🚦 In This Issue (quick hits)

It's the Un-Ruley Sportsman — your whistle-stop tour through the quirks, chaos, and questionable calls in the world of sports. Here’s what we’ve got this week:

• Devin Hester on the NFL's latest kickoff shake-up

• LA flag football prepares for mass confusion

• MLB game in a NASCAR track? Yes, and it may break records.

• NIL deal reversal opens the door for collectives again

• Real Madrid denied World Cup grace period

• Georgia high school opens a $62M football palace

Let’s break the huddle.

🏈 Devin Hester on the New Kickoff Rules: "I’d Thrive in This Era"

Devin Hester, arguably the greatest return man in NFL history, recently weighed in on the league’s evolving kickoff landscape—and surprisingly, he’s a fan. Despite previous rule changes that neutered the return game (some nicknamed them the "Hester Rules"), the Hall of Famer is bullish on the NFL’s new formation-style kickoff, implemented in 2024 to boost return opportunities and reduce injuries.

“I would love to play in this type of era,” Hester said.

Hester believes the new setup gives returners a real chance to shine again: "It gives guys the opportunity to get their hands on the ball."

Coming from a man with 19 return touchdowns, we’re inclined to believe him.

🗞️ Sports Headlines in the News

Flag Football’s New Rules Confuse LA Coaches: “Crazy Stuff Is Going to Happen”
Flag football is booming in Los Angeles, but with growth comes growing pains. As the City Section preps for a new season, coaches are scrambling to decode major rule changes: screen blocking is in, punting is now a thing, and the margin for penalty calls is razor-thin. “Crazy stuff is going to happen,” warned Nelson Bae, the section’s rule interpreter. Officials expect early-season chaos as players adjust to new blocking techniques (no contact!) and as refs learn to separate infractions from incidental contact.

NFL Debuts New Line Measurement Tool
NFL games will look slightly different this season, and fans got their first glimpse at the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday. The NFL announced in April that it will begin using Sony's Hawk-Eye technology as the primary way to measure the line to gain, rather than the chain system that has been in place for decades. Much like its usage in baseball and tennis, the technology uses six 8K cameras to judge the ball's position on the field. Check it out in action during this week’s preseason game.

NIL Ruling Reopens the Door for Collectives
The College Sports Commission has reversed course. After initially issuing guidance that would have limited name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals from collectives, new guidance now allows those deals, so long as athletes promote actual goods or services. The about-face came after attorneys in the House v. NCAA settlement threatened to return to court, arguing that the original rules unfairly restricted athlete compensation.

Bottom line: NIL collectives are back in the game, treated like any other business. The NIL arms race is alive and well.

📬 Do You Have A Real Sports Story To Share?

We’d love to hear from you! Share your crazy, hilarious, epic, and wild tales of sports rules and decorum gone wrong with us, and we may highlight them for our newsletter audience. Send your stories here: [email protected]

🔎 RULEY EXPLORES THE RULEBOOK 🔍

World Cup Rest? Not So Fast!

Real Madrid won the Club World Cup this summer, but the Spanish Competition Committee just denied their request to delay their La Liga opener.

Why? The committee said the tournament was a known event and that Real’s 23-man squad is deep enough to handle the transition.

Key Rule:

• Article 10.1 of Spain’s collective player agreement requires a 21-day rest period — which, per the ruling, Real Madrid meets by the August 19 season opener.

Sometimes, glory comes with no grace period.

🏟️ Buford High Builds a $62M Football Cathedral

They say, everything’s bigger in Texas, especially when it comes to football.

Now, Georgia has entered the conversation.

Buford High School has officially opened a new $62 million football stadium featuring 10,000 seats, 15 luxury suites, a massive 3,500-square-foot video board, and a two-story field house.

The school, a recruiting hotbed, will debut the stadium on August 14 against Milton. It’s arguably the most jaw-dropping high school facility in the country.

Friday Night Lights? Try Friday Night Luxe.

📸 Photo of the Week: MLB Game Inside NASCAR Track

On Saturday night, history will be broken in Bristol.

That’s because the MLB partnered with NASCAR to host a game featuring the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds inside the iconic Bristol Motor Speedway. So far, 85,000 tickets have been sold, representing baseball fans in every single state and from nine countries. At the very least, the MLB should break a regular-season attendance record that goes back to 1954 when 84,587 fans attended a game in Cleveland Stadium.

Catch you next week, sports misfits.

Until then — stay weird, watch the rulebook, and never trust a quiet whistle.

—The Un-Ruley Sportsman