YAHOO SPORTS' Jason Cole reported free agent WR TERRELL OWENS is "one of at least 25 NFL players who could be forced to divest and face discipline from the league in connection with" Center Stage, a "bingo and entertainment operation that is hoping to re-open late this month or in July" in Alabama. NFL rules bar an employee's "association with any gaming operation." Sources said that the players "invested approximately $20 million total" in the project. Boxer FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR. was an "early investor and has legally sought a return of his money" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 6/16).
DOUBLE DISCOUNT: BLOOMBERG NEWS' Ari Levy cites corporate governance experts as saying that Groupon Vice Chair and Capitals and Wizards Owner TED LEONSIS' venture firm is an "investor in rival LivingSocial and has ties to its board, a relationship that could pose a conflict." Leonsis has been a BOD member at Groupon since June '09 and Vice Chair since April, and he is "also a partner at Revolution Growth, STEVE CASE's investing fund, which owns stock in LivingSocial." However, Revolution said that Leonsis "has no personal financial stake in that company" (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 6/15).
TORNADO RELIEF: MLB, the MLBPA, the Cardinals and the Royals are collaborating on "Teams Unite for Joplin" to help raise money and awareness for the tornado recovery effort in Joplin, Mo. Activities are planned throughout and after this weekend's series between the two teams in St. Louis. The Cardinals are directing their fundraising efforts to their charitable foundation Cardinals Care to help the children impacted by the May 22 tornado (Cardinals)....Univ. of Minnesota football coach JERRY KILL, "with help from many sponsors, is having more than 100 children affected by the tornado that hit north Minneapolis on May 22 take part in his Future Gopher Camp this week free of charge" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 6/17).
NAMES: "LOMBARDI: A READING BY THE BROADWAY CAST" will be presented July 26-27 at the Lambeau Field Atrium. The cast will then "move to the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center" in Appleton, Wisc., for shows from July 28-30 (GREEN BAY PRESS-GAZETTE, 6/17)....Broncos neurosurgeon Dr. CHAD PRUSMACK was “exonerated by a Denver jury on a claim that he failed to provide former linebacker AL WILSON good medical advice about treating a neck injury Wilson claimed cost him a $25 million NFL contract” (DENVER POST, 6/17)….An attorney for Floyd Mayweather Jr. has informed the legal team of boxer MANNY PACQUIAO that Mayweather “does not plan to show up as requested for a deposition at a Las Vegas law office.” Pacquiao is suing Mayweather and his father “for defamation over defamatory statements claiming that the Filipino star had used performance-enhancing drugs” (LATIMES.com, 6/16)….In Philadelphia, Mike Kern profiled Villanova Univ. football coach ANDY TALLEY, who leads the “Get in the Game, Save a Life” program to tests for potential bone-marrow donors in conjunction with the National Marrow Donor Program. Talley also has started his own foundation that raised $50,000 at its inaugural event on campus (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 6/16)….Former NBC Sports Chair DICK EBERSOL was spotted alongside friends at Artcliff Diner near Boston (BOSTON HERALD, 6/17).
