USA TODAY report shows how conference realignment crushed the Pac-12

It was obviously a disaster for the Pac-12 Conference that the league splintered and watched USC leave. The Trojans left for the Big Ten, as did UCLA, Oregon and Washington from the West Coast. The Arizona schools left for the Big 12. So did Utah and Colorado. Cal and Stanford left for the ACC.Now USA TODAY Sports has detailson the extent to which the Pac-12's collapse crushed conference revenue.

"The numbers in it are jarring but also a reminder that this is a league that is building back up soon withseven incoming full members in 2026. The tax return was obtained from the league by USA TODAY Sports for fiscal year 2025, which runs from July 2024 through June 2025, a year in which Oregon State and Washington State were the Pac-12’s only members. Here is what it shows:

"Revenue collapsed from $566.6 million in fiscal 2024 to $111.5 million in fiscal 2025. This is primarily because there was a drastic reduction in television companies wanting to pay for their games. The league’s television rights fees went down to $3 million from $381 million in the previous fiscal year, when the Pac-12 still had 12 members.  Oregon State and Washington State football games in 2024 were televised byThe CW Network and Fox Sports. The depleted revenue stream also led to a deficit of $21.7 million after $133.2 million in expenses.

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“'FY25 is the first of two build-up years ahead of the Pac-12’s launch as a new conference beginning with the 2026-27 season,' the league said in a news release May 15. That’s when the league will add Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Gonzaga, San Diego State, Texas State and Utah State."

The Pac-12 could have played its cards differently ... but it didn't. The costs can now be seen in full.

This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire:Pac-12 Conference revenue cratered after major realignment exodus

byCosmopolite

in

May 18, 2026

USA TODAY report shows how conference realignment crushed the Pac-12

It was obviously a disaster for the Pac-12 Conference that the league splintered and watched USC leave. The Trojans left for the Big Te...

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24 days to the World Cup: The Italy legend now leading Uzbekistan

The countdown to the2026 World Cupis on! Each day ahead of the tournament’s return to North America, Yahoo Sports will highlight an insight or moment that showcases just how grand the world’s biggest sporting spectacle has become — even beyond the expanded field of this year’s global event.

Uzbekistan secured qualification to the 2026 World Cup last June. Despite the achievement for the central Asian nation, the Uzbekistan Football Association sought a manager with more international experience.

National team hero Timur Kapadze had led the country to the tournament in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, but the goal is to do more than just show up.

Joachim Löw, the man who led Germany to the 2014 World Cup title, and Paulo Bento, who managed Portugal and South Korea, were linked to the job. Neither ended up coming on board, resulting in theUzbekistan turning to Fabio Cannavaro.

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The 52-year-old Italian had a distinguished playing career, suiting up for clubs including Inter Milan, Juventus and Real Madrid, among others. He also captained Italy to the 2006 World Cup title and made 136 appearances for his country. His exploits on the field earned him the 2006 Ballon d'Or.

After retiring, Cannavaro took on the job of manager working in the Middle East, China, Italy and Croatia before Uzbekistan got in touch last fall. In six matches in charge, the “White Wolves” have two wins, two draws and two defeats under Cannavaro.

Uzbekistan will finish World Cup preparations with friendly’s against Canada and the Netherlands before heading into battle against Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal, DR Congo and Colombia in group play.

As the excitement builds ahead of the country’s first World Cup experience, Cannavaro hopes fans set realistic expectations as he knows how difficult of a competition it is.

“They are expecting great results from us, some even expect us to win the title. But this is our first World Cup,”Cannavaro said. “Therefore, we should not put excessive pressure on the players. The most important thing is to enjoy this tournament. I believe the players will give their all for our people and the honor of the Motherland.”

byCosmopolite

in

May 18, 2026

24 days to the World Cup: The Italy legend now leading Uzbekistan

The countdown to the2026 World Cupis on! Each day ahead of the tournament’s return to North America, Yahoo Sports will highlight an ins...

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A Guide to Tennis' Power Couples, Past and Present (Including the Legends Who Have Been Married for 25 Years!)

Love is on and off the court for thesetennisplayers.

Naturally, during a grueling 11-month season that takes them all around the world, a few tennis players have found lasting partnerships with their fellow athletes. As the 2026 French Open kicks off in the City of Love, read about all of tennis's sweetest romances, from retired legends to active duos.

Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi

With a total of 31 Grand Slam titles and twoOlympicgold medals between them, it's fair to say thatAndre Agassi and Steffi Grafare tennis's most legendary couple. However, they didn't start dating until Graf's final year on tour, in 1999. After Agassi's divorce from actressBrooke Shields, the two tennis players hit it off, and days before Graf gave birth to their first child, they tied the knot in a low-key 2001 ceremony in front of their moms.

