How Formula One Actually Works (And Why Everyone’s Obsessed)

(Podcast length 4:44 mins)

On February 6, 2022, Her Majesty The Queen will become the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years of service to the people of the United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth. Through her 70 years, she has bestowed the highest honor, knighthood or damehood, upon select Brits, some of who are your favorite athletes.

Transcript

1. One would think one of the most famous British athletes, David Beckham, would be a shoo-in for the honor, but he has never been knighted. He was not on the Queen’s annual New Years honours List despite being cleared of financial issues that threatened his chances. Although Mr. Posh Spice has not received the honor, his former coach Alex Ferguson was knighted in 1999. GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT

2. In 2021, Formula One (F1) driver Lewis Hamilton became the first Grand Prix driver to be knighted while still competing. (He’s the fourth driver overall to receive the honor). Hamilton, 36, had a stellar 2020 where he broke the all-time victory record and secured his seventh world title. No word if his famous pup, Roscoe, received a new title as well. ALL IN THE FAMILY

3. Whether you know tennis player Andy Murray for his on-court domination or his awkward social media posts, the Queen recognized his services to tennis and charity and knighted him in 2019. But this isn’t the only royal award he’s received. After winning his first Wimbledon in 2013, he was given the Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) medal from Prince William. Murray is a three-time Grand Slam Champion and holds two Olympic gold medals and one silver. DEAR SIR

4. Golfer Nick Faldo, who boasts a remarkable career in which he won six majors and captained Europe’s Ryder Cup team, was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 2009. Sir Nick Faldo is now a broadcaster for many of golf’s biggest tournaments. GOLF CLAP

5. Ellen Macarthur is the youngest woman ever to be named a dame, the female equivalent of knighthood, at 28. She was honored for her nautical achievements, like sailing around the world in 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes and 33 seconds. DAME GIRL

If you’re wondering, men who are knighted become Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) and shall be called Sir. In contrast, women become Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (DBE) and get the title Dame.

Want more like the six levels of knighthood or how you’re selected to be a knight? Click here.

You can always catch us between podcasts at www.lastnightsgame.com or on social media. If you love us, make sure to leave us a review wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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LAST NIGHT'S GAME 12/29/21 LAST NIGHT'S GAME 12/29/21

The Most Memorable Sports Moments Of 2021

A year worth revisiting.

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(Podcast length - 5:22 mins)

In some ways, 2021 might have felt a bit like a reboot of 2020, but there were so many moments to be excited about. Let's look back before diving headfirst into 2022.

1. The college sports landscape changed forever with the July ruling that allowed athletes to be paid for their name, image and likeness (NIL). Athletes like the Cavinder twins who play women's basketball at Fresno State were the first to take advantage of the ruling. Some athletes like Michigan running back Blake Corum and Iowa lineman Tyler Linderbaum used their NIL money to benefit a good cause, not just their wallets. GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT?

2. Mental health became a dinner table topic thanks to athletes like Simone Biles (gymnastics), Naomi Osaka (tennis) and Lane Johnson (NFL). Johnson took a leave from the Philadelphia Eagles to face his battle with depression head-on. Osaka withdrew from the French Open and Wimbledon to focus on her well-being. But the world saw just how the pressure impacted an athlete when Simone Biles battled the "twisties" in the Summer Olympics. She put her safety and her team first, withdrawing from the women's gymnastics all-around competition. BRAINS > BRAWN

3. Sports fans continued to realize what so many already knew, women's sports are the place to be. Not only did viewer ratings soar for the WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association), women's college basketball championship game and the NWSL (National Women's Soccer League), but we saw the first college softball game on a major national network. The NFL and MLB (Major League Baseball) added more female coaches and front-office executives. In 2022, look for the women's college basketball tournament to use the coveted "March Madness" title for the first time. HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

4. The year brought us athletes who seem to get better with age. Tom Brady won the Super Bowl with his new team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFL – National Football League), in February at age 43. (And then celebrated with maybe one too many shots at the championship boat parade). At 46, Helio Castroneves won the Indy 500, and Phil Mickelson showed off his impressive 50-year-old calves on his way to a PGA (Professional Golfers Association) Championship win. AGE-DEFYING

5. The delayed 2020 Summer Olympics gave the world the positivity and excitement we'd all been missing. COVID precautions meant athletes' families had to watch from the comfort of their couches, too, but the stories of athletes like Caeleb Dressel, Suni Lee and Katie Ledecky all brought us to our feet. The US topped the medal count with 113 total medals, 39 gold, including one from the US Men's Basketball Team, who continued their medal streak. WORLD’S GREATEST

