Menu

Mystik Dan wins Kentucky Derby before 156K, as race sets multiple wagering records...Caitlin Clark dazzles in front of sellout for WNBA debut...Miami GP becoming significant event in third year

Mystik Dan wins Kentucky Derby before 156K

Mystik Dan held off a late charge from Sierra Leone and Forever Young to win the 150th running of the Kentucky DerbyGetty Images
The Kentucky Derby on Saturday saw Mystik Dan hold off a late charge from Sierra Leone and Forever Young to win the 150th running of the race in front of a crowd of 156,710 at Churchill Downs. It marked the first “nose margin” victory since 1996. Mystik Dan -- an 18-1 shot -- paid $39.22 on a $2 win wager. Trainer Kenny McPeek said that he “wasn’t ready to commit Mystik Dan to the second leg of the Triple Crown” -- the Preakness on May 18 (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 5/4). Saturday’s Derby attendance made it the "most attended Derby since 2018” (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 5/4).

In Louisville, Ryan Black wrote about Mystik Dan’s ownership group under the header, “Who owns Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan? Meet Lance Gasaway, Brent Gasaway, Daniel Hamby” (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 5/4). 

Kentucky Derby sets multiple wagering records

The Kentucky Derby on Saturday established records for wagering on the race, full day and betting for the week. All-sources betting on this year's card reached $320.5M, up 11% from last year's previous record of $288.7M. Churchill Downs Inc. credited the increase to “improvements at the track” -- including a new $200M paddock and “all of its premium seating.” The 20-horse Derby race totaled $210.7M, up 11% compared with last year's previous record of $188.7M for that 18-horse race while the Derby week handle came in at $446.6M, up 8% from last year's previous record of $412M. The Derby day crowd of 156,710 was up 4.2% from last year’s 150,335, but still below the record 2015 crowd which saw 170,513 attend the event (BLOODHORSE, 5/4).

NBC to keep airing Kentucky Derby through 2032

The Kentucky Derby will be "televised by NBC through 2032" in an extension of Churchill Downs Inc. and NBC Sports' partnership that began in 2001 (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 5/4). The Derby has "long been a significant viewership event.” Since 2010, NBC Sports has averaged 15.6 million viewers for the Kentucky Derby across all platforms excluding the 2020 COVID-19 year when the race ran in September. The Derby is also “always a unique event as it draw a more female audience (about 51 percent) than men” (THE ATHLETIC, 5/4).

Clark dazzles in front of sellout for WNBA debut

Caitlin Clark made her WNBA debut with the Indiana Fever before a sellout crowd in a preseason game against the Dallas Wings on FridayGetty Images
Caitlin Clark made her WNBA debut with the Indiana Fever before a sellout crowd in a preseason game against the Dallas Wings on Friday at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas. More than three hours before the game, some fans had “lined up outside the arena dressed in No. 22 University of Iowa jerseys.” Clark led all first-half scorers with 16 points in 16 minutes and finished with a team-high 21 points in the Fever’s 79-76 loss. She was 6 of 15 from the field including 5 of 13 from deep, and had three rebounds, two assists, four fouls and five turnovers. Clark said there was “a lot to be proud of” in her debut. Clark: “The crowd was great all night. That’s what you expect with a sellout. Those are going to be the same for the crowds all year long.” Clark received a “rousing ovation” before tipoff when she was introduced. While Clark had "plenty of fans in attendance,” Wings fans “didn’t give her a pass.” The game sold out all 6,251 seats “soon after it was announced” and a local TV crew even “recorded the Fever’s arrival” at DFW International Airport on Thursday (AP, 5/4).

There were some times where the “increased physicality of the WNBA seemed to frustrate" Clark, but she “didn't let her stop that from doing what she does best: 3-pointers” (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 5/3). Clark had a “welcome to the WNBA” moment with the game tied and less than 30 seconds to play when Wings F Natasha Howard “blocked Clark's layup attempt with the shot clock dwindling” (ESPN.com, 5/3).

Dallas Morning News columnist Tim Cowlishaw wrote on X, “I’ve been here when the upper deck was tarped over. This is what Caitlin Clark does for a preseason game with the Mavs and Stars playing Game 6’s tonight” (X, 5/3). 

