Breakfast Bites - the FIJI & PACIFIC SPORTS NEWS Podcast - a TEIVOVO Digital Podcast #TeivovoRugby

Kia ora, Talofa, Ma’lelei, Bula and Welcome to Season 08 Episode 13 of Breakfast Bites, by TeivovoSports.com – a wrap of Pasifika people’s sports news, on a sunny and bright Saturday morning 13 January 2024. Coming to you with tons of hanisi from the 180th meridian in the middle of the Blue Continent. In rugby league: Broncos Coach Kevin Walters plans to unleash 19-year-old Prop Ben Te Kura this season after an impressive pre-season at Red Hill. Te Kura, who is nicknamed ‘Big Ben’, stands at 2.05M tall and weighs 122Kg, which makes him one of the biggest players in the NRL. Put it this way: He is 11cm taller and five kilos heavier than his superstar teammate and leading Broncos enforcer Payne Haas. In rugby union: While Papua New Guinea Men and Women lost all their games on Day One of the World Rugby HSBC 7s Challenger 2024, Tonga men scored two very good wins over Chile 19-26 and Portugal 21-26. In football: Despite receiving offers from elsewhere and not being a guaranteed starter, Anthony Martial is reportedly keen to stick around at Manchester United for the remainder of his contract. SKY Sports reports Martial, who will become a free agent on 30 June, has little interest in leaving Old Trafford in the January window. The report claims the French striker has knocked back the likes of Marseille, Fenerbache as well as cashed-up clubs in Saudi Arabia happy to remain at United. The Red Devils want to receive a transfer fee before losing Martial for free in the summer. After scoring 17 league goals in the 2019/20 campaign, the 28-year-old has found the back of the net just 12 times across the four seasons since. In the NBA & SportsBiz: Victor Wembanyama, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, currently has the best-selling NBA jersey in France, and also in all of Europe. In the US and Canada, the 20-year-old sits only behind NBA superstars Steph Curry and LeBron James. Despite the Spurs having the NBA’s second-worst record halfway through Wembanyama’s rookie season, his presence in the NBA is drawing French fans, with NBA viewership in France up 26% on last year. In combat sports: Kiwi-Nigerian UFC star, Israel Adesanya has been discharged without conviction after his lawyer revealed that the UFC superstar was at risk of losing lucrative sponsorship deals over his drink driving charge. The fighter admitted to drink driving on 19 August 2023, in the weeks leading up to his loss to Sean Strickland at UFC293 in Sydney, which saw Adesanya lose his middleweight title to the American. And that’s a wrap! For TeivovoSports.com I’m Culden Kamea – please hit the like and subscribe buttons below if you want to receive more Pasifika sports highlights on Breakfast Bites. Mahalo, Kakite and tank you all too mas for all your love and support. #TEIVOVORugby #TEIVOVODigital #TeivovoRugby #TeivovoDigital #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #Raka #team #rugbytraining #sports #FRU #Fiji #womensrugby #rugbygirls #wrugby #ladiesrugby #womeninsport #woman #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #fitness #weightlifting #training #team #rugbytraining #sports #rakavi #DevelopmentFiji

Kia ora, Talofa, Ma’lelei, Bula and Welcome to Season 08 Episode 12 of Breakfast Bites, by TeivovoSports.com – a wrap of Pasifika people’s sports news, on a sunny and bright Friday morning 12 January 2024.   Coming to you with tons of hanisi from the 180th meridian in the middle of the Blue Continent.    In rugby league: Watch out for Jacob Alick in 2024.   Representing Papua New Guinea in the Rugby League World Cup has boosted his confidence, which ultimately helped him have a breakout season in 2023.   The 24-year-old made his NRL debut in Round 19 and played four more games before the end of the season. At 1.92M, the 105Kg second-rower was enormous for the Burleigh Bears in Queensland Cup with 12 tries in 19 games and was rewarded with a spot in the Team of the Year as well as new a Titans deal for 2024.   Alick has made a good impression on new Titans coach Des Hasler and will push for more games this year.   In football: Former England football Manager Sven-Göran Eriksson has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. When asked about the prognosis, Eriksson said he has “maybe at best a year, at worst a little less to live”.   The 75-year-old told a Swedish radio station “Everyone guesses it’s cancer and it is. But I have to fight as long as I can.”   In SportsBiz: The NFL averaged 17.9 million viewers per game across all networks for the regular season, up by 7% from a year ago and the NFL’s best figure since 2015.   In addition, each of the NFL’s domestic rights-holders showed growth on 2022: · Amazon was up 24% to an average of 11.9 million viewers for Thursday Night Football. · CBS was up 5% to an average of 19.4 million for overall coverage and an average of 24.6 million for late Sunday afternoon games. · CBS also had the season’s most-watched game of 41.8 million for the Washington-Dallas game on Thanksgiving. · ESPN was up 29% to an average of 17.4 million for Monday Night Football. · Fox up 2% to an average of 24.62 million for its America’s Game of the Week national broadcasts. · NBC up 8% to an average of 21.4 million for Sunday Night Football.  The NFL also showed improvement in: female viewership, which rose 9% its highest level ever thanks to Taylor Swift, as well as the best levels of viewership in the under-35 demographic since 2019. The NFL further flexed its television prowess by claiming 93 of Nielsen’s top 100 broadcasts in 2023.    In combat sports: With the undisputed World Heavyweight title fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk just weeks away, the undercard is coming together, with one name from out of the blue.   Former WBA, WBO & IBF Light-heavyweight World Champion and 2014 Fighter of the Year, Sergey Kovalev is making a sensational return at the age of 40.   Kovalev will fight as a cruiserweight against unbeaten Swede Robin Safar (16-0).   And that’s a wrap!   For TeivovoSports.com I’m Culden Kamea – please hit the like and subscribe buttons below if you want to receive more Pasifika sports highlights on Breakfast Bites.   Mahalo, Kakite and tank you all too mas for all your love and support.   #TEIVOVORugby  #TEIVOVODigital #TeivovoRugby #TeivovoDigital #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #Raka #team #rugbytraining #sports #FRU #Fiji #womensrugby #rugbygirls #wrugby #ladiesrugby #womeninsport  #woman #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #fitness #weightlifting #training #team #rugbytraining #sports  #rakavi  #DevelopmentFiji

