General
Disney Closes $71.3 Billion Fox Deal, Creating Global Content Powerhouse
Georg Szalai and Paul Bond, The Hollywood Reporter
The Walt Disney Co. has closed its $71.3 billion acquisition of large parts of 21st Century Fox, expanding its global reach and content portfolio ahead of the planned launch of its own video streaming service.
Johnny Manziel has ‘confidence’ he can ‘play at any level’ as he begins AAF journey
Des Bieler, The Washington Post
When he was beating Alabama and winning the Heisman Trophy at Texas A&M, Manziel exuded confidence, if not outright cockiness. However, the quarterback’s professional career has not gone at all as planned, and he found himself Tuesday being introduced as the latest player looking to keep things going in the Alliance of American Football.
Peloton slapped with $150 million lawsuit for using songs by Drake, Lady Gaga without permission
Sarah Whitten, CNBC
A group of music publishers is suing Peloton, alleging the maker of video-streaming exercise bikes used more than 1,000 songs from Lady Gaga, Drake, Gwen Stefani, Justin Timberlake and others without permission. The publishers, including Downtown Music Publishing, Big Deal Music, Reservoir, Round Hill, Royalty Network, Pulse Music Publishing and TRO Essex Music Group, say Peloton failed to license songs from the companies, resulting in a loss of income.
NFL
Cowboys bolster receiving corps with ex-Packer Randall Cobb
Des Bieler, The Washington Post
Having seen Cole Beasley head to the land of lake-effect snow last week, when the veteran wide receiver signed with the Buffalo Bills in free agency, the Dallas Cowboys decided to raid the frozen tundra of Green Bay. The Cowboys added former Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb, who should give his new team valuable versatility and experience.
‘Why won’t you come to Flint?’ NFL’s Demario Davis, Josh Norman respond to water crisis
Kimberly A. Martin, Yahoo Sports
Demario Davis had assumed it was over. So did Josh Norman. But like so many in this country, both NFL players were shocked to learn that life in Flint, Michigan, still had not returned to normal.
NBA
Doc Rivers denies Lakers coaching rumors
Beth Harris, The Associated Press
Doc Rivers denied rumors on Tuesday night that he’s interested in leaving the Los Angeles Clippers to coach the Lakers.
Harden sets single-season mark for 3 attempts
Vaughn McClure, ESPN
Houston Rockets star James Harden surpassed Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors for the most 3-point attempts in a season with his first eight tries Tuesday night against the Atlanta Hawks. Harden entered the game with 879 attempts, seven behind the 886 Curry attempted during the 2015-16 season. Harden established the attempts mark in going 2-for-3 from beyond the arc in the third quarter.
MLB
Mike Trout Didn’t Go on the Market. It Came to Him.
Tyler Kepner, The New York Times
This was always the logical blueprint for Mike Trout, the greatest and least complicated player in baseball. Trout would not sell himself short financially, but he also would not draw out the process of determining his future.
MLB, T-Mobile Extend Sponsorship Agreement; Free MLB.TV Available To Customers
Maury Brown, Forbes
Following on the heels of the ballpark naming rights deal for the Seattle Mariners, T-Mobile and Major League Baseball have extended their sponsorship agreement for an additional four years. As part of the deal customers that signed up with T-Mobile will have a chance to get MLB.TV Premium for free on “T-Mobile Tuesday.”
MLB concerned at number of strikeouts, says Torre
Jack Tarrant, Reuters
Major League Baseball is concerned at strikeouts surpassing the number of hits and needs more balls in play to arrest the dip in popularity, the league’s chief baseball officer Joe Torre said on Wednesday.
AP source: Alex Bregman, Astros agree to $100M, 6-year deal
Kristie Rieken, The Associated Press
Alex Bregman and the Houston Astros have agreed on a $100 million, six-year deal that keeps the All-Star third baseman under contract with the team through 2024, according to a person with direct knowledge of the situation.
DA declines to charge SF Giants CEO Larry Baer over altercation with wife
Evan Sernoffsky, San Francisco Chronicle
The San Francisco district attorney’s office declined to file charges Tuesday against Giants CEO Larry Baer after a physical altercation between the baseball executive and his wife was caught on video.
The Braves have The Freeze. Now a Nats affiliate is introducing ‘The Anti-Freeze.’
Scott Allen, The Washington Post
Every fall, Harrisburg Senators team president Kevin Kulp takes his staff on a retreat to reflect on the season that was and brainstorm ideas for the following year. On Tuesday, the Class AA affiliate for the Nationals announced a promotion born during the staff’s most recent getaway last October, an amusing take on a concept started by one of Washington’s National League East rivals.
