SPORTS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2025
KART STAR LENOX HAS F1 GOAL
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
LENOX Lockhart, with future aspirations to become a Formula-1 champion for the Bahamas, is currently holding his own as a young go-karting superstar.
The ten-year-old prodigy, who started his journey at the age of six, has emerged as winner of more than 20 international races and is a straight-A student in online schooling.
While he resides in West Palm Beach, Florida, Lockhart is home for a few days spending time with his family before he gets back into the competitive mode for his next competition at the ROK Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada from October 29-November.
‘The
Lockhart, on various stops to the media houses yesterday.
“He has been competing very well.”
Over the last two months, Lockhart competed in a few events in New Castle, Indiana where he was second, winning a title in Mooresville, North Carolina and falling short in another event in North Carolina where he got bumped by his opponents.
“It was a learning process for me,” said Lockhart, who admitted that everybody was gunning for him after his previous victory and they made sure he wasn’t successful.
“He’s in a good position to qualify for the championships,” said Schauff, who accompanied Lockhart and his father, Migueal
If he is successful, Susan Schauff, vice president of the Bahamas Motorsports Federation, said Lockhart will book his ticket to the SKUSA SuperNats in Las Vegas from November 12-16, the biggest race on the calendar for the year.
To date, Lockhart, who races for Team Sodi by Velocity Racing, has stood atop the podium with more than 19 wins, 38 podiums and 40 top-five finishes.
TOP QUARTET SET OFF FOR BELIZE TEST
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor
expose rhythm to many international races so that they can gain points so that we can be in a better position to qualify for the World Championships and
Jr, national runner up Sienna Culmer-Mackey and national champion Kami Roach. “Our aim is to work with the under-23 cyclists and
from left, Barron Musgrove Jr, Felix Neely, Kami Roach and Sienna Culmer-Mackey
LENOX Lockhart.
Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr
THOMPSON AND GERVASINI SHINE IN CHALLENGE RACE
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
ARCARDY Thompson and Ilaria Gervasini pulled off the male and female victory in the New Providence Cycling Association’s Challenge Road Race 2 on Sunday at the Clifton Pier Parking Lot.
Thompon, representing the Island Vybz, won the 46.56 mile race in two hours, three minutes and 58 seconds, while Gervasini, competing for the Mighty Flamingo, was the top female finisher in ninth place overall in 2:34.12.
Barrin “Turbo” Musgrove, president of the NPCA, said the event was a tremendous success.
“The whole drive for us is to develop our feeder system with our young people,” he said. “So to have over 20 young cyclists, all under the age of 17, participating, could only mean a growth for the sport.”
The NPCA will stage the final race in the series in November and Musgrove said they will be targeting the schools and some of the other sports like swimming and track and field, to get some of their athletes to come out and compete.
He noted that the performances from Sunday’s event just showed the level of improvement that the young cyclists have obtained so far this year.
“Our youngsters, who are 10 to 12, have been doing up to 20 miles,” Musgove pointed out. “That is not normal for kids at that age, but it shows that the kids are enthused about the sport and they love competing.
“We have a lot of access in terms of training and a lot of access in terms of what is the standard internationally and a lot of kids are aware of those standards, so we’re working towards improving our local standards to bring it up to par internationally.”
Once they complete the three-race series, Musgrove said the NCA will switch gears to its mountain bike and BMX season that starts in November and runs through March, 2026.
“We are basically having cycling all year instead of just road cycling, which is about eight months out of the year,” he said. “As the world is now taking the western hemisphere by storm in cycling, we now have to put all of the various cycling disciplines in seasons.”
The finishers in order of their races are as follows: 46.56 miles overallArcardy Thompson, Island Vybz, 2:03.58; Marc Saulner, Ranch Resort, 2:03.59; Barron Musgrove Jr, Adventures Cycling Club, 2:05.15; Kevin Daley, Enjoy Cycling, 2:05.16; Jeff Tynes,
Enjoy Cycling, 2:06.12; Stephan Cantin, 2:09.27; Ricardo Smith, Enjoy Cycling, 2:25.47; D’nacko Parker, Adventures Cycling Club, 2:33.55; Ilaria Gersasini, Mighty Flamingo, 2:34.12; Cameron Roach, Mighty Flamingo, 2:36.01; Suzy /Eneas, Mighty Flamingo, 2:36.03; Tyrone Paul, Mighty Flamingo, 2:37.03; Tristan Johnson, Adventures Cycling Club, 2:46.20.
