Read in Browser [[link removed]]

Morning Edition

September 2, 2025

POWERED BY

What began as a star-studded spectacle in Chapel Hill quickly unraveled, as Bill Belichick’s Tar Heels were handed a lopsided defeat by TCU.

— David Rumsey [[link removed]] and Annie Costabile [[link removed]]

Bill Belichick’s Star-Studded UNC Coaching Debut Turns Ugly [[link removed]]

Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Bill Belichick’s long-awaited head coaching debut at North Carolina was dampened by a 48–14 blowout loss to TCU on Monday night, despite Chapel Hill transforming from the capital of the college hoops world to the center of the college football universe.

Many of the 50,000-plus fans that packed a sold-out Kenan Memorial Stadium started heading for the exits during the third quarter, after the Horned Frogs stretched their lead to 34 points. It was a sobering finish to an evening that began with an electric football atmosphere not seen before in Chapel Hill.

Ahead of the primetime matchup, ESPN gave Belichick’s first college game the full NFL-style Monday Night Football treatment. The network’s College Football Countdown pregame show was live inside the stadium, and ACC Network’s weekly traveling pregame show [[link removed]], ACC Huddle, was also live from Chapel Hill.

Michael Jordan headlined a long list of celebrities and Tar Heels legends in attendance [[link removed]], including former UNC basketball coach Roy Williams, Pro Football Hall of Famers Lawrence Taylor, Julius Peppers, and Randy Moss, as well as country music stars Eric Church and Chase Rice, who have North Carolina ties.

Local stores in and around UNC’s campus were stocked with T-shirts [[link removed]] reading “Chapel Bill” and even some with lighthearted references to his girlfriend, Jordon Hudson.

The hype around Belichick’s move to college is reminiscent of the first season Deion Sanders coached Colorado, when his celebrity status helped turn Boulder into the Hollywood of college football [[link removed]] in the fall of 2023. Sanders, too, faced TCU in his first game.

ESPN already has several more primetime UNC telecasts locked in [[link removed]] for this season, and figures to be the largest benefactor of any continued boost that Belichick gives to TV ratings for Tar Heel games.

UNC sold out of all football tickets [[link removed]] faster than ever in program history, and Belichick’s presence has created a skyrocketing resale market [[link removed]] for Tar Heel games.

SPONSORED BY INVESCO QQQ

An Investment in Innovation

[[link removed]]

Innovation changes everything. And an investment in Invesco QQQ is an investment in innovation. With Invesco QQQ ETF [[link removed]], you can harness the growth potential of groundbreaking companies across sectors [[link removed]], including telecommunications, consumer discretionary, health care, industrials, and tech. Help power your portfolio.

Access tomorrow’s innovation, today, with Invesco QQQ. [[link removed]] Let’s rethink possibility.*

Osaka Ousts Gauff As American Presence at US Open Dwindles [[link removed]]

Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

NEW YORK — The anticipation for Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka’s midday meeting at the US Open reverberated through Arthur Ashe Stadium.

It took No. 23-seeded Osaka 64 minutes to stifle that suspense, eliminating No. 3-seeded Gauff 6-3, 6-2 to advance to her first Grand Slam quarterfinal match in over four years. Osaka is unbeaten in majors in which she’s advanced to the quarterfinal, last winning at the 2021 Australian Open, which she said doesn’t add pressure or extra confidence.

“This is unchartered territory at this point in my career,” Osaka said. “I’m just enjoying it.”

Monday’s win marked Osaka’s return to her best form since returning to the tour following maternity leave. She will face No. 11 Karolína Muchová on Wednesday.

“I was a kid that was watching on TV just hoping to play this tournament,” Osaka said. “I’d come here and wish to play on one of the cool outdoor courts. To be on the main stadium, no matter at what point of my career, it’s always an honor.”

The morning session came with a price tag that reflected the top-billing match, with the cheapest ticket coming in at $439 on StubHub. The most expensive remaining ticket, less than an hour before Osaka and Gauff took the court, was $2,067.

