Big Ten Commissioner JIM DELANY's base compensation in '13 "increased by $800,000" to nearly $2.1M, according to the conference's federal tax returns. Delany was credited with nearly $3.4M in total compensation for the year on the new return," including a $1M bonus. However, the return "also stated that more than $830,000 of the total had been reported as deferred compensation on prior years' returns." Those figures "still trailed the 2012 calendar-year base pay for the Pac-12's LARRY SCOTT and the ACC's JOHN SWOFFORD." Scott's base was $2.2M and his total was more than $3.3M; Swofford's base was "a little more" than $2.1M and his total nearly $2.2M (USATODAY.com, 5/17).
SEPP-TIC TANK: HBO’s “LAST WEEK TONIGHT WITH JOHN OLIVER” yesterday took shots at FIFA, with Oliver calling the governing body “the NFL of actual football.” Oliver: “They are an objectively appalling organization.” FIFA President SEPP BLATTER is running for his fifth term next week, and Oliver said, “If you don't know who Sepp Blatter is, think of ROGER GOODELL, and now think of Roger Goodell's asshole. That is Sepp Blatter because this is a man who in the past has suggested increasing the popularity of women's soccer by having them wear tighter shorts.” Oliver added, “On Sepp Blatter’s watch, the World Cup was given to Qatar. ... The only place less appropriate to host a World Cup would be the actual surface of the sun, although to be fair, the sun does have a much better human-rights record than Qatar does. And yet despite all of this, the crazy thing is Sepp Blatter is widely expected to win re-election, even though a hairless bear would do less damage as president" (“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver,” HBO, 5/17).
RIGHT-HAND WOMAN: In Sacramento, Ailene Voisin profiled NBA Exec VP/Team Marketing & Business Operations AMY BROOKS, who is "among the handful of Commissioner ADAM SILVER's most trusted advisers." She is "celebrating her 10th season with the league," and the NBA this past year under her supervision "set regular-season records in total attendance, average attendance and sellouts." Additionally, the league "attracted 240 million fans to its social media platforms" -- a 40% increase. She also "oversees the business and marketing arms" for the WNBA, the D-League and the NBA’s global expansion (SACRAMENTO BEE, 5/16). Brooks also was named to the SBJ/SBD "Forty Under 40" class in '14 (THE DAILY).
EARNED HER STRIPES: In Detroit, Jeff Seidel profiled Tigers Administrative Assistant AUDREY ZIELINSKI, who has worked in the team's front office for 58 years. For Zielinski, the Tigers "are her life, at least a large part of it, and it has been wonderful, to say the least." Zielinski "never married" and "never had kids." She "works three days a week and she doesn't know how much longer she will last." Zielinski: "I'm getting near retirement. I'm not going to stay forever" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 5/17).
PARTYING AT PIMLICO: Celebrities in attendance on Saturday at Under Armour’s corporate-hospitality tent at the Preakness Stakes included Panthers QB CAM NEWTON and skier LINDSEY VONN. Others in attendance included South Carolina football coach STEVE SPURRIER, ESPN’s HERM EDWARDS, Notre Dame basketball coach MIKE BREY, former Maryland basketball coach GARY WILLIAMS and current coach MARK TURGEON. It “was no surprise that UA pitchman TOM BRADY -- who has been a guest previously -- and wife GISELE BUNDCHEN were no-shows this year.” Others in attendance included “DUCK DYNASTY” cast members JEP ROBERTSON and JUSTIN MARTIN (Baltimore SUN, 5/17).
ON THE SILVER SCREEN: Open Road Films is closing a $4M deal for rights to “BLEED FOR THIS,” starring MILES TELLER in “the real-life story of boxing legend VINNY PAZIENZA.” Open Road is “said to be planning an awards push for the film.” The movie is the “second boxing film to garner attention" at the Cannes Film Festival, as The Weinstein Co. has “pre-bought U.S. rights” to “HANDS OF STONE,” starring EDGAR RAMIREZ as Panamanian boxer ROBERTO DURAN and ROBERT DE NIRO as his trainer (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 5/16)....The story of retired Chinese tennis player LI NA is “being made into a film” based on her autobiography. WME-IMG on Saturday said that PETER CHAN will “produce and direct the biopic” (WSJ.com, 5/16)....GARRY MARSHALL has “come on board" to direct "ROYAL ICE," an account of PRINCE ALBERT’s "quest to form Monaco’s first Olympic competitive bobsledding team that Aldamisa Entertainment is producing with the cooperation of the Prince” (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 5/16)....A sneak peek has been released of Patriots TE ROB GRONKOWSKI and QB Tom Brady’s respective cameos in the upcoming big-screen version "ENTOURAGE" (BOSTON HERALD, 5/18).
NAMES: Vikings co-Owner ZYGI WILF again “has been sued in New Jersey by the children of a former partner who say their father was cut out of a real estate deal” by Wilf and his father. The son and daughter of MEYER GOLD, who died in ‘13, “say he was a one-third owner of the company, called Amchu, but received nothing from the lease of property in Fairfield, in Essex County, or from rental income that averages $1,600 per month per unit for the 122-unit adult residential complex the Wilfs built there” (AP, 5/16)....Seahawks coach PETE CARROLL on Saturday was inducted into USC’s Athletic HOF (LATIMES.com, 5/16)....A bridge named after Hockey HOFer GORDIE HOWE “is going to be built spanning the Detroit River -- a new connection between Detroit and Windsor” (DETROIT NEWS, 5/17)....Pro Football HOFer HARRY CARSON yesterday was the speaker at the NYU School of Professional Studies graduation ceremony (NYU)....CNBC’s JIM CRAMER threw out the first pitch at the D-backs-Phillies game on Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park (THE DAILY).
