Minnesota Vikings Hall of Famer Jared Allen stands at the podium during the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 press conference at the Saenger Theater, where Feb 6, 2025 marked an official celebration of his induction and career accomplishments before family, friends, and NFL media in New Orleans. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
Hall of Famer Jared Allen joined Kay Adams’s show this week, and among many topics, Adams asked Allen about the Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback situation. One of his solutions? Find a way to get Tua Tagovailoa.
Allen tossed out Tagovailoa for the Vikings, yet Brian Flores’ past with Tua would loom over any real pursuit.
While that idea might work in a video game, the proposal fails to acknowledge that Tagovailoa doesn’t like one of the Vikings’ main coaches, Brian Flores.
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Jared Allen Mentions Tua Tagovailoa for Minnesota
Allen knows the right fix, but it would face a Floresian hurdle.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) stands on the sideline during the second half against the New England Patriots on Sep. 17, 2023, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, watching the action unfold as Miami worked to close out a division road contest. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Allen to Adams: Vikings Should Grab Tagovailoa
Never afraid to shoot from the hip, Allen endorsed Tagovailoa when asked about the Vikings’ quarterback plan in 2026.
“I’ll be honest. I think people might hate me for it: I think Tua Tagovailoa is actually an interesting option. I mean, the dude won a championship in college, right? He shows signs. And if you bring you know, you put Kevin with that offense, you get a good offensive line, it can work,” he told Adams.
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About a month ago, head coach Kevin O’Connell said about the offseason, “I absolutely want a competitive situation. Obviously, J.J. McCarthy is going to be a major, major emphasis for our staff, and our team and me personally, and we’ll figure out what that looks like as we navigate the early part of this offseason when it comes to managing the roster.”
So Allen ran with that quote, nominating Tagovailoa as his plan for the “competitive situation.
O’Connell added in January, “I think ultimately, we’ve got to decide how to not only continue J.J.’s progression, allow him to continue to ascend as a young player, 22 years old with 10 starts, but at the same time, like I said, I think the competition in that room will only enhance our entire team.”
Tua Thinks Flores Is a Terrible Person
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There’s one problem with Allen’s big idea: Tagovailoa point-blank called Flores a terrible person about a year and a half ago.
Flores and Tagovailoa worked together for two seasons in Miami (2020 and 2021), and the pair evidently didn’t see eye to eye.
“To put it in simplest terms, if you woke up every morning and I told you you suck at what you did, that you don’t belong doing what you do, that you shouldn’t be here, that this guy should be here, that you haven’t earned this right, and then you have somebody else come in and tell you, ‘Dude, you are the best fit for this,” Tagovailoa told the The Dan Le Batard Show in August 2024, implicating Flores as the culprit. “How would it make you feel listening to one or the other, you see what I’m saying?”
“And then you hear it, no matter what it is, the good or the bad, you hear it more and more, you start to believe that. I don’t care who you are.”
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Tagovailoa then delivered the terrible person line: “You could be the president of the United States, you have a terrible person telling you things that you don’t want to hear or probably shouldn’t be hearing, you’re going to start believing that about yourself.”
“And so that’s what sort of ended up happening. It was, it’s basically been what two years of training that out of not just me but a couple of guys as well that have been here my rookie year all the way until now.”
It would be very, very strange for the Vikings to trade for or sign Tagovailoa with Flores on the coaching staff.
The Numbers for Tagovailoa
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That, of course, doesn’t mean Tagovailoa is inept. He has a history of crumbling in big moments, but, generally speaking, he’s a productive quarterback, especially when he’s healthy and his weapons are available.
Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen (69) greets fans at the NFL on Regent Street block party on Sep. 28, 2013, in London, United Kingdom, appearing in advance of the International Series matchup between the Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers overseas. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Through 76 games in six seasons, Tagovailoa’s EPA+CPOE ranking reveals peaks and valleys:
Some team — probably not the Vikings — will get a decent quarterback who hopes to change the narrative about his performance in crunchtime.
Allen Mentions Mac Jones, Too
Allen also gently banged the drum for Jones, the current QB2 in San Francisco. He said, “I think Mac Jones makes sense. I like what Mac did when he stepped in for Brock Purdy. I think he did a great job in San Francisco. I liked Mac Jones coming out of college, to be honest with you.”
“I think there are some guys on that list that will at least push for that starting job and possibly take us there again. It’s about ball security. It’s about being on the field.”
