Government OKs ESPN's blockbuster deal for NFL Network from league

Government regulators approved ESPN's acquisition of NFL Network, linear rights to the NFL RedZone Channel and other league media assets in exchange for a 10% equity stake in ESPN, the NFL and ESPN announced late Saturday night.

The blockbuster deal was formally announced last August pending reviews by the Justice Department and other non-US antitrust authorities, which are now complete.

"With the closing, we will begin integrating NFL employees into ESPN in the months ahead," ESPN and the NFL said in a joint statement. "As we look to the future, NFL fans can look forward to expanded NFL programming, greater access to NFL Network, innovative Fantasy experiences and unparalleled coverage of America's most popular sport."

The deal will bring major NFL media properties under the Disney-owned network and expand ESPN's football offerings across both traditional and streaming platforms.

The National Football League gave up 100% ownership of the NFL Network for 10% of ESPN, which is valued in billions of dollars.

Advertisement

Under the agreement, NFL Network and RedZone will be integrated into ESPN's upcoming direct-to-consumer streaming service while remaining available via cable and satellite. The RedZone brand could translate to a similar offering in other sports to which ESPN has broadcast rights.

NFL Fantasy will merge with ESPN Fantasy, creating the official season-long fantasy platform of the league.

As part of a second agreement between the sides, ESPN will also gain rights to license three additional NFL games per season for 28 total. Seven of those games will be broadcast on NFL Network -- these three new ones and four that will shift from ESPN to NFL Network. The NFL doubleheaders on Monday nights will cease, while NFL Network again will have four international games for a total of seven games each season.

The merger does not impact coverage of Super Bowl LX next week, with viewers unlikely to see changes until April at the earliest, when NFL Media employees become part of ESPN.

The NFL will retain ownership of key properties including NFL Films, NFL+, NFL.com and the NFL Podcast Network, and will continue producing and distributing the digital version of RedZone independently

--Field Level Media

byCristiano Ronaldo

in Celebrities, Lifestyle, ShowBiz, Sports

February 01, 2026

Government OKs ESPN's blockbuster deal for NFL Network from league

Government regulators approved ESPN's acquisition of NFL Network, linear rights to the NFL RedZone Channel and oth...

Read More

'Wet and Hungry' Hikers Saved from Mountain, Then They Left Rescue Team to Pay Their Hotel Bill

Tim Graham/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• The Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team carried out a 7-hour rescue to save two hikers on a late-night winter hike

• A hotel at the bottom of the peak offered the hikers a room at a reduced rate to spend the rest of the night, but never received payment

• After going public with their story, the rescue team reimbursed the hotel with the help of more than 200 donations

A pair of hikers were rescued from a tall English mountain — and then skipped on the bill for the hotel that offered them a place to stay, according to a rescue team.

In apost on Facebook, the Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team (WMRT) detailed the "7-hour avoidable rescue" of two young male hikers who got lost amid "treacherous" winter weather in December on Scafell Pike — England's tallest peak at 3,209 feet, perBackpacker.

When the hikers were back at the valley bottom, they were "wet and hungry" and in need of a place to spend the rest of the night, the rescue group claimed.

The bar manager at the Wasdale Head Inn offered to stay up, provide the pair with some snacks and let them stay in one of the unoccupied apartments at a 35% discount," according to WMRT's post.

The rescue team said the two men agreed to the manager's offer, but insisted they'd left their money in their tent on the mountain.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

"Disappointingly, in the morning they offered no thanks for the efforts of the hotel, asked for further reductions to the cost, pushed hard for a breakfast and asked if they could arrange transport to get them out of the valley," WMRT wrote.

The hotel stood firm on its original offer and asked the men to transfer the money when possible. However, in the weeks since, the money never came in — and the phone number the hikers left didn't work.

In addition to skipping out on their hotel bill, the hikers also took with them the gear the rescue team lent them to safely return down the mountain, including two head torches, according to the organization, who said their own attempts to contact the men were also unsuccessful.

Advertisement

"We avoid judging those we rescue but struggle to understand when the rescued take advantage of hospitality provided by our supporters in the valley," they wrote.

Although the hotel agreed to absorb the cost of the loss, saying WMRT didn't have to pay, the rescue team still hoped to reimburse them, which is why they went public with their story.

