Tag: Friday

Best Black Friday Sports Equipment Deals – SI Showcase

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Retailers kicked off the shopping season earlier than ever before, with the first big send off during Amazon’s Early Access event in October. Now, you’ll find some truly big discounts already released ahead of Black Friday and ending with a big finale on Cyber Monday, Nov. 28. 

From Amazon to Dick’s Sporting Goods, we’re rounding up the best sports and outdoor equipment deals to help you finish off your shopping list ahead of Black Friday. 

Black Friday Sports Equipment Deals

Gonex Pickleball Paddles

Price: $69.99, originally $85.99

This Gonex Pickleball bundle comes with two paddles, four balls and a portable carry bag. With a 4.7 out of 5 stars and over 1,200 ratings, reviewers agree this is a great beginners kit.

Franklin Sports Pump Kit

Price: $7.99, originally $8.79

Franklin sports ball pump kit

Perfect for basketballs, soccer balls and more, this complete hand pump kit comes with the inflation needles, hoses, air pressure gauge and carry bag.

LED Hover Soccer Ball

Price: $13.59, originally $25.99

LED Hover soccer ball

A powerful fan allows this toy to glide across flat surfaces like hard wood floor, tile and carpet. Flashing with colorful LED lights, your kids will love this toy that functions like a soccer ball, even in the dark. 

Basketball Hoops

Price: Up to 60% off different styles, including in-ground, portable and mounted

Basketball hoops Dicks Sporting Goods

This portable basketball hoop is $249.98, originally $499.99 with Black Friday savings at Dick’s Sporting Goods.

PRIMED 7-foot Instant Net with Big Pocket

Price: $99.99, originally $149.99

PRIMED Big Pocket Baseball Net

This instant net is perfect to practice your baseball or softball skills, with a large hitting surface and pockets for

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College Football Playoff expansion talks reignite: Friday meeting could create larger field as soon as 2024

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Frustrated with the leadership of FBS commissioners, the College Football Playoff Board of Managers will meet Friday with a goal of adopting an expanded playoff bracket as soon as the 2024 season, CBS Sports has learned. The bracket would likely expand to 12 teams under the leading proposal, which was the original concept put in front of stakeholders from the CFP working group in June 2021.

The vote must be unanimous by the 11 members of the board. If enacted, expansion would likely triple access to the playoff from the current four teams. The 11-member board includes university CEOs representing each of the 10 FBS conferences, plus Notre Dame president John Jenkins. Mississippi State president Mark Keenum told ESPN earlier this year that presidential intervention could come as soon as next summer.

Apparently, the timeline has been moved up.

The commissioners failed in their attempt to reach consensus on a long, drawn-out process that extended through 2020 and into February 2022. That’s when the CFP officially announced expansion talks were dead. The presumption then was that playoff expansion would have to wait until at least 2026 when the current deal expires with ESPN.

There is still widespread support for CFP media rights to go out to multiple bidders. If expansion is instituted in 2024, ESPN would still have the rights to all the games for the final two years of a 12-year deal. Sports Illustrated first reported the approaching CFP meeting.

If expansion is approved Friday, the playoff would move to at least 12 teams, according to one person participating in the process. However, that source left the door open for a 16-team playoff to be considered by the body.

A 12-team playoff has been valued at $1.2 billion annually, up from the current $600 million.

A subcommittee of commissioners

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