IJR News

UF approves Tower Hill naming rights for arena inside O'Connell CenterBusiness — 3dThe University of Florida approved a five-year naming-rights deal with Tower Hill Insurance, renaming the arena inside the Stephen C. O’Connell Center Tower Hill Arena while the building keeps its existing name. Financial terms were not disclosed; trustees also approved funding for the expanded Lemerand Athletic Center and related athletics projects.

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Garth Brooks Extends Tour With 2026 Minneapolis and 2027 Arkansas Dates — 2dGarth Brooks is extending his “Blame It All on My Roots” arena tour into 2027 with its first announced dates: two concerts February 5–6 at Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, Arkansas. He also announced two Minneapolis shows at Target Center on December 11–12, 2026, where he holds the venue record for most headline performances by a solo artist.

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Macklemore Says Arenas Rejected Palestine Benefit Tour — Nov 6, 2026Macklemore says nine major U.S. arenas withdrew available dates for his Free Palestine benefit tour after learning the shows would support Palestinians. The rapper says he will keep seeking places to perform; the venues’ responses were not included in the reports.

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San Diego approves $4.2B Midway housing-arena plan — 6dSan Diego’s City Council approved the $4.2 billion Midway Rising redevelopment, replacing the aging arena with a 16,000-seat venue and adding 4,224 homes, including 2,000 affordable units, along with retail, a park and infrastructure improvements. Supporters say it will deliver much-needed housing and revitalize the district, while critics have raised environmental, financing and affordability concerns.

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AEW Full Gear 2026 sells 5,728 tickets with 825 still available — 2dAEW Full Gear 2026 in Phoenix has distributed 5,728 tickets, with 825 still available—well below the 10,485 distributed for last year’s event, despite a recent sales uptick. The card is headlined by Will Ospreay defending the AEW World Championship against Kyle Fletcher and includes several other title matches and an Anarchy in the Arena bout.

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Most Influential Women in World HistoryYourlist — RankingFrom ancient queens who ruled empires to modern activists who changed laws, these women left indelible marks on politics, science, and culture. Vote for who you think shaped history most profoundly.

Rodney Rice scores 32 as No. 21 USC tops Wichita State — 5dNo. 21 USC held off Wichita State 93-86 in the Caesars Lake Tahoe Classic, overcoming an 11-point deficit and a poor night from three-point range. Rodney Rice scored 32 points and Alijah Arenas added 30, while Wichita State was led by Michael Gray Jr. with 18.

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Nicole Hardy USC dug out of that 11-point hole with Rice and Arenas carrying the load even when the threes weren't falling.

Community Updates Span Budgets, Schools, City PolicyLifestyle — 5dErie’s proposed 2027 budget would raise property taxes by 7% as the city works to address a $15 million deficit through spending cuts, transfers and new revenue. In San Diego, a community coalition urged public scrutiny of a major Sports Arena redevelopment agreement and flagged other city matters, including a proposed outdoor-dining smoking ban and a costly tree-maintenance contract.

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Pitt and Penn State meet for 150th time at PalestraSports — Nov 7, 2026Pitt and Penn State, both 2-0, meet Sunday at Philadelphia’s Palestra in their 150th matchup, part of the arena’s centennial season. Pitt enters after rallying from a 13-point halftime deficit to beat Buffalo, led by Baye Ndongo’s 23 points and 21 rebounds and Chase Foster’s 20 points.

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UConn Hockey Teams Beat Providence, Boston CollegeSports — Nov 5, 2026No. 20 UConn edged No. 9/8 Providence, 6-5, in men’s hockey at Schneider Arena, opening a home-and-home Hockey East series. Four Providence players had multiple-point games in the loss.

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Plano Voters Reject Dallas Stars Arena TaxesPolitics — Nov 2, 2026Unofficial results showed Plano voters opposing Proposition A, 54% to 46%, which would allow taxes on tickets, parking, hotels, car rentals and sports teams to help fund up to $700 million of bonds for a proposed Dallas Stars arena at The Shops at Willow Bend. Supporters say the taxes would primarily affect visitors, while opponents cite unanswered questions and potential indirect costs, including traffic and added burdens on residents.

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Concerts from Utah to Canada include holiday shows and emerging actsEntertainment — Nov 7, 2026Concert guides highlight a broad range of live music, from Utah’s 2024 holiday performances and New York City’s November picks to Seattle and Canadian shows in fall 2026. The listings span arena headliners, touring productions, and emerging artists in smaller venues, alongside upcoming Capital Region concerts.

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Madonna vs Lady GagaYourlist — VS BattleThe Queen of Pop versus the artist who studied at her throne.

Devils Beat Islanders 5-4, Snap Six-Game Streak — Nov 6, 2026The New Jersey Devils rallied to beat the New York Islanders 5-4 in overtime, ending a long scoring drought at UBS Arena and extending their strong run of form. The win came against a rival that had dominated recent meetings, despite the Islanders’ struggles and injuries.

