Is TGL a success? What’s working and what’s next for golf’s indoor simulator league
Is TGL a success? What’s working and what’s next for golf’s indoor simulator league
As difficult as it to imagine, we’re now nearly two months into some of the world’s best golfers trying to avoid lava on Monday and Tuesday nights.
TGL, the indoor simulator league with the rotating green, has captured the interest of golfers and casual sports fans, helped by attractive time slots on ESPN and a list of competitors that includes co-founders Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. Has everything been perfect? No way — did you see when Tiger hit it 99 yards last week, only to find out the hole was 199 yards away? That doesn’t happen at TPC Sawgrass. But even the most pessimistic amongst us has to acknowledge that there’s something here.
With one week left in the regular season we feel like we’ve given TGL enough time to come out of beta and make a strong judgment on what’s working and what’s not, and who we’d like to see added for a (presumed) Year 2 in 2026.
What’s working for you?
Gabby Herzig: I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the anecdotal evidence that the product is getting new eyeballs on golf — the texts from friends and family members who wonder how this new league works and what it’s all about are still frequent. The ESPN ratings have varied week to week, but they’ve been solid overall. That tells me my intuition on one major positive coming out of TGL is correct: The Monday/Tuesday night prime time spot is a great time slot for this type of product. Seeing Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and other players mic’d up, hitting golf shots in between big tournament appearances is a value-add to the professional landscape. It provides an interesting new lead-up to the bulk of the traditional golf season. The more exposure fans have to these athletes on different stages and in new formats, the more potential there is for additional traction and engagement with the PGA Tour product. As the weeks have passed, I feel the players have gotten more enthusiastic about loosening up, chatting amongst each other and celebrating like other pro athletes do. I’ve enjoyed the addition of more “mic’d up moments,” where the broadcast compiles sound bytes from players that might have been missed during play. The new rules for the hammer have also been a total game-changer. The matches are now much more likely to reverse course if one team is pulling ahead — that certainly can’t hurt.
Brody Miller: The players don’t care at all in a truly deep way. But they care so damn much in that same way you want to beat your friend more than anything in the world. That works for me. That’s the product in my eyes.
At the absolute simplest level: We see major stars we don’t often get to see outside of intense environments getting to mess around and compete with each other. The television events like “The Match” just don’t work, for a myriad of reasons, but this gives casual viewers something to turn on on a Monday/Tuesday night and turn their brain off to enjoy. Emphasis on turning their brain off. The second viewers take this seriously, it loses steam.
But on nights where matches get close — more on that later — TGL thrives. And it’s because of that simple reason. It’s absurdly fun seeing six superstar golfers get competitive the same way you do with your buddies over a game of *********. Collin Morikawa, often a dry figure in tournament settings, was living and dying with each shot in Monday’s comeback and getting hyped. Guys like Justin Thomas, Wyndham Clark, Xander Schauffele or Billy Horschel being natural heels and trolls is good, casual entertainment.
Players act composed or respectful when they hit a huge birdie putt on 17 at a tournament. They lost their minds when Sahith Theegala’s putt went in Monday. And the addition of the hammer rule changes immediately sparked more of this by keeping matches competitive and increasing the amount of times we get to see players sassily throw a flag.
The many faces of screen golf! pic.twitter.com/u8jhgP5kGZ
— Fried Egg Golf (@fried_egg_golf) February 25, 2025
Hugh Kellenberger: It’s a hang. It’s a sporting event but it’s not a game. We don’t want them to chuckle and not care at all about the result, but TGL cannot also make us or them care about The Bay vs. Jupiter Links. It’s why all the memes about New York needing to rebuild hit — it’s attaching a level of serious sports discourse to an event that just does not demand it.
And that’s OK! There are so many sports on right now, every night of the week — the result of sports being the only thing that reliably gets people to watch live TV in 2025. Not all of it can be super serious, life or death stuff. But Billy Horschel doing Billy Horschel things for two hours on a Monday night? I can get behind that.
What’s not working?
Herzig: We need a wellness check on FullSwing’s simulator technology. TGL has some serious issues if they can’t figure out how to give the players full confidence that their shots are ending up in the right places when they hit into the 60-foot-tall custom-built screen. TGL and league members have been vocal about the technology — co-founder Rory McIlroy came out and admitted he cross-tested FullSwing against Trackman and Foresight Sports, two popular launch monitors, and he came away satisfied. But that doesn’t change the fact that players seem to be consistently perplexed by their own ball flight. We’re talking about the world’s best here — they know what it feels like to hit the ball 120 yards vs. 140 yards. Even Hideki Matsuyama, who is known to barely crack a smile let alone a furrowed brow, looked hesitant about the result of several shots on Monday evening. If I were TGL, I’d be looking into switching launch monitor partners for next season. There is a reason why tour players carry around portable launch monitors from Trackman and GCQuad Foresight. Those products are the best in the business.
Miller: Gabby laid out the technology issues right away, and that is certainly the No. 1 issue. This is pushed as a major gambling product, and it’s not even accurate! Not good! Although watching players try to hide their annoyance is one of the five best things about the league.
But to go deeper, the golf is just not very captivating. It’s a simulator league, so that was always an uphill battle. I don’t mean this should feel architecturally compelling. My bar is very low here. There’s just something so empty about even the best shots. A lengthy shot with a 3 wood into a green takes one bounce and sticks near the pin. And the bad shots usually feel like it might be the technology. The only times I truly feel locked in are when we move around the green and I feel the stakes (and the other players reacting). In TGL’s defense, that’s why the rapid speed is such a positive for me. No lingering on the golf. It’s just fun, harmless instant gratification.
Not the first time this has happened in TGL. pic.twitter.com/afLWIf9fVr
— TGL (@TGL) February 25, 2025
Kellenberger: I actually don’t mind when the simulator has clearly failed, because it introduces a level of randomness that would not be there otherwise with the best players in the world hitting in a wind-less virtual world. But that’s also problematic for betting, so I get the argument for change.
I’m going to focus on the broadcast, because a lot of the competitive elements actually work about as well as they could possibly have for Year 1. ESPN seems to not know what it wants TGL to be, sometimes behaving as the type of broadcast that cannot believe it has real live pro athletes in the building and other times deeply invested in a playoff race. Both approaches fall flat. There has to be a way to accentuate the best parts about TGL while also not getting in its way. That would probably exclude Marty Smith — he’s on my TV enough that someone out there clearly likes him, but I’ve never understood the appeal. The broadcast stops and loses all energy every time they throw it to him.
Who do you want to see in Year 2?
Herzig: Maybe I’m asking for too much, but I’d like to see TGL go full throttle into the youth movement, get LPGA players involved, and maybe even allow a LIV team to enter the league. I’d love to see Luke Clanton (who was in attendance on Monday evening), Akshay Bhatia and Nick Dunlap get spots on TGL rosters. And why not add an LPGA player to each squad? Imagine Charley Hull as the latest addition to Boston Common or Nelly Korda strategizing on a chip shot with Tiger Woods. The most obvious character, who would be a perfect fit for the TGL model, however, is Bryson DeChambeau — the king of YouTube golf. Bryson, I imagine, would bring an entirely new element to the league in the form of fan interaction. He knows how to talk to a camera and make the viewer feel like they are part of the action. We’re still missing that in the current TGL format, because none of these guys are active YouTubers. It’s just not in their nature.
Miller: I’m very pro-adding LPGA players and young names, to Gabby’s suggestion. This is not real golf. We don’t need to get bogged down by distance conversations. The fun here is in the fish-out-of-water element of seeing these people react in ways we don’t normally. Getting Korda and Zhang in there to add more wrinkles would be great.
Then, certainly we all want to see the Texas stars that aren’t here already. Scottie Scheffler is one of the ultimate trash talkers in money games and pickleball or anything else. The current two best players in the world — Scheffler and Xander Schauffele — are actually the two best fits for TGL, so it’s a shame we haven’t actually seen either outside of the latter’s Night 1 appearance. And can you imagine Jordan Spieth’s neuroticism with these simulators? Can’t miss TV. We just need to figure out how to get his caddy, Michael Greller, involved.
Kellenberger: Arthur Blank, Atlanta Drive’s owner, said Monday night they’re open to adding more teams and bringing in the top women. So that’s probably happening. Other names I had on my list that have not already been mentioned: Megan Khang, Cameron Smith, Robert MacIntyre and Will Zalatoris.
Does Patrick Cantlay need to be a part of TGL? (Cliff Hawkins / via Getty Images)
Who do we have to get out of SoFi Center?
Herzig: No offense to these guys, but Patrick Cantlay, Lucas Glover, Hideki Matsuyama, Cameron Young and Matt Fitzpatrick might need to go. Their personalities are just not a fit, for obvious reasons.
Miller: Gabby no! Matsuyama being the slightly weird, uncomfortable outsider has led to some great entertainment. And maybe I’m a nerd, but Cantlay being hyper-fixated on hammer strategy is so funny to me.
After that, yes. Get the people out who don’t seem like they’re leaning into being here. Young does not want to be there, clearly. Fitzpatrick tries, to be fair, but his type of humor just doesn’t come through. Adam Scott is the man, but he doesn’t seem very interested. And that’s completely OK! It’s nonsense. But I think we’ve seen that the people who want to be here add the most entertainment. Nobody is tuning in for Billy Horschel, but he makes the product better.
Kellenberger: “Might need to go.” Gabby is so kind to these guys. Cantlay and Matsuyama are probably too high in the world rankings to dismiss entirely, but they’re never going to be the stars of this thing. Glover, Young and Fitzpatrick for sure need to be replaced. Kevin Kisner would be a better fit upstairs with Matt Barrie than playing, and Justin Rose is not the future, either. Are we sure Min Woo Lee is good at golf? Rickie Fowler has to be on a year-to-year contract too.
(Top photo of Billy Horschel: Carmen Mandato / TGL via Getty Images)
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A Wonder Woman Legend Was Working On Canceled Game, Offers Heartfelt Tribute
A Wonder Woman Legend Was Working On Canceled Game, Offers Heartfelt Tribute
Gail Simone, an award-winning writer known for her work on the DC franchise, has confirmed she was involved with the Wonder Woman game at Monolith that was just recently canceled.
Simone, the longest-running female writer on the Wonder Woman series, said she was asked to do long-term consulting on the game and jumped at the chance. “It was a perfect storm of stuff I adore,” she said. “Wonder Woman, video games, and one of my favorite game studios: Monolith.”
Simone went on to say Monolith’s Wonder Woman game was “gorgeous and expansive.” She said “every effort was made to make this not just a great game, but a great Wonder Woman game. A showpiece epic.”
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The writer praised the developers at Monolith for crafting such an impressive game, even if it ultimately didn’t pan out.
“Everyone who worked on it brought their a-game. Programmers, artists, designers, everyone. I don’t know that I have ever worked with a team that cared more about making sure the end product was perfect,” she said. “It was a dream come true. Wonder Woman had a dream team and they put their all into it. They made sure it had Wonder Woman and DC lore on every aspect of the game. It was a thrill and honor to work with them.”
Simone said she understands there is a lot of “finger-pointing going on” now around why the game was canceled, but everyone she worked with at Monolith and WB was “enthusiastic and supportive.”
Games, TV shows, movies, and all other types of media projects fall apart regularly, for any number of reasons, and the Wonder Woman game joins them.
“Sometimes, you give your all and it doesn’t work out. But that was an amazing team and I can only hope they continue to make brilliant games. Someone is going to snap them all up and set a new industry standard, I know it,” Simone said.
Monolith’s Wonder Woman game was announced in 2021, and more than $100 million was reportedly spent on it prior to its cancellation. In confirming the game’s cancellation and the closure of Monolith, management said the game did not align with WB’s new strategic pursuits, despite projects in the DC franchise being one of WB’s four core pillars going forward for games.
WB management said it will focus on four major franchises: Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, DC, and Game of Thrones. As part of this new strategy of focusing on only the biggest franchises, WB is producing a Hogwarts Legacy sequel, while WB Games Montreal is said to be pitching a new Game of Thrones title. Rocksteady, meanwhile, may be plotting a new single-player Batman game. As for DC, studio boss James Gunn recently said some “really interesting” projects are coming in the gaming space, but not soon. As for the Mortal Kombat series, NetherRealm has not announced any new games, but it’s expected the studio will continue the franchise with a new installment at some point.
In addition to the cancellation of Wonder Woman and closure of Monolith, WB is shuttering MultiVersus studio Player First Games and WB San Diego. MultiVersus is shutting down this May.
Warner Bros. Games’ longtime boss, David Haddad, announced in January that he’s leaving the company but will stay on for the next three months to help oversee the transition to a new leader. No such executive has been named yet for Haddad’s replacement.
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Market is ‘on stilts,’ mediocre outlook for Nvidia may topple it
Market is ‘on stilts,’ mediocre outlook for Nvidia may topple it
Investors wait for Nvidia’s (NVDA) quarterly results, with the market’s artificial intelligence (AI) darling set to report after Wednesday’s closing bell. Futurum CEO Daniel Newman sits down with Market Domination Co-Hosts Julie Hyman and Josh Lipton, outlining the three things he will be looking for when Nvidia releases results as the “whole market is on stilts” awaiting the print.
“The first thing people are going to be looking at is how that margin integrity is holding up. That margin number has been a big part of what’s driven [Nvidia’s market capitalization] over $3 trillion,” Newman says.
“Another big part of it is going to be any sort of communication about the Blackwell ramp,” he adds about Nvidia’s landmark GPU chip. Finally, the analyst highlights that “of course, I think everybody here will agree, the guide.” He notes Nvidia’s outlook has been “great,” in recent quarters, but “each quarter the guide has been a little less aggressive.”
Newman warns that while the market is on its proverbial “stilts,” he believes that “if Nvidia comes up anywhere short, even a mediocre guide, I’m really worried about what’s going to happen for growth.”
To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Market Domination here.
This post was written by Naomi Buchanan.
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With Rubiales gone (and guilty of ******* assault), is Spanish football rethinking how it treats women?
With Rubiales gone (and guilty of ******* assault), is Spanish football rethinking how it treats women?
Last Friday night, Spain’s women’s team played their first game since Luis Rubiales was found guilty of ******* assault for kissing Jenni Hermoso after the 2023 Women’s World Cup final.
