GOODWOOD, England – Porsche will put its faith in a new 911 RSR to defend its FIA World Endurance Championship titles and continue the German marque’s ongoing success in the GT Le Mans class of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship here in North America.

The race car, which complies with all FIA LMGTE regulations, is a completely new development over the present generation car which has raced since 2017.

The machine has undergone improvements in all areas and will replace the successful 911 RSR, with which Porsche won the manufacturers’ and drivers’ world championship in the FIA WEC, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and eight IMSA races, including major endurance events at Sebring and Road Atlanta during its platform life.

“Since 2017, the 911 RSR has yielded us more than 20 class wins in the world championship as well as at long-distance series in North America and Europe,” said Fritz Enzinger, Vice President Porsche Motorsport. “Our job in the development was to make a very good car even better. The engineers at Weissach have perfectly implemented this in every aspect.”

The Porsche GT Team will field two works cars in eight rounds of the 2019/2020 calendar with 2018/2019 FIA World Champions Michael Christensen and Kévin Estre (France) as well as Gianmaria Bruni and Richard Lietz.

“We never rest on our laurels. We’ve extensively analyzed all factory and customer campaigns with the Porsche 911 RSR. Our engineers noticed room for improvement in a number of areas,” said Pascal Zurlinden, Director GT Factory Motorsport. “We have made significant progress in the development of our car for the next three-year homologation period, especially in the complex areas of drivability, efficiency, durability and serviceability. Ninety-five percent of the car is new. The only components that we’ve kept unchanged from the predecessor are the headlights, brake system, clutch, driver’s seat and parts of the suspension. Tests so far have run excellently. We’re already looking forward to the first races of the 2019/2020 FIA WEC season.”

In the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the switch to the latest model will take place for the 2020 season as the two-car program fights for the GT Le Mans title. The first public laps of the car in North America will be at the 2020 IMSA Roar Before the Rolex 24 at Daytona Int’l Speedway in early January. The first competition laps will come later in the month at the Rolex 24. For customer teams, the vehicle will be available for purchasing beginning with the 2020/2021 FIA WEC season.

“First of all, I’m really pleased that nothing serious happened to the driver in the terrible accident involving the prototype car,” said Steffen Höllwarth, Program Manager, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. “That’s the most important thing. As far as our race result is concerned, I’m simply proud of everyone. We very deliberately implemented two different strategies to be prepared for all eventualities. In terms of the team and the drivers, the race was perfectly executed. Five wins in a row is the well-deserved reward for the great work over these intense weeks.”

In terms of the drivetrain, Porsche remains faithful to its chosen path. The latest 911 is powered by a six-cylinder naturally aspirated engine. The highly efficient boxer unit positioned in front of the rear axle has a capacity of 4.2-liters (256 cubic in / 4,194 cc) and – depending on the size of the air restrictor mandated by each sanctioning body – produces approximately 515 horsepower.

The new power unit is the largest boxer engine to be mounted in a Porsche 911 to-date, and offers stronger drivability over a wider rev-band compared to the predecessor’s proven four-liter unit. Power is delivered to the rear wheels via a weight-optimized, sequential six-speed constant-mesh gearbox which has been made more rigid for the new model.

The new powertrain in the Porsche 911 RSR ensures faster gear-shift times and increased efficiency. Two exhaust pipes now exit on each side of the iconic 911-shape in front of the rear wheels. The new exhaust gas ducting saves weight and is aerodynamically advantageous over previous generation 911 race cars which had exhaust pipes that exited at the rear of the car.

With the repositioning of the tailpipes, space has been made for an aerodynamically optimized rear diffuser. The distinctive component at the rear of the Porsche 911 RSR now generates more downforce from the airflow under the car. Thanks to the optimization of airflow at the front and the sides, aerodynamic efficiency and stability have increased significantly, thereby further improving the use and durability of the Michelin tires during racing.

Drivability and serviceability are critical factors in long-distance racing. For this reason, Porsche placed particular emphasis on these aspects when developing the new 911 RSR. The cockpit has been reworked with the focus on better usability for drivers and technicians alike. In this regard, extensive feedback from the Porsche drivers proved invaluable. Like with its predecessor, the body made of carbon-fiber reinforced plastic can be swapped out quickly and thus ensures efficient pit processes in long-distance racing.