Ki ora, Talofa, Ma’lelei, Bula and Welcome to Season 08 Episode 11 of Breakfast Bites the FIJI & PACIFIC SPORTS NEWS PODCAST, by TeivovoSports.com – a wrap of Pasifika people’s sports news, on a sunny and bright Thursday morning 11 January 2024. Coming to you with tons of hanisi from the 180th meridian, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.  In rugby union The opening round of the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024, takes place at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai from tomorrow over three days. There is more to play for than ever before in this year’s Challenger with the competition expanded to three rounds and the top four placed men’s and women’s teams qualifying for the new promotion and relegation play-off competition at the HSBC SVNS 2024 Grand Final in Madrid. The 12-team men’s and women’s competition format replicates the Olympic Games with three pools of four teams each. The Challenger runs from January to May with men’s and women’s combined events in Dubai, UAE and Montevideo, Uruguay before standalone events in Germany and Poland. Three teams in the Men’s competition – Uruguay, Japan and Kenya – have already booked their places at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and they headline Pools A, B and C respectively. All teams qualified for the Challenger 2024 through regional competitions. In SportsBiz US$35Million is the amount in cash bonus that Mark Cuban is distributing to Dallas Mavericks employees after selling his majority interest in the NBA team, according to ESPN. “To calculate your bonus, we used a framework that took into consideration how long you have worked for the Mavs,” Cuban emailed staff. In combat sports Cameroonian warrior Francis Ngannou made over US$10Million against Tyson Fury, with a report from the Sports Business Journal claiming he is expected to earn around US$20M this time around against AJ. As for Joshua, he's expected to make 'double that figure' so he could bank around US$40M. In the NBA Toronto Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic delivered one of the angriest rants in recent NBA history after the LA Lakers were given 23 last-quarter free throws in a 132-131 win. The Lakers escaped by the skin of their teeth at home after hitting 10 free throws in the last 34 seconds of the game alone. In total the Raptors went eight of 13 on free throws, while the Lakers shot 28 of 36. “That’s outrageous. What happened tonight, is complete BS,” Rajakovic declared post-game. “Shame on the referees, shame on the NBA for allowing this: 23 free throws for them and we get two free throws in the fourth quarter. “If that’s the case, just let us know so we don’t show up for the game, give them the win. He concluded: “It’s complete crap.” He’s right too – in football it’s a fixed match! That’s what it is. And that’s a wrap! For TEIVOVOsports.com I’m Culden Kamea - Mahalo, vinaka and thank you. Please hit the subscribe button below if you would like to receive more Pasifika sports highlights on Breakfast Bites. And tank you all too mas for all your love and support.   Mahalo, vina’a and tank you all too mass for all your love and support. #BreakfastBites #TEIVOVOSports #TeivovoRugby #TeivovoDigital #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #Raka #team #rugbytraining #sports #FRU #Fiji #BreakfastBites  #TEIVOVOsports #TeivovoRugby #TeivovoDigital #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby  #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #Raka #team #rugbytraining #sports #FRU #Fiji Listen to "10-01-2024 Breakfast Bites FIJI & PACIFIC SPORTS NEWS Podcast S08E10 #TeivovoSports #TeivovoDigital" on Spreaker.

Kia ora, Talofa, Ma’lelei, Bula and Welcome to Season 08 Episode 10 of Breakfast Bites, by TeivovoSports.com – a wrap of Pasifika people’s sports news, on a sunny and bright Wednesday morning 10 January 2024. Coming to you with tons of hanisi from the 180th meridian in the middle of the Blue Continent. In rugby union: When asked recently who will skipper the All Blacks in 2024, new All Blacks Head Coach, Scott Robertson remained tight-lipped, although he did say when the captaincy announcement would be made. “I’ll name the Captain as we come into the England series, when we name the squad,” he said. “I’ve got to get in front of a few people, have conversations, catch a few eyes, get on the odd knee and have some chats. “It’s important we do that for all options.” With Sam Cane and Ardie Savea not in action at Super Rugby Pacific level this year, it gives other players the chance to impress Robertson with their leadership skills, like Crusaders skipper Scott Barrett and fellow All Black Codie Taylor. In rugby league: Wests Tigers have sacked their head of recruitment, Scott Fulton just days after landing arguably the biggest signing in the Club’s history in Panthers star Jarome Luai. Fulton was controversially appointed by previous Tigers management led by CEO Justin Pascoe without the knowledge of then coach Tim Sheens and assistant turned head coach Benji Marshall. In football: Franz Beckenbauer, one of football’s iconic figures and a rare World Cup winner as both player and coach who revolutionised the way the game is played, has died. Born in Munich in 1945, he helped establish Bayern as Germany’s strongest Club and at international level, he played a key role in Germany becoming a footballing powerhouse. Known in Germany as “the Kaiser”, Beckenbauer played a central role in some of the country’s greatest sporting achievements and was named European footballer of the year in 1972 and 1976. In SportsBiz: Over the weekend, the Los Angeles Dodgers made another free-agent signing, this time bringing in Seattle Mariners outfielder Teoscar Hernández on a one-year US$23.5Million deal. The agreement pushes the team’s offseason spending to more than US$1.2Billion when including free-agent deals for two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani, pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Joe Kelly, a five-year contract extension for pitcher Tyler Glasnow, and several other smaller deals. And that’s not including the nearly US$51Million posting fee also being paid to Yamamoto’s former Japanese team. The Dodgers’ offseason spending roughly equals that of the other 29 MLB teams combined. In combat sports: Speaking on the MMA Hour, Cameroonian warrior Francis Ngannou insists he is improving as a boxer because he is only a beginner and believes his upcoming fight with Anthony Joshua is an easier task for him after pushing Fury all the way in his narrow defeat, last year. “No one knows what I can do,” Ngannou told The MMA Hour. “That was my first fight in boxing. That was my first fight. As anyone, I’m just improving, and the gap of improvement for a beginner like me, it’s huge. I’m just a beginner improving. “I think most likely that I’ll be knocking Anthony Joshua out,” Ngannou said. “I think that he’s easier to go down than Fury. I mean, not that he’s not a strong fighter. He’s a very tough fighter, but he’s easier to send down than Fury, and it’s harder for him to get back up than Fury.” Ha ha I like this guy already! And that’s a wrap! For TeivovoSports.com I’m Culden Kamea – please hit the like and subscribe buttons below if you want to receive more Pasifika sports highlights on Breakfast Bites. Mahalo, Kakite and tank you all too mas for all your love and support. #TEIVOVORugby #TEIVOVODigital #TeivovoRugby #TeivovoDigital #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #Raka #team #rugbytraining #sports #FRU #Fiji #womensrugby #rugbygirls #wrugby #ladiesrugby #womeninsport #woman #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #fitness #weightlifting #training #team #rugbytraining #sports #rakavi #DevelopmentFiji