29.1 miles overall - Nathaniel Adderley, Adventures Cycling Club, 1:47.31; Kaalen Ferguson, 1:47.51; Claude Robert, Enjoy Cycling, 1:58.21; Kendrick Cargill, Adventures Cycling Club, 2:06.50. 17.46 miles pverall - Sibby Potter, Mighty Flamingo, 50.26; Torion Turner, Adventures Cycling Club, 50.27; Lyall Menzies, Mighty Flamingo, 50.35; Mia Van Der Riet, 51.10; Maximilian Van Der Riet, 58.47; Ella Brueckner, Adventures Cycling Club, 58.49; Blue Gray, Adventures Cycling Club, 58.50; Sophie Brueckner, Adventures Cycling Club, 1:01.56; Sanchia Fitzmaurce,Mighty Flamingo, 1:02.35; Hailey Roiberts, 1:02.49; Destiny Sweeting, Breezile, 1:12.21; Gebriael McPhee, 1:56.29.
BALLERS ARE CHAMPIONS
By JONATHAN BURROWS Tribune Sports Reporter
jburrows@tribunemedia.net
GAME seven of the Bahamas Government Departmental Basketball Association rematch championship series took place yesterday at the AF Adderley gymnasium.
The number one-seeded defending champions Police Crimestoppers would lose to the Nassau Flight Services Ballers
77-74 now crowning a new champion. The game was tight straight through to the fourth quarter as both teams fought tooth and nail with over seven lead changes in the last three minutes of play. At the two-minute mark, the score remained tied at 70-70.
It would be Abel Joseph to break the tie at the one-minute mark making two of three free throws
after a foul on a threepoint attempt, putting the Ballers up 72-70. The game would end in a free-throw battle with Abel hitting the dagger free throws to end the game. Abel would lead all scorers posting a doubledouble with 34 points and 14 rebounds. Abel would also walk away not only a champion but also awarded the Most Valuable Player award for his outstanding play
throughout the playoffs.
When asked how he felt about winning the award he responded, “It feels natural, but the main thing is winning the championship it’s not about the MVP, without my team I would never be the MVP,” said Abel.
Commenting on a rough fourth quarter Abel said, “A little bit of fatigue, I had to get back locked in like how I started the first half, when you playing you
have your ups and downs… I hit when I could’ve hit and missed when I missed but at the end of the day we came out on top.”
Nassau Flight Services Ballers’ head coach Ricardo Richardson commented on the feeling of coming back to championships and getting that win after being swept in last year’s series. “It’s so sweet for the shoes to be on the other foot, like I told y’all earlier
in the season, they were bigger and stronger, we were smarter and quicker and I think we just put what we had into perspective and we came out as the champs,” he said. This championship series proved to be one for the ages as the Ballers fought as the underdogs falling down two games early in the series to the Crimestoppers, fighting their way back to force a game seven, and coming out victorious.
LENOX: I WANT TO BECOME A CHAMPION FOR THE BAHAMAS
At the age of six while watching Formula 1 races on television with his father, Migueal Lockhart said he gained an appreciation for the sport and three years later, he was on the track competing.
“But since then, I’ve been able to gain my confidence.” Lockhart is enrolled in Florida Virtual School where he’s holding his own as a student.
“School is going very well,” Lockhart said. “I’m getting all As, so I
“The first race I didn’t know what to expect,” said Lockhart, who admitted that he had to ride through the bumps and bruises.
am very pleased with my success.” Racing, according to Lockhart, is just different. He practices a lot on the simulator to ensure that he minitors his progress as he continues from competition to competition. His father noted that his son has participated in more than 30 international races, but he’s done
a lot more local competitions to keep him fit and ready.
When he’s not competing, Lockhart also participates in martial arts, but he admitted that there’s nothing like racing.
“My goal right now is to compete in Formula 1 and become a champion for The Bahamas,” he said. “I love competing in the sport.”
His father said the goal is to get his son to come back home to train and help more youngsters to compete in the edcarting competition. At present, Lockhart competes in the Micro Swift 8-10 class in the 20 lap races that feature up to about 40 competitors. His father, however, said he will be moving up to the next
division to gain some more experience.
Lockhart thanked his parents, his family, the Bahamas community and Susan Schauff for what he has achieved so far. But he acknowledged that with their continued support, he will achieve his ultimate goal of being a world champion for The Bahamas.
PANTHERS DONATE VOLLEYBALLS TO DW DAVIS
THE Fidelity/Central Gas Panthers Volleyball Club pride their current dominance of the New Providence Volleyball Association to their practice site at the DW Davis Gymnasium where they also play their games. Yesterday, the club showed their
appreciation to the DW Davis Junior High Athletic Department by presenting them with several volleyballs to help in their current participation in the Government Secondary Schools Sports Asosciation’s regular season.