“I’ve had a crush on Steffi since I first saw her doing an interview on French TV,” Agassi wrote in his memoirOpen. “I was thunderstruck, dazzled by her understated grace, her effortless beauty.”

They share two children, son Jaden and daughter Jaz, and over two decades later, the pair still can't get enough of the court! In March 2025, theytold PEOPLEthat they play pickleball regularly (but never against each other).

Elina Svitolina and Gaël Monfils

France's Gaël Monfils and Ukraine's Elina Svitolinaare tennis's modern-day success story. The two athletes, who have both reached the top 10 in the world, began dating at the tail end of 2018. They got engaged in April 2021 and got married three months later. Svitolina took a break from the tour in 2022 to give birth to their first child, Skaï.

"We’ve been building a life full of love, laughter, and beautiful memories ✨ Today, I look at this photo… and I realize I have everything ☺️🙏🏾," wrote Monfils onInstagramin celebration of their fourth wedding anniversary. "Seeing you both is my greatest victory. Thank you for being there, thank you for being you. I love you both more than anything. ❤️"

Svitolina later rejoined Monfils on tour, going right back to her winning ways. In 2025, Monfils announced he will retire from tennis after the 2026 Paris Masters, ending his 22-year professional career.

Alex de Minaur and Katie Boulter

Australian top 10 player Alex de Minaur and Britain's Katie Boulter dated for four years before announcing theirengagementin December 2024. With their busy tour schedules, the pair have not tied the knot yet, but when asked for anupdatein January 2026, de Minaur toldJim Courier, "We are doing as much as we can together."

He continued, "I've been involved so far in some of the decisions — I'm sure when it comes to details of like napkins and flowers and decoration purposes — that's not my forte, I'll leave that to Katie."

Roger Federer and Mirka Federer

BeforeMirka Federerwas the frequent star of her husbandRoger's player box, she was a top-100 women's tennis player, but a recurring foot injury forced her to retire early in 2002. The two Swiss athletes married in 2009, nine years after competing together at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Mirka gave birth to their first set oftwins— daughters Myla and Charlene — later that year, and another set of twins, sons Leo and Lenny, in 2014.

She accompanied Roger on tour until his retirement in 2022, and the star often credits his longevity and success to her support.

"She has warmed me up before finals, watched countless matches even while over 8 months pregnant and has endured my goofy side on the road with my team for over 20 years," he said in hisretirement announcement.

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Madison Keys and Bjorn Fratangelo

Grand Slam championMadison Keys's relationship with fellow American playerBjorn Fratangelois successful in more ways than one. The couple met while training at the same facility in Boca Raton, Fla., and began dating in 2017. They married in November 2024, with several of their close tour buddies in attendance.

After Fratangelo's retirement in 2023, he joined his significant other's team as her coach, and with her husband by her side, Keys won her maiden major tournament at the 2025 Australian Open.

“Now having achieved the biggest thing in our sport and the fact that we got to do it together is just, I mean, it’s one of my favorite things,” Keystold PEOPLE in 2025.

Flavia Pennetta and Fabio Fognini

Italian tennis stars Flavia Pennetta and Fabio Fognini have both found success on their respective tours. Fognini reached top 10 in the world in 2019 and won the 2015 Australian Open men's doubles tournament, while Pennetta won her maiden singles Grand Slam at the 2015 US Open. After her victory, she shocked the world by announcing her retirement from tennis at the end of the season.

Pennetta and Fognini married in 2016, and Fognini retired from the sport in July 2025. They share three children — whose names all start with "F," too: Federico, Farah and Flaminia.

Denis Shapovalov and Miriam Bjorklund

Canadian tennis star Denis Shapovalov and former Swedish player Miriam Bjorklund married in an intimate ceremony in Zakynthos, Greece, in September 2025.

"It was the most beautiful start to our marriage and we are so excited to spend forever with each other," the bride told PEOPLE of the nuptials.

Shapovalov added, "Every day we had in Zakynthos with our close friends and family was better than we could have ever asked for and I’m so excited I got to marry my best friend in such an incredible setting.”

Daria Saville and Luke Saville

Daria Saville (née Gavrilova) swapped her flag on tour from Russia to Australia after becoming an Australian citizen, partly influenced by her relationship with Aussie tennis player Luke Saville. They became engaged in December 2018 and married almost exactly three years later.

While Luke retired from tennis in January 2025, Daria is still active on tour, but took maternity leave after announcing her first pregnancy. She gave birth to the couple's first child, son Louie, in March 2026.

