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Sports

Will Bryson get a billion? And what LPGA needs. An authority has thoughts

Published

2 months ago

on

We started with the NFL. 

Of course we did. This is Super Bowl week. Pats and Hawks! Bad Bunny! Commercials! Quit hogging the dip! But the thing is, though, every week feels like a super week in pro football. Regular season! NFL draft! Signings! Every week seems meaningful. 

Even when it’s tough to watch. 

This season, Dave Berri’s Detroit Lions were predicted to contend. But players got hurt. And the Motor City faithful suffered. Please trust that the analysis that follows was spoken in a pained tone. 

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“I think in one game — against the Vikings — their starting center came off the practice squad,” Berri said. “And you’re like, ‘Well, I don’t think you’re going to win this game.’ I think they could have just said, ‘Well, probably not.’ I don’t know that you can block the Vikings defensive line with a practice squad center. And then he left the team three days later, so there you go. 

“And then they were telling me, Jared Goff, you didn’t play a very good game. ‘Well, I only had one second to throw the ball. I mean, he is the center. He is pretty close to the other team. So I don’t know what you wanted me to do about that.’ So, yeah, it was just, games like that, I don’t know what you want us to do. I wish coaches could just say that. It’s like, they’re different players. Those aren’t the players I want playing. There’s a reason why they were on the practice squad.”

Poor Berri, right? And yes, you’re still on a golf site. 

Berri’s other job is in sports economics. He teaches it. He’s written books and articles about it. He’s established himself as one of the country’s authorities on the subject. A couple years ago, I talked with him, and I felt it was right to do so again, considering all of the news around golf and money — and football. We talked about the PGA Tour and its new CEO, Brian Rolapp — who came from the NFL. We talked about YouTube — which now broadcasts NFL games. We talked about LIV Golf and Saudi Arabia — where the NFL is hosting an event in March. We talked about Bryson DeChambeau — who’s in the midst of contract talks not unlike a quarterback or defensive end. 

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We also wondered whether pro golf could become appointment viewing — in the way that it is for the NFL. 

Regardless of how the play is. 

(Editor’s note: The interview has been lightly condensed.)

Brian Rolapp
Brian Rolapp in August at the Tour Championship.

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I. THE PGA TOUR — AND ITS NEW CEO

Last June, the PGA Tour named Brian Rolapp as its CEO. Who’s Rolapp? An NFL man, he’d been thought of as a potential successor to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell (and he still might be). But now Rolapp is in golf, and over the past few months, he’s created a “Future Competition Committee” aimed at examining the Tour’s competitive model and developed a pathway for Brooks Koepka to return to the Tour after a four-season stint with LIV Golf. 

Last year, the PGA Tour hired the second-in-command of the NFL as the PGA Tour’s first-ever CEO. What can pro golf take from the NFL model? What should it ignore? 

I’m going to argue pretty much nothing. This is a totally different sport. The difficulty is, going from the NFL to the PGA Tour, is that football is a very, very good television sport. I don’t know if golf has quite the same television appeal. I think there’s a ceiling to how many people are going to tune in to watch golf. And I don’t know how you change that. Despite the amount of coverage it gets, it’s never been one of the major sports. It gets a lot of attention because it does appeal to executives, right? The people who make decisions love golf. But I don’t know that it’s the kind of sport that you’re going to get — the Super Bowl is going to have 150 million people tune in to watch this, right? I don’t know how you’re going to get that for golf. People are aware of who Tiger Woods is and stuff like that, but the number of people who tune into this is somewhat small, and I don’t know how he’s going to change that. It’s been around a long time. People are aware of it. I just don’t see what specifically you can do that’s going to dramatically change the model. Introduce defense? 

One of Rolapp’s pillars is scarcity. This year, there are fewer players who have received full-time playing privileges, and there are rumors that, starting next year, there will be fewer tournaments. The thought is the PGA Tour right now runs essentially from January all the way through Thanksgiving, where there is really no offseason, whereas Major League Baseball has an offseason, NFL does, NBA does — to where you then miss it. Like where opening day in baseball is an event. Like week one of the NFL is an event. Is less play better or worse for the product? 

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I think there’s an argument to be made that if you make it more scarce, then people are going to value more what they do get to see and that’s not a ridiculous argument. That’s OK. Is that going to dramatically change anything? I don’t think that’s going to happen. It’s a small change that could theoretically help. I think the counter argument is there’s a value in having it on all the time. If you look at the NFL, the NFL was scarce. It was very scarce. It used to be, if you want to watch an NFL football game, it was on Sunday. And then they moved it to Monday night, right? And that was a big change. And then they didn’t really do much after that for a long time. And now they have it so that there’s NFL games on Thursdays and Fridays and Saturdays and Sundays and Mondays. Has that made the NFL worse? I don’t know. I don’t think that’s true. And they do the same with college football. I mean, college football is on almost every night now. And so I don’t know that that’s made it worse. It is the case that if you have a lot of events, then your ratings for each one will likely be lower because people are not going to commit themselves to seven days a week watching something. But I think your overall viewership would probably be higher because you have more events you’re selling and the amount of attention people are paying to you might be higher. So I can see what he’s saying. I think that could help. I don’t know that that dramatically changes anything. 

As you said, Sunday’s a big thing, Monday night’s a big thing, Thursday night’s become a must-watch event. What could the PGA Tour try to do to duplicate that? 

Yeah, that’s a tough one. One issue that you have with the PGA Tour, and it’s the same problem that afflicts cricket, is that you don’t have an event that lasts three hours and decides the winner. It’s a four-day event. And that requires some level of commitment on the part of the viewer. And you could say, well, just tune in the last day. But there’s stuff that went on before that. The solution they came up with in cricket was the T20 approach where you change the game so it’s a three-hour event. And that seems to have worked. So one option is create events where instead of it’s a four-day tournament, go, OK, we’re going to do a three-hour. 

Grant Horvat
Grant Horvat last March at the Players Championship.

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II. YOUTUBE — AND WHY IT’S SUCH A PHENOMENON 

YouTube’s popularity has exploded, especially so in golf. Good Good. Bob Does Sports. Grant Horvat. The Bryan Bros. And many more. This past summer, there was also an International Invitational, hosted by Bob Does Sports and Barstool Sports, which attracted hundreds of thousands of views. 

To me, YouTube golf has become as popular as it is because it’s fast, it’s digestible. 

