SPORTS digest

Pro futsal tournament coming to Cleveland

cleveland

The 2017 Futsal Copa North American Tournament is coming to the Woodling and Rec Center Gymnasium at Cleveland State University from April 15-16.

Eight professional futsal teams from five countries will play in 16 games officiated by six international FIFA officials.

Games start Saturday at 10 a.m. with the championship match played Sunday at 4 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for the entire weekend’s slate of games and will be available at the door.

For more information contact Otto Orf at otto@ohionorthsoccer.org or 330-329-5883.

Protestors want in on Chief Wahoo talks

cleveland

Organizers protesting the Cleveland Indians’ use of the Chief Wahoo logo have asked to be involved in talks with Major League Baseball about changes to the contentious symbol.

A group asking the Indians to abolish the red-faced, smiling logo and their nickname gathered outside Progressive Field on Tuesday before the club’s home opener against the Chicago White Sox. Carrying signs that read “Racism Honors No One” and “Real People Not Mascots,” the protesters peacefully voiced their opinions as police officers looked on.

The movement to replace the Wahoo logo has gained momentum in recent years. The Indians have reduced its usage, but the logo, which has been part of the team’s history for more than 60 years, still appears on some of Cleveland’s game caps and jerseys.

Washington’s Peterson signs extension to 2023

seattle

Washington coach Chris Petersen has signed a contract extension that goes through the 2023 season and averages out to nearly $5 million per season in total compensation.

Washington announced Petersen’s extension Tuesday, although the deal was signed late last month. Petersen’s deal will pay him $4.125 million in total compensation for the upcoming season and caps out at $5.625 million in the final year.

Petersen’s new contract also includes raises for his assistants, raising the pool of money available for Petersen’s staff by over $1 million from last year.

NFL may fine players for arm wrestling

las vegas

Current NFL players who participated in the Pro Football Arm Wrestling Championship at a Las Vegas casino could be fined by the league.

More than 30 professional football players were scheduled to compete at the weekend event held at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, according to a news release.

“We are looking into it, and we became aware of it as it was under way,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said Tuesday. “A long-standing policy prohibits any NFL personnel from promotional appearances at a casino.”

Any player who is in the league now would be in violation of that policy, which is laid out in a manual distributed to players and other employees before each season.

The policy prohibits “NFL personnel from engaging in any advertising or promotional activities that reasonably can be perceived as constituting affiliation with or endorsement of gambling or gambling-related activities.”

Yankees now worth league-high $3.7 billion

new york

Forbes ranks the New York Yankees as baseball’s most valuable team for the 20th straight year and lists the Tampa Bay Rays with the lowest valuation.

Forbes said Tuesday it estimates the Yankees are worth $3.7 billion, up 9 percent from last year. The Dodgers are next at $2.75 billion, a 10 percent increase.

Boston was third at $2.7 billion, followed by the Chicago Cubs ($2.675 billion), San Francisco ($2.65 billion) and New York Mets ($2 billion).

At the bottom were the Rays ($825 million), Oakland ($880 million), Cincinnati ($915 million) and Cleveland ($920 million).

MLB’s average team value rose 19 percent to $1.54 billion.

Staff/Wire reports