Sports & Outdoor

Bluffton – – October 15, 2026 -- Indoor golfers in the Lowcountry can play free closest-to-the-pin and longest-drive contests every hour starting at noon on Friday, Oct. 23, when X-Golf Hilton Head holds its grand reopening. Each hourly winner takes home a $100 gift card.

The venue at 1414 Fording Island Rd., Suite C-102, in Tanger Outlets 2, is now a corporate-owned X-Golf America location. The company acquired it from its previous franchise owner.

Every simulator gets sharper graphics and more courses

All simulators now run new software and app technology, with sharper graphics and an expanded library of playable courses. Players hit real shots into giant screens, and a ball return and auto-tee system keeps play moving between swings.

Los Angeles – – October 15, 2026 -- Fans heading to the F1 ACADEMY grand finale in Las Vegas can spend the weekend of Nov. 19 to Nov. 21 in a Hello Kitty-themed Fan Zone, with games, limited-edition merchandise and photo opportunities. Sanrio is bringing Hello Kitty and Friends back to the event, where 18 of the world's best female drivers will compete.

Jill Koch, Chief Brand Officer at Sanrio, Inc., said the partnership is about celebrating individuality, friendship and the confidence to pursue your dreams.

The Sanrio Fan Zone sits inside the F1 ACADEMY Paddock

The Hello Kitty Cafe Pit Stop serves cookies, other sweet baked goods and creamy hot chocolate to ticketed visitors.

At the Creative Garage, fans can design their own crown inspired by the world of Hello Kitty, add temporary tattoos and make friendship bracelets.

Kildeer – October 15, 2026 -- Amped Fitness is bringing Amped Universe, a gym split into eight themed worlds, to 20771 N. Rand Road in Kildeer, Illinois. The opening date, memberships and presale have not been announced yet.

The concept borrows from amusement park design. Members pass through portals into separate environments rather than walking past rows of equipment on one continuous floor.

Eight worlds replace one gym floor

Each destination is built around a different kind of workout:

Dallas – October 15, 2026 -- Topgolf guests can get 50% off gameplay on Halloween Saturday, October 31, with the code "BOO," and sip a gummy-worm-topped Haunted Marg while they play. The limited-time Halloween lineup runs now through November 1 at participating venues.

A cocktail served in an IV bag headlines the spooky menu

The Haunted Marg combines Ghost Spicy Blanco Tequila, blood orange and mango over ice, finished with a black lava salt rim, a lime wedge and gummy worms. Any Frozen drink (Lemonade, Piña Colada, Limeade or Margarita) can also be made spooky with blackberry puree and gummy worms.

Plano, Texas – October 15, 2026 -- Two nonprofit leaders who open up youth sports to more girls and kids received $25,000 grants each from Toyota at the 2026 espnW: Women + Sports Summit in Ojai, California. Markeshia Grant of EPIC for Girls and Rhiannon Potkey of Goods4Greatness are the 11th class of Toyota Everyday Heroes.

The Heroes were surprised on stage. Tiffany Shido, general manager of brand at Toyota Motor North America, presented the honors alongside espnW emcee and Toyota Ambassador Jess Sims. Shido said the pair are expanding access to sports and removing barriers to participation.

EPIC for Girls builds up the people who serve girls in sports

Grant is Executive Director of EPIC for Girls, a capacity-building nonprofit based in Omaha, Nebraska. EPIC strengthens the organizations, coaches and systems that serve girls. It gives those groups resources, relationships and support to widen access to quality sports and youth development.

Purchase, N.Y. – October 15, 2026 -- Pepsi cans now have their own gameday outfit: a miniature NFL puffer jacket sized for a 12-ounce can, designed to keep the soda cold and hands comfortable at the tailgate, in the stadium or at a home watch party.

The jackets come from the first collaboration between Pepsi and Off Season, the sports-fashion brand founded by Kristin Juszczyk and Emma Grede. Off Season shrank its viral NFL puffer to fit the can.

Fountain Valley – October 14, 2026 -- Strava users logged 19,959,136 miles in Hyundai's Miles for the Warriors Challenge, and Hyundai will donate a total of $3 million to Hyundai Hope on Wheels, which funds childhood cancer research.

The mileage goal was doubled, then smashed

The challenge started with a 400,000-mile target and a $1 million donation commitment from Hyundai. Participants hit that mark within the first 24 hours. Hyundai then doubled the goal to 800,000 miles and its pledge to $2 million. The community passed the new target two days later, and Hyundai added another $1 million in recognition of the record-setting result.

Georgetown, Texas – October 14, 2026 -- Sport Clips Haircuts has signed NFL quarterback Sam Hartman for a new "Sport Your Look" ad that jokes about waiting on the sideline with your hair already game-ready.

Hartman goes from the sideline to the Sport Clips chair

Hartman is a former Notre Dame team captain and MVP. In the spot, he waits on the sideline until the coach gives him the call to get into the game. The ad follows him onto the field, then moves to the full Sport Clips MVP Experience.

Survey of 350 men links hair to confidence

The campaign draws on Sport Clips research among 350 male respondents. 81 percent agreed that guys can communicate a lot to each other with just a head nod. Nearly 90 percent said they feel more confident when their hair looks good.

Shanghai – October 14, 2026 -- Women who want workout gear with the same bright color blocking as swimwear can now buy POPVIL's new ColorSoftTM activewear collection at popvil.com and through the brand's official TikTok Shop, @popvil_official.

The collection covers sports tanks, leggings, active sets and active dresses. POPVIL says more silhouettes and colorways are planned.

Customer surveys showed more than 65% exercise regularly

POPVIL collected more than 1,000 responses from swimwear buyers across surveys in August 2025 and August 2026. More than 65% said they exercise regularly. The brand's core customers are women aged 30 and older, and one customer in her 60s praised its swimsuits for making her feel comfortable and confident.

POPVIL ranked among the top five swimwear brands by sales volume on the U.S. TikTok Shop throughout the 2026 swimwear season, according to FastMoss data for June 2026.

Olathe – October 14, 2026 -- Runners can now register for the Garmin Marathon Series race in Ventura, California, set for Sunday, Aug. 22, 2027. It is the series' fourth location.

Four distances cover every skill level

The Ventura event includes a Boston Marathon-qualifying marathon, a USATF-certified half marathon, a 10K and a 5K. All courses start and finish in downtown Ventura. Runners pass historic architecture and local businesses, with views of the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.

Susan Lyman, Garmin Vice President of Consumer Sales and Marketing, said Ventura reflects the brand's "spirit of adventure and exploration."

A two-day expo and finish line festival are open to the public

The expo features Garmin products, national brand partners and local vendors. Garmin will offer limited edition race gear. Families can use a selfie station and a sign-making area.