adidas has unveiled the official match ball for the semi-finals and final of the Qatar World Cup. Titled “Al Hilm,” translating to “The Dream” in Arabic, the new match ball replaces the existing ball used in the tournament thus far named Al Rihla, which means “The Journey.” The technology and overall design remain relatively unchanged, with in-ball IMU sensors and “Connected Ball” tech continuing to assist match officials in making faster and more accurate decisions on the pitch. The ball’s built-in sensors famously debunked Cristiano Ronaldo’s “hair goal” in its 2-0 victory over Uruguay and have also helped support the semi-automated offside system in place over the course of the tournament. Made using environmentally friendly water-based inks and glues, the Al Hilm ball is set in a textu...
Manny Pacquiao showed that at 43 he has still got it by dominating DK Yoo in six rounds of boxing on Saturday night. Yoo, who rose to prominence on YouTube via his DK WCS (Warfare Combat System) videos, faced off against Pacquiao at the Korea International Exhibition Center in Goyang. During the fight, the taller Yoo was seen trying to implement his footwork and movement as stated before the fight but a much more experienced Pacquiao was there to meet him from all angles. While Yoo did show heart in staying through the course of six rounds, despite being knocked down multiple times, many fans expressed that it should have been stopped much earlier. At no point was Pacquiao in danger and it was obvious in the first round that he was dictating the pace and holding back. While many boxing pur...
WNBA star Brittany Griner has been freed in a US/Russia prisoner swap. Griner had been detained in Russia since February 17 after being arrested on charges of bringing vape cartridges with a small amount of cannabis oil into the country as she arrived to play for UMMC Ekaterinburg, an elite Russian basketball team. Until Griner’s arrest, it was common for WNBA stars to play in Russia during the league’s offseason, padding their WNBA paychecks with high six and occasionally low-seven-figure salaries. In August, Griner was sentenced to nine years in one of Russia’s notoriously harsh penal colonies — a sentence that was widely viewed as trumped up due to the low state of relations between the US and Russia and was described as a “sham” by Amnesty International. Her appeal was denied on Octobe...
Other talent who are creating positive change for their community include Rudy Gobert and the Rudy Gobert Academy who partnered with Nike to build a new basketball court in Paris Levallois-Perret as well as creating an space that offers academic support in areas beyond sport such as writing, music, community outreach and athletic development. Also focused on helping underserved young people from areas in Greater Paris, Golden Blocks Academy was launched in 2014 by ex-track and field World Champion Ladji Doucouré. The program, supported by Nike, launched in 2019 and balances education and sport whilst inspiring young people from low-income neighborhoods to discover and learn about creative careers. Witnessed with the likes of Nigerian footballer Asisat Oshoala, the brand’s athlete partnersh...
Following the madness of Art Basel, a legion of pro skateboarders staked claim over Miami’s Lot 11 Skatepark on Sunday afternoon for the first annual Abloh Skating Invitational. There, luminaries gathered to honor Virgil Abloh, who played a pivotal role in shaping the world of skateboarding through his work. The skate jam, held by Abloh’s Nike creative studio Architecture, attracted an impressive roster of talent from all pockets of the sport, including Blake Carpenter, Sean Malto, Paul Rodriguez, Ishod Wair, Dashawn Jordan, Nicole Hause, Ish Cepeda, Jamie Foy, Christian Henry, Zion Wright, Marcos Montoya, Kevin White, Lil Dre, Blake Carpenter, Briana King, Robert Neal, Alphonso Rawls, Sal Barbier, Monica Torres, Shay Sanford, Brian Telatorre and more. The event was open to the public, and...