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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones (10) throws a pass during the second half against the New Orleans Saints on Sep. 14, 2025, at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, attempting to push his offense downfield in a tightly contested matchup. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Jones is indeed a trade option for the Vikings, but San Francisco has coyly hinted that a 1st- or 2nd-Round pick may be needed to pry him loose, which could be a non-starter for Vikings trade negotiations.
Allen also advised the Vikings not to re-up with Kirk Cousins because, in his estimation, Cousins couldn’t lead the team to the Promised Land in his physical prime. Why would this time be any different with Cousins approaching his age-38 season? The Falcons are expected to release Cousins in the next few weeks.
It has been almost three years since Errol Spence Jr stepped through the ropes, but a summer return against Australia’s Tim Tszyu seems to be gathering pace.
Spence was handed the first defeat of his career back in 2023 by Terence Crawford, who became the undisputed welterweight world champion that night. Despite many feeling that it was a pick ’em fight beforehand, Crawford won handily, dropping Spence three times before scoring a TKO in the ninth.
After a lengthy lay-off and persistent rumours of a return, Spence reportedly has ‘a done deal’ with Tszyu provided the Aussie comes through Denis Nurja this weekend in Wollongong.
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Speaking to Fight Hub TV, Crawford praised Tszyu’s campaign so far.
“Tim Tszyu [has] had a great career, it’s still going. He’s accomplished a lot for what his experience entails. His fight this weekend – I don’t know too much about the opponent other than he’s undefeated. Will he be back on top and become a champion again? I can’t say he won’t, I can’t say he will. We just got to wait and see.”
“I think Spence beats him. At this point in both of their careers, I think he beats him.”
Fans will hope to see a reinvigorated Spence, particularly since he will be returning at 154lbs after cutting to the welterweight limit of 147 for so long. However, questions remain over what he has left in the tank following various injuries – not least a serious car accident.
Arsenal captain Kim Little says she believes her side are “getting better and better” as they reach the semi-finals of the Women’s Champions League, after beating Chelsea 3-2 on aggregate to close in on successfully defending their title.
Former NHL player J.T. Brown’s wife Lexi LaFleur is calling for immediate action after a video surfaced online showing a group of Dallas Stars fans performing Nazi salutes during a game.
The incident reportedly happened on Dec. 21, 2025, when the Stars faced the Toronto Maple Leafs at American Airlines Center in Dallas, ultimately winning 5-1. According to a Reddit post that has since gone viral, a fan who attended the game recorded a group of young men sitting in front of them doing a Nazi salute “every time the stars scored.”
“I was at the Stars game on December 21 and these boys were sitting in front of us doing a Nazi salute every time the stars scored,” the original poster wrote. “I’ve been to several games and never seen anything like this before. I recorded them and sent it to arena management, but they said they couldn’t find the boys despite me giving them their exact seat numbers.”
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LaFleur Brown quote-tweeted the post reshared on X with a strong message:
“Lifetime ban from all NHL arenas immediately. It’s literally in the NHL Fan Code of Conduct. If you ever see behavior like this at a game, alert staff. Unacceptable.”
In her follow-up comments, she attached a link to the NHL Fan Code of Conduct which explicitly prohibits such behavior.
Lexi LaFleur looks back on her days of playing on the boys’ team as a child
Lexi LaFleur herself has played junior hockey throughout school. Last week, LaFleur posted a photo from her elementary school yearbook on X revealing a childhood dream that has taken on new meaning in light of recent success of the PWHL.
“Crying over my elementary school yearbook in which I wrote ‘when I grow up I want to play in the NHL’ because now little girls get to dream of playing in the PWHL,” she wrote.
But her path to hockey wasn’t without obstacles. In a viral TikTok video that has garnered over 1 million views, LaFleur Brown shared her first experience with toxic masculinity in hockey at just 10 years old when several boys on her youth peewee hockey team voted to have her removed with the help of a parent.
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“It lit a fire under my ass that has fueled me for the rest of my life,” Brown said in the video. “My love for hockey is bigger and greater than anybody’s ability to hate me.” [H/T Glamour magazine]
Following the recent controversy involving President Donald Trump’s phone call to the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team, she has been among those calling for greater respect for women in sports.
“It’s sad that fans are new to this and that was kind of their first hockey heartbreak,” LaFleur Brown said in response to the controversy. “I have seen people say, ‘That’s it, I’m just gonna support the PWHL.’ I think that’s great too. There are other ways to love hockey than to just support the NHL.”
The incident occurred when Trump called the men’s gold medal-winning team and joked that he would “have to” invite the women’s team to the State of the Union or risk being impeached. The comment drew rancorous laughter from players in the locker room.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has established himself as a fan favorite during his legendary stint with the team. Cincinnati Bearcats men’s basketball team’s new coach, Jerrod Calhoun, is among the fans rooting for the Chiefs’ tight end.