Radek Štěpánek and Nicole Vaidišová

Czech compatriots Radek Štěpánek and Nicole Vaidišová have a long history. They became engaged in 2007 and married in 2010 in Prague, four months after Vaidišová's first retirement from tennis. In 2013, the couple announced that they would divorce, and she returned to tour the following year.

Five years later, they reconciled and remarried in 2018. The pair have since welcomed two children, daughters Stella and Meda.

Read the original article onPeople

byCosmopolite

in

May 18, 2026

A Guide to Tennis' Power Couples, Past and Present (Including the Legends Who Have Been Married for 25 Years!)

Love is on and off the court for thesetennisplayers. Naturally, during a grueling 11-month season that takes them all around the ...

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Jason Sudeikis stars in Visa's 'Tap In' World Cup campaign

Erling Haaland is likely to score a tap in goal in Norway's first appearance in the World Cup since 1998. But Visa wants fans to tap in, too.

The credit card company continues its longstanding partnership with FIFA and is the official Worldwide Payment Technology Partner of the tournament. They announced the "Tap In" campaign on Monday, May 18 to create a parallel between the tap-in goal, known as the easiest form of scoring, and how fans seamlessly tap their cards to pay for everything they need to enjoy the World Cup.

Jason Sudeikis is the star of a series of ads that shows how speed, security and fun are key elements of the tournament.The "Ted Lasso" actoris shown in various scenarios using his Visa card with his signature positivity and wittiness.

Frank Cooper, Visa's CMO, spoke on how the company was intentional about highlighting the speed of the World Cup and the security of the credit card while not sacrificing storytelling and the human element.

"That is exactly what we saw as our core challenge about a year ago," Cooper told USA TODAY Sports. "We can do something that is highly entertaining and inspirational, and there's a lot of value in that, because reigniting consumer passion around your brand is always a good thing.

"Our goal was a bit different. We did want to communicate the idea of trust and what underlies trust, and because we think that is going to be core. It's always been core to anything that involves money, by the way, but it's certainly increasingly core as you move into new forms of transaction, as fraud increases, as you know people want to make sure that they have zero liability, and so we want to communicate that.

"The question was, our challenge was: communicate that message, but put it in an entertaining wrapper. That was the goal.... A key unlock for us was Jason Sudeikis, and for us, Jason represented not just the character Ted Lasso, but he represented optimism, that anything is possible, that you can fulfill your dreams."

While Visa has its headquarters in Foster City, California outside of San Francisco, executives are careful to present it as a global company just like the World Cup is a global tournament. One of the ads makes this clear in a fun, lighthearted way.

Sudeikis asks to have a hot dog for every country where Visa is accepted (it's more than 200). He starts listing several nations: Australia, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, the United States, Ivory Coast and South Africa. A worker behind the counter hands him a hot dog for each country and the actor is about to keep rattling off countries, but the hot dogs run out.

Even though Cooper emphasizes that Visa is a global brand, he still has hopes that the United States hosting the World Cup will grow the love of the beautiful game in the country where American football is king. He points to the opportunity this tournament has through digital and social media as a potential means of helping Americans get involved in soccer.

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"I think this could be an inflection point because of the excitement around this particular game," he said. "We may not have as many die-hard fans in the U.S., although that's increased a lot. We have more social fans, but in this one we're gonna have FOMO fans. People who feel like, 'I'm missing out on something. It's like a phenomenon descending upon three countries. I gotta be a part of it.' And once you kind of sense, feel the excitement, I think you get drawn into the sport."

Lamine Yamal, Jorge Campos, Andrés Cantor and, of course, Haaland are also involved in the campaign.

The ads are meant to lead to deeper fan engagement. Fans will be able to register online to win prizes throughout the tournament, including tickets to matches andJeff Hamilton jackets, which Cooper calls "beautiful" and "collectors items." When a tap-in goal is scored throughout the tournament, more prizes and features will be unlocked. There will also be collaborations with artists and immersive pop-ups at stadiums during the World Cup.

In 2024, Visa made its first global sports partnership in 15 years when it joined forces with Cash App tobecome a title sponsor of the Racing Bulls Formula 1 team.In February,Visa renewed and expanded the partnership, which also includes support for the Max Verstappen-led Red Bull Racing.

Cooper said that the motorsport series shares similar traits with the World Cup like speed and the pursuit of excellence that make both important partnerships for Visa. The Racing Bulls team is known for having some of the most exciting, thoughtful liveries in the sport, including when theycollaborated with Nigerian-British artist Slawn for the 2025 British Grand Prix.