Kia ora, Talofa, Ma’lelei, Bula and Welcome to Season 08 Episode 09 of Breakfast Bites, by TeivovoSports.com – a wrap of Pasifika people’s sports news, on a sunny and bright Tuesday morning 09 January 2024. Coming to you with tons of hanisi from the 180th meridian in the middle of the Blue Continent. In rugby union: Fiji Men’s 7s Head Coach Ben Gollings, the subject of a personal attack from Fiji rugby 7s legend Jerry Tuwai, has responded by insisting teams have to “go through the valleys and dark times.” Gollings is preparing his squad for the next HSBC SVNS leg in Perth later this month with the defence of Fiji’s Olympic Games gold medal in Paris looming this summer having not won any of the HSBC rounds last year, added: “Rome wasn’t built in a day, so we can’t be winning tournaments and games all the time. “This is a very important year for us, so we want to get it started on a high. Winning the first tournament of the season, which is the Perth 7s, is our next task and the boys are looking forward to competing.” In rugby league: The Top NRL Stories From 2023 – Sam Burgess Walks Out On Souths: The Rabbitohs were sitting pretty on top of the NRL table, before a calf injury to superstar Latrell Mitchell in ORIGIN, camp sparked an almighty season implosion that culminated in an overhaul of their support staff. Mitchell’s calf injury was meant to keep him out for a fortnight but he ended up missing most of the middle part of the season and without him Souths looked rudderless. Even when he returned late in the season, Mitchell was below his best and was suspended for the crucial final game of the season against the Roosters, which saw the Bunnies miss the finals altogether. Assistant coaches Sam Burgess and John Morris were made to pay for Souths’ horror season fade-out, with the loss of their jobs. In football: Liverpool survived an Arsenal barrage to steal a win in the FA Cup third round in dramatic fashion as a pair of late goals sealed their gritty 2-0 win on Sunday. While Kevin De Bruyne’s long-awaited return for Manchester City in the holders’ 5-0 rout of Huddersfield was a memorable moment, it was Liverpool’s gritty win at the Emirates Stadium that stole the spotlight. In SportsBiz: One of the hottest NFL head coach targets could be Jim Harbaugh, who is reportedly weighing up a 10-year, US$125Million contract extension at Michigan to make him the highest-paid coach in college football. Harbaugh has already been linked to openings in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, and he has hired a new agent, Don Yee, who has strong NFL ties. In combat sports: UFC CEO Dana White took to social media to announce a pair of gigantic UFC Lightweight contests that will have immediate impact on the title picture at 155 pounds. First, former interim champion Dustin Poirier faces surging Frenchman Benoît Saint Denis in a 5-round co-main event at UFC299 on 09 March in Miami. The next month at UFC300, former undisputed champion Charles Oliveira takes on Arman Tsarukyan with a title shot against Islam Makhachev on the line. And that’s a wrap! For TeivovoSports.com I’m Culden Kamea – please hit the like and subscribe buttons below if you want to receive more Pasifika sports highlights on Breakfast Bites. Mahalo, Kakite and tank you all too mas for all your love and support. #TEIVOVORugby #TEIVOVODigital #TeivovoRugby #TeivovoDigital #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #Raka #team #rugbytraining #sports #FRU #Fiji #womensrugby #rugbygirls #wrugby #ladiesrugby #womeninsport #woman #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #fitness #weightlifting #training #team #rugbytraining #sports #rakavi #DevelopmentFiji

Kia ora, Talofa, Ma’lelei, Bula and Welcome to Season 08 Episode 08 of Breakfast Bites, by TeivovoSports.com – a wrap of Pasifika people’s sports news, on a sunny and bright Monday morning 08 January 2024. Coming to you with tons of hanisi from the 180th meridian in the middle of the Blue Continent. In rugby union: The chance to win a gold medal at home has lured one of the best rugby players in the world to sevens for this year’s Paris Olympics. But you will not see any All Blacks following France star Antoine Dupont’s lead – it’s too hard and stacked with risk. In a massive boost for the event, Dupont – a finalist for World Rugby Player of the year in 2023 – has decided to have a crack at sevens and will forgo this year’s Six Nations in an attempt to win Olympic gold. It is a marketing dream for the Paris Olympics as he is the biggest rugby star in France and his presence alone has made the hosts an instant contender for gold. In rugby league: The Top NRL Stories From 2023 – Nathan Cleary’s Grand Final Masterclass: The Broncos had one hand on the 2023 premiership trophy after Ezra Mam’s second half hat-trick gave Brisbane a commanding 24-8 lead with 17 minutes to go in the NRL Grand Final. However, Panthers halfback Nathan Cleary had other ideas and threw his team on his back to lead an unbelievable comeback that months later still has the NRL world scratching its head. Cleary set up two tries, produced a superb 40/20 and then scored the match winning four-pointer with a dummy and go to clinch an unthinkable 26-24 victory and a third straight title for the mountain men. Kevin Walters and Adam Reynolds were at a complete loss as to how their team let the game slip, while even Ivan Cleary admitted halfway through the second half that he doubted his team could come back. But Cleary was at the peak of his powers on his way to winning a second Clive Churchill Medal and showed why many believe he is the best player in the game. For the Broncos it will always be the one that got away, while Cleary’s pure belief and will to win, combined with his supreme skills ensured he etched his name into grand final folklore in arguably the greatest comeback ever in an NRL grand final. In SportsBiz: A collection of Michael Jordan game-worn sneakers is going to auction and is projected to fetch US$7 - $10Million. The Sotheby’s auction, starting 02 February includes a single Air Jordan shoe from each of the clinching games in Jordan’s six NBA Finals appearances, all autographed by the basketball icon. The shoes were originally given to former Chicago Bulls public relations executive Tim Hallam, who then sold them to a private collector, who in turn has retained Sotheby’s for the latest auction. The collection is predicted to smash the existing sneaker sales record of US$2.2Million for a single pair of Air Jordans worn by His Airness during Game 2 of the 1998 NBA Finals. Among the prominent deals and records set in the last two years across the memorabilia business: · US$12.6Million sale in 2022 of a Mickey Mantle baseball card from 1952. · US$10.1M sale in 2022 of a Jordan jersey from Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals. · US$9.3M sale in 2022 of Diego Maradona’s famous “Hand of God” jersey from the 1986 World Cup. · US$7.8M sale last month of a collection of Lionel Messi jerseys from the 2022 World Cup. · US$7.25M sale in 2022 of a baseball card from 1909. · US$7.2M sale last month of a Babe Ruth baseball card from 1914. In combat sports: As they say in the fight game – “Be very careful what you wish for.” Undefeated American, Vergil Ortiz Jnr has called out Tim Tszyu for a WBO World title fight – with his legendary promoter Oscar De La Hoya suggesting he would even be willing to make the fight in Australia. After spending the best part of 18 months away from the ring due to various health issues, Ortiz returned in stunning fashion on Sunday afternoon in Las Vegas – scoring a first round TKO over Frederick Lawson. Prior to Sunday’s bout, Ortiz Jr. had produced all of his 19 victories by stoppage at welterweight. He now has his first in the super welterweight division. “I’ve told Oscar put me in again as soon as you can. Let’s do it. Let’s go tomorrow. “This is a sport where we want to prove we’re the best, the strongest … that’s what fighters are supposed to do. “I don’t fear anyone. “I’ll fight anyone, anywhere, anytime. Asked what was next, Ortiz replied: “Bro there’s a lot of fighters that I want to fight and I know people would love to see this fight so Tim Tszyu, with all respect, I would love to fight you. “I think you’re a hell of a fighter, let’s make it happen. “It’s all business. “I want to fight the best.” “So if we have to go to Australia, I’m down.” Tszyu has already responded to the surprise call out on social media, saying he would happily accept what he dubbed a “modern day classic” with the rising star whose knockout record now stands at 20-zip. And that’s a wrap! For TeivovoSports.com I’m Culden Kamea – please hit the like and subscribe buttons below if you want to receive more Pasifika sports highlights on Breakfast Bites. Mahalo, Kakite and tank you all too mas for all your love and support. #TEIVOVORugby #TEIVOVODigital #TeivovoRugby #TeivovoDigital #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #Raka #team #rugbytraining #sports #FRU #Fiji #womensrugby #rugbygirls #wrugby #ladiesrugby #womeninsport #woman #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #fitness #weightlifting #training #team #rugbytraining #sports #rakavi #DevelopmentFiji

