Read in Browser [[link removed]]

Afternoon Edition

May 15, 2025

POWERED BY

Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves eliminated the NBA’s two biggest draws, LeBron James and Steph Curry. That focuses an enormous spotlight on him—for the present and future.

— Colin Salao [[link removed]], Margaret Fleming [[link removed]], and David Rumsey [[link removed]]

With LeBron and Steph Out, Anthony Edwards Stakes Case As NBA Face [[link removed]]

Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

At a time when the NBA appears to be looking for a new face, Anthony Edwards is staking his claim.

Edwards and the Timberwolves eliminated the Warriors in five games Wednesday, the first time in franchise history that the team has made consecutive Western Conference finals appearances.

Before knocking out Steph Curry and the Warriors, Edwards & Co. eliminated LeBron James and the Lakers. (Curry missed the final four games after going down with a hamstring injury in Game 1.)

For the NBA, the loss of James and Curry may lead to some short-term viewership dips. The most-watched game of the playoffs [[link removed]] so far was Game 4 of the first-round series between the T-Wolves and James’s Lakers, while the final game of the Warriors’ seven-game gauntlet with the Rockets was the most-watched game on cable this year.

But Edwards’s moniker as The King Slayer, as Adidas put it [[link removed]], places him in a position to take the mantle from James and Curry, who, despite being two of the league’s oldest stars, are still its most popular players.

The 23-year-old’s profile grew last year after he led the Wolves to their first playoff series win since 2004, then eliminated the defending champion Nuggets. He was seventh in jersey sales this year, and second among those still active in the playoffs (behind Jalen Brunson).

This year, however, he has the chance to advance even further while also eliminating an NBA MVP in every round through the Western Conference. A trip to the conference finals awaits either against three-time MVP Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets or the likely 2025 MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the 68-win Thunder.

“We just got here. We haven’t [done] anything yet.” Edwards said Wednesday.

What’s Next for Golden State?

The Warriors extended their competitive timeline by acquiring Jimmy Butler in February, then signing him to a two-year, $121 million extension [[link removed]]. But it also tied the team to an aging trio of Curry (37), Butler (36 in September), and Draymond Green (35) for at least another year.

Golden State has about $140 million tied to the trio next year, but its supporting cast could look quite different as it has just six players on fully guaranteed deals. Its options to acquire talent include the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, worth about $14.1 million per year, the biannual exception worth about $5.1 million, and the 41st pick in the 2025 draft.

SPONSORED BY GAINBRIDGE

Grants for Game-Changing Work

Gainbridge® [[link removed]], in partnership with Parity and the Women’s Sports Foundation®, is continuing to invest in the future of women’s sports and education. Through the Gainbridge® Assists grant program, $222,000 in funding is up for grabs—with individual $5,000 grants available [[link removed]] to U.S.-based organizations and athletes that empower girls and women through sports and education.

Applicants must demonstrate impact, share stories on social, and be ready to activate the grant this November. The initiative underscores Gainbridge’s ongoing commitment to breaking down barriers for girls and women, building on a legacy shaped by leaders and ambassadors like Billie Jean King [[link removed]].

Apply now: [[link removed]]

Colts Delete Schedule Video: ‘We Apologize to Microsoft and Tyreek’ [[link removed]]

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The NFL schedule release video arms race has finally drawn blood. The Colts deleted theirs Wednesday [[link removed]] night and issued an apology after the Minecraft-themed compilation went a little too far in its digs at teams.

The video opened with a dolphin jumping in the water with the name “Hill” wearing a No. 10 Miami jersey being apprehended by the Coast Guard. Police pulled Hill over for speeding [[link removed]] on his way to the Dolphins’ home opener last season that led to officers pulling him from his car, pinning him to the ground, and handcuffing him.

“We removed our schedule release video because it exceeded our rights with Microsoft and included an insensitive clip involving Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill,” the Colts said in a statement to Front Office Sports and other outlets. “We sincerely apologize to Microsoft and Tyreek.”

Hill says he wasn’t offended. “Should have left it up,” he wrote in a post tagging the Colts [[link removed]]. “This was funny.”

The apology to Microsoft, which bought Minecraft in 2014, is particularly noteworthy given that the Colts weren’t the only team to distribute a Minecraft-themed release. The Chargers, one of the most notorious teams in the age of clever schedule release videos [[link removed]], also based their release on Minecraft, though their video was two minutes longer [[link removed]] and had more complex designs than the Colts’ release.

The Chargers’ video opened with a disclaimer that the following scenes would not be “available in-game,” and that their Minecraft theme was “used with permission from Microsoft.” The Colts’ video contained no such wording.

A spokesperson for the Chargers said the team worked with Microsoft ahead of the schedule release, and needed to make clear in the disclaimer that the video was for entertainment purposes only. The Chargers didn’t know another team was going to use a Minecraft theme, they said.

Both the Chargers and Colts referenced the infamous fight at a Starbucks between NFL reporters Ian Rapoport and Jordan Schultz [[link removed]].

NFL teams do not have to clear their schedule release videos with the league office before posting them, a league spokesperson confirmed.

The Colts also did a collaboration with popular account NBA Paint [[link removed]] to announce each game in a series of simply doodled posts.

Elaborate schedule release videos have become an NFL staple, with the ante upped by the viral popularity of the Titans’ 2023 video [[link removed]] recorded on Nashville’s Broadway.

This year, videos ranged from Dave Portnoy making digs [[link removed]] at Tom Brady’s Raiders ownership and media gig in the Patriots’ video to Cleveland releasing an odd video of Brownie the Elf [[link removed]] using magical powers to control time and reveal opposing teams.

