Sports
NFL vows not to explore streaming deals despite White House opposition
Dec 25, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; The Christmas Day patch is seen on the jersey of Minnesota Vikings running back Zavier Scott (36) during warmups before the game against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images The NFL plans to continue offering a diversified broadcast package despite political and public criticism of the league expanding streaming opportunities with Netflix and Amazon.
“We love our model,” NFL president of media distribution Hans Schroeder said Friday, discussing the NFL’s schedule release for the 2026 regular season.
The majority of regular-season games — more than 86% — are available on free, over-the-air television via traditional broadcast partners NBC, ABC, CBS and FOX.
But Netflix carved out a slightly bigger portion of the vast single-game opportunities. The streaming giant has the first NFL regular-season game in Australia — Sept. 10 between the 49ers and Rams — a Thanksgiving Eve game and another game on Christmas Day, plus exclusive rights to the NFL awards ceremony known as NFL Honors. The annual program airs Super Bowl week from the host city with MVP, Coach of the Year and other awards handed out along with the first reveal of the year’s Pro Football Hall of Fame class.
In 2025, Netflix averaged 27.5 million viewers for the Vikings-Lions game among only U.S. customers.
FOX and the National Association of Broadcasters opposed taking games off of network television. The Justice Department reportedly is checking into any violations or failed compliance with the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961. NFL vice president of communications Jeff Miller said of the opposition, “I’m not sure I really understand where that comes from.”
He said the NFL remains fully committed to broadcasting games on network television. Schroeder said there is no reason the partners should be mutually exclusive.
“We think broadcast [networks] have been an incredible home,” he said. “And, now, we also know fans are increasingly spending their time on other platforms as well. They tune into broadcast for the NFL and that’s where we want to be. But we also want to be on these platforms with a limited amount of our games where we know our NFL fans are already as well.
“When we’re going onto Netflix, we’re going onto a platform that is already massively adopted and a huge number of viewers on that platform already, including a huge number of NFL fans.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Emma Raducanu reunites with coach from '21 U.S. Open run
Emma Raducanu gets set to serve to Amanda Anisimova during their third-round match at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., Sunday, March 8, 2026. Emma Raducanu is reuniting with the coach who guided her to her only career title — the U.S. Open in 2021.
That is Andrew Richardson, a veteran coach and former singles player on the ATP Tour. Raducanu said in a statement issued Friday that she is “grateful to have reconnected with someone who has known me for over a decade now and looking forward to building together one iteration at a time.”
Raducanu was an 18-year-old qualifier when she captured the Grand Slam championship in New York. Soon after, she split with Richardson.
Their new partnership begins immediately. Richardson will be in Raducanu’s corner at the Strasbourg International, a 500-level WTA Tour event that starts Sunday in France.
Richardson, 52, most recently worked at the Ferrer Tennis Academy in Spain. Like Raducanu, he is from Great Britain.
The Tennis Podcast reported that Raducanu and Richardson worked together at the academy in April.
Raducanu, 23, has had nine coaches but has not had a permanent one since January, when she and Francisco Roig split after her loss at the Australian Open.
She has not played many matches this season, recently pulling out of the Italian Open because she did not feel well. ESPN reported Friday that she has a “post-viral illness.”
She last took the court for the third round at Indian Wells in March and faced Amanda Anisimova, losing 6-1, 6-1.
At Strasbourg, Raducanu will have the opportunity to practice on the clay courts to prepare for the French Open at Roland Garros in Paris, which will run May 24-June 7.
Raducanu will fall from No. 30 to No. 37 in the rankings next week.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Tigers ace Tarik Skubal already playing catch
Apr 29, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal already is playing catch, just nine days after undergoing elbow surgery, the New York Post reported Friday.
The left-hander underwent an arthroscopic procedure on May 6 to remove loose bodies in his pitching elbow. His original estimated recovery time of two months could be shortened to six weeks, per the report.
Skubal, 29, experienced discomfort in his April 29 start against the Atlanta Braves in a 4-3 loss. He gave up two runs on five hits in seven innings, striking out seven. He did not figure into the decision.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner is 3-2 with a 2.70 ERA in seven starts this season. He has struck out 45 batters and walked only six in 43 1/3 innings.
Skubal has a 57-39 record and a 3.06 ERA in seven seasons and 144 games (141 starts) for the Tigers since 2020, striking out 934 batters while walking 178.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Pitt adds Bryant transfer G Timofei Rudovskii
Timofei Rudovskii, Bryant Men’s Basketball Bryant transfer wing Timofei Rudovskii has committed to Pitt.
ESPN reported the news Friday morning, and Rudovskii confirmed it in his Instagram bio.
Rudovskii averaged a team-best 12.9 points to go along with 4.7 rebounds in 31 games (all starts) last season en route to being named to the America East All-Rookie team.
The 6-foot-9 Russian shot 41.0% from the floor and 36.2% from 3-point range during his lone campaign with the Bulldogs.
–Field Level Media
Emma Raducanu reunites with coach from '21 U.S. Open run
Report: Tigers ace Tarik Skubal already playing catch
