Former WNBA MVP Nneka Ogwumike is the first player to join Project B, a new women’s basketball startup league.
Project B will offer players salaries larger than the WNBA and an equity stake in the league.
The league plans to launch in November 2026 with six teams playing in a traveling, tournament-style circuit.

Former WNBA MVP Nneka Ogwumike announced she is joining Project B, a women’s basketball startup league founded by former Facebook executive Grady Burnett and Skype co-founder Geoff Prentice. The 10-time WNBA All-Star is the first player to announce signing with league, which is expected to begin in Europe, Asia and the Americas in November 2026.

Project B players, in addition to salary, will get an equity stake in the league. The league will have six teams with 11 players each and promises to have salaries larger than in the WNBA ($102,249 per season) or Unrivaled ($220,000 per season).

Project B plans to stream games and have them played on a traveling circuit like auto racing, golf and tennis.

‘We want premiere cities and our goal is to create an F1-style TV event,’ Alana Beard, Project B’s chief basketball officer, told the Associated Press. ‘There’s a tournament in each city and at the end of each tournament there is going to be a champion and that all leads up to us potentially crowning the champion of the world.’

Other investors in Project B include former WNBA MVP Candace Parker, tennis stars Novak Djokovic and Sloane Stephens and NFL Hall of Famer Steve Young. Sela, owned by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, is one of the league’s future partners.

Ogwumike, the president of the WNBPA, is helping the players’ union negotiate a new CBA with the WNBA. The players have said they would like a safer game and better facilities, but the major sticking point has been compensation and revenue sharing. The CBA was set to expire on Oct. 31, but both sides agreed to a 30-day extension last week.

The college football coaching carousel has been particularly active this year, with 11 FBS programs firing their coach since the start of the 2025 season.

A potential candidate for several of those vacancies has a lengthy and largely successful track record – one he believes is clean, too.

In an interview with ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ podcast, former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald said he feels ‘100% vindicated’ following the settlement of a wrongful termination lawsuit with the university earlier this year.

Fitzgerald, a former All-American linebacker at the school, was fired by Northwestern in July 2023 after allegations of hazing within the Wildcats’ football program. 

After his dismissal, he sued the university for $130 million for wrongful termination. The case was settled in August, though terms of the settlement were not disclosed. 

Though Northwestern noted that ‘inappropriate conduct in the football program did occur,’ the school said in a statement that ‘The evidence uncovered during extensive discovery did not establish that any player reported hazing to Coach Fitzgerald or that Coach Fitzgerald condoned or directed any hazing.’

‘I feel 100% vindicated,’ Fitzgerald said to ESPN. ‘You alluded to the statement earlier. I’ll let that speak for itself. … I feel very vindicated. Especially for our players and their families. The facts are the facts.’

In his 17 seasons as Northwestern’s head coach, Fitzgerald took what had been the Big Ten’s historic doormat and transformed it into a consistent bowl participant. The Wildcats went 110-101 over the course of his tenure, making him by far the winningest coach in program history. During that time, they made 10 bowl games, won two Big Ten west division championships and won at least 10 games three times, giving Fitzgerald three of the five 10-win seasons in Northwestern history.

Though it was the hazing allegations that brought an end to his accomplished run at his alma mater, Fitzgerald’s final teams had struggled. The Wildcats went 4-20 in Fitzgerald’s final two seasons, including a 1-11 mark in what would be his last season at the school in 2022.

The 50-year-old Fitzgerald told ESPN he’s actively seeking a return to college coaching and that his candidacy has been ‘received very well.’

‘It’s not been an easy road,’ Fitzgerald said to ESPN. ‘We let the facts speak for themselves, and we’re ready to move forward and move on.’

The National Women’s Soccer League is about to embark on its 13th postseason since beginning play in 2013. Though the league started with just eight teams, it has since blossomed into the remarkable product we know today.