The Colts’ video also showed Patrick Mahomes—depicted as a frog to reference jokes that his voice sounds like the Muppets’ Kermit— breaking up a fight between his father Patrick Mahomes Sr. and former MLB player John Rocker [[link removed]]. It also pins Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray as a “chicken jockey,” a joke poking fun at the quarterback’s height and referencing a moment from the game that surged in popularity with A Minecraft Movie [[link removed]].

20 Hats Per Minute: Merch Madness Hits PGA Championship [[link removed]]

David Rumsey-FOS

CHARLOTTE — The merchandise store at the PGA Championship won’t be confused for—or sell as much as—the famous Masters golf shop at Augusta National. But the 50,000-square-foot temporary structure built just off the first hole at Quail Hollow Club is humming this week.

While there aren’t any garden gnomes [[link removed]] or $500 teddy bears [[link removed]] for sale, the fun fact of the week is that the merch store, officially known as the PGA Shops, sells 20 hats per minute. That’s 1,200 hats an hour, and well over 10,000 on any given day. The total will easily surpass 50,000 by the end of the week.

Local-themed merch is turning out to be extremely popular, with many fans grabbing up and sporting the trendy large block-letter-style hats featuring inscriptions like CLT, 704 (the city’s area code), and QUAIL.

With no fans allowed at Monday’s practice round [[link removed]] and more inclement weather Tuesday, no PGA Championship merch sales records will be set this week, but there are more options than ever.

More than 50 brands and 1,200 different logoed items are available for purchase. Men’s apparel accounts for roughly 70% of the offerings, and women’s 30%, which officials said lines up with typical sales at large events run by the PGA of America.

Nike is running a DJ booth [[link removed]] at the front of the store (one of the perks of being the “official outfitter” of the PGA Championship), which has a big section of gear from the Swoosh as fans walk in.

For fans not at the course, PGA Championship organizers for the first time built an off-site pop-up merch shop in uptown Charlotte that’s open throughout the tournament.

FRONT OFFICE SPORTS TODAY 2025 NFL Schedule Breakdown, Giannis’s Future, and More

FOS illustration

The NFL schedule release has become a must-see event, but this year’s was even more significant because of changes in the streaming landscape. Baker Machado and Renee Washington bring you up to speed on this season’s schedule, including primetime appearances and where you can watch.

Plus, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s former teammate John Henson joins the show to weigh in on where the two-time MVP will end up next season. We also hear from the PGA Championship regarding its controversy, and Nicolas Cage leads a star-studded cast for the John Madden movie.

Watch the full episode here [[link removed]].

STATUS REPORT Two Up, One Down, One Push

Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Browns, Saints, and Titans ⬇ These are the only three teams in the NFL that are not scheduled to play any primetime games during the 2025 season. The league released its schedule [[link removed]] Wednesday night with a focus on big stand-alone games.

Carlos Sainz Sr. ⬆ Williams team principal James Vowles backed the idea of the two-time rally champion running for FIA president against the controversial Mohammed Ben Sulayem later this year [[link removed]]. Sainz’s son, Carlos Sainz Jr., is one of the drivers for Williams.

NBA All-Star weekend ⬆⬇ Commissioner Adam Silver said Monday on SiriusXM Radio that the league may look to change the dates for its showcase, which is normally scheduled the weekend after the Super Bowl. The All-Star Game has seen its viewership plummet in recent years [[link removed]] as its on-court product continues to decline.

Flag football ⬆ At next week’s NFL owners meetings, the league will consider a resolution that could allow active NFL players to participate in the flag football competition at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics [[link removed]].

FRONT OFFICE SPORTS LIVE

Jessica Berman Joins the Lineup

Tuned In [[link removed]], Front Office Sports’s media franchise, led by senior media reporter Mike McCarthy as well as media and entertainment reporter Ryan Glasspiegel, appears across FOS platforms through editorial coverage, social storytelling, and newsletters.

Last year, Tuned In came to life as a single-day event [[link removed]] with the biggest newsmakers in sports media. This September, Tuned In will return to New York City.

The event will feature intimate discussions with leaders in the sports media space—from athletes and on-air talent to media moguls and league executives.

Joining this year’s lineup of industry leaders is Jessica Berman, commissioner of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).

Register now [[link removed]] to join the exclusive conversation with her and other top-level experts.

Conversation Starters Amazon Prime and NBC Sports have built star-studded teams for their NBA coverage next season. Check out the list [[link removed]]. Dick Vitale announced he has been declared cancer-free by his doctors [[link removed]]. The PGA Championship in Charlotte is offering free concessions to everyone for the first time. Take a look [[link removed]]. Editors’ Picks House v. NCAA Settlement to Pay College Athletes: All Your Questions Answered [[link removed]]by Amanda Christovich [[link removed]]The yearslong lawsuit over player compensation is in the home stretch. Penn Continues to Fight Activist Investor While Admitting Struggles [[link removed]]by Ben Horney [[link removed]]The activist battle is heating up ahead of Penn’s shareholder meeting next month. From Lifetime to Primetime: Gotham FC Owner on NWSL Maturation [[link removed]]by Ben Horney [[link removed]]The Gotham FC governor also serves as strategic advisor to the Giants. Advertise [[link removed]] Awards [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Events [[link removed]] Video [[link removed]] Shows [[link removed]] Written by Colin Salao [[link removed]], Margaret Fleming [[link removed]], David Rumsey [[link removed]] Edited by Matthew Tabeek [[link removed]], Or Moyal [[link removed]], Catherine Chen [[link removed]]

If this email was forwarded to you, you can subscribe here [[link removed]].

Update your preferences [link removed] / Unsubscribe [link removed]

Copyright © 2025 Front Office Sports. All rights reserved.

460 Park Avenue South, 7th Floor, New York NY, 10016