Arsenal in MLS All-Star Game at Washington, DC
Arsenal will play Major League Soccer's All-Stars at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., on July 19, the first European opponent in the game since before the coronavirus pandemic.
The Gunners, pursuing their first Premier League title since 2004, also were the All-Star opponent in 2016. They won 2-1 at Avaya Stadium in San Jose, California, on goals by Joel Campbell and Chuba Akpom. Didier Drogba, then playing for Montreal, scored for MLS.
MLS announced Tuesday it was returning to its most-used All-Star format.
The league began having its top players face a European opponent in 2005, then announced in November 2019 that it was changing to its All-Stars against those of Liga MX. The 2020 match in Los Angeles was canceled because of the pandemic, but the format was used the following two years, with MLS winning on penalty kicks in Los Angeles in 2021 and 2-1 last year at St. Paul, Minnesota.
Arsenal will become the third European club to appear in two MLS All-Star Games after Manchester United (2010 and `11) and Chelsea (2006 and `12). The previous European opponent was Atlético Madrid, which won 3-0 in 2019 at Orlando, Florida.
The Gunners have an eight-point lead over defending champion Manchester City in the Premier League. Arsenal has nine games remaining and City has 10.
MLS's All-Star Game had an East vs. West format in 1996 and `97, from 1999-2001 and in 2004. Its American players met its international players in 1998, and MLS All-Stars played the U.S. national team in 2002 and Mexico's Chivas in 2003.
NBA
MORANT APOLOGIZES AGAIN AFTER SUSPENSION >>
Memphis star guard Ja Morant says he obviously made a terrible decision and many mistakes.
“I'm completely sorry for that,” Morant said after practice, speaking publicly for the first time since concluding his eight-game suspension by the NBA. “So, you know, my job now is, like I said, to be more responsible, more smarter, and don't cause any of that no more.”
The NBA suspended Morant eight games for brandishing a gun in a social media video post at a Denver-area strip club on March 4. The eighth game was Saturday's win over the Golden State Warriors.
Morant had been in counseling at a Florida facility while he served his
suspension.
NBA SUSPENDS GRIZZLIES' BROOKS FOR 18TH TECHNICAL >>
The NBA has suspended Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks for one game without pay for his 18th technical foul this season.
Joe Dumars, the league's executive vice president and head of basketball operations, announced the suspension. Brooks also was suspended for a loss to the Clippers on March 5 after receiving his 16th technical foul in a loss to Denver on March 3.
Baseball
WBC RETURNS IN MARCH 2026, RETAINING SPRING TRAINING SLOT >>
The World Baseball Classic will return for its sixth edition in March 2026, with organizers concluding spring training remains a better time than after the World Series or in the middle of the major league season.
Speaking before the final between the United States and Japan, Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said MLB owners and general managers have to be persuaded to make more star pitchers available to national teams.
Since its launch in 2006, the WBC has been played in March, ahead of club opening day in MLB, Japan and South Korea.
“We have talked about timing until your head hurts,” Manfred said. “There's just no perfect time. You can't really do it after the playoffs because so many players have been down. We have talked about something in the middle of the season. I think on balance, although it's not perfect, this is probably the right place for it.”
Tennis
NAVRATILOVA SAYS DOCTORS TOLD HER SHE IS CANCER-FREE >>
Martina Navratilova has been told by doctors that, “as far as they know, I'm cancer-free,” and
that she should be “good to go” after some additional radiation treatment.
The 66-year-old Navratilova, an 18-time Grand Slam singles champion and member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, discussed her health in an interview with Piers Morgan on TalkTV.
Navratilova said in January that she had throat cancer and breast cancer and would be starting treatment.
Pro football
HIGHTOWER RETIRES AFTER DECADE WITH PATRIOTS >>
Dont'a Hightower is making a quiet exit to a memorable career with the New England Patriots.
The veteran linebacker, who did not play last season, announced his retirement in an essay posted on the Players' Tribune website.
It ends a decade-long run in New England that began with the Patriots selecting him 25th overall in the 2012 draft. It included three Super Bowl rings (2014, 2016, 2018) and a pair of Pro Bowl selections (2016, 2019). He also was named a second-team AllPro in 2016.
BILLS SIGN FORMER PATS RB HARRIS >>
The Buffalo Bills restocked their offensive backfield by signing free agent Damien Harris to a one-year contract.
Harris spent his first four NFL seasons with the division-rival New England Patriots, and his signing comes a day after Buffalo lost starter Devin Singletary, who agreed to a deal with Houston.
College basketball TOBIN ANDERSON LEAVING FDU TO REPLACE PITINO AT IONA >>
Tobin Anderson is leaving NCAA Cinderella FDU after one story-book season and replacing Rick Pitino at Iona.
Iona athletic director Matt Glovaski announced the hiring just a day after Pitino left to take the job
at St. John's of the Big East Conference.
Anderson led the No. 16 seeded Knights to a win over No. 1 Purdue in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament last week, only the second time a No. 16 seed has knocked off a top-seeded team. UMBC beat No. 1 Virginia in 2018.
Soccer
HODGSON BACK AS CRYSTAL PALACE MANAGER >>
Roy Hodgson is back in the Premier League at the age of 75.
Crystal Palace turned to the former England coach to keep the team in the lucrative top division, announcing his return to the club as the replacement for the fired Patrick Vieira.
Hodgson's deal only runs until the end of the season. He was in charge of Palace from 2017-21 then said he was retiring from coaching, only to return for a brief spell at Watford at the end of last season.
Hockey
FANATICS TO TAKE OVER AS NHL JERSEY MAKER >>
The NHL is changing jerseys again.
Fanatics is taking over as the league's on-ice jersey provider beginning with the 2024-25 season, replacing Adidas, which has made them since 2017. It's the third company to make NHL jerseys since 2005, after Reebok handled them for more than a decade.
AVS COACH BEDNAR SIGNS EXTENSION THROUGH 202627 >>
Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar has signed a three-year extension that will keep him in charge of the reigning Stanley Cup champions through the 2026-27 season.
The new deal for the winningest head coach in club history kicks in once the current contract runs out after the 2023-24 season.
Bednar, 51, is the only person to win championships in the ECHL, AHL and NHL as head coach.