BASEBALL
Facebook to stream games
Facebook is getting deeper into the professional sports streaming game, partnering with the MLB to air 25 weekday afternoon games in an exclusive deal. The games are to be available in the US on Facebook Watch, the company’s video feature announced in August last year, via the MLB Live show page. Facebook on Friday said that recorded broadcasts would also be available globally, excluding select international markets. The package, the MLB’s first digital-only national broadcast agreement, precludes teams from televising those games on their regional sports networks. Facebook’s selection is to come from among the nine games per season teams can lose from their local telecasts to national video partners, which include Fox and ESPN. Facebook last year had a package of 20 non-exclusive Friday night games that began in mid-May and used broadcast feeds from the participating teams.
SOCCER
Pep fined over ribbon
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola on Friday was fined £20,000 (US$27,706) by the English Football Association (FA) for wearing a yellow ribbon in support of jailed pro-independence politicians in his native Catalonia. Guardiola has continually sported the ribbon in City’s Premier League matches, as well as games in domestic and European cup competitions. On Sunday last week, FA chief executive Martin Glenn spoke out strongly in defense of his organization’s decision to charge Guardiola. Glenn later apologized over comments he made regarding political and religious symbols in which he included the Star of David and the Nazi swastika among those that should be kept out of the game.
SOCCER
Teenage Tours player dies
An 18-year-old soccer player with the French second-division club Tours has died. Tours said midfielder Thomas Rodriguez died overnight from Thursday to Friday, adding that the club is “devastated by this drama, which plunges the club into an immense sadness.” No details were given as to the cause of death. Rodriguez joined in 2016 and progressed through the Tours youth academy before playing for the reserves. The French soccer league canceled the Tours-Valenciennes match scheduled for later on Friday. A minute’s silence is being held at all stadiums in the first and second divisions this weekend.
FOOTBALL
Tessitore on play-by-play
ESPN’s Monday Night Football booth is getting a total makeover. With longtime color analyst Jon Gruden already gone as head coach of the Oakland Raiders, the network has named Joe Tessitore as the series’ new play-by-play announcer, the New York Post reported. Tessitore is to replace Sean McDonough, who is reportedly moving back to college football broadcasts for ESPN after two seasons in the network’s top NFL play-by-play role. According to reports, the network has been trying to tempt Peyton Manning to fill Gruden’s shoes, with reports saying Manning could receive US$10 million annually if he is willing to become the network’s lead NFL analyst. The Post also reported on Friday that Manning would pass on the ESPN offer, although he has made no public comments. According to Sporting News, Manning has a similar offer from FOX for their new Thursday night football package.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two