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Nominated for the title of greatest U.S. woman athlete of the past 25 years in an election sponsored by the Women’s Sports Foundation, five stars, from left, Wilma Rudolph, Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert Lloyd, Billie Jean King and Mary Decker, get together in New York, Sept. 10, 1984. (Marty Lederhandler/AP)

A StubHub site upgrade has been creating issues for some Chicago Cubs fans.StubHub’s platform underwent an upgrade June 6 in what was expected to improve its capabilities. When it was implemented, the company expected some areas of the site might experience breakages. However, the changes triggered a range of issues that impacted Cubs fans’ ability to sell and buy tickets.AdvertisementThe main problems featured an inability to post season tickets for sale, transfer purchased tickets to the buyer, remove ticket listings and missing inventory for individual Cubs games. There also have been instances in which posted tickets have erroneously been allowed to sell twice.StubHub removed all MLB ticket listings for games between June 6-9 when they initiated the application overhaul. Since then, the Cubs’ Tuesday home game against the San Diego Padres was also removed and did not show on their site, preventing the sale of any tickets that day through the fan resale site.Advertisement“We have unfortunately seen some bugs resurface since initially being resolved earlier this week,” a StubHub spokesperson told the Tribune. “As with all issues we have experienced as a result of the update, we are working to resolve them quickly and on a daily basis. The MLB integration is a sophisticated one that has a number of codependent systems, all of which are critical to get right for a fully reliable and smooth process for both the season ticket holders and our buyers. Correcting these issues is our No. 1 priority.”Fans applaud as Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras (40) walks to the dugout May 16, 2022, after hitting a grand slam during the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)StubHub anticipates it will take them the next few weeks for the majority of breakage driven by the upgrade to be fixed.Viagogo purchased StubHub from eBay in 2020, and the merger was approved in September. When Viagogo took over, the plan was to combine the best aspects and capabilities of each platform. That required system upgrades on StubHub to create improved functionality. In the process, which began last week, site breakages have occurred.StubHub says “issues are being resolved on a rolling basis” and the company believes its initial weeks-based timeline for the site to be fully upgraded and operational remains accurate.In the short-term, though, Cubs fans might be affected when selling or buying tickets on the platform.The Cubs are aware of the situation.“This issue is certainly not ideal for any customer who is looking to use the platform and, to be frank, it’s downright frustrating and unacceptable from a fan’s point of view,” a Cubs spokesperson told the Tribune. “We certainly share in that feeling. But that said, I think it’s also important to note that StubHub has been a longtime partner. They have certainly been accessible and transparent throughout this whole process to help resolve this issue. They’ve given us every reassurance that they’re working very hard to fix this as quickly as possible.”AdvertisementChicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.The Cubs are not the only major-league team impacted. StubHub, an official MLB ticket partner, indicated varying issues with their platform have affected an unspecified number of teams. “We are in frequent communication with StubHub on this matter,” MLB said in a statement to the Tribune. “They have assured us that they are working hard to resolve this as soon as possible for the benefit of our fans.”Certain features on the site are still being implemented, including a ballpark seat map, that StubHub described as a “multiweek phase.”For Cubs fans who have been prevented from posting their tickets for sale since StubHub’s site issues began June 7, the glitches have been a frustrating hindrance to potentially recoup money for summer games at Wrigley Field — even during the team’s 10-game losing streak. Breakages on the site led some Cubs ticket holders to try to sell their tickets on social media over the last week.It is not yet clear whether StubHub will offer some sort of compensation for fans who attempted to sell their tickets.Advertisement“We do not guarantee the sale of any listing on our site, however, unique and exceptional instances warrant considerations to support sellers above and beyond our policy,” a company spokesperson said. “We are actively reviewing where errors were made with active or completed sales and considering how we may make this right for sellers.”