Kia ora, Talofa, Ma’lelei, Bula and Welcome to Season 08 Episode 07 of Breakfast Bites, by TeivovoSports.com – a wrap of Pasifika people’s sports news, on a sunny and bright Sunday morning 07 January 2024. Coming to you with tons of hanisi from the 180th meridian in the middle of the Blue Continent. In rugby union: England Captain, Owen Farrell who has won 112 Test caps with England, is taking a break from international rugby to focus on his mental well-being and as such, opted out of the 2024 Guinness Six Nations. BREAKING NEWS this morning is that Farrell is also leaving Saracens and signing with Top 14 French Club Racing 92. In rugby league: The Top NRL Story From 2023 – 1. The Clean Out Of The Tigers Cage: Wests Tigers had been a basket case for so long that no one could have predicted they would have the courage to make a huge call and sack their entire board and CEO in one swoop. After overseeing years of mediocrity, Chairman Lee Hagipantelis and CEO Justin “Fiasco” Pascoe were blindsided and shown the door with a new board led by Barry O’Farrell and interim CEO Shane Richardson installed. Remarkably, Hagipantelis’ Bryden Lawyers still have a year to run on their multi-million dollar sponsorship with the Club. The Tigers picked up their second straight wooden spoon and have the longest finals drought in the NRL, so it was no surprise a petition from a fan of the club sparked the seismic change of direction. Rookie coach Benji Marshall will have his work cut out in his first season in charge in 2024, but there is at least a feeling of a clean slate and that could help him turn the Tigers around on and off the field, to restore some pride next season and beyond. In combat sports: BREAKING BOXING NEWS: Anthony Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn posted on X: "Tonight we confirm it’s a done deal! @anthonyjoshua v @francis_ngannou collide on a huge night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - press conference Jan 15 in London with full details dropping soon!" The Joshua-Ngannou ten-round fight will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on 08 March 2024. And Deontay Wilder could fight Chinese giant, Zhilei Zhang on the undercard. Only in the USA: This afternoon could be Bill Belichick’s last game with the New England Patriots, who host the New York Jets in a meaningless matchup for both clubs. With an annual salary now reported to be US$25Million, Belichick has already clinched the worst record (currently 4-12) of his 24-year tenure, during which he has been paid at least US$200M, by conservative estimates. Despite reportedly receiving a “lucrative, multiyear” extension ahead of this season, according to NFL.com, Belichick could still be one of several coaches to lose their high-paying jobs on Black Monday, the first day after the regular season concludes. ESPN report there could be as many as 10 NFL coaches ultimately fired this cycle. As evidenced by the three Coaches already fired, change isn’t cheap: · Las Vegas will spend US$85M buying out head coach Josh McDaniels, general manager Dave Zeigler, and other coaches contracts. · Carolina will pay head coach Frank Reich US$27M and · The Los Angeles Chargers owe Brandon Staley at least US$4M. Coaches in Atlanta, New Orleans, and Tampa Bay are believed to be on the hot seat (particularly for whichever two don’t win the NFC South), as well as those in Chicago and Washington. And that’s a wrap! For TeivovoSports.com I’m Culden Kamea – please hit the like and subscribe buttons below if you want to receive more Pasifika sports highlights on Breakfast Bites. Mahalo, Kakite and tank you all too mas for all your love and support. #TEIVOVORugby #TEIVOVODigital #TeivovoRugby #TeivovoDigital #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #Raka #team #rugbytraining #sports #FRU #Fiji #womensrugby #rugbygirls #wrugby #ladiesrugby #womeninsport #woman #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #fitness #weightlifting #training #team #rugbytraining #sports #rakavi #DevelopmentFiji

