Sports

Oregon House passes 'jock tax' bill to help fund MLB stadium, heads to Gov. Kotek next

Published

6 months ago

June 17, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Oregon House passes ‘jock tax’ bill to help fund MLB stadium, heads to Gov. Kotek next

Published 3:09 pm Tuesday, June 17, 2025

: A rendering of the potential MLB stadium in Portland proposed by the Portland Diamond Project in March 2025. (Courtesy photo/Portland Diamond Project)

Senate Bill 110, a measure aimed at helping fund a potential MLB stadium in the city of Portland, is one step away from coming to fruition after the Oregon House passed the bill 46-6 on Tuesday, June 17. The bill passed the Oregon Senate 24-5 back on April 17.

Backers of the bill, nicknamed as a “jock tax,” believe it will bring in $800 million to help fund the new stadium that the Portland Diamond Project has designed on the old Zidell Yards space between the Tillikum and Ross Island bridges on the west side of the South Waterfront.

The bill now moves to Gov. Tina Kotek, who is expected to sign it and allow the potential funding to flow. Rep. Daniel Nguyen (D-Lake Oswego and Southwest Portland) co-carried the bill on the House floor and chairs the House Committee on Economic Development, Small Business and Trade.

“Being able to continue making investments in strong education for our kids, affordable, accessible health care, and critical infrastructure is dependent on bills like SB 110 that unlock economic development opportunities that will stimulate our economy, re-energize small business and tourism, and boost our resources for years to come,” Nguyen said in a press release. “From the stadium design incorporating Oregon’s cross-laminated timber, to the site further activating Portland’s South Waterfront, to built-in labor protections for Oregon workers — this project is a grand slam for Oregon.”

SB 110 updates previous legislation that was passed in 2003, which allocated $150 million from income taxes paid by the baseball players and is becoming a more common avenue to fund sports ventures.

The update raises the ceiling to $800 million to help fund what is projected to be a $2 billion stadium. The designs for the stadium include a retractable roof and 32,000 seats. The idea is to use the facility throughout the year and not only for baseball games in the summer.

“SB 110 is a bill that everyone can support,” Sen. Mark Meek (D-Gladstone), chair of the Senate Finance and Revenue Committee, said in a press release. “Major League Baseball in Oregon means jobs, development, and long-term investment. With SB 110, we’re ready to compete, think big, and deliver.”

More specifically, a “jock tax” is levied on any visitor to a city or state who makes money from that place. However, tracking that is a difficult task except for professional athletes and team staff who have a public schedule of where and when they are at a location. SB 110 is aimed specifically at the potential MLB players and their spouses.

The easy victory for the bill comes with bipartisan support thanks to the avoidance of adding on new taxes to everyday taxpayers.

“Bringing Major League baseball to Oregon would create an economic boom our state is desperately in need of,” Rep. Christine Drazan (R-Canby) said in a press release. “As Oregon’s anti-business climate continues to drive away valuable companies, an MLB stadium would create an opportunity to boost statewide revenue, and also hold Portland leaders accountable for improving safety and quality of life.”

As for MLB expansion itself, it’s currently a long way out as commissioner Robert Manfred has stated he’d like potential expansion cities selected by 2029, the year he is planning to retire. Any new teams wouldn’t begin play until 2031.

However, MLB is dealing with two teams in the Athletics and Tampa Bay Rays playing in minor league stadiums this year with the A’s aiming to relocate to Las Vegas and the Rays awaiting a potential new stadium in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Those two stadium situations are a current hurdle for any expansion talk to heat up within the MLB office. The current 30 team owners would have to approve of expansion as well, with 75% of them in favor.

Manfred said expansion also would require one team in an Eastern time zone locale and the other to be in the Mountain or Pacific time zone.

Currently, Salt Lake City and Sacramento pose the biggest threat for Portland as the SLC pitch already has a strong ownership group in place, something Manfred outlined as a requirement. The Portland Diamond Project has declined to name the person planned to be the majority owner in Portland.

