stadium

Who knows if Kendrick Lamar will sit for a formal deposition in Drake’s ongoing defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group, after Lamar flambéed him on “Not Like Us.” But at SoFi Stadium on Wednesday, Lamar and his co-headliner SZA had a great recurring bit imagining what might happen.

In a fake video montage played between set changeovers, Lamar responded to mock-questioning like, “When you said you want the party to die, was that a metaphor or are you serious?” and “Don’t you think disappearing is a form of attention-seeking?” by blowing him off and phoning in a big order of takeout. SZA then lighted up an enormous joint in the lawyer’s office.

The pair’s Grand National Tour is a triumph of the unbothered. Wednesday’s set — the first of a three-night SoFi stand — was a bountiful, meticulous three-hour show that centered on the camaraderie between two of the most important acts in contemporary music. They had a wicked sense of humor about the performance too. At one point, SZA seduced a giant, slicked-up praying mantis dancer. If only we all had the same leeway when deposed.

Lamar, coming off a pair of Grammy wins for “Not Like Us” and a gleefully petty Super Bowl halftime show, is at perhaps the peak of his career. So it’s worth noting how inspiringly egalitarian this hometown show was — a hierarchy-free split with former TDE labelmate SZA, often fully meshing their sets together for their on-record collaborations. The format brought new energy and understanding into their catalogs, all while the pair gassed each other up as virtuoso live performers.

Kendrick Lamar and SZA at the 2016 Grammys.

(Lester Cohen / WireImage)

On Wednesday, SZA arguably made the most of the stadium-sized opportunity. SZA is a powerhouse vocalist and musical omnivore with a stoner’s comic timing (most recently seen in the charming comedy film “One of Them Days”). But she’s now honed her stagecraft to be on par with any pop royalty. Between “Snooze” and “Crybaby,” she was lifted on wires, revealing a gauze train in the shape of a chrysalis, to spellbinding effect. It took some real mettle to then perform her ballad “Nobody Gets Me” midair.

A surprise cameo from Lizzo paid alms to their long friendship, and a bawdy slice of her verse from Drake’s “Rich Baby Daddy” proved she can own even a nemesis’ material with her charisma. When she spun “Garden (Say It Like Dat)” into “Kitchen,” the dancers’ delightfully goopy, insectoid costumes and monolithic ant sculpture felt like H.R. Giger taking mushrooms on a warm afternoon in Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area.

When she and Lamar shared the stage, as on the Oscar-nominated “All the Stars,” “30 for 30” and their respective solo cuts “Doves in the Wind” and “LOVE.,” there was an alchemy between two superfans, their physical presence across the diamond-shaped catwalks reinvigorating this long-beloved music.

At this point, Lamar’s case for being the best rapper alive is fully closed. Of course he is. Even if you thought the title was a little wobbly after the knotty, skeptical “Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers,” the acid-bath of “Not Like Us” and the L.A-embodying surprise release “GNX” slammed the debate shut as it spun off hit after hit. Who else could make a pitch-perfect indictment of the current American political climate onstage at the Super Bowl halftime show, while needling his most loathed enemy and spinning off memes with just a quick grin in bootcut jeans?

At SoFi, a few miles from his old Compton backyard, he drew from that monumental catalog and recontextualized it for this club-ready, venom-streaked era. The show’s format covered more than 50 songs between the two artists, so even when he only got to a verse or two, there was always something new or bracing. Here, “m.A.A.d. city,” one of his hardest and cruelest street cuts, became a meta-R&B number that made the song even more eerie. On “Humble.,” he was flanked by female dancers posing in vicious geometric forms, physically embodying the ego-check of the song’s chorus.

