Artificial intelligence and its invasiveness in our everyday lives might be endlessly discussed among academics, government officials and social media provocateurs, but Los Angeles Comic Con has injected a dose of gamma radiation and showmanship into that debate.
Stan Lee has entered the chat.
L.A. Comic Con is introducing its Stan Lee Experience, a 1,500-square-foot booth in Aisle 200 that features an AI-powered holographic image of the late comic book legend that interacts with attendees. Curious fans can ask questions of “Stan Lee” and probe dozens of years’ worth of comic book and comic book-related data that’s been fed into the AI, which has been drawn from footage, conversations and even Stan Lee’s Soapbox — where Lee would expand on happenings of the day or riff on comic book goings-on in the back pages of Marvel comics from 1967 through 1980.
Chris DeMoulin, chief executive and general manager of L.A. Comic Con parent Comikaze Entertainment Inc., says the Stan Lee AI project took months of planning and years of being connected to the parties involved.
“For me, personally, one of the most thrilling things of my entire life was getting to work with Stan Lee when this was Stan Lee’s Comic Con and Stan Lee’s Comikaze Expo before that. What was such a joy was watching him interact with fans. Old fans and then people that were bringing their 8-year-old kid who had just read their first Spider-Man comic book,” said DeMoulin, who has collected comics from an early age.
“This avatar, to us, is an entry point into the world of storytelling that he created. We wanted to create something which can be part of maintaining and expanding on that legacy so that Stan’s role in creating a lot of this is acknowledged.”
The hologram, at least the one on the show floor, is not really a hologram. With a box built by Proto Inc., the company that also launched an interactive mirror from “The Conjuring,” and Hyperreal, a company whose chief executive Remington Scott helped bring Gollum and Smeagol to life for Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” movies and creates realistic avatars, it is an interactive Stan Lee image that processes questions and formulates responses.
“Hologram is a technology that’s different than this. This is more of an avatar presence, or a telepresence, if you will. Unlike ChatGPT, this is not a web crawler. This is a large language model which has got guardrails on it,” says George Johnson, a member of the Hyperreal technical team.
“It’s specifically Stan’s words. Red carpet interviews, everything he wrote, like Stan’s Soapbox, but with guardrails. Meaning, if you ask him sports questions or politics questions, he’s not going to answer those. But the Stan Lee Universe is feeding us more and more stuff that we can add to the model.”
David Nussbaum, Proto Inc. founder and chairman, knows that Stan Lee is only the first step for this technology.
“Any Proto device can have any piece of content in it, and we also beam people in live. So if you’re interviewing someone in Japan, you could beam there and appear like you are physically among them,” Nussbaum said. “These are great for classrooms, museums, labs, retail.”
Proto technology is also HIPAA-compliant, he said, meaning doctors and patients can use it to have “in-person” consultations without being in a room together.
As it learns, it can — as AI does — go a bit off script. While folks behind the scenes said they didn’t want Stan Lee to be used as an advertising gimmick, its makers had asked it so many questions about Coca-Cola, it had changed its answer from a generic “I don’t deal with that kind of thing” to a thoughtful answer where, at the end, Lee says, “Who wouldn’t want to be in business with the company that been quenching thirsts for a hundred years?”
That was Stan — ever the showman.
The Stan Lee Experience costs $15 plus service fees with tickets available for purchase via the L.A. Comic Con website. The pop culture gathering runs through Sunday at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
It was a particularly busy Thursday morning for the Bixby Knolls neighborhood of Long Beach.
The area, which is home to an array of independently owned businesses and small restaurants, both of which boast unique facades from storefront to storefront, saw hundreds of eager fans start lining up outside its doors as early as 8 a.m.
Many crowded around one store in particular: Fingerprints Music, which only recently began to call Bixby Knolls its home — in April — after a roughly 15-year residency in downtown Long Beach. As crowd control barricades began springing up and artist security personnel lingered outside the famed vinyl record shop, passersby and neighbors alike began to ponder what could be going on.
It was simple: Cardi B.
The “Bodak Yellow” singer managed to squeeze in a meet-and-greet event at the store to commemorate last week’s release of her sophomore album, “Am I the Drama?” A link to tickets dropped on Fingerprints Music’s website on Sept. 9, which fans barely gave a chance to breathe.
“I follow her on Instagram — I have hard notifications on every platform — so, as soon as the video went up, I rushed to the website and bought it,” said Gerardo Torres of Gardena. “I was probably one of the first few [to buy tickets], less than five minutes after she announced it I already had mine.”
Arlene Heaton, left, of Kern County and Gerardo Torres of Gardena hold a Cardi B flag.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Torres stood near the front of the line, which he joined around 10:30 a.m. Next to him was Arlene Heaton of Rosamond, who had just driven three hours from the Kern County community to arrive at the same time. The two met in line and quickly became friends — she donning a rhinestone-studded ensemble and he draping a flag depicting Cardi B around his shoulders.
“If she would’ve been three hours away, I would have been there as well!” Torres added.
“It took about 10 minutes [to sell out],” Heaton said. “I love the album and I just had to get the CD… I wanted to support her and I came all the way from Rosamond to see this happen — history, this is history.”
Though the event was scheduled for a 2 p.m. start, it wasn’t until 2:30 that Cardi arrived on the scene. A few fans trickled out from behind the store, rejoicing that they’d seen her arrive.
Moments later, security formed a human barrier around the entrance, and Cardi stepped out of the store with a megaphone. Whatever she said was rendered unintelligible among the thunderous cheers of fans who surged forward, putting her entourage to the test.
“I do music myself, I’m not a fan of many, but her? Oh, my God, there was no way. I got up at like 8 in the morning; I set my alarm for 6:30,” said Curshawn Watts, who called herself the “Queen of Compton.” “I was out here! I didn’t care how early I had to be here — I had to be here!” Watts said.
Curshawn Watts, a rapper who calls herself the “Queen of Compton,” holds a CD of Cardi B’s “Am I the Drama?” at Thursday’s meet-and-greet in Long Beach.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
She’d been waiting since 10 a.m. and said the heat didn’t bother her: “It’s worth it all, baby!” she declared.
As fans made their way into the store, they were greeted by the sound of tracks from Cardi’s new album playing on the store speakers. “Am I the Drama?” vinyl records and CDs filled out the shelves, and portraits of Cardi stood above them.
Nestled in the back corner behind a black curtain sat the woman herself, visibly pregnant, in brown snakeskin heels, denim shorts, and adorning various gold statement pieces. She had confirmed in a CBS interview last week that she and NFL star Stefon Diggs were expecting a child.
An estimated 1,200 fans arrived on the blistering day in Long Beach, though only 800 were able to secure a guest list spot to see the 32-year-old hip-hop artist. Others assembled nearby, hoping for a chance to merely lay eyes on her or, perhaps, to get lucky enough to join the meet-and-greet.
Indeed, Fingerprints Music and Cardi B accommodated around 200 to 300 more people toward the tail end of the event from among those who didn’t make the list. The event lasted until well after 5 p.m.
By that time, the somewhat chaotic nature of the meet-and-greet’s afternoon heights had settled down. Street vendors no longer camped outside, artists wrapped up their pieces for sale, and the weather began to cool.
Cardi B prepares to take a photo with a fan at the meet-and-greet.
(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
“We don’t usually do that, but everyone seemed pretty chill,” said Rand Foster, owner of Fingerprints Music. “For somebody at that caliber to be that open was really refreshing.”
Cardi B even stayed overtime to do a surprise signing of an exclusive alternate cover of her album. Four photos from a courtroom appearance she made in August embellish that variant.
Foster said he considered Thursday’s event, the largest the store has held since moving to its new location, to be a resounding success. He noted that when the store was downtown, the store once hosted an Ozzy Osbourne meet-and-greet that had a roughly 2,300-person turnout.
At its location in Bixby Knolls, the store is still feeling out its neighborhood. Foster said not only did the event bring extra traffic to other businesses, but he “didn’t hear any neighbors put out by it.”
Cardi B could have easily opted for a location more central to Los Angeles, such as Amoeba Music, so many fans were surprised and happy to see Long Beach get some love.
One man, who called himself Mr. Boug’e and sported a uniquely curled beard, said it came down to Long Beach being “dope.”
Mr. Boug’e holds up two vinyl record variants of Cardi B’s latest album, “Am I the Drama?”
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
“I call it Strong Beach,” he joked. “She got love everywhere — it don’t matter. It can be in an alley… or Alaska; they gon’ love her.”
Foster, whose shop has a long-standing relationship with its Hollywood peers at Amoeba, said the decision by Cardi B’s team to hold her meet-and-greet in Long Beach probably also came down to logistics.
“Anybody who is doing this kind of event and doing it with an eye towards longevity has to be respectful to the neighbors,” he explained. “Our line got about six blocks long; I think that would be tough on Hollywood Boulevard.”
“The Brady Bunch” superfans better hold onto their bell bottoms: The TV family’s retro home in Studio City will finally be accessible to the public for the first time.
