HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO US: It was about two years ago — give or take a few days — when we published the first issue of Sports Take. Blois and I had goals of writing intelligent takes on sports, amplifying good writing from other media, telling you what I think and hoping you felt a bit smarter about sports for spending a few minutes with us every week. If I can do those things, I think I’m doing it right. Thanks for (1) reading, (2) sharing Sports Take with others, (3) your emails/texts/social feedback and (4) giving me a voice among all the others in Minnesota sports that’s different from what you find elsewhere. Yeah, I’m having fun. — Howard Sinker
SLOWISH WEEK, BUT LOTS TO SAY: We’re starting a week where the Minnesota sports calendar slows. That’s not a bad thing because it gives us time to reflect on what’s happened during the first half of the year and look ahead at what’s coming, which is a lot. We’re going deeper on a few things this week because we can. No need to read everything in one sitting!
STUDBUDZ RUN IT BACK: Via Emma Carmichael and Derrick Chui at GQ Sports. When they were teammates with the Lynx last season, Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman dropped one of the biggest real-time story lines of the WNBA season with their 72-hour livestream from WNBA All-Star Weekend. How’d it go? VERBATIM: “That weekend, they got WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert on stream, dancing to “Knuck If You Buck.” Caitlin Clark’s aunts approached them in the club and asked for a photo. They tossed back so much Crown Royal that Hiedeman had to order an IV bag to their hotel one morning. And when the dust had settled on their now-infamous, chaotic, and outrageously fun inaugural 72-hour All-Star Weekend stream, they sensed the ground beneath them had unalterably shifted.”
SO YEAH: They’re doing it again. “It was so lit last year. We’ve got to give the people what they want, man,” Williams said on USA Network before Monday’s Lynx game. Williams is an All-Star reserve, Hiedeman is in the three-point contest. They showed identically colored bright blue hair when the Lynx and Storm (Hiedeman’s current team) played Wednesday in Seattle. One thing that’s different: The duo now has 88,500 followers on Twitch, which will host the stream. The stream started at noon today.
BUILDING THE BRAND: Williams on how Studbudz has changed and grown their friendship. VERBATIM: “As their conjoined brand has grown, they’ve had to learn how to work together off the court, too. The dynamic between best friends naturally changes when they become business partners, and they’ve been mindful about navigating that transition together. ‘When you really care about somebody, man, you got to be willing to tell them when they ain’t doing what they supposed to do. Because how can I have you a part of my camp or a part of my team and you ain’t moving how I know we move? And vice versa. I got to be able to take that if you give it to me. . . . It might be some tension getting there, but by the end of it all, we understand how to move better moving forward.” FULL STORY, PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/studbuz0723
WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/twitch0723
GOPHER$ $PON$ORSHIP HAUL: Via Matt Brown at Extra Points newsletter with Huron Consulting. The financial numbers soup of major college sports has only gotten thicker in recent years with the advent of NIL, conference expansion and television rights. The vast majority of revenue streams for the University of Minnesota and other schools can be forecast well in advance. They have a very good idea of what’ll be generated through TV/radio, conference payouts, ticket sales and more.
BUT: One area that can vary significantly based on the success of the business operation at the U and elsewhere is the amount taken in from sponsorship and licensing revenue, which can be quite different on a year-to-year basis.
“WHAT’S THAT?” YOU ASK: Here’s why that’s important, as explained by Brown in Extra Points. VERBATIM: “That’s revenue from royalties, licensing, advertising, and corporate sponsorships. That’s a catch-all category that includes everything from the licensing checks schools earn from appearing in video games (like EA Sports College Football) to the returns from every t-shirt and bumper sticker sold with their logo to the ads you see on scoreboards and sideline ribbon boards to every ‘Official Laxative of the Big State University Tigers’ ad read you hear on radio broadcasts.”
AT THE U: As with many schools, those funds are generated at Minnesota in concert with a “multimedia rights partner” (MMR) that typically guarantees the school a set amount of money, with everything above that being split by the MMR and the school. At the U, that partner is Gopher Sports Properties, a Learfield Sports division that offices on the Minnesota campus. The highest-profile deal made public in recent months was the June announcement of a 10-year, $17 million dollar agreement to rename Williams Arena as “The Barn by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota.” It’ll be “The Barn” to most of us, with the university trying to get the full name recognized as often as possible in its promotions. (It’s the difference between “Mariucci Arena” and “3M Arena at Mariucci” or “Athletics Director Mark Coyle and “Thomas O. Moe Director of Athletics Mark Coyle.”)
WHERE DOES MINNESOTA RANK? Not badly. In FY 2025, the Gophers ranked 29th among the 235 state schools with Division I athletic programs, taking in just over $13 million — about 8% of the program’s total revenues of $163.61 million. Minnesota was among 39 schools earning more than $10 million and 10th among the 17 public Big Ten schools. Five Big Ten schools are in the Top 10: No. 2 Ohio State ($42.8 million), No. 3 Michigan ($35.6 million), No. 6 Oregon ($26.6 million), No. 7 Penn State ($25.1 million) and No. 8 Wisconsin ($24.8 million).
