Talks between the NHL and NHLPA broke off today in Toronto, with Commissioner Gary Bettman all but rejecting the proposal that the union made yesterday. Meetings on economic issues will not resume until next Wednesday in Toronto. “There is still a wide gap between us, with not much time to go,” Bettman said at a news conference this afternoon. “It takes two sides to make a deal, two sides to negotiate and two sides to make it go bad.”

Bettman cited recent CBAs signed in the NBA and NFL as models for what the league seeks. He also said the union’s proposal was incomplete and wondered when he would receive the balance of it. NHLPA Exec Dir Don Fehr pointed out that the owners never talk about MLB, which has no salary cap, significant revenue sharing and where he oversaw 15 years of labor peace as MLBPA Exec Dir. Fehr said that if there is a wide gulf, it started with the owners’ proposal from four weeks ago for a cut in the players’ share of revenues from 57% to 43%. With the Sept. 15 expiration of the current CBA exactly one month away, Fehr said the players are prepared for the worst-case scenario of a lockout imposed by the owners. “You hope for the best, but prepare for the worst,” said Fehr.

2K Sports today confirmed weeks of industry rumors, announcing it will feature the '92 Dream Team in the upcoming "NBA 2K13" video game release, scheduled for Oct. 2. The virtual Dream Team, however, will be an 11-man squad, as the publisher was unable to secure licensing from Scottie Pippen. "NBA 2K13" will also feature the recent '12 U.S. men's basketball team that won the Gold Medal in London.

"The fantasy matchup between the legendary 1992 'Dream Team' and the 2012 USA men's national team has become one of the greatest sports debates of our time," said rapper and mogul Jay Z, recently signed on by 2K Sports as an executive producer of the game, in a statement. "In 'NBA 2K13,' we're giving fans the opportunity to play as two of the best teams ever assembled in sporting history, literally putting the debate right into their hands."

The 49ers today announced that Violin Memory will sponsor their new stadium in Santa Clara as a Founding Partner. The long-term deal makes the California-based company the team's exclusive data storage provider at the new venue, as well as for the remainder of the club's tenure in Candlestick Park. The company also gains exclusive branding in the new stadium's suite tower. Violin becomes the second announced founding partner for the stadium, following San Jose-based Brocade (49ers).

The Topps Co. today announced that it has agreed to continue its NFL tie-in with a new multiyear licensing deal, extending a relationship that has spanned more than a half century. Topps with the start of the '12 NFL season will unveil a new line of Topps Football trading cards that includes marquee rookies Colts QB Andrew Luck and Redskins QB Robert Griffin III (Topps).

NBC Sports and MLB Productions tonight on NBC Sports Network will air the debut episode of the new documentary series, "Caught Looking," featuring an inside look at last weekend's Tigers-Rangers series. The matchup is a switch from a Phillies-Cardinals slate originally planned for the debut episode. Network and league officials are looking to spotlight a series with teams in the playoff hunt, and to that end, next week's episode is scheduled to chronicle this weekend's Rays-Angels series, eschewing prior plans to spotlight the Yankees-Red Sox series from N.Y.

NBC Sports President of Programming Jon Miller said this morning of the debut, "We're still literally cutting the episode. But we're very excited. We've gained some really unique stuff that people aren't used to seeing and hearing. Baseball, I thought, was the one sport that you never really got to see fully behind the curtain. But now we get to see and hear it for ourselves." Subsequent episodes this season are slated to air on Thursday nights.

NFL Network today announced plans for the intro music to its "Thursday Night Football" lineup of games, which will feature fan-sourced videos and a song by Cee Lo Green. Starting Sept. 13, each "TNF" game will begin with a 90-second segment featuring fan videos specific to that night's matchup. The fans will be performing Green's "I Love Football," which is set to The Ramones' "Blitzkrieg Bop." The "Fanthem" effort, produced by N.Y.-based @radical.media, is part of the net's "for the fans, by the fans" theme for this season (NFL Network).

ESPN today formally announced the full launch of ESPNFC, a multiplatform global soccer brand that debuts today in conjunction with the start of multiple soccer seasons and int'l friendlies. In addition, the newly re-branded show "ESPNFC Press Pass" will make its debut overnight at 2:00am ET on ESPNews (ESPN). In another aspect of the re-branding, "Soccernet – ESPN’s current title for its coverage of the sport – will cease to exist." The ESPNFC branding for soccer TV coverage will take effect tonight with ESPN2's broadcast of the U.S.-Mexico friendly (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 8/13).