The double doors to the midcentury Studio City home — made famous with its appearance in the beloved 1970s sitcom — will open to fans for three days in November thanks to a limited event by pop culture historian Alison Martino and her Vintage Los Angeles. Martino, an on-air host and producer for Spectrum news and the daughter of singer-actor Al Martino, unveiled the “Brady Experience” on Monday on Facebook.
“It’s like stepping back into our childhood! IT IS ASTONISHING and you will see every single room,” she announced. “I will personally be taking each and every one of you throughout the house.”
From Nov. 7 to 9, Martino will guide fans who have shelled out $275 each through the iconic Dilling Street property. The event is now sold out. Though the home’s facade appeared throughout the run of the family sitcom, its interior at the time bore no resemblance to the colorful rooms shown on screen. The interiors of the Brady residence were constructed on sets at Paramount Studios in Hollywood.
The famous abode, originally built in 1959 with late modernist architecture, was renovated decades after “The Brady Bunch” ended in 1974.
HGTV purchased the home in 2018 for $3.5 million (more than twice the asking price) and renovated the interior to match what “Brady Bunch” audiences saw onscreen. The home renovation network documented that process in “A Very Brady Renovation,” which featured the stars who portrayed the Brady children.
As part of the renovations, HGTV reproduced the groovy spaces from the set in the home, adding a second floor to accommodate the additional rooms. The network sold the home in 2023 for $3.2 million to Tina Trahan, a historic-home enthusiast and wife to former HBO executive Chris Albrecht.
The home, in all its “Brady Bunch” glory, has become “even more groovy with more remarkable vintage decor added,” Martino added in her announcement. She said nothing in the home would be off limits, allowing fans to “see every detail up close.”
Proceeds for the three-day event will benefit animal rescue Wags and Walks, a cause that Martino said Brady family dog “Tiger would definitely approve!”
How good is Son Heung-min? On the night LAFC celebrated Carlos Vela’s induction into the team’s ring of honor, Vela asked for Son’s autograph.
And he’s not the only one. Small crowds of fans have begun gathering outside LAFC’s training center at Cal State Los Angeles, some waiting for hours, to request Son’s signature on scraps of paper, photos and plush likenesses of the South Korean star in a Tottenham uniform.
On a recent afternoon, Son stopped his car and obliged every one of them.
Forget, for a moment, what he’s done on the field — which isn’t easy to forget since he’s scored six times and assisted on three other goals in seven games, only one of which LAFC lost.
The transformation Son has brought everywhere else since joining the team seven weeks ago has been breathtaking.
He arrived just as the dog days of summer were becoming ferocious. LAFC had been eliminated from the FIFA Club World Cup and the Leagues Cup, had won just four of its last 12 games in all competition and faced a severely compacted fixture schedule going forward.
Yet by dint of personality alone, Son immediately lightened the mood.
“He brings a smile to work every day,” coach Steve Cherundolo said.
A month later he was even more effusive.
“What I’m most impressed [with] is how Sonny treats people. His fans and his teammates,” Cherundolo said. “He’s an incredible human being. He’s very gracious. He’s patient. And he’s just a fine human being.”
That’s why everyone from teammates to security guards at the team’s training center use superlatives like humble, special, gracious, down to earth — and, yes, nice — when describing Son.
Midfielder Timothy Tillman, who was born in Germany, said Son, who played there for five years, surprised him when he began speaking to him in “very good” German.
“I love that he’s talking German with me. Having someone speak in German on the team feels good,” said Tillman, who quickly added what’s become the rote reaction to Son.
“I really, really like him,” he said. “I like that he’s here.”
LAFC’s Son Heung-Min forms a rectangle with his fingers after scoring against Real Salt Lake on Sept. 17.
(Chris Gardner / Getty Images)
Being kind hardly qualifies one for the Nobel Prize. Nor does being liked and appreciated by your co-workers. In many ways, those things seem like the bare minimum we should expect from one another.
But those traits are, many times, rare among superstar athletes — or celebrities in any field. Vela, an MLS MVP and the league’s single-season scoring champion, was often moody and aloof during his seven years at LAFC. Zlatan Ibrahimovic dominated the score sheet during his two seasons in MLS, yet he wasn’t shy about harshly criticizing teammates, which may be one reason why the Galaxy won fewer than half the games he played in.
Son, on the other hand, lifts everyone around him. Last spring, as he neared his final season in the Premier League with Tottenham, an English journalist — who rated players on charity, personality and sportsmanship — christened Son the nicest player in soccer history. (Speaking of sportsmanship, in 2019 when a dangerous Son challenge fractured the ankle of Everton’s André Gomes, Son broke into tears on the pitch. After apologizing — profusely and repeatedly — to Gomes, Son refused to celebrate two Champions League goals against Red Star Belgrade, choosing instead to look into the TV cameras with his palms pressed together in prayer for Gomes’ recovery.)
Now that Son, 33, is playing in the U.S., MLS is getting its first up-close look at what fans in South Korea, England and Germany have known about the player for years. And Son’s kindness and humanity is proving contagious.
Last week teammate Denis Bouanga, who is in the race for the MLS Golden Boot, declined to shoot at an open net, instead slipping the ball to Son, who scored to complete his first MLS hat trick.
“I could have scored. The goal was open,” Bouanga admitted through a translator. “It was good for him to have the feeling to score a hat trick. We celebrated together.”
On Sunday, Son returned the favor, setting up two of Bouanga’s three goals. Bouanga’s second hat trick in three games gave him 22 goals for the season and tied him with Lionel Messi for the league lead. It also made him the first player in MLS history to score at least 20 times in three successive seasons.
“Sonny is a very good player and a very good pal on the field and outside the field,” Bouanga added. “This connection that we have, this chemistry, it was automatic.”
Transformative too: Bouanga and Son have combined for all 12 goals in their team’s last three games — all wins — becoming the first teammates to score hat tricks in three straight games. The most potent attacking duo in the league has also given LAFC (14-7-8) a firm grip on a home playoff berth and made it a legitimate MLS Cup contender.
Son, predictably, deflected the praise, saying that he appreciated the welcome he’s received.
“What should I say? I never expected, to be honest, that welcome or support,” he said after Sunday’s win. “It seems very crazy. But I love that. I’m a very, very happy guy, lucky guy, having this amazing support behind me. I want to give always something back.
“I just want to say thank you.”
That’s exactly what everyone at LAFC has been saying since Son arrived.
⚽ You have read the latest installment of On Soccer with Kevin Baxter. The weekly column takes you behind the scenes and shines a spotlight on unique stories. Listen to Baxter on this week’s episode of the “Corner of the Galaxy” podcast.
With great power comes a great risk of injury, it seems.
Tom Holland, 29, who plays Spider-man in the most current iteration of the web-slinger film franchise, suffered a mild on-set concussion that has resulted in a one-week production pause on “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” Variety reported Monday.
Filming is expected to restart Sept. 29, the trade said, and the delay shouldn’t keep the fourth Holland-as-Spidey movie from swinging onto the big screen on its scheduled release date.
Holland is taking it easy “out of an abundance of caution,” a source close to the production told the outlet.
Since production began in early August, the actor has been sharing his experiences on his Instagram, hyping fans before the film is released.
“Someone is cooking … again,” chef and fan Gordon Ramsay commented on one post, adding a winking emoji to capture his excitement.
Holland posted a video last month where he revealed the film‘s release date while wearing the iconic Spidey suit. A few days later, he posted behind-the-scenes footage where he was interacting with fans on set. It was the first time, he wrote, that fans were on set on Day One of filming.
The fourth film in Peter Parker‘s Holland era will reunite him with his on-screen girlfriend and offscreen fiancée, Zendaya, and actor Jacob Batalon, who plays his friend Ned Leeds.
ITV’s Coronation Street aired shock scenes on Monday night which saw a villain killed off without any warning after subjecting two characters to a load of abuse
21:00, 22 Sep 2025Updated 21:29, 22 Sep 2025
The homophobic church clerk has been wrapped up in a whole load of drama concerning Todd and Theo (Image: ITV)
Coronation Street aired shock scenes on Monday night in which a villain was killed off without any warning. Richard Winsor, 43, has been playing homophobic church clerk Noah Hedley on the long-running serial for the past few months, and was placed at the centre of a controversial storyline.
When Theo Silverton (James Cartwright) made his debut on the programme, he was introduced as a married man who had two kids with wife Danielle (Natalie Anderson) before it was revealed that he had been put through conversion therapy earlier in life. After his wife left him once his affair with Todd Grimshaw (Gareth Pierce) was exposed, she struck up a relationship with Noah, and he has been on a campaign of hate ever since.
In the latest trip to the nation’s favourite street, viewers watched as Theo geared up for a custody hearing concerning his children Millie and Miles, with Todd and Noah sitting in on the whole thing in court as well. Throughout it all, Noah made homophobic comments , which led to an outburst from Todd. He left and waited at home, where Theo told him he had been granted a ‘shared care agreement order,’ and the pair went to the Bistro for lunch.
However, Noah turned up and things between them immediately got heated as he subjected Todd and Theo to a torrent of abuse as he revealed that Danielle was set to appeal the decision.
