Breakfast Bites - the FIJI & PACIFIC SPORTS NEWS Podcast - a TEIVOVO Digital Podcast TEIVOVO Sports & Rugby

Kia ora, Talofa, Ma’lelei, Bula and Welcome to Season 09 Episode 22 of Breakfast Bites, by TEIVOVOdigital.com – a wrap of Pasifika people’s sports news, on a sunny and bright Thursday morning 25 April 2024.
 
Coming to you with tons of hanisi from the 180th meridian, in the middle of the blue continent.
                                                                  
In rugby union: All eyes are on the Fijiana Drua defending their Super W title against the NSW Waratahs in Brisbane on Sunday.
 
Can the Aussie chicks stop Atelaite Buna? How will they counter her speed and surprise raids sliding into the Fijiana backline from Fullback?  
 
Meanwhile, Mick Byrne says his Drua boys must win with a bonus point against Moana Pasifika in Lautoka on Saturday.
 
In rugby league: Watch out for the Wayne Bennett factor.

Brad Arthur is a good Coach and a good man but the question remains after 11 seasons, five finals series, but no NRL premierships, is he still the right Coach to lead the Eels?

Because with South Sydney also in freefall, anchored to the bottom of the NRL ladder, and with co-owner Russell Crowe now back in Australia, there’s every chance Wayne Bennett might not be available come October when he becomes a free agent.

In SportsBiz: The average viewership during the opening weekend of the NBA playoffs games at 3.77 million viewers across ABC, ESPN, TNT and truTV compares to 4.15 million last year, which was the most-watched opening weekend since 2011, according to Sports Media Watch.

This 9% drop is the first postseason without the Warriors in the first round since 2021.

In football: Sky Sports, the BBC and The Times are all reporting that Feyenoord Coach Arne Slot is the leading contender to succeed Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool Manager.

Slot, 45, led Feyenoord to their first league title in six years last season and won the Dutch Cup on Sunday.

Slot was front runner to take over at Tottenham a year ago before ruling himself out of contention.

Finally, in combat sports: Nikita Tszyu has successfully defended his Australian Super Welterweight title for the first time after dominating Danilo Creati last night.
 
The younger bro of Tim Tszyu didn’t have it completely his own way, as after a dominant first five rounds, he was left wobbly for a lengthy period of the sixth.

But Nikita got back on track from there and while Creati bravely went the distance despite copping heavy shots Tszyu acknowledged his courage, “He can honestly take a shot. I thought I hurt him early ... but he just kept going,” Tszyu said.

And that’s a wrap!
 
Please hit the like and subscribe buttons below if you want to receive more Pasifika sports highlights on Breakfast Bites.
 
Mahalo and Ka kite; for TEIVOVOdigital.com, I’m Culden Kamea tanking you all too mass for all your love and support.
 
#TEIVOVORugby  #TEIVOVODigital #TeivovoRugby #TeivovoDigital #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #Raka #team #rugbytraining #sports #FRU #Fiji #womensrugby #rugbygirls #wrugby #ladiesrugby #womeninsport  #woman #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #fitness #weightlifting #training #team #rugbytraining #sports  #rakavi  #DevelopmentFiji

Kia ora, Talofa, Ma’lelei, Bula and Welcome to Season 09 Episode 21 of Breakfast Bites, by TEIVOVOdigital.com – a wrap of Pasifika people’s sports news, on a sunny and bright Wednesday morning 24 April 2024.
 
Coming to you with tons of hanisi from the 180th meridian, in the middle of the blue continent.
                                                                  
In rugby union: All eyes are on the Fijiana Drua defending their title for the third straight year; this time against the NSW Waratahs in the Super W Final, and no doubt once again it will be in a mainly empty stadium in Brisbane on Sunday, except for Fijian fans – so why not hold it in Fiji?
 
In rugby league: NRL ANZAC Round - watch out for Melbourne Storm hosting South Sydney tomorrow at 7:50pm at AAMI Park. The Storm got the job done against the Roosters last week and so Craig Bellamy has resisted making any changes. 