Sacramento is currently hosting the A’s and is planning to keep them there for two more seasons after 2025 as the team awaits the construction of a Las Vegas stadium, giving the city a three-year trial period.

“Today is an exciting moment for Oregon. Overwhelmingly passing SB 110 is more than securing funding support for a professional baseball stadium, this bill shows Major League Baseball Oregon is excited about America’s past time,” Portland Diamond Project Founder and President Craig Cheek said in a press release. “This is a perfect example of a public-private partnership. It’s been a long road, but we are excited for the next phase of this project. Portland Diamond Project would like to thank legislators for believing in our vision. No rest until opening day!”

You Might Like

Sports

Badgers news: Inside a magical Wisconsin Volleyball evening vs. Texas

Published

10 minutes ago

December 16, 2025

Your Sports Nation

When I saw that Kelly Sheffield’s Wisconsin Badgers had been stuck with a 3-seed, I was justifiably irritated. It seemed as if the NCAA Committee was not properly considering just how strong the Badgers had looked down the stretch. Drawing the No. 1 Texas Longhorns in one of the toughest places to play in college volleyball was also far from ideal.

But I eventually found a silver lining, at least for me: I’d be able to attend a Badger Volleyball match in Austin. Suddenly, I didn’t hate Wisconsin’s draw nearly as much.

There were several moments that made this night special, not the least of which was that I was able to experience it with my son. Another massive part of the amazing vibes was the incredible atmosphere at Gregory Gymnasium, an ancient 4,000-seat sardine can of noise and manic energy, where the fans are almost as close to the action as in Cameron Indoor at Duke.

A DJ kept up a steady mix of dance club jams, while two dueling bands–Wisconsin’s and Texas’s–were each trying to outdo the other (along with the cheerleaders and mascot, which was Bucky with no Bevo in sight). And make no mistake, the Horns fans came to play. They were as loud and engaged as anything I’ve seen at the Field House, right down to the National Champion Texas Men’s Swim Team disrobing one new layer the better Texas did in a given game, until it was a full-on, PG-13 Speedo show.

While Texas always felt like they were prowling and just about to steal things back–most notably by taking a 4-0 lead at the beginning of the fourth set after having won the third–Sheffield’s crew, led by stalwarts Mimi Colyer (23 kills), Charlie Fuerbringer (57 assists), and Carter Booth (11 kills, two blocks), stayed calm and collected, always had an answer, and were simply the better volleyball team on this magical night 1,183 miles from the Kohl Center.

After the furious final point sealed the deal for Bucky, I hightailed down a level to where a wild Badger celebration was unfurling. Getting the chance to sing Varsity and polka joyfully to The Bud Song on the floor of an SEC team’s barn was incredible and I will never forget it, even if me yelling to Coach that he’s ‘the best Sheffield ever in Wisconsin’ (in hindsight, an overly arcane Wisconsin sports reference involving a long ago Brewer) was a middling riff at best.

Yes, a horrifying Packers loss had ruined my day, but the Wisconsin Volleyball team soon sent my beaten-down sports fan soul soaring again on a cold but perfect night in the capital of Texas.

The Wisconsin Badgers were headed back to the Final Four. And everything in the world, for just a brief moment, felt right.

Link

Sports

Nebraska volleyball’s perfect season ends in Elite Eight heartbreaker

Published

26 minutes ago

December 16, 2025

Your Sports Nation

State

Zip Code

Country

Link

Sports

Badgers news: Wisconsin upsets Texas, to play Kentucky in Final Four

Published

2 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The Wisconsin Badgers wore black for a reason on Sunday: they went to a Texas Funeral.

The No. 3 Badgers upset the No. 1 Texas Longhorns 3-1 on Sunday, sending them to the Final Four against the No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats in an impressive win.

Wisconsin, facing the team that swept them earlier in the season, came ready to play. Falling behind 10-7 in the first set, the Badgers went on a four-point run before the two sides engaged in a back-and-forth battle, with neither side leading by more than two before Wisconsin had a monster end to the set.