The Drake flame-war material was delicious fun, from the shots-fired kickoff verse on “Like That” to the relentless, merciless taunts on “Euphoria.” But the “GNX” segments, like the Tupac-conjuring “reincarnated” and the ice-cold “peekaboo” (and, obviously, the great Mustard-y howl of “tv off”) made the case for how this album will continue to reveal new textures and resonate in L.A. lore. There wasn’t room for a five-times-reprised “Not Like Us” like at his history-making 2024 “The Pop Out: Ken & Friends” set. But when he did play it, it was less about his archenemy than about L.A., a city with a new song in the canon, a definitive “Us” who were all alike in screaming it.

It felt poignant that Lamar and SZA reunited again for the set’s closers, the unexpectedly relentless Hot 100 fixture “luther” (now at 13 weeks at No. 1) and “gloria,” Lamar’s bait-and-switch about his complicated relationship to his own writing process. With SZA as his Greek chorus, he ended the night on a note about how all this relentless work was worth it to arrive at real self-understanding. An ally that will never fail, no matter who out there is deposing you.

On a night when ‘The Boss’ rolled into town, ‘The King’ waved goodbye for the final time.

De Bruyne’s face was plastered everywhere you looked on arrival at the stadium and although legendary US singer Bruce Springsteen may have been playing a few yards away at the Co-Op Live arena, this was the hottest ticket of the day.

Merchandise stalls had scarves emblazoned with De Bruyne’s name, as did the shirts of supporters, while the matchday programme has a mock-up of the player with the crown from the Premier League trophy atop his head.

City had announced in the lead-up to kick-off that they had dedicated a mosaic and named a road after De Bruyne at the club’s academy.

It was also fitting that a playmaker that has created such artistry on the grass canvass has had a huge mural painted of him in Manchester’s Northern Quarter.

Once chants of “ohh Kevin De Bruyne” to Seven Nations Army died down, there was a buzz of anticipation each time he had his foot on the ball, willing him to showcase a goal or assist for one last time on their turf.

The big moment could not have been planned any better – the ball laid to him on a plate, in front of an open goal, a couple of yards out, but De Bruyne in slow motion scooped the ball onto the bar.

The 33-year-old had his head in his hands, so did the returning Rodri on the bench and City fans all around as the dream finale went awry.

“It’s terrible,” De Bruyne said of the miss. “There’s no excuses. My son is going to be very tough on me today.”

At full-time, a montage of his best moments over the past decade flashed up on the screen with messages from the likes of Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany, Raheem Sterling and Pablo Zabaleta.

De Bruyne was given a guard of honour as he returned to the pitch with his wife and kids by his side.

Then came the outpouring of emotion.

The former Chelsea man struggled to hold it together during his speech in the middle of the park, as did a tearful Guardiola watching on from the sidelines.

“We want you to stay, Kevin de Bruyne, we want you to stay,” was the chant that rung out from supporters but there appears to be no turning back, as he led his team-mates on a lap of appreciation before making an exit for one last time.

Former City defender Micah Richards said: “He lets his football do the talking. He’s such a shy character but I have been meeting him over the years and seeing how humble he is and how great a player he is, it is just great to see.

“He has deserved his send-off. Everyone who’s played with him speaks highly of him, and to do what he’s one in the Premier League is just sensational.”

Solving UCLA’s deepening athletic department financial crisis might require a Disneyesque plot twist, so why not let a Disney guy take a crack?

Daniel Cruz was brought in from the Burbank-based media and entertainment giant last fall to work some magic with a college operation in need of new concepts. Six consecutive years of running in the red has led to a staggering $219.5-million deficit that won’t be wiped away with the waving of any wand.

One solution might be surprisingly simple: Give the fans what they want, and they’ll keep coming back.

That’s why Cruz has spearheaded efforts to overhaul the school’s ticket operations and build a courtside lounge inside Pauley Pavilion, not to mention maximize revenue from a planned field-level club at the Rose Bowl. They’re all measures intended to enhance the fan experience and build brand loyalty.

