| | | | | | | | | | | Axios Sports | | By Kendall Baker · Jul 06, 2022 | | 👋 Hello friend! I love the smell of tennis in the morning. Can Wimbledon last forever? Today's word count: 1,974 words (8 minutes). Let's sports... | | | | | | 1 big thing: 🐎 Horse racing's new reality |  | | | Rich Strike (R) winning the 2022 Kentucky Derby. Photo: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images | | | | American thoroughbred racing quietly changed forever this weekend, Axios' Jeff Tracy and I write. Driving the news: The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's new safety rules went into effect on Friday — the first phase of a two-part plan to create national standards for a scandal-ridden sport. - New safety rules include a six-use limit of the riding crop (whip) during races, four fewer than jockeys were permitted at this year's Preakness Stakes, per Maryland's old law.
- Cattle prods and other devices used to desensitize horses to mask their pain are now prohibited, with first-time offenders facing a 10-year ban.
The backdrop: HISA — formed after Congress passed the bipartisan Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act in 2020 — comes amid a time of intense scrutiny for the U.S. horse racing industry. - California's Santa Anita Park made headlines in 2019 when 30 horses died there in a six-month span. That brought mainstream attention to fatality rates nationwide.
- In 2020, 27 people were indicted in a widespread doping scheme in which horses were "force-fed all manner of illegal and experimental drugs" that allowed them to run unnaturally fast and mask pain.
- Earlier this year, renowned trainer Bob Baffert received multiple suspensions after his 2021 Kentucky Derby winner, Medina Spirit, had his victory stripped due to a positive drug test.
Medina Spirit last May, shortly after winning the Derby. Photo: Rob Carr/Getty Images State of play: HISA is the first national governing body for a sport that featured 33,667 races across 34 states last year — a scope far too large for state-by-state guidelines, HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus tells Axios. - "If I'm a jockey, I might be running one month in Louisiana, one in Florida, one in Kentucky. They have to constantly recalibrate the rules in each state, so we think uniformity is a game-changer," says Lazarus.
- Yes, but: Not every state racing commission is on board. Texas and a few others have raised their opposition in federal court.
Looking ahead: The second phase of HISA's plan involves new anti-doping rules, which will be put in place in January. That will streamline drug testing and standardize punishment for offenders. - It took 11 months for Baffert to receive a suspension after Medina Spirit failed a post-race drug test after winning the Derby. Under HISA, it would have taken mere weeks.
- Plus: If HISA had been in place then, Medina Spirit may not have even been in the Derby. Baffert, with four positive tests in the previous year, would have already been serving a lengthy suspension.
The big picture: Greyhound racing has all but disappeared, largely due to animal welfare concerns. Horse racing may not be facing that same threat of extinction, but make no mistake: change was needed. - Lazarus hopes federal intervention is the answer, and that HISA provides the oversight and regulations needed for horse racing to thrive in the 21st century.
- "This sport involves an animal that can't speak for itself," says Lazarus. "If we want a social license to operate, we need to be able to convince the public that animal welfare is our primary concern."
The last word: "[This] gives the horse industry a future," fourth generation breeder and owner Arthur Hancock III told NYT. "We were a rogue nation. Now we are not." |     | | | | | | 2. 🎾 What a day at Wimbledon |  | | | Ons Jabeur celebrates her quarterfinal win. Photo: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images | | | | Tuesday's quarterfinal action had it all: A legend doing legendary things, a Brit playing the role of hometown hero, an Arab making tennis history and a mother of two continuing her dream run. Women: - No. 3 Ons Jabeur beat Marie Bouzková to become the first Arab player — male or female — to reach a major semifinal in the Open Era (1968-present). She's a symbol of new possibilities in her native Tunisia.
- Tatjana Maria reached her first-ever major semifinal at age 34 — 15 months after the birth of her second child. Prior to this, Maria had only made it past the second round of a Grand Slam once (2015 Wimbledon).
Men: - No. 1 Novak Djokovic came back from two sets down to beat No. 10 Janik Sinner and win his 26th straight match at Wimbledon. No player in tennis history has more five-set wins in majors (34).
- No. 9 Cameron Norrie beat David Goffin in five sets to become the fourth British man to reach a Wimbledon semifinal in the Open Era, joining Andy Murray (7x), Tim Henman (4x) and Roger Taylor (2x).