Gauff—who won the US Open in 2023—entered the match as the heavy favorite, having won her first French Open title earlier this summer. The inconsistencies in her game, coupled with the number of unforced errors, shrunk her superiority positioned across from a steady Osaka.

“It’s been a tough post-French Open for me, for sure,” Gauff said. “I know the improvements I need to make, and I feel like I’m making the right decision by making them. I wish I had more time between this tournament and Cincinnati, but that’s not the cards I was given.”

Gauff lost in the first round of Wimbledon following her French Open win and then lost in the quarterfinals at the Cincinnati Open. Days ahead of the US Open, she hired Gavin MacMillan—a biomechanics specialist—to help with her serve.

Following her loss to Osaka, Gauff said she will take a training block before the 2025 China Open later this month.

“Whatever happens for the rest of the year I just want it to be improvement,” Gauff said. “I don’t care results wise.”

Red, White, and Few

The American women had largely carried the men through the round of 16, with five players advancing to that stage of the tournament.

Gauff’s exit leaves just No. 8 Amanda Anisimova and No. 4 Jessica Pegula on the women’s side.

On the men’s side, Taylor Fritz is the lone American player left standing, set to face Novak Djokovic in the men’s quarterfinals Tuesday night. No other U.S. male player made it to the fourth round, after several upsets in Round 3—No. 6 Ben Shelton (retired due to injury), No. 14 Tommy Paul, and No. 17 were all eliminated.

However, Fritz’s presence means this is the sixth consecutive Grand Slam in which at least one American man reached the quarterfinal round, which is the longest such streak since 2004. Fritz reached the 2024 U.S. Open final, his best career performance at a Grand Slam.

Double the Magic

In the women’s doubles bracket, Venus Williams and Canadian Leylah Fernandez have advanced to the quarterfinals, as the surprise duo continues to bring unexpected juice to the tournament.

Williams, 45, and Fernandez, 22, had not played together in a pro event before, but are 3–0 and have not dropped a set. On Monday, they upset the No. 12 seed, Ekaterina Alexandrova and Zhang Shuai, in front of a sold-out Louis Armstrong Stadium, which seats more than 14,000 fans. Williams last played the women’s doubles at the US Open in 2022 with her sister, Serena.

Williams and Fernandez’s quarterfinal match will be Tuesday.

EXCLUSIVE

Chad Millman Leaves Action Network to Launch Volume Show

Chad Millman, a pioneer in sports gambling media and co-founder of Action Network, is set to launch a new betting show with Colin Cowherd’s The Volume. The move marks Millman’s latest major step after leading ESPN the Magazine and ESPN.com.

For more on this exclusive story, read Ryan Glasspiegel’s story here [[link removed]].

For all of our sports media news and analysis, you can subscribe to the twice-weekly “Tuned In” newsletter [[link removed]].

Lee Corso’s Farewell Delivers Record ‘College GameDay’ Viewership [[link removed]]

The Columbus Dispatch

Lee Corso’s final appearance on ESPN’s College GameDay [[link removed]] delivered the show’s most-watched episode of all time.

According to preliminary Nielsen ratings, ESPN averaged 3.5 million viewers for Saturday’s program, which paid tribute to the legendary college football analyst live from Columbus ahead of Ohio State’s 14–7 victory over Texas. The show was also simulcast on ESPNU.

As Corso, 90, made his last headgear pick, College GameDay peaked with 5.1 million viewers in its final 15 minutes, just before the noon ET slate of games kicked off.

Fox paid tribute to Corso, too, as its rival pregame show Big Noon Kickoff [[link removed]]—also broadcasting live from Columbus—aired Corso’s final pick. Ohio State also put Corso’s final moments on the video boards inside Ohio Stadium.

Final viewership figures will be released Wednesday and will likely push the total number of viewers closer to 4 million.

