TMZ Sports - Page 18

Kanye West shelled out a small fortune for some ad space during the Super Bowl -- in a limited capacity, anyway -- and it seems to have paid off ... at least according to him.

Ye announced his haul from Sunday on social media to kick off the new week -- and single-day figures that he's citing are pretty good ... around $19 million is what one of his reps says Yeezy.com made after his stripped-down SB spot.

He posted a screenshot of a text he apparently received, which breaks down what items were sold and the dollar amount for each. There's 4 different products that KW and co. were really pushing, it seems, and those include a top, pants, a T-shirt and YZY pods.

The pods are basically foldable futuristic socks that you can wear as actual footwear.

Funny enough, Kanye seems to have had a great sale on his website ... these items he's hawking are all on sale for a measly $20. Yep ... even now, you can get 'em at that price.

If these numbers are accurate -- then yeah ... Kanye low-key cleaned up on his inventory ... and it would appear his "commercial" (if you can call it that) actually worked wonders.

ICYMI ... the dude had one of the most bare-bones ads of all time -- which only aired in certain markets during the Super Bowl broadcast -- and it featured Ye literally filming himself in the back of a car, selfie-style, and giving a quick explainer of what he was selling.

Like we said, it was as basic as it could be -- and yet, it seems to have done the job!

Some are calling Ye a marketing genius over this ... and others are grumbling that the dude still has a customer base that'll buy his stuff -- even after everything he's said/done by now.

Usher resembled something out of "Space Jam" during part of his Super Bowl thanks to his futuristic Air Jordan 4's -- an emergency addition to his glitzy wardrobe!!!

Dominic "The Surgeon" Ciambrone had to spring into action 48 hours before Usher hit the stage ... we are told Jordan Brand had given the R&B megastar only one prototype of the silver metallic sneaker but was unable to get him the other shoe time for Super Bowl over delays due to Lunar New Year.

Usher reached out to Dominic to recreate all the materials of the kicks ... which fuse the chrome finish atop mirrored textiles and blue compliments ... which, he did in under 48 hours after taking 11 cracks at redesigning the shoe to get it perfect!!!

Dominic tells us Jordan Brand and Usher whipped up the design inspired by the "Confessions" singer's universal space theme.

Upon completion, Dom handcuffed himself to the briefcase containing the coveted kicks and hightailed it to Vegas on a last-minute flight Sunday to hand-deliver them.

No shocker that Kim Kardashian locked down a luxury suite at the Super Bowl, and even had it filled with A-listers -- but what is surprising is how NOT lit it was compared to Taylor Swift's.

The photos showing off their respective suites are out, and we gotta say ... the KarJenner box -- at least for some parts of the game -- comes across as a little bit of a snooze fest when ya see the lively scene in T-Swift's area.

Check out the pics for yourself and we'll let you decide which suite feels like the better time.

In Kim's suite, there are people slumped over and leaning on their hands as if they're just running out the clock -- and one dude in there looks like he's about to take a long nap.

The opposite vibe was happening across the way at Tay Tay's suite ... where Blake Lively, Ice Spice, Miles Teller and a few other stars were losing their minds and celebrating a ton. Of course, Taylor herself was leading the charge on the partying ... pounding beers, etc.

Kim's suite was just as star-studded, of course, with Justin and Hailey Bieber and other KarJenner sisters, Russell Wilson and Ciara, La La Anthony, Texans QB C.J. Stroud, Winnie Harlow and Michael Rubin all attending, but things looked sorta quiet.

Now, this ain't a competition or anything -- but the differences are notable because of the history of bad blood between Taylor and Kim ... which, as we recently learned, is still fresh on T-Swift's mind, something she commented on in her TIME Person of the Year cover story.

As we reported ... Taylor said she still feels like Kanye/Kim were wrong over the whole 2016 recorded-convo thing -- and even today, it sounds like she'd appreciate an apology.

1:05 PM PT -- And just like that, there will be no Naptown beatdown during NBA All-Star Weekend from either Mike Epps or Shannon Sharpe's camps ... the "Club Shay Shay" host is issuing an apology for escalating the situation and promises a "man-to-man" sit down soon.

Mike Epps isn't backing down from Shannon Sharpe's apparent threat that the streets aren't safe for him ... this, after the comic recently took some big shots at the HOF'er.