“We, the Panthers,
believe in building our teams from the ground up, as is evident by our personnel,” said Jason Saunders, the founder and head coach of the Panthers.
“Volleyball and indeed sports in general, cannot grow when at the local level, there is no
succession planning. To this end, the Fidelity/Central Gas Panthers thought it a must that we invest in our youth and to use our sport, volleyball, as a stepping stone towards that end.”
Saunders, a former national team player and coach, said the
club thought it only fit-
ting that they show our commitment by donating volleyballs to DW Davis for affording them access to the gym for both our practices and our youth development programme.
“We say thank you, to the principal, Ms.
Latoya Burrows, the faculty and staff, and they can be assured that we will continue to assist as best we can,” Saunders said. Burrows, along with members of the Athletic Department and some of their student-athletes.
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE 3-1 VICTORY OVER THE TECHNICIANS
The NPVA season continues this week as on Wednesday, October 8, a two-game headline with the Panthers taking on the Aces at 7.30pm and the Technicians B team takes on the Intruders at 9pm at the DW Davis Gymnasium.
NASCAR teams urge settlement as trial looms for Michael Jordan’s antitrust suit against series
By JENNA FRYER AP Auto Racing Writer
MICHAEL Jordan stood on the steps outside a federal courthouse and acknowledged he was willing to settle an antitrust suit against NASCAR. The judge hearing the case months ago admonished both sides to come to a resolution. The biggest names in NASCAR — Roger Penske, Rick Hendrick, Joe Gibbs and Richard Childress — have called for a settlement.
The likelihood of finding some sort of peace agreement seems slim, though. Just last week, the attorney representing the two teams suing NASCAR said he was looking forward to a December trial.
What the non-suing teams have realised is that the entire NASCAR ecosystem is at stake. The suit filed by Jordan-owned 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports has the potential to significantly impact every team. For the first time, they have gone on record calling for both a settlement and the protection of the charter system that is at the heart of NASCAR’s business model and the focal point of the court fight.
US District Judge Kenneth Bell warned of the dangers of going to trial.
“Until the jury comes back and we start talking -- and only if they find for the plaintiffs, and we start talking about equitable remedies — nobody knows what ‘26 is going to look like,” Bell cautioned at the last hearing. “Sponsors don’t know, drivers don’t know, broadcasters don’t know. Because if plaintiffs prevail, NASCAR is going to look very different. And that’s a lot of uncertainty for everybody.
“If plaintiffs don’t prevail, everybody’s got certainty: You ain’t racing with a charter. Nothing about their business is going to change. But nobody knows that until sometime mid-December.”
The charter system
The charter system is NASCAR’s version of a franchise model. A charter guarantees owners spots in the field, a base amount of revenue each year, and according to
NASCAR, has created more than $1.5 billion in equity value for its teams since 2016.
A year ago, 13 of the 15 teams re-signed when they believed two-plus years of negotiations would not lead to a better deal. 23XI, co-owned by Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, and Front Row Motorsports, owned by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, went to court instead.
For months, the other 13 teams have privately complained that the lawsuit is creating uncertainty over the future of NASCAR. One session before a mediator earlier this year was not productive, and NASCAR this week is expected to file a motion in hopes of having a judge other than Bell hear both sides and advise on a resolution.
The latest motions NASCAR last Friday asked Bell for summary judgement in its favor and an October 21 hearing is scheduled.
The filing in the US District Court in Charlotte included statements from several NASCAR team owners and executives supporting the charter system and urging resolution.
Among the statements was one from Gibbs, who owns the team that Hamlin drives for and has a technical alliance with 23XI Racing. He made it clear he has told both sides he does not want to be a witness in court “and I think it’s important for this to be resolved before any real damage is done to the sport.”
The teams have always wanted the charters — which are currently being sold on the open market for roughly $45m — to become permanent. They currently have expiration dates and are tied to NASCAR’s broadcast package.
“I have repeatedly expressed my strong desire for the charter system to become permanent in nature, and I continue to hold out hope that will one day be
the case,” Gibbs wrote. “Doing so would, in my view, solidify the financial health and well-being of the Cup teams and the sport as a whole.”
Penske wrote he signed the deal “because I felt that NASCAR was not going to move any further on their document and it was time for our team to go forward.”
From Childress: “Without charters, the team ownership model is unsustainable.”
And from Hendrick: “Without this framework in place, I question the longterm viability of the teams. More than anything, I hope the matter is resolved in a way that does not put the sport at risk.”
