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Millions of fans follow their favorite athletes, identifying with and even imitating them. These emotional connections translate into brand loyalty that can be leveraged to drive conversions and revenue. Athlete endorsements can be effective for a variety of products and services, including sports apparel and nutrition.

Endorsement agreements can include licensing or royalty arrangements, where the athlete earns a percentage of sales or a flat fee for product use. Royalty-based agreements can be more lucrative for athletes and may give them more control over how their likeness is used. They can also provide long-term partnerships that allow athletes to become true ambassadors of the brand, deepening the connection between them and consumers.

When a brand partners with an admired athlete, it can gain a competitive edge and stand out in the market. When competing products offer similar features, the one endorsed by an iconic athlete can gain consumer preference due to its recognizable association with a well-known figure.

Athlete-backed brands can build a sense of authenticity with their audiences by sharing behind-the-scenes content, such as how the athlete uses the product in his or her daily routine. Athlete-backed brands can also create a sense of exclusivity and urgency with limited editions or exclusive signature gear. By using a suite of audience data and sentiment analytics, marketers can measure the success of their campaigns and optimize future efforts.

With just a handful of spots at next summer’s FIFA World Cup still up for grabs, international qualifiers are taking center stage around the globe. These intense contests serve to not only determine who plays in the final tournament, but also showcase the best talent that the game has to offer. And while qualification systems across the continents differ, they all aim to do the same: identify the top teams for each confederation.

The European qualification process began in September 2024, and is set to continue with double-headers in June, September, October and November before wrapping up in December. The 12 group winners qualify automatically, while second-placed teams move on to the second round of play-offs.

Sixteen nations (twelve group runners-up plus four of the best Nations League group winners, based on their overall ranking that finished outside the top two in their qualifying groups) are drawn into one of four paths, playing a single round of two-legged play-off ties (semifinals followed by finals). The winner of each path qualifies for the World Cup.

Meanwhile, in Asia, the first round of qualifications concluded Tuesday with Japan and Iran clinching their places in the next stage. The remaining eight countries — including Iraq, Oman and Saudi Arabia — will advance to the fourth round. The group winners and runners-up of each of the four groups will then compete in a two-legged tie to decide the two Asian qualifiers for the interconfederation playoffs.

ATHLETICS

In the sport of track and field, there are few competitions more highly anticipated than World Athletics Championship. Held in odd years to avoid clashing with the Olympic Games, which are contested on a quadrennial basis in even years, Worlds offers the planet’s preeminent runners, jumpers and throwers a chance to become an Ultimate Champion in their event. The best athletes are able to produce their finest, most dynamic performances at this biennial competition.

A handful of years ago, as a member of the heritage department at World Athletics trawled through the archive to prepare for the new department’s launch, he came across a scrapbook that had been filled out by someone from the organization’s headquarters in London. It related to the inaugural World Championships in 1983, and it was a rudimentary piece of official documentation that spoke volumes about the event and the state of the sport in those days.

AUSTRALIA

Team Australia will be strong in Tokyo and will feature dual Olympians, including 20km race walker Jemima Montag and triple jumper Nicola Zagame. Further, teenage world 800m champion Cameron Myers (ACT) will lead an all-star line up of metric milers and the nation’s most promising long jumper, Delta Amidzovski, will also be in action in Japan.

Esports tournament news can range from breaking news and in-depth match analysis to exclusive interviews and behind the scenes content. These stories shape the world of competitive gaming.

The esports industry has grown at a staggering pace in recent years, and today some of the biggest video game tournaments in history rival some of the most popular traditional sports events. Backed by major video game companies, esports competitions feature teams of professional gamers competing in highly specialized games to earn the right to play for millions of fans around the globe.

Teams are represented by organizations, sponsors or cities and play against other teams in scheduled matches. The best performing teams advance to the playoffs or championships, where they compete for massive prize pools and global recognition. Esports tournaments are played out on a wide variety of platforms and are organized according to defined rules. This consistency enables spectators to follow the action across all platforms, from streaming live events on their mobile phones while commuting to watching in-person at world class arenas.

The esports tournament landscape continues to evolve, with new technologies bringing the world closer together. Better internet infrastructure, especially 5G networks, allow participants to compete with players from anywhere in the world without having to worry about lag or connection issues. Meanwhile, some tournaments are now experimenting with AR displays for the live audience that show game information and player stats as overlays in the physical space.

When it comes to World Series highlights, no one can top the 1975 Boston Red Sox comeback from a 3–1 deficit in Game 7. This game has become legendary for its nail-biting turns of events including Carlton Fisk’s walk-off home run. The Red Sox went on to win the World Series four games to three and finally broke the Curse of the Bambino after 86 years.

The 2024 World Series pitted the New York Yankees against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a classic matchup. The Dodgers took the first two games but the Yankees rallied back to take game 4. Game 5 was another wild ride with the Yankees blowing a five-run lead in the fifth and then falling short of their second title in five years.

The deciding game was full of mistakes and incredible moments with the Yankees muffed a fly ball by Aaron Judge, a catcher’s interference call on Shohei Ohtani and a high throw by Gerrit Cole that led to a bases loaded walk. Yet the Yankees still had Giancarlo Stanton who rescued them with his two-run sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth. The moment is a must-see for baseball fans who want to see what it takes to be a champion.

Women’s and girls’ sports are one of the most powerful vehicles for advancing gender equality. They teach teamwork, self-reliance and resilience. And they are a way for young women and girls to defy stereotypes, make inspiring role models, and show that men and women are equals.

