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France Basketball TV rights issue hurting fans

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RANT SPORTS France basketball in TV rights dilemma 

The French Basketball Federation (FFBB) has found itself in a similar TV rights situation as the country’s football league authority at a bad time, just after a “silver” summer. LFP struggled before the commencement of the 2024-25 Ligue 1 season, and now, there is now a major France Basketball TV rights issue.

France were in action against Cyprus on Thursday in the Euro 2025 qualifiers. But the game was not available for basketball fans to watch on television.

The reason for the no-show was simple. The French basketball governing body and FIBA, the world basketball governing body, could not secure a long-term broadcaster to air the games.

The absence of a TV broadcaster left DAZN, an international sports streaming platform – as the only option to show the games involving the French teams free of charge.

On Thursday, French basketball enthusiasts were denied the chance to watch Frederic Fathoux’s first game as Les Bleus head coach. France defeated Cyprus 75-59 without the country’s NBA and Euroleague stars.

The return fixture between the two teams in Paris will take place on Sunday in a similar sequence with no television coverage.

Victor Wembanyama is one of the reasons the France Basketball TV rights need to be sorted
France’s #32 Victor Wembanyama goes to the basket in the men’s quarterfinal basketball match between France and Canada during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris on August 6, 2024. (Photo by Luis TATO / AFP) (Photo by LUIS TATO/AFP via Getty Images)

TV rights dilemma in France 

Basketball is enjoying a huge followership in France presently, as a result of the country’s impressive results at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games where the male and female teams scooped silver medals in their respective final matches.

Attention on the orange ball is at its peak in France. They produced three players in the top 10 picks of the 2024 NBA Draft.

French clubs have been dominant in the 2024-25 EuroLeague with debutant Paris Basketball on an incredible unbeaten run.

It is quite a worry that spectators can’t watch their French stars live on the international stage. The inability of FFBB-FIBA to get a deal over the line has left them watching highlights on TV.

Understanding FIBA & FFBB’s demands

FIBA Europe, as the custodian of international basketball events in Europe, has TV broadcast agreements in place with other national teams for their respective territories, except France.

France is yet to get a broadcast partner to buy its media rights. These include the Euro 2025 and 2027 FIBA World Cup on the men’s side. The women’s Euro 2025 and the women’s FIBA World Cup in 2026 also have no coverage.

The bidding process is still open. But FIBA and FFBB are demanding a long-term rights holder to cover the upcoming tournaments. They also want qualifiers covered, either as FTA ( Free-To-Air) or paid right holders.

It remains to be seen if the French national TV broadcaster, France Television, will be ambitious enough to make a bold move. They need to bring the best basketball events to millions of households.

FTA or private organizations like beIN Sports, Canal or DAZN will attempt to add international basketball to their already attractive bouquet.

Road to EuroBasket 2025 

France is comfortably positioned to qualify for the 2025 European Basketball Championships. They are unbeaten after six games and they sit atop Group E, ahead of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Cyprus.

Four nations—Cyprus, Finland, Poland, and Latvia—will co-host the 2025 basketball championship between August 27 and September 14. 

France’s final qualification lap will take place in February 2025. They have matches against Croatia and Bosnia lined up for them.

France is ranked as the fourth-best basketball nation in the world. The United States of America leads the way after they beat France in the Olympic final.  Second-placed Serbia and Germany in third position are directly ahead of France.

Read more from Taiye T. Taiwo, and many other writers, on Rant Sports





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Gators move up to No. 3 in this week’s AP Men’s college basketball poll.

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Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here.

The biggest games of the week in men’s college basketball reside in the Southeastern Conference.

Seems to be a recurring theme this season.

It make sense given the league that was once synonymous solely with football has four of the nation’s top six teams in the AP Top 25, led for the seventh consecutive week by No. 1 Auburn. And that the league’s eight total teams in the rankings are nearly double any other conference; the Big 12 is next with three in the top 10 and five total in the poll.

But the focus this week can be narrowed even further: the state of Alabama.

The Tigers (25-2, 13-1), who have won four straight since a loss to Florida, begin a brutal four-game stretch that would have been entirely against ranked teams had Mississippi not fallen out on Monday. Auburn faces the Rebels on Wednesday night before going to No. 17 Kentucky on Saturday, with No. 12 Texas A&M and No. 6 Alabama awaiting the following week.

Speaking of the Crimson Tide, they enter the week tied with the third-ranked Gators for second in the SEC, two games behind their biggest rival. Alabama (22-5, 11-3) faces No. 24 Mississippi State on Tuesday night and visits No. 5 Tennessee on Saturday, part of a run of seven straight against ranked teams with the Gators and Auburn on deck next week.

“It’s about survival,” Tigers coach Bruce Pearl said succinctly. “The league is so good and so competitive.”

Still, the Tigers keep winning. Their only losses have come against teams ranked second (Duke) and third (Florida) in the Top 25. And they 10 wins over ranked opponents, including the current No. 4 (Houston), No. 5 (Tennessee) and No. 6 (Alabama).

Not that Pearl is satisfied. The Tigers have much bigger goals: a third regular-season SEC title in the past eight seasons, a second straight conference tournament title and, just maybe, a second Final Four and first national championship in school history.

“We’ve got to continue to try to get better,” Pearl said. “That’s our goal. And while we’re trying to do that, we’re trying to beat the people in front of us. We’re trying to play for championships.”