To give drivers further added protection, the active and passive safety elements in the Porsche 911 RSR have been further updated. The proven collision warning system introduced on the previous generation 911 RSR, allows drivers a better overview to detect approaching prototype vehicles earlier to minimize incidents during overtaking. The optimized roll cage, the FIA side impact panel in the door and cage as well as additional impact protection for the legs improve the passive safety in the event of an accident. Other features include the removable roof hatch and the rigidly-mounted racing seat featuring a six-point safety harness for the driver.

The United States' 2-0 victory over Netherlands in Sunday's FIFA Women's World Cup final averaged nearly 15.6 million U.S. viewers on English- and Spanish-language television.

It was the most-viewed match this season, but a decrease from the 2015 final.

The match averaged 14.27 million viewers on Fox, according to the network and Nielsen, and peaked at 19.6 million. It was a 22 percent increase over last year's FIFA World Cup men's final between France and Croatia, which averaged 11.44 million.

The audience was down 43.8 percent from the 2015 final between the U.S. and Japan, which averaged 25.4 million viewers. That match, though, was played in Canada and started at 7 p.m. ET, compared to Sunday's final in France, which kicked off at 11 a.m. ET.

The Telemundo broadcast averaged 1.3 million and peaked at 2 million as the match concluded.

The match averaged 589,000 viewers online -- 289,000 on Fox apps and 300,000 on NBC and Telemundo apps -- which makes it the most-streamed Women's World Cup match ever.

The CONCACAF Gold Cup final between the U.S. and Mexico averaged 2.9 million on Fox Sports 1, making it the most-viewed non-World Cup match in the network's five-year history.

The Copa America final between Brazil and Peru averaged 3.1 viewers on Telemundo. The ESPN-plus streaming service had the English-language rights, but the network did not divulge figures.

Nicholas Pooran, Fabian Allen and Oshane Thomas have been handed Cricket West Indies central contracts for the first time and Darren Bravo returns with an all-format deal while the number of women on contracts has increased from 12 to 15.

Among the men's contracts there are now seven players on all-format deals, an increase from four, with Bravo, Shimron Hetmyer and Keemo Paul joining Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph and Kemar Roach.

The CWI deals for the men come in three categories of all-format, red-ball and white-ball contracts.

Pooran, Allen and Thomas were all part of the World Cup squad with Pooran, especially, impressing in the closing stages of the tournament with 118 against Sri Lanka and 58 against Afghanistan. Opening batsman John Campbell, who made his Test debut against England earlier this year, has also been handed his first contract in the red-ball category.

Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican has been given a red-ball deal while Sheldon Cottrell gets a white-ball offer.

Six players who had deals for 2018-19 have fallen off the lists: Sunil Ambris, Devendra Bishoo, Miguel Cummins, Ashley Nurse, Kieran Powell and Raymon Reifer.

In the women's contracts, Reniece Boyce, Anisa Mohammed, Akeira Peters have not been offered new deals along with the retired Merissa Aguilleira.

"We believe the 2019-20 contract list provides us with a multi-talented group of players who can represent West Indies men and women across all formats over the contract period," interim chairman of the CWI Selection Panel, Robert Haynes, said. "We believe the mix of players selected are important for the development of our teams going forward and we have looked to award contracts to players who have shown commitment and performance during the past year."

CWI allows for up to 22 men's contracts to be offered each year so there is scope to add three more names. Currently, only verbal offers for the deals have been made to the players while negotiations continue on the new four-year Memorandum of Understanding with the West Indies Players Association. Jimmy Adams, the CWI director of cricket, said the contracts are subject to the players reaching minimum fitness standards.

"To assist in our drive towards a new fitness and conditioning culture, the CWI board of directors has approved our recommendation that the award of all new West Indies men's contracts this year will be conditional on each player achieving a minimum standard of fitness," he said. "This new policy will also be introduced to all men's regional franchise contracts and West Indies Women's contracts next year for the 2020-21 season."