Looking ahead: Jabeur and Maria are close friends. "I love Tatjana so much, and her family is really amazing," said Jabeur. "She's my barbecue buddy, so it's going to be tough to play her obviously." 🎥 Watch: Incredible Djokovic play (Twitter) | | | | | | | | 3. 💬 Speech du jour: Don't wait for the easy |  | | | Duke women's basketball coach Kara Lawson. Photo: Lance King/Getty Images | | | | Kara Lawson delivered an awesome speech to her Duke women's basketball team that I felt compelled to share. "We all wait in life for things to get easier. ... It will never get easier. ... What happens is you become someone who handles hard stuff better." "That's a mental shift that has to occur in each of your brains. It has to. Because if you go around waiting for stuff to get easier in life, it's never going to happen." "Any meaningful pursuit in life, if you want to be successful at it, it goes to the people that handle hard well. Those are the people that get the stuff they want." "So make yourself a person that handles hard well. Not someone that's waiting for the easy. ... And then whatever comes at you, you're going to be great." 🎥 Watch: Full speech (Twitter) | | | | | | | | A message from Axios | | Share Axios Sports and earn rewards | | |  | | | | Get free Axios merchandise when you refer your friends to Axios Local. The more subscribers you refer, the bigger the rewards! Start sharing. | | | | | | 4. ⚡️ Lightning round |  | | | Photo: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images | | | | 🧠 Thomas had CTE: Demaryius Thomas had CTE when he died in December at 33, researchers said Tuesday. His death was also complicated by seizures brought on by a 2019 car crash. 🏒 Historic hire: Mike Grier has been hired as general manager of the Sharks, the first Black man in NHL history to hold the GM position. His brother, Chris, is the GM of the Dolphins. 🇺🇸 3,200 miles: Ultramarathoner Michael Wardian just completed a 61-day run from San Francisco to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. He raised over $100,000 for charity during his "Forrest Gump"-inspired journey. ⚾️ Miami's workhorse: Sandy "Two-Seam King" Alcántara had his eighth outing this season of at least eight innings on Tuesday, leading the Marlins to a 2-1 win over the Angels. No other pitcher has more than three. 🏐 What a mess: Three months ago, Grambling State's new volleyball coach shockingly cut her entire roster. On Tuesday, the school fired her. | | | | | | | | 5. 🎟 New ticket tech: TV button |  | | | Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios | | | | The sports ticket market has matured exponentially over the last two decades, and a landscape once dominated by brokers and early StubHub adopters is now driven by teams and technology. State of play: Once upon a time, sports teams sold tickets almost exclusively through their own channels for a relatively flat price. This allowed resellers to swoop in and flip them for a profit, birthing an industry of middlemen. - Now, teams increasingly manage their own pricing and distribution — even on secondary platforms like SeatGeek and Vivid Seats — which gives them more control over the market.
- They're also smarter about which tickets they prioritize, where they list them online, when they apply discounts, and how they balance profits vs. attendance.
The latest: EventDynamic, which uses AI-driven models to help teams price their tickets, has a new feature called "The TV button," which allows MLB teams and other clients to incentivize sales in sections that appear on the broadcast. - How it works: With the click of a button, teams can discount tickets in areas that get the most camera time, whether it's a week before the game or an hour before first pitch.
- An example: One client has a centerfield section that frequently appears on the broadcast and is typically sold for corporate outings. "The TV Button" makes it easy for them to fill that section when there's no group attending.
What they're saying: Event Dynamic CEO Rob Smith sees this as a boon for the team and rights holder (better TV product), the attendee (discount) and the fan watching at home (nobody likes seeing empty seats). "When teams control their own inventory, they have a lot more sway over the macro environment. They can prioritize the seats they want to sell." — Smith Go deeper: Farewell, paper tickets (Axios) | | | | | | | | 6. 🏀 The NBA's worst rule is on its way out | | Source: Giphy One of the most frustrating NBA rules could finally be on its way out, which is great news for anyone who enjoys fast breaks (aka everybody). Driving the news: Transition take fouls — intentional fouls to thwart transition opportunities — will result in the offensive team getting one free throw plus possession at all three summer leagues this year. - Typically, these take fouls — in which the defender doesn't make a play on the ball and basically just grabs the guy — result in the offensive team taking the ball out of bounds.
- The G League has been using the stricter "free throw plus the ball" penalty since 2018, leading to more unimpeded fast breaks.
