Suns Vice Chair calls for Sarver to resign, F1 is working on improving driver diversity and Topgolf is coming to a video game console near you.
Suns Vice Chair calls for Sarver to resign, F1 is working on improving driver diversity and Topgolf is coming to a video game console near you.
A couple of notes from the sports world to start your day. An historic effort from Alyssa Thomas helped the Connecticut son stave off elimination. Again, Thomas had the first triple double in w N B a finals history and the sun beat the Las Vegas ACEs 1 0 5 to 76 in game three on Thursday night at Mohegan sun arena. Thomas finished with 16 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists for the sun who have now won all four of their elimination games in these playoffs. Game four is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at 4:00 PM. Eastern on ESPN and the Tampa bay rays started in an unprecedented nine Latin American players in their lineup Thursday on Roberto Clemente day before going on to route the Toronto blue Jays 11 to nothing Clemente. The late hall of fame outfielder from Puerto Rico was a two time world series winner and national league MVP who played 18 seasons with Pittsburgh.
The Ray's nine starters represented five countries, Columbia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Venezuela. I'd say that was a nice way to start out Hispanic heritage month. Good morning. It's Friday, September 16th. This is your S SPJ morning buzz cast. I'm David Albright filling in for a mad Corps, Phoenix sons, vice chairman and minority owner. John Najafi the team's second largest stakeholder called for majority owner. Robert Sarver's resignation in an open letter to team employees released on Thursday night saying there should be zero tolerance for lewd misogynistic and racist conduct in any workplace. Sarver was banned from the NBA for one year and fined 10 million after the NBA earlier in the week released its findings from a 10 month independent investigation into allegations of workplace abuse during server's tenure, as managing partner of the sons that has spanned nearly two decades. The JY has been critical of server since the allegations were first reported by ESPN back in November is one of three vice chairman for the sons with several other minority investors.
Also part of that ownership group, Amazon and apple have both passed on the media rights to live golf, leaving the circuit with a dwindling number of options for media rights partner. According to sources, the two companies were approached by live about potentially carrying its events on their streaming platforms, but neither expressed interest and talks never advanced to any serious negotiations, Amazon and apple join a list of media platforms that have so far declined to carry the tour. Sources said that live also, hasn't been able to strike a deal with networks, including ESPN, CBS, NBC, and Fox, a live golf executive said that it was too early to characterize anyone as being firmly in or out of the mix. Yet the LA 28 organizing committee this week wrapped up three days of meetings in LA with the IOCs coordination commission and on Thursday provided a public update on the state of preparations for the games.
Reports are Chris Smith planning for the games remains on track and LA 28 chair Casey Wasserman expressed confidence in LA 20 eight's commercial revenue strategy. Despite growing economic headwinds, we sit in a very strong position, said Wasserman, who highlighted existing partnerships with Delta, Salesforce, NBC and endeavors on location. This week's meetings held almost exactly five years after the city was formally awarded the games, saw commission members visit planned Olympic facilities, including LA live the LA Coliseum, SoFi stadium, dignity, health sports park, and bank of California stadium Thursday's event was at UCLA, which is the future home of the athlete village and was attended by LA 28 CEO, Kathy Carter, chief business officer Brian lamina, chief external affairs, officer Michelle Schwartz and board member Anita de France. F1 is working on a significant yet to be announced, plan to increase driver diversity by a decade from now.
And several initiatives are under consideration. That's according to Las Vegas grand pre CEO, Renee Wilm who spoke during the access sports facilities and franchises and ticketing symposium in Nashville. Wilm who holds a dual role with Liberty media as its chief legal and administrative officer noted Liberty is particularly focused on getting more women and people of color into the driver ranks on top of having more geographic diversity, such as a driver from the United States. Currently Lewis Hamilton is the only black driver in F1 while there are no women drivers at the top level of the sport. Wilm said that one of the options being considered is hosting a carting event at the new mixed use development its building in Las Vegas. She did not reveal a timeline for when Liberty and F1 will announce the plan. Top golf is entering into its first home video game console partnership, working with two K sports to put top golf into PGA tour.
Two K 23 reports R Jason Wilson. Top golf is already on PC and mobile. Thanks to its world golf tour game HB studios. The two K own developer of the PGA tour. Two K series is crafting a new top golf mode recreating the top contender game. You'd find at one of its entertainment centers. The mode is up to four players and you can play in private matches locally or online or use online matchmaking to play with other people. You can also use your, my player from PGA tours, two K 20 threes main mode. This is the first such partnership for Topgolf directly working with two K sports in over a year's worth of conversations. The U S G a and Peter malar announced a multi-year partnership to make the luxury apparel company, the official outfitter of the S G a and supporting partner of the us open championship.
Peter malar will collaborate with the S G a on its retail and merchandise offerings. This includes outfitting the us teams for the Walker cup and Curtis cup matches and the world amateur team championships, as well as providing uniforms for the S G a executive committee staff committee members and us open volunteers. Peter malar has hired industry veteran Patrick Kylie as vice president strategic partnerships and corporate sales to support the partnership and oversee day to day operations with the U S G a team. And that's your S BJ morning buzz cast for Friday. I hope everyone has a great day and even better weekend. And we'll see you back here Monday morning.