• The Washington Commanders and owner Dan Snyder fostered a “toxic work culture” for more 20 years, including “ignoring and downplaying sexual misconduct” in what former female employees said amounted to hundreds of instances of sexual harassment, according to a new report published by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, whose conclusions resulted from hearings, interviews and depositions during a yearlong investigation. The House committee’s investigation, which started after the NFL failed to issue a written report of its review of the Commanders’ workplace culture, also criticized the league, saying the NFL doesn’t make sure “its own workplaces are free from discrimination and harassment” and that it “misled the public about its handling” of its 2021 report. (The Associated Press)
• Global sports media rights reached $55 billion in value this year and will remain nearly flat in 2023 before increasing over 10% to cross the $60 billion mark in 2024, according to a new report published by SportBusiness. The spike in global media rights value can be attributed to new upcoming deals for the Indian Premier League and the NFL, which is reportedly nearing an agreement for its “NFL Sunday Ticket” package after signing five new broadcast deals in 2021, totaling over $110 billion collectively. (SportBusiness)
• NBA viewership for games broadcast on Chinese state television CCTV is reportedly close to levels seen before then-Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey tweeted comments in October 2019 that supported anti-government protests in Hong Kong, resulting in a near blackout for more than 28 months. The NBA’s audience is said to have increased 80% for the first seven telecasts on CCTV this season compared with the first seven broadcasts aired last season, when games returned to the air in late March. (Reuters)

FC Dallas delivered bang for the buck, DC United didn’t: MLS Fan Cost Index

The Athletic

Joe Buck — The Voice of the Modern Generation

Brandon Costa, Sports Video Group 

At just 25 years old, Buck became the youngest man to ever call a regular slate of NFL games, and both Fox Sports’ legacy and Buck’s career were headed to the moon.

Shams Charania Wants to Work With People Who Are As Hungry As He Is

Derek Futterman, Barrett Sports Media

Shams Charania was breaking news in the Association from the time he was a college student at Loyola University in Chicago. Oftentimes, he would be glued to his phone, calling sources or tweeting out new information in the midst of classes or shuttle rides.

Rams’ Baker Mayfield comes off bench, wins debut on 98-yard drive

Sarah Barshop, ESPN  

The Rams won the game to snap their six-game losing streak in spectacular fashion, led by Mayfield, who was playing two days after he was claimed off waivers.

Avocados From Mexico returns to Super Bowl—this time, with a different agency

Jon Springer, Ad Age 

The time is ripe for guacamole, as the Big Game coincides with the heaviest avocado consumption of the year.

NFLPA Looking to Hire Director With ‘Strategic Vision’ Beyond CBA

Eric Jackson, Sportico 

The search for the next executive director of the NFL Players Association is underway, and it’s now clear the kind of candidate the union wants for its next leader.

An inside look at CrunchTime, the NBA’s frenetic answer to NFL RedZone

Ben Golliver, The Washington Post 

To prepare to host CrunchTime, the NBA’s answer to the NFL’s popular RedZone broadcast, Jared Greenberg uses an automated Google document to preview matchups, tracks Twitter for player health updates and hits Instagram for the latest rumors before meeting with a production team to survey the night’s schedule.

Warriors forward Anthony Lamb accused of rape in civil lawsuit

Dennis Young, SFGATE

Warriors forward Anthony Lamb raped Kendall Ware when the two were students at the University of Vermont, Ware alleges in a civil lawsuit she and two other women filed against the university. 

Mets signing CF Brandon Nimmo, RHP David Robertson

Joon Lee, ESPN 

New York signed two players Thursday, bringing back outfielder Brandon Nimmo on a eight-year, $162 million contract and adding reliever David Robertson on a one-year, $10 million deal, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

How Zoom has helped Major League Baseball adjust to free agency during a pandemic

Jorge Castillo, Los Angeles Times 

Face-to-face meetings with free agents are rare these days, as teams and players are using Zoom to make their sales pitches.

Islanders’ fisherman gets modern reboot as fans welcome once reviled logo

Kevin Kurz, The Athletic 

The controversial logo became associated with a particularly dark time in Islanders’ history.

Suspect in deadly UVA football shooting appears in court

The Associated Press 

A University of Virginia student accused of fatally shooting three UVA football players and wounding two other students made his first in-person appearance in court Thursday, as a judge set a date for a hearing when witnesses will testify about the shootings on a bus carrying students back to campus from a field trip last month.

NIL Platform Opendorse Announces New ’NIL Book’ to Help Navigate Landscape

Ross Dellenger, Sports Illustrated 

The top Power 5 quarterbacks earn an average of nearly $200,000 in compensation for their name, image and likeness each year, according to new figures revealed this week.

USC QB Caleb Williams wins Maxwell, Walter Camp awards for player of year

Chip Patterson, CBS Sports 

He’s the fourth USC player to win the Maxwell Award, the first since Marcus Allen in 1981, when Allen also went on to win the Heisman Trophy. Williams was also the CBS Sports Player of the Year this season.

How Bowl Games Could Get Into the NIL Industry

Amanda Christovich, Front Office Sports 

This year marks only the second Bowl season of the NIL era — but already, officials are beginning to plan, and in some cases execute, NIL deals tied to the games.

Your Boss Is Debating Whether or Not You Can Watch the World Cup at Work

Jo Constantz, Bloomberg 

With a projected 5 billion viewers — more than half the world’s population — and many matches played during working hours, the 28-day event has some implications for the working world.

The Workhorse Who Makes Mbappé Shine

Joshua Robinson, The Wall Street Journal 

Olivier Giroud wasn’t supposed to be a starter at this World Cup. Despite the criticism, he’s now France’s all-time leading scorer.

The Last Stand of Soccer’s Greatest Generation

Rory Smith, The New York Times 

The World Cup is bidding farewell to the starriest cast the game has ever assembled. The setting is a perfect fit for the game’s age of excess.

Messi or Ronaldo? Football’s hottest debate rages on in Qatar

Philip O’onnor, Reuters 

It may have been a rest day at the World Cup on Thursday but there was no stopping the football discussion that never ends – who is the better player, Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo?

How the Glazers will sell Manchester United

Dan Sheldon, The Athletic 

How the Glazers will sell Manchester United, including the rules and likely options.

IndyCar Show Joins Sports Docuseries Grid

Jacob Feldman, Sportico 

Drafting off the success of behind-the-scenes sports shows like Formula 1: Drive to Survive and Hard Knocks, the NTT IndyCar Series announced Thursday that 100 Days to Indy, a six-episode docuseries following its drivers, will be released next season.

Serena Williams’ new venture focuses on recovery

Lindy Segal, Fast Company 

The tennis champion debuts Will Perform, a range of topical pain-relief and muscle-care products designed for both superstar athletes as well as everyday aches and pains.

Activision sues California agency that sued it over misconduct

Stephen Totilo, Axios 

A public records lawsuit filed this week on behalf of Activision Blizzard aims to turn the tables on California’s Civil Rights Department, which has been suing the game maker over alleged sexual misconduct and pay discrimination at its workplace.

Brittney Griner back home in US after Russian prisoner swap

Lekan Oyekanmi and Eric Tucker, The Associated Press 

American basketball star Brittney Griner returned to the United States early Friday after being freed in a high-profile prisoner exchange following nearly 10 months in detention in Russia.