A US appeals court rules the NFL broke competition law with its Sunday Ticket package, and orders a new trial on what it owes

The stories

36 stories on this beat today.

Every story told the same way: what happened, who is involved, why it matters, how it works, the truth and the good news.

1. 01

   A US appeals court rules the NFL broke competition law with its Sunday Ticket package, and orders a new trial on what it owes

   $4.7bn

   awarded to Sunday Ticket buyers by a jury in 2024

   thrown out a month later; the verdict is now restored but the sum is not [2][3]

   $14.1bn

   what that award could reach if tripled under US competition law

   the law lets damages be multiplied by three [3]

   $191.26

   the gap the jury counted as each buyer's harm

   the $294 list price minus the $102.74 paid on average, which the courts called a discount [1]

   2.4 million

   homes in the case, plus 48,000 businesses

   they bought the package between 2011 and 2023 [2]

   What happened

   • A US appeals court ruled on Friday that the NFL broke competition law. [1]
   • The case is about Sunday Ticket, which sells out-of-town NFL games as one package. [1]
   • Fans pay up to $480 for it through YouTube TV. [1]
   • The court also ordered a new trial to decide how much the league owes. [1]
   • In 2024 a jury awarded the fans $4.7 billion. [2]
   • US competition law lets that be tripled, to about $14.1 billion. [3]
   • The case covers more than 2.4 million homes and 48,000 businesses. [2]
   • They bought the package from DirecTV, a satellite TV company, between 2011 and 2023. [2][3]
   • Rascher noted that college football fans get more games on Saturdays than NFL fans on Sundays. [1]
   • "This is how yardsticks work," the three appeals judges wrote. [1]
   • Judge Anthony Johnstone wrote that such questions are for the jury to decide. [3]
   • But the appeals court agreed the jury had got the damages sum wrong. [1]
   • Jurors took the $294 list price and subtracted the $102.74 fans paid on average. [1]
   • That gap, $191.26, was a discount, not an overcharge, the courts found. [1]
   • The NFL says 87% of its games are already shown on free TV. [1]
   • It says every game is free to watch in the two teams' home areas. [1]
   • The NFL said it was "disappointed by today's decision" and may appeal again. [2]

   Who is involved

   • Daniel Rascher economist for the fans
   • Douglas Zona economist for the fans
   • The NFL and its teams the top US professional American football league; found to have broken competition law with Sunday Ticket
   • The Mucky Duck a San Francisco sports bar; it first brought the case in 2015
   • Judge Philip Gutierrez the federal judge in Los Angeles who threw out the 2024 award
   • Daniel Rascher and Douglas Zona economists who gave evidence for the fans; the appeals court said it should have counted
   • Judges Holly Thomas, Anthony Johnstone and Joan Lefkow the three judges of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals who ruled on Friday

   How it unfolded

   A San Francisco bar, the Mucky Duck, first brought the case in 2015. [2]

   A judge dismissed it in 2017, and the appeals court revived it in 2019. [3]

   Judge Philip Gutierrez threw out the 2024 award a month after the jury gave it. [3]

   He ruled that two economists, Daniel Rascher and Douglas Zona, had used unreliable methods. [1]

   1. 2011 buyers in the case start
   2. 2023 the period ends
   3. 2015 the bar sues
   4. 2017 a judge dismisses it
   5. 2019 the appeals court revives it
   6. 2015 The Mucky Duck bar brings the case [2]
   7. 2017 A judge dismisses it [3]
   8. 2019 The appeals court revives it [3]
   9. June 2024 A jury awards $4.7 billion [3]
   10. July 2024 The judge throws the award out [3]
   11. 30 Oct 2026 The verdict is restored and a new damages trial ordered [1]

   Why it matters

   A Patriots fan in Mississippi cannot buy only the Patriots' games. [1]

   Bars pay more, sometimes thousands of dollars, depending on how many people they hold. [1]

   How it works

   NFL teams agree not to compete in each other's home areas, within 75 miles. [1]

   Economists who measure harm in court compare a market with a similar real one. [1]

   The harm is what fans paid above the price in that world without the deal. [1]

   The truth

   • What is really going on On Friday two courts overruled two of sport's biggest bodies.
   • What is really going on A US appeals court restored a jury's finding that the NFL broke competition law with Sunday Ticket. [1]
   • Why it works on people A huge figure like $14.1 billion makes a case feel settled, but the court has thrown that sum out and asked for a new one. [3][1]
   • The new trial could take months or years, and the figure could be much lower. [1]
   • The NFL could also settle, paying part and giving fans more ways to watch, Sportico says. [1]
   • Who gains Sunday Ticket buyers — The verdict that the NFL broke the law stands again, so a new trial can still award them damages. [1]
   • Who pays The NFL and its teams — They are liable again for Sunday Ticket and face a new damages trial in Los Angeles. [1]
   • Nobody knows yet

     How much the NFL will owe Sunday Ticket buyers.

     A new trial will set the figure; Sportico says it could be far lower and take months or years. [1]

   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether the US Supreme Court takes up the Sunday Ticket case.