In a huge return for the Rabbitohs, Damien Cook has been named to start in the No.9 jersey.
In SportsBiz: Michael Jordan’s young tenure as a NASCAR team owner is already more successful than his time owning an NBA team.

Tyler Reddick’s victory at Talladega on Sunday marked the first time “His Airness” was in attendance for a race won by one of the drivers at his majority-owned 23XI Racing, which launched in 2021.

“This is, to me, like an NBA playoff game,” Jordan said on Fox Sports from Victory Lane.
In total, 23XI has won six NASCAR Cup Series races on the backs of Reddick, Bubba Wallace, and former team member Kurt Busch. 

In football: While all eyes are on the battle at the top of the Premier League, The Championship - one rung below on the English football pyramid, is home to a host of fallen giants in a four-horse race for automatic promotion, which is awarded to the top two teams: 1st Leicester City on 91 pts, 2nd Leeds United on 90, 3rd Ipswich Town 89 and 4th Southampton 84 points.

Only in America: Scottie Scheffler just backed up his second Masters victory with a win at the US$20Million RBC Heritage event on the PGA Tour, good for his fourth victory in his last five starts.
 
On Sunday, Nelly Korda won the Chevron Championship, the first women’s major of the year, and her fifth tournament in a row, a feat not accomplished since Annika Sorenstam in 2005.

But it’s the pay gap thing that is so noticeable: Scheffler is soaring over Korda’s earnings so far on the LPGA, earning US$18.69M in prize money so far this year, compared to Korda’s $2.42M.

Finally, in combat sports: How smart is Ryan Garcia?
 
Garcia claims to have earned over US$50Million from his clash with Devin Haney, combining prize money, pay-per-view shares, and sponsorship deals.

These figures are unconfirmed but plausible given the additional revenue from estimated high volume PPV sales.

“I will let God guide me on how to use this money Amen,” Ryan Garcia celebrated his financial success, with reports surfacing that Garcia had placed a US$2Million bet on himself to win, earning a US$12M payout.

Garcia commented on social media, “If you’re going to bet, bet on yourself.”
 
While such actions are prohibited in organizations like the UFC, the world of boxing does not have these restrictions, though the rules vary by state.

His previous bout against Gervonta Davis also fetched around US$30M, with substantial earnings from PPV sales as well.

The Garcia vs. Haney fight is rumored to have performed well in PPV sales, with official figures expected soon.

Money! Money! Money!

And that’s a wrap!
 
Please hit the like and subscribe buttons below if you want to receive more Pasifika sports highlights on Breakfast Bites.
 
Mahalo and Ka kite; for TEIVOVOdigital.com, I’m Culden Kamea tanking you all too mass for all your love and support.br...

Kia ora, Talofa, Ma’lelei, Bula and Welcome to Season 09 Episode 20 of Breakfast Bites, by TEIVOVOdigital.com – a wrap of Pasifika people’s sports news, on a sunny and bright Tuesday morning 23 April 2024.
 
Coming to you with tons of hanisi from the 180th meridian, in the middle of the blue continent.
                                                                  
In rugby union: All eyes are on the amazing Fijiana Drua defending their title against the NSW Waratahs in the Super W Final in Brisbane on Sunday.
 
Last time they played was in Round 2 in Sydney where the NSW chics posted ten tries on the Fijian girls in a 62-21 absolute pasting.
 
So who will win this time around?
 
Meanwhile Mick Byrne and his Fijian Drua boys also face a must-win game against the resurgent Moana Pasifika in Lautoka on Saturday.
 
In rugby league: Sydney Roosters superstar Joey Manu could be set for an NRL return after his stint in Japanese rugby union as early as Round 12 of the 2025 NRL season.
According to The Daily Telegraph, Manu’s contract with Toyota Verblitz only runs for one rugby union season which runs from early December until late May.

