TALKING POINTS

NBAs Celtics to be sold for record $6.1 billion to group led by private equity mogul Bill Chisholm BOSTON Private equity mogul William Chisholm agreed to buy the Boston Celtics on Thursday in a deal that values the NBAs reigning champions and the most-decorated franchise in league history at a minimum of $6.1 billion the largest price ever for American professional sports team.

If the deal is approved by the NBAs board of governors this summer, the sale would top the $6.05 billion paid for the NFLs Washington Commanders in 2023.

A Massachusetts native and graduate of Dartmouth College and Penns Wharton School of business, Chisholm is the managing partner of California-based Symphony Technology Group.

The new ownership group also includes Boston businessmen Rob Hale, who is a current Celtics shareholder, and Bruce Beal Jr.

CBS to show 2 primetime matchups between Caitlin Clark and Indiana vs Angel Reese and Chicago Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese will have two of their games broadcast in primetime nationally for the first time in league history.

The June 7 and Aug.

9 games between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky will be shown on CBS.

Both games are on Saturday night.

The WNBA will have more than 175 games broadcast across multiple platforms in the regular season, including 13 on ABC.

The network will have an opening weekend doubleheader of Las Vegas against New York and Chicago vs.

Indiana on May 17.

Clark and the Fever will have the most nationally televised or streamed appearances with 41 games.

Ten of those will be on ABC or ESPN and eight on ION.

Las Vegas is next with 33 games shown nationally while defending champion New York has 32.

The expansion Golden State Valkyries will have 17 games on national TV.

ESPN will have 13 regular-season games and along with ABC will show all the playoff contests as well.

ION will have 50 games on Friday night with doubleheaders.

CBS will show eight games on its main network with another dozen on the CBS Sports Network.

Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau hopeful injured Jalen Brunson can return to action in regular season CHARLOTTE, N.C.

The New York Knicks remain hopeful that Jalen Brunson can play in a few games before the postseason, coach Tom Thibodeau said Thursday.

Thibodeau said Brunson will be checked again on Friday, about two weeks after he sprained his right ankle in a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Hes doing light shooting and hes out of the boot, Thibodeau said before the Knicks game at the Charlotte Hornets.

So theres steady progress and well see where it goes from there.

Thibodeau said he expected Brunson to play before the Knicks April 13 regular-season finale.

Japan becomes the first team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after host nations SAITAMA, Japan Japan became the first team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after beating Bahrain 2-0 at Saitama Stadium on Thursday.

Second-half goals from Daichi Kamada and Takefusa Kubo ensured the Samurai Blue secured a spot in Asia Group Cs top two automatic qualification places.

At its eighth straight World Cup, Japan joins co-hosts the United States, Canada and Mexico in the expanded 48-team tournament.

Earlier, second-place Australia took a big step toward a seventh appearance by defeating Indonesia 5-1 in Sydney in the visitors first game under new coach Patrick Kluivert.

Kirsty Coventry elected IOC president and is first woman, first African to lead global Olympic body COSTA NAVARINO, Greece Kirsty Coventry was elected president of the International Olympic Committee on Thursday and became the first woman and first African to get perhaps the biggest job in world sports.

It is a signal that we are truly global, the Zimbabwe sports minister and two-time Olympic swimming gold medalist said.

Hers was a stunning first-round win in the seven-candidate contest after voting by 97 IOC members.

The 41-year-old Coventry gets an eight-year mandate into 2033 with a likely early test in meeting with U.S.

President Donald Trump about the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

NHL has met with Dan Friedkins group about interest in bringing an expansion team to Houston The NHL has met with a group led by billionaire Dan Friedkin to discuss its interest in bringing an expansion team to Houston, Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly confirmed Thursday night in an email to The Associated Press.

Friedkin, who has a net worth of $6.4 billion, according to Forbes, recently bought 98.8% interest in English Premier League club Everton.

With his son Ryan, the Houston-based Friedkin Group has investments in the automotive industry, entertainment, hospitality and sports.

A message sent to the Friedkin Group seeking comment was not immediately returned.

ESPN reported that Friedkin had become a leading candidate for a franchise if the league decides to expand beyond 32 teams.

Commissioner Gary Bettman has repeatedly said the league is not currently in a formal expansion process.

Multiple groups in Atlanta also expressed interest in giving hockey in Georgias capital a third try.

Bettman told The AP in September the NHL would seek a very targeted process, if expanding at all.

Georgia suspends WR Tuggle and OL Easley following Tuggles arrest on speeding and reckless driving ATHENS, Ga.

Georgia sophomore wide receiver Nitro Tuggle and freshman offensive lineman Marques Easley were suspended indefinitely from all team activities on Thursday after Tuggles arrest for speeding and reckless driving.

Athens-Clarke County Jail records show Tuggle was arrested early Thursday on misdemeanor charges of speeding and reckless driving.

Tuggle was released after posting bond.

The Athens Banner-Herald reported Easley was involved in a vehicle crash on Monday night.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart has said he has struggled to find ways to convince his players to avoid speeding and reckless driving.

A crash killed a player and a recruiting staffer in January 2023, shortly after the team celebrated its second straight national championship.

Offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy were killed in the crash that occurred while LeCroy and defensive tackle Jalen Carter were racing.

A successful inaugural season behind it, Unrivaled is eyeing a long future in womens sports MEDLEY, Fla.

Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 womens basketball league founded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, is eyeing a sustained future in womens sports after concluding its inaugural season in Miami.

The league debuted in January at a point of huge growth and momentum in womens sports and wrapped up its eight-week season with Rose winning the first championship on Monday.

