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  • Sponsors are becoming more visible at the Winter Olympics with product placement and arena shoutouts

    Sponsors are becoming more visible at the Winter Olympics with product placement and arena shoutouts

    MILAN — Eileen Gu and all the other freestyle skiers wait for their scores by a large Powerade-branded cooler, then glide away without taking a drink.

    Bottles of the blue sports drink are stacked in hockey penalty boxes. Even the tissues in figure skating’s drama-packed “Kiss and Cry” area are branded.

    One way the Olympics generally stand out is by the absence of advertising on courses, rinks, and slopes. But increasingly at the Milan Cortina Games, sponsors are creeping into the action.

    “We continue to open up those opportunities for partners,” International Olympic Committee marketing director Anne-Sophie Voumard said Wednesday, noting sponsor products can now “organically be present” more widely.

    The change has seemingly accelerated since French luxury goods maker LVMH prominently placed its Louis Vuitton brand at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

    “It seems like there’s been an increasing need and desire from the sponsors for the IOC to show greater value in the TOP [the Olympic partners] program,” Terrence Burns, who has worked for the Olympic body in marketing and consulted for sponsors and hosting bids, told the Associated Press.

    There’s product placement on TV, even if it is still restrained compared to most American sports. Spectators inside the Olympic arenas hear shout-outs by the announcers and see logos on the big screen.

    It’s all happening as sponsors eye fresh opportunities for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

    The IOC is looking to create extra value in its TOP program, which has been a financial success for the organization over four decades. There are 11 TOP sponsors in Milan, after peaking at 15 in Paris. Revenue in 2025 dropped a bit to $560 million in cash and services compared to $871 million in 2024.

    Watching a hockey game in the arena is different

    An Olympic hockey game looks clean and non-commercial on TV to NHL fans used to seeing sponsors on the boards. It’s a little different in the venue.

    “This is the Corona Cero wave!” roars an announcer, attaching an alcohol-free beer brand to efforts to liven up fans at a quiet afternoon game with a wave around the arena.

    An automaker gets a mention with the “Stellantis Freeze Cam” and an interview with a boxer during the intermission between periods is “thanks to Salomon,” a skiwear brand that signed a sponsor deal with the Milan Cortina organizing committee.

    Burns thinks the logos in Olympic arenas are a morale booster for sponsors, but worth relatively little compared to the big campaigns they typically launch in the year before the Games.

    “I think it’s a psychological ‘Attaboy’ to see your brand on a board somewhere in and around the Olympics,” Burns said. ”I get it, but show me how that helps you sell more things.”

    A long-term trend ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics

    The Olympic Charter, a kind of constitution for the Games, says any logo in an Olympic venue must be approved “on an exceptional basis,” but the IOC has gradually relaxed its restrictions.

    “The Olympic world moves slow, and it should. It’s a 3,000-year-old brand, so they’ve got to be careful with it,” Burns said.

    Barely a decade ago, the “clean venue” policy was so strict that IOC staff checked the hand dryers in arena bathrooms to make sure they had their manufacturer’s brand covered with tape.

    For the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, restrictions on athletes promoting their personal sponsors on social media were relaxed after a legal challenge in Germany.

    The Paris Olympics saw medals delivered to the podium in Louis Vuitton-branded boxes before athletes were handed a phone for “the Olympic Victory Selfie, presented by Samsung,” a new tradition that’s continued at the Milan Cortina Games.

    Voumard, the IOC’s marketing director, acknowledged the need to “be mindful of the legacy of those [Olympic] Games and the uniqueness of the presentation.”

    New opportunities

    The Los Angeles Olympics will break new ground on sponsorship.

    For the first time, the IOC has approved the selling of naming rights for venues in a pilot program. The volleyball venue in Anaheim will keep its Honda Center name, just like it does for NHL games, and Comcast is putting its brand on a temporary arena for squash.

    Until now, stadiums named for sponsors have had to switch to generic names for the Olympics. The O2 Arena in London became the North Greenwich Arena for basketball and gymnastics in 2012, and a raft of French soccer stadiums got new names for 2024.

    Burns predicts the IOC might come under pressure from Los Angeles organizers to take further sponsor-friendly steps, and might need to push back on some requests to protect the Olympic brand.

    “It’s not unreasonable to think that LA would look to what happened in Paris with Louis Vuitton or even Samsung on a podium,” Burns said.

    “It’s their fiduciary responsibility to try to make as much money as they can. So they’re going to be looking for any and all opportunities to generate incremental revenue from sponsors. That’s the IOC’s role as a franchisor to protect that.”

  • Alec Pierce? Mike Evans? Germie Bernard? How would the Eagles replace A.J. Brown?

    Alec Pierce? Mike Evans? Germie Bernard? How would the Eagles replace A.J. Brown?

    Everyone is asking the wrong question with regard to A.J. Brown.

    It isn’t, “Should the Eagles trade him?”

    It’s, “Who will replace him?”

    You have to start there. It is the independent variable. You have to define it in order to solve the rest of the equation. You can’t have an opinion on how the Eagles should proceed with their All-Pro wide receiver if you don’t first have an opinion on what they should do without him.

    Feel free to take as much time as you need. Just make sure that you don’t dwell too long on the internal options. Right now, there aren’t any.

    Almost literally.

