The problem is structural — travel tournaments at U10. They exist only for adult ego and $$. Plenty of ways to develop players with some creativity in local comp. No need for travel until U12 at earliest.

The USC NLRB trial is over.

USC 🏀 and 🏈 players will likely be deemed employees.

A former Stanford 🏈 player testified his college & pro experiences were nearly identical.

A Stanford track athlete (and former SAAC pres) also testified in favor of employment for 🏀 & 🏈.

Wake-up call about the rebirth of professional bare-knuckle fighting, which had been banned for more than a century — and now is a marketing tool for the far right. frontofficesports.com/newsletter/the…

NEW: College football is great for boosting a school's student body, right?

Wrong, says a comprehensive new study.

It looked at enrollment trends of 36 schools that added football since 2002. My latest for Sportico:

sportico.com/leagues/colleg…

Travel hockey, of course. Didn’t really grow until the ‘80s.

And stoked, ironically, by The Miracle on Ice.

Inspiration (for families to invest in giving their kids a leg up. Early birthdate = early advantage.)

Humbled to be among speakers Aspen Ideas this June -- those with sports or Aspen Sports & Society #ProjectPlay ties include Michael Lewis, Alex Rodriguez, Katie Couric, David Brooks and (new O's owner) David Rubenstein. I'll host session on major new initiative we'll be launching.

Alright. Kinda killed it.

Stumbled across this — Rocky Marciano-Jersey Joe Walcott fight from 1952. Was struck by sound of the crowd, so dialed in. A generation of men who grew up fist-fighting in neighborhoods and made boxing a top 3 spectator sport.

Boxing now just a niche sport (same w/UFC), even with

This story is all about crime fears in Bogota, but all it makes me want to do is go there — to enjoy and learn from a place that aims to be the world’s top cycling city. We need more US cities to share the same ambition!
nytimes.com/2024/04/13/wor…

I've done many shows on the state of youth sports in America. This was the most thoughtfully constructed. Started w/ heartbreaking, insightful interview of disaffected athlete. (I merely offered context & solutions). Well-done, On Point hour, Meghna Chakrabarti. wbur.org/onpoint/2024/0…

OJ Simpson was surrounded by sound — cheering fans, laughing audiences, his own voice. Then came the crime, the trial, the verdict and the round-the-clock national conversation. Endless chatter.

Upon his death, it was silence that told the story.
latimes.com/sports/story/2…

More than ever, we need problem-solvers in our society. Bridge-builders and agents of shared solutions.

When it comes to building healthier communities through sports, Ralph C Wilson Jr Fd Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan doing just that in Greater Detroit via #ProjectPlay . Enjoyed sharing insights on this show.

This feels really great, all the action taken in Baltimore by Under Armour and other groups since the release of our State of Play report.

Here are 12 key developments — offering ideas and inspiration for other cities coalescing to better serve youth through sports.

Just a great approach to sport and competition. Can we clone CC so every kid can see her up close?

No surprise:

'Brent Clark is often asked by other parents how he and his wife Anne nurtured Caitlin to become the basketball star that she is.

His answer? Get your children engaged with as many different activities as possible, sports or otherwise.'

hawkcentral.com/story/sports/c…

This is a very smart take

Stars. Pace. Contrasts. Sharp commentary. Cultural FOMO.

Sports have always been built on broad participation, players becoming fans. But they always go next level on magical talent that unlocks imaginations.

Borg in 70s, Jordan in 80s, Mia Hamm in 90s. Now Clark in 20’s. 👏