Axios Sports: Championship weekend — Lacrosse merger — Helmet ads

1 big thing: 🏈 8 teams, 4 spots, 1 weekend | Friday, December 18, 2020

Open in app View in browser     Axios Sports By Kendall Baker ·Dec 18, 2020 🎉 Happy Friday! The Sun Belt championship between No. 12 Coastal Carolina and No. 19 Louisiana is off because of COVID-19 issues with the Chanticleers. Ugh. Today's word count: 2,103 words (8 minutes).     1 big thing: 🏈 8 teams, 4 spots, 1 weekend Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios   Conference championship weekend is upon us, and eight teams have at least a 10% chance to make the College Football Playoff, per ESPN, Axios' Jeff Tracy writes. Alabama (96.9%) Ohio State (85.3%) Clemson (63.6%) Notre Dame (61.2%) Texas A&M (34.9%) USC (15.7%) Cincinnati (15.3%) Iowa State (11.5%) Trevor Lawrence was on the sideline at Notre Dame Stadium in November. This time, he'll be on the field. Photo: Matt Cashore-Pool/Getty Images Pac-12: Oregon at No. 13 USC (8pm ET tonight, FOX) Lines: USC -3 | O/U: 64 Playoff odds: USC 15.7% | ORE 0% Preview: The Trojans quietly compiled a 5-0 record that has them in the hunt. But they'll need a resounding win tonight and losses by five or six key teams ahead of them to have any real shot. Big Ten: No. 14 Northwestern vs. No. 4 Ohio State (12pm, FOX) Lines: OSU -20 | O/U: 57 Playoff odds: OSU 85.3% | NU 1% Preview: If the Buckeyes win, they're in; if they lose, the Big Ten will be left out of the playoff for the third time in the CFP's seven-year history. Big 12: No. 10 Oklahoma vs. No. 6 Iowa State (12pm, ABC) Lines: OU -5.5 | O/U: 58 Playoff odds: ISU 11.5% | OU 4.5% Preview: Despite two losses, the Cyclones would almost certainly get in with a (second) win over Oklahoma and losses by both Ohio State and Texas A&M. ACC: No. 3 Clemson vs. No. 2 Notre Dame (4pm, ABC) Lines: CLEM -10.5 | O/U: 60 Playoff odds: CLEM 63.6% | ND 61.2% Preview: Teams on the outside looking in desperately need Notre Dame to hand Clemson a second loss, ideally in a blowout. A close game in either direction could result in both teams making the field. SEC: No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 7 Florida (8pm, CBS) Lines: ALA -17 | O/U: 74 Playoff odds: ALA 96.9% | FLA 3.9% Preview: Barring a cosmic event, the Tide are in no matter what. The story here is the star power, with the top three Heisman candidates all in action. Luke Fickell and Cincinnati haven't played in nearly a month. Photo:Michael Hickey/Getty Images Best of the rest: SEC (trap game!): No. 5 Texas A&M at Tennessee (12pm, ESPN) — In a normal year, the Aggies would be idle this weekend. Instead, while they're first in line if any of the top four stumble, they must also beware of the Vols. American: No. 23 Tulsa at No. 9 Cincinnati (8pm, ABC) — After nearly a month idle, the Bearcats still have a 15.3% chance to make the playoff. A win also pushes them closer to the first undefeated season in school history. MWC: Boise State vs No. 24 San Jose State (4:15, FOX) — This is Boise's fourth straight title game appearance and San Jose State's first ever. MAC: Ball State vs. Buffalo (tonight, 7:30pm, ESPN) — Despite playing just five games, Buffalo RB Jaret Patterson is somehow eighth in the nation in rushing (1,025 yards) and third in rush TDs (18).     2. 🥍 PLL merges with MLL, unifying outdoor lacrosse Courtesy: Premier Lacrosse League   The Premier Lacrosse League has merged with Major League Lacrosse in a move that consolidates outdoor lacrosse into a single entity. Why it matters: The merger brings unity to the top of the sport, giving the PLL a stronger brand, a clearer message ("We are the league") and a deeper talent pool. The PLL recruited most of the MLL's top players when it launched in 2019, but the MLL still had some under contract. Among them is Lyle Thompson, arguably the world's best player. Assuming he signs a contract and is eligible for the expansion draft, he'll give the PLL another marketable star. Between the lines: The PLL will expand to eight teams as part of the deal, adding the MLL's Boston Cannons and rebranding them as Cannons Lacrosse Club. "Taking on the Cannons gets us to an even eight teams for our touring model, which creates a natural doubleheader for game weekends," says PLL co-founder Paul Rabil. The PLL will also retain the rights to MLL's other five teams (Denver Outlaws, Chesapeake Bayhawks, Connecticut Hammerheads, New York Lizards, Philadelphia Barrage) for future expansion purposes. The big picture: Rabil, a former MLL MVP, left the league in 2018 to launch the PLL with his brother, Mike. Now, the three-year-old upstart is essentially acquiring the 20-year-old incumbent. Quite the entrepreneurial story. "In 2018, there were nine teams in the MLL, the average player wage was $8,000, and there was no healthcare or TV distribution," Rabil tells me. "In 2021, there will be eight teams in the PLL, the average player wage has quadrupled, there's year-round healthcare and stock options in the league, and distribution on NBC." Go deeper: The PLL thrived despite the pandemic (Axios)     3. 