     Sportico says the court seems interested in the legal question, but nothing has been filed there yet. [1]

   What comes next

   The case now goes back to a federal court in Los Angeles. [1]

1. 02

   Russia's hockey teams cleared to return

   What happened

   • Sport's top court ruled on Friday that Russia's ice hockey teams must be let back in. [5]
   • All 3 judges agreed its safety reasons were "not supported by sufficient evidence". [5]
   • Russia's teams can now enter every IIHF event this season, starting in December in Canada. [5]
   • Ukraine's men qualified for May's world championship in Germany, their first in 20 years. [4]

   Who is involved

   That court, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, sits in Lausanne, Switzerland. [4]

   How it unfolded

   Russia has been banned from world ice hockey events since it invaded Ukraine in 2022. [4]

   This year the sport's world body, the IIHF, decided to keep the ban for 2026-27. [5]

   1. 2022 Russia invades Ukraine and is banned
   2. 2026 the ban is kept for 2026-27
   3. Friday the court overturns it
   4. December World Juniors in Canada
   5. May world championship in Germany

   Why it matters

   Ukraine's hockey federation said it felt "deep outrage" at the ruling. [4]

   How it works

   Sports lawyers call the test proportionality: only proven security fears can outweigh athletes' right to play. [5]

   Why a court can make a sport prove its rule is needed

   Sports lawyers call it proportionality: a rule that shuts people out must be backed by evidence, and be no bigger than it has to be.

   The twist

   A serious reason is not enough on its own: ice hockey's world body named safety but showed the court no proof, so Russia's teams are back.

   Step by step

   1. 1 A sports body makes a rule that shuts someone out or stops rivals competing
   2. 2 The people shut out take it to a court, or to sport's own court
   3. 3 The body has to show a real reason for the rule, with evidence
   4. 4 The judges weigh that reason against the harm the rule does
   5. 5 If the evidence is thin, or the rule goes further than needed, it falls

   The same force, elsewhere today

   Where this chain is also running, in today's other stories.

   • Russia's hockey teams cleared to return

     The IIHF kept its ban for safety; the court asked for proof, found it 'not supported by sufficient evidence', and ordered the ban lifted.

   • Ohio court gives players a fifth year

     The NCAA's new rule left out players who started college in 2022; Ohio's top court kept a block on that part while the full case is heard.

   Where you've seen this

   Workplace rules

   an employer that bans a religious symbol at work has to show a real need, and that a milder rule would not do

   Rival companies working together

   firms that agree to sell as one must show buyers gain, or competition law can stop the deal

   Emergency health rules

   a government that closes shops to stop a disease can be asked by a court to show the closure fits the danger

   The catch

   The test only reaches a rule when someone can afford to challenge it, and it is slow: the Sunday Ticket case began in 2015 and the money is still not settled.

   And the whole of it

   The NFL fan in Mississippi, Ukraine's players heading to Germany and Ohio's college players all live under rules written by bodies they never chose. A judge tests one rule when one person brings it to court, and every other rule stays as it was.

   The truth

   • What is really going on Sport's top court ordered ice hockey's world body to let Russia's teams back, because it had not proved its safety fears. [5]
   • The court ordered no neutral flag, so Russia's teams will likely play in their own colours. [5]
   • Germany's federation chief, Frank Lutz, said: "We reject the return of Russian national teams." [4]
   • Who gains Russia's Ice Hockey Federation — Its teams can return this season, and no neutral flag was ordered. [5]
   • Who pays Germany, the 2027 host, and Ukraine's team — They must now plan around Russia; Germany's federation cites security, political and economic costs. [4]
   • Nobody knows yet

     How Russia fits into May's 16-team world championship, alongside or instead of Ukraine.

     The field is already set, and the court gave the IIHF no guidance. [5]

   What comes next

   The court gave no guidance on fitting Russia into that 16-team championship. [5]

1. 03

   Kucherov asks Tampa Bay for a trade

   What happened

   • Nikita Kucherov told the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday that he wants to be traded. [6]
   • Kucherov, 33, is the reigning most valuable player of the NHL, North America's top hockey league. [7]
   • He is in the last year of an eight-year, $76 million contract. [7]
   • He wanted a six-year deal worth about $20 million a year, sources told The Athletic. [6]
   • That is more than double the $9.5 million a year he earns now. [7]
   • General manager Julien BriseBois said the team has "no intention of trading Nikita". [6]
   • His contract lets him name 10 teams Tampa Bay may trade him to. [6]

   Who is involved

   • Nikita Kucherov 33, reigning NHL most valuable player

   How it unfolded

   Kucherov has won two Stanley Cups with Tampa Bay, in 2020 and 2021. [7]

   A week ago he passed Steven Stamkos as the club's all-time top scorer. [6]

   1. 2020 Stanley Cup
   2. 2021 Stanley Cup again

   Why it matters

   Next summer he becomes a free agent, able to sign with any team. [6]

   How it works

   Labour economists say a worker's bargaining power grows as a contract runs out. [6]

   The truth

   • ESPN's sources say he wants to play alongside another of the NHL's top stars. [7]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether Tampa Bay trades Kucherov before he can leave for nothing.

     The team says it has no intention of trading him, and he keeps playing while it plays out. [6]

2. 04

   Africa Cup of Nations stays every two years

   What happened

   • African football's governing body, Caf, will keep its Africa Cup of Nations every two years. [8]
   • Caf's executive committee voted unanimously to reverse the plan. [10]
   • Afcon in Morocco in 2025 was expected to bring in $192 million. [9]
   • That was 66% of Caf's money from all its competitions. [9]
   • "Afcon is the locomotive by which Caf funds all of its other competitions," Maher Mezahi said. [9]
   • Caf said its planned Africa Nations League would need several years to pay its way. [8]

   Who is involved

   • Patrice Motsepe president of Caf

   How it unfolded

   In December Caf had said the tournament would move to every four years after 2028. [10]

   The tournament has mostly been held every two years since it began in 1957. [9]