WHY IS THIS BIG?: The U’s athletic department reported earlier this year that it Is facing an $8.75 million budget deficit in 2026, largely because of the increasing payments being made to athletes. When Coyle told regents the U “would work with our campus partners” to close the gap, he was referring in large measure to sponsorships and licensing through the partnership with Learfield. Those revenues amounted to about 8% of the program’s total revenues. So increasing that percentage is one big key to resolving the deficit. In the last 10 years, it has been as high as 11% of revenues (2017 and 2020) — and as low as 7% (2024).
FULL EXTRA POINTS ARTICLE: https://fluence-media.co/revenue0723
MORE: GOPHERS FY 2025 INCOME, EXPENSES | ABOUT GOPHER SPORTS PROPERTIES AND LEARFIELD
FOOD, PILATES, MEDIA DAY: Via Randy Johnson at Star Tribune. The Gophers held their media day on Wednesday and running back Darius Taylor, slowed by injuries in two of his three Gophers seasonS, offered a look into a new routine that he hopes will make him a 1,000-yard rusher and better prepare him for pro football. VERBATIM: “Taylor focused on nutrition through a personal chef and added Pilates to his workout regimen in the offseason and is happy with the results. ‘I feel great. It’s done great things.’ It’s allowed me to understand my body a little bit more. I understand how to fluctuate my weight. I’m able to go up in weight, go down in weight because I’ve paid attention to how many calories I’m taking in.’ ’’
THIS IS THE CAPTAIN SPEAKING: Fifth-year linebacker Maverick Baranowski on being named one of Minnesota’s captains. VERBATIM: “As a player, it's just about being a leader during the tough times. Everybody can be a leader when everything's going great. When stuff starts getting tough and things start going hard, it’s about stepping up and being the man that the team needs you to be in those tough moments.’’
MORE FROM MEDIA DAY: https://fluence-media.co/mediaday0723
HIGHLY RANKED LINDSEY: Via Antonio Morales and Sam Khan Jr. at The Athletic. We’re little more than a month from the start of college football and the Athletic has grouped probable starting quarterbacks into seven tiers and ranked them from No. 1 (Trinidad Chambliss of Mississippi) to No. 138 (the QB at New Mexico State). Gophers quarterback Drake Lindsey is ranked No. 29 overall and in the third tier, which is for “proven veterans who might not check all the elite trait boxes, rising up-and-comers who have bright futures and players who have elite traits but have not consistently played to their physical potential.”
THE LINDSEY REPORT: A third-year player, Lindsey is ranked ninth among the 18 probable Big Ten starters. VERBATIM: “Lindsey is one of the more underrated quarterback prospects in college football. A good-sized passer, he has a strong arm and delivers with touch. And he anticipates well to put the ball where his receiver will be, not where he is. His 2025 tape is littered with decisions he would like back, which is to be expected of a first-year starter in the Big Ten. But scouts are excited to see what Year 2 looks like.” MORE, FULL RANKINGS: https://fluence-media.co/drake0723
GEEK NOTE: Instead of years in school, the Gophers football roster now lists the number of years the player has been in college and the number of years at Minnesota. LINKS: ROSTER | SCHEDULE | TICKETS
THE TWINS, BRIEFLY: It has been an underwhelming return to play for the twins since the All-Star Break, losing four of their first six games dropped them five games behind the White Sox in the AL Central and three games from the final Wild Card spot. It has been a subpar reboot on just about every front — pitching, defense and offense. ONE THING FOR SURE: The Twins can’t afford a roster teardown. Making targeted moves no matter what will be the best path forward as I outlined in Sports Take a couple of weeks ago. That’s the after-effect of the dismantling of last year’s deadline and the follow-up off-season during which management was in denial and in tumult. ALSO: If the Twins play poorly in their six-game homestand vs. the Athletics and Royals starting Friday, the best-case hopes will pretty much disappear. biggest concern: Besides bad play, of course. August post-deadline schedule includes 12 games vs. the Brewers, Atlanta, Phillies and White Sox in a 21-game stretch. The Twins have not been to match up with top teams. Can roster moves — a better bullpen and another starting pitcher, for sure — put them in better position to compete? As of Thursday, the Twins chances of making the playoffs — according to FanGraphs — have dropped from 36.6% two weeks ago to 22.9% on Thursday. That’s steep.