Before Saturday, College GameDay had never surpassed 3 million viewers for an entire episode. The previous most-watched edition was 2.6 million viewers [[link removed]] in November 2007, ahead of a No. 1 Kansas vs No. 2 Missouri matchup, according to Sports Media Watch.

Saturday’s episode was up 40% over last year’s Week 1 edition. The 2024 season was College GameDay’s most-watched on record [[link removed]], averaging 2.2 million viewers per episode.

The first episode of College GameDay in the post-Corso era will be in Norman on Saturday, ahead of Michigan–Oklahoma.

FRONT OFFICE SPORTS LIVE

Two Weeks to Tune In

Front Office Sports returns to The Times Center in Manhattan on Sept. 16 for Tuned In [[link removed]], presented by Elevate.

With official partners Greenberg Glusker and Nielsen, this daylong event will feature candid conversations with the biggest names in sports media, including:

Adam Silver, NBA Rob Manfred, MLB Kim Ng, AUSL Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN Eric Shanks, FOX Sports Luis Silberwasser, TNT Sports Jay Marine, Amazon Rick Cordella, NBC Sports Betsy Riley, NBC Olympics Maria Taylor, NBC Sports Ian Eagle, CBS Sports Noah Eagle, NBC Sports

Additionally, Stephen A. Smith and Clay Travis will hit the stage for a fiery debate about sports and politics.

Included in your ticket is a full day of programming, lunch, top-tier networking opportunities, and a post-event cocktail hour.

Secure your ticket now [[link removed]].

Conversation Starters At the US Open, one of the biggest draws is COQODAQ’s $100 chicken nugget box—featuring Petrosian caviar, crème fraîche, pickled daikon, and scallions. Check it out [[link removed]]. This weekend marks 18 years since Michigan paid Appalachian State $400,000 to play in Ann Arbor, which turned into one of the biggest upsets in college football history. Take a look back [[link removed]]. Soccer legend Gareth Bale says he looks to Steph Curry as an example for preparing for life beyond the game. Listen here [[link removed]]. Editors’ Picks The Big Money Behind Minor League Baseball’s Renaming Revolution [[link removed]]by Margaret Fleming [[link removed]]Teams are rebranding for local pride—and huge revenue. Son Heung-Min Effect Will Hit Big for MLS and L.A. [[link removed]]by Alex Christian [[link removed]]With a record signing, the South Korean supernova has landed at LAFC. The Most Expensive Roster Year in College Football History [[link removed]]by Amanda Christovich [[link removed]]The House settlement created revenue-sharing—and a big NIL loophole. Question of the Day

Did you watch any of Bill Belichick's debut as North Carolina head coach?

YES [[link removed]] NO [[link removed]]

Friday’s result: 80% of respondents think a salary cap would help make Major League Baseball even more competitive.

DISCLAIMER

*NOT FDIC INSURED | MAY LOSE VALUE | NO BANK GUARANTEE

There are risks involved with investing in ETFs, including possible loss of money. ETFs are subject to risks similar to those of stocks. Investments focus in a particular sector, such as technology, are subject to greater risks and are more greatly impacted by market volatility, than more diversified investments.

The Nasdaq-100 Index® includes the 100 largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq. An investment cannot be made directly into an index.

Before investing, consider the Fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. Visit invesco.com [[link removed]] for a prospectus with this information. Read it carefully before investing.

Invesco Distributors, Inc.

Advertise [[link removed]] Awards [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Events [[link removed]] Video [[link removed]] Shows [[link removed]] Written by David Rumsey [[link removed]], Annie Costabile [[link removed]] Edited by Matthew Tabeek [[link removed]]

If this email was forwarded to you, you can subscribe here [[link removed]].

Update your preferences [link removed] / Unsubscribe [link removed]

Copyright © 2025 Front Office Sports. All rights reserved.

460 Park Avenue South, 7th Floor, New York NY, 10016