    Five questions about the Eagles that must be answered before the 2026 roster takes shape

    Aside from DeVonta Smith, the Eagles have exactly two pass-catchers under contract who had a target for them last season. Darius Cooper and Britain Covey combined for 11 catches on 112 yards. Other than that, your options are limited to 2024 sixth-round pick Johnny Wilson, who missed last season with a knee injury. The tight end room doesn’t even have anyone to turn on the lights.

    So … what’s the plan?

    The draft is not a serious option. Not where the Eagles are picking, at least. Last year’s draft yielded 11 wide receivers and tight ends who played at least 50% of their team’s snaps. Four of those players were selected before pick No. 23. Five others played for the Titans, Browns or Jets. Maybe they’ll be in a position to draft this year’s Emeka Egbuka (No. 19 to the Bucs in 2024). But they could just as easily end up with this year’s Matthew Golden (No. 23 to the Packers). The best way to get yourself in trouble on draft day is to try to solve this year’s problems.

    It isn’t outlandish to think Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard might be capable of what Deebo Samuel did as a rookie when the 49ers drafted him in 2019.

    That’s not to say they shouldn’t be looking. Nor that they won’t find some help. Alabama’s Germie Bernard would make a worthy target, even at No. 23. Whatever he measures at the combine, the game speed is there, as is the hybrid 6-foot-1, 204-pound frame. It isn’t outlandish to think he could do what Deebo Samuel did as a rookie after the 49ers drafted him at No. 36 overall in 2019: 57 catches, 802 yards, 14 carries, 159 yards. But to feel comfortable trading Brown, you need a lot more certainty than “isn’t outlandish.”

    Free agents? Sure, let’s talk. Alec Pierce would be a no-brainer. At 25 years old, the Colts wideout caught 47 passes for 1,003 yards with Daniel Jones, Philip Rivers and Riley Leonard at quarterback. He isn’t anywhere close to Brown as a singular talent. Still, if you combine him with a draft pick like Bernard, he could be part of a radical and positive identity shift in both the short- and long-term.

    Only one problem: The Eagles are one of 32 teams that can bid on free agents. A team like the Patriots can offer more cap room and a better quarterback and an acute need at the position. I’m skeptical the Eagles would win out.

    Eagles star tackle Lane Johnson will return to team in 2026

    The free agent crop is interesting even beyond Pierce and presumptive Cowboys franchisee George Pickens. Jauan Jennings and Mike Evans could replace some of Brown’s physicality in traffic and in 50/50 situations. Again, though, you have to wonder. Will players who have multiple options err on the side of a team with a run-heavy approach and Jalen Hurts at quarterback?

    The conundrum is the same as it was three months ago, when the annual pre-trade-deadline nonsense reached its crescendo. The dream that the Eagles might part ways with their WR1 died in a head-first collision with reality. However disgruntled Brown was, however diminished his skills were, nobody else on the roster would have done enough in his stead to survive such a move. To suggest otherwise was to betray a fundamental misunderstanding of how this Eagles passing offense works. It would not have functioned without him.

    Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce had his first 1,000-yard season with Daniel Jones, Philip Rivers, and Riley Leonard throwing to him.

    True, the Eagles barely functioned with Brown. But that only matters if you think they should have given up on the season at the trade deadline. That’s what they would have been doing by trading Brown. Look at their track record without him. Brown missed four (meaningful) games in his first three seasons with the Eagles. The Eagles lost three of them, and they scored 15 points in the game that they won. In 2025, the Eagles scored 38 points against the Giants without Brown. They also threw the ball 20 times. Smith was the only wide receiver to catch more than one of them.

    Plenty of NFL teams have managed to win without two WR1 types. But we’ve never seen Hurts have to do it. Right now, the Eagles don’t even have a WR2 who is better than replacement level. Keep in mind, the Eagles already have a hugely pressing need at tight end. They could need to spend big bucks to retain Jaelan Phillips, or to sign a replacement. In the draft, they will be hard-pressed to turn down an opportunity to add another offensive lineman to their feeder system.

    The preponderance of the circumstances says the Eagles probably shouldn’t trade Brown. Life would be a lot easier if they didn’t need to. The onus is on the case for how they can do so and survive. If you can make one, I’m sure they’d love to hear it.

  • The U.S. men’s hockey team’s semifinal highlights Friday’s Olympic TV schedule

    The U.S. men’s hockey team’s semifinal highlights Friday’s Olympic TV schedule

    After the drama of the U.S. women’s ice hockey team’s come-from-behind win in the gold medal game Thursday, the spotlight now shifts to the men’s tournament for the rest of the Olympics.

    The quality of the United States’ 2-1 overtime win over Sweden in Wednesday’s quarterfinals, and the other three games that day, showed why it’s so great to have NHL players back on the big stage.

    On Friday, the tension will rise even more. The Americans will face a Slovakia squad that has just seven NHL players but topped a group with Sweden and Finland and routed Germany in the quarterfinals, 6-2.

    The San Jose Sharks’ Pavol Regenda scored twice, and Flyers fans might recognize a few names from rival NHL teams: New Jersey’s Šimon Nemec, Washington’s Martin Fehérváry, and Montreal’s Juraj Slafkovský.

    NBC will carry the U.S.-Slovakia game live at 3:10 p.m. Philadelphia time. USA Network will have the other semifinal, a star-studded Canada-Finland matchup, joining it in progress at 11:50 a.m. It starts at 10:40 a.m., with the entire game streamed on Peacock.

