Sports
IPL 2026: ‘Clarity is missing’- Rishabh Pant opens up on LSG’s disastrous season
Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant admitted that a lack of clarity around roles and constant chopping and changing within the batting order has hurt the team badly during their disappointing IPL 2026 campaign.
Speaking at the toss before LSG’s crucial clash against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Lucknow on Thursday, Pant said the franchise had struggled to maintain clarity within the squad, something he believes played a major role in their poor season.
“The only thing is moving with more clarity. We know we are the top players, but at the same time, when clarity is missing sometimes, it can happen in cricket,” Pant said.
“So most of the time, the talk is about clarity, and there are a few changes in the batting order, so hopefully we can figure out and take it for the next season,” he added.
LSG find themselves in a desperate situation heading into the match. While RCB sit third on the IPL 2026 points table with 12 points from nine matches, Lucknow have managed just four points in the same number of games and are staring at elimination from the playoff race.
A defeat against Bengaluru would make LSG the first team to be officially knocked out this season, while an RCB victory would take them to the top of the standings ahead of Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings.
Pant, who has been under immense pressure both as captain and batter, also stressed the importance of maintaining stability within a T20 side, though he admitted that the team had been forced to explore changes due to their position in the tournament.
“Having a stable environment in T20 cricket is essential, but at the same time, when the changes are needed, you should be able to change something, because every time, doing the same thing might not give you the same outcome,” Pant explained.
“So trying sometimes, especially where we stand now, trying is not a bad option for sure,” he added.
Pant also gave his assessment of the Lucknow surface before the must-win clash and predicted a comparatively better batting wicket than what teams have experienced at the venue this season.
“It looks like 180-190 wicket for sure. It’s a better wicket than a lot of the matches for sure,” he said.
The season has been equally difficult for Pant personally. The wicketkeeper-batter has struggled to make a major impact with the bat and has scored 204 runs in nine matches at an average of 25.50 and a strike rate of 128.30.
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Deonna Purrazzo was credited with helping restart the women’s division in Ring of Honor (ROH) when she joined the company in 2015. She was featured in one of the first women’s matches in the company’s history in nearly a decade at the time.
She spent three years with the company before she landed back in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) in 2024. By that time, AEW co-founder Tony Khan had bought Ring of Honor and it became a sister company of AEW. Upon her return to Ring of Honor, she was thrust into a tournament to determine the first ROH women’s pure champion.
Deonna Purrazzo celebrates after winning her match during AEW Collision on June 15, 2024, at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown, Ohio. (Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire)
In December, Purrazzo defeated Billie Starkz to be crowned the champion and has held the title ever since.
As a wave of new wrestlers hit the free-agent market over the last two weeks, Purrazzo touted the opportunities that Ring of Honor has for women’s wrestlers – something that was “really important” to the New Jersey native.
“I think what’s so great about Ring of Honor is that it kinda flies under the radar a little bit,” she told Fox News Digital. “So, you get to really develop and tell stories and show personality and maybe try something different than you would if you were on ‘Dynamite’ every single week. I think that there is really great women’s wrestling within Ring of Honor. Most weeks there’s four, five, six women’s matches and so I think that it doesn’t get enough credit online that it deserves for what it’s doing and the purpose it’s serving for women’s wrestling, which is, again, really important to me, starting in Ring of Honor, starting the women’s division 11 years ago.
“To get to see multiple women every single week grow and develop, I think it’s really important and I think that if more people saw it as a landing spot, we can maybe grow that perception in the public’s eyes.”
Athena sits at the top of the women’s division in ROH. She’s held the ROH Women’s World Championship for more than 1,200 days. Red Velvet is the current ROH Women’s World Television Championship and has held it for more than 150 days.
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Deonna Purrazzo attends Shaq’s Fun House at XS nightclub at Encore Las Vegas on Feb. 9, 2024. (Greg Doherty/Getty Images)
Purrazzo also has the opportunity to help veterans and first-responders in need.
She and her husband, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling star Steve Maclin, are putting on the Battle for the Brave on June 6. The charity event will benefit the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
Purrazzo stressed how important giving back to military veterans was to her in an interview with Fox News Digital earlier this week, especially as a military wife. Maclin served in the U.S. Marines.
“Growing up in New Jersey as well, 9/11 was such a big deal. For me, I was in second grade,” she said. “I didn’t understand what was going on but in the days after, I felt a sense of unity in that everyone came together, everyone was proud to be an American, and we were going to fight back and stand together and be one, united country. And I think that, that feeling has always stuck with me but being a veteran’s wife, it’s taken on a completely different role.
