Anheuser-Bush is joining Nike as sponsors "sticking with Lance Armstrong," while Radio Shack, his most recent team sponsor, "did not have any immediate response Friday to questions about its deal with Armstrong." A-B VP/Marketing Paul Chibe said, "Our partnership with Lance remains unchanged. He has inspired millions with his athletic achievement and his commitment to helping cancer survivors and their families" (CNN.com, 8/24). Trek Bicycle Corp. said that it "was monitoring the situation." There was "no immediate comment" from sponsors Johnson Health Tech and Oakley. Energy bar maker Honey Stinger, which is co-owned by Armstrong, said that it will "continue working with him and will continue to support" the foundation (REUTERS, 8/24).

How Livestrong responds to the situation "will be of key interest" in DC. Since '10, the charity has retained Podesta Group to lobby the federal government. The nonprofit spent $50,000 on federal lobbying in '10, $150,000 in '11 and is on pace to spend $160,000 this year, financial records indicate (POLITICO.com, 8/24).

The T'Wolves and Treasure Island Resort & Casino on Friday announced a multiyear deal that includes the redesign and rebranding of Target Center's Club Cambria premium seating area, which now will be called the Treasure Island Resort & Casino VIP Terrace. The relaunch of the space will include six additional suites, raising capacity to 108 seats. The renovations are expected to be completed in October in time for the start of the '12-13 NBA season (T'Wolves).

Other aspects of the deal include signage on the arena exterior and interior, a promotional kiosk on the concourse and "partnering with the Wolves on various community events, including a new Basketbowl fundraising event that will be held at the casino." Cambria Holding's naming-rights deal for the premium area expired, but the company "will remain a corporate partner" and is "in talks with the Wolves about the creation of a new Cambria-branded space within Target Center as part of a major arena renovation slated to begin next year" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 8/24).

Madison Square Garden Co. on Friday reported that revenues grew 8% to $1.3B in FY '12, primarily due to an increase in revenues at its MSG Sports and MSG Media segments. Operating income for Q4 was $177.5M, up 44% from the year-ago period. Net income the period ending June 30 was $106.5M, or $1.38 per diluted share, up 34%. Q4 revenues grew 42% to $332.9M due to increases in all three of the company's business segments. Operating cash flow grew 90% to $77.8M, primarily due to cash flow increases at MSG Sports (MSG).

At presstime, MSG was trading at $41.83, up 3.93% (THE DAILY).

Six TV markets will see Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway "on alternate channels, due to NFL preseason games." The race will air on ABC in most markets, but it will instead be shown on ESPN instead in Buffalo, N.Y.; Quincy, Ill.; Tulsa, Okla.; and Weslaco, Texas. Detroit's WXYZ-ABC "will show the race telecast to its digital tier 2 channel and then join the race in progress" after Lions-Raiders. In Rochester, WHAM-ABC "will move the race telecast to its digital tier 2 channel" (ESPN.com, 8/23).

Panther Racing will field a car with a 49ers-themed paint scheme in Sunday's Izod IndyCar Series GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma. The move is a "tribute by Panther Racing" to race team investor and 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, "whose old jersey number (4) adorns the car driven by JR Hildebrand." Team Owner John Barnes, Hildebrand, the team's pit crew and select National Guard soldiers brought the car to the 49ers' Santa Clara facility on Thursday (MERCURYNEWS.com, 8/21).

"Thunderstruck," a light comedy starring Thunder F Kevin Durant, opens Friday in theaters. The OKLAHOMAN's George Lang writes, "Nothing about 'Thunderstruck' is especially original, but Durant's appeal as a good-natured role model at the top of his game comes through even when the comedy elements are strictly junior varsity." TULSA WORLD's Michael Smith writes, "The best thing to come out of this sleepy sports movie is that Durant doesn't embarrass himself." The ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS' Chris Hewitt writes the film is "not terrible. It's just so indistinct."