    Other big events Friday include a U.S.-Switzerland women’s curling semifinal, starting at 8 a.m. on Peacock. USA will join it in progress at 8:45. It’s the first time that a U.S. women’s curling team has made an Olympic semifinal in 24 years — and this group includes a Delaware County native, Broomall’s Taylor Anderson-Heide.

    Everyone loves Olympic curling — and some people even think it looks easy. Our reporter found out how hard it really is.

    There’s also women’s speedskating’s 1,500 meters. The United States’ Brittany Bowe will hope to challenge Dutch star Femke Kok, who won gold in the 500 meters and silver in the 1,000. Bowe might also hope for a little stardust from her new fiancée, U.S. women’s hockey star Hilary Knight, after Knight popped the question in Milan earlier this week.

    Friday’s Olympic TV schedule

    As a general rule, our schedules include all live broadcasts on TV, but not tape-delayed broadcasts on cable channels. We’ll let you know what’s on NBC’s broadcasts, whether live or not.

    NBC

    • Noon: Bobsled — Two-woman first run
    • 12:15 p.m.: Freestyle skiing — Men’s aerials final (tape-delayed)
    • 1 p.m.: Speedskating — Women’s 1,500 meters (tape-delayed)
    • 1:30 p.m.: Freestyle skiing — Men’s halfpipe final
    • 3:10 p.m.: Ice hockey — United States vs. Slovakia, men’s semifinal
    • 8 p.m.: Prime time highlights including long track and short-track speedskating, bobsled, and freestyle skiing
    • 11:35 p.m.: Late night highlights including biathlon and freestyle skiing

    USA Network

    • 4 a.m.: Freestyle skiing — Women’s ski cross qualifying
    • 4:30 a.m.: Freestyle skiing — Men’s aerials qualifying
    • 6 a.m.: Freestyle skiing — Women’s ski cross final
    • 7:30 a.m.: Freestyle skiing — Men’s aerials final
    • 8:45 a.m.: Curling — United States vs. Switzerland women (joined in progress)
    • 10:45 a.m.: Speedskating — Women’s 1,500 meters
    • 11:50 a.m.: Ice hockey — Canada vs. Finland, men’s semifinal (joined in progress)
    • 2:15 p.m.: Short-track speedskating — Women’s 1500 meters and men’s relay finals

    How to watch the Olympics on TV and stream online

    NBC’s TV coverage will have live events from noon to 5 p.m. Philadelphia time on weekdays and starting in the mornings on the weekends. There’s a six-hour time difference between Italy and here. The traditional prime-time coverage will have highlights of the day and storytelling features.

    As far as the TV channels, the Olympics are airing on NBC, USA, CNBC, and NBCSN. Spanish coverage can be found on Telemundo and Universo.

    NBCSN is carrying the Gold Zone whip-around show that was so popular during the Summer Olympics in 2024, with hosts including Scott Hanson of NFL RedZone. It used to be just on Peacock, NBC’s online streaming service, but now is on TV, too.

    South Jersey’s Isabeau Levito finishes 12th, fellow American Alysa Liu claims gold medal at Olympics

    Every event is available to stream live on NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app. You’ll have to log in with your pay-TV provider, whether cable, satellite, or streaming platforms including YouTube TV, FuboTV, and Sling TV.

    On Peacock, the events are on the platform’s premium subscription tier, which starts at $10.99 per month or $109.99 per year.

    Here is the full event schedule for the entire Olympics, and here are live scores and results.

  • 🦅 Lane’s coming back | Sports Daily Newsletter

    🦅 Lane’s coming back | Sports Daily Newsletter

    The Eagles might have gotten the best news of their offseason. Lane Johnson, a no-doubt Hall of Famer someday, told The Inquirer on Thursday that he would be back for the 2026 season, ending speculation about whether he might retire.

    Eagles fans are well aware of how important the right tackle is to the offense. In Johnson’s 13 seasons, the team is 110-57-1 when he plays and 18-27 when he does not. Ask Saquon Barkley if he missed Johnson when the Pro Bowl tackle sat out seven games this season and missed parts of others.

    Of course, Johnson will be 36 in the next season and he’s coming off a Lisfranc foot fracture in Week 11. He avoided surgery, though, and he has shown the ability to overcome major injuries in the past. Now the Eagles wait for the other shoe to drop: Oft-injured guard Landon Dickerson has hinted at retirement as well, and we’re waiting to see if he’ll return. Jeff McLane has the full story.

    — Jim Swan, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

    If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

    Game on: What to watch

    Phillies manager Rob Thomson (left) and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski will have few roster decisions to make over the next four weeks.

    Spring training games don’t count. But don’t tell that to Dylan Moore, the 33-year-old utility man fighting for a bench role with the Phillies.

    The Phillies will play 30 spring training games, including a March 4 exhibition against Canada’s entry in the World Baseball Classic. That’s a lot of faux innings for a team that has few jobs up for grabs.

    Here, then, is an attempt to answer a few roster questions entering Saturday’s opener against the Blue Jays in Dunedin, Fla., based on reporting from the first eight days of camp.

    These Phillies starting pitchers are preparing for the “different feeling” that goes with competing in the World Baseball Classic.

    J.T. Realmuto is back for an eighth season with the Phillies. But for a week in January, he wasn’t sure he’d return.

    Back after the break

    Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey drives to the basket against Atlanta’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker on Thursday.