What happens next?
Although Jordan said after the last hearing in August he was open to settlement, the attorney representing 23XI and Front Row indicated his clients are prepared to go to trial. Jeffrey Kessler said there is a willingness
for settlement talks, but argued the owner declarations only support the antitrust case.
“My clients are not, and never have been, seeking to eliminate the charter system,” Kessler said.
“They have supported charters because teams cannot survive without them.
The declarations from team owners and executives acknowledge this same economic reality. ... NASCAR’S new motion changes nothing and we look forward to presenting our case at trial on December 1.”
NASCAR has indicated there is a path toward resolution before trial, though it is unwilling to renegotiate the charter agreements.
NASCAR has also not revealed what common ground it is willing to reach with 23XI and Front Row.
For NASCAR, the stakes are so much higher for everyone from the France family to the 13 teams that aren’t suing. A loss could lead to a dramatic overhaul of NASCAR’s very structure, starting with the charter system teams say they want. Bell could order the France
to sell the series or the race tracks they own.
This lawsuit has already taken a toll on the industry and the time for resolution is dwindling.
23XI and Front Row have said they remain committed to meaningful change — perhaps that is permanent charters, or maybe it is by forcing NASCAR, a private company owned by the Florida-based France family, to divest itself from controlling essentially every aspect of the nation’s top motorsports series. But going to trial is a dangerous proposition. If the teams lose, 23XI and Front Row could simply cease to exist in NASCAR. 23XI has already told its employees they will be taken care of through the 2026 season. It isn’t financially viable for the organisations to compete without charters no matter how much money Jordan has.
family
DRIVERS head down the front straightaway during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City on Sunday, September 28.
Photo: Colin E Braley/AP
TEAM owner Michael Jordan looks on during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Darlington Raceway in August.
Photo: Matt Kelley/AP
McDaniel: No time to waste in effort to save reeling Dolphins’ season
By TIM REYNOLDS AP Sports Writer
THE 1972 Miami Dolphins went 17-0 and New England’s win over Buffalo on Sunday night ensured that, for at least one more season, they’ll remain the NFL’s only perfect team.
The 2025 Miami Dolphins had a 17-0 lead on Sunday. They are not a perfect team.
The lead slipped away, and it seems the season is slipping away as well. Miami’s 27-24 loss at Carolina dropped the Dolphins to 1-4 on the season, meaning it’s going to be an uphill fight just to have any chance at a postseason push.
“The bottom line is you have no time to waste,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Monday. “There’s no egos that can be involved. It has to be a collective mission to correct things, and it has to be urgent with no time to waste. But the responsibility is mine to hold and bear. I have a locker room and a coaching staff that I believe in for a reason.”
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa evidently feels the same way. The Dolphins, he said, need an absolute sense of urgency.
“No one wants to start the season 1-4. ... We’ve got to figure this out,” Tagovailoa said. “We’ve got to figure this out now.”
There may be an opportunity in the weeks ahead. None of Miami’s next four opponents — the Los Angeles Chargers, then Cleveland, Atlanta and Baltimore — are currently better than 3-2. A change in fortunes isn’t impossible. McDaniel met with owner Stephen Ross after Sunday’s loss, and both expressed frustration with how things are going.
McDaniel said he sees things on tape that can be fixed.
“There’s a lot of talking. We need to major in doing,” McDaniel said. “And I don’t think anybody wants to hear me talk about it. As much as I don’t feel like saying it, it doesn’t change
the steadfast reality that is you have to get better at things, or you’ll continue having the same results.”
What’s working
The offence has scored at least 21 points in each of the last four games, which didn’t seem likely after the
33-8 loss in Week 1 at Indianapolis. But for the first time since 1988, the Dolphins have scored at least 21 points in four straight games and managed exactly one win in that span.
What needs help
The rushing defence is broken. The Dolphins have matched a franchise worst by allowing 871 yards on the ground through five games; it also happened in 2007 when Miami finished 1-15. Miami is being outgained on the ground by 92 yards per game, which would be the biggest difference in the NFL over a full season since Cleveland was outrushed by 99.1 yards per game in 1999.
Miami had no run for longer than 6 yards Sunday and has had one carry for more than 25 yards all season — while Carolina’s Rico Dowdle had three runs for 25 or more yards in the last three quarters Sunday alone.
Stock up
TE Darren Waller. The Dolphins threw him five passes on Sunday and he caught all five for 78 yards and his third touchdown in two games. Miami didn’t find ways to get him involved in the second half and the Dolphins paid the price.