“Essentially, what I’m trying to do is just trying to set us up for success and do things differently,” said Cruz, UCLA’s new deputy athletics director and chief revenue officer, “because the old way of how college athletics normally conducts business, it’s not working.”

As part of a partnership scheduled to be announced Tuesday, UCLA is switching from its longstanding in-house ticketing agency to Elevate, which will modernize operations and build a customer database that allows more targeted marketing. Elevate will handle both primary and secondary ticket sales, preventing unaffiliated brokers from undermining sales and devaluing tickets.

There’s also going to be dynamic pricing that will allow lower prices for less desirable games, something that was impossible under the school’s previous antiquated system.

“It’s going to be huge because we are now professionalizing how we go to market, how we price things,” Cruz said. “I get a lot of complaints from fans that they think ticket prices are too high for certain games and they may be right, so how do we pull those levers to make it accessible on games that it’s not full, so we can get people in?”

A new field-level club in the south end zone of the Rose Bowl could create heavy demand at a stadium that is routinely less than half full. The club, set to open in time for the 2026 season, is expected to host a restaurant-bar setup that will allow fans to walk onto the field, watch players come out of a nearby tunnel and grab something to eat before returning to a section of 1,200 plush, extra-wide seats.

The Rose Bowl is planning to build a new field-level club for fans attending UCLA football games.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

The Rose Bowl has agreed to foot the estimated $20-million construction cost and let UCLA keep the premium seating ticket revenue, Cruz said, as part of a mutually beneficial arrangement. The stadium will utilize the club for other events that it hosts such as concerts.

Given that the Rose Bowl has kept all of the existing suite revenue for UCLA games as part of its lease agreement with the school, the new arrangement could be considered something of a coup for the Bruins.

Another revenue opportunity involves a massive stage on the north side of the stadium overlooking the adjacent country club that will allow UCLA to bring in DJs and musical acts for pregame festivities. UCLA will sell cabana space, food and premium parking to provide a tailgate experience for both football fans and others who just want to have a good time.

“How do we attract fans who maybe don’t normally come to a football game, right?” Cruz said. “It’s a whole-day experience — come, enjoy concierge service with your friends, enjoy a great football game and that atmosphere that we’re trying to generate.”

Additional revenue has already been raised from sponsorships involving players wearing UCLA uniforms as part of new co-branded advertisements; for example, star center Lauren Betts is featured in multiple billboards for La Victoria salsas and sauces.

Cruz also has plans to elevate the fan experience at Pauley Pavilion. He wants to use the existing infrastructure to create a courtside donor lounge that could be in place before the start of next season. The lounge, which would provide a more upscale experience than the Pavilion Club, could come with a naming-rights deal and a membership fee for high-level donors.

There’s also been discussions about revamping the Pavilion Club to provide more segmented experiences; perhaps one section would cater to young alumni with a DJ and open bar while another would serve other alumni who want a more relaxed atmosphere where they can catch up with friends over a pregame meal.

“That’s a really big room, so how do we cut that up and divide that to make a better experience for everybody?” Cruz said. “We’ve got so many folks that we’re trying to cater to and I want to be sensitive to that and I want to create an experience for them that makes it so they want to come back.”

UCLA students cheer during a men’s basketball game against USC at Pauley Pavilion on March 8.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

One development that could be a season away would certainly please fans who have groused about too many empty seats in the lower level being shown on television. Cruz said he wanted to flip the lower-level stands and team benches to the seating configuration that existed before the Pauley Pavilion renovations, allowing the students who pack their section to be showcased on broadcasts.

“That section is always full of students,” Cruz said. “We could be playing Idaho State and it’s full with students all the time, so the rest of the country needs to see that.”

Why not just move the TV cameras? Cruz said it would cost $6 million to transfer all the wiring and fiber optics built into the current platforms that were specially built for the cameras.

Men’s basketball coach Mick Cronin and Cori Close, his women’s basketball counterpart, have agreed to the potential move, Cruz said, as have the fans he’s canvassed about switching seats.