DETROIT — Liam Hendriks is used to getting the final three outs as the Chicago White Sox closer.Recently, he has been limited to watching the action unfold.Advertisement”I was going stir crazy in the bullpen (Tuesday),” Hendriks said before Wednesday’s game against the Detroit Tigers.The right-hander is recovering after being placed on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with a right forearm strain.Advertisement”I’ve had a tear in my UCL since ‘08,” Hendriks said. “It’s been there, that’s been manageable, I’ve been able to deal with it. But over the course of this year my elbow has been constantly inflamed a little more than usual.“It got to the point where it was inflamed, it was getting a little uncertain, there’s a slight forearm strain in there, so we’re taking care of that. The ligament hasn’t changed, nothing has changed on any other end that way, so it’s a mild strain, hopefully get back out there. They say three weeks, I’m targeting July 1.”Hendriks last pitched Friday, when he struck out one in a scoreless ninth to wrap up an 8-3 win against the Texas Rangers at Guaranteed Rate Field.White Sox closer Liam Hendriks celebrates getting the save as they defeat the Cubs, May 4, 2022, at Wrigley Field. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)Kendall Graveman handled ninth-inning duties Monday in a 9-5 win against the Tigers. Reynaldo López got the ball in the ninth Tuesday in a 5-1 victory after Joe Kelly pitched a scoreless eighth. José Ruiz got the final out Wedneday in a 13-0 win.If the Sox are in a save situation this weekend in Houston, Graveman — who spent parts of last season pitching for the Astros — or Kelly are the most likely options.Graveman has 12 career saves, including two this season. He was a starter with the Oakland A’s from 2015-18 before working out of the bullpen with the Seattle Mariners. Kelly has five career saves, two coming last year with the Los Angeles Dodgers.“Kendall’s got experience saving games, you saw that last year (with Seattle),” Sox general manager Rick Hahn said Tuesday. “Certainly capable of doing it. Joe Kelly certainly has the stuff to pull it off. And in various situations, we might have to mix and match a little bit. With (Aaron) Bummer down, he’s obviously currently not an option, but some point when he returns, hopefully in the next couple of weeks, he’ll probably be in that mix as well if Liam’s not active yet.”Bummer went on the injured list retroactive to June 9 with a left lat strain. The left-hander, who has a 3.06 ERA, nine holds and one save, was out May 7-22 with a right knee strain.Advertisement“I’ve been talking to you guys more about coming in and off the injured list than anything,” Bummer said Tuesday. “It’s frustrating, especially when I felt like I was starting to roll, both times. I thought I was throwing the ball pretty well, taking steps forward. It’s frustrating to be sitting on the sidelines again, but hopefully it’s a short stint and we’ll be back and be able to continue that groove.”Tanner Banks stepped up recently as a left-handed option. He threw two hitless innings Sunday against the Rangers and one the next night against the Tigers.“I’m really trying to bear down and trust my routine every day and trust my approach,” Banks said Tuesday. “Try to eliminate thinking as much as I can through pregame preparation and then just try to throw strikes and let my defense do their job. And they have.”The bullpen has been tested — including last weekend with consecutive extra-inning games against the Rangers. Hendriks, who has a 2.81 ERA and 16 saves, is looking forward to getting back in that mix.“It’s a matter of getting this done safely and getting me back out there to pitch, that’s the big thing for me,” he said. “I also want to be able to go when I get back and not be coddled or babied. Be able to go back-to-back.“I’m not concerned with it long term at all. You see forearm flexor strain (is a) precursor to a lot of things. But there’s been no change in my ligament, and that’s the good thing. That was one of the relieving parts of it. There was no damage to that, just a slight sprain.”AdvertisementMeanwhile, he’ll be watching his fellow relievers contribute.“We’ve got a lot of guys who are willing to come in,” Hendriks said. “We’ve had a lot of guys over there with a higher workload than they would have had in previous years. Some guys making their debuts, guys who have never pitched in back-to-back games. Doing that from the get-go it’s always going to wear on you a little bit.“But luckily we’ve got a couple veterans toward the end there that will help out, (and) once the starters get rolling and start getting into deeper games, we’re going to be searching for (relief) innings out there.”

BOSTON — The Golden State Warriors are NBA champions once again, topping the Boston Celtics 103-90 on Thursday night for their fourth title in the last eight seasons.Stephen Curry scored 34 points for the Warriors, who claimed the franchise’s seventh championship. And this one completed a journey unlike any other after a run of five consecutive Finals, then a plummet to the bottom of the NBA and now a return to greatness just two seasons after having the league’s worst record.AdvertisementFor Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala, it’s a fourth championship. The first three came in 2015, 2017 and 2018, when the Warriors were dynastic and made five consecutive trips to the Finals.Curry was named the Finals MVP for the first time. AdvertisementInjuries, including ones that sidelined Thompson for 2 ½ years, and roster changes changed everything. But this season, with Thompson returning around the midway point, the Warriors were finally back.Back on top too. Champions again, denying the storied Celtics what would have been their record 18th championship, one that would have allowed them to break a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most in league history.This tale for the Warriors ended much differently than what was their most recent Finals appearance against the Toronto Raptors in 2019, one that saw Kevin Durant tear his Achilles in Game 5 and then Thompson tear his ACL in what became the Raptors’ title-clincher in Game 6.The aftermath of that loss was exacerbated by Durant’s decision to leave that summer in free agency to join the Brooklyn Nets and Thompson’s Achilles injury while rehabilitating his knee injury.It thrust a Warriors team into a rebuild that became a reload. The Warriors used their two-year hiatus from the NBA’s biggest stages to retool their roster — adding a past No. 1 draft pick in Andrew Wiggins, who excelled in his first Finals, along with another rising star in Jordan Poole.It all clicked. For coach Steve Kerr, it’s a ninth championship overall after winning five as a player. He’s the sixth coach to capture four titles, joining Phil Jackson, Red Auerbach, John Kundla, Gregg Popovich and Pat Riley.Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 34 points. Al Horford added 19. Jayson Tatum finished with 13 points but shot just 6 of 18 from the field. The Celtics also committed 22 turnovers, dropping to 1-8 this postseason when committing 16 or more.It was just the fifth defeat in 22 title-series appearances for the Celtics, who turned its season around to have a chance at this crown. The Celtics were 25-25 after 50 games, then went on an absolute tear to get to the Finals and nearly claim what would have been just the franchise’s second championship since 1986.