"Whether they're winning at the moment or not matters less, even though I like winning more than I like losing. What matters is the values that they have, the pursuit of excellence that they all take, the constant state of improvement," Cooper said.

"One of the things that is core to our brand positioning is that we try to champion everyday progress, the people moving forward, and we think that happens in small steps. I don't think it happens in big leaps. It happens in small steps. One transaction at a time is kind of a representation of that.

"What we see in F1 is that. It's constantly tweaking, improving, trying to get better. You see it in all sports, honestly, but in Formula 1, and with Visa Cash App Red Bulls racing team, you see it every single day. They're just constantly trying to make small improvements to get toward excellence, and so for us that kind of reflects who we are as a brand."

Even with the success of the Formula 1 partnership, the World Cup is special for Visa. There are 104 matches in 16 cities across three countries and an expanded field of 48 teams for the 2026 competition. Cooper is looking forward to the opportunity of facilitating the "pop-up economy" around the tournament.

"This is our extravaganza, too, right?" he said. "It’s like the game itself, but it's also the World Cup of payments at the same time."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Visa enlists Jason Sudeikis for World Cup 'Tap In' campaign

byCosmopolite

in

May 18, 2026

Jason Sudeikis stars in Visa's 'Tap In' World Cup campaign

Erling Haaland is likely to score a tap in goal in Norway's first appearance in the World Cup since 1998. But Visa wants fans to ta...

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Pope Leo to issue first major work, addressing AI, on May 25

VATICAN CITY, May 18 (Reuters) - Pope Leo will ‌release his first in-depth ‌document, expected to address the rise ​ofartificial intelligenceand challenges to workers' rights, on May 25, the ‌Vatican announced ⁠on Monday.

The text, known as an encyclical, ⁠is also likely to decry the wars roiling ​the world. ​It will ​be titled "Magnifica ‌Humanitas" (Magnificent Humanity) and was formally signed by the pope on Friday ahead of publication, a statement said.

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Leo, the ‌first U.S. ​pope, will take ​part ​in a Vatican ‌presentation of the text ​on ​the day of its publication, in an unusual move ​for ‌a Catholic pontiff.

(Reporting by ​Joshua McElwee, editing by ​Gavin Jones)

byCosmopolite

in

May 18, 2026

Pope Leo to issue first major work, addressing AI, on May 25

VATICAN CITY, May 18 (Reuters) - Pope Leo will ‌release his first in-depth ‌document, expected to address the rise ​ofartificial intell...

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SEC baseball tournament bracket, schedule, how to watch

TheSEC Baseball Tournament scheduleis set.

Georgiaclinched theregular-season championship for the first time since 2008and the No. 1 seed last weekend.

Defending SEC tournament champion Vanderbilt is the No. 12 seed, whilepreseason No. 1 LSUis the No. 14 seed. It's been an unpredictable season down South.

Top seeds and bubble teams:NCAA baseball tournament bracket projection

The full SEC Tournament schedule and bracket is below:

When is 2026 SEC Baseball Tournament?

• Dates: Tuesday, May 19 through Sunday, May 24

• Location: Hoover, Alabama

SEC Baseball Tournament Schedule

All times Eastern

TUESDAY, MAY 19

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• Game 1:  No. 9 Ole Miss vs. No. 16 Missouri, 10:30 a.m. (SEC Network)

• Game 2:  No. 12 Vanderbilt vs. No. 13 Kentucky, approx. 2 p.m. (SEC Network)

• Game 3: No. 10 Tennessee vs. No. 15 South Carolina, approx. 5:30 p.m. (SEC Network)

• Game 4: No. 11 Oklahoma vs. No. 14 LSU, approx. 9 p.m. (SEC Network)

WEDNESDAY, MAY 20

• Game 5:  No. 8 Mississippi State vs. Game 1 winner, 10:30 a.m. (SEC Network)

• Game 6: No. 5 Florida vs. Game 2 winner, approx. 2 p.m. (SEC Network)

• Game 7: No. 7 Arkansas vs. Game 3 winner, approx. 5:30 p.m. (SEC Network)

• Game 8: No. 6 Auburn vs. Game 4 winner, approx. 9 p.m. (SEC Network)

THURSDAY, MAY 21

• Game 9: No. 1 Georgia vs. Game 5 winner, 4 p.m. (SEC Network)

• Game 10: No. 4 Alabama vs. Game 6 winner, approx. 8 p.m. (SEC Network)

FRIDAY, MAY 22

• Game 11: No. 2 Texas vs. Game 7 winner, 4 p.m. (SEC Network)

• Game 12: No. 3 Texas A&M vs. Game 8 winner, approx. 8 p.m. (SEC Network)

SATURDAY, MAY 23

• Game 13: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 1 p.m. (SEC Network)

• Game 14: Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner, approx. 5 p.m. (SEC Network)

SUNDAY, MAY 24

• Championship Game: Game 13 winner vs. Game 14 winner, 2 p.m. (ABC)

What channel is 2026 SEC Tournament?

