đŸ€ NFL Acquires Stake in ESPN

First Woman MLB Umpire, Cooper Flagg Forecasting, NBA foundation, Bills Engineered Stadium, and more!

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Sportie Newsletter
August 08, 2025

🏀 Basketball

Mikal Bridges agrees to 4-year, $150 million extension with New York Knicks

New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges has agreed to a four-year, $150 million extension, ESPN's Shams Charania reported Thursday.

SNY initially reported the 28-year-old was eligible for a maximum four-year, $156 million extension. But, per Charania, Bridges took a slight discount to help New York's roster-building efforts.

From the court to the community: The NBA Foundation celebrates 5 years of game-changing impact

What started as a bold idea in 2020 has turned into a movement. The NBA Foundation is celebrating its fifth anniversary and with more than $140 million in grants awarded and over 837,000 youth reached, it’s safe to say the scoreboard is stacked in favor of opportunity.

Since its inception, the Foundation has teamed up with over 300 nonprofit organizations across 28 NBA markets, funding programs that power entrepreneurship, mentorship and career development. These aren’t just donations, they’re investments in the future of under-resourced youth who are now building careers in tech, sports and beyond

⚟ Baseball

Blue Jays' 63 hits in 3-game sweep of Rockies most since 1900

The Toronto Blue Jays capped a series for the ages Wednesday in Denver -- and added to the woes of the Colorado Rockies in the process.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had four hits, including a home run, and Davis Schneider went deep twice as the Blue Jays routed the Rockies again at Coors Field in a 20-1 win.

Toronto finished with 63 hits in the series, the most by a team in a three-game set since 1900.

But the offensive accolades didn't stop there.

The Blue Jays, who won the series opener 15-1 and the middle game 10-4, set a franchise record for runs (45) in a three-game series. It was the sixth time in franchise history (since 1977) that they scored at least 20 runs.

Set to become 1st female MLB umpire, Pawol represents beacon of hope and progress

After working over 1,200 Minor League games across every affiliate level over the past 10 seasons, Pawol and MLB players will finally be “on the field together.”

Major League Baseball announced on Wednesday that Pawol will be part of the umpire crew for this weekend’s Marlins-Braves series in Atlanta.

She will be the first woman to umpire in a regular-season Major League game, but far from the first with those aspirations. Though the numbers have grown slightly, only six women are umpiring in the Minors today, for whom Pawol represents a beacon of hope and progress.

🏈 Football

Disney's ESPN to acquire NFL media assets in major deal

Walt Disney’s ESPN has reached a landmark deal with the National Football League to acquire NFL Network and other media assets from the league in exchange for the NFL taking a 10% equity stake in the sports network, the parties said on Tuesday.

The deal, which ESPN said would bolster the offerings on its upcoming ESPN streaming service, is subject to regulatory approval and no value was provided.

Analysts and industry insiders estimated the NFL's stake in ESPN could be worth $2 billion to $3 billion, though the companies declined to comment.

Yes, the Bills really engineered the wind out of their new stadium

HBO’s hit series “Hard Knocks” returned for another season on Tuesday, giving viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the Buffalo Bills as they prepare for the 2025 NFL season. The series also provided a sneak peek into the Bills’ new Highmark Stadium being built in Orchard Park, with some seriously impressive science behind it.

During the premiere, Bills quarterback Josh Allen got a tour of the team’s under-construction stadium across the street from their longtime home. The new Highmark Stadium includes a canopy that shields fans from harsh weather, but allows snow and rain to hit the field - preserving Buffalo’s iconic game-day elements.