📰🏟️ NFL on YouTube
Plus: Luka, Cade eligible for NBA awards…
1) Luka, Cade win appeals for NBA award eligibility
Lakers G Luka Dončić and Pistons G Cade Cunningham are now eligible for all end-of-season awards—bypassing the NBA’s new 65-game rule for eligibility—after both received exemptions for extraordinary circumstances this morning.
- Dončić, who finished with 64 regular-season games, missed two games in December because of the birth of his child abroad.
- Cunningham played in 63 games, but missed 12 other contests due to a collapsed lung.
- Both players are expected to make All-NBA teams, while Dončić is an outside candidate for MVP.
NBA awards receive a huge shakeup
2) NFL, YouTube close to finalizing 5-game package
The Google-owned video site and the NFL have entered a long-form contract review for a 5-game package this year, meaning a deal is close to finalizing, per FrontOfficeSports.
- The games are believed to include the Week 1 49ers-Rams game in Australia, a Thanksgiving eve game, a second Black Friday game, and a Christmas Eve game, per PFT’s Mike Florio.
- They’ll also likely be available for free, similar to last year's Week 1 Chiefs-Chargers matchup on YouTube, though that hasn’t been confirmed.
- It comes as the DOJ is investigating the NFL over whether its broadcast antitrust exemption allows the league to sell games to streaming companies.
3) Dodgers spent record $515M in 2025, per MLB
The LA Dodgers shelled out a combined $515M in payroll and luxury tax last year en route to their second straight World Series title, per final figures totaled by the MLB commissioner’s office.
- That figure tops the previous MLB record of $430.4M by the 2024 NY Mets (as did the 2025 Mets’ payroll, at $433.7M).
- It’s also 7x larger than the Miami Marlins’ MLB-low $68.7M payroll, and more than the bottom 6 clubs combined.
- Overall, the ratio of the 5 highest spending MLB teams to the 5 lowest increased from 3.6 in 2021 to a record-high 4.7 last year.
LA is hoping to Dodge any salary cap
4) Warriors, Sixers advance in NBA Play-In
Golden State came back in Q4 to defeat the Clippers 126-121, led by Steph Curry’s 35 pts (7-12 3PT) and clutch defense from Draymond Green on Kawhi Leonard.
- The Warriors will now play in tomorrow’s 8-seed game vs. the Suns, while the Clippers are eliminated.
- In the East, the 76ers beat the Magic 109-97 behind Tyrese Maxey’s 31 pts to claim the #7 seed, while the Magic will play the Hornets in tomorrow’s 8-seed game.
5) Champions League semifinals are set
Arsenal and Bayern Munich advanced in yesterday’s quarterfinals matchups, joining PSG and Atlético Madrid in the Champions League final 4.
- The 2-legged semis—Arsenal vs. Atlético, and Bayern vs. PSG—will be played in late April and early May, with the winners advancing to the title game on May 30.
- Arsenal and Bayern have been the best overall teams since the start of this season, while PSG is on a recent hot streak and Atlético has won 2 of its last 3 semifinal matchups.
Who will advance to the final?
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