Spain came from 2-0 down against Belgium in Valencia with 20 minutes left to win a thrilling game 3-2. Hermoso was not involved, having again been left out of the squad by coach Montse Tome. But she was on the minds of many.
Today during Spain – Belgium. A woman and her daughter went to the match to give support to Jennifer Hermoso even if she was not in the call-up. pic.twitter.com/7jQnW530OW
— Laia Cervelló Herrero (@Laia_Cervello) February 21, 2025
A day earlier, judge Jose Manuel Clemente Fernandez-Prieto found Rubiales, the former president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), guilty of ******* assault and issued him with a fine of more than €10,000 (£8,300; $11,400) for the kiss on Hermoso as she received her World Cup winners’ medal. The judge found Rubiales and his three co-defendants — former women’s coach Jorge Vilda, ex-Spain men’s team sporting director Albert Luque and former Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) marketing director Ruben Rivera — not guilty of coercion for their efforts to persuade Hermoso to publicly say she had consented to the kiss. Rubiales intends to appeal the decision.
The two-week trial at Spain’s Audiencia Nacional, the country’s high court, in San Fernando de Henares near Madrid demonstrated the RFEF’s lack of respect for Hermoso and her team-mates, going back long before the World Cup.
GO DEEPER
The Rubiales-Hermoso court case revealed so much – and the story is not complete yet
Spain were far from their best in Friday’s UEFA Nations League game. Belgium’s opening goal followed a mistake by team captain Irene Paredes, who was among the national team players called as witnesses to the trial in Madrid. But they showed impressive collective effort in staging a fightback.
“What we want is to win games,” Arsenal’s Mariona Caldentey said in the stadium’s mixed zone afterward. “It’s been a difficult few months for everyone. Now the sentence is out, everything’s been said and done, we’ve come out to win — and in the end, we’ve done it.”
Recently elected RFEF president Rafael Louzan attended the game in Valencia and has spoken about a new era of openness and inclusivity.
But, for many of those within women’s football in Spain, the feeling is that the battle for full respect and equality goes on.
After the World Cup final in Sydney, many in Spanish society and football spoke about an urgent need for reform. At a moment of intense global focus, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and other government ministers quickly called for action and change.
Once FIFA suspended Rubiales and the eyes of the world drifted away, the impetus for real change and modernisation at the federation’s Las Rozas headquarters also started to stall.
Rubiales’ handpicked successor Pedro Rocha quickly fired Vilda as coach, but replaced him with his assistant, Tome, who had been in that role at the 2023 World Cup. Hermoso was not called up in her first squad, with Tome claiming she wanted to “protect the player”, which she was asked about when she gave testimony in the Rubiales trial. Tome told the court Hermoso was not selected for “sporting” reasons and that “protecting her came into that because of the situation we were experiencing”.
Vilda’s former assistant and current Spain women’s coach, Tome (Jose Miguel Fernandez/NurPhoto)
It was Hermoso and her colleagues who helped force the first real changes. Eighty-one national team players said they would not play for the team until serious reforms were made to end structural sexism at the federation.
After an awkward stand-off — which required mediation from players’ union FUTPRO and government intervention — interim president Rocha agreed to some measures. He fired figures deemed part of Rubiales’ inner circle when he was at the RFEF — former general secretary Andreu Camps, integrity director Miguel Garcia Caba and communications director Pablo Garcia Cuervo.
GO DEEPER
The Rubiales-Hermoso court case revealed so much – and the story is not complete yet
More of Rubiales’ closest associates were forced out in March 2024, including legal adviser Tomas Gonzalez Cueto, when Spanish police raided the federation’s headquarters as part of an investigation into alleged corruption during Rubiales’ time in charge that is still in the evidence-gathering phase. Rubiales and Cueto have both denied any wrongdoing.
Rocha himself was investigated as part of that operation — and the Spanish government tried to force him out too but he denied being involved in any corruption and clung on to power. As the political and legal struggles continued, attempts to implement better structures for women’s football were stymied.
“We could hardly do anything,” FUTPRO president Amanda Gutierrez tells The Athletic of her organisation’s lobbying on behalf of its members, including Hermoso. “There were many situations we wanted to talk about and negotiate, but it was not possible. They could not take significant decisions as Rocha was not a permanent president.”
A lack of professionalism and concern for the team was again shown in November 2023, when Paredes, Ivana Andres, Esther Gonzalez and Caldentey missed a key Nations League game against Switzerland due to mistakes in submitting the official squad to UEFA and then the teamsheet on the day of the game.
The federation did hire Markel Zubizarreta as sporting director of women’s football in November 2023, filling a role Vilda had occupied alongside his coaching role.
Zubizarreta was the architect of Barcelona’s all-conquering women’s team — who won 16 trophies, including four league titles and two Champions League trophies — and was respected by the players. But less than 12 months later he left to become global sporting director at Michele Kang’s Kynisca Sports group, which runs U.S. side Washington Spirit, Lyon in France and London City Lionesses.
“One of the changes we asked for was to have a proper selection process for hiring staff, not just placing friends or contacts in roles,” Gutierrez says. “Markel was perfectly qualified, with wide experience in the sector. But we had the bad luck that Kang came and made him an offer he could not refuse.”
During the recent trial, the prosecution pointed out that, before the World Cup, the federation had in place a “protocol of action against ******* violence”, under which Rubiales’ actions after the final should have been punishable.
Rubiales admitted while giving evidence to having ratified this protocol “in a hurry” just before the World Cup, under pressure from the government, but claimed not to know its contents. Hermoso and Tome testified they were not aware it existed.
Rubiales during his trial in Madrid (Thomas Coex/AFP via Getty Images)
In the weeks after Sydney, FUTPRO made a formal complaint to a Spanish government body, which in March 2024 mandated the federation update this protocol and make sure everyone at the RFEF know about it.
Asked whether these changes had been made, an RFEF spokesperson replied: “The problem here before was not the regulations that existed, it is that they were not applied. This is a new era, Rubiales and his people are all gone now, the difference with the past is like night and day.”
The trial also showed how Hermoso was left completely alone after events in Sydney, as the entire federation apparatus was put in place to protect Rubiales — actions that led to the prosecution charge of coercion against the four accused at the trial.
Most of the staff involved in that operation no longer work at the RFEF. Some of those who still do — such as women’s team press officer Patricia Perez — were fully supportive of Hermoso as they gave evidence at the trial.
Other figures still at the federation were not so clear. Tome appeared to try to steer a neutral course. Luis de la Fuente, the European Championship-winning men’s national team coach, appeared more concerned with protecting his reputation than securing justice for Hermoso. He made multiple attempts to distance himself from any of the discussions about Hermoso and how the RFEF dealt with the fallout from the ******* assault by Rubiales.
“If a player came out today and made an official complaint, the federation would respond,” Arantxa Uria, vice president of Spain’s Association for Women in Professional Sport, tells The Athletic. “There is now more media attention, which offers protection. We still have the doubt about whether — if it was not made public — how they would act. Jennifer was always very alone, and remains very alone.”
At all international tournaments, FIFA mandates that teams nominate a ‘safeguarding officer’, responsible for protecting all those taking part from harm or abuse. For Spain at the World Cup, this was team psychologist Javier Lopez Vallejo, who said in court he had no formal training in this area, and added that he saw nothing during the tournament that he should have been concerned about. The RFEF did not respond when asked if any current staff had taken any of FIFA’s official safeguarding courses.
While the Rubiales trial took 18 months to be investigated and tried, the regional barons who have long dominated the federation successfully headed off the government’s talk of electoral reform.
Last December, Galician regional president Louzan was elected the new permanent president of the RFEF, despite being found guilty in May 2022 of misuse of public funds during his former job as governor of the city of Pontevedra. That decision was overturned by Spain’s supreme court in February, clearing him to continue in his role at the football federation.
Gutierrez says the idea of a complete outsider — perhaps even a woman — coming in with a clean broom to sweep up the federation was always unlikely.
She argues that some progress has been made. FUTPRO’s lobbying led to Spain internationals Ona Batlle and Patri Guijarro, plus two female referees and two coaches, becoming members of the 142-strong ‘general assembly’, which ultimately controls the federation and elects its president. “That it took until (November) 2024 to have any women’s players in the assembly is crazy, but shows where we are coming from,” Gutierrez says.
In January, a new ‘convention agreement’ was signed between the top division of women’s football in Spain (Liga F) and FUTPRO. That included a strengthening of the league’s own ******* abuse protocol and initiatives to protect mental health — but the minimum wage in Spain’s top division is still just €22,500 a year.
Another high-profile incident took place in Spanish women’s football during the trial. Video footage circulated on social media appearing to show Barcelona defender Mapi Leon inappropriately touching Espanyol player Daniela Caracas during a Liga F clash.
Espanyol released a statement expressing their “total discontent and condemnation” of an action that they said “violated the privacy” of Caracas. Leon said, “At no time did I violate, nor did I have the intention to violate, the privacy of my professional colleague Daniela Caracas.”
Liga F has not made an official statement on the incident. FUTPRO offered its support to both players to “clarify what happened and help in any relevant way”.
No official action has yet been taken, and Leon — who has not represented Spain since stepping away in protest at problems with Vilda and the RFEF in July 2022 — has continued to play for Barcelona.
GO DEEPER
Espanyol call for action after ‘unacceptable’ Leon incident with Caracas during Liga F game
There are other ways the convention agreement does not appear to have made a significant difference.
“The new agreement signed recently for the women’s players was promoted as a great step forward,” says Uria. “But the players still earn the minimum salary of any Spaniard. There was no real advance.”
Just before the trial started, the federation named a new director of women’s football — Reyes Bellver, a lawyer who has respect among players and others within the game.
“They are talking about wanting to change things, a lot,” says Uria. “We will have to wait and see what job (Bellver) does, what measures she can take within the federation structure. Just hiring a woman for a certain role is not enough. We want to see real changes made, not just nice words.”
Louzan’s new board of 30 directors features 15 women, as mandated by Spanish law. These include Liga F president Beatriz Alvarez Mesa and Maria Jose Rienda, a former head of the government’s Superior Sports Council (CSD). Although Alvarez is the only female among the eight vice presidents, RFEF sources — who, like all those cited in this article, asked to remain anonymous to speak freely — maintain the new regime is serious about having women in senior positions of power. Other reforms at the federation since Rubiales left include changes made to its government mandated ‘Equality Plan’, a new equality strategy and a new department of equality.
“We’re going to continue in the line of unity, consensus, hard work and absolute transparency,” Louzan told an assembly meeting that took place during the trial. “The moment has come to do everything that could not be done until now. We’ve initiated a transformation process for this institution, which needs to modernise and adapt to new trends.”
Spain celebrate their late winner against Belgium last week (Jose Miguel Fernandez/NurPhoto.)
Those words have been welcomed, but everyone involved also knows Louzan was a vice president throughout Rubiales’ presidency. The Galician met with the Spanish government on Monday and issues known to be on the agenda included Spain’s hosting of the 2030 men’s World Cup. There have been very few specific reforms implemented that directly help the women’s team.
Louzan has announced that Liga F will receive €2.5million from the RFEF to develop women’s football. The federation declined to specify how much of its €379.6million budget for 2025 would go towards the women’s game, but said it spent significantly more on women’s football than it earned.
This argument is not accepted by Gutierrez, who pointed to Zubizarreta’s role as women’s sporting director remaining currently vacant.
“The players are not asking for the same salary as the men, they’re asking for the same resources — the same installations, hours, transport, equipment, staff,” she says. “This is our battle. Have we achieved that yet? Obviously not. Hopefully, someday, we will have this equality of conditions, and the players will be free to perform to their best level.”
As Caldentey said last Friday, Spain’s women’s team are focused on winning games on the pitch. The issue remains whether their undoubted talent is backed up by structures and support from the federation.
The word from the RFEF is that this is a new era, that the guilty verdict should allow all involved to draw a line and move on. It is not so simple.
“The guilty verdict for ******* assault seems correct, but it’s strange there was no guilty verdict for coercion,” Paredes said at a press conference from the team camp last week. “That sums up what the dressing room feels.”
Tome said last week that “each person can have their own thoughts about something” when asked about the effect of the case on the squad. The coach’s own testimony at the trial did not convince everyone that she fully backed Hermoso and it remains strange to see Spain play without their record all-time goalscorer involved.
“The players are professionals, and they have shown (in the past) they are capable of handling anything,” Gutierrez says. “But it’s true that it would be better if these bad feelings did not exist, and that they could just perform to their best level. The space for improvement is so huge. There is still a long way to go.”
(Top photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
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Claim a Free Escape from Tarkov Gift Bundle To Celebrate The LATAM Price Change
Claim a Free Escape from Tarkov Gift Bundle To Celebrate The LATAM Price Change
Battlestate Games has adjusted pricing for Escape from Tarkov in LATAM regions to ‘balance things out’. To celebrate the new pricing structure, the team has published a small gift bundle that all users can take advantage of. It includes a full kit – a weapon, plate vest, headset, ammunition, and so on.
The downside is it’s only redeemable in PvP, so PvE players have once again missed out on this limited-time promotion.
To get your hands on this latest Tarkov gift bundle, you’ll need to log into your account on escapefromtarkov.com and access your profile. From there, click on ‘Activate Promo Code’ and enter the following:
This code will unlock the bundle instantly and it’ll be ready to collect when you next log in.
It includes:
Mk 16 Assault Rifle
Takedown BP
STRIKE Helmet
Banshee Rig
ComTac IV Headset
3 x GEN M3 Magazines
100 x M856A1
Propital Injector
Condor Glasses
EXPS3 Optic
That’s not all, though. Battlestate Games is running a Twitch Drops campaign from February 26 – March 1 for Escape from Tarkov, and from March 1 – March 3 for Tarkov Arena.
On social media, the team wrote:
LATAM regional pricing for Escape from Tarkov and Tarkov Arena is now in place! Prices for all digital products have been adjusted to match regional rates, enhancing the local accessibility of our games.
To celebrate the LATAM regional pricing, use the promo code in the launcher to receive in-game rewards: TARKOVLATAM.
Battlestate Games continues to evolve Escape from Tarkov, which was first released almost ten years ago (in beta). This year, big things are on the horizon, and the game moves ever closer to the fabled 1.0 version that’ll be classed as a full graduation.