In the meantime, UCLA is partnering with a global sports and entertainment company to improve the in-game experience for fans, including new ways to keep the energy flowing during timeouts while the Bruins are in the midst of a big run instead of relying on scoreboard ads and awkward silences.

Cruz said he’s converting some of his department’s marketing staff into fan experience specialists to improve fan retention.

“How do we create an experience where it’s like, man, that was fun, I want to come back?” Cruz said. “That leads to more revenue and it also leads to a larger pathway for our alumni and students to make them want to come back. How do we create that cycle of, yeah, they care, they want us here, and I want to come back?”

If winning is the greatest promotion in sports, Cruz is trying to show that listening may not be far behind.

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. It’s the greatest weekend for City Section athletics, because the baseball championship games in Open Division and Division I will be held Saturday at Dodger Stadium.

Tantalizingly close

Venice’s Canon King (left) gives a chest bump after his home run against Chatsworth.

(Craig Weston)

It’s the week in City Section sports where dreams come true. The City Section Open Division and Division I baseball championship games will be played Saturday at Dodger Stadium.

“It’s magical,” Venice center fielder Canon King said of what the experience would be like.

A semifinal doubleheader is set for Tuesday at Cal State Northridge in the Open Division, with Birmingham playing El Camino Real at 3 p.m. and Venice facing Sylmar at 6 p.m. In Division I, the semifinals are Wednesday at Stengel Field in Glendale. Taft will play Carson at 3 p.m., followed by Verdugo Hills against Banning at 6 p.m.

Venice, the No. 1 seed, has been led by King, who has hit six home runs. Here’s a profile of him and his teammates.

Baseball

It’s nervous time in the Southern Section baseball playoffs that resume Tuesday. Top-seeded Corona, which got a first-round bye in Division 1, makes its debut at home against Los Osos and will send out pitcher Seth Hernandez, who is 17-0 in high school baseball.

There are no upsets in Division 1 despite the seedings. It’s still about ace vs. ace. The one interesting thing to watch is how well the four teams who got first-round byes perform after being inactive for more than a week. That’s Corona, Crespi, Huntington Beach and St. John Bosco. They better be ready to perform with their ace pitchers or suffer an early exit.

Quentin Young of Oaks Christian has hit 14 home runs.

(Craig Weston)

The Trinity League has done best with Orange Lutheran, Mater Dei, Servite and Santa Margarita all winning their playoff openers. It was a big day for Oaks Christian and Quentin Young, who hit his 14th home run.

Here’s the updated schedule.

Softball

Jackie Morales is one of six freshman contributors for Sherman Oaks Notre Dame.

(Greg Fiore)

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame has become the surprise team in high school softball, eliminating last season’s Division 1 runner-up Orange Lutheran in a 9-7 stunner, then beating El Segundo 12-10. Who says you need a standout pitcher with a freshman named Jackie Morales?

All Morales did was hit four home runs on the week, including three against Orange Lutheran. Top-seeded Norco remains the favorite in Division 1, but in a season without any dominant pitcher, the Knights’ hitting could keep them going far. Notre Dame hosts El Modena in Wednesday’s quarterfinals. Here’s the complete pairings.

The City Section announced its playoff pairings, with Granada Hills seeded No. 1. Here’s the pairings.

Lacrosse

Loyola has been the No. 1 lacrosse team all season and delivered a second Southern Section title with an 11-3 win over Mater Dei in the Division 1 final. Cash Ginsberg scored three goals and Tripp King had two goals.

Foothill upset No. 1-seeded Mira Costa 12-7 to win the Division 1 girls title. Foothill lost to Marlborough in last year’s final. Brynn Perkins scored five goals.

Track

Benjamin Harris of Servite shows emotion after his win in Division 200 final. He also won the 100.