Therefore, Manu will be free to sign with the Tricolours or any other NRL Club, midway through  the2025 NRL season.

So the Roosters will reportedly save A$500,000 in their salary cap for next season ready to pay for Manu for half the season.

In SportsBiz: The NBA playoffs are underway, but Monday marks the end of the NBA’s exclusive negotiating window with the parent companies of incumbent broadcasters ESPN and TNT, meaning that come midnight, other bidders can officially present offers for new deals that will start at the beginning of the 2025–26 season.

Through its nine-year, US$24Billion deals with ESPN and TNT, the NBA has been bringing in almost US$2.7B annually.

The league just had its most-watched regular season in four years, averaging an audience of 1.04 million across ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV, a 1% increase from last season.

So, what will the next deals yield?

In 2021, CNBC reported that the NBA would be seeking US$75B, but league officials pushed back on that number privately.

Deals that total even US$50B, depending on their length, would see the NBA double its current intake.

In football: “It’s very sad,” Manchester United Manager Erik ten Hag, speaking about the removal of replay matches during the FA Cup, where smaller Clubs have seen big financial windfalls when they secure draws on the road against big Premier League Clubs, and in turn get to host those giants at home in front of their local fans.

FA Cup games tied at the end of regulation time, must now be decided either in extra-time or penalty kicks – no more replays.

Meanwhile, Man U beat Coventry 2-4 on penalties in an FA Cup classic on Sunday after the teams were level at 3-3 after extra-time, setting up a second straight FA Cup final against Man City.

In combat sports: Now that their fight is over, and Ryan Garcia beat up Devin Haney in New York so easily, knocking him down three times in a majority points decision over 12 rounds, everyone is calling Garcia a genius for his crazy antics and erratic behavior before the fight, completely catching Haney off guard!
 
Finally, only in America: David Beckham is suing actor Mark Wahlberg for US$10.5Million, claiming the Hollywood star “duped” the England football legend into working as a brand ambassador for Wahlberg’s F45 fitness brand.
 
Beckham agreed to be the firm’s global ambassador for free shares when he moved to LA, where he and Wahlberg became friends.

Apparently, Wahlberg held off releasing the free chares to Beckham while the stocks were flying! And only did so when they collapsed post-COVID!

And that’s a wrap!
 
Please...

Kia ora, Talofa, Ma’lelei, Bula and Welcome to Season 09 Episode 19 of Breakfast Bites, by TEIVOVOdigital.com – a wrap of Pasifika people’s sports news, on a sunny and bright Monday morning 22 April 2024.
 
Coming to you with tons of hanisi from the 180th meridian, in the middle of the blue continent.
                                                                  
In rugby union: The World Rugby 7s Repechage in Monaco in June, ahead of the final qualifying tournament for the Paris Olympics rugby 7s men’s competition, features Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, Spain, Tonga and Uganda.
 
The women’s comp will feature Argentina, China, Czechia, Hong Kong China, Kenya, Jamaica, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Poland, Samoa and Uganda.

In rugby league: The Sharks have delivered a stellar performance to down the Cowboys in brutal fashion, beating them 42-6 at Sharks Park.

Will Kennedy was awarded the Paul Green Medal for Player of the Match.

Cronulla have now taken top spot on the NRL ladder after seven rounds, with the Storm and Dolphins in second and third.

In football: Arsenal shrugged off the disappointment of their Champions League exit to move back to the top of the Premier League with a 2-0 win at Wolves yesterday.

Leandro Trossard and Martin Odegaard struck at the end of each half to take the Gunners one point clear of Manchester City, who have a game in hand.

In Netball: The Learning Centre Primary School Under-9 netball team in Fiji, featuring Tulia Waqavonovono at GD, Islarose Savu at GA and sharpshooter Vika Waqavakatoga at GS, has made the semifinals of the Suva Netball Competition for the first time in their history this weekend, after they beat one of the favourites, Veiuto Primary School last Saturday morning.

