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NCAA agrees to lift name, image and likeness recruitment ban

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The NCAA will abandon a rule that stopped athletes from negotiating potentially lucrative endorsement deals before enrolling in a specific college, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti says as he announced a proposed settlement in a lawsuit over the policy. Skrmetti announced the deal Monday. He and a handful of attorneys general had sued the NCAA over its name, image and likeness recruiting ban, arguing the rule violated antitrust laws. The settlement must still be approved by a federal judge. The agreement, if approved by the court, will allow college athletes to negotiate compensation for name, image and likeness deals before enrolling in a specific school.

Strong TV ratings and attendance, women’s basketball in good place heading to NCAA Tournament

There was concern that attendance and overall interest in women’s college basketball would drop this year with the departure of Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and other stars for the WNBA. Both took a dip — but only a dip. With JuJu Watkins and Paige Bueckers among those leading the way, attendance across the country was just short of last season’s record numbers. More networks showed more games on TV this season and ratings were strong heading into March Madness.

Who invented the March Madness bracket? Staten Island bar and Kentucky postal worker stake claims

NEW YORK (AP) — Trying to prove the real inventor of the March Madness pool seems about as implausible as picking a perfect bracket. Staten Island pub Jody’s Club Forest says it was the first in the late 1970s to design what would become the modern-day bracket. The first winner took home $880. By the time Jody’s Club shut down the pool in 2006, the jackpot hit $1.6 million for the winner. The family of a U.S. Postal Service worker out of Kentucky says he was the first one to create the bracket. His was the more traditional form of picking every game down to the champion.

76ers forward Paul George will miss the rest of the season to recover from his injuries

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Paul George will miss the rest of the season to recover from his injuries, ending a difficult first year in Philadelphia for the nine-time All-Star. The 76ers say George has received injections in his left adductor muscle and left knee, following consultations with specialists. According to the team, he “is medically unable to play and will be out for at least six weeks.” Philadelphia’s last game of the regular season is on April 13. George, who turns 35 on May 2, signed a $212 million, four-year contract in free agency last summer. But his first year in Philly was marred by injuries that resulted in the forward having one of the worst years of his NBA career.

March Madness tips off with First Four in Dayton

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — March Madness tips off with the First Four in Dayton with a mix of bubble teams who made the cut and smaller schools hoping to be this year’s Cinderella. North Carolina was a controversial selection, but the Tar Heels can silence skeptics with a win over San Diego State on Tuesday night. Xavier and Texas meet for the fourth time in the NCAA Tournament on Wednesday night. Saint Francis (PA), the 19th school to qualify with a losing record, faces Alabama State. Washington D.C. area schools American and Mount St. Mary’s will play for the 71st time.

Braves’ Spencer Strider sparkles in 1st spring start as he comes back from Tommy John surgery

NORTH PORT, Fla. (AP) — Atlanta Braves pitcher Spencer Strider struck out six and didn’t allow a base runner over 2 2/3 innings in his first Grapefruit League appearance since undergoing Tommy John surgery last year. Strider started just two games and went 0-0 with a 7.00 ERA last year before getting shut down for the rest of the season. That followed a 2023 season in which he went 20-5 with a 3.86 ERA and a major league-leading 281 strikeouts in 186 2/3 innings. He made the NL All-Star team and finished fourth in the Cy Young Award voting in 2023.

NHL general managers zero in on goaltender interference and other coach’s challenges

MANALAPAN, Fla. (AP) — Video review, particularly coach’s challenges for goaltender interference, took center stage on the first day of the NHL general managers’ annual spring meeting. GMs were shown roughly 70 clips of goals challenged this season for interference, offside or a missed stoppage. The goal was to explain where the league is at as far as a standard for goalie interference and to educate all 32 organizations on how the process works. That is because goalie interference challenges are at their highest point in the six seasons the current system has been in place. And it is expected to be a hot topic down the stretch this season and into the playoffs.

Rory McIlroy takes drama out of playoff to win The Players and build momentum to the Masters

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Rory McIlroy has won The Players Championship in a three-hole playoff against J.J. Spaun that lacked any real drama. McIlroy blasted a drive down the 16th fairway to set up a birdie. And then Spaun sailed over the island green on the par-3 17th and into the water for a triple bogey. McIlroy is the eighth multiple winner of the PGA Tour’s premier championship. It’s also the first time in his career he has won twice early in the season before the Masters. It was the first Monday finish in three years because of a four-hour rain delay on Sunday.

This small-town team in Sweden was a women’s soccer powerhouse. Then Europe’s big clubs took over

UMEA, Sweden (AP) — A transformation of women’s soccer in Europe is well under way. The elite, big-money clubs already established in the men’s game such as Barcelona, Real Madrid and Chelsea have begun pouring money, resources and extra focus into their women’s teams and are taking over. Umea and Turbine Potsdam, European champions only 20 years ago, are among the unfashionable relics of yesteryear who know they can no longer compete. But they seem OK with that and are adjusting to a new reality in a changing financial landscape as women’s soccer grows. Umea sporting director Jorgen Crovin says “I’m not in the least envious because these clubs are at a different level than we can ever achieve now.”

Messi out of World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil due to adductor injury

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Lionel Messi will miss Argentina’s World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil over the next eight days because of an injury to his adductor. The 37-year-old Messi was not included in the 25-man squad announced on Monday by coach Lionel Scaloni. Later Monday, Inter Miami said Messi — the reigning Major League Soccer MVP — underwent an MRI “to assess the extent of the discomfort in his adductor region,” an injury that the team said occurred in Sunday’s win over Atlanta United. Argentina leads South America and will visit second-place Uruguay on Friday and host fifth-place Brazil four days later in Buenos Aires.