The Big East Conference announced that it has selected Vivid Seats as its official secondary ticket partner. The deal was brokered by IMG College representing the conference (Big East).

A man beaten unconscious and the friend shot trying to rescue him at a Raiders-49ers preseason game in August '11 have "quietly sued the 49ers, the NFL and the Candlestick Park parking lot security company." The previously unpublicized litigation was filed in November (MERCURYNEWS.com, 8/24).

The Warriors have hired Ellen Warner as VP/Development. Previously, Warner was a partner at Sacramento-based developer David S. Taylor Interests (Warriors).

Wireless infrastructure provider Mobilitie has installed a new high-speed distributed antenna system at Tropicana Field (Mobilitie).

Paciolan on Friday announced that Boston College has renewed its partnership with the company, extending a relationship that began in '89 (Paciolan).

Lions WR Calvin Johnson appears on the cover of ESPN The Magazine's NFL preview issue (THE DAILY).

"I think it's fair to say that some that have gotten larger are now wondering if it's going to be worth it. There are complexities, especially regarding some scheduling issues, that have really caused some problems" – Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby, saying he is happy with his conference's 10-team configuration as opposed to the larger membership some leagues have adopted (K.C. STAR, 8/24).

"I've definitely put it out there that I do want to swim in college and ... I don't want people to think that's not how I feel anymore because it is" – U.S. swimmer Missy Franklin ("Today," NBC, 8/24).

The L.A. Times' Joe Flint: "Not so fast Tennis Chanel. Court grants Comcast request for stay of FCC order."

Synergy CEO Tim Crow: "Calling it right now. When the world looks back on the Paralympics, the way GB embraced it will be seen as our greatest London 2012 legacy."

ESPN's Stuart Scott: "Maybe @lancearmstrong 1-tired of fighting 2-Dont wanna pay millions 2 fight 3- If kids believe u, so what if nobody else does."

The AP's Antonio Gonzalez: "First part of Memorial Stadium media tour was 'unexpectedly barricaded.' In other words, still under construction. Good start."

If you see a tweet we won’t want to miss, send it to us at editorial@sportsbusinessdaily.com.

Hurricanes VP/Marketing Doug Warf posted this image of the team's entry in "CowParade North Carolina 2012 presented by Wells Fargo." The Canes' bovine art is located at North Hills Mall in Raleigh, just a few miles from the team's PNC Arena, and Warf tweeted, "Locale means Canes players will see 'Cowniac.'" 

FRIDAY

WTA New Haven Open CEO Mike Davies will receive his '12 Int'l Tennis HOF induction ring after a semifinal match.

SATURDAY

The Lakers, in conjunction with Time Warner Cable SportsNet and Time Warner Cable Deportes, will hold the first in a series of "Los Lakercitos Basketball Clinics" at the Boys & Girls Club of the San Fernando Valley in Pacoima, Calif.

The Reds will retire Baseball HOFer Barry Larkin's No. 11 uniform as part of the team's "11 Days of Larkin" promotion.

Saturday's Colts-Redskins exhibition will mark the home preseason debut of Redskins QB Robert Griffin III. To mark the occasion, adidas is lighting up the names of football fans on a moving projection of Griffin displayed across the Newseum's 74-foot-high marble First Amendment tablet. The fans took part in an adidas Facebook promotion to be included in the effort.

FRIDAY

U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte will appear on NBC’s “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” at 12:35am ET.

SATURDAY

ESPN Classic and ESPN3 will simulcast live coverage of P Roger Clemens' first start for the independent Atlantic League Sugar Land Skeeters.

"WWE Saturday Morning Slam" will debut at 10:00am ET as part of the television premiere of Vortexx on The CW, a Saturday morning kids’ television block.

17 – Number of corporate logos used during the DC-area TV broadcast of last Saturday's Redskins-Bears preseason game, either framed as "this game brought to you by" or in support of specific broadcast features (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 8/23).