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Tuesday 4:00pm ET....Latest News....Jets Fans Can Save Some Green

  • Jets Lower Season-Ticket Prices, Offer Freeze For Renewals
  • Earnhardt To Appear In NBC's Super Bowl, Pyeongchang Coverage
  • Big East Launches Campaign To Promote Conference Hoops Tourney
  • AAC Presidents, ADs Discussed Media Rights At Winter Meeting

Jets Lower Season-Ticket Prices, Offer Freeze For Renewals

The Jets today said that they are "reducing season ticket prices" for the '18 season, dropping them by an average of 11%. More than half the seats at MetLife Stadium "will see prices decrease" in '18, and prices of the "remaining seats will remain the same." The team also introduced a "two-year price freeze on season tickets for fans who sign up for new 10- and 12-month automatic payment options for March 1." For fans who renew by March 1 and are "having their seat prices lowered, the Jets will provide $20 to $40 per seat in Jets Cash" (NJ.com, 1/16).

Earnhardt To Appear In NBC's Super Bowl, Pyeongchang Coverage

NBC Sports today announced it will use Dale Earnhardt Jr. in its Super Bowl pregame show, "then send him to South Korea for the network's coverage" of the Pyeongchang Games. Earnhardt said, "What they are asking me to do is just go out there and be myself and hopefully get people interested in tuning into NASCAR." Earnhardt will appear at outdoor events around the Super Bowl and "activities taking place in Minneapolis in the days before the game." In Pyeongchang, he will "visit the speed skating venue and accept a recent social media invite" from U.S. bobsledder Nick Cunningham to "ride in a bobsled" (AP, 1/16).

Big East Launches Campaign To Promote Conference Hoops Tourney

The Big East has launched a multiplatform marketing campaign to promote and sell tickets for this year's men's basketball tournament being held at MSG from March 7-10. The campaign includes national and local TV, as well as social, digital and grassroots marketing. TV spots will air on Fox' networks as well as the conference's social platforms. Ads will also be seen on N.Y. subways and taxi cabs and the Metro North & Long Island commuter rail (Big East).

AAC Presidents, ADs Discussed Media Rights At Winter Meeting

The American Athletic Conference today offered a rundown of its winter meeting of presidents and ADs, held last Wednesday in Atlanta. Highlights included discussion of media-rights strategies, the continuation of its P6 messaging and proposed NCAA legislation. The AAC also named SMU AD Rick Hart to the conference's exec committee; UConn AD David Benedict to the student-athlete advisory committee; and UCF AD Danny White to the league’s media-rights advisory committee (AAC).

Zurich Insurance Adds Garcia, Fleetwood As Golf Endorsers

Zurich Insurance Group today named Sergio Garcia and Tommy Fleetwood its newest golf endorsers. Both players will carry Zurich-branded golf bags throughout the season. Other Zurich endorsers include Jason Day, Justin Rose, Lexi Thompson, Jamie Donaldson and Billy Horschel (Zurich).

DC Solar Expands Ganassi Sponsorship To Cup Series, IndyCar

DC Solar in '18 will be the primary sponsor for Chip Ganassi Racing's Monster Energy Cup Series No. 42 Chevy driven by Kyle Larson, as well as CGR's No. 1 driven by Jamie McMurray. DC Solar has sponsored CGR cars in the Xfinity Series for the past three seasons, and it will continue to sponsor the No. 42 in that circuit, with both Larson and McMurray behind the wheel. DC Solar also will extend its CGR deal to IndyCar as an associate sponsor of Scott Dixon's No. 9 ride and Ed Jones' No. 10 (Chip Ganassi Racing).

Speed Reads....

Several of the Steelers' limited partners reportedly "intend to lobby" President Art Rooney II "to fire" Mike Tomlin and hire a new coach. The partners "have no authority over the management of the team, but they have a pipeline" to ownership (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 1/16).

Fox' Jay Glazer will be joining the Bellator MMA broadcast team beginning with Bellator 192 Saturday night at 9:00pm ET on Paramount Network (Bellator MMA).

The Lakers will "unveil a stature honoring" Basketball HOFer Elgin Baylor on April 6 outside Staples Center (OCREGISTER.com, 1/16).

Spurs F Davis Bertans has signed a multiyear deal with Latvia-based protective gear company Blindsave (THE DAILY).

Quick Hits....

"ESPN is trying very hard to have provocative personalities and people who are very, very opinionated in their world. ... Yet, at the same time, they’re saying to people like Jemele [Hill], and everyone else for that matter now, ‘We don’t want to hear your personal opinions.’ That is one hell of a judo move to pull off" -- Author James Andrew Miller, on the current landscape at ESPN (NYPOST.com, 1/16).

"I wouldn’t have the kind of money where I would move the needle too much, but it would be something to have a lot of pride in, and a good Charlotte NFL team is good for the city of Charlotte" -- Dale Earnhardt Jr., on if he is involved in a possible bid for the NFL Panthers (CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.com, 1/16).

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Channel Surf....

NASCAR driver Matt DiBenedetto will appear on Fox' "Lethal Weapon" at 8:00pm ET.

WWE's new Facebook Watch show, "Mixed Match Challenge," debuts at 10:00pm ET.

Daily Download....

As the Pyeongchang Games approach, Red Bull takes a look back at some of the highlights of the past year in snow sports.

The Starting Five....

The most-read stories today on SportsBusinessDaily.com:

1) Source: Saudi Arabian Prince Expected To Make "Significant Investment" In Endeavor
2) Pirates Brass Says Trades Of Star Players McCutchen, Cole Not About Freeing Up Payroll
3) ESPN's Katie Nolan Calls Snapchat Version Of "SportsCenter" An "Evolving" Show
4) Wynalda Could Be Possible Favorite For USSF President; Tries To Shake "Volatile" Stigma
5) Super Bowl LII Tickets' Face Value As High As $5,000; Minneapolis Set For 10-Day Fan Fest

Daily Digit....

3.15% -- Predicted compound annual growth rate of the global rugby equipment market from '18-22, according to new research from ReportsnReports.com (ReportsnReports).