As has been the case all season long, everyone is chasing the Kansas City Current. The Shield-winners’ remarkable regular season undoubtedly has marked them as favorites for KC’s third NWSL title, but first as the Current.

That said, each of the last four Shield winners were unable to secure the NWSL championship once push came to shove. Can Kansas City break the streak or will they be dethroned like many of the regular-season champs before them?

Here’s everything to know ahead of the 2025 NWSL playoffs:

2025 NWSL playoffs bracket

Quarterfinals

Game 1: No. 1 Kansas City Current vs. No. 8 Gotham FC – Nov. 9, 12:30 p.m. ET
Game 2: No. 4 Orlando Pride vs. No. 5 Seattle Reign FC – Nov. 7, 8 p.m. ET
Game 3: No. 2 Washington Spirit vs. No. 7 Racing Louisville FC – Nov. 8, 12 p.m. ET
Game 4: No. 3 Portland Thorns FC vs. No. 6 San Diego Wave FC – Nov. 9, 3 p.m. ET

Semifinals

Game 5: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 (at higher seed)
Game 6: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4 (at higher seed)

Finals

Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 6 (PayPal Park in San Jose, CA)

All of these games will be available for viewing with NWSL+.

2025 NWSL schedule

The playoffs start off with a lone match Friday, Nov. 7, a showdown between No. 4 Orlando Pride and No. 5 Seattle Reign FC. That game will start at 8 p.m. ET and will be available to stream on Prime Video.

Saturday, Nov. 8 will feature a doubleheader, starting with No. 2 Washington Spirit taking on No. 7 Racing Louisville FC. That game will start at 12 p.m. ET and will air on CBS or can be streamed on Paramount+. That match will be followed by No. 3 Portland Thorns FC vs. No. 6 San Diego Wave FC. The official start time is 3 p.m. ET, airing on ABC/ESPN.

The final game of the quarterfinals will take place Sunday, Nov. 9 as the top-seeded Kansas City Current face off against No. 8 Gotham FC. Gotham looks to become the first No. 8 seed to win a playoff match, although the league has only had eight playoff teams for two seasons now. That contest will start at 12:30 p.m. ET and air on ABC/ESPN.

The official schedule for the semifinals and finals have not been officially set yet. That said, we know that the semifinals will take place over two days from Nov. 15-16.

The championship game will take place on Saturday, Nov. 22, at 8 p.m. ET. The game will be played at PayPal Park in San Jose, California, and will air on CBS while streaming on Paramount+.

Stream the NWSL Championship Game with Paramount+

Colorado football’s recent loss to Arizona drew the lowest TV audience of the Deion Sanders era.
The team’s average viewership has declined from 6 million in 2023 to about 2 million this season.
Competition from Game 7 of the World Series contributed to the record-low viewership for the Arizona game.

Colorado football coach Deion Sanders has hit new lows on the field in recent weeks with back-to-back blowout losses, including his worst loss as a college head coach and another change in direction at quarterback. Now comes news of another new depth — his lowest recorded television audience in three seasons in charge of the Buffaloes.

His team’s 52-17 loss against Arizona on Nov. 1 drew an average of just 374,000 on FS1, Fox Sports confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. That is by far the smallest recorded audience under Sanders at Colorado, even lower than his previous low two years ago, a 56-14 loss at Washington State,  which drew an average of 727,000 on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023.

One big reason for it was the Arizona-Colorado game competed against Game 7 of the baseball World Series on Fox on the same night. If the Toronto Blue Jays had won Game 6 against the Los Angeles Dodgers the night before on Oct. 31, Colorado would have played on the main Fox channel instead on Nov. 1 and got a much bigger audience.

But it still tracks with a downward trend this year for Sanders.

Is there a TV viewership ‘floor’ with Deion Sanders?

The Buffaloes are 3-6 this year and are averaging about 2 million viewers this season, down from roughly 4 million on average in 2024 and 6 million in 2023. That doesn’t include three games in 2023 that were on the now-defunct Pac-12 Conference Networks, which didn’t reveal audience numbers.