During Wednesday’s episode of the “New Heights” podcast, Jason and Travis talked to Calhoun during a segment. The reigning MW Coach of the Year shared that fellow Ohio native Donald D’Alesio influenced his fandom for the Chiefs.
Thanks for the submission!
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“I was very close with Donald D’Alesio, so we became die-hard Chiefs fans, man, we flew out every year with a group of Youngstown guys. And, you know, the Phantom fireworks guys and all those guys,” Calhoun said (Timestamp- 1:20:00 onwards).
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“I was born in East Liverpool, but I grew up in Cleveland. I’m a Cleveland guy, but I spent seven years at Youngstown. Jim Tressel was a huge mentor of mine, and you know, so I’ve had a lot of good guys help me along the way.”
D’Alesio served as the Chiefs’ defensive assistant in 2021 and was promoted to the safeties coach the following year. He was hired by the New York Giants as their new secondary coach and defensive pass game coordinator in January.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa suffered a major setback in his campaign, going down to Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan in the third round of the FIDE Candidates Tournament here on Tuesday.
The defeat with the white pieces could prove costly for Praggnanandhaa, who had begun his campaign on a high by defeating Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri, leaving the Indian on 1.5 points after the setback and in urgent need of a quick recovery.
Apart from Sindarov, American Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana — the pre-tournament favourite — defeated Wei Yi of China in one of the strangest games of the opening three rounds, with Caruana and Sindarov sharing the lead on 2.5 points apiece.
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They are followed by Praggnanandhaa on 1.5, while Matthias Bluebaum, Andrey Esipenko, Hikaru Nakamura and Giri are tied for fourth on one point each. Wei Yi sits at the bottom on half a point in the eight-player double round-robin event with 11 rounds still to be played.
For Praggnanandhaa, it was a heartbreak after a rousing start, as with the white pieces he faced a Queen’s Gambit Declined and, on another day, it could well have been a straightforward draw had he not pushed to play decisively.
Sindarov, the youngest-ever World Cup winner, has emerged as a fierce competitor against the world elite over the past year, and on Tuesday was no different as the Uzbek seized his chances in the middle game, sacrificing a piece to dismantle white’s initiative early on.
Praggnanandhaa was pushed onto the back foot as the pressure mounted, and a series of errors in the later stages of the middle game proved costly for the Indian.
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Caruana secured a win that few expected to end so swiftly, as the game began with an English Opening and initially promised a complex battle, but Wei Yi found himself out of preparation early on, allowing the American to seize control, trap a bishop with resourceful play and wrap up the contest in just 19 moves.
In the women’s event being held simultaneously, the ice was finally broken by Bibisara Assaubayeva of Kazakhstan who scored the first victory of the event at the expense of Zhu Jiner of China.
India’s R Vaishali kept herself in the hunt drawing with Anna Muzychuk in an uneventful game but women’s World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh was on the brink of a defeat against Aleksandra Goryachkina of Russia.
In the other game of the day, favourite Tan Zhongyi of China also suffered a setback against seasoned Kateryna Lagno of Russia.
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The Candidates is played to determine the challenger for the next world championship match.
In the open section, the winner will face D Gukesh while in the women’s the champion will have a showdown with Ju Wenjun of China.
Results (Round 3) Open: Fabiano Caruana (USA, 2.5) beat Wei Yi (Chn, 0.5); R Praggnanandhaa (1.5) lost to Javokhir Sindarov (Uzb, 2.5); Hikaru Nakamura (USA, 1) drew with Anish Giri (Ned, 1); Matthias Bluebaum (Ger, 1) drew with Andrey Esipenko (Rus, 1).
Women (Round 3): Tan Zhongyi (Chn, 1) lost to Kateryna Lagno (Rus, 2); Bibisara Assaubayeva (Kaz, 2) beat Zhu Jiner (Chn, 1); R Vaishali (Ind, 1.5) drew with Anna Muzychuk (Ukr, 1.5); Aleksandra Goryachkina (Rus, 1) playing Divya Deshmukh (Ind, 1).
Four-time world champions Italy have done the almost unimaginable. Flash back to 2006, when the Azzurri lifted their fourth World Cup, beating a legendary France side in a dramatic penalty shootout.
Fast forward to 2026, and penalties have again sealed their fate. Italy failed to qualify for their third consecutive FIFA World Cup, becoming the first former champion to miss three back-to-back editions of the tournament.