Kia ora, Talofa, Ma’lelei, Bula and Welcome to Season 08 Episode 06 of Breakfast Bites, by TeivovoSports.com – a wrap of Pasifika people’s sports news, on a sunny and bright Saturday morning 06 January 2024. Coming to you with tons of hanisi from the 180th meridian in the middle of the Blue Continent. In rugby union: England Captain, Owen Farrell will not compete in the 2024 Guinness Six Nations, after he announced that he would be taking a break from international rugby to focus on his and his family’s mental well-being. Farrell has earned 112 England caps, won three Guinness Six Nations championships in 2016, 2017 and 2020 as captain. He sits fourth on the list of Guinness Six Nations points scorers with 528 points, 18 behind compatriot Jonny Wilkinson and 38 off current record holder Johnny Sexton. The fly-half also became England’s all-time top points scorer during Rugby World Cup 2023, overtaking Wilkinson as he kicked his side to quarter-final victory against Fiji. In rugby league: Wests Tigers are set to announce another big signing in the coming days, with Papua New Guinea Kumuls and Storm Centre, Justin Olam reportedly agreeing on a deal with the reigning wooden spooners. It is being reported that Olam only needs to pass a fitness test in the coming days and he’ll be a Tiger immediately, with the Storm willing to accommodate the PNG international’s move and release him from his contract three years early. In Football: The Premier League is set for a major six-week shake-up as a whopping 40 players are called up for their respective national teams competing in The Africa Cup of Nations from 13 January to 11 February in Ivory Coast and The Asian Cup – where Australia’s Socceroos will compete – in Qatar from 12 January to 10 February. Many players competing in AFCON or the Asian Cup have already departed their Clubs to link up with their national teams. Only in the USA: The final week of the NFL season is tense for some teams, fighting for their lives. But even for the least successful franchises of the year who have nothing to play for, players still have a lot on the line to hit lucrative contract incentives tied to regular-season statistics with their own rewards: US$2.2Million: Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield · Goal: Make the playoffs for US$1M and finish in the top 10 of four passing categories at US$300,000 each · How close is he? Mayfield needs a victory over Carolina. Currently 6th in TD passes, 8th in yards, 9th in passer rating, and tied for 9th in yards per attempt US$2Million: Seattle Seahawks QB Geno Smith · Goal: Make the playoffs · How close? Needs a victory over Arizona and a Green Bay loss, or a number of scenarios involving ties US$1.25Million: Kansas City Chiefs DE Chris Jones · Goal: 10 sacks this season · How Close? Has 9.5 already US$750,000: Cleveland Browns DE Jadaveon Clowney · Goal: Nine sacks this season · How close? Has 8.5 already and banked US$1M in bonuses for 5 and 7 sacks US$750,000: Tennessee Titans WR DeAndre Hopkins · Goal: 75 receptions, 1,050 yards, and 8 TDs (additional $250,000 each) · How close? Has 68 receptions, 1,011 yards, and 6 TDs and has already banked US$1.5M in bonuses in each category So now, it’s time to cash in. And that’s a wrap! For TeivovoSports.com I’m Culden Kamea – please hit the like and subscribe buttons below if you want to receive more Pasifika sports highlights on Breakfast Bites. Mahalo, Kakite and tank you all too mas for all your love and support. #TEIVOVORugby #TEIVOVODigital #TeivovoRugby #TeivovoDigital #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #Raka #team #rugbytraining #sports #FRU #Fiji #womensrugby #rugbygirls #wrugby #ladiesrugby #womeninsport #woman #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #fitness #weightlifting #training #team #rugbytraining #sports #rakavi #DevelopmentFiji

Kia ora, Talofa, Ma’lelei, Bula and Welcome to Season 08 Episode 05 of Breakfast Bites, by TeivovoSports.com – a wrap of Pasifika people’s sports news, on a sunny and bright Friday morning 05 January 2024. Coming to you with tons of hanisi from the 180th meridian in the middle of the Blue Continent. In rugby union: On the first Saturday in May this year, Moana Pasifika will make history when they host the Highlanders in a first-ever Super Rugby Pacific game to be played in Nukualofa, Kingdom of Tonga. “I am very happy as I am sure all Tongans are, to have Moana Pasifika right here in the Kingdom. We look forward to continuing to demonstrate that we can host these international games,” Tonga Prime Minister RT Hon Hu’akavameiliku and President of Tonga Rugby Union said. In rugby league: Wests Tigers have been forced to remove a graphic of new signing Jarome Luai wearing the Tiger’s jersey from their social media accounts. Luai’s current Club, the Panthers, were not happy with the doctored graphic - which had three photos of the playmaker, two of them in a Tigers jersey. Not long after the original graphic had been posted, the Tigers took it down and reposted different photos of Luai wearing a NSW Blues jersey. In Football & SportsBiz: French superstar Kylian Mbappe declared he has an “agreement” with Paris Saint-Germain President Nasser Al-Khelaifi as questions are raised about his future. With the January transfer window now open, Mbappe is free to negotiate with rival clubs over a move, as his contract with PSG expires this summer. Spanish giants Real Madrid have been heavily linked with Mbappe in the past and thought they had their man in the summer of 2022, only for Mbappe to sign an extension with PSG. “I didn’t make any decision but we have an agreement with the President Al-Khelaifi so it means that all parties are protected. The focus is on the team, not my situation.” Finally in combat sports: BREAKING NEWS: Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock, is making a career change to the UFC. Johnson wants to push himself and star in a new movie titled “The Smashing Machine”, which is about the life and struggles of former UFC Champion Mark Kerr, and will tackle addiction and the challenges faced by professional fighters. Talofa lava The Rock! And that’s a wrap! For TeivovoSports.com I’m Culden Kamea – please hit the like and subscribe buttons below if you want to receive more Pasifika sports highlights on Breakfast Bites. Mahalo, Kakite and tank you all too mas for all your love and support. #TEIVOVORugby #TEIVOVODigital #TeivovoRugby #TeivovoDigital #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #Raka #team #rugbytraining #sports #FRU #Fiji #womensrugby #rugbygirls #wrugby #ladiesrugby #womeninsport #woman #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #fitness #weightlifting #training #team #rugbytraining #sports #rakavi #DevelopmentFiji

