A federal judge in Tennessee on Friday granted a preliminary injunction that “prohibits the NCAA from punishing any athletes or boosters for negotiating name, image and likeness deals during their recruiting process or while they are in the transfer portal.” The injunction is “not a final ruling in the case,” but the judge's decision will "likely have an immediate and dramatic impact on how NIL deals are used in the recruiting process.” U.S. District Judge Clifton Corker determined that the attorneys general have a "reasonable chance of winning their case" and that athletes "could suffer irreparable harm if the restrictions remain in place while the case is being decided.” Corker said that the NCAA's lawyers did “not make a compelling argument for why using NIL contracts as recruiting inducements would undermine the academic side of college sports” (ESPN.com, 2/23).

The decision applies "until the court case plays out.” The ruling “covers the entire country, preventing the NCAA from enforcing its NIL rules against any school and giving student-athletes latitude on signing deals” (USA TODAY, 2/23). Friday’s ruling is a “broadside against the NCAA’s existing NIL policy” and “boils down to this: For now, the NCAA can no longer prohibit collectives using NIL money to entice athletes to pick a school, which generally happens in football and men’s basketball recruiting.” The ruling also "doesn't bode well for the NCAA’s enforcement power long term” (WASHINGTON POST, 2/23).

Even the most ardent advocate of traditional NCAA amateurism would “surely concede that the party is over.” NCAA President Charlie Baker has already "proposed sweeping changes" that would “allow schools to directly compensate athletes.” Ole Miss Grove Collective Exec Dir Walker Jones said, “People are going to look at this (decision) as, ‘Wow, this is crazy,’ but this will actually help stabilize what’s going on out there.” He added, “The athletes can now gather all the information (about NIL opportunities) to make the most informed decision” (THE ATHLETIC, 2/23).

NCAA President Charlie Baker said that he took the long view on congressional action and wasn't counting on getting a bill passed during an election year.Mykal McEldowney USA TODAY NETWORK

NCAA President Charlie Baker indicated that the association will "continue pursuing federal legislation regarding college sports even if such a measure doesn’t get through Congress this year.” Baker, referring to his eight years as Massachusetts governor, said legislators “never assumed we would get it in the first legislative session.” He added, “We always assumed that we were probably shooting for the next one -- and maybe the one after that." Baker said he would "like something that's very limited here," and is "perfectly happy to have some federal oversight with regard to that limitation." Baker: "The sort of broad-stroke antitrust exemption that people have talked about -- I don't think that's necessary” (USA TODAY, 2/23).

Baker said that he “took the long view on congressional action” and "wasn't counting on getting a bill passed during an election year.” Baker: “I completely accept the fact that in the grand scheme of all the things Congress is working on, this one is probably not at the top of the pile.” Baker was informed of the ruling by a Tennessee judge that the NCAA could not enforce its NIL rules during his meeting with reporters on Friday, but “declined to comment” (AP, 2/23).

Meanwhile, Baker made and appearance Saturday before the National Governors Association and asked them to "consider actions concerning harassment of college athletes, the prevalence of sports betting among 18- to 22-year-olds and the prospect of impact on the integrity of games” (USA TODAY, 2/23).

Technically, NASCAR does not need a deal with a majority or unanimous number of teams to have a new charter agreementgetty images

NASCAR is offering to extend the charter system for seven years concurrent to its new media rights agreement, according to four sources familiar with the talks, as teams fight for something closer to a permanent status for their version of franchises. Sources say NASCAR’s offer is to extend the system from 2025 through 2031. Teams want the system locked into NASCAR’s rules in perpetuity, along with getting additional guaranteed media revenue. As a middle ground, teams are open to something resembling an “evergreen” status where they keep the charter permanently as long as they meet a list of requirements that would be agreed on with NASCAR, such as running every race. NASCAR and the RTA had no comment on the specific terms being discussed when contacted.

Last weekend at Daytona, NASCAR declined to show up to a Race Team Alliance meeting to discuss a new deal, while teams revealed they had retained antitrust lawyer Jeffrey Kessler. The original charter agreement was negotiated in 2015, the first year of NASCAR’s current 10-year media rights agreement that expires after 2024. It was designed to give teams a form of enterprise value they never had. While charters are essentially like franchises, NASCAR is noticeably different from major stick-and-ball leagues in that teams have no equity in the league itself and are instead independent contractors. Still, teams believe making their charters permanent should be a natural next step of the sport operating more like a league. Charters have increased 11-fold in value since the system began. The most recent one was sold by Live Fast Motorsports to Spire Motorsports for slightly less than $40M. Many of NASCAR’s team owners are in their 70s and 80s, and at least some of them believe this is their chance to lock in enterprise value that can last for their family through generations, sources say.

