All-Stars in Anaheim

As the 4th of July passes each year, sports fan are fully enthralled in the baseball season. The middle of the season marks many things for baseball. General Manager’s star to look at the standings to see where their team stands, as well as whether or not they are buyers or sellers come the trade deadline. Yet, as each team looks towards the season’s second half, Major League Baseball takes three days out of its schedule to honor their All-Stars.

Unlike the other major sports in America, baseball handles its All-Star game quite differently. Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig has put in place a number of rules that has boosted the importance and fan friendliness of the game including that each team must have one representative on the All-Star roster, and that the winner of the game will earn it’s league home-field advantage in the World Series.

Furthermore, the National League has not won the mid-summer classic since New York Mets catcher Mike Piazza won the MVP in the 1996 game. As the winner of the National League pennant a year ago, manager Charlie Manual of the Philadelphia Phillies will look to avenge his team’s World Series loss to Yankee’s manager Joe Girardi tonight.

Red Sox's DH David Ortiz during last night's Homerun Derby.

Featured in the All-Star game are a bunch of familiar faces coupled with some new ones. Yankees Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera are making their 13th, 11th and 11th appearance respectively while St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols is making his 9th appearance. Among the first time standouts are the starting pitchers Ubaldo Jiminez of the Colorado Rockies who brings his major league leading 15 wins up against David Price of the Tampa Bay Rays who has an AL best 12 wins.

While each league’s roster features 34 top players, only 9 of them get the honor of starting Tuesday night in Anaheim, California. Among these 18 starters is one rookie, Atlanta Braves 20-year-old outfielder Jason Heyward who will unfortunately be replaced by Corey Hart due to injury. On the American League side, the headline is the Yankees double play combination of Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano at shortstop and second base respectively.

The celebration of talent in Anaheim tonight will start with the solemn news of the passing of the New York Yankees longtime public address announcer Bob Sheppard. Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter will have a recording of Sheppard announcing his name before each of Jeter’s at bats tonight.

Free Agent Frenzy

The wait is finally over. At midnight, 2010 NBA free agency begins. Teams have been preparing for the July 1 start since the 2008 season. The biggest name of the group is two-time defending MVP LeBron James. However all-stars Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Joe Johnson, Amar’e Stoudemire, Paul Pierce and David Lee have teams dumping salary in an attempt to sign them to their respective squads.

How important is this free agent class? New York Knicks President Donnie Walsh circled this date in his calendar upon taking over during the 2008 season. Since that time, he has been trading his players for expiring contracts to free up space in the Knicks salary cap to make rooms for James and a possible sidekick.

Many other teams have followed suit, trading for players with expiring contracts after the 2009-2010 season in hopes that they might land a free-agent superstar. Over the past year, the league’s highest trade commodity has been expiring contracts.

Chris Bosh (left) and Lebron James (right) during the 2010 NBA All-Star Game in Dallas.

Not only does the 2010 free agent class have superstars, it also has depth. Of the 398 players under contract during the 2009-2010 season, 140 of those are free agents (35.1%). So, while teams like the Knicks, Nets, Bulls and Heat go after the likes of James and Bosh every team has something to play for this summer, trying to sign and re-sign role players. Furthermore, because the talent pool is so deep, rumors surrounding second tier free agents-to-be such as Rudy Gay and Ray Allen have been non-existent.

On the other hand, speculation as to where the top tier of free agents may go has been the focus on every sports radio show, sports talk show and sports blog. While Dwyane Wade has strongly hinted that he will stay in Miami, rumors that Chris Bosh and LeBron James are a packaged deal has put teams with enough cap space to sign two players to the maximum contract in front. Among these are Chicago, Miami and New York.

It seems that Chicago and Miami are the two best fits for James and Bosh because both teams have a young nucleus of talent that is ready to win. Yet, Miami does not have the salary flexibility to keep Wade and sign Bosh and James to maximum deals.

A scenario in which the three guys would land in Miami would involve a salary cut for one of the superstars. Moreover, if Bosh and James sign in Chicago, they will surround themselves with two young rising stars in Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, who were both in the national spotlight during their collegiate years with Memphis and Florida respectively.

When LeBron James announces where he will play next year, it will reveal a lot about his character. If he decides to bolt to New York to gain the fame and fortune, it will show that James is more interested in making money than winning a championship. If he decides to stay in Cleveland, in the same state he has lived his entire life, no one would question his loyalty. Lastly, if LeBron heads south to Miami, taking a pay cut to team up with Bosh and Wade, people will see that LeBron cares more about winning than anything else.

