data-mm-id=”_uwd1sy9v7″>A week after Meadowlark Media announced a $50 million partnership with DraftKings, nearly two-dozen of the company's employees gathered around a rectangular table in a chilly Miami conference room to discuss the next steps forward. To hear about the grand vision in the most detail to date. To further hammer out what kind of song the venture will sing. The mood was casual. CEO John Skipper, with actual and metaphorical sleeves rolled up, addressed his team, filling in some of the blanks all startups are tasked with filling. It was the first in-person meeting of the expanded roster, which has been growing slowly and steadily since the content shop formed in January. Gone were the annoyances and delays of the Zoom world that gave birth to the project and served as a conquerable creative petri dish for the flagship Le Batard podcast.It was new, but it felt normal.For the last year the show has played out against a backdrop of tension. First it was the misshapen toy raging against the corporate constraints of ESPN. Then it was a pirate ship sailing uncharted waters with fans and experts alike trying to figure out which port would offer safe financial harbor. The vaunted DraftKings partnership, a three-year deal that could become the new media template as the market most rewards outlets with loyal and engaged fanbases, begins June 1. It will mark the official beginning of a new era and close the door on an entertaining and surprisingly lucrative stretch few could have predicted when producer Chris Cote was laid off.Most of the meeting centered on sketching out plans for a marquee event to mark the occasion — Freedumb, a 24-hour marathon of programming featuring the familiar and not-yet-familiar faces of the growing creative community. Kicking off Friday, June 4 at noon from outside the Clevelander on South Beach, the YouTube Live stunt will present both a giant challenge and a giant opportunity for the Le Batard and Friends universe to reintroduce itself to the world. Though the broad strokes have been painted, there remains significant work to do around the edges. The event, which will have some telethon DNA — perhaps including a call-in line — has an obvious business purpose. DraftKings contests are expected to be integrated into the programming. The daily fantasy presenting partner is banking on increasing signups. Meadowlark is hoping to showcase just how loyal and engaged its audience can be, and what that means for bottom lines both internal and external. How will those 24 hours be filled? The first three hours will resemble a typical Monday, Tuesday or Thursday show offering. After that? Expect out-of-the-box ideas. Like animal doctor Ron MaGill bringing his zoo friends in-studio like a modern day Jack Hanna. Or Stugotz trying to stay awake for the entirety of the broadcast. Or 12-minute riffs on random Florida Marlins middle relievers from the 1990s. For fans, part of the charm is the unpredictability and willingness to veer into unusual lanes.It's a great weapon to have in one's back pocket. Because stringing together a full day's worth of content together is no small task, even for a company with big dreams. Up to this point, it's been more expedient to list the things Meadowlark doesn't want to do than what it aspires to do. This public performance will be a bit of an empirical progress report reflecting both talent and interest.In the five months since Meadowlark's first public notes, the company has steadily built its roster. Yesterday brought news that Kate Fagan and Tom Haberstroh were coming aboard full-time. Hank Azaria, Jessica Smetana, Jemele Hill, Adnan Virk, Michael Schur, Adam McKay, Lynn Novick and others had previously joined. Gary Hoenig, Bimal Kapadia, Laura Albero and Carl Scott have been added on the executive side. The early days have been romanticized, as one would expect from a Skipper-Le Batard joint venture. The duo is fiercely passionate about storytelling and has embarked on a quest to provide the most nurturing environment for creatives. There's a planned nobility but putting it into practice is no less daunting. This event marries ideas from both the low-brow and the high-minded buckets, which feels appropriate. On one hand, the proceedings promise to be absurd. On the other, they'll be the most complete look at the company's creative core. A public heat check reflecting the new work culture. It is no small thing to go from 15 hours of entertainment in a week to 24 in a day. And though Meadowlark has a completely different business model than some of its competitors in the cable business (the future lies not only in podcasts but also a third-party provider to streaming outlets), matching what Fox Sports or the Worldwide Leaders do every day will be a barometer of success.But the most meaningful metric will be engagement. Showcasing a rabid fanbase that can be leveraged for symbiotic business relationships. The DraftKings deal is the first of its kind but won't be the last — neither for the industry as a whole or the Le Batard crew. Their three-year quest to increase their own value to current or potential partners begins with a wink and a nod but is still a serious marking post. A chance to get a lay of the new landscape. For everyone to get familiar with the players, many of whom will be wearing new uniforms after a busy transfer period.
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A stunning move for Cristiano Ronaldo could be in the works.
The Portugal captain may end up back with a former club in a swap deal.
The price for Manchester United would be high.
TOP STORY – RONALDO SWAP DEAL RUMOURED
If Manchester United want to bring Ronaldo back to Old Trafford, they may have to surrender Paul Pogba.
La Gazzetta dello Sport reports Juventus would consider using the 36-year-old forward in a swap deal for Pogba, who has a year left on his contract.
The question is whether United would part with the 28-year-old France midfielder in return.
Altalena Ronaldo: se lascia la Juve, Pogba o Icardi pedine di scambio
— La Gazzetta dello Sport (@Gazzetta_it)
ROUND-UP
Manchester Ci…
Wigan Athletic have sacked manager Uwe Rosler less than a year after the German was appointed by the Championship club.
The former Manchester City striker has paid the price for a poor start to the season that has seen the 2013 FA Cup winners drop into the relegation zone.
Wigan were expected to be among the contenders for promotion after being beaten by QPR in the play-off semi-finals last season, but have won only three of their first 17 games in the second tier this term.