NEW YORK — Atlanta, Houston, Miami, Philadelphia, Seattle and Kansas City, Mo., were the newcomers among the 11 U.S. sites picked to host games at the 2026 World Cup, while Baltimore, Cincinnati, Denver, Nashville, Tenn., and Orlando, Fla., were left out. Arlington, Texas; East Rutherford, N.J.; Foxborough, Mass., and Inglewood and Santa Clara, Calif, were the holdovers.AdvertisementFIFA announced its selections Thursday for the first World Cup with three co-hosts, also picking three Mexican cities and two in Canada.The U.S. selections included none of the nine stadiums used at the 1994 World Cup. The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., and Orlando’s Camping World Stadium were the only ones remaining in contention, and they were among the sites dropped in the final round.AdvertisementNew stadiums were selected in five areas used in 1994. AT&T Stadium in Texas replaced Dallas’ Cotton Bowl; SoFi Stadium in Inglewood took over for Pasadena’s Rose Bowl; and Levi’s Stadium instead of Stanford Stadium.Your #FIFAWorldCup 2026 Host Cities:🇺🇸Atlanta🇺🇸Boston🇺🇸Dallas🇲🇽Guadalajara🇺🇸Houston🇺🇸Kansas City🇺🇸Los Angeles🇲🇽Mexico City🇺🇸Miami🇲🇽Monterrey🇺🇸New York / New Jersey🇺🇸Philadelphia🇺🇸San Francisco Bay Area🇺🇸Seattle🇨🇦Toronto🇨🇦Vancouver— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 16, 2022

Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford and Gillette Stadium in Foxborough replaced torn-down stadiums that were adjacent.Orlando’s Camping World was dropped among existing 1994 venues. The Detroit area, where the old Pontiac Silverdome was host to games, was cut in 2018, and Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium was dropped after FedEx Field in Landover, Md., dropped out. Washington’s RFK Stadium was used in 1994.Chicago, which hosted the 1994 opener at Solider Field, refused to bid, citing FIFA’s economic demands.Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, which hosted the 1970 and ‘86 finals and will become the first stadium in three World Cups, was selected along with Guadalajara’s Estadio Akron and Monterrey’s Estadio BBVA.Toronto’s BMO Field and Vancouver, British Columbia’s B.C. Place were picked while Edmonton, Alberta’s Commonwealth Stadium was dropped.The bid plan envisioned 60 games in the U.S., including all from the quarterfinals on, and 10 each in Mexico and Canada.Specific sites for each round will be announced later.

