Marcus Rivera

Sports and culture reporter focused on the human stories behind competition. Former ESPN contributor covering athletes, identity, fandom, and the wider cultural forces that shape the games people care about most.

Chicago

Culture

The New Golden Age of Television Is Already Fading

Ben Parker & Marcus Rivera

Feb 2, 2026 3 min read

Business

The Hidden Cost of Sanctions on Ordinary Citizens

Marcus Rivera & Elena Vasquez

Jan 23, 2026 3 min read

Politics

How Climate Policy Became a Partisan Weapon in Congress

Sarah Mitchell & Marcus Rivera

Jan 22, 2026 4 min read

Sports

The Goalkeeper Who Rewrote the Rules of Modern Football

Marcus Rivera & Ben Parker

Jan 15, 2026 3 min read

A vintage European train crossing a bridge on a route that time nearly erased

Culture

The Train Routes Europe Forgot Are Making a Comeback

Marcus Rivera & James Chen

Jan 12, 2026 2 min read

An empty office on a Friday afternoon — the four-day work week in practice

Business

The Rise of the Four-Day Work Week Across the Globe

James Chen & Marcus Rivera

Jan 8, 2026 3 min read

A living room television glowing with a familiar show, offering comfort in repetition

Technology

Why We Can't Stop Watching Reruns in the Streaming Age

Marcus Rivera & Elena Vasquez

Jan 5, 2026 2 min read

A close-up of microplastic particles found in water, invisible to the naked eye but everywhere

Science

Microplastics Are Everywhere. Now What Do We Do About It?

Elena Vasquez & Marcus Rivera

Jan 3, 2026 2 min read

Technology

Designing a Home That Thinks for You Without the Creep

Ben Parker & Marcus Rivera

Dec 27, 2025 2 min read

Politics

Inside the Race to Rewrite Election Law Before the Next Vote

Marcus Rivera & Sarah Mitchell

Dec 21, 2025 3 min read

A jazz DJ at the controls in a dimly lit radio studio, keeping the tradition alive

Politics

A Conversation With the Last Jazz DJ Left on the Dial

Marcus Rivera & Elena Vasquez

Dec 7, 2025 2 min read

A coastal city constructing seawalls as rising tides threaten its future

World

The Cities Building Walls Against the Sea to Buy More Time

Sarah Mitchell & Marcus Rivera

Dec 5, 2025 2 min read

A venture capital boardroom where the easy money era has given way to hard questions

Business

Venture Capital's Reckoning With Its Own Excess

Sarah Mitchell & Marcus Rivera

Nov 26, 2025 3 min read

Sports

The Physics of the Perfect Free Kick, Frame by Frame

Marcus Rivera & James Chen

Nov 19, 2025 2 min read

A hidden temple in Kyoto surrounded by gardens that few visitors ever find

Lifestyle

A Walking Guide to Kyoto's Hidden Temples and Quiet Gardens

Ben Parker & Marcus Rivera

Nov 16, 2025 2 min read

A podcasting microphone and headphones in a studio where true crime became a cultural phenomenon

Culture

The Podcast That Changed True Crime as We Know It

Ben Parker & Marcus Rivera

Nov 8, 2025 2 min read

A carbon capture facility against a blue sky, promising salvation or offering distraction

Science

Carbon Capture: Climate Savior or Expensive Distraction?

Elena Vasquez & Marcus Rivera

Nov 7, 2025 2 min read

A city skyline where the myth of the self-made billionaire casts a long shadow

Opinion

The Myth of the Self-Made Billionaire Is Finally Dying

Marcus Rivera & Elena Vasquez

Oct 27, 2025 2 min read

The U.S. Capitol dome under a bright sky, a symbol of democratic power and its costs

Politics

Campaign Finance After Citizens United: A Decade Later

Marcus Rivera & Elena Vasquez

Oct 25, 2025 3 min read

A soaring airport terminal with cathedral-like architecture designed to inspire awe

Lifestyle

Airport Architecture: The Cathedrals of Modern Travel

Ben Parker & Marcus Rivera

Oct 18, 2025 2 min read

A tech company headquarters where quarterly earnings tell a more complex story than the headlines suggest

Business

Big Tech Earnings: What the Numbers Really Say

Sarah Mitchell & Marcus Rivera

Oct 14, 2025 3 min read