined and decoded in detail. The series juxtaposes Serena’s spectacular on-court achievements and cultural impact with dramatic personal challenges. Through it all, Serena fights to maintain her place atop the tennis world while juggling the transformational experience of starting a family.”
There is no date announced yet for the series. A previous multi-episode series in 2017, Being Serena, was a striking and raw look at the champion’s pregnancy and birth of her daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian, Jr. It also gave an unflinching eye to the situation after Williams delivered her child via emergency C-section in addition to covering her marriage to tech entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian and the path back to competition in 2018.
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Get your pucks ready! The 2023 NHL Playoffs will resume on Tuesday (April 25).
Three games are scheduled for Tuesday, starting with the New York Islanders vs. Carolina Hurricanes, which airs at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ESPN.
Rather catch the action in person? Tickets to the NHL Playoffs are available on StubHub, SeatGeek, Vivid Seats and Ticketmaster. Prices and availability may vary depending on the date of the game.
Keep reading for details on ways to watch and stream the playoffs without cable.
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How to Watch & Stream the NHL Playoffs
You can stream games in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs on ABC, TNT, TBS, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN+. There are a lot of games to keep track of, so be sure to check your local listings for additional information.
Tuesday’s Hurricanes vs. Islanders game starts at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ESPN. Hurricanes lead the series 3-1.
Currently tied 2-2, the Los Angeles Kings vs. Edmonton Oilers will face off at 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT. on ESPN; while the Minnesota Wild will take the ice against the Dallas Stars Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT on TBS. The Stars and Wild are also tied 2-2.
Wednesday’s schedule includes the Florida Panthers vs. Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ESPN) and Seattle Kraken vs. Colorado Avalanche (9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT on ESPN).
No cable necessary! We rounded up a handful of streaming options that are perfect for hockey fans on a budget.
Starting at the most budget-friendly plan, SlingTV is discounted to just $20 for the first month to stream live sports, news, entertainment and more.
SlingTV
$20 $40 50% off
Fubo is another solid choice at $74.99/month for 154 channels (including 100+ sporting events) and a free trial for a week. Vidgo starts at $69.99/month for access to 150+ channels such as ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN Deportes, NHL Network, MLB Network, FS1, FS2, ACC Network and more (if you’re streaming internationally, use Express VPN).
DirectTV Stream offers a free trial for five days and discounted streaming packages. Right now, the Entertainment tied and Optimo Más plan for Spanish-speakers are discounted to $64.99/month (regular $74.99/month) for three months.
DirectTV Stream
$64.99 after 5-day free trial $74.99 13% off
Stream dozens of cable and local channels such as ESPN, TNT, TBS, HGTV, Bravo, MTV, BET, and ABC. DirectTV Stream’s higher-priced plans come with free HBO Max, Showtime, Starz, Epix and Cinemax for the first three months.
Hulu + Live TV is another option to stream sports and live television for $69.99/month. Aside from over 75+ live and on-demand channels, subscribers can stream Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+.