This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.
Good morning, Winners! Welcome back to the Morning Win. You could’ve been anywhere on the internet this morning, but you’re here with us. We appreciate you. Happy Friday!
It sounds like we’ll finally be getting an answer on the future of Inside the NBA soon.
The NBA has reportedly agreed to terms with Amazon, NBC, and ESPN on a new television deal worth $76 billion over the next 11 years. The deal divides the league’s broadcast rights among those three entities.
But TNT isn’t out of the picture just yet. The company has matching rights on whatever deal the NBA agrees to, according to the latest from Front Office Sports’ Michael McCarthy. It can reinsert itself into the conversation by matching one of the offers from NBC Universal or Amazon.
According to McCarthy, TNT has five days left to decide if it’ll match one of the NBA’s new deals.
“TNT got the contracts Wednesday night, say my sources. So it will have approximately five days, until next Monday, to “match” either Amazon Prime Video’s $1.8 billion–per-year offer or NBC’s $2.5 billion–per-year bid. (Disney’s ABC/ESPN is expected to retain the NBA’s TV “A” package, including the NBA Finals, at a price of $2.8 billion per year.)”
Deadline reported on Wednesday that TNT intends to match the Amazon Prime Video offer, which is reportedly $700 million cheaper than the NBC bid. That won’t come easy. Considering how much money is on the table here, it will probably get ugly and litigious. The stakes are high.
But this is good news for fans hoping the Inside the NBA crew could stick together for the long run. Regardless of negotiations, we’re technically still getting one more season of the show, but so many people have grown up with this show and its incredible cast of characters. Charles Barkley and crew have worked their way into people’s hearts over the last few decades. Knowing that it’s on its last legs is a bit heartbreaking. Most people don’t want to see that simply go away.
RELATED: Charles Barkley is retiring, but here’s where he might go if he changes his mind.
We’ll see how things end up, but this thing isn’t quite over yet. Not by a long shot.
An actual fun All-Star game!
Remember earlier this week when I said All-Star games have largely become boring? That’s true. But you know which one isn’t actually that boring? The WNBA’s.
This All-Star game is generally a blast. And — get this — it’s usually competitive! Like, the players actually try. And the fans appreciate it!
That should especially be the case this year, considering the stakes. It’s Team USA vs. the WNBA All-Stars. This isn’t just an All-Star game — it’s a warm-up game for the best players in the league before they take off to Paris and try to win another gold medal. There’s something to play for here.
RELATED: How to watch the WNBA All-Star game this weekend
On top of that, we’ve got Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese in the first of what will probably be many All-Star games for the two of them. The two rivals will be teammates for the first time in their careers. That should be fun.
Lock in this weekend, folks. This is going to be a good one.
The Open is brutal for Rory McIlroy
Sometimes life trolls you, man. Plain and simple. You can’t tell me that’s not what’s happening to Rory McIlroy. The golf gods are just messing with him. It’s mean.
After a heartbreaking finish at the US Open, he took a break but seemingly returned to golfing refreshed. Well, The Open Championship is about to set that energy right back where it was for Rory.
Andrew Joseph has more on how rough this dude has it right now.
“It got so bad for McIlroy on Thursday that he essentially played himself out of contention in the opening round. McIlroy shot an abysmal 77, putting him at seven-over par and tied for 133rd. No moment summed up his day quite like the bunker shot on the eighth hole, known as ‘The Postage Stamp’.”
Here’s that bunker shot.
Royal Troon is claiming victims at The Open Championship.
Awesome example of what happens in these bunkers. You can make an easy bogey, but if you want a par you often need to take a big risk.
Rory paid the price. The mistakes you can’t make and claim the Claret Jug. pic.twitter.com/2bD5f8IALc
— Rick Golfs (@Top100Rick) July 18, 2024
MAN. COME ON. THAT’S NOT FAIR. The ball goes up onto the green and rolls right back down into the bunker where Rory started with it. Tough.
We’ll see how the rest of this weekend goes for McIlroy but, uh, this isn’t a great start.
Photo Friday: Bonjour, y’all!
This BMX rider doing tricks under the Eiffel Tower with the Olympic Rings on it is the best picture you’ll see today. You’re welcome.
This time next week we’ll be talking about Oylmpic stuff! WOO! Let’s get it.
Quick hits: Caitlin Clark assists, ranked … Second-round gems … and more
— Meg Hall ranked the best of Caitlin Clark’s record 19 assists. This was a fun one.
— Here are five second-round picks who have shined at NBA Summer League so far. Bryan Kalbrosky cooked this one up.
— RIP Bob Newhart. Cory Woodroof ranked his best five performances.
— Lane Kiffin dunking on Paul Finebuam at SEC Media Day was so painfully awkward.
— Here’s why Caitlin Clark and Sabrina Ionescu aren’t in the 3-point contest. Meg Hall has more.
— Can you spot the difference in the Jaguars new throwback uniforms? Because we sure couldn’t. Robert Zeglinski has more here.
That’s a wrap, folks! Have a fantastic weekend! Let’s talk again on Monday!
-Sykes ✌️