Are you still playing Tarkov or have you dropped off until the next wipe arrives? Let us know on the Insider Gaming forum.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that Dr Disrespect went on an insane rant on stream
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Super Micro Computer surges 20% after filing delayed financials
Super Micro Computer surges 20% after filing delayed financials
Charles Liang, CEO of Super Micro Computer, during the AMD Advancing AI event in San Jose, California, on Dec. 6, 2023.
David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Super Micro Computer shares rallied 20%% after the AI server company filed its delayed financial results by the Nasdaq’s deadline.
The company’s auditor BDO wrote in the filing that the the consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024 “present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company” and are “in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted” in the U.S.
The company also filed audited financial results for the first two quarters of the fiscal 2025 year and said in a release that it has “regained compliance” with the Nasdaq’s filing requirements.
In an attached note from management, Super Micro said it had identified material weaknesses in internal controls over financial reporting. That includes IT issues, a lack of documentation over manual journal entries and insufficient controls to address segregation of staff duties. Super Micro said it plans to hire additional accounting and audit employees, and upgrade IT systems.
Super Micro said in the filing that it still faces risks, including potential litigation, lower credit ratings and reputational harm associated with its late financial reports.
Demand for Super Micro’s servers packed with Nvidia graphics processing chips has accelerated amid the AI ***** that’s swept the technology community since the launch of ChatGPT. However, trouble began last year as Hindenburg Research revealed a short position, the company delayed releasing its annual report and its auditor quit due to governance concerns.
Fears of a potential delisting from the Nasdaq added further pressure to Super Micro’s stock in recent months, with shares down 48% on a year-over-year basis. Volatility continued into Tuesday’s release, with shares closing down nearly 12%.
In December, the company removed its chief financial officer and said that a review found “no evidence of misconduct.” Earlier this month, CEO Charles Liang said he was “confident” that the company would meet the Feb. 25 deadline to file its results with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
— CNBC’s Kif Leswing contributed reporting
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The Texas-based company that made history with a soft touchdown on the moon is back at the launchpad – CNN
The Texas-based company that made history with a soft touchdown on the moon is back at the launchpad – CNN
The Texas-based company that made history with a soft touchdown on the moon is back at the launchpad CNNIM-2 lunar lander mission set for launch. Graphics show what’s on board USA TODAYSpaceX rocket to send Intuitive Machine’s second lunar lander to the moon Fox BusinessNASA Sets Coverage for Intuitive Machines’ Next Commercial Moon Launch NASAIntuitive Machines’ stock climbs as second moon-landing mission looms MarketWatch
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NHL agent poll: Best and worst owners, Connor McDavid’s contract, future GMs
NHL agent poll: Best and worst owners, Connor McDavid’s contract, future GMs
Who are the best and toughest front offices to deal with in the NHL? Which owners are known for giving players what they need? What does the league need to do to improve?
Asking players these questions can yield some pretty good results, but there are limits to that approach. Players have relatively limited exposure to organizations outside their own. And some shy away from expressing controversial takes — even anonymously.
Want an unvarnished opinion on all things NHL? Talk to an agent. Agents often represent several players, whose employers span multiple teams and divisions. They spend their days talking to players, other agents and NHL general managers. And they’re experts on the business side of hockey.
Over the past several months, The Athletic polled 19 agents, who combine to represent hundreds of NHL player contracts, on 10 key questions facing the league and its future. Agents were granted anonymity to encourage honest and candid answers.
1. What is the area the NHL can improve the most?
What’s holding the NHL back? Mainly marketing, agents said.
The bulk of responses centered around the league’s perceived failings when it comes to selling the game and its star players, bringing in new audiences and growing hockey-related revenue (HRR). To be fair, though, all agents were polled before the recent 4 Nations Face-Off, which was a grand success for the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association.
“The NHL has a compelling product, it’s the most exciting live experience of any of the major pro sports,” one agent said, echoing the majority of respondents. “Yet (the folks) running the league seemed content for decades to be focused more on fighting the players over using them to grow the game.”
“This is where the NBA has probably done a better job than us and the NFL is hitting on all cylinders,” another said. “Just using the crest and the trophy is not enough anymore.”
One agent, however, noted a hurdle faced by the league in promoting player personalities: the players themselves.
“I would like to say ‘selling their players better,’ but the guys are so humble, it’s hard to sell them,” the agent said. “Other sports leagues do that better, but their personalities are *******.”
Meanwhile, more than one agent highlighted the NHL’s problem in getting the games in front of viewers.
“We’re missing the opportunity to expand the game to a more casual fan,” one said. “We haven’t quite unlocked what the key is to bringing the live experience to TV in a better way. If you watch old games from the ’60s or ’70s, they’re kind of shot more or less the same way as now.”
How the league sets up the schedule and its key events drew criticism as well. Here are some other areas in which agents feel the league could improve:
On the playoff format: “I wouldn’t mind them going back (to) 1 seed vs. 8 seed instead of the divisional stuff. There’s got to be incentives to having great regular seasons. Same matchups every year in the playoffs.”
On expanding the playoff field: “The league continues to grow and it sounds like we’re going to continue to grow beyond the 32, so I’m really surprised the owners haven’t pushed this for their own selfish reasons. For certain markets, it would create hope right to the end.”
On scheduling: “With the 4 Nations, Olympics, the World Cup — I think the PA, the league have failed the players, the fans, the owners instead of really understanding the wear and tear it has on the product.”
On scheduling: “I’d like to see staggered start times, and I don’t know how we go three or four nights with literally no games or one or two and then all of a sudden everybody plays.”
On player safety: “My thing here lately is the inconsistencies with player safety. For some things that go unpunished and some things that do, I can never get a read on what they’re doing or thinking. Some of these things that should be suspensions and certainly significant fines, they slip by. There’s no punishment. And others that are borderline, there’s heavy stuff. There needs to be a consistent standard.”
On the de-centralization of the draft: “I hate (the change). It’s a big thing for that city to have. I think the draft is an amazing thing.”
The answers in this category offer more evidence of how far the NHL has come in the Sun Belt.
On-ice success is, of course, a big factor here, but so are other areas. Atmosphere, culture and leadership matter a lot, too.
“You have to look at Tampa with the way the owner’s very good at being hands-off,” one agent said. “(Owner Jeff Vinik) sat back, hired the best people and let them do their jobs.”
“Tampa is awesome,” echoed another. “Players want to be there. They’re buying houses there and spending post-career there.”
For similar reasons, the other Florida team ranks high on agents’ lists.
“(The Panthers) are in sync and connected between ownership and management,” an agent said. “They turned things around in short order with (GM) Billy Zito going in there. They’re fair. They’ve developed in short order to become a destination. Those guys take less to go there because of the tax advantages down there.”
In Vegas, one of the league’s youngest franchises has quickly gained a reputation for winning — at all costs.
“They’ve been consistently competitive,” an agent said. “They don’t hesitate to do whatever it takes, although it may be cold-blooded at times to improve the franchise. But if you’re rating them on their ability to execute on a game plan, I think from Day One they’ve been pretty impressive.”
The Dallas Stars also received credit for on-ice success.
“From top to bottom, their scouting is outstanding, their development is outstanding. Obviously management,” an agent said.
Added another: “They’ve just found so many players. And frankly they’re really good people.”
One somewhat surprising entry here might be the Jets. One agent praised the team for on-ice success in the face of attendance and business concerns.
“They are able to draft, develop very well,” an agent said. “The West is a beast, but I’m impressed, for a smaller market, how they’re able to operate.”
The Maple Leafs, on the other hand, received credit on the business side in spite of on-ice struggles (at least in the playoffs).
“I think they’ve outdone the Rangers. They’ve outdone Boston. They’ve outdone Montreal,” an agent said. “So I’ve got to give them their due as far as growing revenues in this business and running it like a corporate enterprise.”
Several agents struggled to limit their answer to just one team, so 25 of the NHL’s 32 teams received at least one vote.
In this category, words like “reasonable,” “accessible” and “honest” carry a lot of weight.
That’s the case when it comes to Tampa GM Julien Brisebois.
“Julien’s pretty straightforward,” one agent said. “Very accessible, easy to deal with. Player-friendly.”
“They don’t mess around,” added another. “I like JB.”
It’s the case with the Wild and GM Bill Guerin, too.
“Bill Guerin’s reasonable and easy to deal with and easy to have a conversation with,” an agent said. “Very honest.”
“Billy G’s always fair,” added another.
Minnesota and Guerin also received credit for staying competitive in the face of salary cap-related issues over the past several seasons.
“It’s truly amazing how competitive they’ve been the last three years spending $13-$15 million less than anyone else. Imagine if they could have fielded full rosters.”
People love Jim Nill in Dallas.
“Classiest, most honest guy in the league,” said one agent.
Some agents noted a desire to deal with former player agents, such as Zito of the Panthers.
“I like dealing with Billy Zito. He’s been on both sides of it,” one said.
Canadiens GM Kent Hughes is another former agent. His partnership in Montreal with front-office veteran Jeff Gorton was a highlight for one agent.
“Kent Hughes is a very charming guy, and right into it. Jeff Gorton and him, I met with those guys, they were like two brothers fighting when I talked to them. They’re funny. To actually rebuild is hard. They’ve done a nice job over there. They’re on the right track.”
Interestingly, the Ducks and Islanders — Nos. 1 and 2 in this poll’s “most difficult to deal with” category, respectively — each drew a mention here.
“I know it’s a crazy thing to say, but I have such trust in dealing with Lou,” an agent said of Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello. “He’s so honest. What he says is what he means, and vice versa.”
Another agent felt similarly about the regime in Anaheim: “I like the old-school, straight-shooting guys.”
As most agents quipped at first, “This would have been easy a year ago — Arizona. Poor Billy (Armstrong) had his hands tied, but the rest was unstable as hell. Not anymore in Utah.”
Forced to choose a new answer, most agents picked Buffalo due to more than a decade of struggles.
The Sabres haven’t made the playoffs since 2011. They haven’t won a playoff series since 2007. They’ve been rebuilding for what seems like forever. And they’re currently holding down last place in the Eastern Conference.
“Buffalo has just decades of mediocrity and is just a mess,” one agent said.
Multiple agents brought up Anaheim: “The Ducks are not run well enough and are so difficult to deal with.”
The Blackhawks garnered votes here for a perceived mismanagement of their rebuild so far — especially after adding Connor Bedard.
“When you got it all, you’ve got to run it like you do. I don’t think they have a plan,” one agent said. “It should be getting done right. For what they’ve been given, Chicago and Detroit are the biggest letdowns. They’ve been given the keys to the kingdom, but my gosh.”
Two agents wondered about the Yzerplan in Detroit.
“They’re really unstable,” one said. “There’s no plan, although they may say there’s one.”
One agent questioned the strategy in Nashville.
“They spent $108 million on free agents this summer — older free agents, but yet they just have five first-round picks just sitting there and not developing. So what’s the plan? What’s the direction?”
One agent described the Ducks front office as something of a throwback.
“When I started, everybody was angry and telling you to go f— yourself,” one agent said. “So I kinda miss that. Anaheim, personality-wise, they’re tough. (GM Pat Verbeek) is cranky and runs the show himself and (assistant GM Jeff Solomon) is a grinder. I like those two guys, but tough. I appreciate when they’re a–holes.”
“Verbeek is ridiculous. He draws lines in the sand and sticks by it irrationally,” one said.
“The guy that makes Anaheim tough is Jeff Solomon,” another added. “He does all their contracts. Something as simple as doing entry-level deals … there’s always something they nickel you.”
A so-called old-school mentality was a theme here. So, no surprise that the New York Islanders, with a front office led by the eldest statesman of NHL GMs, fall into the category.
“They’re the biggest pain in the **** to deal with,” one agent said. “A lot of old-school people, and (Lou Lamoriello) has no ability to let someone else have responsibility. It’s all through him, and every conversation is draining.”
“I respect the Islanders, but Lou definitely holds tight,” an agent added. “When he locks in his heels, he locks in his heels.”
Complaints about Carolina, which tied for second here, centered on owner Tom Dundon’s management style.
“It’s dysfunctional how the owner micromanages everything,” an agent said.
But for the most part, answers in this category came down to how tough a front office was perceived to be in negotiations.
An agent on the Golden Knights: “(GM Kelly McCrimmon) is a tough customer.”
And on the Predators: “Nashville is like pulling teeth dealing with them on contracts at all levels.”
Tampa’s Jeff Vinik has found a winning formula — on and off the ice.
“I think he’s done a wonderful job,” an agent said. “He walked in there and turned the franchise around. First-class all the way. I mean, just look at what the area around the rink used to be like compared to now. He’s got to be one of the best owners in sports.”
Another agent put it simply and enthusiastically: “My players say he’s the best owner ever.”
Added another, “That guy gets it. He got it from Day One. He’s done all the right things and hired the right people and stayed out of it, but also done all the things that he needed to do for the market.”
With all the answers here, high rankings go to owners who have deep pockets and are perceived as willing to spend.
That’s the case in Toronto, one of few NHL teams with a corporate ownership structure rather than an individual owner. Agents appreciated MLSE’s willingness to spend on more than player salaries.
“They have the money to basically do whatever they want,” one noted. “They treat their players great.”
“There’s no cost spared with the Leafs,” added another. “If you need an MRI, they’ll get you 35 of them.”
How about the new guy? Utah’s Ryan Smith isn’t new to sports ownership (he has owned a majority stake in the NBA’s Utah Jazz since 2020) and he’s already garnered at least one solid review in his debut NHL season.
“He’s new, but a $3 hot dog, $3 water, $3 pop? It feels like he’s part of the people. He’s the new wave.”
Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon ran away with this category — something that could raise some eyebrows, given the relative success of his organization.
What’s clear from agents’ comments is that this isn’t really about any specific business decision or issues with spending (a more common sentiment the last time we did this exercise in 2022). It’s more about Dundon’s communication and leadership style, with several describing him as overly involved.
“I don’t know how he has the time or the energy. He’s the de facto GM,” one agent said.
“A lot of people in our business hate it that Tom is so f—ing involved, and he is basically the manager and he has a lot of strong opinions, too, and he’s not afraid to tell all of us privately those opinions.”
“His GMs and assistant GMs … have to ask him permission for anything,” added another.