Between the lines: The NBA has clear-path fouls that award two free throws and possession, but that only applies when "the ball is ahead of the tip of the circle in the backcourt." Take fouls occur earlier, often immediately after a turnover. What's next: The NBA's board of governors will consider new rules when they meet later this month, and commissioner Adam Silver told AP he is "confident that we'll see a change." | | | | | | | | 7. 🌎 The world in photos | | Chet Holmgren (L) and Josh Giddey. Photo: Alex Goodlett/Getty Images SALT LAKE CITY — Chet Holmgren dazzled in his debut for the Thunder. The No. 2 pick had 23 points (7-9 FG, 4-6 3PT), seven rebounds, four assists and six blocks (Summer League record) in 23 minutes. Thousands descended on San Juan del Rio, near Mexico City, to watch bullfighting this weekend. Photo: Hector Vivas/Getty Images SAN JUAN DEL RIO, Mexico — Bullfighting was recently banned in Mexico City and was already prohibited in five Mexican states, but the controversial Spanish tradition continues in some cities. Alejandro Kirk warms up in front of Canada Day decorations. Photo: Mark Blinch/Getty Images TORONTO — The U.S. wasn't the only country celebrating this weekend. July 1 was Canada Day, which commemorates the anniversary of the 1867 Constitution Act, which consolidated three territories into one nation. | | | | | | | | 8. 📺 Watchlist: Two Americans standing |  | | | Amanda Anisimova and Taylor Fritz. Photos: Steven Paston/PA Images via Getty Images | | | | Two Americans made the Wimbledon quarterfinals, and they're both in action this morning. - No. 20 Amanda Anisimova vs. No. 16 Simona Halep (8:30am ET, ESPN): The 20-year-old has reached the second week in all four majors this year. She's 1-2 in her career against Halep.
- No. 11 Taylor Fritz vs. No. 2 Nadal (9:45am, ESPN): The 24-year-old is vying to become the first American man to win Wimbledon since Pete Sampras won four straight from 1997-2000.
More to watch: - ⚽️ Women's Euro: England vs. Australia (3pm, ESPN2) … Opening match of Women's Euro 2022, hosted by England.
- ⚾️ MLB: Cardinals at Braves (7pm, ESPN) … Miles Mikolas (5-6, 2.61 ERA) vs. Max Fried (8-2, 2.66)
- 🏀 WNBA: Sky at Lynx (1pm, NBA); Mystics at Dream (8pm, CBSSN); Liberty at Aces (10pm, CBSSN)
- 🏀 NBA Summer League: Grizzlies vs. Thunder (7pm, ESPN2); 76ers vs. Jazz (9pm, ESPN2)
| | | | | | | | 9. ⚾️ MLB trivia |  | | | Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios | | | | Who is the only MLB player to produce seven straight seasons with a .300 BA, 20 HR, 100 RBI, 100 runs and 100 walks? - Hint: 1991-97.
- Submitted by: Bob B. (Fort Wayne, Indiana)
Answer at the bottom. | | | | | | | | 10. ⚾️ 1 Watergate thing: Nixon's list |  | | | President Nixon congratulates manager Ted Williams (R) and the Washington Senators after a win in 1970. Photo: Bettmann Archive/Getty Images | | | | As the Watergate scandal simmered during the summer of 1972, President Nixon set aside time for a sportswriting project: assembling a list of his all-time greatest baseball players. - "That effort, which also involved some of his soon-to-be-infamous aides, culminated with a nearly 3,000-word opus for the Associated Press," Frederic J. Frommer writes for WashPost.
- "Nixon's list — or lists, as it turned out — included many of the sport's greatest stars (Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ted Williams, Jackie Robinson) but also some deep-cut surprises (Dick Groat, Bobo Newsom)."
Fred is an Axios Sports reader and does great work as a sports historian. Here's a recent story he wrote for Politico about MLB's antitrust exemption. | | | | | | | | A message from Axios | | Share Axios Sports and earn rewards | | |  | | | | Get free Axios merchandise when you refer your friends to Axios Local. The more subscribers you refer, the bigger the rewards! Start sharing. | | | | Talk tomorrow, Kendall "Fritzmagic" Baker Trivia answer: Frank Thomas 🙏 Thanks for reading. Follow us on Twitter: @kendallbaker and @jeffreytracy. Tell your friends to sign up. |  | It's called Smart Brevity®. Over 300 orgs use it — in a tool called Axios HQ — to drive productivity with clearer workplace communications. | | | | | | Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. If you're interested in advertising, learn more here.
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:    | | | | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment