As 18-year-old Montreal Canadiens draft pick Michael Hage searched for words to honor his father, who had died in a swimming pool accident a year earlier, Sportsnet broadcaster Jeff Marek placed his hand on Hage’s arm, helped him move his microphone up so he could be heard and then put a reassuring hand on Hage’s back as he held back tears.

“The whole hockey world is cheering for you,” Marek said. “You know that, right?”

That moment from Sportsnet’s live broadcast of the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas was widely praised for its tenderness — a warm, empathetic gesture by Marek, 55, a veteran broadcaster who over a 30-year career had endeared himself to television and radio audiences.

Marek’s affable, beer-with-a-buddy demeanor and encyclopedic knowledge of hockey made him one of the sport’s most beloved and widely respected voices. He had worked his way up from an entry-level radio station gig to hosting the “The Jeff Marek Show” every day at noon on the same station where he got his start and for the last 13 years was one of Sportsnet’s signature talents.

He ran against type in the usually staid broadcast culture, with full-arm tattoos, and he wore jeans and T-shirts when he wasn’t wearing a suit for Sportsnet broadcasts. Before landing as a full-time hockey analyst, Marek hosted a popular professional wrestling radio show in Toronto. Yet he was so talented, so beloved, that former Sportsnet president Scott Moore, who hired Marek in 2011, viewed him as a potential future host of “Hockey Night in Canada,” the sport’s iconic Saturday night broadcast.

But draft night — June 28, 2024 — would be Marek’s last appearance for Sportsnet. He was absent from the post-draft taping of “32 Thoughts,” the popular hockey podcast he hosts with Elliotte Friedman. Then the following week, Marek missed the final two episodes of his daily radio show, before a summer hiatus.

Those absences didn’t garner significant attention, but Marek also went dark on social media. On July 9, one fan wished the broadcaster happy birthday on X but got no response from Marek, known for his friendly engagement. Another user commented on Marek’s unusual silence. “Jeff Marek of 32 Thoughts has completely disappeared from the face of the earth since the evening of the draft,” wrote @NHLJackManning on July 23.

A few Marek fans had intuited something was amiss, and they were correct. In July, Sportsnet quietly parted ways with Marek.

It was the kind of move that normally would have warranted a public statement, but the reason behind it led both parties to choose silence. Marek had come under scrutiny from the NHL during the first round of the draft for allegedly revealing to a friend which players teams were drafting moments before those picks were publicly announced, according to league and media industry sources. The NHL shared concerns about the situation with the Nevada Gaming Control Board, which probed further, according to multiple sources briefed on that investigation.

A spokesperson for the Nevada Gaming Control Board, when asked about the matter, said in a statement provided to The Athletic:

“As a law enforcement and regulatory agency, the Nevada Gaming Control Board does not comment on whether it is, or isn’t, investigating particular persons or entities.”

The NHL and Sportsnet both declined to comment on the matter. Marek did not respond to requests for comment.

The draft has long been an event where Marek stood out given his decades of experience reporting on junior hockey. In Las Vegas, Marek was a key part of Sportsnet’s live broadcast and its pre-draft coverage, possessing a keen understanding of how to balance informing the audience while keeping them entertained. In one pre-draft podcast with Friedman, he was ebullient, ribbing his podcasting partner about a fashion mishap earlier in the week, sharing stories about cheekily named “hockey dogs” and predicting (incorrectly it would turn out) that the Anaheim Ducks would select prospect Zeev Buium with the third overall pick.

The NHL’s decision to host its annual draft at the Sphere — a futuristic orb-like arena at the Venetian resort in Las Vegas — made the 2024 draft seem bigger, the spectacle of it ramped up. It was also slated to be the last centralized NHL Draft, with the league allowing teams to draft from their home bases next year.

On the first night of the draft, Marek sat at a clear desk next to the main floor, where team executives and scouts conferred before making their picks. Throughout the broadcast, he interviewed each newly drafted player.

As part of Sportsnet’s crew that night, Marek was privy to the draft selections before they were publicly announced. This is common practice for broadcast rightsholders. The production truck is notified of the pick approximately one or two minutes before it’s made so that graphics can be prepared, video clips readied and cameras trained on the player about to find out he has been selected.

That was why Sportsnet cameras were in the perfect position to capture the memorable reaction from Beckett Sennecke, whose stunning selection at No. 3 by the Anaheim Ducks prompted him to stand up, bewildered, before uttering “Holy f—.”

Moments later, Marek spoke to Sennecke about his teary-eyed parents, overwhelmed by his selection.

When Hage went No. 21 to Montreal, Marek delivered one of the night’s signature moments and it highlighted his ability to make interview subjects comfortable.

Also under the Sphere that evening working the draft was Mark Seidel, a former NHL scout with the Minnesota Wild who for the past five years worked in scouting and player personnel roles with the Ontario Hockey League’s Barrie Colts. He also runs his own scouting service, branded the North American Central Scouting Independent Bureau (not to be confused with the NHL’s Central Scouting Bureau) and has occasionally provided draft content for ESPN.

Seidel and Marek have known each other for years, according to two people with knowledge of their relationship. Seidel has made multiple appearances on podcasts with Marek, including to talk about prospects in advance of the annual draft.

In Las Vegas, Seidel correctly predicted several picks on X, which prompted concerns that Marek had informed Seidel who those teams were picking.

The nearly five-hour broadcast ended around 8:15 p.m. local time, and Marek was scheduled to leave Las Vegas that night on a red-eye flight. But before he left, at least one NHL official approached Marek about wanting to speak with him.

