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Morning Edition

January 9, 2025

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Cotton Bowl ticket prices are dropping fast as North Texas prepares for a winter storm. However, the Ohio State–Texas CFP matchup is proceeding as planned, and organizers say they’re prepared.

— David Rumsey [[link removed]], Eric Fisher [[link removed]], and Colin Salao [[link removed]]

Cotton Bowl Proceeding As Planned Despite Storm As Prices Plummet [[link removed]]

The Enquirer

The College Football Playoff is dealing with a major logistical issue for the second consecutive round.

Ohio State and Texas were set to arrive in Dallas on Wednesday ahead of an expected winter storm in the area that is impacting travel for many fans and media planning to attend Friday’s CFP semifinal matchup in the Cotton Bowl.

Cotton Bowl organizers said they had been meeting with local officials and that North Texas highways were being brined to ensure a safe environment on game day. “Should the forecast shift, we are prepared for all contingencies,” a statement read [[link removed]].

The weather-related issue comes after the Notre Dame–Georgia quarterfinal game in the Sugar Bowl was delayed one day to Jan. 2 [[link removed]] following the deadly attack in New Orleans early on New Year’s Day.

Ticket Prices Dropping

The Cotton Bowl was originally expected to be a hot ticket, given Ohio State’s big fan base and the venue’s proximity to Austin and many other Longhorns fans living throughout Texas.

However, the Notre Dame–Penn State Orange Bowl on Thursday ended up with a higher get-in price on most major secondary ticketing platforms.

Standing room-only tickets at AT&T Stadium for the Cotton Bowl could be had for just over $100, as of Wednesday afternoon, while the cheapest seats at Hard Rock Stadium for the Orange Bowl were going for more than $200.

Even if the Cotton Bowl has some empty seats, though, it could still draw a larger crowd than the Orange Bowl. AT&T Stadium can fit more than 100,000 fans, while Hard Rock Stadium’s capacity is roughly 65,000.

Bears Grapple With Coaching Search, Stadium Plans, and Power Struggles [[link removed]]

Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

The Bears are simultaneously searching for yet another new head coach and trying to solidify plans to build a new stadium [[link removed]]. Does the storied NFL franchise need a new front office structure, too?

Questions about the team’s power dynamics were a common theme during end-of-season media availability for Bears owner and chairman George McCaskey, president and CEO Kevin Warren, and GM Ryan Poles on Tuesday.

McCaskey said [[link removed]] he doesn’t think the team’s vertical leadership structure—the coach reports to the GM, who reports to the president, who reports to the owner—would be a deal-breaker for coaching candidates.

“I haven’t ever experienced anyone saying that,” McCaskey said. “Usually they want the job.” Many successful franchises—like the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs—have coaches and GMs who report directly to ownership.

The Bears finished this season 5–12 and saw an influx of Lions fans at Solider Field in Week 16. “The challenge for us is to put a team on the field that Bears fans are so excited about, they’re not interested in selling their tickets,” McCaskey said.

Who’s Really in Charge?

Even though Poles, who was hired in 2022 alongside former coach Matt Eberflus, is said to be leading the new coaching search, questions remain about how the process will play out.

“I think with Ryan’s leadership and the process that he’s outlined, and with guidance from Kevin, Ryan’s going to make the best decision,” McCaskey said.

Beyond Warren’s influence, senior and executive vice presidents on the team’s business side will be involved in some phases of coaching interviews. “It’s really important—Kevin and I talk about it all the time—the continuity between football and business,” Poles said [[link removed]].

Poles also said speculation about a rift between him and Warren, who was hired after the GM in 2023, “couldn’t be further from the truth.”

The Cowboys reportedly denied a request from the Bears [[link removed]] to interview their coach, Mike McCarthy, whose contract expires Jan. 14, according to ESPN [[link removed]].

Stadium Update

Aside from hiring a new coach, Warren said [[link removed]] his goal is to have “shovels in the ground” for a new stadium in 2025.

While the focus remains on building downtown [[link removed]] adjacent to Soldier Field, which is projected to cost at least $4.7 billion and has serious funding complications, Warren wouldn’t rule out keeping the team’s options open in Arlington Heights, where the Bears own 326 acres of land.