CWI men's contracts for 2019-20

All-format Darren Bravo, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Keemo Paul, Kemar Roach

Red-ball Kraigg Brathwaite, John Campbell, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Jomel Warrican

White-ball Fabian Allen, Carlos Brathwaite, Sheldon Cottrell, Nicholas Pooran, Rovman Powell, Oshane Thomas

CWI women's contracts 2019-2020

Retained Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Hayley Matthews, Chedean Nation, Shakera Selman, Stafanie Taylor

New contracts Shabika Gajnabi, Shawnisha Hector, Chinelle Henry, Stacy-Ann King, Kycia Knight, Natasha McLean, Karishma Ramharack

Michael Yardy, the former Sussex captain and England allrounder, has been named New South Wales batting coach, replacing Beau Casson who has decided to return to Western Australia for family reasons.

Yardy, 38, has been Sussex batting coach since early 2017 and has been combining that with his role as the 2nd XI coach since the 2018 English season, while also working with the England Young Lions. He will link up with New South Wales next month in preparation for the Australian domestic season which starts in October.

"I would like to thank the club for giving me the opportunity to coach at Sussex, a place which will always be very special to me and my family and which is deeply ingrained within me," Yardy said. "I'm immensely proud to have played a part in the emergence of a number of young batsmen, from players being called up to England to seeing talented young lads start their journey with debuts and achieving landmarks across all formats.

"Alongside my role at Sussex, I have immensely enjoyed my work with England Young Lions as batting coach. I leave both roles knowing the players I've worked with are in a good place to continue to progress. Now I am excited about and looking forward to the opportunity to work at New South Wales, which is an outstanding organisation. It was an opportunity I couldn't afford to let pass by."

Yardy scored more than 10,000 first-class in a 15-year Sussex career alongside captaining the club from 2009 to 2012. He played 28 ODIs and 14 T20Is for England, and was part of the team which won the 2010 World T20 in the Caribbean, before his international career was ended due to clinical depression which curtailed his 2011 World Cup. He has since done much work to raise awareness of mental health.

Casson was appointed batting coach last August amid a backroom restructuring at NSW. He played an important part in the breakthrough season for Kurtis Patterson, who forced his way into Australia's Test team, scoring a century in his second match against Sri Lanka, and is now pushing for an Ashes berth. Casson has also worked with the state at a time when they have a number of emerging young batsmen including Jason Sangha and Jack Edwards.

Cricket NSW general manager of cricket performance, David Moore, said: "We've got seven or eight really good players under the age of 21 at the moment that we think are going to be good players and we think Mike is going to be able to add his experience, not just technically and tactically, but really how he thinks about the game, how he devises his innings.

"He's coached at Premier League level in the UK, he's coached Academy level, he's coached at 2nd XI level and he's also been involved with the Sussex first XI, so we're very lucky that we've got someone of such experience and development. We're obviously looking for Mike to come in and fit into the team beautifully, which we're sure he will and…to assist in the development of players that are going to play for Australia and help us win Shield titles."

Sussex director of cricket Keith Greenfield said: "Yards has been a hugely important and committed part of Sussex's journey for the best part of three decades in his roles as player, captain and latterly as coach.

"We wish him well with his new opportunity in Australia as he strives to become the best coach possible and, one day, a head coach. We're delighted at Sussex to have helped him on his way to those goals."

It's been a strange year for Peter Handscomb. He started it recalled to the Test side, one game after being dropped, and was then dropped again. He was called into the ODI squad, scored plenty of runs, but was left out of the World Cup squad. Now he's in the World Cup squad after Shaun Marsh's broken wrist and is very close to coming straight in for a semi-final.

Handscomb's omission from the original 15 was the harshest, and toughest, call the selectors made - in the squeeze to include the returning David Warner and Steven Smith - after he tallied 479 runs at 43.54 in 12 innings, including impressive knocks in the away series in India which Australia came from 2-0 down to win. And, despite Australia comfortably making the semi-finals, there have been times in this tournament when the stuttering middle order has made Handscomb not being there look a misstep.

Having seemingly seen the chance of being part of this World Cup slip away, Handscomb now faces coming in when the pressure is at its greatest. "For me, I've played so many World Cup semi-finals and finals in the backyard with my mates and you are trying to be different guys as a kid. To actually come out here, it's cliché, but it's living the dream," he said. "It's about knowing what is required of me and then treating it as any game, go in with the same mindset I have for the last couple of years and hopefully do something towards winning the match."

Handscomb's breakthrough innings came in the fourth ODI of the away series in India when he struck 117 in Australia's record run chase of 359. That, coupled with several other useful innings, has left him confident of being able to step into the breach against England.

