A source said that the Univ. of Washington has "extended the contract" of football coach CHRIS PETERSEN through the '23 season. The new deal "gives Petersen what is believed to be the richest contract in the Pac-12." Petersen’s new deal "extends him three additional seasons and has an average compensation" of $4.875M throughout the deal (SI.com, 4/11). Meanwhile, Louisiana Tech football coach SKIP HOLTZ has "agreed to a new extension with the university that keeps him under contract" through '22. Holtz "agreed to a five-year deal that will pay him $700,000 per season" (Monroe NEWS-STAR, 4/11).
THE PRICE IS RIGHT: The 76ers used their last home game of the '16-17 season on Monday to honor Exec VP/Business Operations LARA PRICE for her "more than 20 years as a member of the front office" for both the NBA and Sixers. Price was "presented with a citation and letter from NBA Commissioner ADAM SILVER." The Sixers also "played a video in her honor, before announcing a gift for Price -- a trip anywhere in the world" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 4/11).
CHARITY STRIPE: Cavaliers F LEBRON JAMES yesterday announced that his charitable foundation will "create a new public school" in his hometown of Akron. The I Promise School is "planned to open" in the fall of '18 and will "take its name from an existing program by the LeBron James Family Foundation." The school will be "designed in partnership with the Akron public schools system" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 4/11)....Stars Owner TOM GAGLARDI announced a $3M gift to JDRF Canada on Saturday at the '17 JDRF Greater Dallas Dream Gala. Gaglardi's donation will go "directly to support type 1 diabetes (T1D) cure-related research activities in the areas of encapsulation and beta cell replacement and regeneration" (DALLASNEWS.com, 4/10)....Patriots coach BILL BELICHICK and his eponymous foundation "hosted the second annual Team Belichick 26.2 Party" in Boston last night (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/12).
NAMES: Saints and Pelicans Owner TOM BENSON has acquired Cadillac of New Orleans (Cadillac of New Orleans)....USA Today’s CHRISTINE BRENNAN will “give the commencement address” at the Univ. of Toledo’s spring graduation ceremony (Toledo BLADE, 4/11)....The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Jonah Keri reviews TOM VERDUCCI’s new book, “THE CUBS WAY,” noting it offers “access to the inner workings" of the club through alternating narratives. It is a "lush accounting of one of the most thrilling championship runs in American sports" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 4/9)....ATF agents “used a secret, off-the-books bank account to rent a $21,000 suite at a NASCAR race.” Sources said that the agents “used the suite” in ’12 for the Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway (N.Y. TIMES, 4/12)....Rutgers athletics “received $200,144.48 from new donors to the Big Ten Build campaign during a span of Sunday afternoon through Monday night" (NJ.com, 4/11)....Pelicans C ANTHONY DAVIS and some of his teammates were “barred from entering” eatery Katana in West Hollywood on Monday night by a “doorman who objected” to Davis’ Pelicans hooded sweatshirt (NYPOST.com, 4/11).