“There will always be a floor with Deion on TV; you may always get 2 million viewers,” said Adam Breneman, a college football analyst and former Penn State tight end. “But to get up to 4 to 6 million, you’ve got to win some games now because he’s not a TV novelty anymore on the sideline. He’s become a long-term brand experiment in college football.”

An average audience of 2 million this season is still strong and would be envied by many major college football teams. It’s just not what Colorado got in the previous two seasons under Sanders when he also had more star players on his team, including his quarterback son Shedeur and two-way star Travis Hunter. By contrast, the most-watched teams this year are averaging around 6 million to 8 million, such as Alabama, Georgia and Ohio State.

‘Current act seems to be running a little thin’

The Arizona game was the first for Colorado this season that wasn’t picked up by the Fox main channel or ESPN. Colorado’s game at West Virginia on Nov. 8 will be on TNT.

This underscores just how big of a draw Sanders is even with his team isn’t so good. It stems from his fame and accomplishments going back to the late 1980s.

“Everybody might be entitled to 15 minutes of fame; Deion Sanders is going on 40 years of it,” said Robert Thompson, longtime TV expert and professor at Syracuse. Thompson called Sanders a “master of the show business,” with credits including ‘Walker Texas Ranger’, ‘Saturday Night Live’ and his pro sports career in baseball and football.

“He’s been as compelling to watch when he wasn’t playing as when he was, and it’s been an extraordinary run,” Thompson told USA TODAY Sports. “But his current act seems to be running a little thin. Yes, the viewership of his team’s games is still strong, but the downward trend is big… and fast. Deion Sanders will always be fun to watch, the Buffaloes maybe not.”

Colorado’s previous audiences were off-the-chart small

Before Sanders was hired at Colorado in late 2022, half of Colorado’s games were telecast on the Pac-12 Networks, which no longer exists and whose audiences weren’t measured by the media metrics company Nielsen. The Buffaloes finished that year with a 1-11 record.

Last year, when the Buffs finished 9-4, all their games were on ESPN, Fox, ABC, CBS or NBC. Only two of those games recorded average audience of under 3 million viewers, according to data reported by the networks and Sports Media Watch. This year, only one game has drawn an average audience of more than 3 million — the season opener against Georgia Tech on ESPN (3.94 million).

In the bigger picture, it’s been difficult for Sanders’ team to achieve the meteoric heights it reached to start Sanders’ first season at Colorado in 2023, when the Buffaloes finished sixth nationally in average viewership behind Alabama and Michigan, which each had more than 8.5 million average viewers, according to Colorado.

There’s a way out of this downward trend for Deion Sanders

The Buffs started 3-0 that year with three average audiences of more than 7.25 million. Then in their fourth game at Oregon on ABC, they drew more than 10 million, which remains the biggest audience for Colorado under Sanders. The Buffs lost that one, 42-6, and finished the season with a 4-8 record. After that game, Sanders said, “This is the worst we’re gonna be. You better get me right now.”

Unfortunately for him, it got worse in recent weeks. It’s not over, though. Sanders is giving freshman quarterback Julian “JuJu” Lewis his first college start at West Virginia. If he helps revive the season, that’s another compelling reason to watch.

“These media companies are just trying to get the best viewership and who gets them the eyeballs, and that’s clearly been Deion,” Breneman told USA TODAY Sports. “But at the end of the day, you’ve got to win.”

Follow Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

The boxing star signed a multi-fight deal that guarantees her at least $8 million, according to a news release issued Thursday, Nov. 6.

The contract involves a business relationship between the 30-year-old Shields, Wynn Records and Salita Promotions, which has worked with Shields (17-0, 3 KOs) since her second pro fight.

“This deal represents more than just a contract, it’s a statement,’’ Shields said, according to the news release. “I’ve fought my entire career to prove that women’s boxing deserves equal respect, equal pay, and equal opportunity. Partnering with Salita Promotions and Wynn Records gives me the platform to keep breaking barriers inside and outside the ring. Together, we’re building something that’s never been done before.”