He told them: “I’m concerned. People like you are allowed to live near kids, twisting their little minds so they end up like you.” Todd interjected with, ‘That’s enough!’ but Noah shot back: “I don’t think it, not while disgusting perverts like you are allowed to do what they want.” He labelled homosexuality as ‘a form of mental illness,’ and when Theo simply told him he ‘couldn’t get to them’ now, Noah simply said: “We’ll see…” and walked out.
A short time later, Todd and Theo had been joined in the Bistro by Todd’s adoptive daughter Summer (Harriet Bibby) and Dee Dee Bailey (Channique Sterling-Brown) to celebrate. But things took another dramatic turn when Natalie burst into the restaurant that Noah had died.
Looking for answers, she demanded: “What did you do to him? What did you do to Noah?! He’s dead! The last I heard he was coming to see you.” When asked how Noah had died, she explained through tears: “I found him in his front room, I called 999. The paramedic said he’d had a heart attack.”
Dee Dee assured Danielle that no one could make someone have a heart attack and it must have been an underlying condition. Danielle, hysterical by this point, then proclaimed: “This is all my fault. I did all this! Come on, Theo, you hate me!” but he insisted that was not the case, and they will always be connected in some form because of the children they have together.
Back at their flat, Theo had burst into tears over the shock news and admitted there was a time in his life that he ‘loved’ Noah. He explained: “He wasn’t always the bad guy. He was my friend. Maybe the best friend I’ve ever had. That’s why it was so much harder when he started to change. I loved him. I looked up to him. I thought he cared about me but maybe it was never real. Do you know what? I hate myself for saying this but I miss him. I always will.”
In recent weeks, viewers have seen Todd become a victim of control as he was forbidden from seeing former boyfriend Billy Mayhew (Daniel Brocklebank), and in disturbing scenes that aired last month, Theo grabbed hold of him and forced him to eat a kebab. The night before Noah’s death, Todd had thrown a small gathering to celebrate moving into their new flat together, but Theo took issue with the whole thing and made Todd sleep in the spare bedroom.
At the end of Monday’s episode, Theo told Todd: “I can’t do this without you. I mean it. If you ever left me…” before Todd assured him he wouldn’t. Theo warned him: “You’d better not!”
Coronation Street runs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1. Episodes can also be downloaded on ITVX.
What a cool request! Trout had already agreed to give Alberto — who attended the game with his wife and two children — three signed bats and two signed baseballs in exchange for the ball he crushed.
While Trout signed the balls and bats in the dugout long after the game had ended, Alberto politely asked him while making a throwing motion with his right arm, “You mind if we play catch with a ball on the field?” the three-time American League Most Valuable Player didn’t hesitate, saying, “Yeah, you want to do it?” Alberto grabbed his glove.
A post on the MLB.com X account shows Alberto tossing the ball back and forth to Trout, who catches it with his bare hands while wearing his cap backwards. At one point, Trout says something to Alberto’s young son, who is watching in awe.
And no wonder. Shortly before Trout hit No. 400, Alberto told Trout he’d turned to his son and said, “He’s got a lot of power.” No kidding, enough to drive the ball deep into the left-center field stands. Alberto caught the blast with his bare hands.
It was Trout’s third home run of at least 485 feet since Statcast began tracking long balls in 2015, the most of any player. The 34-year old outfielder in his 15th season became the 59th MLB player to reach 400 homers and the 20th to hit them all with one franchise.
The No. 400 ball clearly had more monetary value than the signed balls and bats, but nowhere near the value of a career 500 home run ball or, say, the home run the Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman hit to win Game 1 of the 2024 World Series — which was sold at auction for $1.56 million.
The home run was meaningful to Trout, who admitted to feeling pressure as he approached the milestone. It was only his second long ball since Aug. 7.
He also recognized that catching the ball and returning it to the player who belted it was meaningful to Alberto, who likely has already done what dads do — play catch with his children.
“Once they get older and realize, that’ll be an awesome memory for the dad to tell the kids, to experience that,” Trout told reporters. “I know how I felt when I went to a ballgame with my dad.”
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Bad Bunny fans drowned out memories of Hurricane Maria in one booming voice on the anniversary of the devastating storm.
Saturday was a concert for Puerto Ricans by Puerto Ricans to remind the world about the power of la isla del encanto — the island of enchantment.
“We’re not going to quit. The entire world is watching!” Bad Bunny thundered into his microphone as he looked into a camera streaming his last show in Puerto Rico this year to viewers around the world, concluding a historic 30-concert residency in the U.S. territory.
The crowd roared as thousands watching via Amazon Music, Prime Video and Twitch joined them, marking the first time Bad Bunny was streamed across the globe.
The residency was more than just a series of concerts. Saturday marked the end of an extended love letter that Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio sang to his homeland. He tapped into what it means to be Puerto Rican, to delight in the island’s beauty, to defend its land and fight for its people.
“This is for you,” Bad Bunny said from the rooftop of a famed Puerto Rican house installed at the concert venue as he raised his glass and the crowd raised their glasses in return.
‘We are still here’
Saturday marked the eighth anniversary of Hurricane Maria, which slammed into Puerto Rico as a Category 4 storm on Sept. 20, 2017.
An estimated 2,975 people died in the sweltering aftermath of the storm that crippled the island’s electric grid, leaving some communities without power for up to a year. Anger and frustration over the pace of reconstruction continues to simmer as chronic power outages persist.
In a report issued Sept. 11, the U.S. Office of Inspector General found that 92% of approved and obligated projects related to Puerto Rico’s crumbling grid were incomplete and that $3.7 billion of available funds had not been obligated.
“Over seven years after Hurricane Maria, FEMA does not know when Puerto Rico’s electrical grid will be completely rebuilt. The grid remains unstable, inadequate, and vulnerable to interruptions,” the report stated.
On Saturday, the number of estimated deaths was printed on the backs of T-shirts and written on Puerto Rican flags that the crowd waved.
“We are still emotional and carry the trauma of having gone through a horrible thing,” said Marta Amaral, 61, who attended Saturday’s concert. “Beyond the sadness and remembering the negativity of having gone through a traumatic event, this is a celebration that we are still here, standing.”
A surprise guest
At every concert this summer, Bad Bunny invited new celebrities — among them LeBron James, Penélope Cruz, Darren Aronofsky, DJ Khaled and Kylian Mbappé — and sang with different musicians, including Rubén Blades, Residente, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Rai Nao and Jorge Drexler.
But Saturday, the noise from the crowd hit new levels as Bad Bunny rapped with Puerto Rico heavyweights Ñengo Flow, Jowell y Randy, Dei V and Arcángel and De la Ghetto. Thousands of fans flexed their knees in unison to thumping rap and reggaetón.
Then, the crowd gasped in disbelief as Marc Anthony appeared on stage after Bad Bunny pleaded with his fans to join him because he was going to sing a song he hadn’t sung in public in some 20 years.
“Yo te quiero, Puerto Rico!” the crowd cried as the two singers embraced at the end of the iconic “Preciosa,” whose lyrics say, “I love you, Puerto Rico.”
‘An emotional night’
Thousands gathered outside the concert venue Saturday hours before the concert, with Puerto Rico’s national flower, the flor de maga, tucked behind their ears and the traditional straw hat known as a pava set at a jaunty angle on their heads.
But not all were celebrating.
Darlene Mercado milled around, asking strangers if they knew of anyone with tickets she could buy for herself and her daughter, who had flown in from New Jersey.
They were around number 122,000 in a virtual waiting line to buy tickets for Saturday’s sold-out concert and weren’t able to get any after waiting eight hours online.
“This is not only the anniversary of the hurricane, but it’s also the anniversary of me no longer having cancer and it’s my birthday. We wanted to celebrate everything with a bang,” Mercado said.
Saturday’s concert was open only to residents of Puerto Rico, as were the first nine concerts of Bad Bunny’s residency, but the others were open to fans around the world.
Overall, the concerts attracted roughly half a million people, generating an estimated $733 million for Puerto Rico, according to a study by Gaither International.
Most foreign visitors came from the Dominican Republic, Colombia and Spain, with an average stay of nearly nine nights, the study found. Overall, about 70% of concertgoers were female, with an average age of 33, according to the study.
Among those attending was Shamira Oquendo. “It’s going to be an emotional night,” the 25-year-old said, noting that Hurricane Maria was her first hurricane. “It was very sad. A lot of people around me lost their things.”
‘Yo soy boricua!’
Puerto Rico’s party with Bad Bunny ended early Sunday, but the superstar who recently clinched 12 Latin Grammy nominations will go on a worldwide tour in December, with concerts planned in Costa Rica, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, Spain, France and Sweden. Notably, he is skipping the mainland U.S., citing concerns over the federal government’s immigration arrests.
On Saturday, Bad Bunny thanked his fans for their love.
“I’m going to miss you a lot. I’m going to miss this energy,” he said as he urged the crowd to embrace love no matter the situation.
At that moment, friends and family in the crowd began to hug one another, some with tears in their eyes.