Ki ora, Talofa, Ma’lelei, Bula and Welcome to Season 08 Episode 04 of Breakfast Bites the FIJI & PACIFIC SPORTS NEWS PODCAST, by TeivovoSports.com – a wrap of Pasifika people’s sports news, on a sunny and bright Thursday morning 4 January 2024. Coming to you with tons of hanisi from the 180th meridian in the middle of the Blue Continent.    In rugby league: Jarome Luai has confirmed he will move to Wests Tigers on a five-year deal from 2025, putting an end to months of speculaton surrounding his future.   The Penrith star revealed the news in a press conference in Darling Harbour, Sydney yesterday.   Luai described the call to leave the Panthers as “probably the toughest decision of my career and life.”   In football: Just two-and-a-half years after signing Jadon Sancho for US$91.5Million, Manchester United could be sending the troubled star back to where they initially signed him from.   Multiple outlets report Bundesliga heavyweights Borussia Dortmund are willing to take Sancho back, but on loan and with Man U chipping in for his weekly wages!   In SportsBiz: Amazon has already concluded its second year of exclusively streaming “Thursday Night Football” in the NFL’s regular season, which delivered big viewership gains on Prime Video.   The 15 games in 2023 drew an average of 11.86 million viewers, up 24% from Amazon’s debut TNF season in 2022.   Those figures are still down from the 16.2 million viewers Thursday night games averaged during the 2021 season on Fox and the NFL Network, but the growth is promising.   Fox, CBS, and NBC routinely draw 20 million-plus viewers to NFL games each Sunday, as well as ABC/ESPN on Mondays.   Finally in combat sports: Devin Haney has emerged from a tight field to be named “Sports Illustrated’s” Fighter of the Year” for 2023.   Haney’s chief competition for the award was Naoya Inoue, who a year after collecting all four belts at 118 pounds, moved up in weight and seized every title at 122. Two came off Stephen Fulton, the slick US boxing star widely considered the top fighter at super bantamweight, but midway through the eighth round, a battered Fulton was crumpled in the corner. Filipino champ Marlon Tapales had the other two, at least until a straight right hand in the 10th round of their fight left him unable to continue. Beyond Fighter of the Year, Inoue made a strong case to be called pound-for-pound No. 1. Apart from Inoue, Terrence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. would’ve been a worthy winner, with David Benavidez, Gervonta Davis and Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez also deserving of consideration. In the end, the nod goes to Haney, who took a tough title defense against Lomachenko and blew out arguably the top man at 140 in his debut at a new weight. It was an impressive year for a very impressive young fighter.   Ding ding “Seconds Out”! And that’s a wrap!   For TeivovoSports.com I’m Culden Kamea – please hit the like and subscribe buttons below if you want to receive more Pasifika sports highlights on Breakfast Bites.   Mahalo, Kakite and tank you all too mas for all your love and support.   #TEIVOVORugby  #TEIVOVODigital #TeivovoRugby #TeivovoDigital #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #Raka #team #rugbytraining #sports #FRU #Fiji #womensrugby #rugbygirls #wrugby #ladiesrugby #womeninsport  #woman #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #fitness #weightlifting #training #team #rugbytraining #sports  #rakavi  #DevelopmentFiji

Kia ora, Talofa, Ma’lelei, Bula and Welcome to Season 08 Episode 03 of Breakfast Bites, by TeivovoSports.com – a wrap of Pasifika people’s sports news, on a sunny and bright Wednesday morning 03 January 2024. Coming to you with tons of hanisi from the 180th meridian in the middle of the Blue Continent. In rugby union: Fiji captain Waisea Nayacalevu will depart Toulon at the end of the season after French outlet L’Equipe reported that the Top 14 giants have decided not to activate an additional year on his deal. L’Equipe have also reported that the Fijian centre has held talks with Montpellier, but there is no confirmation yet as to where he will be playing next season. The two sides go head-to-head this Sunday as Toulon travel to the GGL Stadium in their first game of 2024. Nayacalevu had a standout 2023 for his country, showing some of his best ever form and would still be a major asset to many Clubs despite now being in his thirties. Since returning from the World Cup, the 38-cap international has featured five times for Toulon, who sit in third place in the Top 14 following a 19-5 win over Stade Francais on Saturday. In rugby league: Former St George Illawarra Dragons star, Junior Amone is battling back. The stand-off was de-registered from the NRL after being found guilty of threatening a man in a hammer attack alongside his father. Though he avoided jail time, he was sentenced to 300 hours of community service. There has been speculation Amone could move to Super League to begin his come back and now he has spoken out about fighting to come back: “I’ve been told just to keep my head up. As long as I keep training, my mind will be set on footy and I’ll be getting better each and every day.” In football: Wayne Rooney was sacked as Manager of Championship side Birmingham City on Tuesday following a disastrous spell in charge. The 38-year-old former Manchester United and England star was appointed in October last year, but oversaw just two wins in 15 games with Monday’s 3-0 thumping by Leeds, their ninth defeat under him, proving to be the final straw. Birmingham, who have NFL legend Tom Brady as a minority shareholder, are embroiled in a battle against relegation, slumping to 20th from sixth since Rooney took over. In SportsBiz: There’s pressure, and then there’s what Paris 2024 organizers face. After months of turmoil and bad press—including local rioting, corruption allegations, and budget concerns—the heat is on the French capital to not only stage a successful event, but, in some respects, to restore the Olympic movement. The last half-decade has been a brutal stretch for the IOC. Both the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 Beijing Games were marred by the pandemic and record-low US ratings. With the 2032 Games in Brisbane already facing budget problems, a bigger question arises: Are the Olympics beginning to collapse under their own weight and complexity? Instead of being too big to fail, are the Olympics now too big to succeed? In combat sports: Finally. WWE legend The Rock made his surprise return on the year-opening edition of Monday Night Raw, hinting at one of the biggest possible matches in wrestling is finally on the cards. A long-awaited match with long-time Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, who has lasted over 1200 days, putting him in striking distance of Hulk Hogan’s 1474-day reign between 1984 and 1988. And finally today: Ugandan athlete Benjamin Kiplagat has been murdered, police say. The Olympian was found dead in Kenya with local media reporting he had been stabbed to death. The Kenyan-born Kiplagat, 34, had represented Uganda internationally in the 3000M steeplechase, including at several Olympic Games and World Championships. His body was found in a car on Saturday night on the outskirts of the Rift Valley town of Eldoret, which is home to many athletes who train in the high-altitude area. Rest in Peace brother. And that’s a wrap! For TeivovoSports.com I’m Culden Kamea – please hit the like and subscribe buttons below if you want to receive more Pasifika sports highlights on Breakfast Bites. Mahalo, Kakite and tank you all too mas for all your love and support. #TEIVOVORugby #TEIVOVODigital #TeivovoRugby #TeivovoDigital #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #Raka #team #rugbytraining #sports #FRU #Fiji #womensrugby #rugbygirls #wrugby #ladiesrugby #womeninsport #woman #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #fitness #weightlifting #training #team #rugbytraining #sports #rakavi #DevelopmentFiji

