Month: September 2025

Combat Sports are a wide variety of disciplines that involve physical combat in specific rules. They are practiced both recreationally and professionally, with local, national, and international competitions that showcase athletes’ skills and techniques.

They are highly regulated, designed to minimize permanent or severe injuries to the competitors though organized officiating, use of protective equipment, and safety protocols. These include the use of a ring, which provides a defined combat area, and rules that limit the number of strikes and grappling techniques allowed in each match. In addition, participants wear padded gloves and mouthguards, and wrestle on a tatami mat to absorb the impact of falls.

The sport’s allure comes from its fast-paced action that keeps spectators on the edge of their seats. Athletes display years of training in every move, blending technique with instinct. Their skill and strategy engage a global audience and appeal to people of all ages and backgrounds.

Choosing the right discipline to practice depends on many factors, including what you like and your goals. For example, if you want to defend yourself, disciplines that teach punching and kicking will be more suitable than those that focus on grappling. Moreover, your morphology will also play a role in your choice: short and agile athletes may prefer a more explosive sport such as boxing or taekwondo. MMA is a good example, as it combines all the different techniques that exist today. However, you should always try a few modalities before you choose which one to train in.

The Asian Games are the continent’s second biggest multi-sport event after the Olympics. It is held every four years and features both Olympic sports as well as unique Asian sports such as kabaddi and sepak takraw. It was first conceived in 1951 and was regulated by the Asian Games Federation until it was replaced by the Olympic Council of Asia in 1982. The Games are known for their colourful mascots and vibrant competition venues.

The 2026 Asian Games will be hosted by Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya city in Japan from 19 September to 4 October 2026. This will be the third time the Games have been held in the country, having previously been held in Tokyo in 1958 and Hiroshima in 1994. The Aichi-Nagoya Organizing Committee will be seeking to build a games that are’more than just athletics’. They will do this by leveraging the strengths of both cities, including their rich culture and hospitality, which will make the Games more meaningful for all Asian people.

The Asian Games will feature 40 sports and 15,000 athletes and team officials from 45 countries and regions. The AINAGOC has drafted a transport plan that aims to provide smooth and comfortable travel for all athletes, teams, visitors and spectators during the Games. The plan outlines the development of specific routes, coordination with transport service providers, and operational preparations for arrival/departure, opening/closing ceremonies, daily movements to competition venues, etc. The plan also includes measures to curb private car use around the competition venues, and public announcements to encourage the use of mass transportation services.

When you hear athlete retirement news, the first thought that comes to mind is “what next?” Michael Phelps is one of the most decorated Olympic athletes of all time with 22 medals (17 gold) and will be hanging up his swimming trunks at the end of this year. However, it is important to remember that retiring from your sport does not happen overnight. Rather, it is a process that should be approached carefully and with plenty of support to ensure you’re happy and healthy once you stop competing.

The largest shift when an athlete retires is finding a new form of self-identity that isn’t defined by their sport. This can be difficult, particularly in elite sport environments that have specific social and cultural expectations. Athletes will likely have to re-construct their identity and learn how to function outside of their sport, which can cause strains on the relationships with family, friends, coaches and partners.

In addition, financial pressures can also make the transition to retirement challenging. Athletes are forced to learn how to balance work and life, which can often come with a pay cut and a change in financial lifestyle. It is therefore important for athletes to understand how financial decisions should be made and to educate themselves about investing early on in their career to make this a smoother transition. Lastly, ensuring that athletes stay in contact with their sport peers helps to keep them connected and prevents them from feeling like they are completely lost when they stop competing.

The sports industry is undergoing a major transformation. Driven by rising fan expectations, a push for equity and sustainability, new coaching technologies and more, innovation is happening across the game. Major sports technology trends include virtual and phygital training, smart stadium experiences, and AI coaching apps.

The next wave of smart sports equipment is improving player safety and performance. Wearable devices track biometric data in real time, enabling coaches and medical teams to assess player health and identify injuries early. For example, Riddell’s Axiom football helmet is equipped with sensors that monitor impact intensity and help reduce concussion risks. Meanwhile, soft-shell helmet caps like the Guardian Cap from Reebok are helping athletes reduce head impacts during practice. And software platforms like Firstbeat Sports aggregate data from multiple wearable devices into centralized dashboards, facilitating more efficient analysis and streamlined decision making.

