Sources said that CBS President & CEO LES MOONVES, "fearful a merger with Viacom will be forced upon his company after majority owner SUMNER REDSTONE dies, is discussing ways to buy out the broadcaster’s controlling shareholder, National Amusements." Sources said that Moonves "believes a merger with Viacom will leave him in an inferior position vis-à-vis" Viacom CEO PHILIPPE DAUMAN and "could shortchange CBS minority shareholders." One obstacle Moonves faces is that any buyout "would need the approval of the majority of the members on a trust that will take control" of National Amusements "after Redstone dies." Sources said that Dauman "is on the trust’s board" (N.Y. POST, 2/5).
SWING COACH: SI's Alan Shipnuck in a cover story profiles PGA of America CEO PETE BEVACQUA, writing he "has become the public face of an organization that has always lacked a clear identity." The PGA of America "has always been a multiheaded leviathan." Shipnuck: "From the outside looking in, it has never been clear who's in charge, if anyone. But make no mistake, the PGA of America is now Bevacqua's baby." Bevacqua in January was elected World Golf Foundation BOD Chair, a position one PGA Tour exec "likens to being anointed godfather." Former PGA of America President TED BISHOP in an e-mail wrote, "The PGA has to be more Pete's organization now if it will get anything done. The next few years will be very telling" (SI GOLF+, 2/2 issue).
MODERN FAMILY: The home of agent STEPHEN DUBIN is profiled in this month's Architectural Digest, as he and his wife, BRENDA ELLERIN, "commissioned Whipple Russell Architects to create a modernist home for their family." The 10,000-square-foot residence has a "bold assemblage of glass, slate, stucco, and metal planes" (ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST, 2/'15 issue).
SILVER LININGS: An Alameda County (Calif.) jury yesterday unanimously "sided with the Raiders in an age discrimination lawsuit brought by two former head scouts fired" in '12 after Owner MARK DAVIS and GM REGGIE MCKENZIE "took control of the franchise." Plaintiffs BRUCE KEBRIC and JON KINGDON "each worked for the Raiders for roughly 30 years" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 2/5).
NAMES: Tens of thousands of Patriots fans, “enduring the winter chill and overcoming transportation woes, lined streets in Boston” yesterday to “toast the triumphant Super Bowl champions.” City officials “did not provide a crowd estimate, but numbers appeared much lighter than past championship parades.” Only one arrest “was reported, for a man charged with public drinking” (BOSTON GLOBE, 2/5)....espnW’s Jim Pedley listed 10 things he would “like to see for women in auto racing” in ’15. One is that ISC Vice Chair & CEO LESA FRANCE KENNEDY “steps into the spotlight.” NASCAR would “benefit greatly by increasing the public presence” of France Kennedy, as there are “few people in racing who have the intelligence and savvy of this woman” (ESPNW.com, 2/4)....CBS Sports’ JAMES BROWN is the winner of the second-annual Sam Lacy-Wendell Smith Award. Given to a sports journalist who has made significant contributions to racial and gender equality in sports, the award is presented by the Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism at the Univ. of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism (Povich Center)....Toronto Sun sports columnist BOB ELLIOTT will be inducted into the Canadian Baseball HOF on June 13 (TORONTO SUN, 2/5)....Magic G BEN GORDON has sold his 2,400-square-foot home in Northbrook, Ill., for $417,000. Gordon bought the home in ’04 for $660,000 (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/5)....NASCAR driver BRAD KESELOWSKI yesterday on his blog announced that he and girlfriend PAIGE WHITE are “expecting a daughter” (AP, 2/4).