Stock down
CB Jack Jones. A game is never decided on one or two plays. But his holding call that helped Carolina’s march to a touchdown and
a 20-17 lead with 6:10 left followed by his pass interference penalty that denied Miami one last comeback attempt and gave the Panthers a new set of downs with which they ran out the clock were just the sort of blunders that a team with no wiggle room can’t afford.
Injuries
The Dolphins lost more depth Sunday, at least in the short term. LB Tyrel Dodson left in the fourth quarter and has entered concussion protocol. CB Cornell Armstrong Jr, who also left in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury, will miss time, McDaniel said.
Key stat In the regular season, the Dolphins were 211-8 alltime in games where they led by 17 or more points and the Panthers were 3-113 all-time in games when they trailed by 17 or more — including 39 consecutive losses. Until Sunday.
Next steps
The Dolphins host the Chargers on Sunday. Ross and Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh have ties; Ross is a Michigan alum and donor, while Harbaugh coached the Wolverines from 2015 through a national-titlewinning season in 2023. Also forever linked — Tagovailoa and Chargers QB Justin Herbert. Tagovailoa was the No 5 pick in the 2020 draft, one spot ahead of Herbert.
SILLY MISTAKES, COSTLY BLUNDERS AND HEAD-SCRATCHING DECISIONS LED TO SLOPPY FOOTBALL
By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer
SUNDAY was filled with sloppy football, silly mistakes and head-scratching decisions.
Another NFL player gave away a touchdown by carelessly dropping the ball before he crossed the goal line. A roughing-the-kicker penalty erased a touchdown return in a different game. The Super Bowl champions ignored their record-setting running back. The most egregious play of Week 5 occurred when Cardinals running back Emari Demercado turned a 72-yard touchdown run into a touchback by slowing down near the goal line and releasing the ball as Titans cornerback L’Jarius Sneed swiped at his arm. Officials initially ruled it a touchdown but a video review showed Demercado didn’t have possession when he
entered the end zone. Instead of increasing Arizona’s 21-6 lead, Demercado’s gaffe kept Tennessee in the game. Teammate Dadrion Taylor-Demerson then gave the Titans a chance to win after he intercepted Cam Ward’s pass but fumbled while falling to the ground in a wild play that resulted in a touchdown for Tennessee. Receiver Tyler Lockett fell on the loose ball in the end zone, cutting the Cardinals’ lead to 21-19 with 4:51 left. Joey Slye made a 29-yard field goal as time expired and the Titans beat the Cardinals to snap a 10-game losing streak. Last week, Colts receiver Adonai Mitchell committed the same costly miscue as Demercado, which makes the latest blunder even more inexcusable because it should have been on the forefront of every player’s mind. Mitchell held the ball out as he neared the goal
line and lost control of it for a touchback, negating what would have been a spectacular 76-yard touchdown reception against the Los Angeles Rams in a 27-20 loss. “I just made a mistake. Really no excuse,” Demercado told reporters. “Obviously emotional. Big play. I just got to be smarter.”
Penalty fest A penalty flag wasn’t thrown on every big play this week, but it seemed that way in several games.
The worst may have been the roughing-the-kicker call on Chargers reserve linebacker Marlowe Wax that wiped out a 57-yard punt return touchdown by Ladd McConkey late in the second quarter. Los Angeles led Washington 10-7 at the time. The penalty allowed the Commanders to retain possession and
they ended up with a tying field goal on the drive on the way to a 27-10 win.
The Chargers were one of 10 teams that had at least nine penalties. Those teams went 4-6.
“It’s on us to fix that,” Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert said of the penalties. “You can’t expect to win games like that when you’re having penalties like that.”
The Patriots gave the Bills 30 yards on consecutive plays after taking a 20-10 lead in the fourth quarter. After a roughingthe-passer penalty, James Cook was stopped for a 4-yard loss on an excellent play by Harold Landry. But Joshua Farmer inexplicably drilled him seconds after the whistle. Josh Allen tossed a touchdown pass a few plays later but the Patriots ended up handing Buffalo its first loss, 23-20.
Questionable decisions Philadelphia’s playcalling again was curious. This time, it wasn’t because frustrated wide receivers AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith weren’t involved in the offence in a 21-17 loss to Denver. Instead, the duo combined for 13 catches on 18 targets while Saquon Barkley got just six carries in a game in which the Eagles led 10-3 at halftime and 17-3 going into the fourth quarter. The offence had two possessions with a 14-point lead. Barkley got a carry on one of the 10 plays and a false start stopped it. Jalen Hurts completed 2 of 6 passes, got sacked once and scrambled for 4 yards on another. Barkley was the AP Offensive Player of the Year in 2024 and set an NFL record by rushing for 2,504 yards in the regular season and playoffs. He’s struggled this season but had 30 yards on his six carries and also caught a 47-yard TD pass. Coach Nick Sirianni and offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo needed to open up the offence, stretch the field and utilise Brown and Smith more. But giving the ball to the running backs on just nine of 55 plays was surprising and uncharacteristic for a team that had won 20 of its previous 21 games.