After more than three hours of singing with Bad Bunny, fans were not quite ready to let go. As the crowd filed down the stairs and into the night, one man yelled, “Yo soy boricua!” and the crowd responded, “Pa’ que tú lo sepas!”
It’s a traditional cry-and-response yell that lets people around them know they’re Puerto Rican and proud of it.
That’s what Rams edge rusher Jared Verse professed Thursday when asked about returning to play the Philadelphia Eagles before their fans at Lincoln Financial Field.
Verse, the Rams’ top pick in the 2024 NFL draft, sent shock waves through the NFL last January when he said before an NFC divisional-round game that he hated Eagles fans and indicated that the team’s green and white uniforms triggered him.
On game day, Verse encouraged and welcomed the colorful verbiage that came his way, and he recorded two of the Rams’ seven sacks in a 28-22 defeat.
Verse’s words might have incited the Eagles faithful, but based on fan reaction a week later before their team played the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship, Verse earned huge respect.
“My feelings are roughly the same,” Verse said, chuckling. “But like it is with everybody, I respect people that not only respect me but that stand on business. They stood on business with the situation. They came with their energy.
“After the game I tipped my hat off to them, they tipped it back. … I have respect for those fans, I have respect for the players, I have respect for all of them, but I stand on everything I’ve ever said.”
For opposing offensive coordinators, Verse is no longer a problem to attempt to solve on the fly. They have had an entire offseason to draw up schemes to neutralize the 6-foot-4, 260-pound Verse, the 2024 NFL defensive rookie of the year.
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, left, scores on a 62-yard run in front of Rams linebacker Jared Verse during the Rams’ loss in the NFC divisional playoffs in January.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
From a glamour statistics perspective, it appears to be working. But that does not tell the whole story.
In victories over the Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans, Verse made a combined five tackles and delivered three quarterback hits for a defense that has surrendered only one touchdown.
Meantime, fellow edge rusher Byron Young has three sacks and a forced fumble. Rookie Josaiah Stewart got his first sack against the Titans.
Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula noted that Verse remains an impact player.
“You talk about a lot of the attention that he gets,” Shula said. “Some of the success of Byron Young and Josaiah Stewart [has happened] because a lot of that attention is paid to Verse.
“He’ll be the first to tell you he can be more consistent, he can play with better effort and be snap in and snap out. But we think Verse is exactly where we want him to be and expect him to play well.”
Verse said it was frustrating “not being able to say, ‘Oh, I’m making this play, I’m making that play,’” especially when watching other top players who demand similar attention convert opportunities.
“But then you gotta realize, not only am I helping the team, I’m helping my whole defense. I’m helping these guys make the plays,” he said.
Verse, however, said he needed to capitalize on his opportunities.
“I’m getting my one-on-ones,” he said, “I’m getting a pure ‘me-him, who’s-the-better-man play, and I’m not taking advantage of those.
“So this whole week, that’s been my main focus.”
Verse and the Rams will once again attempt to neutralize an Eagles offense that features running back Saquon Barkley, quarterback Jalen Hurts and perhaps the top line in the NFL, which features tackles Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata.
Rams linebacker Jared Verse walks on the field before a win over the Houston Texans at SoFi Stadium on Sept. 7.
(Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)
Last season, in a November victory over the Rams, Barkley amassed 302 total yards, including 255 rushing. He scored on runs of 72 and 70 yards.
In the divisional round, Barkley rushed for 205 yards and scored on runs of 62 and 78 yards.
“All you have to do is eliminate the explosives,” Verse said. “We take away the explosives, both of those games are very winnable.”
So Verse is eager to play the Eagles again. And to show that like other great players, he can overcome extra attention and make plays.
“The greats get that attention,” he said, “The greats break through it. … I just have to pass this next phase, this next wall, this next mountain.
“That’s the only thing I’m focused on. Once I pass that, we’re cooking with oil again.”
You can say you are building a ballpark, but the anticipation accelerates when the community sees what the ballpark might look like. For the city of Ontario and its architects, the rendering of its minor league ballpark included a team name.
A placeholder, that is. The new team owners did not yet own the team. The name would come later. The Dodgers’ California League team would not move in until 2026.
On that drawing last year: the Ontario Sky Mules, with a whimsical logo of a grinning donkey wearing sunglasses and flying a prop plane. It was, frankly, awesome.
It was the essence of the minor leagues. Don’t know what a sky mule is? Hardly anyone knew what a trash panda was, either, and the Trash Pandas are one of the hottest brands in the minors.
This year, the newly hired team staff dropped hints about the actual name, about the buzz in town. On the walls of the team offices: “Cleared for Takeoff.” The city referenced ballpark fan zones nicknamed “The Airfield” and “The Tarmac.”
And, just last week, the biggest hint of all: the announcement of a naming rights deal with Ontario International Airport, close enough to the ballpark that you’ll be able to see flights take off. The ballpark name: ONT Field (spell it out: O-N-T, like LAX).
On Thursday, eight months in advance of its first game, the team finally revealed its name: the Ontario Tower Buzzers.
It’s an homage to the movie “Top Gun,” and to the defiant line uttered by the pilot played by Tom Cruise: “It’s time to buzz the tower.” The Tower Buzzers’ mascot, a bee called Maverick, is named after Cruise’s character.
The team name balances heritage and whimsy. The city is paying for the ballpark and wants to promote its airport, which was used as a World War II air base before reverting to civilian use and expanding into an Inland Empire transportation hub.
“We want to honor that legacy and have fun with it,” Tower Buzzers general manager Allan Benavides said. “We found something we think is a fun minor league name, rather than just, say, Pilots or Aviators.”
“We want to honor that legacy and have fun with it,” Tower Buzzers general manager Allan Benavides, standing in front of a rendering of the team’s new stadium, said of the name.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The Aviators? Already in use in Las Vegas. The Pilots? The name of a failed California League team in Riverside (the college landlord wouldn’t allow beer sales, which is akin to a death sentence in the minor leagues).
The Tower Buzzers should fare better, in a ballpark that figures to be the second-best place to see a ballgame in Southern California, behind Petco Park and ahead of Dodger Stadium and Angel Stadium.
The city’s latest cost estimate is $120 million, for a Class A ballpark. The stadium that opened this year for the Angels’ triple-A affiliate in Salt Lake City cost $140 million and holds 8,000.
ONT Field is expected to hold 6,500 — but with 3,200 seats between the foul poles, and the rest wherever you prefer: in the outfield, on the grass, in picnic areas, on a playground, or in bars, clubs and suites, including a couple where you can converse with the players.
There’s an ice cream parlor, a food hall, and a bar shaped like a luggage carousel. After a home run, the splash pad will erupt, and propellers will whirl in a bar. A runway will light up, and so will the antennas on the mascot.
The scoreboard is a hexagon, just like the one at Dodger Stadium. Soon to appear: a mural of Fernando Valenzuela. All fans, not just the ones in the fancy seats, can watch players in the batting cage.
On the afternoon I visited, the temperature was 108 degrees. The seating area will not have mist machines, as the Angels’ old California League stadium in Palm Springs did.
“It won’t be 108 at 7 o’clock,” Benavides said.
His target audience: the “30-year-old moms” that he said control the calendar and the spending for the family.
“Not everybody is a baseball fan, but they want to have time,” he said. “They want to be away from their cellphones and the TV and be outside, not spend a ton of money, and not have to drive to L.A. or San Diego.”
Crews work on the construction of ONT Field in Ontario last month. The team last week announced a naming rights deal with Ontario International Airport.(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The Angels’ California League affiliate will play in Rancho Cucamonga, eight miles away. Another California League team plays in San Bernardino, 25 miles away. The Angels themselves are 35 miles away.
“We’re going to fight for dollars, certainly, but I think our affiliation with the Dodgers is huge,” Benavides said. “They’re the hottest brand in baseball, depending on who you ask. I’m a Dodger fan, so I think they are.
“And I think this will be the nicest minor league stadium in the country, regardless of classification.”
If the Tower Buzzers do not win that fight for dollars, Ontario’s investment in the ballpark could turn out to be a poor one.
The ballpark is the anchor of what the city is modestly calling the Ontario Sports Empire, a 200-acre facility for training and competition billed by the city as the “largest sports complex of its kind west of the Rocky Mountains.”
There absolutely is a market for sports tourism, for all those kids and all their parents shuttling to weekend tournaments in baseball, softball, football, soccer, tennis and more. But that market can be tapped without a nine-figure investment in a minor league ballpark. (The naming rights payments come from airport revenues, not city taxpayers; the airport is administered jointly by the city and San Bernardino County.)
A rendering of ONT Field, set to open in 2026.
(Courtesy of City of Ontario)
That ballpark investment is more about a local entertainment option for residents, with so many homes in the pipeline that the population could double from close to 200,000 to about 400,000 within two decades. The NHL’s Kings already have a minor league affiliate playing in the city’s arena, and city officials plan for restaurants, hotels and shops to surround the ballpark and sports complex.
Dan Bell, a city spokesman, said Ontario is adding about 1,200 new homes every year.
“And they’re reasonable,” Bell said. “You can’t afford the L.A. market anymore.”
