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Rory McIlroy pushed past Justin Rose in the first hole of sudden death to win his fourth Masters title and become just the sixth player to complete the career Grand Slam. It was a heart-racing, head-shaking finish at Augusta National like no other in the history of golf’s most famous tournament, a drama filled with more highs and lows than any other in major championship theater.

Bryson DeChambeau took a huge step forward in his bid for the second major of 2025 with an under-par round. He’s tied for the lead at six under after two rounds and is one shot behind leader Justin Rose.

Nick Dunlap was in trouble early on but was able to turn things around. The 21-year-old is the youngest Masters competitor to shoot a 90 in a tournament round, but his 71 in Round 2 was the best single-round improvement of any Masters competitor since 1936.

Justin Rose rolled in eight birdies at Augusta National to hold the lead by three shots over Corey Conners, Scottie Scheffler and Ludvig Aberg. The Englishman has been in the lead for eight rounds at the Masters, more than any multi-time winner here at Augusta.

The cut line at the Masters sits at two over after the first round. The top 50 players and ties will advance to the final two rounds at Augusta National on Saturday and Sunday.

The biggest stars of track and field will battle it out for world titles over nine days of action as the World Athletics Championship gets under way in Tokyo. Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson and fellow Paris 2024 medallists Josh Kerr, Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Matthew Hudson-Smith are among GB’s podium hopes in the individual events. But there will also be a team challenge as the men’s and women’s relays take centre stage.

American Noah Lyles is the man to beat in the men’s 100m after winning silver in Paris and claiming a third straight global title in 2022. He will look to make it four in a row here with US teammate Christian Coleman the other big threat.

In the men’s 1500m, defending world champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen failed to advance from the heats after an injury-marred build-up while Olympic champion Cole Hocker was controversially disqualified. GB’s George Mills was eighth but looks on course for a top-four finish while pole vaulter Kurtis Marschall and middle-distance specialist Jess Hull both have a good chance of bronze.

Elsewhere, heptathlete Nafi Thiam is the favourite to win a sixth world crown. She takes on fellow two-time world champion Veronica Campbell-Roberts of Jamaica and Belgium’s Olympic bronze medallist Elizabeth Ollerengoe in the final.

International sports are those that take place between two nations, usually in neutral territory, and are sanctioned by a recognised world sporting body. The best known example is the Olympic Games, but the term can be extended to any event involving national teams from different countries.

As international travel grew, and the spread of televised sport helped boost its popularity, the games became increasingly globalised. This was partly aided by the creation of organisations like FIFA in 1904 and the first modern Olympics in 1896, which initially only included nine disciplines and 241 athletes (all men).

Since then, as the game’s globalisation has continued, so too have its power imbalances. Athletes from the global north enjoy greater opportunities to compete and gain rewards than their counterparts from the global south, and this imbalance is reflected on and off the field of play.

While some of this inequality is due to the fact that some sports are inherently more elitist than others, there are also significant issues with corruption and unaccountable national governing bodies. This is highlighted in the case of Mali’s basketball players who were sexually abused by their coaches, and of a wrestler who quit her sport after being denied justice for a sex attack that was ignored by authorities.

The governing bodies of the summer and winter Olympic games, as well as other major events, can help tackle these issues by insisting that host countries are able to demonstrate transparency, and offering access to, and protection for, whistleblowers. This is something that was discussed at a recent international conference in Trondheim, Norway, organised by the ‘Play the Game’ initiative, which is aimed at raising the ethical standards of the world of sport and promoting democracy, transparency and diversity.

When sports moments go viral, they capture the world’s imagination, build bridges to new fans and create global communities of team loyalty. Whether it’s an unbelievable goal or a heartwarming tribute, these moments are what make sports so exciting, and can even boost a brand’s marketing efforts.

Sometimes, virality strikes when we least expect it. We’ve all seen that blue/black dress that ignited a global debate, or the lawyer who appeared as a cat in a Zoom court hearing. But what about when brands intentionally engineer these viral moments? To explore the process, we took a look at three campaigns that captivated the world and mapped them to Berger’s STEPPS model.