A 3-1 derby defeat against Bolton Wanderers last Friday ensured Wigan have secured just one victory in their last 12 league games and chairman Dave Whelan has lost patience with Rosler, who he recruited from Brentford last December.
The Wigan chairman said in a statement on the club s…
Belgium have lost centre-backs Nicolas Lombaerts and Dedryck Boyata from their Euro 2016 campaign, the pair joining captain Vincent Kompany on the sidelines in a mounting defensive injury crisis.
A hamstring issue has sidelined Zenit St Petersburg defender Lombaerts, while Celtic s Boyata will not recover in time from the unspecified problem he picked up in training on Monday.
Belgium were already without a first-choice defender in the form of national team skipper Vincent Kompany, the Manchester City captain having suffered a groin injury in the Champions League semi-final second leg away to Real Madrid earlier this month.
Head coach Marc Wilmots has called up Genk s Christian Kabasele, uncapped at senior international level, as a replacement.
Lombae…
Leon will be hoping to take a giant stride towards the double when they host Pachuca in the opening leg of the Liga MX Clausura final.
Gustavo Matosas Leon will go head-to-head with Pachuca at the Estadio Leon on Thursday, having already won the Apertura title in November.
Leon finished third during the Apertura regular season before routing America 5-1 over two legs in the decider.
Now Leon can become the first Mexican side to retain their championship since 2004, when rivals Pumas UNAM won both the Clausura and Apertura under head coach Hugo Sanchez.
And they will be full of confidence after disposing of top-two seeds Cruz Azul and Toluca en route to the Clausura final.
Leon, who finished eighth to scrape into the Clausura finals, edged Cruz Azul on away …
Darren Fletcher is confident Saido Berahino has the character to bounce back from his weekend penalty nightmare when West Brom visit faltering Arsenal on Thursday.
West Brom slipped to a 1-0 defeat against Watford at The Hawthorns, with Tony Pulis men left to rue two Heurelho Gomes saves from Berahino penalties in the second half.
The result represented a third loss in four Premier League matches for West Brom a run that leaves them 14th in the table.
Pulis backed Berahino to recover quickly from his personal disappointment after the match, and Fletcher echoed those sentiments ahead of a trip to Emirates Stadium.
He ll be down because it s a lot of responsibility but he showed great courage taking the second one, Fletcher told The Express and Star.…
Chelsea new boy Jose Bosingwa may be forced out of their pre-season tour after picking up an injury in his debut match, coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said on Thursday.
The Portugal defender is being assessed after walking off with a thigh problem just 20 minutes into the 4-0 win over Guangzhou Pharmaceutical on Wednesday.
We discussed whether he can stay with us until we get back to London or if it s better if leaves tomorrow, Scolari said. The doctor said he s still trying to see what s best.
Bosingwa, 25, is one of Scolari s first signings along with Deco, whom he also coached for Portugal.
Newly married midfielder Michael Ballack, given extra leave after Euro 2008, was set to join the tour on Friday but was one million percent certain to miss the fri…
Under scrutiny France manager Raymond Domenech told the country s footballing authorities on Tuesday that he will never be a yes man, warning that he did not intend to change his methods.
Domenech narrowly survived the sack despite France s poor showing at Euro 2008 and a very public gaffe made on TV after the team s defeat against Italy.
But in order to keep his job and prepare the national squad for 2010 World Cup qualifiers in September, Domenech had strict working conditions imposed on him by the French Football Federation (FFF).
Despite these new conditions, which limit Domenech s role to on-pitch activities and reports that he is to be assisted by former international midfielder Alain Boghossian, the 56-year-old insisted he would not be gagged.
…
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Bayern Munich welcome Eintracht Frankfurt in the last round of the 2018/19 Bundesliga season, in a game which will see the Bavarians lift the title for the seventh consecutive time if they don t lose.
Bayern Munich
The season started rather shakily for the defending champions with poor performances and results leading to dressing room problems and spats between the players and manager Niko Kovač, but as the campaign progressed they found their feet and started going down the right track again. For a long time it seemed they might yet be pipped to the title this time by Borussia Dortmund, but they overtook their practically only rivals in style by beating them 5-0 in early April. They will, however, be regretting their Champions League…
Former Real Madrid and AC Milan attacker Kaka scored twice as Ecuadorian side Barcelona defeated Peru s Sport Boys 6-2 in an exhibition match.
Kaka retired from football in December after leaving MLS outfit Orlando City as the curtain came down on a decorated career for the Brazilian star.
However, Kaka put on the boots again, the 35-year-old a special guest for Noche Amarilla – Yellow Night in Spanish – as Barcelona presented their squad in Guayaquil on Saturday.
And more than 60,000 fans packed into Estadio Monumental to watch Kaka net a brace.
Que noche inolvidable!!! Muchísimas gracias y a todos los hinchas Barcelonistas.
— Kaka (@KAKA)
Former Uruguay international Diego Forlan was a guest in 2017, while Ronaldinho featured …
Chelsea youngster Ulises Davila is confident he can impress club scouts enough to earn a spot in the Blues first team while on loan.
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The Mexican forward is plying his trade at Sabadell in the Spanish Segunda
division, but revealed Stamford Bridge personnel are monitoring his progress
closely and regularly attending his games.
There s a Chelsea rep who comes every 15 days to watch my home
games, Davila told Goal.com.
Three weeks ago, the head scout came to watch the match against Barcelona
B. They re paying attention, watching my matches and tell me when they observe
something in my game.
They let me know when they thin…