    Tyrese Maxey returned from his All-Star Game appearance with a 28-point effort, but the Atlanta Hawks earned a 117-107 victory over the Sixers at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Jalen Johnson, fresh off an All-Star appearance himself, led the way for the Hawks with 32 points.

    Outside looking in

    Flyers defenseman Emil Andrae has not played since Jan. 26, with Rick Tocchet instead electing to play Noah Juulsen.

    Flyers fans have been clamoring for Emil Andrae to play after the Swedish defenseman was benched for five straight games heading into the Olympic break. They may soon get their wish.

    “He’s been really sharp in these three practices that he’s been back for,” says defense coach Todd Reirden. “I know he came back a little bit earlier and did some other skating. He’s doing everything he can to get himself in a situation where he’s fighting to be in that lineup every night.”

    Andrae’s future with the team is an uncertain one with the NHL trade deadline approaching on March 6. We’ll see if he’s back in the lineup when the Flyers return to game action against the Washington Capitals on Wednesday.

    ‘I did my best’

    Isabeau Levito competes in her free skate on Thursday at the Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.

    Figure skater Isabeau Levito, the 18-year-old pride of South Jersey, placed 12th at the Winter Olympics in Milan, the hometown of her mother. Levito’s teammate, friend, and fellow Blade Angel, Alysa Liu, emerged with the gold medal.

    Levito had an uncharacteristic fall on her opening triple flip but otherwise skated a beautiful long program on Thursday. “I did my best,” she said afterward.

    After the U.S. women’s hockey team won the gold medal with an overtime victory against Canada, the spotlight turns to the men’s team in the semifinals. Here’s the Olympic TV schedule for today.

    Sports snapshot

    Father Judge’s Ahmir Brown heads up the court during a 52-46 victory against Archbishop Wood in the Catholic League semifinals.

    Our best sports 📸 of the week

    West Philadelphia’s players shower coach Adrian Burke with water after a 68-47 win against Dobbins in the Public League semifinals at John E. Glaser Arena on Tuesday.

    Each Friday, Inquirer photo editors will pick our best shots from the last seven days and share them with you, our readers. This week, it’s hoop, hoop hooray: Photos include high school boys’ and girls’ basketball playoffs, college hoops as well, and plenty from the Phillies at spring training.

    What you’re saying about burning questions

    We asked: What’s your burning Philly sports question? Among your responses:

    The fans of all Philly sports teams are passionate, but it is the Eagles who draw the most passion. Their most burning off season question is “are the Eagles trying hard to trade A.J. Brown before next season?” … Does the Eagles brass see him as a locker room cancer with more negative value to the team than the value of his performance on the field? And how confident are they that the new offensive coaching staff can turn around his mental attitude toward performing consistently at his best? There are some who believe that the same question could be applied to Jalen Hurts. — John W.

    Will the Phillies have enough to repeat as Eastern Division champs? Can the Eagles adapt to a new offensive scheme and remain a legit Super Bowl contender? Is Joel Embiid done? — Bob C.

    The Palestra played host to the Catholic League semifinals on Wednesday.

    What, if anything, can be done to have at least one Big Five (I’m not talking to you, Drexel) doubleheader each year at the Palestra.? Streamers, banners, the whole works. Or even a doubleheader with one nationally popular team. Everyone would get totally into it. Sorry to live in the past, but those were the greatest times I ever had. Cold outside, hot, sweaty and noisy inside. And everyone celebrating Philadelphia basketball, no matter which school they were from or rooting for. — Tom L.

    Two questions. Ready to spend in the 100 millions for Bo Bichette, but unwilling to spend even a small percentage of that to keep Harrison Bader, who so impressed all Phillies fans during his short time here? And is Sirianni truly the coach who can bring the Eagles back to the Super Bowl? This past season I think he failed to lead when the going was the toughest and leadership was most needed. — Everett S.

    What’s wrong with the Flyers? As usual they have become irrelevant. — Bill M.

    Is this still Bryce’s team, or has Schwarber overtaken him as the star of the organization? — Anthony P.

    We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Jeff McLane, Scott Lauber, Lochlahn March, Ellen Dunkel, Gabriela Carroll, Jonathan Tannenwald, Rob Tornoe, Jeff Neiburg, Sean McKeown, Colin Schofield, Conor Smith, and Dylan Johnson.

    By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

    Have a great weekend. Thanks for reading, as always, and I’ll see you in Monday’s newsletter. — Jim

  • Phillies roster questions going into the first spring game: Fifth starter, bullpen picture, and more

    Phillies roster questions going into the first spring game: Fifth starter, bullpen picture, and more

    CLEARWATER, Fla. — On the eve of spring training games, an annual reminder: They don’t count.

    Not really. Stats are kept, but mostly as a formality. Hits don’t carry over into the season. Strikeouts are little more than a sugar rush for a pitcher. Win some, lose some, even tie some, and everyone’s record resets on March 25.

    What do you do, then, if you’re Dylan Moore? A veteran of seven major league seasons, the 33-year-old utility man must have a good camp to make the Phillies’ opening-day roster after signing a minor-league contract 17 days ago.

    The Phillies’ Trea Turner was still the fastest man in the league at 32. And it’s not due just to ‘genetics.’

    Try telling him Grapefruit League games aren’t really real.

    “To make an impression, you’ve got to be able to take it seriously and play it like it’s a game that’s meaningful,” Moore said Thursday after facing pitchers in live batting practice. “Because it is, you know? You want to see where you’re at, which is why you never want to go less than [full effort] just because it doesn’t matter. But yeah, it’s a balancing act.”