Enhanced athlete recovery is another key driver of sports tech growth. Personalized, data-driven programs enable players to bounce back faster and maintain their competitive edge. For example, MLB players use the Medalist skincare line to refresh and hydrate their skin during workouts, avoiding irritation that could distract them from their sport. And a digital, data-driven approach to batting practice helps players improve their swings using an AI system called Blast Motion combined with Rapsodo and HitTrax.

The next generation of fans demands unique and immersive sports experiences that convert spectators into active participants. This is driving sports organizations to invest in premium physical spaces, partner with memorabilia companies for more original giveaways, and leverage technology to deliver hyper-personalized engagement strategies that boost fan loyalty. For instance, some stadiums are experimenting with facial recognition to facilitate touchless entry for pre-registered fans, such as Evolv’s MorphoWave Compact at Japan’s Level5 Stadium.

Esports Tournament News

Esports, or competitive gaming, are leagues or tournaments where individuals or teams play video games, often in front of a live audience, for entertainment and prizes. This form of gaming has grown from its humble beginnings in the early 1970s with the release of the Magnavox Odyssey and Atari 2600.

Since then, video game competitions have grown into multi-million dollar industries with a global following and sponsorships from companies like Microsoft and Red Bull. These events are a gamer’s version of an athletic championship and can be watched by millions on streaming platforms such as YouTube and Twitch, in packed arenas, or on traditional broadcast and cable television networks.

Some of the most popular esports include Dota 2, Counter-Strike, League of Legends, and Overwatch. The largest events feature huge prize pools and are held in sold-out stadiums such as Madison Square Garden (pictured). These competitions may be contested on consoles, or on PCs with specialized graphics cards.

In addition to the large tournaments, there are also a series of smaller competitions that are part of a larger league structure. These competitions allow lower-tier teams to compete against each other and earn a spot in the top division of the league. This system is similar to the promotion and relegation used in professional sports leagues.

As a result, the esports industry has quickly become a modern day gold rush. Major media networks such as ESPN and TBS host esports competitions, the owners of NHL and NBA franchises have added ownership stakes in esports teams, and over 600 colleges have incorporated varsity esports programs. However, esports are not immune to the same scandals that have plagued traditional athletic competitions – cheating, drug use, and discriminatory language have all been reported in esports competitions.

Defending champion Justin Rose maintained his spot atop the Masters leaderboard on Saturday, but Rory McIlroy took over in a heart-racing and lead-changing finish at Augusta National. The Northern Irishman drilled a wedge into 3 feet on the final hole to join Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player as major winners with his first green jacket.

After a rough start, McIlroy hit his stride with birdies on Nos. 9 and 10 to move into the lead at four under. A bogey on the par-3 16th shook his confidence, but he came back with a birdie at 17. McIlroy then played the 18th safe and was rewarded with a five-foot putt for birdie to take a two-shot lead.

Bryson DeChambeau shot a four-under 68 to stay within striking distance of McIlroy, but he could face some trouble when the leaders are paired together in Sunday’s final round. The two-time U.S. Open winner will be joined by Corey Conners and Scottie Scheffler at seven under as they chase their first green jackets.

Nick Dunlap made a huge turnaround after shooting a disastrous 18-over 90 in his Masters debut Thursday. He improved by 19 shots on Friday, but he still missed the cut. The 21-year-old is the youngest player in Masters history to shoot a 90.

The US Open opens on Sunday and will see many of the sport’s top players in action at Flushing Meadows over the next two weeks. Defending men’s champion Jannik Sinner begins his title defense against Vit Kopriva, while 2022 women’s titlist Aryna Sabalenka takes on Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova.

The final Grand Slam of the year is also breaking records, with a record purse of $90 million — including a $5 million winner’s share for both men’s and women’s singles winners. The prize money is the highest ever for a tennis event and more than doubles the amount of money that was available last year, when the US Open set a record for total player compensation.