“I just think we’re searching for improvement and so given what type of team we’re built to be, we have to be able to establish the run in some regard and that could look different,” Hurts said. “It may not be what it’s been, but ultimately being able to lean on the run game is important. So we just have to look into how we can improve in that area and go out there and take ownership of the things that we can control and grow from this opportunity.”
CAROLINA Panthers wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr is tackled by Miami Dolphins free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick on Sunday in Charlotte.
Photo: Rusty Jones/AP
MIAMI Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel speaks during a news conference after an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
Photo: Rusty Jones/AP
FROM COMPOSTING TO SOLAR PANELS, NFL STADIUMS ARE WORKING TO BE MORE SUSTAINABLE
By ISABELLA O’MALLEY
Associated Press
A WALL of solar panels towered above a sea of green football jerseys as people filed into Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia for a recent Eagles home game. Inside, some fans snapped photos with an oversized Lombardi Trophy made out of recycled plastic collected from the stadium while others strolled to their seats carrying beverages in recyclable aluminum cups.
“These are real nice cups,” said Tre Simon, a fan who was impressed at how cold the aluminum cup kept his drink. “Keep this going ... I think it’s perfect.”
Stadium staff manually sort recyclables, and an on-site compactor crushes aluminum so the metal can be sold for recycling.
The Linc recycled 18 tons of aluminum in 2024 and reinvested the money into the stadium’s sustainability program.
The venue is among several NFL stadiums, also including those in Atlanta and Santa Clara, that have made strides in lowering their carbon footprints by installing solar panels and creating composting and recycling programmes. Powering jumbotrons, bright lights and air conditioning requires huge amounts of energy, which can take its toll on the environment. Experts said the moves are a step in the right direction and encourage fans of the most-watched sport in the United States to try similar approaches at home.
“You always want to root for a team that’s doing good by the environment and the community,” said Brendan Gee, an Eagles fan at another home game.
“Why not recycle when you can, and solar panels are pretty cool I guess,” said Jakub Dzafic, another Eagles fan, who added:
“Any NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB team should try and do that when they can.” Solar panels and energy credits
Lincoln Financial Field is considered a leader in venue sustainability. The solar panels produce about 40% of the stadium’s energy annually and renewable energy credits are purchased to offset the rest, said Norman Vossschulte,
the Eagles’ vice president of fan experience and sustainability.
“Our hope is that our efforts will inspire our fans to do the same and take some of their own actions.
If we all did something, I think it’d make a big difference,” Vossschulte said.
Large sporting events can produce a lot of waste and consume massive amounts of energy. Asked whether a stadium can ever be truly sustainable, Tony Lamanna, construction management professor at Arizona State University, said “every bit counts. “
“I don’t think you necessarily have to be net zero to be making an impact,” he said. Lamanna said stadium sustainability encompasses both how the venue reduces its own footprint and how it influences fans’ habits.
“If you can model the right actions to the 80,000 fans or however many you have in your stadium, think of the impact,” he said. Keeping waste out of landfills
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home to the Falcons in Atlanta, became the first professional sports stadium internationally to achieve a Total Resource Use and Efficiency Platinum certification for diverting 90% or more of its waste from landfills.
“I’d say 98% of what you get out of a concession or point of sale is compostable,” said Adam Fullerton, the stadium’s vice president of operations.
The stadium has a garden that grows fruits and vegetables used by the culinary team, a 680,000-gallon (2,574,080 liter) cistern that collects rainwater that is used for irrigation and 4,000 solar panels. At games, fans who are spotted recycling can be featured on the stadium video board and win a signed jersey. Fullerton said fans seek out the sustainability team in hopes of being spotted.
“Start small and at least start doing something,” is Fullerton’s advice for venues that are interested in becoming more sustainable. He said it costs about 10
cents per fan who attend events to run the zero waste programme.
“In the grand scheme of things, that’s pretty cheap,” he said.
Waste created by tailgating outside the stadium remains a challenge because the parking lots can be outside the scope of the stadium’s waste management program. “It’s really difficult to control what a fan brings with them” to a tailgate, said Fullerton.