In response to SS's recent tirade against him on his podcast with Chad OchoCino -- in which Shannon claimed Mike had lied on his name (more on this later) -- ME himself hopped online to address it Monday ... clarifying who reached out to who, and what the deal is.

ICYMI ... Mike did a stand-up set about a week ago where he made fun of Shannon and his viral "Club Shay Shay" interviews lately, particularly the Katt Williams one. In his set, Mike said Shannon had reached out to him for a follow-up sit-down -- and then went on to make some homophobic jokes at Shannon's expense ... all of which caught Shannon's attention/fury.

On Sunday -- while recording his pod with Chad -- Shannon unloaded on Mike without ever naming him -- and said the gay jokes didn't bother him ... but the "lying," as he put it, did. He went to suggest he'd be confronting Mike about this soon, and perhaps more.

Welp, Mike's got a response to Shannon now ... explaining he had actually DM'd Shannon in the aftermath of Katt's now-infamous interview -- during which Mike says he felt Shannon was trying to bait KW into trashing his former 'Friday' costar, even though he never did.

Mike says he thinks Shannon is out here trying to get people to say wild things about others just for clicks -- and on the issue of meeting up ... ME says they can do that too.

Now, he does note he doesn't fight anymore -- so it doesn't sound like he wants to get physical with the former tight end (frankly, nobody does) ... but he continues to taunt SS.

BTW ... Mike has some shots for Shannon's pod partner, Chad, and some insults to boot.

Mike and Shannon are bound to cross paths next weekend at 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend ... which just happens to be in Mike's hometown of Indianapolis. So ... things are happening.

Taylor Swift swapped center stage for a Vegas suite ... with all eyes transfixed on her as she cheered on her Kansas City Chiefs BF Travis Kelce to his big win during her first-ever Super Bowl appearance -- and we've got all the highlights right here.

The star came with an entourage for the ages ... she was seated in her suite with Blake Lively, Ice Spice, Lana Del Rey, Miles Teller and his wife Keleigh Sperry, as well as Kelce's family, including his mom Donna, dad Ed, brother Jason Kelce -- and her own dad, Scott Swift.

Like any other girl squad gearing for a night out, the pop idol kicked things off at the Allegiant Stadium with a little alcohol, chugging beer on the big screen for the cheering crowds. Important to note, Taylor's got some skills! She absolutely destroyed her pal Ashley Avignone ... downing the beverage in around 6.6 seconds. Okayyyy T!!!

Now, despite all the fun and festivities, things did get a little intense at the SB ... just ask Tay Tay, she was seen anxiously chowing down on her nails during the fourth quarter -- no doubt hoping the game would unfold in favor of her man Travis. Talk about nail-biting drama both on and off the field!

Thankfully for TS, things did work out with the Chiefs' big win -- and it was the singer herself spearheading the celebrations. Check out the video ... Taylor, Blake, and Ice Spice can't contain themselves, enthusiastically jumping up and down -- and knocking down poor ol' Lana Del Rey as the victory dance got a bit intense.

It wasn't long before she left her suite ... rushing out onto the pitch to plant a kiss on TK. In this angle of the kiss seen worldwide, you can hear Travis asking her: "Was it electric?" Taylor responds: "It was unbelievable. One of the craziest things I've ever experienced!" What a moment!

Of course, the festivities continued long into the evening ... with Taylor's catalog of hits getting everyone on their feet at the after-party.

Just have a look; everyone's boppin' along to "You Belong With Me," ... and "Love Story" gave her a chance to enjoy another kiss with Travis, of course.

It was clearly a night filled with love, music and championship glory -- Until next time, SB!

Usher had a ton of people "caught up" during his Super Bowl LVIII halftime show ... including Ne-Yo -- who tells TMZ Sports the R&B legend's performance was top five of all time!

Ne-Yo made the claim following the Big Game out in Las Vegas ... after Usher wowed the Allegiant Stadium crowd with his singing, dancing and skating skills.

"I liked it!" Ne-Yo told us. "I liked it a lot!"

The "Miss Independent" crooner wasn't the only one who loved what Usher did while singing alongside Alicia Keys, Ludacris and Lil Jon ... Janelle Monae also said she was a big fan of the spectacle.

In fact, she said the act should put Usher squarely in the discussion when it comes time to talk about music's GOATs.

"So proud of him," the 38-year-old singer said. "I love you, Usher!"

