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After winning the WNBA Championship, no one has more of a right to say, “Watashi wa star” than the ladies of New York Liberty — and Megan Thee Stallion gives her full support. Backstage at The Tonight Show Wednesday night (Oct. 23), the rapper and basketball team — both of whom made appearances on that […]
Otis Williams had a confession.
Asked whether he was a baseball fan, the 82-year-old founder of The Temptations coughed and said in a low, sing-song voice: “Dodgers.”
Sixty years after its debut, The Temptations’ “My Girl” has become a hit at Citi Field since New York Mets star Francisco Lindor began using it as his walk-up song in late May. Fans continue singing the lyrics even after Lindor’s plate appearance is underway.
The Temptations detoured to New York on an off day from their tour to perform “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “My Girl” before the Mets beat Los Angeles 12-6 on Friday night (Oct. 18) and closed to 3-2 in the NL Championship Series.
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“It’s the highest compliment you can get,” Williams said in a green room behind home plate.
Wearing blue tuxedos with orange pocket squares, the five singers stood on the warning track behind home plate and sang an a cappella version of the national anthem that highlighted their harmonic excellence as Lindor watched from the foul line behind first base and sang along.
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They then donned Mets jerseys and sang “My Girl” with music backing them on the sound system as Lindor warmed up with sprints on the outfield grass, smiling widely and bobbing his head. He reached the dugout by the end and exchanged his special pregame handshake with with teammate Pete Alonso.
“Most players, they pick a walk-up song just because that’s how they feel in the moment but they also want the fans to vibe to to the song,” Lindor said. “Whenever you see the whole crowd getting into it, I think it’s pretty cool.”
Released on Dec. 21, 1964, “My Girl” became the group’s first No. 1 hit the following March and has been streamed 1 billion times on Spotify. The song’s impact became clear to Williams during a 1965 concert at Harlem’s Apollo Theater.
“We went out on the stage and we did the show without ‘My Girl.’ They damned near called us every name except the child of God,” he said, “so we know we can never, ever take that the song out.”
Lindor picked the song because of his wife Katia and daughters Kalina and Amapola. He didn’t anticipate the reaction.
“Last year I changed the song every single day,” he said. “I changed it because it was the song I was vibing to at the moment and it took off. I don’t know if it’s because I started hitting or because we started winning or because the song is good.”
“My Girl” was written and produced by Smokey Robinson and Ronnie White.
“Smokey saw us perform in Detroit at a place called the 20 Grand and he said then, ‘I got a song for you guys’ and he pointed to Davey Ruffin,” Williams recalled, referring to a lead singer for the group in the 1960s.
“So we went in the studio and we put the vocals down and I said: ‘Smokey did another great song for us.’ But when Paul Riser edited the strings and horns, I said, ‘Oh, oh, this is a different kind of song.’ So I went in the control room. I said, ‘Smokey, I don’t know how big a record this is going to become, but this is going to be something big.’”
A few months after the release, Williams said he received congratulatory telegrams from the Supremes and the Beatles, proudly proclaiming: “I have that at the house.”
The Temptations were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 for a catalogue including “Just My Imagination,” “Get Ready” and “Papa Was a Rolling Stone.” They’ve had 14 No. 1 hits and 42 in the top 10.
Sujata Murthy, Universal Music Enterprises’ executive vice president of media and artist relations, took notice of Lindor’s use of the song and contacted the Mets. The group was in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, for a concert last weekend and diverted to New York ahead of performances this weekend at North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Durham, North Carolina.
Williams, who turns 83 on Oct. 30, is the last original member of the group. He has no intention of retiring.
“I tell people I’m going to ride the hell out of the horse,” he said. “When I get off the horse, it’s going to be bald. That’s a lot of rides when you ride the horse bald.”
Williams grew up in Detroit, but the Motown baseball team did not get his allegiance.
“Tigers is flimflam,” he said. “But the Lions now, they got promise. They got hope. I love the Lions. I’m still a Detroiter at heart, even though I’m in LA.”
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Plans for the weekend? If you’re a sports fan, make room for a Texas’ packed weekend of mega-sporting events. Besides, the Formula 1 U.S.Grand Prix race in Austin, Texas, the Lonestar State will host a highly anticipated, sold-out SEC matchup between the No. 1-ranked Texas Longhorns and No. 5-ranked Georgia Bulldogs airing live on ABC on Saturday (Oct. 19).
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The game will be held at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin. Looking for last-minute tickets? Resale tickets will cost you around $400 and up at StubHub and Game Time.