This year’s tournament will feature 15 days of singles competition, starting a day earlier than usual. The change is part of an effort to increase ticket sales and boost television ratings for the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens. Nicole Kankam, the USTA’s managing director of pro tennis marketing and entertainment, joined “Mornings On 1” to discuss the changes this week ahead of Fan Week.

The US Open is the fourth and final of four Grand Slam tennis tournaments and is held annually at the iconic venue, which opened in 1978. It is one of the most popular events in tennis, and its acrylic hardcourts are among the most recognizable courts in the world. It began in Newport in 1881 and moved to New York in 1904. This year, the tournament runs from August 24 through September 7. The US Open is one of the sport’s most prestigious events and is played on the same court every year.

As the Olympics wrapped up in Paris, viral sports moments dominated social media. From “pommel horse guy” earning a bronze medal and a spot on Dancing with the Stars, to Ilona Maher rumbling over Aussies, to Steph Curry knocking out France, these moments inspired fans around the world.

Viral = Lightning Fast Fame

For athletes, viral moments can make or break careers. Amazing plays and kind gestures can boost endorsement deals, while bad ones can damage reputations for years.

It’s not just players who can go viral, spectators and coaches can as well. The internet has no mercy when it comes to making fun of mistakes, so it’s best for athletes to have a solid plan in place to handle those moments.

While a good plan can help them weather the storm, it’s important for young athletes to remember that behind every viral moment is a real person. That’s why it’s crucial to teach kids about empathy before diving into lessons on digital citizenship. It helps teens see athletes as humans dealing with intense pressure that most of us can’t imagine.

Shareable video content brings fans closer to the action, igniting excitement that lasts beyond the final score. By leveraging data like favorite players, past game attendance, and merchandise purchases, SEEN’s video personalization makes every fan feel an integral part of the team. It’s how you can turn every match into a spectacle, deepening fan loyalty and increasing brand affinity.

Fans’ glocally motivated activism can amplify their voices, but it can also put them at risk of punishment from their clubs and the wider industry. This threat, coupled with a White House that has no hesitancy in targeting perceived enemies, may explain why some teams act quickly to quell fan protest.

It’s not difficult to understand why some fans might feel the need to protest their club, especially when ticket prices are increasing or a club is pursuing business strategies that clash with the interests of their supporters. In a recent study, researchers found that while fan protests are often characterized as destructive, they can also be constructive and transformative.

In the case of Sevilla, fans are unhappy with president Jose Maria del Nido Carrasco and several board members for making poor decisions that have hurt the team financially. They’re urging the board to fire them.

A group of Sevilla supporters threw pieces of paper onto the pitch during their match against Atletico Madrid in an attempt to get their message across to the club’s president and board. A spokesman for the group tells the AP that they want Carrasco and other members fired.

One way that journalists can help support these fans’ efforts is to tell stories about their protests that humanize the people involved and legitimize their causes. In an experiment that compared different kinds of news coverage of a teenage football fan protest, researchers found that stories that humanized the teenager whose death sparked the protest led to more positive attitudes toward the protest and the protesters than stories that dehumanized them. These effects held regardless of participants’ political beliefs.

Gender equality in sports is a key issue in the fight for gender parity. Although Title IX and other policy initiatives have made great strides, the pay gap remains a barrier for female athletes. In the US, for example, male football players make forty times more money than their female counterparts. Megan Rapinoe, the captain of the world cup winning women’s US football team, has been one of many high-profile voices fighting for equal pay.

However, the challenges and barriers that female athletes face in sport are complex and influenced by broader social contexts in which stereotypes, biases, and discrimination still exist. Athletes and sports managers/teachers/coaches agreed on the existence of gender inequality in sport and identified strategies and tools to address it: increasing investment, awareness, and education; creating policies and legislation; fostering women’s leadership and role modeling; developing mixed and inclusive sports projects.

It was also found that there is a direct relationship between sports participation and attitudes towards gender equality in sport. The more an individual participates in sport, the more likely he/she is to support gender equality. This is in line with the findings that show a direct link between social movement action and supporting GE in sport (98-100).

This study suggests that it is important to listen to female players’ opinion when designing and implementing policies for gender equality in sports. This is especially important since they are the ones who witness gender inequalities on a daily basis.