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Even the largest-ever World Cup, expanded to 48 teams, could not accommodate the storied Azzurri. A nation that once defined footballing excellence now finds itself absent from the world’s biggest stage.
A Night of Pain and Despair
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Coach Gennaro Gattuso, a warrior on the pitch in his playing days, wore a mask of defiance while consoling his devastated squad. Players huddled on the turf, some with heads buried in their shirts, others staring blankly, unable to process the collapse. For Gattuso, who had contained legends like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the defeat was a heavy personal burden. Though he may have maintained composure publicly, the private anguish in the dressing room would have been immense.
This was more than a sporting loss; it was a blow to Italian football’s identity. While previous failures in 2018 and 2022 were painful, this third miss sent a clear message: Italy is no longer the football powerhouse it once was. Euro 2020 now looks like an exception rather than a revival, and the rot within the domestic system, declining league standards, lack of elite talent development, and migration of young prospects to foreign leagues, has finally manifested on the global stage.
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Bosnia’s Masterclass
Italy’s defensive frailties were brutally exposed. Bosnia dominated possession, completing 723 passes to Italy’s 420, and outshot the Azzurri 31-9, with 11 on target. Physical and tactical superiority allowed Bosnia to exploit every crack in Italy’s defense. Even a momentary lapse by Alessandro Bastoni led to a critical red card situation, emphasizing that much of Italy’s failure was self-inflicted. The legendary defensive rigidity of the past seemed like a distant memory.
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Structural Failures Beyond the Pitch
Italy’s woes are deeper than a single match. Serie A no longer attracts top global talent, with elite players preferring leagues in England, Germany, or Portugal. Only one Italian club has won the Champions League in nearly three decades. The pipeline of young talent is drying up, and the league’s decline mirrors the national team’s struggles.
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A Glimmer of Hope
Despite the calamity, hope remains in Italy’s managerial talent. Coaches like Roberto De Zerbi have thrived abroad, and figures like Carlo Ancelotti could play a pivotal role in reviving the national team. Tactical innovation exists; what is missing is systemic reform and a commitment to rebuilding a footballing legacy.
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Italy’s absence from the 48-team World Cup edition is more than a statistical anomaly, it’s a wake-up call.
Sameer Rizvi and Tristan Stubbs (Image Credit: IPL)
Sameer Rizvi announced himself in style, producing a composed and match-winning unbeaten 70 to guide Delhi Capitals to a comfortable six-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants in Match 5 of IPL 2026. Walking in under pressure with Delhi reeling at 26 for 4 in a modest chase of 142, Rizvi showcased maturity beyond his years. Alongside Tristan Stubbs, he stitched together an unbeaten 119-run partnership that completely turned the game on its head and sealed the chase in just 17.1 overs.Calm under pressure: Rizvi’s maturity shines throughRizvi revealed after the match that clarity in role and backing from the team management played a key part in his performance.“The coaches backed me to bat at number four this season. I just tried to play according to the situation,” he said.Initially looking to play positively, Rizvi had to quickly reassess after Delhi lost wickets in a cluster.”But as soon as in the next over, two wickets fell, the situation changed completely. So I tried to talk to Stubbs. He said, let’s take a little time. There are a lot of overs left and the run rate is also down. We should respect the conditions, so we talked and decided that we would play our game. Not only after reaching fifty, but I tried to put the loose delivery away and that was my plan throughout the innings,” Rizvi concluded.
Partnership that changed the game
The Rizvi–Stubbs stand of 119* not only rescued Delhi from a collapse but also etched itself into IPL history. It is the second-highest partnership after a team was four down for under 30 runs, only behind the 134* stand between Yusuf Pathan and Shakib Al Hasan for KKR in 2016.It also became Delhi Capitals’ highest partnership for the fifth wicket or lower, surpassing the previous best of 111*.Stubbs played the perfect supporting role with an unbeaten 39, ensuring there was no further damage while Rizvi gradually shifted gears.Tristan Stubbs reflects on his partnership with Sameer Rizvi, ” Yeah, we kept saying, keep batting normally, keep looking to score. I think the way Sameer plays naturally just against the spin, takes it on, so it made my job a bit easier. Just knock it around, get him on strike. And we always knew it was one over, and then it was down to run a ball, and then take the game away, the shots you need, and yeah, fortunately we got it there. We said at the start of the over, let’s see if it’s spinning. And I think the first three balls went for like 12 or something. ”
Axar backs bowlers and young talent
Delhi skipper Axar Patel credited both the bowlers and the match-winning partnership for the victory.“The new ball was doing a bit. We told our bowlers to exploit that, and they did really well. The key was building one big partnership in the chase, and Rizvi and Stubbs executed it perfectly.”Axar also highlighted the team’s strategy during the innings break.“During the strategic time-out, the message was clear, we were just one partnership away from taking control, the plan was to bring in Rizvi early. He’s been excellent in practice, and it’s great to see him deliver.” Axar added.
