Sports

By RONALD BLUM AP Baseball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers were hit with a $32 million luxury tax for the second straight season, among six teams paying a penalty as baseball payrolls rebounded after the lockout to a record $4.56 billion. The New York Mets set a luxury tax payroll record

By TALES AZZONI AP Sports Writer MADRID (AP) — Atlético Madrid has returned to the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey for the first time since 2018 by defeating second-division club Levante 2-0. Marcos Llorente scored a goal and set up another by Álvaro Morata to send Atlético through to the last eight and help

By CHARLES ODUM AP Sports Writer ATLANTA (AP) — A four-game losing streak has left Georgia Tech one spot from the bottom of the ACC standings. Unfortunately for coach Josh Pastner, that’s familiar territory. The Yellow Jackets finished 14th in the 15-team Atlantic Coast Conference last season. In Pastner’s six seasons, Georgia Tech has finished

By JOHN WAWROW AP Sports Writer ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Bills and Bengals can refocus on their next matchup now that Buffalo’s safety Damar Hamlin has shown remarkable signs in his recovery some three weeks after collapsing on the field in Cincinnati. Hamlin went into cardiac arrest and needed to be resuscitated in

By SCHUYLER DIXON AP Pro Football Writer FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Tyler Smith knew versatility would be a key to an NFL career. The former Tulsa left tackle didn’t figure there would be so much shuffling his rookie year. Smith is expected back at left tackle for a divisional playoff against

LONDON (AP) — Soccer’s law-making panel has rejected a request by the Premier League and MLS for trials with temporary substitutes to replace players with suspected concussion. The panel known as IFAB says “no consensus was reached” Wednesday. FIFA’s opposition is a key barrier to change wanted by the leagues who are supported by the

By BOBBY CAINA CALVAN Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. government’s star witness in a corruption trial over the broadcasting rights to some of soccer’s biggest events testified Wednesday how he and two former Fox executives paid millions of dollars in bribes to undermine competing bids. The trial in New York City is

By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer GENEVA (AP) — The Norwegian official who made her reputation in soccer politics with a speech in Doha last year criticizing World Cup host Qatar is seeking to join the UEFA executive committee. Lise Klaveness is a lawyer and former national-team player who is one of the few women

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Veteran forward Edin Džeko has inspired Inter Milan to a 3-0 win over city rival AC Milan and a second straight Italian Super Cup trophy. The 36-year-old Džeko scored one goal on Wednesday and also had a role in Federico Dimarco’s opener. World Cup winner Lautaro Martínez sealed the result

By PAT EATON-ROBB AP Sports Writer HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A rash of injuries in women’s college basketball has coaches and medical professionals looking for answers.  UConn had to postpone a Jan. 8 game when it could not put seven healthy players on the court. Arizona State forfeited two games for the same reason.  Experts

By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer For the first time in 13 years, neither Tom Brady nor Aaron Rodgers reached the divisional round of the playoffs. No problem. The NFL still has plenty of exciting football this weekend featuring Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Dak Prescott and many other stars. The

SALERNO, Italy (AP) — Salernitana has rehired coach Davide Nicola just two days after he was fired by the Serie A club. Nicola was dismissed by Salernitana a day after the team lost 8-2 at Atalanta. But the 49-year-old coach says he convinced club president Danilo Iervolino to rehire him during a phone call. The

CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Players for Wales’ men and women senior teams will get the same money for the first time under the terms of a new equal pay agreement. The deal was announced Wednesday by the Football Association of Wales (FAW) and starts immediately. It covers the period up to and including the 2026

PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix Suns forward Cam Johnson is expected to make his return from a knee injury on Thursday against the Brooklyn Nets. Johnson’s return would be welcome news for the Suns, who have been decimated by injuries and have fallen to 21-24 for the season, which ranks 12th in the Western Conference. The

By DANICA COTO Associated Press SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Lawyers for sprinter Usain Bolt say more than $12.7 million is missing from his account with a private investment firm in Jamaica that authorities are investigating. Attorney Linton P. Gordon on Wednesday provided The Associated Press with a copy of a letter sent to

By KYLE HIGHTOWER AP Sports Writer Chris Ford, a member of the Boston Celtics 1981 championship team, a longtime NBA coach and the player credited with scoring the league’s first 3-point basket, has died, his family announced Wednesday in a statement. He was 74. The family revealed the death through the Celtics. No official cause

By BOBBY CAINA CALVAN Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. government’s star witness in a big-money bribery case engulfing the world of soccer has begun testifying at the trial of two former Fox executives and a marketing company accused of paying millions of dollars to rig the bidding process for broadcasting rights to

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes has never failed to reach the AFC championship game in four years as an NFL starting quarterback. To make it five straight, Mahomes will have to lead the Kansas City Chiefs past the Jacksonville Jaguars in the divisional round on Saturday. The