Rumors

As the people of Los Angeles and its surrounding communities begin the long recovery from the region’s devastating fires, 12 professional sports organizations — Angel City FC, the Angels, Chargers, Clippers, Dodgers, Ducks, Galaxy, Kings, LAFC, Lakers, Rams and Sparks — have pledged a combined donation of more than $8 million to support victims in need, as well as those fighting the fires.

dodgers.mlblogs.com

Bolstering their financial contributions, the 12 teams (in partnership with the teams’ own foundations) have also joined forces with Fanatics and the Fanatics Foundation to distribute $3 million worth of Fanatics merchandise to Angelenos who have been evacuated from their homes. In addition to the apparel items being donated by Fanatics, teams are collectively contributing thousands more items that will be given out at three upcoming events.

dodgers.mlblogs.com

Fanatics, professional leagues and Los Angeles sports organizations partnered on Friday, January 10 to launch an “LA Strong” collection of t-shirts and sweatshirts, with all proceeds benefiting the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation and the American Red Cross.

dodgers.mlblogs.com

Lev Akabas: Overall, the NBA's new media rights deals starting in 2025-26 will be worth ~$76 million over 11 years See how that stacks up against other major U.S. sports leagues 📺🏀💰📊

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Clutch Points: The list of celebrities planning to attend Lionel Messi and Inter Miami’s match in Los Angeles against LAFC is STACKED 🔥 Some notable athletes include: 🏀 LeBron James 🏀 Magic Johnson 🏀 James Harden ⚾️ Mookie Betts ⚾️ Clayton Kershaw 🏈 Caleb Williams (via @herculezg) pic.twitter.com/pJlhi5Oy6L

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Clutch Points: Lionel Messi hugs LeBron James before his Inter Miami debut 👏🏽 pic.twitter.com/nPTXvWKwqX

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Clutch Points: LeBron arrives for Lionel Messi's Inter Miami debut 🔥 (via @M30Xtra) pic.twitter.com/15Jfprk4pm

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Dave McMenamin: LeBron James is expected to attend Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami debut on Friday, a source told ESPN.

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The difference at the time, McAdoo said, was the notion then that by their mid-30s athletes were aging out of their prime. Indeed, no less than Pele, at 35, went from the heights of his career with Santos in Brazil to the nascent North American Soccer League in 1975 and New York Cosmos. “We’re 30 years later, and the thinking has changed,” McAdoo said. “No one is looking at Messi as being too old. You look at LeBron [James, at 37], and he’s showing you can be productive at that age. Tennis players, [Roger] Federer and Serena [Williams] are 41 and they still can play. That wasn’t the attitude 30 years ago.”

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

The Messi-to-Miami conjecture likely will resurface again, as it has several times the past few years, in part because Messi is a frequent visitor to South Florida, with a home in Miami. And if he comes to stay, McAdoo said, it can be rewarding in its own unique way, even if not necessarily on the world’s greatest stage for his sport. “When you do something like that,” McAdoo said, “you have to do it with full intensity. I think that’s where a lot of older players make a mistake. “Of course, it wasn’t as strong as the NBA when I went to Italy. But it was strong. To me, it was just as exciting, because everywhere our Milan team went, and everywhere we went in the European championship, we had packed houses. We were the team to see. So it was a challenge. You don’t go over to lay down and collect a check. I went over there and played with full intensity.”

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Mark J. Burns. Today is a Sports Equinox for those who celebrate. For the 27th time ever, the NFL, MLB, NHL and NBA are all playing on the same day. There are also two MLS postseason matches tonight. Today is a good day.

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Utah Jazz players joined Real Salt Lake at America First Field to participate in a joint training session ahead of Real Salt Lake’s friendly against LIGA MX side Atlas.

kslsports.com

An RSL representative confirmed to KSL Sports how the Utah Jazz and Real Salt Lake training session occurred. KSL Sports has learned that Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy reached out to RSL President John Kimball who then connected Hardy with RSL manager Pablo Mastroeni. RSL and Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith has played a key role in connecting the two organizations.

kslsports.com

Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Wes Edens is one of a handful of people trying to lure a Major League Soccer team to Las Vegas as the city emerges as the most likely location for the league’s 30th franchise. Edens and Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley are part of separate groups hoping to bring an expansion franchise to Allegiant Stadium, the $2 billion home of the Las Vegas Raiders, according to multiple people familiar with the plans.

Sportico