Football

The beautiful chaos of NFL Sundays is back like it never left, so let’s sift through the storylines that shaped the season’s opening weekend.

September 14, 2026

The only 2026 NFL cheat sheet you need

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There’s no time to waste: The new NFL season is already underway after the Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots 13–10 in last night’s season-opening Super Bowl LX rematch. Whether you’re tackling conspiracy theories or drawing up travel plans, consider this your football cheat sheet.

September 10, 2026

NCAA football headlines from a raucous Week 1

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NCAA football chose chaos in Week 1: One powerhouse plummeted in the rankings, another program faces conference expulsion, and the postseason could be expanding…again. It’s been a minute since we went back to school, but has it always been this dramatic?

September 09, 2026

Everything you need to know about the 2026 NCAA football season

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After last weekend’s Week 0 soft launch, NCAA football is officially back with a full slate of Week 1 action, kicking off in earnest this weekend and culminating in the January 25th national championship. It’s been 229 days since the Indiana Hoosiers hoisted the program’s first trophy — aka, 228 days too long without the wildest, weirdest, most unpredictable game on grass.

September 04, 2026

Flag Football World Championships underscore opportunities ahead of LA28

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As we wrote in February, flag football participation is surging at the youth level, particularly for girls. There are more opportunities for girls to play flag compared to tackle football, and athletes (and their parents) are drawn to it as a “safer” option. Let’s look at the numbers that support the sport’s grassroots success.

August 22, 2026

Olympic spots on the line at flag football World Championships

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August 14, 2026

Three questions to ponder as the CFL’s 68th season kicks off

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One less down, the (modified) rouge, longer fields (for now) — there’s nothing quite like Canadian football. And the 68th CFL season started with a bang as the Montreal Alouettes beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 30–27 in overtime last night.

June 05, 2026

WNFC inks multiyear deal with ESPN for title game as broadcast exposure and sponsorship level up the league

Sports Business

WNFC inks multiyear deal with ESPN for title game as broadcast exposure and sponsorship level up the league

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June 02, 2026

The Women’s National Football Conference (WNFC) announced a multiyear agreement with ESPN yesterday to broadcast its June 21st championship game live on ESPN2. The league has seen recent growth, mostly thanks to increased media exposure and sponsorship, so we chatted with WNFC advisory board member, commentator, and former player Jennifer King to learn more.

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The GIST of It Podcast

Ep #590

Alex Ovechkin’s concerning relationship with Vladimir Putin

September 17, 2026

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Alex Ovechkin’s concerning relationship with Vladimir Putin

Today is Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin’s 41st birthday. It’s also the first day of training camp ahead of his 22nd and perhaps final season in the NHL, which should be cause for celebration as one of the league’s all-time greats. However, on today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz detail Ovi’s relationship with Russian president Vladimir Putin, inspired by the hockey player's recent ad endorsing Putin’s party ahead of parliamentary elections.