Red Card

Europe to FIFA: “Pitch, Please”

What’s going on: Imagine last month’s World Cup without Spain’s historic run, Erling Haaland's man bun, or Jude Bellingham (for… reasons). Future World Cups may be robbed of such joys if FIFA doesn’t play ball. After FIFA announced plans this week to sell a 20% stake in the tournament to private investors, UEFA — which reps all 55 European soccer federations — said it will boycott future World Cups if FIFA follows through. Hours later, UEFA's counterpart, CONCACAF (guys, we gotta work on these names) — which oversees North and Central America, and the Caribbean — rejected FIFA's plan as well. FIFA says the $20 billion proposal would generate over $80 million for each member association over the next 12 years. But the money comes at a cost: The frontrunner is a US-based investment group led by Joshua Kushner. His brother, Jared, is President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, and his father, Charles, is Trump’s ambassador to France and Monaco. 

Crossing a line: Everyone’s pulling out their red cards, pointing to the potential for corruption in the world’s most popular sport. (And, to be fair, FIFA certainly knows a thing or two about that.) Although the organization tried to calm the waters with a response Thursday night — saying “Nobody is selling football" — FIFA said it would still push ahead with the controversial move. But if private investors are calling the shots, future decisions — like selling broadcasting rights and tournament formats — would be driven by profits instead of what's best for the game. It doesn’t help that the Trump/FIFA/red card fiasco is still fresh in everyone’s minds, not to mention the scrutiny Jared has fielded for mixing politics and personal business in the Middle East and Albania. The stakes are especially high for women’s soccer, which faces the possibility of a World Cup next year without three of the last tournament's top-performing countries. 

Related: The WNBA Social Team Fumbled the Bag on a Betting Post (USA Today)

PS: Need to sound off about your favorite athlete? Still don’t understand what being offside means? Call our Well Played podcast hotline with your thoughts, questions, and concerns at (828) 412-4825, and you might be featured in next week's episode.

Clear the Board

Voters Got 99 Problems, and Government Is #1 

What’s going on: With less than 100 days until the midterms, primaries in Michigan, Virginia, and Kansas next week could offer an early preview of which party will control the Senate. Typically, the party in power (in this case, Republicans) loses seats in the midterms. And that’s still the expectation for November. But the Democratic establishment is also taking hits. In Michigan, Rep. Haley Stevens (D) has been endorsed by the state’s governor, Gretchen Whitmer, and minority leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) –– yet, she's trailing progressive Detroit health official Abdul El-Sayed, who has been endorsed by viral Twitch streamer Hasan Piker. And what’s happening in Michigan isn’t happening in a vacuum. A new CNN poll suggests American voters are ready for an overhaul. 

So all politicians should be nervous?: Yep. A majority of poll respondents say Congress would be better off if most of its current members were voted out. Democrats lead Republicans by eight points on the generic congressional ballot, their largest advantage this cycle. But they shouldn’t pop champagne just yet (or at all): Roughly half of Americans say neither party deserves labels like “the party that gets things done.” That sentiment echoes a Gallup poll earlier this week where voters declared their number one issue is simply “the government.” It’s like when UNC and Duke play basketball… can’t they both lose? 

Related: Democratic Party Drama Rivals a Reality Show (The New York Times gift link) 

Upping The Ante

Vegas, Babies

What’s going on: Those of us who grew up playing The Sims in our friend’s basement 'til 2 am on weekends (“rosebud” forever) probably felt our brain chemistry shift in strange and inexplicable ways. But even we couldn’t have seen this coming. As researchers warned The Atlantic, today’s games are giving Vegas — they’re flashy, full of dopamine hits, blind boxes, and promises of winning coins, jewels, and other rare items. Platforms like Roblox — which boasts that two-thirds of kids ages 9 to 12 play on it — include “pay to play” games that beg kids to spend more to win more. Experts say such titles mimic the same dopamine-reward loops that slot machines and betting apps use to get adults hooked. Roblox, for its part, told The Atlantic it has “clear policies prohibiting both actual and simulated gambling.” Of course, kids aren’t the only ones at risk, and it’s not just Roblox — even educational platforms like Duolingo gameify learning to the point that it can be more about scoring gems than learning French. Sacre bleu. 

Time to hedge our bets: Experts worry this trend could be disrupting kids’ regulatory systems in a new way. Adults who play on Roblox or bet on sports (or Love Island) can ostensibly use the control centers in their minds to cut themselves off before compulsive gaming becomes a problem. But, it’s harder for little kids to do this, since their brains are not fully developed. Regions sensitive to rewards tend to develop earlier than those that help kids control themselves. That means this early exposure that favors intermittent rewards might change the way the brain develops, possibly leading to a higher risk for addiction later in life. Even simple, charming-looking games that are a far cry from the Grand Theft Auto discs of yore should still be vetted by parents — at the very least, to avoid that dreaded iPad rage.

Related: Delta Adds “Gaming” to In-Flight Activities & They Swear It’s Not Gambling (The Points Guy)