MLB players

union gathers

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Major League Baseball Players’ Association has gathered Arizona to discuss the future of the game and look ahead to a possible lockout next December. Japanese stars headed by Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto have sparked record international interest, in-game attendance was up in 2025 for the third straight season, and a set of rule changes that began in 2023 season has produced a faster-paced game that’s been widely lauded. But MLB also has a widening payroll disparity that is a point of contention.

The Dodgers have spent roughly $890 million building back-to-back World Series champions while the Athletics have spent less than $150 million over the same period.

Scheffler returns,

shares lead

NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Scottie Scheffler is back in action and looks as good as ever. Scheffler shot 66 in the Hero World Challenge and shares the lead with four other players at Albany in the Bahamas. This is first time competing since the Ryder Cup the last weekend in September. Sepp Straka also hasn’t played since the Ryder Cup and shot 66. The others tied for the lead are Wyndham Clark, Akshay Bhatia and U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun. Only four players from the 20-man field failed to break par. One of them was Jordan Spieth at 72 playing for the first time in four months.

College sports

bill hits a wall

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans plans to vote on a bill regulating college sports has been scrapped due to divisions within their caucus. There are bipartisan concerns over the influence that the SCORE Act would give the NCAA and its most powerful programs.

The bill seemed to be on track for passage this summer but now sees its chances of passage at all in its current form dwindling. Democratic leadership has pushed House members to vote against it and some Republicans have been increasingly vocal. T

he NCAA and Division I conferences portray the legislation as codifying the rules created by the multibillion-dollar lawsuit settlement that allows college players to be paid, providing clarity that supporters say is long-needed.