Fans can practice sustainability and minimize tailgate waste by packaging food and beverages in reusable containers and placing all waste and recyclables in their corresponding bins, taking public transit and adjusting home thermostats when they leave to save energy and money.
How sustainable marketing can lead to behaviour changes
The visibility of stadium sustainability initiatives leads to a sense of group identity and increases the likelihood that fans will adopt that mindset as their
own, said Karen Winterich, professor of sustainability and marketing at the Pennsylvania State University.
“One big thing we know about any sort of behaviour change, and that includes sustainable behaviours, is that consumers are really motivated by identity, social norms and social pressures,” she said. When everyone puts their can into a stadium recycling bin, it increases the odds they’ll do so at home.
Climate change and renewable energy, especially solar and wind, are topics that are highly politicized. “I think it’s really strategic by the NFL … they’re talking about it for the benefits, but not in a polarising way,” said Winterich. She said a strategy that often works to get people on board with sustainability is highlighting the benefits of on-site energy usage and how the local environment benefits from less pollution, composting and recycling.
NFL Green, the league’s sustainability programme, aims to leave “a green
legacy in the communities we visit,” said Anna Isaacson, the league’s senior vice president of social responsibility. For major events such as the Super Bowl, NFL Green hosts community feedback sessions that have inspired efforts such as the league financially supporting a coastal wetland project in Louisiana, where the 2025 Super Bowl was held.
The next Super Bowl will be held at the Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Some of the stadium’s sustainable initiatives include 1,162 solar panels, a rooftop garden that yields about 10,000 pounds of crops annually, and recycling and composting 70% of all materials.
“The Bay Area is our home and it’s a unique place with tons of natural beauty. So our goal is to keep our community clean, not just for now, but for the future,” said Francine Melendez Hughes, executive vice president and general manager of Levi’s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers.
FANS watch action at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium during an NFL football game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Kansas City Chiefs on September 22 in Atlanta.
Photo: Danny Karnik/AP
SOLAR panels outside Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Photo: Matt Slocum/AP
Lawrence stumbles but conquers
By MARK LONG AP
Pro Football Writer
TREVOR Lawrence tripped, got up and scrambled for a 1-yard touchdown with 23 seconds remaining — turning a laughable miscue into an improbable score — and the Jacksonville Jaguars beat Kansas City 31-28 on Monday night.
The crazy ending halted the Jags’ eight-game losing streak to the Chiefs (2-3). Lawrence ran for two touchdowns on the night and also threw for a score, helping balance a performance that included two turnovers.
He was perfect when it mattered most for the Jaguars (4-1). Lawrence dropped a precision pass to Brian Thomas Jr for a 33-yard gain on the goahead drive and then hit Dyami Brown for another big gain. Chamarri Conner was flagged for pass interference against Thomas on the next play, setting up Lawrence’s trip and score.
Right guard Patrick Mekari stepped on Lawence’s right foot as he took the snap, and he fell several yards in the backfield. But he got up and somehow found the end zone. It helped that several defenders, including Chris Jones, stopped on the play.
Lawrence completed 18 of 25 passes for 221 yards. Patrick Mahomes accounted for two touchdowns, and Kareem Hunt ran for two more scores for Kansas City, which had won 23 straight when leading by at least 14 points. The Chiefs took an early 14-0 lead, thanks in part to a fumble by Lawrence at the goal line.
The Jaguars led 21-14 in the third quarter and 24-21 in the fourth before Mahomes rallied the Chiefs. Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd, the AFC defensive player of the month for September, returned an interception 99 yards for a touchdown in the third. It was the longest interception return by a linebacker in NFL history.
Lloyd’s pick looked like it might be a gamechanger. He stepped in front of Mahomes’ pass intended for JuJu SmithSchuster at the goal line and took off the other way for his league-leading fifth takeaway.
He juked Mahomes and Hunt, then got up to full speed along the Jaguars’ sideline. He picked up a block from Josh HinesAllen and then held the ball tight as Tyquan Thornton tried to knock it loose at the 5-yard line.
Travis Hunter makes a
rookie splash Jaguars two-way standout Travis Hunter made two big-time plays, including the fourth-longest reception by a rookie this season. Hunter hauled in a 44-yarder in the third quarter — and it was no easy catch.
The Heisman Trophy winner jumped and reached
over Conner to snare the ball and then held on despite getting his legs wiped out by Bryan Cook. The Jaguars scored four plays later to tie the game at 14-all. His catch-and-run in the second quarter was nearly as good. He took a short pass in the left flat and juked two defenders en route to a 12-yard gain.
Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy hobbled off the field in the third quarter after appearing to tweak an ankle but returned a few plays later. Worthy had been listed as questionable because he got off the team flight with a swollen ankle.
Chiefs rookie LT Josh Simmons played despite being added to the injury report shortly before kickoff with an illness.
Jaguars TE Brenton Strange left the game in the first half with left hip injury and did not return. Jacksonville played without DE Travon Walker, who had surgery last Monday to repair an injured left wrist.
EAGLES’ OFFENSIVE WOES CONTINUE AS BRONCOS HAND CHAMPS THEIR FIRST LOSS
By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer
AJ BROWN skipped the cryptic social media post and went straight to the hard truth about the state of the punchless Eagles offense.
“The inconsistency showed up again,” Brown said. The Super Bowl champion Eagles got off to a 4-0 start even with an offense largely missing the blockbuster plays (well, outside of special teams) and breathtaking runs that defined the team a year ago.
Under first-year coordinator Kevin Patullo, every key Eagles offensive player has seen a significant dip in production from last season.
Perhaps spurred by Brown’s social media measures and a general malaise from the fan base, the Eagles picked up the pace a bit in the first half Sunday against Denver. They scored 10 points — which seemed like a 2024 30 — in the half and stretched the lead to 17-3 headed into the fourth.
The play calling seemed easy to seal another win. Let Saquon Barkley
finally get some carries and stretch the field and burn the clock. Let Jalen Hurts
continue to hit Brown and DeVonta Smith for driveextending receptions. None of it happened. Bo Nix and the Broncos instead found their groove and scored 18 points in the quarter to rally to a 21-17 win and send the Eagles to their first loss in 11 games. As Brown noted, the Eagles were inconsistent — if not downright bland — offensively over the first four games under Patullo and that sparked some hand-wringing from 1,000yard receivers in Brown and Smith. Brown even wrote a cryptic social media post after last week’s win in Tampa Bay that seemed to hint at some unhappiness before clarifying all was
good with him in Philly. Brown and Smith combined for four catches for 34 yards last week. They blew past those totals in the first half alone against the Broncos and both were pivotal players in one of their finest drives of the season. With the game tied 3-all, Hurts hit Smith on a 52-yard reception to the Denver 26,
the longest pass play of the season for the Eagles. Hurts targeted Brown on the next play and the wideout drew a pass interference call that put the ball on the 2.
That extra yard was the difference in a tush push vs. a run-pass option and Hurts had enough time to connect with tight end Dallas Goedert for the touchdown. Goedert has caught a TD pass in three straight games. Hurts found another forgotten member of a once-explosive offensive unit in the third quarter when he hit a wide-open Barkley on a wheel route for a 47-yard TD pass and a 17-3 lead, much to the delight of cheering actor and Eagles fan Bradley Cooper. That spark was snuffed out in a hurry in the fourth.
The misplay of the game came in the third when the Eagles still led 17-3 and Hurts appeared to overthrow an open Brown on what could have been a 61-yard touchdown.
“I have to really watch the film to be able to assess that,” Hurts said. “Obviously that’s the one that you want to hit in a big moment in the game.”
Hurts did throw for 280 yards and now has seven touchdowns without an interception this season. Smith had eight catches for 114 yards receiving and Brown’s complaints only netted him five catches for 43 yards.
“I won’t say the word out of balance. I just think we’re searching for improvement and so given what type of team we’re built to be, we have to be able to establish the run in some regard and that could look different,” Hurts said. “It may not be what it’s been, but ultimately being able to lean on the run game is important.”
Oh yeah, the run game. The Eagles seemed to forget they have Barkley in the backfield. The 2,005yard rusher from a season ago was held to just 30 yards on only six — six! — carries. He has a paltry 267 yards rushing through five games. Why did the Eagles abandon the run?
“I’m not really going to get too caught up in that,” Barkley said. “At the end of the day, whether we ran
ball enough or not, we had an opportunity to win a
The other critical play came in the fourth when the Eagles had a late fourthdown conversion called back on an illegal shift penalty whistled against Barkley. The Eagles were instead forced to punt.
the
football game. We didn’t.”
PHILADELPHIA Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts looks to pass during the second half against the Denver Broncos on Sunday.
Photo: Matt Rourke/AP
JACKSONVILLE Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence dives into the end zone past Kansas City Chiefs safety Jaden Hicks to score.
Photo: John Raoux/AP
KANSAS City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt runs into the end zone to score a touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Photo: Phelan M Ebenhack/AP
Photos: Chappell Whyms Jr