The idea that the owner’s involvement is affecting the culture was raised several times.
“They’ve got some smart people there, but you just feel their culture by not even working there, just being around it. And it’s not a great one.”
One agent joked: “The worst part of Dundon lapping the competition here is he’s probably proud of it.”
Buffalo’s Terry Pegula took the second spot in this category, but the comments were more focused on a perceived lack of involvement — and a lack of on-ice success.
“Buffalo has swung and missed a lot,” one agent noted.
“He has not done anything,” another said of Pegula. “He’s in left field.”
One agent said a lack of involvement was reason for the Ducks’ Henry Samueli to earn votes, too. “Ownership that isn’t involved when they should be frustrates me. Like, get involved.”
“Whatever the f— he wants.”
That pretty much sums up the general feeling on this one.
When Connor McDavid’s current deal expires after the 2025-26 season, the question isn’t whether he’ll become the highest-paid hockey player of all-time; it’s how much he will make.
The current CBA limits a player to 20 percent of a team’s salary cap. With the cap expected to jump above $100 million for the first time as McDavid’s deal expires, could he be the league’s first $20 million man?
“McDavid should make the max. It’s imperative that he does,” one agent said. “He’s the best player in the league. With that carries the obligation to be paid the highest amount possible, end of story.”
“He’s worth every penny at 20 percent,” another added.
“That guy better get 20 percent of the upper limit,” said another. “He’s by far the best player in the game and will be for awhile and should lead the charge. Our whole league works towards a ceiling, and he should be it.”
Some noted the need to balance a desire to get paid and the desire to win.
“He’s got to decide if he wants to win or not,” one agent said. “He has every right to ask for 20 percent and then go backwards.”
“I would suggest it’s going to be whatever Connor McDavid decides is most appropriate,” another agent said. “I’m sure a lot of people know this, but when he did his last contract, the night before he signed it, he called and took a couple million right off the top because he felt he was taking too much money and they needed more to be able to build the team.”
Another agent noted that McDavid’s contract will need to compare favorably to the eight-year, $112 million extension signed by Oilers teammate Leon Draisaitl in September, which carries an AAV of $14 million.
“I think Connor realizes Stanley Cups are the most important thing, but obviously Leon’s contract’s out there, so I would say a million dollars more than Leon.”
Another agent agreed on that ballpark.
“I’d say 15 percent of the cap, because you need to leave 5 percent cushion for the team to have money to spend to win,” the agent said. “I think that’s fair. Because if the cap goes to $115 million, that’s $15 or $16 million.”
7a. What is the biggest issue in the next CBA negotiations?
The current collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2025-26 season, and the NHLPA and NHL appear confident a deal will be reached amicably.
“I think we are in a good place in terms of our collective bargaining relationship, in terms of our overall relationship,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said ahead of the opening game of the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Indeed, many agents are hopeful the next round of negotiations will feature less animosity than we’ve seen in the past.
What are the big issues likely to arise?
“I hope none,” said one agent. “I hope we’ve ironed them out. We’ve had enough battles in my life — over 30-plus years as an agent. We don’t need a battle.”
Still, this question yielded an array of concerns on agents’ minds. Most of them center around money — and exactly how it is divided between owners and players. Several agents noted, for example, that players should get a piece of expansion fees.
“If it’s going to be a real 50-50 partnership, it should be in respect to everything, and I’m not just talking expansion fees,” one agent said. “I’m talking more along the lines of all the insurance and everything that all comes out of the player’s share. Those expenses should be 50-50 as well.”
Escrow came up with nearly half the agents.
“It’s always escrow,” an agent said. “Escrow will be fine as long as HRR keeps going upwards. It’s just making sure HRR continues to grow so everyone can share and it doesn’t rear its ugly head again.”
But a falling ********* dollar had some worried about the potential hit to HRR.
“The problem we’re having with the ********* dollar that’s going to be a huge issue because HRR is driven by Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver — they contribute so much. I think we’re going to be into another pickle a couple of years from now.”
Others had thoughts on adjustments to the salary cap.
“(There should be a) luxury tax for teams that want to spend over the cap,” one said.
Another added there should be focus on keeping the cap floor at a sufficiently high level: “I feel like as the cap goes up you’re going to have more and more teams having self-imposed budgets, so that’s a concern.”
7b. What’s an under-the-radar issue that should be addressed?
This was another question that drew a wide array of responses.
The idea that tax regimes in certain markets make teams more or less desirable to players was raised more than once. Is there a better way?
“The cap should be set off teams with no state tax,” one agent said, echoing a few others. “Meaning Wild or Rangers or whoever could spend their percent difference to that of Vegas. Even (the) playing field.”
Not everyone agreed, though.
“That’s a thing I’m sick of hearing about,” an agent countered. “Nobody was talking about this 15 years ago when the Panthers were terrible. It’s complete bulls—. That’s not why players go there. They go there to win.”
Here were some other popular talking points:
On travel: “Cross-conference travel and rivalries. I think they should add an extra in-division game or two in their conference rather than, say, Tampa go to Vancouver. That travel is so taxing and they don’t draw well.”
On new CHL-college rules: “I think there will be a lot of discussion about the four-year college free agency thing. Teams hate that. Agents love it where the guys can basically walk after four years. I think there’s going to have to be a lot of modification based on the CHL-NCAA changes just to try to get people on some sort of level playing ground.”
On signing bonuses: “The signing bonuses haven’t even kept up with the cost of living expenses. If you’re a rookie in New York and told to get an apartment, you’d rather stay in the hotel for three more months. To me, Connor Bedard making a $95,000 signing bonus is crazy. That’s the same as a college free agent. I go to Hawks games and there’s 16,000 Bedard jerseys. Maybe there should be an exception for first-round picks.”
On player safety: “The player safety department needs to be overhauled.”
On waivers: “That entry-level players have to wait so long before they’re eligible to be put on waivers. I think a team should have two years to assess the talent of a player and develop them.”
“Good players getting trapped in the minors for too long.”
It’s not entirely surprising that an overwhelming majority of agents are in favor of expansion.
After all, as one agent put it, “More jobs. Agents would always be for that.”
“I want the NHL to go to 40 teams. Forty-five teams,” another added. “The more the merrier. If we get to 50, I’d be thrilled.”
Some did note, however, that the league should be careful not to dilute the talent pool.
“I don’t think there’s enough good players to expand,” one said.
Most disagreed, arguing more opportunity will result in more stars.
As for where the NHL should go next?
“Going to strong TV markets is the low-hanging fruit and most important element, so Houston makes the most sense,” one agent said.
“Add teams in the U.S. Avoid the ********* dollar,” another said. “Add Houston and Atlanta, and then realign. Why’s Utah in the Central?”
Here’s what agents had to say on the options:
On Phoenix: “Phoenix can work with the right owner and building. Utah, you see how much difference ownership makes right off the hop. It changed almost immediately.”
On Houston: “Fourth-biggest market in the U.S., and it never gets mentioned. It’s a no-brainer.”
On Quebec City: “I have no idea why they’re not in the league if Winnipeg is.”
On Quebec City negatives: “I don’t want another ********* city; we need to generate revenue.”
On Atlanta: “Bad ownership plagued them last time. Horrible ownership actually, so find the right group and location, it could work.”
On Atlanta negatives: “F— Atlanta. We’ve tried that a million times. There’s no way.”
On Atlanta negatives: “I’ll believe this Atlanta stuff when we see it. We’ve been there twice. They seem to think it’ll work a third time. We’ll see.”
On Kansas City: An agent pointed to the NFL’s Chiefs as an example. “Maybe they can get that market.”
On Toronto: “I think it’s the most insane thing in the world that there’s not two teams in Toronto. It’s crazy.”
Several agents described the current NHL schedule as a “grind.” Adding more games is unpopular.
More teams having a shot at the postseason, though? There might be something there.
“I would probably be in favor of some play-in games,” one agent said. “I think it’s worked well in baseball and it’s been good for TV and would be good overall for HRR.”
Another added, “It’s so hard to make the playoffs, so if we can take the teams that were like one regulation loss away from making it, I think that’d be fun.”
Still, there were several who emphasized that the schedule is too long as it is.
“There’s too many games. If anything, I would reduce the number of games,” one of eight agents who responded “no” said.
A main target for reducing the workload: the preseason exhibition schedule.
“The exhibition situation has been so poorly run,” an agent said. “It’s so imbalanced. There’s really no rhyme or reason to it. Most teams, at most, really have one spot you can fight for in training camp if everybody’s healthy.”
One agent said the season needs to start and end earlier.
“Yes (to adding regular season games), but no more than two games and as long as the exhibition season gets cut down to balance it out. And the Stanley Cup needs to be awarded no later than the first week in June. Why not start the season Sept. 15?”
Seventeen GMs-in-waiting garnered votes as the one to watch — including two agents who selected themselves.
Penguins assistant GM Jason Spezza received the most mentions, though.
“From the very beginning, even when he was in his last year as a player, he had a thirst for knowing everything he could learn,” one agent said. “He’s very, very thorough in everything he does and is learning every part of the organization. Kyle (Dubas) gave him access to everything in Toronto and now Pittsburgh. Jason approached it like he did everything else – just 100 percent.”
Another member of Dubas’s front office was praised by one agent: Vukie Mpofu, the Penguins’ director of hockey operations and legal affairs.
“One of the sharpest, committed and genuinely good young people. He’s a star,” the agent said.
In the two-vote club, Leafs AGM Brandon Pridham and Panthers AGM Brett Peterson stood out.
“I think he does a lot of work and doesn’t get a lot of credit,” an agent said of Pridham. “He’s quiet, but I think he’s done yeoman’s work there for a lot of years and doesn’t necessarily get on people’s radar.”
Another said of Peterson: “Former agent. He’s very smooth, very smart. He’s in tight with USA Hockey, well schooled by Billy Zito. He’s an impressive guy.”
Speaking of former agents, Canucks AGM Émilie Castonguay — the first ********* woman ever certified as an agent — received a vote.
“She’s a strong presence. Smart and has the right edge,” an agent said. “Not only does she have a strong legal education, she has navigated the game from all sides, player-agenting and managing. She’s a skilled communicator and strategic thinker.”
(Illustration: Will Tullos / The Athletic) (Photos: Patrick Smith, Jeff Vinnick, Richard T. Gagnon, Bruce Bennett, Chris Tanouye / Getty Images)
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Woman uncovers old newspapers amid home renovation including one from 1937
Woman uncovers old newspapers amid home renovation including one from 1937
A woman has uncovered a collection of old newspapers hidden under the carpet of her newly-bought home in Richmond, London, including a Daily Mirror edition from 1937. Carina Duarte, 22, discovered the papers while renovating the two-bedroom Edwardian property, which she bought with her partner in January 2024. Among the papers was one from 17 June 1937, which covered the Spanish Civil War, and others from 30 November 1989, highlighting the era’s grocery prices, such as a chicken costing just 89p. Carina plans to frame the 1937 edition to celebrate its historical significance.
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How much energy do data centers consume?
How much energy do data centers consume?
Data centers are among the highest consumers of electric power. Studies have shown that data center energy consumption increases annually, with three identifiable trends.
The first trend is that mainstream legacy corporate data centers continue to be major consumers of power, despite many organizations migrating systems and hardware to cloud environments. However, while average use is increasing steadily, it’s doing so at a lower rate than 25 years ago, when cloud data centers emerged as a major alternative to legacy facilities.
The second trend is that while large cloud data centers, often called hyperscale data centers, are steadily increasing their power usage, they balance that consumption by investing in green initiatives, such as energy-efficient equipment. They’re also revamping supporting systems, such as HVAC, security and lighting equipment.
That said, the proliferation of energy-intensive AI applications is a new trend that will have major implications for future data center energy consumption.
Estimates on global data center energy usage
The following paragraphs provide estimates and forecasts of data center energy consumption in the U.S. The data reinforces the importance of using energy-efficient equipment in data centers.
The DOE’s “2024 United States Data Center Energy Usage Report” was produced by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s Center of Expertise for Energy Efficiency in Data Centers and funded through the DOE’s Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office. The report outlines the energy use of data centers from 2014 to 2028.
According to the report, from 2014 to 2016, the annual energy consumption of data centers in the U.S. remained stable at approximately 60 TWh. By 2018, this figure had increased to around 76 TWh, accounting for 1.9% of the country’s total electricity consumption. As of 2023, energy use by U.S. data centers reached 176 TWh, representing 4.4% of overall electricity consumption in the U.S.
The current total data center energy demand has more than doubled between 2017 and 2023, according to the Berkeley’s Lab report. This is primarily due to the use of accelerated servers for AI services. The report also predicts future scenarios that estimate a total power demand for data centers to be between 74 and 132 GW (gigawatts) in 2028. This power demand for data centers would equate to about 6.7% to 12.0% of total U.S. electricity consumption for 2028.
Total U.S. data center energy use 2014-2028.
Based on historical data, the electricity consumption of U.S. data centers is growing at an accelerating compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 7% from 2014 to 2018 and 18% from 2018 to 2023. The report predicts this growth rate to increase further — ranging from 13% to 27% between 2023 and 2028 — based on an analysis of new trends and the most recent available data.
The integration of new efficiency strategies is necessary to reduce the negative impacts of the current and future energy surges coming from the data center industry.
A closer look at data center types and energy use
Another analysis of data center energy consumption patterns was published by Statista Inc. on Sept. 30, 2021. The report, “Global Data Centers Energy Demand by Type 2015 — 2021,” by Nane Sönnichsen, found that traditional data centers have significantly reduced their energy demand, decreasing from approximately 97.6 TWh in 2015 to about 50 TWh in 2019. Forecasts suggest that electricity demand will decline to 33 TWh by 2021. Hyperscale data centers, however, have seen their energy demand double during this *******.
The report also provided a year-by-year forecast of data center usage in three categories: traditional data centers, non-hyperscale cloud data centers and hyperscale data centers.
Global energy demand 2015-2021.
Traditional data center operators are typically concerned with maximizing output and performance, often ignoring the power implications. For large organizations, the need for increased computing power often resulted in building additional data centers, significantly increasing energy consumption. The earlier years shown in the table above reflect this trend.
However, the availability of significant computing resources without the need for floor space fueled the trend of shutting down legacy data centers and moving operations to the cloud.
