Reuters Sports News Summary
Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.
Advertisers bet big on March Madness as live sports ratings wane
The annual NCAA men's basketball tournament is still among the biggest draws on the sports calendar for advertisers looking to get in front of large audiences, even as TV ratings drop for some major U.S. sporting events. The past 12 months have brought a slew of close finishes for major sports championships. But with the exceptions of the National Basketball Association's Finals last June and Major League Baseball's World Series in the fall, the audiences were not as large as hoped for, underscoring that in today's shifted- viewing environment, live sports are no longer bulletproof.
Tebow collects first hit of spring training
Tim Tebow, a surprise addition to the lineup Monday, got his first hit in a spring training game for the New York Mets, snapping his 0-for-8 streak. The former NFL quarterback, batting eighth, singled against Miami Marlins left-hander Kyle Lobstein in the Grapefruit League game in Port St. Lucie, Fla. The Mets defeated the Marlins 6-4 and Tebow finished the game 1-for-3, striking out once.
Wawrinka advances, to face lucky loser Nishioka
Stan Wawrinka breezed into the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open on Monday and saw another seed removed from his path to the final when lucky loser Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan turned his match against Tomas Berdych upside down. The Swiss third seed romped past Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-5 6-3 and will next face Nishioki rather than Berdych after the 21-year-old Japanese overcame a 6-1 5-2 deficit for a stunning 1-6 7-6(5) 6-4 win over the 13th seeded Czech.
Kerber rallies to reach fourth round; Halep out
Second seed Angelique Kerber put on a determined display to rally past France's Pauline Parmentier 7-5 3-6 7-5 in the scorching desert heat to reach the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open on Monday. Kerber, who will reclaim the world number one ranking next week from the absent Serena Williams, reeled off the last three games to take the opener after facing a set point, and was a point from trailing 5-2 in the third before surging to victory.
Two former Penn State officials cut deal in Sandusky cover-up, media say
A pair of former Penn State officials pleaded guilty on Monday to child endangerment charges to settle accusations that they helped cover up years of predatory sexual abuse by Jerry Sandusky, a former assistant football coach at the university. Tim Curley and Gary Schultz, who served as athletic director and a senior vice president respectively during Sandusky's tenure, entered their pleas in Dauphin County Court, Penn Live reported. Each faces up to five years in prison and a fine of $10,000.
Russia hopes anti-doping body will be reinstated in November
Russia said on Monday it hoped its anti-doping body RUSADA would have its suspension lifted in November, but the World Anti-Doping Agency said it still had "significant work" to do and that the road map was slipping at times. Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov said Russia would "work diligently" toward a clean culture and listed what he said was progress on restructuring its anti-doping system after years of cheating scandals across a wide range of sports.
Venezuela oust Italy from WBC with late rally
Venezuela rallied for three runs in the ninth inning to beat Italy 4-3 in a tie-breaker game in Guadalajara, Mexico to advance to Round Two of the World Baseball Classic on Monday. Italy led 2-1 going into the ninth, but on the second pitch of the final frame, twice American League MVP Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers hit a towering home run to tie it.
Queen launches Commonwealth Games relay as Durban pulls out of 2022
Britain's Queen Elizabeth launched the 2018 Commonwealth Games baton relay on Monday as the South African city of Durban lost the right to host the 2022 edition of the multi-sport event. Despite the uncertainty surrounding the 2022 Games, the 90-year-old monarch started the countdown to next year's showpiece on the Gold Coast, Australia with a message of "respect and understanding" for others as part of a day of events commemorating the 52-country alliance.
U.S. anti-doping chief says WADA is 'fox guarding hen house'
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is not an independent body and in its current state cannot police sport as it lacks the powers of a global regulator, U.S. Anti-Doping Agency chief Travis Tygart said on Monday. Speaking to Reuters during a WADA meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, Tygart said as long as sports bodies were represented on WADA, the anti-doping organization could not deliver on its promise to crack down on cheats.
Record-breaking marathoner Ed Whitlock dies at 86
Ed Whitlock, an English-born Canadian runner who became the first septuagenarian to run a marathon in under three hours, died on Monday aged 86. Whitlock, and accomplished British club runner who grew up in London before moving to Canada after university, died of prostate cancer in a Toronto hospital a week after his 86th birthday, his family said in a statement.