The league was concerned about the potential misuse or dissemination of insider information, league and media sources said. Gaming industry experts said that draft “leakage” and “tipping” is relatively common. Possessing what’s deemed “insider information” is not inherently problematic; only if that information is used as a means of financial gain does it become an integrity issue. According to a publicly available document from the Nevada Gaming Control Board on requirements licensed books must adhere to regarding wagers on the NHL Draft, “acceptance of wagers which involve a specific player must cease 24 hours prior to the start of the first round. Acceptance of all other wagers must cease prior to the start of their respective round.”

League and media sources said that Marek gave Seidel a heads up on the picks so that Seidel could better prepare and offer analysis of those selections on social media. Professional sports leagues are known to monitor social media during live events such as drafts; it is also common for leagues to partner with external integrity and compliance firms to monitor social media activity.

When contacted by The Athletic, Seidel declined to answer questions on the situation, including why he deleted a number of social media posts he made on the night of the draft.

During prior drafts, Seidel showed a knack for predicting picks just before they happened, delivering those scoops on his X account. The wording in those posts were often couched, appearing to be an insider’s intuition. “Philadelphia and Cutter Gauthier were made for each other … I’d lay money on him,” he tweeted during the 2022 draft, nailing the Flyers’ pick just before it was announced.

In the 2020 draft, he predicted or heavily insinuated the first 12 picks correctly. Leading up to the event, he sent out a tweet highlighting that he had correctly predicted the top of the first round in other drafts.

Asked about picks he predicted at earlier drafts, Seidel did not answer.

Four people close to Marek, who declined to speak on the record because of the legal sensitivity of the situation, said he is not known to gamble. Two of those four said he has, on multiple occasions, expressed an aversion to promoting gambling on air. On his eponymous radio show, his producer generally handles the betting segments.

One source briefed on the draft night situation said that no gambling impropriety was discovered or any intent for Marek to gain financially from what happened.

However, because Marek was alleged to have shared proprietary information with someone outside the company, and given the company’s partnership with the NHL — Sportsnet has two years left on a 12-year deal as the league’s national rightsholder — the network was in a difficult position involving one of its most prominent broadcasters.

As speculation about his prolonged absence from the airwaves persisted, Canadian sports media commentator Jonah Sigel broke news of Marek’s departure last week. That same day, a Sportsnet spokesperson confirmed he was no longer with the company.

The next day, Marek addressed his departure on X, though he did not publicly share the reasons behind it. (Multiple sources said Marek signed a confidentiality agreement prior to exiting the company.)

“After 13 great years at Sportsnet, I’m moving on,” he wrote. “It’s been an incredible journey and I’m thankful to have worked alongside so many great people and played a role in bringing sports and hockey news to fans across Canada and the world. More to come soon.”

The news of his departure prompted an outpouring of support from within the hockey and sports media community, with many lamenting Marek’s departure and sharing anecdotes of how he’d endeared himself to his audience — including encouraging messages he’d sent to one listener as they battled cancer — and mentored young journalists and others starting their careers in hockey.

Nick Alberga, who now hosts the “Leafs Morning Take” on The Nation Network, said he didn’t know Marek well when Marek offered up his name as a potential host for Sportsnet’s “Hockey Central Saturday” in 2017, helping him land a spot on the weekly syndicated show.

“That essentially got my foot in the door,” said Alberga.

At Sportsnet, Marek’s absence is already being felt. He had a reputation for championing producers and technical staff, and for welcoming new voices onto his many shows.

“Jeff is a great advocate of diversifying the voices that talk about the sport,” said Dave Cadeau, the former director of programming at Sportsnet Radio. “He really appreciated the value that it can bring to the conversation.”

Moore recalled meeting Marek for breakfast in Toronto before hiring him for the first time while Moore was an executive at CBC.

“As soon as I met him, I thought this guy is going to be a quirky star,” Moore said. “He wasn’t your standard ‘Hockey Night in Canada’ anchor type. He’s got a little bit of an edge to him, a little bit of character to him.”

Moore later hired Marek at Sportsnet and made him one of the network’s marquee talents.

“I know he’ll do well in whatever his next triumph is,” said Moore, who is now chairman of Uninterrupted Canada and CEO of the 2025 Invictus Games.

After Marek addressed his departure on Friday, Friedman, his longtime podcast partner, wrote on X: “Life throws curveballs at you. I will miss being his teammate, and thank him for being a tremendous co-pilot to our 32 thoughts podcasting voyage — which will continue.”

Friedman, when contacted about the details of Marek’s departure, declined to comment.

Sportsnet has yet to name Marek’s replacement on the podcast or who might fill his roles on television and radio.

In a 2012 newspaper profile, Marek noted the odd trajectory of his career. His first job was working at a graveyard. He postponed a planned Ph.D. in English to take an entry-level job at TheFan 590 — the network that would become Sportsnet radio.

“It’s been kind of an accidental career,” Marek told the Stouffville Examiner, shortly after being hired by Sportsnet. “It’s been a little surreal and bizarre. … And I’m thankful for that.”

— The Athletic’s Corey Pronman contributed to this story.

(Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic)

As tennis says farewell to Andy Murray after a thrilling final event at the Olympics, The Athletic has spoken to almost 30 players, coaches and other luminaries to understand what the three-time Grand Slam champion, double Olympic champion and legend of British tennis means to the sport.

From those closest to him, such as his brother, Jamie, and Great Britain Davis Cup captain Leon Smith, to rivals including Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, and WTA players Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka, who have admired his fight for gender equality, the 27 people below have broken down the different elements of Murray’s game and personality, having seen him up close throughout his life and career. Murray himself also explains what he is most proud of from his 19-year career on the ATP Tour.

The Hall of Famer: ‘He was a monster – it was a “Big Four” for sure’

First and foremost, Murray was a world-class player. One of his rivals, Stan Wawrinka, said recently that it was a ‘Big Four’ rather than a ‘Big Three’, with Murray meriting a place in that group with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, because of his incredible consistency. That’s why Wawrinka — a three-time Grand Slam winner, same as Murray, but nothing like as efficient in reaching major finals or winning other titles — puts the Scotsman in a different category from himself.

Pretty much all of the players who faced Murray agree.

Rafael Nadal

One of Murray’s Big Four rivals during that era was Nadal, the 22-time Grand Slam champion. The pair played each other 24 times, with Nadal leading the head-to-head 17-7, which included two wins for Murray on clay.

Nadal says: “We know each other since we were small kids. He’s one year younger. When we were playing by teams — Spain, Great Britain — he was on the team one year younger. We know each other very well. We grow together on the tour, even when he arrived a little bit later than me.

“Andy had an amazing career. I think in some way… I mean, I don’t like to say he deserves more or less because, at the end, if I say I deserve more if I don’t have injuries, no? No, I don’t, because I had the injuries, no? He had a lot of finals. He was an amazing player who probably played in a difficult moment because he shared the tour at the prime time of Novak, Roger and myself.

Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal after the latter’s triumph during the fourth round of the 2007 Australian Open (Richard A Brooks / Getty Images)

“He was the one that was at the same level as us in general terms. In terms of victories, he achieved less but in terms of level of tennis, of having, mentally, the winning spirit week after week, he was the only one that was very close to being at the same level as us.”

David Goffin

Goffin’s game matched up terribly to Murray’s and he lost all eight of their meetings. The Belgian, once ranked No 7 in the world, was also the fall guy for one of Murray’s most famous wins — the one that secured Great Britain the Davis Cup in 2015. The final point, which Murray won with a trademark lob, was evidence of his exceptional court craft and shotmaking ability.

Goffin is also in no doubt that Murray deserved his place in the Big Four group.

Goffin says: “He killed me all the time. It’s amazing what Andy did for the sport. I played him many times, and I always felt that he was too good. It’s insane what he did, especially with the other three big guys playing with him.

“He was part of the Big Four. He was world No 1. He won Grand Slams. He won so many Masters 1000s (14 in total). He was just a monster, a legend.”

Stan Wawrinka

Wawrinka, a longtime friend and rival says: “It’s been more than 20 years (that we’ve known each other). There are many memories. It was special to play here against him at home (at Wimbledon in 2009). He’s been an amazing champion. He pushed everybody. He’s been an example for many players.

“And he’s a great guy. We’re good friends. We arrived a little bit at the same times. We spent so many times together — on the court, in practice court, we practise tons of times together. We always had a good relationship.”

John McEnroe

McEnroe never shared a court with Murray, but the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion is unequivocal on the Scot’s status within the game.

“He’s one of the greatest the sport has ever seen,” McEnroe says. “He left no stone unturned to be the best he could be. Until he got hurt, it was the Big Four, it wasn’t the Big Three. He finished 2016 as the No 1 player, ahead of those guys — that’s quite an achievement. 

“He won three Slams, reached 11 Grand Slam finals. First-ballot Hall of Famer. Incredible career, especially considering the players he was up against. Murray has the respect of everyone in the tennis world — ultimately, that’s all you can ask for.”

McEnroe has recently called for Wimbledon to add a statue of Murray (Clive Brunskill / Getty Images)

The competitor: ‘Even in doubles, he was getting fired up for every point’

Djokovic and Murray were born within a week of each other, and after facing each other many times as juniors, shared 36 matches on the ATP Tour, including seven Grand Slam finals (two of which Murray won). Of his many attributes, Djokovic picks out his resilience and dedication. 

Novak Djokovic

Djokovic says: “Just incredible resilience throughout all his career. Multiple Grand Slam winner. Legend of the game. No 1 in the world. Going to play challenger circuit to build his rankings on clay, his least favourite surface, says a lot about his character.

“Just huge inspiration to all the players. Doesn’t mind getting out on the court for hours every day. Incredible professional. His approach is something to study, no doubt.

“His will to push and see how far he can go, even with an artificial hip, is something that is just inspiring but also serves as a great example I think to a lot of the athletes, younger ones, that start to complain about this and that.

“So he has left a great mark on and off the court, no doubt, for the tennis. But something tells me, again, that he will keep going.”

Murray and Djokovic played doubles together as juniors (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Sebastian Korda

Murray’s fighting spirit is legendary, and it enabled him to produce so many amazing comebacks. We think of this mainly in the context of big Grand Slam singles matches with lots at stake. But even on the doubles court, towards the end of his career, in his mid-30s and with a metal replacement left hip, he was still scrapping for every ball.

Earlier this year, American world No 21 Korda asked Murray if he fancied playing doubles with him. They joined forces in Miami in March, beating Tallon Griekspoor and Julian Cash in the first round before an ankle injury ruled Murray out of the event.

Korda, 24, grew up watching Murray and could not believe how invested his partner was in that match.

Korda says: “He’s an unbelievable person. He’s the biggest competitor out there. Even in our doubles match, he was getting fired up for every point. It was just awesome to see. And to see the legend that he is, and the way he carries himself on court. It’s just a massive inspiration.”

Grigor Dimitrov

The former Wimbledon semi-finalist and current world No 10 Dimitrov, says it’s Murray’s mentality that has always stood out to him.

Dimitrov says: “We’ve always got on well and been close. You can learn a lot from him — on different aspects, like the way his mentality has been and what he’s been able to achieve. He always tries to come back and fight through — that’s pretty amazing.”

The tactician: ‘Aged 11, he kept drop-shotting this guy because he knew he couldn’t beat him for power’

One of Murray’s biggest assets was his tactical nous. He knew he didn’t possess some of the overwhelming shotmaking the other Big Four players did. He figured out how to use his smarts and court craft, which had always been a big part of his game growing up — Murray was on the shorter side until he was about 15, and went through a sudden growth spurt.

Leon Smith

Smith knows Murray as well as just about anyone. He would become his Davis Cup captain for 13 years, but he first saw Murray as a four-year-old, playing short tennis. His mother, Judy, who was in charge of tennis in Scotland, would bring him along to junior tournaments Smith was playing in.

A few years later, Judy asked Smith, in his twenties and starting out as a coach, if he could act as a hitting partner for her son, who was then about 11. The pair got on well, and Smith took on an informal mentoring role and started taking the kid to tournaments — including the prestigious Orange Bowl event in Miami for top youngsters in 1999.

Andy Murray, 12, en route to winning the Under-14 National Junior Championships in Nottingham (Craig Prentis / Getty Images)

Murray won the event in the 12-and-under category and Smith got a first glimpse into how tactically clued-up he already was.

Smith says: “When you put him on a match court, the guy just lit up. He wouldn’t want to lose. That final of the Orange Bowl, I remember him drop-shotting the guy (Tomas Piskacek from the Czech Republic) so many times. He kept drop-shot-and-lobbing him. This guy was much bigger than him — Andy wasn’t that big, he was more average to small size. And he kept drop-shotting this guy because he knew he couldn’t beat him for power, and I just remember so many drop-shot-and-lob combinations.”

Beating more powerful players with his guile and know-how later became Murray’s calling card on the ATP Tour.

Cameron Norrie

British No 2 Norrie grew up watching Murray and, since turning pro and joining his compatriot on the British Davis Cup team, has soaked up as much information from him as possible.

He says: “I ask him a thousand questions. If I needed help with anything, I was always asking and calling him, and he was always there to help me, and I got on really well with him in Davis Cup.”

One of Norrie’s takeaways from all those conversations is that Murray will make a top coach one day — a view many others share.

Cameron Norrie has found Murray’s advice indispensable (Glyn Kirk / AFP via Getty Images)

Norrie says: “He’s a good guy to spend time around, and his tennis knowledge is unbelievable. He remembers all the details. It’s great to be around that level of professionalism. Getting the chance to play against him is always tough and really good. 

“If you ask him about any player, he’ll give you the details on everything: where they like to hit their forehand and typically like to serve and how they move, their little tendencies and what they do. He’s watching a lot of tennis, not just practising. He knows how they play and he’ll be a good coach.”

The locker-room legend: ‘A really respectful guy and a cool dude’

As well as his exceptional achievements on the court, Murray will leave a legacy as a hugely popular figure within tennis off it. He was loved in the dressing room for his wry sense of humour and support for other players.

Dominic Thiem

Thiem had quite a bit in common with Murray. Both found their path to Grand Slam titles constantly blocked by the Big Three (Thiem lost three Grand Slam finals to Big Three players; Murray lost eight — five to Djokovic, three to Federer). Both were ultimately struck down by injuries.

Thiem hopes that, one day, they can have a beer or two together and swap war stories.

He says: “I admire him and I like him — as an athlete and a person. He was one of the people texting me when I got injured, when I was on my way back, and also now. After my farewell in Roland Garros (this year), he sent me a really nice message, which he didn’t need to do. He just said it was amazing to see how I got my farewell and how emotional it was. This gave me a lot of joy because he’s had his issues as well — although way worse.

Murray in action during a defeat to Thiem in Barcelona in 2019 (Alex Caparros / Getty Images)

“That’s the other thing about him — to do what he has done with a metal hip is simply amazing. He deserved way more. The Big Three were in the way for him. But then, the way he was fighting back with the metal hip and still playing, it’s admirable. He’s a big role model for every player.

“We only spoke every now and then for a few minutes in the locker room, which is nice of course but is not enough. It would be really interesting, with him and the other guys, to have a really deep conversation, and maybe one day I’m going to come to Wimbledon and meet with him and talk about this stuff.

“Yeah (over a beer or two), loosen up.”

Carlos Alcaraz

Reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion Alcaraz is a player Murray loves watching. He has been vocal in supporting the young Spaniard, right from the start of his career.

Alcaraz has huge respect for Murray, who had another message for him when the pair hit together at the pre-Wimbledon tournament at Queen’s in London last week.

Alcaraz says: “Every time I talk to him, I was really focused. Every word I’m hearing from him, it is amazing. I hear a lot of good things. He spoke to me on Twitter, on Instagram. He watched a lot of my matches. For me, these things are amazing.

“When I practised with him (at Queen’s), he congratulated me about the French Open, that it was amazing stuff. Hearing these words from him, it was amazing. He’s a legend. I have huge respect for him, everything he’s done in sport. He has beaten the Big Three many, many times in their prime level. It is something amazing.

“His legacy in tennis and in sport is going to be forever.”

Tomas Machac

One of Murray’s final matches was against Machac, in Miami in March this year. Murray played on after rupturing ankle ligaments but wished his opponent well at the end of a three-set defeat.

Machac, 23, says: “It was a tough match, but when we shook hands he was super, like a legend. During the match, he tried everything to beat me but then at the end, he was very nice — he said, ‘Well played, good luck for the tournament’.

“He’s a legend of the sport and a special person and player, so he’ll be missed a lot.”

Gael Monfils

At the other end of his career from Alcaraz and Machac is 37-year-old Monfils, Murray’s one-time rival at junior level. The pair have been playing each other for more than 25 years and in 2004, won all of the junior Grand Slams between them (Monfils the first three, Murray the U.S. Open).

Monfils and Murray battling at the 2006 French Open. (Eric Feferberg / AFP via Getty Images)

Monfils says: “It’s crazy because I played Andy the first time when I was 11 and he was 10. Everybody’s different — we have a different purpose et cetera. I’m a big fan of Andy. His achievements, his career, the guy he is. He is a really respectful guy and a cool dude. A legend of the sport.

“I try to learn from him. What he’s done is crazy good.”

GO DEEPER

‘You know my name. It’s impossible. I made it’: Gael Monfils has no regrets

The British flagbearer (and p**s-taker): ‘Inspirational but understated’ 

Murray’s compatriots will perhaps miss him the most. He has been a huge source of support to them. “He’s given a lot of time to people — younger guys, practising with them when they weren’t established, offering them advice if they asked for it,” says Smith, who has seen up close in his role as Davis Cup captain how influential Murray has been.

“A day after what happened here (the injury at Queen’s against Jordan Thompson this June), he’s down at pre-qualies, bloody Southfields at Wimbledon, watching a 17-year-old Charlie Robertson. Up rocks Andy Murray courtside. He’s just pulled out with an injury and who knows what that injury is, yet he’s out supporting a 17-year-old Scot. It’s not normal. It’s great values, great human skills.

“In 2016, a few days after winning Wimbledon, he came to Serbia (to be with the British Davis Cup team, even though he wasn’t fit to play). That’s unbelievable. He said, ‘Would it be OK if I come over?’. ‘Err, yeah!’. I remember he’s got a ball-hopper and he’s doing the feeding to the guys. That already gives them such a lift. He’s here doing that. Amazing stuff.”

Meanwhile, in McEnroe’s eyes, “Andy Murray changed the perception of being a British tennis player. He had that hunger and will to win that people hadn’t seen for a long time.”

Murray’s always dry but surprisingly jovial humour has won over tennis fans. (John Walton / PA Images via Getty Images)

But as much as Murray has been a motivator and inspiration, the other British players also appreciate his wicked sense of humour and love of taking the p**s out of them.

Jack Draper

Draper, the new British No 1 who will carry much of the nation’s expectations with Murray gone, said at Wimbledon of his one-time idol: “I wouldn’t be here without Andy. He’s an incredible guy off the court, so funny, so genuine, one of a kind. What a competitor, what a champion. Thank you very much.”

He says: “It’s weird because he was such an inspiration when I was younger and around the National Tennis Centre.

“Watching him win Wimbledon, I was starstruck. As I’ve come on to the tour and he’s had his injuries and been around, it’s been great to get to know him as a person. He’s incredibly genuine, a real hard worker, and we’ve got to practise a lot and it’s been great to learn from him. Everyone’s on a different journey but his main message is: ‘Learn from the matches, learn from the experiences — keep going, keep doing the right things like you’re doing and you’ll get to the place you want to be’.

“He’s very supportive. Not so much in a match-by-match way, but he will give me a bit of banter in messages. Or saying, ‘Congratulations, well played today’. If I put something on Instagram that he’s not a fan of, he’ll let me know. He always goes on about my ‘stance’. The other day, I put up a photo and did the stance just to p**s him off. I hope, even after his career, that he still has a big impact on tennis and sticks around.”

Neal Skupski

A three-time Wimbledon champion (one in men’s doubles, two in mixed), Skupski has got to know Murray from playing Davis Cup ties together over the past few years. For Skupski, it’s Murray’s prowess in fantasy football that has left a lasting impression.

Skupski says: “We’re in WhatsApp groups together — fantasy football, all that stuff. He’s great, a great character. One of the funny ones on tour.

“You don’t have to be an active player to be part of the fantasy football group — his coach, Jonny O’Mara, is in the group as well. Jonny came last this year, so he’s having to do a forfeit, which is taking a trip to any country in Europe for the day. In and out. On his own.

“Andy won the whole thing, like he does every year — which he put out on social media — so he gets to choose where Jonny goes. Quite funny that Jonny’s coaching Andy and Andy gets to choose where he goes. He hasn’t decided where he’s going yet.

“He loves that he has the hold over the rest of us (the other nine people in the group). He’s constant, he’s non-stop. On the final day of the season, he changed his whole team to people who don’t play — reserve players, under-23s — because he was so far ahead. That’s just something Andy would do.

“There’s talk of him sending Jonny to Bulgaria (a three-hour flight from London) for the day.”

Aidan McHugh

Murray’s legendary p**s-taking ability was once explained to me by Scottish 24-year-old McHugh, who Murray mentored before bringing him into his agency, 77 Sports Management Group: “The p**s-taking is absolutely anything he can get his hands on. He tends to hold onto things. He’ll bring up something you did two years ago. He’s very on it. It’s almost worrying.”

McHugh told a story from his run to the junior Australian Open semifinals in 2018 that demonstrated this. “After losing, I was gutted — like, genuinely not happy with a really tough loss, and all I did was smash a plastic water bottle. I didn’t damage anything. I wasn’t even in the locker room, I was upstairs in the gym, but my coach heard it and it got back to Andy.