BROOKLINE, Mass. — Adam Hadwin wasn’t officially in the U.S. Open until eight days ago. He walked off The Country Club on Thursday with his best score ever in a major for a one-shot lead.With the focus finally shifting away from Saudi-backed rival league, who’s going and who’s staying on the PGA Tour, Hadwin opened with a 4-under 66 on a breezy but not overly punishing day at Brookline.AdvertisementThe lingering thoughts of the rival league came from Rory McIlroy, not from anything he said but with the golf he played.It was another bold statement as McIlroy didn’t make a bogey until his final hole — his brief fit of anger revealed as much desire as frustration — for a 67. That left him in the large chasing pack with four players who had to go through 36-hole qualifying.AdvertisementCallum Tarren of England, David Lingmerth of Sweden, MJ Daffue of South Africa and Joel Dahmen also were at 67.Adam Hadwin watches his shot on the 17th hole during the first round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at The Country Club. (Julio Cortez/AP)At the opposite end was Phil Mickelson, who celebrated his 52nd birthday — on the golf course, anyway — with a four-putt double bogey on his way to a 78.Hadwin ran off three straight birdies to finish the front nine in 31, and he only dropped one shot on the back nine for his 66. His previous low score in a major was 68 on three occasions, most recently the first round of the 2020 PGA Championship at Harding Park.McIlroy has become a leading voice on the PGA Tour over the last few years, particularly with his rebuke of the Saudi-funded series that is disrupting golf. Thursday was a reminder he’s pretty good at his day job, too.McIlroy made two straight birdies late in his round to become the first player to reach 4 under, only to miss the ninth green and make his only bogey.At the moment, McIlroy isn’t concerned with his strong stance against LIV Golf.“It’s been eight years since I won a major,” he said. “And I just want to get my hands on one again.”Even with a good start, and coming off a victory last week in the Canadian Open, it doesn’t figure to be easy for McIlroy or anyone else. The Country Club might be as accommodating as it gets all week, with moderate wind and cloud cover keeping the sun from making greens crispy and firm.AdvertisementAnd the best anyone could do was a 66.The group at 68 included two-time major winner Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose and Matt Fitzpatrick, who won the U.S. Amateur at Brookline in 2013.For McIlroy, it was his second straight major — and third time in his last four U.S. Opens — he opened with a score under par. There is confidence in his game for winning last week in Toronto, and there is passion rare for a Thursday unless the game is going badly.He tried to drive the reachable par-4 fifth hole and caught an awkward lie in the thick collar above a bunker, forcing him to stand in the sand. He hit that into another bunker, and then twice slammed the club into the sand out of frustration. But he managed to save par.“You’re going to encounter things at a U.S. Open, whether they be lies or stuff like that, that you just don’t really encounter any other week,” he said. “It’s hard not to get frustrated because I’m walking up there going, ‘Just come back into the bunker.’ The thickest rough on the course is around the edges of the bunker. So I was sort of cursing the USGA whenever I was going up to the ball.”And then from the ninth fairway, his approach sailed to the right and he flung his club. He couldn’t save par on that one and had to accept a 67 — not a bad start, and no apologies for his few outbursts of emotion.Advertisement“Almost to remind yourself sometimes how much it means to you,” he said.There’s a lot on the table outside of golf, too, with 13 players at the U.S. Open who took part in the Saudi-backed LIV Golf last week, leading the PGA Tour to suspend those members.McIlroy, the first to shut down talk of rival leagues in 2020, spoke passionately this week about building on the legacy handed down by Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. For those taking the guaranteed money for 54-hole events, he said it felt like “the easy way out.”But now it’s time for golf, and there a vibe of relief that focus could turn to a U.S. Open that first came to Brookline more than a century ago. Thursday was more about birdies and bogeys — mostly the latter in a U.S. Open — and a place in history.No other major is more open — roughly half the 156-man field has to qualify — and it showed. Seven of the top 13 came through qualifiers, including Hadwin. He was first alternate out of the Dallas section and got in when Paul Casey withdrew because of an ailing back.Dahmen debated whether to go a 36-hole qualifier 10 days ago in Ohio. The U.S. Open is hard and he had been beat up from travel and pedestrian results. Plus, it was supposed to rain. But he went anyway, and he qualified with one shot to spare.AdvertisementLingmerth was in the same qualifier and had to play 36 holes and then some because of a 5-for-1 playoff for the final spot. That went to Hayden Buckley — he was among those at 68 on Thursday — and Lingmerth was first alternate. He got in when Martin Kaymer withdrew.

The Chicago Cubs’ losing streak reached 10 games Thursday with a 6-4 loss to the San Diego Padres before 30,096 on a sweltering afternoon at Wrigley Field.The Cubs (23-40) fell into a last-place tie with the Cincinnati Reds in the National League Central. And it doesn’t get any easier this weekend as the defending champion Atlanta Braves come to town riding a 14-game winning streak.AdvertisementKeegan Thompson faces the Braves’ Charlie Morton on Friday in the series opener.The stumbling Cubs were outscored by a combined 49 runs in back-to-back series by the New York Yankees (28-5) and Padres (41-15). According to Cubs historian Ed Hartig, it’s the team’s worst run differential in back-to-back series in franchise history, breaking a record set in 1999.AdvertisementThe 1999 Cubs were outscored by a combined 47 runs by the Milwaukee Brewers (17 runs) and Philadelphia Phillies (30) in back-to-back series in late June and early July. The Phillies scored 41 runs in the three games, the most since the franchise came into existence in 1911.San Diego Padres left fielder Jurickson Profar, right, and infielder Ha-Seong Kim celebrate after Profar hit a solo home run off Cubs reliever David Robertson in the eighth inning Thursday at Wrigley Field. The Padres won 6-4. (Charles Rex Arbogast / AP)When the Cubs lost 6-2 in the finale in Philadelphia, keeping the Phillies under double digits was treated as a moral victory.“It feels like we won,” general manager Ed Lynch said in the postgame clubhouse.The Cubs’ loss to the Padres on Thursday — completing a four-game sweep — also meant they were outscored by at least 20 runs in back-to-back series for the first time in 143 years, according to Hartig. The last time that happened was in September 1879, when the Providence Grays outscored the Cubs by 20 runs (29-9) and the Boston Braves by 23 (31-8).