Ki ora, Talofa, Ma’lelei, Bula and Welcome to Season 08 Episode 02 of Breakfast Bites, by TeivovoSports.com – a wrap of Pasifika people’s sports news, on a sunny and bright Tuesday morning 02 January 2024. Coming to you with tons of hanisi from the 180th meridian in the middle of the Blue Continent. In rugby union and rugby league: Arguably one of the best cross-code players, Sonny Bill Williams has endorsed Joey Manu’s bid for a short-term rugby union switch and believes it can make him an even better NRL player. Speaking with The Sydney Morning Herald, Williams believes Manu’s status in rugby league means he deserves to maximise his earning potential and the Rooters and the NRL need to explore ways to keep him in the game. “When you’re an elite player like Joey is, that’s what you can do,” Williams said of his attempts to spend the early part of the 2025 season to chase a big money offer in Japan before returning to the Roosters. “As long as it’s done respectfully, he deserves a chance to see what’s there for himself. “I’m proud of him for stepping out there and doing his thing. When you have that talent, that talent deserves to be seen.” Williams is the most decorated cross-code star having won two NRL premierships with the Bulldogs (2004) and Roosters (2013) to go with two Rugby World Cups with the All Blacks in 2011 and 2015. In football: Manchester United’s miserable season hit a new low as they crashed to a dismal 1-2 loss to Premier League strugglers Nottingham Forest on Sunday. Erik10’s side produced a wretched display for Man U’s fourth loss in their last six games in all competitions, leaving them languishing in seventh place in the Premier League. Forest moved five points clear of the relegation zone after Nuno Espirito Santo masterminded his second successive high-profile win. Nuno’s first win as Forest boss after replacing the sacked Steve Cooper came against Newcastle, but this was an even bigger scalp. In SportsBiz: Super Rugby Pacific is seeking to employ a Chief Executive Officer focused on driving innovation, collaboration, and to position the Super Rugby competition front and center, while breathing new life into and rejuvenating the competition. This rare opportunity will suit someone who has strong leadership experience at an executive level, with a proven track record in building effective relationships. The role is based in Sydney, Australia and applications close Wednesday 31 January 2024. In combat sports: After his stoppage win over Otto Wallin in December on the Day of Reckoning card, Anthony Joshua was expected to lace up for a long-awaited showdown against Deontay Wilder, with a lucrative deal already signed, before plans were scuppered when the American was soundly defeated by Kiwi-Samoan warrior, Joseph Parker. Now AJ’s promoter, Eddie Hearn says they are considering a fight in March 2024, possibly against former MMA Champion Francis Ngannou, who is riding a wave of momentum since transitioning to the world of professional boxing and almost upsetting the Gypsy King Tyson Fury in his first professional boxing match. And that’s a wrap! For TeivovoSports.com I’m Culden Kamea – please hit the like and subscribe buttons below if you want to receive more Pasifika sports highlights on Breakfast Bites. Mahalo, Kakite and tank you all too mas for all your love and support. #TEIVOVORugby #TEIVOVODigital #TeivovoRugby #TeivovoDigital #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #Raka #team #rugbytraining #sports #FRU #Fiji #womensrugby #rugbygirls #wrugby #ladiesrugby #womeninsport #woman #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #fitness #weightlifting #training #team #rugbytraining #sports #rakavi #DevelopmentFiji

Ki ora, Talofa, Ma’lelei, Bula and Welcome to Season 08 Episode 01 of Breakfast Bites, by TeivovoSports.com – a wrap of Pasifika people’s sports news, on a sunny and bright Monday morning 01 January 2024 - Happy New Year! Coming to you with tons of hanisi from the 180th meridian in the middle of the Blue Continent. In rugby union and rugby league: Happy New Year Sports Fans! May 2024 bring victory, pride and joy to you and your team, whatever sports you’re into and in whatever capacity, whether as a player, official or sports fan. As Nike famously proclaimed all those years ago - the main thing in life is to “just do it”. World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont has expressed his gratitude and says that he is “honoured and humbled” after being awarded the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire for services to rugby on the international stage in His Majesty King Charles’ New Year’s Honours list. In football: Arsenal missed the chance to end the year on top of the Premier League after falling to a 2-1 loss to Fulham, while Tottenham are up to fifth following a 3-1 win over Bournemouth. Fulham rose to 13th in the table with 24 points while Arsenal, who were top of the table on Christmas day, have ended the year fourth, after going winless in their last three matches. In SportsBiz & the NBA: Once the NBA’s exclusive negotiating window with ESPN and TNT expires in mid-April, it’s anybody’s ballgame. Look for the NBA to retain both as primary television partners, and for ESPN’s sister broadcast network, ABC, to keep the NBA Finals. However, the NBA will add two more media rights partners - expect a newcomer in the form of deep-pocketed Amazon Prime to pick off a weekday streaming-only package and create the NBA equivalent of Thursday Night Football. In combat sports: Mad Irishman, Conor McGregor took to social media on New Year’s Eve to announce that his UFC return would take place on 29 June 2024 against Michael Chandler, at what is scheduled to be International Fight Week in Las Vegas. McGregor also said the fight will be contested at the middleweight limit of 185 pounds although there have been no confirmations of that. McGregor had pushed to be on UFC300 in April, but after meeting with Dana White in Dubai, they came to an agreement for a summer blockbuster in Sin City. And that’s a wrap! For TeivovoSports.com I’m Culden Kamea – please hit the like and subscribe buttons below if you want to receive more Pasifika sports highlights on Breakfast Bites in 2024. Mahalo, Kakite and tank you all too mas for all your love and support. #TEIVOVORugby #TEIVOVODigital #TeivovoRugby #TeivovoDigital #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #Raka #team #rugbytraining #sports #FRU #Fiji #womensrugby #rugbygirls #wrugby #ladiesrugby #womeninsport #woman #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #fitness #weightlifting #training #team #rugbytraining #sports #rakavi #DevelopmentFiji