Leading 18-17, the Badgers had an impressive 6-0 run thanks to a trio of Texas attack errors, a Mimi Colyer kill, a Kristen Simon service ace, and a Carter Booth kill. The Longhorns tried to mount a comeback, scoring five straight points, but Colyer got the set-winning kill, and Wisconsin started up 1-0.

The Badgers got off to a good start in the second half, starting off with a 10-6 lead. After the Longhorns went on a 4-1 run to cut the lead to one, the Badgers controlled the remainder of the set, starting with a 3-0 run of their own. From there, Wisconsin led by at least three for the rest of the set, with Carter Booth and Mimi Colyer having a flurry of kills, and they ultimately took the second set 25-21 to go up 2-0.

But, the work wasn’t done just there. The Longhorns were still a big threat, and they showed that in the third set, taking an early 8-6 lead after going on a 4-1 run. Wisconsin fought back with a 4-1 run of their own moments later, retaking the lead 12-11, with Colyer recording four straight kills.

However, a five-point Texas run right after proved to be the difference in the set, as the Longhorns took a 16-12 lead and never relinquished it, despite Wisconsin fighting to cut the deficit to one at 20-19. Texas closed out the set on a 5-1 run, taking the third set and we had a ballgame.

Things did not look good at the start of the fourth set, as the Longhorns started the set on a 4-0 run, picking up where they left off in the third set. That’s when the tables turned. Wisconsin completely flipped the script on a 13-4 run to take a five-point lead, with reserve Trinity Shadd-Ceres having two clutch back-to-back kills.

Moments later, that lead was extended to 18-11, thanks to a Colyer kill and two more attack errors from Texas. The Longhorns had a four-point run, but the deficit was too much to overcome, as the Badgers closed the set on a 6-3 run to win the fourth set 25-19 and take the match.

Colyer had another impressive game, following her 27-kill performance against Stanford with a 23-kill performance on Sunday. Una Vajagic came up huge in the end, getting 15 kills while hitting .458, while Booth had 11 kills of her own.

Elsewhere, Charlie Fuerbringer followed her 61-assist game on Friday with 57 assists on Sunday, while Alicia Andrew had a team-high five blocks. Wisconsin had 25 attack errors and 10 service errors, but they were still too much for Texas to handle.

Now, they’re heading back to the Final Four, with the Kentucky Wildcats up next on Thursday.

Link

Sports

Huskies Place Six on Academic All-MAC Team

Published

2 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Women’s Volleyball | December 15

CLEVELAND, Ohio—Six members of the Northern Illinois University Huskies volleyball team have earned spots on the Mid-American Conference (MAC) All-Academic team following the 2025 season.

The Huskies volleyball team has had six or more honorees on the Academic All-MAC in each of the last ten seasons.

The Academic All-MAC honor is awarded to a student-athlete who has excelled in both athletics and academics. To qualify, a student-athlete must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.20 and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests in that sport.

A total of 78 athletes from around the conference were honored.

Athlete, Year, Major, GPA
Kylie Schulze, Junior, Marketing, 3.81
Rylea Alvin, Sophomore, Psychology, 3.746
Emma McCartney, Sophomore, Biomedical Engineering, 3,709
Ava Grevengoed, Sophomore, Kinesiology, 3.515
Ella Strausberger, Sophomore, Marketing, 3.442
Alexa Hayes, Senior, Criminology, 3.389

Stay up-to-date with Huskie volleyball all-year long! Follow us on Twitter/X at @NIUVolleyball, on Facebook at NIU Volleyball, and on Instagram at @NIUVolley.

Link

Sports

Javin Richards Named America First Credit Union USU Student-Athlete of the Week

Published

2 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Your Sports Nation

LOGAN, Utah – Utah State track and field senior Javin Richards has been named the America First Credit Union USU Student-Athlete of the Week for the period ending on Sunday, Dec. 14. The award is voted on by a state-wide media panel.

With their sponsorship of the student-athlete of the week, America First Credit Union donates funds directly to support student-athlete scholarships.

