We’re 10 days away from Super Bowl LV. Thinking of going to the big game? It’ll cost ya.

BY JEFF YODER
JAN. 28, 2021 | SUBSCRIBE | BROWSER VIEW

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Good Morning,

We’re 10 days away from Super Bowl LV. Thinking of going to the big game? It’ll cost ya. Hopefully you invested in GameStop.

Letter Rip!

NFL

Tickets to the Big Game

Photo: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images

Limited Seating & Home-Team Advantage Could Break Super Bowl Ticket Records

Thinking of going to the big game next week? Better move some money around. Super Bowl XLIX (2014) set the record at $8,700 for the cheapest seat in the building. That game featured the Patriots and Seahawks in Glendale, Arizona — two large fan bases in a rather inviting February climate. But this year’s Super Bowl ticket prices could shatter the records of any before it. Here’s why:

Tom, Tickets & Tampa Bay

Not only is 43-year-old Tom Brady back in the big game, but the Buccaneers will be the first team in NFL history to play a Super Bowl in their home stadium. That means Florida fans will have the unique luxury of attending a Super Bowl without the additional travel expenses. Factor in the COVID-19 pandemic — a limited capacity of 22,000 in Raymond James Stadium — and you’ve got prices ready to skyrocket. The league also donated roughly 1/3 of those tickets (7,500) to healthcare workers. That means there are less than 15,000 seats available to the public.

By Comparison: Super Bowl XLIX had 70,000 available seats when tickets hit an all-time high. This year’s average ticket price ($9,439) is already a new record for 10 days prior to gameday.

Additional Storylines

Sporting News: The Cheapest & Most Expensive Seats for Tampa (Right Now)

NY Post: Super Bowl LV Ticket Prices Soared With Buccaneers Victory in NFC Championship

NFL

Texans Hire David Culley

Photo: Diamond Images / Getty Images

Former Ravens Assistant Fills the Last NFL Head Coaching Vacancy

The last of seven NFL head coaching vacancies has been filled. The Houston Texans hired David Culley from the Baltimore Ravens on Wednesday night. Culley, 65, has been an NFL assistant for 27 years, but he’s never been a head coach, or even an offensive coordinator. He was the Ravens’ passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach. Baltimore ranked last in passing in 2020, but Culley is a well-respected leader. He becomes the fifth minority head coach in the NFL.

What It Means for Deshaun Watson

Culley’s Day 1 priority will be to repair the damaged relationship between QB Deshaun Watson and the Texans organization. The team has also kept offensive coordinator Tim Kelly due to a strong relationship with the quarterback. We’ll find out if Culley is the right man to keep Watson in Houston.

The Ravens also receive two compensatory 3rd-round picks as part of the NFL’s incentive to develop minority candidates for head coaching jobs.

Additional Storylines

ESPN: David Culley Tasked With Changing Texans’ Culture, But Will He Have Deshaun Watson?

The Ringer: Which NFL Team Can Make the Best ‘Godfather’ Offer for Deshaun Watson?

NBA

All-Star Voting Starts Today

Photo: Lampson Yip-Clicks Images / Getty Images

NBA Opens All-Star Voting Despite Uncertainty of All-Star Weekend

The 2021 NBA All-Star Game may not be played due to virus concerns, but that won’t stop the honors from happening. The league announced that all-star voting will open today (Noon ET) and continue through Feb. 16. The NBA’s typical schedule for All-Star Weekend falls in early February after teams have played roughly 50 games of the 82-game season. This year’s selection process feels a little bit flawed considering no team has played more than 20 games. The NBA also announced that plans for this year’s All-Star Weekend are “ongoing.”

Other NBA Highlights

Jazz Win 10th Straight: Utah’s win streak is still alive after a 116-104 win over the Mavericks. Rudy Gobert had a rare 20-20 night (29 pts, 20 rebs).