Fan livestreams WNBA debut of Reese, Cardoso

The WNBA debut of Chicago Sky F Angel Reese and C Kamilla Cardoso was “widely watched on a social media livestream from a fan who stepped in when the league’s app couldn’t broadcast the game.” Reese and Cardoso played their first preseason game for the Sky against the Minnesota Lynx on Friday and the WNBA’s app had “incorrectly listed the game as available to watch, leading to confusion from fans” before the league clarified that only Fever G Caitlin Clark’s debut “was being broadcast.” That is when @heyheyitsalli stepped in on X. Viewership numbers on the livestream “varied,” but on Saturday the video showed about 434,000 total views. The X user previously posted a screenshot showing that the stream peaked at 173,381 live viewers (AP, 5/4).

The WNBA and its decision-makers “got another clear sign of the league’s rapid growth” and the “fan’s demands not being properly met.” N.Y. Liberty F Breanna Stewart said Friday’s social media live stream “mean’s people want to watch” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 5/4).

Miami GP becoming significant event in third year

The Miami Grand Prix serves as the first of three American rounds this season ahead of Austin in October and November’s Las Vegas Grand PrixGetty Images
The F1 Miami Grand Prix will take place today at 4pm ET and in the event's third year, it has "ironed out some of the early kinks to establish itself as one of the most significant races on the calendar." It serves as the first of three American rounds this season ahead of Austin in October and November’s Las Vegas Grand Prix. The influx of the American brands has made Miami "one of the busiest races of the year particularly for announcing new partnerships." Ferrari picked Miami to launch its new title sponsorship with HP. McLaren announced a new partnership with eBay, as did Williams with Keeper. Miami GP President Tyler Epp said, “We’ve done almost $800 million in economic impact over the first two years, and we’re certainly proud of that.” One area that Miami has been “focusing on for its third year is expanding its fan base outside of South Florida, trying to appeal to a more international audience.” Williams Commercial Dir James Bower said, “I don’t see a real tailing off in terms of U.S. interest at the moment” (THE ATHLETIC, 5/5).
In Ft. Lauderdale, Chris Perkins wrote about the race under the header, “Miami Grand Prix is both Americanized and localized, and that draws mixed reviews.” There is a “question about what percentage of Miami Grand Prix fans are there for the race, and what percentage are there to see and be seen, or be associated with the recent F1 racing trend.” Some have called this “phenomenon the ‘Americanization’ of the sport” (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 5/3).

HP has a sizable exec presence on site at the race to start its title sponsorship with Scuderia Ferrari, including EVP & CMO Antonio Lucio and Global Head of Workforce Solutions Marketing Dan Salzman. Among the Ferrari execs in attendance in Miami this weekend are Vice Chair Piero Ferrari and CEO Benedetto Vigna. Ferrari has changed much of its brand identity this weekend to incorporating blue as a nod to the new deal with HP. Tommy Hilfiger has been posting heavily on social media about its sponsorship of F1 Academy. Hugo Boss held a pop-up shop at Aventura Mall as well as its signature store in Miami showing off its first clothing collection from its sponsorship of Visa Cash App RB that started this year.

Celebrities expected to attend today's Miami GP include Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy, Victor Cruz, Odell Beckham Jr., Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, Henrik Lundqvist, Lindsey Vonn, Kamaru Usman and JJ Redick. Others who have been seen at Hard Rock Stadium during the weekend include Kevin Durant, Jimmy Butler and Zinedine Zidane. Among those reported to be spotted at the “American Express Presents Carbone Beach” event last night include LeBron James (Adam Stern, SBJ).

WWE taking WrestleMania to Allegiant Stadium

WWE's WrestleMania 41 will take place at Allegiant Stadium on April 19 and 20, 2025. WrestleMania IX was held at Caesars Palace in 1993, but the event has “since exploded into a week of ancillary events that culminates in two sold-out nights at football stadiums.” Last month’s WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia was the “highest-grossing event in company history” with 145,298 in attendance over two nights at Lincoln Financial Field (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 5/4). The location of WrestleMania 41 was revealed during the preshow of Saturday's Kentucky Derby. The move to Las Vegas is a "huge win for those who were hoping for far warmer weather." Minneapolis had been "thought of to be the favorite" to land WrestleMania 41 (SI, 5/4). 

Chicago teams partner with media group on net

Standard Media Group in partnership with the Blackhawks, Bulls and White Sox will be the "new television broadcast home for all three teams beginning in October." The media group is expected to "make the network, which is unnamed, available across 'multiple platforms,' including over-the-air and carriage agreements with cable and streaming providers." The new network will "not be associated with” multi-platform network Stadium. NBC Sports Chicago is the “current broadcast home” for the Blackhawks, Bulls and White Sox. The teams’ contract with NBC Sports expires in October (THE ATHLETIC, 5/4).

