What James Franklin’s $50M Buyout Means for Penn State and CFB | WNBA Labor Negotiation Details

Penn State fired James Franklin over the weekend, granting him the second-largest buyout in college football history at nearly $50 million. Former Penn State tight end and college football analyst Adam Breneman joins Baker Machado and Renee Washington with his reaction to the news about his former coach, and why this made sense despite Franklin's success. Meanwhile, FOS newsletter writer David Rumsey explains why buyouts are becoming more common in college football. Plus, the Las Vegas Aces are champions once again, but the conversation around the WNBA quickly shifts to collective bargaining talks, says FOS women's sports reporter Annie Costabile. She joins with exclusive reporting around the details of the latest proposal, which the WNBA calls "very compelling." Also, Mark Sanchez speaks, the NBA takes a big step toward games in China, and Tiger Woods is getting another surgery. Key Moments: 0:28 - Sanchez speaks, Jess Berman extension, NBA in China 5:00 - James Franklin out at Penn State with ~$50M buyout 17:04 - Buyout Season: the costs to cut coaches 21:33 - Aces complete WNBA finals sweep as focus shifts to CBA 26:15 - Tiger Woods Injury

The Las Vegas Aces are close to clinching their third WNBA title in four seasons, as they lead the Phoenix Mercury 3–0 with a chance to close it out on the road. As the Aces blow through the WNBA's first best-of-seven Finals, FOS women's sports reporter Annie Costabile joins from Phoenix to explain the historical dominance of Las Vegas and where things stand with collective bargaining discussions. Plus, former college basketball star Deja Kelly joins Baker Machado and Renee Washington to offer a player perspective of the tension between WNBA athletes and commissioner Cathy Engelbert. Kelly also spent training camp with the Aces and explains what makes them so successful. Also, we hear from NWSL player Jess Carter on the postseason push, the Pro Bowl is getting reimagined, and Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show has competition. Key Moments: 0:37 - New Pro Bowl, SB Halftime competition, Inside the NBA schedule 6:13 - NBA Finals check in 11:00 - What do WNBA players want most in CBA negotiations? 19:45 - NWSL player Jess Carter 25:26 - NBA GM poll takeaways

North Carolina and Bill Belichick say they are still both “fully committed” to each other after a report that the two sides are discussing a potential exit for the Hall of Fame coach from the school after a disastrous 2–3 start to the season. Belichick’s first three years of his five-year, $50 million contract are fully guaranteed, so FOS college sports reporter Amanda Christovich explains what the buyout options for the Tar Heels are if they decide to move on. Also, you’ve probably seen his ads during college football games on Saturdays, but Texas Tech booster and oil billionaire Cody Campbell says he is on a mission to save college athletics by lobbying Congress against the NCAA-backed SCORE Act that would create a standardized, national framework for NIL (name, image, and likeness) rights. Campbell tells Baker Machado and Renee Washington why he believes a new governing body should replace the NCAA and that the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 should be amended to allow all college football media rights to be pooled and sold together, which could help pay for women’s and Olympic sports. Plus, Zach Berman, senior writer at The Athletic and author of the book, Leap Year: The Philadelphia Eagles' Ascent to Super Bowl Champions, chats about how the Eagles built a Super Bowl roster for years to come and whether fans are reading too much into the private meeting among Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, and A.J. Brown following the team’s offensive struggles. Key Moments: 1:22 - Yankees eliminated from playoffs, Connecticut Sun staying put, Browns QB carousel 5:37 - Can North Carolina Buyout Bill Belichick’s $50 Million Contract? 10:42 - Texas Tech mega booster Cody Campbell joins FOST 20:43 - Eagles' tension in offense

The new international basketball league, designed to compete with the NBA and WNBA, is planning to launch in the fall of 2026, but FOS has learned that Maverick Carter will not be one of the founders after all. FOS deals reporter Ben Horney joins Baker Machado and Renee Washington with the details of this new league, and whether it poses a real threat to the existing powerhouse basketball leagues. Plus, tech entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian talks through his investments in women’s sports, including his new track league Athlos, which has its New York City event this weekend. Ohanian explains why that league is here to stay, and why his Chelsea FC women's club could be the first women's sports franchise worth $1 billion. Also, the MLB playoffs have been a big success for brands, WNBA Finals ratings set a record, and former ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski announces his latest project with St. Bonaventure.

More charges have been brought against Mark Sanchez after Saturday's violent incident, as the former quarterback also faces potential civil penalties in addition to felony assault charges. FOS reporter Ben Horney joins Baker Machado and Renee Washington to explain the possible outcomes in this complicated situation, which now also involves Fox Sports as a legal party. Plus, TNT broadcaster Kenny Albert gets us ready for the upcoming NHL season, which begins Tuesday. Albert evaluates the likelihood of a Panthers three-peat, Alex Ovechkin's potential final season, and the new CBA. He also explains how TNT is prioritizing NHL coverage after losing the NBA. Also, the new Rays owners explain their stadium plans, LeBron James's "Second Decision" is a big dud, and NBA commissioner Adam Silver addresses the tense situation between the WNBA and league commissioner Cathy Engelbert.