From a casual swimmer’s epic win to a darts legend’s eloquent tribute, 2024 has been filled with incredible viral sports moments. And while some of these have inspired awe, other examples have captured the lighter side of sport, with wacky head-scratching antics that keep audiences engaged and teams talking.

The World Series has a history of dazzling moments, nail-biting turns of events, and games ending on walk-off home runs. This year was no different. The Houston Astros won their first World Series in seven years and ended a 26-year drought for the franchise, which was founded in 1962.

The Astros won the Series with a series-clinching win in Game 7, which was played just hours after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck near Santa Cruz. The seismic event was so strong that it caused the World Series to be delayed, and the first pitch of Game 7 was thrown just after 5 p.m.

Despite the late start, the game was a dramatic affair from the get-go. The Yankees jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, but the Dodgers rallied back with two runs in the bottom of the frame against a pair of tired New York relievers. Freddie Freeman’s 10th-inning grand slam was the icing on the cake for a thrilling series that was decided in six games.

Known as the “Summer Classic,” this World Series has been one of the most memorable in MLB history. The 1912 Series featured a conspiracy to fix the championship in favor of the Boston Red Sox, led by gambler Chick Gandil and Red Sox captain Bill Buckner. The infamous plot involved first baseman Eddie Cicotte, pitchers Lefty Williams and Bob Stanley, left fielder Swede Risberg, center fielder Happy Felsch, and outfielders Shoeless Joe Jackson and Happy Sullivan. The plan was to throw the Series and give the Sox a sweep.

Athletes and sports business professionals alike know social media can boost their personal brands, build loyal fan bases, and even increase revenue. However, it can also sabotage a team or school’s reputation or deep-six an athlete’s career if used poorly.

Athlete social activism

With platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok allowing users to share content instantly with billions of followers, athletes now have the power to communicate with their audience in a more intimate way than ever before. In doing so, they can create more authentic and transparent relationships with fans, further humanizing their brand. Athletes have also embraced this opportunity to stand up for causes they believe in and align themselves with the social agenda of their community. This not only bolsters their personal brand but also promotes authenticity and values-driven leadership.

Athlete social influence

Social media has transformed athletes into powerful social influencers, capable of attracting new audiences and building loyalty among existing fans. Athletes can use their platforms to promote specific initiatives and share behind-the-scenes content that humanizes them, further connecting them with their fans.

Athletes can also leverage social media to stay updated in real-time on the latest sports news, real-time scores, and more—all of which can fuel their passion for their sport. In fact, a recent Sprout Social reportopen_in_new found that 45% of consumers cite watching or following sports as the top reason they use social media. This ardor can be sustained through a season’s ups and downs and even during the long offseason thanks to teams and athletes that prioritize digital marketing.

Since its beginning in 1992, Champions League has been the most prestigious club competition in European football. The tournament, created by French sports journalist François Hanot, is contested by the champions (and in some cases one or more runners-up) of the top national leagues of the member nations of the Union of European Football Associations.

The first tournaments of the competition were purely knockout; however, in 1960, UEFA doubled the number of teams and introduced group stage play in the tournament’s structure. The revamped tournament was renamed UEFA Champions League to reflect the new format and expansion of teams. The tournament has been won by some of the biggest clubs in the world, from Johan Cruyff to Lionel Messi.

In the league phase of Champions League, all thirty-two qualified teams are grouped into eight groups of four teams each. A randomized draw divides the teams into groups and a coefficient-based seeding system ensures that each team plays opponents of a similar competitive level. In a round-robin format, each team plays the other teams in its group twice: once at home and once on the road. Teams earn three points for a win and one point for a tie.

During the league phase, the top teams advance to the round of sixteen automatically. The next eight highest-ranked teams compete in a knockout phase playoff, in which they are paired against a team placed seventeenth through twenty-fourth with the home leg of the quarterfinals and semi-finals being played at the highest-ranked club’s stadium.