Non-hyperscale cloud data centers demonstrate their use of energy-efficient equipment and environmental systems by keeping their energy consumption steady. Hyperscale cloud data centers have steadily increased their energy usage and effectively managed it for similar reasons.
Hyperscale data centers have aggressively invested in sustainability strategies for two primary reasons. According to Uptime Institute’s research, larger facilities are more efficient and more likely to yield an ROI from energy savings. This is partly due to newer hyperscale data centers using leading-edge equipment that provides more efficient cooling designs and optimizing controls.
There’s also something to be said for operating at larger scales — large data centers are more likely to have blind spots and less granular control over their equipment since there are so many machines at work. When automated tools are applied across the board, the gains are greater than smaller data centers that might already have deeper insight and control over operations.
Another reason for this investment in green technologies is the growing customer demand that’s spotlighting hyperscalers’ energy consumption, pressuring them to find eco-conscious resources. This pressure has led to positive change. According to Data Centre Magazine, for example, AWS has set ambitious sustainability goals, including reaching net-zero emissions by 2040 and using 100% renewable energy by 2025 — five years ahead of their original target of 2030. This infrastructure is also five times more energy efficient than average-sized European data centers and 3.6 times more efficient, on average, than those in the U.S.
AWS is just one example of how hyperscalers are incorporating green initiatives. When investments are made on such a large scale, they lower the barrier to adoption for others in the industry. This can have a cascading effect that helps other data centers deploy green technologies to save energy.
The future of data center energy consumption
Going back to the table above, if the columns are added across, the total energy demand in 2015 is 190.7 terawatt-hours, while the estimated demand for 2021 is 190.8 TWh. Again, this reflects how energy-efficient equipment and green data center operations can keep energy costs under control. However, the ***** in energy demand may be significantly more challenging to balance out in the years ahead.
An analysis of U.S. data center energy consumption in McKinsey & Company’s Global Energy Perspective 2023 report shows that it is estimated to rise from 147 TWh in 2023 to 371 TWh by 2027 and 606 TWH by 2030. This would equate to about 3.7%, 8.0% and 11.7% of the share of total U.S. power demand. Between 2024 and 2030, this demand is expected to increase by around 400 TWh at a CAGR of about 23%. McKinsey points to the scaling of new technologies, like AI, to be one of the primary drivers of this growth.
McKinsey’s Global Energy Perspective 2024 report notes that the effect AI could have on future energy demand could vary depending on the growth trajectories of its applications. Even so, the report estimates that AI could see data centers accounting for 2,500 to 4,500 TWh of global electricity demand by 2050, the equivalent of 5% to 9% of total electricity demand.
The benefits of energy efficiency and green data center operations are just part of the efforts to manage energy costs and demand, especially given the rapid growth of power-hungry technologies like AI.
Why do data centers consume so much energy?
There are many types of equipment in a data center, virtually all of which need electricity. The following figure depicts the various kinds of energy-consuming devices, not to mention overhead lighting, found in a typical data center.
Typical data center equipment that uses energy.
Older servers and network communications equipment consume more power than newer, more energy-efficient systems. The above elements can be updated with newer systems that reduce electricity demand.
The rapidly accelerating AI trend is pushing systems to their limits in many ways. To develop, train, deploy and use in real-world applications, AI models require vast volumes of data and intensive computations. Conducting those complex data processes and computational workloads demands a significant amount of energy. One Google search, for example, uses about 0.3 watt-hours, whereas an AI-powered ChatGPT request consumes around 2.9 watt-hours. That’s almost 10 times the amount of power consumed.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the speed and manner in which AI use will grow is unclear. Current data suggests that both household and business adoption of AI is rapid, but the overall energy demand could vary greatly depending on what type of AI services continue to be popular.
Generative AI that creates videos is more energy-intensive than AI that creates text. From a business standpoint, the financial returns on AI have yet to be fully seen or measured. If the ROI is not what organizations expect, spending and energy use could dramatically lower in the future.
Another point to consider is that the efficiency of AI-related computer chips, such as GPUs, has doubled about every two and a half to three years between 2008 and 2023. Modern AI chips use nearly 99% less power to perform the same computations as a model from 2008. If these advancements continue at the same relative pace, it could reduce the expected steep rise of AI energy demand.
According to IDC, the surging demand for AI workloads will significantly increase data center energy consumption and carbon emissions, with a projected CAGR of 44.7%, reaching 146.2 TWh by 2027. IDC also expects global data center electricity consumption to more than double between 2023 and 2028, reaching 857 TWh in 2028.
However, IDC also notes that the impact of rising energy costs and use is uncertain, pointing to potential options to reduce energy consumption. Options include rethinking data center design for better efficiency, updating power distribution models, investing in energy-efficient technological products — like new AI chips and more effective liquid cooling processes — and adopting renewable resources. If such solutions are adopted on a global scale, it might help balance — but not necessarily eliminate — the financial and environmental costs of AI energy demand.
While the future of AI energy demand in data centers remains uncertain, its impact in the short term is undeniable. To avoid ballooning operational costs and environmental impacts, data center admins can implement a few strategies to keep pace with current energy demand and prepare for future spikes.
How is data center energy consumption being addressed?
Organizations can pursue numerous strategies to improve data center energy efficiency and reduce energy demand. These initiatives are generally bundled under the term green data centers.
The following are green data center strategies, with a focus on cloud data centers.
Energy efficiency
To become carbon-negative and reduce carbon emissions, cloud vendors use eco-friendly power sources, contract power-generation utilities to supply green energy, regularly measure power usage effectiveness (PUE), and document plans and time frames of green goals.
Use of renewable energy
Wind and solar energy are among the most frequently used renewable energy sources by cloud vendors. Nuclear energy and hydropower are also promising alternatives to fossil fuels. Renewable energy sources can be wholly owned and managed by the cloud vendor or obtained through contracts with renewable energy providers.
Efficient data storage and server power measures
According to Energy Star, data centers can identify, consolidate and remove hardware that isn’t running at capacity to save on energy and maintenance costs. Specific tools and technologies enhance the efficiency of data storage, and built-in server power management features can help servers reduce power consumption during low utilization.
Eco-friendly data center buildings
Design and construction of current and future cloud data center buildings typically conform to current design specifications for energy-efficient building construction. This includes using materials with less-embodied carbon, such as limestone instead of concrete, and locally sourced materials.
Data center site selection
Professionals who choose data center site locations should consider places with minimized risk from factors such as floods, earthquakes, hurricanes and other natural disasters. Cloud vendors access low-cost energy and reliable telecommunications infrastructure sources to maximize energy efficiency. Naturally, cold areas can help keep equipment cool without consuming as much energy. Using systems that reuse heat or recirculate water can also reduce power consumption.
Infrastructure energy efficiency
Cloud data centers typically use commercial power and telecommunication resources from utility companies. Cloud vendors often have policies and procedures to assess utility providers’ eco-friendliness. Eco-friendly providers typically focus on improving the efficiency of their conductors and transformers, investing in grid-enhancing technologies and automating distribution systems at scale for superior performance.
HVAC management
Energy-efficient cooling systems are part of the typical HVAC suite and are carefully managed for energy consumption. Operators monitor and manage temperature, humidity and heat load to optimize operational conditions. Additional issues to consider include the local climate and compliance with local, state and federal regulations.
Protection from fire and water damage
Water detection devices notify data center operators of water leaks or floods. Fire and smoke detection devices and their associated suppression assets — such as FM-200 discharge, and wet-pipe and dry-pipe water systems — are located throughout the data center and its adjoining work areas, conference rooms, food service areas and utility rooms.
New economic practices
Data centers can collaborate with electric companies to create a shared economy model that cultivates better balanced energy grids. Circular economy practices also help data centers reduce energy use by making the production process more efficient, sustainable and environmentally friendly.
Monitoring tools and lifecycle assessments
Data centers have IT monitoring tools that measure hardware energy consumption. They use the resulting analytics and insights to reallocate resources and reconfigure assets to improve efficiency. This data also feeds into lifecycle assessments to proactively identify when inefficient equipment needs to be replaced.
Flexible operational strategies
New operational strategies are being developed to meet rising and potentially fluctuating energy demands. These strategies often target investing in more energy-efficient processors, using virtualization to improve resource flexibility, as well as continuous monitoring and analytics to ensure optimal efficiency.
Green goals for energy consumption
Data center admins are refocusing their strategies on sustainability. While the deployment of energy-efficient technologies can be a step in the right direction, truly green data centers must incorporate sustainable practices from top to bottom.
Data centers that aim to significantly reduce energy consumption and commit to sustainability focus on the following goals:
Track PUE, renewable energy usage, effectiveness and material efficiency.
Implement efficient airflow management techniques to reduce energy use associated with equipment cooling.
Deploy energy-efficient hardware to gain more control over use and ensure consumption is minimal.
Use virtualization to reduce reliance on physical equipment and resources.
Use power distribution systems that prioritize energy efficiency to reduce power losses and enhance monitoring capabilities.
Integrate energy efficiency and renewable resources into data center infrastructure. This includes on-site or off-site renewable energy generation or procurement.
By setting green goals, data center admins can ensure energy consumption is always top of mind and as under control as possible. At scale, this keeps energy consumption rates from growing to dangerous levels, even in the face of rising demand and more advanced technologies that are power-intensive.
Data center power consumption going forward
Data center power consumption will continue to increase in the coming years. This trend is partly fueled by the continued popularity of cloud data centers, which are among the largest energy consumers today, and the rapid proliferation of AI.
Data center energy-efficiency activities.
The U.S. data center industry isn’t the only advocate of green data centers. One example of a major initiative is the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact, which aims to have climate-neutral data centers in Europe by 2030. The pact also supports the European Green Deal, which aims to make all of Europe climate-neutral by 2050.
In addition, the IEA published its “Net Zero by 2050: A Roadmap for the Global Energy Sector” report in 2021. The report sets out a pathway for the global energy sector to reach net zero emissions by 2050 while maintaining the world’s energy security. This roadmap is consistently updated to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius. It is part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which brings together policymakers worldwide to align with a shared mission.
With energy demand set to increase in the years ahead, it’s key for data centers to work with these sustainability goals in mind to keep costs low, maintain energy security and protect the environment at large.
Paul Kirvan, FBCI, CISA, is an independent consultant and technical writer with more than 35 years of experience in business continuity, disaster recovery, resilience, cybersecurity, GRC, telecom and technical writing.
Jacob Roundy is a freelance writer and editor specializing in a variety of technology topics, including data centers and sustainability.
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The Apple Pencil Pro drops to $99 at Amazon
The Apple Pencil Pro drops to $99 at Amazon
Those looking to turn their iPad into a note-taking or doodling machine need look no further than the Apple Pencil Pro. The iPhone maker’s flagship stylus works with the newest iPads and is on ***** for close to a record-low price at the moment. Amazon has it for just $99, or $30 off its regular price.
The Apple Pencil Pro is the company’s latest and greatest stylus. It allows for a number of squeeze-based gestures that can be adjusted via a drop-down menu during use. It also includes a gyroscope to detect when the stylus is rolled, which makes it easier to change the orientation of shaped pen and brush tools. Of course, it supports pressure sensitivity.
Apple
There’s even a haptic engine to deliver vibration-based feedback when the pen is being used. And, maybe most conveniently, it works with Apple’s Find My network. After all, stylus pens are small and easy to lose. All of this new tech has been squeezed into a package that’s actually lighter than the second-gen Apple Pencil.
The primary downside here is the price, which has been mostly alleviated by this *****. Before making a purchase, double-check to ensure that your iPad supports the Pencil Pro. It’s only compatible with some of the company’s latest tablets, including the 11- and 13-inch iPad Air (M2), and the 11- and 13-inch iPad Pro (M4). It also works with the newest iPad Mini.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
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How to follow the Amazon's Alexa event today – Engadget
How to follow the Amazon's Alexa event today – Engadget
How to follow the Amazon’s Alexa event today EngadgetAmazon Alexa event live — all the devices and services news as it happens Tom’s GuideAmazon eyes new direction for Alexa with AI overhaul ReutersAmazon Is Giving Alexa a Major AI Upgrade. Here’s What We Know CNETAmazon Alexa event live – latest news and rumors ahead of devices and service announcements TechRadar
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Fable Delay Into 2026 Could Allow It To Release On PS5 At Launch, Leaker Suggests
Fable Delay Into 2026 Could Allow It To Release On PS5 At Launch, Leaker Suggests
Fable, one of Microsoft’s big upcoming first-party games, has been delayed to 2026, and it has been suggested that a PS5 port is the reason why. Leaker NateTheHate–who recently revealed a ton of Switch 2 info–speculated that the new 2026 release date for Fable could have been approved so that the game could launch on PS5 on the same day as the Xbox Series X|S and PC versions.
“If I had to speculate as to why Fable was delayed: it’s to allow some extra time for polish and to make the PS5 version a day-one release alongside Xbox/PC, because the PS5 version was always slated for 2026,” NateTheHate wrote in a pair of ResetEra posts.
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“Speculation is in regards to the nature of the delay. But Fable coming to PS5 in the year after it launched on Xbox/PC is not speculation. Keep in mind that timeline was based on when Fable was slated for 2025 on Xbox/PC. With Fable now delayed to 2026, it stands to reason that it arriving on PS5/Xbox/PC on the same day is within the realm of possibility.”
This would line up with Microsoft’s current multiplatform strategy, as the company has announced several PS5 ports for high-profile games like Forza Horizon 5 and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. The big difference here is the potential day-and-date release on PS5 alongside the PC and Xbox versions, as Microsoft has so far favored a gap of several months between consoles, so as to give its Xbox hardware a window of exclusivity with new game releases. This rule isn’t set in stone, as Doom: The Dark Ages has a multiplatform release date of May 15.
While Fable won’t be out this year, Microsoft still has an impressive lineup of games arriving in 2025. In addition to the aforementioned Doom: The Dark Ages in May, fans can also look forward to South of Midnight and The Outer Worlds 2, and right now, Avowed is also available to play on PC and Xbox Series X|S.
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You can now live your developer dream with Google’s free Gemini Code Assist access
You can now live your developer dream with Google’s free Gemini Code Assist access
Google has made a free version of its Gemini Code Assist tool available worldwide starting February 25. The generative AI model, previously aimed at businesses, is powered by Gemini 2.0 and integrates with IDEs like Visual Studio Code.