Regardless of where James, Bosh and Wade land, July and August are set to be exciting months in the NBA as over one-third of the league could be wearing a different jersey next season.

NBA Draft Preview

Center Stage

The NBA draft is an event that every basketball fanatic looks forward to. When growing up, many children imagine what it would be like to get drafted by an NBA team. The time has come for many of these young athletes who have put in years of hard work. At 7 p.m on Thursday night, Madison Square Garden in New York will be filled with athletes who are waiting for their name to be called by commissioner, David Stern.

Many teams are looking to make a big impact in this year’s draft. There is an immense pool of players to pick from and these teams need to make a decision. Do you go with the safe pick or the risky pick? It is always a decision that may help your team in winning the NBA Championship.

Flip Saunders (Head Coach), Ernie Grunfeld (General Manager) and Ted Leonsis (Owner) of the Washington Wizards are licking their chops after they won the draft lottery and are now sitting pretty with the number one pick.

“The Washington Wizards now select John Wall from the University of Kentucky with the number one overall pick.” Those are the likely words from David Stern on Thursday evening.

John Wall stands at 6’4, weighing in at 196 pounds and has the potential to run the point as good as anybody in the league. Yes, he does have weaknesses as every draft pick does, but he is ready for the bright lights of the NBA.

John Wall has a certain swagger and is an extremely confident young man who has a tremendous amount of speed. This is indeed a tremendous part of his game. John Wall should be a lock for the number one pick and will bring a great deal of excitement to the NBA and long awaited excitement to Washington DC.

The big Evan Turner from the Ohio State University is also expected to go high in the draft. The Philadelphia 76ers have the second overall pick and it is likely that this is where he will land.

Turner is a shooting guard with tremendous shooting ability and has a great handle on the ball. Evan is an aggressive player who is a solid playmaker and reminds many people of Brandon Roy of the Portland Trail Blazers.

Other players that are looking to make an enormous impact in the NBA are DeMarcus Cousins (Kentucky), Derrick Favors (Georgia Tech), and Wesley Johnson (Syracuse).

DeMarcus Cousins is a man with tremendous power and strength who feels that he can score every time he gets the ball in the post. Cousins stands at 6’11 and 296 pounds, which can be very attractive for teams looking to get a man of his size.

Derrick Favors is 6’10 and 245 pounds who could add a little more muscle and weight to his body. Favors reminds many people of the Atlanta Hawks Al Horford.

Derrick has soft hands with a lot of power and quickness. Many teams will be looking to add Favors to their squad who can do some dirty work around the basket.

Wesley Johnson is a small forward who can become one of the best jump shooters in the game with increased practice. He already is very smooth and gets great elevation on his shot. Johnson is an unselfish player and has excellent vision on the court.

The NBA Draft is a must see event that takes place in one of the best cities of the world. If you want to see the next superstars of the NBA live their dreams, the draft if the perfect place to go on Thursday night.

If you are looking to attend this event and need hospitality, there are some hotels that will fit your needs. Hotel New Yorker is located just two blocks from MSG, while other hotels located in the area as well are W Times Square and the Hilton Times Square.

If you are looking to get a bite to eat before or after the draft, Lazzaras Pizza is a great place to grab a quick slice on 38th street. I also strongly recommend Ben’s Deli on 38th street as well as Lugo Café, which is located on 33rd street.

The NBA Draft is a highly anticipated event for the league and is definitely worth attending.

2010 US Open Review

McDowell wins the 2010 US Open

Back at Pebble Beach for the first time since 2000, the U.S. Open Men’s Golf tournament had many different storylines heading into the final day of action at the famous northern California golf course looking over the Pacific Ocean.

The Golf Links at Pebble Beach is widely considered one of the most beautiful courses in the world, and has played home to four U.S. Open’s prior to 2010. Among the top headlines in the tournament’s opening days was the chase for the world’s number one ranking. Americans Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson began the tournament neck and neck for the top spot with Woods holding a slight edge. A strong finish by Phil and a missed cut by Tiger would have led to Woods relinquishing his #1 ranking for the first time in five years.

Yet, after day two, it was clear that Woods would make the cut and hold on to his spot. Furthermore, the storyline changed. People around the golf world wondered if they would get the opportunity to see some history as three of golf’s top icons in Woods, Mickelson and South Africa’s Ernie Els were among the leaders heading into the final day of play.

