Just The Sides #1
Your Roundup of News Stories in the World of Sports
Sometimes there’s just a bunch of things going on at once. Trying something a bit different this week (for the second time really) and sharing all of the sports news and notes that crossed my desk over the past couple of days. And due to my absolutely serious pursuit of hard-nose journalism, I will convey these to you as mirthlessly as possible.
MLS Flips Calendar
Shockwaves rippled through the American Soccer world when the MLS announced that they are “flipping its calendar” to match the top soccer leagues in the world. MLS used to run from March to November, with a championship playoff in December (i.e., “a summer” sport), whereas leagues like Serie A and the Premier League in Europe run from August to May (i.e., a “cold as balls outside” sport). People feel that making American soccer leagues as European as possible is the way to go, and while I agree that changing the league dates can help with the transfer market, it’s not gonna stop smug Europeans from wishing we call it “fuutbull.”
They’re obsessed, y’all.
NBC Plans to Launch a New (Old) Sports Network
NBCSN, or the NBC Sports Network, was canceled without much fanfare in 2021, but it’s coming back next Monday! (Yay?) I don’t know about you, but I was at my local Buffalo Wild Wings, asking my server to flip through the dozens of channels to find my local hockey team, wondering, “Why can’t we have MORE of this?”
As Disney and YouTube TV are still in the midst of the carrier dispute, and it takes on average 2-5 DIFFERENT television channels to watch all the games of a given major sports team. So adding one more with the smooth-as-silk name of N-B-C-S-N just makes perfect sense!
Hospitality Prices Are Out of Control
Look, I like sports. I like bragging that I’m living better than other people when it clearly isn’t the case. Sports hospitality combines the best of both these worlds. Whether you want some luxurious features like food that feels like it’s from a middle-of-the-road restaurant and not a prison, or a seat with juuuuust a smidge more padding on them, it simply pays to pay MORE to watch the same event as everyone else. As of today, sports hospitality company OnLocation has WrestleMania 42 (2026) packages in the FIVE FIGURES.
For reference, a 2026 Toyota Tacoma starts a hair above $32,000. Even my bragging has limits!
Steph Curry Gets The Steppin’
And lastly, Bay Area Sports legend Steph Curry and his Curry Brand has broken up with longtime partner Under Armour after 13 years. One of sports’ more fruitful partnerships, both these properties needed each other at a time where it seemed like it was Nike or nothin’. Fun fact, I own a pair of Steph Curry shoes, but since mostly all of them are mid or high-tops (Steph is all about ankle protection), I almost never wear them. That, and Under Armour shoes are ‘hella’ ugly, y’all.
Seriously, what the hell was I thinkin’ buying these? I mean my ankles are secure but what the hell?