A look ahead to top enterprise and feature stories planned globally by AP Sports. New digests will go out each Thursday and Monday and will be repeated on other weekdays. Please note that story plans may change depending on news and other issues.
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As with all our operations, we welcome and want your feedback. If you have thoughts or questions about the Sports Showcase Digest or the material listed, please reach out to Oskar Garcia, deputy sports editor for presentation and storytelling, at 215-446-6632 or at ogarcia@ap.org.
All times are Eastern.
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FRIDAY, Dec. 7
HKN--NEW RIVALRY
VANCOUVER, British Colombia — Sitting high above the ice of Rogers Arena, Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning has fond memories of his time playing junior hockey for the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League and their trips up Interstate 5 to play at the old Mercer Arena against the Seattle Thunderbirds. Looking out at an empty arena a couple hours before a Canucks faceoff, he can envision a few years from now when fans of Seattle's new NHL franchise are making the trek north on I-5, through the border crossing and into downtown Vancouver to watch their team play the Canucks. By Tim Booth. UPCOMING: 900 words, photos by 3 a.m. Friday.
MONDAY, Dec. 10
SOC--REAL MADRID-WOMEN'S TEAM
MADRID — In a speech during Real Madrid's most recent general assembly, president Florentino Perez spoke proudly about how eSports will be part of the club's future. Perez also talked about a possible Real Madrid theme park in the Spanish capital. But when asked about when the club was going to create a women's team, Perez didn't answer the question. The club that calls itself the best in the world remains far behind other top European teams when it comes to women in soccer. UPCOMING: 900 words, photos by 3 a.m. Monday.
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 12
LITTLE LEAGUE FOR ESPORTS
NEW YORK — The esports industry is expected to soon eclipse $1 billion, yet the U.S. amateur system is almost entirely unorganized. Super League Gaming is hoping to fill that void, with CEO Ann Hand envisioning it as "Little League for esports." The national organization welcomes gamers as young as 6 and provides uniforms, instruction and a supervised space for boys and girls to competitively play games like Minecraft and League of Legends. Pro-level executives are hopeful about Super League's potential, hoping it can help close the gap between the U.S and countries like South Korea, where players are being tabbed for esports stardom before they're even teenagers. By Jake Seiner. UPCOMING: 1,000 words, photos, video by 3 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 12.
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Again, if you have questions about the Sports Showcase Digest or the material listed, please reach out to Oskar Garcia at 215-446-6632 or ogarcia@ap.org.
Thanks,
AP Sports