In combat sports: Ryan Garcia comprehensively beat up Devin Haney in their fight in Brooklyn, New York yesterday, knocking the previously unbeaten American down three times on his way to a majority points decision over 12 rounds, but Haney’s WBC world title belt was not on the line, due to Garcia being over weight by 1.5Kg so it is now vacant.
 
And that’s a wrap!
 
Please hit the like and subscribe buttons below if you want to receive more Pasifika sports highlights on Breakfast Bites.
 
Mahalo and Ka kite; for TEIVOVOdigital.com, I’m Culden Kamea tanking you all too mass for all your love and support.
 
#TEIVOVORugby  #TEIVOVODigital #TeivovoRugby #TeivovoDigital #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #Raka #team #rugbytraining #sports #FRU #Fiji #womensrugby #rugbygirls #wrugby #ladiesrugby #womeninsport  #woman #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #fitness #weightlifting #training #team #rugbytraining #sports  #rakavi  #DevelopmentFiji

Kia ora, Talofa, Ma’lelei, Bula and Welcome to Season 09 Episode 18 of Breakfast Bites, by TEIVOVOdigital.com – a wrap of Pasifika people’s sports news, on a sunny and bright Sunday morning 21 April 2024.
 
Coming to you with tons of hanisi from the 180th meridian, in the middle of the blue continent.
                                                                  
In rugby union: Japan won the World Rugby Pacific Challenge 2024 following a 65-15 thrashing of Tonga A at Apia Park on Saturday.
 
It was their third straight bonus-point win of the tournament having earlier beaten Samoa 5-48 and defending champions Fiji Warriors 43-45.

The Fijians, coached by Senirusi Seruvakula came second after a 43-18 victory over Samoa A in their final match.

The World Rugby-funded tournament features predominantly under-23 residential players. 
In rugby league: Reece Walsh was on fire with a classy double, while Jamal Fogarty suffered a suspected ruptured bicep in the Broncos 34-10 win over the Raiders at Suncorp Stadium.

The Kiwi star finished with 140M run, a whopping nine tackle busts, three line breaks and two tries in another brilliant display.

Kangaroos Coach Mal Meninga was overflowing with praise for Walsh: “Honestly we’ve already said it all before about him, but just his speed, his deception, his deception off the ball and his great evasive skills. He’s the complete package,” Meninga said.

In football: Bernardo Silva made amends for his midweek penalty miss as holders Manchester City returned to the FA Cup final with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Chelsea.

Silva badly fluffed his lines as City were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League on penalties by Real Madrid on Wednesday but he fired the match winner as they bounced back at Wembley.

The Portugal international turned home the only goal of a tight encounter six minutes from time, to keep alive City’s hopes of retaining the domestic double.

In SportsBiz: Netflix is ending its customary quarterly reporting of subscriber totals.
The publicly traded streaming giant said that it will no longer disclose those subscriber numbers, starting with the first quarter of 2025, and will instead focus on other financial metrics such as revenue and operating margin. 

The shift jolted Wall Street, prompting a 7% drop in Netflix shares in trading through Friday. 
Netflix already has the largest subscriber base in the industry, reaching 269.6 million globally in its last quarter, a figure 16% higher than a year ago.

Company officials say a continued focus on subscriber totals is not in line with its growth into a more mature company, that is developing additional revenue sources, such as advertising. 

In combat sports: Ryan Garcia weighed in a whopping 1.45Kg over the Super Lightweight limit for his WBC world title fight with unbeaten Devin Haney at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York today.

After missing weight, Garcia chugged a beer at the weigh-in, later claiming it was apple juice and sparkling water, and took to social media to bizarrely hint he deliberately missed weight.
“I feel great and I got a 3-pound advantage,” Garcia wrote. “Winners do what they have to do I’m still sharp.”

At yesterday’s final press conference Garcia was baited by Haney into accepting a bet to pay US$500,000 for every pound he weighed in over the limit – Haney has since confirmed that Garcia has honoured his US$1.5Million bet.