While WNBA players have historically competed overseas to supplement their income during the offseason, Unrivaled set out to give them a domestic alternative while pushing athlete development, fast-paced and physical play and substantial player salaries.

While platforming some of the games biggest stars like Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese, Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner and others, Unrivaled averaged 221,000 viewers on TNT and truTV during its regular season and two-day postseason, the league announced Thursday.

The league said it sold out every game held at the new Wayfair Arena which seats 850 people with ticket sales surpassing seven figures.

Unrivaled coverage reached more than 11.9 million viewers across TNT and truTV and delivered the 10 most-watched womens basketball games ever on TNT Sports networks, the league said.

Games were also available for livestreaming on Max, resulting in the 10 most-streamed womens basketball games on the service.

Angela Stanford named US captain of Solheim Cup for the 2026 matches in the Netherlands Angela Stanford was introduced Thursday as the next U.S.

captain of the Solheim Cup, leading a young core of Americans who are coming off a victory and will try to win the cup overseas for the first time in more than a decade.

Stanford was on the last American team that won away from home, in 2015 in Germany when Juli Inkster was at the helm.

She was an assistant on the last three teams, including what she calls a massive victory in Virginia last September.

The U.S.

team was so young that 10 of the 12 players had never experienced what it was like to win the Solheim Cup.

They needed that feeling, Stanford said.

Virginia was big for a lot of these players, and I hope getting a taste of that win and getting a taste of what it meant ...

you cant feel something youve never felt before.

That was kind of cool.

Hopefully, theyll want to accept the next challenge, which is winning one overseas.

The 2026 matches will be held at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands.

Anna Nordqvist of Sweden had been selected captain for Europe.

Cal hires former NFL head coach Ron Rivera to be GM of football program BERKELEY Ron Rivera spent more than three decades in the NFL and had opportunities to return to the sideline as an assistant when a more intriguing option came his way.

Rather than mentor a first-time NFL coach, Rivera leaped at the chance to return to his alma mater to help revive the football program at California.

Rivera was officially hired as the first general manager for the Cal football team on Thursday after the move was officially approved by the UC Regents.

This is an opportunity to come home and give back, Rivera said.

The university has given me so much in my lifetime.

It was kind of the launching pad that got me going into the direction that I did as far as playing professionally and ended up being an NFL coach and altogether 36 years involved in the NFL.

...

Im looking for another challenge, another opportunity.

But where better than to come home to the university and give back.

Rivera will report directly to chancellor Rich Lyons in the newly created role.

Head football coach Justin Wilcox will continue to report to athletic director Jim Knowlton, who also reports to Lyons.

Reds and newly acquired catcher Jose Trevino agree to 3-year contract worth $14,925,000 GOODYEAR, Ariz.

Catcher Jose Trevino and the Cincinnati Reds agreed Thursday to a three-year contract worth $14,925,000, a deal that adds $11.5 million in newly guaranteed money.

Trevino was acquired from the New York Yankees in December for reliever Fernando Cruz and catcher Alex Jackson, and the 32-year-old avoided arbitration when he agreed to a one-year contract worth $3,425,000.

Trevino would have been eligible for free agency after this years World Series.

His new deal adds salaries of $5.25 million each for 2026 and 2027 plus a $6.5 million club option for 2028 with $1 million buyout.

Trevino will begin the season as the Reds top catcher.

Tyler Stephenson is sidelined by an oblique injury; he last played March 11, was scratched the following day and had an MRI on March 13.

Braves add to outfield depth by signing veteran Alex Verdugo to $1.5 million, 1-year deal ATLANTA The Atlanta Braves bolstered their outfield depth on Thursday by signing Alex Verdugo to a $1.5 million, one-year contract and optioning him to Triple-A Gwinnett.

Verdugo, 28, hit .233 with 13 homers and 61 RBIs for the New York Yankees in 2024 following four seasons with Boston.

He took a big cut in pay from last year, when he had an $8.7 million base salary and earned $50,000 in performance bonuses for plate appearances.

The left-handed hitting Verdugo played for the Los Angeles Dodgers for three seasons, beginning in 2017.

He has a career batting average of .272 and is a superior defender.

Croatia beats France 2-0 in Nations League quarterfinals to spoil Mbappes return Croatia contained the attacking duo of Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele in a 2-0 victory over France in the first leg of the Nations League quarterfinals Thursday.

Ante Budimir headed Croatia ahead in the 26th minute off a cross from Ivan Perisic with France goalkeeper Mike Maignan partially blocking the ball before it crossed the line.

Perisic doubled the advantage in first-half stoppage time in Split to spoil Mbappes return after a six-month absence from the national team.

Novak Djokovic wanted other players to step up by putting their names on tennis antitrust lawsuit MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.

Novak Djokovic doesnt want the antitrust lawsuit filed by the players association he co-founded to create a rift in tennis, but he also said Thursday that the athletes share of revenues and their influence both need to increase.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion, speaking at a pre-tournament news conference at the Miami Open, explained that he was not listed among the plaintiffs on the case filed Tuesday in federal court in New York along with actions in Brussels and London because I want other players to step up.

The suit by the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) against the womens and mens tours, the International Tennis Federation and the sports integrity agency said the organizations hold complete control over the players pay and working conditions, calling them a cartel.

Arizona minor league pitcher Listher Sosa suspended 80 games for positive drug test NEW YORK Arizona minor league pitcher Listher Sosa was suspended for 80 games Thursday under baseballs minor league drug program following a positive test for the performance-enhancing substance Methandienone.

A 23-year-old right-hander, Sosa signed for a $150,000 bonus in 2018.

He was 4-3 with a 3.39 ERA last year in 40 relief appearances and one start for Class A Visalia, High A Hillsboro and Double-A Amarillo..

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