(Craig Weston)

The weather was cool and overcast, but there were some terrific individual and team performances at the Southern Section track and field championships at Moorpark.

There were two ties for team titles in Division 4 boys (Serra and Viewpoint) and girls (St. Mary’s and Rosary). And Division 3 boys came down to the 4×400 relay with Sherman Oaks Notre Dame prevailing over Servite.

Servite’s Benjamin Harris, only a sophomore, ran a 10.32 100 meters. Rodney Sermons, a junior USC commit at Rancho Cucamonga, ran a 10.36 100. Here’s a rundown on the day’s activities.

On Saturday, the Southern Section will hold its Masters Meet at Moorpark and for the first time have 18 qualifiers competing in races and field events, up from nine.

The City Section will hold its championships Thursday at Birmingham High using the school’s new Mondo track surface.

Volleyball

Connor Koski hammers a kill over Venice’s Sam Engelen in the City Section Open Division boys’ volleyball final at Birmingham High on May 17, 2025.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

El Camino Real stunned top-seeded Venice to win the City Section Open Division championship. The Royals have one of the brightest young coaches in the Southland in Alyssa Lee, who used to play girls volleyball for Tom Harp at Granada Hills. She’s now won a boys title, girls title and beach title.

Here’s the report.

Mira Costa won the Southern Section Division 1 championship. The state championships begin this week. Here are the pairings.

Pitchers to watch

Angel Cervantes of Warren, a UCLA commit, is one of the hardest throwers in the Southland.

(Nick Koza)

There are lots of pitchers scheduled to make an impact in the Southern Section baseball playoffs.

Here’s a look at pitchers to watch over the next couple of weeks.

Interactive sports exhibit

Former UCLA softball pitcher Rachel Garcia stands in the batting cage as the digital Rachel Garcia pitches to visitors at the new Game On! exhibition prepares to open on Thursday at the California Science Center.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

The California Science Center next to the Coliseum has opened a free interactive sports exhibit that will stay open through the 2028 Olympic Games. It’s phenomenal, allowing kids and adults to learn about science and participate in baseball, softball, climbing, soccer, basketball and other sports. The first day it was opened saw more than 1,300 visitors.

Here’s a look at something that should become very popular.

Golf

Here come the freshmen. At the Northern Regional for individual golf, freshman Brandon Anderson of Buena won with a 63 and second was freshman Jaden Soong of St. Francis. The individual championships will take place Thursday at Temecula Creek Country Club.

Team titles are scheduled Monday and Tuesday.

Hello Eric

Eric Sondheimer answers questions.

(Nick Koza / For the Times)

It’s time to start a weekly help guide for parents, athletes, coaches, even officials. I’m going to ask questions and answer them with help from others.

First question: “How do I get my coach to notice me more?”

Get to practices before anyone else. Stay until everyone leaves. That lets the coach know you are passionate and committed to getting better. Volunteer to do the little things that coaches notice, like helping to clean a gym floor or bring out water. Show hustle whenever you can. Be bold and talk to your coach and tell him or her that you want to reach your full potential and would appreciate any feedback.

The key is working hard when no one is watching. The coach will see the development and provide a reward known as playing time. If not, keep doing it for yourself and your future. Good grades always bring a smile to any coach. Run extra laps. And you might even tell your coach, “You’re doing a really good job.” They like compliments.

Notes . . .

Former NFL defensive back Troy Hill is the new head football coach at his alma mater, St. Bonaventure. He becomes the second ex-NFL player recently headed to high school football, joining Carson Palmer, who went to Santa Margarita. . . .

Junior receiver Devin Olmande of Newbury Park has committed to San Jose State. . . .

Irvine University and Woodbridge won the Southern Section Open Division and Division 1 tennis championships. Here’s a report on Woodbridge’s win. . . .

Mission Viejo won the Millikan seven on seven passing tournament, defeating San Diego Lincoln in the final. Charter Oak won its own passing tournament title, defeating Rancho Cucamonga, and San Juan Hills defeated Capistrano Valley in the championship of the Dana Hills passing tournament. . . .

