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Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 9, 2022

Liverpool going on sale highlights soccer’s financial fickleness

Liverpool F.C.'s owners need a sale after more than a decade of ownership that has delivered paltry returns.
DAZN, the sports-streaming group backed by billionaire Len Blavatnik, may soon sell a stake to Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, according to insiders.
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 8, 2024

Saudi Arabia's PIF considering minority stake in sports streamer DAZN

Deal could increase Saudi fund's influence in European football, as DAZN is a partner for Italy's Serie A, Spain's LaLiga, Germany's Bundesliga and France's Ligue 1.
Jerry Jones, owner and president of the Dallas Cowboys (left) and Roger Penske, chairman and chief executive officer of Penske Corp., during an interview in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday.
MORE SPORTS / Football
Oct 9, 2024

Jerry Jones sees ‘huge growth left’ as private equity enters NFL

High interest from outside institutions "gives you a sense of the strength” of the business of football, Jones said.
"We're trying to bring a new demographic to this game of golf, and it's going to be exciting," Tiger Woods has said of the Tomorrow's Golf League competition.
MORE SPORTS / Golf
Jan 7, 2025

'Golf reimagined': TGL circuit backed by Woods and McIlroy tees off

"We're trying to bring a new demographic to this game of golf, and it's going to be exciting," Tiger Woods has said.
Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid (97) and Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider (53) battle along the boards for a loose puck during a game in  Edmonton, Alberta, on Jan. 30.
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 16, 2025

The NHL could’ve had a good year if not for tariffs

In 2016, the league denied an expansion franchise to Quebec, citing the "state and volatility of the Canadian dollar.”
Former FIFA Council member Moya Dodd believes developing the facilities needed to host the Olympics would have long-term benefits for India.
OLYMPICS
Mar 15, 2025

India's 2036 Games bid a chance to boost infrastructure, says sports governance expert

The world's most populous nation has never hosted the Olympics, though New Delhi staged the Asian Games in 1951 and 1982 as well as the Commonwealth Games in 2010.
An advertisement featuring Shohei Ohtani in Tokyo.
BASEBALL / MLB
Mar 26, 2025

Tokyo Series proves to be big business for MLB — and Japanese companies

The weeklong festival of all things baseball highlights how Shohei Ohtani has created myriad business opportunities on both sides of the Pacific.
Former rugby league player Jordan Mailata won the Super Bowl with the Eagles last season.
MORE SPORTS / Football
Apr 24, 2025

Australians eye NFL draft in hopes of finding next Jordan Mailata

Mailata's ascent to the pinnacle of the game was big news in Australia.
Christophe Lemaire rides Admire Daytona, who was bred in Japan, during the UAE Derby at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai on April 5.
MORE SPORTS / Horse Racing
Apr 29, 2025

Could this be Japan’s year at the Kentucky Derby?

Japan has made great strides in thoroughbred racing, and many feel it is no longer a question of "if" a Japanese horse will win the event but "when."
Modern pentathlete Ayumu Saito competes in the laser run at nationals in 2022.
MORE SPORTS / Modern Pentathlon
May 25, 2025

2028 Olympic hopeful giving modern pentathlon some time in the sun in Japan

As modern pentathlon takes on a Japanese flavor with a "Sasuke"-inspired event, Ayumu Saito is working to raise the sport’s profile in Japan.
IOC President Kirsty Coventry holds the first meeting of the executive commission since taking over the presidency  from Thomas Bach.
OLYMPICS
Jun 27, 2025

Kirsty Coventry says IOC will take lead regarding gender eligibility in sports

Coventry announced the formation of a working group to lead these discussions.
Sha'Carri Richardson competes in a women's 100-meter heat at the U.S. Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, on July 31.
MORE SPORTS
Aug 4, 2025

Christian Coleman defends Sha'Carri Richardson after reported arrest

Reigning 100-meter world champion Richardson was arrested for domestic violence at a Seattle airport ahead of the U.S. Track & Field Championships
Max Holloway (left) fights against Dustin Poirier at UFC 318 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans on July 19.
MORE SPORTS
Aug 12, 2025

Paramount wins exclusive U.S. rights to UFC in $7.7 billion deal

Streaming service Paramount+ will carry the complete U.S. slate of 13 numbered UFC shows and 30 "Fight Night" events.
Racehorse Oguri Cap, a superstar stallion of the late 1980s, is reimagined in anime form as a teenage schoolgirl who must perform upbeat idol-pop songs after every victory in “Umamusume: Cinderella Grey.”
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Oct 4, 2025

‘Cinderella Grey’ gallops past the other sports documentaries

Mixing real horse-racing history with idol-pop fantasy, “Cinderella Grey” proves anime can outpace today’s flat sports shows.
Former quarterback Mark Sanchez spent eight seasons in the NFL.
MORE SPORTS / Football
Oct 5, 2025

Former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez arrested in hospital after being stabbed

Sanchez was in Indianapolis to call Sunday's game between the host Colts and Las Vegas Raiders at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Japan National Stadium will be called the MUFG Stadium from 2026 to 2030.
MORE SPORTS
Oct 15, 2025

