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Florida Panthers celebrate beating the Edmonton Oilers in game seven of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena.
Hard Numbers: Panthers win first Stanley Cup, Liberals lose in longtime stronghold, Dali set free, Deadly South Korean fire, Tories can’t cash out, Rising German Islamophobia
2: The Florida Panthers won their first Stanley Cup Monday night after beating the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 in the Panthers' hometown of Sunrise, Florida, outside Miami. It was a devastating blow for Canadian fans, who had watched the Oilers claw their way back after the Panthers established an early 3-0 series lead. The incredible tiebreaker ended with the Panthers on top – and with the Stanley Cup staying in the US for the 31st consecutive year.
30: Conservative candidate Don Stewart’svictory Monday in Toronto-St. Paul’s, a Liberal stronghold for over 30 years, signals significant voter discontent with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s handling of issues like the housing crisis, inflation, and the war in Gaza. This upset raises questions about Trudeau’s leadership and suggests huge vulnerabilities for the Liberals ahead of next year's election as similar vote swings could jeopardize what were once assumed to be “safe” seats.
3: Almost three months after the cargo ship Dali crashed into and collapsed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, the ship is nowheaded to Virginia for repairs. The Dali lost power on March 23, causing it to veer off course into the bridge, claiming the lives of six construction workers, and destroying the Baltimore bridge, a $1.9 bil and four-year restoration project.
22: A fire in a lithium battery factory outside of Seoulkilled 22 workers, mostly Chinese migrants, and injured eight on Monday. Authorities suspect the fire – one of the country’s deadliest in recent years – erupted because of an explosion in the plant containing roughly 35,000 batteries and have opened an investigation.
5: Insider betting is a no-no. A fifth Tory is now under investigation for allegedly placing bets on the date of the July 4 UK election – before Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made the announcement. The allegations mean more negative press for the beleaguered Conservative leader, who is facing calls to suspend the party figures being investigated.
1,926: Islamophobic crimes more thandoubled in Germany last year, according to the lobbying group Claim – totaling 1,926 criminal cases, more than 1,000 over 2022. Claim noted a significant spike in Islamophobic-motivated crimes following the Oct. 7 attack, with over 60% of 2023’s attacks falling in the last three months of the year.
Signs welcoming Indiana Fever's new player Caitlin Clark, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Basketball double whammy: Gender pay gap and betting scandals
It’s been a big week for professional basketball leagues catching heat. Fans were outraged to learn that college basketball legend and all-time NCAA top-scorer and top WNBA draft pick Caitlin Clarkwill earn a meager $338,056 over four years with the Indiana Fever.
That means, Clark’s earnings will be less than 1% of the 2023 NBA top draft pick, Victor Wembanyama’s $55 million deal. It’s even lower – much lower– than some NBA mascots.
Sure, Clark is set to make $3 million in ad deals, but the gender pay gap point remains, particularly as the league continues to grow. The WNBA draws fewer attendees, television viewers, and broadcast rights revenue, which means its players have a weaker collective bargaining agreement. But with a star like Clark – who is already helping set WNBA viewership records – that balance may begin to shift thanks to a one-woman rising tide that will lift other boats.
But Clark’s pay wasn’t the only pro basketball scandal. This week, Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porterwas banned from the NBA after an investigation found him guilty of colluding with sports bettors. He was, according to the ruling, providing information to them and betting on games, including against his own team, and “limiting his own participation in one or more games for betting purposes.”
While Clark’s contract called attention to gender-based pay discrepancies, Porter’s ouster has raised questions about player’s involvement in betting scandals (and sponsorship deals with gaming outlets) – something that has become more common following the 2018 US Supreme Court’s decision to strike down federal laws against betting on professional sports. With a bigger pool of bettors offering more opportunities for such insider betting scandals, could it be time for the legal ban – or at least limits – to rebound?