Bonus:

If you’re a fan of F1 (Formula One) Racing, then you likely caught the race of the century when Max Verstappen beat out seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton for the 2021 championship. But did you know that Hamilton, the only Black F1 driver, is also a fan of fashion? He purchased a table at the Met Gala, which runs around $275,000, and filled it with three emerging Black designers to grow their reach. SMOOTH MOVE

Links:

Sports Curious presented by Last Night's Game, is here to take the awkward out of the conversation and help you join the sports conversation, even if you don't know the first thing about sports. We break down what's happening in sports in an easy-to-understand, fun way without all of the statistics and jargon so you never have to exit stage left when the chatter at the office, dinner table or a networking event switches to sports.

You can always catch us between podcasts at www.lastnightsgame.com or on social media. If you love us, make sure to leave us a review wherever you listen to your podcasts. And if you have feedback or questions, you can email Amy at amy@lastnightsgame.com.

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LAST NIGHT'S GAME 5/12/21 LAST NIGHT'S GAME 5/12/21

Athletes Who Own Professional Sports Teams

Only the best will do.

LISTEN ON Apple Podcasts

(Podcast length - 5 mins)

Have money make money?

Transcript

1. Athletes and the biggest names in Hollywood love investing in women’s sports, especially the NWSL (National Women’s Soccer League). Angel City FChas the most notable investors, including Jennifer Garner, Natalie Portman, Eva Longoria and athletes Mia Hamm, Serena Williams, Candace Parker and her daughter Lailaa and tennis icon and activist Billie Jean King. Not to be outdone, NHL (National Hockey League) superstar Alex Ovechkin (Washington Spirit) and the No. 2 tennis player in the world (and the highest-paid female athlete ever) Naomi Osaka, is now an owner of North Carolina Courage. SMART INVESTING

2. The hot ticket item (after an NWSL team) is buying a stake in a NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) team. Both Michael Jordan and Mr. Worldwide himself, Pitbull, became owners of a NASCAR team before this year’s season started. Jordan’s team is a new team led by the only Black driver in the pro circuit of NASCAR, Bubba Wallace. The car features Jordan’s longtime jersey number No. 23. Pitbull is the co-owner of the Trackhouse Racing Team, which has the No. 99 car of Daniel Suarez. FAST MONEY

3. Joining Justin Timberlake as an NBA (National Basketball Association) owner are the NFL’s (National Football League) Larry Fitzgerald (Phoenix Suns) and Aaron Rodgers (Milwaukee Bucks). Former NBA players Shaquille O’Neal (Sacramento Kings) and Dwyane Wade (Utah Jazz) have diversified their assets with team ownership. HOOP DREAMS

4. One sport that you might not think of is Esports. The sport is the fastest growing sport globally, with viewers watching more than 2.1 billion hours of Esports videos worldwide. You may have heard of cities across the country building dedicated Esports arenas, and that’s why. David Beckham, also the owner of Inter Miami CF (MLS), launched Guild Esports in 2020. The company has already gone public on the London Stock Exchange. He joins the long list of athlete investors in Esports, including Steph Curry (Team SoloMid), Alex Rodriguez (NRG Esports), Michael Jordan (aXiomatic), Michael Strahan (NRG Esports) and Mike Tyson (Team Fade 2 Karma). NUMBERS DON’T LIE

5. LeBron James has his hands in everything and it all seems to be turning to gold with his stake in Liverpool FC, who won the UEFA Championship in 2019. Also looking for a return on their investment is the NBA’s Kevin Durant, an owner of the Philadelphia Union (MLS – Major League Soccer). GOAL!

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LAST NIGHT'S GAME 9/7/20 LAST NIGHT'S GAME 9/7/20

The Cost For Cancelling The College Football Season

Will your favorite university’s football program survive COVID?

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(Podcast length 5:19 mins - transcript is below)

With two of the five “Power Conferences” postponing their season until possibly the spring, the college football season, as we know it, looks bleak.