Part of Matt Eberflus’ message to players as they separated for summer break was the same as it was the day he was introduced as the Chicago Bears new coach in January.“Get your track shoes ready,” Eberflus repeated Thursday as minicamp wrapped up at Halas Hall.AdvertisementIt was both a warning and a promise. When the Bears reunite for training camp next month, every player on the 90-man roster better be ready to merge onto a high-speed entrance ramp toward the regular season.[ [Don’t miss] 3 things we learned at Chicago Bears minicamp, including a ‘cold-weather’ offense and Trevis Gipson’s comfort ]“Training camp’s not to get in shape,” Eberflus told his players. “You should already be in shape (when you arrive).”AdvertisementAnd just for some extra emphasis? “We will be blowing and going from Day 1,” he added. “That was my main message.”After only five months on the job, it’s hard to produce much of a detailed progress report on Eberflus to this point. And it will be a while before it’s known whether his philosophies and approach can rescue the organization from a 30-year funk defined by prolonged mediocrity.But give Eberflus credit for this much. He has been consistent with his messaging and firm in establishing how he wants his team to function. And his demands seem to be resonating inside Halas Hall.Bears coach Matt Eberflus speaks after practice on June 16, 2022 at Halas Hall. The trophy is the 1969 George Halas Courage Award that was won by Gale Sayers, who gave it to Brian Piccolo. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)By now, Eberflus’ HITS acronym is easily explained. The Bears, under his watch, will prioritize hustle, intensity, taking the ball away (and taking care of the ball) plus situational smarts. Along with that, Eberflus reminded everyone Thursday, his players must understand how they need to be wired to squeeze the most out of their six-plus weeks of preseason practices.Blowing and going. Track shoes on.Obviously, Eberflus won’t be turning Bears training camp into the Olympic trials, challenging players to run the 200-meter dash or the 4 x 100 relay. He isn’t threatening to drain his team with gassers or excess conditioning work either. On Thursday, when pressed for more detail on how track and football will be married during late-July and August practices in Lake Forest, Eberflus highlighted the focus the coaching staff will put on effort, running to the ball and establishing an unwavering tempo to drills and team work.AdvertisementNot only that, it will all be graded. And reviewed. And re-emphasized. The need to become an effort-based football team will continue to be hammered home.“When we look at the tape, we don’t walk by mistakes,” Eberflus said. “We look at it and say, ‘OK, that’s not the right effort we’re talking about.’ Or, ‘That is the right effort we’re talking about. Man, that is the standard!’“That (creates) a mindful eye for the coaches. The coaches have to pay attention to that. I am the ultimate guy who has got to pay attention to that. But for the coordinators and the position coaches, we’re going to start a certain way and we’re going to finish a certain way. And that’s all standardized.”[ [Don’t miss] 4 things we learned at Chicago Bears minicamp, including Robert Quinn’s absence and Dakota Dozier’s injury ]Rookie receiver Velus Jones, whose speed is a strength, is eager to get into the blocks for Eberflus’ first training camp next month.“I know we are going to come in and hit the ground running,” Jones said Thursday. “So I’m going to make sure my body is in shape and make sure my endurance is built up. I’m really excited.”Added safety Jaquan Brisker: “(We need to) come in ready to work, come in ready to run to the ball, come in in shape.”AdvertisementOf course, there will be a fine line to all of this. And as a first-time head coach, Eberflus will have to keep a close watch on his team’s physical and emotional fuel tank through the grind of camp, developing a feel for when to push harder and when to ease up. That’s not always easy.It’s worth noting that former Bears coach Lovie Smith, whose coaching formula and defensive system are things Eberflus draws from regularly, opened his first training camp in 2004 with similar messaging, vowing to engrain hustle and effort into his players with an intense focus on, well, hustle and effort. That initial camp in 2004, however, came with a rash of soft-tissue injury setbacks. And these Bears, given the current levels of talent and depth on the roster, can’t afford any major health-related detours.[ [Don’t miss] Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields understands the offense’s growing pains are inevitable: ‘We’re not ready’ ]Still, Smith’s methodology hit home and helped create an early identity for his teams. The Bears went to the playoffs in 2005, reached the Super Bowl the following season and made the postseason three times in a six-season span. (By team standards, that undoubtedly was a hot streak.)For Eberflus, a desire to create that same kind of identity and that same kind of momentum is undeniable. And when he was asked Thursday if there was anything with his new team that he felt more comfortable with than he did when he started, Eberflus quickly pointed to the culture that is being established.“It’s the team coming together. I feel most comfortable with that,” Eberflus said. “We’re able to look each other in the eye and tell the truth and it’s OK. And it’s OK to be wrong. It’s OK to be right. But we’re starting to feel that with the whole group. It’s just honest communication. Man-to-man. Face-to-face. No problems.“That’s encouraging. You have to have that as a team. You have to be close that way.”AdvertisementEberflus also wants his team to understand what it means to truly grind, what it means to empty the tank and what it means to treat every practice rep with the same focus and intensity. And when training camp gets underway next month, there will be little gray area as to how players are expected to practice.In short, the Bears better be ready to run. A lot.