Elsewhere in the SEC, Vanderbilt (18-9, 6-8, No. 43 NET) can help its NCAA Tournament hopes when it visits No. 12 Texas A&M on Wednesday and then faces No. 15 Missouri on Saturday. The Commodores are among many teams in power leagues, including conference rivals Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas, that are hanging precariously on the NCAA bubble.

The Sooners play Kentucky on Wednesday and visit Ole Miss on Saturday. The Longhorns get Arkansas on Wednesday and Georgia on Saturday. And the Razorbacks follow their game against Texas with a trip to South Carolina on Saturday.

Big 12’s best

The Big 12, which has long been considered the nation’s dominant league, still has three in the top 10 and five in the Top 25 this week. Two faced off on Monday night when No. 4 Houston visited No. 10 Texas Tech, and two more match up on Saturday when No. 22 Arizona heads to ninth-ranked Iowa State.

The other ranked team is BYU, which entered at No. 25 this week after dismantling Kansas and edging Arizona last week. The Cougars visit Arizona State on Wednesday night before facing West Virginia on Saturday.

Other notable games

No. 8 Michigan State entered the week with a half-game lead over No. 15 Michigan in the Big Ten. But the Spartans have a tough week ahead with a trip to No. 16 Maryland on Wednesday night and a visit from No. 11 Wisconsin on Sunday.

No. 23 Saint Mary’s, which has clinched the regular-season West Coast title, gets Loyola Marymount and Oregon State this week.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 all season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball





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Chris Godwin’s Return is Crucial for Buccaneers 2025 Success

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin (14) can’t hang onto a pass after getting hit by New Orleans Saints cornerback P.J. Williams (26) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)

Bucs Report – Special to Sports Talk Florida

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers several moves to make this offseason. But none more talked about than re-signing wide receiver Chris Godwin.

As Godwin approaches free agency and recovers from the ankle injury that cut his season short at Week 7, the Buccaneers are aware of the significant impact he has on the franchise. Before the injury, Godwin was on a torrid pace, racking up 576 receiving yards and five touchdowns in just seven games, showcasing his immense value to the team.

As Godwin continues his comeback from injury, he currently remains without a new contract extension. However, based on the Buccaneers’ public statements and apparent commitment to retaining their star receiver, it’s likely that a deal will be reached in the near future.

According to Pro Football Network, while re-signing Chris Godwin is a top priority for the Buccaneers, the unexpected rise of Jalen McMillan could potentially complicate contract negotiations.

“Assuming his recovery from a Week 7 dislocated ankle is progressing, Chris Godwin would seem like a clear must-sign for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Still only 29 years old for next season, Godwin was on pace for a career-high 1,398 receiving yards prior to his season-ending injury. ”

“An extension does appear to be a priority, as the Buccaneers and Godwin pushed back the deadline to void his deal to March 12, giving the team nearly a month to work out a new deal. With Tee Higgins reportedly set to receive an extension or franchise tag from the Bengals, it’s imperative for Tampa Bay to sign Godwin before he reaches the open market and becomes the top available wide receiver with Higgins unavailable.”

“The emergence of Jalen McMillan in the second half of the season gives the Bucs a solid insurance policy if they can’t strike a deal with Godwin. Due in part to McMillan’s emergence, Tampa Bay’s passing-game productivity didn’t decline much after Godwin’s injury.”

While Jalen McMillan’s impressive eight-touchdown performance may have sparked debate about the Buccaneers’ need to re-sign Chris Godwin, it’s essential to acknowledge that McMillan is not yet on the same level as the veteran wide receiver.

The Buccaneers’ offense flourished with Chris Godwin and Mike Evans on the field, led by Baker Mayfield’s steady hand. As new offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard takes the reins, expectations are that the unit will maintain its core identity while incorporating some fresh twists.

Given Tampa Bay’s playoff ambitions in 2025, re-signing Godwin is likely a top priority. It’s hard to envision the Buccaneers making a deep postseason run without their star receiver, making him a “must-sign” this offseason.

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Florida Southern and the University of Tampa hold down Top 10 rankings in the DII College Baseball Top 25 Poll.

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Sunshine State rivals Florida Southern and the University of Tampa are the most successful baseball programs in Division II college baseball. This week Florida Southern is the No. 6th best league in the latest poll with the Spartans from Tampa in the 6th spot.

Rank School (1st Place Votes) 2025 Record Pts. Prev.
1 North Greenville (10) 10-1 488 3
2 Angelo State (10) 10-2 483 2
3 Central Missouri 502 451 4
4 Florida Southern 9-1 428 12
5 Indianapolis 3-0 421 5
6 Tampa 7-2 375 1
7 Point Loma 5-3 365 6
8 Indiana (PA) – IUP 0-0 345 8
9 Mount Olive 7-3 324 11
10 Southern New Hampshire 0-0 306 10
11 Augustana (S.D.) 3-1 303 14
12 UT Tyler 10-2 293 17
13 Missouri Southern  6-2 253 7
14 Ashland 2-1 216 15
15 West Chester 0-0 213 16
16 Westmont  7-2 201 21
17 Catawba 7-3 198 18
18 Lenoir-Rhyne 10-1 116 25
19 Cal State Monterey Bay 5-2 108 13
20 Delta State 7-3 102 NR
21 Arkansas Monticello 6-1 93 23
22 Molloy 0-0 89 20
23 East Stroudsburg 2-0 82 22
24 Colorado Mesa 2-4 70 9
25 Maryville 0-0 44 24







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