Last minute negotiations ensured the fight will go ahead, but Haney’s WBC world title belt is no longer on the line. Should he lose, the belt will instead become vacant.
 
And that’s a wrap!
 
Please hit the like and subscribe buttons below if you want to receive more Pasifika sports highlights on Breakfast Bites.
 
Mahalo and Ka kite; for...

Kia ora, Talofa, Ma’lelei, Bula and Welcome to Season 09 Episode 17 of Breakfast Bites, by TEIVOVOdigital.com – a wrap of Pasifika people’s sports news, on a sunny and bright Saturday morning 20 April 2024.
 
Coming to you with tons of hanisi from the 180th meridian, in the middle of the blue continent.
                                                                  
In rugby union: Team Fijiana and Atelaite “Buna the Bullet” burned the Western Force in their semifinal in Suva yesterday to a packed out HFC Stadium with the flying fullback scoring three wonderful tries in their 25-14 win to make a third final three years in a row.
 
Later, the Fijian Drua had the measure of the Hurricanes for most of their game, but too much individualism in front of their home fans saw them fail to nail key try-scoring opportunities for the Hurricanes 38-15 win.
 
In football: Despite a Mohamad Salah penalty for a 1-0 win last night, Liverpool crashed out of the Europa League after losing 1-3 on aggregate to Italian Club Atalanta, after they stunned Anfield with a 3-0 win last week, in Liverpool’s first home defeat in all competitions for 14 months.

In SportsBiz: Caitlin Clark is expected to transform the WNBA, so it was jarring when it was revealed she’d receive US$76,000 in the first year of her rookie deal.

Her four-year contract is worth US$338,000 under the WNBA collective bargaining agreement.   
In contrast, the next number one NBA pick will receive US$10.5Million in their first year, 137 times the WNBA wage. 
 
People are pissed. There’s lots of conversation about fairness and pay gaps, even the US President Joe Biden tweeted about it. 
 
The NBA annual revenue is US$9.6Billion, while the WNBA is US$199M.
 
The NBA teams play an 82-game home and away season, while the WNBA schedule is 40 fixtures.
 
Many will argue this is about economics as much as gender.
 
They might rightfully point to the fact the NBA has had fifty extra years to become a multi-billion-dollar business.
 
It’s going to take time. 
 
Though when the NBA was the same age as the WNBA is right now, in 1974, the number one pick was Bill Walton, who signed a five-year deal reported to be worth US$2M.
 
In rugby league: The Eels shot out to an 8-0 lead 26 minutes into the game with Shaun Lane and Will Penisini scoring after a scrappy start from both sides in hot and humid conditions at TIO Stadium, Darwin.
 
Then the Dolphins embarrassed Brad Arthur in a 44-16 carve-up with a nine-try onslaught to leave Parramatta fans completely shell-shocked.
 
In combat sports: Ryan Garcia has unloaded at a heckler in a stunning, foul-mouthed rant while also agreeing to a US$500,000 bet with Devin Haney ahead of their WBC Junior Middleweight title fight at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on Sunday.
 
After Garcia dropped his fair share of expletives, Haney told reporters later: “There’s something wrong with him. I don’t know what’s going on, but that shit is not normal. We all know that.”
And that’s a wrap!
 
Please hit the like and subscribe buttons below if you want to receive more Pasifika sports highlights on Breakfast Bites.
 
Mahalo and Ka kite; for TEIVOVOdigital.com, I’m Culden Kamea tanking you all too mass for all your love and support.
 
#TEIVOVORugby  #TEIVOVODigital #TeivovoRugby #TeivovoDigital #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #Raka #team #rugbytraining #sports #FRU #Fiji #womensrugby #rugbygirls #wrugby #ladiesrugby #womeninsport  #woman #rugby #rugby7s #FijiRugby #rugbyunion #rugbyleague #fitness #weightlifting #training #team #rugbytraining #sports  #rakavi  #DevelopmentFiji