    The Phillies will play 30 spring training games, including a March 4 exhibition against Canada’s entry in the World Baseball Classic. That’s a lot of faux innings for a team that has few jobs up for grabs.

    Here, then, is an attempt to answer a few roster questions entering Saturday’s opener against the Blue Jays in neighboring Dunedin, based on reporting from the first eight days of camp:

    Andrew Painter is a leading candidate to occupy a spot in the Phillies’ season-opening starting rotation.

    Who will take the fifth (starter spot)?

    Zack Wheeler played catch from 120 feet the other day and is scheduled to do so again Friday while incorporating more spin on the ball. The Phillies haven’t said when he will progress to a mound.

    “He’s doing very well,” manager Rob Thomson said.

    But nothing has changed. Five months after having a rib removed to relieve pressure on a vein that was compressed between his collarbone and rib cage, Wheeler won’t be ready to start the season on time, which creates a vacancy in the starting rotation.

    With free agency looming next year, Alec Bohm is prepared to bat cleanup (again) for Kyle Schwarber or Bryce Harper

    Upon returning from the World Baseball Classic, Cristopher Sánchez (Dominican Republic), Aaron Nola (Italy), and Taijuan Walker (Mexico) will join Jesús Luzardo in the starting rotation. Nobody will say it, but the last spot is Andrew Painter’s to lose.

    Painter didn’t pitch in 2023 or ’24 because of a torn elbow ligament that necessitated Tommy John surgery. But after a healthy, 118-inning season in the minors, most of which came in triple A, he’s unburdened by usage restrictions this spring.

    Ideally, the Phillies want Painter to not only earn his spot but also to keep it once Wheeler returns. Either way, it’s time for the 22-year-old (turning 23 in April) to step forward.

    “Obviously Painter had a tough year in triple A,” Bryce Harper said, referring to a 5.40 ERA in 22 starts. “That first year coming back from Tommy John is really tough. I’m hoping he bounces back this year. We need him to.”

    Lefty reliever Kyle Backhus has a chance to win a spot in the bullpen after coming over in a trade with the Diamondbacks.

    How does the bullpen shape up?

    Get to know this name: Kyle Backhus.

    The Phillies acquired Backhus from the Diamondbacks for a minor-league outfielder on the same day in December that they sent Matt Strahm to the Royals for reliever Jonathan Bowlan. Backhus has minor league options, but Thomson mentioned him last month as a bullpen candidate.

    And the hitters, including Trea Turner, who faced Backhus in live batting practice Thursday were impressed with the sidearming lefty, who had a 4.62 ERA in 32 games last season for Arizona.

    Brandon Marsh proved he ‘could crawl out’ of last season’s rough start. Now, he’s the Phillies’ longest-tenured outfielder.

    “They said he was tough to pick up,” Thomson said. “He starts from the third base side. He’s a crossfire guy. It’s a really low slot, so you don’t see that. It’s tough, really tough to pick up.”

    The Phillies haven’t had a lefty reliever with such a low arm slot in years. Thomson would like a third lefty in the bullpen, although he said it isn’t a necessity. Backhus would fit in behind José Alvarado and Tanner Banks.

    Orion Kerkering has been slowed in camp by a hamstring injury. But health permitting, closer Jhoan Duran, Brad Keller, Alvarado, Kerkering, Banks, and Bowlan have seats in the bullpen.

    That leaves two spots for a pool of candidates, including Rule 5 pick Zach McCambley and out-of-options righty Zach Pop. Veteran lefty Tim Mayza and righty Lou Trivino are also in camp as nonroster invitees.

    But Backhus might have the early inside track.

    “Backhus is a completely different look for people,“ Thomson said. ”You want good stuff, you want strikes, but when you have different looks like that, it makes it a lot better.”

    Johan Rojas could make the Phillies’ roster as a reserve outfielder.

    Who gets the last bench spot?

    All the health-related caveats apply, but the opening-day lineup appears set: J.T. Realmuto (catcher), Harper (first base), Bryson Stott (second base), Turner (shortstop), Alec Bohm (third base), Brandon Marsh (left field), rookie Justin Crawford (center field), Adolis García (right field), and Kyle Schwarber (designated hitter).

    Edmundo Sosa and Otto Kemp are expected to claim seats on the bench, with another going to incumbent backup catcher Rafael Marchán or veteran Garrett Stubbs.

    That leaves one spot.

    Bryce Harper says Dave Dombrowski’s ‘not elite’ comment is ‘kind of wild to me still’

    Johan Rojas would provide speed on the bases and elite outfield defense, although the latter is less important without Nick Castellanos in right field. Marsh, Crawford, and García are all solid defenders. Also, Rojas has minor-league options and might benefit from everyday at-bats in triple A.

    Veteran outfielder Bryan De La Cruz has 58 career major league homers, seven of which came against the Phillies. De La Cruz and Pedro Leon are intriguing right-handed bats, but Sosa and Kemp bat from the right side. And as outfielders, De La Cruz and Leon lack positional versatility.

    And then there’s Moore, who has played everywhere except catcher and won a Gold Glove as a utility man for the Mariners in 2023. He said he signed with the Phillies to work with hitting coach Kevin Long. But he also recognized an opportunity.

    Phillies manager Rob Thomson (left), with Charlie Manuel during batting practice on Thursday, has one spot to fill for a bench player.