Day Four of the tournament was set up to be a classic. As the top guns set out to chase down leader American Dustin Johnson, another unlikely contender wanted his shot at glory as Graeme McDowell; a 30-year-old from northern Ireland was in prime position to become the first European to hoist the championship trophy in 40 years. He began the day 3 shots off the lead.

However, history is not on the side of Johnson and McDowell. Fans and the media were ready for the unlikely leaders to crack under the pressure and give way to the three veterans poised to make a move.

Yet, as the final round moved on, McDowell never seemed to feel out of place among golf’s elite players. Dustin Johnson began his final round with a triple bogey and a double bogey on holes 2 and 3 it seemed that McDowell was handed the lead and the tournament. With the top guns faltering early, (Woods bogeyed 5 of the first 10 holes) McDowell only had to nail one birdie in the final round to seize the championship.

From the final scores, it seems that Pebble Beach lived up to its hype of being one of the toughest courses to navigate in the world. Rather than trying to beat the course, McDowell took a different approach and one that proved worthy of his efforts.

The crafty player decided to play within himself and did not try to beat the course, rather he managed his game and let the other leaders falter along the way as they tried to hit nearly impossible shots that left them to the right and left of the fairways which in turn, forced them to putt for double and triple bogeys.

For McDowell, the 2010 U.S. Open was his first major championship and gave him the right to say he outplayed the three biggest names in his sport. Not to mention that he ended Europe’s 40 year win less streak in U.S. Open play.

The Big…Melting Pot

Fans of the Men's Italian National Soccer Club celebrate the team's 2006 World Cup victory in New York City's Little Italy.

As we all know, back in history, America, and New York (Ellis Island) in particular, was a place where people from across the world came to in order to escape their troubles from their origin countries and to achieve freedom. From then on, America represented the “world” in a nutshell and became known as a melting pot composed of people from various countries and cultures from around the globe.

Over the past week of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, I have truly begun to realize another reason why New York is the greatest city in the world. To this day, New York City continues to have a reputation of representing all of the countries around the World.  There is no better time to show this off than during the World Cup.  Imagine all of the countries around the World and their different ways of celebrating their culture and sports, but in one city and during one specific time.  It is truly an amazing scene to experience and I encourage all of you to witness this at least one time in your lives during a World Cup that occurs.  It seems as if this “melting pot” is at a boil and everything is stirred up.  For instance, as I walked around recently, I noticed different types of cheers coming from different bars around the city.  This indeed caught my attention, and I had to seek more knowledge about the New York City World Cup scene.

Let’s say that you are a fan or even a citizen of Ghana and happen to live in New York City.  The thing that you would least expect to hear is about a special place where all the fans and enthusiasts of Ghana can gather and celebrate their team and cheer in unison as they take the field during the World Cup.  Yes, it seems very unlikely that a certain place like this would exist here, but that thought would be deemed incorrect.  Meytex Café, in the borough of Brooklyn, houses all Ghana supporters and is filled to capacity when Ghana plays in the World Cup.  In fact, the café even serves Ghanaian food on a regular basis.  Unbelievable!

Are you a follower of the Nigerian team?  No problem!  Check out the Nigerian eatery, New Combination which is located on 568 Utica Ave.  They will be showing every single Nigerian game!  How about that?  I can go on and on from here as everything seems to amaze me as I learn more about New York’s influence during this one month out of every four years.  Almost every country in the World Cup is being supported by a bar or restaurant that televises that particular team’s games.  Check out the article, “New York Bars Gear Up for the World Cup” from The Wall Street Journal where author Kevin Clark does a great job breaking down a list of bars and their representing country throughout New York City.

As the World Cup continues to progress, I expect to see these different ethnic cultures gather into more of a frenzy.  It only becomes more exciting as the winning teams from their groups will begin play in the round of 16.  Upsets are bound to happen; in fact, the Swiss caught the Spaniards by surprise and recently defeated them in group play!  I cannot begin to express how depressed Spain fans were over at their bar, Astoria’s Casa Galicia on 3709 31st Ave. Can you imagine if the Swiss surprises the World and continues to advance in the tournament?  Exactly!  Everything about the World Cup is unpredictable, which makes it more interesting, as well as keeps everybody on their toes at all times.