Thatcher Fahlbusch from Mira Costa has committed to Hawaii for volleyball.

From the archives: Easton Hawk

Easton Hawk during his Granada Hills days.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

UCLA was searching for a reliable closer in baseball this season, and look who’s emerged late in the season: freshman Easton Hawk from Granada Hills High.

He entered the week with four saves in 17 appearances but has come on strong this month to give the Bruins hope he can be a stopper in the NCAA playoffs. UCLA shared the regular season Big 10 championship with Oregon.

He’s always had good velocity. Throwing strikes is important at the collegiate level.

Here’s a story from 2023.

Recommendations

From ESPN, a story on Palisades High’s baseball team rising up despite obstacles from the Palisades fire.

From Globalsportmatters.com, a story on youth sports and mental health challenges.

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A GANGSTER jailed for plotting to blow up a football stadium has lost his bid to stay in Britain — but is still here.

Maksim Cela, 59, claimed returning to Albania would put him at risk from rivals.

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His claims were thrown out by a judge on Friday after a two-year fight costing taxpayers tens of thousands of pounds.

But the crook, who arrived in 2023, five days after serving a sentence for murder and terrorism in Albania, has not left and launched yet another appeal.

Cela argued sending him home breached European human rights laws.

But Judge Jeremy Rintoul of the Upper Tribunal Immigration and Asylum Chamber said: “I do not accept that the appellant has told the truth about the nature of the threats.

“I find that the appellant’s refusal to acknowledge guilt weighs heavily against him.”

Cela was jailed in Albania for masterminding the murder of a crime-busting police officer and plotting to bomb a football stadium.

In his legal battle, he claimed the elderly mum of the dead officer might seek revenge.

He was named as the mafia boss in the case only after The Sun fought for 23 months to overturn an anonymity order.

Sources last night confirmed Cela was still in the UK and had lodged another legal appeal.

The Home Office said: “Foreign nationals who commit heinous crimes should be in no doubt we will do everything to make sure they are not free on Britain’s streets.”

It remained unclear last night where Cela was living — but he can remain here while his appeal is being prepared.

There was pure joy as Canon King ran toward his Venice High teammates standing outside the dugout after touching home plate to complete a home run. He launched a group chest bump with Dylan Johnson, who went tumbling through the dirt like a kid playing in a sandbox.

“This feels great,” King said later. “We’ve worked so hard for four years.”

Venice (27-2) is tantalizingly close to earning a trip to Dodger Stadium to play for the City Section Open Division baseball championship. The Gondoliers play Sylmar at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Cal State Northridge in the semifinals. The other matchup as part of a doubleheader has El Camino Real facing Birmingham at 3 p.m.

In many ways, these two games impose far more pressure on players than reaching the championship game, because each player so badly wants to make it to Dodger Stadium to fulfill dreams of a lifetime.

“It’s magical,” King said.

To see King’s smile and excitement last week after hitting his sixth home run in a 4-1 playoff win over Chatsworth offered a hint of his value and importance to a surging Gondoliers team. He’s a three-time Western League MVP.

He’s committed to Cal State San Marcos, has gotten all A’s for four years on his report card except for one B in chemistry freshman year and one B in AP Spanish. He’s a born leader and “loves” being named Canon by his father, a high school teacher and former amateur rapper whose best friend had Canon as his last name.

“The energy is infectious,” he said of the team’s success. “It’s all coming together. Our team chemistry has been high. Our practices have been so productive.”

Canon King of Venice hit his sixth home run last week against Chasworth.

(Craig Weston)

Coach Kevin Brockway has 16 seniors on the roster. The Gondoliers haven’t won an upper division championship since 1972 and are trying to follow the same improbable path as last year’s champion, Bell, which hadn’t been to a final since 1953.