The NFL's 2024 salary cap will be a "league-record” $255.4M, an “increase of more than” $30M from last year. Many in the industry projected the 2024 cap “would be in the range" of $242M (BUFFALO NEWS, 2/23).

The league announced an “extraordinary increase in media revenue” along with the "full repayment of all amounts advanced by the clubs and deferred by the players during the COVID pandemic." While the value of the 2024 increase is the "highest ever," the jump is “nearly equal to the entire salary cap in 1994,” when each team had $34.6M to work with. It also represents the "fourth-largest percentage increase" at 13.61%, which means business “is booming.” That is “good news for everyone” (NEWSDAY, 2/24).

NFL free agency “will officially open at noon” on Monday, March 11, the start of the league’s “legal tampering” period. Free agents “cannot sign new contracts until Wednesday, March 13, at 4 p.m.,” the official start of the NFL’s new year (BOSTON HERALD, 2/23).

Galaxy

The Galaxy’s season-opening match tonight against Inter Miami will not only deliver the biggest gate ever for a soccer match in Dignity Health Sports Park, but it will usher in a transformed fan experience at the 27,000-seat soccer-specific stadium. In an effort led by Chief Creative and Brand Officer Will Misselbrook, who was hired last year after serving in a similar role with the Commanders, the Galaxy have spent the offseason adding new gameday entertainment and revamping stadium decor.

“There's been a pretty long period of time where you knew what to expect coming to a Galaxy game,” said President of Business Operations & COO Tom Braun. “We want to mix things up a little bit and for fans to feel a little bit different. It's L.A. -- entertainment's important."

Galaxy

The most notable change is the construction of a new DJ stage, complete with laser lights and an LED screen. Multi-platinum Swedish DJ and producer Alesso will christen the new installation with a performance at the season opener. The club will also introduce laser light shows before matches and at halftime. Other additions include a new art installation featuring a large metallic version of the Galaxy crest, a Galaxy-branded photo booth space and a revitalized team store.

Misselbrook’s hiring last season came a month before the departure of then-Galaxy President Chris Klein. Later in the season, the club announced a revamped executive leadership team on the business side featuring Braun, Misselbrook and Chief Revenue Officer Urel Martinez. Braun and newly hired GM Will Kuntz, who oversees soccer operations, now report directly to AEG President & CEO Dan Beckerman.

Meanwhile, Charlotte FC sponsor Ally featured a large ad supporting the club in uptown Charlotte ahead of Saturday's season opener.

SBJ

MLBPA President Tony Clark said that MLB’s move to “slice two seconds off the pitch clock with runners on base is too much, too soon.” The clock is shortening to 18 seconds from 20 with men on base and will stay at 15 seconds with no one on. Clark said discussion around changing the pitch clock "should have warranted a much longer dialogue than what we had.” He added, “We voiced those concerns, players voiced those concerns, and yet, the push through of the change to the pitch clock still happened.” Clark: “We just had the biggest adjustment this league has ever seen in regards to length of game and how the game was affected, by including a clock. Rather than give us another year to adjust and adapt to it, why are we adjusting again, and what are the ramifications going to be?” Clark’s main concern is that pitchers have "less time between pitches to recover, particularly when maximum effort and pitch velocity are so important" (AP, 2/24).

MLBPA President Tony Clark on Saturday said the union has “engaged Nike" amid player complaints around the new uniforms, "so there’s really nothing more to talk about.” He added, “To the extent that adjustments can be made, we look forward to them being made.” Clark and MLBPA leadership spoke with D-backs players at their annual spring meeting on Saturday. D-backs P Kevin Ginkel said he thinks over time he will "get used to" the new uniforms. He added, “Definitely the lettering and everything looks kind of cheesy right now.” OF Alek Thomas said the letters on the new jerseys “are a little different and they’re smaller.” He added, “Maybe the sleeves are crunched up a little bit. But I don’t mind the feel of them.” P Joe Mantiply was "one of several players to say they had zero complaints.” Mantiply: “I like them. I feel like they’re lighter and more comfortable." A handful of players “declined to comment because they did not want to possibly damage current or potentially future relationships with Nike” (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 2/24).

MLB officials are "touring camps to get player feedback and have not ruled out making changes in response to what they hear.” As for the pants, the plan “seems to be to wait for games to start and see what exactly they can see.” Orioles P Corbin Burnes said, "The only thing that’s different for me feeling-wise is the pants. They’re definitely a little lighter, definitely a little more transparent than you want them to be” (WASHINGTON POST, 2/24).