Transcript

1. Football is by far the largest revenue generator for universities’ athletic departments. The 65 “Power Five” schools stand to lose more than $4 billion in football revenues and at least $1.2 billion of that from lost ticket revenue. (Power Five schools – think Ohio State, Michigan, USC, LSU, Florida State, etc). For perspective, the cancellation of the March Madness tournament (basketball) cost schools $375 million, which doesn’t hold a candle to football season. Wonder what your favorite school’s athletic department’s annual budget is? PREPARE TO HAVE YOUR MIND BLOWN

2. Out of the 1,100+ NCAA schools, only 29 made a profit and very few have the financial reserves needed. That loss in revenue from the March Madness tournament that never happened and football season will impact other sports. Schools have already committed to pulling non-revenue generating sports like men’s and women’s golf, hockey, baseball/softball and tennis. That’s why in the PAC-12 (Pacific Athletic Conference) player protest that they wanted to cut coaching and administrative salaries to lower the overhead to protect these other sports. WILL THEY SURVIVE?

3. The trickle-down effect is real. From the non-athletic side of universities that count on the money, to the Olympics, which count on amateur athletes to lead the country to gold. TEAM U.S.A. could be a side effect of the cancellation of the seasons for sports other than football. GOING FOR GOLD

4. It’s not just about the dollars and cents for the schools, the players may take a hit having to choose between the NFL Draft (National Football League) and a football season, if they play in the spring. (I.e. key players are not likely to play if it comes down to it because they would need to focus on preparing for the draft which is also in the spring). A season can make or break a player in their future football career, so it’s anyone’s guess what will happen. CONTINUE THE UNPREDICTABILITY

5. So many college towns depend on these games, from the food vendors to the hotels. For example, on average, the Tuscaloosa area (home of Alabama football) sees a “visitor expenditure impact” of about $19.6 million from a home game. BRING HOME THE BACON

Sports Curious presented by Last Night's Game, is here to take the awkward out of conversation and help you join the sports conversation, even if you don't know the first thing about sports. We breakdown what's happening in sports in an easy to understand, fun way without all of the statistics and jargon so you never have to exit stage left when the chatter at the office, dinner table or a networking event switches to sports.

You can always catch us between podcasts at www.lastnightsgame.com or on social media. If you love us, make sure to leave us a review wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Like us? Share us with your friends.

LAST NIGHT'S GAME 8/13/20 LAST NIGHT'S GAME 8/13/20

What You Need To Know About The "Greatest Spectacle in Racing”

From the traditional kiss to the victory milk (yes, milk) this race will give you plenty to talk about.

LISTEN ON iTunes

(Podcast length 4:43 mins - transcript is below)

The “Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” the Indy 500, traditionally runs on Memorial Day weekend but like everything in 2020, things have changed. Just because there won’t be fans in the stands doesn’t mean that this weekend’s race won’t be a spectacle worth talking about.

Transcript

1. The Indy 500, called “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” takes place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway aka the Brickyard. It’s called the Brickyard because the track used to be made of bricks, which are still exposed under the asphalt at the start-finish line. It’s a tradition to kiss these bricks. We can confirm that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention did not come up with that idea. MASK UP

2. Move over Gatorade, milk is the drink of the winners at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The tradition that involves the winner swigging milk began in 1936 with Louis Meyer, whose go to drink after a win was a refreshing glass of milk. The act was spotted by an overjoyed milk executive and the rest is history. MILK…IT QUENCHES YOUR THIRST. SAID NO ONE EVER.

3. With no fans in the stands to boost the revenues, the prize money for the race has been slashed from $15 million to $7.5 million. Ticket sales equate for at least $20 million in revenue which leaves a huge hole for new track owner, businessman turned race team owner Roger Penske, who bought the speedway in late 2019. Penske purchased the track from the Hulman family who owned it since 1945. BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR?

4. This is the first race in 20 years that there will be no female drivers in the race. The most notable female driver in the sport, Danica Patrick, will be joined in the broadcast booth by veteran announcer Mike Tirico (you might recognize him from the Olympics). Now retired from driving, Patrick holds the title of being the first woman to ever lead a lap at the Indy 500 and has driven on the track both in IndyCar and NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing). ON THE FAST TRACK

5. The Andretti name has been a mainstay in IndyCar for decades. This year another member of the famous racing family will start the race in pole position, the first family member to do that in 33 years. (Pole position is the ideal place to start the race. You could almost say it’s like starting the race in first place, but not quite). A FAMILY AFFAIR

You can always catch us between podcasts at www.lastnightsgame.com or on social media. If you love us, make sure to leave us a review wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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LAST NIGHT'S GAME 6/17/20 LAST NIGHT'S GAME 6/17/20

Athlete Dads And Their Equally Athletic Children

Shout out to the daddy's girls who made the list.

LISTEN ON iTunes