    “In past experience, having two utility guys — one who’s more depth to infield and one who’s more depth to outfield — is huge,“ Moore said. ”A guy that can do both is great. Sosa plays an awesome infield everywhere you put him, so maybe I could be more of the outfield guy.

    “This has been my career in a nutshell — play some, play not so much, and just stay ready. I feel like I’ve gotten pretty good at it, and I still have more in me.”

    With Harper, Schwarber, Sosa, and Rojas away at the WBC next month, there will be ample opportunity for Moore to prove it.

    And that’s the meaning of spring training games.

  • Flyers continue to fight local hunger one assist at a time: ‘We needed to do more, plain and simple’

    Flyers continue to fight local hunger one assist at a time: ‘We needed to do more, plain and simple’

    The Flyers and Penn Medicine have partnered up to donate 13,750 pounds of food, which accounts for over 9,000 meals, so far this season as part of their Penn Medicine Assist program.

    The initiative, which started during the 2023-24 season, donates 50 pounds of food to local hunger-relief organization Philabundance for every Flyers assist — increasing last year’s amount by 20 pounds per assist. So far, the Flyers have tallied 275 assists.

    “We needed to do more, plain and simple,” said Todd Glickman, the chief revenue and business officer for Comcast Spectacor. “We felt like we needed to do more and give more because food insecurity is such a big thing in the region. It was important to Penn Medicine and it was important to us. And it was an easy thing to do.”

    Flyers Charities and Michael’s Way to team up to renovate the home of a local teen with cancer

    The program’s numbers continue to grow each year. During the 2023-24 season, the Flyers’ 396 assists donated 11,880 pounds of food. The following year, the Flyers’ 403 assists donated 12,090 pounds of food — making it over 37,000 pounds of food, and over 25,000 meals, that have been donated over the last three years.

    “I think we’ll see the numbers go up significantly from last year just by increasing the amount by 20 pounds per assist,” said Lori Gustave, the chief strategy officer of Penn Medicine. “I personally hope they get a lot of assists so that we can donate a lot of food.”

    The initiative will benefit Philabundance, which has been operating for 41 years, growing across two states in nine counties, with the mission to bridge the gap between a surplus of food and those in the community struggling with food insecurity.

    The foundation started from the back of Pam Rainey Lawler’s Subaru in 1984. Since then, it has grown tremendously — delivering over 40 million pounds of food to the community over the past year.

    Gritty at Philabundance last year, packing some of the meals donated from the Penn Medicine Assist program.

    “Of the nine counties, which includes Philadelphia, there are approximately 700,000 neighbors that are food insecure,” said Amy Galette, the director of corporate relations at Philabundance. “If you think about the amount of people we serve a week, it’s enough to fill five stadiums full during Flyers games. It’d be like selling out five Flyers games per week.”

    As part of last year’s Penn Medicine Assist program, Gritty and some of the Flyers players, including Jamie Drysdale and Bobby Brink, joined the assembly line at Philabundance to help package some of the meals.

    “It was fun,” Brink said. “I mean it was nice to get a little day-in-the-life kind of vibe and help out. The environment was great, a lot of great people, and it’s always nice just giving a few hours to help.”

    Drysdale added: “We are very fortunate to be in this position that we’re in. And I don’t think it takes a lot for us to give a few hours wherever we can to kind of help out and just show some love back to the community that treats us so well.”

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  • Imhotep is back in the Public League girls’ basketball final after beating Central

    Imhotep is back in the Public League girls’ basketball final after beating Central

    Business as usual.

    For the 14th year in a row, Imhotep Charter is headed back to the Public League championship. In Thursday’s semifinal, the Panthers eked out a 52-45 win against Central at La Salle’s John Glaser Arena. Imhotep led for the entire game, but Central kept it close until the final whistle. Taylor Linton’s team-high 17 points lifted the Panthers back to the final.

    “Out of all the teams throughout Imhotep history that have contributed to the streak, the commonality between all of those teams is that everybody is pushing,” said Imhotep coach David Hargrove. “Pushing to be better — number one. But then, pushing to be better teammates — number two. That allows us to keep that standard of competitiveness and championship-quality basketball.”

    Audenried will defend its Public League girls’ basketball title after blowout win over Lincoln

    Late in the fourth quarter, down by six, Central sophomore guard Ava Yancey stole the ball and passed to junior point guard Stevie Hall, who was fouled and sent to the line. She made both free throws.

    But Imhotep kept on pushing.

    Panthers junior guard McKenna Alston responded with a lay-in of her own to quiet Central’s fans. Alston then stole the ball on the next two Lancers possessions to swing the momentum back to the Panthers.

    “We challenge our kids about making connecting plays. A lot of people think that’s [just on offense]. But for us … it’s on defense too,” Hargrove said. “We were able to put pressure to the ball, be in passing lanes, and be active.”

    Linton added: “[The end] was very intense. I think what was important is that we kept our poise … and we stayed connected.”

    Imhotep senior point guard Anai Kenyatta controlled the pace for the Panthers. Whenever the Lancers gained momentum, Kenyatta answered the call, finishing with 13 points. Senior forward Crystal Hawthorne added 11.

    For Central, sophomore forward Janai Bellinger led with a game-high 18 points. After Imhotep took a quick nine-point lead behind a 7-2 run to start the second half, Bellinger kept her team within striking distance until the final whistle.