Bula, Ma’lelei, Talofa and Welcome to Season 07 Episode 85 of Breakfast Bites, by TeivovoSports.com – a wrap of Pasifika people’s sports news, on a sunny and bright Sunday morning 31 December 2023. Coming to you with tons of hanisi from the 180th meridian in the middle of the Blue Continent. In rugby union and rugby league: “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” 2023 has been a fantastic year for sports all over the world, and especially for the Top Sports People, with their earnings, driven by record live gates and viewership on broadcast TV and streaming platforms going absolutely nuts! Long may it last! The Rugby World Cup 2023 in France was an outstanding success, even though hosts France and pre-tournament favourites, Ireland both came up short. So in the end, it was left to Ian “Fozzy” Foster’s All Blacks to try and stop the mighty Springboks, and with “nearly always absent” ABs Captain Sam Cane red carded, the 14-men left, led by Ardie Savea almost pulled off an incredible upset. Congratulations Siya Kolisi and his Springboks! In football: Man City Manager Pep G has advised players not to flaunt their wealth online as they are always being watched. It comes after football star Jack Grealish, 28, lost £1Million in watches and jewellery in a burglary on Wednesday night while Man City was playing Everton in the Premier League. "They have security but unfortunately it's happened. It's happened many times," Guardiola said. Finally a wrap of US Sports for the year: 2023 was a transformational year in US sports: Deion Sanders turned Boulder into Hollywood, Las Vegas emerged as the next sports capital, Taylor Swift entered the NFL consciousness and Lionel Messi made MLS matter. Saudi Arabia splurged billions on sports, streaming giants invaded live games and the Pac-12 blew up. Japanese baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani hit a US$700Million homer, crypto-currency took a nosedive, media rights got a facelift and ESPN had its own plot twist. After winning his first FIFA World Cup in late 2022, Lionel Messi was the center of the soccer universe for the bulk of 2023. Speculation mounted about the Argentinian legend’s future after a brief stint with Paris Saint-Germain; among his suitors: The Saudi Pro League attempted to lure him with a US$1.6Billion offer. Ultimately, MLS—and the allure of playing in the US—won out. The NFL is on pace for its best television performance in eight seasons, with audiences growing 7% from 2022, to 17.5 million average viewers through Week 15. Did a pop star play a part in that? It’s hard to quantify how many Swifties embraced pro football due to the singer’s romance with Super Bowl champion Travis Kelce. The 40-plus years of security that teams enjoyed from their cable deals is giving way to a much more turbulent and uncertain future. The long-expected invasion of live sports by giant streamers became a reality this year: · Amazon Prime Video aired its second exclusive season of Thursday Night Football, · Google’s YouTube TV took over NFL Sunday Ticket, and · Apple began its 10-year, US$2.5B MLS deal. (Netflix experimented with exhibitions like The Netflix Cup but remained focused on documentaries.) · With Prime pulling near-broadcast-like audiences of 12.1 million viewers per game for TNF this season, the writing’s on the wall for legacy media companies. In 2023, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund showed no signs it would stop pumping money into sports - the biggest splash: · In June, the Saudi Public Investment Fund, along with LIV Golf—backed almost exclusively by the PIF—entered into a framework agreement with the PGA Tour to mend golf’s divide at a cost of US$2B flooding into a united pro golf effort. · In the Saudi Pro League, Cristiano Ronaldo inked a contract with top Saudi Club Al Nassr that pays him roughly US$200Million per season through 2025. Las Vegas, home to Super Bowl LVIII in February, took center stage in 2023, hosting its first Formula 1 race in four decades, plus the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament semifinals and championship. And in case you missed it, MSG Entertainment’s Sphere opened, immediately becoming the most eye-catching venue in sin city. As crypto crashed and burned, led by FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried and others at the failed crypto giant facing federal fraud charges, and SBF found guilty, current and former athletes such as Stephen Curry, Tom Brady and Shaquille O’Neal—along with the Golden State Warriors—remain defendants in a civil case. 2023 – was a year of uncertainty for ESPN. During the first half of 2023, layoffs cast a long shadow over Bristol, culminating with the June departures of well-known hosts Jeff Van Gundy, Suzy Kolber, and Max Kellerman. The once-mighty ESPN looked vulnerable, but battled back in the second half of the year with their Monday Night Football audience growing 23% to 16 million average viewers. ESPN also grew into the most-followed brand on TikTok, with 44 million fans, while separately launching ESPNBet. In October, Disney released data showing that ESPN generated more profits, US$2.9Billion than the mighty Mouse’s entire entertainment business in fiscal 2022. Bottom Line: However bad the year may have looked, it’s too early to underestimate the most powerful four letters in sports media. And that’s a wrap! For TeivovoSports.com I’m Culden Kamea – please hit the like and subscribe buttons below if you want to receive more Pasifika sports highlights on Breakfast Bites in 2024. Mahalo, Kakite and tank you all too mas for all your love and support. #TEIVOVORugby #TEIVOVODigital #TeivovoRugby #TeivovoDigital #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #Raka #team #rugbytraining #sports #FRU #Fiji #womensrugby #rugbygirls #wrugby #ladiesrugby #womeninsport #woman #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #fitness #weightlifting #training #team #rugbytraining #sports #rakavi #DevelopmentFiji

Bula, Ma’lelei, Talofa and Welcome to Season 07 Episode 84 of Breakfast Bites, by TeivovoSports.com – a wrap of Pasifika people’s sports news, on a sunny and bright Saturday morning 30 December 2023. Coming to you with tons of hanisi from the 180th meridian in the middle of the Blue Continent. In rugby union and rugby league: Our Sports Quote Of The Year for 2023 comes from the NRL in Australia: “We just find ways to get people who aren’t even on the field to make big decisions by looking at a play again and again and again; slow it down and manufacture an opinion.” South Sydney Rabbitohs Head Coach Jason Demetriou articulates every Coach’s frustration with the Television Match Official (TMO) and “the Bunker”. In SportsBiz: Ever since the US Supreme Court ruled in 2018 to allow States to make their own laws in regards to sports betting, many States have rushed in legislation to do so, as an easy revenue booster. As a result, the total US betting market is projected to hit US$100Billion for 2023, and as such, the market is beginning to center around a top-tier group of sharks including: DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, ESPN Bet, Fanatics and Bet 365. However, California and Texas, the two most populous states - and therefore industry whales - have thus far shown stiff resistance to legislate. In football: Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe is now closer to joining FC Barcelona than bitter rivals Real Madrid after they pulled out of the race to sign him as a reward to the Catalans for remaining with them in the European Super League project. Madrid courted the Frenchman as a teenager before he ditched them to join PSG from Monaco in 2017. In mid-2022, it appeared as though the World Cup winner would make the switch from the French capital to its Spanish counterpart, only for Mbappe to have a change of heart and renew terms with his current Qatari employers in a deal which topped Forbes' list of the World's Highest-Paid Soccer Players. In combat sports: Do you know who Abdul Wahid is? None other than undefeated WBA Lightweight World Boxing Champion, Gevonta “The Tank” Davis, who has converted to Islam. And that’s a wrap! For TeivovoSports.com I’m Culden Kamea – please hit the like and subscribe buttons below if you want to receive more Pasifika sports highlights on Breakfast Bites. Mahalo, Kakite and tank you all too mas for all your love and support. #TEIVOVORugby #TEIVOVODigital #TeivovoRugby #TeivovoDigital #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #Raka #team #rugbytraining #sports #FRU #Fiji #womensrugby #rugbygirls #wrugby #ladiesrugby #womeninsport #woman #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #fitness #weightlifting #training #team #rugbytraining #sports #rakavi #DevelopmentFiji