“Steve opening up about his service and things he’s seen and experienced with me has given me a new passion to let veterans know that, yes, war will always come home with you but it doesn’t have to define you. Steve was so lucky that he was able to find wrestling right after he got out of the Marine Corps and it saved him, in a way, from falling down the unknown path of ‘What am I? Who am I next?’
Pro wrestling stars Steve Maclin and Deonna Purrazzo stare at each other. (Provided to Fox News Digital)
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“And I think that’s something that our veterans deal with unbeknownst to the rest of the public. It’s not talked about enough. They say 22 veterans but right now the math is leading toward 44 veterans a day lose their lives to that battle – an identity crisis of who am I after service. So, that’s what it means to be American for me now, is showing that support for our veterans, showing that our country is here for them and we’re here to support them and we’re here to give them the resources that they need to live healthy and successful lives after service.”
PSG’s Ousmane Dembele, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring his sides first goal during the Champions League semifinal second leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint Germain in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
MUNICH— Ousmane Dembélé scored early and Paris Saint-Germain eliminated Bayern Munich with a 1-1 draw to reach the Champions League final again on Wednesday.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia raced clear after playing a simple one-two with Fabián Ruiz in midfield, then picked out the unmarked Dembélé to sweep the ball in under the crossbar in the third minute of the semifinal second leg.
READ: ‘Magical’ Dembele brace fires Paris Saint-Germain top in France
By the time Harry Kane equalized in stoppage time it was too late to keep alive Bayern’s dream of a Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League treble.
The draw gave PSG, the defending champion, a 6-5 win on aggregate after edging their encounter 5-4 in the first leg in Paris last week.
The French league leader will face Arsenal in the final in Budapest, Hungary, on May 30, after the Gunners defeated Atletico Madrid 1-0 on Tuesday to progress 2-1 on aggregate.
READ: French fans finally have capital city derby with PSG vs PFC
“It’s magnificent, two finals,” PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi said. “Now we will go there and try to fetch a second star. I said to the players we are warriors.”
PSG’s defense — breached four times in Paris last week — kept Bayern’s much vaunted attack of Kane, Luis Díaz and Micheal Olise largely in check.
PSG’s Ousmane Dembele celebrates after scoring their first goal during the Champions League semifinal second leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint Germain in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (Sven Hoppe/dpa via AP)
“We know how to suffer and we’re ready for what we have to face,” PSG midfielder João Neves said. “We’re very proud of how far we’ve come.”
By the time Kane let fly for his 55th goal across all competitions including the German Supercup for Bayern this season, PSG’s substitutes were already lining up to celebrate.
The England captain’s goal ensured Bayern has scored in every competitive match this season. Bayern coach Vincent Kompany struck an optimistic tone despite the disappointment.
“We made progress this season,” Kompany said. “We have to do it again.”
Real Madrid was the last team to achieve back-to-back titles — winning three in a row from 2016-18.
“Shoot us into the final,” the Bayern fans had urged their team with a huge choreography as the combatants emerged on the field.
Bayern only needed one goal to level the tie, but it soon turned to two after Fabián sent Kvaratskhelia on his way.
If the Georgia star was surprised by how much space he was offered by the absent defense, he didn’t stop to question it. Desiré Doué was another option queuing beside Dembélé to take a shot with Luis Díaz the closest Bayern player back.
Bayern’s players complained the already-booked Nuno Mendes should have been booked again when the ball hit his arm in the first half, but referee João Pinheiro blew instead for a handball from Konrad Laimer.
There were more protests shortly afterward when Vitinha struck teammate João Neves’ arm with the ball in the penalty area with a clearance.
Kompany played down the importance of the referee’s calls, though he also said more time should have been played in stoppage time.
While Bayern dominated possession, PSG was more efficient, with Doué and Kvaratskhelia keeping Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer alert after the break.
“PSG were killers with their five goals and how they scored (last week),” Neuer said. “That’s what we needed today. I think we were close to the final but couldn’t finish the job.”
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PSG already had good memories of Munich. The city was the scene of PSG’s triumph in the final last season when it demolished Inter Milan 5-0 to fulfill its Qatari owners’ quest to become European champion for the first time. A relatively unchanged team is well-placed to deliver the second title.
The 2026 Truist Championship continues on Friday, May 8, with the second round at Quail Hollow in North Carolina. You can find full Truist Championship tee times for Friday’s second round at the bottom of this post.