The advantage of YouTube is this — I’m going to give you a totally different way of thinking about this. So if you look at the rise of K-pop and how that happened, K-pop takes off internationally when YouTube becomes a thing. And the reason why YouTube is crucial to the story is because prior to YouTube, the only way you could get your music on the radio or on MTV was if a decision-maker decided to put it there. And the problem is the decision-maker has their own tastes. And their own preferences. And so they’re going to put on what they like. And we have this idea that network executives know what the audience wants. We have countless examples of network executives having no idea what the audience wants, and they’re totally shocked when they put something on there. When you do YouTube, though, YouTube is a different model. Now the viewer gets to decide. You decide what you want to listen to. And suddenly K-pop becomes this huge thing because everyone individually chooses what they want. And so when you create a product for YouTube, you’re allowing the audience to decide what they want themselves, rather than the network executive saying, ‘I have so much time at ABC or ESPN or whatever, and I’m going to dedicate this amount to that.’ And that can completely transform what you’re doing. You have to be responsive to what the YouTube audience wants, right? You have to pay attention to that because they’re choosing it themselves. They’re not letting the network do it for them. 

Is there anything pro golf can take from YouTube? 

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I don’t know. I think the advantage is you’re letting the viewers pick what they want, so if you give them a menu of things, you’re going to find faster what they like and what they don’t like better than what an executive could do. Because executives again are making decisions based on their personal preferences and they are absolutely convinced that they know the answer, they know what people want, but history says they don’t. How to convert that to a sports model is challenging, though. Because, again, they have to be live. I do think there’s some value if the PGA Tour could come up with events that really were in a shorter time frame. We’re going to have you play 18 holes. Or even just do nine holes. See what happens. Nine-hole pressure. I wonder if you could create a golf course — here’s an idea: Create a golf course where things are like par-6 or par-7. So make it so it’s longer, right? And do like nine of them. I mean, you can think about making events so it’s like, I’m going to highlight this particular aspect of golf. Maybe you create a course that makes the putting more difficult. Maybe you make the course that makes hitting the drives more difficult. Things like that. You could create a whole tour where you’re saying these events are going to focus on these skills, but these events will focus on these other skills. 

There’s just all sorts of things you could do, but you have to create it so that the event is shorter in time period, because longer time periods, you’re really just appealing to your major fans. You’re not not appealing to the average fan. You got to bring the casual fan into the thing. That’s why the NFL works so well. Casual fans can watch it. You don’t have to know a whole lot about the intricacies of football to watch football. You can see what’s going on. They’re at the 30-yard line. I can see it. They ran a play. They got four yards. They just said it, I saw it, there you go. You don’t need to know, well, do you see how they got the four yards? Do you see the left tackle pulled on it? I don’t give a crap. You got to create events that bring in casual fans. You can’t focus on the hardcore fans. This is where the NHL went wrong. So many years ago in the NHL, they did this thing with the purple puck where you could see where the puck was. And the hardcore fans got pissed off with that. ‘I can see where the puck is.’ Yeah, most people can’t. Most people don’t know where it is. And so that really helps. ‘Yeah, I don’t like it.’ So they got rid of it. You know what, this isn’t for you. You’re going to watch regardless. I don’t need to make you happy. Hockey also suffers from a problem in that you do have to watch. It isn’t like football or baseball where it can be on in the background and you can look at the score every once in a while and go, ‘Oh, I got an idea what’s going on.’ 

If you look at the hockey television ratings, they are persistently very low. It does really well in person. They sell out the arenas very consistently, but the ratings on television are terrible. And they’ve always been terrible because they construct the broadcast to appeal to the hardcore hockey fan and they don’t do it to appeal to the casual hockey fan, and if you’re going to build up a sport, it’s always the casual fan that matters. That’s what baseball’s been trying to do. They had a problem with pitchers just sort of milling around on the mound and not doing anything. And people were like, It’s kind of boring watching him take 45 seconds to throw the damn pitch. Put in a pitch clock.

I think that shot clock is one of the best sports ‘inventions’ since maybe the three-point line. 

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It makes the game much faster, and it gets them focused on what they’re doing. And you’re like, OK, that’s good, I like that. That’s the kind of thing that you want to do. The whole notion that the crowd has to be quiet when golfers are playing? Every other athlete has to hear noise. You can yell if you want. I think that might make it more interesting. Let ’em yell, let ’em see what happens. 

Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Jon Rahm
Yasir Al-Rumayyan and Jon Rahm in August at LIV Golf’s team championship.

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III. LIV GOLF — AND HOW LONG THE SAUDIS WILL BACK IT 

This week, LIV Golf started its fifth season, and there are questions on its future, as there are with any new sports league. The central one, though, is this: Will its primary backer, the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, continue to support the circuit?  

The last time we talked, the PGA Tour had taken money from a sports ownership group and that came after a preliminary deal between the Tour and the Saudi PIF. That is currently still being negotiated and might not see the light of day. At one point last year, Donald Trump met with the Saudi PIF governor, but nothing has happened. So the question I have is, what are the benefits and detractions to looking into Saudi investment in American sports? 

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The Saudis are looking for things to invest in because the oil industry is not eternal. At some point, that’s going to be a problem for them. And there’s a huge attraction for rich people being involved in sports. And if you can’t play sports, I guess the next best thing is to buy the sports. So that’s why they’re doing it. The problem is, the Saudis tried to create a brand-new golf league by itself, which I think I told you wasn’t going to work, and it doesn’t seem like it’s working. You just can’t do that. There’s no tradition. You can’t just take people and stick them in a tournament that looks the same as every other tournament and say, well, now they’re going to compete over here doing this. It’s like, I don’t know what it is they’re fighting for. The Masters means something because there’s a history to it. But creating another league is probably not going to work If it’s the same product, which I think it was, right? Four-day tournaments, right? 

Yeah, they bumped it up from three days to four this year. 

Yeah, see, that’s the same thing. You’re doing exactly the same product. If they wanted to do something, what they should have done is what we were just talking about a moment ago. You know, create a bunch of contests that are totally different. But if you just do exactly the same thing, but there’s no tradition, well, I don’t think you’re going to have any audience then. It’s not the players by themselves. There’s the history that matters. What the past players did matters. If there’s no history, then it matters less. And the audience doesn’t have an idea why it’s significant. Why does this matter? And so that was the problem the Saudis have. So I understand what they were trying to do. But it was unlikely that was going to be terrifically successful. And you can see now the top stars moving back to the PGA Tour because well, money’s nice, but at the end of the day, you are a professional athlete. You do want to compete against the best, and you want people to pay attention to you. 

Last year, it was reported that LIV Golf was losing money at a clip of nine figures a year, though recently the CEO of LIV Golf said that the league could turn a profit in five to 10 years. My question is, how long does Saudi Arabia stick with LIV? Do they believe in it no matter what, or do they eventually pull the plug?