Much to their surprise, their Facebook post received more than £3,600 (about $4,400),

"It's a remarkable amount of money- we only really needed about £130," WMRT's Richard Warren told BBC Radio Cumbria. "We are bowled over by the generosity of support."

The team has since closed the fund and promised any additional money will go towards their operational costs.

The rescue team stated they hope that the two hikers will see the post and rectify their errors. "They might also reflect on the kindness they were offered that night by the staff at the Wasdale Head Inn and our own volunteer team following their eventful visit to Cumbria," the rescue group wrote.

In a comment on the post, the Wasdale Head Inn thanked the rescue team and highlighted the dedication their staff showed the two hikers.

"Luckily, this is the first time in living memory (45 years or more) that those rescued have behaved like this," the hotel commented, "however, the messages of support and donations for the team from so many people more than make up for this one selfish episode."

Read the original article onPeople

byCristiano Ronaldo

in Celebrities, Lifestyle, ShowBiz, Sports

February 01, 2026

'Wet and Hungry' Hikers Saved from Mountain, Then They Left Rescue Team to Pay Their Hotel Bill

Tim Graham/Getty NEED TO KNOW The Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team carried out a 7-hour rescue to save two hikers...

Read More

Carlos Alcaraz's Parents: All About the Tennis Champion's Mom Virginia and Dad Carlos Sr.

Dan Istitene/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• Carlos Alcaraz was raised by his parents, mom Virginia Garfia Escandon and dad Carlos Alcaraz González, in Spain

• The tennis star has said his family has "sport in our blood," as his dad was also a professional athlete

• He gave his parents a shout-out during his French Open victory speech in June 2024

Carlos Alcarazhas become a star in the professional tennis world — and his parents are proud to watch him live out his dreams.

The Spanish tennis player was raised by his parents, mom Virginia Garfia Escandon and dad Carlos Alcaraz González, in his hometown of El Palmar, Spain. While he's made headlines in recent years securing multiple championships, the Alcaraz clan has been a tennis family for generations: His grandfather helped convert a hunting club in their hometown of El Palmar, Spain, into a tennis and swimming club, and his father has been the tennis director there for decades after his own brief professional career.

"In my family, I think we have the sport in our blood," Alcaraz toldThe New York Timesin September 2021 about his family's history with tennis. "We all played from the time we were young."

As Alcaraz has experienced his meteoric rise in the tennis world, he credits his success to those around him — including his family.

"My family, my friends are nice [people]," he toldTennis Channel Internationalin July 2023. "For me, it's really, really important. As I said, doing great in tennis because of the people that I have around."

Here's everything to know about Carlos Alcaraz's parents.

His father was also a professional tennis player

Luke Walker/Getty

Alcaraz toldVoguein February 2023 that he was born "with tennis in my blood" — and that is thanks to his father, Alcaraz González.

According toThe New York Times, Alcaraz González was a nationally-ranked tennis player in Spain as a teenager. He broke into the global standings in 1990 when he was ranked 963rd in the world, per theAssociation of Tennis Professionals.

But while Alcaraz's career is just getting started, his father stopped playing professionally when he couldn't afford to continue.

His father was the tennis director at their local club — which was built by Alcaraz's grandfather

Clive Brunskill/Getty

About four decades ago, Alcaraz's grandfather (who is also named Carlos) built tennis courts and a swimming pool in the village of El Palmar in Spain, according toTheNew York Times. The duo decided to put red clay courts in the development (though hardcourts would have been cheaper), and the club became known for having the best clay courts in the region.

Alcaraz González became the tennis director at the club after giving up his professional career,Voguereported. Alcaraz picked up his first racket at the age of 4 and trained at the club as a child.

"I loved tennis since the beginning," Alcaraz toldSports Illustratedin September 2022. "I mean my father brought me my first racket and the first time that I played tennis I fell in love."

One of Alcaraz's early coaches, Kiko Navarro, spotted his talent from a young age at the club in El Palmar.

"He began to play with his dad, and one day [his father] asked me to watch him. This kid, at four, five years old, was spectacular," Navarro toldThe Guardianin May 2023. "I knew from very young that he was incredible."

His mother previously worked at IKEA

Clive Brunskill/Getty

According toVogue, Alcaraz's mother, Virginia, worked as a shop assistant at IKEA.