Featured tee time for Round 2
Slowly but surely, Rickie Fowler is working his way back into the elite echelons of the PGA Tour. Though he didn’t qualify for the Masters, Fowler has collected top-10 finishes in his last two starts at the RBC Heritage and Cadillac Championship, both Signature Events.
He’s moved into the all-important 30th position in the FedEx Cup standings, the cutoff for access to the season-ending Tour Championship. His major absence will end next week when he tees it up in the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink.
But first, Fowler is trying to secure his comeback moment with a victory at this week’s Truist Championship, another Signature Event.
After starting on the back nine for the opening round, Fowler will switch to a 1st-tee start in Friday’s second round.
Fowler will tee off for Round 2 at 12:50 p.m. ET alongside Alex Fitzpatrick and Viktor Hovland.
You can watch Friday’s second round of the 2026 Truist Championship from 2-6 p.m. ET on Golf Channel. PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will provide exclusive early streaming coverage starting at 7:30 a.m. ET on Friday, in addition to featured group and featured hole coverage.
Check out the complete Round 2 tee times and groupings for the Truist Championship below.
Hoping to wager on the Truist Championship? Sign up for Fanatics Sportsbook with code “SUBPAR” to receive a special welcome offer.
With an ESPN+ subscription, you gain access to PGA Tour Live, where you can stream the best PGA Tour events live from wherever you want.
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2026 Truist Championship tee times for Friday: Round 2
Tee No. 1
11:00 a.m. – Tom Hoge, Patrick Rodgers, Sam Stevens
11:11 a.m. – Tony Finau, Daniel Berger, Austin Smotherman
11:22 a.m. – Gary Woodland, Akshay Bhatia, Ben Griffin
11:33 a.m. – Jacob Bridgeman, Sam Burns, Patrick Cantlay
11:44 a.m. – J.J. Spaun, Robert MacIntyre, Sungjae Im
11:55 a.m. – Jhonattan Vegas, Webb Simpson, Andrew Putnam
12:06 p.m. – Lucas Glover, Sudarshan Yellamaraju, Kristoffer Reitan
12:17 p.m. – Adam Scott, Ryo Hisatsune, Pierceson Coody
12:28 p.m. – Tommy Fleetwood, Brian Harman, Ludvig Åberg
12:39 p.m. – Matt Fitzpatrick, Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose
12:50 p.m. – Alex Fitzpatrick, Viktor Hovland, Rickie Fowler
1:01 p.m. – Matt McCarty, Bud Cauley, Chandler Blanchet
Tee No. 10
11:00 a.m. – Jason Day, Michael Kim, David Lipsky
11:11 a.m. – Kurt Kitayama, Ryan Gerard, Alex Noren
11:22 a.m. – Sepp Straka, Hideki Matsuyama, Jordan Spieth
11:33 a.m. – Cameron Young, Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas
11:44 a.m. – Chris Gotterup, Ryan Fox, Si Woo Kim
11:55 a.m. – Aldrich Potgieter, Sahith Theegala, Max Homa
12:06 p.m. – Taylor Pendrith, Mackenzie Hughes, Alex Smalley
12:17 p.m. – Min Woo Lee, Matt Wallace, Denny McCarthy
12:28 p.m. – Ricky Castillo, Andrew Novak, Corey Conners
12:39 p.m. – Nico Echavarria, Keegan Bradley, Harris English
12:50 p.m. – Nick Taylor, Maverick McNealy, Harry Hall
1:01 p.m. – Brian Campbell, J.T. Poston, Nicolai Højgaard
Sports
‘Not all players are happy’: Ex-India cricketer drops explosive claim on Gautam Gambhir | Cricket News
Former India cricketer Atul Wassan has made explosive remarks about the atmosphere inside the Indian team under head coach Gautam Gambhir, claiming that not every player is comfortable with the former opener’s intense and uncompromising approach. Wassan, who has previously been critical of Gambhir and once served as a Delhi selector during a controversial phase of Gambhir’s domestic career, suggested that tensions exist within the current Indian dressing room despite the team’s success in white-ball cricket.
