An NBA sale on the horizon | A disrupter in the world of soccer jerseys | An NHL team on the cutting edge

Plus: A rare peek into the UFC's business

Pro Basketball

The Timberwolves are poised to become the second NBA team to be sold during the pandemic for a bullish price: about $1.5 billion, sources say.

Hockey

The same way the "Moneyball" Athletics of the early 2000s ushered in baseball's analytics revolution, sports science could unlock the next great advantage in the NHL. And the Sabres are on the cutting edge.

Baseball

As the Yankees cry poor, their crosstown rival is suddenly flush with cash and possibilities. Yes, the Mets are moving past the misery of the Wilpon era, with new owner Steve Cohen hitting all the right notes. In fact, Cohen says he expects to win a World Series in the next three to five years. New team president Sandy Alderson is assembling his front office; once that is settled, could a Francisco Lindor trade be in store?

Esports

One question has dogged esports powerhouse 100 Thieves, its COO tells us: "When are you going to get back into Call of Duty?" Well, that day has come: The company is adding a CDL franchise.

MMA

The business side of MMA often lies beyond public view, but an antitrust lawsuit filed against the UFC has offered a peek behind the curtain. An expert witness is now shedding light on two thorny issues: Just how long do UFC contracts tend to be? And does the promotion bench fighters before their contracts expire to gain negotiating leverage?

Golf

With optimism for a coronavirus vaccine rising, the travel golf industry looks poised to gain from months of pent-up demand. Golfscape, a tee-time reservation platform that also sells cloud-based booking management software, is ready to pounce, aiming to service 1,300 golf courses in 2021, up from about 300.

Rugby

We are one year out from the Women's Rugby League World Cup, an event set to take women's rugby league to new heights, particularly in the U.K., the sport's birthplace.

Auto Racing

A chance meeting on a Las Vegas street led to a sponsorship for Nascar driver Chase Briscoe.

The pandemic upheaval of this season may help Nascar accomplish one long-standing goal. One thing is certain, however: The series now belongs to 24-year-old Chase Elliott. "It's nuts," he tells us, reflecting on his road to the championship.

Featured Story

Rangers FC, a giant of Scottish soccer, has worked its way through most of the household jersey brands, from Nike and Adidas to Puma and Umbro. So when a dispute with Hummel ended its previous deal early, Rangers decided to go with Castore, a newcomer to the world of soccer jersey manufacturing that wants to disrupt the status quo. Castore's cofounder believes the arrangement could shake up jersey deals across soccer; to see why, read the full story here.

Hot Reads

Valencia CF's Daniel Wass Invests In New Platform To Help Young Athletes Find Mentors

Is Christian Pulisic Changing The Perception Of American Soccer Players In Europe?

How VAR Offside Guidelines Are Putting Players At Risk And Distorting Soccer

Covid-19 Chaos Is Fueling Match-Fixing And Money Laundering In Pro Sports, Experts Warn

Upon Further Review

Patrice Motsepe, a mining magnate and Africa's tenth-richest man, wants to run African soccer. In our most recent ranking of the world's billionaires, Motsepe came in at No. 1,513, but his net worth has spiked since then, to an estimated $2.5 billion. See the full list of the world's billionaires here.

The Last Word

“There’s always a reason to be afraid. But should you let that take over? Hell no.”

Venus Williams

Tennis champion Venus Williams, the founder of full-service commercial and residential design firm V Starr and activewear brand EleVen by Venus Williams, has advice for the more than 30 million small business owners and entrepreneurs across the U.S. struggling to find their footing in the new normal. For more of her words of wisdom, read the full story here.