On Thursday, at the moment the team announced the Tower Buzzers name, the team merchandise went on sale. The home jerseys say Buzzers.
So is it Buzzers or Tower Buzzers? It’s like Blazers or Trail Blazers.
“We’ll let fans decide,” Benavides said.
I still wondered about the homage. When the Tower Buzzers take the field next year, “Top Gun” will turn 40. To a fan of a certain age, the reference is obvious. It would be like opening a pizza delivery service and calling it Spicoli’s.
To a younger generation, “Top Gun” might mean a blank stare. No worries, Benavides said. You’ll be able to enjoy a night at the ballpark all the same.
“We’re not going to 100% lean into that film,” he said. “This isn’t going to be a ‘Top Gun’ museum.”
Well, then, Tower Buzzers: You are cleared for takeoff.
This article contains spoilers for the Season 3 finale of “The Summer I Turned Pretty.”
Isabel “Belly” Conklin and Conrad Fisher had a très romantique reunion in Paris in the highly anticipated series finale of “The Summer I Turned Pretty” this week — but that’s not the end of their love story.
Hours after Prime Video dropped the series finale of the hit show on Wednesday, the streamer announced a feature film continuation to be written and directed by author, creator and co-showrunner Jenny Han.
“There is another big milestone left in Belly’s journey, and I thought only a movie could give it its proper due,” Han said in a press release. The surprise announcement was made during the red carpet finale premiere in the City of Love, with Han and the stars of the series, including Lola Tung, Christopher Briney and Gavin Casalegno, in attendance.
Story and production details for the untitled “Summer I Turned Pretty” movie are under wraps, as is the release date. But fans of Han’s bestselling book series of the same name have already guessed which major milestone a “Summer” movie is likely to reveal: Belly’s wedding to Conrad.
The wedding, an ultimate happy ending for the couple after their tumultuous three-season journey of first love and heartbreak, was originally revealed in the epilogue of Han’s third “Summer” novel, “We’ll Always Have Summer.” Curiously for the series, in which Han has shown meticulous creative control with well-curated book moments, music and visual details, Belly and Conrad’s onscreen love story comes to an open-ended conclusion when they return together to the Cousins summer house, with Belly narrating an ambiguous forward jump in time.
Additionally, a credits montage titled “Christmas in Paris” shows snapshots of them spending the holiday together and an onscreen letter from Han thanking fans that appears to open the door to more of Belly and Conrad’s story: “Maybe we’ll meet again one summer in Cousins.”
Belly and Conrad’s onscreen love story comes to an open-ended conclusion when they return together to the Cousins summer house in the series finale.
(Eddy Chen / Prime)
The final three episodes of the global hit series expand on the book’s epilogue, switching the setting from Spain to Paris, where Belly (Tung) finishes college abroad after a love confession from Conrad (Briney) upends her would-be nuptials to his brother, Jeremiah (Casalegno). The penultimate episode included the handwritten letters from the book that Conrad begins sending Belly during their time apart, leading to their eventual romantic reconnection.
In the 79-minute series finale, written by Han and co-showrunner Sarah Kucserka and directed by Jesse Peretz, Conrad arrives in Paris a year later to surprise Belly on her birthday. They clear the air and rekindle their spark during a “Before Sunrise”-esque day together. A passionate night is followed by a tearful goodbye, an emotional revelation, a dramatic dash to the train station, and the return of the infinity necklace that has symbolized their love since Season 1.
The episode also checks in on the folks back home in Cousins, including Steven (Sean Kaufman) and Taylor (Rain Spencer), who are navigating the next steps of their own relationship, and Jeremiah, now an up-and-coming chef, who has moved on from his breakup with Belly and is forging a romantic connection with former co-worker Denise (Isabella Briggs).
After watching the finale, some fans on social media felt that Belly and Conrad’s love story was incomplete, wanting to see more of the couple together, and that it missed book moments like their wedding, closure for other characters, and a reunion of the whole Cousins crew.
Avid fans had already begun poring over the episode for hints of more “Summer” to come. Eagle-eyed viewers like TikTok creator @bookbeedani noted that the numbers “12” and “14” appearing throughout the episodes and holiday hints, including a red and green dress worn by Han in a promo revealing the finale title, support speculation that a Dec. 14 Christmas special might be in the works.
Those details could hint at what’s to come in a “Summer” feature film, including what we didn’t see in the series finale, like the letter Susannah wrote to Belly before her death, a “Bonrad” wedding — and first dance to “Stay” by Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs — and a final scene with the pair on the beach that has been witness to several of their important moments together.
“I’m definitely open to doing more stories in the universe,” Han told The Times in an interview ahead of the finale. The film, which will mark Han’s feature directorial debut after making her first foray into directing with a Season 3 episode told from Conrad’s perspective, could also tie up loose ends or tee up spin-off potential for other beloved characters, including Steven and Taylor in California; Laurel, John and Adam on that singles cruise; or Jeremiah and Denise in … love?
After Paris sold a record 12 million tickets for the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, the group organizing the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles is getting a head start on ticket sales.
General registration for 2028 Olympic tickets will open in January 2026, more than a full year ahead of the ticket timeline used during the Paris Games, LA28 announced on Wednesday. Tickets to the Paralympics — coming to L.A. for the first time — will go on sale in 2027.
Beginning next year, fans can register to enter the lottery for Olympic tickets at the organizing committee’s website la28.org. If selected in the random draw, fans will receive a purchase time and date for when ticket drops begin in spring 2026. Fans who are not selected for the first round of ticket drops will be automatically be entered into subsequent ones. LA28 officials plan to announce more information about the process later this year.
Single-event tickets will start at $28, with early access for locals around Olympic venue cities. In addition to major sports zones in Downtown L.A., Exposition Park, the Sepulveda Basin, Long Beach, Inglewood and Carson will host multiple Olympic events. L.A., Long Beach and Carson will host the majority of the Paralympic events.
“The LA28 Games will be an opportunity to purchase a ticket to history,” LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover said in a statement. “Whether you’re a local family attending your first Olympic or Paralympic event or a global traveler joining us for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, there really will be something for everyone across our suite of ticket options and hospitality packages.”
AXS and Eventim, which expanded their partnership with LA28, is the official ticket provider for the 2028 L.A. Olympics and Paralympics. Hospitality packages offered by On Location will be available on a first-come, first-served basis beginning in early 2026. The ticket-inclusive options include guaranteed accommodations, official LA28 transportation options and premium seating.
The Olympics begin on July 14, 2028, with a dual-venue opening ceremony at the Coliseum and SoFi Stadium. They close on July 30 at the Coliseum, while the Paralympics come to L.A. for the first time from Aug. 15-27.
The Paris organizing committee, which sold 9.5 million tickets for the Olympics and 2.5 million for Paralympics, didn’t begin its ticket registration process until November 2022, with the first, bundled ticket sales beginning in February 2023. The total number of tickets sold broke the previous record held by the London Olympics, which still holds the Paralympic record with 2.7 million tickets sold.
MEXICO CITY — It was pouring buckets of rain at the Estadio GNP Seguros on Saturday night, when Oasis played one of two sold-out reunion shows in Mexico City.
Lined at the entrance were tents stuffed with bootleg tour merch and fans seeking respite from the water. You could hear the sloshing of wet socks and Adidas Sambas as they price-checked knockoff memorabilia emblazoned with the Gallagher brothers’ iconically muggy faces.
For 200 pesos, you could get a T-shirt with Noel and Liam Gallagher as fighting cats, or characters from “Peanuts” and “The Simpsons.”
While a downpour isn’t the ideal weather condition for an outdoor concert — my Bohemian FC x Oasis collab football jersey went unseen under a fashionable rain parka — it was certainly fitting for a band thatroutinely, perhapsobsessively, singsaboutrain. Yet for Mexican fans of Oasis who’ve anxiously waited years to finally see the brothers reunite, it was all sunsheeeeIIIIIINE.
Outside the entry gates, father and son Santiago and Omar Zepeda, both sporting bucket hats, had a palpable buzz radiating off them as they eagerly waited to enter the stadium. It was a multigenerationally significant day for them.
“I came for the first time with my dad in ’98 at the Palacio de Deportes to see Oasis, and now I get to bring my son,” said Santiago, who came from Guadalajara with his 14-year-old in tow. “There was a moment that I said we’ll just go without tickets and see what we do. We’ll get in because we’ll get in. I feel incredible to be able to have done what I did with my father 27 years later now with my son.”
In August of last year, the Manchester-bred Gallagher brothers — who had been openly feuding for decades — declared that war was over on the 30th anniversary of their 1994 juggernaut debut, “Definitely Maybe.”
“The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over,” they announced. As reunion tour dates opened, and two Mexico City stops were announced, Mexican fans expressed pure elation and flooded Ticketmaster once the sale went live. As you can imagine, it was online bedlam.
Waiting in the Ticketmaster queue filled Esteban Ricardo Sainz Coronado, 24, and Sara Pedraza, 25, with dread. The young couple came in from Monterrey, Nuevo León, but it was uncertain whether they’d make it to what Coronado called “a collective reunion that’s cultural and transcends more than music history.”