The expectation had been that Stadium, currently available online, would “convert into a regional sports network and seek distribution on pay-TV providers.” Bulls and White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf acquired majority control of Stadium last spring. The biggest challenge for the new network will be “gaining carriage on providers such as Comcast and DirecTV" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 5/4).

MLB, Nike announce uniform changes for '25 season

MLB announced uniform changes for the 2025 season that “seek to address many of the complaints from players and fans alike." The Nike-designed uniforms for 2025 will include "larger lettering on the back and pants customization available to players, two of the biggest concerns from a saga that began early in spring training and drew responses from all the brands involved." The new uniforms for this season were “criticized for looking cheap, the nameplate and numbers for being too small and for pants that could be somewhat translucent" (USA TODAY, 5/3). Nike will make “significant changes to the Nike Vapor Premier uniforms that have drawn constant criticism.” However, it “remains unclear whether Nike can make the coloration corrections while maintaining its high-performance Vapor Premier fabric, or whether it will change fabrics" (THE ATHLETIC, 5/3)

Players have “generally been appreciative that the changes, if overdue, are coming.” Cubs SS Dansby Swanson said, “At the end of the day, the execution was wrong -- and they know that. They’re obviously doing what they can to correct what they fell like needs to be corrected” (THE ATHLETIC, 5/3). Mets CF Brandon Nimmo said, “My biggest quarrel that I have with them is that they didn’t have our stuff available for the beginning of the season. So that’s not fixing that. For me, next year, they need to have our stuff, our uniforms, available for Opening Day. Or whenever they’re needed, which is every day after Opening Day” (NEWSDAY, 5/5).

Cardi B, Richardson promote Paris Games for NBC

By Rachel Axon
In addition to Cardi B, NBC already has promos with Peyton Manning and Megan Thee Stalliongetty images
NBCUniversal continues to use star power in its promotion of the Paris Games, this time bringing in rapper Cardi B to meet U.S. sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson in a new promo.

The 90-second video debuted during NBC's coverage of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, with the Grammy Award winner and the World Champion chatting about Richardson's training and aims for Paris while they get their nails done.

“With the Paris Olympics quickly approaching, we are continuing our push to create combustible moments that will break through the clutter and resonate across multiple audiences,” said Jenny Storms, CMO, entertainment and sports at NBCUniversal. “Pairing Sha’Carri with Cardi was a natural fit. They are titans in their respective fields, mutual fans of each other, and share many common interests. Audiences across sports, music, and pop culture will gravitate to their genuine affection and respect.”

NBC will release more of Richardson's conversation with Cardi B throughout the spring.

As part of its push toward Paris, NBC has released promos with Peyton Manning, rapper Megan Thee Stallion and "Emily in Paris" star Lily Collins. They also announced that Manning and Kelly Clarkson will join host Mike Tirico for the broadcast of the Olympics opening ceremony, while Jimmy Fallon will join for the closing ceremony. Snoop Dogg will provide reports for NBC's primetime show.

Court: ACC must provide ESPN agreement to Clemson

A South Carolina court has ordered the ACC to “turn over documents about its agreements with ESPN that Clemson has requested in its lawsuit against the conference.” The interim confidentiality order was released on Friday and said that the ACC has "seven days to produce unredacted documents about its TV deal with ESPN to Clemson.” The order also provides "safeguards to keep the requested documents from being released publicly.” The order bars Clemson from "complying with any Freedom of Information Act requests” unless the ACC “gives written permission or the school is forced to do so by another court with ‘competent jurisdiction’” (AP, 5/3).

The Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER looks at the wider legal dispute between the conference and some of its schools under the header, “As ACC-Florida State lawsuits drag on, where do things stand in NC, Florida courts?

Everton bidder 777 Partners accused of fraud

777 Partners, which is in the process of bidding to buy Premier League club Everton, was accused by one of its lenders on Friday of “running a yearslong fraud scheme worth hundreds of millions of dollars." London-based asset management company Leadenhall Capital Partners said that roughly $350M in "assets serving as collateral" for loans either were "not in 777’s control or had already been pledged to other lenders.” The lawsuit is the “latest, most serious claim” against 777, and the suit “could have immediate implication” for its stalled bid to buy Everton. 777’s portfolio includes ownership stakes in teams in Australia, Brazil, Belgium, France and Germany. They also owe “debts at all of them” (N.Y. TIMES, 5/4).

THE ATHLETIC’s Matt Slater writes the “allegations are staggering.” This “must surely be the end” of 777’s almost eight-month attempt to complete its purchase of Everton, and “very possibly the end of 777, too” (THE ATHLETIC, 5/5).