The world of esports takes video games to a whole new level, attracting millions of spectators and global brands. These tournaments showcase top players and teams, with high-stakes competitions that rival sports championships in terms of production quality, viewership, and sponsorships.

Esports, or electronic sports, can be played on consoles like PlayStation and Xbox, personal computers (PCs), or mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. They can be played in person or broadcast online, with live coverage and commentary by professional analysts. Spectators can follow the action in real time and cheer on their favorite teams and players.

Several specialized websites feature breaking esports news, providing in-depth analysis, and exclusive interviews with top competitors. ESPN Esports and The Score are just two examples. Alternatively, game publishers and platforms such as YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook often feature dedicated sections that highlight upcoming tournaments and details on how to participate or watch them.

For the most popular events, tickets sell out within minutes when they go on sale. Major eSports tournaments draw audiences in the tens of millions, and the competition itself is televised across multiple platforms. Professional gamers are regarded as professional athletes, with some even achieving celebrity status through their achievements. Examples include Faker, a League of Legends player whose mid-laner skills have earned him the nickname “the Beast,” and s1mple, a renowned Counter-Strike competitor known for his impeccable aim. ESports’ unstoppable momentum could see it surpass traditional sports in terms of revenue and audience engagement.

From the gladiatorial spectacles of ancient Rome to today’s televised combat sports, contests of strength and skill have held deep cultural significance. From wrestling and boxing to Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, these disciplines evoke intense emotions and reflect complex societal values. They embody the spirit of competition, promote healthy lifestyles, and serve as powerful tools for advancing wellbeing and community.

Behind the glitz of arena shows, combat sports are an intricate production that requires incredible athleticism and strategic mastery. They are also a lens through which broader social issues like race, gender, and class intersect with sport. Understanding the complexities of these relationships can enhance our appreciation of the rich legacy and profound impact of combat sports.

As warriors forged in the crucible of adversity, combat athletes’ stories of triumph and resilience transcend sport to inspire and influence a wider audience. Their journeys reveal the limitless potential of the human spirit and demonstrate that embracing challenges and learning from setbacks can help athletes achieve even greater success.

In addition to their physical and psychological benefits, a life of training combat sports helps an individual develop a heightened awareness of the world around them. Their reaction time improves, they become able to recognize the body language of an attacker and they learn to keep a safe distance during verbal altercations. Moreover, the training allows them to practice counterattacks against opponents who attempt to take them down or use their size and strength as an advantage.

Formula 1’s blend of tradition and futurism captivates millions, with a rich legacy and promising future. One of the keys to this enduring fascination is F1 standings – the real-time rankings that determine season champions. Understanding how these rankings are calculated provides insight into the competitive essence of the sport and how drivers and teams compete to win.

Since the sport’s inception, a series of adjustments have shaped its ranking systems, ensuring an equitable balance between driving excellence and a system designed to reflect fairness. These changes, which can have dramatic implications on how a championship is decided, help maintain the excitement of the sport and encourage new entrants to participate.

The current F1 scoring system gives each top-10 finisher a fixed number of points, with 25 for the winner and a decreasing scale for those behind. The system also rewards drivers with extra World Championship points for setting the fastest lap in Grand Prix races, though this bonus was scrapped for 2025. If a race is shortened, full points are awarded as long as 75 per cent of the scheduled distance is completed.

Drivers’ and constructors’ championships

The most coveted prize in F1 is the Constructors’ Championship, which celebrates a team’s overall performance during a season. Each team enters two cars, and the points scored by both drivers are added together to tally a team’s total. It has been the case eight times in the history of the championship that the teams’ title has been won by a driver who doesn’t hold the Drivers’ Championship lead – including a dead heat between Ferrari teammates Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen in 2007.

The team with the most points at the end of the season is crowned champion. As well as providing significant prize money, this also confers certain privileges such as a guaranteed place at the starting grid for next year’s event at their home race.