Pedraza waited three hours in Ticketmaster’s virtual line, almost missing school and her chance to secure seats as she kept getting bumped off the site. “I stubbornly kept trying and after I don’t know how many attempts, it worked,” Pedraza said. “It was such a huge relief.”
Like Coronado and Sainz, the reunion tour is millions of fans’ first opportunity to see Oasis play live, as they would have been far too young or not even born yet during their heyday. For longtime Oasis heads, it was a chance to once again be in community with their favorite band.
British bands have long had a foothold in Mexico’s alternative scenes, with fans of all ages still packing bars and venues to hear Primal Scream, Blur, Pulp and, of course, Morrissey and the Smiths. These groups have had an enduring, impassioned following that has been explored in books, articles and films, with Mexicans often feeling a spiritual and cultural connection to the U.K.’s music scene stemming back to the Beatles. Oasis could have sold out shows across Mexico 10 times over.
After acrimoniously (and unsurprisingly) breaking up in 2009, the hope to ever see the Gallaghers fill a stadium with the staple of acoustic jam sessions worldwide, “Wonderwall,” dimmed. The brothers’ endless swipes at each other in the media post-breakup didn’t give fans hope they’d get back to “living forever.” Mexican fans even prayed to La Virgen de Guadalupe that the infamously combative brothers wouldn’t break up again even hours before showtime.
“As long as they don’t fight!” said Hector Garduño, who came to the show with his partner, Sofia Carrera, from Querétaro. “That’s what we want, for them not to fight.”
Gracias a la virgencita, the tour has seemingly been all love. The skies eventually cleared up on Saturday, and the stadium indeed filled with Oasis’ soaring, anthemic bangers for 2 ½ hours. For days leading up to the Mexico City date, fans in my orbit and social feeds debated how the show would compare with the crowd at Pasadena’s Rose Bowl, where Oasis played the previous weekend.
“[Mexican audiences are] on another level,” said Garduño. “I think these dudes are going to be taken by surprise. I expect jumping, screaming, crying; the emotion of hearing those songs that really move you.”
Mauri Barranco, who came to the show with her best friend, said “I feel like we give a lot of ourselves. That’s why so many artists like coming to Mexico.”
Meanwhile, Alberto Folch, from Mexico City, saw his own audience participation as a challenge. “With all the vibes, with all the emotion, we’re ready to jump, to show them what Mexico is made of,” he said. “Tonight we’re rock ‘n’ roll stars.”
The 65,000 fans in attendance undoubtedly showed up sobbing and screeching with unbridled elation. Liam Gallagher played to the locals, donning a sombrero de charro during “Wonderwall” and the show closer “Champagne Supernova.” The band sounded as if no time had passed since its salad days, with the members’ vocals and musicianship arguably tighter than ever — perhaps a positive side effect of pulling back from the rock star lifestyle now that they’re in their 50s. The sound reverberated clean across the stadium as well (shoutout to L-Acoustics, who provided the sound for the reunion tour), and was praised nonstop by fans I spoke to throughout the weekend. I heard a lot of emphatic cries of “el sonido, güey!”
I pogo’d along with my fellow “madferits” as we turned away from the stage and linked arms to do the Poznań: a signature move at every show, borrowed from Manchester City F.C. fans. During “Cigarettes & Alcohol,” we shouted every lyric and were sprayed by flying beers thrown in raucous excitement.
I’ve never felt more giddy to get splashed with spit-riddled beer — and seemingly neither did anyone around me, who shouted joyful obscenities in Spanish. Three men behind me even sobbed into each other’s chests during “Don’t Look Back in Anger” and the stadium filled with cellphone lights as Noel Gallagher crooned “Talk Tonight.”
The rain didn’t fall again, but even if it had, it would have still felt like the sun.
LAS VEGAS — Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez walked alongside his wife and one of his daughters to the makeshift stage in a giant tent a few feet from Allegiant Stadium, the venue where he had just lost for the third time in his professional career.
Visibly affected by more than just the marks left on his face, Álvarez acknowledged that Terence Crawford was superior to him. He made no excuses, but he seemed to be signaling that his body was telling him that his time as a boxer was running out.
During the final rounds, Álvarez’s frustration was evident. He lowered his hands, shook his head and on several occasions appeared resigned. Despite having had a great training camp, his 35 years of age, 20 of them as a professional, were evident.
Terence Crawford punches Canelo Álvarez during an undisputed super middleweight championship boxing match in Las Vegas Saturday.
(David Becker / Associated Press)
“Sometimes you try and your body just can’t take it anymore,” Álvarez said. “That’s my frustration. Maybe I can’t understand Crawford, but my body just can’t take it anymore. I tried, but it just wouldn’t let me continue. And you have to accept that.”
Álvarez lost the super middleweight title bout by unanimous decision, with the judges scoring it 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113 before a record announced crowd of 70,482.
Álvarez acknowledged that he landed blows on his opponent, but none with the cleanliness and power that would have changed the course of the fight.
“I hit Crawford, but I didn’t land any clean blows with all my strength,” lamented Álvarez.
Despite his difficulty, the Guadalajara native reiterated that he never gave up in the ring.
Is this the beginning of the end for Álvarez? Perhaps. But early retirement seems unlikely … especially when he continues to be a box office magnet. The latest proof is in the $47,231,887 in gross revenue generated by ticket sales at Allegiant Stadium, according Live Gate.
The Canelo-Crawford fight became the biggest box office draw in the history of the Las Vegas venue, and with 70,482 fans in attendance, it was the most attended boxing event in U.S. history, surpassing Ali-Spinks II.
Crawford stripped Álvarez of his World Boxing Council (WBC), World Boxing Assn. (WBA), International Boxing Federation (IBF) and World Boxing Organization (WBO) belts.
After the fight, Álvarez raised his right arm in triumph. But he didn’t declare himself the winner as he did following his loss to Dmitry Bivol in 2022.
Álvarez accepted his defeat against a vastly superior opponent who made his win look easy.
Canelo Álvarez punches Terence Crawford during an undisputed super middleweight championship boxing match in Las Vegas Saturday.
(David Becker / Associated Press)
On the other hand, upon hearing the verdict, Crawford knelt in the ring before raising his arms to celebrate the victory.
“I knew I had won when the final bell rang. This is not my plan, it is God’s plan. I am just carrying out his mission,” Crawford said.
Emotional, he remembered his team and the people who have accompanied him.
“When they doubt me, they doubt my team. They thought they couldn’t take me where I wanted to go because they’re not from a big city and they don’t have recognition,” Crawford said. “But here we are, making history. I’m at the forefront, and behind me comes a new generation.”
Although he celebrated intensely, Crawford did not belittle Álvarez, acknowledging the quality of the former champion.
The win is a milestone for Crawford. He is now the first male boxer to be the undisputed champion in three different divisions in the era of four belts. With an undefeated record of 42-0 and 31 knockouts, he stands at the top of his generation.
“It wasn’t easy. It just looked that way, but it wasn’t. He’s definitely the best opponent I’ve ever faced,” Crawford said.
After confirming his third defeat, Álvarez’s gaze was not that of a man who knew he would receive more than $100 million for stepping onto the canvas at Allegiant Stadium. His gaze was that of someone whose body had reminded him that the end of a celebrated career was closer than he thought.
Terence Crawford reacts after the final bell of his fight with Canelo Álvarez, not pictured, in their undisputed super middleweight title fight Saturday in Las Vegas.
(Steve Marcus / Getty Images)
He appeared with the serenity of a man who, although hurt, knew how to recognize the greatness of his opponent.
“I tried everything I could and trained very hard, and he deserves all the credit. Tonight I gave it my all, but I can’t understand his style,” Álvarez said.
Crawford saw Álvarez’s frustration firsthand. Around the sixth round, Crawford knew he had to take another step to completely control the fight because he felt Álvarez adapting to the bout’s rhythm, so he pressed his style harder and overwhelmed Álvarez.
Everything he did was part of the plan he developed during his training camp. Although Crawford wanted to be more active, his coaches reminded him to be disciplined and patient.
Much was said about the difficulties he might face in moving up two weight classes, but the American insisted that he did not feel physically disadvantaged against Álvarez.
“People exaggerated that. He and I are practically the same size,” Crawford said. “I’m a little taller, my arms are longer. The difference is minimal. So when they said, ‘Canelo is huge,’ it seemed disrespectful to me. Tonight you could see that we were evenly matched.”
When asked if what complicated things most for him was Crawford’s speed, movement, or power, Álvarez responded: “Everything. He has it all.”
For the first time since 2018, Álvarez is no longer a world champion.
“I feel like a champion no matter what happens. Win or lose, I still feel like a champion,” Álvarez said. “You have to accept defeat and accept everything. I’m going to keep going.”
When asked whether Floyd Mayweather Jr., who handed him his first professional defeat in 2013, was better than Crawford, Álvarez responded no.
“I think Crawford is much better than Floyd Mayweather,” Álvarez said.
Álvarez recounted gathering his family in the locker room to explain the importance of accepting both victory and defeat.
