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Thursday 4:00pm ET....Latest News....NBC Nears Super Bowl Ad Sellout

  • NBC Has Less Than 10 Ad Spots Left For Super Bowl Telecast
  • Army Files Patent Claim Against Golden Knights Over Use Of Name
  • 76ers Hope NBA Schedules Team For More Overseas Games
  • NBA's Silver Seems Opposed To Broadcasting All-Star Teams Draft

NBC Has Less Than 10 Ad Spots Left For Super Bowl Telecast

NBC has "less than 10" in-game slots available for its Super Bowl LII telecast, NBCU Exec VP/Sales & Marketing Dan Lovinger said today. Lovinger also said that the net is averaging more than $5M for a 30-second spot, which "covers linear, digital and Spanish language platforms." He added pre- and postgame units for the Feb. 4 telecast are "well sold," with ad revenue in the $500M range.

In addition, Lovinger said that Pyeongchang Games sales are "also strong." Ad sales for the Games are "expected to surpass" those for the '14 Sochi Games, which ended up in the mid-$800M range "across all platforms." Lovinger indicated that NBCU "expects to take in 'close to $1.4 billion' in ad revenue from the Super Bowl (including pre- and post-game) and the Winter Olympics" (ADWEEK.com, 1/11).

Army Files Patent Claim Against Golden Knights Over Use Of Name

The U.S. Army this week filed paperwork with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office "challenging the Golden Knights' use of the name for Bill Foley's NHL team along with its colors." The Army's parachute team is known as the Golden Knights, and its "primary colors are gold and black." The Army in its filing "claims it would be damaged by the hockey team should the team be granted permanent use of the mark." The team has until Feb. 19 to "respond to the Army’s claim." Foley is a West Point alum (REVIEWJOURNAL.com, 1/11).

76ers Hope NBA Schedules Team For More Overseas Games

The 76ers are playing the Celtics today in London, and the team is “hopeful their participation in global basketball games will continue” to Australia and Africa. 76ers President of Basketball Operations Brian Colangelo said, “We let the league know we are interested and a willing participant in events like this.” The franchise is “building a global brand” and currently features five international players on its roster, includes G Ben Simmons (Australia) and C Joel Embiid (Cameroon) (PHILLY.com, 1/11).

NBA's Silver Seems Opposed To Broadcasting All-Star Teams Draft

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver appears opposed to the idea of broadcasting the NBA All-Star Game team selection. Silver said having captains pick the teams is a “big step” towards improving the game itself and admitted having a public draft “would be more fun.” But he added, “I recognize picking a team to perform in the here and now is a little different than drafting.”

Silver said, “There was a sense from the players that it put them in an impossible situation where they’re picking one player over another, in part not because that player is better than another player but maybe because they have a personal relationship with the player or they think that player will be a better complement to the players.” He said if they “did it as just a pure draft, guys would say, ‘I can’t believe such and such was selected before that player’” (NBA TV, 1/11).

The panelists on ESPN’s “The Jump” discussed the topic today, and Paul Pierce said, “Televise it, Adam. Give the people what they want” (“The Jump,” ESPN, 1/11).

Cubs Make Several Front Office Changes Ahead Of '18 MLB Season

The Cubs today "adjusted their front office" with two promotions and the creation of a new position. Dir of Baseball Operations Scott Harris was promoted to Assistant GM, while Jeff Greenberg, who "moved up to assistant to the GM" in '15, takes over Harris' role as Dir of Baseball Operations. Shiraz Rehman "takes over the newly created role" as Assistant GM/Strategic Initiatives. Rehman’s concentration will be on "evaluating existing systems, and recognizing and applying solutions in an effort to create competitive advantages for the organization" (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 1/11).

Pepsi Revisiting Iconic Cindy Crawford Super Bowl Ad From '92

Cindy Crawford is recreating her iconic '92 Super Bowl ad for Pepsi, with the 30-second spot also "featuring her 18-year-old son.” The new Super Bowl ad, dubbed "This Is The Pepsi," is part of the company’s "Pepsi Generation" campaign "honoring the brand’s 120-year history in pop culture" (AP, 1/11). It is "not clear which agency is behind the new ad or when it will run during the game." As part of the campaign, Pepsi will have "pop-ups at big events like the Super Bowl" (ADWEEK.com, 1/11). Below is the original spot from '92:

Throwback Thursday: On Stranger Tides

Nine years ago this week, the Buccaneers parted ways with coach Jon Gruden, who led the franchise to its first and only Super Bowl title in '02. Gruden was fired after a 9-7 season, though the team ended its campaign with a four-game losing streak. Gruden would join ESPN's "MNF" booth for almost a decade before his return to the Raiders just this month.  

Other stories from this week in '09:

Speed Reads....

The Panthers-Bruins game postponed last week due to weather “has been rescheduled" for 7:30pm ET on Sunday, April 8, at TD Garden. The Hawks-Celtics game scheduled for that night will now start at 1:00pm “in order to accommodate this schedule change” (BOSTONGLOBE.com, 1/11).

San Jose State and The Aspire Group have reached a three-year agreement to create and operate an on-campus Fan Relationship Management Center to handle all of the school's ticket sales and service functions (Aspire Group).

Bon Jovi in April will play "what's likely to be the final major concert at the soon-to-be-demolished" BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee (JSONLINE.com, 1/11). 

Miami WR Braxton Berrios has hired Drew Rosenhaus to represent him ahead of the NFL Draft (MIAMIHERALD.com, 1/11).

Quick Hits....

"I called Coach Saban to leave him a voicemail yesterday, and he actually answered, which I couldn't believe. … I was actually shocked to get to talk to him” -- Golfer Justin Thomas, who played at Alabama, on calling Nick Saban to congratulate him after the CFP National Championship (GOLFDIGEST.com, 1/11).

"When I first signed, I might have gotten more of those GIFs (of dancing) than anything" -- New Cubs P Steve Cishek, on the team's infamous bullpen dance routines (TWITTER.com, 1/11).

Twitter Me This....

The Starting Five....

The most-read stories today on SportsBusinessDaily.com:

1) Overwatch League Season Debut Seen As Milestone For Young Esports Industry
2) Dundon Ready To Take Over Hurricanes As Closing Of Sale From Karmanos Imminent
3) All The Money In The World? MLB Seeing A Buyer's Market In Free Agency
4) NFL Sending Three Enticing Matchups To U.K in '18; Survey Shows Brits Dislike Football
5) Mom & Me: Bulls Treat Players' Mothers To Spa Day, Special Road Trip For Knicks Game

Daily Download....

With the Eagles set to play in the U.K. in '18, NBC Sports Philadelphia's Molly Sullivan took to the streets of London to find out if locals can distinguish Eagles QB Carson Wentz from Prince Harry.

Channel Surf....

Basketball HOFer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will appear on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" at 11:00pm ET.

Daily Digit....

$1.43M -- Total Airbnb host earnings in State College, Pa., around Penn State home games during the '17-18 college football season, tops among major college towns where the hospitality company collected data (Airbnb).