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I don’t know. They have an immense amount of money. The amount of money that they’re spending on this is quite small, relative to what money they have. So therefore, they could do it indefinitely if they want, if that’s what they like. It’s really up to their preferences. I don’t believe, and I said this to you before, I don’t think they’re doing it to make a profit. They already have money. They’re not trying to make money. They do want an audience. I think they want people to pay attention to them. And if that doesn’t happen, then I don’t think they want to keep doing that. That CEO telling you — how exactly are you planning on making a profit in 10 years? What do you think is going to happen? This is where an academic would be like, I don’t see how that’s possible. Where are you getting that from? What is your analytical tool that tells you that that’s going to happen? That just doesn’t seem very likely from where you’re starting. How are you going to get an audience? If you don’t have an audience now and your stars are leaving you, why do you think you’re going to have an audience 10 years from now? Are the stars going to come back? You didn’t have much of an audience with the stars. You’ll have less of an audience without the stars. But how long will they do it? As long as they want to do it. They have the money. I think what matters to them more than anything is, is anyone paying attention? 

Bryson DeChambeau
Bryson DeChambeau on Thursday at LIV Golf’s Riyadh event.

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IV. BRYSON DECHAMBEAU — AND HIS CONTRACT 

In 2022, Bryson DeChambeau was among the players who signed deals to leave the PGA Tour and join LIV Golf, and that contract is expiring at the end of the year. DeChambeau figures to have significant leverage in the negotiations, which begs the question: How much will he ask for from LIV, should he want to return?

When LIV formed in 2022, many of its stars signed contracts that are now expiring, including Bryson DeChambeau. And in that time, Jon Rahm signed for what’s been reported as a nine figure deal. And Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed left to return to the PGA Tour. And LIV continues to try to gain a foothold. And DeChambeau won a U.S. Open and developed a significant YouTube presence. Given all of that, how much money could DeChambeau demand? 

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Oh, I don’t know. I have no idea. I mean, it’s obviously a lot more than [Rahm’s]. Again, the problem is, if you’re thinking about this in terms of a business like a Taco Bell, and you’re thinking about revenues and costs and how much revenue this person brings in and what they’re worth to me, the answer would be they wouldn’t pay him much of anything because there’s not really much revenue being generated. But that’s clearly not what they’re doing. I mean, they’re trying to build something here. They can’t afford to lose more stars. And they also have this incredibly large sum of money that they can throw at this. And so when that’s the case, how much money can you command? 

Could he ask for a billion dollars? 

I would. I would ask for $2 billion. I would just throw it out there. ‘$2 billion. What do you got? $2 billion. You got $2 billion?’ I mean, they have $2 billion. And let’s see if they counter. 

Has there ever been an athlete who has had that much leverage?

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No, in the sense because you’re dealing with — what is the amount of money they have to invest in this? What do the Saudis have? 

The PIF is the funding behind it, and it has over $1 trillion. 

OK, so you have $1 trillion. OK, now think about that. So you think about a typical owner of a sports team. Typical owner of a sports team might have $10 billion. You have $1 trillion. And you’re desperate. I’d demand $2 billion. I’d demand $3 billion. That’s $3 billion. ‘You have $1 trillion, give me $3 billion.’ ‘You know, I’m not doing it.’ ‘Well, then I’m not playing.’ So, you know, I would demand just the most ridiculous sum of money possible because none of the revenue or cost issues make any difference. You’re doing this because you want to gain an entry into the space. And without a star, it won’t happen. So your decision is, how much are you going to pay me to make this happen for you? And if the answer is, you’re not willing to, well, then I don’t do it. Then you try it on your own. Good luck with that. It also depends on how much he wants to do it. I mean, how much do you want to actually continue participating in this? I would just throw out some ridiculous money. 

Jeeno Thitikul
Jeeno Thitikul last week at the LPGA’s Tournament of Champions.

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V. THE LPGA — AND A WNBA MOMENT 

Popularity in women’s sports has skyrocketed, especially so in the WNBA. Can the LPGA, under new commissioner Craig Kessler, capture that attention, or even surpass it?

You’ve written extensively on the WNBA. And my question is, how can the LPGA duplicate that type of success?

The WNBA success came about — and I think is what happened — is that we had Covid and the women’s basketball in college and men’s basketball in college both went to bubbles. And Sedona Prince does the video and says, look, the bubbles aren’t equal. They built a giant weight room for the men. They didn’t build anything for the women. They gave them a tower of dumbbell racks. And as a result of that, the NCAA investigates itself, and there is a legal team that looks at them and they issue a report and there’s a whole bunch of media coverage and then suddenly, within months, there is a change in how women’s college basketball gets covered. Suddenly, for the first time in history, the network puts a regular-season game on the networks. That had never happened before. Suddenly they’re telling the women, you can call your tournament March Madness, just like the men’s. Suddenly, the entire tournament for the women is on television. That was not the case before that. Or at least, it wasn’t the case for much of its history. So suddenly, college basketball becomes accessible and had not been accessible before. And not surprisingly, within a year or so of that happening, one of the players becomes a massive star. Caitlin Clark becomes a huge star. And the way they report this is, oh, we discovered Caitlin Clark and now we started covering this. No, I can see in the data that you started covering it first and then Caitlin Clark became the star. That is exactly how it always goes. It’s always the coverage first and the star second. It’s not the star first and then the coverage. Then Caitlin Clark moved to the WNBA, and the networks go, you know what, we should be covering that. There’s a lot of interest in this. And then the WNBA gets a whole bunch more coverage. And people are like, in 2024, it’s Caitlin Clark. Well, then in 2025, Caitlin Clark gets hurt. But they kept the coverage the same and the ratings go up even higher. And you’re like, it was never Caitlin Clark. It was just the coverage changed. 

So how can the LPGA duplicate that? Well, you somehow have to change the coverage. And how do you change the coverage? Well, that’s the real problem that they have. How do you change the coverage? How do you get it so that you get the same kind of consistent, I’m-on-television-all-the-time coverage. Think about the way the media covers the final of the major tournaments on the men’s side and how they cover the ones on the women’s side. The volume of stories is going to be a lot higher on the men’s side. If you don’t have the same kind of media attention, if you’re just reporting the winner, if you’re not doing the coverage consistently as it goes along, it’s going to limit your fan appeal. But I do think if we go back to the whole diversity issue, given the fact the LPGA is more diverse, there’s a bigger audience potentially there if you could get them to pay attention to it. I think that makes a difference. So I think there’s a lot of stories that you could tell on the women’s side. But you have to want to do that. 

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When there was more media coverage of the WNBA, they told the Caitlin Clark story, they told other players’ stories. Is there a way that the LPGA can market its players to get to that level?