Canelo Álvarez kisses his wife, Fernanda Gomez, after losing to Terence Crawford (not pictured) in their undisputed super middleweight title fight on Saturday in Las Vegas.
(Steve Marcus / Getty Images)
“My children and my wife were a little sad, but I told them that’s the way it is. It’s not a defeat, it’s a lesson,” Álvarez said. “You have to accept both sides of the coin. That’s what I want to teach them, that you learn as much when you win as when you lose.”
Visibly moved, he spoke of his newborn daughter, just 1 month old, who was waiting for him at their hotel.
Álvarez avoided giving clear details about his next steps and gave himself time to reflect. His future decisions will involve his family, who accompany him in victory and defeat.
The loss to Crawford won’t trigger Álvarez’s immediate retirement, as he has a four-fight contract worth around $400 million with Turki Alalshikh and Riyadh Season, but he could change his strategy in scheduling opponents.
“I want to see what happens in the future. There will definitely be good things,“ Álvarez said. ”I won just by being here.”
Although his legacy is already assured with a career spanning more than 20 years, multiple titles in different divisions and victories over big names, this loss marks a turning point. The question will be how he reacts, whether he will seek immediate revenge or takes another path.
The victory places Crawford on a historic pedestal alongside Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, becoming the third linear champion in four divisions and the second boxer to achieve undisputed status in three categories, something only Henry Armstrong had achieved in 1938 in a different era of boxing.
“It means a lot because they always said I fought nobodies. Well, what can they say now? I did everything I said I was going to do,” Crawford said. “I moved up two divisions, faced the undisputed champion, and took all his titles. That’s greatness.”
When asked to compare himself to Mayweather, Crawford was respectful.
“Floyd was the best of his era. I am the best of mine. There is no need to compare us,” Crawford said.
The event was attended mostly by Mexican fans who hoped to see Álvarez further cement his legacy. But they left having witnessed a great performance by Álvarez’s opponent.
The fans booed Crawford, who made his walk to the ring dressed in an outfit inspired by the 1995 film “Desperado,” starring Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek, accompanied by live music and guitar in hand.
At the end of the fight, the same fans applauded him, recognizing his great performance against the defeated champion.
Terence Crawford displays his title belts after defeating Canelo Álvarez (not pictured) in an undisputed super middleweight title fight by unanimous decision.
(Harry How / Getty Images for Netflix)
“It was part of my outfit. The outfit was inspired by the movie ‘Desperado.’ As you can see, I had the guitar and everything,” Crawford said. “My great childhood friend, Jacinto Robles, was the one who performed a song and acted tonight. … As I said, I also have Mexicans and Latinos on my side. It’s been a beautiful night.”
Unlike many other fighters, Crawford says little, is reserved but intense when he goes after his opponent, avoids theatrics and gets straight to the point. Defeating Álvarez in front of his fans, dominating most of the rounds and becoming just the third person to defeat Álvarez is more than enough to shout about with pride, but he didn’t.
Crawford waited until the end of Álvarez’s media appearance in the giant tent to return the Mexican’s belts handed to him in the ring. He could have done this privately in the locker room, but he did it in front of media and the Álvarez family as a sign of respect, extending his hand to his rival.
“When I signed the contract, I already knew I was going to beat him,” Crawford said. “It’s no surprise to me. It’s a surprise to all of you because you don’t believe me. But I always knew I could do it.”
BBC Countryfile viewers were left unimpressed as the show dedicated an episode to The Archers, with one person spotting a huge blunder as they took to social media.
During the latest episode of BBC’s Countryfile, Matt Baker and Charlotte Smith ventured to a charming Worcestershire village called Inkberrow.
The location served as inspiration for the enduring BBC radio soap, The Archers, which launched in the 1950s and is based in the fictional village of Ambridge.
From the programme’s opening, it was evident Charlotte was absolutely thrilled with the special episode, as her co-presenter Matt, who recently provided fans with an update, revealed she’s a devoted follower.
Whilst seated outdoors at a pub clutching two pints, Matt informed viewers: “Oh, we’re making Charlotte’s dreams come true today!”
Following a celebratory toast with their beverages, Charlotte responded: “Now, for me, we are in the centre of the known fictional universe, the Bull at Ambridge.”
Matt Baker was presenting this week’s Countryfile(Image: BBC)
Matt continued: “This is home to the Archers and Charlotte is a massive fan.”
Throughout the programme, the BBC presenter revealed to audiences she’s been following the radio soap for 30 years and adores it, reports the Express.
She continued: “I’m not alone! Millions of people tune in every day for agricultural escapism.”
As the show progressed, Charlotte chose to attempt cricket, one of the primary sports featured within the BBC radio soap.
The pair were exploring the village that inspired The Archers(Image: BBC)
Donning a jersey from the fictional village squad, it appeared the BBC presenter astonished herself, having never participated in the sport previously.
Following her admission that she’d never wielded a bat before, Charlotte remarked: “I think I might be taking up cricket!”
As the episode concluded, she informed viewers that they could tune into BBC Radio 4 to listen to The Archers, featuring a familiar voice, as she was making an appearance in the episode.
However, it didn’t take long for viewers to share their thoughts on the episode, with one eagle-eyed fan spotting a significant scheduling error.
Charlotte confessed she was a big fan of the BBC soap(Image: BBC)
Taking to social media, they penned: “So #Countryfile have an #thearchers themed episode tonight, which is a lovely idea. However it doesn’t finish until 7.15pm so clashes with an actual episode of The Archers! I wish someone at the BBC had thought about the scheduling a bit more.”
One disgruntled viewer remarked: “BBC #countryfile promoting BBC #thearchers – you couldn’t make it up.”
Another chimed in: “I think I’d rather watch a repeat of the episode where they discuss photographs.”
Another viewer added: “#Countryfile really needs to take a break and come up with some relevant material @bbcone.”
As the most westerly village in the UK, this Cornish village has a claim to fame that is enough in and of itself to have visitors flocking to its doors
Sunset on the beach at Kenidjack Valley(Image: Getty)
As Britain’s most westerly village, this Cornish settlement boasts a unique distinction that alone draws countless visitors to its shores.
Blessed with a temperate climate, exotic gardens, and miles of stunning coastline dotted with independent retailers, St Just offers a full day of exploration and attractions.
Situated close to Land’s End and merely eight miles from Penzance, this picturesque spot is also rich in heritage, having once served as the heart of the tin mining trade.
At St Just’s core stands Plain-an-Gwarry, a theatre that staged performances during medieval times.
Today it plays host to the Lafrowda Festival, according to Cornwall Guide, reports the Express.
Free-roaming ponies in Nanjizal Bay(Image: Getty)
Within the grounds of St Just Church, visitors will discover magnificent exotic gardens that have thrived in the Roseland peninsula’s gentle climate.
Hailed as one of Britain’s most stunning churchyards by poet John Betjeman, it descends towards an enchanting creek.
The location also sits alongside Cape Cornwall, which seafaring navigators of yesteryear mistook for ‘Land’s End’, marking where the English Channel and St Georges Channel converge.
Heinz Ltd purchased the cape for the nation in 1987 before gifting it to the National Trust to commemorate the firm’s centenary, according to Visit Cornwall.
Local residents have nicknamed the coastal rocks “General De Gaul in the bath” due to their distinctive silhouette when seen from the mainland. Every year, a swim event takes place covering the mile between the rocks and the cove.
If you’re up for a dip in the sea, you might spot some grey seals frolicking in the waters.
The South West Coast Path is a treasure trove of hidden beaches waiting to be discovered. Many of these picturesque spots were featured in the BBC’s hit series Poldark, which delves into the area’s smuggling history.
The cliffshide ruins of the engine house of Botallack tin mine(Image: Getty)
Locations include Botallack, Levant and Geevor.
According to Tripadvisor, you can embark on a tour of these filming locations.
One visitor shared their five-star experience: “We had such a lovely day with Becky. She was so knowledgeable not just about Poldark but about the history and culture of Cornwall. We also had a stop at the Minack Theater which was fantastic and although not related to Poldark was a unique piece of Cornish history that was so fun to explore. 10/10 would highly recommend.”
Botallack mine is another must-visit site, earning high praise on Tripadvisor. The stunning views offer a glimpse of a jagged and dramatic coastline.
Another visitor gave the experience five stars, saying: “Incredible views of the remains of the Crowns, Cornish engine houses perched on the cliff edge. Right on the SWCP coast path, a path leads down to the engine house or there are benches at the top of the path where you can have a picnic and enjoy the view.”
They added: “Nearby Botallack Counthouse (National Trust) is a café which serves home made pasties and cakes and has games to entertain children. Large car park (pay and display, National Trust members free). A fabulous place to visit in any weather, in hazy summer sun or in passionate winter storms.”
“Thank you, Jerry!” the crowd at Lambeau Field yelled repeatedly Thursday night after the Green Bay Packers’ 27-18 win over the Washington Commanders.
The chant was addressed toward someone who was not there — Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones, who traded the 26-year-old star linebacker to Green Bay one week before the start of the season after a lengthy contract dispute.
