TMZ Sports - Page 8

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce got a very special thanks from iconic Dolly Parton after they donated millions to her charity, among others, amid their wedding celebration.

As TMZ reported ... Taylor's reps announced Thursday the couple donated $26 million to at least 20 charities this week ... a super generous gift.

T & T ponied up $2 million for Dolly's Imagination Library, a literacy program that provides free books to children -- and she wanted to make sure they knew how grateful she was. But she didn't end there.

There is a crazy amount of police and security all around Madison Square Garden for the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wedding celebration ... and one top cop decided to get into the spirit of things.

Check out the video just posted by the NYPD ... Deputy Patrol Chief Timothy Beaudette is having some fun with a megaphone ... moving people along outside MSG -- with Swift lyrics peppered in the announcements.

As TMZ reported ... there are going to be more than 70 detectives from precincts all across the city assigned to Friday's wedding celebration ... and they'll be working 8.5-hour shifts at $80 to $90 an hour.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding celebrations at Madison Square Garden are fast approaching ... we are just hours away ... and there's a live stream outside the venue.

MSG appears to be all set up for the big day ... the only thing we're waiting on is Taylor, Travis and their guests.

There was a wedding rehearsal here last night, and guests went home with gift boxes that appeared to feature a possible Tayvis wedding logo ... two block T's and some interlocking hearts.

The big day has finally arrived for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce ... and they've transformed Madison Square Garden into their private love compound.

Check out the pics ... even into the night, the place was surrounded by police and other security measures.

It makes sense ... as TMZ reported, the star power there last night for what we believe to be the rehearsal dinner was massive -- and there's going to be even more today for the wedding bash!

Jodie Foster took an unexpected jab at Brad Pitt ... saying in a recent interview his blockbuster film "F1" is simply an A.I.-manufactured flick.

The Oscar-winning actress made the remark -- which she said meant no offense -- while talking to former Sony Pictures CEO Michael Lynton at the Aspen Festival of Ideas, per Variety.

The actress said in part with her accusation ... "I mean, the structure was exactly the structure that you would learn in school. The actors say the lines exactly the way it would be written if a computer was writing exactly what would be the right thing for that time. And they were able to dominate the technology to make something big and beautiful and potentially where a lot of the information comes from other places.”

The family of the doodle Jameson, who was shot to death by an LAPD officer last month during the NBA Finals ... has slapped the city with a lawsuit.

According to legal docs obtained by TMZ ... Jameson's owners, Marie Marseille and  Jeremiah Garcia, claim the officer who fatally shot the dog used "excessive and unreasonable" force, which they say amounts to "unlawful seizure." They are also suing for negligence.

We've been following the heartbreaking case -- Marie's neighbor called the cops for a welfare check after she was heard screaming from her apartment, and it was later discovered she was celebrating the Knicks' NBA Championship victory. During Marie's encounter with police, Jameson was shot to death ... with the LAPD claiming Jameson charged at them after Marie was ordered to keep him under control.

It's time! We've got a glimpse of some more of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding guests leaving their hotel to head to the rehearsal dinner.

Cameras caught Taylor's childhood best friend, Abigail Anderson Berard, Travis' aunt and uncle, Joan and Don, and her publicist, Tree Paine, all leaving the Ritz Carlton NYC on Thursday.

Sportscasters and podcast cohosts Erin Andrews and Charissa Thompson seem to be on the short list as well ... but you'll have to peep our gallery to see who else made the cut!

Byron Scott feels LeBron James could've done more with the Los Angeles Lakers ... telling TMZ Sports he's giving the King a "B" grade for his time in Purple and Gold.

We caught up with the Showtime Lakers alum this week ... fresh off the news that James would be playing elsewhere for his 24th season in the NBA.

Scott said the change is a win for both sides -- but when reflecting on the past eight seasons, he admitted he expected multiple championships with James ... not just the one he secured in 2020.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are running a tight ship for their wedding weekend ... because even the cops working inside aren't allowed to have their phones ... TMZ has learned.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... NYPD officers assigned to work inside the event at Madison Square Garden have no phones. Our sources say the officers were told if they don't like it, they don't have to work the event.

And we're told that rule isn't just for Thursday night's rehearsal dinner ... cops working inside have to go phoneless when inside MSG the entire wedding weekend.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have pretty much taken over NYC for their wedding, going down Friday ... but a recent easter egg has fans thinking the famed couple already "tied the knot."

Here's the deal ... some Swifties think Taylor used the "Toy Story 5" premiere on June 9 to drop hints about her love story with Travis.

Eagle-eyed fans believe they spotted an easter egg as the pop star walked the carpet wearing a white-ish dress ... along with two massive knots on both of the Showgirl's shoulders.

It looks like Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce might be turning their wedding weekend into a movie ... because we've spotted a filming notice outside the venue.

The notice reads that there will be photography and videography going around in and around Madison Square Garden in connection with "an event taking place at MSG."

The dates on the notice say the time frame for the release is June 29 through July 3 ... meaning cameras may have been rolling since Monday to document the setup.

Taylor Swift has rolled into Madison Square Garden ... and the bride has taken center stage.

Check out the video ... a white Chevrolet Suburban believed to be transporting the bride-to-be pulled into MSG Thursday afternoon ahead of what's expected to be tonight's rehearsal dinner before Taylor's wedding to Travis Kelce.

You never actually catch a glimpse of Taylor inside the SUV ... but it's her ride, making this one of the biggest arrivals yet as the celebration officially gets underway.

Former NFL linebacker Keith Mitchell has died, it was announced Thursday. He was just 51 years old.

Details surrounding his death have not been disclosed.

Mitchell was a star linebacker at Texas A&M ... and was named an All-American in 1996. His total sack count during his time at College Station put him toward the top all-time in organization history.

Selena Gomez and music producer Jack Antonoff wouldn't miss out on Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's big wedding at MSG ... because we caught them in all their glory on their way to the wedding rehearsal.

Check it out ... Selena posted on her story on her way to Thursday's rehearsal, applying her Rare Beauty lipstick while looking ready for all the evening's excitement in the backseat of an SUV -- likely her chariot of choice for getting to MSG tonight.

Meanwhile, Jack is looking sharp in a black suit while he enters his own black SUV alongside his sister Rachel ... who wears a lovely frilly pink dress.

NYC is bracing for thousands of die-hard Swifties to camp outside Madison Square Garden over the next two days in a brutal 100-degree heatwave -- and, no shade, but Taylor Swift and her team haven't applied for the permit needed to get fans extra heat relief!

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... city officials are worried about the health and safety of the crowds gathering outside MSG while Taylor and Travis Kelce tie the knot inside the air-conditioned arena.

We're told those fans are gonna need water, electrolytes, misting stations, and cooling vans just to survive the scorching conditions -- and without it, they may fall ill or pass out.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce won't be jetting off on a honeymoon-style getaway after getting married ... because they have more wedding plans on the horizon ... TMZ has learned they'll be celebrating an NFL star's upcoming nuptials.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Taylor and Travis are expected to attend New York Giants wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster's wedding to Laura Kruk on July 11 at the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel in Orange County, California.

We're told the guest list is stacked with NFL stars ... including Patrick and Brittany Mahomes, Isiah Pacheco, Kendrick Bourne, George Karlaftis, Tyquan Thornton, and Jacob Tuioti-Mariner.