After sitting back and really reflecting on everything I have learned about New York’s overwhelming attachment to the World Cup, I cannot help but state how proud and fortunate I am to be an American.  Although I have been reflecting on my experiences in New York during the World Cup, there is sure to be other places around the country, like Los Angeles or Miami, which display similar enthusiasm towards this famed tournament.  It seems to be a clear notion that the American Flag does not only represent the fifty states and original thirteen colonies, but additionally represents the “World” as a whole.

Pebble Beach… More Than Golf

Pebble Beach Golf Course

Having already previewed the 2010 US Open, 100 Sporting Events now looks at Pebble Beach off the links.

Searching for the perfect place to spend father’s day weekend? Look no further than Pebble Beach, California. Not only is it the site for the 2010 U.S. Open, but it also is a fantastic place to relax on the coast and enjoy a great vacation.

Take a stroll along Cannery Row where you can do just about anything. Scuba dive, kayak, surf, get an aqua massage, shop at a variety of stores or simply relax with a glass of wine and watch the waves crash on the beach with the entire family.

In addition, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is a must see as it hosts millions of viewers each year.

If you are looking for a world renowned destination, Carmel-by-the-Sea was rated a top 10 destination in the United States by the Conde Nast Traveler. Be ready for a new experience because the locals have abandoned their cars so get your feet ready.

The city offers many things including art, theater, music and fine dining. You can also take it easy in sweats and sneakers and hike the trails of Point Lobos or wander the shoreline. There is also a great nightlife for those interested by following the locals to pubs and restaurants.

For those infatuated with nature, Pebble Beach offers a scenic “17 Mile Drive”. The drive showcases brown pelicans, California sea otters, harbor seals and sea lions. Native wildflowers surround the drive, with the Pebble Beach Golf Course and Spyglass Hill along the way as well.

Feel free to stop for a gourmet picnic lunch at the Pebble Beach Market and enjoy the incredible scenery.

If you are more of a history buff, the Hearst Castle is a nearby fountain of knowledge. There are multiple tour options which include the showing of the Casa del Soul, Neptune and Roman, and the Casa Grande. These are all jaw-dropping sites and it is amazing to see the infrastructure and learn how people lived in this lifestyle.

Finally, the best and most appealing part of Pebble Beach is the Golf Course itself and the U.S. Open. Any fan of golf knows the history engulfing this course with Tiger’s domination 10 years ago all the way back to Watson’s shot on the 17th in 1982 and Nicklaus winning the tournament for this 13th major title in 1972.

With all the drama surrounding golf in the past year, with Tiger looking to rebound and Phil looking for his 2nd consecutive major title, anything can happen.

Pebble Beach is not only a great place to watch a weekend of golf, but a fantastic place for a family vacation. The place will be buzzing this weekend with the U.S. Open in town, and I would not want to miss out on the excitement.

From Paris to London

Rafael Nadal, the King of Clay (right) and Roger Federer, the King of Grass (left) battle it out in an exhibition match on a customized half-grass, half-clay court in the Balearic Islands.

The 2010 Men’s French Open final featured the world’s #2 ranked player and four time Roland Garros champion, Rafael Nadal. His opponent, the all-to-familiar Robin Soderling, whom which Nadal has sparked an unlikely rivalry with over the years, came to fruition once again.

In 2008, they battled at Wimbledon in a 5-set match that saw taunting from both players, and in 2009 Soderling ousted Nadal in Paris for Rafa’s first and only French Open loss. So when Nadal dropped to the clay in dramatic style after handily taking care of Soderling in straight sets on Sunday morning, there was no doubt in the Spaniard’s mind that he was back on top.

Nadal’s 5th French Open title allowed him to move past Roger Federer and claim the world’s #1 ranking, setting up a clash of the past two Wimbledon champions in Federer and Nadal two weeks away on the grass courts in London. Additionally, Nadal, with his 7th major title, moved into a tie (12th place all-time) with American great John McEnroe.

For all tennis fans, the six weeks from the middle of May until the end of June are the most exciting time of the season. As one grand slam ends in Paris, the next begins two weeks later on the grass courts at Wimbledon. Set only a few miles south of the London, the Championships Wimbledon is a perfect getaway for any sports fan.

Many fans consider the budding rivalry between Federer and Nadal to be the greatest in sports, and most of their epic clashes have come at Wimbledon over the past few years. After Federer took the season’s first grand slam in Australia and Nadal winning in Paris, the anticipation and excitement surrounding this year’s Wimbledon is off the charts. Coupled with the World Cup set to start Friday, the display of pride and spirit throughout England will be at an all-time high as two of the country’s most exciting sporting events are set to commence.

