LeBron’s company gets TV, movie deal
LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James is setting his sights beyond the basketball court.
The NBA star and his company, SpringHill Entertainment, have signed a content creation deal with Warner Bros. that includes potential projects in film, television and other digital properties.
Warner Bros. Chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara announced the partnership Wednesday.
James says connecting with his fans and “telling meaningful stories” have always been his passion. He’s the executive producer of the Starz show “Survivor’s Remorse,” and also referenced his video project “Uninterrupted” as examples.
SpringHill Entertainment CEO Maverick Carter added that he wants the company to be a “leader in the original content-creating space.”
Beyond his basketball and producing career, James also recently appeared as himself in the Judd Apatow/Amy Schumer comedy “Trainwreck.”
Hansbrough returns to NC
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Tyler Hansbrough hopes to jumpstart his basketball career in the same state where he first emerged on to the national scene.
The former North Carolina Tar Heels star forward signed a free agent contract with the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday. Terms of the deal were not announced.
“Obviously I’m comfortable in North Carolina, but I (also) felt like this would be a good fit for me to come in and bring some energy and do what I can to win here,” Hansbrough said during his introductory press conference Wednesday at the team’s downtown arena.
The 29-year-old Hansbrough spent the past two seasons with Toronto, although he saw limited playing time. He played four seasons before that with Indiana after being selected 13th overall in 2009 NBA draft.
His best season was 2010-11, when he averaged 11 points and 5.2 rebounds and started a career-high 29 games for the Pacers. His playing time and production have decreased each of the past four seasons. He averaged 3.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in 2014-15 for the Raptors.
ND, Navy to play in San Diego
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Navy and Notre Dame will play their annual rivalry game at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego in 2018, the first meeting between the longtime rivals west of the Mississippi.
The Fighting Irish and Midshipmen have played 88 times and earlier this month agreed to play in Jacksonville, Florida, in 2016.
The teams play this season on Oct. 10 in South Bend, Indiana. The 2018 game is set for Oct. 27.
San Diego hosts the largest naval fleet in the world and is home to more than 35,000 sailors, soldiers, Department of Defense civilian employees and contractors. Military bases include U.S. Navy facilities, Marine Corps bases, and Coast Guard stations.
Navy is 3-4 in San Diego, defeating BYU in the inaugural Holiday Bowl in 1978 and winning two Poinsettia Bowls.
Notre Dame has never played in San Diego. The Fighting Irish have won 75 games against Navy.
NHL closer to expansion
The Associated Press
The NHL is one step closer to establishing expansion teams in Las Vegas and Quebec City.
The league announced Tuesday it has received applications from prospective ownership groups in both markets, a day after a deadline for submissions.
The Las Vegas bid was submitted by billionaire businessman Bill Foley, who has spent the past seven months exploring the level of interest for professional hockey in the community. Montreal-based Quebecor, a Canadian media and telecommunications giant, submitted the bid for Quebec City, which previously served home to the NHL’s Nordiques.
As part of their application, bidders were required to submit a $10 million down payment, $2 million of which was nonrefundable.
There are at least two more steps in the expansion process, and the bids require approval from the NHL’s Board of Governors.
Case dropped against Bonds
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — After a nearly decade-long steroids prosecution, Barry Bonds emerged victorious Tuesday when federal prosecutors dropped what was left of their criminal case against the career home runs leader.
The government’s pursuit of Bonds ended quietly with a one-paragraph motion by the U.S. Department of Justice announcing Solicitor General Donald B. Verrilli Jr. will not ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review the appellate decision that overturned Bonds’ obstruction of justice conviction.
A jury found the former San Francisco Giants star guilty in 2011 for giving a meandering answer to a federal grand jury in 2003 when asked whether his personal trainer gave him anything that required a syringe for self-injection. An 11-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned that conviction in April, and the government had until Wednesday to file for a Supreme Court review.
The jury deadlocked on three counts accusing Bonds of making false statements when he denied receiving steroids or human growth hormone or any substance that required a syringe for self-injection from the trainer, Greg Anderson.