Of course, there were some haters ... including boxing star Gervonta Davis, who wasn't pleased with the way Usher caressed Keys during their rendition of "My Boo."

Usher and Alicia Keys got up close and personal during the Super Bowl Halftime show ... a little too close for some people's comfort, Alicia's husband is perfectly fine with it, it seems.

Swizz Beatz not only wasn't offended, but he's kinda laughing off all the critics who were outraged on his behalf -- and he's telling them that their focus is in the wrong place ... rather than zoom in the hug-from-behind (from Usher to Alicia), SB says look at what they did!

He writes, "Y’all talking about the wrong damn thing !!! y’all don’t see that amazing dress covering the entire stadium ⚡️🚨😂😂😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨 Tonight’s performance was nothing but amazing with 2 amazing Giants !"

Swizz went on to say ... "Congrats @usher and my love @aliciakeys that song is a classic 🤍 We don’t do negative vibes on this side we make history ✌🏽 Go see GIANTS at @brooklynmuseum it’s open until July blessings."

In other words ... he's not trippin', even though a lot of folks were.

ICYMI ... Usher's performance was buzzing heavy on social media for this particular moment -- namely, him wrapping up Alicia in his arms from behind as they sang their duet, 'My Boo.'

One notable person who commented on it -- boxing star Gervonta Davis ... who suggested he'd use his prizefighting skills to teach Usher a thing or two about boundaries. Boosie Badazz even got self-righteous and demanded Usher publicly apologize.

Indeed, there were some who were legit pissed. But even with those crying foul, you won't get what they're looking for here from Swizz ... he's telling everyone it's really NBD at all.

Cleary, he's comfortable in his relationship with Alicia -- they've been married for years now.

Still, Usher's PDA move caused quite a stir -- and some invoked Keke Palmer's husband to make their point.

Anyhoo, we broke the story on Alicia's SBLVIII cameo ... the two music megastars revamped their 2004 multi-platinum song -- recreating the hot/heavy vibes from the video.

Goldie Hawn's dog is a local celeb in his own star-studded household -- 'cause he showed up in a Super Bowl ad ... something GH and Kate Hudson wanted to highlight online.

Of course, we're talking about Roy ... a golden lab that Goldie herself had been gifted in 2020 -- when he was just a puppy. Now, some 4 years later, the dog's all grown up -- and the Russell/Hawn brood put the pooch to work in one of the bigger commercials Sunday.

Just check out the clip yourself -- despite coming from a family of big-name stars, Roy said "hold my beer" ... flexing his acting chops for a heartwarming Budweiser commercial.

The ad kicks off with a colossal snowstorm delaying a Bud delivery to a remote, beer-deprived pub ... so they resort to old-fashioned methods, transporting the precious cargo via horse and carriage.

Despite feeling disorientated amid the tumultuous weather, a beacon of hope emerges when the pub's loyal dog Roy emerges ... navigating them through the snow to the pub. Eventually, with Roy's help, the beer arrives at the pub, albeit slightly delayed. Teamwork!

Kate shared the IG clip of the family watching Roy's major milestone during an SB watch party Sunday ... everyone proudly showering him with a helluva lot of affection for his achievements.

Patrick Mahomes Sr. was in attendance at the Super Bowl after all ... this despite spending time in jail just days prior.

Patrick Mahomes' father had suite seats for the big game in Las Vegas a week after his DWI arrest in Texas ... although he kept a low profile, avoiding TV cameras and photogs throughout most of the evening at Allegiant Stadium.

He was spotted, however, on the field following Kansas City's thrilling, 25-22 OT victory over the 49ers ... sharing an embrace with his son after the quarterback won his third Super Bowl.

He also posed for a pic with the 28-year-old and the rest of his family while down on the confetti-soaked turf.

Mahomes Sr. appeared to be in Sin City for a few days in the leadup to the game as well .. his wife, Trisha, shared pictures on social media of the two boppin' around town throughout the weekend.

Trisha also posted a video of the bus ride that the two took to get to Sunday's big contest ... and you can hear in the clip, Pat was clearly trying to keep out of sight.

Of course, many had wondered if Mahomes II would want Pops in attendance ... after he allegedly drove drunk following a night out at a bar in Tyler on Feb. 3. The younger Mahomes only offered a few comments on the arrest during Super Bowl week, saying that his dad was "doing good," before adding, "It's a family matter."