Not only does the beginning of June signal a chance in the sports atmosphere in London, but it also signals the changing of seasons. As the cold winter ends, the warm spring begins making London a city that cannot be missed. The traditional tournament off-day to start the tournaments second week gives the fans a great chance to tour London. Some of the world’s most famous hotels reside only a short car ride away from Wimbledon. The famous Midland Grand Hotel which has been closed since the middle of the 1930s re-opened at the end of May just in time for the flowers to bud at the nearby Hyde Park. For those fans who love to be in the middle of the action, the glamorous Trafalgar Hilton in London’s Trafalgar Square put fans right in the middle of the action. Breath-taking architecture of the old city surrounds the area making a leisurely walk fun for all. After grabbing a bite to eat at the famous Borough Market, stopping inside the nearby Brew Wharf is a must. The world famous sports bar is set to show all of England’s World Cup games and house England’s crazy soccer fans. After such an action packed day there is no better way to catch a glimpse of the entire city than aboard the Big Red Bus tours that give anyone the opportunity to learn and see one of Europe’s greatest cities.

The entertainment value of London is at an all-time high during its final days of spring. The combination of going out to Wimbledon or catching an England World Cup game in a pub is a timeless experience that does not come around very often.

World Cup Phenomenon Begins Again

Landon Donovan (10) and DeMarcus Beasley (7) exchanging high-fives during a 2008 World Cup Qualifier against Cuba.

When the World Cup occurs, yes, it is an outrageous sporting event; however, many consider it to be a cultural phenomenon.  For one month out of a year every four years, 32 national teams from all over the world earn their ways to the FIFA World Cup, the culmination of a qualification process that begins nearly three years in advance and involves 204 out of the 208 FIFA National Teams.

As one would imagine, it is quite the journey for a team to finally qualify for the big event.  This year, the World Cup is being contested in South Africa and lasts from June 11, 2010 to July 11, 2010.  It is the first time in history that the famed tournament will be held in an African nation.  This is undoubtedly an exciting time for the world as a whole, and in my opinion, a turning point in the present American soccer culture.

When one looks at American sports, soccer would not be on the top of the list for sure.  There has always been that niche market for soccer in the U.S., but where is the overwhelming support from the whole nation?  There really is not one to blame for the lack of support; however, recent efforts in media outlets, major apparel companies and other marketing platforms across America have been pushing for the U.S. population to indulge themselves into soccer frenzy. Why? The obvious answer would be because of the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup, but I believe the recent marketing push for soccer in America holds a broader strategy.

Nike has been running advertisements in America that display the “Future” of the sport and not necessarily the one month of events that are soon to occur.  Through great marketing, Nike has done its job as I have been hearing more people talk about “soccer” every day and not necessarily the World Cup, which is exactly what Nike wants.  Not only is Nike helping itself in a huge way, but, additionally, they are helping the game of soccer.  I think it will be interesting to see how this advertising campaign translates to the aftermath of the World Cup and if American society follows their national team and domestic soccer league (MLS) more than ever before.

My expectation would be to see current and future American soccer enthusiasts take the interest level of the USA soccer team and multiply it to the level that many countries in Europe like England or Germany have.  When the Yankees win the World Series, “Yankee” fans go wild.  When the Cowboys win the Super Bowl, “Cowboys” fans go insane.  It may seem like a huge deal, but it is really the major celebration of one distinct fan base of a team in a domestic sports league.  Wouldn’t it be something to see the United States population as a whole celebrate and stand behind one team that represents the whole country in a tournament that is extremely difficult to qualify for?  Imagine what it would be like to see the whole country in celebration rather than just the streets of New York or Dallas.

Although this is a very broad assumption, I believe that the turning point in American soccer lies upon the outcome of the first game in group play as the USA takes on a “powerhouse” England squad.  If we go on to beat them, it will be a huge factor in the turn around of US Soccer.

This year, the US Soccer Team which consists of 23 of the greatest American soccer players will compete for the ultimate goal of winning the World Cup.  Midfielders Landon Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley and goaltender Tim Howard are three veterans that are returning to the squad this year.  Both Donovan and Beasley helped lead the US to the quarterfinals of the tournament in 2002 and hope to return that success and more to this year’s squad.  Howard was a back-up goaltender on the 2006 squad, but will get the starting position for this year’s cup.