   1. 1957 first Afcon, then every two years
   2. December plan: every four years
   3. This week plan dropped
   4. 2027 Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
   5. 2028 host not yet named
   6. 2031 next edition
   7. 2033 and the one after

   Why it matters

   Caf's president, Patrice Motsepe, said the change protects African football's interests. [8]

   Afcon is often played mid-season in Europe, so clubs there lose African players. [8][9]

   How it works

   Economists call this cross-subsidy: one money-making event pays for the others. [9]

   The truth

   • Mezahi says Africa backed Fifa's president, Gianni Infantino, in return for this change. [9]
   • Who gains Caf and its 54 member countries — Keeping Afcon every two years keeps the event that was expected to bring in $192 million in 2025. [9]
   • Who pays Clubs in Europe — Afcon every two years, often mid-season, means losing African players for weeks. [8]

   What comes next

   The next Afcon is in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in 2027, then 2028, 2031 and 2033. [8]

3. 05

   Big 12 commissioner Yormark to step down

   What happened

   • Brett Yormark will leave his job as head of the Big 12 on 31 January. [11]
   • He leaves nearly three years before his contract ends, for a job outside college sport. [13][11]
   • His pay was $1.12 million in 2022 and $3.88 million in 2023. [13]
   • In 2024 it was just over $5 million, about half of it bonuses. [13]

   Who is involved

   The Big 12 is a group of 16 US universities. [11]

   • Fox TV partner
   • ESPN TV partner

   How it unfolded

   He joined in 2022, after Texas and Oklahoma voted to leave for a rival league. [12]

   He quickly signed a TV deal with Fox and ESPN, beating the rival Pac-12 to it. [11]

   The Pac-12 then fell apart, and 4 of its schools joined the Big 12 in 2023. [11]

   1. 2022 hired
   2. 31 January he leaves

   Why it matters

   The Big 12 has never had two teams in the College Football Playoff in one year. [14]

   A school leader said without the early deal they "could have ended up like the Pac-12". [12]

   The truth

   • A Monster Energy sponsorship he signed, about $20 million a year, was called underpriced by many. [13]
   • Ohio State and Notre Dame are each paid about that much for shirt sponsors alone. [13]

   What comes next

   The league now starts a national search for its sixth commissioner. [12]

4. 06

   Ohio court gives players a fifth year

   What happened

   • Ohio's Supreme Court let a group of college basketball players play a fifth season. [15]
   • The court cited his order when it kept the players' win in place on Thursday. [15]

   Who is involved

   The NCAA, which runs US college sport, had refused them that extra year. [15]

   • Mike DeWine Ohio's governor

   How it unfolded

   This year the NCAA let new players play 5 seasons, up from 4. [15]

   But it left out players who started college in 2022 and had used four. [15]

   Ohio's governor, Mike DeWine, then ordered that those players be allowed to play. [15]

   Why it matters

   The players can now play when the season starts in November. [15]

   How it works

   Judges call this an injunction: the rule is stopped while the full case is heard. [15]

   The NCAA's new rule left out players who started college in 2022; Ohio's top court kept a block on that part while the full case is heard.

   The idea, in story 02: Why a court can make a sport prove its rule is needed →

   The truth

   • The NCAA says state-by-state court cases disrupt rules its schools agreed to follow. [15]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether Ohio's players keep their fifth year.

     The full case has not been decided, and the NCAA is suing the governor over his order. [15]

   What comes next

   The NCAA has sued the governor in a federal court over his order. [15]

5. 07

   Nebraska's quarterback signs on for 2027

   What happened

   • Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea has signed to stay with the university for 2027. [16]
   • CBS Sports says it is the first known player contract extension in Nebraska's history. [16]
   • This season he has thrown for 1,570 yards and 14 touchdowns. [16]

   Who is involved

   Colandrea, a senior, moved to Nebraska last year from another university, UNLV. [16]

   • Anthony Colandrea Nebraska's quarterback

   How it unfolded

   College players can now be paid, through sponsorship and a share of their school's money. [16]

   He has an extra year to play because of the NCAA's new "5-for-5" rule. [16]

   Why it matters

   Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said rival SEC schools were already tampering with his quarterback. [16]

   How it works

   Economists call this retention: paying to keep a worker before rivals can bid. [16]

   The truth

   • He is the second star to re-sign this season, with Oregon State's Jesse Legree. [16]
6. 08

   Ballon d'Or bets under investigation

   What happened

   • Bets that named the exact Ballon d'Or top five won nearly $200,000. [17]
   • Harry Kane won on Monday, ahead of Mbappe, Yamal, Rodri and Messi, in that order. [17]
   • 12 accounts on Polymarket, a prediction market run on cryptocurrency, placed the bets. [17]
   • Seven of the 12 accounts had never bet on anything else. [17]
   • All 12 were opened between 1 and 20 October. [17]
   • France Football, the magazine that runs the award, has opened an investigation. [17]

   Who is involved

   The Ballon d'Or is football's best-known yearly prize for a single player. [17]

   How it unfolded

   1. 1 October first account opened
   2. 20 October last account opened
   3. Monday the ceremony

   Why it matters

   France Football had said only a handful of people knew the winner beforehand. [17]

   How it works

   Betting on a result someone has already leaked is what investigators call inside information. [17]

   The truth

   • Nobody yet knows if it leaked; one account's owner has been traced but not named. [17]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether the Ballon d'Or result leaked before Monday's ceremony.