Golden State Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojević was laid to rest on Monday ... and hundreds paid tribute to the beloved figure at his funeral in Serbia, including Steve Kerr.

The GSW head coach was spotted in the rain at a Belgrade cemetery almost a month after Milojević suffered a fatal heart attack while dining out with the team in Salt Lake City.

You can see the 58-year-old Kerr standing amongst mourners, wearing a DM tribute pin on his black blazer.

Former Warriors players Zaza Pachulia and Mike Dunleavy Jr., who is currently the Warriors general manager, were also in attendance.

Kerr will miss the Warriors game tonight against the Jazz in Utah.

Milojević -- known as Deky -- became a Warriors assistant coach in 2021 ... after a career coaching and playing in Serbia.

The NBA was devastated by Deky's shocking death ... with commissioner Adam Silver calling Milojević "a beloved colleague and dear friend to so many in the global basketball community."

"Our heartfelt condolences go out to his wife, Natasa, their children, Nikola and Masa, and the Warriors organization during this tragic time."

The Warriors paid tribute to Deky in a bunch of different ways, including wearing the beloved coach's initials on their jerseys.

Kim Kardashian and Odell Beckham Jr. made contact this weekend in public -- although, it does seem they're still trying to maintain somewhat of a low profile as a new item.

The rumored couple was spotted in the same vicinity Saturday night at the Fanatics Party at the Marquee Dayclub in the Cosmopolitan -- and TMZ obtained new video that shows them briefly going in for a hug ... albeit, one from which Kim seemed to quickly pull away.

Check out the clip ... you see them go in for a quick, friendly hello -- and Kim almost wraps her right arm around Odell's neck, but quickly yanks it down and away before she can fully wrap her arms around him.

What's interesting about that is ... that same evening Khloe was trying to block cameras from recording KK and OBJ as they all boarded an elevator -- as seen in other footage we also got. So, it feels like they're trying to keep things on the DL.

The weird thing about this is ... if they're really trying to hide their relationship, why even show up in Vegas together at all??? Everyone saw them this weekend, and they were kinda trailing each other all over the place Saturday night, very conspicuously.

If Kim and Odell are, in fact, trying to throw people off the scent of them being together, they're not doing a very good job. Rumors of them dating have been swirling for months.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are on top of the world after a photo finish at the Super Bowl -- and they celebrated their love in epic fashion afterward, including with a song.

The couple hit up a private party at Zouk inside Resorts World Las Vegas Sunday night -- where the Chainsmokers were handling music duties for a packed club -- and one of the highlights was Tay Tay and TK singing one of her most famous songs to one another from afar.

Of course, we're talking about "You Belong With Me" ... which the DJ duo started playing/mixing into an EDM-inspired track -- and which caused Travis to jump into their booth immediately.

Check it out ... the dude was more than happy to start belting out the well-known tune, and he even turned to Taylor -- who was out in the crowd behind him -- to serenade her from where he was at. She was singing back to him too BTW ... they were singing to each other.

It was pretty sweet ... and they actually kept the lovey-dovey vibes going by dancing together to the same track later on. And yes, there was a lot of smooching going on between them as well. Taylor and Travis were locking lips all night, and tied at the hip coming and going.

Other highlights from their wild night out ... Post Malone came onstage to perform, which is timely considering the guy is one of the only features on her upcoming album, "The Tortured Poets Department."

Tyga and Ludacris also performed at Zouk -- and the place was absolutely bumping the entire time.

Taylor and Travis didn't just hit up Zouk, BTW -- although, they did seem to start the night there. They were also spotted at XS Las Vegas a little later... smooching there as well.

Indeed, it's the real-life love story everyone's been watching ... and it came to a fairy tale conclusion this weekend. Like we said, TS and TK are head over heels, and it shows.

The obvious question now is ... what happens between them now??? Love ... marriage?

Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs partied their faces off to celebrate their massive Super Bowl victory ... enlisting A-list celebs like The Chainsmokers and Post Malone to get the job done!!

The back-to-back champs hit up Zouk nightclub at Resorts World with the Lombardi Trophy in tow to kick off the wild night of drunken debauchery ... and judging by the videos of the festivities, the vibes were at an all-time high.

The three-time Super Bowl MVP and his bestie were front and center throughout the night ... even getting behind the DJ booth with Alex Pall and Drew Taggart.