REEVE AND REACT: The Lynx have won seven straight games and are ranked No. 1 or 2 (behind Golden State) in the latest batch of WNBA power rankings. Watching the streak grow, I was wondering whether Minnesota’s shoddier play on defense recently was a natural product of the up-tempo offense that scored 90 points or more in its last five games. Coach Cheryl Reeve answered that question on Saturday night at, of all places, the postgame ceremony honoring Sylvia Fowles’ selection to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Reeve recognized the team alumni at the ceremony and noted they could have played better defense than the current players did in the 101-93 win over Portland.
PILING ON: Via Cassidy Hettesheimer at Star Tribune. Reeve made the same point following Monday’s 105-102 victory at Seattle, which has the worst record in the league. Reeve pointed out that the Lynx shouldn’t have needed perimeter players Kayla McBride, Olivia Miles and Courtney Williams to combine for 86 points against the last-place Storm. VERBATIM: “Our three perimeter players have been special all season. Right now, we’re needing them to have these prolific efforts in order for us to win a game because our defense is nowhere to be found.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/defense0723
QUICK TAKE: The Lynx need to fix their defensive game and it will not happen simply because Napheesa Collier, the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year, returned to the lineup in Wednesday’s 86-76 victory in Seattle. Every team in the league has enough talent to scare the Lynx (and other elite teams) if they’re not playing in top form. Also, the Lynx and Las Vegas — currently the Nos. 1 and 2 betting favorites to win the title — will always get an opponent’s “A game.” Aside from New York, the Lynx haven’t beaten a team with a winning record during their streak. What they’re doing right now won’t fly vs. better teams. The Lynx let last year’s title hopes disappear with stretches of awful play. Despite their 22-6 record. I still need to be convinced they’re tough enough not to let that happen again.
COLLIER’S RETURN: It started with rust as Collier missed six of her first seven shots on Wednesday. But she finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds in 22 minutes. No Lynx player had ever put up a 20/10 performance in so few minutes. Also on Wednesday, Miles reached 500 points and 150 assists in her 26th game. The fastest to those numbers previously were Paige Bueckers (28 games) and Caitlin Clark (29). Bluesky hat tips: Mitchell Hansen of Hitting the Hardwood and Mark Jones at ESPN for those numbers.
HOMECOMING: Collier’s first Target Center appearance will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday vs Toronto. (TV: Victory+) TICKETS
BONJOUR, RUDY: Via Jon Krawczynski Show podcast. Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball are hoping to get the Wolves roster together for a trip to France to work out with teammate Rudy Gobert, the team’s defensive cornerstone whose skills should make it easier for Edwards and Ball to maximize the things they do best on offense. KRAWCZYNSKI VERBATIM: “Covering him for the last four years here in Minnesota , it does mean more to (Gobert) when he feels completely included, when he feels like his teammates are trying to maximize him as best they can. And so I do think that the physical act of showing up, of getting on a plane and heading across the water and coming to his town to work with him, will go a long way for Rudy. It also is a recognition that they understand how important Rudy is to their chances going forward. . . . He is so important defensively” PODCAST SEGMENT: https://fluence-media.co/rudy0723
RUDY’S REVAMPED ROLE: Via Chris Hine at Star Tribune. The Wolves know they need to integrate Gobert into the offense so that other teams don’t ignore him. That’s a concern predating the trade for Ball. A bigger change awaits on defense. VERBATIM: “This season will be unlike any other for Gobert on defense with the Wolves, since he won’t have another big man, like Karl-Anthony Towns, Naz Reid or Julius Randle, playing alongside him. Barring other major moves to address power forward, there’s a front court size deficit the Wolves will have to compensate for now that wasn’t there in their previous defensive schemes. Does that mean the Wolves will be more conservative in their defense, and keep Gobert near the paint as much as possible? It’s not their preferred method of defense, but it might be what they lean into with this personnel.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/changes0723
STANLEY VISITS THE SUBURBS: The Stanley Cup will be at the Eden Prairie Community Center next Thursday with Carolina Hurricanes forward Jackson Blake as the host. The trophy will be on display from 10 a.m. until noon, as part of the tradition where each player on the NHL championship team gets to host it for a day. “Stanley” will return a week from Saturday (August 1) with K’Andre Miller from 1 to 3 p.m. at Pagel Arena in Minnetonka. Chanhassen’s Mike Reilly will also get a day with the Cup. MORE: EDEN PRAIRIE | MINNETONKA
3M OPEN OPENS: The tournament started today at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine. World No. 1-ranked Scottie Scheffler shot a 6-under-par 65 and was tied for second place as of 12:20 p.m. today, and has a 12:44 p.m. tee time Friday with Hideki Matsuyama and Sungjae Im. LEADERBOARD | TEE TIMES | TV/STREAMING INFO
EVERYTHING YOU NEED: Via Pioneer Press. Parking, ticket prices and the best spots to watch the 3M, among other things. DETAILS: https://fluence-media.co/3mopen0723
WILD ON TV: The Wild are the first Minnesota winter sports team to announce their broadcast plans for the season after the demise of FanDuel Sports North (and all of its regional sports network predecessors). There will be a cable and satellite channel, and the team will choose a streaming platform to watch games on the web that aren’t shown nationally. There will also be an over-the-air partner for a handful of games. Play-by-play and studio host talent will carry over from FanDuel. The Wild are currently one of four teams who will have their games produced in partnership with the NHL — similar to the Twins’ arrangement with MLB — and more are expected to join before the season starts in October.