     France Football has opened an investigation; one account's owner has been traced but not named. [17]

   What comes next

   The French police are also to be told. [17]

7. 09

   WNBA weighs prediction-market deals

   What happened

   • The WNBA, the top US women's basketball league, says it is weighing prediction-market deals. [18]
   • The WNBA was not included, so the apps must sign their own deals with it. [18]
   • A spokesperson said the WNBA "is now assessing the commercial opportunity". [18]
   • Kalshi is interested in a deal, a source told Front Office Sports. [18]
   • The NBA deals ban contracts on things like who scores a game's first basket. [18]
   • The NBA also agreed to share information with the US regulator, the CFTC. [18]

   Who is involved

   Prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket let people trade contracts on what will happen. [18]

   • Kalshi prediction market
   • Polymarket prediction market
   • CFTC US regulator
   • NBA shares information

   How it unfolded

   On Monday the NBA named both its preferred prediction-market partners. [18]

   Why it matters

   A signed app could use the league's name and official data, as with the NBA. [18]

   The truth

   • The apps would gain the right to use the league's name in their apps and adverts. [18]
8. 10

   Record price for the first WNBA Finals Game 7

   What happened

   • The cheapest ticket for Saturday's WNBA Finals Game 7 cost $381 on Friday morning. [19]
   • It is the dearest ticket in WNBA Finals history, says the site TicketData. [19]
   • The Golden State Valkyries host the Atlanta Dream at the Chase Center in San Francisco. [19]
   • The old record was $275, for Game 1 of this series; in 2024 it was $213. [19]
   • Whoever wins takes the first title in their team's history. [19]

   Who is involved

   • Golden State Valkyries home team
   • Atlanta Dream visitors

   How it unfolded

   It is the first Game 7 in WNBA Finals history. [19]

   Why it matters

   The Game 7 ticket is seven times the price of a Valkyries regular-season seat. [19]

   How it works

   Economists call it scarcity: one game, a fixed number of seats, and more buyers than seats. [19]

   Good news

   • The Valkyries have sold out every home game since joining the league last season. [19]
9. 11

   Hughes wins the Breeders' Cup Juvenile

   What happened

   • Hughes, an unbeaten young colt, won the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile on Friday. [20]
   • Hughes beat American History by two and a quarter lengths. [21]
   • He is trained by Bob Baffert and was ridden by Flavien Prat. [21]
   • Emphatic, also unbeaten, won the Juvenile Fillies, her trainer Brandan Walsh's first Breeders' Cup win. [21]
   • Jockey Jose Ortiz was cleared to ride after a fall earlier on the card. [21]

   Who is involved

   The Breeders' Cup is horse racing's season-ending championship, held at Keeneland in Kentucky. [21]

   The colt is named after Jack Hughes, whose goal won Olympic hockey gold for the US. [21]

   • Bob Baffert trainer
   • Flavien Prat jockey
   • Emphatic unbeaten, Juvenile Fillies
   • Brandan Walsh trainer, first win

   How it unfolded

   1. Friday wins the Juvenile
   2. Next May the Kentucky Derby

   Why it matters

   The win makes Hughes an early favourite for next May's Kentucky Derby. [21]

   How it works

   Hughes was the even-money favourite, so in pool betting his win paid only $3.64. [21]

10. 12

    European horses sweep the young turf races

    What happened

    • European-trained horses won all 3 grass races for two-year-olds at the Breeders' Cup. [22]
    • It is the second Breeders' Cup in a row they have done so. [22]
    • European horses filled the first seven places in two of those races. [22]
    • The trainer Aidan O'Brien won two of them, with Sun Goddess and Haffner. [22]
    • That gives him 23 Breeders' Cup wins, one more than Bob Baffert's 22. [22]
    • Billy Loughnane, this year's champion jockey, won the first race on Libertango. [22]
    • He made the weight, 8st 7lb, only after hours in a sauna. [22]

    Who is involved

    • Aidan O'Brien trainer of Sun Goddess and Haffner

    Why it matters

    European horses have never won all 7 turf races at one Breeders' Cup. [22]

    What comes next

    Saturday's main card holds the other four turf races. [22]

11. 13

    Detroit suspends Larkin without pay

    What happened

    • The Detroit Red Wings suspended Dylan Larkin without pay on Thursday. [23]
    • Larkin, 30, said he would not play again until Detroit trades him. [23]
    • He loses $41,237 of his $8 million salary for every day he sits out. [23]
    • He has 5 seasons left on an 8-year contract. [23]

    Who is involved

    • Dylan Larkin 30, Detroit centre

    How it unfolded

    In June he asked for a trade to Florida, Minnesota or Vegas, three top teams. [23]

    He lost the captaincy, then played several games before this stand-off. [23]

    1. Late summer Hellebuyck asks to go
    2. 23 October traded to New Jersey

    Why it matters

    Winnipeg's goalkeeper Connor Hellebuyck did the same and lost more than $925,000 in 24 days. [23]

    Winnipeg then traded Hellebuyck to New Jersey on 23 October. [23]

    How it works

    Labour economists call this a holdout: refusing to work to force a move. [23]

    The truth

    • Top NHL players have mostly succeeded in forcing trades this way, Front Office Sports says. [23]
    • Who pays Dylan Larkin — He loses $41,237 of his salary for every day he refuses to play. [23]
12. 14

    Lakers stakes offered from $250 million

    What happened

    • The Lakers' new buyers are offering small stakes from $250 million each, Front Office Sports reports. [24]
    • They agreed a record $12.5 billion value with the seller, Mark Walter. [24]
    • Stakes cost between $250 million and $300 million each, four sources say. [24]
    • A podcaster, Bill Simmons, said Kushner was $5 billion to $6 billion short. [24]
    • A source told Front Office Sports that is not true. [24]

    Who is involved

    Josh Kushner, who runs the investment firm Thrive, and Bob Iger agreed to buy the Lakers. [24]

    • Josh Kushner investor, will own most of it
    • Bob Iger will run it day to day
    • Bill Simmons says Kushner is short
    • A source to FOS says it is untrue

    How it unfolded

    The NBA recently changed its rules so an investment firm and its bosses can invest together. [24]

    Why it matters

    NBA buyers now often agree a price first, then sell small stakes to raise it. [24]

    How it works

    Finance calls them limited partners: investors who own part of a team behind its main owner. [24]

    The truth

    • Whether the Buss family sells its last 17.8% is still before a California court. [24]
    • Nobody knows yet

      Whether the Lakers' buyers have raised all the money.