This means you can access Code Assist’s features directly from the environment you’re working in. It will auto-complete code as you’re typing it, and you can also work through problems in the chat or generate code snippets.
The most interesting point about this new free version (officially dubbed “Gemini Code Assist for individuals”) is the usage limits. Every user has access to 180,000 requests a month — which is well over 5,000 per day. These are big numbers no matter how you look at it, but how many requests you get through will depend a lot on what kind of project you’re working on.
Code completions count as a request, so every time Code Assist generates a suggestion based on what you’re typing, one request is used up — whether you accept the suggestion or not. Depending on the situation, developers can write thousands of lines of code per day, so it is definitely possible to hit the limit.
However, if you’re working on something more complex or concise, you’ll be much more unlikely to reach the cap. Plus, if you know you’re going to type a bunch of code manually and you don’t want to waste your requests, you can toggle off code completion until you’re ready to use it again.
So, all things considered, the usage caps really are very high and you’ll be able to get a lot of usage from the free assistant, even if you’re a full-time developer. In a blog post, Google compares its limit to “other popular free coding assistants” with only 2,000 code completions per month — which happens to be the cap for the free version of GitHub Copilot, Google’s main competitor in this area.
Alongside all of the requests, you’ll also get a pretty large token context window. This lets you work with big files and have Gemini take all of them into context when it generates responses.
Google is also starting a public preview of “Gemini Code Assist for GitHub,” which generates free code reviews of pull requests in GitHub and suggests improvements. This is intended to help teams review each other’s work more quickly and push changes more efficiently.
You’ll need a Gmail account to sign up and install Gemini Code Assist, and as a free user, you’ll get access to all of the features mentioned so far. If you need more advanced features like productivity metrics, customized responses, or cloud integrations, you’ll still need the paid version.
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Starmer and Badenoch clash over defence spending at PMQs
Starmer and Badenoch clash over defence spending at PMQs
PMQs: Leaders clash over defence spending increase
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has challenged Sir Keir Starmer over the hike in defence spending, after the PM said the rise amounted to £13.4bn.
The PM announced the *** will reallocate aid funds to boost military spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, following President Trump’s demand that all European allies increase their defence contributions.
The decision comes as Sir Keir is set to fly to the US for talks with Trump in the White House, to discuss the war in Ukraine, later.
Badenoch questioned Sir Keir over the exact amount, which Defence Secretary John Healey said could be calculated as £6bn when inflation was taken into account, and whether the Chagos deal would be funded from it.
At Prime Minister’s Questions, Badenoch asked the prime minister which figure – his initial £13.4bn or £6bn, which Healey said was the increase “in real terms” – was correct.
Sir Keir responded: “If you take the numbers for this financial year and then the numbers for the financial year 2027-28, that’s a £13.4bn increase.
“That’s the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War which will put us in a position to ensure the security and defence of our country and of Europe.”
Badenoch pressed him again, saying: “The IFS said today that the government is playing silly games with numbers. How does he find this difference in numbers?”
Repeating himself, the PM then said they had already been “going through the same question over and over again” at previous PMQs and said “if you ask again I’ll give the same answer again”, to loud cheers from his backbenchers.
Objecting, Badenoch pointed out that “being patronising is not the same as answering the question” and went on to ask whether any of the new funding would be going towards the multi-billion Chagos deal twice.
The *** plans to hand over the territory to Mauritius, but under the terms of the deal, the *** will continue to lease one of the islands, Diego Garcia, which contains a ***-US military airbase, for a ******* of 99 years.
The PM responded saying: “The Chagos deal is extremely important for our security and for US security… The funding I announced yesterday is for our capability to put ourselves in a position to rise to a generational challenge.”
When Badenoch suggested Sir Keir had listened to her advice on using international aid money for defence, he said: “I’m going to have to let the leader of the opposition down gently… She didn’t feature in my thinking at all.
“I was so busy over the weekend I didn’t even see her proposal.
“She has appointed herself I think saviour of the western civilisation in a desperate search for relevance.”
‘Taking in inflation, it would be something over £6bn’: Healey on the defence increase
Earlier, a former defence chief of staff said he believed the decision to hike *** defence spending has been “accelerated” by President Donald Trump’s actions on Ukraine.
General Sir David Richards said the decision to raise defence spending over the next two years was a sound strategic move, but one that “almost certainly would not” be happening if not for Trump.
“It was going to happen, it’s now been accelerated by Donald Trump’s actions, and all of us, I think, would say not before time,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
Lord Richards stressed the British Army was currently “very hollowed out indeed” and suggested the “army isn’t big enough” currently for British troops to be part of a rotation of European peacekeeping forces.
Questions have been raised about the Labour government’s U-turn on its manifesto pledge to raise international development funding by 0.2% of GDP, with unease among some Labour MPs about the move.
Speaking at PMQs, Labour backbencher Diane Abbott suggested the decision could increase the risk of conflict abroad, telling the PM that “there is also a view that taking money from aid and development to spend on armaments and tanks makes people less safe, not more safe, because the desperation and poverty that so often leads to warfare is what aid and development money is supposed to counter.”
The PM defended the decision in the chamber, and earlier Healey had said “hard power is now more important than soft power”.
Asked whether the increase announced on Tuesday is linked to Sir Keir’s visit to the White House, Healey told the Today programme: “President Trump, over the last two weeks, has been very direct in his challenge.
“He’s reinforced the imperative and the importance of Britain making this commitment and helping other European countries to step up in a similar way.”
The US has been warning European leaders it wants to see a significant increase in their defence contributions to Nato for at least a decade.
Trump’s rapprochement with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, and the US siding with Russia on a UN resolution on Ukraine, has sent shockwaves through European allies.
Asked whether he believed the *** increasing its defence contribution would bring Trump on side, Healey said that the PM could now tell Trump: “You are challenging Europe and the *** to step up on European security, on Ukraine, on defence spending, on reinforcing our industrial base.
“We are, and we will step up further.”
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Pokemon TCG Pocket is Reportedly Adding Ranked Battles Very Soon
Pokemon TCG Pocket is Reportedly Adding Ranked Battles Very Soon
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February 26, 2025
According to a new leak, Pokemon TCG Pocket will feature a new Ranked Battles mode in March.
The Pokemon TCG Pocket’s Ranked Battles mode news comes from popular leaker Pyoro (via CentroLeaks). Besides the mode releasing in March 2025, the leaker didn’t provide any more information. However, Pokemon Presents is all set to be hosted tomorrow, February 27, and players might hear more information about the new Ranked Battles mode and details about other Pokemon games then.
If Pokemon TCG Pocket receives a Ranked Battles mode, it will become the third battle game mode, after Versus and Solo. The developers could implement a rank system reminiscent of other online competitive titles with its reward tree. At the same time, the game would need competitive changes which balance gameplay. However, it is all just speculation at this point, and we will have to wait for an official announcement to know for sure.
Another TCG Pocket leak arrived today through CentroLeaks. This leak shed light on the upcoming booster pack Triumphant Light, featuring an Arceus Ex card. The leaked pack will reportedly be released this week; learn more about it here.
In other news, Pokemon TCG Pocket card listings were recently spotted on eBay. Also, the game recently gave away free trade tokens after the community’s feedback on the restriction of the feature. What are your thoughts on Pokemon TCG Pocket’s Triumphant Light booster pack? Let us know in the comments or on our community forum!
For more information from Insider Gaming, read about Warner Bros. Games having the Nemesis System locked under them till 2036. Don’t forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter.
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Acer Predator X32 X3 240 Hz OLED gaming monitor review: All the bells and whistles
Acer Predator X32 X3 240 Hz OLED gaming monitor review: All the bells and whistles
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OLED technology has brought many good things to gamers, like premium image quality, color accuracy, color saturation, and incredible contrast. They deliver next-level video processing with blur-free motion processing and low input lag.
But they have also inspired a new category, the dual-mode monitor. The two modes are refresh rate and resolution options. You can buy a 240 Hz 4K screen that also refreshes at 480 Hz when set to FHD resolution.
I’ve checked out a couple of these before, and this is the latest example: Acer’s Predator X32 X3. It’s a 32-inch OLED panel with 4K at 240 Hz and FHD at 480 Hz, along with Adaptive-Sync, HDR, and wide gamut color. Let’s take a look at one of the best 4K gaming monitors.
Acer Predator X32 X3 Specs
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Panel Type / Backlight
Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED)
Screen Size / Aspect Ratio
32 inches / 16:9
Max Resolution and Refresh Rate
3840×2160 @ 240 Hz
Row 3 – Cell 0
1920×1080 @ 480 Hz
Row 4 – Cell 0
FreeSync and G-Sync Compatible
Native Color Depth and Gamut
10-bit / DCI-P3
Row 6 – Cell 0
HDR10, Display HDR 400
Response Time (GTG)
0.03ms
Brightness (mfr)
250 nits static
Row 9 – Cell 0
400 nits variable
Row 10 – Cell 0
1,000 nits peak (1.5% window)
Contrast
Unmeasurable
Speakers
2x 5w
Video Inputs
1x DisplayPort 1.4 w/DSC
Row 14 – Cell 0
2x HDMI 2.1, 1x USB-C
Audio
3.5mm headphone output
USB 3.2
1x up, 3x down, 1x Type C
Power Consumption
51w, brightness @ 200 nits
Panel Dimensions
WxHxD w/base
28.1 x 18.1-22.8 x 12 inches
(714 x 460-579 x 305mm)
Panel Thickness
2.6 inches (67mm)
Bezel Width
Top: 0.35 inch (9mm)
Row 21 – Cell 0
Bottom and Sides: 0.39 inch (10mm)
Weight
15.4 pounds (7kg)
Warranty
3 years
There are several dual-mode monitors available as I write this and they are split into two sub-categories, QHD and UHD, referring to their native resolution. QHD or 2560×1440 is a little less suited for operation at FHD resolution because 1920×1080 is not a multiple. But it is a quarter of 4K’s 3840×2160 numbers. This means you won’t see any artifacts when switching back and forth.
The X32 X3 is 4K natively and one of the few such panels that can run at 240 Hz. You’ll need maximum video card power to achieve frame rates over 200fps at that resolution, but if you have the hardware, the result is spectacular. In the FHD/480 Hz mode, you can expect some of the lowest input lag available and super smooth motion processing with no blur or artifacts.
This capability comes at a premium price, but the X32 X3 is a full-featured package. Adaptive-Sync comes in both FreeSync and G-Sync flavors. The OLED panel delivers infinite contrast which makes for killer HDR quality. HDR10 is supported with a seamless switch between modes. Color coverage comes just a hair shy of 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 gamut. And that is the only thing not part of the equation here, Quantum Dots. I’ve tested several OLEDs lately that cover more than 110%. But they don’t offer the dual-mode feature. The X32 X3’s only direct competitor at this writing is Asus’ PG32UCDP, and it doesn’t have Quantum Dot color either.
There is no shortage of features to enhance both gaming and productivity. Factory calibration assures color accuracy of each monitor. Gaming aids include crosshairs, sniper mode, timers and a frame counter. Refresh mode switching takes just a couple of clicks of the joystick once you’ve set it up. There are a decent pair of internal speakers, and you get USB ports in the front with type C support. You can opt for 21:9 or 32:9 aspect ratios and there’s a constant brightness option for extra bright highlights. The beefy stand has a threaded socket at the top for webcams and the like.
On paper, the X32 X3 is hard to fault, and its promised performance is appropriate for the $880 Acer is asking for at this writing. It’s a premium display, but the stunning image and comprehensive feature set make it easy to forget the cost.
Assembly and Accessories
Acer has packed the X32 X3 in molded pulp which is fully recyclable and keeps the contents secure. The substantial base and upright mate with a captive bolt, then the panel snaps in place. Fasteners are included with the 100mm VESA mount in the back if you’d rather use an aftermarket arm or bracket; no adapter is needed. The cable bundle has two USBs and an HDMI but no DisplayPort. This is odd because you’ll need DisplayPort to run it in UHD resolution at 240 Hz. HDMI 2.1 tops out at 120 Hz which is enough for console game systems but not PCs.
Product 360
Image 1 of 5
(Image credit: Acer)
(Image credit: Acer)
(Image credit: Acer)
(Image credit: Acer)
(Image credit: Acer)
The X32 X3 features a heavy base with a stout upright. The styling is conservative, but I couldn’t help noticing the trim at the bottom of the stand. Check out the second photo above and tell me you don’t see a Transformer. When you swivel the panel, the eyes move too. And if you take in the cable management hole above, it looks like Beaker from the Muppets and Optimus Prime had a baby. It would be even cooler if there were LEDs in there, but there aren’t. You don’t get any lighting in the panel either.
The stand includes all adjustments except portrait mode. The height range is 4.7 inches, and you get 5/35 degrees tilt and 30 degrees swivel. Movements are smooth and firm and befit a premium product. There’s metal covering the thin portions of the panel, and all the surface finishes are of high quality.
The X32 X3 has a full set of the latest video interfaces, two HDMI 2.1 which run up to 120 Hz at 4K resolution, and a DisplayPort 1.4 with Display Stream Compression. You can also run video through a USB-C port with the same DisplayPort capability. USB ports number five in total, one upstream, three down, and another type C which you’ll find under the bezel where it’s easier to reach. That’s also where the 3.5mm headphone jack is located. The internal speakers play nice and loud with five watts of power apiece.
OSD Features
The X32 X3’s OSD is devoid of the flashy graphics found in many gaming monitors. Aside from the Predator logo at the top, it is entirely text-based. There are seven menus in total with every option and feature imaginable.
Image 1 of 7
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The fun starts with Game Assistant where you’ll find aiming points, one of which is dynamic, a sniper mode and timers. You can also change the aspect ratio to mimic 21:9 and 32:9 shapes. A second menu called Gaming has the Adaptive-Sync toggle and frame rate counter. The Ultra Low Latency option is always on and trust me, it works very well.
The Picture menu has a Constant Brightness option like most OLEDs offer. Turning it on means brightness stays constant, regardless of content. When it’s off, you’ll see brighter highlights as those parts of the image are driven a bit harder. Peak output is about twice as high. Here, you can boost ****** levels for clearer shadow detail and toggle HDR between off and auto.