The Mississippi State Univ. Athletic Department today announced plans for a $75M expansion and renovation of Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field, increasing the venue's capacity to 61,337. The project, funded by $68M in bonds and $7M in private giving, is slated to begin immediately and will be complete for the '14 season. A north end zone addition will include a field-level premium area called The Gridiron. Harrell Contracting Group will handle construction of the designs from area architecture firm LPK and 360 architecture (MSU).

No. 15 Tim Tebow Jets jerseys are back on NFLShop.com, marking the "first time adult-size jerseys have been available since mid-May." The gap in availability was due in part to an apparel rights dispute between Nike and Reebok (ESPN.com, 8/15).

The Maryland Jockey Club unveiled the logo for Laurel Park Race Course. MJC President Tom Chuckas said that the design "gives the race track a futuristic feel" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 8/15).

The Dew Tour announced a partnership with DJ/radio personality DJ Skee, Skee TV and Build Destroy Music for 10 original songs to accompany NBC Sports' 33 hours of coverage of the '12 Dew Tour. The deal also includes a digital series (Dew Tour).

The Kennesaw State Univ. Department of Athletics named adidas as its official apparel provider in a multiyear deal that encompasses the school's 17 intercollegiate programs (Kennesaw State Univ.).

Gameday experience startup Fandeavor.com today announced the launch of its business and the closing of a $525,000 seed round of funding. The funding was led by Tony Hsieh's VegasTechFund and Erik Moore (Fandeavor).

SI this week features five regional covers for its college football preview issue. The cover athletes are Alabama QB A.J. McCarron, USC QB Matt Barkley, Oklahoma QB Landry Jones, West Virginia QB Geno Smith and Michigan QB Denard Robinson (THE DAILY).

Alabama	USC	Oklahoma

West Virginia	Michigan

"I would not have taken this job if I did not feel that this was a cohesive conference that was committed to each other. ... You have a disparate group of schools but they share a common goal. They want to make this work" – Incoming Big East Commissioner Mike Aresco, on the stability of the conference (AP, 8/15).

"No one in that meeting at any time took the position that Bobby (Valentine) should be or needed to be replaced" – Red Sox Owner John Henry, in an e-mail to the media, regarding reports of a meeting in which players called for Valentine to be fired (ESPN.com, 8/15).

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson: "Finished my press conference. The main focus was the Downtown Plaza sale. This project will have a catalytic impact."

ESPN's Max Bretos: "Getting a lot of feedback. Does the Van Persie sale open the door for Clint Dempsey going to Arsenal? Would love to see it."

TheBusinessOfSports.com's Russell Scibetti: “I'm waiting for the first 'Melkman'/ Got 'Melk' PED parody headline or image...”

JKCP Social Media Coordinator Caleb Mezzy: "Tons of people out there who 'work' in Social Media have never managed a brand's Social Media presence yet they have tons to say!"

If you see a tweet we will not want to miss, send it to us at editorial@sportsbusinessdaily.com. 

The Dodgers posted this Instagram of an artfully carved watermelon provided by the Pirates Clubhouse Crew during this week's series in Pittsburgh.

The Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission will honor former Exec Dir Bill Lester and his 25-year tenure with the organization.

RFK Stadium in DC will host a Guatemala-Paraguay int'l soccer friendly at 6:00pm ET followed by an El Salvador-Jamaica match at 9:00pm.

The Guardian presents this highlight reel from its "Brick By Brick" video series reenacting memorable moments from the London Games using Lego sets and figures.

U.S. swimmer Dana Vollmer will appear on CBS' "Late Show" at 11:35pm ET.

U.S. swimmer Missy Franklin will appeare on NBC's "The Tonight Show" at 11:35pm ET.

U.S. women's soccer G Hope Solo will appear on NBC's "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" at 12:35am ET.

4 – Number of statues located in Miller Park's Home Plate Plaza once the statue for broadcaster Bob Uecker is formally unveiled on Friday, Aug. 31. The other statues in the plaza are of Baseball HOFers Hank Aaron and Robin Yount and MLB Commissioner/former team owner Bud Selig (JSONLINE.com, 8/15).