• The NFL has signed Brazilian bank XP as presenting partner for the Sept. 6, 2024 regular-season international game in São Paulo between the Green Bay Packers and the Philadelphia Eagles at Corinthians Arena.
“We have over 35 million fans in Brazil and are looking forward to kicking off our 2024 slate of international games in South America with XP as our lead partner in market,” Michelle Webb, NFL vp-commercial international said via the league.
The Tampa Bay Rays and their ballpark design firm, Populous, released new renderings and more details about the Rays 30,000-seat ballpark that will be a central feature in the Historic Gas Plant District Development.
The St. Petersburg City Council and the Pinellas County Commission are expected to vote on the ballpark and development agreements in July. Construction on the ballpark would start in January 2025, planned to be ready for Opening Day 2028.
• Stewart-Haas Racing said it would cease operations at the end of this Nascar season. Co-owners Tony Stewart and Gene Haas said the team will sell off its assets, including the four Cup Series charters it holds, and all of its drivers and crew members will become free agents. Stewart-Haas Racing began with the 2009 season.
“We have made the difficult decision to close Stewart-Haas Racing at the conclusion of the 2024 season. It is a decision that did not come easily, nor was it made quickly,” they said In a joint statement.
• Gatorade has unveiled what it called the largest campaign in the brand's history, featuring the return of its tagline, "Is It In You?" which 30 years ago saw Michael Jordan dripping in Gatorade-colored sweat.
A 60-second spot, "IT Hasn't Changed,” is narrated by Jordan, Gatorade's longest standing athlete partner, and features several of Gatorade's roster athletes, including Josh Allen, Caitlin Clark, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Jayson Tatum, A'ja Wilson, and DJ Lagway, Gatorade's 2023-2024 National Football Player of the Year.
• AP Sports: Toyota is set to end its massive sponsorship deal with the International Olympic Committee after this year’s Paris Olympics. Toyota has a contract through the 2024 Paris Games, which was reported to be valued at $835 million when it was announced in 2015.
“We have an agreement with Toyota until the Olympic Games Paris 2024,” the IOC said. “We continue to work closely together in preparation for Paris and we look forward to bringing these plans to life.” (Full story here.)
• CBS Sports: Henry Hodgson, general manager of the NFL's UK office, told the Irish Star that Dublin and Paris are two European cities. that the league is looking into for potential games.
Hodgson noted that the NFL is planning to specifically evaluate Croke Park (can seat 82,300) and Aviva Stadium (has a capacity of 51,700) for games in Ireland. (Full story here.)
(Editor’s Note: Peter O'Reilly, the NFL's head of international affairs, this month said Australia is also among the locations being evaluated and also named Dublin.)
• NBA Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade has launched the Translatable Project, funded by the Wade Family Foundation, an online community designed to support LGBTQIA+ youth and their families.
Wade officially unveiled the platform during a ceremony ini which he was named the Elevate Prize Foundation Catalyst Award winner “in recognition of his advocacy for the transgender community,” for which he received $250,000 in unrestricted funding, which Wade said would go toward supporting Translatable.
"I am honored to accept the Elevate Prize Catalyst Award and share this honor with my daughter, Zaya (16, who publicly came out as transgender in 2020), who has served as the catalyzing force behind Translatable," said Wade during the event.
• ESPN: The NCAA and its five power conferences have agreed to allow schools to directly pay players for the first time in the 100-plus-year history of college sports.
The NCAA and its leagues are moving forward with a multibillion-dollar agreement to settle three pending federal antitrust cases. The NCAA will pay more than $2.7 billion in damages over 10 years to past and current athletes.
The parties also have agreed to a revenue-sharing plan allowing each school to share up to roughly $20 million per year with its athletes. (Full story here.)
• WWE said SummerSlam 2026 would be held in U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, home of the Minnesota Vikings, and for the first time play out over two days, Aug. 1-2. in partnership with Minnesota Sports and Events.
This year’s SummerSlam which will take place in Cleveland Browns Stadium on Aug. 3. SummerSlam 2025 location and details have not yet been unveiled.
• The National Women’s Soccer League, in partnership with Nationwide, said the Nationwide Community Impact Award has been renamed The Lauren Holiday Impact Award, presented by Nationwide,
The award, recognizing a NWSL player for outstanding service and character off the pitch, now also “honors the ongoing example of excellence and commitment set by the two-time Olympic gold medalist, FIFA Women’s World Cup champion, National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee, and recipient of the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian ESPY Award.”
• Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, has launched through his Foundation to Combat Antisemitism “Stand Up to Jewish Hate,” a $25 million multi-media campaign to “raise awareness nationwide about soaring incidents of antisemitism online and in person.” • AP: Attempted book bans and restrictions at school and public libraries continue to surge, setting a record in 2023, according to a new report from the American Library Assn. Full story here.
