X and Y were rivals in a sport. After retiring, X created a successful grill machine, while Y later launched a competing grill brand. They were likely athletes who competed against each other.
Manchester United was the first British club to have a shirt sponsor, agreeing a deal with Hitachi in 1979. They have had relatively consistent sponsors since, with their current deal being the longest in English football.
Sports Illustrated is known for a perceived "cover jinx", where athletes featured on its cover tend to experience a subsequent decline in performance. This effect is related to regression toward the mean.