Gay Olympic Athletes Make History and Change the Game
Adam Rippon made history this weekend, becoming the first openly gay man from the U.S. to medal at the Winter Olympics.
And the founder of Outsports.com says the bronze medal-winner may have opened the door for other LGBT youth to find a place in the world of sports.
“The fact that Adam backed it up with a great performance on Sunday night and America fell in love, that’s the message that kid is receiving: ‘I can be Adam, and I can still be loved by America, too,’” Cyd Zeigler said. “It’s not just the kid watching Adam be his authentic self. It’s then watching his classmates and other people on social media totally embrace it.”
Rippon and fellow out Team USA member Gus Kenworthy, a freestyle skier who races this weekend, have been widely applauded at the Winter Games. But they also sparked controversy with a selfie captioned “Eat your heart out, Pence.”
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, who led the U.S. delegation at the Olympics’ Opening Ceremony, has been criticized for his support of “religious freedom” laws and reported advocacy of “conversion therapy.”
The VP tried to ease any tension, tweeting at Rippon, “I want you to know we are FOR YOU. Don’t let fake news distract you.”
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/adam-rippon-and-gus-kenworthy-break-the-rainbow-ceiling-at-the-winter-olympics).
Next-gen social sports platform Break the Love recently raised $2.5 million in seed funding. Break the Love's platform and iOS app allows users to discover and book group-based tennis activities, to either learn, train, or compete. The new company has already gotten support from a few big names in the world of tennis, including the coach of Naomi Osaka, as well as the United States Tennis Association and the brand Wilson. Break the Love founder and CEO Trisha Goyal joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman joined Cheddar's "Between Bells" to talk about his own brand of organic light beer called Eight (his jersey number with the Dallas Cowboys) and explained that he's had an interest in the industry since his days working for a distributor during college. "These brands that are on the market have been there for a long time and [I] felt that it was time for something fresh, something new, and I thought that we could do it in a way that was a better-for-you beer' and that's what we've done," he said. Aikman also provided some insight into the upcoming NFL playoffs and noted that he doesn't see a clear frontrunner for this year's Vince Lombardi trophy.
It is 'game on' for sports bettors in the state of New York, as mobile betting kicks off on four major betting operating platforms this Saturday. The state, with over 20 million residents, will be the most populous state with legal online sports betting. Max Bichsel, VP of US Business for EmpireStakes.com joins Cheddar News to discuss.
College athletes scored big in 2021 when they were finally allowed to begin earning money based off of their name, image, and likeness, known as NIL. But how can young athletes best manage their money so they can set themselves up for years of success? Nicole Pullen Ross, Head of Goldman Sachs Sports and Entertainment Solutions, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss why financial management for college athletes is important, common pitfalls they could run into, and more.
On Saturday, New York will join neighboring New Jersey and Connecticut in authorizing mobile sports betting. Matt Kalish, president and co-founder of Draftkings North America, joined Cheddar to talk about the landmark change that is estimated to rake in $500 million in annual tax revenue on a potential billion-dollar market. Kalish also addressed the possibility that legalized sports betting in the Empire State could cannibalize his company's revenues in the bordering states. "It's pretty inconvenient, you know, to go across the border to make a bet. And people were doing it, but I think it really stifled a lot of the opportunity," he said. "So while there's some of that going on, I think really a tremendous amount, like a giant percent, of New York will be very incremental."
Desmond Howard, former NFL wide receiver and Modelo college football playoff ambassador, joins Cheddar News to talk about the Modelo sweepstakes honoring the 30th anniversary of his iconic punt return.
The New York Times has acquired sports outlet The Athletic in a $550 million deal. The acquisition brings the Times closer to its 10 million paid subscribers goal by 2025.
Austin Mock, College Football betting contributor for The Athletic, explains his strategy for selecting a winner in the national title game between Georgia and Alabama.
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Michael Jenkins gives his picks for the final week of the NFL regular season while Joe Osborne dishes out his insight for how to approach a week where some teams choose to sit out their star players. Meanwhile, Austin Mock explains his strategy for selecting a winner in the national title game between Georgia and Alabama.
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