It’s no secret that the NFL has been looking for streaming partners for its Thursday night games. A month ago, the rumor mill said that Facebook was looking to be the victor on that field. But today the news has broken about what streaming service will be getting the games, and it’s not Facebook — nor is it Amazon, Netflix, or any big streaming suspect you might suspect. It’s Twitter. Yes, that Twitter. [More]
football
University Backtracks On Company-Funded Study Claiming Chocolate Milk Could Treat Concussions
By 4.1.16
Earlier this year, public health advocates criticized a University of Maryland research program for taking money from a beverage company and then claiming in a press release — with no reviewable data to back up its assertions — that this company’s chocolate milk product could improve cognitive skills of athletes who’d suffered concussions. Today, the university is admitting that maybe this was not the brightest idea. [More]
NFL In Talks With Facebook, Other Tech Giants For Thursday Night Football Streaming Rights
By 3.9.16
Instead of having to divide your attention between side-eyeing your third cousin’s 30,000th essential oils post and watching the big game, you could pay attention to both simultaneously. [More]
FAA: Don’t Even Think About Bringing Your Drone To The Super Bowl
By 2.3.16
If you’re packing for the Super Bowl with an eye on getting a bird’s-eye-view of the big game with a remote-controlled aircraft, you can fill your luggage with extra socks instead: the Federal Aviation Administration is warning football fans against flying their drones around Levi’s Stadium on game day. [More]
NBC To Get In On That Thursday Night Football Lovin’
By 2.1.16
For the last couple of seasons, CBS has been — with the exception of Thanksgiving night — the NFL’s sole dance partner on Thursday nights. But starting next season, CBS will have to get used to the idea of the league spending time romancing another “friend” — NBC. [More]
Uber Will Get A Special Drop-Off And Pick-Up Area For Passengers Traveling To The Super Bowl
By 1.20.16
For the first time ever, Super Bowl ticketholders will be able to take an Uber to the big game: the ride-hailing company has put down a big chunk of money to snag a special drop-off and pick-up zone near Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA, close to San Francisco. [More]
Wells Fargo Mocks Minnesota Vikings’ “Photo Bomb” Lawsuit
By 1.11.16
A few weeks back, the Minnesota Vikings sued Wells Fargo, accusing the bank of trying “photo bomb” the team’s new stadium. Wells has since fired back, calling the whole thing “far-fetched.” [More]
University Ripped For Pushing Chocolate Milk As Concussion Treatment
By 1.11.16
A University of Maryland program that “promotes the development and commercialization of products and processes through industry/university research partnerships,” is being criticized for not just declaring that a particular brand of chocolate milk can improve cognitive skills of athletes who suffered a concussion, but for making that declaration without releasing any data to back it up. [More]
Minnesota Vikings Sue Wells Fargo For Attempting To “Photo Bomb” New Stadium
By 12.23.15
When you build a new multibillion-dollar stadium for an NFL franchise, you probably want to make sure that advertisers are paying for their name on or in the building, not just near it. And you probably want to ensure that those advertisers who do pay for their name on the building aren’t being overshadowed by the neighbors. Which is why the Minnesota Vikings are suing Wells Fargo. [More]
Court Ruling On Rock Band’s Name Could Bolster “Redskins” Trademark
By 12.23.15
In 2014, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office canceled the trademark for the NFL’s Washington Redskins, deeming the term offensive and therefore not eligible for trademark. In July 2015, a federal court sided with the USPTO and ordered the agency to cancel the team’s trademark. But a ruling this week by an appeals court in Washington, D.C., adds a new wrinkle to this complicated and controversial issue. [More]
Federal Appeals Court Won’t Reconsider Plan That Would Pay College Football, Basketball Players
By 12.16.15
If you’re a college athlete hoping to score some cash from your time on the basketball court or on the football field, you’re out of luck: a federal appeals court has decided against reconsidering its ruling striking down a plan to pay some NCAA athletes. [More]
Uber Now Offering Last-Minute NFL Tickets, Rides To Games — In Jacksonville
By 11.17.15
Earlier this fall, Uber began a two-month, Saturdays-only test allowing passenger to watch college football games while on the move in Nashville, Detroit, Atlanta and Houston. Now the company is one-upping itself by providing last-minute tickets to riders wanting to see a professional football game — as long as they live in Jacksonville and want to see the currently 3-6 Jaguars. [More]
New Bud Light Deal Means Active NFL Players Can Be Used To Shill For Beer
By 11.6.15
Bud Light has been an official beer-like drink of the National Football League for a few seasons now, and ads for Bud Light have long featured retired athletes, but the league had barred the use of any active players in beer commercials. That’s about to change thanks to a multi-year deal between the NFL and the popular beverage brand. [More]
Buffalo Wild Wings Blames Sluggish Sales On NFL Season’s Late Start
By 10.29.15
Did you notice something different about the first week of September this year — perhaps a noticeable lack of wing sauce covering your fingers? Sports eatery Buffalo Wild Wings wasn’t able to score as much in the third quarter, blaming its lack of customers on the late start to the NFL season. [More]
Federal Appeals Court Nixes Plan To Pay College Football, Basketball Stars
By 9.30.15
A federal appeals court has ruled that colleges are violating antitrust laws by profiting from student-athletes’ names and likenesses while these same students are forbidden from receiving any money. However, the same appeals panel struck down the lower court’s plan that would have allowed NCAA member schools to pay certain athletes up to $5,000 a year in deferred compensation. [More]
What’s It Like To Be An NFL Owner? Ask The Green Bay Packers Shareholders
By 9.10.15
“Please rise, remove your hats, your cheeseheads, and join us in singing our National Anthem.”
There is only one place those words make complete sense. Yes, even on a hot, bright summer day in July, when any pate covered in orange foam material had to be sweating more profusely than a Vikings fan in a purple jersey in a stadium full of green and gold: Lambeau Field, in Green Bay, WI. It’s the home of the Green Bay Packers. [More]
Here’s How Much Your Local Sports Bar Is Paying For NFL Sunday Ticket
By 8.14.15
If you think $252-$354/year is a lot to pay for DirecTV’s NFL Sunday Ticket, well… you’re right. But it’s also just a fraction of what even the smallest sports bar will pay to carry the exclusive add-on package. [More]
Brewery Worker Declares His Feelings About Tom Brady On The Bottom Of 20,000 Cans Of Beer
By 8.12.15
If you’ve had a can of Sun King beer recently, you might’ve been holding a vessel bearing one man’s personal feelings on New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, and never have known it. That man is named Biscuit, he works on the brewery’s canning line, and he thinks “TOM BRADY SUX,” according to the “Born on” date on the bottom of more than 20,000 cans of beer. [More]