PELISSERO LET GO: Among those who lost their jobs in this week’s ESPN staff purge is Tom Pelissero, the Twin Cities resident and Edina High School graduate who started his journalism career at KFAN and also worked for ESPN 1500 on his way to national platforms at USA Today and the NFL Network, which is now part of the ESPN family. Pelissero started at the NFL Network in 2017. He’ll take a solid information-gathering reputation and strong TV/web presence to whatever comes next.
D-III FOOTBALL POLL: Bethel is ranked No. 2 and Saint John’s No. 11 in the preseason poll. Wisconsin-River Falls, which won the 2025 national title, is ranked No. 7 with the losers of that game — North Central of Illinois — getting all 25 first-place votes. Almost one-third of the Top 25 schools are in Minnesota, Wisconsin or Iowa. Bethel lost North Central in the quarterfinals last season and the teams will have a rematch — No. 1 vs. No. 2 — in the season opener on Sept. 5 outside of Chicago. The Johnnies open their season by hosting No. 10 Wisconsin-LaCrosse. (Bethel and Saint John’s play Oct. 3 in Collegeville.) POLL: https://fluence-media.co/dthree0723
FRIDAY NIGHT FIREWORKS: The traditional Aquatennial fireworks display over the Mississippi River has been replaced this season, and folded into the Twins-Oakland postgame on Friday.
CANTERBURY HALL OF FAMERS: Owner/breeder Pete Mattson, former Minnesota Racing Commission chair and track veterinarian Camille McArdle and Dickey Bob, the all-time leading money winner among Minnesota quarterhorses, will be inducted into the Canterbury Park Hall of Fame during a dinner Friday night as part of the track’s Hall of Fame weekend. The new members will also be acknowledged during racing cards on Saturday and Sunday.
AUGSBURG’S NEW BASEBALL COACH: Brock Peterson, who played college baseball at Northwestern (Roseville) and Gustavus, has been named the new head baseball coach at Augsburg. He’s been on the Auggies baseball staff since 2021 and, until making this move, also worked in the school’s admissions office. Peterson’s father Rick was the Gustavus baseball coach in the early 1990s.
REMEMBERING DAVID LA VAQUE: David La Vaque, the Star Tribune sports reporter who was one of Minnesota’s go-to resources on high school hockey, died last weekend at age 50. He suffered from leukodystrophy, a rare central nervous system disease that blocks communication between the brain and the rest of the body. If you had a connection to hockey, there was a pretty good chance you crossed paths with David. I knew him from our work at the state hockey tournament, where we were on perpetual game-after-game deadline for two weekends a year. The things I learned about hockey from David helped me work with other writers, too. Blois knew him dating back to COVID, when they compared notes about what would happen with high school sports and how athletes could get in the workouts they needed. They talked about Blois’s son Jack, who was transferring between high schools and is now a goalie at Colgate.
On Substack, Twin Cities hockey writer Heather Rule (shown above with David) wrote, “Somewhere between discussing word counts and three stars of the game, we became friends, too. Whether it was in the press box, at an in-between-sessions dinner at Cossetta or a post-tournament beer, we talked about hockey, journalism and about life, family and even our struggles. He shared and listened, and I hope I was there for him in the same way during these meaningful conversations. I’ll miss those talks.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/rule0723
I asked one of David’s closest friends, Star Tribune editor Brian Stensaas, about their relationship. Here’s what he wrote: “He was my editor in college, my colleague at the Star Tribune and, for the past 27 years, one of my closest friends. As an editor, he demanded your best. He'd keep me at the Minnesota Daily office late chasing details I never would have noticed and leave me with lessons I still hear in my head today: ‘Nobody reads a garden hose, Stensaas!’ As a colleague, he was my first call whenever a union issue came up or I heard the latest gossip about a coach or player.
“As a friend, he was there for everything. When I was debating getting a pet cat, I called him. When I bought a house, he helped me move. At my bachelor party, he was the last one standing, literally, on top of a pool table. David could be rough around the edges, but beneath that was a heart of gold. I'll miss his unwavering presence in my life.”
MEMORIALS: There will be a Celebration of Life on August 14 at Eagle Brook Church in Woodbury with a reception following from 2 p.m. to midnight at the VFW in North St. Paul. A GoFundMe for David’s family is here.
THANKS FOR READING.
EMAIL HOWARD: sportstake100@gmail.com
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