Professional football
Fans watch during the final practice session for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Friday, May 28, 2021, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Indy fans, start your party! 500 is on, and crowds are back

By Dan Gelston May. 29, 2021 03:15 AM EDT

AP Sportlight

By The Associated Press May. 20, 2021 06:50 PM EDT
May 21 1881 — A small group of tennis club members meets at the Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York City to form the world’s first national...

Philadelphia Phillies' Alec Bohm reacts after striking out during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Thursday, May 13, 2021, in Washington. The Nationals won 5-1. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
The Latest: Bears coach Nagy going remote for minicamp

By The Associated Press May. 13, 2021 12:39 PM EDT

FILE - In this file photo dated Wednesday, April 21, 2021, a protest banner against the proposed Super League is seen outside Liverpool's Anfield Stadium after the collapse of English involvement in the proposed new league, Liverpool, England. The aborted plan to create a breakaway Super League with 12 of the biggest clubs in European soccer was perhaps the most egregious example of a sporting venture that quickly fell flat on its face. (AP Photo/Jon Super, FILE)
Super League among sporting ventures that went wrong

By Steve Douglas And Ken Maguire Apr. 22, 2021 12:48 PM EDT

Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith, center, talks with Georgia Tech's coach Geoff Collins, left, during the school's Pro Day football workout on Tuesday, March 16, 2021, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
The Latest: 13 sports joins Willie Nelson for vaccine PSA

By The Associated Press Mar. 23, 2021 12:26 PM EDT

Fans line up outside Madison Square Garden for an NBA basketball game between the New York Knicks and the Golden State Warriors in New York on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Brittainy Newman)
Another wave of fans returning to sports despite COVID-19

By Jay Cohen Feb. 25, 2021 01:47 PM EST

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) runs past Tampa Bay Buccaneers inside linebacker Lavonte David (54) during the first half of an NFL divisional round playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
NFL's Kamara races into NASCAR as a team sponsor at Daytona

By Jenna Fryer Feb. 19, 2021 05:11 PM EST

Kurt Busch, left, and Kaz Grala, talk on pit road before the second of two qualifying NASCAR auto races for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Ready to retire? Kurt Busch leaves NASCAR fans guessing

By Dan Gelston Feb. 13, 2021 02:02 PM EST

Anthony Alfredo (38), David Ragan (36), Kaz Grala (16), Garrett Smithley (13), and Chase Briscoe (14) crash during the second NASCAR Daytona 500 duel qualifying auto race Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021, at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Party in a pandemic: NASCAR fans power through at Daytona

By Dan Gelston Feb. 13, 2021 02:48 AM EST

Bubba Wallace makes a pit stop during the second of two qualifying auto races for the NASCAR Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021, in Daytona Beach, Fla. Wallace finished in second place. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Hall of Famer Jordan set for biggest leap yet into NASCAR

By Dan Gelston Feb. 12, 2021 04:56 PM EST

FILE - In this March 3, 2017, file photo, former cyclist Lance Armstrong stands on the court after an NBA basketball game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks in Atlanta. The Associated Press asked eight of the greatest current and former champions, including Armstrong, from seven different sports to find out what impressed them most about Tom Brady. (AP Photo/Brett Davis, File)
Best of the best impressed: 'Brady is the gold standard'

By Jim Litke Feb. 06, 2021 03:13 AM EST

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski looks on during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard)
The Latest: Marshall postpones 2 men's basketball games

By The Associated Press Jan. 06, 2021 11:02 AM EST

Cleveland Browns defensive end Olivier Vernon is helped off the field after an injury during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane, File)
Browns place Vernon on IR, 2 players cited for drag racing

By Tom Withers Jan. 05, 2021 09:07 PM EST

FILE - Naomi Osaka, of Japan, wears a protective mask due to the COVID-19 virus outbreak, featuring the name "George Floyd", while arriving on court to face Shelby Rogers, of the United States, during the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open tennis championships in New York, in this Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, file photo. In a most unusual year already thrown into chaos by the coronavirus pandemic, many athletes took unprecedented steps when a nationwide reckoning on race spilled into the streets of American cities after the killing of Floyd, a Black man, while in Minneapolis police custody. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)
Athletes act: Stars rise up against racial injustice in 2020

By Cliff Brunt Dec. 29, 2020 01:41 PM EST

FILE - In this March 12, 2020, file photo, fans sit in a mostly empty Greensboro Coliseum after the NCAA college basketball games were cancelled at the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament in Greensboro, N.C. Scrubbing last year's March Madness due to coronavirus concerns cost the NCAA some $375 million, and another loss like that would have ripple effects throughout college sports. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File)
Lamentation for sports in 2020: A year of living virally

By Fred Lief Dec. 24, 2020 11:03 AM EST

Virginia hosted St. Francis during the first home game of the season Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020 in Charlottesville, Va. (Andrew Shurleff/The Daily Progress via AP)
The Latest: Sun Belt championship game canceled

By The Associated Press Dec. 17, 2020 01:34 PM EST

The seats at Camp Randall Stadium are empty during the second half of an NCAA college football game between Wisconsin and Indiana Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
The Latest: Michigan State-Virginia hoops postponed

By The Associated Press Dec. 08, 2020 04:52 PM EST

Fiorentina's head coach Cesare Prandelli gestures during a Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Fiornentina, at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
The Latest: Daytona 500 to have limited number of fans

By The Associated Press Dec. 02, 2020 03:51 PM EST

AP Sportlight

By The Associated Press Nov. 23, 2020 10:00 AM EST
Nov. 24 1904 — Fullback Sam McAllester is thrown for a touchdown to give Tennessee a 7-0 victory over Alabama. McAllester, wearing a wide...

AP-Sportlight-Week Ahead

By The Associated Press Nov. 19, 2020 12:48 PM EST
Nov. 22 1875 — Harvard beats Yale 4-0 in the schools’ first football meeting. With 15 players on each side, the game is a mix of rugby and...