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LiAngelo Ball Never Reached the NBA. His Song Has Taken It by Storm [[link removed]]

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

LiAngelo Ball is the one Ball brother who has never played in the NBA. But he has infiltrated sports in a way his brothers never have.

On Jan. 3, Ball, the middle brother between Bulls guard Lonzo and Hornets star LaMelo, dropped the rap song “Tweaker” through his artist name, G3 GELO. The song has turned into a viral phenomenon and was No. 8 on Spotify’s U.S. Top 50 playlist [[link removed]] as of Jan. 8, ahead of pop hits like “Birds of a Feather” and “APT.”

The song has become a staple across locker rooms over the last week. The NFL’s Lions blasted “Tweaker” in their locker room [[link removed]] following their win over the Vikings on Sunday Night Football. A player can even be heard shouting “put that Gelo on! [[link removed]]” immediately after Dan Campbell’s postgame speech and Jared Goff’s closing huddle in the locker room.

Angel Reese posted a video [[link removed]] asking players in Unrivaled, the new 3-on-3 women’s basketball league launching Jan. 17, to finish the famous lyric of the song: “I might swerve bend the corner, woah.” WNBA All-Stars Chelsea Gray and Dearica Hamby were among those in the video.

Dawn Staley, head coach of South Carolina’s women’s team, also posted a video [[link removed]] dancing to the song at the Gamecocks’ practice facility and gave a shout-out to Ball. “You got something there, Gelo,” Staley said.

Even the Inside the NBA crew acknowledged the song Tuesday. Shaquille O’Neal danced to the track, while Kenny Smith said he “never heard a song take off that fast.”

Social media accounts have even gotten in on the fun, with the NBA’s Nets [[link removed]] and Bulls [[link removed]] using the song’s famous line. Even non-sports accounts have referenced the song, like DoorDash [[link removed]] and Red Lobster [[link removed]].

And of course, Lonzo [[link removed]] and LaMelo [[link removed]], who were both top three NBA draft picks, brought the song over to their locker rooms in Chicago and Charlotte, respectively.

LiAngelo, 26, is not signed with a professional team at the moment. He said in November on Reese’s podcast Unapologetically Angel [[link removed]] that he wants to play in the G League, though he has received some offers to play overseas. He played 19 games for the Greensboro Swarm, the G League affiliate of the Hornets, between 2021 and 2023. His overseas stints include time in Lithuania and Mexico.

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[[link removed]]

A growing chorus of stakeholders have begun to call for college athletes to gain more negotiating power. Coaches have proposed collective bargaining, and a group of plaintiffs in the House case have written a letter asking the judge to mandate the creation of a players’ association. Federal lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have noted players need a bigger voice. There are plenty of moving parts, but one thing is certain: In 2025, college athletes will look more like professionals than ever before.

Check out [[link removed]] the Business of College Sports content hub to read the full article [[link removed]], and stay up to date on all things college sports.

Conversation Starters Young Money APAA Sports, Lil Wayne’s sports agency, has signed some big names in college football, including Travis Hunter. Take a look [[link removed]] at the rest. Dick Vitale announced he is cancer-free and able to return to ESPN to call games [[link removed]]. Front Office Sports multimedia reporter Derryl Barnes dissected Saudi Arabia’s controversial rise in global sports on the latest episode of FOS Explains. Watch it here [[link removed]]. Editors’ Picks ESPN Programming Chief Takes Victory Lap Over Bowl Season Ratings [[link removed]]by Amanda Christovich [[link removed]]Non-CFP bowl games drew millions in viewers this year. After Dramatic ESPN Exit, Norby Williamson Joins FanDuel Sports Network [[link removed]]by Eric Fisher [[link removed]]The regional sports network operator reportedly turns to a former ESPN executive. Woods and McIlroy’s TGL Has Mostly Smooth Launch [[link removed]]by David Rumsey [[link removed]]The new indoor golf league made its long-awaited debut Tuesday. Question of the Day

Would you travel to see your favorite school in a CFP semifinal game despite this week’s extreme weather?

YES [[link removed]] NO [[link removed]]

Wednesday’s result: 66% of respondents think Jimmy Butler will be dealt before the NBA trade deadline.

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