The X32 X3 has eight picture modes available for different tasks and applications. The default one is Eco, but if you make any changes, it switches to User. That’s a good choice for everything as it hits all the marks for grayscale, gamma and color with no need for calibration. But if you want to tweak, that ability is supported by gamma presets, color temps and color hue and saturation sliders. You’ll notice a Color Space option, second from the top. It offers every gamut between sRGB and DCI-P3. And in my review sample, it did not change color at all. The X32 X3 runs in its native gamut for all content.
If you’re looking for the refresh mode switch, it’s in the Setup menu. It would make more sense to put it in one of the gaming menus, but that’s just me. It’s a toggle so when you turn it on, the X32 X3 switches to FHD/480 Hz mode. A bit of initial setup is required which I’ll detail below. But once done, it only takes a couple of clicks to make the change.
Acer X32 X3 Calibration Settings
There isn’t much to talk about here. The X32 X3 does not need calibration. And I could not make an improvement when I tried. All parameters, grayscale, gamma and color, are near perfect with no visible errors. The decision is then whether to use Constant Brightness. Turning it off means peak output goes up to around 440 nits which you’ll see in small areas of the image. When it’s on, the peak is 275 nits, still relatively bright. Below, I’ve included brightness settings for both states. The X32 X3 doesn’t have two brightness value memories so you’ll have to change it each time. Also, though there are color space options, they don’t change the gamut. The native space is always in use which covers just under 100% of DCI-P3.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Picture Mode
User
Constant Brightness
On / Off
Brightness 200 nits
70 / 38
Brightness 120 nits
38 / 20
Brightness 100 nits
30 / 15
Brightness 80 nits
22 / 11
Brightness 50 nits
11 / 5
Contrast
50
Gamma
2.2
Color Space
General
Color Temp
Warm
Gaming and Hands-on
My first order of business was to set up the two refresh modes. This is done in Windows using, in my case, Nvidia’s Control Panel. First, set the resolution to 3840×2160 and 240 Hz. Then toggle DFR in the X32 X3’s Setup menu. This switches resolution to 1920×1080. Back in Nvidia Control panel, I selected 480 Hz. It is now possible to switch back and forth using the DFR option from the quick menu. I noted that I could not do this while a game was loaded. So, you’ll have to pick a mode before starting any title.
If you have a fast video card like my GeForce RTX 4090, you can max detail in a game like Doom Eternal and see 240fps. The image is beyond impressive at 4K resolution. Though I have played many hours on 27-inch QHD screens and enjoyed every minute, the extra clarity of UHD is undeniable. Textures are so realistic you could reach out and touch them. It truly provokes that reaction.
At 240fps, there was no motion blur, and I enjoyed the X32 X3’s full motion resolution capability. It is visually perfect with no difference in clarity between static and moving objects. Backgrounds remained sharp during fast camera pans and transitions. Input lag seemed non-existent to my average skills. A better player might notice the difference between the X32 X3 and something like the Philips 27M2N8500, but most will not.
Switching to 480 Hz mode was a mixed bag. On the upside, frame rates went up to around 450 sustained with occasional peaks at 480. The moving image was very smooth but no more so than what I experienced at 240 Hz, but it is definitely softer. Though FHD is a whole number division of UHD, there is no getting around the low pixel density of 69ppi. And I could not perceive a difference in lag. My tests showed a 6ms gap which is too little for my gaming skills, but a better player might gain an advantage. The 480 Hz mode is best used when you don’t have a super-fast video card. Then, you’ll get the perk of no motion blur. Typically, you need to run an OLED over 150fps to get the smoothest performance.
On the productivity side, the X32 X3 was perfect for my workflow. It might have something to do with the fact that I’ve been running a 32-inch 16:9 monitor on my desk for many years. There is enough width to put two Word documents up side by side and see their entirety without scrolling. It’s also great for Photoshop because you can keep a lot of toolbars open and still see your graphic in a large format.
Takeaway: The X32 X3 is an extremely capable gaming monitor. If you have the processing power, its moving image in 4K is breathtaking. Though it doesn’t feature Quantum Dot color, the picture is still very saturated and vivid. For less capable PCs, the 480 Hz mode can deliver high frame rates if you don’t mind sacrificing some clarity.
Physically, the X32 X3 is built like a tank and feels like an expensive display. Its budget requirement is not small, but you will have no regrets. It delivers an appropriate level of performance and quality for the money.
MORE: Best Gaming Monitors
MORE: How We Test PC Monitors
MORE: How to Buy a PC Monitor
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10 assets that are surprisingly 10% or more below their 52-week highs
10 assets that are surprisingly 10% or more below their 52-week highs
The market is going through a rough patch, and for some former high-flying assets, the sell-offs are becoming very pronounced.
Amazon (AMZN), Alphabet (GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT), Nvidia (NVDA), and Tesla (TSLA) are all 10% or more below their 52-week highs. From this group, Tesla has seen the most stunning slide as fears mount on global demand and CEO Elon Musk continues his Trump charm offensive — the stock has tanked 38%.
NasdaqGS – Delayed Quote • USD
At close: February 25 at 4:00:01 PM EST
AMZN TSLA NVDA
The average decline for this cohort relative to its 52-week high is 19.5%, according to data crunched by Yahoo Finance.
But the plunges aren’t only reserved for the “Magnificent Seven” names still valued at premiums to the broader market, even post sell-off.
Listen: Why you should diversify out of ‘Mag 7’ stocks
The once-hot crypto complex has taken it on the chin too, as traders lighten up on momentum assets.
Coinbase (COIN) is down a startling 40% from its 52-week high, and Strategy (MSTR), formerly known as MicroStrategy, is down by 54%. Bitcoin (BTC-USD) is down 19% from its highs, while ethereum (ETH-USD) is off by 40% and dogecoin (DOGE-USD) 57%.
CCC – CoinMarketCap • USD
As of 1:53:00 PM UTC. Market Open.
BTC-USD ETH-USD DOGE-USD
The selling in crypto comes despite the perception that the Trump administration will be friendly to the industry and could introduce stablecoin regulation in 2025.
“Concerns about the US economic outlook continued to mount,” Deutsche Bank strategist Jim Reid wrote in a note on Wednesday.
Reid said that what happens with the market’s leaders in the near term hinges on Nvidia’s earnings after the close of trading today. While the AI darling is slated to have a strong quarter, first quarter guidance could come in mixed as its Blackwell chip ramps up production.
But besides nervously watching Nvidia, markets appear to be taking their cue from economic readings amid a flurry of tariff headlines from the Trump administration.
Read more: What are tariffs, and how do they affect you?
On Tuesday, the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index for February dropped for the third straight month. It notched the largest monthly decline since August 2021 as expectations for inflation —in part fueled by Trump tariff fears — climbed.
“There was a sharp increase in the mentions of trade and tariffs, back to a level unseen since 2019,” the Conference Board said. “Most notably, comments on the current Administration and its policies dominated the responses.
The report unsettled an already increasingly unsettled market.
Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) · ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tariffs could end up triggering a “stagflationary shock” to the economy, Apollo Global chief economist Torsten Sløk told me on Yahoo Finance’s Opening Bid podcast. (Disclosure: Yahoo Finance is owned by Apollo Global Management.)
Story Continues
Tuesday marked the biggest four-day decline for the S&P 500 since early December, per data from Deutsche Bank’s Reid. The Magnificent Seven has entered a “technical correction,” Reid pointed out, with the group of stocks off more than 10% from its peak in December.
“The simple fact remains that investors don’t know 1) The extent nor 2) Size of looming tariffs on major trading partners including Canada, Mexico, the EU and all other trade partners via reciprocal tariffs,” Sevens Report Research founder Tom Essaye wrote. “Additionally, the spontaneous nature of the tariff threats has led investors to worry that even currently well-regarded trade partners aren’t safe from potential threats. Bottom line, whether there are tariffs or not, investors need clear and consistent trade policy and this is the opposite.”
Brian Sozzi is Yahoo Finance’s Executive Editor. Follow Sozzi on X @BrianSozzi, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Tips on stories? Email *****@*****.tld.
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Remedy’s Max Payne Remake can’t be just a new lick of paint
Remedy’s Max Payne Remake can’t be just a new lick of paint
toxic-inferno13d ago
I’m not sure it’s about greed. I am one of the fans who waited until the physical version was released (I’ve only just played it, as a matter of fact).
Remedy’s games are a hard sell in most regards. The nature of the story appeals to a smaller group of people than the average game with it’s level of ambition. As a result, and to ensure they can release the game they want to make, they are required to partner with companies that impose restrictions and make decisions like seen in this case.
Remedy is not complaining that it has only just become profitable. They are used to this. I think it has been said that Alan Wake II is the game of theirs that has turned a profit quickest.
Out of all the developers out there, I think they are possibly one of the least greedy. Many other developers would choose to make decisions that increase their financial takings – Remedy seems to make decisions that allow them to release the game they want to release, without sacrificing the vision that they have.
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Better value bust up: 5080 vs. 5070 Ti
Better value bust up: 5080 vs. 5070 Ti
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Pricing and availability
Specs
Performance
Neither are great, but the 5070 Ti is better value
The Nvidia RTX 50-series is one of the most controversial graphics card launches in many years, but that doesn’t stop the top cards being some of the best you can buy — if you can find them at a fair price. Two of the top options worth considering are the RTX 5080 and 5070 Ti: two powerful GPUs with lots of fast memory, plenty of CUDA cores, and the latest generations of RT and tensor cores.
But how do these two cards stack up? With prices flying wild, here’s how to nail down which graphics card is best for you.
Pricing and availability
Both the RTX 5080 and RTX 5070 Ti are technically available in that they have both been officially launched and have their recommended retail prices: $1,000 and $750, respectively. However, those aren’t realistic, as third-parties control pricing for the 5070 Ti, and have vastly outstripped it; The ongoing Trump tariffs are driving prices higher across the board, too.
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Stock levels are almost non-existent due to ongoing production problems — leading some cards to ship without the right internal hardware – so pricing has gone completely bananas, on top of the manufacturer-mandated price rises.
Jacob ****** / Digital Trends
At the time of writing, the RTX 5070 Ti is sometimes available for around $800, but you’re much more likely to find one at around $1,000. The RTX 5080 is going for as much as $2,000, but you can sometimes find them between $1,400 and $1,800.
Specs
Nvidia RTX 5080
Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti
CUDA Cores
10,752
8960
RT Cores
84, 4th generation
70, 4th generation
Tensor Cores
336, 5th generation
280, 5th generation
Boost clock
2.6GHz
2.45GHz
Memory size
16GB GDDR7
16GB GDDR7
Memory bus
256-bit
256-bit
Memory speed
30Gbps
28Gbps
Memory bandwidth
960GBps
896GBps
TBP
360W
320W
The on-paper differences between these two graphics cards are relatively minor, giving us our first glimpse of what is in actuality, quite close real-world performance. The RTX 5080 has 20% more CUDA cores, RT cores, and Tensor cores, but at roughly the same clock speeds. Memory quantities are the same, with only the slightly faster speed of the GDDR7 making a real difference to the overall bandwidth — and even then, it’s minor.
Wattage demands aren’t insignificant, but 13% isn’t anything crazy. If you have a PSU that’s capable of handling the RTX 5070 Ti, it’ll almost certainly be enough for the 5080, t00.
Performance
We tested the RTX 5080 when it first debuted, and found it a very capable graphics card — albeit one that falls behind both the RTX 5090 and RTX 4090, by enough of a margin that 4090 owners must be very happy with their last-gen purchase.
Jacob ****** / Digital Trends
Although we haven’t had a chance to test the RTX 5070 Ti, yet, it’s an easy one to compare, because it’s about as powerful as an RTX 4080 Super. In fact, the 4080 Super is slightly faster in some cases, though the added multi frame gen support with the RTX 50-series does give it an advantage in certain games.
DigitalTrends
The 7900 XTX isn’t a bad analogy for the 5070 Ti in non-RT games, but when ray tracing is turned on the AMD cards fall far behind, so it’s not a universal analog.
Nvidia
In Nvidia’s own graphs, it claimed that the 5070 Ti was around 20% faster than the 4070 Ti (non-Super) which kind of works out in the wider third-party testing.
Although the RTX 5080 is the stronger card, it only works out around 10-15% faster than the 5070 Ti and it does it while demanding more power, and with a price that’s at least 50% higher.
Neither are great, but the 5070 Ti is better value
In a normal graphics card generation where there’s some immediate competition from AMD at every price point and the last-generation is still in stock, we’d almost certainly be suggesting you avoid the RTX 50-series — and indeed, until prices calm down, you should probably still do so. But it’s not a normal GPU generation. It’s one of the most catastrophic we’ve seen in years.
But! If you’re going to buy one of these cards, where should you put your money? It’s pretty obvious: The RTX 5070 Ti. It’s not a great card when compared to the year-old, last-generation 4070 Ti Super, but it is faster. It’s not as fast as the 5080, but it’s pretty close (especially with overclocking) and you can often find it for close to two thirds of the price. That’s huge.
It just isn’t worth spending $500+ more on a 5080 to maybe get 10% added performance.
But better yet? Wait out either of these cards. Wait for stock to resume, prices to come down, and AMD to offer an alternative that might encourage Nvidia to correct course and make its cards more affordable and more capable for the money it’s demanding. A boy can dream.
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3 Solar Stocks Worth Buying in 2025
3 Solar Stocks Worth Buying in 2025
Among dozens of executive orders President Trump signed in January, one of them related to the funding freeze of federal grants and loans. This was compounded by the pause on offshore wind leasing and the withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement.
Altogether, these actions point to an administration that is more focused on gas & oil, nuclear and geothermal as the pillars of the US energy infrastructure. Nonetheless, solar energy already provides 7% of the nation’s electric grid capacity, at around 220 GW, according to SEIA:
“Solar accounted for 64% of all new electricity-generating capacity added to the U.S. grid through Q3 2024. U.S. solar now produces enough electricity annually to power over 37 million homes.”
Moreover, solar power remains one of the most practical and accessible solutions for energy independence, whether one wants to go fully off-grid or complement the existing electric grid. In turn, the solar energy market will continue to grow with or without special federal assistance.