Murray and McHugh in good spirits at Wimbledon in 2017 (Bill Murray / SNS Group via Getty Images)

“I was expecting at that point that he would break and laugh it off, but he just kept going and didn’t say, ‘OK, I’ll let them know it wasn’t you’. He’s still not spoken to me about it and gone, ‘It was a joke’. He just leaves things like that to try and mess with you.”

Joe Salisbury

Salisbury is another British doubles specialist (four Grand Slam titles in men’s, two in mixed) who has teamed up with Murray in the Davis Cup, and seen his unique brand of comedy up close.

Salisbury says: “He has a very dry sense of humour, very sarcastic. Very funny. If you didn’t know him, you wouldn’t get it. He says things completely deadpan and you’re not really sure if he’s joking.

“I’ve always got on really well with Andy. He’s a great guy, easy to get on with. I don’t know any of the other top singles guys well, but feel like he’s the most down-to-earth and open (of them). It doesn’t matter who you are, he’s always happy to chat, always very supportive.

“And I always enjoyed playing with him — a great competitor who works really hard. Whenever I’ve played doubles with him, he’s always been focused and wanted to improve on his doubles.”

Leon Smith again

As well as enjoying a laugh with his team-mates, Murray can also give speeches that inspire them. At the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, he was chosen as Team GB’s flagbearer, a hugely prestigious honour that recognised his gold (men’s singles) and silver (mixed doubles) medals at the previous Games in London four years earlier. As part of his role, Murray addressed all the other British Olympians present in Rio.

Smith says: “He gave an amazing speech. We had this apartment block, and then a big lawn in front, where the British team were staying. And he’s standing up on a raised bank bit, speaking to all the British Olympians, giving this speech and it’s like tugging on your heartstrings. Inspirational stuff about what it means to be a British Olympian, how everyone at home is rooting for you. ‘You’ve done your work, be proud that you’re here and know that you’ve done everything you can, so just go out and give your best effort’.

“Simple but powerful messaging. And because it’s coming from him, people were like, ‘Wow’. It was really inspirational but understated. He’s not someone who gets overly excited or goes overboard, but he delivered it in such a genuine way.”

Emma Raducanu

Murray has set standards for British women in tennis to aspire to as well.

Raducanu, the only other British winner of a singles Grand Slam title since 1977 and his chosen mixed doubles partner at Wimbledon until her withdrawal, says: “I just see him operate day to day. How professional he is, how he’s in the gym an hour and a half before practice. How he goes about his thing. It’s just nice to have that influence. He sets standards and all of us love to have him around.

“It’s nice to see him hitting with the other boys and the other players. They all get inspired when they play with him.”

Dan Evans

Evans was the man playing alongside Murray in the thrilling final Olympics run, but their closeness goes way beyond that. Murray has been a big support to his Davis Cup team-mate throughout Evans’ career, including staying out late on a freezing Court 8 to watch one of his qualifying matches at the 2016 Australian Open. “It’s unbelievable to come out, it’s freezing, the chance of getting ill — it’s a good effort,” Evans said. 

Reflecting on all their many years knowing each other, Evans says: “He’s always been behind every British player, he’s never not taken time out to send a text. When he was injured and I won my first-ever match at Roland Garros (in 2019), he messaged me saying, ‘Well done, that’s perseverance’. He knew exactly how many matches I hadn’t won there and I was thinking, ‘You have your own stuff going on, so that was pretty cool’. 

“He’s been generous, helpful, everything to British tennis. Not just me. He’s given everyone good advice. He won the Davis Cup pretty much on his own — which gave me an accolade, I guess. 

“Davis Cup, behind the scenes, just generally a class act.”

The idol: ‘I made a list of who I wanted a picture with. Of course, Andy was first on the list’

Murray’s longevity means players grew up admiring him and then became part of the tour with him. As the Russian women’s world No 12 Daria Kasatkina, puts it: “It’s been incredible to watch him on TV and then be with him at tournaments. I feel lucky to have experienced that.”

Mirra Andreeva

One of Murray’s biggest fans is the Russian 17-year-old Andreeva, who reached the French Open semifinals in May.

When Murray tweeted his appreciation of Andreeva during one of her matches at the Australian Open in January, she expressed how overwhelmed she was. “Honestly, I didn’t think that he would watch a match, then after he would tweet, he would comment something,” she said. “I will try to print it out somehow. I don’t know, I will put it in a frame. I will bring it everywhere with me. I will maybe put it on the wall, so I can see it every day.”

Andreeva down 5-1 in third. Commentator “she really needs to work on mental side of her game.. she’s too hard on herself when she’s losing”
30 minutes later 7-6 Andreeva wins.
Maybe the reason she turned the match round is because of her mental strength. Maybe she turned the…

— Andy Murray (@andy_murray) January 19, 2024

At the French Open, she plucked up the courage to ask Murray for a picture together.

Andreeva says: “It was a nice moment because I had a gift — a retro camera. I was like, ‘Well, I have to do a lot of photos’. I had 25 or 30 pictures that I could do. So I made a list of who I want to take a picture (with). Of course, Andy was first on the list because, I mean, we had a few interactions, but I don’t even have a photo with him. I thought, ‘Well, we need to fix that’.

“I saw him a few times before, but he was warming up or eating. So I was like, ‘Well, next time, next time’. Then, I saw him talking to his team. I was like, ‘Well, he’s busy. No, no, no’. My coach was like, ‘No, you go, you do it, and after we forget about it’.

“She pushed me to him and, finally, I had a picture with him.”

What was better, reaching the French Open semifinal or getting the picture with Murray?

“Both are good. Both are good.”

Jordan Thompson

Thompson was Murray’s final tour singles opponent, beating him at Queen’s just before Wimbledon.