Speaking on Vickey Lalwani’s YouTube show, Wassan alleged that a few players in the Indian setup were unhappy with Gambhir’s style of management and strong personality. “I am sure that all the players cannot be in a happy place. Somebody will be sleeping on needles; this happens. Personal likes and dislikes, and that too with such a strong personality. With personal likes and dislikes, and leading them with a stick, if you keep on winning, then it’s fine. But if you lose, then you need to listen to criticism,” Wassan said. The former India pacer was then asked whether he personally knew players who were dissatisfied under Gambhir’s leadership. While refusing to reveal names, Wassan hinted that there were a few cricketers who felt sidelined. “I know 1-2 of them; they won’t say it openly. I can’t say their names in this show. Everyone knows whats happening. But after sidelining those 2-4 players, if you win, then it’s your world. It’s a team sport; nobody will listen to the player. If the coach wins even after all this, then the coach is right, and the player is wrong,” he added. Wassan and Gambhir have shared a tense relationship in the past. During Wassan’s time as a Delhi selector, Gambhir was removed as Delhi captain, a move that sparked controversy after the former India opener claimed he had not been informed properly about the decision. Gambhir took charge as India’s head coach on July 10, 2024, replacing Rahul Dravid. His tenure has produced mixed results across formats. India enjoyed a dominant run in white-ball cricket, becoming the first side to simultaneously hold the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, Champions Trophy 2025 and Asia Cup 2025 titles. However, India’s red-ball performances have come under heavy scrutiny during the same period. The team endured rare home series whitewashes against New Zealand and South Africa, while also surrendering the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to Australia for the first time in 10 years. Several major developments involving senior players have also unfolded during Gambhir’s coaching stint. Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement from all international cricket midway through the 2024-25 Test series against Australia following the third Test at the Gabba in Brisbane. Months later, both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma stepped away from Test cricket in May 2025, marking the end of an era in India’s batting line-up. Rohit was also removed as India’s ODI captain despite leading the team to the Champions Trophy title earlier that year, with Shubman Gill later taking over the role.
Sports
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi “Might Retire By 21”: England Great Michael Turns Heads With “Enough Cash” Remark
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continues to drive cricket conversation around the world. The improbability of a 15-year-old dominating top bowlers like Josh Hazlewood, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Pat Cummins, and the actual culmination of it makes Sooryavanshi’s case special. Sooryavanshi announced his arrival with a 35-ball century in the IPL 2025 and is on a spree in the IPL 2026. Currently, he has 404 runs in 10 matches at a strike rate of 237.65. He is fifth in the list of top run-getters. His exploits ensured that a group of former England cricketers talked on the topic, “How good is Vaibhav Sooryavanshi?”
“This kid, right? So, Chris Gayle‘s got the fastest IPL hundred – right, 30 balls. This kid has already hit a 100 off 35 balls and a 100 in 36 balls. The most sixes by any Indian batter in a single edition is 42 by Abhishek Sharma in 2024. This kid is on 37 now. Is he the best six-hitter in the world right now?” Michael Vaughan asked.
“Yes. But what did he go for? What did they sign him for as a 14-year-old? Will that not be the best value for money ever? I thought he signed a two-year deal. How much is he going to go for next year at the auction? How are they going to keep him? What if he says he wants to go back to the auction?” Alastair Cook responded.
Vaughan, the former England captain, has been extremely vocal about Sooryavanshi’s inclusion in India’s national team and wants to see the youngster tour England in July. However, he did not agree with Cook on the auction point, believing the Rajasthan Royals would not let him off the hook that easily.
“He’ll be burnt out by 21!”
Is Vaibhav Sooryavanshi one of the best right now? 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/7XVY4o9ZrQ
— Stick to Cricket (@StickToCricket) May 6, 2026
“I think he will come on that tour to Ireland. He should be in the Indian party in the summer. I don’t think they will throw him back in [the auction]. It will be a private deal done for him,” he added.
Phil Tufnell joked Vaibhav Sooryavanshi could be exhausted by 21, going by his breakneck speed of progress. “He could be burnt out by 21,” he said.
“He’ll have enough cash by then. Might retire,” Vaughan added.
“He can’t be burnt out; he plays just 30 balls!” Cook commented
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IPL 2026 News | Shami’s Sensation Leads Lucknow to First Win of Season
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Precious Zaragosa closes with a 68 to forge sudden death. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Just a week removed from folding up when it mattered, Precious Zaragosa on Thursday rallied from five shots down to rule the girls’ 15-18 division of the ICTSI Junior PGT Pueblo de Oro Championship in a playoff over the same player that caused her that heartbreak.
Zaragosa closed our regulation with a four-under-par 68 to catch Zero Plete at the top at 224, before dropping a four-foot putt for par on the first hole of sudden death to win for the first time in the Visayas-Mindanao circuit in two years and exorcise the ghost of Del Monte in Bukidnon last week.
