Michele Steele
Verified- Commentator, NPR
- Host and Content Strategy Director, Stocktwits
- Contributor, Big Ten Network
New York
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Articles by Michele Steele
My Top 3 Steve Hartman Stories Of All Time
Damien had to quit school. He was sick. The kind of sick that derails everything - and as a foster kid without a home, he’d have to leave 6th grade for a hospital bed. His math teacher, Finn Lanning, found out and then did something that had nothing to do with math. He took Damien in. And eventually - in a way that some things that start as extraordinary simply become, one day, life - Finn adopted him. Can you tell that story in 2 ½ minutes? Steve Hartman can. And it is a gift.
Don’t Let Eala-Mania Become Linsanity
I know a particular athlete has hit the zeitgeist when one of my non sports fan aunts knows about them. I know they’ve really made it when they ask me if I’ve ever met him or her in real life.
When Wall Street Mentions Sports, Pay Attention
Before I was a sports reporter, I covered the markets and company news at Bloomberg. I loved it - I loved walking into a modern, sleek building at 59th and Lex and seeing the massive artwork that hit you in the lobby - and the big Christmas tree in the courtyard every December. I loved knowing a lot about the economy. I met a bunch of smart people, and many are still friends.
Don't Have $12 Billion? The Ex-NFL Exec Betting on the "Small Caps" of Sports
The Los Angeles Lakers just sold for over $12 billion. Before we get into what that number means, let’s acknowledge the elephant in the room: there’s smoke around this deal. My former colleagues at Bloomberg News are reporting that team owner Mark Walter is seeking cash to pay off billions of dollars in loans connected to an active FBI investigation. The timing of the sale - apparently it came together in 72 hours - almost certainly reflects pressure as much as profit.
Not Playing Sports Can Ruin Your Life
In business, there's a type. You’ve met them. Strong communicator, put together, good handshake - when you find out they played in college, it’s not a surprise. And the research backs it up: former athletes earn more and engage more in civic life. But playing sports isn’t often framed as existential. Maybe it should be.
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Pro softball is on deck! What to know about the inaugural AUSL season
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Athletes Unlimited Softball League 2025 preview: Teams, players to know and more Original
The wait is over -- and organizers say that the time is right -- for professional softball to make its biggest push yet into a surging women's sports market with the launch of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League on Saturday. "There's a lot of energy -- a lot of passion," said AUSL commissioner Kim Ng, a veteran MLB executive and former college softball player. "I think this is a long time coming for the softball community." Editor's Picks What is AUSL?
Shannon Sharpe steps away from ESPN amid sexual assault suit
Shannon Sharpe, a Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end and current ESPN host, said Thursday he would step away from his TV duties after a Nevada woman sued him for sexual assault and battery in Nevada civil court. "At this juncture I am electing to step aside temporarily from my ESPN duties," Sharpe said in a statement. "I will be devoting this time to my family, and responding and dealing with these false and disruptive allegations set against me.
NFL draft in Green Bay estimated to generate $100 million
With organizers estimating more than $100 million in economic activity for the state of Wisconsin, this year's NFL draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin, could have the largest per capita economic impact for any city since the NFL took the event on the road a decade ago. According to the 2020 census, Green Bay's population is 107,000 people -- the NFL's smallest market.
Rising up the board: WNBA draft tix prices soar
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Rising up the board: WNBA draft tix prices soar
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2025 WNBA draft ticket demand, prices up from '24
It'll cost fans about double for them to want to watch the WNBA draft in person this year, thanks in large part to unprecedented demand -- marking the second consecutive year the draft will be a seated event with fans in attendance. The lowest tier general admission ticket for the 2025 draft, held at The Shed at Hudson Yards in New York City, is $99 on Ticketmaster.
Groups submit bids to NFL for men's, women's pro flag football
Ten groups have submitted bids to the NFL to be investors in new women's and men's professional flag football leagues, and that round of bids will close this week, sources told ESPN. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in February that the league was "aggressively" exploring creating separate professional flag leagues for men and women.