🏒 NHL likely to approve helmet ads Photo: Chase Agnello-Dean/NHLI via Getty Images   The NHL's Board of Governors is likely to approve helmet advertisements for the 2020-21 season, Sports Business Journal reports. Details: The ads would be located in both sides of the helmet and teams could have up to two sponsors: one for home games and one for away games. Market value: The ads would net roughly $2.5 million for the average team, according to estimates. The state of play: Commissioner Gary Bettman has repeatedly rejected the idea of selling ad space on NHL gear in the past, but the pandemic has forced the league to look at new methods of increasing revenue. Where things stand: The NHL and NHLPA cleared their financial hurdles last week and are aiming for a Jan. 13 start date, with either a 52- or 56-game schedule.     A message from Axios Axios is going local     In 2021, Axios will deliver free daily newsletters in U.S. cities. Sign up to be one of the first subscribers — and to read about the most consequential stories happening in your own backyard.     4. 🏏 The push to bring cricket to the U.S. Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios   Professional cricket could finally gain a foothold in the U.S. through Major League Cricket, slated to begin play in 2022, Jeff writes. Why it matters: Cricket is the world's second most popular sport behind soccer, but has failed to take off stateside. With major funding from domestic and international organizations, MLC could help the sport finally break through. The backdrop: Cricket's traditional format, the Test match, can last up to five days. Purists don't mind the length, but crowds and sponsorship have steadily dwindled as younger generations have lost interest in the marathon sport. In 2003, a shorter format called Twenty20 (T20) was introduced and its popularity exploded as games hewed closer to the modern, three-hour sporting event standard. Global boom: The Indian (2008) and Caribbean Premier Leagues (2013) took off immediately, bolstered by existing populations of rabid cricket fans. North American bust: Pro Cricket (2004) and the American Premier League (2009) were dead on arrival, lacking the support and forethought necessary for such a bold move. The big picture: Major League Cricket hopes to learn from its predecessors' mistakes by taking the time to build the infrastructure it needs to flourish. Funding: MLC already has a billion dollar investment from USA Cricket and partners including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, who already owns teams in both the IPL and CPL, has also invested. Media: Willow TV, the largest streaming hub for cricket content in the U.S. (four million subscribers), will own MLC's exclusive streaming rights. Stadium: MLC received approval to convert an old Texas minor league baseball stadium into the country's first major cricket venue. Minors: Minor League Cricket already completed a test run with an exhibition season a few months ago. The bottom line: Cricket is coming to the states; guess it's time to learn the rules.     5. 🏈 Inside the Superhero fantasy football league Giphy Captain America shocked the world when he wielded Thor's hammer to take down Thanos, but his greatest challenge may be his pending semifinal matchup against Star-Lord ... in fantasy football, Jeff writes. The backdrop: While filming "Avengers: Endgame," Joe Russo, who co-directed the last two Avengers films with his brother, started a fantasy football league with actor Chris Evans (Captain America). Last year, they expanded and added a charitable component ($100,000), officially launching the AGBO Superhero League. This year, the pot ballooned to $1.25 million thanks to a donation from FanDuel. Participants: Russo, Evans, Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool), Simu Liu (Shang-Chi), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Chris Pratt (Star-Lord), Tom Holland (Spider-Man), Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Elizabeth Olsen (Scarlet Witch), Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), Karen Gillan (Nebula), Anthony Mackie (Falcon), Pom Klementieff (Mantis), Matthew Berry (ESPN fantasy expert). Inside the league: Each member is playing for a charity of his or her choosing, but as Russo tells me — and as every fantasy player knows — "you can't have a good league without great trash talk." Trash talk vids: Rather than merely take to the group chat for playful ribbing, these guys kick it up a notch with scripted, professionally-made videos. The best one: "Pom Klementieff's video is unbeatable in terms of production value and humor," Russo says. Watch. The weirdest one? Who else but Rudd, whose dedication to this shot-for-shot remake of Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" music video ahead of his matchup with Downey Jr. was unmatched. Adds Russo: "Despite the sort of self-effacing humor, Rudd is a huge football fan and very knowledgeable. ... Reynolds is a bit of a master at roasting people ... Hemsworth won last year without knowing a damn thing about football." Semifinals: Team Pratt (Russell Wilson, Travis Kelce) vs. Team Evans (Derrick Henry, Tom Brady); Team Berry (Josh Allen, Dalvin Cook) vs. Team Liu (Justin Herbert, Tyreek Hill)     6. ⚽️ Players of the year: Robert and Lucy Photo: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images Robert Lewandowski, whose 55 goals helped Bayern Munich become just the seventh club in history to win the Treble last season, was named the Best FIFA Men's Player of the Year for 2020. Why it matters: The 32-year-old joins Luka Modrić (2018) as the only players not named Lionel Messi (six) or Cristiano Ronaldo (five) to have won the award since 2008. Wild story: If the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull hadn't erupted in 2010, Lewandowski would have flown to the U.K. to sign with Blackburn Rovers. But the ash cloud grounded flights, allowing Borussia Dortmund to swoop in. His career took off in Germany, while Blackburn fell into steep decline. 