“I believed I still had a chance (at the start of the day) and kept telling myself to stay focused and give my best no matter what happens,” said the 15-year-old Zaragosa. “This victory really boosts my confidence after Del Monte.
“I’m so happy to finally get my first win in the VisMin series after failing to win last year,” she added.
After signing for a 73 to drop into that 54-hole tie, Plete three-putted the first playoff hole and failed to score a follow-up to a stirring one-shot win in Bukidnon last week when she took advantage of all of Zaragosa’s miscues. Lois Laine Go placed third with a 238 after a 77.
Alexis Nailga, meanwhile, coasted to a three-shot win in the boys’ division over Martin Lun even after submitting a birdie-less 78 for a 54-hole 229 total.
The hometown bet Lu and Bukidnon standout Clement Ordeneza were unable to capitalize as both unraveled on the frontside in a punishing stretch that paved the way for Nailga’s victory, his third in the regional series.
Lu signed for his version of a 78, while Ordaneza struggled to shoot an 80.
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NU Lady Bulldogs during a game against La Salle Lady Spikers in the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball Finals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Despite getting swept by unbeaten La Salle in the title series opener, National University coach Regine Diego urged her Lady Bulldogs to keep their heads high as they try to save their “three-peat” bid in the UAAP Season 88 women’s volleyball Finals when Game 2 is played on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Bulldogs lost early control in the first set and then went down easily after that as the Lady Spikers shook off the cobwebs of a 17-day break before posting a 25-23, 25-18, 25-18 victory and inching closer to regaining championship glory they last tasted three years ago.
It may be frustrating, but Diego told her wards to stay confident heading into the do-or-die Game 2.
“I told them to keep their heads high because it’s not the end,” Diego said. “If we get too emotional about this loss, it’ll be harder for us to move forward.
“We just have to keep working so we can fight until the end,” Diego went on. “Of course, it’s upsetting, but we need to focus more on preparing rather than feeding in the negative atmosphere. We’re still confident heading into the next game.”
The Lady Bulldogs dropped Game 1 of the Finals for the first time since Season 85, when they lost the championship to La Salle, which debuted a superstar who won Rookie-MVP, Angel Canino, that year.
There has been no Game 3 played in the women’s title series since the Season 81 championship between Ateneo and University of Santo Tomas in 2019.
Arah Panique led NU with 18 points, Vange Alinsug backstopped her with 12, while top rookie Sam Cantada was a missing piece after struggling in her Finals debut with two points on a 1-of-18 attacking clip.
“I feel overwhelmed. It’s my first time,” Cantada said in Filipino. “But the (senior players) are there to guide me.
“I think it’s normal, especially for a first-timer like me,” she added.
Despite receiving a rude welcome in her finals debut, Cantada vowed to bounce back.
“We just keep reminding ourselves that it’s not over yet. This isn’t finished,” said Cantada. “I’ll try to rebuild my confidence starting in training, because that’s really where everything begins.”
Diego, a former player of coach Ramil De Jesus at La Salle, admitted it will be tough to stop the Lady Spikers in close-out games, but she’s confident that her Lady Bulldogs will bounce back.
Diego wants premium on composure, which was evidently missing from her team in Game 1.
“We have to learn that we can’t stop playing, especially in moments when we already have the lead,” Diego said. “We were close at the end, but we just couldn’t finish it.
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“Everything in a championship series is more mental than physical. Skills are already pretty even,” she added.
Sports
“That’s Affecting Him”: Ex-Teammate Finds Reason Behind Jasprit Bumrah’s Poor Show In IPL 2026
Senior India pacer Umesh Yadav says Jasprit Bumrah has been trying too many things and that is the reason for his inconsistent run this IPL, while experienced seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has succeeded because of his clear planning and ability to deliver in both the Powerplay and death overs. Bhuvneshwar is so far the highest wicket-taker in the ongoing IPL with 17 wickets from nine games for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), while, on the other hand, Mumbai Indians’ Bumrah has struggled this season, picking up just three scalps from 10 games.
“Bhuvi’s and his team’s planning is clear. He bowls in the Powerplay and death overs, and his game plan is set. He is able to swing it both ways,” Umesh, a JioHotstar expert, said.
“Bhuvi is consistent with his line and length and variations, and Bumrah is trying a lot of things, which is creating problems for him.
“Bumrah is not consistent this season for Mumbai. Sometimes he is asked to bowl in the Powerplay, and sometimes he comes on to bowl in situations that are not under pressure. That is affecting him. MI needs to create chances for Bumrah to attack and give him opportunities to take wickets.”