According to the latest February report from Fortune Business Insights, the global solar power market should expand at a CAGR of 6% between 2024 to 2032, with the US being the dominant player at 41% market share.
Additionally, President Trump’s effort to ease permitting regulations swings both ways. But which solar stocks are best suited to take off in the long run?
1. Daqo New Energy
Just as Howmet Aerospace (NYSE:) is the critical supplier of engine/airframe parts, so is Daqo a vital cog in the solar market by supplying high-purity polysilicon. Solar companies rely on this material to gain greater efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) cells, longevity and manufacturing yield of solar cells.
Although Daqo is a ******** company, China accounted for 92% of the global polysilicon supply in 2023, per the Silicon Industry Branch of China Nonferrous Metal Industry Association. In the latest Q3 2024 earnings, Daqo reported $60 million net loss as the average selling price (ASP) of polysilicon remained under the production cost.
It is also the case that the polysilicon market is currently in the balancing stage, exiting oversupply. However, it is at this point in time that investors should stake a hold before a turnaround. Daqo has ample cash reserves to wait, holding $853.4 million, against total liabilities at $724.3 million.
The company has total equity worth $6.3 billion, making its debt-to-equity ratio very low. Over the last year, DQ stock is up 8.2%, currently priced at $20.63 per share (available as ADR). According to the WSJ forecast, the average DQ price target is $25.76. Considering that the low estimate is aligned with the current price level, at $19.30, this is as good an entry point as any for polysilicon market exposure.
2. First Solar
When it comes to solar, it’s all about scaling production, similar to lithium batteries for EVs. As one of the top American solar companies, First Solar (NASDAQ:) accomplishes scaling with Cadmium Telluride (CadTel) semiconductor material. In contrast to silicon, this incurs lower cost per module.
Likewise, First Solar developed a thin film PV approach to modules, which needs lesser semiconductor material for equivalent power output. In last reported Q3 earnings, First Solar netted $887.6 million sales with a net income of $312.9 million. For nine months ending September, the companies’ net income nearly doubled from $481.5 million in 2023 to $898.9 million in 2024.
At that time, the company held $1 billion in cash reserves vs current liabilities at $265.3 million. First Solar’s total debt of $3.8 billion is 3x lower than the company’s assets worth $11.4 billion.
On February 25th, First Solar is scheduled to report its FY2024 earnings.
Over a one-year *******, FSLR stock is up 4.2%, presently priced at $150.70 per share. This is a return to March 2024 price level. On February 25th, First Solar is scheduled to report its FY2024 earnings.
At its current, seemingly bottomed-out state, FSLR stock is a prime candidate for US solar market exposure. The WSJ forecast places the average FSLR price target at $272.79, making for an 81% potential return on investment.
3. NextEra Energy
NextEra (NYSE:) is diversified across solar, wind and nuclear, producing over 67 GW of power. The company’s nuclear component is through the NextEra Energy Resources subsidiary. The company not only generates sales directly to residential, commercial and industrial clients but also through power purchase agreements (PPAs).
This business model offers stable cash flows, which reflects NEE stock. In contrast to most solar stocks, NEE is up nearly 30% over a one year *******. The company’s present stock price level of $71.41 is similar to the lowest level in July 2024.
A big component of the company is Florida Power & Light (FPL), its largest subsidiary. In 2024 alone, the company invested to upgrade its capacity by 2.2 GW worth of solar power. Overall, NextEra added over 12 GW of renewables during 2024.
As of the last earnings report for Q4 2024, NextEra expects up to 8% annual growth rate between 2023 to 2027. This growth should be accompanied by around 10% annual dividend per share payout increase until 2026.
Image credit: NextEra Energy
As a diversified company with strong utility subsidiaries, NextEra currently offers a $2.06 annual dividend payout per share, at a dividend yield of 2.91%. Against the current price of $70.80, the average NEE price target is $85.83 per share.
***
Neither the author, Tim Fries, nor this website, The Tokenist, provide financial advice. Please consult our website policy prior to making financial decisions.
This article was originally published on The Tokenist. Check out The Tokenist’s free newsletter, Five Minute Finance, for weekly analysis of the biggest trends in finance and technology.
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TJX Cos. (TJX) Q4 2025 earnings
TJX Cos. (TJX) Q4 2025 earnings
North Miami Beach, Florida, T.J. Maxx & HomeGoods discount department store, furniture display and welcome sign.
Jeff Greenberg | Getty Images
TJX Companies posted a better-than-expected holiday quarter driven entirely by customer transactions, indicating the off-price giant is still taking market share from department stores and other discounters as price-conscious consumers hunt for deals.
The discounter behind T.J. Maxx, Marshall’s and Home Goods beat Wall Street’s expectations on the top and bottom lines, but it gave cautious guidance for the current fiscal year and current quarter.
For its fiscal 2026, TJX is planning for comparable sales to rise between 2% and 3%, below Wall Street expectations of up 3.4%, according to StreetAccount. Its fiscal 2026 earnings guidance of between $4.34 and $4.43 per share is well below estimates of $4.59 per share, according to LSEG, and its forecast for its current quarter also looks weaker than expected.
TJX is expecting comparable sales to climb between 2% and 3%, behind StreetAccount estimates of 3.4%, and it’s expecting earnings per share to be between 87 and 89 cents. Analysts were looking for 99 cents per share, according to LSEG.
A strong U.S. dollar and unfavorable exchange rates are expected to weigh on earnings growth by 3% in fiscal 2026, the company said in a news release.
Here’s how TJX did in its fiscal 2025 fourth quarter compared with what Wall Street was anticipating, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG:
Earnings per share: $1.23 vs. $1.16 expectedRevenue: $16.35 billion vs. $16.20 billion expected
The company’s reported net income for the three-month ******* that ended Feb. 1 was $1.40 billion, or $1.23 per share, roughly flat compared with $1.40 billion a year earlier, or $1.22 per share, a year earlier.
Sales were basically unchanged at $16.35 billion, compared to $16.41 billion a year earlier. In the year-ago *******, TJX benefited from an extra selling week that it didn’t have in fiscal 2025.
The discounter behind T.J. Maxx, Marshall’s and HomeGoods has been on a torrid growth path over the last couple of years as consumers look for cheaper options amid persistent inflation, high interest rates and an uncertain economic outlook.
Shoppers who’ve long gone to department stores like Macy’s, Kohl’s and even discounter Target have looked to TJX to buy not just clothes, but also household goods and other discretionary items they want but aren’t willing to pay full-price for.
That trade-down effect has been a boon to TJX, and even as its growth begins to slow, it’s one of the few retailers that stands to benefit from President Donald Trump’s tariff policies. To avoid paying high duties for imports out of China, and potentially Mexico and Canada, some companies have been stocking up and over-ordering deliveries.
If they’re ultimately unable to sell through that inventory and end up needing to liquidate it in off-price channels, that could be advantageous to TJX, which has long benefited from supply chain disruptions and other “chaos” in the market, its CEO Ernie Herrman told analysts in November when the company reported fiscal third-quarter earnings.
As TJX’s growth has slowed in the U.S., the discounter has started expanding overseas. It’s taken a stake in Brands for Less, a Dubai-based off-price chain, and also plans to enter Spain early next year.
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Microsoft just gave you a major reason to ditch Chrome
Microsoft just gave you a major reason to ditch Chrome
Microsoft has introduced a new RAM control feature in Edge, allowing users to cap memory usage to prevent slowdowns. Now available in the stable version, this setting can be enabled in the browser’s performance section, as reported by Windows Latest.
In the resource control panel, you’ll see a slider that you can adjust to let Edge use as little as 1GB or as much as 31GB. You can set the cap to apply when gaming or at all times. You can adjust this setting anytime. If you put the slider all the way to the right, the Edge browser will show “no set limit,” but if you move the slider anywhere else, a current limit will be displayed. The RAM control feature might not significantly improve your gaming experience, but every little bit helps.
That said, you should be careful not to set the RAM limit too low, especially to 1GB, if you keep various tabs open. Doing so will likely cause performance issues. You may need to test various limits to find what works best for your setup.
Chrome also has features to help improve the browser’s performance, such as performance alerts and the Memory Saver feature. Nonetheless, the Chrome features don’t give users the control Microsoft offers its users with the new RAM cap feature. As if this feature was not tempting enough, Microsoft Edge is introducing “Live Capture,” a tool that allows you to create your picture-in-picture mode using a screenshot-like feature. Could this feature finally make users switch?
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Pelican News
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The best Steam Next Fest demos: try these 10 games for free today
The best Steam Next Fest demos: try these 10 games for free today
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
****** Tides
Despelote
Fellowship
Gothic 1 Remake
Is This Seat Taken?
Moves of the Diamond Hand
Skulker
Static Dread: 15 Nights at the Old Lighthouse
To a T
Wheel World
The first of many Steam Next Fests to be held in 2025 is here, which means there are more game demos to try out than anybody has time for. The latest iteration of the PC storefront’s event spotlighting upcoming titles with playable demos runs from February 24 through March 3, but where to start? Early standouts include the absurd Skin Deep and turn-based strategy game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown. These barely scrape the surface of what Next Fest offers. To make things a little easier, here are ten incredible demos to start with if you are feeling lost.
****** Tides
If you are itching for more 3D platforming goodness after last year’s Astro Bot, try out ****** Tides. The cartoonish adventure set in a world of islands and open oceans is a responsive and frenetic platformer with a lot of promise. While the demo doesn’t give us the deepest look into how ****** Tides will expand its story and players only get a taste of the platforming, what is there is solid enough to put this game immediately on my wishlist after playing.
Despelote
I first played Despelote at the 2023 Tribeca Festival and was immediately taken with the semi-autobiographical slice-of-life game. Set during Ecuador’s first qualifying run for the World Cup in 2001, Despelote is an exciting piece of video game documentary that puts players in the midst of a community going through a culture shift. Roaming around the small town in Despelote and uncovering the small tasks you can get up to as an 8-year old is a mundane but deeply experience.
Fellowship
As much as I love MMOs like Final Fantasy XIV and World of Warcraft for their high end raids, I understand that not everyone can spend hundreds of hours in hopes of unlocking and playing these thrilling encounters. That is where Fellowship comes in. The co-op game lets players choose between the traditional roles of healer, tank, and damage dealer to form teams and enter MMO inspired dungeon encounters. Once completed, groups can try out new dungeons or repeat old encounters with new modifiers that slightly tweak the difficulty and formula. This creates an endlessly replayable game that makes one of the best parts of MMO’s more accessible than ever.
Gothic 1 Remake
I’ll confess that I hadn’t heard of 2001’s Gothic 1 when I downloaded the demo for its in-development remake. That didn’t stop me from getting lost in the fascinating world of Myrtana during the short taste Gothic 1 Remake gives players during Steam Next Fest. While the visuals are given a modern shine, the old-school 2001 RPG is still clearly here. Gothic 1 Remake takes a more hands off approach with the player, meaning players will have more opportunities to influence the world through mechanical and narrative choices, but it’s also more dangerous. That’s perfect for anybody who enjoyed recent titles like Dragon’s Dogma 2 or Avowed.
Is This Seat Taken?
Everything has its place. That is the idea between logical puzzle game Is This Seat Taken? Each bite-sized level players can experience in the demo gives them a scene filled with people wanting to find their place. This might be a restaurant, a movie theater, or a bus. To place everyone in the right spot and complete a level, players need to pay attention to each character’s **** peeves. For example, some people will only sit in a window seat of a bus. That’s a simple example of the type of restrictions players need to use as guidance. This results in adorable, quirky, and delightfully challenging puzzles to solve. And if you want to play a full game like it after playing, try While Waiting.
Moves of the Diamond Hand
Cosmo D, the developer behind 2022’s Betrayal At Club Low, is back with another dice-based RPG and it’s shaping up to be just as good. Move of the Diamond Hand is all about trying to join a circus that has come to town. To do this players will need to explore the low-poly setting of Off-Peak City and find a way into the circus’ ranks. This is all done through dice checks whenever attempting anything. Talking to people? Roll a dice. Making a sandwich? Roll a dice! Disguising yourself? You get the point. While just a demo, Moves of the Diamond Hand already shows an incredible level of depth in its world and the impact players have on it thanks to the dice-based gameplay.
Skulker
Krow Game
I love fishing in video games, so Skulker has been one of my favorite finds during this Next Fest. It’s a relatively mellow game that focuses on nothing but the joy of casting a line and reeling in some fish. While the entire game can be played basically with one hand, that doesn’t mean the actual mechanics of catching fish are simple. To keep things fresh, Skulker actually has multiple types of fishing minigames that are randomized, meaning every time the player throws a line they do not know what is in store. There is a Stardew Valley style follow the target minigame, a word search, and more unexpected twists on fishing that make Skulker a thrill for any fishing aficionado.
Static Dread: 15 Nights at the Old Lighthouse
Billed as “Lovecraft meets Papers, Please,” Static Dread is really one for the people who love Robert Eggers’ The Lighthouse. Players take on the role of a lighthouse keeper with the important job of helping ships navigate on the dangerous seas, the only issue is that things don’t seem quite right. Through radio class with crews on a passing ship you realize that monsters roam the waters, and even worse, they might be inside the lighthouse as well. The question is whether these monsters are real or not, or if the keeper is just going insane from the isolation. Through little choices on how to respond and take action when talking to passing ships, it’s up to the player to decide what the reality is.
To a T
Katamari Damacy creator Keita Takahashi’s new game To a T is exactly the brand of charming weirdness that makes his games so easy to love. Players take on the role of a teen stuck in the T-pose position as he attempts to go about his normal life. While the absurdity of trying to accomplish little tasks is done through fun minigames, To a T is really about exploring the picturesque town the game is set in and getting to know the quirky and loveable people who call it home. You can read our hands-on impressions of it from December if you want to learn more about how this is Takahashi’s idea of a “normal” game.
Wheel World
A cycling simulator is the exact type of vibe out game that I enjoy, and Wheel World does it with style. Set in a gorgeous cel-shaded open-world, players pedal around various landscapes to take part in progressively difficult races. While roaming around players can also collect parts to upgrade their ride with. Wheel World’s simple racing mechanics make it easy to pick up but difficult to master, meaning it always feels like an accomplishment when players pull off a hard earned win.
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