    Audenried trounced Lincoln 67-28 earlier Thursday, meaning Imhotep will meet Audenried in the Public League championship for the fourth year in a row on Sunday. The Panthers lost to the Shayla Smith-led Rockets in the championship the past three matchups. With Smith now at Penn State, Sunday’s results could look different from previous years.

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    “Sunday’s matchup — we anticipate it to be a classic. It’s what has become an Imhotep-Audenried matchup, which is always going to be a back-and-forth, competitive game,” said Hargrove. “Some players are going to step up, some might step down, but it’s going to be a competitive game, and our kids have really been building for this moment all season.”

    Before Imhotep prepares for Audenried, the Panthers celebrated in the locker room after Thursday’s win.

    “It was quiet at first when we all walked in because it was like, ‘Dang,’” Linton said. “And then the coaches started coming in, and it was like, ‘OK, we going to the chip.’ It was real. Everybody was cheering and everyone was really, really happy.”

  • Sixers’ losing streak reaches three after 117-107 loss to the Atlanta Hawks

    Sixers’ losing streak reaches three after 117-107 loss to the Atlanta Hawks

    Jalen Johnson had 32 points and 10 rebounds and CJ McCollum added 23 points as the Atlanta Hawks beat the 76ers 117-107 on Thursday night in the teams’ first game after the All-Star break.

    Dyson Daniels finished with 15 points, Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 14, and Zaccharie Risacher and Jock Landale each had 10 as the Hawks snapped a three-game losing streak with their third win over the Sixers this season.

    Tyrese Maxey scored 28 points and Rising Stars MVP VJ Edgecombe added 20 for the Sixers, who were without center Joel Embiid, who missed the game due to right shin soreness.

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    Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 17 points and Quentin Grimes scored 10 of his 14 points in the first half for Philly. Andre Drummond contributed 10 points and 14 rebounds as the Sixers lost their third in a row and for the fourth time in five games.

    The Hawks built an 11-point lead with approximately six minutes remaining before the Sixers charged back and closed within 108-104 with less than three minutes left. Atlanta closed the game with a 9-3 run that included five points by Johnson, who shot 14-for-16 from the line.

    The 76ers said Embiid experienced soreness in his shin while participating in a right knee injury management program over the break. After consulting with doctors, Embiid has received daily treatment, while progressing through on-court work and strength and conditioning.

    Coach Nick Nurse said before the game against the Hawks that the plan is to get Embiid on the court on Friday and “see how he looks from there.” Nurse said he “don’t anticipate it being a long time.”

    Embiid is averaging 26.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 31 games this season.

    The Sixers will face the Pelicans on Saturday in New Orleans (7 p.m., NBCSP).

  • Audenried will defend its Public League girls’ basketball title after blowout win over Lincoln

    Audenried will defend its Public League girls’ basketball title after blowout win over Lincoln

    The Universal Audenried Charter girls’ basketball team entered the Public League semifinals Thursday night as three-time reigning champions, but the journey for its fourth title looks different.

    Guard Shayla Smith led the Rockets the last four seasons and became Philadelphia’s all-time leading scorer, but she graduated and moved on to Penn State.

    Against Abraham Lincoln, Audenried showed it still can win. Behind junior forward Nasiaah Russell and senior guard Heaven Reese, the Rockets are heading to their fourth straight Public League title game after beating Lincoln, 67-28, at La Salle’s John Glaser Arena. Audenried will face Imhotep on Sunday.

    Before Alexis Eberz begins her journey at Villanova, she has unfinished business with Archbishop Carroll

    After a sluggish first four minutes, Audenried dominated the rest of the way. The Rockets outscored Lincoln by 19 points in the second half by forcing turnovers and scoring in transition. Four players scored in double figures, led by Reese’s 16 points and sophomore guard Chloe Kham’s 15 off the bench.

    “Us making it back to the championship after Shayla leaving is huge for me,” said Audenried coach Kevin Slaughter. “A lot of people were saying once Shayla left, we were done, and to get back is big for us.”

    Audenried found stability behind Reese, who has been part of the winning culture at Audenried and knows what it takes to bring home a Public League crown.

    The experience of Reese, a Coppin State commit; Russell, who’s committed to St. John’s; and guard Aniyah Cheeseboro made overcoming the loss of Smith easier.

    “The last three years, we have all been behind Shayla and the other seniors,” Reese said. “So for us to [go win without her], it just means a lot.”

    The Rockets ended the first quarter on a 16-1 run to take a 12-point lead. Kham hit back-to-back threes early in the second to push Audenried’s lead to 16. The sophomore was a significant factor for Audenried with her deep shooting and layups in transition.

    West Philly ‘stayed the path’ to get back to the Public League final

    “Chloe has been a person who’s been struggling a bit this season … and I think it was her first high school experience because she didn’t really play at Neumann Goretti last year,” Slaughter said. “So for her to come out and have 15 points is huge for us.”

    Audenried took a 40-18 halftime lead with another championship appearance in sight. Lincoln scored the first three points of the second half before the Rockets put the game away.

    They scored 27 straight points to enter the final eight minutes with a 67-21 lead. Reese and Russell led the charge with 12 during the run.

    Audenried girls’ basketball will have a rematch with Imhotep in the Public League title game on Sunday.

    The championship game will pit Audenried against Imhotep for a fourth straight year. The Rockets won, 65-52, last year behind 35 points from Smith. They may not have Smith, but their confidence in winning a fourth straight Public League title remains high.