Absolutely. And the advantage of golf is the same advantage tennis has. The athletes are individuals and therefore the audience relates to them very rapidly. See, that’s the problem in team sports. Team sports, at the end of the day, you’re asking somebody to form an emotional attachment to something that’s entirely fictitious. There is no such thing as an Indiana Fever. That doesn’t exist. There’s no such thing as a Boston Celtic. Those things don’t exist. But when you’re doing tennis or golf or boxing, that’s a person. And if you can simply get the audience to connect to the person, where either they like the person or they don’t like the person — I’m rooting for them or I’m rooting against them — either way, you’re paying attention. So the way to do it is to find a way to get it so the audience has some kind of emotional attachment to that person. Tell the person’s story. Was there some sort of struggle that led them to become a golfer? Are there issues here that we should know about? Are there rivalries that we should know about? And that’s what happens in tennis, right? Tennis is you get to know the personalities of the players and it allows you to connect with who you’re watching. And that’s the key, right? That’s the key.

“>

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Carl Froch predicts Moses Itauma vs Usyk after Franklin KO: “Too good for him”

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10 minutes ago

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30 March 2026

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After another dominant display, Moses Itauma is once again being linked to a shot at unified heavyweight ruler, Oleksandr Usyk. In response, Carl Froch has offered his thoughts on that proposed contest, admitting that he ‘does not like the fight’ for one man.

On Saturday night, atop a British bill for the first time in his career, Itauma dispatched of Jermaine Franklin with a special knockout, taking the American out with a crisp and clean left uppercut followed by a devastating right hand that will no doubt appear in his future highlight reels.

With Dillian Whyte and Anthony Joshua unable to halt Franklin in their fights with the game Michigan operator, Itauma’s fifth-round stoppage has sent a major statement to the rest of his division – his power now proven to be real.

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As a result, talk of a clash between him and 39-year-old WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight champion, Usyk, is rife yet again, with hopes that young Itauma, now 14-0 (12 KOs), can intervene on the Ukrainian’s three-fight plan before retirement.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, super-middleweight legend Froch, declared that he ‘does not like that fight for Usyk’.

“I just think that a peak Usyk against a peak Itauma, you would have to say Usyk, but Usyk is a natural cruiserweight and Itauma is a big lump. Have you seen the size of him? Tall, big, strong, heavy, and lightening-fast hands like a middleweight.

“I don’t like the Usyk-Itauma fight. I don’t like it for Usyk. I think that Usyk has done what he needs to do and I’d like to see him hang his gloves up and retire as the number one king. He is the kingpin of the division, of cruiserweight and heavyweight, but he loves fighting and he wants to fight again.

“Would Moses Itauma fancy the fight with Usyk? I am not even sure if his team would fancy it. You wouldn’t usually put someone like him in, at his level, with somebody like Usyk. But, he might have no option and no choice because if he keeps his obliterating opponents the way he has been doing it then that might be a fight that happens.”

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However, when predicting how the bout would play out if it were to happen, ‘The Cobra’ found himself unable to go against the dominant world champion, ultimately siding with Usyk due to his superior experience.

“I think that Usyk has got too much experience and that he would be too good for him but you just never know because Moses Itauma looks that good.”

Moses Itauma is set to return to the ring in July, ahead of a planned world title shot before the end of the year.

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Heavyweight rival says he’ll be ‘fuming’ if Usyk refuses to face him: “I want that fight”

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30 March 2026

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Oleksandr Usyk’s three-fight plan has got the heavyweight contenders riled up, and one of the names that is on that hit list has admitted that he will be ‘fuming’ if the Ukrainian pursues other options.

Earlier this month, Usyk revealed plans to take on the victor of Fabio Wardley’s upcoming WBO world title defence against Daniel Dubois, after his fight with Rico Verhoeven in May, before finishing his career with a Tyson Fury trilogy clash.

However, fans have demanded that the Ukrainian fights WBC mandatory challenger Agit Kabayel, due to the German’s triumphs over Arslanbek Makhmudov, Frank Sanchez and Zhilei Zhang, which are adjudged to merit a title challenge.

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Usyk has since admitted that a showdown with Kabayel could take place and potentially replace one of the three fights that he announced, but Fabio Wardley has told iFL TV that he does not believe the 39-year-old truly knows who he wants to face before hanging up the gloves.

“No one knows [who he is going to fight]. One minute he is over in Egypt fighting a pharaoh or something, the next he wants to fight me, then he wants to fight Kabayel. He doesn’t know what he wants to do.

“I will just crack on, I will keep winning and knocking people out and if he wants to have a go, he can have a go.”

Then, when quizzed whether it would be a relief to avoid Usyk, Wardley declared that he would be ‘fuming’ if he and his fellow undefeated heavyweight did not go toe-to-toe before he retires from the sport.

“Absolutely not, I would be fuming. I got through the Joseph Parker fight and I wanted Usyk. I’m going to get through the Daniel fight and I want Usyk. How many tests does he want [me to have]?

“I feel like I am going through Usyk tests. He is setting me things to do before I am allowed to fight him. So, if I do them, and then he just f**ks off, I will be fuming. I’ll be having words.”

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Wardley-Dubois takes place on Saturday, May 9, at the Co-Op Live Arena in Manchester, as the Ipswich fan-favourite makes his first defence of the WBO crown since being elevated to world champion.

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NHL news: Golden Knights shake up coaching staff

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30 March 2026

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NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

The Vegas Golden Knights only have eight games remaining in the 2025-26 season, but decided to make the stunning move to fire and replace their head coach.

Vegas announced on Sunday that they relieved Bruce Cassidy as head coach and replaced him with John Tortorella.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

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Bruce Cassidy on the bench

Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy looks on during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, March 3, 2026, in Buffalo, New York. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes, File)

“We thank Bruce Cassidy for his dedication to our hockey club and community over the past four seasons,” Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said in a news release. “Under Bruce’s leadership, we reached our ultimate goal in 2023 by bringing a Stanley Cup to Vegas. Bruce will forever be remembered with the utmost regard by our organization for what was accomplished here. With the stretch run of the 2025-26 regular season upon us, we believe that a change is necessary for us to return to the level of play that is expected of our club.

“With John Tortorella, we bring in a Stanley Cup Champion as well as one of the most experienced and respected coaches in the NHL. His guidance will be a great asset to our team at the pivotal point in the season we currently face. We look forward to welcoming John to Vegas.”

John Tortorella leaves the press conference

John Tortorella, Philadelphia Flyers head coach, arrives for a news conference at the NHL hockey team’s arena on May 12, 2023, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)

BLUE JAYS STARS CAUGHT SITTING IN WRONG SEATS AT MAPLE LEAFS GAME IN HILARIOUS MOMENT

The Golden Knights fell to the Washington Capitals, 5-4, on Saturday in a shootout. It marked the team’s third straight loss and sixth defeat in their last seven games.

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Vegas is 32-26-16 this season and in third place in the Pacific Division. If the season ended Sunday, the team would be in the playoffs and have a series against the Edmonton Oilers in the first round.

Tortorella was not coaching in the NHL this season. He spent time as an assistant for Team USA at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics. The Americans took home the gold medal.