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Read on for way to stream the Bulldogs at Longhorns game live from anywhere.
Where to Stream the Georgia vs. Texas Game
ABC will air live coverage of Georgia vs. Texas starting at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT. Football fans can stream the game live on DirecTV, Sling TV, Fubo and Hulu + Live TV.
The weekend’s coverage will include Alabama’s No. 7 Crimson Tide versus the No. 11 Tennessee Volunteers airing on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT on ABC.
Head over to ESPN to catch pregame festivities. ESPN’s “College GameDay” coverage kicks off at 9 a.m. ET/6 a.m. PT.
How to Watch for Free
To stream the Georgia vs. Texas game for free, join DirecTV Stream or Fubo. Both offer free trials (five days with DirecTV Stream and a week with Fubo), DVR recording and streaming plans with live and local channels for under $100 (use ExpressVPN to stream internationally).
Hulu + Live TV offers over 90 channels, and streaming plans are currently on sale for $59.99 per month for three months.
How to Watch on ESPN+
Need more ways to stream? The Georgia vs. Texas game will also be available on ESPN+. No free trial, but you’ll get access to tons of live sports including college football, NFL football, UFC, soccer, golf and baseball for $11.99 per month ($119 for the annual plan).
Additionally, ESPN+ features exclusive documentaries, shows and specials such as The Captain, Shohei Ohtani: Beyond the Dream, The Last Dance and Man in the Arena: Tom Brady.
ESPN+ is available as a standalone platform, but you can also bundle it with Hulu and Disney+ ($16.99). Or, subscribe to Hulu + Live TV for access to ESPN+, Hulu, Disney+ and live channels.
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Formula 1 is making a return to the United States for the much-anticipated 2024 U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, Texas. The racing event will kickoff Friday (Oct. 18) until Sunday (Oct. 20) starting at 1:30 p.m. ET where Red Bull’s three-time reigning champion Max Verstappen will attempt to keep his winning streak going against McLaren’s Lando Norris. You can still get tickets to the F1 U.S. Grand Prix, but in case you can’t make it in-person, there are some streaming options that’ll let you livestream the races online.
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This year, viewers won’t just have the pleasure of watching their favorite drivers — Sting and Eminem will be joining the festivities with live performances on Oct. 18-19 starting at 7:45 p.m. ET.
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ESPN and its networks will be livestreaming the races for you to watch at home. The easiest way to tune in is through a the network’s cable channels. Cord cutters don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on a cable package in order to livestream the 2024 F1 U.S. Grand Prix at home, there are additional ways to watch ESPN without cable.
Keep reading to learn more
How to Watch F1 U.S. Grand Prix Online
ESPN+ is the official streaming platform for ESPN and it’s networks, which will let you watch the F1 U.S. Grand Prix 2024 and more live sports coverage. ESPN+ doesn’t offer a free trial but the streamer comes with a variety of affordable plans starting at $11.99 a month or you can save 17% off with an annual plan for $119.99 a year.
In addition to live sports, ESPN+ has exclusive on-demand videos and access to content from what was formerly known as ESPN Insider. You’ll also be able to stream original shows to stream on-demand, game recaps and analysis hosted by Peyton Manning, a shorter version of NFL Primetime and full replays of historic NFL matchups.
To expand your savings and content offerings, you can also bundle ESPN+ with Hulu and Disney+ for a single monthly price of just $16.99 for all three services.
How to Watch F1 U.S. Grand Prix Online for Free
ESPN can also be livestreamed through live TV streamers and with current free trials and promos going on, you can watch the 2024 F1 U.S. Grand Prix for free. Below, ShopBillboard put together a list of the best offers to take advantage of now.
DirecTV Stream
You can watch ESPN on DirecTV Stream in addition to hundreds of other channels. New users can take advantage of a five day free trial in addition to $15 off your first two months when you bundle one of its four packages with a Sports Pack. ESPN is included in every streaming packages with the cheapest option being the Entertainment + Sports Pack for $87 (reg. $102). Once the free trial and two months are up you’ll be charged the subscription price based on what package you choose at checkout.
Besides being able to livestream the 2024 F1 U.S. Grand Prix for free, you’ll receive unlimited DVR storage, access to local channels and the ability to stream on as many devices as you want.
Sling TV
Sling TV is offering new users 50% off their first month when they sign up for one of the three packages available. ESPN is only included in the Orange and Orange + Blue packages, which are discounted for as $20 for the first month (reg. $40). After your first month you’ll be charged the full package price.