    “Me personally, I always thought we were going to get back here,” Slaughter said. “Because a lot of the kids who were ninth and 10th graders when Shayla was there, they got to see it. … They have been in these wars.”

  • Jason and Travis Kelce helped U.S. hockey player’s family see the Olympic gold medal win

    Jason and Travis Kelce helped U.S. hockey player’s family see the Olympic gold medal win

    MILAN, Italy — As soon as U.S. hockey defender Laila Edwards skated onto the Olympic ice ahead of Thursday’s gold medal win against Canada, she scanned the stands for the real MVP: Her 91-year-old grandmother.

    Their shared ritual was on display before Team USA’s 2-1 triumph Thursday — made possible through an outpouring of donations to a GoFundMe drive, with by far the biggest individual contribution — $10,000 — coming from NFL brother tandem Travis and Jason Kelce, who also grew up in Cleveland.

    “As she comes in, she’s looking around,” her grandmother, Ernestine Gray, told the Associated Press earlier this week. “Then I say, ‘I won’t do anything to distract her.’ Then she did see me and I wave to her and then she waved back.”

    Edwards, the first Black female hockey player to represent the United States at the Olympics, fielded a team of her own in Milan. The fundraiser enabled 10 family members and four friends to travel to Italy. Still others paid their own way.

    After the semifinals game earlier this week, Edwards, a senior at Wisconsin, told the AP that her family’s presence in Milan “means everything to me.”

    “They helped me get here and make this team and achieve my dream, so it means a lot,” she said.

    Edwards had an assist for the first of the two goals that would win the game.

    ‘Queen of Cleveland’

    The Kelce brothers grew up in the same town as Edwards. They have been fans of hers since 2023, when she became the first Black player to make the U.S. senior women’s national team, and shouted her out on their popular podcast, New Heights.

    The top donation to the GoFundMe was $10,000, from someone remaining anonymous; Edwards has confirmed that it came from the Kelces. By Thursday, the Edwards family had raised more than $61,000.

    What’s more, Travis Kelce reached out to provide advice to the “Queen of Cleveland,” a nickname her teammates gave her following a U.S.-Canada game played there in November. And Jason Kelce and his wife, Kylie, were in the stands Monday to cheer on the U.S. team during their 5-0 win over Sweden. Edwards, a forward-turned-defender, had an assist then, too.

    Generosity from the Kelces and locals is another example of how the tight-knit town operates, her parents said, even though their daughter moved away at a young age. Edwards, considered the future face of women’s hockey, has also inspired the Black community in Ohio and beyond.

    While diversity is reflected in many sports such as soccer, it hasn’t made a dent in winter sports and there are very few Black athletes in the Milan Cortina Olympic Games. Men’s and women’s hockey globally, including in the U.S., remains predominantly white.

    “Just to hear all the people of color talking about, ‘I’ve never watched hockey before and I’m tuning in,’” said Edwards’ mother, Charone Gray-Edwards. “I would love to know what the ratings are. Because everybody at home, everybody is talking about it. All these people are trying to buy jerseys.”

    For Gray-Edwards, some of the most meaningful moments have been seeing little boys come up to her daughter for an autograph.

    “That means they’re not like, ‘Oh, this is a girl that plays hockey.’ They’re like, ‘This a good hockey player.’ So it doesn’t matter if she’s Black, a woman — she’s a good player,” Gray-Edwards said.

    But Gray-Edwards’ most treasured memories likely won’t be about Thursday’s gold medal win — they will stem from watching her 91-year-old mother and her 22-year-old daughter together at the rink.

    “You can just see them waving at each other. My mother’s like jumping and, oh, she just loves it,” Gray-Edwards said.

    ‘How would we afford it’

    Hours before the puck dropped for Monday’s semifinal, the Edwards family was ready.

    Gray-Edwards has strict rules about travel. She mandated that everyone meet in the hotel lobby 2½ hours before game time, dressed in their Team USA finest. They called a taxi van to fit the large group — including Edwards’ parents, grandmother, aunt, cousin, and older brother — and loaded up.

    Her parents weren’t sure the entire family would be able to make the journey when she called them a month before the Olympics to say she’d been chosen for the team.

    They could cover the costs for two people, but the full family roster — all of whom have supported her over the years — would have been far too expensive. And they hadn’t booked early flights or locked in cheaper hotel rates for fear of jinxing her.

    “We had to start talking about how to get money,” Gray-Edwards said. “Who would go? How would we afford it?”

    The family is accustomed to watching her from afar. When Edwards was 13, she left home to attend the Bishop Kearney Selects Academy in Rochester, N.Y., before moving on to the University of Wisconsin, where she is playing her senior season for the top-ranked Badgers.

    The consensus is that Edwards will be selected in the top three of the Professional Women’s Hockey League draft in June, along with Wisconsin teammate Caroline Harvey and Minnesota’s Abbey Murphy.

    Still, Edwards’ Olympic debut was something everyone wanted to see.

    Her father, Robert Edwards, started the GoFundMe drive “Send Laila’s Family to the Olympics to Cheer Her On!” He set an ambitious goal of $50,000 so they wouldn’t have to choose between a ticket to one of her games and paying the electric bill back in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.

    “There’s a lot of ups and downs in playing hockey at this high level and so she’s going to need somebody there,” her father said. “So I was like, ’Well, pride be damned: We’re going to do a fundraiser.’”