Uniqlo today announced plans to launch an apparel line modeled after performance wear created and worn by tennis player Novak Djokovic. The line will launch in the U.S. in conjunction with the start of the U.S. Open on Monday and will be available in int'l markets at a later date. The line at launch will consist of 10 items for adults, ranging from warm-up jackets and pants to shirts, shorts and accessories. Uniqlo has sponsored Djokovic since May (Uniqlo).

The continuation of formal negotiations between the NHL and NHLPA for a new CBA was postponed until tomorrow morning. Leaders from both sides, including NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA Exec Dir Donald Fehr, met this morning in Toronto to chart the course for discussions going forward. Although a full-scale negotiating session was scheduled for this afternoon, the sides agreed to reconvene tomorrow. Fehr told reporters in Toronto the postponement was "one of the normal things that happen in bargaining." The sides also scheduled meetings next week in N.Y. (Christopher Botta, SportsBusiness Journal).

Meanwhile, hockey player agent Allan Walsh today on his Twitter feed reported on the lockout contingencies for NBC's TV rights deal with the NHL, which was agreed to in April last year. Walsh: "Key part of NHL/NBC Comcast Universal TV deal, NBC makes a $200M payment to NHL in 2012-13 even if entire season lost to lockout. ... lockout wipes out 2012-13 NHL season, NBC makes $200M payment to league and extra year is added onto deal for no rights fee" (TWITTER.com, 8/22)

Longhorn Network today formally announced plans to televise two Univ. of Texas football games in '12. The net's slate of games will consist of this season's first two home contests: UT's Sept. 1 season-opener against the Univ. of Wyoming and the Sept. 8 game against the Univ. of New Mexico. ESPN play-by-play announcer Mark Neely and analyst Ray Bentley will call both games. The net also will broadcast two Texas State Univ. games against Louisiana Technical College and the Univ. of Nevada (ESPN).

BBVA Compass today announced that it is rolling out a series of Univ. of Alabama-branded check cards as part of its Bama Banking program and its ongoing partnership with Alabama athletics. The new designs will commemorate the school's four national championships in '12 in football, women's golf, gymnastics and softball. Checking account customers can choose from six designs: three for football and one for each of the other sports (BBVA Compass). The bank also sponsors a college bowl game in Birmingham (THE DAILY).

Qatar Media’s Miami-based beIN Sport today announced that it has acquired U.S. TV rights to the U.S. men's national soccer team's road qualifying matches for the '14 FIFA World Cup. The net, which has distribution deals with DirecTV and Dish Network, is in about eight million HHs (AP, 8/22).

The Big South Conference and Hardee's have signed a sponsorship deal naming the restaurant chain as the official QSR of the conference (Big South Conference).

Niche Productions today announced the launch of an official mobile app dedicated to IndyCar driver Graham Rahal. The app is available on both the iPhone and Android platforms (Niche Productions).

SI this week features an image of Angels CF Mike Trout on the cover with the header, "The Supernatural" (THE DAILY).

"I love this organization so much I want to be working for it even after I'm dead" – Dodgers Special Advisor Tommy Lasorda, on jokingly telling his wife to include the Dodgers schedule on his tombstone so that fans visiting his gravesite would be able to tell if the team was at home or playing an away game (L.A. TIMES, 8/22). 

"Once I talked to the Patriots I got the feeling that that’s where I wanted to be. Everything was family-based. It was like I was already part of the team. It wasn’t hard for me to decide to go with the Patriots" – Silver Medal-winning U.S. sprinter and former Univ. of Florida RB Jeff Demps, on his decision to sign with the Patriots over the Buccaneers (PEWTERREPORT.com, 8/22).

"This is a dream come true. I have long wondered what would be in store for me when I hung up the basketball playing shoes, and this is the perfect opportunity for my post-playing career" – Former NBAer Eduardo Najera, on becoming the first Mexican-born head coach under the NBA umbrella after he was named coach of the NBA D-League Texas Legends (AP, 8/22).

Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy: "I’m looking for Monday, 1:35 p. m. start vs. Royals at Fenway to be the day the Sox admit the sellout streak is over. Thoughts?"

London Telegraph's Jacquelin Magnay: "Do we call olympic park as paralympic park now?"

L.A. Times’ Bill Shaikin: “Melky Cabrera, Bartolo Colon, Guillermo Mota ... you'd almost think the ‘BA’ in ‘BALCO’ stood for Bay Area. Oh, wait--it did.”

SB Nation’s Jeff Gluck: "Wow, @jemelehill w/a NASCAR column! She says Danica has 'crashed more this season than the stock market in 1929.' … Oh boy, here we go. The Danica Defenders have come to life. Did you guys actually read her column or just get mad right away?"

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

Euro Sport & Event Management Managing Dir Christian Machowski posted this image of La Rosaleda Stadium for home team CF Malaga's Champions League match today against Panathinaikos. The venue clearly has many empty seats, despite the magnitude of the contest for the La Liga club. Machowski tweeted: "After the ticket sales debacle (tickets for this match went on sale on Friday), the stadium not expected to be sell out."

The Omaha World-Herald took this video of the demolition of the press box at Rosenblatt Stadium, home of the College World Series from '50-'10.

ESPN's late afternoon "SportsCenter" will air portions of an interview with former Penn State President Graham Spanier on the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal. The full interview is slated to air tonight on ABC's "World News with Diane Sawyer" and "Nightline."

$51,652 – Amount of the final payment made yesterday by Grand Prix of Baltimore organizers Race On LLC to the Maryland Stadium Authority. Race On owed the state agency a total of $190,000 for "usage of parking lots" around Camden Yards for the upcoming race (BIZJOURNALS.com, 8/22).