"Every time you take the next step up you try and get that self-belief that you actually belong there and that little period against India and Pakistan really helped me believe in myself," he said. "Now I can back my skills and know I have done it so can continue to make runs if required."

Although Handscomb is currently Australia's lone official replacement in the squad there are various permutations that potentially see him not lining up at Edgbaston with Matthew Wade and Mitchell Marsh currently acting as cover. If either are elevated to the squad they could leapfrog Handscomb depending on the type of player Australia want. Usman Khawaja has been ruled out of the remainder of the tournament, but Marcus Stoinis was doing all he could during training on Monday to try and keep himself in contention despite a second side strain in the space of a few weeks.

"He's pretty tough, Stoin," bowling coach Adam Griffith said. "He's played with the left side [strain] through the tournament and he bowled seven overs against England in a row and got through it okay. Scans show things, but it will be more around his ability to perform. We'll have a good look at that tomorrow when he bowls. It's pretty uncommon [to injure both sides], so I'm looking forward to seeing how he goes tomorrow. That's the best indication we'll have that he's not just fit to play, but fit to perform."

What the last week has shown is the benefits of the planning that Cricket Australia put into this World Cup - and the Ashes that follows - by having the Australia A team playing concurrently in the UK. Handscomb, Wade and Mitchell Marsh are all fresh off the one-day series which concluded last week rather than having to be flown in long distances at the crunch stage of the tournament.

ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Oakland Raiders receiver Antonio Brown announced Monday night that he reached a settlement in an incident from April 2018 in which he allegedly yelled at security and threw items off a South Florida apartment balcony.

"The legal dispute between Ophir Sternberg and me has been resolved, with a confidential sum of funds being donated to charity," Brown wrote on Twitter. "I am sorry that an incident occurred. I apologize for any statements we made in court filings or otherwise to Mr. Sternberg and family. I wish Mr. Sternberg my best with regard to future endeavors and through this settlement, seek to make amends with Mr. Sternberg and family."

Brown faced a pair if lawsuits for "damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of" attorney fees and interest, according to documents obtained by ESPN in October.

The documents said a 2-year-old boy's guardian sued Brown for "intentional infliction of emotional distress and assault" after items flung from the 14th floor of The Mansions at Acqualina nearly hit the child, per Miami-Dade County court filings. The child, per the report, was with his grandfather near the pool area of the complex when items that included two vases, an ottoman and other pieces of furniture fell close to them. The child, the court filing claimed, had experienced anxiety and trouble sleeping since the incident.

"Mr. Brown's out of control and inexcusable behavior could have killed my son," Sternberg said in a statement in October. "His reckless tantrum displayed complete disregard for the safety of others. We intend to hold Mr. Brown accountable, to hopefully ensure that something like this never happens again."

Brown, who was with the Pittsburgh Steelers at the time, also faced a case filed by the owner of the condo Brown leased for damages and breaching the lease.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told ESPN at the time that the league was closely monitoring the situation.

Brown was acquired by the Raiders in a trade for a third- and a fifth-round draft pick on March 13 and has been lauded for his work ethic and leadership in Oakland's offseason program.

"It's a sad day for seeing me leave," Brown told ESPN upon arriving in Oakland. "To all the kids, man, live your dreams. Continue to work hard. Hopefully, I can continue to encourage you."

LAS VEGAS -- Zion Williamson took in the New Orleans Pelicans' Monday night game from the sideline, having been shut down after playing for just nine minutes on Friday night. The team said he knocked knees with another player in Friday's game and suffered a bruised left knee.

"It was more precautionary," Williamson said of sitting out of the remainder of Las Vegas Summer League.

Even without Williamson, the Pelicans defeated the Chicago Bulls 109-72 on Monday night.

Now that he isn't playing any more games in Las Vegas, Williamson said his goal is to "hone his craft" and "get ready for the season." Williamson said it is "frustrating" to not be playing any more Summer League games.

"I'm a competitor," Williamson said. "Whenever I can play, I just want to play."

Williamson came into summer league hovering around 284 lbs. When asked whether or not he has any specific goals regarding his weight and getting into game shape, Williamson refrained from providing specific goals.

"I'll let the trainers help me with that," Williamson said.