Richards broke the Utah State record in the indoor heptathlon, taking second place at the BYU December Invitational last week. His overall score of 5,536 points bested John Strang’s performance from 2009 and improved on his previous best of 5,330 points that had ranked second all-time. The Perry, Ohio, native set personal bests in the 60 meters, long jump, shot put and 1,000 meters en route to his record-setting performance. Richards currently ranks ninth in the country in the event.

Fans can follow the Utah State track and field programs on X at USUTF_XC, on Facebook at USUTrack and on Instagram at USUTF_XC. Aggies fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on X at USUAthletics or on Facebook at Utah State University Athletics.

Nominees from other sports for USU Student-Athlete of the Week included:
MEN’S BASKETBALL – Senior forward Garry Clark (St. Louis, Missouri) helped Utah State to an 83-78 neutral-site victory over Illinois State at the Delta Center on Saturday. Against the Redbirds, Clark scored 18 points, grabbed eight rebounds, including seven offensive boards, to go along with two assists and two steals in 25 minutes off the bench. Clark shot 7-of-8 from the floor, 0-of-1 from 3-point range, and 4-of-4 at the free throw line in the win.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL – Junior guard Aaliyah Gayles (Las Vegas, Nevada) led Utah State with 18 points and a career-high nine rebounds in its 80-73 home win against Idaho. Gayles went a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line, including 4-of-4 in the fourth quarter, as she scored eight points in the final frame to help clinch the win. Gayles also added two steals and one assist in the victory.

WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD – Freshman Adia Ross (Tokyo, Japan) broke the Utah State record in the women’s 60 meters with a time of 7.48 at the BYU December Invitational last week. In her first-ever indoor 60-meter competition, she bested the previous school record of 7.49, which was set in 1987 by Lola Ogunde, to place fourth in the event finals.

2025-26 America First Credit Union USU Student-Athlete of the Week Winners

Sept. 1 – Miles Davis, Football

Sept. 8 – John Miller, Football

Sept. 15 – Bryson Barnes, Football

Sept. 22 – Bryson Barnes, Football

Sept. 29 – Loryn Helgesen, Volleyball

Oct. 6 – Kaylie Kofe, Volleyball

Oct. 13 – Tess Werts, Soccer

Oct. 20 – Loryn Helgesen, Volleyball

Oct. 27 – Loryn Helgesen, Volleyball

Nov. 3 – Mara Štiglic, Volleyball

Nov. 10 – Rine Yonaha, Soccer

Nov. 17 – Garry Clark, Men’s Basketball

Nov. 24 – MJ Collins, Men’s Basketball

Dec. 1 – Andrea Simovski, Volleyball

Dec. 8 – Loryn Helgesen, Volleyball

Dec. 15 – Javin Richards, Track and Field

– USU –

Link

Sports

Georgia Freshmen and Signees Shine at SPAR European Cross Country Championships

Published

4 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Your Sports Nation

LAGOA, Portugal – Georgia cross country freshmen Kristers Kudlis and Anastasia Nilsson competed alongside Bulldog signees Bertold Kalász and Alex Lennon at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships early Sunday morning.

Nilsson was the first Georgia athlete to compete, racing in the Women’s U20 competition (4450m). She crossed the finish line at 15:56 to place 33rd overall, scoring third for Sweden and helping the team to a third-place team finish with 44 points.

Meanwhile in the Men’s U20 race (4450m), Georgia had three representatives, all of which finished within the top-30.

Signee Lennon led the group with a 15th place finish at 13:37. His performance served as the second-best scoring effort for Great Britain and Northern Ireland that helped the team to a second-place finish with 45 points.

Fellow signee Kalász also delivered an impressive effort with a 13:38 to place 17th overall. Kalász was the first finisher across the line for team Hungary in the competition.

Kudlis finished 29th place crossing the finish line at 13:54, which was first for team Latvia.

News and updates from Georgia’s track and field and cross country teams are always located on X/Instagram at @UGATrack.

Link