Pavel Dorofeyev leaves the ice

Washington Capitals players celebrate as Vegas Golden Knights right wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) skates off the ice after failing to score during a shootout in an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ian Maule)

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He is 770-648-37 as head coach. He won a Stanley Cup title with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

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Wootton Verni outshines Barnavara in 2026 Neville Sellwood Stakes

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30 March 2026

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Favourite Barnavara at $1.70 failed to make an impact late, crossing only fourth behind stablemate Wootton Verni who claimed a decisive triumph.

Waller credited Wootton Verni’s Australian tenure as pivotal, expressing regret over Barnavara’s display yet acknowledging her excuses.

“Wootton Verni has been here a while now and he found some great form in the spring,” Waller said, referring to the gelding’s wins in the Coongy Handicap and Rosehill Gold Cup.

“Certainly, he’s talented horse and with a bit of give in the ground and being rock-hard fit, he showed the others up.”

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Barnavara’s European style involved settling prominently, but a poor start hindered her on Australian soil.

“The plan was to go forward, to be second, third or fourth but she dwelt at the start,” Waller said.

“I think rather than fire her up, Australian horses just find their positions so quickly, whereas if you fire her up first Australian start I guess James (McDonald) would have thought you could of set her alight which is what we didn’t want.

Then when they went slow, it was very hard from back there. They controlled it from the front and made it hard to finish off.”

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Tommy Berry guided $5.50 shot Wootton Verni to a two-and-a-half length romp over $4.20 English import Caviar Heights in second after a bold finish, with $26 outsider Portland grabbing third close up.

Barnavara, Group 1 winner from France, surged on the turn but weakened beyond 300m to run fourth.

Berry appreciated having Wootton Verni ahead of the mare Barnavara.

“I was always going to put my bloke into the race,” Berry said.

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“I thought the mare (Barnavara) was going to maybe even slide forward and I would be on the back of her.

It’s always nice to be in front of quality horses in the run and they’ve got to chase you.”

James McDonald on Barnavara noted the slow pace disadvantaged her.

“She got back in a slowly run race,” McDonald said. “She will improve.”

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Waller is contemplating futures for the pair.

“The plan was always to run Wootton Verni in the Tancred Stakes today but he just didn’t quite fulfill our expectations last start,” Waller said.”So, we’ve come back a grade just to give him some confidence, and he’s got that confidence back.

Is he up to the Queen Elizabeth Stakes? That will be the question we have to answer.”

Barnavara’s path to the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick on April 11 depends on her recovery, Waller indicated.

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Caviar Heights’ strong second gives UK handler William Haggas options.

Issy Paul, Haggas’s travelling rep, said Caviar Heights eyes the Queen Elizabeth Stakes or Sydney Cup (3200m) on April 11.

“Caviar Heights will go to either of those races, it will be up to the boss (Haggas),” Paul said.”But we are very happy with Caviar Heights. He has run a really good race and will improve.”

Jockey Tom Marquand lauded Caviar Heights’ effort.

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“He ran great,” Marquand said. “We were ruined a little bit by the lack of tempo.

I wish he’d stepped a little better and I’d have been able to be a bit more positive.”

Matthew Smith was satisfied with Portland’s third-place finish.

“He’s run well and continues to improve,” Smith said. “We will look at the JRA Plate for him.”

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Kerrin McEvoy aboard Portland described a meritorious run.

“I got onto the back of the favourite but it didn’t really take me anywhere,” McEvoy said.

“I had to switch out to get into the clear and he got going well over the last furlong (a200m).”

Discover leading betting sites offering racing odds for the Neville Sellwood Stakes and similar events.

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Elite 8 winners, losers: UConn comeback, droughts end, Duke chokes again

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We have our Final Four.

After four rounds, 64 teams have been sent home and four remain in the hunt for a national championship. Connecticut, Arizona, Michigan and Illinois are en route to Indianapolis, two wins away from winning it all.

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Some of the representatives aren’t much of a surprise, as the top-seeded Wildcats and Wolverines have looked like a tier above the rest of the sport, and anything less than a Final Four appearance would have been a disappointment. The Huskies stunned its away back to a familiar place, and Illinois isn’t really a shocker and are far from an underdog after a very successful season, proving worthy of its spot.

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Final Four predictions: Who will advance to 2026 National Championship?

IN-DEPTH: How Arizona players’ halftime talk ended 25 years of March Madness heartbreak

The results of the weekend not only impacted the championship race, but the sport as a whole. Here are the winners and losers of the Elite Eight:

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Winners

UConn’s comeback

UConn Huskies guard Braylon Mullins (24) celebrates after making the game-winning three-point basket against the Duke Blue Devils in the second half during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena.

UConn Huskies guard Braylon Mullins (24) celebrates after making the game-winning three-point basket against the Duke Blue Devils in the second half during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena.

A return to the Final Four didn’t seem possible when Connecticut was down 19 points late in the first half against Duke, but did the Huskies respond.

UConn clawed back in the second half, slowly chipping away at the lead before a 7-0 run put it in striking distance with under four minutes left. The Blue Devils couldn’t stop the momentum and Connecticut pulled out a shocking victory, punctuated by Braylon Mullins’ 3-pointer at the final second. UConn outscored Duke 44-28 in the final 20 minutes for its third trip to the Final Four in four seasons.

It was one of the largest comebacks in NCAA Tournament history, and UConn made Duke the first No. 1 seed to lose a game after being up by at least 15 points at halftime in an ending for the ages.

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Big Ten

The Big Ten rolls onto the biggest stage with the conference getting two teams into the Final Four with Michigan and Illinois. It’s the first time the conference has accomplished the feat since 2015 and fourth time since 1999.

The tournament has been a Big Ten showcase after seven of its nine teams won their first round game. It put a record four teams in the Elite Eight, and was guaranteed to get at least one Final Four team with the Illinois-Iowa winner, and could’ve had up to three, but two is still a very successful result.

It’s been the winner of every round so far. Now all that’s left is finishing it on top with a 50% shot at a national championship, the first since 2000. It could be sealed with an all-Big Ten title game, very much possible.

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See the best photos of Arizona basketball’s run to 2026 Final Four

Arizona Wildcats forward Ivan Kharchenkov (8) reacts in the first half against the LIU Sharks during a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena.

Breaking droughts

The 2026 Final Four is more than two decades in the making for Arizona and Illinois, getting back to the final stage after falling short so many times.

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Arizona is in the Final Four for the first time since 2001, a relief on the shoulders of the Wildcats after losing all of its past five Elite Eight appearances. They did it in emphatic fashion with a major second half comeback over Purdue to cruise toward a stress-free finish against the Boilermakers. Illinois was able to put away the surprise run against Iowa to reach the semifinals for the first time since 2005, the last time it was close to winning its first national title.

