AP Sports SummaryBrief at 12:03 p.m. EST

Women’s sports saw pivotal growth in deals, interest in 2022

Popularity across women’s sports has grown steadily over the past few years and there was pivotal movement in 2022. Several sports and leagues saw growth in viewership and ratings, sponsorship deals and prime-time coverage. The past WNBA regular season was the most watched since 2006. The league has a deal with ESPN/ABC where the company paid the WNBA $27 million in 2021. That number goes up $1.5 million per season until 2025. At the collegiate level, name, image and likeness has been a game changer for female athletes. And women’s soccer has seen increased global revenue from sponsorships and broadcast deals.

Cardinals’ J.J. Watt indicates he’ll retire at end of season

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Even though he’s still playing great football, it looks as if J.J. Watt is ready to call it a career. The three-time AP Defensive Player of the Year indicated Tuesday that he will retire at the end of the season, posting pictures of his wife and family on social media while writing: “Koa’s first ever NFL game. My last ever NFL home game. My heart is filled with nothing but love and gratitude. It’s been an absolute honor and a pleasure.” Watt and his wife, Kealia, became parents in October. Koa is the name of their son. The 33-year-old Watt was among the premier defensive players in the NFL during the early 2010s with the Houston Texans.

Analysis: In wide-open NBA, uncertainty is only certainty

DENVER (AP) — Boston leads the East and Denver the West in NBA conference races that are wide open with New Year’s Day approaching. How 2023 unfolds could be determined simply by who heals the fastest or who can stay the healthiest. The reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors are missing Stephen Curry, and Phoenix star Devin Booker lasted a little more than four minutes in his return from a groin injury. Domantas Sabonis is day-to-day as the Sacramento Kings try to make the playoffs for the first time since 2005-06. Meanwhile, Jayson Tatum has the Celtics humming along, and Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic is threatening to join Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Larry Bird as the only players to win three consecutive MVP awards.

Analysis: Some NFL teams won’t reap reward for poor seasons

With two weeks left in the regular season, next year’s NFL draft is starting to take shape. Four of the top 11 picks will go to teams reaping the benefits of a trade. The Seahawks currently hold the third overall selection because Denver traded its first-round pick for Russell Wilson. The Lions own the Rams’ pick that currently stands at No. 7 because of the Matthew Stafford deal that paid dividends in Los Angeles last season. The Eagles have the 10th pick from the Saints, and the Texans the 11th pick from the Browns following the Deshaun Watson trade.

Column: Tales from the PGA Tour after fractured year in golf

The year in golf isn’t entirely filled with acrimony caused by the arrival of Saudi-funded LIV Golf. There were plenty of moments beyond the scorecard. AP Golf Writer Doug Ferguson writes his annual “Tales from the Tour.” There’s a curious trend in Japan on a first name of several golfers that sounds a lot like “Tiger.” Cameron Young thought he had winning figured out until another Cameron came along. And if anyone wants to know what the wife and caddie of Steve Stricker is thinking as she’s on the bag, their teenage daughter might have found the answer.

Sorenstam recalls trying her hand as European tour caddie

Annika Sorenstam and another Swedish teenage girl decided to caddie at a European tour event long ago. Both had fun and were given used golf balls from the players. Sorenstam decided to go back to practice to become a golfer. The other girl was Fanny Sunesson. She went to the next tournament and eventually was on the bag for Nick Faldo in two of his Masters victories. That turned out to be a good move by both of them. In other golf news, the final world ranking of the year illustrates how much of a dent Saudi-funded LIV Golf made in the game.

Shiffrin takes win No. 78 with 1st GS victory in 2022

SEMMERING, Austria (AP) — Overall women’s World Cup leader Mikaela Shiffrin has held on to a big opening-run advantage to win a giant slalom. It’s the American’s first triumph in the discipline in more than a year. Shiffrin beat Slovakian skier Petra Vlhová by 0.13 seconds. The result marked Shiffrin’s fourth World Cup win of the season and 78th overall. It left her four short of the women’s record set by her former teammate Lindsey Vonn. It was the 15th GS win in total for Shiffrin but the first since triumphing in France in December 2021. Shiffrin called the win “very special.”

Pitino’s No. 22 Lobos push their way onto AP Top 25 slate

New Mexico has thrived quickly under second-year coach Richard Pitino. The Lobos are No. 22 in the latest AP Top 25, their first ranking since the 2013-14 season. New Mexico will face Colorado State and Wyoming this week in Mountain West Conference play. The AP Top 25 schedule also includes instate rivalry games featuring No. 5 Arizona against Arizona State, and No. 19 Kentucky against Louisville. And in the ACC, No. 14 Miami and No. 25 North Carolina will look to keep momentum going from win streaks.

Next Gen car leveled NASCAR field in 2022, possibly beyond

The most meticulously designed and intently controlled racecar in NASCAR history leveled the field in 2022. The so-called Next Gen car resulted in 19 different winners over 36 races and landed two guys their first shot at a championship in the season finale. The redesigned car provided more exciting racing at most tracks and may have helped improve attendance and television ratings. Although the unpredictable season ended with Joey Logano winning his second title with Team Penske, it also showed that anyone can win in stock car racing’s top series.

Tagovailoa out again with Dolphins’ playoff hopes teetering

MIAMI GRDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tua Tagovailoa is in the concussion protocol again, and the Miami Dolphins may not be able to weather his absence this time. Tagovailoa missed two games earlier this season after he was knocked out on a scary hit in Week 4 at Cincinnati. Miami lost that game and two that Tagovailoa missed. Then he came back and Miami won five straight, improving to 8-3 and moving into first place in the AFC East. The Dolphins haven’t won since, and it’s not clear when they’ll see Tagovailoa on the field again. Tagovailoa played throughout Sunday’s loss to Green Bay, but entered the concussion protocol on Monday.