There may be only one company that could get LeBron James, Tom Brady, Kevin Costner, Spike Lee, Jay-Z, Travis Scott, NBA star Victor Wembanyama, YouTuber Kai Cenat and dozens of other high-wattage names from the worlds of sports and entertainment under one roof: Fanatics, the sports merchandise, collectible and entertainment firm founded by Michael Rubin.

And they want fans to come along too.

Fanatics is bringing back its flagship live event, Fanatics Fest, to New York City on June 20-22, and in addition to a metric ton of sports stars, the company is doubling down on artists and entertainers (hence the likes of Costner and Lee).

“It’s a heck of a challenge, I wouldn’t say it’s fun. Most of what we do is fun, I don’t consider this to be fun,” quips Rubin in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, when asked about booking the stars that will congregate in the Jacob Javits Convention Center. “Look, what I will tell you is, there’s not another company in the world that could create Fanatics Fest, because putting it on the show is hard enough. But then, we’re going to have 300, 400 of the biggest athletes, celebrities, artists in the world come together. It’s really because of the broader partnerships that they have with Fanatics. Everyone coming here is someone that has a partnership with Fanatics, and that’s why they come.”

The event is stacked with programming, including live podcast and show tapings, including First Take with Stephen A. Smith, and guests that include NBA commissioner Adam Silver, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Ice Cube, and a slew of athletes. Panels that include athletes like Brady, James, Derek Jeter, Kevin Durant, the Manning brothers and others, and entertainers like Costner, Lee, Mark Wahlberg, Kenan Thompson and Keegan Michael-Key.

It is that mashup of sports and entertainment that Fanatics executives believe deliver the secret sauce for Fanatics Fest.

“In the past, athletes were up there talking about the game-winning hit, the game-winning drive. What we tried to do is bring culture, entertainment, even entrepreneurialism and sport, together, and mash it up in interesting ways,” says Lance Festerman, the CEO of Fanatics Events. “Even having these sorts of athletes and cultural icons on stage interacting in itself was pretty original. I think there was a lot we were proud of last year. And to Michael’s point, there’s a lot to be proud about this year with the content. I think the kind of creation and invention of this sort of an original platform was really cool. And I don’t think people had seen things like it before.”

“The content is 10 times better this year than last year,” Rubin adds. “It’s blow away great this year.”

One of the defining characteristics of Fanatics Fest is putting fans under the same roof as some of the most famous people in the world. As athletes join actors and musicians as global celebrities, the desire for fans to connect with them only grows more important.

That is reflected in the panels, photo ops and autograph signings, as well as events like the Fanatics Games, where athletes, creators, celebrities and fans compete head to head in skill-based challenges. And Fanatics will bring back the 40/40 Club, a temporary pop-up of Jay-Z’s infamous New York City hotspot, constructed inside the Javits Center, exclusively for the biggest stars and highest rollers … though fans are free to gawk from a distance.

“It’s for people that are really important to Jay and to us, and that really is the athletes, celebrities, artists that are there, and then our most important VIPs across Fanatics’ business,” Rubin explains. “It’s something that’s made to be highly curated. You know, there’s 100,000-plus people at Fanatics Fest, the people that come into 40/40 are measured in the hundreds.”

But the event is also Fanatics’ big bet on the experience economy, on connecting sports (and increasingly pop culture) fans in real life, not only with stars, but with each other.

“The fact is, you don’t have to get off your couch or leave your house for anything anymore, everything will come to you,” Festerman says. “Therefore, the impetus is on us to build something that is absolutely mind-blowingly cool and immersive and experiential … We know that Millennials, Gen Z, they want immersive experiences. They don’t want stuff, they want to feel something, they want a unique moment. And that’s what we’re doing, we’re building that moment that people can share on a mass level that is beyond the screen, and they feel something and they feel a connection to each other, to the content, to the celebrities, to the athletes.”

OREM, Utah — Utah Valley University head women’s volleyball coach Sam Atoa announced the 2025 schedule on Thursday, highlighted by in-state rivalries and a strong nonconference slate that includes six postseason teams from last year.

The Wolverines will face all NCAA Division I in-state opponents, including home matches against Utah State and BYU. The schedule features four teams that competed in the NCAA Tournament and two others that participated in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC).

“It’s hard to believe we’re already approaching another season,” Atoa said. “I’m excited for the challenge ahead and the strong schedule we’ve put together. We’re building on what we accomplished last year and have high expectations for this group.”