The Packers sent two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark to Dallas as part of the deal, but the chanting fans on hand at 1265 Lombardi Ave. for “Thursday Night Football” definitely seemed to be of the opinion that their beloved team had won the trade.
“I’m gonna lay out for a minute because this crowd has something to say,” Prime Video‘s Charissa Thompson said as she and her “TNF Nightcap” co-hosts sat with Parsons on the field ahead of a postgame interview. “I know you guys know what they’re saying. They’re saying, ‘Thank you, Jerry!’”
Parsons was shown bobbing his head and swaying his shoulders to the rhythm of the chant. He and Prime analyst Ryan Fitzpatrick, who was sitting directly to Parsons’ right, could be seen lifting their arms in an effort to further stir up the crowd.
Not that these fans needed any encouragement. The cheers were loud and often during the 10-minute interview, including other chants such as “Mi-cah!” and “Go, Pack, Go!” and “Let’s Go, Micah!”
Jones was a good sport when asked about the matter Friday during a radio interview.
“Well, I’ll tell you, the way they’re playing, the way Green Bay is playing, I’m all for them enjoying and chanting anything that they really want to [say],” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas-Fort Worth.
Jones added: “If you make a move on a top player, this shouldn’t surprise anybody that we would have that kind of reaction from their fan base, the other team’s fan base, or, for that matter, our fan base in general. … I knew that if I got to make this trade, that this would be there.”
Parsons was selected at No. 12 overall by the Cowboys in the 2021 draft. He has made the Pro Bowl in each of his first four seasons, registering 52.5 sacks during that span.
His relationship with the Cowboys — or at least with Jones — soured going into the fifth and final year of Parsons’ rookie deal as negotiations for an extension stalled. Parsons demanded a trade Aug. 1 and got his wish weeks later. He and the Packers then agreed on a four-year, $188-million contract that makes him the highest paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
In a limited number of snaps during his first two games with Green Bay (30 in a Week 1 win over the Detroit Lions, 47 against the Commanders), Parsons has 1.5 sacks, three quarterback pressures, one quarterback hurry and three tackles.
He will return to AT&T Stadium with his new team in just a few weeks when the Packers play the Cowboys in Arlington, Texas, Sept. 28.
“Obviously, you know, my family and everyone’s looking forward to it, but I’m just gonna let the action talk,” Parsons said. “It’s just going to be funny because all my friends are there … so just going against those guys, it’s going to be heartbreaking. But, damn, I’m excited for the matchup.”
Video footage from the April 30 game shows Markwood falling headfirst over the railing above the Clemente Wall in right field. He appears to flip head over heals multiple times before landing on the warning track.
Play was stopped for several minutes as the training staffs for both teams tended to Markwood. He eventually was carted off and taken to Allegheny General Hospital in critical condition. According to “Inside Edition,” Markwood broke his back, neck, every rib and punctured a lung.
“I’m doing better than what I was, that’s for sure,” said Markwood, who was shown during the interview walking around outside PNC Park wearing a cast on his left forearm.
Markwood told “Inside Edition” that he had jumped out of his seat to cheer and came down awkwardly on the railing and careened off of it. Although Pittsburgh Public Safety has labeled the incident an accident, 21-year-old McKeesport resident Ethan Kirkwood has been arrested for allegedly providing alcohol to Markwood at the game.
Kirkwood faces two misdemeanor counts of furnishing alcohol to a minor and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Sept. 29. A police report viewed by WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh indicates that Markwood’s girlfriend told police that he hadn’t had anything to drink before arriving to the stadium and had two beers while there.
“I feel terrible because it wasn’t his fault,” Markwood said of Kirkwood, who can be seen on the footage from the accident climbing over the railing from a section closer to field level and jumping onto the ground to help his friend.
Markwood added that alcohol had nothing to do with what happened. It was, he said, “a tragic accident.”
A bloodied female and her male companion were escorted out of SoFi Stadium during the fourth quarter of the Rams season opener Sunday along with two other spectators who had engaged in the same violent altercation.
The woman and her companion were wearing jerseys of the Houston Texans, who the Rams defeated 14-9. Video clips on social media showed her face covered with blood when security guards led her from Section 428 high above the end zone.
The incident appeared to begin with words and shoving between the woman in the No. 99 jersey of retired Texans legend JJ Watt and a woman wearing a Rams jersey. The altercation escalated, with the man wearing the No. 7 jersey of Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud pouring a cup of beer on the head of the woman in the Rams jersey.
Two men in Rams jerseys one row above the brawl stood and began shoving and grabbing the two Texans fans until security personnel arrived about two minutes into the incident.
The two men from the row above removed their jerseys — one of former Rams great Aaron Donald and the other of Rams receiver Puka Nacua — but additional security personnel arrived, handcuffed both men and escorted them away.
SoFi Stadium, which opened in 2020, has been plagued by brawls. Oakland chef Daniel Luna was in a medically induced coma for weeks after Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedics discovered him lying on the ground in the stadium’s Lot L during the NFC Championship Game between the Rams and San Francisco 49ers.
It took three days and an inquiry from The Times before Inglewood authorities acknowledged the incident. Bryan Alexis Cifuentes, 33, was charged with one felony count of battery with serious bodily injury after video showed that he dropped Luna with one punch. Cifuentes pleaded not guilty and investigators determined that Luna started the altercation when he shoved Cifuentes.
Luna sued the Rams and L.A. County, claiming that because he was drunk deputies should have put him in a form of protective custody after he was denied entrance to the stadium because he didn’t have a ticket.
The suit was dismissed by Inglewood Superior Court Judge Ronald F. Frank, who wrote that “the Sheriff’s Department did not create the peril in which plaintiff found himself. [Luna] alleges that he was already inebriated when he was detained initially. The sheriffs took no affirmative action which contributed to, increased, or changed the risk which would have otherwise existed.”
At least four fights have broken out at Chargers games at SoFi Stadium. The most recent was a brawl in a game against the Raiders in September 2024. A video provided to KTLA shows showed a group of Chargers fans fighting a shirtless man.
Several fights broke out off the field during the game, including one on a concourse exit that involved a dozen or more fans. No fans were arrested, according to the Inglewood Police Department.
After a game between the Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs in November 2022, a man was thrown over a railing. A person who recorded a video of the incident told KABC-TV Channel 7 that the fight began after one man bumped into another. A third man tried to intervene and was thrown over the railing onto the concrete steps below.
A 2022 poll of more than 3,000 fans by Sportsbook Review concluded that many NFL stadiums are more violent than SoFi Stadium and that fans generally feel safe attending games at the venue.
Crimes in and around stadiums occur all too often, with 39.2% of poll respondents reporting having witnessed or fallen victim to at least one crime in or outside a stadium. Only 5.4% of fans had witnessed a crime at SoFi, and only one of those polled said they had been a victim of a crime while attending a Rams or Chargers home game.
Sportsbook Review updated its rankings last week, with SoFi moving up from the 15th to the 11th most dangerous NFL stadium. M&T Bank Stadium, home of the Baltimore Ravens, is ranked as the most dangerous; Highmark Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills, is ranked as the safest.
Moments later, the same fan removed the ball from his son’s glove and gave it to a woman who claimed that it rightfully belonged to her.
Days after the now-viral incident occurred during the fourth inning of the Phillies’ 9-3 win over the Marlins on Friday in Miami, Drew Feltwell explained to NBC-10 in Philadelphia that he decided in the moment to “be Dad and show him how to de-escalate the situation” — something he determined was more important than providing Lincoln with a really cool game souvenir.
“We were there to get a home run ball,” said Feltwell, a Florida resident whose wife and daughter were also at the game. “So I thought I had accomplished this great thing. And putting it in his glove meant a lot. She was just so adamant and loud and yelling and persistent, and I just didn’t want to deal with it anymore.
“There was hundreds of people just staring. And like I said, she was very, very, very close, and I’m Dad of the family, so I didn’t want to do something I’d regret. And that was the choice I made, just hand the ball back and tell her go away.”
Feltwell said he was the first to get to the ball after it landed in an empty seat “down a couple seats” to his right. He said he was starting to walk away with the ball when other people, including the woman who eventually confronted him, started grabbing for it.
“I guess she just thought that that was her ball, because it was in front of her,” Feltwell said. “That’s fine, but she was too slow.”
Lincoln didn’t leave the game empty-handed though. A Marlins representative visited the family at their seats and presented the boy with a bag full of souvenirs. Then a Phillies representative invited the family to meet Bader outside the team clubhouse after the game. There, the nine-year veteran who was acquired from the Minnesota Twins at the trade deadline signed a bat for Lincoln and posed for pictures with the group.
Lincoln told NBC-10 that although he was unhappy to have to give away the home run ball, “I’m happy that I got to get something else.”
And, he added, “it was very, very fun getting to meet Bader.”
Feltwell said he holds no ill will toward the so-called Phillies Karen who ended up with the home run ball.
“I don’t wish any harm to her. I would love to have that particular ball to put on the wall next to his bat, and got about 500 promises that they’re going to get the ball.”
Even so, he said, “I hope nobody does anything stupid to get it.”
