This article was originally published on July 26th, 2019.
Here is this week's dose of “5-Point Friday”. A weekly round-up of the sports news and stories that I find most interesting and enjoyable.
Cricket story which piqued my interest -
Russia's sports ministry has refused to include cricket on its register of officially recognized sports. Among the sports officially recognized in Russia are petanque, draughts, and mini-golf.
Exclusion from the official list does not amount to a ban but does mean cricket will not be eligible for support from the sports ministry.
Collegiate sports news I am learning about -
UConn and the American Athletic Conference have reached an agreement for the school's departure from the league ahead of its re-entry into the Big East Conference. The Huskies will leave on July 1, 2020, and are required to pay an exit fee of $17 million by 2026. UConn is joining the Big East in all sports besides football, men's and women's ice hockey, and rowing. The school said its football program will become an independent team beginning in the 2020 season.
Sport marketing story that I have been interested in -
English Championship team Huddersfield Town to unveil their new home shirt with an enormous sash detailing the logo of gambling company Paddy Power, leaving fans outraged. The club has finally come clean, revealing a new design and the reason behind the joke.
The move came from Paddy Power’s ‘Save our Shirt’ campaign. And it is geared towards promoting unbranded football kits and returning the shirt to the fans.
Sports manufacturer story I've been following -
A wealthy entrepreneur and collector paid $437,500 for a pair of Nike’s 1972 Waffle Racing Flat Moon Shoe at auction, smashing the world record for the highest amount paid for a single pair of sneakers. The shoes were expected to fetch $160,000, but Miles Nadal (@milesnadal) paid almost three-times that.
The Nike Waffle Moon Shoes were designed by Bill Bowerman, a track coach who co-founded Nike. Just 12 pairs were hand-made, with a number being handed out to runners at the 1972 Olympic trials, and the pair being auctioned is thought to be the only one not to be worn.
Basketball news I am excited by -
The Los Angeles Clippers unveiled renderings and additional details of the team’s privately-financed sports and entertainment center anchored by their new basketball arena in Inglewood. In addition to the arena, the proposed project located on West Century Boulevard between South Prairie Avenue and South Yukon Avenue will include the team’s business and basketball offices, training facility, community, and retail spaces.
Have a wonderful weekend, all!
Jonathan
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