Utah Valley opens the season by hosting the Utah Valley Invitational. The home opener is set for Friday, Aug. 29, against Montana at 12:30 p.m. MT, followed by a matchup with Navy at 7 p.m. inside Lockhart Arena. The opening weekend wraps up with a regional showdown against Boise State on Aug. 30. The Broncos went 19-10 last season and finished sixth in the Mountain West Conference.

UVU hits the road for the first time in 2025 at the Outrigger Invitational, hosted by Hawaii. The Wolverines will face San José State, St. John’s, and host Hawaii, the defending Big West Tournament champions, who finished 21-10 last season and fell to TCU in the NCAA first round. St. John’s finished 24-13 in the Big East and made the semifinals of NIVC.

Utah Valley’s in-state schedule kicks off with a trip to Utah on Tuesday, Sept. 9. The Utes advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and finished 25-6 in their first season in the Big 12. UVU then travels east to face Duke on Sept. 12 and Coastal Carolina on Sept. 13. The week before conference play features a string of in-state contests, starting at Weber State (Sept. 16) in Swenson Gym. The nonconference schedule concludes at home against Utah State (Sept. 18) and BYU (Sept. 20). BYU finished 19-10 and 12-6 in the Big 12 before falling to Loyola Chicago in the NCAA first round.

The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) schedule includes 12 matches in a home-and-home format. UVU opens league play with home matches against Abilene Christian (Sept. 25) and Tarleton State (Sept. 27). October begins with a road trip to Utah Tech for the Old Hammer Rivalry, followed by a home match against UT Arlington, the defending WAC champions, on Oct. 9. Later in the month, the Wolverines will travel to face California Baptist (Oct. 16), and Southern Utah (Oct. 18).

Utah Valley’s final three WAC home matches form one of the team’s longest home stands of the season, hosting Utah Tech (Oct. 25), Southern Utah (Oct. 30), and California Baptist (Nov. 1).

UVU will then head to Texas for two final road trips. The first includes Tarleton State (Nov. 6) and UT Arlington (Nov. 8), followed by a match at Abilene Christian on Nov. 15.

The Wolverines will host the 2025 WAC Tournament at Lockhart Arena, set for Nov. 20–22, with an automatic NCAA Tournament bid on the line.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Laguna Beach Recreation Department’s Summer Camps start on June 16

With summer nearly here, the LB Rec Dept. continues to offer a wide variety of youth sports and children’s programs, too numerous to list here. Summer camps start on Monday, June 16. For more information on the activities and the summer camps Laguna’s recreational department offers and to register, click here.

Around Town

June 13 and 14: JG Swim Tests

June 16: First Day of Summer Camps

June 18: Outdoor Movie Night: Moana 2

June 19: City facilities closed for Juneteenth

June 21: Fête De La Musique

June 27: Sawdust Art Festival opens

June 27 and 28: JG Swim Tests

Summer Camps:

Coming soon – don’t miss out on these fun camps. Register now to secure your spot by clicking here.

–Art Adventures

–U Sk8 Skateboarding

–Laguna Playhouse Theatre Camp

–Freddy Running Club

–Skim Laguna

–LCVC Beach Volleyball

–Bionerds: Insects to the Ocean

–Anime, Cartooning & Comic Creation

–Stop-Motion Animation

–Junior Robot Builders

–Fine Art & Sculpture

–Skyhawks Sports

–Lego Engineering

Summer Camps: Week of June 16:

Sports Camps. Sessions offered for tennis and swimming, intensive tennis camp, advance swim team, advanced youth beach volleyball, baseball and beach camp, beginning swim team, beginning water polo, beginning/intermediate youth beach volleyball camp, Freddy running club, Pro Touch soccer camp, Skyhawks, splashball and U SK8 Skateboarding. Sessions begin on June 16.

Beginning Water Polo

Monday-Wednesday, 4-5 p.m.

Ages 8-14

Junior Lifeguards

Monday-Thursday

9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-4 p.m.

Ages 8-15

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Photos courtesy of LB Rec Dept.

Junior Lifeguard sessions begin on June 16

Junior Lifeguards. The Junior Lifeguard program provides beach and water safety instruction for boys and girls, ages 8-15. The program offers education in ocean safety, rescue techniques, beach activities, physical fitness and marine safety operations in an environment that emphasizes courtesy, respect and good sportsmanship. Sessions begin on June 16.

Laguna Beach Surf School

Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Ages 8-17

Little Mermaids & Sea Cubs

Monday-Friday, 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

Ages 4.5-7

Beach Camp Laguna

Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Ages 7-14

Beginning Youth Beach Volleyball

Monday-Thursday, 2:30-4 p.m.

Ages 11-17

Advanced Youth Beach Volleyball

Monday-Thursday, 12:30-2 p.m.