      A podcaster says Kushner is $5 billion to $6 billion short; a source told Front Office Sports that is untrue. [24]

13. 15

    Florida and Georgia paid $18 million to move

    What happened

    • Florida and Georgia play their football rivalry in Atlanta on Saturday, for $18 million. [25]
    • Each school gets $9 million: $7.5 million from the stadium owner and $1.5 million from Jacksonville. [25]
    • Tickets were split equally between the two schools' fans and have sold out. [25]
    • The game is now called the Invesco QQQ Atlanta Gridiron Classic, after a sponsor. [25]

    How it unfolded

    The game is normally played in Jacksonville, Florida; it last moved in 1994 and 1995. [25]

    Jacksonville's stadium is being rebuilt for $1.4 billion and reopens in 2028. [25]

    1. Saturday Atlanta
    2. Next year Tampa
    3. 2028 back to Jacksonville

    Why it matters

    From 2028 each school is guaranteed at least $10 million a game in Jacksonville. [25]

    How it works

    Sports economists call this a neutral-site game: a venue pays to stage a game. [25]

    The truth

    • The same stadium owner paid Georgia Tech $10 million last year to move a home game. [25]
    • Who gains Atlanta's stadium owner — It gets a sold-out game with a sponsor's name on it, for $7.5 million to each school. [25]

    What comes next

    Next year the game moves to Tampa, with similar payments. [25]

14. 16

    Texas election adverts reach football fans far away

    What happened

    • Adverts for a Texas Senate race are being shown to NFL fans far outside Texas. [26]
    • A group backing Paxton bought one advert in a Fox game shown across many states. [26]
    • It cost $465,000 and reached every part of Texas, plus millions of viewers elsewhere. [26]
    • Buying Texas's five main TV markets one by one would have cost about $1.14 million. [26]

    Who is involved

    Ken Paxton and James Talarico are fighting for one of Texas's two US Senate seats. [26]

    • Ken Paxton candidate
    • James Talarico candidate

    How it unfolded

    The advert ran in the Cowboys-Texans game on 4 October, then in Minnesota's game. [26]

    1. Noon, 4 Oct Cowboys v Texans
    2. Afternoon Vikings v Dolphins

    Why it matters

    Viewers in Minnesota saw an advert for an election they cannot vote in. [26]

    How it works

    Media buyers call this reach: one national slot can cost less than many local ones. [26]

    The truth

    • Broadcast TV gets about $5.6 billion of a record $11.6 billion in political adverts, AdImpact says. [26]
    • Who gains TV broadcasters — About $5.6 billion of a record $11.6 billion in political adverts goes to broadcast TV, including football games. [26]

    What comes next

    Voting ends on Tuesday, so this weekend's games carry the last adverts. [26]

15. 17

    Deion Sanders drops 19 trademark bids

    What happened

    • Deion Sanders, Colorado's football coach, has abandoned 19 trademark applications since 2022. [27]
    • Sanders is paid $10 million a year, says Sportico, which checked the US filings. [27]
    • The dropped names include "We Keep Receipts" and "Pitbull in Pumps" for mugs. [27]
    • Most lapsed because no proof of use was sent in time. [27]
    • He secured "Coach Prime" for sunglasses in April and food supplements in June. [27]

    Who is involved

    A trademark lets only its owner sell goods under a name or phrase. [27]

    • Alan Tipp designer, suing
    • Deion Sanders disputes the claim

    How it unfolded

    1. April sunglasses
    2. June food supplements

    Why it matters

    Colorado have lost 5 games in a row and are last in the Big 12. [27]

    The truth

    • A designer, Alan Tipp, is suing Sanders over logos; Sanders's lawyer disputes his claim. [27]

    What comes next

    He is now applying for barbecue names such as "Prime Smoke Sauce". [27]

16. 18

    Antonelli near the F1 title; Verstappen penalised

    What happened

    • Kimi Antonelli becomes Formula One champion on Sunday in Mexico if he finishes ninth or better. [28]
    • He would be the youngest champion ever, and Italy's first since 1953. [28]
    • Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson were each moved back one grid place on Friday. [29]
    • They hit each other in practice, and the stewards blamed both drivers. [29]
    • A penalty for a practice incident is unusual, the BBC says. [29]
    • Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was fastest in first practice, with Antonelli second. [28]

    Who is involved

    Antonelli, 20, drives for Mercedes and is in only his second season. [28]

    • Kimi Antonelli 20, Mercedes driver
    • Max Verstappen Red Bull
    • Liam Lawson Racing Bulls
    • Charles Leclerc Ferrari, fastest

    Why it matters

    Lawson is one of three drivers chasing two seats at Racing Bulls, Red Bull's junior team. [29]

    The truth

    • Verstappen, Red Bull's star driver, has influence in the team that will choose Lawson's seat. [29]
17. 19