The 30-year-old Australian brutally exposed his opponent’s impaired movement by frequently playing drop shots — a ploy he said he learned from watching Murray as a youngster. Afterwards, he spoke about how much of an inspiration Murray was back then — especially how hard he pushed himself.

Thompson says: “His work ethic was unbelievable when I was growing up. I just thought he worked so hard to get where he is, and to be as physically fit as him just on hard work, it was a real inspiration.

Murray walks out of Queen’s behind Thompson after retiring from their match last week. (Clive Brunskill / Getty Images)

“I’m sure he’ll be missed. When I was a kid I watched him play U.S. Open finals, Wimbledon finals, that many Australian Open finals (five). It was in my home country. I was going for him every time. He’s one of my favourite players.

“I got to share the court a few times with him. That was special. I don’t think many kids in the world would be watching these guys on TV and then you go out there and actually play them and share the court with them. Yeah, it’s every kid’s dream.

“To fulfil those dreams with one of my favourite players, it was a real honour.”

The fighter for equality: ‘I know all female athletes really appreciate it’

Something that has set Murray apart has been his willingness to speak on issues that are important to him. One of those is gender equality, and he has frequently called people out for perceived sexism. He fiercely defended Amelie Mauresmo from misogynistic comments when he took the unusual step of appointing her as his coach in 2014.

“He’ll be remembered as a great champion and an amazing role model; someone who stood up and was vocal about global issues, because not many do that,” Smith says. “He’s prepared to speak about important things and people listen to him. You get the sense when the players talk about him, not one person isn’t unbelievably complimentary. People genuinely appreciate what he’s done for the sport and for them. He should be remembered for many, many things. A great human being, a great champion, a great ambassador for tennis and wider world issues.” 

Murray’s role as an advocate for women’s tennis has earned him a huge amount of appreciation and admiration from WTA players.

Coco Gauff

America’s world No 2 and reigning U.S. Open champion was particularly impressed by Murray calling out a journalist for saying in 2017 that no American player had reached the semifinals of a Grand Slam since 2009. “Male player,” was his response.

Gauff says: “My favourite video of him is at the press conference in Wimbledon where he says, the first ‘male player.’ Honestly, it happens a lot in tennis where people say a stat, especially with the guys and I’ll be like, ‘Well, I did it (smiling)’. It’s good when they specify.

“What he’s done with the women’s game… him and his mother as well have done a lot. I would say he’s one of the first male players to speak up about it (gender inequality).

“On court, I don’t get how you can’t look up to him, with his situation battling with injuries. He’s purely out here for the joy and love of the game.

“The guy played incredible tennis in such a tough era — even after, with a metal hip, and he’s still giving it 100 per cent, which is rare to see, especially when you’re later in your career. He gives it his all, no matter who’s watching — in the back courts or the centre court.

“He doesn’t care about courts or where he’s playing. He just wants to play. A lot of players can learn from that.”

Other players share Gauff’s view about how much Murray has done for women’s tennis.

Naomi Osaka

The four-time Grand Slam champion says: “He’s been very vocal (about gender equality). All tennis players and all female athletes really appreciate it.

“Murray’s such a great guy, such a tough competitor. He loves tennis so much and keeps coming back. He’s had all these injuries. He’s relentless, his ability to keep playing matches at a high level.

“When I think about him and the legacy that he leaves on tennis, obviously he’s done a lot for British tennis but as a kid, watching him on TV playing these amazing battles, he’s affected every tennis kid worldwide.”

Andy Murray approaching Roger Federer after his Wimbledon final defeat in 2012. (Julian Finney / Getty Images)

Madison Keys

Keys, America’s women’s world No 14, says: “It’s been amazing (what he’s done for women’s tennis). He’s had an incredible career but also to have one of the best male tennis players ever be such an advocate for women’s tennis and women’s sport is amazing.”

Daria Kasatkina

Kasatkina says: “It’s very important (Murray advocating for women’s tennis). He’s one of the few players who has done that. He was the first guy to have a female coach, that was a huge step. Andy is such a gentleman, an amazing person. It’s also very fun to watch him on court — his interactions with his box.

“Andy’s special, he’s a legend. He has done so much on tour, and outside the court in general for women’s tennis. He’s an incredible guy.

“We’re going to miss him a lot. His British sense of humour was amazing. Also, the guy is such a character on court and he was one of the best players in the world. So I really enjoy him playing and trying to learn something from his game.”

Murray and Mauresmo at Queen’s in 2014. (Jan Kreuger / Getty Images)

Caroline Garcia

Garcia, the women’s world No 25 who reached a career-high ranking of No 4 nearly six years ago, was famously tipped for the top spot by Murray. That was in 2011, when Garcia was 17 and only just ranked in the world’s top 200.

The girl sharapova is playing is going to be number one in the world one day caroline garcia, what a player u heard it here first

— Andy Murray (@andy_murray) May 26, 2011

Asked whether that famous Murray tweet was helpful, Garcia says: “Why not? It is what it is. I haven’t reached that level yet, probably never, but it is great to get that kind of comment from someone who knows tennis. I respect whatever he says.

“He brought a lot to tennis. As a player on court with his work ethic, his fighting spirit, his willingness to go through a lot to win Slams, and all the expectations — especially at Wimbledon. And the weight on his shoulders.

“But also a great person and human and supporting tennis in general — women’s tennis, and tweeting about it — which always made a lot of buzz and was very important. A great champion, he brought so much to tennis — we owe him big time. I hope he enjoys the second part of his life and feels like he’s retired on his terms.”