Two newcomers to the team include forwards Edson Buddle, who leads Major League Soccer with nine goals and Herculez Gomez, who has been one of the premiere players in the Primera Divison de Mexico.  Both of these players were considered long shots in making the 2010 squad; however, after successful years for both men on their respective squads, they made the cut and are expected to play great. Head coach Bob Bradley, a New Jersey native, will coach the US in the World Cup for the first time after replacing former coach Bruce Arena.

Overall, the US Squad this year consists of a variety of players that come from established soccer leagues around the world including the UEFA in Europe which consists of the Champions League and others, as well as Major League Soccer which is based in the USA.

Traveling to the World Cup is something I believe every huge sports fan should do at least once in their lifetime.  Aside from the competition, it is also an unbelievable experience to witness the mass amounts of people with their distinct cultures and traditions from around the globe.  Although the event is quickly approaching, there are still ways to experience it first hand.

If you are looking to bring yourself or even the family to the World Cup, contact Premiere Sports Travel for what promises to be a great experience all around in South Africa.  For corporate clients, Premiere Corporate Events can greatly assist your company in providing the best possible experience for your employees at the World Cup.

Whether experiencing the World Cup in South Africa or at home in 3D or HD, it is bound to be a great month of competition, exposure to new cultures and of course, excitement.  It is my hope that the US National Men’s Team can use their leverage and create a new and thrilling era in USA Soccer.  What are your thoughts?

Boxing Tradition at Yankee Stadium Continues

Miguel Cotto (left) and Yuri Foreman (right) in a stare down before their highly anticipated bout at Yankee Stadium.

The old Yankee Stadium had an unbelievable tradition in hosting boxing matches as it hosted 30 championship bouts over its existence. Currently, the new Yankee Stadium is about to stage its first championship bout on the night of June 5, and carry the tradition over from the old stadium.

It has been 34 years since boxing last took place at Yankee Stadium. Way too long for a venue that has seen some of the most memorable fights in the history of the sport. This match is a great first step back towards starting that tradition a new. I believe that the two competitors in this upcoming bout are more than fitting for the scale of this event. Although this fight is not a pay per view and is being broadcasted on HBO, there is still clearly a great deal that is on the line for these opponents; the Super Welterweight Title and a large platform that could further establish the path of success for the winner since their victory will have taken place at one of the major sports venues in the world.

Both fighters are unique in the fact that they have cultural ties to New York City. There was a time when boxing in New York was all about representing your roots. The challenger, Miguel Cotto, is a former Welterweight Champion and a Puerto Rican native. Cotto is expected to have a huge following because of the large minority population in the city that many of which have ties to Puerto Rico. His opponent, Yuri Foreman, is currently unbeaten and the Super Welterweight Champion. This brief résumé of Foreman may seem impressive, but there is an interesting story behind it as well. Aspiring to become a rabbi, Foreman is the first ever Israeli boxing champion and has lived in Brooklyn for about ten years. Because of the large Jewish population in Brooklyn and around the city, Foreman is also expected to draw a big crowd as many are inspired by his story and unparalleled determination to succeed both in sport (Boxing) and his personal journey of becoming a rabbi.

What does this fight at Yankee Stadium do to the sport of boxing? I believe that if the event brings success, it could take some of the major championship bouts and pay per view events from Las Vegas and expand them to major cities and venues across the country. Don’t get me wrong, attending a boxing event in Las Vegas is a fantastic sight; however, the crowds who attend these events are known to be on the silent side, as they are probably nervous about the expensive bets which the majority of them placed at the casino that the event is being contested at. In addition to holding events in Las Vegas, I believe that expanding boxing bouts to stadiums such as Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas and the new Meadowlands Stadium outside of New York City will create a more electric atmosphere with more passionate boxing fans in attendance.  It seems as though Bob Arum (current promoter of Saturday’s fight and famous for promoting Ali at the Stadium back in ’76) is in talks with larger venues in order to hold fights at them.  By further exposing the sport of boxing across the country, not only will it revive the popularity of the sport from years ago, but it will attract a newer crowd to the sport as well. Yankee Stadium is the place to put boxing back on the map.

I am really looking forward to this upcoming Saturday night. The “Stadium Slugfest” between Cotto and Foreman has been greatly anticipated by New York City for a long period of time. Although this is billed as a semi-major event, could this one championship bout between two unique opponents be the catalyst in the revival of the sport of boxing? What do you think?