Clayton Kershaw will start Dodgers season on injured list
Jorge Castilllo, Los Angeles Times
Clayton Kershaw will begin the regular season on the 10-day injured list, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed Tuesday, a day after declaring Kershaw, whose spring was disrupted by shoulder inflammation, would not start on opening day for the first time since 2010.
As M.L.B.’s Season Opens in Japan, at Least the Dirt Is Familiar
Brad Lefton, The New York Times
Major League Baseball begins its 2019 season on Wednesday in Japan with the first of two games between the Oakland Athletics and the Seattle Mariners. But when the teams take the field at the Tokyo Dome, don’t say they’re playing on foreign soil.
Mets launch Netflix-style ticket subscription deal
Natalie O’Neill, New York Post
Now you can binge watch the Mets right at Citi Field. Baseball is going the way of the big screen with a new Netflix-style subscription deal that lets Mets fans score standing-room-only access to nearly every regular season home game.
NHL
Washington Capitals to celebrate Stanley Cup victory at White House on Monday
Isabelle Khurshudyan, The Washington Post
The Washington Capitals will join President Trump on Monday to celebrate their 2018 Stanley Cup victory at the White House, according to a team spokesman. The visit will come nearly 10 months after the team won its first championship in franchise history, and the event is expected to be more low-key than some in the past, though plans are still being finalized.
Predators’ Watson reinstated from suspension
ESPN
Nashville Predators forward Austin Watson has been reinstated from suspension by the league, but the team had no word on when he will return to the ice. Watson, 27, was suspended indefinitely and admitted into Stage 2 of the NHL’s program for substance abuse and behavioral health in January.
Soccer
D.C. United signs Griffin Yow, 16, to homegrown contract
Steven Goff, The Washington Post
Griffin Yow turned 16 in September, but after a promising performance competing with professionals over the past few months, the precocious attacker is joining the adult soccer world.
Racing
Santa Anita receives rebuke from racetrack veterinarians group
John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times
Santa Anita’s controversial plan to reduce the amount of Lasix a horse can have on race day received a rebuke on Tuesday from the North American Assn. of Racetrack Veterinarians. Under its plans to reopen the track for racing on March 29 after the deaths of 22 horses at the site, the Stronach Group is changing medication rules pending approval of the California Horse Racing Board.
Golf and Tennis
Jim Furyk is second (!) in early 2020 Ryder Cup standings; Tiger outside Top 8
Kevin Cunningham, Golf.com
Jim Furyk impressed everyone with his age-defying Sunday charge at TPC Sawgrass that almost won him a Players Championship. But that performance had another positive effect for Furyk: it vaulted him towards the top of the early 2020 Ryder Cup standings.
College Sports
Former Auburn Assistant Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case
Marc Tracy, The New York Times
The former Auburn assistant basketball coach Chuck Person pleaded guilty on Tuesday to accepting nearly $100,000 to steer his players toward agents and advisers who had bribed him. Person was fired after the initial revelation of the charges in September 2017.
Admissions Scandal Stokes Hard Questions on Recruited Athletes
Bill Pennington, The New York Times
A dozen years ago, the University of Washington barred athletic coaches from having contact with anyone in the admissions department. With a move that now seems prescient, two new administrators supervising athletics sought to allay any concerns that coaches could put undue pressure on admissions personnel.
What If Zion Williamson Went to… Wofford?
Ben Cohen, The Wall Street Journal
Zion Williamson is hard to miss. The best player in college basketball gobbles attention everywhere he goes and blends into crowds about as well as an elephant.
Esports
Google Pushes Into Video Games With Stadia Service
Gerrit De Vynck and Mark Bergen, Bloomberg
Google is getting into gaming in a serious way. The Alphabet Inc. unit unveiled Tuesday a new game streaming service called Stadia at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.
Opinions, Editorials, Perspectives and Research
Same name, new world
Roman Stubbs, The Washington Post
This basketball star’s uncle ran a polygamist cult. He hopes to help bring his small Utah town into a more modern world.
Phil Martelli is out, Fran Dunphy is exiting, too, and the Big Five is lessened
John Feinstein, The Washington Post
In mid-December, Drexel and Temple played at the Palestra. It was Drexel’s home game. And yet, when it came time to introduce Temple Coach Fran Dunphy, the PA announcer — Drexel’s PA announcer — said: “And the coach of the Owls, making his final coaching appearance in the Palestra, is the Big Five’s all-time winningest coach, Fran Dunphy.”
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