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RJ Davis, JuJu Watkins among NIL leaders over last year
Basketball players continue to dominate Name, Image and Likeness deals, with North Carolina's RJ Davis and USC's JuJu Watkins leading all male and female athletes in endorsements over the last 12 months, according to a new report from sponsorship data company SponsorUnited. Davis leads all male athletes with 25 NIL deals, while Arizona punter Cash Peterman has 21, followed by 2024 Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter with 19.
Chanticleers 1st in FBS to offer free concessions
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Coastal Carolina 1st in FBS to offer free game concessions
Here's a juicy story: Coastal Carolina University says fans can "feast for free" for the 2025 football season, making the Chanticleers the first FBS program in the country to offer free concessions at games. "Our fans are the heartbeat of Teal Nation, and we're always looking for ways to elevate their game day experience," athletic director Chance Miller said in a statement Monday.
Expansion Valkyries 1st WNBA team to hit 10K season tickets
The Golden State Valkyries are the first WNBA team to sell 10,000 season tickets, the expansion team said. The Valkyries are the first team to join the league since 2008 and will begin play May 16 at home against the Los Angeles Sparks. The Valkyries will share Chase Center with the Warriors. "This community has shown up, and then some to create this milestone," Valkyries president Jess Smith told Sportico in a video interview.
Informe predice ingresos del deporte femenino en 2,350mdd en 2025
Incluso el informe que el baloncesto superará al fútbol en 2025 como el deporte femenino con mayores ingresos. Los deportes femeninos están a punto de alcanzar nuevos récords de ingresos en 2025, tras superar los mil millones de dólares por primera vez en 2024.
Report: 2025 women's sports revenue projected to hit $2.35B
Women's sports are poised to hit new revenue records in 2025, after surpassing more than a billion dollars in revenue for the first time in 2024. According to a new report from Deloitte, a financial services and consulting firm, women's sports are projected to earn $2.35 billion globally in 2025, a 25% increase over a record $1.88 billion produced last year. "We don't see that growth slowing down anytime soon," Peter Giorgio, head of Deloitte's global sports group, told ESPN.
Robin Pingeton lands at Wisconsin after resigning from Missouri
MADISON, Wis. -- Wisconsin has hired Robin Pingeton as its women's basketball coach three weeks after she finished her 15-season tenure at Missouri. Pingeton takes over for Marisa Moseley, who stepped down after going 47-75 in four seasons. Wisconsin went 13-17 this year for its 14th consecutive losing season. "She has accomplished so much as a coach and has produced winners both on the court and in the classroom," athletic director Chris McIntosh said of Pingeton in a statement.
Atlantic East launches women's flag football as varsity sport
The Atlantic East Conference is launching its first varsity women's flag football season this spring, making it the first NCAA conference to do so and increasing optimism that flag football will ultimately be recognized by the NCAA as an official championship sport. "It's definitely the hope that it would continue to grow at an NCAA level and that the NCAA will sponsor it," Rebecca Mullen, interim commissioner of the Division III Atlantic East conference, said in an interview with ESPN.
Alberto Osuna's bid to play baseball for Tennessee hits legal setback
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Alberto Osuna's bid to play baseball for defending College World Series champion Tennessee received a setback Monday when a federal judge denied his bid for a preliminary injunction. Osuna sued the NCAA last month while making the case that a year he spent at Walters State Community College shouldn't count against his eligibility. U.S. District Judge Charles Atchley denied Osuna's motion Monday. "The Court is sympathetic to Plaintiff's position," Atchley said in his ruling.
Flag football set as varsity sport in D-III league
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Atlantic East launches women's flag football as varsity sport
The Atlantic East Conference is launching its first-ever varsity women's flag football season this spring, making it the first NCAA conference to do so and increasing optimism that flag football will ultimately be recognized by the NCAA as an official championship sport. "It's definitely the hope that it would continue to grow at an NCAA level and that the NCAA will sponsor it," Rebecca Mullen, interim commissioner of the Division III Atlantic East conference, said in an interview with ESPN.
Sky moving both Fever games to United Center
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Sky moving both games vs. Fever to United Center this season
Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky will be hosting Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever in some bigger digs this season. The Sky are moving both of their highly anticipated home games against the Fever to the United Center, marking the first WNBA games in the history of the 31-year-old venue, known for being the home arena of the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks. "Chicago Sky fans have consistently shown up for the team and the city," said Sky President Adam Fox in a statement.