Former two-division world champion Tim Bradley has admitted that one undefeated contender is indeed the real deal.
Bradley defeated Junior Witter to become the WBC super-lightweight world champion back in 2008, before unifying the titles with a win over WBO titleholder Kendall Holt – defending the WBO crown against Lamont Peterson, Devon Alexander and Joel Casamayor.
Since hanging up the gloves, Bradley has become a respected commentator and fight analyst for Top Rank, and he told his YouTube channel that, in his opinion, undefeated heavyweight Moses Itauma is ‘something else’.
“Itauma is something else, he is something else. He got fighters doing the mannequin challenge! He had Franklin stuck in real time, he was stuck, then he came down with that mother****in’ right swooping jab!”
“He is cold, with that speed and power alone – cold. Oooh man. He impressed me, he’s something else… he’s going to the top.”
Itauma claimed a fifth round knockout win over Jermaine Franklin on Saturday, taking his unbeaten record to 14-0 with 12 knockouts.
Bradley then went on to reveal why he believes Itauma punches so hard, highlighting the 21-year-old’s Nigerian heritage as a reason behind his punch power.
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“When I heard [he is] Nigerian, I said ‘yep!’. That is where that damn power comes from. AJ [Anthony Joshua] is Nigerian too – power. S**t, Samuel Peter – power.”
“That is why he is knocking everybody the f**k out, all of that power. That Nigerian power is different, he got that Nigerian battery pack on his back.”
Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor says her players “deserve better” after she was sent off during her side’s 1-0 win against Arsenal in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final, in a match which saw Katie McCabe appear to pull the hair of Chelsea’s Alyssa Thompson.
The fourth and final phase of ticket sales for the 2026 World Cup in North America began on Wednesday, FIFA announced. The phase for the June 11- July19 event in the United States, Mexico and Canada involves more than three million tickets. This “last-minute” sales phase opened at 1500 GMT on the official website, FIFA.com/tickets, the global governing body stated in a press release. Tickets are being sold on a “first-come, first-served” basis and will remain available until the end of the competition on July 19, it added.
Tickets will be released for sale on a rolling basis — including, on occasion, for matches taking place on the very same day — according to FIFA.
At the scheduled time, prospective buyers were directed to a “waiting” page to “queue” while awaiting access to the site, a wait that could last several hours.
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“A countdown will appear before you can enter the ticket sales phase. Once the countdown is over, an ‘Enter’ button will be available for 5 minutes. Click it to access,” instructions specify.
In total, nearly seven million tickets are being offered for the competition, taking into account the capacities of the 16 stadiums hosting the global tournament.
More than three million of these tickets have already been sold during the first three sales phases — including over one million during the random selection draw phase alone (held in January and February), which received 500 million requests, according to FIFA.
The global governing body is likely to break the all-time record of 3.5 million tickets sold for a World Cup — a mark set during the 1994 edition.
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This summer, the tournament will feature 48 teams and 104 matches, 78 of which will take place on American soil.
The issue of ticketing has sparked controversy, with FIFA facing accusations of offering tickets at exorbitant prices, in disregard of promises made when the tournament was awarded to the three host nations.
On March 24, Football Supporters Europe (FSE) — an organization representing European fans — and Euroconsumers — a group representing consumers across the continent — announced they had filed a complaint against FIFA with the European Commission.
They alleged abuse of a dominant market position and seek to compel the organization to abandon its “opaque and unfair” ticket purchasing procedures. FIFA has defended its ticket pricing, which, according to president Gianni Infantino, is driven by “crazy” demand.
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However, in December, the governing body did introduce a $60 ticket category reserved exclusively for official supporters’ clubs; yet, according to the FSE, this quota was virtually sold out before sales even opened to the general public.
Additionally, FIFA is set to reopen its official ticket resale and exchange platform on Thursday. This platform has also come under fire due to the equally prohibitive prices at which tickets are listed for resale.
The global governing body explained that it does not intervene in this “fan-to-fan market,” where the reseller “determines the listed price of each ticket” in Canada and the United States.
The legal framework differs in Mexico, however, where reselling a ticket for more than its original purchase price is prohibited.
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(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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