After losing to unranked UCLA this weekend, James Franklin could be on the hot seat for Penn State, which was ranked No. 2 in the preseason Associated Press 25 poll. He joins a list of college coaches who are struggling against lofty expectations, including Steve Sarkisian, Deion Sanders, and Bill Belichick. FOS newsletter writer David Rumsey joins Baker Machado and Renee Washington to give his take on which school is in the worst position right now, and what a buyout could look like for Franklin and Penn State. Plus, Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier reportedly canceled a meeting with Cathy Engelbert after the WNBA commissioner publicly responded to Collier's criticisms, telling reporters she "obviously" did not make the comments about Caitlin Clark and other players needing to be "grateful" for the league. WNBA insider Khristina Williams joins to predict what comes next in this ugly saga, and how much longer Engelbert will last as commissioner. Also, Mark Sanchez could face up to six years in prison, ESPN denies pulling Paul Finebaum from the air, and the NHL has a major concussion problem.

MLB’s division series begin this weekend, and TNT's Brian Anderson is on the call for arguably the most compelling series between the Dodgers and the Phillies. Anderson is also the regular-season play-by-play caller for the Cinderella-story Brewers, who have major question marks in the postseason despite winning a league-best 97 games this year. Anderson joins Baker Machado and Dan Roberts to discuss this weekend’s matchups, including Shohei Ohtani's first playoff start. Plus, one of the NCAA's most exciting running backs, Jeremiyah Love, joins the show. He discusses the 2–2 start for the Fighting Irish, the school’s independent status, and his ideal College Football Playoff format. Love shares his views on NIL (name, image, and likeness) deals, including his latest with Samsung as a part of Team Galaxy. We also hear from Trysta Krick, WNBA analyst and cofounder of The Daily W, on what she's following as the WNBA Finals tip off Friday amid a week of intense player criticism of commissioner Cathy Engelbert and league leadership. Meanwhile, Caitlin Clark is not playing in Unrivaled, Grand Slam Track lives to see another day, and Jon Gruden gets a victory against the NFL. Key Moments: 0:42 - Clark not joining unrivaled, Grand Slam Track saved, a win in for Gruden4:51 - MLB breakdowns with TNT's Brian Anderson16:07 - Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love25:03 - NBA and WNBA analyst Trista Kryck32:27 - NBC Sports Network is back

Major League Baseball has to be thrilled with how the wild-card postseason has shaped up, as three of the four matchups head to a decisive win-or-go-home Game 3 on Thursday. Coming off record season viewership and attendance, FOS newsletter writer Eric Fisher explains how the revamped postseason initiated a couple of years ago has only cemented what has been a tremendous 2025 season for MLB and commissioner Rob Manfred. Plus, Recentive Analytics CEO Andy Tabrizi explains how his data company helped advise MLB in scheduling the best postseason matchups to maximize their broadcast viewership. Also, women's golf legend Annika Sörenstam joins Baker Machado and Renee Washington to chat about the continued fan fallout from the Ryder Cup, plus the future of the LPGA and where she sees her sport compared to the rising interest in other female-led sports.

Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier was relentless in her exit interview, ripping the WNBA for having "the worst leadership in the world." She also revealed damning comments WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said to her in an offseason conversation, including that Caitlin Clark should be “grateful she makes $16 million off the court, because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything.” As WNBA collective bargaining negotiations continue to push the Oct. 31 deadline, Engelbert's long-term future with the league is in serious doubt. FOS women's sports reporter Annie Costabile joins Baker Machado and Renee Washington to interpret and contextualize Collier's comments, and explain what it could mean for her Unrivaled league, Engelbert, and the WNBA as a whole. Plus, YouTube TV loses Univision and D.C.'s Monumental Sports Network amid a carriage dispute, while reaching a temporary agreement with NBC to avoid a service disruption during a packed weekend of football. FOS newsletter writer Eric Fisher has the latest on this saga and its larger implications for regional sports networks. Key Moments: 0:35 - WNBA's big day, Kerr & Warriors future, Ryder Cup viewership bombs4:38 - Collier rips WNBA: how we got here15:08 - Collier's comments: what happens next?17:48 - Youtube TV loses Univision and Monumental15:08 - Yankees' regional ticketing strategy

Kawhi Leonard addressed the media for the first time since news of his allegedly shady deal with Aspiration broke, telling reporters that he "don't deal with conspiracies or the clickbait analyst or journalism that’s going on.” Meanwhile, Clippers president Lawrence Frank gave cryptic-sounding answers when he was asked point-blank whether Leonard's agent asked for illegal benefits as a part of his latest deal. FOS editor-in-chief Dan Roberts joins Baker Machado and Renee Washington to evaluate the Clippers’ responses, while Pablo Torre continues to unveil new information about this scandal. Plus, NHL legend Mark Messier talks through the NHL season, which begins next week, as the Florida Panthers aim for the coveted three-peat, with a potential assist from Florida's lack of state tax. Messier also explains the evolution of the league, including the success of the 4 Nations Face-Off and changes to the CBA that will add extra games and reduce contract lengths. Also, FOS college sports reporter Amanda Christovich explains the new SAFE Act, a counter to the SCORE Act, which is currently stalled in the House. Meanwhile, MLB managers get canned, and the WNBA levies major fines against coaches who spoke out about officiating issues.