Oklahoma softball program reports 37% revenue surge
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Oklahoma softball program reports 37% revenue surge
The No. 1-ranked Oklahoma softball program reported $4.1 million in revenue for 2024, a 37% jump from 2023. The surge helped softball surpass women's basketball as the top revenue-generating women's sport at Oklahoma, trailing only men's basketball and football as the biggest money-making program on at the school. The revenue surge was driven largely by a jump in ticket sales, as the school opened a new softball-specific stadium and practice facility, Love's Field, at the start of the 2024 season.
Agente: Caitlin Clark, jugadoras WNBA merecen mejor salario
Caitlin Clark es invaluable para la WNBA, a tal nivel que su agente no cree que la liga pueda compensarla adecuadamente por sus contribuciones. No es posible compensar completamente a la estrella del Indiana Fever, Caitlin Clark, por lo que ha significado para la WNBA, dijo su agente, Erin Kane, a ESPN. "¿La WNBA le pagará alguna vez a Caitlin Clark lo que realmente vale para esa liga?
Caitlin Clark's Agent Doesn't Believe WNBA Can Ever Pay Her 'What She's Really Worth'
Caitlin Clark's agent, Erin Kane, said it would not be possible to fully compensate her for what she's meant to the WNBA. Clark helped the WNBA have its most-watched regular season in 24 years and its highest attendance in more than 20 years. "Will Caitlin Clark ever be paid by the WNBA what she's really worth to that league?
Agent: Impossible to pay Clark true WNBA worth
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Agent: Impossible to pay Clark true WNBA worth
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Ski racers, snowboarders want FIS to reconsider lucrative offer
DENVER -- A group of high-profile ski racers and snowboarders, along with executives and board members, are challenging their sport's governing body to reconsider a lucrative investment opportunity that could be worth more than $400 million. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) was approached on Nov. 30 with a proposal from CVC Capital Partners, a company that's invested over the years in Formula 1, soccer teams, rugby squads and women's tennis.
Vonn to forerun, test course for Beaver Creek World Cup races
Lindsey Vonn will test out the downhill and super-G courses as a forerunner before the World Cup races this weekend in Beaver Creek, Colorado. The U.S. Ski Team confirmed her role Tuesday. A forerunner goes before the field to make sure the course is running smoothly and the timing system is properly working. There's a downhill race slated for Saturday on the demanding Birds of Prey course and a super-G on Sunday. She's also scheduled to forerun on all three training days, too, starting Wednesday.
U.S. swimmers win gold, break short-course records in Budapest
BUDAPEST, Hungary -- Multiple world records were shattered at the short-course swimming world championships in Budapest on Tuesday, including by the U.S. men's and women's relay teams. Gretchen Walsh anchored the U.S. women to the gold medal and a world record in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay in a time of 3 minutes, 25.01 seconds after she broke the world record twice in the women's 50-meter butterfly earlier in the day.
Lindsey Vonn finishes 24th in first race since unretiring
COPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. -- Lindsey Vonn finished 24th in a lower-level FIS downhill race on Saturday as she returned from retirement to compete for the first time in nearly six years. The 40-year-old Vonn is on the comeback trail after stepping away from the sport because of injuries. She wound up 1.44 seconds behind the winning time of 1 minute, 5.79 seconds posted by Mirjam Puchner of Austria. There were 43 racers who competed on a cool but mostly sunny day.
Ski great Marcel Hirscher's comeback season ended by torn ACL
SALZBURG, Austria -- Ski great Marcel Hirscher's comeback season after five years away from the sport is over when it had barely begun. The Austrian star tore the ACL in his left knee "during a harmless slip" while training in giant slalom, he posted on his official website on Tuesday. "As is unfortunately the case with skiing: part of the game. Maybe I'm finally done with my journey," said the 35-year-old Hirscher, who had surgery on Monday evening.
Tina Noyes, Renee Roca lead U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame class
Two-time Olympic skater and longtime coach Tina Noyes, ice dancer and choreographer Renee Roca, trailblazer Atoy Wilson and judge Robert Horen have been elected to the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame, the organization announced Monday. The induction ceremony will take place on Jan. 25 at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas.