Yet despite the advances made in various sports over the years, issues of inequality persist. These include lower pay, underrepresentation in leadership positions, and inadequate media coverage. These inequalities are compounded by sexism, which can be seen in attitudes and stereotypical beliefs about what is appropriate for female athletes.

The drive towards gender equality in sport has picked up speed, especially in the Olympic Movement, thanks to a series of progressive initiatives. But there is still a long road to travel. As we mark 25 years since the passage of Title IX, it is time to turn a corner and accelerate the pace of progress.

This article focuses on the geographical and socio-political differences across Europe in attitudes towards gender equality in sport (ATGEQS). It uses data from the Special Eurobarometer 525 (2022), adopting a fuzzy-hybrid TOPSIS approach to produce an aggregate indicator of ATGEQS, using latent profile analysis and multinomial logistic regression. The results reveal substantial geographical differences, with Nordic countries (led by Finland and Sweden) showing high ATGEQS, corresponding to a tradition of welfare policies that promote gender equality and supportive social norms. In contrast, Eastern European countries show more conservative views, rejecting gender equality and viewing it as an affront to culture and national identity.

The World Test Championship – the premier competition for cricket’s longest format – has brought added context to bilateral test cricket by making every match within a series contribute points. It’s also given a dramatic climax to the two-year cycle that reaches its conclusion in the final. As a result, it has helped to generate greater engagement with the contest and interest in the game’s most challenging format.

However, the ICC’s league structure can be improved. In a recent column for Wisden, Lawrence Booth argued that “the ICC can’t allow the championship to continue as if designed on the back of a fag packet.” Ideally, the top nine nations in the rankings should be required to play each other, home and away, over series that last at least three Tests, and positions should be determined by a points percentage system.

Currently, the ICC-recognised 10 test nations (Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh) compete in a series of matches across a league phase over four years, with the top four teams then squaring off in a playoff to decide the winner. A reserve day has been inserted into the calendar to provide cover in case of bad weather, which disrupts a scheduled final – as happened in the 2021 match at Southampton that was eventually abandoned due to Covid.

It’s hoped the addition of the reserve day can help ensure that there is no repeat of the 2021 final, where neither team managed to reach a score and the game was abandoned with Australia leading by 217 runs.

In the past few weeks, we’ve seen a flurry of athlete retirement news: Super Bowl hero Nick Foles retired from the Philadelphia Eagles, women’s soccer legend Tobin Heath called it a career, and two-time Olympic gold medalist Alex Morgan played her final game with the San Diego Wave.

For many athletes, retiring from competition is a major transition. It can be challenging to find identity outside of their sport, especially if they retire at a young age. It can also be financially challenging, as elite athletes must often budget for expensive training and equipment and forgo regular employment to devote themselves to their sport. That can sometimes leave Olympians and Paralympians on the verge of food stamps or credit card debt in their early post-athletic years.

While it can be a difficult process, many former athletes find success in new careers after they retire from competition. Some become business owners, coaches or politicians. Others work in philanthropy or mentor younger athletes. Some even find a place in professional sports as product endorsers, like Charles Barkley or Michael Jordan.

Athletes who retire from Olympic and Paralympic sport are now eligible to receive support in the form of a new fund for life after competition. The program, which was announced Wednesday, is backed by a $100 million “anchor funding gift” from Ross Stevens and is available to athletes who compete at two or more Olympic or Paralympic games. To learn more about the program, click here.

The final Grand Slam of the year begins Sunday at Flushing Meadows, New York. Mixed doubles has gotten the most attention this year with its revamped format, shifting to being played over two days and playing before singles action. But the main draw of men’s and women’s singles starts next week, and with top players such as Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, and Carlos Alcaraz competing this time around, it should be a highly competitive tournament overall.

The US Open schedule starts with qualifiers on August 24 and ends with the men’s final on September 7 and the women’s on September 8. The first round of qualifying takes place from Thursday to Friday, with 128 players qualifying for the main draw by winning three rounds of matches.

All US Open tickets are sold on a flat rate, meaning you can purchase the same seats for any session. This gives you the flexibility to enjoy the day or night sessions as you wish, without needing to exit and re-enter the grounds between sessions. You will need your ticket to enter the venue, and it will be scanned again upon entering each stadium.

SeatGeek guarantees that tickets purchased together in a single listing will be seated adjacent to each other, unless otherwise specified in the seller’s notes on their listing page (like “split across an aisle”). This allows groups of friends and family to sit together without needing to buy individual tickets.

Whether it’s an athlete starring in a movie, a pop star reppin’ their team or a viral pop culture moment that takes over social media, sports and celebrity go hand in hand. Getting the scoop on crossovers and celeb involvement is part of being a true fan. From singers cheering on tight ends to athletes releasing fashion collaborations, we’ve got the latest.

ANY sincere fan will, at times, display what may seem like an inordinate amount of emotional attachment and angst over their favorite team or celebrity. Whether yelling at the ref, still mourning Brangelina or defending themselves from autograph hounds, every fan carries a little bit of sports celebrity gossip inside them.

But, while it’s fun to follow celebrity sports news and rumors, there’s a fine line between entertaining ourselves and consuming this kind of content responsibly. By fostering a critical mindset and prioritizing more substantial issues, fans can navigate the world of celebrity gossip blogs in a way that aligns with their personal values and promotes healthier societal discourse. This week, we have the latest on a former WWE star and her Coldplay cheating drama, surfing star Billy Kemper shares a video of his gruesome injury and Olympian Lindsey Vonn opens up about her career and groin injury.