Two successful programs redeemed years of frustrations, and not only have they finally broken through, but they are viable national championship contenders, with Arizona on the verge of its second title and Illinois on the cusp of its biggest accomplishment yet.

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See the best photos of Illinois basketball’s run to 2026 Final Four

Illinois Fighting Illini center Zvonimir Ivisic (44) dunks the ball against the Penn Quakers in the second half of a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.

Andrej Stojakovic

Watch out dad, son can definitely hoop, too. The son of Peja, Andrej Stojakovic came up clutch for Illinois, a catalyst for his team surviving and advancing.

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Iowa jumped out to a quick double-digit lead, but Stojakovic came in and helped his team recover quickly and eventually win. He made some clutch shots at the end and most importantly, defended Iowa star Bennett Stirtz down the stretch to prevent any late heroics. Even though Keaton Wagler was the star with 25 points, Stojakovic had 17 points and his plus/minus of +19 was the best on the team, proving how vital he was to his team’s success.

The Elite Eight isn’t the only time Stojakovic has come up big in the tournament, but Illinois may have been cooked if he wasn’t the sparkplug he was against the Hawkeyes. His presence keeps his team’s title hopes alive and well.

Losers

Duke chokes

It’s another stunning March loss for Duke. The top overall seed looked destined for the Final Four after jumping to a 19-point lead against UConn in the first half.

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Then came the second half.

The Blue Devils couldn’t stop UConn from rallying at the end, and had the game in its hands in the final seconds, but a shocking turnover turned into a game-winning 3-pointer by the Huskies. UConn outscored Duke 15-5 in the final five minutes. Duke now is the first No. 1 seed in NCAA Tournament history to lose after leading by at least 15 points at halftime, as they were 134-0 in such instances. The 19-point blown lead is tied for the sixth largest in the tournament.

The shocking loss keeps Duke away from winning its first national championship in the Jon Scheyer era, with the last title in 2015. Its the longest the Blue Devils have gone without a championship this century.

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SEC

March doesn’t mean more in the SEC as the conference finishes with a dud to follow its historic past season.

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It was going to be hard to follow up two teams in the Final Four en route to a national champion, but the SEC didn’t get close to replicating some of that success. It only got one team in the Elite Eight in Tennessee, and it got blown out by Michigan. The SEC will not be represented in the semifinals for the first time since 2023.

To add insult to injury, the conference did not do well against its fellow Power league in the Big Ten. The SEC went 0-5 vs. Big Ten teams in the tournament, which ended up getting two teams to the Final Four. After an amazing showing in 2025, this one has been a forgettable month in the Southeast.

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Lower seeds

Make way for the heavyweights. The 2026 Final Four will feature two No. 1 seeds, a No. 2 and a No. 3 seed, another season of no surprise runs to the semifinals.

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While it’s no surprise when the favorites at the start of the tournament ended up making it to the final weekend, it’s exactly what happened last season when we had an all-No. 1 group. This marks back-to-back years where the Final Four doesn’t feature a team seeded No. 4 or lower, which hasn’t happened since a three-year streak from 2007-09.

This year’s tournament had upsets and some magical runs, but none of them reached the final stage. Are even really solid teams going to have trouble winning a region, and are true Cinderellas dead?

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Tennessee

Another Elite Eight, another exit for Rocky Top. The Volunteers are left searching again for their first Final Four after getting stopped at the doorstep.

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Tennessee’s optimism was quickly wiped out early against Michigan, leading to a 33-point rout in one of the largest blowouts in Elite Eight history. While the Vols have nothing to be ashamed about given it was a good run as a No. 6 seed, it’s the third straight season the Vols were eliminated in the regional final.

Rick Barnes has maintained winning in Knoxville, but after coming up short so often, will Tennessee ever get over the hump?

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Elite 8 winners, losers: UConn, Big 10, Duke headline March Madness ups, downs

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Arkansas sports betting 2026: Best AR sportsbooks

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30 March 2026

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On Thursday, Feb. 26, the Arkansas Racing Commission unanimously approved FanDuel and DraftKings for sports wagering vendor licenses for Arkansas sports betting. Arkansas sports betting has been legal since 2019, with Arkansas online sports betting launching in 2022.

National sportsbooks initially stayed away from Arkansas, largely due to apprehension about a revenue split that forces third-party operators to give more than half their revenue to its in-state partner. However, DraftKings and FanDuel have accepted that split, as DraftKings partners with Oaklawn Casino, while FanDuel partners with Southland Casino Hotel to take over their Arkansas sports betting apps. Click here to create your DraftKings Arkansas account:

Arkansas Sports Betting (March 2026 Updates) 

New Arkansas sports betting apps launch date March 20, 2026
New Arkansas sportsbooks DraftKings, FanDuel
Arkansas sports betting regulator Arkansas Racing Commission
Last updated: March 30, 2026

History of Arkansas sports betting and latest news

  • May 2018: The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) is deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, allowing states to legalize sports betting.
  • November 6, 2018: Arkansas voters pass Issue 4 (Amendment 100), which authorized casino gaming and legal sports betting at licensed casinos.
  • July 1, 2019: The first legal sports bet is placed in Arkansas, a $5 wager on the Dallas Cowboys at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort. Read more on this here.
  • April 2021: House Bill 1942 is passed, setting the framework for online sports betting. 
  • December 30, 2021: The Arkansas Racing Commission approves the 51% revenue-sharing rule, meaning 51% of revenues from third-party operators, such as FanDuel and DraftKings, goes to the in-state partner, with the other 49% going to the third-party operator. 
  • February 22, 2022: Arkansas Legislative Council accepts and finalizes the 51% revenue-sharing rule. Read more on this here.
  • March 5, 2022: Southland Casino launches Betly for Arkansas online sports betting.
  • May 10, 2022: Saracen Casino’s BETSaracen app launches.
  • August 2022: Oaklawn Sports mobile app goes live.
  • Sept 24, 2024: Arkansas sportsbooks clear $1 billion in total handle
  • February 26, 2026: DraftKings and FanDuel are granted sports wagering vendor licenses from the Arkansas Racing Commission. Read more on this here.
  • March 20, 2026: FanDuel and DraftKings launch sports betting operations in Arkansas.

New users can claim the Arkansas FanDuel promo code here, which gives new users $300 in bonus bets if their first $5 bet wins:

Arkansas sports betting apps and promos

FanDuel

  • FanDuel is one of the nation’s most popular and highly rated sportsbooks. It offers thousands of spreads, money lines, totals, props, and more for professional sports, both domestically and internationally, as well as college sports. FanDuel is known for its easy-to-use, aesthetically pleasing blue-and-white interface, competitive odds and wide market options. 
  • The Arkansas FanDuel promo code offers new users $300 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins.
  • Alternatively, higher stakes players in Arkansas can get a VIP offer of a Bet Reset of up to $5,000 with a minimum deposit of $2,000.
  • The FanDuel Sportsbook app can be downloaded on both Apple and Android systems.
  • FanDuel offers a variety of ways to deposit and withdraw, with most withdrawal methods paying out in less than a day. Users who withdraw via debit card, PayPal and Venmo are paid out within 24 hours. Online banking may take up to five days. Mailed checks arrive within 10 business days of being mailed.