With the Winter season approaching, many are preparing for their getaway in the snow. For those looking to hit the slopes in style, and have the money to spend, Louis Vuitton has released its Marble Snowboard. Limited to 100 pieces and created by the late Virgil Abloh, the board sees a versatile shape made for both carving and riding in deep powder. The emerald green board features an allover marble pattern as a nod to the stage design from 2021’s Men’s Fall/Winter show and is finished with fluorescent LV Initials. This board will cost you roughly $8,000 USD. In other LV news, Louis Vuitton readies the LV Skate Sneaker with Monogram flower detailing. Read Full Article
Ahead of Portugal’s Round of 16 game against Switzerland at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, reports noting a potential contract signing by Cristiano Ronaldo have surfaced. Building on unconfirmed information from José Félix Díaz of Marca, the 37-year-old soccer icon is believed to have signed with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr Football Club. The potential €500 EUR (approximately $525 million USD) two-and-a-half-year signing reportedly includes a signing-on fee and financial incentives from advertising. If the signing is true, the nearly €200 EUR (approximately $210 million USD) annual salary would make the Portuguese forward the highest-paid athlete in the world. Despite the report building on earlier rumors, British broadcaster, journalist, writer, television personality, and close f...
The viral video circulating of Steph Curry sinking five full court shots has just been confirmed fake. On Sunday, a video by Sports Illustrated became the talk of the basketball community as Curry was seen wrapping up an SI interview at the Golden State Warriors practice facility by sinking five long-range shots in a row. The video — now viewed over 13 million times — has since been confirmed as an edit by the Warriors. This news is sure to disappoint some of curry’s fans who had their money on curry’s shot being that accurate — maybe from the three-point line but not from the other end of the court. Check out the video below. Not real, per the Warriors. Looked amazing and fun, for sure. https://t.co/nUwVtqnrhv — Janie McCauley (@JanieMcCAP) December 5, 2022 Just finished a shoot with @ste...
Nike FC heads to Dubai to host a number of football-focused experiences designed to inspire young football fans and players. So far, the “Footballverse” campaign has already seen an exclusive panel talk with footballing legend Ronaldo, Champions Soccer Academy UAE director Dan Jacob and sports consultant Budreya Faisal, where they came together to discuss the sporting icon’s prolific career and the growing youth and women’s game in the region. Nike FC continues to offer up a variety of immersive and spectator experiences at The Beach, Opposite JBR, Dubai . At the heart of the community-driven pop-up, Nike has been hosting a regular schedule of interactive tournaments and hero-mode games. Here, the brand invites participants to develop their football skills while encouraging them to form ne...
Right as Ben Simmons has been starting togain some traction after a slow start this NBA season, Simmons has suffered a couple of injuries that will reportedly have him out for a few more games than expected. Sams Charania reports that the Brooklyn Nets guard is epected to miss more time after diagnosed with a muscle sprain in his left leg and knee swelling. The player has been enjoying one of his biggest stretches this season, including a double-double performance against his former team, the Philadelphia 76ers. While Simmons is expected to return within five games, he will be sitting out longer than expected. As he continues to play, Simmons’ list of injuries continue to grow. The NBA confirmed that Simmons will miss at least the next three games. Simmons reportedly felt pain in the back ...
Right as Ben Simmons has been starting togain some traction after a slow start this NBA season, Simmons has suffered a couple of injuries that will reportedly have him out for a few more games than expected. Sams Charania reports that the Brooklyn Nets guard is epected to miss more time after diagnosed with a muscle sprain in his left leg and knee swelling. The player has been enjoying one of his biggest stretches this season, including a double-double performance against his former team, the Philadelphia 76ers. While Simmons is expected to return within five games, he will be sitting out longer than expected. As he continues to play, Simmons’ list of injuries continue to grow. The NBA confirmed that Simmons will miss at least the next three games. Simmons reportedly felt pain in the back ...
Following Portugal’s 2-0 victory over Uruguay at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the sports world and social media exploded with the discussion of Cristiano Ronaldo‘s “hair goal.” The potential goal was based on the belief that the soccer star’s head made contact with a cross from teammate Bruno Fernandes during the 9th minute of the second half. It was also reported that the Portuguese team would be presenting evidence to FIFA proving Ronaldo made contact with the ball and scored the goal. But now, adidas, the official sponsor of the tournament that provides the match ball used, has noted that its built-in sensors did not register the supposed “hair goal.” The sportswear brand’s high-precision 500Hz IMU sensor and “Connected Ball Technology” found that no external forces were measured t...