Ages 11-17

Chess

Monday-Friday, 1-4 p.m.

Ages 5-11

Beginning Golf

Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

Ages 5-8

Youth Theatre Ensemble

Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Ages 12-19

LBTA Tennis & Swim Camp

Monday-Wednesday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Ages 5-11

VEX IQ Robot Build & Code

Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

Ages 8-12

Intensive Tennis

Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Ages 11-18

Paulo Prietto’s Skim School

Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

Ages 7-14

Tumble N Kids Gymnastics

Mondays, 3-4 p.m. and 4-5 p.m.

Ages 3.5-7

Art Adventures. This summer camp is designed to provide kids with a fun, creative, educational and enriched experience through a combination of art/craft projects, games, outdoor adventures and more. Week-long sessions beginning June 16.

Parker-Anderson Camps. Sessions include chess, LEGO^® robotics, anime, cartooning and comic creation, jewelry, design and crafts, stop-motion animation, inventor’s workshop, rocket science and astronomy, fine art and sculpture, and Hogwarts Academy. Sessions begin on June 16.

Beach and Ocean Camps. Sessions include advanced youth beach volleyball camp, beach camp Laguna, beginning/intermediate youth beach volleyball camp, junior lifeguards, Laguna Beach surf school, LCVC Beach volleyball, little mermaids and sea cubs, and Paulo’s skim school and skim Laguna. Sessions begin on July 16.

New – Artsy Cooking Summer Camp, sessions begin July 14.

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LB Recreation Department offers a variety of art classes and camps

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Kids Cooking Academy, Artsy Cooking, July 14-18

New – Cool Craft Camp beginning June 23, ages 8-12.

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Girl practices her skateboarding

Youth Sports

Here are a few of the Youth Sports classes, for a complete listing of dates and details (and to register), click here.

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Basketball player focuses on making a basket

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Getting in some practice tennis sessions

Youth Tennis, Laguna Beach Tennis Academy, various levels and ages.

Water Polo – Laguna Beach Water Polo Club.

Currently, Laguna Beach Water Polo Youth Club has age groups 10U, 12U, 14U for boys and girls.

Adults

Adult Fitness: Adult Ballet, Adult Tap, Aqua Blast, Beach Volleyball, Belly Dancing, Better Life Boxing Body and Mind Barre Workout, Latin Dance, Line Dancing Beyond County and Next Step, Lyrical Modern Dance, Mary’s Beginner Line Dancing, Mary’s Fitness Beyond 50, Motus Movement, Nordic Walking, Pickleball, T’ai Chi Ch’uan, Tennis, Yoga Flow and Zumba with Judith.

Art & Enrichment: Acrylic Painting, Adult Beg/Int Drawing & Watercolor, Dog Training, Freehand Drawing, Hortense Miller Garden, Italian Language, Oil Painting, Painting on Silk and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction

For more information, click here.

Eugene, ORE. – La Salle women’s track runner Gwenno Goode made her NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships debut Thursday evening, racing in the 3k steeplechase semifinals.
 
Follow @LaSalle_XCTF on X and @lasalle_tfxc on Instagram for updates and content surrounding the team.
 
HOW SHE FINISHED:

• Goode placed tenth in her heat with a time of 10:04.19. Overall, she finished 20^th overall out of the 24 runners in the race.
• In the final lap of her heat, she closed with a 1:20.49 split to secure a top-10 spot.

STATESBORO– Senior Imani Moore, who competed in the long jump at the NCAA track & field championships, has been honored with the NCAA’s ELITE 90 award, the league announced Thursday night.

The NCAA ELITE 90 award honors the exceptional achievements of student-athletes. This prestigious accolade is given to those who have not only excelled at a national championship level in their sport but have also achieved the highest academic standards among their peers. The Elite 90 is proudly awarded to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA at the finals site for each of the NCAA’s 90 championships.

“I’m very proud of not only Imani’s accomplishments as an athlete, but even more of what she has done as a student,” head coach David Neville said. “She exemplifies what a student-athlete should strive for; one of the things we always talk about with our athletes is excellence, not only on the track but in the classroom. Imani has done a tremendous job during her time as a student-athlete, and to receive this award at the end of her collegiate career, while also competing on the biggest stage an NCAA student-athlete can stand on, is wonderful. This should make Eagle Nation proud.”

Moore, an All-Sun Belt First Team member and Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year, clinched a trip to Eugene after coming in second in the long jump at NCAA Regionals in Jacksonville. This season alone, she set the school and facility record in the long jump and earned the second-best school performance in the triple jump.