Menu
People and Pop Culture

Names In The News

MARIA SHARAPOVA secured a place in Wimbledon qualifying -- "at least" -- with a first-round win over CHRISTINA MCHALE at the Italian Open. Monday's 6-4, 6-2 win ensured Sharapova will "move inside the top 200 and earn a Wimbledon qualifying place." She will qualify for Wimbledon's main draw if she reaches the semifinals (BBC, 5/15). ... Frenchman SEBASTIEN GROSJEAN is "poised to formalise a part-time partnership" with NICK KYRGIOS, "focusing on the major phases of the season" rather than traveling full-time. Former world No. 4 Grosjean sat in Kyrgios' box during a semifinal clash with ROGER FEDERER at the Miami Open in March, "fuelling rumours he had established a strong connection" with Kyrgios (Brisbane COURIER-MAIL, 5/15). ... EZEQUIEL LAVEZZI and his Chinese Super League club, Hebei CFFC, "made public apologies" after the Argentine int'l was photographed "making a racist gesture by apparently making his eyes look more Chinese." Lavezzi said, "We were given instructions by the official photographer and I was trying to make some interesting photos by making some funny faces, which would be used afterward for entertainment purposes" (ESPN.com, 5/15). ... Columnist KELVIN MACKENZIE had his contract with The Sun "terminated by mutual consent." It followed "criticism over an opinion piece in which he compared" Premier League side Everton midfielder ROSS BARKLEY "to a gorilla." Parent company News UK announced the decision to "part company with the tabloid's one-time editor" (London INDEPENDENT, 5/15). ... Former world No. 10 JUAN MÓNACO, winner of nine Association of Tennis Professionals World Tour titles, announced his retirement from professional tennis on Monday. Mónaco said, "Although it creates me a lot of nostalgia, I am sure I am making the right decision" (ATP World Tour). ... National Rugby League side Canterbury "will not allow" WILL HOPOATE to "skip Sunday matches in any future NRL deal, after he agreed to go back on the agreement for the rest of this season." The off-contract fullback will fulfill a request from the club to play on Sundays this season, but in a "perfect world" he admitted he would not be doing so (London GUARDIAN, 5/15). ... MICHAEL GARCIA, a judge on the N.Y. State Court of Appeals who "spearheaded a massive corruption investigation into FIFA," is one of four people who interviewed Saturday to replace JAMES COMEY as director of the FBI (WASHINGTON POST, 5/15).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Global/Issues/2017/05/16/People-and-Pop-Culture/NIN.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Global/Issues/2017/05/16/People-and-Pop-Culture/NIN.aspx

CLOSE