Also: Racing and skateboarding icon Ken Block dies. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌
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All 32 NFL teams changed their Twitter profile pics to support the Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin, who suffered cardiac arrest in Monday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Athletes

Damar Hamlin Remains in Critical Condition As NFL Focuses On Player

Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

While the Buffalo Bills’ next scheduled game is Sunday, the entire league is focused on the condition of safety Damar Hamlin, who suffered cardiac arrest during Monday night’s game in Cincinnati.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the 24-year-old was still listed in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and remains in the intensive care unit, where he spent the night.

Hamlin went into cardiac arrest after making a tackle on Bengals receiver Tee Higgins. Medical personnel performed CPR, and an automatic defibrillator was reportedly brought to his side. 

The Bills later tweeted that Hamlin’s heartbeat was restored while still on the turf at Paycor Stadium. 

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell informed the league that the Bills-Bengals game would not be resumed this week after speaking with the two clubs and NFLPA leadership. The league hasn’t made a decision on whether the game will be resumed at a later date.

At the moment, no changes have been made to the NFL’s Week 18 schedule — the final week of the regular season.

“There’s nothing in consideration right now,” said Jeff Miller, the NFL’s executive vice president of communications.

Fans Donate Millions

In the hours after Hamlin was critically injured, thousands started donating to his GoFundMe page launched in 2020. Hamlin’s Chasing M’s Foundation started a toy drive with a goal of raising $2,500.

Since Monday night, more than 160,000 donations have been made, and the total amount raised is approaching $4.5 million

Deals

Cricket Australia Lands $1B Domestic Media Rights Extension

Cricket Australia

Cricket Australia has secured its next domestic media rights deal. 

The national governing body for cricket has extended its domestic media rights agreement with pay-TV operator Foxtel and free-to-air TV broadcaster Seven Network in a seven-year deal worth $1 billion

  • The pact runs from 2024 through the end of the 2030-31 season.
  • It covers all home men’s and women’s international matches.
  • The Big Bash Leagues — two Twenty20 competitions — are also included.

In December, Paramount was expected to win domestic media rights with a seven-year, $1 billion bid later matched by Foxtel and Seven.

Cricket Australia landed a deal with Disney worth $250 million in July to broadcast games in India via Disney Star, a content hub within the Disney+ streaming service. 

The deal — which runs from 2024 through 2027— includes the women’s T20 World Cup, the most engaged-with women’s event in the sport’s history at 1.64 billion total views across ICC channels.

Deal Resolves Dispute

Cricket Australia’s extension with Foxtel and Seven also ends a legal battle. 

Seven initiated court proceedings in Australia’s federal court to terminate its existing deal with Cricket Australia, claiming that the governing body had breached its contract.

In 2018, Cricket Australia signed a six-year, $794 million domestic media rights pact with Foxtel and Seven Network. Seven withdrew its legal proceedings following its latest deal.

Executives

Racing, Sneaker, Media Legend Ken Block Dies

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The sports world lost a unique figure on Monday in Ken Block, who died at age 55 in a snowmobile accident.

Block made a mark in both rally car racing and the sneaker world.

  • He co-founded DC Shoes in 1994, bringing designs inspired by athletic shoes to the skateboarding world.
  • The company was sold to Quiksilver in 2004 for a reported $88 million.
  • Block then pivoted to rally car racing, where he became a legend, winning 16 national titles from 2005 to 2014 and founding the Hoonigan Racing Division rally team in 2010.
  • He won five X-Games medals and was one of only four Americans to earn points in the World Rally Championship, a global competition run by the FIA.

Block had a net worth of around $230 million as of June 2022. 

His daughter Lia, 16, has raced with Hoonigan since she was 11, and his wife Lucy made her all-wheel-drive racing debut last March.

Extreme Media

Block grew his presence in racing and extreme sports through his YouTube channels.

His “Gymkhana” series on driving performance cars in urban environments amassed more than 550 million views and inspired an Amazon docuseries.

Block’s YouTube channel has just shy of 2 million subscribers — and Hoonigan’s has more than 5 million.

Conversation Starters

  • In The Leadoff, the Big Ten pockets $12 million from the CFP semifinals despite losses by Michigan and Ohio State, the Kansas City Royals are considering 14 sites for a new $2 billion stadium, the Jacksonville Jaguars may be redesigning TIAA Bank Field, and Aston Villa could host the 2028 Euros with stadium upgrades. Click here to listen.
  • Skip Bayless, co-host of FS1’s “Undisputed,” admitted his boss told him to “clarify” his tweet Monday night after Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills suffered cardiac arrest on the field.
  • Watch the Mercedes-Benz Stadium staff flip the Peach Bowl field overnight ahead of a game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Atlanta Falcons.

What to Watch

The Dallas Stars (23-9-6) face the Los Angeles Kings (21-13-6) on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.

How to Watch: 10 p.m. ET on ESPN 

Betting Odds: Stars -1.5 || ML -125 || O/U 6

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