Sign up with the Arkansas FanDuel promo code, which offers new users $300 in bonus bets if your first wager of $5 or more wins:

DraftKings

  • DraftKings got its start as a daily fantasy sports platform before evolving into one of the most recognized sportsbooks in the country. That DFS DNA shows in its interface, as DraftKings leans into stats, player data, and same-game parlays in a way that appeals to more engaged, research-driven bettors.
  • New users in Arkansas can take advantage of the DraftKings promo code, which delivers $300 instantly in bonus bets after placing a first bet of just $5.
  • The DraftKings Sportsbook app is available for download on both iOS and Android devices.
  • DraftKings supports multiple deposit and withdrawal methods, with payout timelines varying depending on the option selected. Common withdrawal methods include PayPal, debit card, online banking, and mailed checks.

Sign up with the Arkansas DraftKings promo code, which offers new users $300 in bonus bets instantly with a $5 bet:

When will Arkansas online sports betting expand?

On Feb. 26, the Arkansas Racing Commission approved Oaklawn Casino’s partnership with FanDuel and Southland Casino Hotel’s partnership with DraftKings. FanDuel and DraftKings can launch sportsbook promos and betting sites immediately. 

Oaklawn Sports, an Arkansas betting app that operated under Oaklawn Casino’s license, will no longer be operational and will instead use the FanDuel app “powered by Oaklawn Sports.”

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DraftKings operates under Southland Casino Hotel’s license, which was previously used by Betly, for Arkansas online sports betting.

Saracen Casino Resort did not enter a licensing partnership with a national sportsbook and continues with its BETSaracen app.

Southland Casino Hotel, Oaklawn Casino and Saracen Casino Resort, Arkansas’ three commercial casinos, can each operate two sportsbook apps. All Arkansas betting apps must operate under a 51%-49% revenue split, which favors in-state casinos, and that’s unchanged by the FanDuel and DraftKings partnerships. 

These Arkansas betting apps can launch immediately. These new partnerships do not include prediction markets, only online sports betting.

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Click here to create your FanDuel Arkansas account:

Who regulates Arkansas sports betting?

The Arkansas Racing Commission regulates racing, casino betting and sports betting, both in-person and online, in Arkansas. It operates under the authority of the Arkansas state government and is made up of appointed members. The Arkansas Racing Commission offers online services at its website (www.dfa.arkansas.gov/office/racing-commission), as well as correspondence in person, on the phone, or through email.

Address 1515 W. 7th Street Ste. 505, Little Rock, AR, 72201
Phone 501-682-1467
Email racing.@dfa.arkansas.gov

Where does Arkansas sports betting tax revenue go?

According to the National Conference of State Legislators, 55% of the tax Arkansas sportsbooks pay goes to the state general fund, 27.5% goes to the city and county where the casino is located, and 17.5% goes to the Arkansas Racing Commission for deposit into its Purse and Awards Fund. Arkansas sportsbooks pay a 13% tax rate on the first $150 million in gaming revenue, then 20% on all revenue above $150 million. According to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, the state collected $7.229 million in tax revenue from sports betting between January and October 2025. 

Responsible gambling in Arkansas  

Arkansas has multiple problem gambling helplines, including the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-MY-RESET and the Arkansas Problem Gambling Council at 501-403-2321. 

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FAQ

Is sports betting legal in Arkansas?

Yes, Arkansas sports betting has been legal since 2019, with online sports betting launching in 2022.

Will new Arkansas sportsbooks have promo codes?

Historically, FanDuel, DraftKings and many major sportsbooks have offered promo codes when launching in new states. Both FanDuel and DraftKings are offering lucrative welcome promos to new users in Arkansas.

Is DraftKings legal in Arkansas?

Yes, after the Feb. 26 decision by the Arkansas Racing Commission, DraftKings Sportsbook is legal through Southland Casino Hotel’s license. 

Is FanDuel in Arkansas yet?

Yes, after the Feb. 26 decision by the Arkansas Racing Commission, FanDuel Sportsbook is legal and is “powered by” Oaklawn Sports.

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Can I use Caesars Sportsbook in Arkansas?

No, and there’s no current momentum for that to change soon. However, there are available Arkansas sports betting licenses if Caesars or other sports betting apps become interested. 

Do I need to be a resident in order to bet in Arkansas?

No, you do not need to be an Arkansas resident to use Arkansas sports betting apps. However, you do need to be physically located in the state when Arkansas sports betting.

Which sports can I bet on in Arkansas?

Arkansas has no restrictions on traditional professional sports or college sports, in-state or out-of-state, for Arkansas online sports betting. This allows Arkansas sports bettors to wager on the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, college football, college basketball and more. However, you can not wager on eSports or prediction markets.

What is the legal age for sports betting in Arkansas?

Users must be 21 to participate in Arkansas sports betting.

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How many online sportsbooks are in Arkansas?

Three — FanDuel (Oaklawn), DraftKings (Southland) and BETSaracen (Saracen Casino). All three casinos can partner with a second sportsbook, though.

What betting markets are available in Arkansas?

Arkansas online sports betting allows spreads, money lines, futures, props, and more for professional and college sports. You can also wager on awards, such as the MLB MVP or NFL Coach of the Year, which isn’t allowed in every state with online sports betting. 

Will DraftKings and FanDuel be able to bring prediction markets to Arkansas?

No, the February 26th decision only allowed FanDuel and DraftKings to operate in a sports betting capacity in Arkansas.

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RR vs CSK, IPL 2026: 5 players to watch in today’s match | Cricket News

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RR vs CSK, IPL 2026: 5 players to watch in today’s match
L-R: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Riyan Parag, Sanju Samson, Ayush Mhatre, Kartik Sharma

An emotional subplot will headline Monday’s IPL clash as Sanju Samson faces Rajasthan Royals for the first time after leading them for over a decade. Now with Chennai Super Kings, Samson — RR’s former captain and all-time leading run-scorer — returns in top form following a stellar T20 World Cup campaign, where he struck three successive half-centuries.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!His move, part of a high-profile swap that saw Ravindra Jadeja rejoin Rajasthan, adds further intrigue. With MS Dhoni sidelined due to injury, Samson will share leadership duties with Ruturaj Gaikwad at the top.CSK appear in transition, bolstered by emerging talents and a varied bowling attack. Meanwhile, Rajasthan begin a new era under Riyan Parag, with Yashasvi Jaiswal leading the batting alongside Shimron Hetmyer.While RR boast explosive batting options, concerns linger over their bowling consistency. Both sides, coming off underwhelming 2025 campaigns, will view this clash as a chance to reset and rebuild momentum.