MUFG buys Japan National Stadium naming rights for five years 

The financial services company anticipates opportunities from the investment.
Team Japan performs during the group 5 Ribbons Final at the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 24.
MORE SPORTS / Gymnastics
Oct 28, 2025

Tough love or too far? Inside Japan’s rhythmic gymnastics coaching scandal

Reports of harsh tactics behind the scenes of Fairy Japan have prompted urgent questions about the boundaries of coaching and the price of winning in sports.
Seattle Kraken center Alex Wennberg recently spoke out about "vile comments" he and his wife were receiving from fans on social media.
MORE SPORTS
Aug 11, 2023

Tensions build after collision of hockey, TikTok and romance novels

BookTok has brought new fans to hockey, but some wonder if fans are crossing the line with explicit comments.
Noah Lyles of the U.S. celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the Men's 4x100m final at the World Athletics Championship in Budapest on Saturday.
MORE SPORTS
Aug 28, 2023

Noah Lyles takes tentative steps into Usain Bolt's big shoes

The question now is whether Lyles will be able to continue his fine form into next year's Paris Olympics.
Weightlifter Rim Un Sim is among the North Korean athletes scheduled to take part in this year's Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
MORE SPORTS
Sep 15, 2023

North Korea set to end sporting isolation at Asian Games in China

North Korea has 191 athletes signed up for the Asian Games, according to organizers.
Former Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel (left) helps Lewis Hamilton prepare the Mercedes team's "bee hotel" at Suzuka Circuit in Mie Prefecture on Thursday.
MORE SPORTS / Auto Racing
Sep 22, 2023

Sebastian Vettel creates a buzz in Japan amid biodiversity crisis

The retired former champion invited current F1 drivers to make a small contribution to nature by building "bee hotels" next to the Suzuka Circuit track.
LIV Golf's reported preliminary schedule for the 2024 season features more events booked opposite those of the PGA Tour.
MORE SPORTS
Sep 27, 2023

No Trump courses on preliminary 2024 LIV Golf schedule: report

The Saudi-backed upstart series will have hosted five events on Trump layouts in its first two seasons.
Singer Taylor Swift (right) watches the game with Donna Kelce, Travis’ mother, on Sunday.
MORE SPORTS / Football
Sep 28, 2023

Travis Kelce's celebrity hits new level after brush with Taylor Swift

A spokesperson for Fanatics, the NFL’s official retailer, said that sales of Kelce’s jersey had spiked by 400% as of Monday.
Alpha Tauri's Yuki Tsunoda is the first Japanese driver in Formula One since 2014.
MORE SPORTS / Auto Racing
Sep 30, 2023

Foul-mouthed Yuki Tsunoda becoming cult star in Formula One

Tsunoda's foul mouth and devil-may-care attitude have inspired a cult following and an international appeal.
NFL players have called for all stadiums to shift to natural grass fields in order to reduce the number of injuries sustained on artificial turf.
MORE SPORTS / Football
Oct 18, 2023

Reports: NFL wants to team with FIFA to tackle turf issues

FIFA will use a hybrid grass for the World Cup, frustrating NFL players who believe their league can do more to move away from artificial surfaces.
Participants pose for photos at a news conference ahead of the Gay Games in Hong Kong on Thursday.
MORE SPORTS
Nov 3, 2023

First Gay Games in Asia set to begin, despite pushback

The event, which features both LGBTQ and heterosexual athletes, will see 2,381 people compete in sports including football and badminton.
A recently implemented tracking system shows the real-time position of all horses during the live broadcast of the spring Tenno Sho on April 30.
MORE SPORTS / Horse Racing
Nov 24, 2023

New technology enhances fan experience

A jockey camera and a tracking system introduced by the Japan Racing Association this past spring have proven popular with horse-racing fans.
Ukrainian Paralympic Committee President Valeriy Sushkevych has said a recent vote to allow Russian athletes to compete at the Paris Games was tainted.
PARALYMPICS
Dec 3, 2023

Ukrainians strive to force IPC into Russia Paralympics U-turn

Sushkevych says he has "new facts" that reveal the extent of the Russian Paralympic Committee's support for the war in Ukraine.
U.S. prosecutors accused Amit Patel, the Jacksonville Jaguars' former manager of financial planning and analysis, of stealing the money to fund a luxurious lifestyle
MORE SPORTS
Dec 8, 2023

Ex-Jaguars executive accused of stealing $22 million from team

U.S. prosecutors accused Amit Patel, the team’s former manager of financial planning and analysis, of stealing the money to fund a luxurious lifestyle.
Bill Belichick on the sideline during his final game as Patriots head coach on Sunday.
MORE SPORTS / Football
Jan 12, 2024

How Belichick helped the Patriots go from laughingstock to economic powerhouse

The Patriots' dynasty truly came to a close on Thursday when the team parted ways with Belichick, 71, the second-winningest coach in modern NFL history.

Longform

Bear attacks have dominated Japanese news headlines in recent months, with 13 people so far having been killed by the animals.
Japan’s bears have been on their killing spree for more than 100 years