Venice was given the No. 1 seed even though El Camino Real and Birmingham came from the stronger West Valley League. But the Gondoliers went 18-0 in the Western League and have the defensive prowess to do well, with a solid catcher in Charlie Nisbet, a dependable shortstop in Daniel Quiroz and King in center field.

Sylmar, the Valley Mission League champion, went to Dodger Stadium two years ago for the Division I championship game. Pitcher Alex Martinez remembers starting at third base as a freshman.

“It’s crazy,” he said of the atmosphere. “Overwhelming for sure. It looks different, even when the ball is up in the air. It blends in.”

He threw a shutout last week in Sylmar’s Open Division win over Cleveland. Coach Ray Rivera has come to rely on him as a pitcher and hitter.

“He trusts me with the ball and in special situations,” Martinez said.

He thinks the Spartans are coming into Tuesday’s game feeling good about themselves.

“This team is special this year,” he said. “This team can beat anyone if we play our game.”

Venice knows the challenge ahead, first having to get past Sylmar, then one of the two West Valley League powers, El Camino Real or Birmingham.

Whatever happens, King is ready, though he’s thankful the games are 6 p.m. on Tuesday and 1 p.m. on Saturday. The Gondoliers don’t do well with morning games.

“We’re notorious for Saturday morning games,” he said.

He’ll get everyone to go to bed early the night before. None of them will sleep well anyway thinking of the possibilities.

“Surreal,” is how King put it if the Gondoliers can make it to Dodger Stadium on Saturday.

The city of Anaheim is likely to wait until after the baseball season to address the future of Angel Stadium.

With the city expecting to complete a long-awaited assessment of the condition of the stadium this summer, deputy city manager Ted White told the City Council on Tuesday that the prudent course of action would be for his staff to get a “full understanding” of the stadium review before asking the council how to proceed.

“We want to have that opportunity to evaluate it and prepare a presentation for you,” said White, who projected making that presentation sometime that fall.

Angel Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in the major leagues, opened in 1966. The assessment is expected to detail the repairs and maintenance needed to keep the stadium safe and sound for decades to come, at a cost both the city and team estimate would be hundreds of millions of dollars.

The information could guide the city and team in determining what needs to be done to the stadium and who should pay for it, whether the Angels play out their existing stadium lease or negotiate a new deal, one that likely would include development on the sea of parking lots surrounding the ballpark. The Angels have committed to play in Angel Stadium through 2032 and have options through 2038.

On April 4, the day of the Angels’ home opener, Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken sent an open letter to Angels owner Arte Moreno, inviting him to share in “an open and honest conversation about the future of baseball in Anaheim.”

Aitken listed eight starting points for negotiations, including her desire for the name “Anaheim” to reclaim its prominence with the team. Moreno and Aitken exchanged greetings at the home opener, but the Angels have not committed to any negotiations.

Goodison Park is to become the home of Everton’s women after the club scrapped plans to demolish the 132-year-old stadium.

The Blues will move to their new 53,000-seater arena at Bramley-Moore Dock this summer.

During construction of the new facility on the Liverpool waterfront, Everton’s previous ownership group announced plans for an £82m post-demolition renovation project at the Goodison site, which was set to include housing, a care home, retail units and a park.

But after being taken over by private equity firm The Friedkin Group in December, the club conducted a feasibility study about maintaining the stadium as a home for the women’s team, and have now opted to continue operating the site.

With a capacity of 39,572, Goodison Park will now be the largest dedicated women’s football stadium in the country.

“This long-term vision reflects the club’s commitment to investing in the women’s game and ensuring that Goodison Park continues to play a vital role in both football and the community,” Everton said.

“The club’s regeneration plans will retain Goodison Park’s proud identity while giving Everton Women a world-class platform in the heart of Liverpool 4. For supporters, it offers the chance to be part of a new era in one of football’s most iconic venues.”