During an appearance on CBS earlier in the day, Shields said it’s a two-year deal with a signing bonus. She did not disclose the amount of the signing bonus or the number of boxing matches the deal calls for her to fight.

A five-division world champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist, Shields was scheduled to formally sign the contract during an invitation-only event in New York. It confirms she will remain with Salita Promotions, run by Dmitriy Salita, who has worked with Shields while she has dominated women’s boxing. Their contract expired in July, giving Shields a chance to shop for another promoter before she decided to renew their partnership.

Wynn Records represents Shields’ boyfriend, rapper Papoose, and two other recording artists, according to the company’s website.

Shields began working with Wynn Records before her last fight, a victory over Lani Daniels by unanimous decision on July 26. The fight drew a sellout crowd to Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.

“Claressa’s story, talent, and determination embody everything our brand stands for,’’ said Ruben Branson, owner and CEO of Wynn Records. “We’re proud to stand beside her as she continues to make history. Together, we’re setting a new standard for what’s possible in the sport.” 

Salita, the promoter, said, “Claressa Shields is one of the greatest athletes of our generation. Her impact extends far beyond the sport, and this partnership reflects that power. Our goal is to blend boxing, culture, and music to elevate the sport and its athletes beyond the traditional sports pages.

“This partnership with Wynn will create unique opportunities for fighters and deliver fresh, engaging experiences for boxing fans. Together with Wynn Records, we’re creating a blueprint for the future—where promoters, athletes, and partners collaborate to achieve success that would not otherwise be possible.”

Shields, the current undisputed heavyweight champion, is expected to face Franchon Crews Dezurn (10-2, 2 KOs) in her next fight. She beat Dezurn by unanimous decision in 2016 during Shields’ pro debut.

This article discusses suicide and suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland has died, the team announced in a statement released Nov. 6.

‘It is with extreme sadness that the Dallas Cowboys share that Marshawn Kneeland tragically passed away this morning,’ the Cowboys wrote in a statement. ‘Marshawn was a beloved teammate and member of our organization. Our thoughts and prayers regarding Marshawn are with his girlfriend Catalina and his family.’

Kneeland was 24 years old. The Frisco, Texas, police department on Nov. 6 confirmed that Kneeland was found deceased following a police search late Nov. 5.

Who was Marshawn Kneeland?

Kneeland grew up in Michigan and played collegiately at Western Michigan after being a two-star recruit. Over five college seasons with the Broncos, he logged 148 tackles, 27.5 TFL and 13 sacks.

The Cowboys selected Kneeland in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft with the 56th overall pick. He expressed excitement about joining Dallas in a call shared by the team and by Kneeland on his Instagram.

‘I won’t let you down, man,’ Kneeland told then-Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy during his draft call.

Kneeland played in 11 games as a rookie, logging 14 tackles while making a strong impression on then-Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer.

‘He was a great person, eager to learn,’ Zimmer told NFL Network’s Jane Slater following Kneeland’s death. ‘Wanted to be great. He didn’t take any crap from anyone on the field. He studied hard [and] loved playing the game. Tough.’

‘My last conversation with him was keep being you, you’re going to have a great career,’ Zimmer added.

Kneeland earned a larger role with the Cowboys during his second season in 2025. He made three starts across seven games, recording 12 tackles and his first career sack as a key part of Dallas’ defensive line rotation.

Kneeland’s final NFL game came just three days before his death in the Cowboys’ Week 9 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on ‘Monday Night Football.’ He scored the lone touchdown of his NFL career during the contest after recovering a punt blocked by Sam Williams in the second quarter.

Marshawn Kneeland touchdown

Below is a look at Kneeland’s touchdown:

Marshawn Kneeland stats

Games: 18
Starts: 4
Tackles: 26
Sacks: 1
Pass defenses: 1