Jed Hoyer knows the drill.When the Chicago Cubs hit a new low, the team president gathers reporters together to defend the manager, his game plan and the organization as a whole.AdvertisementTheo Epstein did it more than a decade ago, praising manager Dale Sveum, the rebuild and the Rickettses during the 2012 and ‘13 seasons, before whacking Sveum after two years on the job.On Thursday it was Hoyer’s turn to defend the job performance of manager David Ross, praise the rebuild that can’t be called a rebuild and ensure fans the Cubs remain on the right path. He did so for more than a half hour in the home dugout at Wrigley Field before a game against the San Diego Padres as the Cubs tried to end a brutal nine-game losing streak.AdvertisementIt was a difficult task for Hoyer. Eleven months after selling off his biggest stars and embarking on a new and less expensive path, the Cubs are worse off than they were before the 2021 trade deadline. They began the day only a half-game ahead of the lowly Cincinnati Reds, and were going through one of the worst nine-game stretches in franchise history, including being outscored 61-15 over the last five losses. But after listening to Hoyer suggest things were progressing OK before the losing streak, I could only shake my head. How could anyone buy that narrative after what they’ve seen in 2022?“I didn’t say I had a sense (of how long),” he said of the timetable for competing. “I have a sense of how to build the next great team and where we want to go. I didn’t give you any sense of timing. I don’t have a feel for that.”Sorry, but haven’t the Cubs regressed from last season when it comes to seeing that “next great Cubs team” come to fruition?“This is a frustrating moment in time,” Hoyer said. “Whether we feel that way in a month or two months, I don’t know. Right now, certainly … Listen, the frustration that’s in your voice is probably the frustration that is in everyone’s voice over the way we’ve played. I’d say candidly. I felt like we were battling and really competing through (June 10). Our record in one-run games was certainly well below average, and our run difference was like -10, which is really competitive.“Obviously that’s really changed over the last five days. I’m trying mentally, obviously what we’ve seen since Saturday (an 8-0 loss to the New York Yankees), that’s been a real struggle and really frustrating that our bullpen that was really good has struggled, and we haven’t been able to prevent any runs. But try to remember, prior to that we were battling.”Battling is fine when you’re a small market team with low ticket prices. It doesn’t cut it when you’re a big market team still charging among the highest ticket prices in the game. If I sounded “frustrated,” my apologies to Hoyer. I meant to sound disgusted.Asked by another reporter if the Cubs timeline feels further away than when the season began, Hoyer said he would “have a better answer for that later in the season,” citing injuries.AdvertisementExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 26Cubs starting pitcher Caleb Kilian sits in the dugout after the first inning against the Padres on June 15, 2022, at Wrigley Field. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)“Even from a record standpoint, even before this stretch, we weren’t where we want to be,” he said. “You’re asking me to make some pretty global statements based on that.”With the Cubs falling so far and so fast, most fans believes Willson Contreras is as good as gone. Being so far from contending means the Cubs probably have no choice now but to trade him to get something of value before he likely leaves as a free agent.“That’s not something I’m going to answer,” Hoyer said.Hoyer also declined to discuss whether he’s spoken with Contreras about his future. Contreras and Kyle Hendricks are the only players who could bring some real value in return, especially with Marcus Stroman out with right shoulder inflammation.Hoyer said Stroman would be back “fairly soon.” But Stroman hasn’t even begun playing catch, so how soon could that be?“We’ll know more once he throws,” Hoyer said.AdvertisementWeeks? Months?“I don’t know,” Hoyer said. “Hopefully weeks.”ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 24Chicago Cubs center fielder Christopher Morel warms up to face the San Diego Padres as the sun sets June 13, 2022 at Wrigley Field. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)As for Ross’ status, Hoyer said the third-year manager has done a “great job,” and he doesn’t “see any issues with (Ross) whatsoever.”Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.Epstein said much the same about Sveum in 2013. The difference is Hoyer’s close relationship with Ross, whom he signed to an extension before the season.Hoyer’s most prominent moves since the summer sell-off haven’t worked out so far. Stroman and Seiya Suzuki, his two biggest free-agent signings, are on the injured list and were inconsistent at best when healthy. Nick Madrigal, acquired from the White Sox in the Craig Kimbrel deal, is out again with a groin injury and hasn’t hit when healthy. Wade Miley has pitched well but made only four starts and has thrown 19 innings between stints on the IL.The biggest positives have been Contreras’ season, Christopher Morel’s emergence and Keegan Thompson’s performance before moving into the rotation.Advertisement“I have all the confidence in the world we’re going to get there,” Hoyer said. “But sometimes things speed up, and sometimes things slow down. I’m not smart enough to know when something is going to happen, but I do know, and have the ultimate confidence, that we’re going to be successful. I knew that same thing last time.”Hoyer quoted Epstein’s clichéd remark that “things are not linear,” meaning every plan goes through ups and downs rather than a slow, steady progression. He said he speaks with Chairman Tom Ricketts “all the time” about the state of the team, and that everyone has “questions” about why the Cubs are struggling as much as they have.“Those are questions I’m up late at night asking as well,” he said.Whoever is listening must be shaking their head.

For the Saudi-backed upstart LIV Golf tour, the strategy for luring top golfers like Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson away from the prestige and stability of the PGA Tour was simple: Offer cash, and lots of it.The arrival of the new tour and the defection of PGA Tour stars were major disruptions in what has been a stable and even staid sport. But when the first LIV event was finally held outside London last weekend after months of anticipation, it was not shown on television in the United States. And it’s unlikely that any American network will be broadcasting LIV events anytime soon.AdvertisementThe reason boils down to this: The networks are happy airing the PGA Tour.“We are positioned as the home of golf in this country,” said Pete Bevacqua, chair of NBC Sports, which shows by far the most golf in the United States. “We are not only satisfied where we are, but unbelievably pleased where we are.”AdvertisementSome golfers couldn’t resist the pull of the new tour, whose events are shorter than the PGA Tour’s (three days instead of four) and offer huge payouts, with individual winners receiving $4 million and the members of winning teams sharing $3 million, far more than most PGA Tour events. Even last-place finishers get $120,000; PGA Tour players who don’t make the cut after two rounds get nothing.But the LIV tour got nowhere with those who might have aired its events in the United States. Representatives for LIV Golf spoke with most American broadcasters but did not have substantive discussions about a media rights agreement with any of them, according to people familiar with those discussions. LIV broached the idea of buying time to show the London tournament on Fox — an inversion of the normal business relationship, where the media company pays the sports organization to show its event — but discussions did not go far.Charl Schwartzel of South Africa plays a tee shot during the final round of the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational at the Centurion Club in St. Albans, England, June 11, 2022. (Alastair Grant/AP)In the end, the London tournament was not on American broadcast TV or popular sports streaming platforms such as Peacock and ESPN+. Instead, golf fans could watch it on the streaming service DAZN, YouTube, Facebook or LIV Golf’s website, without commercials.Limited viewership numbers suggest not many of them did. The final round of the London event attracted an average of 68,761 viewers on YouTube and fewer than 5,000 on Facebook, according to Apex Marketing, a sports and entertainment analytics firm. On the same weekend, 812,000 viewers watched the final round of the PGA Tour’s Canadian Open on Golf Channel, and 2.78 million watched when coverage switched over to CBS.The absence of a media rights agreement would normally threaten the survival of a new sports league. But LIV Golf is not a commercial entity with a profit imperative. It is bankrolled by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund and part of a larger effort by the kingdom to improve its image around the world. Players who have joined the LIV tour have been accused of helping to “sportswash” Saudi Arabia’s record of human rights abuses, including the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.LIV did not respond to a request for comment.But NBC and other broadcast networks have a long list of reasons other than reputational damage to steer clear of the new venture.LIV’s main barrier to entry in the United States is that most major media companies are deeply invested in the success of its competitor, the PGA Tour. NBC, CBS and ESPN are collectively in the first year of a nine-year, $6 billion-plus agreement to show the