    Aston Villa plan legal action against Carragher

    What happened

    • Aston Villa said on Friday it will take legal action against the TV pundit Jamie Carragher. [30]
    • On a podcast he told Villa fans, with a swear word, to be quiet. [30]
    • He added: "Aston Villa will never be Man United." [30]
    • Villa's chairman, Nassef Sawiris, signed the club's statement. [30]
    • Carragher later said the remark was meant "in jest". [31]

    Who is involved

    Carragher, a former Liverpool defender, works as a pundit for Sky Sports and CBS. [31]

    • Jamie Carragher TV pundit, ex-Liverpool
    • Nassef Sawiris Aston Villa chairman

    How it unfolded

    He had said Villa's manager, Unai Emery, may want the Manchester United job. [31]

    Why it matters

    Villa said it will "not allow anyone to stop our ascension". [31]

    The truth

    • The statement does not say what kind of legal action Villa will take. [30]
18. 20

    South Africa push Australia to the brink

    What happened

    • Ryan Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder scored hundreds for South Africa in the deciding Test. [32]
    • South Africa were all out for 387 on Friday, setting Australia 288 to win. [32]
    • Mulder made 115 and hit four sixes. [32]
    • On Saturday Australia were 60 for 7 at lunch. [33]
    • South Africa's Simon Harmer had taken 3 wickets for 5 runs. [33]

    Who is involved

    A Test match, cricket's longest form, can last five days. [33]

    • Ryan Rickelton century
    • Wiaan Mulder 115

    How it unfolded

    The series stood at 1-1 before this third Test in Cape Town. [32][33]

    Why it matters

    A South African win would take the series. [32]

    The truth

    • The Guardian's writer says South Africa's success pressures rich boards to keep playing them. [33]
    • Nobody knows yet

      Who won the Cape Town decider.

      Australia were 60 for 7 at lunch on the last day; the result came after our sources. [33]

19. 21

    England's rugby league teams near a World Cup exit

    What happened

    • England's men beat Papua New Guinea 34-12 at the Rugby League World Cup on Friday. [34]
    • To pass Samoa on points difference, they needed to win by far more. [35]
    • Tonga's biggest ever win over Samoa is 32 points, the Guardian notes. [35]
    • England's women lost 24-6 to Samoa on Friday and are out. [34]

    How it unfolded

    The tournament moved to Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea after France pulled out. [34]

    Why it matters

    England or Great Britain have reached every men's semi-final since 1954. [34]

    How it works

    The format left England almost out after losing their first game, to Tonga. [35]

    The truth

    • BBC Sport says English rugby league needs big investment to keep up with Australia's NRL. [34]

    What comes next

    England are out unless Tonga beat Samoa by more than 46 points on Sunday. [34]

20. 22

    England and Wales end the WXV with wins

    What happened

    • England's women beat the USA in New Jersey in the WXV, a women's rugby series. [37]
    • Wing Claudia Moloney-MacDonald scored 4 tries. [37]
    • Wales beat Japan 29-5 in Kumagaya City, their second win over Japan in the series. [38]
    • They finish with 3 wins and 1 defeat, to the USA. [38]

    How it unfolded

    England have beaten the USA in every match since 1991. [36]

    England, the world champions, had lost twice to Canada in the past fortnight. [37]

    Wales had gone 9 Tests without a win before this series. [38]

    Why it matters

    The Guardian says outside the top three teams the gap is still wide. [36]

    The truth

    • England's 2 defeats by Canada show the top teams have caught up, the Guardian says. [36]

    Good news

    • Wales went from 9 Tests without a win to 3 wins in this series. [38]
    • Wales's women went from nine Tests without a win to three wins in the WXV series, finishing with a 29-5 victory over Japan.

    What comes next

    England play next in the Women's Six Nations in April. [37]

21. 23

    Olsen-Baker named women's player of the year

    What happened

    • New Zealand's Kaipo Olsen-Baker was named World Rugby's women's player of the year. [39]
    • She beat Canada's DaLeaka Menin and England's Megan Jones and Zoe Harrison. [39]
    • New Zealand, the Black Ferns, lost only once this year, 26-19 to England. [39]
    • Her teammate Elinor-Plum King, 22, won the breakthrough award. [39]
    • King scored 3 tries in her first season for New Zealand. [39]

    Who is involved

    Olsen-Baker, 24, plays number eight, a forward who carries the ball hard. [39]

    • Kaipo Olsen-Baker 24, number eight
    • Elinor-Plum King 22, breakthrough award

    How it unfolded

    Canada's Sophie de Goede won last year, and England's Ellie Kildunne in 2024. [39]

    1. 2024 Ellie Kildunne, England
    2. Last year Sophie de Goede, Canada
    3. This year Kaipo Olsen-Baker, New Zealand

    Why it matters

    Both New Zealanders won in front of a home crowd in Christchurch, World Rugby's chair said. [39]

22. 24

    Leicester go top of rugby's Prem

    What happened

    • Leicester Tigers beat Bristol 22-16 on Friday to top the Prem, England's top rugby union league. [41]
    • Leicester took a bonus point by scoring 4 tries to 1. [40]
    • Bristol had two players sin-binned, sent off for a spell, for high tackles. [41]
    • Louis Rees-Zammit scored Bristol's only try, his fifth this season. [41]
    • Freddie Steward scored on his 100th Prem start. [41]

    Who is involved

    • Gloucester previous leaders
    • Northampton their opponents

    How it unfolded

    Both teams had won three games before the autumn international break. [41]