Umesh also said that Rishabh Pant‘s form cost Lucknow Super Giants dearly. Apart from that, they failed to field the right combination.
“It’s his (Pant’s) decision, he has got responsibility and he needs to take decisions. In the last two years, his and the team’s performance has been down. This year, the batting is up and down, unlike last year.”
“The combination is not settling. Pant’s form is not good, Nicholas Pooran has only scored in the last match. Everything is not working for them. Batting is an issue this year. Everyone needs to contribute together in T20,” he said.
“Their batting order is not consistent. You are just searching; you need to believe a bit and not change the order in every match. For that, you need to sit and talk with the batters,” he added.
Asked about his predictions for the play-offs, Umesh said: “Punjab, RCB, Rajasthan and SRH are likely contenders for the top four.”
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NASCAR’s decision to move Watkins Glen to the spring will not last, as the historic road course confirmed plans to move the Cup date to the fall in 2027.
WGI will be part of the Chase for the Championship, and unless there is a dramatic change to the schedule, it will likely be the only road course in the Chase. This year, there are no road courses in the ten-race Chase after the Charlotte Roval’s late removal from the schedule.
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Why May date was questionable
This is a remarkably quick announcement for next year’s schedule, and comes after controversy surrounding the decision to move the race into early May for 2026 — the earliest in the year NASCAR has ever raced at Watkins Glen. Not only is the weather far more volatile (making for muddy conditions in the campground that fans are already battling), but it’s an odd time for CNY and the Finger Lakes region.
Many local residents keep their campers in storage until Memorial Day Weekend, and the main Gorge trail at the popular Watkins Glen State Park is not even open yet as it’s one of the slowest times of year in the region for tourism. Various local tracks (like Oswego) don’t even begin their racing season until the end of the month.
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Watkins Glen is also one of the more visually stunning tracks on the schedule, but many trees are still barren in early May as they just begin to grow spring leaves.
No official date has been set for The Glen’s 2027 date, but the confirmation for September means that it will be in the first-half of the Chase. Watkins Glen was part of the Chase in 2024, taking place on September 15 as the 28th round of the season.
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The March Madness logo is pictured during a second-round game in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament between Nebraska Cornhuskers and Vanderbilt Commodores at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Saturday March 21, 2026. The 2027 NCAA Tournament will officially expand to 76 teams following approval Thursday afternoon by the Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Committees, the Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Oversight Committees, the Division I Finance Committee, the Division I Board of Directors and the NCAA Board of Governors.
“Expanding the Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships is the right decision for the student-athletes and programs that will now have access to the greatest events in college sports,” Board of Directors chair and Virginia Tech president Tim Sands said in an NCAA-issued press release Thursday. “As NCAA leaders, we are especially excited to provide additional, highly competitive games for fans who look forward to March Madness every year.”
As part of the bigger tournament, the expansion adds three times the number of Tuesday and Wednesday games to the men’s tournament.
Adding these bids brings the total of tournament-eligible teams in men’s basketball to 21%, the NCAA confirmed.
In confirming the decision Thursday, the NCAA said the deal allows it to “award more than $131 million in new revenue distributions to member schools participating in the basketball tournaments over the remaining six years of the NCAA’s broadcast agreements.”
To create that revenue, the NCAA said the rights agreement is set to increase by $50 million per year over the next six years and it will open “new, previously restricted product categories for the NCAA Corporate Champions and Partners Program, including beer, wine, spirits, and hard seltzer, and allows for expanded in-game advertising opportunities during the linear and streaming coverage of the tournaments.”
When the 2027 NCAA Tournament begins the Tuesday after Selection Sunday, a total of 12 games — three per day at two locations — are part of the newly approved bracket before the traditional tournament start day of Thursday.
A look at the new bracket ?? pic.twitter.com/esm18WdUSJ
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) May 7, 2026 Dayton, Ohio, remains one site for the men’s tournament with a second site to be determined.
With the increase in teams and games, those games will no longer be called the “First Four.”
The NCAA will shift to a label of Opening Round. The teams eligible to play in the Opening Round will be the 12 lowest-seeded at-large teams and 12 lowest-seeded automatic qualifiers.
First Four contests in the women’s tournament have been single games at on-campus sites. The change marks the first expansion of the tournament since the field moved from 65 to 68 teams with the addition of the First Four games in 2011. The field had previously been 64 or 65 teams since 1985.
The NCAA said it will also continue to provide transportation and funding for lodging, meals and other incidentals for teams in the expanded format.
–Field Level Media
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