Mikaela Shiffrin tumbles into fencing during final run
American ski racer Mikaela Shiffrin crashed after catching an edge in her second run of a World Cup giant slalom race in Killington, Vermont, on Saturday, doing a somersault before winding up in the protective fencing. Shiffrin stayed down on the course for quite some time as the ski patrol attended to her. She was taken off the hill on a sled and waved to the cheering crowd. There was no immediate word on any injuries.
PWHL preview: What's in store for the Professional Women's Hockey League season two
First, the bad news. The all-time attendance record for a women's hockey game -- set April 21, 2024 when 21,105 fans attended a Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) game between Toronto and Montreal -- is unlikely to be broken this upcoming season. "The 21,000 in Bell Center [in Montreal] will not be broken until we do an outdoor game," said Amy Scheer, senior vice president of business operations for the PWHL.
Mikaela Shiffrin wins World Cup slalom for 98th career victory
LEVI, Finland -- American ski star Mikaela Shiffrin dominated the first women's World Cup slalom of the season Saturday for her record-extending 98th career win. Shiffrin built on a big first-run lead with an aggressive yet controlled second run down the Levi Black course to beat 2021 slalom world champion Katharina Liensberger of Austria by 0.79 seconds. Lena Duerr of Germany dropped from second to third, 0.83 behind Shiffrin, and was the last skier to finish less than a second off the lead.
US track wants to shorten Olympic trials and put them at LA Coliseum
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The leader of USA Track and Field cut through confusion surrounding the 2028 Olympic trials, saying the preference is to hold them in the LA Coliseum several weeks before the actual Olympic track meet takes place there. Max Siegel told The Associated Press on Thursday that the goal is to give U.S. athletes the closest thing to a simulation of the actual Olympics, and that there is no better place to do that than holding the trials in the same stadium as the Games.
Skier Lindsey Vonn, 40, ending retirement 6 years after last Olympics
PARK CITY, Utah -- Lindsey Vonn is coming out of retirement to rejoin the U.S. Ski Team, she announced Thursday, intending to race again at age 40 -- and six years after her last Olympics. Vonn is a three-time Olympic medalist, including a downhill gold and super-G bronze at the 2010 Vancouver Games, and a bronze in the downhill at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. She is also a four-time overall World Cup champion and owns eight world championships medals.
Premier Lacrosse launching women's league in 2025
NEW YORK -- The Premier Lacrosse League is starting a new women's professional lacrosse league that is set to begin competition in the United States in 2025, three years ahead of the return of lacrosse as an Olympic sport for the first time in eight decades. The Women's Lacrosse League will debut at the PLL's 2025 championship series in February. The league will initially feature four teams in cities that have yet to be announced.
Premier Lacrosse launching women's league in 2025
NEW YORK -- The Premier Lacrosse League is starting a new women's professional lacrosse league that is set to begin competition in the United States in 2025, three years ahead of the return of lacrosse as an Olympic sport for the first time in eight decades. The Women's Lacrosse League will debut at the PLL's 2025 championship series in February. The league will initially feature four teams in cities that have yet to be announced.
Álvarez y liderato albo: "No te puede alterar estar primero, segundo o último"
Universidad de Chile perdió esta semana el liderato del Campeonato Nacional a manos de Colo Colo, luego de que el Cacique derrotara el miércoles por un ajustado 1-0 como visita a Unión La Calera en partido pendiente por el certamen.
Gareca agradeció el apoyo y dijo que nunca recibió un "ultimátum" en Chile
Ricardo Gareca, el entrenador argentino de la Selección de Chile, se mostró satisfecho por el apoyo recibido, ya que el jueves tuvo una reunión con el presidente de la ANFP, Pablo Milad, tras lo que ambos concluyeron de que continuara su proceso al mando de La Roja, al menos hasta noviembre próximo.
El posible 11 de Liga de Quito para jugar contra Técnico Universitario
Liga de Quito recuperó a José ‘Choclo’ Quintero para el cotejo del sábado 19 de octubre, a las 15:30, cuando visite a Técnico Universitario, por la fecha 10 de LigaPro. El cuadro albo retomó el primer lugar en la tabla de ubicaciones y ahora tiene que defender esa posición en la seis jornadas que le restan a esta Fase 2.
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