She's also made appearances at some of Alcaraz's biggest competitions. She was seencelebrating in the standswhen he won the semifinals at Wimbledon in 2023, alongside Alcaraz's father and younger brother.

After winning the 2023 Madrid Open, Alcaraz wrote a sweet message for his mother on the camera: "Por ti, Mama" (or "For you, Mom"). He explained his message in an on-court interview following the winning match — which fell on the same weekend as Mother's Day in Spain.

"I couldn't buy a gift for her, so I hope she enjoyed the words," Alcaraz said. "I'm gonna give her a really big hug after ... She's always supporting me at home. For me it's really nice to see her here and enjoying her support."

He gave his parents a shout-out at the French Open

Jean Catuffe/Getty

Alcaraz defeatedAlexander Zverevat the French Open in June 2024. During his victory speech, he paid tribute to his parents who were sitting in the audience.

"For me, it's amazing to have you here supporting me," Alcaraz said. "Since I was a little kid, as I said many times, I was running from school to put the TV on to watch this tournament on the TV, now I am lifting the trophy in front of all of you."

Alcaraz's family appeared in his Netflix docuseries

Carlos Alcaraz/Instagram

Carlos Alcaraz: My Way, a three-episode docuseries forNetflix, premiered in April 2025. The show gave fans an intimate look at the tennis star's modest lifestyle, revealing that he still lives at home with his parents in Spain and sleeps in a twin-size bed next to a display of his many trophies.

Cameras captured several sweet moments between Alcaraz and his family, including meals cooked by his mother.

"There's no food like my mother's anywhere in the world. That's for sure," he said as Virginia laughed.

Read the original article onPeople

byCristiano Ronaldo

in Celebrities, Lifestyle, ShowBiz, Sports

February 01, 2026

Carlos Alcaraz's Parents: All About the Tennis Champion's Mom Virginia and Dad Carlos Sr.

Dan Istitene/Getty NEED TO KNOW Carlos Alcaraz was raised by his parents, mom Virginia Garfia Escandon and dad Carlos Alcaraz González, i...

Read More

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Creator Unveils Decade-Spanning Plan for the Series

If your hopes were crushed when Game of Thrones ended after just eight seasons – despite such an elaborate world woven by George R.R. Martin in his novels –  A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms showrunner Ira Parker may have a wild idea for how long the show must go on, appeasing fans.

In a conversation withEsquire, Parker revealed his bold idea for the adaptation. He wants to spread the series over decades, saying, "I hope George keeps writing these. The truth is—and I've pitched this to HBO with a couple of very polite eye rolls—I want to do four or five now with Egg as a kid. Then, I want to come back in ten years and do four or five more seasons…"

He continued, "And with real Dexter [Ansell] and real Peter, just the age that they are at that point. Then, we'll come back ten years after that and do well, Egg the adult. So, it would be over the course of their lifetime. And mine too."

While this sound intriguingly ambitious, it's very unlikely and far too bold. Even Parker admitted, "I'm not sure anyone's going to let me go for that."

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms premiered on HBO and HBO Max on January 18, 2026, at 10 p.m. ET/PT, with new episodes dropping every Sunday through the finale on February 22, 2026.

Related: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Becomes Highest-Rated Season 1 in the GoT Universe

This story was originally published byTV Squadon Feb 1, 2026, where it first appeared in theShowssection. Add TV Squad as aPreferred Source by clicking here.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in Celebrities, Lifestyle, ShowBiz, Sports

February 01, 2026

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Creator Unveils Decade-Spanning Plan for the Series

If your hopes were crushed when Game of Thrones ended after just eight seasons – despite such an elaborate world woven by...

Read More

HUNTR/X, Art Garfunkel, Clipse and more light up pre-Grammy gala hosted by Clive Davis

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The music world lost a giant when heavy metal iconOzzy Osbourne diedlast summer. So, what better way to kick off the famed Clive Davispre-Grammys galaSaturday night than with a tribute to the prince of darkness?

MGK (formerly known as Machine Gun Kelly) and country star Jelly Roll began the night of live music and tributes with Osbourne's "I Don't Wanna Stop" and "Mama, I'm Coming Home," respectively, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif.

"Rest in peace, Ozzy," MGK said. "Bring it home, Jelly."

