Start Late, Dive Deep, Shine Bright 🚌
Some games start late… some go full science-fiction… and some feel like recess.
Today? We’ve got all three. You ready? ⬇️
1️⃣ Start Late and Finish Big 🚌⚽
Club World Cup. Semifinal. Paris Saint-Germain vs. Real Madrid.
Delayed!
No joke… both of the team buses were stuck in New York City traffic! So the game started late.
But once they arrived?
🎥 Hit play.
Whoa! Domination by PSG, 4–0.
They play Chelsea on Sunday for the championship.
2️⃣ All-Stars and Robo-Umps 🤖⚾
Earlier this week, we celebrated Clayton Kershaw making his 11th All-Star Game.
On Tuesday, when it’s game time, he might be surprised by who’s calling balls and strikes.
For the first time ever, MLB will use something called the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) system at the All-Star Game in Atlanta. Yep, robot umpires are getting their big moment.
Here’s how it works:
Each team gets two challenges on ball/strike calls
Pitchers, hitters, and catchers can all challenge
Challenges must be made right away
ABS video will play on the scoreboard for the (human) umps to review
If you win the challenge, you keep it and can use it again
It’s just a test… for now. But it’s one of many changes baseball is exploring to make the game faster, fairer, and more fun.
👀 Curious what else MLB is changing?
We’ve got you covered with this week’s deep dive. Find it right here. ⬇️
3️⃣ Pick Your Squad: Caitlin or Phee? 🤝🏀
Baseball’s All-Star Game is Tuesday. The WNBA’s All-Star Game is a few days later.
And while baseball is testing robo-umps, the W’s got its own twist:
Fans voted for who made the game. But the players? They drafted the teams.
That’s right. Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier got the most fan votes, so they became captains.
Then? They took turns picking from the rest of the All-Stars. Just like you pick teams on the playground.
Clark built a home team… literally. She used her top picks to bring both her Fever teammates, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell, onto her squad.
Collier made sure her Lynx family stayed together. She made a trade to keep her coach, Cheryl Reeve, who was supposed to coach Clark’s team.
And she picked stars from Unrivaled, the cool 3-on-3 basketball league she started, like Breanna Stewart, Skylar Diggins, and Courtney Williams.
🎤 Two captains. One draft. A whole lot of star power.
📺 Tipoff is Saturday, July 19, on Clark’s home court in Indianapolis.
Whether buses stall or captains make the call, Smallball’s on it. 🎯
See you tomorrow!