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Kennedy Center picks 2026 honorees, moves ceremony from home venue for first time — Nov 2, 20262026 Kennedy Center Honors go to Anka, Foster, Garcia, Mamet and Mandrell; Dec. 7 ceremony moves to Capital One Arena for the first time.

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Priya Raman It's odd to move the Kennedy Center Honors away from its home venue, but honoring Anka and Mandrell still feels like the right choice.

Xi Warns Against Middle East Great-Power Rivalry — Nov 2, 2026Xi told Oman's sultan the Gulf should not become an arena for great-power rivalry on the first Omani state visit to China since 1978; 14 deals were signed.

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Sam Okafor China's push to keep the Gulf out of superpower games could help stabilize oil routes if Oman backs it up.

Northern Illinois beats Dayton 81-76 in overtimeSports — Nov 5, 2026Dayton suffered a surprising 81-76 overtime loss to Northern Illinois at UD Arena, despite Aiden Derkack’s 20 points and a late three-pointer that forced overtime. The Huskies’ 43-29 rebounding edge and strong three-point shooting proved decisive; Dayton next hosts Siena on Tuesday.

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What hobby should you actually pick up?Quizie — QuizNot another 'try journaling.' Twelve questions and the AI prescribes the specific hobby your brain has been asking for.

Flint to San Diego Line Up Sports, Music and Community EventsEntertainment — Nov 5, 2026Weekend plans range from a free Michigan–Michigan State game watch party in Flint to live music, football and an Eagles tribute in Cortez, plus San Diego-area sports, festivals and family activities. Binghamton’s arena and theater lineup also features hockey, basketball, concerts, ballet and other performances through early January.

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Bulls, Bands & Barrels Sets 2027 Dates in Columbus, Wichita and Winston-Salem — Nov 6, 2026Bulls, Bands, & Barrels is bringing its combination of bull riding, barrel racing, freestyle bullfighting and country music to arenas in Columbus, Wichita and Winston-Salem in 2027, with performers varying by city. The tour also features fan experiences such as pit passes and behind-the-chutes tours, and one announcement highlights country stars’ support for military families through Folds of Honor.

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Gaffigan plans January shows in Idaho Falls, Oshkosh — Nov 3, 2026Jim Gaffigan will bring his “Everything Is Wonderful!” tour to Oshkosh Arena on Jan. 15 and Mountain America Center in Idaho Falls on Jan. 21, 2027. Tickets for both shows go on sale to the public Nov. 6; Gaffigan is known for observational comedy and his recent Hulu special, “The Skinny.”

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Dumonts buy Adelson stake to take Mavericks majority control — Nov 3, 2026Patrick Dumont and his wife, Sivan, bought Miriam Adelson’s stake in the Dallas Mavericks, giving their family a 69% controlling share; Mark Cuban retains 27% and Dumont can buy an additional 20% under the original sale terms. The family says it is focused on building a new Dallas arena planned to open in 2031.

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Avalanche Build Early Lead With Three Second-Period Goals to Top Flames — Oct 31, 2026Makar recorded four assists and Colorado scored three second-period goals in a 5-2 win over the Flames at Ball Arena on Oct. 31, 2026.

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Priya Raman Makar dishing out four assists shows why he's so valuable on the blue line. Calgary just couldn't match that pace.

Minnesota-St. Thomas Set for First Meeting in 92 YearsSports — Nov 4, 2026Minnesota and St. Thomas are renewing their men’s basketball matchup for the first time in 92 years, drawing unusual local interest and an expected crowd of about 10,000 at Williams Arena. Minnesota coach Niko Medved says the game offers little NCAA tournament résumé benefit, while St. Thomas coach Johnnie Tauer hopes the matchup can become a regular rivalry.

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Doncic’s MVP Case Grows Amid Dallas Arena Talks — Nov 2, 2026Luka Doncic’s historic scoring start has made him the MVP favorite in BetOnline’s latest odds, though a Kalshi market still ranks Victor Wembanyama ahead. Wembanyama also won Western Conference Player of the Week over Doncic, with the Spurs’ unbeaten week contrasting with Doncic’s extraordinary individual numbers and the Lakers’ losses.

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Mississippi Wolfpack Plans Landers Center GamesSports — Oct 21, 2026The Mississippi Wolfpack will relocate its American Arena League home games to Southaven’s Landers Center beginning in April 2027, bringing arena football closer to Memphis after playing in Batesville and Tunica. The move was announced alongside the team’s plans to build its roster for the new season.

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Marcus Spears Gets Emotional Watching Son’s Texas Debut — Nov 3, 2026ESPN analyst Marcus Spears became emotional during Monday Night Countdown as he watched footage of his son, Marcus Spears Jr., enter the arena for his college basketball debut with Texas. The 17-year-old scored 11 points, grabbed five rebounds and blocked four shots in the Longhorns’ 109-59 win over Chicago State.

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Elena Vasquez Texas fans should be happy with how the kid played in that blowout, he looked ready for the level.