Will Ferrell now minority investor in Leeds United

Actor Will Ferrell has joined EFL Championship club Leeds United as a minority investor. Leeds United owners 49ers Enterprises have a "number of high-profile minority stakeholders" including actor Russell Crowe, former U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps and PGA Tour player Jordan Spieth. The club’s general partners -- from 49ers Enterprises itself -- are "still in day-to-day control" and own 44% of the club. Ferrell is already a part-owner of LAFC. Leeds United finished third in the EFL Championship and will face Norwich City in the first leg of the play-off semi-finals next weekend in their "bid to return to the Premier League" (THE ATHLETIC, 5/5). Ferrell's minority stake is reportedly “significant." His deal at Leeds "puts an end to speculation he might be keen to join Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney as investors at Wrexham" (London TELEGRAPH, 5/5).

Speed Reads....

Inter Miami F Lionel Messi "shattered MLS records Saturday night with a goal and five assists" before a near-sellout crowd at Chase Stadium in Inter Miami's 6-2 win over the Red Bulls. Heat F Jimmy Butler was in attendance (MIAMI HERALD, 5/5).

The Earthquakes beat LAFC 3-1 on Saturday in front of 43,774 fans at Levi’s Stadium, the "largest MLS crowd this season that didn’t involve a season opener or Lionel Messi" (San Jose MERCURY NEWS, 5/4).

The Whitecaps drew 32,465 fans to BC Place on Saturday for their game against Austin FC, with the club also celebrating its 50th anniversary. It was the Whitecaps' "largest crowd ever in their MLS era" (CP, 5/5).

The Timbers and Portland Thorns will host a "charity match to benefit environmental nonprofits." The “Green is Gold” mixed-teams match at Providence Park will take place June 26 and is "free to the public," with fans encouraged to "make a donation to the benefitting organizations" (Portland OREGONIAN, 5/2).

Canelo Álvarez "successfully defended his undisputed super middleweight title for a fourth straight time" on Saturday before a "lively crowd" of 17,492 at T-Mobile Arena. Jaime Munguía "poured the pressure on Álvarez early," but Álvarez "floored Munguía in the fourth round" (YAHOO SPORTS, 5/5).

The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled a series of Univ. of Denver hockey bobbleheads on Friday to "commemorate the Pioneers’ record 10th NCAA national championship." Each of the three limited edition bobbleheads "will be capped at 2,024 sales" (DENVER POST, 5/3).

Quick Hits....

“I mean, I’m all for it. If you’ve got the money and you want to win, go make your team better. And that’s what they did. Every year they have a chance to win the World Series, and they go out and make moves" -- Braves P A.J. Minter, on the Dodgers spending in free agency (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 5/4).

"It’s a terrible schedule, and it is the worst schedule that we have. I promise. ... I don’t know what the algorithm is for scheduling games, but it has to be better than that. I think it needs to be balanced well, and teams should not play the same opponent twice within a few weeks" -- K.C. Current coach Vlatko Andonovski, on the team's schedule which will see a stretch of three matches in eight days, with the first two on the road and the team traveling across two time zones following those games (K.C. STAR, 5/3).

Weekend Hot Reads: Bay Area Business

The San Jose MERCURY NEWS goes with, "Cal, Stanford football programs at crossroads: Our to-do list for the new campus leaders." Cal’s new chancellor, Richard Lyons, begins his term on July 1. Stanford’s incoming president, Jonathan Levin, takes over one month later. These new leaders arrive as "unprecedented challenges loom on and off the fields of play." Lyons "must seriously consider downsizing the scope of Cal’s department," as "only football and men’s basketball are profitable." But Cal sponsors "far more sports -- 30 -- than most of its peers," and it needed $34M in "university support last year just to turn a slight surplus." Now comes a "next-level challenge: Competing in the ACC while receiving less than a full share of the conference’s media rights revenue for most of the 12-year arrangement." Lyons and Levin "must be cognizant of the potential for the ACC to implode." If Clemson or Florida State "bolts, the other will follow -- and so will North Carolina, the institution most coveted by the Big Ten and SEC."

Also:

Social Scoop....

Off the presses....

The Weekend Rap offers today's back pages and sports covers from some of North America's major metropolitan newspapers:

N.Y. Post N.Y. Daily News Newsday Boston Herald Chicago Sun-Times Philadelphia Daily News L.A. Times  San Jose Mercury News S.F. Chronicle   Washington Post Toronto Star Dallas Morning News