Top 5 players to watch in RR vs CSK clash

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (15 years old)The Rajasthan Royals opener enters his second IPL season carrying significant expectations after a sensational debut year. At just 14, he scripted history by becoming the youngest centurion in men’s T20 cricket, hammering 101 off 38 balls against Gujarat Titans in IPL 2025. His century came off just 35 deliveries, making it the second-fastest in IPL history. Across seven matches, he piled up 252 runs at a staggering strike rate of 206.55, underlining his fearless approach at the top. Against Chennai Super Kings last season, he scored a brisk 57 off 33 balls, including four sixes and four fours. His explosive powerplay batting makes him a key figure for RR once again.Riyan Parag (24 years old)Riyan Parag begins his first full season as Rajasthan Royals captain following Sanju Samson’s exit, taking charge at his home ground. One of the youngest captains in IPL history, Parag has steadily grown into a central figure for the franchise since his debut in 2019. In IPL 2025, he led the side in eight matches and scored 393 runs, emerging as RR’s second-highest run-getter with a strike rate of 166.52. His breakthrough came in 2024 when he amassed 573 runs in 16 matches at an average of 52.09. Overall, Parag has 1566 runs from 84 games at a strike rate of 141.84. Against CSK, he has scored 122 runs in eight matches, with a highest score of 47.Sanju Samson (31 years old)Sanju Samson will be in the spotlight as he turns out in Chennai Super Kings colours for the first time after being the face of Rajasthan Royals for over a decade. Having played 11 seasons with RR, he remains their all-time leading run-scorer with over 4000 runs. Overall, Samson has accumulated 4704 runs in 177 IPL matches at an average of 30.94 and a strike rate of 139.04, including three centuries and 26 fifties. He comes into the season in excellent touch after a Player-of-the-Tournament performance in the T20 World Cup 2026. His first outing against RR adds emotional weight, making him one of the biggest attractions in this contest.Kartik Sharma (19 years old)Kartik Sharma is a young wicketkeeper-batter, known for his power-hitting abilities. He became the joint-most expensive uncapped Indian player in IPL auction history when Chennai Super Kings signed him for Rs 14.2 crore. After being part of CSK’s wider squad in IPL 2025, he has now broken into the main squad for the 2026 season. If included in the playing XI, Sharma could make his debut, bringing with him the reputation of an aggressive young finisher.Ayush Mhatre (18 years old)Ayush Mhatre, another exciting young talent, enters his second IPL season after making a strong impression in 2025. He scored 240 runs in seven matches at an average of 34.28 and a remarkable strike rate of 188.97, including a high score of 94. Initially unsold at the IPL 2025 auction, Mhatre earned a mid-season call-up to Chennai Super Kings due to an injury to Ruturaj Gaikwad and made an immediate impact. Against Rajasthan Royals, he struck 43 off 20 at a strike rate of 215, showcasing his aggressive batting style.

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Best teams for Honkai Star Rail 4.1 Pure Fiction (Virtual Made Manifest)

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One of the endgame activities, Pure Fiction, has received a new cycle in Honkai Star Rail 4.1. With that, players now get fresh challenges with brand-new enemy lineups. Since the activity is quite tough to beat, players are compelled to build top-of-the-line teams to get all the rewards it offers.

This article lists the best teams for the Honkai Star Rail 4.1 Pure Fiction.

Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and reflect the author’s opinions.

Exploring the best teams for Honkai Star Rail 4.1 Pure Fiction, Virtual Made Manifest

All HSR 4.1 Pure Fiction Node buffs (Image via HoYoverse)All HSR 4.1 Pure Fiction Node buffs (Image via HoYoverse)
All HSR 4.1 Pure Fiction Node buffs (Image via HoYoverse)

Let’s take a look at all the buffs you can use in Honkai Star Rail 4.1’s Pure Fiction:

  • Memory: When Surging Grit gets triggered, it regenerates 3 Skill Points and all enemies take 30% more damage from DoTs.
  • Streets Abuzz: While Surging Grit is active, all allies deal 50% extra Follow-Up ATK damage. When an allied character unleashes a FUA, the entire team gains a Resound stack.
  • Commotion: During Surging Grit, all allies’ SPD gets boosted by 35%. When an allied unit consumes Resound, a Skill Point will be replenished.

Node 1

Sparxie (Image via HoYoverse)Sparxie (Image via HoYoverse)
Sparxie (Image via HoYoverse)

While the enemy lineup in every stage of the Honkai Star Rail 4.1 Pure Fiction is different, they somewhat share the same weakness types. However, the first three stages aren’t that challenging compared to the last one. The first Node of Stage 4 features Argenti, the Knight of Beauty. Here are some teams you can use to clear the first Node:

  • Sparxie, Yao Guang, Sparkle, and Dan Heng Permansor Terrae
  • The Herta, Anaxa, Tribbie, and Dan Heng PT
  • Phainon, Cerydra, Sunday, Dan Heng Permansor Terrae

Since Argenti is weak to the Fire and Physical Elements, we have recommended the Sparxie Elation and Phainon hypercarry compositions. Both teams are exceptionally powerful and are capable of dealing damage to multiple enemies simultaneously.

On the other hand, The Herta team can be used in this Node as Anaxa can place weakness types on the enemies. Hence, you can easily use this composition in both nodes. Since there is not much difference in these teams, you can just use the Commotion buff.

Node 2

Ashveil (Image via HoYoverse)Ashveil (Image via HoYoverse)
Ashveil (Image via HoYoverse)

As for Honkai Star Rail 4.1 Pure Fiction’s Node 2, you will fight Sam, alongside some others. The Stellaron Hunter is weak to Quantum, Lightning, and Imaginary Elements. The following section lists some teams that can help you clear Virtual Made Manifest:

  • Kafka, Black Swan, Hysilens, and Huohuo
  • Ashveil, Sunday, Tribbie, and Dan Heng Permansor Terrae
  • Archer, Sparkle, Yao Guang, and Dan Heng PT

The Kafka DoT team is quite strong in this particular cycle, as the Memory buff can boost the entire team’s damage output by a substantial amount. Since Kafka wields the Lightning Element, she can easily deal toughness as well as DoT damage to Sam.

Moving over to the Archer and Ashveil teams, both work differently because of their unique playstyle. However, their damage output is exceptionally high, and they specialize in defeating one enemy at a time. Like the Kafka team, these two also deal consistent damage throughout the fight.

For more articles related to this turn-based gacha title from HoYoverse, Honkai Star Rail, check out the following section:

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