    Why it matters

    Fly-half Billy Searle's kicks set up three of Leicester's tries. [40]

    How it works

    Four tries earn a bonus point, so Leicester took the most points a win can give. [41]

    What comes next

    Gloucester, the previous leaders, play Northampton on Saturday. [41]

23. 25

    Fallon Sherrock beats Littler for 501,000 pounds

    What happened

    • Fallon Sherrock beat world champion Luke Littler in one leg of darts to win 501,000 pounds. [42]
    • The event, Beat Luke Littler, was shown live on Netflix from Manchester. [42]
    • Players could not be members of the PDC Tour, darts' professional circuit. [42]
    • There were 25,000 applicants. [42]
    • Littler, 19, first beat 14 amateurs, some as young as 14. [42]
    • Some online said Sherrock, 32, should not have been allowed in. [42]
    • She has never held a tour card, and said: "I fit the criteria for this." [42]

    How it unfolded

    In 2019 she became the first woman to beat a man at the PDC World Championship. [42]

    Why it matters

    Netflix billed it as giving amateurs "a chance at life-changing money". [42]

    How it works

    Such challenges for amateurs are meant to bring sport new viewers, the BBC says. [42]

    The truth

    • Her win ended the night, so 5 amateurs still waiting never got their turn. [42]

    Good news

    • Her son Rory, at his first event, saw her win. [42]
    • Fallon Sherrock beat Luke Littler with one leg of darts to win 501,000 pounds, and her son Rory watched her do it at his first event.
24. 26

    Kadeena Cox wins gold with a world record

    What happened

    • Kadeena Cox set a world record to win para-cycling track world gold in the Netherlands. [43]
    • She rode the C4 one-kilometre race in 1 minute 9.545 seconds. [43]
    • James Ball and his new partner Aaron Pope won the tandem kilometre. [43]
    • It was Ball's 8th world title and Pope's first. [43]
    • New Zealand's Emma Foy and Jessie Hodges won the pursuit in a world record. [43]

    Who is involved

    Cox, 35, has won five Paralympic gold medals. [43]

    • Kadeena Cox 35, five-time Paralympic champion

    How it unfolded

    Britain's Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl had set a record in qualifying first. [43]

    Why it matters

    It is her seventh world title, and her first since 2024. [43]

    Good news

    • Kadeena Cox set a world record of 1 minute 9.545 seconds to win the C4 kilometre at the para-cycling track world championships. It is her seventh world title, and her first since 2024.
25. 27

    Zverev and de Minaur meet in a Vienna semi-final

    What happened

    • Alexander Zverev beat Britain's Arthur Fery 6-0 6-2 to reach the Vienna Open semi-finals. [45]
    • Zverev, from Germany, is about to replace Jannik Sinner as world number one. [45]
    • He plays Australia's Alex de Minaur, who beat Matteo Berrettini 7-6 6-2. [44]
    • It was de Minaur's 350th win on the main tour. [44]
    • Carlos Alcaraz plays Daniil Medvedev in the other semi-final. [45]
    • Number one Elena Rybakina pulled out in Tokyo with a neck injury, sending Leylah Fernandez through. [45]

    Who is involved

    • Alexander Zverev number one next
    • Jannik Sinner number one now
    • Alex de Minaur Australia
    • Carlos Alcaraz Spain
    • Daniil Medvedev Russia
    • Elena Rybakina women's number one, withdrew
    • Leylah Fernandez through to the semis

    How it unfolded

    He will be the second German man to top the rankings, after Boris Becker in 1991. [45]

    Why it matters

    Medvedev's win sealed his place at the ATP Finals, the season's closing event. [45]

    De Minaur's place there is still in the balance. [44]

    The truth

    • Zverev rose to the top while Alcaraz and Sinner were both injured this year. [45]
26. 28

    Hyrox champion wins on her return

    What happened

    • Joanna Wietrzyk won a Hyrox race in Hamburg on Friday, her first since Beijing. [46]
    • Wietrzyk holds the world record in the women's solo event. [46]
    • She said she was "truly, truly so sorry to everyone that I affected". [46]

    Who is involved

    Hyrox is an endurance fitness race, held around the world. [46]

    • Joanna Wietrzyk world record holder

    How it unfolded

    In Beijing last month she soiled herself during a race she went on to win. [46]

    She gave up the points, and footage of the race spread online. [46]

    1. Last month wins in Beijing, then gives up the points
    2. Friday wins in Hamburg

    Why it matters

    The anger was over her using shared equipment while soiled. [46]

27. 29

    A doping ban hands a runner his trophy a year late

    What happened

    • Britain's Patrick Dever received a third-place trophy this week, for last year's New York marathon. [47]
    • He crossed the line fourth, 1 second behind Albert Korir. [47]
    • Third place pays $40,000; fourth pays $25,000. [47]
    • So Dever gets an extra $15,000. [47]
    • Fiona O'Keeffe, fourth in New York last year, misses Sunday's race after hamstring surgery. [48]

    Who is involved

    • Albert Korir crossed third, later banned
    • Patrick Dever crossed fourth, 1 second behind
    • Fiona O'Keeffe fourth last year, out after surgery

    How it unfolded

    Korir was banned for five years for a blood-doping drug, CERA, taken before the race. [47]

    Why it matters

    Most elite runners earn mainly from shoe sponsors, whose bonuses depend on race places. [47]

    The truth

    • Runners who miss a race usually lose its appearance fee too, an agent says. [48]
    • A runner behind a cheat also loses the photos and fame that sell, a coach says. [47]
    • Who pays Runners who finished behind a doper — They lose the photos and fame of the day, and their prize money arrives late, if at all. [47]

    Good news

    • In 2024 the Boston Marathon paid about 80 runners who had lost money to dopers. [47]
    • Patrick Dever was handed his third-place trophy from last year's New York marathon, and the extra $15,000, after the runner ahead of him was banned for doping.