Warriors coach Steve Kerr has agreed on a two-year, $35M contract extension that “will make him the highest-paid coach in NBA history," according to Priority Sports agents Rick Smith and Dan Eveloff. Kerr's deal was set to expire at the end of the 2023-24 season, but his $17.5M-per-season extension “takes him through the 2025-26 campaign” and “aligns him with the two years left” on G Stephen Curry's contract. Sources said that Spurs coach Gregg Popovich “makes more annually,” but he “holds the dual title of president and coach.” Kerr has coached the Warriors to four NBA championships (ESPN.com, 2/23).

In San Jose, Dieter Kurtenbach wrote one "can’t say he’s not worth it." There are “few -- if any -- other coaches in this league who could have managed the Warriors during their dynastic run,” which started when Kerr arrived in the Bay. Fewer coaches “could have navigated the post-dynasty world as gracefully, too” (San Jose MERCURY NEWS, 2/23).

Two A's fan groups -- Last Dive Bar and the Oakland 68s -- "organized their own" Fan Fest at Jack London Square on Saturday. Several thousand fans turned out -- "between 3,000 and 4,000 by one estimate" -- to show their "exuberance for the A’s and their frustration" with owner John Fisher’s plan to move the team to Las Vegas. A handful of former players also "made appearances.” There were “Sell” shirts and "signs articulating disdain for Fisher and A’s President Dave Kaval." Other Oakland sports teams -- including the USL Championship Oakland Roots, USL W League Oakland Soul and Pioneer League Oakland Ballers -- had "booths trying to connect with ticket-buying spectators.” The event had the "vibe of an outdoor festival” (S.F. CHRONICLE, 2/25). The A’s Fan Fest was "billed as a celebration of sports teams, not an anti-A’s fest, but it turned out to be a little bit of both” (San Jose MERCURY NEWS, 2/24).

Meanwhile, the San Jose MERCURY NEWS looked at A's spring training under the header, "Conflicted Oakland A’s fans make trek to Spring Training to watch their team" (2/24). The A’s played their Cactus League opener on Saturday, which served as a "refreshing distraction from all the self-inflicting noise and mayhem created with Fisher’s Las Vegas pursuit.” Kaval “walked across the field before the game without being heckled,” a “telling example of how the distance from the Coliseum to Hohokam Stadium can mask the cycle of off-field chaos even though it’s a mere hour and half flight” (S.F. CHRONICLE, 2/24).

UFC President Dana White on Saturday announced that September's UFC 306 pay-per-view “will take place at the Las Vegas Sphere on Sept. 14.” It is likely White will "want the Sphere event to rank among the biggest in UFC history” (BLEACHERREPORT.com, 2/25).

Meanwhile, PFL vs. Bellator: Champions on Saturday at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia “was a huge show" with "several statement-making performances.” Bellator fighters “dominated the evening” and the results make the purchase of Bellator “look more like a smart business move that instantly increases the value of the PFL and connected products.” PFL fighter Abdullah Al-Qahtani has “quickly established himself as perhaps the world's most influential Saudi-Arabian mixed martial artist.” Saudi Arabia also has been “established as the newest combat sports hotbed,” and Al-Qahtani is “one of the first local fighters to make a mark with a top promotion” (FORBES, 2/24).

Matt Hutchings has "resigned from his position” as Kroenke Sports and Entertainment COO and EVP. Hutchings held the position since 2013 and also was President & CEO of KSE Media Ventures. His resignation came amid the "ongoing standoff between Altitude and Comcast.” Comcast has "not carried Altitude TV since 2019.” Hutchings also worked in management for Altitude between 2004 and 2012, when he left Kroenke and was "appointed president of Comcast Sportsnet Houston.” He rejoined Kroenke and Altitude the next year (DENVER POST, 2/23).

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series Las Vegas returned this weekend for its 26th year and the 14th version of the Las Vegas event. A new event debuting today is lululemon’s “Yoga on the Strip,” a sold-out one-hour event that “will feature 300 Rock ‘n’ Roll participants joining in on a race-morning yoga session in front of New York-New York.” Race Dir Nicole Christenson said, “This is the first time there has been any sort of live yoga done on closed Las Vegas Boulevard.” The yoga event is scheduled for noon PT, while the 10K races “will start at 4:30pm. More than 21,000 runners are "registered for Sunday’s races," which will be "run entirely on Las Vegas Boulevard” (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 2/23).

Hockey HOFer Chris Chelios will have his No. 7 "retired during a pregame ceremony" ahead of tonight's Red Wings-Blackhawks game at the United Center. Chelios played nine years with the Blackhawks. Former broadcaster Pat Foley "will host a panel discussion" on Chelios at 2:15pm CT in the United Center Atrium with former teammates Jeremy Roenick, Ed Belfour, Tony Amonte and Gary Suter. Many longtime pals, including Basketball HOFer Michael Jordan, are "expected to be on hand for Sunday’s ceremony" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/25).

The world junior hockey championship is returning to Alberta in 2027. Ottawa will host the event next year while the 2026 tournament will take place in Minneapolis and St. Paul (CP, 2/24).