PGA Tour in the United States, while Warner Bros. Discovery (which owns TNT and TBS) is paying the PGA Tour $2 billion to show the tour worldwide.AdvertisementThe media companies are not contractually restricted from showing LIV, according to the people familiar with the deals, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private agreements. But they believe that doing so would draw attention away from the tour on which they are spending billions.Fox, which has a history of risk-taking in sports (it is currently investing in spring football), might seem like a good candidate to team up with LIV, but Fox does not televise any golf, and that is by design. The network had the rights to broadcast the U.S. Open through 2026 but paid money to give up those rights to NBC.Even if networks wanted to take a chance on LIV Golf, the logistical challenges would be significant. Golf monopolizes entire weekends throughout the year and is more expensive to produce than arena- and stadium-based sports. (Golf presents a particularly difficult hurdle for Fox, which rarely puts sports on its streaming service, Tubi, meaning it is difficult to show golf when schedules collide.)LIV Golf also did not have any stars on board until recently, and it is not clear whether it will attract enough top golfers to make its events attractive to fans. Questions about the tour’s backing have been uncomfortable for those who have joined.“I would ask any player who has left or any player who would ever consider leaving, ‘Have you ever had to apologize for being a member of the PGA Tour?’” Jay Monahan, commissioner of the PGA Tour, said in a televised interview Sunday.Players who have signed contracts with LIV have been booted from the PGA Tour, though that could soon become the subject of litigation. Players have also been dropped by sponsors, either because of the association with Saudi Arabia or because companies don’t want to support golfers competing on a tour few are watching.AdvertisementStill, many of those involved in the PGA Tour media deal acknowledged that interest in the PGA Tour would decrease if LIV lured away more top golfers. They believe the PGA Tour’s appeal lies in the world’s best golfers competing against one another every weekend, and LIV is directly threatening that.LIV’s future may depend partly on whether LIV players are allowed to play in the four major golf tournaments — none of which is run by the PGA Tour. Augusta National Golf Club hosts the Masters; the United States Golf Association stages the U.S. Open; the Professional Golfers Association of America runs the PGA Championship; and the R & A puts on the British Open.If allowed to compete in majors, LIV golfers could earn huge paydays on the less-taxing LIV tour while continuing to play in the legacy-defining events in front of millions of fans.“Majors are extremely important to professional golfers, and they will be a key variable whether this is successful or not,” said David Levy, a former president of Turner Sports who created the Match, a high-stakes golf exhibition.This year’s third major, the U.S. Open, is at the Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, this weekend, and LIV golfers are present. The USGA, which organizes the tournament, said in a carefully worded statement last week that any golfer who had qualified would be allowed to compete. But the USGA noted that its decision “should not be construed as the USGA supporting an alternative organizing entity,” and Wednesday, the organization’s CEO, Mike Whan, said that he could foresee a day when players were denied entry to the U.S. Open based on which tour they came from.The other majors have not said whether they will bar LIV golfers from their events. Nor have these tournaments said whether they will continue to extend lifetime invitations to players who have won them. (Mickelson has exemptions from the Masters and PGA Championship for life, for instance.) Decisions are expected this fall and winter as plans are solidified for tournaments in 2023.AdvertisementA sometimes overlooked golf body, the Official World Golf Ranking, is also expected to have influence. The organization bestows ranking points on golfers based on their performance, and tournaments use those rankings to determine eligibility. Currently, LIV golfers do not receive ranking points, meaning they will inevitably fall in the world rankings and lose their eligibility to compete in the majors.LIV has said it will submit an application to have its events ranked. That application will be considered by the governing board of the Official World Golf Ranking, whose chair is Peter Dawson, an English former professional golfer. The board also includes representatives from each of the four majors, along with the PGA Tour, the European Tour and the International Federation of PGA Tours, an umbrella organization of professional golf tours.While the PGA Tour will almost certainly vote against LIV’s application, it is less certain how the other tours will vote. And even if they also vote no, if representatives from the four majors all vote to allow LIV’s golfers to accrue ranking points — and therefore signal they are comfortable with LIV golfers competing in their events — LIV Golf might just succeed in attracting more golfers.c.2022 The New York Times Company