#player-participation

#player-participation

Buster Posey described the World Baseball Classic as one of my favorite events outside of Major League Baseball that I've ever played in my whole life. He played in the tournament once, helping Team USA capture gold for the first and only time. He fondly remembers Marcus Stroman dotting pitches and talking smack. As the Giants' president of baseball operations, Posey views the event in a slightly different light.

It's important to our players. That's why we're doing it. Listen, there are lots of reasons that I'm never thrilled about taking a couple of week break in the season. Changes a lot of things. But on balance, I think it'll be worth it, A) for the exposure, B) for the fan engagement, but C) and most importantly, this is and has always been very important to our players. And that's why we're doing this.

The strategy, called Every Rose: Our Time, includes the goal of becoming the first England team to win back-to-back Rugby World Cups, and getting 100,000 women and girls playing the game across the country by 2030, up from the 60,000 who participate now. English rugby's governing body is also aiming to double its revenues from the women's game to 60m so it can invest more in the grassroots, and to have 3 million Red Roses fans.

"We get to play serious matches on Ashe, in front of packed arenas, and all the best players in the world are going to be playing," Tiafoe said.