The Orange package comes with 32 channels that can be streamed on one device at once. For additional channel options including FS1 and the NFL Network, you can combine both plans for $30 for the first month (reg. $60/month) and get access to all 48 channels.
FuboTV
You can also watch ESPN on Fubo for free and livestream the 2024 F1 U.S. Grand Prix and more for no added cost. New users can take advantage of a seven day free trial in addition to a promo that’s taking $20 off the first month, giving you access to more than 200 live channels for as low as $60 (reg. $80).
After your free trial and promo is over, Fubo’s Pro Plan is its cheapest option at $79.99 a month and it comes with 202 channels, unlimited DVR storage and the ability to simultaneously watch content on up to 10 screens. Sports fans should consider the Elite with Sports Plus Plan for $99.99 a month, which includes 306 channels and NFL RedZone all in 4K definition. For the most streaming options, upgrade to the Deluxe Plan for $109.99 a month and get everything in its Elite Plan with 13 additional channels, international Sports Plus and MGM+.
Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV offers the most streaming options with access to more than 95 live channels including ESPN and the entire Hulu library. For a limited time, you can get three months for just $59.99 a month (reg. $82.99 a month), a savings of nearly 30%. After the three months are done, you’ll be charged the regular subscription price of $82.99 a month.
Unlike the rest of the options on this list, Hulu + Live TV comes bundled with Disney+ and ESPN+ for no added cost. You’ll have all of the Hulu library to watch and exclusive and original programming available only on ESPN+.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce‘s romance has already taken the NFL by storm, so it was only a matter of time before it enchanted another major sports league. After the couple stepped out at Game 1 of the American League Championship Series in New York City Monday (Oct. 14), the official MLB TikTok account […]
From the football field to the baseball diamond! Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce went to Yankees Stadium on Monday night (Oct. 14) to watch the first American League Championship Series game between the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Guardians. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news In […]
Ariana Grande was full of impressions during her latest hosting gig on Saturday Night Live. In addition to taking on Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus and Gwen Stefani during her hilarious opening monologue on Oct. 12, the Wicked star also did a spot-on impersonation of Celine Dion during a spoof of her promotional spot for the […]
The NBA is back! To celebrate the tip-off of the upcoming 2024-2025 season, basketball fans can join the fun at the annual NBA on TNT American Express Road Show. This year’s free and fan-focused event, which will take place on Oct. 22 at Boston’s TD Garden following the Celtics’ championship win, will feature a pregame […]
Amazon Music is continuing the Amazon Music Live fun with three new episodes announced on Tuesday (Oct. 8). The livestreamed music series will now also feature performances from Big Sean, Halsey and J Balvin. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The show takes place after Thursday Night on […]
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It’s opening night for the NHL! The 2024-25 season launches on Tuesday (Oct. 8) with a tripleheader broadcasting live on ESPN and streaming on ESPN+.
The 2024 Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers will take the ice against the Boston Bruins in one of three games on the roster. Will any stars be in attendance? Ariana Grande hit up the Stanley Cup Final, while DJ Khaled and Kid LAROI headlined the Stanley Cup concert series, but we’ll have to wait to see which recording stars will attend opening night games.
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Tonight’s NHL schedule includes the Seattle Kraken vs. St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks vs. Utah Hockey Club.
No cable? No problem! All three games will be available to stream on DirecTV, Fubo and Sling TV.
Read on for more details.
NHL Opening Night Schedule: When and Where to Watch
Tonight’s NHL games will air live on ESPN and stream on ESPN+, starting with St. Louis vs. Seattle at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.
Boston will face Florida in the second game of the night, which takes place at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT. Closing out the night, Chicago vs. Boston at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. on ESPN and ESPN+.
Hockey fans can stream ESPN, ESPN 2, NHL Network and more for free on DirecTV and Fubo. Both streamers offer a free trial for up to a week and monthly plans priced below $80. Sling TV’s streaming plans start as low as $20 per month.
Wants to catch most of the games scheduled for NHL opening week? Subscribe to ESPN+.
More than 25 NHL games are scheduled to stream live on ESPN+ between now and Oct. 14.
Streaming plans currently start at $10.99 per month or $109 for the annual plan (ESPN+ plans will go up $1 starting on Oct. 17).
Looking for a streaming deal? You can bundle ESPN+ with Hulu and Disney+ starting at $14.99 ($16.99 starting Oct. 17). Or, join Hulu + Live TV ($77/month) to stream over 90 live channels, alongside access to ESPN+, Hulu and Disney+.