Will the NFL soon be the IFL? Maybe not in name but with an international series schedule that could expand to 16 games per season, with all 32 teams traveling a collective 626,000 miles, it’s clear the focus for expansion is global. For now, this year’s schedule includes three games in the U.K., and one each in Brazil, Germany, Spain and Ireland.

Last year, Hurricane Helene rained on Asheville’s parade. Asheville, in addition to being a sports hosting powerhouse, welcomes tourists by the carload for leaf-peeping, but its 2024 season ended even before it began. Since then, it (and other destinations) have roared back with great colors, plenty of attractions and lots of reasons to celebrate.

Alcohol consumption has long been associated with sports, at least at the college and pro levels, and sales of beer, wine and mixed drinks are dependable as a revenue stream. But the recent news that Americans are drinking less, and the fact that non-drinkers want their own spaces, has encouraged many sports events and venues to hit the reset button.

A new entry in the 2028 Games in Los Angeles is beach sprint, a hybrid of running and rowing. What’s interesting is that while it’s usually after the Olympics that a bounce takes place, in this case, beach sprint is growing now, coming to destinations across the country. Here’s a rundown of the sport as exciting for spectators as it is for competitors.

Social media influencers seem to be everywhere these days and that includes at sports events. But so-called “runfluencers” or people who promote races, running clubs, shoes and other attire, are being taken to task for creating inaccurate images of running, and for interfering with events and other athletes. And nobody is hitting the “like” button.

Sedentary, schmedentary. NCAA just announced a new record high in the number of student athletes participating in its championship sports. Oh, and by the way, next year could be even bigger, thanks to two women-specific championships being offered in wrestling (more than 110 teams are expected) and fencing. Read on to learn more and get the report.