• Channels: ABC | SEC Network

• Streaming: ESPN app | FUBO (free trial)

SEC baseball standings

Conference records in parenthesis; italicized teams are locked into seed:

1. Georgia (24-6) 

2. Texas (19-10)

3. Texas A&M (18-11)

4. Alabama (18-12)

5. Florida (18-12)

6. Auburn (17-13)

7. Arkansas (17-13)

8. Mississippi State (16-14)

9. Ole Miss (15-15)

10. Tennessee (15-15)

11. Oklahoma (14-16)

12. Vanderbilt (14-16)

13. Kentucky (13-17)

14. LSU (9-21)

15. South Carolina (7-23)

16. Missouri (6-24)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:SEC baseball tournament 2026 bracket, schedule, standings, TV channel

byCosmopolite

in

May 17, 2026

SEC baseball tournament bracket, schedule, how to watch

TheSEC Baseball Tournament scheduleis set. Georgiaclinched theregular-season championship for the first time since 2008and the No....

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J Balvin Says Son Rio, 4½, Loves to Pick Out His Own Outfits (Exclusive)

J Balvin's son Rio, 4½, has a strong sense of style and picks out his own outfits, the singer told PEOPLE

NEED TO KNOW

• The musician also said that whatever his young son "wants to do, I'm going to support him"

• J Balvin shares Rio, who turns 5 in June, with longtime girlfriend Valentina Ferrer

At just 4½ years old,J Balvin's son already has a killer sense of style.

The 41-year-old singer shares sonRio, who turns 5 in June, with longtime girlfriendValentina Ferrer. At the KidSuper x Jameson Capsule Collection event in Brooklyn, N.Y., on May 6, Balvin told PEOPLE exclusively that his mini-me has inherited a love for fashion and art, regularly picking out his own "fly" outfits.

"Now he's like, 'Yo, let me get this hat. What if I match these sneakers with this hoodie?' " the "I Like It" singer said at the event celebrating soccer and the World Cup, held at KidSuper Studios. "So I'm like, 'Okay, guy, you know what you're doing.' "

The proud dad also said that while Rio shares his love for style, he has yet to adopt an interest in sports—and that's totally fine with Balvin.

"He might be more into the arts, I think," the singer told PEOPLE. "But whatever he wants to do, I'm going to support him. Whatever he wants. I hope it's not music. There's too many ways to be happy."

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Balvin, a massive soccer fan, co-owns the soccer team Super Niños FC with KidSuper designer Colm Dillane. The two collaborated with Major League Soccer and Jameson Irish Whiskey's "It's What You Bring" campaign to launch a soccer-inspired capsule collection, designed by Dillane.

Dillane has styled looks for Balvin before, but the partnership marked the first time they worked together on a fashion project. Balvin said the two are closer than ever, especially now that they're both "grown-ups."

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"It's different," the musician said of their relationship as collaborators. "We're more mature."

The campaign has also offered Balvin a chance to blend his love for fashion, sports and music. The singer dropped a new single with Ryan Castro, titled "Pal Agua," for the launch.

Balvin told PEOPLE that much like his music — which inspires people to dance, even if they don't know the words — sports are a "universal language."

"What's music without sports, and what's sports without fashion? Everything is connected," he said. "That's what we call culture. Sports, the way we dress, the way we express ourselves in music. When you're feeling, when you're dressing, you feel like you have your swag on. Nothing better than listening to good music with a good game."

As for fatherhood, Balvin previously opened up to PEOPLE about how he and Rio spend their free time, and how his son has changed his lifestyle.

He said in 2023, "When you have a son, you want your kid to be betterand not commit the same mistakes we did."

"You can talk a lot, but you've got to lead by example," the global superstar added at the time. "I do it because I really enjoy it, but if I give that example to my son, it'll be beautiful. Because actions speak for themselves. That really is key in life."

Read the original article onPeople

byCosmopolite

in

May 17, 2026

J Balvin Says Son Rio, 4½, Loves to Pick Out His Own Outfits (Exclusive)

J Balvin's son Rio, 4½, has a strong sense of style and picks out his own outfits, the singer told PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW ...

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