AP Sports

Super Bowl was the most-watched program ever in the US, averaging 123.4 million viewers

The longest Super Bowl game will also go down as the most-watched program in U.S. television history. According to Nielsen and Adobe Analytics, Kansas City’s 25-22 overtime victory over San Francisco averaged 123.4 million viewers across television and streaming platforms. That shattered last year’s mark of 115.1 million for Kansas City’s last-play victory over Philadelphia and is a 7% increase. The game was televised by CBS, Nickelodeon and Univision and streamed on Paramount+ as well as the NFL’s digital platforms. Some of the increase can be attributed to a change in the way viewers are counted, with out-of-home viewers from all 50 states included for the first time.

No immediate ruling after preliminary injunction hearing in Tennessee, Virginia NIL lawsuit vs. NCAA

A federal judge will rule “in short order” on a preliminary injunction requested by the states of Tennessee and Virginia to stop the NCAA from enforcing its rules governing name, image and likeness compensation for athletes. U.S. District Judge Clifton Corker originally had a four-hour window blocked for the hearing in Greeneville, Tennessee. The hearing for the states’ request lasted less than 90 minutes. The judge denied the states’ request for a temporary restraining order last week. But the judge also wrote the states were “likely to succeed on the merits of their claim” under the Sherman Act.

Does soon-to-be NCAA scoring leader Caitlin Clark need a title to be among game’s best?

Iowa’s Caitlin Clark will soon become the NCAA’s all-time scoring leader in women’s college basketball. Does that alone put the Hawkeyes’ shooting star among the game’s best like Cheryl Miller of Southern California, Sheryl Swoopes of Texas Tech, Maya Moore of UConn and Chamique Holdsclaw of Tennessee, all of whom have won NCAA Tournament crowns? South Carolina coach Dawn Staley believes it does. She says Clark has become a can’t-miss attraction in a women’s game that is growing by leaps and bounds.

Analysis: Trade deadline day makes some teams better now. Charlotte hopes to see future returns

Oklahoma City got Gordon Hayward, Dallas got PJ Washington, Miami got Terry Rozier and Philadelphia wound up getting city native and Villanova alum Kyle Lowry following a buyout after he was traded. The Thunder, Mavericks, Heat and 76ers must feel good about that. The Charlotte Hornets should feel good as well — even though they were the team on the other end of all those transactions.

Tiger Woods has a new apparel brand with TaylorMade. Here’s what it means

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tiger Woods in a red shirt on Sunday has become as recognizable as a Masters champion in a green jacket. Only it’s no longer about a Sunday red shirt for Woods. It’s about a brand. Five weeks ago, Woods and Nike announced their relationship was ending after 27 years. Now the 48-year-old Woods has his own brand with TaylorMade Golf. The brand is called “Sun Day Red.” Woods unveiled the new look Monday night in Los Angeles at a high-end restaurant off Sunset Boulevard. The initial offerings are golf shirts, outerwear, caps, even a cashmere hoodie. They go on sale online on May 1.

Tiger Woods draws opinions from fashion world after unveiling of his Sun Day Red apparel line

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tiger Woods might still be donning his familiar red polo shirt, but the iconic golfer has taken a bold leap forward with a new logo and clothing line partnering alongside a different company that could elevate his fashion identity. Woods introduced his lifestyle brand Sun Day Red on Monday evening the day after Super Bowl and during the middle of Hollywood’s awards season. He’s transitioning to the next phase of his career with TaylorMade Golf after he parted ways with Nike after 27 years. Some in the fashion community believe Woods can survive without sporting Nike’s popular swoosh on chest.

With Ledecky staying home, Italy’s Quadarella takes another world title in 1,500 free

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — With Katie Ledecky deciding to stay home, Simona Quadarella of Italy has romped to another gold medal in women’s 1,500-meter freestyle swimming at the World Aquatics Championships. Quadarella began to pull away from the field around the 500-meter mark and finished nearly a half-lap ahead in 15 minutes, 46.99 seconds. Li Bingjie of China took the silver, just ahead of bronze medalist Isabel Gose of Germany. In the opening race of the night at Doha’s Aspire Dome, Hwang Sun-woo gave South Korea its second gold medal of the championships with a victory in the men’s 200 freestyle. Danas Rapsys of Lithuania grabbed the silver, and American Luke Hobson took the bronze.

Chase Elliott out to bounce back from worst season of career, insists he wants to be a NASCAR star

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Chase Elliott wants to race cars. Fast cars that he can drive to a second NASCAR championship. The rest of the stuff? The crowds, the commercials, the showcasing his every move on social media? That’s just never going to be part of the job that Elliott finds enjoyable. Elliott has been voted most popular driver by the fans the last six years, even after injury and suspension led to last year being the worst of his career. Elliott opens the season Sunday at the Daytona 500 trying to return to the playoffs after failing to win a race in 2023.

Victor Wembanyama has a triple-double with blocked shots for the Spurs rookie’s latest highlight

TORONTO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama has his second triple-double — and his first with blocks. The San Antonio rookie blocked a shot by Toronto’s Gradey Dick with 6:32 left in the fourth quarter on Monday night, giving him the NBA’s first triple-double with blocked shots as one of the categories in more than three years. It was the first triple-double with blocks since Clint Capela had 13 points, 19 rebounds and 10 blocks for Atlanta against Minnesota on Jan. 22, 2021. That had also been the last time anyone in the NBA blocked 10 shots in a game.

Spring training preview: The Dodgers won the offseason. Will it buy them a championship?

PHOENIX (AP) — Money can buy lots of things, including Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, a pair of Japanese superstars that set the Los Angeles Dodgers back more than $1 billion. Now the journey begins to see if it’ll buy them a championship. Major League Baseball’s spring training opens for 28 of 30 teams over the next few days, with pitchers and catchers reporting to sites in Arizona and Florida. The Dodgers and San Diego Padres are already in camp, getting a head start because they’ll open the regular season on March 20 in Seoul, South Korea.