🎥 Watch: Highlights Bronze after signing with Manchester City in September. Photo: Matt McNulty/Manchester City via Getty Images Lucy Bronze, the English fullback who split her 2020 between Lyon and Manchester City, won the women's award. Why it matters: The 29-year-old is the first defender to ever win the award. Fun fact: Bronze led UNC to a national championship as a freshman in 2009, becoming the first British player to win an NCAA Cup. She returned to England the following year to play for Sunderland. 🎥 Watch: Highlights     7. 📊 By the numbers Source: @RyanLavnerGC (Twitter) ⛳️ 11 years old: Tiger Woods' son, Charlie, has a better swing than you. The two will play together this weekend at the PNC Championship. 🏒 469 wins: Henrik Lundqvist, the sixth-winningest goalie in NHL history, won't be able to play for the Capitals this season due to a heart condition. 🇷🇺 2-year ban: Russia's four-year Olympics ban was halved by a Swiss court, meaning Russian teams — but not necessarily Russian athletes — will be kept out of the next two Olympics (Tokyo 2021 and Beijing 2022). 🏀 15 players: In anticipation of occasional positive tests, the NBA will allow teams to expand their active rosters on game nights from 13 to 15 this season. 🏈 $500,871: That's how much the average Power 5 offensive line coach made this year, per USA Today, the most of any position coach. 🏎 23 races: Formula One's 23-race schedule for 2021, featuring a new race in Saudi Arabia, has been given the official stamp of approval. Full schedule. Photo: Peter Fox/Getty Images     8. Dec. 18, 1932: 🏈 The NFL's first title game L to R: Bears coach Ralph Jones, with players Dick Nesbitt, Bronko Nagurski, Red Grange and Keith Molesworth. Photo: Bettmann/Getty Images   88 years ago today, the Chicago Bears beat the Portsmouth Spartans, 9-0, in the NFL's first title game, which was played on a hockey rink that smelled like elephant manure. The backdrop: In those days, the league title was awarded to the regular season's best team. But since the Bears and Spartans had the same record and tied both of their meetings, one final game was needed to declare a champion. The game: Severe weather caused the game to move from Wrigley Field, home of the Bears, to Chicago Stadium, home of the Blackhawks. One big problem: It could only fit an 80-yard field. Another problem: The dirt and tanbark that was used to cover the cement floor had been used the previous two nights by a circus. The field smelled like elephant manure as a result, causing one Bears player to throw up. Why it matters: The game, which featured a touchdown pass from Hall of Famer Bronko Nagurski to Hall of Famer Red Grange, changed the NFL forever. Hashes: The field was too narrow, so whenever a play ended near the sideline, the ball was moved 10 yards in for the next play. This opened up the field and fans loved it, leading to the creation of hash marks the following season. Super Bowl: In 1933, the NFL expanded to 10 teams, divided into two divisions and kept the title game format. The Bears beat the New York Giants in the first true championship game, which has since evolved into the Super Bowl. The big picture: The Bears went on to win six more pre-merger titles, and their eight combined NFL championships (seven titles, one Super Bowl) trails only the Packers (13). As for the Spartans, they were sold for $8,000 in 1934 and became the Detroit Lions. The Lions won four titles pre-merger (1935, 1952, 1953, 1957), but remain one of just four teams without a Super Bowl appearance (Browns, Jaguars, Texans).     9. 🏈 NFL trivia Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images   Justin Herbert, who tied the rookie record for TD passes (27) in the Chargers' win over the Raiders last night, is a lock to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. Question: Herbert would be just the second non-SEC or Big 12 player to win the award since 2009. Who was the other? Hint: Big Ten. Answer at the bottom.     10. 🔥 Fire at Fenway Park Source: @WB204 (Twitter) The Red Sox were kind enough to put a few digital logs on the fire at Fenway yesterday. Stay warm, Northeasterners.     A message from Axios Axios is going local     In 2021, Axios will deliver free daily newsletters in U.S. cities. Sign up to be one of the first subscribers — and to read about the most consequential stories happening in your own backyard.   Enjoy the weekend, Kendall "Cricket confuses me" Baker Trivia answer: Saquon Barkley Invite friends to follow Axios Sports Use your personal link to track how many readers you bring into the community You currently have 00 referrals. Share with a friend or use your personal referral link https://www.axios.com/referral/sports?code=BbTjEdwGLRoN For questions email referralsupport@axios.com. Participation in the Axios Sports Referral Program constitutes your acceptance of the Axios Terms and Conditions of Use, which can be viewed here.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Axios, 3100 Clarendon B‌lvd, Suite 1300, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.   Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox.   Follow Axios on social media: