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Texas Sports Betting Bill Unlikely To Get a Vote

“Unless I have 15 to 16 Republicans, meaning it’s a Republican-driven bill because we’re a Republican-driven state, I’m not bringing a bill to the floor.”

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Residents of the Lone Star State that like to place bets on games will likely have to continue to utilize offshore books. Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick is not optimistic that the state will legalize sports gambling anytime soon.

He said that he is not even going to bring a bill to the State Senate floor if he does not know for sure that his party will support it.

“Unless I have 15 to 16 Republicans, meaning it’s a Republican-driven bill because we’re a Republican-driven state, I’m not bringing a bill to the floor,” he told KXAN in Austin. “I need Republican consensus otherwise, it’s a Democrat bill.”

Republicans in the State House voted to advance bills that would legalize mobile betting in the state. The effort is backed by a coalition of sportsbooks and professional teams in Texas. Still, Patrick doesn’t see the Senate getting on board.

“Our members have been clear: they’re not in support today. We don’t have any votes in the Senate.”

It may be a political issue for Patrick, but sports gambling has support amongst Texans. According to Texas Sports Betting Alliance, GeoComply, a technology that identifies users where sports betting is illegal, blocked more than 73,000 betting attempts from Texas during the opening week of March Madness.

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Jeff Teague Bringing ‘Club 520’ Podcast to The Volume, Shay Shay Media

“We are huge fans of what Shannon and The Volume have been building.”

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Jeff Teague
Jeff Teague - Courtesy: Scott Cunningham, NBAE via Getty Images | The Volume Logo - Courtesy: The Volume

Former National Basketball Association point guard Jeff Teague is bringing his Club 520 podcast to The Volume, a digital sports media platform started by Colin Cowherd, specifically under Shannon Sharpe’s Shay Shay Media venture. Teague launched the podcast alongside Brandon Hendricks and DJ Wells and will record two to three episodes per week covering the NBA and culture. The podcast will be available for consumers to listen to on all podcast platforms and will also be available on social media channels as well. News of the transaction was first reported by Kyle Koster of The Big Lead, a website started by Sharpe’s former FOX Sports colleague and Cowherd’s current co-host of The Herd, Jason McIntyre.

Cowherd and Sharpe became business partners in August when Sharpe announced that he would be bringing his popular Club Shay Shay podcast to The Volume platform. Additionally, Sharpe is working to develop new shows and sign additional talent under the Shay Shay Media brand as part of the agreement.

“I’m happy to have Jeff Teague and the Club 520 podcast be part of Club Shay Shay and The Volume,” Sharpe said. “We are excited to work with Jeff, Brandon, DJ and Mike.”

The Volume has a variety of podcast offerings in addition to Cowherd and Sharpe’s individual programs, including The Draymond Green Show and The Richard Sherman Podcast. Cowherd estimates the value of the company to be $100 million, as it has accumulated over 2.5 million YouTube subscribers and garnered 330 million downloads on 2 billion impressions last year. Sharpe also hosts the new podcast, Nightcap with Unc and Ocho, alongside Chad Johnson, and is averaging more than 2 million weekly views on YouTube and 12 million weekly views on social media channels.

Teague is the latest acquisition from the burgeoning company, and he brings his knowledge and expertise after playing 12 seasons in the NBA and winning an NBA championship in 2021. He spent a majority of his career with the Atlanta Hawks as its starting point guard before playing for a variety of teams to conclude his time in the Association. The new partnership excites Teague and is something he hopes will help augment the growth of the platform.

“We are huge fans of what Shannon and The Volume have been building,” Teague said. “It’s the perfect platform to take Club 520 to the next level.”

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Dan Le Batard Show Reacts Live To Stephen A. Smith’s ‘A-List’ NFL Rankings

“If he puts the 49ers No. 2, I think you know who’s going No. 1”

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The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Courtesy: World of Suey

After First Take reported its 14th consecutive month of year-over-year (YoY) viewership growth, Stephen A. Smith unveiled the latest edition of his “A-List,” outlining his top five teams in the National Football League. As Smith starts every one of these segments, he makes sure to remind viewers that “The list is fluid” and then proceeds to give his soliloquy explaining why he made these choices. Anticipating that the Miami Dolphins could be elevated to No. 1 on the list after scoring a franchise record 70 points in a 50-point victory over the Denver Broncos, the cast of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz eagerly awaited this part of the program.

When Smith began announcing his list, he disclosed that the Kansas City Chiefs were listed fifth followed by the Buffalo Bills. The Philadelphia Eagles slotted in the No. 3 spot, and the room began to ascertain that it would either be the San Francisco 49ers or the Dolphins in second place. Once it was divulged that Smith had the 49ers placed second following their defeat of the New York Giants, the Miami-based studio erupted in a frenzy.

“If he puts the 49ers No. 2, I think you know who’s going No. 1,” show co-host and Meadowlark Media co-founder Dan Le Batard said.

“And if he puts the Dolphins No. 2, I think we know who’s going No. 1,” co-host Jon “Stugotz” Weiner replied.

Once the 49ers were revealed in the second spot, Le Batard removed his headphones and fell from his sliding chair. Weiner celebrated the news, as did the show producers and contributors Billy Gil, Lucy Rohden and Roy Bellamy among others. He then waited for the news to become official as Le Batard remained prostrate, and at the moment it did, there was as the jubilation grew louder and caused the audio modulation to peak. “Curveball!,” one of the people in the studio could be heard shouting as the camera panned to the production room where employees had their arms in the air.

Le Batard eventually got up and turned his cap sideways as the room began signing the Miami Dolphins fight song. The team is in first place in the AFC East division and will seek to keep that position as they face the Buffalo Bills this Sunday, Oct. 1 at 1 p.m. EST/10 a.m. PST.

“We’re the Miami Dolphins – Miami Dolphins – Miami Dolphins, No. 1,” the room sang. “We’re the Miami Dolphins – Miami Dolphins – Miami Dolphins, No. 1!”

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EverWonder Studio, Meadowlark Media Producing Feature Documentary

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EverWonder Studio
Courtesy: EverWonder Studio

EverWonder Studio has announced that it will finance a project co-produced by Meadowlark Media, co-founded by executive John Skipper and host Dan Le Batard. The feature-length documentary, which will explore the friendship, support and rivalry between tennis stars Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, is the first publicly announced project for EverWonder Studio since its launch last month. Moreover, these teams have garnered rights for a future scripted adaptation to be determined at a later date.

The film will feature never-before-seen footage and information about Evert and Navratilova, outlining how a staunch rivalry turned into an unbreakable friendship. Viewers will receive behind-the-scenes looks at all of the action, in addition to details on their tennis careers both on and off the court.

“Chris and Martina revolutionized the sport of women’s tennis,” Skipper said in a statement. “Their story has all the elements of a fascinating, inspiring documentary, and we are thrilled to bring it to the screen in partnership with EverWonder.”

Executive producers on the project include the aforementioned Skipper, along with Deirdre Fenton, Mary Greenham and Jon Wertheim of NewsPresenters Media. Lawrence Frankopan of StarWing Sports and Jeff Zucker of RedBird IMI also have executive producer credits on the project, and all involved are excited to present their story en masse. Zucker formerly served as the president of CNN and chief executive officer of NBCUniversal, and this project marks the first media investment under his new venture.

“Chris and Martina’s story is exactly the type of project we launched EverWonder to tell – a never-before-seen look at one of the great friendships and rivalries of our time,” Zucker said in a statement. “I know this is the first of many powerful narratives EverWonder will bring to life, and I’m grateful to Chris and Martina for trusting us with their story.”

EverWonder Studios hired chief executive officer Ian Orefice to help launch the company after he worked as the president and chief operating officer of Time Studios. After forging a professional relationship with Zucker over several years, he decided to join on building this new entity predicated on genuine storytelling that reaches a global audience and has a widespread impact. Producing non-fiction intellectual property is at the center of the company’s mission, and there are several journalistic- and sports-related hires that are set to begin work with the studio.

“It’s an honor that after a very competitive process, Chris and Martina have chosen EverWonder as their storytelling partner along with Meadowlark Media,” Orefice said. “EverWonder was created to celebrate the world’s best stories, and we’re thrilled to tell the tale of one of the greatest rivalries – and friendships – in sports history. Their journey has already inspired so many, and we know it will do the same for new audiences around the world.”

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