    What comes next

    This year's New York race is on Sunday, with $100,000 for the winner. [47]

28. 30

    Thunder lose Holmgren; Morant out for weeks

    What happened

    • Oklahoma City's Chet Holmgren will miss eight to 10 weeks with a small knee tear. [49]
    • He is the third Thunder starter hurt, after Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace. [49]
    • Williams and Wallace may miss most or all of the season. [49]
    • Portland's Ja Morant will miss at least four weeks with a hamstring injury. [50]
    • He was hurt on Thursday against Memphis, his old team, as Portland lost 124-103. [50]

    Who is involved

    • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander MVP two years running

    How it unfolded

    Morant played only 79 games in the last three seasons. [50]

    Why it matters

    Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the league's most valuable player two years running, must carry the Thunder. [49]

    How it works

    Coaches call good spare players depth, and the Thunder's was already thin, SI says. [49]

29. 31

    Warriors come back from 25 down to beat the Lakers

    What happened

    • The Golden State Warriors beat the Lakers 112-95 on Friday after trailing by 25 points. [51]
    • Stephen Curry scored 31 points, with eight three-pointers. [51]
    • Luka Doncic scored 37 for the Lakers: 21 in the first quarter, 16 after. [51][52]
    • Doncic leads the league in scoring, at 36.2 points a game. [52]
    • Doncic said: "Me first. I got to be better." [52]

    Who is involved

    The game was in the NBA Cup, a tournament played inside the regular season. [51]

    Why it matters

    The Warriors, now 3-3, lead their group because its other teams have not played. [51]

    How it works

    In the NBA Cup, points difference splits teams level on wins, so big wins count. [51]

30. 32

    Makhachev says his next fight is among his last

    What happened

    • UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev says his next fight will be "one of the last". [53]
    • Carlos Prates and Michael Morales fight for a stand-in title in Toronto on 30 January. [53]

    Who is involved

    The UFC runs mixed martial arts fights; Makhachev has won titles at two weights. [53]

    • Islam Makhachev UFC champion at two weights
    • Carlos Prates contender
    • Michael Morales contender

    How it unfolded

    UFC boss Dana White said Makhachev wanted to wait until after Ramadan to fight. [53]

    1. 30 January Prates v Morales in Toronto
    2. After Ramadan when Makhachev wants to fight

    Why it matters

    Makhachev says he wants to face whichever of the two is best. [53]

    The truth

    • Fans are confused about why a stand-in title was needed, CBS Sports says. [53]
31. 33

    Six Iowa schools have no girls' basketball team

    What happened

    • 6 Iowa high schools will have no top girls' basketball team this winter. [54]
    • Central City will miss a third season in a row. [54]

    Who is involved

    They told the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union, which runs the sport there. [54]

    How it unfolded

    Postville has won 14 games in total since a 7-12 season in 2015-16. [54]

    Starmont has won 3 games in 5 seasons. [54]

    Why it matters

    Girls at those schools have no varsity team to play for this winter. [54]

    The truth

    • The report does not say why each school stopped. [54]
32. 34

    A hotel builds a hockey rink in its car park

    What happened

    • A hotel in Moncton, Canada, built a small hockey rink in its underground car park. [55]
    • The rink cost about $3,000 and quickly paid for itself, the manager says. [55]
    • It is 60 by 20 feet, with boards and full-size nets. [55]
    • This week the hotel said the rink returns for a second season. [55]
    • It got over 200 voicemails and about 300 emails in a few days. [55]

    How it unfolded

    Young players kept playing mini-stick hockey in its corridors during tournaments. [55]

    Why it matters

    Teams that booked elsewhere now want to move their whole team there. [55]

    How it works

    Economists call this an amenity: a cheap extra that wins customers from rivals. [55]

    Good news

    • The rink is packed from check-in to lights out, the manager says. [55]
    • A hotel in Moncton, Canada, turned an empty corner of its car park into a hockey rink for about $3,000, and youth teams are now asking to move their bookings there.
33. 35

    Milwaukee parades its first World Series title

    What happened

    • The Milwaukee Brewers held a parade for their first World Series title. [56]
    • City officials expected about 400,000 people along the route. [56]
    • The Brewers won 103 regular-season games, the most in baseball. [56]
    • The trophy was to go on show at a park after a bus tour of downtown. [56]

    How it unfolded

    They beat the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday to win it. [56]

    Why it matters

    Outfielder Sal Frelick called it one of the best days of his life. [56]

34. 36

    James Anderson 'shocked' at Lancashire exit

    What happened

    • James Anderson, England's leading wicket-taker, says he is "sad" and "shocked" to be released. [57]
    • Lancashire, his county club, will not renew his contract. [57]
    • Anderson, 44, took 50 wickets last season, as captain. [57]
    • He said he was told the team would move on without him: "It was quite brief." [57]
    • He said: "It would be nice at some point if someone would let me retire." [57]

    How it unfolded

    England also moved on from him in 2024 to build a new attack. [57]

    Why it matters

    Lancashire finished second from bottom of their division despite his wickets. [57]

    The truth

    • Stuart Broad, his old England partner, called the decision "pretty disrespectful". [57]

    What comes next

    He has not decided whether to play on for another county. [57]