The eighth annual Sports Business Awards are now only hours away. Presenters at the event tonight at the N.Y. Marriott Marquis at Times Square will include Hornets President & COO Fred Whitfield, Lagardère’s Donald Dell, WMG’s Casey Wasserman, Octagon’s Rick Dudley, LPGA’s Michael Whan, NBC’s Mark Lazarus and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. Expected attendees include Roger Penske, Chip Ganassi, CBS' Sean McManus, MLS' Don Garber, MLB Cardinals’ Bill DeWitt, CAA's Mike Levine, Fox' Eric Shanks and ESPN’s Burke Magnus (THE DAILY).

See a full list of nominees.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell this afternoon said the move by Patriots Owner Robert Kraft yesterday not to challenge the Deflategate punishment against the team “was his decision.” Speaking at the conclusion of the league’s spring owners meeting in S.F., Goodell said, “This was his initiative and something he wanted to do, and I certainly admire the step he took. We may disagree on things but that’s not unusual, that happens.” Goodell said Kraft’s announcement would not affect the appeal by Patriots QB Tom Brady over his punishment. Goodell: “I look forward to hearing directly from Tom. If there’s information that can be helpful to us in getting this right, I want to hear directly from Tom on that.”

When asked about being the person who meted out the punishment and now the one to hear the appeal, Goodell noted it was an “independent investigation” into Deflategate. He added, “Once we had the Wells report, our staff – led by Troy Vincent, who handles these matters on a regular basis – immediately began meetings. I participated in some of those meetings, so I understood the discussion that they were having. Troy made a recommendation. I authorized him to go ahead and issue that as I do in every other case” (ESPN, 5/20).

The PGA of America and Chase today formally announced their official partnership deal. The two-year deal makes Chase Sapphire Preferred the official credit card of the PGA of America and includes Chase Bank as the official retail bank of the association. The deal also calls for Chase to offer its cardmembers onsite benefits at the PGA of America’s major events. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but the association’s official partner level deals typically are for seven figures annually.

Leverage Agency has been named licensing and sponsorship agency for American Pharoah. The Ahmed Zayat-owned horse will enter the June 6 Belmont Stakes trying to become the first Triple Crown winner since '78. Leverage Agency last year managed sponsorships for Triple Crown contender California Chrome, which included deals with Skechers and Breathe Right.

The Built With Chocolate Milk campaign today announced the addition of U.S. women's national soccer team MF Kelley O'Hara to its roster of athlete endorsers ahead of the FIFA Women's World Cup. She will star in the national Built With Chocolate Milk TV, print and digital campaign debuting at the end of this month, promoting chocolate milk as her recovery drink of choice. O'Hara joins Cavaliers F Kevin Love and triathletes Mirinda Carfrae, Craig Alexander and Luke McKenzie as campaign ambassadors (MilkPEP).

Miami Football Club is set to be announced as the newest NASL franchise. Beginning play in '16, the club will be owned by a group of international investors that includes MP & Silva Group Founder & President Riccardo Silva and former AC Milan player Paolo Maldini. Antonio Barretto, a sports media exec and Miami resident, will serve as the club’s CEO and hold an ownership stake. The club’s matches will be distributed worldwide via MP & Silva, who as a group also will be a shareholder of Miami FC. When the club enters the league, it will play its home matches at an existing stadium in Miami.

GoPro today named MLL N.Y. Lizards MF Paul Rabil an endorser, making him the first team sports ambassador for the camera brand. Rabil will use GoPro cameras to capture point-of-view lacrosse footage, with the content to be used for both entertainment and instructional purposes. As part of the deal, GoPro has launched a digital video titled "Do One More," in which Rabil relates his view and philosophy of the sport of lacrosse (GoPro).

NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson and Heat G Dwyane Wade appeared together on ABC’s “GMA” this morning to promote their new heat safety campaign in partnership with Mission Athletecare. Wade said of Mission, “We’re the leaders in thermal regulation, and what that’s saying is we’re the leaders in anything that’s cool for the body for athletes in the summertime.” Johnson said Mission “makes a variety of products that help regulate your heat (and) help keep you cool” (“GMA,” ABC, 5/20).

Baylor Emergency Medical Centers today announced a deal to sponsor the PGA Tour AT&T Byron Nelson, which will be played May 28-31 at the Four Seasons in Irving, Texas. The deal builds on the company's initial agreement that began last year and will run through '16 (Baylor Emergency Medical Centers).

Clothier Cutter & Buck has renewed its partnership with the PGA of America's PGA Golf Retirement Plus program for three additional years. The deal will stretch through the end of '17, marking 18 consecutive years of sponsorship by Cutter & Buck (PGA of America).

AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo today announced a partnership with former U.S. sprinter Jackie Joyner-Kersee to increase awareness of opioid-induced constipation (AstraZeneca).

"Frankly speaking, shame on us. We've allowed the National Basketball Association to dictate what our rules are, or influence what our rules are at the collegiate level" – Northwestern AD and NCAA Division-I Council Chair Jim Phillips, on the one-and-done rule (ESPN.com, 5/19).

“One of our missions is to graduate young people, and the other is (to operate) a $90 million enterprise, and much of it is based on filling a stadium or selling corporate sponsorships” – Iowa AD Gary Barta, on the inherent conflict between education and big business (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 5/20).

“I have been to Oakland several times over the past four or five years. I’ve heard the promise. It hasn’t been produced, and now we have lost all that time and the ability (of getting a new stadium) hasn’t gone up” – NFL Exec VP/Business Ventures Eric Grubman, saying Oakland officials are running out of time to produce a stadium plan to keep the Raiders (BIZJOURNALS.com, 5/20).

There is plenty of room to question Phil Jackson's first year back in New York. But the ping pong balls aren't his fault. #Knicks

— Mike Greenberg (@Espngreeny) May 20, 2015

Major props to #Indians for donating catcher's gear to Garfield Heights Baseball League, which had equipment stolen last week.

— Tom Withers (@twithersAP) May 20, 2015

And thus endeth the silly narrative that it matters whether Brendan Shanahan lives full time in Toronto.

— Damien Cox (@DamoSpin) May 20, 2015

We need web and developers and java developers for @SportingInnov . Lmk rheineman@sportingkc.com. you'll wind up w good skc tix :)

— Robb Heineman (@RobbHeineman) May 20, 2015

@courtemancheMLS, Dan Flynn of @ussoccer, @thesoccerdon & Dave Peacock with #STL plans at client @HOKNetwork. pic.twitter.com/wcxxVsFo5x

— Jim Woodcock (@WoodySTL) May 20, 2015

ESPN's Chris Berman will conclude the Broward College Speaker Series at 7:30pm ET at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Ft. Lauderdale.

Celtics head coach Brad Stevens will serve as a special guest-host Thursday on ESPN Radio's "Mike & Mike," appearing from 8:00-10:00am ET.

USA Today Editor-in-Chief David Callaway today said the paper “could stop publishing a daily print newspaper as soon as in the next ‘five or six years.’” Callaway, on a panel at the Internet Week New York conference, added that the daily print paper “remains a lucrative product for USA Today” (ADAGE.com, 5/20).

Titans QB Marcus Mariota appears in this new ad for First Hawaiian Bank, with his father providing the narrative voice-over.

ESPN’s Bobby Valentine will serve as an analyst speaking specifically about Japanese baseball during the Rangers-Red Sox game at 7:10pm ET. It will mark Valentine’s first visit to Fenway Park since being fired as Red Sox manager following the ’12 season.

13,375 – Number of jobs that will be created by the Hall Of Fame Village development in Canton "during the peak year of the project," according to a year-long economic impact study by Conventions, Sports & Leisure Int'l (CRAINSCLEVELAND.com, 5/19).