Performances followed fast and furious from there: Alex Warren brought his "Ordinary" hit; sombr did "12 to 12"; Clipse and John Legend's "The Birds Don't Sing" told a soulful story. Olivia Dean, atop contender for best new artistat the 2026 Grammys, sang "Man I Need."

Greatest of all? The trio HUNTR/X doing "Golden" from"Kpop Demon Hunters,"a fictional girl group built of very real singers Ejae (the voice of Rumi), Audrey Nuna (Mira), and Rei Ami (Zoey), for a full-throated vocal performance.

Before the 93-year-old famed music executive Davis emerged on stage in a sequined suit to host his annual gala, Recording Academy President and CEOHarvey Mason jr. announcedthat the date of the event, Jan. 31, had been dubbed "Clive Davis Day" by the city of Beverly Hills, where it was held.

"I think you're gonna have an incredible time this evening," Davis told his audience, an understatement if there ever was one, before shouting out some of the big names seated before him: Joni Mitchell, Nancy Pelosi, Berry Gordy and Brandi Carlile among them.

A midshowtribute to Bernie Taupin,Elton John's principal collaborator and lyricist, got people dancing; Darren Criss launched into "Benny and the Jets." Laufey joined him for the duet "Don't Go Breaking My Heart."

Republic Records founders, CEO Monte Lipman and COO Avery Lipman, were honored with the 2026 Grammy Salute to Industry Icons Award at the star-studded event and used their speeches to spotlight Universal Music Group's entrepreneurial spirit. EvenStevie Wondersang their praises.

The brothers have been celebrated as titans of their industry; Republic Records is routinely viewed as one of the most influential labels in the music business.

Davis' gala, the incredibly popular and equally exclusive event, struck a different tone this year than last, when it was transformedto refocus on relief effortsfollowing the devastatingLos Angeles-area wildfires.

Outside, a small group of protesters, with a megaphone, held an anti-immigration enforcement demonstration. The Beverly Hilton is a part of Hilton Worldwide; recently, protesters haveheld demonstrations in NYCand Minneapolis, wearing shirts that read "Hilton houses ICE" and calling for Hilton to stop federal immigration officers from staying there.

Inside, music was at the center: Jennifer Hudson paid homage tothe late Roberta Flackwith "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face." The duo Dan + Shay did the same for Art Garfunkel, who later closed the stage with "Bridge Over Troubled Water."

Before he performed, Garfunkel told the room his song was styled after Phil Spector's production on "Ol' Man River," where the biggest orchestration is saved for the last line. Davis was an early believer in the unusual idea.

Gaining admittance to Davis' event is notoriously challenging. The A-listers who made the cut this year included Diplo, Karol G, Pharrell Williams, Rita Wilson, Dave Grohl, Diane Warren, Sharon Osbourne, Yungblud, Colman Domingo, Teyana Taylor, Jeff Goldblum, Gladys Knight, Madison Beer, Cameron Crowe, Lana Del Rey, Shaboozey, Max Martin, Leon Thomas, Bebe Rexha and Jack Antonoff.

Don Lemon, too, received one of Davis' coveted shout-outs. The independent journalist was released from custody Friday after he was arrested and hit withfederal civil rights chargesover his coverage of an anti-immigration enforcement protest thatdisrupted a serviceat a Minnesota church. When he stood from his seat to wave to the crowd, he was met with a standing ovation.

Early on in the evening, a video message from President Barack Obama played on screen. "Clive's talent has always been seeing and hearing what other people don't," he said, then listed a few of the artists Davis helped launch: "Janis Joplin,Bruce Springsteen,Whitney Houston."

It is an impressive list and further evidence of what makes Davis' party a highlight of every Grammy week. There's a lot of talent in the room, and at its heart is the man who knows how to recognize it. Or, as Gayle King said when she quoted Warren at the top of the show: "He's the best friend a song ever had."

The 68th Grammy Awards will be held Feb. 1 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The show will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+. For more coverage of this year's Grammy Awards, visit:www.apnews.com/hub/grammy-awards

byCristiano Ronaldo

in Celebrities, Lifestyle, ShowBiz, Sports

February 01, 2026

HUNTR/X, Art Garfunkel, Clipse and more light up pre-Grammy gala hosted by Clive Davis

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The music world lost a giant when heavy metal iconOzzy Osbourne diedlast summer. So, what better way t...

Read More