76ers Hold Off Lakers: The Lakers went on a 13-0 run to take a one-point lead in the final seconds of the fourth quarter against the 76ers Wednesday night, but Tobias Harris answered with a game-winning jumper on the final possession (107-106).

Get Bradley Beal Some Help: Wizards star Bradley Beal scored 47 points Wednesday night in an 18-point loss to the Pelicans. Beal has scored 40-plus three times this month (41, 47 & 60) all in Wizards’ losses.

All NBA Scores (Wednesday Night)

WNBA

Candace Parker Heads Home

Photo: Andy King / Getty Images

2X WNBA MVP Leaves L.A. Sparks After 13 Seasons to Join Chicago Sky

The WNBA’s free agency news got a jumpstart on Wednesday when 34-year-old Candace Parker decided to join her hometown Chicago Sky. Parker leaves the Los Angeles Sparks where she was the face of the franchise for more than a dozen years, The Naperville, Illinois native joins all-stars Courtney Vandersloot, Allie Quigley and Diamond Deshields, and immediately makes Chicago a WNBA Finals favorite.

Parker’s Accolades in LA

No. 1 Overall Pick (2008)
Rookie of the Year (2008)
2x MVP (2008, 2013)
WNBA Finals Champion (2016)
WNBA Finals MVP (2016)
WNBA Defensive POY (2020)

Parker ranks in the top-15 in WNBA history in nearly every statistical category; points (14th), rebounds (9th), blocks (8th) and assists (14th).

Additional Storylines

ESPN: What Does Candace Parker’s Move Mean for Chicago, L.A. & the WNBA?

WNBA: Free Agency Hub: The Top Free Agents in 2021

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

🏒 NHL: Preds Sweep in Shootout

The Nashville Predators beat the Chicago Blackhawks (2-1, SO) for the second straight night thanks to Matt Duchene’s only goal in an overtime shootout despite 41 saves from Blackhawks’ goaltender Kevin Lankinen.

⚽️ EPL: Man-U Crumbles at Home

Sheffield United played spoiler in Wednesday’s Premier League action with a stunning 2-1 upset against table-leaders Manchester United. Sheffield was previously 1-2-16 and dead last in the EPL standings. Manchester City takes over the top spot.

🏀 NCAAM: Baylor Lowers the Boom

#2 Baylor men’s basketball delivered a 48-point beatdown on Kansas State (107-59) in one of the biggest blowouts of the season. Junior guard Davion Mitchell had a career-high 31 points, and the Bears had a dozen players score.

THE STORYLINES

⚾️ MLB: Best Players Rejected by Hall of Fame

No players were selected to the 2021 Baseball Hall of Fame class. We set out to identify the best player at each position who has been rejected by the Baseball Hall of Fame voting system. (Bleacher Report)

🏈 NFL: 2021 NFL Draft Guide

Is Trevor Lawrence the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck? Is Justin Fields or Zach Wilson more likely to go at No. 2? Will DeVonta Smith or Ja’Marr Chase be the top receiver off the board? And what comes next? (The Ringer)

🎾 TENNIS: Who’s In & Who’s Out?

The first three weeks of the tennis season have not been short of drama. Both Roger Federer and Andy Murray have withdrawn. Let’s take a look at who’s in, who’s out, and who said what in the run-up to the 2021 Australian Open. (Eurosport)

THE HEADLINES

Tennessee Football Hires Former UCF Head Coach Josh Heupel

(CBS Sports)

Penguins GM Jim Rutherford Suddenly Resigns Citing Personal Reasons

(ESPN)

Inaugural Poet Amanda Gorman to Perform at Super Bowl LV

(USA Today)

Northwestern Secures Football Coach Pat Fitzgerald With 10-Year Contract Extension

(SB Nation)

TE Jason Witten Retires After 17 NFL Seasons; Will Sign 1-Day Contract With Cowboys

(Bleacher Report)

Anti-Vaccination Groups Blame Hank Aaron’s Death on COVID-19 Vaccination

(Yahoo! Sports)

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