Even though Williamson was on the bench, fans swarmed to him as he exited the court. He spent 10 minutes signing miniature basketballs and posters for attendees.

On Friday, when Williamson made his debut, the atmosphere in the building was even more raucous. The Thomas & Mack Center was sold out for the game.

"The energy was high, and it was actually my first taste of actually playing against NBA players," Williamson said of his debut. "so it was great."

LAS VEGAS -- New Warriors guard D'Angelo Russell understands he might get traded in the future as Golden State looks to reshape its roster, but he is excited about the chance to pair with Stephen Curry and the defending Western Conference champions after being acquired in a sign-and-trade from the Brooklyn Nets for Kevin Durant.

"That's the business of it," Russell said when asked if he has been given any indication from the Warriors that they want to keep him long term. "It is what it is. You put yourself in a position to go somewhere for a long period of time, and it may not be what it is a year later. And that's the business. I've come to a realization of that, and I understand that, so whatever situation I'm in, I know the business side of it, so we'll just see. I can't predict it."

Russell is now the proud owner of his own max contract worth $117 million over four years in the wake of the deal that surprised many in the league.

"It was a lot of surprises," Russell said. "Just all around throughout the free-agency [period]. So I think it was just one to add to it, honestly."

Russell said he knew he could land with the Warriors as free agency opened but was waiting to see where the other big pieces landed first. Once Durant committed to sign with the Nets, the Warriors did not want to lose their former star forward for nothing, so they engineered the move to bring Russell in.

"I knew it was an opportunity," Russell said. "I knew it was something that could possibly be true. And we had to wait 'til a few other pieces kind of did what it did, and then it kind of came to the light."

Russell said that as he entered into the free-agency process, he wasn't sure if he would be back in Brooklyn or not.

"I had no idea," he said. "I know I understand the business of the league, so when things like that come to the light, it's more of a 'let's go' [attitude]. So I understood."

Russell, the No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft, appreciated his time with the Nets but understood his future might not be with the team he helped lead to the postseason last year. The Nets landed both Durant and point guard Kyrie Irving, making the 23-year-old guard expendable.

"I mean, you knew what it could be," Russell said. "Every situation was kinda like looking in the mirror if it's real. All of it could possibly happen -- you saw the moves that have been made this summer. I thought it was good. They definitely got better by adding a good group of guys. It's all about opportunity in this league, so taking advantage of it is what it was."

The Warriors are hoping Russell can help them bridge the gap as Klay Thompson recovers from a torn left ACL that is expected to keep him out for most of the regular season. While Russell noted he has been given no indication about a potential long-term future with the organization, the widespread speculation throughout the league is that Russell will ultimately be dealt down the line for a different package of players.

"You just got to go through it," he said of blocking out trade speculation. "I think you go through it once, you [see] what it is and what it can be and then go from there."

In the short term, Russell is confident that a pairing with Curry and Thompson, when he's healthy, can work for a team that has always loved getting up and down the floor.

"Honestly, I'm excited," Russell said. "I'm excited more than anything. I think it's a huge opportunity just to take another step and learn from a good group of guys that have done -- and marked their way in this league, so I'm super excited."

Russell said Thompson's injury had no bearing on his decision to land with the Warriors. Like many around the league, Russell was intrigued by the opportunity to play with Curry, on top of being able to sign for max money.

"You got guys that can shoot, dribble and play make for others," Russell said. "That's a dangerous combo. And then a guy like him that gets hot anytime throughout the game, it's something that gives you an advantage throughout a game, I would say. So to add another guy that could possibly do that consistently -- I think it's just an extra piece."

Curry's presence is also what helped free-agent center Willie Cauley-Stein decide to sign with the Warriors. Cauley-Stein said he has followed the Warriors for years and has been thinking a lot about playing in the organization's offensive system alongside great shooters such as Curry and Thompson.

"I've been imagining it for a while," Cauley-Stein said of the spacing that comes with playing with Curry and Thompson. "It's crazy that it's actually happening. Me and my friends talk about it all the time. Just how guys can damn near not guard me now because they have to guard Klay, Steph, DLo. Like, how are you going to guard the big? 'Cause you got to tag; if you don't tag, then it's a lob. If you tag, then it's a 3, so it's pick your poison."