Mahomes' wife, Brittany, got Posty to briefly join Chiefs Kingdom ... having him remove his Dallas Cowboys 'fit for a Kansas City jacket in front of the whole crowd!!

Fittingly enough, Mahomes was met with "MVP" chants ... and he acknowledged the love by sipping a Coors Light.

Kelce proved to be the life of the party ... dancing his ass off as the music blared through the speakers.

Taylor Swift had to have been happy with the setlist ... as "Swag Surfin'" by Fast Life Yungstaz made the cut. Travis' older bro, Jason, also had a helluva time, rocking a luchador mask as he downed a drink.

The victors were already raging by the time they showed up to the venue ... as they started popping bottles right in the locker room after the 25-22 overtime thriller over the San Francisco 49ers.

But, the good times didn't stop after Zouk -- we're told the whole crew kept things going at XS nightclub afterward ... with Taylor staying there 'til 5:15 AM.

Justin Bieber has some Sorrys to dish out -- at least that's how a ton of his fans feel, 'cause they're fuming he didn't join Usher for the Super Bowl Halftime show Sunday.

Disappointed Beliebers were scratching their heads over why JB didn't hop up onstage to join his old mentor -- which was widely expected, but didn't happen. Instead, Justin was in the stands with Hailey moments before the Halftime show kicked off, and he was chillin'.

Loads of fans channeled their emotions through comedy online ... with hilarious memes trickling in on X as it became clear Bieber wasn't joining. Some mocked how they were patiently waiting for JB to make his grand entrance, others poked fun at him vibing in the crowds with everyone else, and some even threatened violence over the result. Jokingly!

JB wasn't the only one catching some heat over sitting out of what would've been one of his most memorable performances ever -- some raging commentary was directed at Usher himself.

Many pointed out he brought out so many people like Alicia Keys, H.E.R., Lil Jon, Ludacris and will.i.am -- but couldn't nab the one person everyone actually wanted: Bieber. Of course, the decision might've been out of his hands ... and we know Usher tried.

We broke the story ... Usher had been in direct talks with Justin lately over sharing the stage together -- so it looks like he did his best on his end to execute the moment that would've rightly broken the internet ... but it looks like the Biebs just wasn't into this.

As to why he didn't go ahead with it ... it's anyone's guess really, lots of possible reasons.

It goes without saying, Usher was a key figure responsible for catapulting Bieber to monumental fame when he broke out on the scene as a fresh-faced 13-year-old. That's why a lot of people thought he'd return the favor by performing at halftime, but alas ... nada.

Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan appear to be headed toward Splitsville ... all signs are pointing toward a breakup after the two unfollowed each other on Instagram over the weekend.

The couple also removed all pictures of each other on the social media app ... indicating they're caput.

Neither, however, has publicly commented on the situation ... though Larsa did write on a poll in her IG Story on Sunday evening, "Should your friends unfollow your ex?" She also shared a quote about choosing a partner "wisely."

Jordan, meanwhile, seemed to spend Super Bowl Sunday away from Larsa ... opting to watch the big game with his famous father instead.

Larsa and Marcus first ignited dating rumors way back in September 2022 ... when they were seen hobnobbin' around Miami. At the time, the two claimed to be just friends.

But, as the weeks went by, it became more and more clear they were more than that -- and by Valentine's Day 2023, they were swapping "I love you's."

In August, Marcus actually said the two were planning on getting married ... telling a pap after a night out with each other that a wedding date was "in the works."

Unclear what's sparked the apparent trouble in paradise ... but you'll recall, Michael Jordan famously said he didn't approve of their relationship, a comment that Larsa had a tough time swallowing.

A soccer player in Indonesia tragically died after a lightning bolt struck the 35-year-old on the pitch during a match ... and the terrifying moment was caught on video.

The deadly incident occurred Saturday at the Siliwangi Stadium ... when Septain Raharja, playing in a friendly for FBI Subang, suddenly collapsed after being struck. Teammates and others came rushing over to help.

Rahajra, who suffered a severe burn, was still breathing after the strike and was transported to a local hospital, according to a local report, but later died.

Several teams paid tribute to Raharja following his tragic death ... taking a moment of silence, and sharing condolences on his team's Instagram, including star soccer player Cristian Gonzalez.

This is the second time a soccer player was struck by lightning in Indonesia in the last year ... it also happened during the Soeratin U-13 Cup, when a young athlete was hit.

Thankfully, he survived.