Every session of the Big Ten women's basketball tournament at Target Center has "sold out for the first time." Big Ten officials estimate "more than 109,000 fans will attend the seven sessions and shatter the league’s total attendance record of 47,923," which was set last year in Minneapolis (THE ATHLETIC, 2/23).

Former NFLer Richard Sherman was arrested Saturday morning for "allegedly driving under the influence." Sherman has worked as a pre and postgame analyst for Prime Video’s “Thursday Night Football” since 2022 and as a panelist on FS1’s “Undisputed” after taking the role last summer (N.Y. POST, 2/24).

“Never underestimate the NCAA’s capacity to do something stupid. If they did this, it would be profoundly stupid" -- ESPN’s Jay Bilas, on potential expansion of the NCAA Tournament ("College GameDay," ESPN, 2/24).

"I think this will be one more brick in the wall that is the end of the NCAA" -- College athletics attorney Tom Mars, on a Friday ruling by a federal judge in Tennessee that prohibits the NCAA from enforcing its NIL rules. Mars worked with Univ. of Tennessee collective Spyre Sports Group on the case (ESPN.com, 2/23).

“There’s more pressure on all of us. Look at me. I mean, look at the bags under my eyes. There’s pressure on all of us, man. We’re feeling it, and that’s a good thing. We deserve to feel it. That’s going to make us stronger this year" -- Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner, on the pressure facing the team this season (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/23).

“Just trying to get my way off the court, and you know, you’ve got these crazy college students just doing whatever they want. It’s got to be a little more protective when things like that happen" -- Duke C Kyle Filipowski, on colliding with a Wake Forest fan rushing the court after the team beat Duke on Saturday. Duke coach Jon Scheyer also questioned the future of court storming: "When are we going to ban court-storming? Like, when are we going to ban that? How many times does a player have to get into something where they get punched or they get pushed or they get taunted right in their face? It’s a dangerous thing" (AP, 2/24).

"Our mission was to unify women's hockey. Bottom line is, we couldn't pull it off ... we did not succeed in healing that division, so we made the very difficult decision last summer to sell the league to a group of owners who brought with them, not only the next tier of capital, but they brought with them the ability to unite women's hockey" -- John Boynton, who was the chair of the now defunct Premier Hockey Federation, on the unity of women's hockey under the PWHL (THE HOCKEY NEWS, 2/23).

The N.Y. TIMES goes with, "Want to Play in Asia’s Champions League? It Will Cost You." A report commissioned by soccer’s global players’ union FIFPro assessed the benefits and shortcomings of the Asian Champions League and documented a tournament that "acts as an almost perfect microcosm of soccer’s general direction across the globe." The Asian Football Confederation appears to be "far less concerned with whether the tournament actually works for the clubs involved." The AFC’s “clean stadium” requirements -- the rules that decree those arenas for Champions League games "must be free of nonapproved advertising" -- are estimated to cost clubs $50,000 a game. Traveling for away matches is "even more expensive," as the average distance traveled for a road game in the Asian Champions League is "about 2,300 miles." FIFPro’s findings suggest the "bulk of the teams lose significant money just by taking part." The AFC has already decided to "change the way the competition works," though the few details that have emerged do "not offer encouraging reading for anyone hoping this might be a chance to make the competition work for everyone."

Also:

• Buying a small soccer team in England is one way to lose a lot of money, fast.
• Amid Iowa's Caitlin Clark's pursuit of the NCAA scoring record, the association erased an entire generation of women’s sports.
• How Supercross transforms AT&T Stadium into massive track.
• How, when and where to vote on sales tax to fund the Royals' new stadium.
• Are Royals’ parking estimates for new stadium too optimistic?

This is all on @WakeMBB game management. There has to be a plan to get the opposing players off the court safely. If there was then they failed today. That is the No. 1 priority. Full stop. If the game has to end early and the players leave the court then so be it. Wouldn’t be…

— Andy Katz (@TheAndyKatz) February 24, 2024

The same A’s fans that got mocked by the commissioner for not showing up pulled off their own unsanctioned fan fest. Meanwhile, the owner is lurching closer and closer to screwing the pooch on the franchise’s move to Las Vegas.

But, yeah, it’s the fans’ fault. Sure. https://t.co/UZPKFJ2z41

— Marc Carig (@MarcCarig) February 25, 2024

Random thought watching The Dynasty on Apple TV: There's a LOT of score-settling going on here. Almost like the way they got everyone to talk was out of fear that someone else's side of the story was being told.

The collateral damage is a lot was left on the cutting room floor.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) February 24, 2024

See through MLB uniform pants. Jockey would have been so happy.

— Jim Palmer (@Jim22Palmer) February 23, 2024