The legacy: ‘It’ll be weird not having him here’

Speaking to those in the locker room, there’s a sense there’ll be a huge hole without Murray around — especially for those who have been on tour for a similar length to his 19 years.

Jamie Murray

That hole won’t be bigger for anyone than his brother, who has been travelling around with Andy playing junior events since they were small children. They’ve also shared memorable moments on the doubles court, most notably in Britain’s 2015 Davis Cup win.

The Murray brothers in 2005, at the start of their tour careers. (Julian Finney / Getty Images)

Jamie says: “It’ll be weird not having him here. It’s a pretty unusual situation to have your brother doing the same job as you — especially in a high-level sport, travelling the world together. That is a nice thing, even if we don’t spend loads of time together on the courts. You know that, in the background, you’ve always got someone from your family — even if you’re not accessing them all the time.

“It’ll be strange not to have him on the tour. We’ve been doing the same thing for 20 years, so he’ll be a big miss.”

As for the man himself, Andy Murray says that the thing he’ll be most proud of in his career is showing the same level of dedication day in, day out. “I think the thing that I did a really good job of during my career was that, regardless of the highs and lows, whether it was winning tournaments, having difficult losses, an operation, a setback, that I was able to treat the next day the same. I always came into work with the same dedication, work ethic, and passion, as I had the day before, regardless of the highs and lows that the sport had thrown at me.

“I certainly didn’t always get it right. Like on the match days, I was not perfect by any stretch, but I did always come into work and put in a good day. I gave my best effort.

“Yeah, that’s what I’m proud of. So I guess, I don’t know, it’s for other people to decide what my legacy would be. But that’s the thing I’m most proud of.”

Whatever his legacy ends up being, tennis won’t be the same without him.

(Top photos: Daniel Kopatsch / Getty Images; Design: Dan Goldfarb for The Athletic)

The NCAA’s new name, image and likeness transparency platform, NIL Assist, went live on Thursday morning, providing deidentified NIL compensation information, as well as a service provider registry and educational programming.

The app and website, created in conjunction with Teamworks, creates for the first time a public database-like platform where athletes and the public can find the average and median earnings for NIL deals, sortable by subdivision, sport, position and type of NIL transaction. It aims to show, for example, what a Power 4 quarterback makes on average for a social media post — on Thursday morning, the website’s data dashboard reported that the average disclosure under those parameters was $6,605 but that the median was $150.

Here’s an example from the NIL dashboard, which says the average social media NIL deal for a P4 QB is $6,605, but the median is $150.

(The NCAA emphasized the data will get more accurate as time goes on and more info comes in). https://t.co/NmGUrSmzXD pic.twitter.com/LvIM3KikpT

— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) August 1, 2024

In January, the Division I Council adopted new rules requiring athletes to disclose to their schools any NIL agreement exceeding $600, including terms of the deal, services rendered and payment. The schools then must share the information, stripped of names, to the NCAA at least twice per year. More than 20 states already require similar disclosures.

“We’ve heard from coaches, student-athletes, their families, they want some information about what the market is yielding, and we think if we do it publicly, that’s the best way to do it,” NCAA vice president of academic and membership affairs David Schnase said. “There are going to be some who want way more information than this is going to provide, but at least this is a starting point for folks who are trying to figure that out.”

Although athletes are required to disclose their NIL deals, there isn’t a clear penalty yet for not doing so. NCAA officials emphasized that this database won’t be used as an eligibility trap and is just for information. The Division I Council in April added an incentive, allowing schools to provide more NIL assistance to athletes who disclose their NIL deals.

“That student-athlete can choose not to disclose, but they then can’t take advantage of institutional assistance as it relates to NIL, so we think there’s a bit of a carrot,” Schnase said.

Officials cautioned that the data isn’t complete at launch but will improve with time as more information is put into the system. They also acknowledged concerns of conflict of interest with Teamworks, which itself has an NIL management service.

“We’re treating this partnership as an individual endeavor,” Teamworks senior vice president of business development Kevin Barefoot said. “We’re not taking any data from this project and using it in other commercial forms. This is a project partnering with the NCAA that narrowly focused on delivering to schools and student-athletes what they requested and voted on with NCAA bylaws.”

In addition to NIL data, the NIL Assist platform has a voluntary service provider registry for agents, brands, collectives and products. Officials hope providers will sign up, allowing athletes to find more connections or to review previous work, which could help other athletes in the future find an agent.

When The Athletic surveyed agents and collectives earlier this summer and asked about the registry, several said they wouldn’t sign up and questioned its value or impact.

“It’s been mixed, which is what we expected,” Barefoot said of the registry sign-ups. “Some people have said they feel good about the access and visibility among student-athletes. … Perfect is the enemy of good here. If we can get to a point where there’s more information out for student-athletes to understand the market and the service providers, that’s a great outcome.”

GO DEEPER

What’s the future of NIL collectives after the House v. NCAA settlement?

The disclosure of NIL data could play a role in the recent House settlement proposal, which spells out the idea of a clearinghouse to vet contracts and includes the potential creation of an enforcement arm to determine the fair market value of NIL deals and whether they’re true NIL arrangements. Collectives have already questioned the legality of that practice, and it’s not clear how that would play out if the settlement is approved.

“There are a lot of things happening outside of what we can control with this platform,” Schnase said. “So while this platform will not influence those outcomes, when the board starts making decisions, we’ll have pretty good data to help them make informed decisions. That’s the most important part of this looking forward. … I wouldn’t specify the (House settlement), but there’s active litigation that’s influencing a lot of our decisions right now.”

(Photo: Jacob Kupferman / Getty Images)